וְהָ֤יָה לָךְ֙ לְמֵשִׁ֣יב נֶ֔פֶשׁ וּלְכַלְכֵּ֖ל אֶת־שֵׂיבָתֵ֑ךְ כִּ֣י כַלָּתֵ֤ךְ אֲֽשֶׁר־אֲהֵבַ֙תֶךְ֙ יְלָדַ֔תּוּ אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ ט֣וֹבָה לָ֔ךְ מִשִּׁבְעָ֖ה בָּנִֽים׃
און ער זאָל דיר זײַן פֿאַר אַ דערקװיקער פֿון דער זעל, און אױף אױסצוהאַלטן דײַן עלטער װאָרום דײַן שנור װאָס האָט דיך ליב, האָט אים געבאָרן, װאָס זי איז דיר בעסער װי זיבן זין.
Ramban
A DAUGHTER OF A CERTAIN CANAANITE. [In translating “Canaanite,” Onkelos said “merchant.” That is to say, a merchantman who came to dwell in the land of Canaan for business reasons. His intent is to say that Jacob’s sons guarded themselves from marrying Canaanitish women, as Isaac and Abraham, their fathers, had commanded.107Above, 28:1. 24:3. And thus did the Sages mention in the Gemara of Tractate Pesachim.108Pesachim 50a. They took as wives women from Egypt, Ammon, Moab, and from the noble families of the children of Ishmael and the sons of Keturah. It is for this reason that Scripture singles out Shaul, the son of Simeon, as the son of a Canaanitish woman,109Further, 46:10. as he was the only one among them. And even there the Rabbis expounded110Bereshith Rabbah 80:10. that the reference is to Dinah who had relations with a Canaanite [Shechem].
Our Rabbis, however, have differed in this matter. Thus they have said:111Ibid., 84:19. “Rabbi Yehudah says, ‘Twin sisters were born with each of Jacob’s sons, and they took them as wives.’ Rabbi Nechemyah says, ‘Their wives were Canaanitish women.’” It is possible that Rabbi Nechemyah was not particular about [ the term “Canaanitish” and did not mean it to indicate] their genealogy. He meant to say only that they took women from the land of Canaan as wives. However, they were from among the strangers and the sojourners who had come there from all lands, either Ammonite or Moabite women, and other peoples. His purpose112Ramban is pointing out that Rabbi Nechemyah agrees with the Talmudic sages who said that Jacob’s sons did not marry Canaanitish women. See Note 108. was only to differ with Rabbi Yehudah and say that they did not marry their sisters, since a maternal sister is forbidden to the sons of Noah. But according to Rabbi Yehudah it will be necessary to say that the sons of Leah married the twin sisters of the six other brothers,113This is because “the sons of Noah” were forbidden to marry a maternal sister. Prior to the giving of the Torah on Sinai, our ancestors had the status of b’nei Noach (sons of Noah). Consequently they could marry a paternal sister but not a maternal sister. See Sanhedrin 58 a; Rambam, Hilchoth Melachim 9:5. and they in turn wed the twin sisters of the sons of Leah. It may be that Rabbi Nechemyah does not at all admit the existence of these twins, with Jacob not having any daughter other than Dinah, as the literal interpretation of Scripture would indicate.
It is not logically correct to say that they all married Canaanitish women since there would then have been descendants of Canaan, the accursed servant, among those who inherited the land, just as there were representatives of the seed of Abraham, and Scripture has commanded that he be destroyed until neither remnant nor survivor remain.
In any case,114I.e., whatever the correct opinion be in the matter discussed above. this man [the Canaanite referred to here] was a merchant, for why should Scripture find it necessary to state that he was a Canaanite by descent when all people of the land were Canaanites, of the Perizzites and Jebusites and their brothers, as all of these traced their genealogy to Canaan? Adullam, [from where this man came] furthermore, was in the land of Canaan.115In Joshua 12:15, the king of Adullam is mentioned among the kings of Canaan. Thus if the word “Canaanite” is to be understood literally, why should Scripture have even mentioned it? It would then have been proper for the verse to say: “And Judah took there a wife with such-and-such a name,” just as it mentions the names of the women in the case of Tamar, and Esau’s wives,116Above, 26:34. and others. But the true explanation is that he was a merchant, not of the land of Canaan, which belonged to the Hivite or the Amorite. This then is the meaning of the verse: And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, implying that he married her on account of her father.117This is implied in the expression, And he saw there, meaning that he saw a man there who was not of the regular community. The word “Canaanite” must therefore mean merchant, for they were all Canaanites, and if “Canaanite” were to refer to his genealogy it would not be significant enough to be mentioned. And concerning the verse which states, The sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah; which three were born unto him of Bath-shua the Canaanitess,118I Chronicles 2:3. This would seem to indicate that she was indeed a Canaanitess. this is due to the fact that being the daughter of the man called “the Canaanite,” she was also so called, since this man was called “the merchant” by them as he was known for, and expert in, his trade, on account of which he settled there.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says119In his commentary on Genesis 46:10. that because this woman was a Canaanitess, and Judah had transgressed the opinion of his fathers, her children were evil and they died. And this is why concerning Shaul,109Further, 46:10. Scripture mentions only that he was the son of a Canaanitish woman, but with respect to Shelah the son of Judah it was not necessary for Scripture to mention it120Since it is so stated in this present chapter. Shaul, on the other hand, was not mentioned above. Hence in mentioning the seventy souls, it states that he was of a Canaanitish woman (46:10). These are the words of Ibn Ezra, and Ramban now proceeds to comment upon them. [when enumerating the descendants of Jacob who entered Egypt].
If so,121If Judah, according to Ibn Ezra, went against the command of Abraham and Isaac. the expression, And Judah saw there a daughter, would mean that he saw her and desired her, even as it says of Samson, And he saw a woman in Timnah.122Judges 14:1. And in the Parshah of Vayechi Yaakov, Rashi wrote: “And his sons bore him,123Further, 50:13. but not his sons’ sons. For thus indeed did Jacob command them; ‘My bier shall not be borne by any of your sons since they are children of Canaanitish women.’”124Now this text of Rashi would apparently contradict the opinion of Ibn Ezra who states that only Shaul the son of Simeon, and Shelah the son of Judah, were born of Canaanitish women. Ramban, however, proceeds to reconcile the position of Rashi with that of Ibn Ezra.
It may be that, according to Rashi, Jacob said this of Shaul the son of Simeon, and Shelah the son of Judah, who were of the daughters of Canaan, and therefore Jacob excluded all the other [grandsons although their mothers were not Canaanitish]. However, in all of our texts of Bereshith Rabbah125Mentioned in Yalkut Shimoni 161. we find this version: “My bier shall not be borne by any of your sons’ sons, as there is among them of the daughters of Canaan.”126The Midrash there concludes: “For it is said, And Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman (46:10).” Thus it is clear from this Midrash that only Shaul was born of a Canaanitish woman, but not Shelah the son of Judah. Tamar likewise was the daughter of one of the strangers living in the land, not the daughter of a man who was a Canaanite by descent. Far be it that our lord David127He was a descendant of Tamar and Judah through Peretz, who was the ancestor of David. See Ruth 4:15-22. and the Messiah our just one, who will speedily reveal himself to us, be of the seed of Canaan, the accursed servant. Our Rabbis have also said128Bereshith Rabbah 85:11. concerning Tamar that she was the daughter of Shem, of whom it is said, And he was a priest of the most high G-d.129Above, 14:18.
Our Rabbis, however, have differed in this matter. Thus they have said:111Ibid., 84:19. “Rabbi Yehudah says, ‘Twin sisters were born with each of Jacob’s sons, and they took them as wives.’ Rabbi Nechemyah says, ‘Their wives were Canaanitish women.’” It is possible that Rabbi Nechemyah was not particular about [ the term “Canaanitish” and did not mean it to indicate] their genealogy. He meant to say only that they took women from the land of Canaan as wives. However, they were from among the strangers and the sojourners who had come there from all lands, either Ammonite or Moabite women, and other peoples. His purpose112Ramban is pointing out that Rabbi Nechemyah agrees with the Talmudic sages who said that Jacob’s sons did not marry Canaanitish women. See Note 108. was only to differ with Rabbi Yehudah and say that they did not marry their sisters, since a maternal sister is forbidden to the sons of Noah. But according to Rabbi Yehudah it will be necessary to say that the sons of Leah married the twin sisters of the six other brothers,113This is because “the sons of Noah” were forbidden to marry a maternal sister. Prior to the giving of the Torah on Sinai, our ancestors had the status of b’nei Noach (sons of Noah). Consequently they could marry a paternal sister but not a maternal sister. See Sanhedrin 58 a; Rambam, Hilchoth Melachim 9:5. and they in turn wed the twin sisters of the sons of Leah. It may be that Rabbi Nechemyah does not at all admit the existence of these twins, with Jacob not having any daughter other than Dinah, as the literal interpretation of Scripture would indicate.
It is not logically correct to say that they all married Canaanitish women since there would then have been descendants of Canaan, the accursed servant, among those who inherited the land, just as there were representatives of the seed of Abraham, and Scripture has commanded that he be destroyed until neither remnant nor survivor remain.
In any case,114I.e., whatever the correct opinion be in the matter discussed above. this man [the Canaanite referred to here] was a merchant, for why should Scripture find it necessary to state that he was a Canaanite by descent when all people of the land were Canaanites, of the Perizzites and Jebusites and their brothers, as all of these traced their genealogy to Canaan? Adullam, [from where this man came] furthermore, was in the land of Canaan.115In Joshua 12:15, the king of Adullam is mentioned among the kings of Canaan. Thus if the word “Canaanite” is to be understood literally, why should Scripture have even mentioned it? It would then have been proper for the verse to say: “And Judah took there a wife with such-and-such a name,” just as it mentions the names of the women in the case of Tamar, and Esau’s wives,116Above, 26:34. and others. But the true explanation is that he was a merchant, not of the land of Canaan, which belonged to the Hivite or the Amorite. This then is the meaning of the verse: And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, implying that he married her on account of her father.117This is implied in the expression, And he saw there, meaning that he saw a man there who was not of the regular community. The word “Canaanite” must therefore mean merchant, for they were all Canaanites, and if “Canaanite” were to refer to his genealogy it would not be significant enough to be mentioned. And concerning the verse which states, The sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah; which three were born unto him of Bath-shua the Canaanitess,118I Chronicles 2:3. This would seem to indicate that she was indeed a Canaanitess. this is due to the fact that being the daughter of the man called “the Canaanite,” she was also so called, since this man was called “the merchant” by them as he was known for, and expert in, his trade, on account of which he settled there.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says119In his commentary on Genesis 46:10. that because this woman was a Canaanitess, and Judah had transgressed the opinion of his fathers, her children were evil and they died. And this is why concerning Shaul,109Further, 46:10. Scripture mentions only that he was the son of a Canaanitish woman, but with respect to Shelah the son of Judah it was not necessary for Scripture to mention it120Since it is so stated in this present chapter. Shaul, on the other hand, was not mentioned above. Hence in mentioning the seventy souls, it states that he was of a Canaanitish woman (46:10). These are the words of Ibn Ezra, and Ramban now proceeds to comment upon them. [when enumerating the descendants of Jacob who entered Egypt].
If so,121If Judah, according to Ibn Ezra, went against the command of Abraham and Isaac. the expression, And Judah saw there a daughter, would mean that he saw her and desired her, even as it says of Samson, And he saw a woman in Timnah.122Judges 14:1. And in the Parshah of Vayechi Yaakov, Rashi wrote: “And his sons bore him,123Further, 50:13. but not his sons’ sons. For thus indeed did Jacob command them; ‘My bier shall not be borne by any of your sons since they are children of Canaanitish women.’”124Now this text of Rashi would apparently contradict the opinion of Ibn Ezra who states that only Shaul the son of Simeon, and Shelah the son of Judah, were born of Canaanitish women. Ramban, however, proceeds to reconcile the position of Rashi with that of Ibn Ezra.
It may be that, according to Rashi, Jacob said this of Shaul the son of Simeon, and Shelah the son of Judah, who were of the daughters of Canaan, and therefore Jacob excluded all the other [grandsons although their mothers were not Canaanitish]. However, in all of our texts of Bereshith Rabbah125Mentioned in Yalkut Shimoni 161. we find this version: “My bier shall not be borne by any of your sons’ sons, as there is among them of the daughters of Canaan.”126The Midrash there concludes: “For it is said, And Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman (46:10).” Thus it is clear from this Midrash that only Shaul was born of a Canaanitish woman, but not Shelah the son of Judah. Tamar likewise was the daughter of one of the strangers living in the land, not the daughter of a man who was a Canaanite by descent. Far be it that our lord David127He was a descendant of Tamar and Judah through Peretz, who was the ancestor of David. See Ruth 4:15-22. and the Messiah our just one, who will speedily reveal himself to us, be of the seed of Canaan, the accursed servant. Our Rabbis have also said128Bereshith Rabbah 85:11. concerning Tamar that she was the daughter of Shem, of whom it is said, And he was a priest of the most high G-d.129Above, 14:18.
Rabbeinu Bahya
ובני יהודה ער ואונן ושלה ופרץ וזרח, “and the sons of Yehudah: “Er, Onan, Shelah, Peretz, and Zerach.” The verse includes the two sons Er and Onan, though already deceased, as amongst the seventy people of Yaakov’s family who migrated to Egypt. This is extremely puzzling. How could the Torah include those two amongst those described earlier as “arriving” in Egypt? The answer is provided by the kabbalists (who have elaborated on the theme of migration of the souls) and it is made clearer in Numbers 26,19 where the Torah wrote: “and the sons of Yehudah, Er and Onan; Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.” Immediately following that verse the Torah writes: “The sons of Yehudah according to their families were: Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; Peretz, the family of the Partzites; Zerach, the family of the Zarchites.” This is the mystical dimension of Ruth 4,15; “he (the new born Oved)” shall be for you as a life-restorer. This also explains why Naomi’s neighbours exclaimed at Oved’s birth “a son has been born to Naomi” (remember she had lost both her sons before either one had fathered a child). If not for the approach of the kabbalists, the prophet should have described Oved as having been born to Ruth instead of to Naomi.
Ramban
HA’TZLATZAL.’ In the opinion of Rashi this is one of the species of the locust. But if so, it would have been proper for him [Moses] to connect it with the verses where he speaks of the locust95Verse 38. and the worm!96Verse 39. It appears more likely that the word tz’latzal is a term for “a hostile army.” He is thus stating, Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be thine97Verse 41. to work for you and be a nourisher of thine old age,98Ruth 4:15. for they shall go into captivity97Verse 41. before the enemy. And he states, All thy trees and the fruit of thy soil99In Verse 42 before us. which will not bear fruits for you, as he mentioned100Verses 38-39. — the enemy coming upon you will take possession, for in the year during which the enemy will come upon you, [the trees and fields] will yield them their produce and they will eat it. Now, an army is called tz’latzal [from the term tzeltzal — “cymbal”] because of the noise of war in the camp101Exodus 32:17. which they cause and the voice of the horn,102Job 39:24. the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.103Ibid., Verse 25. [The word tz’latzal is thus] from the word ‘tziltzelei shama’ (loud-sounding cymbals) and ‘tziltzelei t’ruah’ (clanging cymbals);104Psalms 150:5. and with rattles105A musical instrument, a form of metal rattle. ‘uv’tzeltzelim’ (and with cymbals).106II Samuel 6:5. Similarly, the expression, Ah, land of ‘tziltzal’ of wings107Isaiah 18:1. means a land [i.e., a people] that causes “the sound of its wings” be heard as it goes to far off places as the vulture swoopeth down.108Further, Verse 49. And in the Gemara we find:109Baba Kamma 116b. “[The Mishnah states: ‘If a man took illegal possession of a field] and masikin took it from him.’ The scholar that reads the word as masikin is not in error, for it is written yeyaresh ha’tzlatzal110In Verse 42 before us. which we translate [in Onkelos’ rendition] ‘yachs’nine saka’ah’ (the ‘locust’ will take possession). And the scholar that reads the word as matzikin is also not in error, for it is written in the siege ‘uvmatzok’ (and in the straitness),”111Verse 53. for the word [saka’ah which is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew tz’latzal] was to the Sages the term for those who bring people in the siege and in the straitness111Verse 53. [and is thus also an expression for a hostile army, and not as Rashi says that it is a species of the locust].
Know that the admonitions concerning scantiness, discomfiture, rebuke,112Above, Verse 20. pestilence,113Ibid., Verse 21. trees, and the fruit of the soil110In Verse 42 before us. and all the other admonitions will all endure until He will cause you to vanish from the Land whither thou goest in to possess it.114Further, Verse 63. But after the exile [will have taken place] he does not imprecate them except by saying, and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.115Above, Verse 36. At times, however, he reverts to reprove them while still in the Land, as he said, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers; and there thou shalt serve other gods,115Above, Verse 36. this being a reference to the exile in which we were expatriated to Rome because of the journey there of King Agrippa116See Vol. I, p. 568. [the last king during the period of the Second Temple who made a covenant with Rome].117See Vol. III, pp. 471-472, Notes 148-149. Afterwards he [Moses] reverts and says, Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field etc.118Above, Verse 38. Now, these admonitions [apply] while they are in the Land, for so he states afterwards, and ye shall be plucked from off the Land114Further, Verse 63. which is a reference to the exile. In my opinion this, too, is part of Moses’ intimations. He states, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known115Above, Verse 36. which alludes to King Agrippa’s journey to Rome. It is also possible that he alludes to another king, preceding Agrippa, namely Aristobulus119Aristobulus, the younger son of King Jannai and the brother of Hyrcanus II, fought the Romans during the siege of Jerusalem. When the city finally fell before Pompey, Aristobulus was taken to Rome in chains. whom the Roman general [Pompey] captured and brought there [to Rome] in fetters of brass. They [the captives] became a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples120Verse 37. who were so amazed at their historic strength [and nevertheless such a calamity befell them that the viewers said], How are the mighty fallen, and their weapons of war perished!121II Samuel 1:27. Afterwards122I.e., a long time afterwards Pompey conquered the city of Jerusalem in the year 63, before the Common Era, while the Agrippa referred to here was the last king of Judea before the destruction of the Second Temple, which took place in the year 70, Common Era. This Agrippa was known as Agrippa II. His father Agrippa I was a righteous king and is often spoken of favorably by the Sages. His policy was to strengthen the position of the Jews. This was not true of Agrippa II who, as the following text shows, assisted the Romans in their conquest of the Land resulting in the destruction of the Temple, and the exile. Agrippa [II] came once again with the emissary of the king of Rome into the Land and captured very large cities in the land of Judea. Then was fulfilled what he [Moses] said, And thou shalt serve thine enemy whom the Eternal shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst etc.123Verse 48. It further states, The Eternal will bring a nation against thee from afar,124Verse 49. for, Vespasian and his son Titus came with a very large Roman army into the Land and captured all the fortified cities of Judea, and oppressed them greatly, as is known from the [history] books that they also captured the walls of Jerusalem and there remained only the Sanctuary and the wall of the Court. They [the besieged] ate the flesh of their sons and their daughters.125See Verse 53. And when the Sanctuary was also captured, then was fulfilled and ye shall be plucked from off the Land.114Further, Verse 63. Then the Romans returned to their country taking with them the exile of Jerusalem, as did the many [foreign] peoples, too, who were with them [i.e., the Romans] — from Greece, Egypt, Syria and many other peoples [who had joined the Romans in the destruction of Jerusalem and who took Israelite captives with them]. Then was fulfilled the verse, And the Eternal shall scatter thee among all peoples etc.126Verse 64. The verses after that, all refer to their punishment in exile. So also, And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee127Verse 66. applies to our fear in exile under peoples who constantly promulgate decrees against us. The correct interpretation is that this verse alludes to those generations that existed at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, for the Romans were then scheming to destroy the Jews completely. Therefore he says afterwards, And the Eternal shall bring thee back into Egypt in ships,128In the beginning of the P’sichta (Opening) to Esther Rabbathi. which happened when [the Romans] finished removing them from the Land. And our Rabbis have said:128In the beginning of the P’sichta (Opening) to Esther Rabbathi. “Why [was it decreed that they be brought back into] Egypt? Because it is offensive and evil for a servant when he returns to his first master.” If so, he mentioned Egypt as a reproof. However, once we have been exiled to the countries of our enemies, the work of our hands has not been accursed. Neither have our oxen and the breeds of our flock, our vineyards and our olive orchards and that which we have sown in the field [been adversely affected]. Rather in the countries [of our exile] we are like the rest of the peoples who inhabit whatever country, or even better than them,129An obvious reference to the favorable condition of Jews in Spain. for His mercies are upon us, because our habitations in exile are by [virtue of] the promise He made to us, And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them; for I am the Eternal their G-d.130Leviticus 26:44. I have already explained in Seder Im Bechukothai131Ibid., Verse 16 (at the end). the secret of this covenant [mentioned here], and that it refers to the present time of our exile at the hand of the “fourth beast,”132In Daniel’s vision concerning the four kingdoms that will rule the world, the fourth beast symbolizes Rome. See Daniel 7:7; also Vol. I, p. 35., Note 8, and Vol. IV, pp. 286-290. and afterwards He assured us of being [completely] redeemed therefrom.
Now, we have examined the punishments for idolatry which are mentioned in the Torah in many places, among them what is stated at the beginning [of this book]: When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have been long in the Land, and shall deal corruptly, and make a graven image etc.,133Above, 4:25. this being a warning to Israel lest they worship idols after being in the Land for many years and having grown old in it. The punishment for that is, I call heaven and earth to witness etc.134Ibid., Verse 26. until And the Eternal shall scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number.135Ibid., Verse 27. And there it is stated, And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands,136Ibid., Verse 28. and he promised, But from thence ye will seek the Eternal thy G-d, and thou shalt find Him etc.137Ibid., Verse 29. This has been fulfilled with them [in the Babylonian exile] as I have already mentioned and explained.131Ibid., Verse 16 (at the end). And in another chapter he said, And it shall be, when the Eternal thy G-d shall bring thee into the Land which He swore unto thy fathers etc.;138Ibid., 6:10. Ye shall not go after other gods of the peoples that are round about you.139Ibid., Verse 14. And the punishment is, for a jealous G-d, even the Eternal thy G-d, is in the midst of thee; lest the anger of the Eternal thy G-d be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off the face of the earth.140Ibid., Verse 15. This is a warning to those who enter the Land lest they immediately become attached to idolatry and forget the G-d Who brought them forth from Egypt and walk after the idols. This Israel never did, nor did this punishment ever take place. The language of the verse implies this — that it is a warning, not a suggestion of something destined to be, as he said, lest the anger of the Eternal thy G-d be kindled against thee,140Ibid., Verse 15. that is to say, you should be fearful of this. In a third chapter he stated Beware lest thou forget the Eternal thy G-d, in not keeping His commandments, and His ordinances, and His statutes etc.,141Ibid., 8:11. and he said, and thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Eternal thy G-d, Who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt etc.; Who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness etc.,142Ibid., Verses 14-15. and so throughout the section. And thou say in thy heart: ‘My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth.’ But thou shalt remember the Eternal thy G-d, for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.143Ibid., Verses 17-18. And here [i.e., in this third chapter] he said, And it shall be, if thou shalt forget the Eternal thy G-d, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I forewarn you this day etc.144Ibid., Verse 19. This is also a warning to those entering the Land lest they forget the Glorious Name145Further, Verse 58. and deny that it was He Who brought them forth from the land of Egypt and [lest they claim that] He did nothing for them, but that they did everything by their own power because they were strong and therefore they will worship the idols as they please. The punishment for this would be complete destruction: As the nations that the Eternal causeth to perish before you, so shall ye perish.146Above, 8:20. The language of the verse indicates that he is warning them lest they do so when they enter the Land before they grow old in it, before they destroy all the peoples of the Land. Therefore he said, As the nations that the Eternal causeth to perish before you, so shall ye perish,146Above, 8:20. which applied to the time when the peoples [of the Land] were destroyed, and he warned them that G-d would turn His hand from the destruction of these peoples and He would destroy Israel like them. This, too, Israel never did, and nothing like it came upon them. The fourth time he warned and explained, saying, And it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Eternal thy G-d, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes etc. that all these curses shall come upon thee etc.147Verse 15 (here). and all the words of the covenant [which follow], and in the end there is the great promise: And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee etc., and thou shalt bethink thyself etc., and shalt return unto the Eternal thy G-d etc., that then the Eternal thy G-d will restore thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee,148Further, 30:1-3. and so on to the conclusion of the section. Now, this is the warning and allusion to this our [present] exile and to the perfect redemption by which we will be redeemed therefrom. And the fifth chapter is a warning by way of a prophecy to be fulfilled: And the Eternal said unto Moses: ‘Behold, thou art about to sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up …149Ibid., 31:16. [Now therefore write ye this Song for you …] that this Song shall testify before them as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed etc.’150Ibid., Verses 19 and 21. This warning has been wholly fulfilled in its literal sense and wider meaning.
Know that the admonitions concerning scantiness, discomfiture, rebuke,112Above, Verse 20. pestilence,113Ibid., Verse 21. trees, and the fruit of the soil110In Verse 42 before us. and all the other admonitions will all endure until He will cause you to vanish from the Land whither thou goest in to possess it.114Further, Verse 63. But after the exile [will have taken place] he does not imprecate them except by saying, and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.115Above, Verse 36. At times, however, he reverts to reprove them while still in the Land, as he said, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers; and there thou shalt serve other gods,115Above, Verse 36. this being a reference to the exile in which we were expatriated to Rome because of the journey there of King Agrippa116See Vol. I, p. 568. [the last king during the period of the Second Temple who made a covenant with Rome].117See Vol. III, pp. 471-472, Notes 148-149. Afterwards he [Moses] reverts and says, Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field etc.118Above, Verse 38. Now, these admonitions [apply] while they are in the Land, for so he states afterwards, and ye shall be plucked from off the Land114Further, Verse 63. which is a reference to the exile. In my opinion this, too, is part of Moses’ intimations. He states, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known115Above, Verse 36. which alludes to King Agrippa’s journey to Rome. It is also possible that he alludes to another king, preceding Agrippa, namely Aristobulus119Aristobulus, the younger son of King Jannai and the brother of Hyrcanus II, fought the Romans during the siege of Jerusalem. When the city finally fell before Pompey, Aristobulus was taken to Rome in chains. whom the Roman general [Pompey] captured and brought there [to Rome] in fetters of brass. They [the captives] became a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples120Verse 37. who were so amazed at their historic strength [and nevertheless such a calamity befell them that the viewers said], How are the mighty fallen, and their weapons of war perished!121II Samuel 1:27. Afterwards122I.e., a long time afterwards Pompey conquered the city of Jerusalem in the year 63, before the Common Era, while the Agrippa referred to here was the last king of Judea before the destruction of the Second Temple, which took place in the year 70, Common Era. This Agrippa was known as Agrippa II. His father Agrippa I was a righteous king and is often spoken of favorably by the Sages. His policy was to strengthen the position of the Jews. This was not true of Agrippa II who, as the following text shows, assisted the Romans in their conquest of the Land resulting in the destruction of the Temple, and the exile. Agrippa [II] came once again with the emissary of the king of Rome into the Land and captured very large cities in the land of Judea. Then was fulfilled what he [Moses] said, And thou shalt serve thine enemy whom the Eternal shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst etc.123Verse 48. It further states, The Eternal will bring a nation against thee from afar,124Verse 49. for, Vespasian and his son Titus came with a very large Roman army into the Land and captured all the fortified cities of Judea, and oppressed them greatly, as is known from the [history] books that they also captured the walls of Jerusalem and there remained only the Sanctuary and the wall of the Court. They [the besieged] ate the flesh of their sons and their daughters.125See Verse 53. And when the Sanctuary was also captured, then was fulfilled and ye shall be plucked from off the Land.114Further, Verse 63. Then the Romans returned to their country taking with them the exile of Jerusalem, as did the many [foreign] peoples, too, who were with them [i.e., the Romans] — from Greece, Egypt, Syria and many other peoples [who had joined the Romans in the destruction of Jerusalem and who took Israelite captives with them]. Then was fulfilled the verse, And the Eternal shall scatter thee among all peoples etc.126Verse 64. The verses after that, all refer to their punishment in exile. So also, And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee127Verse 66. applies to our fear in exile under peoples who constantly promulgate decrees against us. The correct interpretation is that this verse alludes to those generations that existed at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, for the Romans were then scheming to destroy the Jews completely. Therefore he says afterwards, And the Eternal shall bring thee back into Egypt in ships,128In the beginning of the P’sichta (Opening) to Esther Rabbathi. which happened when [the Romans] finished removing them from the Land. And our Rabbis have said:128In the beginning of the P’sichta (Opening) to Esther Rabbathi. “Why [was it decreed that they be brought back into] Egypt? Because it is offensive and evil for a servant when he returns to his first master.” If so, he mentioned Egypt as a reproof. However, once we have been exiled to the countries of our enemies, the work of our hands has not been accursed. Neither have our oxen and the breeds of our flock, our vineyards and our olive orchards and that which we have sown in the field [been adversely affected]. Rather in the countries [of our exile] we are like the rest of the peoples who inhabit whatever country, or even better than them,129An obvious reference to the favorable condition of Jews in Spain. for His mercies are upon us, because our habitations in exile are by [virtue of] the promise He made to us, And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them; for I am the Eternal their G-d.130Leviticus 26:44. I have already explained in Seder Im Bechukothai131Ibid., Verse 16 (at the end). the secret of this covenant [mentioned here], and that it refers to the present time of our exile at the hand of the “fourth beast,”132In Daniel’s vision concerning the four kingdoms that will rule the world, the fourth beast symbolizes Rome. See Daniel 7:7; also Vol. I, p. 35., Note 8, and Vol. IV, pp. 286-290. and afterwards He assured us of being [completely] redeemed therefrom.
Now, we have examined the punishments for idolatry which are mentioned in the Torah in many places, among them what is stated at the beginning [of this book]: When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have been long in the Land, and shall deal corruptly, and make a graven image etc.,133Above, 4:25. this being a warning to Israel lest they worship idols after being in the Land for many years and having grown old in it. The punishment for that is, I call heaven and earth to witness etc.134Ibid., Verse 26. until And the Eternal shall scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number.135Ibid., Verse 27. And there it is stated, And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands,136Ibid., Verse 28. and he promised, But from thence ye will seek the Eternal thy G-d, and thou shalt find Him etc.137Ibid., Verse 29. This has been fulfilled with them [in the Babylonian exile] as I have already mentioned and explained.131Ibid., Verse 16 (at the end). And in another chapter he said, And it shall be, when the Eternal thy G-d shall bring thee into the Land which He swore unto thy fathers etc.;138Ibid., 6:10. Ye shall not go after other gods of the peoples that are round about you.139Ibid., Verse 14. And the punishment is, for a jealous G-d, even the Eternal thy G-d, is in the midst of thee; lest the anger of the Eternal thy G-d be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off the face of the earth.140Ibid., Verse 15. This is a warning to those who enter the Land lest they immediately become attached to idolatry and forget the G-d Who brought them forth from Egypt and walk after the idols. This Israel never did, nor did this punishment ever take place. The language of the verse implies this — that it is a warning, not a suggestion of something destined to be, as he said, lest the anger of the Eternal thy G-d be kindled against thee,140Ibid., Verse 15. that is to say, you should be fearful of this. In a third chapter he stated Beware lest thou forget the Eternal thy G-d, in not keeping His commandments, and His ordinances, and His statutes etc.,141Ibid., 8:11. and he said, and thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Eternal thy G-d, Who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt etc.; Who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness etc.,142Ibid., Verses 14-15. and so throughout the section. And thou say in thy heart: ‘My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth.’ But thou shalt remember the Eternal thy G-d, for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.143Ibid., Verses 17-18. And here [i.e., in this third chapter] he said, And it shall be, if thou shalt forget the Eternal thy G-d, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I forewarn you this day etc.144Ibid., Verse 19. This is also a warning to those entering the Land lest they forget the Glorious Name145Further, Verse 58. and deny that it was He Who brought them forth from the land of Egypt and [lest they claim that] He did nothing for them, but that they did everything by their own power because they were strong and therefore they will worship the idols as they please. The punishment for this would be complete destruction: As the nations that the Eternal causeth to perish before you, so shall ye perish.146Above, 8:20. The language of the verse indicates that he is warning them lest they do so when they enter the Land before they grow old in it, before they destroy all the peoples of the Land. Therefore he said, As the nations that the Eternal causeth to perish before you, so shall ye perish,146Above, 8:20. which applied to the time when the peoples [of the Land] were destroyed, and he warned them that G-d would turn His hand from the destruction of these peoples and He would destroy Israel like them. This, too, Israel never did, and nothing like it came upon them. The fourth time he warned and explained, saying, And it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Eternal thy G-d, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes etc. that all these curses shall come upon thee etc.147Verse 15 (here). and all the words of the covenant [which follow], and in the end there is the great promise: And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee etc., and thou shalt bethink thyself etc., and shalt return unto the Eternal thy G-d etc., that then the Eternal thy G-d will restore thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee,148Further, 30:1-3. and so on to the conclusion of the section. Now, this is the warning and allusion to this our [present] exile and to the perfect redemption by which we will be redeemed therefrom. And the fifth chapter is a warning by way of a prophecy to be fulfilled: And the Eternal said unto Moses: ‘Behold, thou art about to sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up …149Ibid., 31:16. [Now therefore write ye this Song for you …] that this Song shall testify before them as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed etc.’150Ibid., Verses 19 and 21. This warning has been wholly fulfilled in its literal sense and wider meaning.