Komentaryo sa Mga Hukom 4:18: Tze'enah Ure'enah, Rashi, Metzudat David & Metzudat Zion

“Yael went out” [4:18]. And Yael went out to meet Sisera and she said to Sisera: come in my lord and do not be afraid. He went into her house and she covered him with a cloak. This is the meaning of the verse “be-semichah,” with a cloak. Some sages say that this means that Sisera did not touch Yael in order to sleep with her. This is the meaning of “be-semichah.” That is to say, my name should testify that Yael was just and did not sleep with Sisera. Thus says the Holy One “shemi koh,” My name testifies.¹¹The word “shemi koh” has the same letters as “semichah.” The word is split in half to create two new words with a new meaning. This interpretation is found in Yalkut Shimoni, Judges, Remez, 44. From here we learn that every woman should be warned not to go into a gentile house alone. She will be suspected and they will not believe her that she is pure. Even though Sisera had run away and she had slit his throat, nonetheless it was suspected that he had slept with Yael, and the Holy One had to testify that she was pure.

Some sages say that Sisera slept with Yael seven times, one after another, but Yael’s intentions were for the sake of Heaven. ¹²B. Nazir, 23b; B. Horayot, 10b. She wanted to bring redemption to Israel. Therefore, Yael was willing to do his will, expecting that he would sleep very soundly. She wanted to kill him easily while he was sleeping. Sisera thought that because he had slept with Yael, she was not a proper daughter of Israel, since the daughters of Israel were warned against illicit sexual relations. Concerning this, the verse says “shemi koh.” That is, My name shall testify that Yael had no intention to commit adultery, but she did it for the sake of Heaven.¹³Yalkut Shimoni, Judges, Remez, 44.

With a cloak. Yonasan renders גוֹנְכׇא. R' Hai translates גוֹנְכׇא as cloak, "Coate" in old French.