Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Ezekiel 20:41

V. 3. בקרבי אקדש, vergleichen wir die Stellen: Ezech. 20, 41; 28, 22 und 25; 36, 23; 38, 16; 39, 27 und auch Bamidbar 20, 13, so bezeichnet הקדש ב־ von Gott gebraucht, daß er durch das, was Er für etwas oder an etwas geschehen lässt, als קדוש, d.i. als der Absolute erkannt wird, dessen sich Erfüllung schaffendem Willen gegenüber alles, selbst das Höchste, das Mächtigste weichen muss. Auch die Forderung: ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל Wajikra 22, 32 verlangt, daß der Erfüllung seines Willens, wenn es sein muss, alles andere zum Opfer gebracht werde. בקרבי אקדש וגו׳ könnte nun, im Sinne der zuletzt zitierten Stelle heißen: Durch die mir Nahen will ich als קדוש, d. h. als derjenige an den Tag gelegt werden, dessen Willen gegenüber man das Schwerste zu überwinden und das Teuerste zu opfern hat. Dieses קדוש השם hätten die Gott Nahen, d. h. die in den Beziehungen zu Gott dem Volke als Lehrer und Muster Vorangestellten zu üben, dann werde Gott in seiner כבוד, d. h. in der ganzen "Wucht" seiner Größe, in der ganzen "Schwere" seiner Anforderungen zum Bewußtsein gebracht werden. Allein schwerlich wäre die Unterlassung ihres Opfers als ein solches קדוש השם zu begreifen gewesen, da diese Unterlassung doch – so viel wir sehen – nicht eben eine übergroße Überwindung gekostet hätte. Und wollten wir auch einen gewaltig hinreissenden Reiz der Begeisterung statuieren, so wäre doch eine solche Überwindung nur ein innerer Vorgang geblieben, den nur Gott geschaut hätte, der aber dem Volke nicht zum Bewußtsein gekommen wäre, der somit nicht die כבוד ד׳ על פני כל העם gefördert hätte. Man müsste denn das בקרבי אקדש als euphemistischen positiven Ausdruck für das Negative: בקרבי לא יחולל שמי fassen wollen. Denn je weniger das Unterlassen ein קדוש השם gewesen wäre, umsomehr war das Vorgehen ein חלול השם, zumal durch קרובי ד׳, von denen das Volk in aller ersten Linie den Gott zu zollenden Gehorsam lernen sollte. Wahrscheinlicher ist daher die Auffassung in dem Sinne der oben aus Ezechiel zitierten Stellen: durch das, was ich an den mir Nahen geschehen lasse: אקדש, d. h. indem ich, je mehr jemand in Beziehung zu mir dem Volke lehrend und leitend voransteht, umsoweniger seinen Verirrungen nachsehe, und selbst, wie hier, durch seinen Tod zeige, daß mein Wille das Absolute sei, dem gegenüber sich selbst der Nächste und Höchste, und der am wenigsten, auch nicht die leiseste Abweichung erlauben darf: umsomehr wird das ganze Volk des ganzen Ernstes und des ganzen Gewichtes des mir schuldigen Gehorsams inne werden.

A Midrashic approach (based on Tanchuma Terumah 8): The words “gold, silver, copper,” refer to three different host-countries in which the Jews have been exiles. “Gold” refers to the kingdom of Babylon. We know that Nevuchadnezzar said (Daniel 2,38) “You O G’d are the head of gold.” The word “silver” is an allusion to the exile under the Medes, for it is written of Haman that he was offering ten thousand talents of silver in order to obtain permission to kill all the Jews (Megillat Esther 3,9). Copper is an allusion to the exile under the Greeks which was the most abominable of the three kingdoms mentioned. The words אלים מאדמים “red-dyed ram skins,” are an allusion to the Roman Empire. Esau, the progenitor of the Romans, was described as red-skinned already at his birth (compare Genesis 28,25) ויצא הראשון אדמוני. The allusion to the exile under the descendants of Esau is followed immediately by the words ושמן למאור, “and anointing oil,” i.e. a reference to the מלך המשיח King Messiah of whom it is written in Psalms 132,17 שם אצמיח קרן לדוד ערכתי נר למשיחי, “There I will make a horn sprout for David, I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.” The words בשמים לשמן המשחה are an allusion to the fact that in the future the High Priest will once more be anointed with this oil; the words לקטורת הסמים are a promise that the Jewish people will once again enjoy being in G’d’s good graces. This has been promised by Ezekiel 20,41 בריח ניחוח ארצה אתכם, “by means of sweet smelling fragrances I will display My goodwill for you.” The words אבני שוהם refer to אבני כדכד of which Isaiah 54,12 said: ושמתי כדכד שמשותיך,”I will make your battlements of rubies.” The words ועשו לי מקדש refer to the Holy Temple which may soon be rebuilt in our days. The words ושכנתי בתוכם are an assurance that when that time comes G’d will dwell in our midst forever.

I WOULD MAKE THEIR MEMORY CEASE FROM AMONG MEN. This is a reference to our exiles among the nations — we, Judah and Benjamin, who have no significance among the nations and we are not considered a people or nation at all. Thus Scripture states that according to the attribute of justice we should remain in this condition of exile forever were it not that I was in dread of the wrath from the enemy.⁹⁰Verse 27. This teaches that, in our present exile, [the protecting influence of] the merits of the patriarchs have ceased¹⁰⁰Shabbath 55a. Tosafoth there mentions the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam that while the protecting influence of “the merits” of the patriarchs may have ceased, “the covenant of the patriarchs,” remains in force — and it is to the covenant that we refer in our prayers. And according to the opinion of Rabbeinu Yitzchak [“the R’ie” — one of the great masters in the school of the Tosafoth] even “the merits of the patriarchs” have not ceased for the righteous in Israel. and we have no deliverance from the hands of the nations except for the sake of His Great Name, similar to what He stated in the Book of Ezekiel, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.¹⁰¹Ezekiel 20:41. And ye shall know that I am the Eternal, when I have wrought with you for My Name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel.¹⁰²Ibid., Verse 44. And so also it is further stated, But I wrought for My Name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations etc.¹⁰³Ibid., Verse 9. Therefore Moses mentioned in his prayer, then the nations which have heard the fame of Thee will speak, saying etc.¹⁰⁴Numbers 14:15. and G-d, blessed be He, acknowledged him in this, And the Eternal said: ‘I have pardoned according to thy word.’¹⁰⁵Ibid., Verse 20.
This plea is not meant to demonstrate His power among His enemies, for All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are accounted by Him as things of nought, and vanity.¹⁰⁶Isaiah 40:17. Rather, [the explanation thereof is as follows:] G-d created man among the lower creatures in order that he acknowledge his Creator and be thankful to His Name,¹⁰⁷See Vol. II, pp. 174-175. and He placed in his hand the choice to do evil or good. But when people sinned willingly and they all denied Him, only this people [Israel] remained devoted to His Name, and so He made known through them by means of signs and wonders that He is G-d of gods, and Lord of lords,¹⁰⁸Above, 10:17. and this became known to all nations. Now, if He were to reconsider and their memory [i.e., of Israel] be lost, the nations will forget His wonders and His deeds and they will no longer recount them. And if a person should mention them, they will think that it was [done by] one of the powers of the constellations which is overflowing as he passeth through,¹⁰⁹Isaiah 8:8. and thus the purpose of the creation of man will be annulled completely, for no one will be left among them who knows his Creator — only those who provoke Him. Therefore, it is appropriate as a consequence of the [Divine] Will which existed at the creation of the world to establish for Himself a people for all time, who are nearer to Him and who know Him more than all the [other] peoples. And the meaning of the verse For the Eternal will judge His people, and for His servants He will reconsider¹¹⁰Further, Verse 36. is, that G-d will remember in mercy that they are His people of old, and He will remember that they are His servants, for they stood by Him in their exile like servants to suffer the troubles and the bondage, similar to what is stated, For He said: ‘Surely, they are My people, children that will not deal falsely.’¹¹¹Isaiah 63:8. I have already suggested¹¹²Exodus 29:46 (Vol. II, pp. 506-507). that in the creation of man there is a sublime and recondite secret which requires that we be His people and He be our G-d, similar to what is stated, Every one that is called by My Name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.¹¹³Isaiah 43:7.