תַּ֣חַת שְׂ֭נוּאָה כִּ֣י תִבָּעֵ֑ל וְ֝שִׁפְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־תִירַ֥שׁ גְּבִרְתָּֽהּ׃ (פ)
Для одиозной женщины, когда она замужем; И служанка, которая является наследницей ее хозяйки.
Rabbeinu Bahya
על אויביך ועל שונאיך, “against your enemies and those who hate you.” The former are the Ishmaelites, Arabs; the latter refer to the descendants of Esau. The prophet Micah (Micah 5,8) speaks of “your hand shall prevail over your foes, and all your enemies shall be cut down.” This is a reference to the two nations to which we are enslaved and amongst which we are scattered. This is why the sages in Baba Batra 73 refer to two geese in a story related by Rabbi Bar bar Chana. The story goes as follows: “I once walked in the desert and we saw these two geese which lost their feathers due to their excessive obesity. I extracted a continuous thin line of honey from them. I said to them: “are we going to have a share in the world to come?” One of them lifted its body, whereas the other lifted its flank.” When Rabbi Bar bar Chana came to Rabbi Eleazar (and told him of his experience) the Rabbi said to him that the meaning is that in the future the Jewish people will have to render an accounting. Thus far the Talmud. [The fact is that the entire story does not appear in our editions of the Talmud. Rabbi Chavell claims he has found it in a similar form in Agadot haTalmud. Ed.]
The meaning of the whole story is that the sage (Rabbi Bar bar Chana) saw in his mind, while in an isolated part of the world, i.e. the desert, that these two Empires, that of the Mohammedans and that of the Romans, attained tremendous power in this world. This was symbolized by the obesity of the geese. When the Rabbi asked them: “are we not going to have a share in your prosperity in the future?,” the meaning of the words: “one of them lifted its wings” is a reference to Ishmael This was a symbol that the Ishmaelites will flee to us in the future and take refuge under the wings of the Shechinah. They will give us their beasts to use as sacrifices to the Lord on their behalf. This is the meaning of Isaiah 60,7: “all the flocks of Kedar shall be assembled for you (the Jewish people); the rams of Nevayot shall serve your needs.” This indicates that these Ishmaelites will convert to Judaism. It also is an allusion to the fact that they will wear phylacteries, seeing the phylacteries have been compared to wings (Shabbat 49). Concerning the other goose which raised its rump, this is a reference to Edom, whose protective angel had dislocated Yaakov’s hip joint in the nocturnal encounter described in Genesis 32,26. It is also an allusion to the commandment of circumcision, i.e. that in the time under discussion these people would convert and circumcise themselves. There is no need to add that at that time political and moral sovereignty will be restored to the Jewish people. This is the symbolism portrayed by the fatness of these two geese and the honey which dripped from them. As to the words of Rabbi Eleazar that the Israelites would be called upon to give an accounting at that time, the meaning is that they will have to give an accounting for not having become penitents during all the preceding years, and have tarried so long before living as true Jews. The reason the term אויב is applied to the Roman Empire, whereas the term שונא is applied to the Islamic Empire, is that the former is a term describing fiercer hatred and animosity than the word שונא. אויב is an enemy who is full of hatred in his heart, knows no mercy. A שונא, on the other hand, though he too inflicts hurt and death, tempers it with a degree of mercy. Proof of this found in Isaiah 47,6: ”but you showed them no mercy. Even upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.” [actually in that chapter the prophet speaks of the cruelty of the Babylonians, not the Ishmaelites. Ed.] The very etymology of the word אויב, reflects that it refers to unrelenting hatred; it is derived from אבוי, a word which has the same letters as אויב, and means “woe.” The reason that the Torah mentions אויביך before speaking of שונאיך, [when we would have expected the Torah to describe matters in an ascending order, Ed.] is that it wanted to link the שונאיך to the pursuit, i.e. אשר רדפוך, “who have pursued you.” This nation has traditionally uprooted our exiles wherever their rule extended. The reason they are referred to by the term שונא, “someone who hates,” is that G’d Himself describes His relationship with Esau with the words: “I have hated Esau,” (Maleachi 1,3). Midrash Mishley confirms this when explaining the words (Proverbs 30,23) “because of the loathsome woman when she becomes married.” The “loathsome, hateful one,” is understood to be a reference to Esau. The verse from Scripture cited as proof is also the one from Malachi I,3. The final words in that verse in Proverbs, i.e. ושפכה כי תירש גברתה, “and when a slave-woman inherits her mistress” (another phenomenon confounding Solomon who describes such phenomena as intolerable), is a reference to Ishmael, seeing his mother Hagar was the slave-woman of Sarah.) Seeing that the attitude of the Ishmaelites towards the Jews is more hostile than that of the Edomites, the Torah describes them as “your enemies.” This is confirmed by the popular saying: “rather under the Edomites than under the Ishmaelites.” [The idea is that if Jews have a chance which exile to choose they would invariably prefer to live under the yoke of the former. Ed.] G’d, when describing for how long He will hold generations responsible for the deeds of their forefathers, says ועל רבעים לשאוני, “and to the fourth generation concerning those who qualify for the term שונאי, “those who hate Me” (Exodus 20,5).
Concerning G’d’s אויביו, “His enemies,” however, we read in Psalms 37,20: ואויבי ה' כיקר כרים כלו בעשן כלו, “and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed like meadow grass consumed in smoke.” The verse teaches that nothing at all will remain of these “enemies.” This is why they are compared to the fat of the fat sheep which goes up completely in smoke (on the altar). Solomon refers to both of these nations as “two daughters,” mentioning that both are destined for Gehinom, hell. This is what he meant when he wrote in Proverbs 30,15 that “the leech has two daughters, ‘give give’!;” He compared Gehinom, the place where judgment is meted out to the souls of the wicked, to a leech which is a blood-sucker. Concerning these two nations the prophet in Isaiah 66,17 wrote: “those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to enter the groves;” the former who sanctify themselves are the Edomites whose habit it is to shake their fingers in different directions. The latter are the Ishmaelites whose habit it is to bathe their hands and feet (to cleanse them) but not their hearts, which is their essence. The prophet in that verse continues אחר אחד בתוך, and alludes to the manner in which the Edomites sanctify themselves in the center of the garden. Alternatively, these last three words may be an allusion to the day of their judgment, a day already appointed for that purpose. One of these nations will be judged on a Friday preceding the onset of the Sabbath, whereas the other will be judged immediately after the Sabbath, the Sabbath remaining “in the center;” when the prophet describes one of these people as “consuming swine,” he refers to the Edomites, whereas the ones described in that same verse as eating reptiles and mice, are the Ishmaelites. The verse concludes by saying: “they will perish together.”
The meaning of the whole story is that the sage (Rabbi Bar bar Chana) saw in his mind, while in an isolated part of the world, i.e. the desert, that these two Empires, that of the Mohammedans and that of the Romans, attained tremendous power in this world. This was symbolized by the obesity of the geese. When the Rabbi asked them: “are we not going to have a share in your prosperity in the future?,” the meaning of the words: “one of them lifted its wings” is a reference to Ishmael This was a symbol that the Ishmaelites will flee to us in the future and take refuge under the wings of the Shechinah. They will give us their beasts to use as sacrifices to the Lord on their behalf. This is the meaning of Isaiah 60,7: “all the flocks of Kedar shall be assembled for you (the Jewish people); the rams of Nevayot shall serve your needs.” This indicates that these Ishmaelites will convert to Judaism. It also is an allusion to the fact that they will wear phylacteries, seeing the phylacteries have been compared to wings (Shabbat 49). Concerning the other goose which raised its rump, this is a reference to Edom, whose protective angel had dislocated Yaakov’s hip joint in the nocturnal encounter described in Genesis 32,26. It is also an allusion to the commandment of circumcision, i.e. that in the time under discussion these people would convert and circumcise themselves. There is no need to add that at that time political and moral sovereignty will be restored to the Jewish people. This is the symbolism portrayed by the fatness of these two geese and the honey which dripped from them. As to the words of Rabbi Eleazar that the Israelites would be called upon to give an accounting at that time, the meaning is that they will have to give an accounting for not having become penitents during all the preceding years, and have tarried so long before living as true Jews. The reason the term אויב is applied to the Roman Empire, whereas the term שונא is applied to the Islamic Empire, is that the former is a term describing fiercer hatred and animosity than the word שונא. אויב is an enemy who is full of hatred in his heart, knows no mercy. A שונא, on the other hand, though he too inflicts hurt and death, tempers it with a degree of mercy. Proof of this found in Isaiah 47,6: ”but you showed them no mercy. Even upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.” [actually in that chapter the prophet speaks of the cruelty of the Babylonians, not the Ishmaelites. Ed.] The very etymology of the word אויב, reflects that it refers to unrelenting hatred; it is derived from אבוי, a word which has the same letters as אויב, and means “woe.” The reason that the Torah mentions אויביך before speaking of שונאיך, [when we would have expected the Torah to describe matters in an ascending order, Ed.] is that it wanted to link the שונאיך to the pursuit, i.e. אשר רדפוך, “who have pursued you.” This nation has traditionally uprooted our exiles wherever their rule extended. The reason they are referred to by the term שונא, “someone who hates,” is that G’d Himself describes His relationship with Esau with the words: “I have hated Esau,” (Maleachi 1,3). Midrash Mishley confirms this when explaining the words (Proverbs 30,23) “because of the loathsome woman when she becomes married.” The “loathsome, hateful one,” is understood to be a reference to Esau. The verse from Scripture cited as proof is also the one from Malachi I,3. The final words in that verse in Proverbs, i.e. ושפכה כי תירש גברתה, “and when a slave-woman inherits her mistress” (another phenomenon confounding Solomon who describes such phenomena as intolerable), is a reference to Ishmael, seeing his mother Hagar was the slave-woman of Sarah.) Seeing that the attitude of the Ishmaelites towards the Jews is more hostile than that of the Edomites, the Torah describes them as “your enemies.” This is confirmed by the popular saying: “rather under the Edomites than under the Ishmaelites.” [The idea is that if Jews have a chance which exile to choose they would invariably prefer to live under the yoke of the former. Ed.] G’d, when describing for how long He will hold generations responsible for the deeds of their forefathers, says ועל רבעים לשאוני, “and to the fourth generation concerning those who qualify for the term שונאי, “those who hate Me” (Exodus 20,5).
Concerning G’d’s אויביו, “His enemies,” however, we read in Psalms 37,20: ואויבי ה' כיקר כרים כלו בעשן כלו, “and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed like meadow grass consumed in smoke.” The verse teaches that nothing at all will remain of these “enemies.” This is why they are compared to the fat of the fat sheep which goes up completely in smoke (on the altar). Solomon refers to both of these nations as “two daughters,” mentioning that both are destined for Gehinom, hell. This is what he meant when he wrote in Proverbs 30,15 that “the leech has two daughters, ‘give give’!;” He compared Gehinom, the place where judgment is meted out to the souls of the wicked, to a leech which is a blood-sucker. Concerning these two nations the prophet in Isaiah 66,17 wrote: “those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to enter the groves;” the former who sanctify themselves are the Edomites whose habit it is to shake their fingers in different directions. The latter are the Ishmaelites whose habit it is to bathe their hands and feet (to cleanse them) but not their hearts, which is their essence. The prophet in that verse continues אחר אחד בתוך, and alludes to the manner in which the Edomites sanctify themselves in the center of the garden. Alternatively, these last three words may be an allusion to the day of their judgment, a day already appointed for that purpose. One of these nations will be judged on a Friday preceding the onset of the Sabbath, whereas the other will be judged immediately after the Sabbath, the Sabbath remaining “in the center;” when the prophet describes one of these people as “consuming swine,” he refers to the Edomites, whereas the ones described in that same verse as eating reptiles and mice, are the Ishmaelites. The verse concludes by saying: “they will perish together.”
Midrash BeChiddush
This is what the sages meant when they said, “A maid- servant beheld at the Red Sea what was not beheld by Ezekiel ben Buzi…”237See Rashi on Exodus 15:2 Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael 15:2:2 According to its plain meaning, this is difficult. For where were the maid-servants at that time; hadn’t all the Israelites left Egypt? Further, it does not say what the maid-servants but maid-servant in the singular form. This maid-servant is the one Solomon speaks about when he states, “A slave-girl who supplants her mistress.” (Pro. 30:23) Even she merited to see great visions like those who were standing at the Red Sea. Among them were Egyptians. They merited to be among them who were included in the Jewish people after three generations, “Children born to them shall be admitted into the congregation of HaShem in the third generation.” (Deut. 23:9)238Part of the reward of coming to know God - as the Egyptians came to know God was that they would eventually be able to join the Jewish people. Allowing them to convert was not a privilege but a responsibility. See the previous verse: “You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land.” (Deut. 23:8) The language of this verse is an obligation, a promise to Egypt that shall be allowed to convert after three generations in ways known to God. This is because God is compassionate and merciful and therefore does not relate with the left, for the left is associated with judgment and anger, as is written, “For He is angry but a moment, and when He is pleased there is life.” (Ps. 30:6) And it is for this that Scripture says, ““You put out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them.” (Ex. 15:12)
Or HaChaim
אל תמר בו, "do not rebel against him;" Here too the Torah contains a moral/ethical lesson in addition to the plain meaning of the words. The Torah hints that exchanging good for evil will result in the king being replaced by a slave and the maidservant inheriting the authority of the mistress (compare Proverbs 30,23). The message is that when Israel is sinful it will be subject to an attribute of G'd which takes "revenge" rather than elevates sins to a lesser level. The angel under discussion is not authorised to do this. When the Torah speaks of כי שמי בקרבו, this means that man has forfeited the presence of G'd in his midst because of his sins, and G'd's former presence within man is now centred in that angel. Sanhedrin 38 teaches that the numerical value of מטטרון, Mattaron (the angel G'd appointed in charge of running the universe), is the same as that of his Master, G'd's attribute שדי,=314. When man sins, G'd no longer considers Himself as "his" G'd, i.e. שדי. This is the mystical dimension of Isaiah 19,5: ונהר יחרב ויבש, "the river will fail and dry up." The intelligent reader will comprehend that the words כי אם שמוע תשמע בקולו, "if you will surely listen to his voice," sounds as if G'd is speaking about a third person, whereas the Torah continues: ועשית את אשר אדבר, "and you will do what I say." G'd was careful not to say אשר ידבר, "which he will say," in order to remind us that His name is in the midst of the Jewish people.