Комментарий о цитате к Хавакук 3:2

AND THE ETERNAL HAD BLESSED ABRAHAM IN ALL THINGS. I.e., with riches, possessions, honor, longevity and children, which are all the treasures of man. Scripture mentions this in order to say that Abraham was perfect in every detail, lacking in no respect save seeing his son have children who would inherit his superior position and his honor. This was why he desired it.
Now our Rabbis have a wonderful insight into this verse. They said:⁶⁵Baba Bathra 16b. “And the Eternal had blessed Abraham ‘bakol’ (in all things). Rabbi Meir said that Abraham was blessed in that he did not have a daughter. Rabbi Yehudah said that he did have a daughter. Acheirim⁶⁶Literally “other ones,” other Rabbis besides those mentioned. Rabbi Meir is sometimes called by this name. Here, however, it could not refer to him since his opinion has already been stated. Acheirim here refers to anonymous authorities or to the opinion of Rabbi Meir’s master, Elisha ben Abuyah, who was also known as Acheir. See Chagigah 15a. say that he did have a daughter and her name was Bakol.”⁶⁷The profounder meaning of this saying will be explained further in the text. Rabbi Meir thus explained that Abraham did not have a daughter. This was a blessing for Abraham for he could not have married her except to the cursed sons of Canaan. If he were to send her to his country, she would also worship the idols as they did because a woman is subject to the authority of her husband. Indeed, Abraham did not want his worthy children from his wife Sarah to go outside the Land, and surely not that they worship the idols. Rabbi Yehudah, however, explained that Abraham did have a daughter since the Merciful One did not even cause him to lack a daughter, and that was the blessing implied by the expression, in all things, for he had everything that people desire, completely without exception. Then came Acheirim and mentioned the name of the daughter. Now truthfully, the intent of Acheirim and their controversy with Rabbi Yehudah were not merely to inform us of the name of this daughter. Far it be from them to expend the great and generalized blessing of Abraham on this matter, i.e., that Scripture is saying that G-d blessed him with one daughter with that name. However, Acheirim established a new interpretation on this verse, a very profound matter, and they explained with it one of the secrets of the Torah. Thus they said that the word bakol hints at a great matter, namely, that the Holy One, blessed be He, has an attribute called Kol (All), so called because it is the foundation of everything. It is with reference to this attribute that it says, I am the Eternal that maketh ‘Kol’ (all).⁶⁸Isaiah 44:24. And this is also what Scripture says, And the profit of the earth is ‘bakol’ (in all),⁶⁹Ecclesiastes 5:8. that is to say, the profit of the earth and the abundant goodness that is bestowed upon all that come into the world is on account of this attribute Kol. It is the eighth attribute of the thirteen attributes.⁷⁰See Ramban Exodus 34:6. And there is another attribute called bath [literally “daughter”] that emanates from it, and with it He moves everything. This is “the Court of the Holy One, blessed be He,” that is hinted at in the word, Vahashem (And the Eternal), in all places. It is called kalah (bride) in the book of The Song of Songs because it is comprised of hakol (the All), and it is this attribute which the Sages have surnamed Knesseth Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) in many places because it is the gathering of hakol (the All). It was this attribute which was to Abraham as a bath because he was the man of kindness, and he conducted himself in accordance with it. This was why Acheirim said that this blessing with which Abraham had been blessed in all things does not allude either to his having begotten a daughter from his wife Sarah, as Rabbi Yehudah said, or not, as Rabbi Meir claimed, but instead it hints at a great matter, i.e., that he was blessed with an attribute called bath which is contained in the attribute Kol, and is therefore also called Kol, being analogous to the expression, For My name is in him.⁷¹Exodus 23:21. Thus Abraham was blessed in heaven and on earth. This is why he said, By the Eternal, the G-d of heaven and the G-d of the earth.⁷²Verse 3 here.
This matter is to be found hinted at in the traditions of our Rabbis in many places. Thus they said in the Midrash Chazita:⁷³Another name for the Midrash Rabbah on the Song of Songs. The name Chazita is derived from the first word in the verse with which this Midrash opens. ‘Chazita’ (Seest thou) a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings. (Proverbs 22:29.) The Midrash quoted is found ibid., 3:21. “Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai asked Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosi, ‘Have you possibly heard from your father of the meaning of the verse, The crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him?’⁷⁴Song of Songs 3:11. He said to him, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘How?’ He replied, ‘It is like a king who had an only daughter whom he loved very much, and he would call her “my daughter.” This did not completely express his love for her until he called her “my sister.” Still he was not satisfied until he called her “my mother.” In the same way, the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel in the beginning and called them “My daughter.” It is this which Scripture says, Hearken, O daughter, and consider.⁷⁵Psalms 45:11. This did not completely express His love for them until He called them “My sister,” as it is said, Open to me, my sister, my love.⁷⁶Song of Songs 5:2. Still He was not satisfied until He called them “My mother,” as it is said, Attend unto Me, O My people, ‘ule’umi’ (O My nation).⁷⁷Isaiah 51:4. The word is written le’imi (O My mother).’ Then Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai arose and kissed him on his head, and he said to him, ‘Had I come to listen to this word of yours it would have been sufficient.’…”
Now, had the commentator who prides himself on his knowledge of the Torah’s secrets⁷⁸Reference here is to Ibn Ezra who often prides himself on knowing the secrets of the Torah but who, in the case of this Midrash concerning Abraham’s having a daughter by the name of Bakol, criticizes the interpretation by commenting that if that were the case, the word bakol should have had an additional letter beth preceding it and meaning “and G-d blessed Abraham ‘with’ bakol.” known this, his lips would be dumb and not deride the words of our Rabbis. Therefore, I have written this in order to silence those who speak arrogantly against the righteous one.⁷⁹See Psalms 31:19.

AND G-D SAW THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained this as meaning that G-d saw the violence which the Egyptians overtly did to them, and G-d knew what was done to them secretly. And Rashi explained: “And G-d knew. He directed His heart to them and did not hide His eye from them.” This is correct in line with the plain meaning of Scripture. At first He hid His face from them and they were devoured,¹²⁹See Deuteronomy 31:17. but now G-d heard their groaning and He saw them, meaning that He no longer hid His face from them; He knew their pains and all that was done to them, as well as all that they required.
Now Scripture gives a lengthy account of the many reasons for their redemption: And G-d heard their groaning, and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;¹²⁷Verse 24. And G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew; For I know their pains.¹³⁰Further, 3:7. This is because even though the time [of bondage] decreed upon them was completed, they were not worthy of redemption, as was explained by the prophet Ezekiel;¹³¹Ezekiel 20:6-10. it was only on account of the cry¹³²And we cried unto the Eternal, the G-d of our fathers, and the Eternal heard our voice (Deuteronomy 26:7). See also Numbers 20:16. that He in His mercies accepted their prayer.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic lore of the Cabala], there is in this verse one of the great mysteries of the Torah, suggesting that their afflictions came up to the light of His countenance, which brought them [their afflictions] near the Knowledge [of G-d], just as is implied in the verse, In midst of the ‘shanim’ (years) make it known; in wrath remember compassion.¹³³Habakkuk 3:2. Shem Tov ibn Gaon, (a Spanish Cabalist of the pupils of Rashba — printed in Ma’or V’shamesh, Livorno, 1839), explains that Ramban’s intent in mentioning this verse is that the word shanim (years) should be understood as sh’nayim (two), a reference to the two Divine attributes, justice and mercy. When they unite, Israel is remembered for help and redemption. This is explicitly referred to in the second half of the verse: in wrath remember compassion. It is for this reason that Scripture gives this lengthy account — [And G-d saw the children of Israel, and G-d knew] — after already having mentioned, And G-d heard… and G-d remembered.¹²⁷Verse 24. This verse, [And G-d saw…,] has been explained in the Midrash of Rabbi Nechunya ben Hakanah.¹³⁴Also called Sefer Habahir. Ramban’s reference is found there in paragraph 76 (Margoliot ed.). See Vol. I, p. 24, Note 42. Ramban was the first author to quote from this classic of Jewish mystic thought in an open and extensive manner. See the learned work of Israel Weinstock, B’maglei Haniglah V’hanistar (Mosad Harav Kook, Jerusalem) on various aspects of this book. From there you will understand the verse.