ב"ה

Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Devarim - Deuteronomy Haazinu Texts & Summaries

Torah Reading for Ha'azinu

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First Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

1“Listen, heaven, and I will speak; let the earth hear the words of my mouth.		אהַֽאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַֽאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי:
הַֽאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם - Listen, heaven - that I am warning Israel, and be a witness to this, for I just told them that you will be a witness. The same applies to וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ “let the earth hear.” Why did he invoke heaven and earth as witnesses? Moses said: I am mere flesh and blood and will later die. If Israel will then say, “We did not accept the covenant upon ourselves,” who will come and contradict them? He therefore invoked heaven and earth as witnesses, because they can remain as witnesses forever. Furthermore, if they act correctly, the witnesses will come and give them their reward: “The vine will give its fruit, the earth will give its produce, and heaven will give its dew.” 1 And if they are found guilty, the hand of the witnesses will be the first to punish them: “He will close off heaven and there will be no rain, and the ground will not give its produce,” 2 and only later “you will perish quickly” at the hands of the nations.		הַֽאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם. שֶׁאֲנִי מַתְרֶה בָהֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְתִהְיוּ עֵדִים בַּדָּבָר, שֶׁכָּךְ אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם שֶׁאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ עֵדִים, וְכֵן ותשמע הארץ. וְלָמָּה הֵעִיד בָּהֶם שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ? אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: אֲנִי בָּשָׂר וָדָם, לְמָחָר אֲנִי מֵת, אִם יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא קִבַּלְנוּ עָלֵינוּ הַבְּרִית, מִי בָא וּמַכְחִישָׁם? לְפִיכָךְ הֵעִיד בָּהֶם שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ — עֵדִים שֶׁהֵן קַיָּמִים לְעוֹלָם. וְעוֹד, שֶׁאִם יִזְכּוּ יָבֹאוּ הָעֵדִים וְיִתְּנוּ שְׂכָרָם, הַגֶּפֶן תִּתֵּן פִּרְיָהּ וְהָאָרֶץ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ וְהַשָּׁמַיִם יִתְּנוּ טַלָּם, וְאִם יִתְחַיְּבוּ תִּהְיֶה בָהֶם יַד הָעֵדִים תְּחִלָּה — "וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָטָר וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת יְבוּלָהּ" (דברים י"ז), וְאַחַר כָּךְ "וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה" (שם י"א) עַל יְדֵי הָאֻמּוֹת:
2My doctrine drops like rain, my speech flows like dew; like winds that blow upon vegetation, like raindrops upon the grass.		ביַֽעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב:
יַֽעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי - My doctrine drops like rain. This is the testimony that you will give, that I say before you: I have given Israel the Torah, which gives life to the world, just as rain gives life to the world when heaven drips dew and rain		יַֽעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי. זוֹ הִיא הָעֵדוּת שֶׁתָּעִידוּ — שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹמֵר בִּפְנֵיכֶם תּוֹרָה שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהִיא חַיִּים לָעוֹלָם כְּמָטָר זֶה שֶׁהוּא חַיִּים לָעוֹלָם (עי' ספרי); כַּאֲשֶׁר יַעַרְפוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם טַל וּמָטָר:
יַֽעֲרֹף - יַעֲרֹף - means “dripping,” as in: יַעַרְפוּ טָל “will drip dew,” 3 יִרְעֲפוּן דָּשֶׁן “will drip fat.” 4		יַֽעֲרֹף. לְשׁוֹן יַטִּיף, וְכֵן (תהילים ס"ה) "יִרְעֲפוּן דָּשֶׁן", (דברים ל"ג) "יַעַרְפוּ טָל":
תִּזַּל כַּטַּל - Flows like dew. about which everyone rejoices, for rain can cause distress to some, such as travelers or one who has a pit full of wine.		תִּזַּל כַּטַּל. שֶׁהַכֹּל שְׂמֵחִים בּוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהַמָּטָר יֵשׁ בּוֹ עֲצָבִים לַבְּרִיּוֹת, כְּגוֹן הוֹלְכֵי דְרָכִים וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה בוֹרוֹ מָלֵא יַיִן (ספרי):
כִּשְׂעִירִם - Like winds. Related to רוּחַ סְעָרָה “a storm wind.” 5 Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: כְּרוּחֵי מִטְרָא “like rain winds.” Just as these winds strengthen the plants and make them grow, so do the words of the Torah strengthen those who study it and make them grow.		כִּשְׂעִירִם. לְשׁוֹן רוּחַ סְעָרָה, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "כְּרוּחֵי מִטְרָא", מָה הָרוּחוֹת הַלָּלוּ מַחֲזִיקִים אֶת הָעֲשָׂבִים וּמְגַדְּלִין אוֹתָם, אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מְגַדְּלִין אֶת לוֹמְדֵיהֶן:
וְכִרְבִיבִים - means: “and like raindrops.” It seems to me that the reason it is called רְבִיב is because it shoots like an arrow, as it says: רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת (lit.) “one who shoots a bow.” 6		וְכִרְבִיבִים. טִפֵּי מָטָר. נִרְאֶה לִי עַל שֵׁם שֶׁיּוֹרֶה כְּחֵץ נִקְרָא רְבִיב, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אוֹמֵר "רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת" (בראשית כ"א):
דֶשֶׁא - Vegetation. “Erbediz” in Old French. The envelopment of the ground when covered in vegetation.		דֶשֶׁא. ארברי"ץ, עֲטִיפַת הָאָרֶץ מְכֻסָּה בְיֶרֶק:
עֵֽשֶׂב - Grass. A single stem is called עֵשֶׂב, and each individual species is also called עֵשֶׂב.		עֵֽשֶׂב. קֶלַח אֶחָד קָרוּי עֵשֶׂב, וְכָל מִין וָמִין לְעַצְמוֹ קָרוּי עֵשֶׂב:
3When I proclaim the Name of God, ascribe greatness to our God.		גכִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָה֖ אֶקְרָ֑א הָב֥וּ גֹ֖דֶל לֵֽאלֹהֵֽינוּ:
כִּי שֵׁם ה' אֶקְרָא - When I proclaim the Name of God. כִּי here means “when,” as in: כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ “when you come into the land”; 7 i.e., when I proclaim and invoke the Name of God, you “ascribe greatness to our God” and bless His Name. From here, our sages derived that one responds בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom” after hearing a blessing in the Holy Temple.		כִּי שֵׁם ה' אֶקְרָא. הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר, כְּמוֹ (ויקרא כ"ג) "כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ", כְּשֶׁאֶקְרָא וְאַזְכִּיר שֵׁם ה', אַתֶּם הבו גדל לאלהינו וּבָרְכוּ שְׁמוֹ, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ שֶׁעוֹנִין בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ אַחַר בְּרָכָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְדָּשׁ (עי' ספרי; מכילתא שמות י"ג; ברכות כ"א; תענית ט"ז):
4God, the rock—His retributive action is perfect, for all His ways are just. He is a reliable God without injustice—He is recognized as righteous, and it is proper to do so.		דהַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּֽעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא:
הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּֽעֳלוֹ - The rock, His action is perfect. Although He is strong, when He brings punishment upon those who transgress His will, He does not overwhelm them through it, but brings it in precise measure to achieve its purpose, for “His action is perfect.”		הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּֽעֳלוֹ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא חָזָק, כְּשֶׁמֵּבִיא פֻּרְעָנוּת עַל עוֹבְרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ, לֹא בְּשֶׁטֶף הוּא מֵבִיא כִּי אִם בְּדִין, כִּי תמים פעלו:
אֵל אֱמוּנָה - A reliable God - to pay the righteous for their righteousness in the World to Come; although this may entail deferring their reward until then, He will ultimately make good His word.		אֵל אֱמוּנָה. לְשַׁלֵּם לַצַּדִּיקִים צִדְקָתָם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּאַחֵר אֶת תַּגְמוּלָם, סוֹפוֹ לְאַמֵּן אֶת דְּבָרָיו:
וְאֵין עָוֶל - Without injustice - for even to the wicked He gives reward – in this world – for their righteous deeds.		וְאֵין עָוֶל. אַף לָרְשָׁעִים מְשַׁלֵּם שְׂכַר צִדְקָתָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה (עי' ספרי):
צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הֽוּא - means: All accept His judgment as just, and this is the right and proper thing for them to do; i.e., He is proclaimed “righteous” by humanity, “and it is proper” and fitting for them to declare Him righteous.		צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הֽוּא. הַכֹּל מַצְדִּיקִים עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת דִּינוֹ, וְכָךְ רָאוּי וְיָשָׁר לָהֶם, צדיק מִפִּי הַבְּרִיּוֹת וישר הוא וְרָאוּי לְהַצְדִּיקוֹ:
5Their corruption is their own doing, not His. His wayward children are responsible for their own flaw; they are a crooked and perverse generation.		השִׁחֵ֥ת ל֛וֹ לֹּ֖א בָּנָ֣יו מוּמָ֑ם דּ֥וֹר עִקֵּ֖שׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל:
שִׁחֵת לוֹ וגו' - Corruption…. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: חַבִּילוּ לְהוֹן וְלָא לֵהּ “they have harmed themselves, not Him.”		שִׁחֵת לוֹ וגו'. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, "חַבִּילוּ לְהוֹן לָא לֵהּ":
בָּנָיו מוּמָם - means: they were His children, but the corruptive behavior that they have committed is their own flaw. בָּנָיו מוּמָם. thus implies: “it was His children’s flaw, and not His flaw.”		בָּנָיו מוּמָם. בָּנָיו הָיוּ וְהַשְׁחָתָה שֶׁהִשְׁחִיתוּ הִיא מוּמָם:
בָּנָיו מוּמָם - A crooked generation - i.e., crooked and perverted, as in: “they pervert (יְעַקֵּשׁוּ) everything upright.” 8 Similarly, we find in Mishnaic Hebrew: “a weasel whose teeth are crooked and bent (עֲקוּשׁוֹת).” 9		בָּנָיו מוּמָם. מוּמָם שֶׁל בָּנָיו הָיָה וְלֹא מוּמוֹ:
דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ - And perverse - “entortiliez” in Old French, like a thread (פְּתִיל) that is spun and wound around a central fiber.		דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ. עָקֹם וּמְעֻקָּל, כְּמוֹ "וְאֵת כָּל הַיְשָׁרָה יְעַקֵּשׁוּ" (מיכה ג'). וּבִלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה "חֻלְדָּה שֶׁשִּׁנֶּיהָ עֲקֻמּוֹת וַעֲקוּשׁוֹת":
וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל - is among the words with doubled root letters, such as יְרַקְרַק “pure green,” אֲדַמְדָּם “pure red”; 10 סְחַרְחַר “dizzy”; 11 סְגַלְגַּל “round.” 12		וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל. אנטורט"ילייש, כַּפְּתִיל הַזֶּה שֶׁגּוֹדְלִין אוֹתוֹ וּמַקִּיפִין אוֹתוֹ סְבִיבוֹת הַגְּדִיל; פְּתַלְתֹּל מִן הַתֵּבוֹת הַכְּפוּלוֹת כְּמוֹ "יְרַקְרַק" "אֲדַמְדָּם" (ויקרא י"ג) "סְחַרְחַר" (תהילים ל"ח), "סְגַלְגַּל" (תרגום יונתן מלכים א ז'):
6Is this how you repay God? You are a foolish people and unwise. Is He not your father, who acquired you as His chosen people, settled you in your land, and equipped you with all that you need? He made you into a nation and established you.		והַ לְיהֹוָה֙ תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹ֔את עַ֥ם נָבָ֖ל וְלֹ֣א חָכָ֑ם הֲלוֹא־הוּא֙ אָבִ֣יךָ קָּנֶ֔ךָ ה֥וּא עָֽשְׂךָ֖ וַֽיְכֹֽנְנֶֽךָ:
הלה' תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹאת - Is this how you repay God?. It is an expression of astonishment: How can you grieve Him when He has the power to punish you and has granted you all these benefits?		הלה' תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹאת. לְשׁוֹן תֵּמָהּ, וְכִי לְפָנָיו אַתֶּם מַעֲצִיבִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לִפָּרַע מִכֶּם וְשֶׁהֵיטִיב לָכֶם בְּכָל הַטּוֹבוֹת?
עַם נָבָל - A foolish people - who have forgotten what was done for them.		עַם נָבָל. שֶׁשָּׁכְחוּ אֶת הֶעָשׂוּי לָהֶם:
וְלֹא חָכָם - And unwise - failing to understand the consequences of their actions, namely, that He has the power to benefit or to harm them as a result.		וְלֹא חָכָם. לְהָבִין אֶת הַנּוֹלָדוֹת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לְהֵיטִיב וּלְהָרַע:
הֲלוֹא־הוּא אָבִיךָ קָּנֶךָ - means: Is He not your father who acquired you (קְנָאֲךָ), who nestled you (קִנֶּנְךָ) between rocks, i.e., in a strong land, and who equipped you (תִּקֶּנְךָ) with every advantage?		הֲלוֹא־הוּא אָבִיךָ קָּנֶךָ. שֶׁקְּנָאֲךָ, שֶׁקִּנֶּנְךָ בְּקַן הַסְּלָעִים וּבְאֶרֶץ חֲזָקָה, שֶׁתִּקֶּנְךָ בְּכָל מִינֵי תַקָּנָה:
הוּא עָֽשְׂךָ - He made you - an important nation among the nations.		הוּא עָֽשְׂךָ. אֻמָּה בָּאֻמּוֹת:
וַֽיְכֹֽנְנֶֽךָ - And established you - afterward, with every form of base and foundation (כַּן): Your priests come from among you, your prophets from among you, and your kings from among you, like a self-sufficient metropolis.		וַֽיְכֹֽנְנֶֽךָ. אַחֲרֵי כֵן בְּכָל מִינֵי בָסִיס וְכַן — מִכֶּם כֹּהֲנִים, מִכֶּם נְבִיאִים וּמִכֶּם מְלָכִים, כְּרַךְ שֶׁהַכֹּל בּוֹ (ספרי; חולין נ"ו):

Footnotes

Chulin 56a.

Shabbat 31a; Targum Yonatan, 1 Kings 7:23.

Second Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

7Recall the olden days. Contemplate the years of the generation of Enosh and the generation of Noah. Ask your father—i.e., a prophet—and he will tell you about the future; ask your elders and they will recount to you the events of the past.		זזְכֹר֙ יְמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם בִּ֖ינוּ שְׁנ֣וֹת דֹּֽר וָדֹ֑ר שְׁאַ֤ל אָבִ֨יךָ֙ וְיַגֵּ֔דְךָ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְיֹֽאמְרוּ־לָֽךְ:
זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם - Recall the olden days - i.e., what He did to former generations who provoked Him to anger.		זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם. מֶה עָשָׂה בָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לְפָנָיו:
בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דֹּֽר וָדֹר - Contemplate the years of (lit.) one generation and another - i.e., the generation of Enosh, whom He engulfed with the water of the ocean; and the generation of the Flood, whom He washed away. Another explanation: You did not pay attention to the past; now, be sure to בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דֹּר וָדֹר – pay attention to the future, i.e., that He has the power to reward you by letting you inherit the messianic era and the World to Come.		בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דֹּֽר וָדֹר. דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ שֶׁהֵצִיף עֲלֵיהֶם מֵי אוֹקְיָנוּס וְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שֶׁשְּׁטָפָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר — לֹא נְתַתֶּם לְבַבְכֶם עַל שֶׁעָבַר, בינו שנות דר ודר — לְהַכִּיר לְהַבָּא, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לְהֵיטִיב לָכֶם וּלְהַנְחִיל לָכֶם יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא (עי' ספרי):
שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ - Ask your father. This refers to the prophets, who are called “fathers,” as it says regarding Elijah: “My father, my father, chariot of Israel.” 1		שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ. אֵלּוּ הַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים אָבוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב ב') בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ "אָבִי אָבִי רֶכֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל" (ספרי):
זְקֵנֶיךָ - Your elders. This refers to the sages.		זְקֵנֶיךָ. אֵלּוּ הַחֲכָמִים:
וְיֹֽאמְרוּ־לָֽךְ - And they recount to you - the past events:		וְיֹֽאמְרוּ־לָֽךְ. הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת:
8When God, the supreme One, gave the nations their inheritance after the Flood, and when He divided the descendants of Adam after the Tower of Babel, He firmly established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the descendants of Israel.		חבְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיוֹן֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם - When the Supreme One gave the nations their inheritance. This means: when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave those who angered Him the portion they deserved. He flooded them and swept them away.		בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם. כְּשֶׁהִנְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמַכְעִיסָיו אֶת חֵלֶק נַחֲלָתָן הֱצִיפָן וּשְׁטָפָם:
בְּהַפְרִידוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם - When He divided the descendants of Adam – i.e., when He scattered the generation of the Dispersion, He could have justifiably removed them from the world, but He did not do so; instead “He firmly established the boundaries of the peoples” - i.e., He let them live and did not destroy them –		בְּהַפְרִידוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם. כְּשֶׁהֵפִיץ דּוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה הָיָה בְיָדוֹ לְהַעֲבִירָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן אֶלָּא יצב גבלת עמים, קִיְּמָם וְלֹא אִבְּדָם:
לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - According to the number of the descendants of Israel - i.e., for the sake of the number of the descendants of Israel destined to come from the descendants of Shem, and according to the number of 70 souls of the descendants of Israel who descended to Egypt, He set the boundaries of the nations as 70 languages.		לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל. בִּשְׁבִיל מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעֲתִידִין לָצֵאת מִבְּנֵי שֵׁם, וּלְמִסְפַּר שִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְמִצְרַיִם הִצִּיב גבלת עמים — שִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן:
9He did this because God’s portion is His people, the descendants of Jacob, who is the ‘rope’ of His inheritance.		טכִּ֛י חֵ֥לֶק יְהֹוָ֖ה עַמּ֑וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב חֶ֥בֶל נַֽחֲלָתֽוֹ:
כִּי חֵלֶק ה' עַמּוֹ - Because God’s portion is His people. Why did He do all this? Because His portion was latent within them and destined to emerge. And who is His portion? “His people.” And who is His people? יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ – “Jacob, the rope of His inheritance” i.e., the third of the patriarchs, who possesses a threefold merit: the merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father, and his own merit, making three, just as a rope is made up of three intertwining cords. For this reason, only he and his sons became His portion, and neither Ishmael son of Abraham nor Esau son of Isaac.		כִּי חֵלֶק ה' עַמּוֹ. לָמָּה כָּל זֹאת? לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה חֶלְקוֹ כָּבוּשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם וְעָתִיד לָצֵאת, וּמִי הוּא חֶלְקוֹ? עמו. וּמִי הוּא עַמּוֹ? יַֽעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַֽחֲלָתֽוֹ וְהוּא הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בָּאָבוֹת, הַמְשֻׁלָּשׁ בְּשָׁלוֹשׁ זְכֻיּוֹת, זְכוּת אֲבִי אָבִיו וּזְכוּת אָבִיו וּזְכוּתוֹ, הֲרֵי ג', כַּחֶבֶל הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא עָשׂוּי בְּג' גְּדִילִים, וְהוּא וּבָנָיו הָיוּ לוֹ לְנַחֲלָה, וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, וְלֹא עֵשָׂו בְּנוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק (עי' ספרי):
10He found them faithful in a desert land, in a desolate wasteland filled with howling creatures. He surrounded them; He instructed them; He protected them like the pupil of His eye.		ייִמְצָאֵ֨הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹֽבְבֶ֨נְהוּ֙ יְב֣וֹנְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ:
יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר - He found them in a desert land - i.e., He found them faithful to Him in a desert land, for there they accepted His Torah, His kingship, and His yoke, which the descendants of Ishmael and Esau did not do, as it says: “He shone forth to them after coming from Se’ir; He appeared after coming from Mount Paran,” 2 where He had offered the Torah to Esau’s and Ishmael’s descendants, respectively.		יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר. אוֹתָם מָצָא לוֹ נֶאֱמָנִים בְּאֶרֶץ הַמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם תּוֹרָתוֹ וּמַלְכוּתוֹ וְעֻלּוֹ, מַה שֶּׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְעֵשָׂו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ל"ג) "וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן":
וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵל יְשִׁמֹן - In a howling, desolate wasteland - i.e., a parched and desolate land, a place where wild animals and birds wail. Even there, they were drawn after their faith in God and did not say to Moses: “How can we go out to the desert, to a parched and desolate place?” This is indicated by what it says: “you followed Me into the desert.” 3		וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵל יְשִׁמֹן. אֶרֶץ צִיָּה וּשְׁמָמָה, מְקוֹם יִלְלַת תַּנִּינִים וּבְנוֹת יַעֲנָה, אַף שָׁם נִמְשְׁכוּ אַחַר הָאֱמוּנָה, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לְמֹשֶׁה הֵיאַךְ נֵצֵא לַמִּדְבָּרוֹת מְקוֹם צִיָּה וְשִׁמָּמוֹן? כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ב'), "לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר":
יְסֹֽבְבֶנְהוּ - He surrounded them. There, He surrounded and encircled them with the Clouds of Glory, He surrounded them with the tribal banners in the four directions, and He surrounded them underneath the mountain at the Giving of the Torah, by suspending it over them like an overturned barrel.		יְסֹֽבְבֶנְהוּ. שָׁם סִבְּבָם וְהִקִּיפָם בַּעֲנָנִים וְסִבְּבָם בִּדְגָלִים לְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת וְסִבְּבָן בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר שֶׁכָּפָהוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כְּגִיגִית (עי' ספרי):
יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ - He instructed them - there in the Torah and in understanding.		יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ. שָׁם בְּתוֹרָה וּבִינָה:
יִצְּרֶנְהוּ - He protected them - from snakes, vipers, scorpions, and from the nations.		יִצְּרֶנְהוּ. מִנָּחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב וּמִן הָאֻמּוֹת:
כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינֽוֹ - Like the pupil of His eye. This is the dark part of the eye, source of the power of sight.		כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינֽוֹ. הוּא הַשָּׁחֹר שֶׁבָּעַיִן שֶׁהַמָּאוֹר יוֹצֵא הֵימֶנּוּ. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם יִמְצָאֵהוּ — "יַסְפִּיקֵהוּ כָּל צָרְכּוֹ בַמִּדְבָּר", כְּמוֹ (במדבר י"א) "מָצָא לָהֶם", (יהושע י"ז) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא לָנוּ הָהָר":
יְסֹֽבְבֶנְהוּ - סַפֵּיק צָרְכֵיהוֹן בַּאֲרַע מַדְבְּרָא “He provided all their needs in the desert,” taking יִמְצָאֵהוּ as meaning the same as וּמָצָא לָהֶם “would it suffice for them,” 4 and לֹא יִמָּצֵא לָנוּ הָהָר “the hill country will not suffice for us.” 5 יְסֹבְבֶנְהוּ – אַשְׁרִנּוּן סְחוֹר סְחוֹר לִשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ “He encamped them around His Divine Presence”; i.e., the Tent of Meeting in the middle and the four divisions on the four sides.		יְסֹֽבְבֶנְהוּ. "אַשְׁרִינוּן סְחוֹר סְחוֹר לִשְׁכִנְתֵּיהּ", אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד בָּאֶמְצָע וְאַרְבָּעָה דְגָלִים לְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת:
11As an eagle awakens its nest, hovering over its young, spreading its wings when picking them up, and carrying them on its pinions,		יאכְּנֶ֨שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־גּֽוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ:
כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ - As an eagle awakens its nest. God led them with mercy and compassion, like the eagle, who is merciful toward its young and does not enter the nest suddenly, but first flaps and beats its wings above them between one tree and the next and between one branch and the next, so that its young can wake and have the strength to receive it.		כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ. נִהֲגָם בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְחֶמְלָה, כַּנֶּשֶׁר הַזֶּה רַחְמָנִי עַל בָּנָיו, וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס לְקִנּוֹ פִּתְאֹם עַד שֶׁהוּא מְקַשְׁקֵשׁ וּמְטָרֵף עַל בָּנָיו בִּכְנָפָיו בֵּין אִילָן לְאִילָן, בֵּין שׂוֹכָה לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּעוֹרוּ בָּנָיו וִיהֵא בָהֶם כֹּחַ לְקַבְּלוֹ (ספרי):
יָעִיר קִנּוֹ - means: it wakens its children.		יָעִיר קִנּוֹ. יְעוֹרֵר בָּנָיו:
עַל־גּֽוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף - Hovering over its young. It does not bear its weight upon them but hovers over them, not quite touching them. So, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, acted in this way, as it says: “We do not find the Almighty exercising excessive power.” 6 When He came to give the Torah to the Israelites, He did not manifest Himself to them from only one direction, but from all four directions, as it says: “God came from Sinai; He shone forth to them from Se’ir; He appeared from Mount Paran; He came from these three directions with some of the holy myriads of angels,” 7 and “God came from the south” 8 is the fourth direction.		עַל־גּֽוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף. אֵינוֹ מַכְבִּיד עַצְמוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶלָּא מְחוֹפֵף — נוֹגֵעַ וְאֵינוֹ נוֹגֵעַ (תלמוד ירושלמי חגיגה ב') — אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּאּ, "שַׁדַּי לֹא מְצָאנֻהוּ שַׂגִּיא כֹחַ" (איוב ל"ז) כְּשֶׁבָּא לִתֵּן תּוֹרָה לֹא נִגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם מֵרוּחַ אַחַת אֶלָּא מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "ה' מִסִּינַי בָּא וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן" (דברים ל"ג), "אֱלוֹהַּ מִתֵּימָן יָבוֹא" (חבקוק ג') — זוֹ רוּחַ רְבִיעִית (ספרי):
יִפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפָיו יִקָּחֵהוּ - Spreading its wings when picking them up. When it comes to take them from place to place, it does not take them with its feet as other birds do, for other birds are afraid of the eagle, which flies high above them, and therefore carry them with their feet to protect them from the eagle. But the eagle is only afraid of an arrow shot from below. It therefore carries its young on its wings, saying: “Better that the arrow enter me than enter my young.” So, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, acted this way: “I carried you on the wings of eagles.” 9 When the Egyptians pursued them and caught up with them at the Sea, they started firing arrows and stone missiles at them. Immediately: “The angel of God…came between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp….” 10		יִפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפָיו יִקָּחֵהוּ. כְּשֶׁבָּא לִטְּלָם מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם אֵינוֹ נוֹטְלָן בְּרַגְלָיו כִּשְׁאָר עוֹפוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁשְּׁאָר עוֹפוֹת יְרֵאִים מִן הַנֶּשֶׁר שֶׁהוּא מַגְבִּיהַּ לָעוּף וּפוֹרֵחַ עֲלֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ נוֹשְׂאָן בְּרַגְלָיו, מִפְּנֵי הַנֶּשֶׁר, אֲבָל הַנֶּשֶׁר אֵינוֹ יָרֵא אֶלָּא מִן הַחֵץ, לְפִיכָךְ נוֹשְׂאָן עַל כְּנָפָיו, אוֹמֵר מוּטָב שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס הַחֵץ בִּי וְלֹא יִכָּנֵס בְּבָנַי, אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (שמות י"ט) "וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים" — כְּשֶׁנָּסְעוּ מִצְרַיִם אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְהִשִּׂיגוּם עַל הַיָּם הָיוּ זוֹרְקִים בָּהֶם חִצִּים וְאַבְנֵי בָּלִיסְטְרָאוֹת, מִיָּד "וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ' וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם וְגוֹ'" (שמות י"ד):
12God, unassisted, guided them, and there was no other deity who could contend with Him.		יביְהֹוָ֖ה בָּדָ֣ד יַנְחֶ֑נּוּ וְאֵ֥ין עִמּ֖וֹ אֵ֥ל נֵכָֽר:
ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ - God, unassisted, guided them - i.e., led them through the desert in secure isolation.		ה' בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ. נִהֲגָם בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּדָד וּבֶטַח:
וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָֽר - And there was no other deity with Him - i.e., not one of the deities of the nations was able to display its power and attack them. Our rabbis 11 expounded this verse as referring to the future, and so Onkelos translates it. I say that these are words of rebuke, in order to call heaven and earth to witness and that this song act as witness against them, for God knew that they would eventually be disloyal, failing both to remember what He had done for them in the past and to consider what He would do for them in the future. It is therefore necessary to have the wording interpreted as referring to both past and future. The entire matter is a continuation of: “Recall the olden days; contemplate the years of one generation and another”: 12 This is what He did for them, and He will do the same again. All this they ought to have remembered.		וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָֽר. לֹא הָיָה כֹחַ בְּאֶחָד מִכָּל אֱלֹהֵי הַגּוֹיִם לְהַרְאוֹת כֹּחוֹ וּלְהִלָּחֵם עִמָּהֶם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְרָשׁוּהוּ עַל הֶעָתִיד וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס, וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר דִּבְרֵי תּוֹכֵחָה הֵם לְהָעִיד הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וּתְהֵא הַשִּׁירָה לָהֶם לְעֵד שֶׁסּוֹפָן לִבְגֹּד וְלֹא יִזְכְּרוּ לֹא הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם וְלֹא הַנּוֹלָדוֹת שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לְיַשֵּׁב הַדָּבָר לְכָאן וּלְכָאן. וְכָל הָעִנְיָן מוּסָב עַל זכר ימות עולם בינו שנות דר ודר, כֵּן עָשָׂה לָהֶם וְכֵן עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת, כָּל זֶה הָיָה לָהֶם לִזְכֹּר:

Footnotes

2 Kings 2:12.

below 33:2.

ibid., 14:19-20.

Sifrei.

Third Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

13He made them ‘ride on’ (i.e., subdue) the Land of Israel, the highest place on earth, in order that they might eat the quick-ripening produce of its fields. He nurtured them with honey from figs grown in soil hard as a rock, oil from olives grown in flint-stone,		יגיַרְכִּבֵ֨הוּ֙ עַל־בָּ֣מֳתֵי (כתיב על־במותי) אָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאכַ֖ל תְּנוּבֹ֣ת שָׂדָ֑י וַיֵּֽנִקֵ֤הוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵֽחַלְמִ֥ישׁ צֽוּר:
יַרְכִּבֵהוּ על במתי אָרֶץ - He made them ride on the highest place on earth. The entire verse is to be explained in a manner similar to its literal translation:		יַרְכִּבֵהוּ על במתי אָרֶץ. כָּל הַמִּקְרָא כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
יַרְכִּבֵהוּ וגו' - He made them ride… This terminology is used here since the Land of Israel is higher than all other countries.		יַרְכִּבֵהוּ וגו'. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת:
וַיֹּאכַל תְּנוּבֹת שָׂדָי - In order that they might eat the produce of its fields. This refers to the fruits of the Land of Israel, which sprout and ripen more quickly than any fruits of other countries.		וַיֹּאכַל תְּנוּבֹת שָׂדָי. אֵלּוּ פֵרוֹת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁקַּלִּים לָנוּב וּלְהִתְבַּשֵּׁל מִכָּל פֵּרוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת:
וַיֵּֽנִקֵהוּ דְבַשׁ מִסֶּלַע - He nurtured them with honey from a rock. It happened once in Sichni that a man said to his son, “Go and bring me figs from the barrel.” He went and found honey floating at the top of the barrel. The son said to the father, “This is a barrel of honey!” The father replied to the son, “Sink your hand into it and you will retrieve the figs.”		וַיֵּֽנִקֵהוּ דְבַשׁ מִסֶּלַע. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁאָמַר לִבְנוֹ בְּסִיכְנִי הָבֵא לִי קְצִיעוֹת מִן הֶחָבִית, הָלַךְ וּמָצָא הַדְּבַשׁ צָף עַל פִּיהָ, אָמַר לוֹ זוֹ שֶׁל דְּבַשׁ הִיא אָמַר לוֹ הַשְׁקַע יָדְךָ לְתוֹכָהּ וְאַתָּה מַעֲלֶה קְצִיעוֹת מִתּוֹכָהּ (ספרי):
וְשֶׁמֶן מֵֽחַלְמִישׁ צֽוּר - Oil from flint-stone. This refers to the olives of Gush-Chalav.		וְשֶׁמֶן מֵֽחַלְמִישׁ צֽוּר. אֵלּוּ זֵיתִים שֶׁל גּוּשׁ חָלָב (ספרי):
במתי אָרֶץ - בָּמֳתֵי here denotes height.		במתי אָרֶץ. לְשׁוֹן גֹּבַהּ:
שָׂדָי - here means “field.”		שָׂדָי. לְשׁוֹן שָׂדֶה:
מֵֽחַלְמִישׁ צֽוּר - means the strength and hardness of a rock. When it is not connected to the next word it is vocalized חַלָּמִישׁ, but when it is connected to the next word, taking the construct form, it is vocalized חַלְמִישׁ.		מֵֽחַלְמִישׁ צֽוּר. תָּקְפּוֹ וְחָזְקוֹ שֶׁל סֶלַע, כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ דָּבוּק לַתֵּיבָה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו נָקוּד חַלָּמִישׁ וּכְשֶׁהוּא דָבוּק נָקוּד חַלְמִישׁ:
14cream from the milk of the herd, milk from the flock, the fat of fat lambs, fat rams from Bashan, he-goats, and wheat-kernels that were as fat as kidneys. You will drink fine, strong wine, the blood of the grape.		ידחֶמְאַ֨ת בָּקָ֜ר וַֽחֲלֵ֣ב צֹ֗אן עִם־חֵ֨לֶב כָּרִ֜ים וְאֵילִ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן֙ וְעַתּוּדִ֔ים עִם־חֵ֖לֶב כִּלְי֣וֹת חִטָּ֑ה וְדַם־עֵנָ֖ב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר:
חֶמְאַת בָּקָר וַֽחֲלֵב צֹאן - Cream from the herd, milk from the flock. This indeed took place in the days of King Solomon, as it says: “ten fattened cattle, 20 grazing cattle, and 100 sheep.” 1		חֶמְאַת בָּקָר וַֽחֲלֵב צֹאן. זֶה הָיָה בִּימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ד') "עֲשָׂרָה בָקָר בְּרִאִים וְעֶשְׂרִים בָּקָר רְעִי וּמֵאָה צֹאן":
עִם־חֵלֶב כָּרִים - The fat of fat lambs. This took place in the days of the Ten Tribes (the Northern Kingdom of Israel), as it says: “they eat כָּרִים of the flock.” 2		עִם־חֵלֶב כָּרִים. זֶה הָיָה בִּימֵי עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ו') "וְאֹכְלִים כָּרִים מִצֹּאן":
חֵלֶב כִּלְיוֹת חִטָּה - The fat of kidney-like [kernels of] wheat. This took place in the days of King Solomon, as it says: “and Solomon’s food each day was 30 kor of fine flour and 60 kor of coarse flour.” 3		חֵלֶב כִּלְיוֹת חִטָּה. זֶה הָיָה בִּימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ה') "וַיְהִי לֶחֶם שְׁלֹמֹה וְגוֹ'":
וְדַם־עֵנָב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר - You will drink fine, strong wine, the blood of the grape. This took place in the days of the Ten Tribes, as it says: “those who drink wine out of basins.” 4		וְדַם־עֵנָב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר. בִּימֵי עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים "הַשֹּׁתִים בְּמִזְרְקֵי יַיִן" (עמוס ו'):
חֶמְאַת בָּקָר - refers to the fat cream that is skimmed off the surface of the milk.		חֶמְאַת בָּקָר. הוּא שֻׁמָּן הַנִּקְלָט מֵעַל גַּבֵּי הֶחָלָב:
וַֽחֲלֵב צֹאן - means: the milk of flocks. When חָלָב is connected to the next word, taking the construct form, it is vocalized חֲלֵב, as in: בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ “in its mother’s milk.” 5		וַֽחֲלֵב צֹאן. חָלָב שֶׁל צֹאן, וּכְשֶׁהוּא דָבוּק נָקוּד חֲלֵב, כְּמוֹ "בַּחֲלֵב אִמּוֹ" (שמות כ"ג):
כָּרִים - are lambs.		כָּרִים. כְּבָשִׂים:
וְאֵילִים - Rams - is to be understood literally.		וְאֵילִים. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן - From Bashan. They were particularly fat.		בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן. שְׁמֵנִים הָיוּ:
כִּלְיוֹת חִטָּה - means: wheat kernels both as fat as the fat of kidneys and as large as a kidney.		כִּלְיוֹת חִטָּה. חִטִּים שְׁמֵנִים כְּחֵלֶב כְּלָיוֹת וְגַסִּין כְּכוּלְיָא:
וְדַם־עֵנָב - i.e., they drank good quality wine and when doing so, they tasted the taste of excellent wine.		וְדַם־עֵנָב. תִּהְיֶה שׁוֹתֶה יַיִן טוֹב וְטוֹעֵם יַיִן חָשׁוּב:
חָֽמֶר - The Aramaic word for wine is חֲמָר. Here, however, חָמֶר is not a noun, but a description of fine taste; “vinos” in Old French. These two verses can also be explained allegorically, according to Onkelos’ translation: אַשְׁרִנּוּן עַל תָּקְפֵּי אַרְעָא וגו׳ “He settled them in the strongholds of the land….”		חָֽמֶר. יַיִן בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי "חֲמַר", אֵין זֶה שֵׁם דָּבָר אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מְשֻׁבָּח בְּטַעַם, ווי"נוש בְּלַעַז. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ שְׁנֵי מִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ אַחַר תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס "אַשְׁרִינוּן עַל תָּקְפֵּי אַרְעָא וְגוֹ'":
15But Yeshurun became fat and kicked rebelliously. You became fat, thick, and covered with fat. It forsook God who made it, and scorned the rock of its salvation.		טווַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ וַיִּטּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹהַּ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻֽׁעָתֽוֹ:
עָבִיתָ - This denotes thickness.		עָבִיתָ. לְשׁוֹן עֹבִי:
כָּשִׂיתָ - is equivalent to כָּסִיתָ – You covered yourselves, used as in: “for he covered (כִסָּה) his face with fat,” 6 like a man so full of fat inside that folds form on the exterior of his flanks, as that verse continues: “forming a mouth over his flanks.”		כָּשִׂיתָ. כְּמוֹ כָּסִיתָ, לְשׁוֹן "כִּי כִסָּה פָנָיו בְּחֶלְבּוֹ" (איוב ט"ו), כְּאָדָם שֶׁשָּׁמֵן מִבִּפְנִים וּכְסָלָיו נִכְפָּלִים מִבַּחוּץ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שם) "וַיַּעַשׂ פִּימָה עֲלֵי כָסֶל":
כָּשִׂיתָ - “covering” can be expressed as an intransitive kal conjugation, as in: וְכֹסֶה קָלוֹן עָרוּם “but a shrewd man covers himself from disgrace.” 7 Were it written כִּשִּׂיתָ with a dagesh, it would imply that you covered others, as in: “for he covered (כִסָּה) his face.”		כָּשִׂיתָ. יֵשׁ לָשׁוֹן קַל בִּלְשׁוֹן כִּסּוּי, כְּמוֹ "וְכֹסֶה קָלוֹן עָרוּם" (משלי י"ב), וְאִם כָּתַב כִּשִּׂיתָ, דָּגוּשׁ, הָיָה נִשְׁמָע כִּסִּיתָ אֶת אֲחֵרִים, כְּמוֹ "כִּי כִסָּה פָנָיו" (איוב ט"ו):
וַיְנַבֵּל צוּר יְשֻֽׁעָתֽוֹ - And scorned the rock of its salvation. They denigrated and shamed Him, as it says: “with their backs to the Sanctuary of God….” 8 There is no greater show of contempt than this.		וַיְנַבֵּל צוּר יְשֻֽׁעָתֽוֹ. גִּנָּהוּ וּבִזָּהוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל ח') "אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם אֶל הֵיכַל ה' וְגוֹ'", אֵין לְךָ נִבּוּל גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה (ספרי):
16They provoked Him to jealousy by worshiping foreign deities. They angered Him with abominable acts.		טזיַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ בְּזָרִ֑ים בְּתֽוֹעֵבֹ֖ת יַכְעִיסֻֽהוּ:
יַקְנִאֻהוּ - means: they aroused His anger and His zeal.		יַקְנִאֻהוּ. הִבְעִירוּ חֲמָתוֹ וְקִנְאָתוֹ:
בְּתֽוֹעֵבֹת - i.e., with abominable acts, such as homosexuality and sorcery, which are termed תּוֹעֵבָה “abomination.” 9		בְּתֽוֹעֵבֹת. בְּמַעֲשִׂים תְּעוּבִים, כְּגוֹן מִשְׁכַּב זְכוּר וּכְשָׁפִים שֶׁנֶאֱמַר בָּהֶם תּוֹעֵבָה:
17They sacrificed to demons of no utility, to a deity whom they had not known, new deities that came into the pantheon of deities only recently; your fathers had neither feared them nor deified them.		יזיִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
לֹא אֱלֹהַּ - (lit.) That are not god. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: דְּלֵית בְּהוֹן צְרוֹךְ “that serve no purpose.” Were they to serve some purpose, there would not be such intense Divine vexation as there is now.		לֹא אֱלֹהַּ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "דְּלֵית בְּהוֹן צְרוֹךְ", אִלּוּ הָיָה בָהֶם צְרוֹךְ לֹא הָיְתָה קִנְאָה כְפוּלָה כְּמוֹ עַכְשָׁו (ספרי):
חֲדָשִׁים מִקָּרֹב בָּאוּ - New [deities] that came recently. Even the nations were not familiar with them. A gentile who would see them would say, “This is a Jewish idol.”		חֲדָשִׁים מִקָּרֹב בָּאוּ. אֲפִלּוּ הָאֻמּוֹת לֹא הָיוּ רְגִילִים בָּהֶם — גּוֹי שֶׁהָיָה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם, הָיָה אוֹמֵר זֶה צֶלֶם יְהוּדִי:
לֹא שְׂעָרוּם אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם - means: “Your fathers did not fear them” - i.e., their hair (שַׂעֲרָתָם) did not stand on end before them. It is usual for a person’s hair to stand on end out of fear. So it is expounded in Sifrei. שְׂעָרוּם may also be explained as related to: “and שְׂעִירִים will dance there,” 10 where שְׂעִירִים are demons; the meaning would thus be: your fathers did not make such demon-gods.		לֹא שְׂעָרוּם אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם. לֹא יָרְאוּ מֵהֶם — לֹא עָמְדָה שַׂעֲרָתָם מִפְּנֵיהֶם, דֶּרֶךְ שַׂעֲרוֹת הָאָדָם לַעֲמֹד מֵחֲמַת יִרְאָה, כָּךְ נִדְרַשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי. וְיֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ עוֹד שערום לְשׁוֹן (ישעיה יג, כא) "וּשְׂעִירִים יְרַקְּדוּ שָׁם", שְׂעִירִים הֵם שֵׁדִים, לֹא עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם שְׂעִירִים הַלָּלוּ:
18You have forgotten God, the rock who gave birth to you. You have forgotten God, who brought you forth from the womb.		יחצ֥וּר יְלָֽדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹֽלְלֶֽךָ:
תֶּשִׁי - means: you forget. But our rabbis expounded: When He wishes to bestow good upon you, you anger Him and weaken (מַתִּישִׁים) His power to bestow good upon you.		תֶּשִׁי. תִּשְׁכַּח. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ כְּשֶׁבָּא לְהֵיטִיב לָכֶם אַתֶּם מַכְעִיסִין לְפָנָיו וּמַתִּישִׁים כֹּחוֹ מִלְּהֵיטִיב לָכֶם (ספרי):
אֵל מְחֹֽלְלֶֽךָ - means: “God who brought you out of the womb,” related to: יְחוֹלֵל אַיָּלוֹת “causes deer to give birth,” 11 חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה “pangs like those of a woman giving birth.” 12		אֵל מְחֹֽלְלֶֽךָ. מוֹצִיאֲךָ מֵרֶחֶם, לְשׁוֹן (תהלים כט) "יְחוֹלֵל אַיָּלוֹת", (תהלים מ"ח) "חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה":

Footnotes

1 Kings 5:3.

1 Kings 5:2.

Fourth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

19When God saw this, He was disgusted, because His sons and daughters had angered Him.		יטוַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו:
20He said, ‘I will hide My face from them. I will see what their lot will then be in the end. For they are a generation that transforms My goodwill into anger; they are children who act uneducated.		כוַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַֽחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹֽא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם:
מָה אַֽחֲרִיתָם - (lit.) What will be their end - i.e., what will ultimately happen to them.		מָה אַֽחֲרִיתָם. מַה תַּעֲלֶה בָהֶם בְּסוֹפָם:
כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה - (lit.) For they are a generation of transformation - i.e., they transform My goodwill into anger.		כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה. מְהַפְּכִין רְצוֹנִי לְכַעַס:
לֹֽא־אֵמֻן בָּֽם - (lit.) Who have no upbringing - means: the upbringing that I gave them is not visible in them, for I taught them the proper path, but they strayed from it.		לֹֽא־אֵמֻן בָּֽם. אֵין גִדּוּלַי נִכָּרִים בָּהֶם, כִּי הוֹרֵיתִים דֶּרֶךְ טוֹבָה וְסָרוּ מִמֶּנָּה:
אֵמֻן - This is related to: וַיְהִי אֹמֵן “He had raised Hadassah”; 1 “noureture” in Old French. Another explanation: אֵמֻן denotes faith (אֱמוּנָה), as Onkelos translates it. At Sinai they said: “we will do and we will learn,” 2 yet within a short time they broke their promise and made the Golden Calf.		אֵמֻן. לְשׁוֹן "וַיְהִי אֹמֵן" (אסתר ב'), נורריטור"ה בְּלַעַז; דָּבָר אַחֵר — אמן לְשׁוֹן אֱמוּנָה, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, אָמְרוּ בְסִינַי נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע וּלְשָׁעָה קַלָּה בִטְּלוּ הַבְטָחָתָם וְעָשׂוּ הָעֵגֶל (ספרי):
21They have made Me jealous with a non-god; they have angered Me with their vanities. I will make them jealous of their captors by making them subject to a “non-people,” i.e., a disreputable nation; I will anger them with a debased nation.		כאהֵ֚ם קִנְא֣וּנִי בְלֹא־אֵ֔ל כִּֽעֲס֖וּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אַקְנִיאֵ֣ם בְּלֹא־עָ֔ם בְּג֥וֹי נָבָ֖ל אַכְעִיסֵֽם:
קִנְאוּנִי - They have made Me jealous - i.e., they kindled My anger.		קִנְאוּנִי. הִבְעִירוּ חֲמָתִי:
בְלֹא־אֵל - means: With something that is not a god.		בְלֹא־אֵל. בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ:
בְלֹא־עָם - A non-people - means: with a nation that has no repute, as it says: “Behold the land of the Chaldeans, this nation had been nothing”; 3 and about Esau it says: “you are greatly despised.” 4		בְלֹא־עָם. בְּאֻמָּה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ שֵׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו כ"ג) הֵן אֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִים זֶה הָעָם לֹא הָיָה, בְּעֵשָׂו הוּא אוֹמֵר (עובדיה א') בָּזוּי אַתָּה מְאֹד:
בְּגוֹי נָבָל אַכְעִיסֵֽם - I will anger them with a debased nation. This refers to atheists, and similarly it says: “The debased (נָבָל) says in his heart: there is no God.” 5		בְּגוֹי נָבָל אַכְעִיסֵֽם. אֵלּוּ הַמִּינִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים י"ד) אָמַר נָבָל בְּלִבּוֹ אֵין אֱלֹהִים (ספרי; יבמות ס"ג):
22For My wrath kindled a fire that will blaze in your midst to your very foundations. It will consume the land and its produce. It will set fire to the Temple city, seemingly situated safely, on mountains.		כבכִּֽי־אֵשׁ֙ קָֽדְחָ֣ה בְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּיקַ֖ד עַד־שְׁא֣וֹל תַּחְתִּ֑ית וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶ֨רֶץ֙ וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מֽוֹסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים:
קָֽדְחָה - means: burned.		קָֽדְחָה. בָּעֲרָה:
וַתִּיקַד - That will blaze - devouring you down to your foundation.		וַתִּיקַד. בָּכֶם עַד הַיְסוֹד:
וַתֹּאכַל אֶרֶץ וִֽיבֻלָהּ - It will consume the land and its produce - means: your land and its produce.		וַתֹּאכַל אֶרֶץ וִֽיבֻלָהּ. אַרְצְכֶם וִיבוּלָהּ (ספרי):
וַתְּלַהֵט - It will set fire - to Jerusalem, which is founded (הַמְיֻסֶּדֶת) on mountains, as it says: “Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains.” 6		וַתְּלַהֵט. יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הַמְיֻסֶּדֶת עַל הֶהָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים קכ"ה) יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הָרִים סָבִיב לָהּ:
23I will heap evil upon evil upon them. I will use up all My figurative arrows on them.		כגאַסְפֶּ֥ה עָלֵ֖ימוֹ רָע֑וֹת חִצַּ֖י אֲכַלֶּה־בָּֽם:
אַסְפֶּה עָלֵימוֹ רָעוֹת - means: I will have one evil follow the next, אַסְפֶּה being related to: “add (סְפוּ) year by year,” 7 “to add (סְפוֹת) punishment for unintentional sins,” 8 “add (סְפוּ) your ascent-offerings to your feast-offerings.” 9 Another explanation: אַסְפֶּה means: I will expend, as in: פֶּן תִּסָּפֶה “lest you be obliterated.” 10		אַסְפֶּה עָלֵימוֹ רָעוֹת. אַחְבִּיר רָעָה עַל רָעָה, לְשׁוֹן "סְפוּ שָׁנָה עַל שָׁנָה" (ישעיהו כ"ט), "סְפוֹת הָרָוָה" (דברים כ"ט), "עֹלוֹתֵיכֶם סְפוּ עַל זִבְחֵיכֶם" (ירמיהו ז'). דָּבָר אַחֵר — אספה אֲכַלֶּה, כְּמוֹ "פֶּן תִּסָּפֶה" (בראשית י"ט):
חִצַּי אֲכַלֶּה־בָּֽם - I will use up My arrows on them - i.e., I will finish off all My arrows against them. This curse, in context of the punishment, is a blessing: My arrows will be used up, but Israel will not come to an end.		חִצַּי אֲכַלֶּה־בָּֽם. כָּל חִצַּי אַשְׁלִים בָּהֶם, וּקְלָלָה זוֹ לְפִי הַפֻּרְעָנוּת לִבְרָכָה הִיא — חִצַּי כָּלִים וְהֵם אֵינָם כָּלִים (ספרי; סוטה ט'):
24They will grow hairy from hunger, and demons will attack them. The destruction caused by the demon Meriri will befall them. I will set the teeth of cattle on them, along with the venom of serpents that crawl in the dust.		כדמְזֵ֥י רָעָ֛ב וּלְחֻ֥מֵי רֶ֖שֶׁף וְקֶ֣טֶב מְרִירִ֑י וְשֶׁן־בְּהֵמֹת֙ אֲשַׁלַּח־בָּ֔ם עִם־חֲמַ֖ת זֹֽחֲלֵ֥י עָפָֽר:
מְזֵי רָעָב - Onkelos translates this as: נְפִיחֵי כְפָן “bloated from starvation,” but I cannot find decisive evidence for this. I heard in the name of Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan of Toulouse that it means: “hairy from hunger.” An emaciated person sprouts extra hair on his body.		מְזֵי רָעָב. אֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "נְפִיחֵי כָפָן", וְאֵין לִי עֵד מוֹכִיחַ עָלָיו, וּמִשְּׁמוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן מִטּוּלוּשָׂא שָׁמַעְתִּי שְׂעִירֵי רָעָב — אָדָם כָּחוּשׁ מְגַדֵּל שֵׂעָר עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ:
מְזֵי - Hairy. The Aramaic term for hair is מַזְיָא, as in: דַּהֲוָה מְהַפֵּךְ בְּמַזְיָא “he was grooming his hair.” 11		מְזֵי. לְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי שֵׂעָר — מִזַיָּא, "דַּהֲוָה מְהַפֵּךְ בְּמִזַיָּא" (מגילה י"ח):
וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף - means: the demons attacked them, similar to: “בְּנֵי רֶשֶׁף fly high,” 12 which refer to demons.		וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף. הַשֵּׁדִים נִלְחֲמוּ בָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְנֵי רֶשֶׁף יַגְבִּיהוּ עוּף" (איוב ה'), וְהֵם שֵׁדִים:
וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי - means: and the destruction by a demon called מְרִירִי . קטב means: annihilation, as in: אֱהִי קָטָבְךָ שְׁאוֹל “I will condemn you to the grave.” 13		וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי. וּכְרִיתוּת שֵׁד שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ מְרִירִי, קטב כְּרִיתָה, כְּמוֹ "אֱהִי קָטָבְךָ שְׁאוֹל" (הושע י"ג):
וְשֶׁן־בְּהֵמֹת - The teeth of cattle. It indeed happened at some point that ewes were biting people and thereby causing their death.		וְשֶׁן־בְּהֵמֹת. מַעֲשֶׂה הָיָה וְהָיוּ הָרְחֵלִים נוֹשְׁכִין וּמְמִיתִין (ספרי):
חֲמַת זֹֽחֲלֵי עָפָֽר - The venom of those that crawl in the dust. means: the venom of serpents that move along the dust on their bellies, just as water runs (הַזּוֹחֲלִים) along the ground. זְחִילָה is used to refer to water running along the ground, as well as to any item that moves about by sliding along the ground.		חֲמַת זֹֽחֲלֵי עָפָֽר. אֶרֶס נְחָשִׁים הַמְהַלְּכִים עַל גְּחוֹנָם עַל הֶעָפָר כַּמַּיִם הַזּוֹחֲלִים עַל הָאָרֶץ; זְחִילָה לְשׁוֹן מְרוּצַת הַמַּיִם עַל הֶעָפָר וְכֵן כָּל מְרוּצַת דָּבָר הַמְשַׁפְשֵׁף עַל הֶעָפָר וְהוֹלֵךְ:
25Outside their cities, the sword of their enemies will destroy them, while the dread of their enemies that they feel in their hearts will kill them: the young man, the young girl, the nursing baby, and the old.		כהמִחוּץ֙ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶ֔רֶב וּמֵֽחֲדָרִ֖ים אֵימָ֑ה גַּם־בָּחוּר֙ גַּם־בְּתוּלָ֔ה יוֹנֵ֖ק עִם־אִ֥ישׁ שֵׂיבָֽה:
מִחוּץ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶרֶב - Outside the sword will destroy - i.e., the sword of the enemy troops will bereave them outside the city.		מִחוּץ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶרֶב. מִחוּץ לָעִיר תְּשַׁכְּלֵם חֶרֶב גְּיָסוֹת.
וּמֵֽחֲדָרִים אֵימָה - And dread (lit.) from the chambers - when he flees and escapes from the sword, the chambers of his heart pound with fear, and he gradually dies from it. Another explanation of וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה: Inside the house, there will be fear of an epidemic, as it says: “For death has penetrated our windows,” 14 and so Onkelos translates it. Another explanation: מִחוּץ תְּשַׁכֶּל חֶרֶב – On account of what they did in the streets, as it says: “you set up as many altars to shameful deities as there are streets in Jerusalem.” 15 וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה – On account of what they did in their innermost chambers, as it says: “Have you seen what the elders of the House of Israel do in the dark, each in his concealed chambers?” 16		וּמֵֽחֲדָרִים אֵימָה. כְּשֶׁבּוֹרֵחַ וְנִמְלָט חַדְרֵי לִבּוֹ נְקוּפִים עָלָיו מֵחֲמַת אֵימָה, וְהוּא מֵת וְהוֹלֵךְ בָּה (ספרי); דָּבָר אַחֵר, ומחדרים אימה — בַּבַּיִת תִּהְיֶה אֵימַת דֶּבֶר, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ט') "כִּי עָלָה מָוֶת בְּחַלּוֹנֵינוּ", וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס; דָּבָר אַחֵר, מחוץ תשכל חרב — עַל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ בַחוּצוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּמִסְפַּר חוּצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שַׂמְתֶּם מִזְבְּחוֹת לַבֹּשֶׁת" (שם י"א); ומחדרים אימה, עַל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ בְחַדְרֵי חֲדָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲשֶׁר זִקְנֵי בֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ אִישׁ בְּחַדְרֵי מַשְׂכִּיתוֹ" (יחזקאל ח'):
26I would have said, “I will abandon them as completely as I have commanded them to abandon the corners of their fields; I will erase their memory from humanity,”		כואָמַ֖רְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶ֑ם אַשְׁבִּ֥יתָה מֵֽאֱנ֖וֹשׁ זִכְרָֽם:
אָמַרְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם - means: I said in My heart, “I will cast them away.” One can explain אַפְאֵיהֶם as: I will make them as פֵּאָה (the ownerless corner of the field), to cast them off from Me as if ownerless. We find a similar use in Ezra: 17 “You gave them kingdoms and nations, and apportioned them as פֵּאָה,” i.e., free to take. Menachem ben Saruk also classified it in this way. Some interpret this as Onkelos translates it: יֵחוֹל רֻגְזִי עֲלֵיהוֹן “My anger will assail them,” but this is incorrect, for if so, it should have written אֲאַפְאֵיהֶם, with one א as the first-person prefix and the other א as a root letter, as in אֲאַזֶּרְךָ “I will gird you” 18 from אזר, and אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ פִי “I strengthen you with my mouth” 19 from אמץ, and the א in middle of the root does not belong at all. Onkelos’ translation is based on the baraita in Sifrei that divides this word into three words: אָמַרְתִּי אַף, אֵי הֵם – “I said in my anger: I will render them as if nonexistent, so that those who see them will say about them: ‘Where are they (אַיֵּה הֵם)?’”		אָמַרְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם. אָמַרְתִּי בְלִבִּי אַפְאֶה אוֹתָם, וְיֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ אפאיהם אֲשִׁיתֵם פֵּאָה, לְהַשְׁלִיכָם מֵעָלַי הֶפְקֵר, וְדֻגְמָתוֹ מָצִינוּ בְעֶזְרָא (נחמיה ט') "וַתִּתֵּן לָהֶם מַמְלָכוֹת וַעֲמָמִים וַתַּחְלְקֵם לְפֵאָה" — לְהֶפְקֵר, וְכֵן חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם. וְיֵשׁ פּוֹתְרִים אוֹתוֹ כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "יָחוּל רוּגְזִי עֲלֵיהוֹן", וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב אֲאַפְאֵיהֶם, אַחַת לְשִׁמּוּשׁ וְאַחַת לִיסוֹד, כְּמוֹ "אֲאַזֶּרְךָ" (ישעיהו מ"ה), "אֲאַמִּצְכֶם בְּמוֹ פִי" (איוב ט"ו), וְהָאָלֶ"ף הַתִּיכוֹנָה אֵינָהּ רְאוּיָה בוֹ כְלָל. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם אַחַר לְשׁוֹן הַבָּרַיְתָא הַשְּׁנוּיָה בְסִפְרֵי הַחוֹלֶקֶת תֵּבָה זוֹ לְשָׁלוֹשׁ תֵּבוֹת, אָמַרְתִּי אַף אֵי הֵם — אָמַרְתִּי בְאַפִּי אֶתְּנֵם כְּאִלּוּ אֵינָם שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ רוֹאֵיהֶם עֲלֵיהֶם אַיֵּה הֵם:
27were it not that the anger of the enemy is pent up against them, and therefore I cannot annihilate them lest their adversaries ascribe their victory to their own, foreign deity, and lest they say, “The power of our hand is supreme, and it is not God who has done all this.”		כזלוּלֵ֗י כַּ֤עַס אוֹיֵב֙ אָג֔וּר פֶּן־יְנַכְּר֖וּ צָרֵ֑ימוֹ פֶּן־יֹֽאמְרוּ֙ יָדֵ֣נוּ רָ֔מָה וְלֹ֥א יְהֹוָ֖ה פָּעַ֥ל כָּל־זֹֽאת:
לוּלֵי כַּעַס אוֹיֵב אָגוּר - Were it not that the anger of the enemy is pent up - i.e., were it not for the fact that the enemy’s anger is pent up against them in order to destroy them, and if they were to overcome them and destroy them they would take the credit for themselves and their gods and not accredit it to Me. This is what is meant by: פֶּן יְנַכְּרוּ צָרֵימוֹ – they would misinterpret the matter, ascribing My power to a foreign force that does not deserve this praise		לוּלֵי כַּעַס אוֹיֵב אָגוּר. אִם לֹא שֶׁכַּעַס הָאוֹיֵב כָּנוּס עֲלֵיהֶם לְהַשְׁחִית, וְאִם יוּכַל לָהֶם וְיַשְׁחִיתֵם יִתְלֶה הַגְּדֻלָּה בּוֹ וּבֵאלֹהָיו וְלֹא יִתְלֶה הַגְּדֻלָּה בִּי, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר פן ינכרו צרימו — יְנַכְּרוּ הַדָּבָר לִתְלוֹת גְּבוּרָתָם בְּנָכְרִי שֶׁאֵין הַגְּדֻלָּה שֶׁלּוֹ — פן יאמרו ידנו רמה וגו':
פֶּן־יֹֽאמְרוּ יָדֵנוּ רָמָה וגו' - “lest they say, ‘the power of our hand is supreme…,’”. for that nation “is bewildered, and they possess no understanding,”		פֶּן־יֹֽאמְרוּ יָדֵנוּ רָמָה וגו'. כי אותו גוי אובד עצות המה:
28For these enemies are a bewildered nation, and they possess no understanding.		כחכִּי־ג֛וֹי אֹבַ֥ד עֵצ֖וֹת הֵ֑מָּה וְאֵ֥ין בָּהֶ֖ם תְּבוּנָֽה:
כִּי־ - and they have no understanding. For if they were wise people, they would understand this, namely: “How could one [person] pursue [a thousand…]?” (verse 30).		כִּי־. אוֹתוֹ גוי אבד עצות המה ואין בהם תבונה. שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיוּ חֲכָמִים ישכילו זאת איכה ירדף וגו':

Footnotes

Megilah 18a.

Fifth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

29Were they wise, they would understand this. They would understand the reason behind all that befell Israel in their end.		כטל֥וּ חָֽכְמ֖וּ יַשְׂכִּ֣ילוּ זֹ֑את יָבִ֖ינוּ לְאַֽחֲרִיתָֽם:
יָבִינוּ לְאַֽחֲרִיתָֽם - They would understand their end - i.e., they would consider and reflect on the punishment that befell Israel in the end.		יָבִינוּ לְאַֽחֲרִיתָֽם. יִתְּנוּ לֵב לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן לְסוֹף פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
30They should have asked, “How could one of us pursue 1,000 of them, and two of us cause 10,000 of them to flee, were it not that God, their rock, sold them, and that God handed them over to us?”’—		לאֵיכָ֞ה יִרְדֹּ֤ף אֶחָד֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁנַ֖יִם יָנִ֣יסוּ רְבָבָ֑ה אִם־לֹא֙ כִּֽי־צוּרָ֣ם מְכָרָ֔ם וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הִסְגִּירָֽם:
אֵיכָה יִרְדֹּף אֶחָד - How could one pursue - i.e., one of them – “1,000” of Israel –		אֵיכָה יִרְדֹּף אֶחָד. מִמֶּנּוּ אלף מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל:
אִם־לֹא כִּֽי־צוּרָם מְכָרָם וה' הִסְגִּירָֽם - Were it not that their rock sold them and that God handed them over - i.e., that He had “sold” them, delivering them into our hand; “delivrer” in Old French.		אִם־לֹא כִּֽי־צוּרָם מְכָרָם וה' הִסְגִּירָֽם. מְכָרָם וּמְסָרָם בְּיָדֵנוּ, דליב"ר בְּלַעַז:
31Moses said, “They should have understood that their rock is not like our rock, yet now our enemies judge us.”		לאכִּ֛י לֹ֥א כְצוּרֵ֖נוּ צוּרָ֑ם וְאֹֽיְבֵ֖ינוּ פְּלִילִֽים:
כִּי לֹא כְצוּרֵנוּ צוּרָם - Their rock is not like our rock. The enemy should have understood all this, that God delivered them into their hands, and that therefore neither they nor their gods can claim victory, for until now their gods could do nothing at all against our Rock, for their rock is not like our Rock. Every instance of צוּר in Scripture means “rock.”		כִּי לֹא כְצוּרֵנוּ צוּרָם. כָּל זֶה הָיָה לָהֶם לָאוֹיְבִים לְהָבִין שֶׁהַשֵּׁם הִסְגִּירָם וְלֹא לָהֶם וְלֵאלֹהֵיהֶם הַנִּצָּחוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַד הֵנָּה לֹא יָכְלוּ כְּלוּם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם כְּנֶגֶד צוּרֵנוּ, כִּי לֹא כְסַלְעֵנוּ סַלְעָם; כָּל צוּר שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן סֶלַע:
וְאֹֽיְבֵינוּ פְּלִילִֽים - means: and now our enemies judge us. This must be because our Rock “sold” us to them.		וְאֹֽיְבֵינוּ פְּלִילִֽים. וְעַכְשָׁו אוֹיְבֵינוּ שׁוֹפְטִים אוֹתָנוּ, הֲרֵי שֶׁצוּרֵנוּ מְכָרָנוּ לָהֶם:
32—“I would have done this to Israel since their vine is the vine of (i.e., they act like) Sodom, and their deeds are from the field of Gomorrah. Their grapes are the grapes of bitterness, and therefore their clusters from which they squeeze wine (i.e., their rewards) deserve to be bitter.		לבכִּֽי־מִגֶּ֤פֶן סְדֹם֙ גַּפְנָ֔ם וּמִשַּׁדְמֹ֖ת עֲמֹרָ֑ה עֲנָבֵ֨מוֹ֙ עִנְּבֵי־ר֔וֹשׁ אַשְׁכְּלֹ֥ת מְרֹרֹ֖ת לָֽמוֹ:
כִּֽי־מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם - Since their vine is the vine of Sodom. This refers to v. 26, above: “I said to Myself, ‘I will cast them off and erase their memory,’” because their acts are like those of Sodom and Gomorrah.		כִּֽי־מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם. מוּסָב לְמַעְלָה — אָמַרְתִּי בְּלִבִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם וְאַשְׁבִּית זִכְרָם לְפִי שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם מַעֲשֵׂי סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה:
שַּׁדְמֹת - are grain fields, as in: “and the fields (וּשְׁדֵמוֹת) yield no food”; 1 “in the fields (בְּשַׁדְמוֹת) of Kidron.” 2		שַּׁדְמֹת. שְׂדֵה תְּבוּאָה, כְּמוֹ "וּשְׁדֵמוֹת לֹא עָשָׂה אֹכֶל" (חבקוק ג'), "בְּשַׁדְמוֹת קִדְרוֹן" (מלכים ב כ"ג):
עִנְּבֵי־רוֹשׁ - Grapes of (lit.) gall. A bitter herb.		עִנְּבֵי־רוֹשׁ. עֵשֶׂב מַר:
אַשְׁכְּלֹת מְרֹרֹת לָֽמוֹ - Their clusters are bitter - i.e., they deserve bitter beverages, as their punishment is according to their actions. Onkelos translates it similarly: וְתֻשְׁלָמַת עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן כִּמְרָרוּתְהוֹן “The recompense for their actions is like their bitterness.”		אַשְׁכְּלֹת מְרֹרֹת לָֽמוֹ. מַשְׁקֶה מַר רָאוּי לָהֶם, לְפִי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וְתוּשְׁלָמַת עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן כִּמְרָרוּתְהוֹן":
33Their wine (i.e., their cup of punishment) is like the venom of dragons, like the cruel, poisonous venom of snakes.		לגחֲמַ֥ת תַּנִּינִ֖ם יֵינָ֑ם וְרֹ֥אשׁ פְּתָנִ֖ים אַכְזָֽר:
חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם - Their wine is the venom of dragons. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: הָא כְמָרַת תַּנִּינַיָּא כָּס פֻּרְעֲנוּתְהוֹן – Behold, the cup of their drink of retribution is as bitter as serpents’ poison.		חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "הָא כְמָרַת תַּנִּינַיָּא כֹּס פּוּרְעֲנוּתְהוֹן", הִנֵּה כִמְרִירַת נְחָשִׁים כּוֹס מִשְׁתֵּה פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם:
וְרֹאשׁ פְּתָנִים - And the poison of snakes - is this cup of theirs, for this snake bites cruelly; i.e., a cruel enemy will come and exact retribution from them.		וְרֹאשׁ פְּתָנִים. כּוֹסָם שֶׁהוּא אכזר לַנָּשׁוּךְ, אוֹיֵב אַכְזָרִי יָבֹא וְיִפָּרַע מֵהֶם:
34Is not all that they do stored away with Me? Is it not all sealed in My memory’s storehouses?		לדהֲלֹא־ה֖וּא כָּמֻ֣ס עִמָּדִ֑י חָת֖וּם בְּאֽוֹצְרֹתָֽי:
הֲלֹא־הוּא כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי - Is it not stored away with Me. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it. Do they think I have forgotten their actions? They are all stored away and preserved before Me.		הֲלֹא־הוּא כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כִּסְבוּרִים הֵם שֶׁשָּׁכַחְתִּי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כֻּלָּם גְּנוּזִים וּשְׁמוּרִים לְפָנַי:
הֲלֹא־הוּא - Is it not - i.e., the fruit of their vine and the produce of their fields – “stored away with Me?”		הֲלֹא־הוּא. פְּרִי גַפְנָם וּתְבוּאַת שַׁדְמוֹתָם — כמס עמדי:
35I have many means by which to avenge them, and I will use these means to repay them when their ‘foot’ (i.e., the merit of their ancestors) falters. For the day of their calamity is nearby, and their destiny will come upon them quickly.”		להלִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט רַגְלָ֑ם כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם אֵידָ֔ם וְחָ֖שׁ עֲתִדֹ֥ת לָֽמוֹ:
לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם - (lit.) Mine is vengeance, and it will repay - means: with Me the punishment of vengeance is prepared and ready, and it will repay them according to their deeds; i.e., the vengeance itself will pay them their due. Some explain וְשִׁלֵּם as a noun, equivalent to וְשִׁלּוּם “and payment.” A similar noun form is: וְהַדִּבֵּר אֵין בָּהֶם “they do not possess the utterance,” 3 where it is equivalent to וְהַדִּבּוּר. And when will I exact retribution from them? –		לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם. עִמִּי נָכוֹן וּמְזֻמָּן פֻּרְעֲנוּת נָקָם, וִישַׁלֵּם לָהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, הַנָּקָם יְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם גְּמוּלָם. וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים ושלם שֵׁם דָּבָר, כְּמוֹ וְשִׁלּוּם וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת "וְהַדִּבֵּר אֵין בָּהֶם" (ירמיהו ה') — כְּמוֹ וְהַדִּבּוּר. וְאֵימָתַי אֲשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם?
לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם - When their foot falters - i.e., when the merit of their ancestors, on which they rely, is exhausted.		לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם. כְּשֶׁתִּתֹּם זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם שֶׁהֵן סְמוּכִים עָלָיו:
כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם - For the day of their calamity is nearby - This means: When I wish to bring the day of their calamity upon them, it is close at hand and ready before Me to inflict it through many agents.		כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם. מִשֶּׁאֶרְצֶה לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹם אֵידָם קָרוֹב וּמְזֻמָּן לְפָנַי לְהָבִיא עַל יְדֵי שְׁלוּחִים הַרְבֵּה:
וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת לָֽמוֹ - This means: And future events will befall them speedily.		וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת לָֽמוֹ. וּמַהֵר יָבוֹאוּ הָעֲתִידוֹת לָהֶם:
וְחָשׁ - וְחָשׁ. is similar to: “let him hurry and hasten (יָחִישָׁה).” 4 Up to this point, Moses used words of rebuke as testimony against them, so that this song act as a witness. He was effectively saying, “When punishment befalls them, they will know that I warned them in advance.” From this point on, he testified to them – using words of comfort – what would happen to them once the punishment is over, in accordance with all that he said above: 5 “When all these things come upon you – the blessing and the curse…God, your God, will bring back your exiles….”		וְחָשׁ. כְּמוֹ "יְמַהֵר יָחִישָׁה" (ישעיהו ה'); עַד כָּאן הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה דִבְרֵי תּוֹכֵחָה לִהְיוֹת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד, כְּשֶׁתָּבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם הַפֻּרְעָנוּת יֵדְעוּ שֶׁאֲנִי הוֹדַעְתִּים מֵרֹאשׁ, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תַנְחוּמִין שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כִּכְלוֹת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לְמַעְלָה, "וְהָיָה כִי יָבֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ וְגוֹ' הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה וְגוֹ' וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְגוֹ'":
36Moses said, “After God will have chastised His people, He will relent of His anger toward His servants. When He sees that the strength of their enemies is growing, and that no one among His people is being saved, either by a ruler or by one who strengthens them,		לוכִּֽי־יָדִ֤ין יְהֹוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ וְעַל־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִתְנֶחָ֑ם כִּ֤י יִרְאֶה֙ כִּי־אָ֣זְלַת יָ֔ד וְאֶ֖פֶס עָצ֥וּר וְעָזֽוּב:
כִּֽי־יָדִין ה' עַמּוֹ - After God will have chastised His people - i.e., when He will execute judgment against them with these punishments described for them above. An example of similar usage is: “for with them He judges (יָדִין) nations,” 6 meaning: He chastises nations. כִּי in this context does not mean “for,” giving a reason for what was previously stated, but denotes the beginning of a sentence, as in: כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ “When you enter the land.” 7 It thus means: When these punishments befall them, and the Holy One, blessed be He, relents regarding His servants, to have mercy upon them once again, etc.		כִּֽי־יָדִין ה' עַמּוֹ. כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁפֹּט אוֹתוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִין הַלָּלוּ הָאֲמוּרוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ "כִּי בָם יָדִין עַמִּים" (איוב ל"ו) — יְיַסֵּר עַמִּים. כִּי זֶה אֵינוֹ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא, לָתֵת טַעַם לַדְּבָרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן תְּחִלַּת דִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ (ויקרא כ"ה) "כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ", כְּשֶׁיָּבֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִשְׁפָּטִים הַלָּלוּ וְיִתְנַחֵם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל עֲבָדָיו לָשׁוּב וּלְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם:
יִתְנֶחָם - denotes a change of thought, for good or for bad.		יִתְנֶחָם. לְשׁוֹן הִפּוּךְ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְהֵיטִיב אוֹ לְהָרַע:
כִּֽי יִרְאֶה כִּֽי־אָזְלַת יָד - When He sees that (lit.) the hand is progressing - i.e., when He sees that the enemy’s hand is steadily bearing stronger on them, and there is no one among them who is עָצוּר or עָזוּב.		כִּֽי יִרְאֶה כִּֽי־אָזְלַת יָד. כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה כִּי יַד הָאוֹיֵב הוֹלֶכֶת וְחוֹזֶקֶת מְאֹד עֲלֵיהֶם, ואפס בָּהֶם עצור ועזוב:
עָצוּר - means: one saved by an עוֹצֵר (“restrainer”) and ruler, who restrains them.		עָצוּר. נוֹשַׁע עַל יְדֵי עוֹצֵר וּמוֹשֵׁל שֶׁיַּעֲצֹר בָּהֶם:
עָזֽוּב - עָזוּב – means: one saved by an עוֹזֵב (“strengthener”). עוֹצֵר is a ruler, so called because he keeps the people from dispersing when they go into battle against the enemy; “meintenant” in Old French. עָצוּר – is thus the person saved by the ruler’s restraint. עָזוּבmeans “strengthened,” as in: “they reinforced (וַיַּעַזְבוּ) Jerusalem up to the wall”; 8 “How has the praised city not been fortified (לֹא עֻזְּבָה)?” 9 עָצוּר is thus “meintenud” in Old French, and עָזוּב is “enforcied.”		עָזֽוּב. עַל יְדֵי עוֹזֵב; עוֹצֵר הוּא הַמּוֹשֵׁל הָעוֹצֵר בָּעָם שֶׁלֹּא יֵלְכוּ מְפֻזָּרִים בְּצֵאתָם לַצָּבָא עַל הָאוֹיֵב, בְּלַעַז מיינטינ"דור; עצור, הוּא הַנּוֹשָׁע בְּמַעֲצוֹר הַמּוֹשֵׁל; עזוב, מְחֻזָּק, כְּמוֹ (נחום ג') "וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עַד הַחוֹמָה"; "אֵיךְ לֹא עֻזְּבָה עִיר תְּהִלָּה" (ירמיהו מ"ט), אינפורצדו"ר:
37He will say, ‘Where are their false deities that they served, or the rock in whom they trusted for protection,		לזוְאָמַ֖ר אֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ימוֹ צ֖וּר חָסָ֥יוּ בֽוֹ:
וְאָמַר - He will say - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, will say about them:		וְאָמַר. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם:
אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ - Where are their deities? - i.e., the idols that they served.		אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ. עבודה זרה שֶׁעָבְדוּ:
צוּר חָסָיוּ בֽוֹ - The rock in whom they trusted - i.e., the rock in which they would find shelter from the heat and the cold, i.e., in which they trusted to shield them from evil.		צוּר חָסָיוּ בֽוֹ. הַסֶּלַע שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְכַּסִּין בּוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַחַמָּה וְהַצִּנָּה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהָיוּ בְטוּחִין בּוֹ לְהָגֵן עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הָרָעָה:
38who “ate” the fat of their sacrifices and “drank” the wine of their libations? Let these deities arise and help you! Let that rock be your protection!		לחאֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֨ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֨וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה:
אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ - That the fat of their sacrifices - that those deities would “eat,” meaning “that they would offer up to them,” and similarly, that those deities “would drink the wine of their libations.”		אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ. הָיוּ אוֹתָן אֱלֹהוֹת אוֹכְלִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מַקְרִיבִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, וְשׁוֹתִין יין נסיכם:
יְהִי עֲלֵיכֶם סִתְרָֽה - Let it be your protection - i.e., let that rock be your shelter and refuge.		יְהִי עֲלֵיכֶם סִתְרָֽה. אוֹתוֹ הַצּוּר יִהְיֶה לָכֶם מַחֲסֶה וּמִסְתּוֹר:
39See, now, that it is I who raises up and I who cuts down, and there is no deity on par with Me. I kill and I bring to life; I strike and I heal, and no one can deliver those who rebel against Me from My hand.		לטרְא֣וּ \| עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י אֲנִי֙ ה֔וּא וְאֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּדִ֑י אֲנִ֧י אָמִ֣ית וַֽאֲחַיֶּ֗ה מָחַ֨צְתִּי֙ וַֽאֲנִ֣י אֶרְפָּ֔א וְאֵ֥ין מִיָּדִ֖י מַצִּֽיל:
רְאוּ עַתָּה - See now - i.e., Understand from the punishment that I brought upon you, from which you had no savior, and from the salvation through which I will save you, with no one to protest against Me from doing so.		רְאוּ עַתָּה. הָבִינוּ מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁהֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם וְאֵין לָכֶם מוֹשִׁיעַ, וּמִן הַתְּשׁוּעָה שֶׁאוֹשִׁיעֲכֶם וְאֵין מוֹחֶה בְיָדִי:
אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא - It is I, I. The repetition of אֲנִי conveys: It is I who humbles and it is I who elevates.		אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא. אֲנִי לְהַשְׁפִּיל וַאֲנִי לְהָרִים:
וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי - And there is no deity on par with Me - i.e., who can stand up against Me to object.		וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי. עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדִּי לִמְחוֹת:
עִמָּדִי - here means: who is comparable to Me or like Me in any way.		עִמָּדִי. דֻּגְמָתִי וְכָמוֹנִי:
וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּֽיל - And no one can deliver from My hand - those who rebel against Me.		וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּֽיל. הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי:

Footnotes

2 Kings 23:4.

Sixth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

40For I raise My hand to heaven to swear, and say, “As surely as I live forever, so do I swear		מכִּֽי־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶל־שָׁמַ֖יִם יָדִ֑י וְאָמַ֕רְתִּי חַ֥י אָֽנֹכִ֖י לְעֹלָֽם:
כִּֽי־אֶשָּׂא אֶל־שָׁמַיִם יָדִי - For I raise My hand to heaven - i.e., in My anger, I will raise My hand to Myself in an oath.		כִּֽי־אֶשָּׂא אֶל־שָׁמַיִם יָדִי. כִּי בַחֲרוֹן אַפִּי אֶשָּׂא יָדִי אֶל עַצְמִי בִּשְׁבוּעָה:
וְאָמַרְתִּי חַי אָֽנֹכִי - And say, ‘As I live.’. This expression denotes an oath; i.e., I swear that “as I live forever, so too….”		וְאָמַרְתִּי חַי אָֽנֹכִי. לְשׁוֹן שְׁבוּעָה הוּא, אֲנִי נִשְׁבָּע חי אנכי:
41that I will sharpen the blade of My sword so it glistens like lightning, and My hand will take hold of My attribute of judgment! I will execute vengeance on My adversaries, and repay those nations who cause others to hate Me by denying Me.		מאאִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי֙ בְּרַ֣ק חַרְבִּ֔י וְתֹאחֵ֥ז בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט יָדִ֑י אָשִׁ֤יב נָקָם֙ לְצָרָ֔י וְלִמְשַׂנְאַ֖י אֲשַׁלֵּֽם:
אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי בְּרַק חַרְבִּי - means: that I will sharpen the blade of my sword, similar to: “so that it will have a glint (בָּרָק)”; 1 “plandur” in Old French.		אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי בְּרַק חַרְבִּי. אִם אֲשַׁנֵּן אֶת לַהַב חַרְבִּי לְמַעַן הֱיוֹת לָהּ בָּרָק, שפלנ"דור:
וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי - And My hand will take hold of judgment - by dismissing My attribute of mercy, which I employed until now toward My enemies who harmed you – “for I had been only a little angry with you, but they intensified your persecution, adding evil beyond what I required.” 2 Another explanation: My hand will take hold of the attribute of judgment, holding fast to it in order to take vengeance.		וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי. לְהַנִּיחַ מִדַּת רַחֲמִים מֵאוֹיְבַי שֶׁהֵרֵעוּ לָכֶם "אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי קָצַפְתִּי מְעָט וְהֵמָּה עָזְרוּ לְרָעָה" (זכריה א טו), וְתֹאחֵז יָדִי אֶת מִדַּת הַמִּשְׁפָּט לְהַחֲזִיק בָּהּ וְלִנְקֹם נָקָם:
אָשִׁיב נָקָם וגו' - I will execute vengeance… In the Aggadah, 3 our rabbis learned the following from the wording of the verse, i.e., from the fact that it says וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי: The qualities of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not like those of human beings. When a human being fires an arrow, he is unable to retrieve it, but when the Holy One, blessed be He, fires His arrows, He is able to retrieve them as if He were still holding them in His hand, for His arrow is lightning, and it says here: בְּרַק חַרְבִּי וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי (lit.) “the lightning of My sword, and My hand will hold judgment.” In this case, “judgment” denotes punishment; “justice” in Old French.		אָשִׁיב נָקָם וגו'. לָמְדוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בָּאַגָּדָה מִתּוֹךְ לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא שֶׁאָמַר ותאחז במשפט ידי — לֹא כְמִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם מִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם זוֹרֵק חֵץ וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא זוֹרֵק חִצָּיו וְיֵשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לַהֲשִׁיבָם כְּאִלּוּ אוֹחֲזָן בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָרָק הוּא חִצּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּאן ברק חרבי ותאחז במשפט ידי, וְהַמִּשְׁפָּט הַזֶּה לְשׁוֹן פֻּרְעָנוּת הוּא, בְלַעַז יושטיצ"א:
42I will make My arrows drunk with the blood of the enemy; My sword will devour their flesh, in order to avenge the blood of the slain and captive of Israel, beginning from the first breach that the enemy made in your security.”’		מבאַשְׁכִּ֤יר חִצַּי֙ מִדָּ֔ם וְחַרְבִּ֖י תֹּאכַ֣ל בָּשָׂ֑ר מִדַּ֤ם חָלָל֙ וְשִׁבְיָ֔ה מֵרֹ֖אשׁ פַּרְע֥וֹת אוֹיֵֽב:
אַשְׁכִּיר חִצַּי מִדָּם - I will make My arrows drunk with blood - of the enemy.		אַשְׁכִּיר חִצַּי מִדָּם. הָאוֹיֵב:
וְחַרְבִּי תֹּאכַל - My sword will devour flesh - i.e., their flesh.		וְחַרְבִּי תֹּאכַל. בְּשָׂרָם:
מִדָּם חָלָל וְשִׁבְיָה - (lit.) From the blood of the slain and captive. This punishment will befall them for the sin of shedding the blood of the slain of Israel and taking the captives whom they captured from them.		מִדָּם חָלָל וְשִׁבְיָה. זֹאת תִּהְיֶה לָהֶם מֵעֲוֹן דַּם חַלְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשִׁבְיָה שֶׁשָּׁבוּ מֵהֶם:
מֵרֹאשׁ פַּרְעוֹת אוֹיֵֽב - (lit.) From the first breaches of the enemy - i.e., from the crime of the initial enemy attacks, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the nations, He takes account of their sins and the sins of their ancestors from the time they began to attack the Jewish people and thereby make Israel vulnerable to further attack.		מֵרֹאשׁ פַּרְעוֹת אוֹיֵֽב. מִפֶּשַׁע תְּחִלַּת פִּרְצוֹת הָאוֹיֵב, כִּי כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִפְרָע מִן הָאֻמּוֹת פּוֹקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם עֲוֹנָם וַעֲוֹנוֹת אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם מֵרֵאשִׁית פִּרְצָה שֶׁפָּרְצוּ בְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
43Nations! Praise God regarding His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants. He will take vengeance on His adversaries, and appease His land by appeasing His people for their suffering.”		מגהַרְנִ֤ינוּ גוֹיִם֙ עַמּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י דַם־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִקּ֑וֹם וְנָקָם֙ יָשִׁ֣יב לְצָרָ֔יו וְכִפֶּ֥ר אַדְמָת֖וֹ עַמּֽוֹ:
הַרְנִינוּ גוֹיִם עַמּוֹ - Nations! Praise His people. At that time, the nations will praise Israel, saying: “See how great is the praise of this nation, who have clung to the Holy One, blessed be He, throughout the hardships that have befallen them, not forsaking Him, for they recognized His goodness and His praise” –		הַרְנִינוּ גוֹיִם עַמּוֹ. לְאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמַן יְשַׁבְּחוּ הָאֻמּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, רְאוּ מַה שִּׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל אֻמָּה זוֹ, שֶׁדָּבְקוּ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּכָל הַתְּלָאוֹת שֶׁעָבְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא עֲזָבוּהוּ, יוֹדְעִים הָיוּ בְּטוּבוֹ וּבְשִׁבְחוֹ:
כִּי דַם־עֲבָדָיו יִקּוֹם - For He will avenge the blood of His servants - i.e., the shedding of their blood, as its literal sense implies.		כִּי דַם־עֲבָדָיו יִקּוֹם. שְׁפִיכוּת דְּמֵיהֶם, כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
וְנָקָם יָשִׁיב לְצָרָיו - He will take vengeance on His adversaries - for their robbery and violence, as it says: “Egypt will become desolate, and Edom a desolate wilderness, for their violence against the descendants of Judah”; 4 and it also says: “For your violence against your brother Jacob…you will be cut off forever.” 5		וְנָקָם יָשִׁיב לְצָרָיו. עַל הַגָּזֵל וְעַל הֶחָמָס, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יואל ד') "מִצְרַיִם לִשְׁמָמָה תִהְיֶה וֶאֱדוֹם לְמִדְבַּר שְׁמָמָה תִּהְיֶה מֵחֲמַס בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה", וְאוֹמֵר (עובדיה י') "מֵחֲמַס אָחִיךָ יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ'" (עי' ספרי):
וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ - And appease His land, His people - i.e., He will appease His land and His people for the miseries that they underwent and for what the enemy did to them.		וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ. וִיפַיֵּס אַדְמָתוֹ וְעַמּוֹ עַל הַצָּרוֹת שֶׁעָבְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְשֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם הָאוֹיֵב:
וְכִפֶּר - Denotes reconciliation and appeasement, as in: אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו, 6 which Onkelos translates as: אֲנִיחִנֵּהּ לְרֻגְזֵהּ “I will calm his anger.”		וְכִפֶּר. לְשׁוֹן רִצּוּי וּפִיּוּס, כְּמוֹ (בראשית לב, כא) "אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו" — אַנְחִינֵיהּ לְרוּגְזֵיהּ:
וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ - And appease His land. And what is “His land”? His people, for when His people are comforted, His land is also comforted. Similarly, it says: “God, You have appeased Your land”; and how have You appeased Your land? “You have brought back the exiles of Jacob.” 7 This passage is expounded in Sifrei with varying interpretations, with Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nechemyah disputing regarding its meaning: Rabbi Yehudah expounds it as entirely referring to Israel, and Rabbi Nechemyah expounds it as entirely referring to the nations. Rabbi Yehudah expounds it as referring to Israel, as follows: “I would have said, ‘I will abandon them’” – as I explained above, until: “and it is not God who has done all this.” כִּי גוֹי אֹבַד עֵצוֹת הֵמָּה – (lit.) “For they are a nation bereft of counsel” – i.e., they have lost My Torah, which was fitting counsel for them. “And they possess no understanding” – to reflect “how could one” of the nations “pursue 1,000” of Israel – “were it not that their rock ‘sold’ them. For their rock is not like our rock…” From here, he explains all as I have already explained, until the end.Rabbi Nechemyah expounds it as referring to the nations, as follows: “For they are a bewildered nation…” – as I explained originally until “yet now our enemies judge us.” He then continues.		וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ. וּמַה הִיא אַדְמָתוֹ? עמו. כְּשֶׁעַמּוֹ מִתְנַחֲמִים אַרְצוֹ מִתְנַחֶמֶת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "רָצִיתָ ה' אַרְצֶךָ", בַּמֶּה רָצִיתָ אַרְצֶךָ? "שַׁבְתָּ שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב" (תהילים פ"ה). בפנים אחרים היא נדרשת בספרי, ונחלקו בה רבי יהודה ורבי נחמי', רבי יהודה דורש כלה כנגד ישראל, ורבי נחמי' דורש כלה כנגד העובדי כוכבים, רבי יהודה דורשה כלפי ישראל: אמרתי אפאיהם כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי, עַד (כז) ולא ה' פעל כל זאת. (כח) כי גוי אבד עצות המה. אָבְדוּ תוֹרָתִי שֶׁהִיא לָהֶם עֵצָה נְכוֹנָה, ואין בהם תבונה לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן (ל) איכה ירדף אחד מִן הָאֻמּוֹת אלף מֵהֶם, אם לא כי צורם מכרם. (לא) כי לא כצורנו צורם הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי עַד תַּכְלִית. וְרַ' נְחֶמְיָה דוֹרְשָׁהּ כְּלַפֵּי הָאֻמּוֹת, כי גוי אבד עצות המה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי תְחִלָּה עַד ואיבינו פלילים:
כִּֽי־מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם - “For their vine is the vine of Sodom”. i.e., the vine of the nations is the vine of Sodom.		כִּֽי־מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם. שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת:
וּמִשַּׁדְמֹת עֲמֹרָה וגו' - and their deeds are “from the field of Gomorrah”. and because they are so debased, they are not careful to accredit the greatness to Me.		וּמִשַּׁדְמֹת עֲמֹרָה וגו'. וְלֹא יָשִׂימוּ לִבָּם לִתְלוֹת הַגְּדֻלָּה בִּי:
עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי־רוֹשׁ - “Their grapes are the grapes of bitterness”… refers back to the earlier statement: “were it not that the anger of the enemy is pent up” against Israel, to poison them and to embitter them. Therefore – “Their clusters deserve to be bitter” – to make them swallow them, measure for measure, for what they did to My children.		עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי־רוֹשׁ. הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לולי כעס אויב אגור עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַרְעִילָם וּלְהַמְרִירָם, לְפִיכָךְ אשכלת מררת למו לְהַלְעִיט אוֹתָם עַל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ לְבָנַי:
חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם - “Their wine is [like] the venom of dragons”. i.e., it is ready to be given to them to drink for what they do to Israel.		חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם. מוּכָן לְהַשְׁקוֹתָם עַל מַה שֶּׁעוֹשִׂין לָהֶם:
כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי - “Stored away with Me”. This refers to that cup of wine, as it says: “For there is a cup in the hand of God….” 8 .		כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי. אוֹתוֹ הַכּוֹס, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים ע"ה) "כִּי כוֹס בְּיַד ה' וְגוֹ'":
לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם - “When their foot falters” - The meaning of this is similar to that which it says: “the foot will trample it.” 9 .		לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם. כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "תִּרְמְסֶנָּה רֶגֶל" (ישעיהו כ"ו):
כִּֽי־יָדִין יְהֹוָה עַמּוֹ - In this context, כִּי is used in the sense of “for.” Here, יָדִין does not denote chastisement, but means: “For He will plead their case against their oppressors.”, כִּי יִרְאֶה כִּי אָזְלַת יָד When the Holy One, blessed be He, sees that the hand of the nations is steadily bearing stronger upon Israel and no one among them is saved by a ruler or fortified,		כִּי יָדִין ה' עַמּוֹ. בְּלָשוֹן זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ כי ידין בִּלְשוֹן דְּהָא, וְאֵין יָדִין לְשוֹן יִסּוּרִין אֶלָּא כּמוֹ כִּי יָרִיב אֶת רִיבָם מִיַּד עוֹשְׁקֵיהֶם. כי יראה כי אזלת יד וגו':
וְאָמַר אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ - and He also sees that the enemy is saying. “Where is their God?” i.e., of Israel, as the wicked Titus said when he pierced the Curtain of the Holy of Holies, as it says: “My enemy will see and be covered in shame, who had said to me, ‘Where is God, your God?’” 10.		וְאָמַר אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ. הָאוֹיֵב יֹאמַר אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל? כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר טִיטוּס הָרָשָׁע כְּשֶׁגִּדֵּר אֶת הַפָּרֹכֶת (גיטין נ"ו), כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מיכה ז'): וְתֵרֶא אֹיַבְתִּי וּתְכַסֶּהָ בוּשָׁה הָאוֹמְרָה אֵלַי אַיּוֹ ה' אֱלֹהָיִךְ":
רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי וגו' - “See now that it is I, I…”. Then, the Holy One, blessed be He, will reveal His salvation and say to the nations: “See now that it is I, I” – meaning, it is from Me that the evil came upon Israel, and it is from Me that the good will come upon them. Why, then, do you ascribe the power to your worthless deities and yourselves?		רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי וגו'. אָז יְגַלֶּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְשׁוּעָתוֹ וְיֹאמַר ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא, מֵאִתִּי בָּאת עֲלֵיהֶם הָרָעָה וּמֵאִתִּי תָבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם הַטּוֹבָה:
וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּֽיל - “And no one can deliver from My hand” - means: There is no one who can save you from the evil that I will bring upon you.		וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּֽיל. שֶׁיַּצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָרָעָה אֲשֶר אָבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם:
כִּֽי־אֶשָּׂא אֶל־שָׁמַיִם יָדִי - כִּי אֶשָּׂא אֶל שָׁמַיִם יָדִי. This phrase is equivalent to כִּי נָשָׂאתִי “for I have raised,” i.e., I always rest My Divine Presence in heaven, as Onkelos translates it. Even when a weakling is above and a strong man below, the fear of the upper one is upon the lower one; all the more if a strong man is above and a weakling below.		כִּֽי־אֶשָּׂא אֶל־שָׁמַיִם יָדִי. כְּמוֹ כִּי נָשָׂאתִי — תָּמִיד אֲנִי מַשְׁרֶה מְקוֹם שְׁכִינָתִי בַשָּׁמַיִם, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ חַלָּש לְמַעְלָה וְגִבּוֹר לְמַטָּה אֵימַת עֶלְיוֹן עַל הַתַּחְתּוֹן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁגִּבּוֹר לְמַעְלָה וְחַלָּשׁ מִלְּמַטָּה:
יָדִי - יָדִי. here means “the location of My Divine Presence,” as in: אִישׁ עַל יָדוֹ “each man in his place.” 11 Thus, the verse means: Since My Presence is above, I could have exacted punishment from you earlier, but I said: “I live forever”; I am not in a hurry to exact punishment, for I have time to do so, since I live forever. I will exact punishment from them in later generations, and it is within My power to exact punishment from the living and from the dead alike. A king of flesh and blood, who is going to die, is in a hurry to take revenge and punish during his lifetime, since perhaps he or his enemy will die, and thus he will never experience his vengeance toward him. But I live forever, and if they die and I did not exact punishment during their lifetime, I will exact it in their death.		יָדִי. מְקוֹם שְׁכִינָתִי, כְּמוֹ "אִישׁ עַל יָדוֹ" (במדבר ב'), וְהָיָה בְיָדִי לְהִפָּרַע מִכֶּם, אֲבָל אָמַרְתִּי שֶׁחַי אָנֹכִי לְעוֹלָם, אֵינִי מְמַהֵר לִפָּרַע לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי שָׁהוּת בַּדָּבָר, אֲנִי חַי לְעוֹלָם וּבְדוֹרוֹת אַחֲרוֹנִים אֲנִי נִפְרָע מֵהֶם וְהַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדִי לִפָּרַע מִן הַמֵּתִים וּמִן הַחַיִּים; מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת מְמַהֵר נִקְמָתוֹ לְהִפָּרַע בְּחַיָּיו כִּי שֶׁמָּא יָמוּת הוּא אוֹ אוֹיְבוֹ וְנִמְצָא שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה נִקְמָתוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ אֲבָל אֲנִי חַי לְעוֹלָם, וְאִם יָמוּתוּ הֵם וְאֵינִי נִפְרָע בְּחַיֵּיהֶם, אֶפָּרַע בְּמוֹתָם:
אם שנותי ברק חרבי - אִם שַׁנּוֹתִי בְּרַק חַרְבִּי. There are many instances where the word אִם is not conditional, meaning “if.” Here, it means: “When I sharpen My sword so it glistens, and My hand will take hold of judgment,” as I explained above.		אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי בְּרַק חַרְבִּי. הַרְבֵּה אִם יֵשׁ שֶׁאֵינָם תְּלוּיִן, כְּשֶׁאֲשַׁנֵּן ברק חרבי ותאחז במשפט ידי, כֻּלּוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה:

Footnotes

Jeremiah 49:25.

Ezekiel 21:15.

see Zechariah 1:15.

Mechilta, Beshalach 15:3.

Seventh Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

44Moses came and spoke all the words of this poem so the people could hear it, together with Hoshea son of Nun.		מדוַיָּבֹ֣א משֶׁ֗ה וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַשִּׁירָֽה־הַזֹּ֖את בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם ה֖וּא וְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן:
הוּא וְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן־נֽוּן - He and Hoshea son of Nun. This was a Sabbath in which a pair of leaders addressed the people; i.e., authority was taken from one and given to the other. Moses appointed a spokesman for Joshua in order that he deliver a discourse during Moses’ lifetime in the same manner that he himself did. He did this in order that the Israelites not later say to Joshua, “During your teacher’s lifetime, you were unable to ‘raise your head,’ i.e., lead us, so by what right do you presume to do so now?” And why is he called Hoshea here? To tell us that he did not become arrogant, for despite having been given the leadership, he behaved as humbly as when he began serving Moses, when he was known as Hoshea.		הוּא וְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן־נֽוּן. שַׁבָּת שֶׁל דְּיוֹזְגִי הָיְתָה, נִטְּלָה רְשׁוּת מִזֶּה וְנִתְּנָה לָזֶה, הֶעֱמִיד לוֹ מֹשֶׁה מְתֻרְגְּמָן לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁיְּהֵא דוֹרֵשׁ בְּחַיָּיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחַיֵּי רַבְּךָ לֹא הָיָה לְךָ לְהָרִים רֹאשׁ; וְלָמָּה קוֹרְאֵהוּ כָּאן הוֹשֵׁעַ? לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא זָחָה דַעְתּוֹ עָלָיו שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לוֹ גְּדֻלָּה הִשְׁפִּיל עַצְמוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר מִתְּחִלָּתוֹ (עי' ספרי):
45Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel		מהוַיְכַ֣ל משֶׁ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
46and said to them, “Pay close attention to all the words with which I am warning you this day, in order that you be inspired to command your children to safeguard the Torah’s teachings by studying them diligently, in order to properly do all that is contained in the words of this Torah.		מווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שִׂ֣ימוּ לְבַבְכֶ֔ם לְכָ֨ל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מֵעִ֥יד בָּכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר תְּצַוֻּם֙ אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֣ר לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת:
שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם - (lit.) Place your hearts. A person’s eyes, heart, and ears must be focused on the words of the Torah. Similarly, it says regarding the plan of the third Holy Temple: “Son of man! Look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention.” 1 We can thus infer a fortiori that if, regarding the form of the Temple, which is visible to the eye and measurable with a stick, it is necessary for a person’s eyes, ears, and heart to be focused in order to understand, all the more is this so for the words of the Torah, which contain teachings as great in significance as mountains are in size, suspended on (i.e., dependent upon) details as subtle as a hair.		שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם. צָרִיךְ אָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ וְאָזְנָיו מְכֻוָּנִים לְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "בֶּן אָדָם רְאֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ וּבְאָזְנֶיךָ שְׁמַע וְשִׂים לִבְּךָ" (יחזקאל מ'); וַהֲרֵי דְבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר וּמַה תַּבְנִית הַבַּיִת שֶׁהוּא נִרְאֶה לָעֵינַיִם וְנִמְדָד בְּקָנֶה צָרִיךְ אָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֵינָיו וְאָזְנָיו וְלִבּוֹ מְכֻוָּנִין, לְהָבִין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה שֶׁהֵן כַּהֲרָרִין תְּלוּיִין בִּשְׂעָרָה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (ספרי):
47For it is not an unrewarding pursuit for you; rather, it is your very life, and by means of this thing, you will lengthen your days upon the land into which you are crossing over the Jordan River to possess.”		מזכִּי לֹֽא־דָבָ֨ר רֵ֥ק הוּא֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּי־ה֖וּא חַיֵּיכֶ֑ם וּבַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה תַּֽאֲרִ֤יכוּ יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹֽבְרִ֧ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
כִּי לֹֽא־דָבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם - For it is not an unrewarding pursuit for you - i.e., it is not for nothing that you toil in understanding it, for there is much reward involved in studying it, “for it is your life.” Another explanation: There is nothing “empty” (i.e., insignificant) in the Torah, i.e., that does not provide reward for you expounding it. Know that this is so, for our sages said: The Torah tells us that “Lotan’s sister was Timna,” 2 and “Timna became a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz,” 3 because she said, “I am unworthy of becoming his wife; if only I could become his concubine!” And why did Scripture state all this? To let us know the praise of Abraham, that chieftains and kings desired to attach themselves to his descendants.		כִּי לֹֽא־דָבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם. לֹא לְחִנָּם אַתֶּם יְגֵעִים בָּהּ, כִּי הַרְבֵּה שָׂכָר תָּלוּי בָּהּ, כי הוא חייכם; דָּבָר אַחֵר — אֵין לְךָ דָבָר רֵיקָן בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁאִם תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַתַּן שָׂכָר, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים "וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע" (בראשית ל"ו) "וְתִמְנַע הָיְתָה פִילֶגֶשׁ וְגוֹ'", לְפִי שֶׁאָמְרָה אֵינִי כְדַאי לִהְיוֹת לוֹ אִשָּׁה הַלְוַאי וְאֶהְיֶה פִילַגְשׁוֹ, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה? לְהוֹדִיעַ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם שֶׁהָיוּ שִׁלְטוֹנִים וּמְלָכִים מִתְאַוִּים לִדַּבֵּק בְּזַרְעוֹ (ספרי):
48God spoke to Moses on that very day, saying,		מחוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בְּעֶ֛צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר:
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - God spoke to Moses on that very day. In three places it says בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. It says regarding Noah: “Noah entered the ark בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה,” 4 i.e., in broad daylight, for the people of his generation were saying: “We swear by this and that, that if we sense him doing so, we will not let him enter the ark; furthermore, we will take axes and hatchets and break the ark.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have him enter the ark in the middle of the day, and whoever is strong enough to object, let him come and object!” Regarding Egypt, it says: “It was בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה that God took the Israelites out,” 5 for the Egyptians were saying: “We swear by this and that, if we sense them departing, we will not let them leave; furthermore, we will take swords and other weapons and kill them.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have them depart in broad daylight, and whoever is strong enough to object, let him come and object!” Here, too, at Moses’ death, it says: בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, for the Israelites were saying: “We swear by this and that, that if we sense Moses leaving us, we will not let him go! The man who took us out of Egypt, split the Sea for us, brought down the manna for us, swept up the quails for us, brought up the well for us, and gave us the Torah – we will not let him ascend the mountain, and thus God’s decree will be averted!” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have him enter the cave in broad daylight….”		וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת נֶאֱמַר בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, נֶאֱמַר בְּנֹחַ "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּא נֹחַ וְגוֹ'" (בראשית ז') — בְּמַרְאִית אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בְנֵי דוֹרוֹ אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בּוֹ, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ לִכָּנֵס בַּתֵּבָה, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אָנוּ נוֹטְלִין כַּשִּׁילִין וְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת וּמְבַקְּעִין אֶת הַתֵּבָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מַכְנִיסוֹ בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ כֹחַ לִמְחוֹת יָבֹא וְיִמְחֶה; בְּמִצְרַיִם נֶאֱמַר "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הוֹצִיא ה'" (שמות י"ב), לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מִצְרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בָּהֶם, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָם לָצֵאת, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אָנוּ נוֹטְלִין סְיָפוֹת וּכְלֵי זַיִן וְהוֹרְגִין בָּהֶם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מוֹצִיאָן בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ כֹחַ לִמְחוֹת יָבֹא וְיִמְחֶה; אַף כָּאן בְּמִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה נֶאֱמַר "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה", לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בּוֹ — אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ, אָדָם שֶׁהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְקָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם וְהוֹרִיד לָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן וְהֵגִיז לָנוּ אֶת הַשְּׂלָו וְהֶעֱלָה לָנוּ אֶת הַבְּאֵר וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מַכְנִיסוֹ בַחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכוּ' (ספרי):
49“Ascend this Mountain of the Passes, Mount Nebo, which is in Moab facing Jericho, and behold Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites as a possession,		מטעֲלֵ֡ה אֶל־הַר֩ הָֽעֲבָרִ֨ים הַזֶּ֜ה הַר־נְב֗וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֛ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַֽאֲחֻזָּֽה:
50and die on the mountain that you are climbing and be gathered to your people, exactly as your brother Aaron died and was gathered to his people on Mount Hor,		נוּמֻ֗ת בָּהָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עֹלֶ֣ה שָׁ֔מָּה וְהֵֽאָסֵ֖ף אֶל־עַמֶּ֑יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵ֞ת אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֨יךָ֙ בְּהֹ֣ר הָהָ֔ר וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו:
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵת אַֽהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ - Exactly as your brother Aaron died - i.e., by the same form of death that Aaron died, which you saw and desired. When it was time for Aaron to die, Moses had Aaron don the vestments of the high priest. Moses then removed the first garment from Aaron and dressed Eleazar in it, and similarly with the second and third garment etc., and thus Aaron saw his son inherit his glory. Moses said to him, “Aaron, my brother, go up onto the bed,” and he went up; “stretch out your hands,” and he stretched them out; “stretch out your feet,” and he stretched them out; “close your eyes,” and he closed them; “close your mouth,” and he closed it, and he then passed away. Moses said, “Fortunate is one who dies by this form of death.”		כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵת אַֽהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ. בְּאוֹתָהּ מִיתָה שֶׁרָאִיתָ וְחָמַדְתָּ אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁהִפְשִׁיט מֹשֶׁה אֶת אַהֲרֹן בֶּגֶד רִאשׁוֹן וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ לְאֶלְעָזָר וְכֵן שֵׁנִי וְכֵן שְׁלִישִׁי וְרָאָה בְּנוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה, אַהֲרֹן אָחִי עֲלֵה לַמִּטָּה וְעָלָה, פְּשֹׁט יָדְךָ וּפָשַׁט, פְּשֹׁט רַגְלְךָ וּפָשַׁט, עֲצֹם עֵינֶיךָ וְעָצַם, קְמֹץ פִּיךָ וְקָמַץ, וְהָלַךְ לוֹ. אָמַר מֹשֶׁה — אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁמֵּת בְּמִיתָה זוֹ (ספרי):
51because you led the people to betray Me in the midst of all the Israelites—in the incident of ‘the water of contention’ in Kadesh, in the desert of Tzin, because you did not sanctify Me in the midst of the Israelites.		נאעַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְעַלְתֶּ֜ם בִּ֗י בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּמֵֽי־מְרִיבַ֥ת קָדֵ֖שׁ מִדְבַּר־צִ֑ן עַ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם֙ אוֹתִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי - Because you (lit.) betrayed Me - means here: you caused the people to betray Me.		עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי. גְּרַמְתֶּם לִמְעֹל בִּי:
עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי - Because you did not sanctify Me - means here: you caused Me not to be sanctified; for I told you, “speak to the rock,” but instead, they struck it, and indeed needed to strike it twice. Had they spoken to it and it had given forth its water without needing to be struck, the Heavenly Name would have been sanctified, for the Israelites would then have said: “If this rock, which is not subject to reward or punishment – if it does good it is given no reward, and if it sins it is not punished – fulfills its Creator’s command in this way, all the more so should we!”		עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי. גְּרַמְתֶּם לִי שֶׁלֹּא אֶתְקַדֵּשׁ, אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם "וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע" (במדבר כ') וְהֵם הִכּוּהוּ וְהֻצְרְכוּ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ פַעֲמַיִם, וְאִלּוּ דִּבְּרוּ עִמּוֹ וְנָתַן מֵימָיו בְּלֹא הַכָּאָה, הָיָה מִתְקַדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים וּמַה הַסֶּלַע שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְשָׂכָר וְלֹא לְפֻרְעָנוּת, אִם זָכָה אֵין לוֹ מַתַּן שָׂכָר וְאִם חָטָא אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, כָּךְ מְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת בּוֹרְאוֹ, אָנוּ לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן:
52Look at the land, for I will allow you only to see the land from afar. You will not enter there—to the land I am giving the Israelites.”		נבכִּ֥י מִנֶּ֖גֶד תִּרְאֶ֣ה אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁ֨מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תָב֔וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
כִּי מִנֶּגֶד - (lit.) From opposite - i.e., from afar.		כִּי מִנֶּגֶד. מֵרָחוֹק:
תִּרְאֶה וגו' - You will see…. for if you do not see it now, you will not see it again in your lifetime.		תִּרְאֶה וגו'. אִם לֹא תִרְאֶנָּה עַכְשָׁו, לֹא תִרְאֶנָּה עוֹד בְּחַיֶּיךָ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ עֲלֵה וּרְאֵה:
וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא - You will not enter there - and I know that it is dear to you. Therefore I say to you: Ascend and see it.		וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא. וְיָדַעְתִּי כִּי חֲבִיבָה הִיא לְךָ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ עֲלֵה וּרְאֵה:

Footnotes

ibid., v. 12.

Maftir Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

48God spoke to Moses on that very day, saying,		מחוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בְּעֶ֛צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר:
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - God spoke to Moses on that very day. In three places it says בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. It says regarding Noah: “Noah entered the ark בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה,” 1 i.e., in broad daylight, for the people of his generation were saying: “We swear by this and that, that if we sense him doing so, we will not let him enter the ark; furthermore, we will take axes and hatchets and break the ark.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have him enter the ark in the middle of the day, and whoever is strong enough to object, let him come and object!” Regarding Egypt, it says: “It was בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה that God took the Israelites out,” 2 for the Egyptians were saying: “We swear by this and that, if we sense them departing, we will not let them leave; furthermore, we will take swords and other weapons and kill them.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have them depart in broad daylight, and whoever is strong enough to object, let him come and object!” Here, too, at Moses’ death, it says: בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, for the Israelites were saying: “We swear by this and that, that if we sense Moses leaving us, we will not let him go! The man who took us out of Egypt, split the Sea for us, brought down the manna for us, swept up the quails for us, brought up the well for us, and gave us the Torah – we will not let him ascend the mountain, and thus God’s decree will be averted!” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have him enter the cave in broad daylight….”		וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת נֶאֱמַר בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, נֶאֱמַר בְּנֹחַ "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּא נֹחַ וְגוֹ'" (בראשית ז') — בְּמַרְאִית אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בְנֵי דוֹרוֹ אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בּוֹ, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ לִכָּנֵס בַּתֵּבָה, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אָנוּ נוֹטְלִין כַּשִּׁילִין וְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת וּמְבַקְּעִין אֶת הַתֵּבָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מַכְנִיסוֹ בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ כֹחַ לִמְחוֹת יָבֹא וְיִמְחֶה; בְּמִצְרַיִם נֶאֱמַר "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הוֹצִיא ה'" (שמות י"ב), לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מִצְרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בָּהֶם, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָם לָצֵאת, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אָנוּ נוֹטְלִין סְיָפוֹת וּכְלֵי זַיִן וְהוֹרְגִין בָּהֶם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מוֹצִיאָן בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ כֹחַ לִמְחוֹת יָבֹא וְיִמְחֶה; אַף כָּאן בְּמִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה נֶאֱמַר "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה", לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בּוֹ — אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ, אָדָם שֶׁהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְקָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם וְהוֹרִיד לָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן וְהֵגִיז לָנוּ אֶת הַשְּׂלָו וְהֶעֱלָה לָנוּ אֶת הַבְּאֵר וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מַכְנִיסוֹ בַחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכוּ' (ספרי):
49“Ascend this Mountain of the Passes, Mount Nebo, which is in Moab facing Jericho, and behold Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites as a possession,		מטעֲלֵ֡ה אֶל־הַר֩ הָֽעֲבָרִ֨ים הַזֶּ֜ה הַר־נְב֗וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֛ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַֽאֲחֻזָּֽה:
50and die on the mountain that you are climbing and be gathered to your people, exactly as your brother Aaron died and was gathered to his people on Mount Hor,		נוּמֻ֗ת בָּהָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עֹלֶ֣ה שָׁ֔מָּה וְהֵֽאָסֵ֖ף אֶל־עַמֶּ֑יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵ֞ת אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֨יךָ֙ בְּהֹ֣ר הָהָ֔ר וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו:
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵת אַֽהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ - Exactly as your brother Aaron died - i.e., by the same form of death that Aaron died, which you saw and desired. When it was time for Aaron to die, Moses had Aaron don the vestments of the high priest. Moses then removed the first garment from Aaron and dressed Eleazar in it, and similarly with the second and third garment etc., and thus Aaron saw his son inherit his glory. Moses said to him, “Aaron, my brother, go up onto the bed,” and he went up; “stretch out your hands,” and he stretched them out; “stretch out your feet,” and he stretched them out; “close your eyes,” and he closed them; “close your mouth,” and he closed it, and he then passed away. Moses said, “Fortunate is one who dies by this form of death.”		כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵת אַֽהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ. בְּאוֹתָהּ מִיתָה שֶׁרָאִיתָ וְחָמַדְתָּ אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁהִפְשִׁיט מֹשֶׁה אֶת אַהֲרֹן בֶּגֶד רִאשׁוֹן וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ לְאֶלְעָזָר וְכֵן שֵׁנִי וְכֵן שְׁלִישִׁי וְרָאָה בְּנוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה, אַהֲרֹן אָחִי עֲלֵה לַמִּטָּה וְעָלָה, פְּשֹׁט יָדְךָ וּפָשַׁט, פְּשֹׁט רַגְלְךָ וּפָשַׁט, עֲצֹם עֵינֶיךָ וְעָצַם, קְמֹץ פִּיךָ וְקָמַץ, וְהָלַךְ לוֹ. אָמַר מֹשֶׁה — אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁמֵּת בְּמִיתָה זוֹ (ספרי):
51because you led the people to betray Me in the midst of all the Israelites—in the incident of ‘the water of contention’ in Kadesh, in the desert of Tzin, because you did not sanctify Me in the midst of the Israelites.		נאעַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְעַלְתֶּ֜ם בִּ֗י בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּמֵֽי־מְרִיבַ֥ת קָדֵ֖שׁ מִדְבַּר־צִ֑ן עַ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם֙ אוֹתִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי - Because you (lit.) betrayed Me - means here: you caused the people to betray Me.		עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי. גְּרַמְתֶּם לִמְעֹל בִּי:
עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי - Because you did not sanctify Me - means here: you caused Me not to be sanctified; for I told you, “speak to the rock,” but instead, they struck it, and indeed needed to strike it twice. Had they spoken to it and it had given forth its water without needing to be struck, the Heavenly Name would have been sanctified, for the Israelites would then have said: “If this rock, which is not subject to reward or punishment – if it does good it is given no reward, and if it sins it is not punished – fulfills its Creator’s command in this way, all the more so should we!”		עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי. גְּרַמְתֶּם לִי שֶׁלֹּא אֶתְקַדֵּשׁ, אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם "וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע" (במדבר כ') וְהֵם הִכּוּהוּ וְהֻצְרְכוּ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ פַעֲמַיִם, וְאִלּוּ דִּבְּרוּ עִמּוֹ וְנָתַן מֵימָיו בְּלֹא הַכָּאָה, הָיָה מִתְקַדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים וּמַה הַסֶּלַע שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְשָׂכָר וְלֹא לְפֻרְעָנוּת, אִם זָכָה אֵין לוֹ מַתַּן שָׂכָר וְאִם חָטָא אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, כָּךְ מְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת בּוֹרְאוֹ, אָנוּ לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן:
52Look at the land, for I will allow you only to see the land from afar. You will not enter there—to the land I am giving the Israelites.”		נבכִּ֥י מִנֶּ֖גֶד תִּרְאֶ֣ה אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁ֨מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תָב֔וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
כִּי מִנֶּגֶד - (lit.) From opposite - i.e., from afar.		כִּי מִנֶּגֶד. מֵרָחוֹק:
תִּרְאֶה וגו' - You will see…. for if you do not see it now, you will not see it again in your lifetime.		תִּרְאֶה וגו'. אִם לֹא תִרְאֶנָּה עַכְשָׁו, לֹא תִרְאֶנָּה עוֹד בְּחַיֶּיךָ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ עֲלֵה וּרְאֵה:
וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא - You will not enter there - and I know that it is dear to you. Therefore I say to you: Ascend and see it.		וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא. וְיָדַעְתִּי כִּי חֲבִיבָה הִיא לְךָ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ עֲלֵה וּרְאֵה:

Footnotes

ibid., v. 12.

Genesis 7:13.

Haftarah

Shmuel II (II Samuel) Chapter 22

1And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul;		אוַיְדַבֵּ֚ר דָּוִד֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַשִּׁירָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את בְּיוֹם֩ הִצִּ֨יל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֹת֛וֹ מִכַּ֥ף כָּל־אֹיְבָ֖יו וּמִכַּ֥ף שָׁאֽוּל:
In the day that the Lord delivered him. In his later years when all his troubles had passed over him and he had been saved from them all.		ביום הציל ה' אותו. לעת זקנתו, לאחר שעברו עליו כל צרותיו ונצול מכולם:
and out of the hand of Saul. But is not Saul included [among his enemies]? However he was his enemy and pursuer to a greater degree than all the others [and was therefore cited separately]. Similarly [we find]: “nineteen men and Asahel” (above 2:30). Similarly, “And King Solomon loved foreign women, and the daughter of Pharoah” (I Kings 11:1).		ומכף שאול. והלא שאול בכלל היה, אלא שהיה אויבו ורודפו מכולם כיוצא בו (לעיל ב ל): תשעה עשר איש ועשהאל, כיוצא בו (יהושע ב א): לכו ראו את הארץ ואת יריחו וכיוצא בו (מלכים-א יא א): והמלך שלמה אהב נשים נכריות ואת בת פרעה (מלכים-א יא א):
2And he said, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and a rescuer to me.		בוַיֹּאמַ֑ר יְהֹוָ֛ה סַֽלְעִ֥י וּמְצֻדָתִ֖י וּמְפַלְטִי־לִֽי:
my rock and my fortress. Heb. סלעי ומצדתי. They are expressions of strength; סלעי, rock, requires no explanation; מצדתי, fortress refers to the fortresses of the forests which are called pleisiz in French. This is an allusion to the miracle which was performed on his behalf at the rock of Machloketh (I Sam. 23:28), and at the fortresses at Harsha (I Sam. 23:15 19).		סלעי ומצודתי. לשון חוזק הם, 'סלע' כמשמעו, 'מצודה' היא מצודת יערים, שקורין פליישאי"ן בלע"ז ועל שם הנס שנעשה לו בסלע המחלוקת (שמואל-א כג ח), והמצדות בחורשה:
and a rescuer to me.. [He was] my rescuer [when I was] together with the army of Israel engaged in battle. On occasions, [however,] he rescued me when I was alone, as from Ishbi in Nob (Above 21:16).		ומפלטי לי. מפלטי עם צבא ישראל במלחמה, ופעמים שהוא מפלט לי כשאני לבדי, כגון מן ישבי בנוב (לעיל כא יז):
3God is my rock, under whom I take cover; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my support, and my refuge; [He is] my savior Who saves me from violence.		גאֱלֹהֵ֥י צוּרִ֖י אֶחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ מָגִנִּ֞י וְקֶ֣רֶן יִשְׁעִ֗י מִשְׂגַּבִּי֙ וּמְנוּסִ֔י מֹשִׁעִ֕י מֵחָמָ֖ס תֹּשִׁעֵֽנִי:
my rock. Heb. צורי, synonymous with סלע. [He was his rock] since the rock protects travelers from the [force of] the rain and the wind, abriemant in French.		צורי. לשון סלע, שהסלע מחסה לעוברי דרך, מן המטר והרוחות, אבריאמ"ש בלע"ז:
under whom I take cover. Heb. אחסה, an expression of covering; I would cover myself waiting for [His] aid.		אחסה. לשון כיסוי, שהייתי מתכסה לעזרה:
my support. Heb. משגבי, my support.		משגבי. סומכני:
and my refuge. For I would run to Him for aid.		ומנוסי. שהייתי נס אליו לעזרה:
4With praise, I call to the Lord, for from my enemies I shall be saved.		דמְהֻלָּ֖ל אֶקְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמֵאֹיְבַ֖י אִוָּשֵֽׁעַ:
With praise I call to the Lord. Just as its Targum. Upon calling Him I [already] praise Him, for I am confidant that I will be saved. It is also plausible to interpret it: ‘I call and I am saved,’ in present sense.		מהולל אקרא ה'. כתרגומו ; בקראי לו אהודנו, לפי כי מאויבי אני בוטח שאושע ויתכן לפתור אקרא ואושע, לשון 'הוה':
5For the pains of death have encompassed me; streams of scoundrels would affright me.		הכִּ֥י אֲפָפֻ֖נִי מִשְׁבְּרֵי־מָ֑וֶת נַחֲלֵ֥י בְלִיַּ֖עַל יְבַעֲתֻֽנִי:
have encompassed me. Heb. אפפני, have encompassed me.		אפפוני. הקיפוני:
pains of death. As its Targum: ‘Like a woman who sits on the travailing chair.’ This (משבר) is the term for the stone seat on which a woman gives birth.		משברי מות. כתרגומו: כאתא דיתבא על מתברא, כן שם מושב האבנים שהאשה יולדת שם:
streams of scoundrels. Armies that overflow like a stream.		נחלי. גייסות שוטפות כנחל:
6Bands of [those that shall inherit] the nether world have surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me.		וחֶבְלֵ֥י שְׁא֖וֹל סַבֻּ֑נִי קִדְּמֻ֖נִי מֹֽקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת:
bands. Heb. חבלי, as its Targum: Bands, similar to: “Bands of prophets (חבל נביאים)” of I Sam. 10:10.		חבלי. כתרגומו: משרית, כמו (שמואל-א י ה): חבל נביאים:
confronted me. came before me.		קדמוני. באו לפני:
7When I am in distress, I call upon the Lord, yes I call upon my God: and out of His abode He hears my voice, and my cry enters His ears.		זבַּצַּר־לִי֙ אֶקְרָ֣א יְהֹוָ֔ה וְאֶל־אֱלֹהַ֖י אֶקְרָ֑א וַיִּשְׁמַ֚ע מֵהֵֽיכָלוֹ֙ קוֹלִ֔י וְשַׁוְעָתִ֖י בְּאָזְנָֽיו:
I call upon… He hears. Heb. וישמע lit. He heard. That is the nature of the present tense, it speaks in past and future tense simultaneously.		בצר לי אקרא ה' וישמע וגו'. כך דרך לשון הווה, מדבר לשון עבר ולשון עתיד בפעם אחת:
8Then the earth shook and quaked, the [very] foundations of heaven did tremble; and they were shaken when He was angered.		חוַיִּתְגָּעַ֚שׁ (כתיב וִַתְגָּעַ֚שׁ) וַתִּרְעַשׁ֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ מוֹסְד֥וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִרְגָּ֑זוּ וַיִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ כִּֽי־חָ֥רָה לֽוֹ:
the earth shook, etc.. Not in reference to the miracles that took place on his own behalf was this said, but in reference to the miracles that were performed on behalf of all Israel. Now the beginning of the verse is connected to the end.		ויתגעש ותרעש. לא על נסים שאירעוהו נאמר, אלא על נסים שנעשו לישראל, וראש המקרא מחובר על סופו:
when He was angered. [The word] כי is used here as ‘when’ with the following interpretation: Now when He was angered by those that rouse His temper, the earth shook and quaked… and the very foundations of the earth did tremble.		כי חרה לו. 'כי' משמש כאן בלשון 'כאשר', וכן פתרונו, וכשחרה לו מפני מכעיסיו, נתגעשה ונתרעשה הארץ, ומוסדות השמים רגזו ורעשו:
9Smoke went up in His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth did devour; coals flamed forth from Him.		טעָלָ֚ה עָשָׁן֙ בְּאַפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֥שׁ מִפִּ֖יו תֹּאכֵ֑ל גֶּחָלִ֖ים בָּעֲר֥וּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ:
smoke went up in His nostrils. So it is with one who is angry, smoke comes forth from his nostrils. Similarly: “These are a smoke from My nostrils” (Isa 65:5). Now this is always the meaning of the term חרון אף; the nose snorts and raises up vapors.		עלה עשן באפו. כן דרך הכועס, יוצא עשן מנחיריו, וכן (תהלים יח ט): עלה עשן באפו. וזהו כל לשון חרון אף, שהאף נוחר ומעלה הבל:
and fire out of His mouth did devour. Due to the command from His mouth, a fire consumed the wicked.		ואש מפיו תאכל. מגזרת דבר פיו, תאכל אש ברשעים:
10And He bent the heavens and He came down; and thick darkness was under His feet.		יוַיֵּ֥ט שָׁמַ֖יִם וַיֵּרַ֑ד וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל תַּ֥חַת רַגְלָֽיו:
and He bent the heavens. To avenge Himself of His enemies; i.e., from Egypt and Pharoah.		ויט שמים. להנקם מאויביו, ממצרים ומפרעה:
11And He rode upon a cherub and did fly; He was seen upon the wings of the wind.		יאוַיִּרְכַּ֥ב עַל־כְּר֖וּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַיֵּרָ֖א עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ:
12And He fixed darkness about Him as booths; gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.		יבוַיָּ֥שֶׁת ח֛שֶׁךְ סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו סֻכּ֑וֹת חַֽשְׁרַת־מַ֖יִם עָבֵ֥י שְׁחָקִֽים:
And he fixed darkness, etc.. As a booth, just as it stated: “and the cloud and darkness separated between the Egyptians and Israelites!” (Ex 14:20).		וישת חשך סביבותיו. לסוכה, כענין שנאמר (שמות יד כ): ויהי הענן והחשך, מפסיק בין מצרים לישראל:
gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies. Now from where did this darkness emanate? There were thick clouds of the skies that would distill water upon the earth.		חשרת מים עבי שחקים. מאין היה החשך, עבי שחקים היו, שהן חושרין מים על הארץ:
gathering. Heb. חשרת, synonymous with כברה [a sieve] since it distills [the water] onto the earth drop by drop. And so it is stated in numerous aggodot: “They [the clouds] distill it [the rain] as a sieve (חושרין אותו ככברה)” Gen. R. 13:10. It is further possible to interpret it as ‘a knotting,’ since the skies become knotted with clouds on account of the water similar to וחשוריהם mentioned in reference to the wheels of the bases (I Kings 7: 33), which are wooden spokes that fasten and join its rings together.		חשרת. לשון כברה הוא, שהוא נופל על הארץ דק דק (תענית ט ב) וכן הוא אומר באגדות הרבה: חושרין אותו בכברה. ויש לפתור 'חשרת', לשון 'קשר', שמתקשרין השמים בעבים על ידי המים, כמו 'וחשוריהם' האמור באופני המכונה (מלכים-א ז לג), שהם זרועות העץ המהדקין וקושרין עיגוליה יחד:
13From the brightness before Him flamed forth coals of fire.		יגמִנֹּ֖גַהּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ בָּעֲר֖וּ גַּחֲלֵי־אֵֽשׁ:
from the brightness before Him. In order that one not [be led to] say that He dwells in darkness [for] there is a brightness from within the partition [of the cloud] and from this brightness that is before Him flame forth coals of fire, which were sent as arrows upon the Egyptians.		מנגה נגדו. שלא תאמר בחשך הוא שרוי, אלא הנוגה לפנים מן המחיצה, ומאותו נוגה אשר לפניו, בערו גחלי אש, שנשתלחו חצים על מצרים:
14The Lord thundered from heaven; and the Most High gave forth His voice.		ידיַרְעֵ֥ם מִן־שָׁמַ֖יִם יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעֶלְי֖וֹן יִתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֽוֹ:
15And He sent out arrows and He scattered them, lightning and He discomfited them.		טווַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח חִצִּ֖ים וַיְפִיצֵ֑ם בָּרָ֖ק וַיָּהֹֽם (כתיב וַיָּהֹֽמם) :
16And the depths of the sea appeared; the foundations of the world were laid bare, by the rebuke of the Lord and the blast of the breath of His nostrils.		טזוַיֵּֽרָאוּ֙ אֲפִ֣קֵי יָ֔ם יִגָּל֖וּ מֹסְד֣וֹת תֵּבֵ֑ל בְּגַעֲרַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה מִנִּשְׁמַ֖ת ר֥וּחַ אַפּֽוֹ:
and the depths of the sea appeared. The very interior of the earth split. For when the Sea of Reeds split, all the waters of the world [simultaneously] split.		יגלו מוסדות תבל. שנבקע התהום, כשנבקע ים סוף נבקעו כל מימות שבעולם (ילקוט שמעוני רמז קסא):
the blast of the breath. From the force of wind blowing from His nostrils.		מנשמת. מכח נשיבת רוח אפו:
17He sent from on high [and] He took me; He drew me out of many waters.		יזיִשְׁלַ֥ח מִמָּר֖וֹם יִקָּחֵ֑נִי יַֽמְשֵׁ֖נִי מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים:
18He delivered me from my mighty enemy; from them that hated me; for they were too powerful for me.		יחיַצִּילֵ֕נִי מֵאֹיְבִ֖י עָ֑ז מִשּׂ֣נְאַ֔י כִּ֥י אָמְצ֖וּ מִמֶּֽנִי:
For they were too powerful. When they were too powerful.		כי אמצו. כאשר אמצו:
19They confronted me on the day of my calamity; but the Lord was a support to me.		יטיְקַדְּמֻ֖נִי בְּי֣וֹם אֵידִ֑י וַיְהִ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה מִשְׁעָ֖ן לִֽי:
20And He brought me forth into a wide place; He delivered me because He took delight in me.		כוַיֹּצֵ֥א לַמֶּרְחָ֖ב אֹתִ֑י יְחַלְּצֵ֖נִי כִּי־חָ֥פֵֽץ בִּֽי:
21The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He recompensed me.		כאיִגְמְלֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֖ה כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י כְּבֹ֥ר יָדַ֖י יָשִׁ֥יב לִֽי:
according to the righteousness. When they went out after Him into the desert and relied on His promise.		כצדקתי. כשיצאו אחריו למדבר וסמכו על הבטחתו:
22For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from [the commandments of] my God.		כבכִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖רְתִּי דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א רָשַׁ֖עְתִּי מֵאֱלֹהָֽי:
23For all His ordinances were before me; and [as for] His statutes, I did not depart from it.		כגכִּ֥י כָל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו (כתיב מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ו) לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו לֹא־אָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה:
24And I was single-hearted toward Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity.		כדוָאֶהְיֶ֥ה תָמִ֖ים ל֑וֹ וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָ֖ה מֵעֲו‍ֹנִֽי:
25And the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness before His eyes.		כהוַיָּ֧שֶׁב יְהֹוָ֛ה לִ֖י כְּצִדְקָתִ֑י כְּבֹרִ֖י לְנֶ֥גֶד עֵינָֽיו:
26With a kind one, You show Yourself kind. With an upright mighty man, You show Yourself upright.		כועִם־חָסִ֖יד תִּתְחַסָּ֑ד עִם־גִּבּ֥וֹר תָּמִ֖ים תִּתַּמָּֽם:
kind… upright… pure. [The three expressions] represent the three forefathers to whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, had paid the reward for their righteousness to their children.		עם חסיד תמים נבר. כנגד שלשה אבות, ששלם הקב"ה גמול צדקתם לבניהם:
27With a pure one, You show Yourself pure; But with a perverse one, You deal crookedly.		כזעִם־נָבָ֖ר תִּתָּבָ֑ר וְעִם־עִקֵּ֖שׁ תִּתַּפָּֽל:
But with a perverse one. Pharoah.		ועם עקש. פרעה:
crookedly. Heb. תתפל. Its meaning is crooked and perverse [compare to Deut. 32:5]. Now in the book [of Psalms 18:27] it is written תתפתל. An alternate explanation is: He sent from on High, He took me He said it regarding himself when he was rushing to escape from Saul at Sela Hamachlekoth and was nearly captured, an angel came to Saul saying: “Make haste and go, for the Philistines have spread out, etc.” (I Sam. 23:27). And recompensed me according to my righteousness for I did not kill him [Saul] when I severed the skirt of his coat (I Sam. 24:5).		תתפל. לשון נפתל ועקש, ובספר תהלים (יח כז) כתוב: תתפתל. דבר אחר: ישלח ממרום יקחני. על עצמו אמר, כשהיה נחפז ללכת מפני שאול בסלע המחלקות והיה קרוב להתפש, ומלאך בא אל שאול לאמר: מהרה ולכה כי פשטו פלשתים: וישב וגו' כצדקתי. שלא הרגתיו בכרתי כנף מעילו:
28And the humble people You do deliver; But Your eyes are upon the haughty [in order] to humble them.		כחוְאֶת־עַ֥ם עָנִ֖י תּוֹשִׁ֑יעַ וְעֵינֶ֖יךָ עַל־רָמִ֥ים תַּשְׁפִּֽיל:
29For You are my lamp, O' Lord; And the Lord does light my darkness.		כטכִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה נֵירִ֖י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיהֹוָ֖ה יַגִּ֥יהַּ חָשְׁכִּֽי:
30For by You I run upon a troop; By my God I scale a wall.		לכִּ֥י בְכָ֖ה אָר֣וּץ גְּד֑וּד בֵּאלֹהַ֖י אֲדַלֶּג־שֽׁוּר:
31[He is] the God Whose way is perfect; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield unto all them that trust in him.		לאהָאֵ֖ל תָּמִ֣ים דַּרְכּ֑וֹ אִמְרַ֚ת יְהֹוָה֙ צְרוּפָ֔ה מָגֵ֣ן ה֔וּא לְכֹ֖ל הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ:
The word of the Lord. The word of the Lord is pure; He promises and performs.		אמרת ה' צרופה. ברורה, מבטיח ועושה:
32For who is God, save the Lord? And who is a rock, save our God?		לבכִּ֥י מִי־אֵ֖ל מִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמִ֥י צ֖וּר מִֽבַּלְעֲדֵ֥י אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ:
33God is He who has fortified me with strength; and He looseth perfectly my path.		לגהָאֵ֥ל מָעוּזִּ֖י חָ֑יִל וַיַּתֵּ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים דַּרְכִּֽי (כתיב דַּרְכִּֽו) :
He looseth perfectly my path. From every stumbling block, from every sin, and from every fence until it is perfect and paved.		ויתר תמים דרכי. מכל מכשול, ומכל חטא, ומכל מסוכן, עד כי היה שלם וכבוש:
34He makes my feet like hinds; And sets me upon my high places.		לדמְשַׁוֶּ֥ה רַגְלַ֖י (כתיב רַגְלַ֖יו) כָּאַיָּל֑וֹת וְעַ֥ל בָּמוֹתַ֖י יַעֲמִדֵֽנִי:
35He trains my hand for war, so that mine arms do bend a brass bow.		להמְלַמֵּ֥ד יָדַ֖י לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְנִחַ֥ת קֶֽשֶׁת־נְחוּשָׁ֖ה זְרֹעֹתָֽי:
do bend a brass bow. And a brass bow was bent by my hands for I possess the strength to bend it. David had bows hanging in his palace and foreign kings would come and see them and say to each other: Do you suppose that he can actually bend them? They are merely intended to frighten us. And David would overhear and would take them [the brass bows] and crush them before their eyes (sic). Now נחת is an expression of bending. And so we find “Your arrows were flung [by bending the bow] into me” (Ps. 38:3).		ונחת קשת נחושה זרעתי. ונדרכה קשת נחושה על זרועי, שיש בי כח לדרכה, קשתות היו תלוים לדוד בביתו, והיו מלכי האומות באין ורואין אותן, ואומרים זה לזה: אתה סבור שהוא יכול לדורכן, אין זה אלא ליראנו, ודוד שומע ונוטלן ומכתתן לפניהם. ודריכת קשת לשון חית היא, וכן תהלים חציך נחתו בי:
36And You have given me the shield of Your salvation; And You have increased Your modesty for me.		לווַתִּתֶּן־לִ֖י מָגֵ֣ן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וַעֲנֹתְךָ֖ תַּרְבֵּֽנִי:
and You have increased your modesty for me. You have increased for me Your trait of humility.		וענתך תרבני. הגדלת לי מדת ענותנותך:
37You have enlarged my step[s] beneath me; And my ankles have not slipped.		לזתַּרְחִ֥יב צַעֲדִ֖י תַּחְתֵּ֑נִי וְלֹ֥א מָעֲד֖וּ קַרְסֻלָּֽי:
enlarged my steps beneath me. When a man keeps his feet one next to the other it is easy [for him] to fall. And so it is written: “When you walk, your steps shall not be narrow” (Prov. 4:12).		תרחיב צעדי. כשאדם מדבק רגליו זו בזו, הוא נוח ליפול, וכן הוא אומר (משלי ד יב): בלכתך לא יצר צעדך:
ankles. heels.		קרסולי. עקבי:
38I have pursued my enemies and have destroyed them; Never turning back until they were consumed.		לחאֶרְדְּפָ֥ה אֹיְבַ֖י וָאַשְׁמִידֵ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָשׁ֖וּב עַד־כַּלּוֹתָֽם:
39And I have consumed them, and I have crushed them that they cannot rise; Yes, they are fallen under my feet.		לטוָאֲכַלֵּ֥ם וָאֶמְחָצֵ֖ם וְלֹ֣א יְקוּמ֑וּן וַֽיִּפְל֖וּ תַּ֥חַת רַגְלָֽי:
40For You have girded me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those that rose up against me.		מוַתַּזְרֵ֥נִי חַ֖יִל לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה תַּכְרִ֥יעַ קָמַ֖י תַּחְתֵּֽנִי:
41And of my enemies You have given me the back of their necks; them that hate me, that I may cut them off.		מאוְאֹ֣יְבַ֔י תַּ֥תָּה לִּ֖י עֹ֑רֶף מְשַׂנְאַ֖י וָאַצְמִיתֵֽם:
42They looked about, but there was no one to save them; [Even] to the Lord, but He answered them not.		מביִשְׁע֖וּ וְאֵ֣ין משִׁ֑יעַ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א עָנָֽם:
They looked about but there was none to save them. This is a transposed verse: “They look to the Lord but He answered them not, there was none to save him,” similar to: “man looks towards his Creator (ישעו אדם אל עשתו)” of Isa 17:7 [where it is so be taken as] similar to יפנה, to turn towards. Now Menahem has associated it with וישע ה׳ אל הבל interpreting it as ‘entreaty.’ Now this term is applicable to both the beseecher and the beseeched, as in “And Isaac beseeched the Lord (ויעתר יצחק אל ה׳) ”; “and the Lord hearkened to him (ויעתר לו ה׳)” of Gen. 25:21. Here too ישעו ואין מושיע refers to the beseecher, while וישע ה׳ (Gen. 4:4) refers grammatically to the one who is being beseeched.		ישעו ואין מושיע וגו'. הרי זה מקרא מסורס, ישעו אל ה' ולא ענם, ואין מושיע, כמו (ישעיהו יז ז): ישעה האדם אל עושהו, כמו יפנה. ומנחם חברו עם (בראשית ד ד): וישע ה' אל הבל, ופתר בו לשון עתירה, ונופל הלשון על המעתיר ועל הנעתר, כמו (שם כה כא): ויעתר יצחק לה', ויעתר לו ה', אף כאן 'ישעו ואין מושיע' נופל על המתפלל, וישע ה' נופל על הלשון, על מי שמתפללין לפניו:
43Then I ground them as the dust of the earth, as the mud of the streets I did tread upon them, I did stamp them down.		מגוְאֶשְׁחָקֵ֖ם כַּעֲפַר־אָ֑רֶץ כְּטִיט־חוּצ֥וֹת אֲדִקֵּ֖ם אֶרְקָעֵֽם:
stamp them down. Heb. ארקעם. Now it is found numerous times in Ezekiel: “and stamp (ורקע) with your foot” (Ezek. 6:11), [and] “and you have stamped (ורקעך) with your feet” (Ezek. 15:6).		ארקעם. ארמסם, והרבה יש בספר יחזקאל: (ו יא): ורקע ברגלך (כה ו): ורקעך ברגל:
44And You have allowed me to escape from the contenders amongst my people; You shall keep me as head of nations; a people whom I have not known serve me.		מדוַֽתְּפַלְּטֵ֔נִי מֵרִיבֵ֖י עַמִּ֑י תִּשְׁמְרֵ֙נִי֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ גּוֹיִ֔ם עַ֥ם לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתִּי יַעַבְדֻֽנִי:
contenders. From Doeg, Ahithophel, Saul, and the Ziphites.		מריבי. מדואג, מאחיתופל, ושאול, והזיפים:
shall keep me as head of nations. You have preserved me for this. Now the Midrash Aggadah [interprets it]: Said David, Lord of the Universe, spare me from the judgment of Israel, for if I err or force the Israelites into my service I shall be punished. Place me instead as head of the Philistines for they will serve me and for them I shall not be punished.		תשמרני לראש גוים. צפנתני לכך ומדרש אגדה ; אמר דוד: רבונו של עולם, הצילני מדינו של ישראל, שאם אטהו או ארדה את ישראל בעבודתו, אני נענש, אלא לראש הפלישתים תשימני, והם יעבדוני, ועליהם לא אענש:
45Strangers lie to me; as soon as their ears hear, they obey me.		מהבְּנֵ֥י נֵכָ֖ר יִתְכַּֽחֲשׁוּ־לִ֑י לִשְׁמ֥וֹעַ אֹ֖זֶן יִשָּׁ֥מְעוּ לִֽי:
deceive me. Because of their fear, they lie to me.		יתכחשו לי. מחמת יראה, יאמרו לי כזבים:
as soon as their ears hear, they obey me. Though they are not before me, they fear me. Hence from the moment their ears hear they turn to obey my command.		לשמוע אוזן ישמעו לי. אפילו שלא בפני, יגורו מפני, למשמע אזניהם לסור אל משמעתי:
46The strangers will wilt, and become lame from their bondage.		מובְּנֵ֥י נֵכָ֖ר יִבֹּ֑לוּ וְיַחְגְּר֖וּ מִמִּסְגְּרוֹתָֽם:
will wilt. Heb. יבלו. Its usage is as: “and the leaf wilts (נבל)” (Jer. 8:13); pleistre in French.		בני נכר יבולו. ילאו, לשון (ירמיהו ח יג): והעלה נבל פלישטירונ"ט בלע"ז:
shall become lame. ויחגרו, an expression meaning lame.		ויחגרו. לשון פסחים:
from their bondage. From the great pains of the imprisonment with which I punish them.		ממסגרותם. מקושי יסורי מסגר שאני מייסרן בהם:
47The Lord lives, and blessed be my Rock; And exalted be the God, [who is] my rock of salvation.		מזחַי־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבָר֣וּךְ צוּרִ֑י וְיָרֻ֕ם אֱלֹהֵ֖י צ֥וּר יִשְׁעִֽי:
the Lord lives. The One who performs all this for me.		חי ה'. העושה לי אלה:
48The God who takes vengeance for me; And brings down peoples under me.		מחהָאֵ֕ל הַנֹּתֵ֥ן נְקָמֹ֖ת לִ֑י וּמֹרִ֥יד עַמִּ֖ים תַּחְתֵּֽנִי:
49And that brings me forth from my enemies; And above those that rise against me, You have lifted me; from the violent man You deliver me.		מטוּמוֹצִיאִ֖י מֵאֹֽיְבָ֑י וּמִקָּמַי֙ תְּר֣וֹמְמֵ֔נִי מֵאִ֥ישׁ חֲמָסִ֖ים תַּצִּילֵֽנִי:
50Therefore I will give thanks to You, O' Lord, among the nations, and to your name I will sing praises.		נעַל־כֵּ֛ן אוֹדְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם וּלְשִׁמְךָ֖ אֲזַמֵּֽר:
51He gives great salvation to His king, and He performs kindness to His anointed; to David and to his seed, forevermore.		נאמִגְדּ֖וֹל (כתיב מִגְדֹּ֖יל) יְשׁוּע֣וֹת מַלְכּ֑וֹ וְעֹֽשֶׂה־חֶ֧סֶד לִמְשִׁיח֛וֹ לְדָוִ֥ד וּלְזַרְע֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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