O THAT THEY WERE WISE, THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THIS. R. Jose said: ‘All the verses of this section are reproofs addressed by Moses to Israel, with the exception of the Holy Name which he disclosed at the beginning of his discourse.’ R. Abba said: ‘Even his reproofs are included in the holy name, since there is no word in the Torah which is not comprised in the holy name.
That the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, however, might be inscribed in this section, we have had to wait till here, where it is indeed written, “O that they were wise, that they understood this (zoth)”, meaning that if Israel knew how zoth takes hold of judgement to punish sinners “they would consider their latter end”, and take heed to be faithful to her.
Or we may explain that She is united with Israel when they keep the precepts of the Torah and dwell with Her in peace, and then they know that this zoth is on their side to help them to punish their enemies. Israel who are the least of nations will then know “how one should chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight”.
EXCEPT THEIR ROCK HAD SOLD THEM AND THE LORD HAD DELIVERED THEM UP. Why so? Because “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful” (v. 18), and the divine adornments are not in their proper place.’ R. Judah said: ‘The “rock” here is Abraham, who said, “Let Israel be condemned to exile rather than to Gehinnom”, and God consented, so that whenever Israel sin they are sent into captivity and their enemies rule over them.’
(דברים ל״ב:כ״ט) לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, כָּל הָנֵי קְרָאֵי דְּהָכָא, אוֹכָחֵי אִינּוּן, דְּאוֹכַח לְהוּ מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּר הַהוּא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּגַלֵּי בְּשֵׁירוּתָא דְּמִלוֹי. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, וַאֲפִילּוּ מַה דְּאוֹכַח לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּכְלָלָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא הוּא, דְּלֵית מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּנָפִיק מִכְּלָלָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כֹּלָּא שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִינּוּן.
O THAT THEY WERE WISE, THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THIS. R. Jose said: ‘All the verses of this section are reproofs addressed by Moses to Israel, with the exception of the Holy Name which he disclosed at the beginning of his discourse.’ R. Abba said: ‘Even his reproofs are included in the holy name, since there is no word in the Torah which is not comprised in the holy name.
וְהָנֵי קְרָאֵי יְדִיעָאן אִינּוּן. אֲבָל בְּגִין דִּשְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָשִׁים בְּהַאי פַּרְשְׁתָּא, אִצְטְרִיכְנָא עַד הַשְׁתָּא. וְהָכָא הָא כְּתִיב, לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת, זֹאת וַדַּאי, וְהָא בְּכַמָּה אֲתָר אוֹקִימְנָא הַאי, דְּאִי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִנְדְּעוּן הַאי, אֵיךְ זֹאת אֲחִידָא בְּדִינוֹי לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִן חַיָּיבַיָּא, יָבִינוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָם, וְיִסְתָּמָרוּ לְמֶהֱוֵי בָּהּ. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (איוב כ׳:כ״ז) וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ.
That the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, however, might be inscribed in this section, we have had to wait till here, where it is indeed written, “O that they were wise, that they understood this (zoth)”, meaning that if Israel knew how zoth takes hold of judgement to punish sinners “they would consider their latter end”, and take heed to be faithful to her.
דָּבָר אַחֵר לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת. דְּאִיהִי מִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּד נַטְרִין פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְיַתְבִין עִמָּהּ בִּשְׁלָם, יִנְדְּעוּן דִּסְיַּיעְתָּא דְּהַאי זֹאת עִמְּהוֹן, לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִשַּׂנְאֵיהוֹן. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִינּוּן זְעִירִין בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָא, יִנְדְּעוּן, אֵיכָה יִרְדּוֹף אֶחָד אֶלֶף וּשְׁנַיִם יָנִיסוּ רְבָבָה. וּמַאן גָּרִים לְהוּ. הַאי זֹאת, דְּהֲוָה בְּהוּ בִּשְׁלָם, כַּד עַבְדִּין פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. וּלְעָלְמִין לָא אִתְעָדֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ, לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ נוּקְמִין.
Or we may explain that She is united with Israel when they keep the precepts of the Torah and dwell with Her in peace, and then they know that this zoth is on their side to help them to punish their enemies. Israel who are the least of nations will then know “how one should chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight”.
(דברים ל״ב:ל׳) אִם לֹא כִּי צוּרָם מְכָרָם וַיְיָ' הִסְגִּירָם. מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי צוּרָם מְכָרָם. בְּגִין צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי, דְּתִקּוּנִין לָא שָׁרָאן כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ. אִם לָא כִּי צוּרָם מְכָרָם. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה דָּא אַבְרָהָם, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, דְּאָמַר אַבְרָהָם יִתְחַיְּיבוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, וְלָא יֵיעֲלוּן בַּגֵיהִנָּם דִּתְרֵין אִלֵּין גָּלוּתָא וְגֵיהִנָּם, לָא יִסְבְּלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתְּכַם עַל יְדוֹי, דְּכָל זִמְנָא דִּי יְחוּבוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, יִפְּלוּן בְּגָלוּתָא, וְיִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּן בְּהוּ שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, צוּרָם מְכָרָם וַדַּאי, וַיְיָ' הִסְגִּירָם, וְאִסְתְּכַם עַל יְדוֹי.
EXCEPT THEIR ROCK HAD SOLD THEM AND THE LORD HAD DELIVERED THEM UP. Why so? Because “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful” (v. 18), and the divine adornments are not in their proper place.’ R. Judah said: ‘The “rock” here is Abraham, who said, “Let Israel be condemned to exile rather than to Gehinnom”, and God consented, so that whenever Israel sin they are sent into captivity and their enemies rule over them.’