Rashi on TanakhDeuteronomy 32

Hearken, O heaven. That I admonish the Israelites, so that you may serve as witnesses to the matter. For so I informed them — that you would be witnesses. Similarly, “let the earth hear.” Why did he designate to testify against them heaven and earth? Moshe said, “I am only flesh and blood, and tomorrow I may die. In case the Israelites declare, ‘We never assumed responsibility for fulfilling the covenant,’ who will refute them”? He therefore designated, to testify against them, heaven and earth, witnesses who endure forever. Furthermore, so that, if they so merit, the witnesses may come and reward them — “The grapevine shall give forth its fruit, the earth give forth its produce, and the heavens give forth their dew.” And if they are blameworthy, the hand of the witnesses may afflict them first — “He shall curb heaven, so that there will be no rain, and the earth shall not give forth its produce.” And after — “You shall quickly perish,” through the Gentile nations.

Let my instruction flow like rainfall. This is the witness you are to bear: That I declare before you that the Torah which I have given Yisroel is life to the world like the very rainfall, which is life to the world when the heavens flow with dew and rainfall.

Let [my instruction] flow. The meaning is “shall flow” [flowing] Similarly, “shall flow with dew,” “shall flow with opulence.”

Drip like dew. With which all rejoice, while rainfall brings dismay to some, for example, wayfarers, or someone with a cistern filled with wine.

Like storm winds. As in “storm wind,” as Targum [Onkelos] renders, “like rain winds.” Just as the winds fortify vegetation and nurture it, so do the words of Torah nurture those who study them.

Like raindrops. Drops of rain. It seems to me that, because it is propelled like an arrow, it is entitled “ רְבִיב,” as it is said, “one who shoots the bow.”

Verdure. Erbediz, the envelopment of the earth when covered with vegetation.

Grass. A single blade is entitled “grass,” and each species individually is entitled “grass.”

When I pronounce Adonoy’s name. Now “ כִּי “ is used to denote “when,” as in “When you arrive in the land.” When I make a pronouncement and mention Adonoy’s name, you must attribute magnificence to our God and bless His name. From here we derive that one responds “May the Name of His glorious kingdom be blessed” after a blessing in the Beis Hamikdosh.

The Almighty’s [lit. Rock’s] works are flawless. Although He is almighty, when He visits retribution upon those who have defied His will, He does not swamp them, but acts justly, for His works are flawless.

A God of faithfulness. By rewarding the righteous for their righteousness, in the World to Come. Although He delays rewarding them, in the end He is faithful to His word.

Without injustice. Even with the wicked, He rewards their righteousness in the present world.

He is righteous and upright. Everyone justifies His judgment, and this is fitting and righteous of them. He is described by men as just, and it is befitting to justify Him.

Destructiveness does not affect Him. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, ”They destroy themselves, not Him.”

It is His children’s defect. His erstwhile children. Their destructiveness is a defect in them.

It is His children’s defect. The defect was His children’s, not His defect.

A warped generation. Crooked, perverted, as in “everything correct, they warp.” In the Mishnaic usage, “A rodent whose teeth are crooked and warped.”

Twisted. Entortiliez, like a cord which one braids and winds around a pendant. פְּתַלְתֹּל is one of the dualized words, like יְרַקְּרַק, “deep green,” אֲדַמְדָּם, “deep red,” סְחַרְחַר, “surrounded,” סְגַלְגַּל, “circular.”

Is it with Adonoy that you deal this way? This denotes astonishment. Is it before Him that you cause displeasure, when it is in His power to punish you, and when He has granted you every benefit?

Base people. Who have forgotten what was done for them.

Lacking wisdom. The foresight to understand that He has the power to grant benefits and to destroy.

Is He not your Father, who made you His? As He took possession of you, as He settled you in a nest — in a nest of rock mass, in a fortified land. He enhanced you with every kind of benefit.

He made you. A nation among nations.

And gave you a base. Afterward, with every kind of basis and foundation. Some of you are kohanim, some prophets, some kings — a city which supports everything.

Remember world history. How He treated those before you who angered Him.

Study the generational epochs. Enosh’s generation, when He inundated them with the waters of Okianus, and the generation of the Deluge, when He flooded them. Another interpretation: You have not taken heed of the past. Comprehend the era of every generation, to recognize for the future that He has the power to bestow benefits upon you, and to grant to you the era of Moshiach, and the World to Come.

Ask your father. This refers to the prophets, entitled “fathers,” as it is said concerning Eliyahu, “My father, my father, carriage of Yisroel.”

Your elders. This refers to the sages.

And they will tell you. Ancient history.

When the Exalted One bequeathed nations. When the Holy One, Blessed is He, bequeathed, to those who aroused His fury, their ancestral portions, He inundated and swamped them.

When He set apart the sons of man. When he scattered the dispersed generation, He could have annihilated them. He did not do so, but, rather, “He established national boundaries” — He sustained them, did not destroy them.

According to the number of Bnei Yisroel. Because of the number of Bnei Yisroel who were destined to issue from Shem’s posterity. Also, according to the number of the seventy souls of Bnei Yisroel who descended into Egypt, He established national boundaries — seventy tongues.

Because [of] Adonoy’s portion, His people. Why all this? Because His portion was hidden among them, and was destined to emerge. Who are His portion? His people. Who are his people . . .?

Yaakov the cable of His heritage. He was the third patriarch, and was invested with a triple merit — the merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father, and his own merit. So there were three, like the cable, which consists of three strands. He and his sons were His [God’s] heritage, but not Yishmael, the son of Avrohom, and not Eisav, Yitzchak’s son.

He found them in a wilderness country. He found them faithful to Hashem in wilderness country, as they obligated themselves to His Torah, His sovereignty, and His yoke of bondage, which Yishmael and Eisav did not do, as it is said, “He radiated from Se’ir to them, appeared from Mount Paran.”

In arid, shrieking desolation. An arid, desolate land, an area with the shrieking of the Taninim and the Bnos Ya’anah. There, too, they adhered to the faith, and did not say to Moshe, ‘How can we go into wildernesses, arid, desolate areas’? as it is said, “. . . when you followed Me into the wilderness.”

He encircled them. There He encircled and enveloped them with clouds, and encircled them with banners on four sides, and encircled them with the bottom of the mountain, which He arched over them like a barrel.

He granted them understanding. There, with Torah and wisdom.

He sheltered them. From serpents, venomous reptiles, scorpions, and from the Gentile nations.

Like the pupil of His eye. This refers to the dark area of the eye, from which light emanates. However, Onkelos renders, “He sustained them,” He provided for all their needs in the wilderness, as in, “and provide for them,” “the mountain does not sufficiently provide for us.”

He encircled them. He encamped them around His Presence — the Tent of Meeting at the center, and the four banners in four directions.

Like an eagle who rouses his nest. He directed them with compassion and sympathy, like the eagle who is compassionate with his children. He does not enter his nest suddenly, until he causes a commotion and disturbance over his children with his wings, between one tree and another, between one branch and the next, so that his children are roused, and are capable of receiving him.

Who rouses his nest. He arouses his children.

Fluttering over his young. He does not press himself on them, but hovers, touching yet not touching. So, too, the Holy One, Blessed is He — ”Shaddai — we did not find Him at full power.” When He came to give the Torah, He did not reveal Himself to them from one direction, but, rather, from four directions, as it is stated, “Adonoy came from Sinai, radiated from Se’ir to them, appeared from Mount Paran, arriving with some of His sacred myriads.” “God came from Teiman” — this is the fourth direction.

He extends his wings, grasps them. When he comes to transport them from place to place, he does not grasp them with his talons like other birds. For the other birds fear the eagle, who soars high and flies above them — he therefore carries them in his talons because of the eagle. The eagle, however, fears nothing but the arrow, and, therefore, carries them on his wings, saying, ‘Better let the arrow enter me, and not enter my children.’ So, too, with the Holy One, Blessed is He, “I carried you on wings of eagles.” When the Egyptians pursued them and overtook them at the sea, they propelled arrows and projectiles at them. Immediately, “The angel of God moved, etc., and came between the Egyptian camp, etc.”

Adonoy conducted them alone. He conducted them alone, in security, in the wilderness.

Without [opposition by] alien gods. There was no capability, among any of the gods of the Gentiles, of displaying their power by waging war with them. The Rabbis expound this as referring to the future, and Onkelos translates it similarly. Now I say that these are words of reproach, calling on the testimony of heaven and earth, so that this song might serve as a warning to them, for they would ultimately betray the faith, and remember neither the early favors which He performed for them, nor the future ones which He would eventually perform for them. Therefore, the matter must be reconciled both here and there. The entire subject revolves around “Remember world history, study the generational epochs” — this is what He did for them, and this is what He will eventually do. All this they should have remembered.

He shall transport them [lit. cause them to ride] over the summit of the earth. The entire passage should be understood as Targum [Onkelos] translates.

He shall transport them, etc. So called because Eretz Yisroel is the highest of all lands.

Where they will consume the produce of the fields. This refers to the fruits of Eretz Yisroel, which are quicker to develop and ripen than any fruit of the lands.

He shall nurture them with honey of bedrock. There was was an incident when someone said to his son in Sichoni, ‘Bring me dried fig preserves from the barrel.’ He went, and found honey floating at the top. He said to him, ‘This is [a barrel] of honey’! He told him, ‘Dip your hand into it, and you’ll come up with dried figs from within.’

The summit of the earth. This denotes height.

The fields. The word denotes “field.”

Of staunchest rock mass. The power and strength of bedrock. When non-adjunctive to the following word, the vocalization is חַלָּמִיש, when adjunctive, the vocalization is חַלְמִישׁ .

And oil of staunchest rock mass. This refers to the olives of Gush Chalav.

Butter-fat of cattle and milk of sheep. This took place in Shlomo’s days, as it said, “Ten fleshy cattle, twenty cattle at pasture, and one hundred sheep.”

With the fat of lambs. This took place in the days of the Ten Tribes, as it is said, “And they eat the lambs of sheep.”

The fat of wheat kidneys. This took place in Shlomo’s days, as it is said, “Shlomo’s food was, etc.”

And the wine-flavored blood of grapes will you drink. During the days of the Ten Tribes, “Who drink from wine bowls.”

Butter-fat of cattle. This refers to the fat which is skimmed from the top of milk.

And milk of sheep. Milk of sheep. When used adjunctively, the vocalization is חֲלֵב, as in, “In the milk of its mother.”

Lambs. Sheep.

Rams. According to its plain meaning.

Native to Bashan. They were fat.

Wheat kidneys. Fat wheat, like the fat of the kidney, and with kidney-like bulk.

Blood of the grape. You shall drink excellent [wine], with the taste of distinguished wine.

Grapes. “Wine” in Aramaic. Grapes. This is not a noun, but rather a term meaning “of superb taste,” winos in Old French. One may also interpret these two passages in accordance with Onkelos’ rendition, “He shall place them over the powerful of the earth, etc.”

Have become thick. The word denotes thickness.

[You] are covered with fat. Like “Are covered,” denoting the same as, “For he covered his face with his fat,” like a man with inner fat, whose innards form outward folds. Similarly, it says, “He formed a lip of his innards.”

[You] are covered. There is a “light” grammatical usage of the term “ כִּסוּי,” as in, “He who covers an insult is clever.” If כִּשִּׂיתָ had been written with a punctuation dot, it would have meant “You covered others,” as in “For he covered his face.”

He insulted the Rock of his salvation. He affronted and insulted Him, as it is said, “Their backsides towards the Sanctuary of Adonoy, etc.” Nothing is more contemptuous than this.

They incited His vengeance. They inflamed His fury and vengeance.

With loathsomeness. With loathsome behavior. For example, homosexuality and sorcery, which are depicted as “loathsome.”

Ineffectual. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, ”Who fulfill no need.” If they had fulfilled some need, the vengeance would not have been as doubly harsh as now.

Novelties, lately arrived. Even the Gentiles were unaccustomed to them. A Gentile who saw them would say, ‘This is a Jewish idol.’

Your forefathers were not awed by them. They did not fear them, their hair did not stiffen before them — a man’s hair customarily stiffens from dread. This is the way it is expounded by Sifrei. In addition, one may explain the word שְׂעָרוּם as having the same meaning as “Demons cavort there,” שְׂעִירִים referring to demons. Your forefathers did not regard those demons.

You disregarded. You forgot. The Rabbis expound: When He intends to treat you benevolently, you behave heinously before him, thus weakening His capacity for benevolence towards you.

The Almighty Who delivered you. Who delivered you from the womb, having the same meaning as “Who causes trembling in the mighty,” “Trembling like a woman at birthing.”

What their end will be. What will occur to them at their end.

For they are an upsetting generation. They upset My good will and turn it to wrath.

Devoid of breeding. My training is not noticeable in them, for I instructed them in the proper path, but they strayed from it.

Breeding. The meaning is the same as “He nurtured,” norture, in Old French. Another interpretation: אֵמֻן denotes faithfulness, as Targum [Onkelos] translates. They declared at Sinai, “We shall do, and we shall listen,” and in a fleeting instant reneged on their pledge, and made the [golden] calf.

Incited Me to vengeance. They inflamed My wrath.

With a non-god. With something which is not a God.

With a non-people. With a nation with no reputation, as it is said, “Lo, the land of Kasdim — this people is a non-entity.” And concerning Eisav it says, “you are extremely despicable.”

I shall anger them with a faithless nation. This refers to atheists. Similarly, it says, “The faithless says in his heart, ‘there is no God.”’

Shall blaze. Shall burn.

That will burn. You down to the foundation.

It shall consume the land and its produce. Your land and its produce.

And enflame. Jerusalem, which is founded on mountains, as it is said, “Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains.”

I shall amass iniquity against them. I shall link evil with evil. This means the same as “Join year to year,” “To add the sated,” “Add your burnt-offerings to your peace-offerings.” Another interpretation of אַסְפֶּה, “I shall consume”, as in “Lest you be consumed.”

I shall deplete my arrows against them. I shall completely expend all my arrows against them. This curse, in serving as a punishment, is actually a blessing — my arrows shall be depleted, but they shall not be depleted.

Bloated with hunger. Onkelos renders “Bloated with hunger,” but I have no evidence supportive of this. In the name of R’ Moshe Hadarshan of Tolouse I have heard, “Hairy with hunger.” A lean man sprouts hair on his flesh.

Bloated In Aramaic, “hair” is מִזַּיָּא . ”He would tousle his hair.”

Embattled with demons. Demons battled them, as it is said, “But the sons of demons soar aloft,” referring to demons.

Slashed by Meriri. Slashed by a demon named Meriri. Slashed. Cut down, as, “I shall cut you down into the grave.”

Teeth of animals. There was an incident where sheep bites were fatal.

The venom of dust-crawlers. The venom of snakes which crawl on their bellies in the dust, like water rolling on the ground. זְחִילָה denotes the movement of water on the ground, and, as well, the movement of anything which progresses by sliding along the ground.

From without, the sword shall decimate. Outside the city, the sword of armed legions shall decimate them.

From within the chambers, terror. If he should flee and escape the sword, the chambers of his heart pound with terror, continuing until he expires. Another interpretation of “From within the chambers, terror”: Indoors will be terror of the plague, as it is said, “For death has entered through our windows.” This is how Onkelos translates it. Another interpretation: “Because of the outdoors, the sword shall decimate” — because of their behavior out of doors, as it is said, “According to the number of outdoor areas in Jerusalem, you have set up altars to debasement.” “Because of the chambers, terror” — because of their behavior in the innermost chambers, as it is said, “What the elders of the house of Yisroel do in the dark, each one in his paneled chamber.”

I thought [lit. said], ‘I shall abandon them.’ I said privately, I shall abandon them. We may interpret אַפְאֵיהֶם as ‘I shall render them Pei’ah, discarding them into abandonment.’ We find an example of this in Ezra, “You delivered, to them, kingdoms and peoples, whom You dispersed as Pei’ah” — into abandonment. This is Menachem’s understanding. Now some interpret this according to Targum’s [Onkelos] translation, “I shall visit my fury upon them”; but this is untenable, for if so, it should have written אֲאַפְאֵיהֶם, one [aleph] as a prefix, and one from the root, as in “I girded you,” “I fortified you by my word.” Also, the middle aleph is totally inappropriate. Onkelos’s translation follows the text of the Beraysa quoted by Sifrei, which divides this word into three words — I thought ‘in fury where are they.’ I thought, in my fury, that I would render them non-entities, so that those who look for them would say, concerning them, ‘Where are they’?

Were it not for the enemy’s amassed rage. Were it not that the enemy’s rage is amassed against them for destruction, and if he were to overcome them and destroy them, he would attribute greatness to himself and his gods, but would not attribute greatness to Me. This is why it is said . . .

Lest their oppressors estrange. They estrange the matter by attributing their power to a stranger who has no greatness. Lest they say, ‘Our armed might has prevailed,’ etc. For that Nation squanders counsel, they lack intelligence. For if they were wise, They would grasp this. How could [one] pursue, etc.

They would contemplate their ending. They would apply themselves to contemplating the ending punishment of Yisroel.

How can one pursue. One of us [pursue] a thousand of Yisroel.

Unless their Almighty [lit. rock] has dealt them away, and Adonoy has delivered them? Dealt them away and delivered them into our hands. Delivrer in Old French.

For their mighty one is not like our Almighty. All this the enemies should have understood — that God delivered them, and the victory is neither theirs nor their gods’, for heretofore their gods were powerless against our Almighty, for their rock is not like our Rock. צוּר in Scripture always denotes a rock.

Yet our enemies sit in judgement. Yet now our enemies judge us, since our Almighty has dealt us away to them.

For their grapevine is of the grapevine of Sedom. This relates to the the above text: I thought privately I shall abandon them and abolish their memory, because their behavior is the behavior of Sedom and Amorah.

Fields. Arable fields, as in “The fields have produced no food,” “In the fields of Kidron.”

Grapes of bitter herbs. Clusters galling to them.

Clusters galling to them. Galling beverages are appropriate for them — their punishment suits their behavior. Onkelos translates similarly, “The retribution for their behavior corresponds with their bitterness.”

Like caustic serpents’ venom is their wine. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, “Behold, like caustic serpents’ venom is the cup of their punishment.” Behold, like caustic snake venom is the drinking cup of their punishment.

The gall of adders. Their cup, merciless to the bite victim. A merciless enemy shall come and punish them.

Is this not sequestered with Me? As Targum [Onkelos] translates. They think I have forgotten their actions — they are all hidden away and guarded before Me.

Is this not. The fruit of their grapevine, and the produce of their fields are sequestered with Me.

Vengeance is with Me, and shall administer retribution. With Me, ready and available, is the punishment by vengeance, and it shall administer retribution to them in accordance with their behavior. The vengeance shall administer retribution to them. Some interpret וְשִׁלֵּם as a noun, like וְשִׁלּוּם, “and retribution.” This is similar to “The word is not theirs,” like וְהַדִּבּוּר, “and the word.” When will I administer retribution to them?

At the time that they shall stumble. At the termination of the merit of their forefathers, upon which they lean for support.

For the day of their calamity is close by. As soon as I desire to inflict upon them the day of their calamity, it is close by and available to Me, to be inflicted through many emissaries.

Destiny speeds towards them. Quickly, destiny will be upon them.

Speeds. Like “Let Him hurry, quicken.” Until this point, Moshe established testimony, for them, with words of reproach, wherein this song would serve witness. When they will be afflicted with punishment, they will know that I informed them beforehand. From this point onward, he established testimony with words of solace, which will transpire when the punishment ends, in accordance with all that was said above, “It will come to pass that, when all of these things will happen to you, etc., the blessing and the curse, etc., Adonoy, your God, will return your exiles, etc.”

When Adonoy administers justice against His people. When He punishes them with the afflictions described above, as in “For through them He shall administer justice to the nations,” (Shall afflict the nations). כִּי here is not understood as “because,” providing the reason for the preceding statement. Rather, it is introductory, as in, “When you arrive in the land.” ‘When these punishments will be visited upon them, then the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reconsider, concerning His servants, and revert to have compassion for them.’

Will reconsider. This denotes a change of heart, whether benevolently or destructively.

When He sees the power [lit. hand] surging. When He sees that the power of the enemy is surging to the utmost against them, and that there is no one, among them, structured or fortified.

Structured. Saved by an organizer and ruler who structures them.

Fortified. By someone who furnishes support. The organizer is the ruler who structures the people, so that they do not proceed haphazardly when advancing to battle the enemy. In Old French, meintenant. Structured. This refers to someone saved by the ruler’s structure. Fortified. Strengthened, as in “They fortified Jerusalem until the wall,” “How is it that the adored city was not fortified.” Enforcied.

He shall say. The Holy One, Blessed is He, concerning them, ‘Where is their god whom they worshipped’?

The rock on which they relied for shelter. The rock mass with which they shielded themselves from the sun and the cold; as if to say, they placed their faith in it, to protect them from harm.

They [ate] the fat of their sacrifices. Those gods would eat [the offerings] which they brought before them, and drink their libation wine.

Let them serve as your shield. That rock — let it serve as your shelter and shield.

Now observe! Learn from the punishment which I visited upon you, when no one could save you, and from the deliverance which I shall grant you, when no one will thwart Me.

For it is I! I am the One! It is I who humbles, and I who elevates.

And no god matches Me. Stands against me to thwart.

Matches Me. Is comparable or similar to Me.

And no one can rescue from My grasp. Those who defy Me.

For I shall lift My hand heavenward. For, in My fury, I shall lift My Hand to Myself in an oath.

And I shall say, ‘I live.’ This denotes an oath — [As in “‘As I live,’ says Adonoy, ‘if I do not [do to you] as you have spoken in My ears.”’ Here, too] I swear [as true as] I live [forever].

If I whet My saber to a gleam. If I whet the blade of My saber, like, “So that it may have a gleam.” Plandur.

And hold judgement in My grasp. Discarding the attribute of compassion for my enemies who were destructive to you — ”Where I was a little angry, and they abetted destructively.” Another interpretation. I hold judgment in My grasp, to embrace it and exact vengeance.

I shall wreak vengeance, etc. In the Aggadic commentary, the Rabbis derive from the language of the text, which states “And I hold judgement in My grasp”: Unlike the practice of mortals is the practice of the Holy One, Blessed is He. In the practice of mortals, one who lets fly an arrow can no longer retrieve it; But the Holy One, Blessed is He, lets fly His arrows with the power to retrieve them, as if He retained them in His grasp, for the gleam represents His arrow, as it is said here, “My saber to a gleam, and I hold judgement in My grasp.” ”Judgment” here denotes retribution, in Old French, justice.

I shall make my arrows drunk with blood of the enemy.

My saber shall consume flesh their flesh.

For the blood of the slaughtered and the captives. This will befall them because of their guilt over the blood of slaughtered Israelites, and the captives which they took from them.

For the original savagery of the enemy. For the iniquity of the original devastation by the enemy. For, when the Holy One, Blessed is He, punishes the nations, He invokes against them their sins, and the sins of their forefathers, from the original devastation which they perpetrated against Yisroel.

Let the nations extol His people. At that time, the nations will praise Yisroel. ‘Look at how praiseworthy this nation is. They remained wedded to the Holy One, Blessed is He, through all the privation which overtook them. They did not forsake Him, knowing His goodness and virtue.’

For He shall avenge the blood of His servants. The shedding of their blood, as the words indicate.

And wreak vengeance on His enemies. For theft and plunder, as it is said, “Egypt shall be laid waste, and Edom shall become a desert wasteland, for plundering the sons of Yehudah.” And it says, “For plundering your brother Yaakov, etc.’

And reconcile His land, His people. He will pacify His land and His people for all the suffering which overtook them, and which the enemy perpetrated against them.

And reconcile. This denotes conciliation and pacification, like, “I may pacify his anger,” “I may calm his rage.”

And reconcile His land. What is His land? His people. When His people are consoled, His land is consoled. Similarly, it says, “Adonoy, You pacified Your land.” How did You pacify Your land? “You brought back Yaakov’s exiles.”

With a different viewpoint this is expounded in Sifrei, R’ Yehudah and R’ Nechemiah disagreeing over it. R’ Yehudah expounds it entirely in reference to Yisroel, while R’ Nechemiah expounds it entirely in reference to the nations. R’ Yehudah expounds it entirely in reference to Yisroel: “I thought, ‘I shall abandon them”’ [v. 26] as I interpreted, until, “Adonoy did not effect all this” [v. 27]. “For they are a nation which squanders counsel”[v. 28] — they squandered my Torah, which provided them with astute counsel. “They lack the intelligence” [v. 29] to grasp — how one, from the nations, can pursue a thousand of them. “Unless their Almighty dealt them away” [v. 30]. “For their mighty one is not like our Almighty” [v. 31] — everything as I have explained, until the end. But R’ Nechemiah expounds it in reference to the nations. “For those nations squander counsel” [v. 28] as I explained previously, until, “Yet our enemies sit in judgement” [V. 31].

For their grapevine is of the grapevine of Sedom. The nations’ grapevine.

And from the fields of Amorah, etc. But they pay no heed, and do not ascribe the greatness to Me.

Their grapes are grapes of bitter herbs. This follows what is said, “Were it not for the enemy’s amassed rage” [v. 27] — against Yisroel, to poison and embitter them. Therefore, let them have bitter clusters, to gorge them for their action against my children.

Their wine is like caustic serpents’ venom. Ready for them to drink because of their actions against them.

Sequestered with me. That cup of which it is said, “For there is a cup in the hand of Adonoy, etc.”

At the time that they shall stumble. As it is said, “The foot shall trample it.”

For Adonoy shall administer justice for His people. In this usage, כִּי is understood as “for.” And “administer justice” does not denote imposing suffering, but is understood, rather, as “For He shall represent them in their struggle from the clutches of those who dispossess them, when He sees the power surging, etc.”

He shall say, ‘Where is their God’? The enemy shall say, ‘Where is the God of Yisroel’? as the villain Titus said when he slashed the Paroches (curtain), as it is said, “When my enemy sees, mortification will blanket her for saying to me, ‘Where is Adonoy your God”’?

Now observe! For it is I, etc. The Holy One, may He be blessed, will then unveil His salvation, and say, ‘Now observe! For it is I! I am the One! It is from Me that your ruin emanated, and from Me that your benefaction will come.’

And no one can rescue from My grasp. Can rescue you from the ruin which I shall visit upon you.

For I shall lift My hand heavenward. Like “I have raised.” I always rest my Presence in heaven, as rendered by Targum [Onkelos]. Even with a weakling on high against the powerful below, the awesomeness of the higher one overcomes the lower; certainly, when the powerful is on high, and the weakling is below.

My hand. The place of My Presence, like “Everyone in his place.” I had the power to punish them, but I said, ‘I shall live forever.’ I do not rush to punish, as I have ample time for the matter, for I shall live forever. During the last generations I can punish them, and it is within My power to punish the living and the dead. A mortal king, who must die, hurries to avenge and punish while he lives — for he or his enemy may die, and he may thus never realize his vengeance against him. I, however, shall live forever. If they die without my punishing them during their lifetime, I shall punish them after death.

When I whet My saber to a gleam. In many places אִם is not conditional — ‘When I whet My saber to a gleam, and hold judgement in My grasp,’ everything as I explained above.

He and Hoshe’a, the son of Nun. It was a Shabbos of shared quality, when leadership was removed from one and conferred upon the other. Moshe arranged for a public crier for Yehoshua, to enable him to expound during his lifetime, so that the Israelites would not say, ‘During your master’s lifetime you were unable to lift your head!’ And why is he entitled here “Hoshe’a”? To teach that he was not conceited, for, although leadership was conferred upon him, he was as unassuming as originally.

Focus your thoughts. A person is required to concentrate his sight, thought, and hearing on the word of Torah. Similarly, it says, “Son of man; view with your eyes, listen with your ears, and focus your mind.” It may be inferred from the following: Take architectural design, which is subject to visual inspection, and may be measured with the yardstick; yet a man must concentrate his sight, hearing, and thought to grasp it. Then to comprehend the word of Torah, which is comparable to a mountain balanced on a hair, most certainly so.

For it is not a futile thing for you. It is not futile for you to weary yourselves with it, for enormous recompense is contingent on it — for it is your very lives. Another explanation: There is nothing in the Torah so empty that, if expounded, would not yield recompense. The proof is from the following comment by the Rabbis: “Lotan’s sister was Timna.” “Timna was the concubine, etc.” Because she said, ‘I am unworthy of being his wife — would that I may become his concubine.’ Why to that extent? This informs us of Avrohom’s eminence, as potentates and kings longed to unite themselves with his descendants.

Adonoy spoke to Moshe at the very height of that day. In three places, it is said, “At the very height of that day.” It is said concerning Noach, “At the very height of that day, Noach entered, etc.” — when the light of day was in full view. Since his contemporaries said, ‘By so-and-so, if we sense him leaving, we won’t permit him to enter the ark, and furthermore, we will get sledgehammers and axes, and smash the ark’! The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, ‘I will bring him in at mid-day. Let anyone powerful enough to obstruct come and do so!’ — Concerning Egypt, it is said, “At the very height of that day, Adonoy delivered.” Since the Egyptians said, ‘By so-and so, if we sense them leaving, we won’t permit them to go. And furthermore, we will get swords and other weapons and kill them. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, ‘I will deliver them at mid-day. Let anyone powerful enough to obstruct come and do so.’ Here too, concerning Moshe’s death, it is said, “At the very height of this day.” Since the Israelites said, ‘By so-and so, if we sense him leaving, we won’t let go of him. The man who took us out of Egypt, split the sea for us, brought down the manna for us, swept the quail over to us, brought up the well-spring for us, and gave us the Torah! We won’t let go of him!’ The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, ‘I will gather him up at mid-day, etc.’

Just as your brother Aharon died. With the very death you witnessed and longed for. For Moshe removed Aharon’s first garment, and attired Elazar in it; he did so with the second, and with the third, so that he [Aharon] witnessed his son inheriting his glory. Moshe said to him, ‘My brother Aharon, recline on the bed’ — he reclined. ‘Extend your arms’ — he extended them. ‘Extend your legs’ — he extended them. ‘Close your eyes’ — and he closed them. Close your mouth, He closed it, and passed on. Moshe said, ‘Fortunate is one who dies such a death.’

Because you were unfaithful to me. You were the cause of unfaithfulness to Me. [A different text: Because you rebelled against My word — you were the cause of rebellion against My word.]

That you did not sanctify Me. Because of you, I was not sanctified, for I commanded you, “Speak to the rock.” But they struck it, then needed to strike it twice. If they had spoken to it, and it had produced its water without having been struck, the Name of Heaven would have been sanctified. For the Israelites would have said, ‘If the rock, which is not subject to reward or punishment — if meritorious, it gains no reward, and if sinful, it suffers no punishment — and so carefully fulfills its Creator’s command, then most certainly we.’

For from afar. At a distance.

You will see, etc. For if you will not see it now, you will never see it again in your lifetime.

But you will not come there. I know that it is precious to you. This is why I say to you, “Go up and see!”