1The entire community of the Israelites moved on from the Sin Desert, on their journeys, according to the word of God. They encamped at Refidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. |
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אוַ֠יִּסְע֠וּ כָּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּֽחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם: |
2The people contended with Moses and said, “Give us water so that we may drink!” Moses answered them, “Why are you contending with me? Why are you testing God?” |
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בוַיָּ֤רֶב הָעָם֙ עִם־משֶׁ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ תְּנוּ־לָ֥נוּ מַ֖יִם וְנִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ משֶׁ֔ה מַה־תְּרִיבוּן֙ עִמָּדִ֔י מַה־תְּנַסּ֖וּן אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה: |
מַה־תְּנַסּוּן - Why are you testing [God] - by saying, “Will He be able to supply water in a land of drought?” |
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מַה־תְּנַסּוּן.
לוֹמַר הֲיוּכַל לָתֵת מַיִם בְּאֶרֶץ צִיָּה?:
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3The people thirsted there for water and the people complained against Moses, saying, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt, to make us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?” |
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גוַיִּצְמָ֨א שָׁ֤ם הָעָם֙ לַמַּ֔יִם וַיָּ֥לֶן הָעָ֖ם עַל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ הֶֽעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֛י וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י בַּצָּמָֽא: |
4Moses cried out to God, saying, “What should I do for this people? Before long they will stone me!” |
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דוַיִּצְעַ֤ק משֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה ע֥וֹד מְעַ֖ט וּסְקָלֻֽנִי: |
עוֹד מְעַט - (lit.) A little more – i.e., if I wait a little longer, they will stone me! - |
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עוֹד מְעַט.
אִם אַמְתִּין עוֹד מְעַט וסקלני:
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5God then said to Moses, “Pass in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand your staff, with which you struck the Nile River, and go. |
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הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה עֲבֹר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְקַ֥ח אִתְּךָ֖ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַטְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכִּ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ אֶת־הַיְאֹ֔ר קַ֥ח בְּיָֽדְךָ֖ וְהָלָֽכְתָּ: |
עבור לִפְנֵי הָעָם - Pass in front of the people - and see if they will stone you! Why did you speak slanderously about My children? |
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עבור לִפְנֵי הָעָם.
וּרְאֵה אִם יִסְקְלוּךָ, לָמָּה הוֹצֵאתָ לַעַז עַל בָּנַי? (שמות רבה):
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וְקַח אִתְּךָ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - Take with you some of the elders of Israel - as witnesses, so they see that through your action the water comes out of the rock, and so people not say there were water sources there already from earlier times. |
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וְקַח אִתְּךָ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
לְעֵדוּת, שֶׁיִּרְאוּ שֶׁעַל יָדְךָ מַיִם יוֹצְאִים מִן הַצּוּר, וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ מַעְיָנוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם מִימֵי קֶדֶם:
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וּמַטְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת־הַיְאֹר - And your staff with which you struck the Nile River. Why does Scripture state these additional words “with which you struck the Nile River”? It is only because Israel were saying about the staff that it serves only to administer punishment, for through it Pharaoh and the Egyptians were smitten with several plagues in Egypt and at the Sea. It therefore says: “with which you struck the Nile River”; the people will now see that the staff also serves to benefit. |
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וּמַטְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת־הַיְאֹר.
מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת הַיְאֹר"? אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים עַל הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוּכָן אֶלָּא לְפֻרְעָנוּת – בּוֹ לָקָה פַרְעֹה וּמִצְרַיִם כַּמָּה מַכּוֹת בְּמִצְרַיִם וְעַל הַיָּם – לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת הַיְאֹר, יִרְאוּ עַתָּה שֶׁאַף לְטוֹבָה הוּא מוּכָן (מכילתא):
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6I will be standing before you there at the rock at Horeb. You must strike the rock, and water will flow out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. |
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והִנְנִ֣י עֹמֵד֩ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ שָּׁ֥ם | עַל־הַצּוּר֘ בְּחֹרֵב֒ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַצּ֗וּר וְיָֽצְא֥וּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ מַ֖יִם וְשָׁתָ֣ה הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ משֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר - (lit.) You must strike into the rock. It does not say עַל הַצּוּר “upon the rock,” but בַצּוּר “into the rock.” From here we thus deduce that the staff was made of a kind of strong material – called sanperinon (sapphire), and from its force the rock split. |
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וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר.
עַל הַצּוּר לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בַצּוּר, מִכָּאן שֶׁהַמַּטֶּה הָיָה שֶׁל מִין דָּבָר חָזָק וּשְׁמוֹ סַנְפִּירִינוֹן, וְהַצּוּר נִבְקַע מִפָּנָיו (שם):
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7He gave the place the name Masah and Merivah [“testing and contention”], because of the people’s contentiousness and because they had tested God by saying, “Is God present among us or not?” |
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זוַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב | בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן: |
8Amalek came and fought against Israel in Refidim. |
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חוַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם: |
וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וגו' - Amalek came… The Torah places this section next to the previous verse, as if God were saying: I am always among you and ready to provide for all your needs, and yet you say: “Is God present among us or not?” I swear by your lives that the dog, Amalek, will now come and bite you so that you cry out to Me and realize where I am. This may be compared to a man who put his son on his shoulders and set out on a journey. The son saw an object on the way and said, “Father, pick up this object and give it to me,” and he gave it to him; and so a second time and so a third time. They then met a man and the son asked him, “Have you seen my father?” His father then said to him, “Don’t you know where I am?!” So he threw him off his shoulders and a dog came and bit him. |
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וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וגו'.
סָמַךְ פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ לְמִקְרָא זֶה, לוֹמַר, תָּמִיד אֲנִי בֵינֵיכֶם וּמְזֻמָּן לְכָל צָרְכֵּיכֶם וְאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן, חַיֵּיכֶם שֶׁהַכֶּלֶב בָּא וְנוֹשֵׁךְ אֶתְכֶם וְאַתֶּם צוֹעֲקִים לִי וְתֵדְעוּ הֵיכָן אֲנִי? מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁהִרְכִּיב בְּנוֹ עַל כְּתֵפוֹ וְיָצָא לַדֶּרֶךְ, הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הַבֵּן רוֹאֶה חֵפֶץ וְאוֹמֵר, אַבָּא טֹל חֵפֶץ זֶה וְתֵן לִי וְהוּא נוֹתֵן לוֹ, וְכֵן שְׁנִיָּה, וְכֵן שְׁלִישִׁית, פָּגְעוּ בְאָדָם אֶחָד אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַבֵּן, רָאִיתָ אֶת אַבָּא? אָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו, אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ הֵיכָן אֲנִי? הִשְׁלִיכוֹ מֵעָלָיו וּבָא הַכֶּלֶב וּנְשָׁכוֹ (תנחומא יתרו):
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9Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself at the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” |
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טוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָֽנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי: |
בְּחַר־לָנוּ - Choose for us - i.e., for me and for you. Moses thus treated Joshua as equal to himself. From here our sages derived the saying: “Let your student’s honor be as dear to you as your own.” And from where do we derive the continuation of that Mishnah: “and your colleague’s honor be like the reverence for your teacher”? For it says: “Aaron said to Moses, ‘Please, my master’.” Was not Aaron older than his brother, Moses? Nevertheless he treated his colleague as if he were his teacher. And from where do we derive the last part of that Mishnah: “and the reverence for your teacher be like the reverence for God”? For it says: “Moses, my master! Eliminate them!” – remove them from the world, for they deserve annihilation; those who rebel against you are as if they had rebelled against the Holy One, blessed be He. |
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בְּחַר־לָנוּ.
לִי וּלְךָ – הִשְׁוָהוּ לוֹ; מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים יְהִי כְבוֹד תַּלְמִידְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ; וּכְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ כְּמוֹרָא רַבָּךְ מִנַּיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֹּאמֶר אַהֲרֹן אֶל מֹשֶׁה בִּי אֲדֹנִי", וַהֲלֹא אַהֲרֹן גָּדוֹל מֵאָחִיו הָיָה וְעוֹשֶׂה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ כְּרַבּוֹ. וּמוֹרָא רַבָּךְ כְּמוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם מִנַּיִן? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲדֹנִי מֹשֶׁה כְּלָאֵם" – כַּלֵּם מִן הָעוֹלָם, חַיָּבִין הֵם כְּלָיָה, הַמּוֹרְדִים בְּךָ כְּאִלּוּ מָרְדוּ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
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וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם - And go out and fight - i.e., go out of the protection of the cloud and fight against them. |
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וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם.
צֵא מִן הֶעָנָן וְהִלָּחֵם בּוֹ:
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מָחָר - Tomorrow - at the time of battle, “I will station myself.” |
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מָחָר.
בְּעֵת הַמִּלְחָמָה, אָנֹכִי נִצָּב:
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בְּחַר־לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים - Choose for us men - i.e., mighty ones who are also sin-fearing, so that their merit aid them. Another explanation: “choose for us men” who know how to counteract witchcraft, for the Amalekites were sorcerers. |
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בְּחַר־לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים.
גִּבּוֹרִים וְיִרְאֵי חֵטְא שֶׁתְּהֵא זְכוּתָן מְסַיַּעְתָּן. דָּבָר אַחֵר – בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין לְבַטֵּל כְּשָׁפִים, לְפִי שֶׁבְּנֵי עֲמָלֵק מְכַשְּׁפִין הָיוּ:
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10Joshua did as Moses had told him, to fight against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. |
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יוַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ משֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמשֶׁה֙ אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה: |
וּמשֶׁה אַֽהֲרֹן וְחוּר - While Moses, Aaron, and Hur. From here we learn that at a public fast three people must lead the prayers, for here, too, they were fasting. |
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וּמשֶׁה אַֽהֲרֹן וְחוּר.
מִכָּאן לְתַעֲנִית שֶׁצְּרִיכִים שְׁלֹשָׁה לַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, שֶׁבְּתַעֲנִית הָיוּ שְׁרוּיִים (מכילתא):
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חור - Hur. He was the son of Miriam, and Caleb was her husband. |
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חור.
בְּנָהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם הָיָה וְכָלֵב בַּעְלָהּ (סוטה י"א):
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11Whenever Moses raised his arm, Israel prevailed. But whenever he lowered his arm, Amalek prevailed. |
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יאוְהָיָ֗ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ים משֶׁ֛ה יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֥ר עֲמָלֵֽק: |
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ - Then, whenever Moses raised his arm. “Was it then Moses’ hands that accomplished victory in the battle?!” etc., as is stated in Tractate Rosh Hashanah. |
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כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יָרִים משֶׁה יָדוֹ.
וְכִי יָדָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה נוֹצְחוֹת הָיוּ הַמִּלְחָמָה וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה:
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12Moses’ hands became heavy. So they took a stone and placed it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on each side, and he remained with his hands steady until the sun set. |
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יבוִידֵ֤י משֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ: |
וִידֵי משֶׁה כְּבֵדִים - Moses’ hands became heavy. Because he was remiss by not himself physically carrying out God’s command to wage war with Amalek and had appointed someone else in his place, his hands became heavy. |
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וִידֵי משֶׁה כְּבֵדִים.
בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁנִּתְעַצֵּל בַּמִּצְוָה וּמִנָּה אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, נִתְיַקְּרוּ יָדָיו:
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וַיִּקְחוּ־ - So they took - i.e., Aaron and Hur. |
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וַיִּקְחוּ־.
אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר:
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אֶבֶן וַיָּשִׂימוּ תַחְתָּיו - A stone and placed it under him - but he would not sit on a cushion or pillow, for he said, “Israel is suffering. I, too, will suffer along with them.” |
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אֶבֶן וַיָּשִׂימוּ תַחְתָּיו.
וְלֹא יָשַׁב לוֹ עַל כַּר וָכֶסֶת. אָמַר: יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִין בְּצַעַר, אַף אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּהֶם בְּצַעַר (תענית י"א):
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וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה - (lit.) And he was, his hands, faith - means “and Moses remained such that his hands were in faith,” i.e., spread heavenward in steady and confident prayer. |
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וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה.
וַיְהִי מֹשֶׁה יָדָיו בֶּאֱמוּנָה, פְּרוּשׂוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם בִּתְפִלָּה נֶאֱמָנָה וּנְכוֹנָה:
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עַד־בֹּא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ - Until the sun set - for the Amalekites had determined at what point they would win by calculating the hours through astrology, so Moses made the sun stand still for them and confused the hours. |
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עַד־בֹּא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ.
שֶׁהָיוּ עֲמָלֵקִים מְחַשְּׁבִין אֶת הַשָּׁעוֹת בָּאִיצְטְרוּלוֹגִיאָה, בְּאֵיזוֹ שָׁעָה הֵם נוֹצְחִים, וְהֶעֱמִיד לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה חַמָּה וְעִרְבֵּב אֶת הַשָּׁעוֹת (תנחומא):
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13Joshua weakened Amalek and his people by the sword. |
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יגוַיַּֽחֲל֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֥ק וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב: |
וַיַּֽחֲלשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - Joshua weakened [Amalek]. He cut off the heads of the strong among them and left only the weak, but did not kill all of them. From here we learn that Joshua’s soldiers were acting according to Divine instruction. |
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וַיַּֽחֲלשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
חָתַךְ רָאשֵׁי גִבּוֹרָיו וְלֹא הִשְׁאִיר אֶלָּא חַלָּשִׁים שֶׁבָּהֶם, וְלֹא הֲרָגָם כֻּלָּם, מִכָּאן אָנוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל שְׁכִינָה (שם):
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14God said to Moses, “Write this down as a remembrance in the scroll. Explain clearly to Joshua that I wish to utterly erase the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.” |
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ידוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־ משֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם: |
כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן - Write this down as a remembrance - that Amalek came to attack Israel before any other nation. |
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כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן.
שֶׁבָּא עֲמָלֵק לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לְיִשְׂרָאֵל קֹדֶם לְכָל הָאֻמּוֹת:
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וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - Explain clearly to Joshua - who will lead Israel into the Land of Israel – that he should instruct Israel to give Amalek his recompense. Here it was hinted to Moses that Joshua, and not he, would lead Israel into the Land of Israel. |
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וְשִׂים בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
הַמַּכְנִיס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ אֶת גְּמוּלוֹ; כָּאן נִרְמַז לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה שֶׁיְּהוֹשֻׁעַ מַכְנִיס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ (שם):
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כִּֽי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה - That I wish to utterly erase - i.e., for this reason I am charging you to do this, because I wish to wipe out Amalek. |
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כִּֽי־מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה.
לְכָךְ אֲנִי מַזְהִירְךָ כֵּן, כִּי חָפֵץ אֲנִי לִמְחוֹתוֹ:
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15Moses built an altar and gave it a name that made people proclaim, “God is my Miracle.” |
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טווַיִּ֥בֶן משֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֥ה | נִסִּֽי: |
וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ - (lit.) And its name called - i.e., the name of the altar. |
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וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ.
שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ:
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ה' נִסִּֽי - God is my Miracle - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, has performed for us here a great miracle. It was not that the altar was called “God,” but that whoever mentions the name of the altar thereby remembers the miracle that the Omnipresent performed and in recognition of this also says, “God is our Miracle.” |
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ה' נִסִּֽי.
הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָשָׂה לָנוּ כָּאן נֵס. לֹא שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ קָרוּי ה', אֶלָּא הַמַּזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ זוֹכֵר אֶת הַנֵּס שֶׁעָשָׂה הַמָּקוֹם – ה' הוּא נֵס שֶׁלָּנוּ:
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16He said, “The hand of God is raised in oath on God’s throne to swear by it: God will remain at war with Amalek from generation to generation.” |
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טזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר: |
וַיֹּאמֶר - He then said - i.e., Moses. |
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וַיֹּאמֶר.
מֹשֶׁה:
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כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ - (lit.) For a hand is upon God’s throne - means: “for the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, is raised to swear by His throne that He will wage war and enmity against Amalek forever.” Now, why is the incomplete form כֵּס used, and it does not say the full form כִּסֵּא as would be expected (to indicate the severity of the oath), and why is the Divine Name (יהוה) also halved and written יָהּ? The answer is: The Holy One, blessed be He, swore that His Name will not be complete, nor His throne complete, until the name of Amalek is entirely annihilated; but when his name will be annihilated, the Divine Name will be complete and His throne will be complete, as it says: “The enemy whose swords of hatred were against us for eternity is destroyed” – this is referring to Amalek, about whom it is written: “and his wrath is held for eternity” – “and You uprooted their cities so that their memory has vanished.” What does it say afterwards? “God will then be enthroned forever” – i.e., the Divine Name will be complete – “His Throne established (כִּסְאוֹ) for judgment” – i.e., the Divine Throne will be complete. End of Parashat Beshalach |
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כִּי־יָד עַל־כֵּס יָהּ.
יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּרְמָה לִשָּׁבַע בְּכִסְאוֹ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ מִלְחָמָה וְאֵיבָה בַעֲמָלֵק עוֹלָמִית, וּמַהוּ כֵּס וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּסֵּא? וְאַף הַשֵּׁם נֶחֱלַק לְחֶצְיוֹ? נִשְׁבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵין שְׁמוֹ שָׁלֵם וְאֵין כִּסְאוֹ שָׁלֵם עַד שֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק כֻּלּוֹ, וּכְשֶׁיִּמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ יִהְיֶה הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם וְהַכִּסֵּא שָׁלֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הָאוֹיֵב תַּמּוּ חֳרָבוֹת לָנֶצַח" (תהלים ט'), זֶהוּ עֲמָלֵק שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ "וְעֶבְרָתוֹ שְׁמָרָה נֶצַח" (עמוס א'), "וְעָרִים נָתַשְׁתָּ אָבַד זִכְרָם הֵמָּה" (תהלים שם), מַהוּ אוֹמֵר אַחֲרָיו? "וַה' לְעוֹלָם יֵשֵׁב" — הֲרֵי הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם, "כּוֹנֵן לַמִּשְׁפָּט כִּסְאוֹ" — הֲרֵי כִּסְּאוֹ שָׁלֵם:
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