GIVE EAR, YE HEAVENS, AND I WILL SPEAK. R. Hiya said: ‘Blessed is Moses in that he was superior to all other prophets. For Isaiah being further removed from the King said only, “Hear, heavens”, but Moses being nearer to the King1v. Yalkut, Is. 1. said, “Give ear”.
We have learnt that when Isaiah said “Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth”, many translucent angels sought to break his head and a voice came forth saying: Who is this that seeks to throw the world into confusion; and he therefore made haste to say: I do this not of myself, but “the Lord speaketh”. In regard to Moses, however, it says, “Hear, ye heavens, and I will speak”-I, and no other, “and let the earth hear my voice”-mine and no other’s.’
R. Jose said: ‘There is a further difference between Moses and Isaiah in that Moses said, “Give ear, the heavens”, that is, those highest heavens which are called the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and further, “and let the earth hear”, the upper earth, the land of the living. But Isaiah said only “heaven” and “earth”, meaning the lower heaven and earth, and withal he was nearly punished.’
(דברים ל״ב:א׳) הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה, רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה, יַתִּיר מִכָּל נְבִיאֵי עָלְמָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב (ישעיהו א׳:ב׳) שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ כִּי יְיָ' דִּבֵּר. שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם, יְשַׁעְיָה דְּהֲוָה יַתִּיר רְחִיקָא מִמַּלְכָּא, כְּתִיב שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם. מֹשֶׁה דְּהֲוָה יַתִּיר קָרִיב לְמַלְכָּא, כְּתִיב הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם.
GIVE EAR, YE HEAVENS, AND I WILL SPEAK. R. Hiya said: ‘Blessed is Moses in that he was superior to all other prophets. For Isaiah being further removed from the King said only, “Hear, heavens”, but Moses being nearer to the King1v. Yalkut, Is. 1. said, “Give ear”.
תָּאנָא, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאָמַר יְשַׁעְיָהוּ שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ. כַּמָה גַּרְדִּינֵי טְהִירִין אִזְדְּמָנוּ לְתַּבְרָא רֵישֵׁיהּ, נָפְקָא קָלָא וְאָמַר, מַאן הוּא דֵּין דְּבָעֵי לְאַרְעֲשָׁא עָלְמִין. עַד דְּפָתַח וְאָמַר, לָאו אֲנָא, וְלָאו דִּידִי, אֶלָּא כִּי יְיָ' דִּבֵּר, וְלָא אֲנָא. בְּמֹשֶׁה מַה כְּתִיב. הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה, אֲנָא וְלָא אַחֲרָא. וַאֲדַבֵּרָה בְּלָא דְּחִילוּ. וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי, וְלָא מֵאַחֲרָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, בְּאַתְוָון גְּלִיפָן דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ, הָכָא אִתְרְמִיז שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה.
We have learnt that when Isaiah said “Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth”, many translucent angels sought to break his head and a voice came forth saying: Who is this that seeks to throw the world into confusion; and he therefore made haste to say: I do this not of myself, but “the Lord speaketh”. In regard to Moses, however, it says, “Hear, ye heavens, and I will speak”-I, and no other, “and let the earth hear my voice”-mine and no other’s.’
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, תּוּ מַה בֵּין מֹשֶׁה לִישַׁעְיָהוּ. מֹשֶׁה אָמַר הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם, הַשָּׁמַיִם, שָׁמַיִם עִלָּאִין, אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן, דְּאִקְרוּן שְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ, אֶרֶץ עִלָּאָה, הַהִיא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא, וְאִיהִי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים. בִּישַׁעְיָה כְּתִיב, שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְלָא הַשָּׁמַיִם. הַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ, וְלָא הָאָרֶץ. וְאִינּוּן שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ תַּתָּאִין. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, בָּעוּ לְאַעְנְשָׁא לֵיהּ, עַד דְּאָמַר כִּי יְיָ' דִּבֵּר, וְלֹא אֲנָא. וּמֹשֶׁה אָמַר כּוּלֵי הַאי, דִּכְתִּיב הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי.
R. Jose said: ‘There is a further difference between Moses and Isaiah in that Moses said, “Give ear, the heavens”, that is, those highest heavens which are called the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and further, “and let the earth hear”, the upper earth, the land of the living. But Isaiah said only “heaven” and “earth”, meaning the lower heaven and earth, and withal he was nearly punished.’