AND THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD, ETC. This alludes to the time when Israel came to Mount Sinai as it is written, “Hath a people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire, etc.” The mixed multitude then perished, those who said to Moses, “Let not God speak with us lest we die” (Ex. 20, 16). These are the prototypes of the unlearned (Am haaretz), of whom it is said, “cursed is he that lieth with any manner of beast” (Deut. 27, 21), because they are from the side of the serpent, of which it is said, “cursed art thou from among all the beasts” (Gen. 3, 14).
Various impurities are mingled in the composition of Israel, like animals among men. One kind is from the side of the serpent; another from the side of the Gentiles, who are compared to the beasts of the field; another from the side of mazikin (goblins), for the souls of the wicked are literally the mazikin (goblins) of the world; and there is an impurity from the side of the demons and evil spirits; and there is none so cursed among them as Amalek, who is the evil serpent, the “strange god”. He is the cause of all unchastity and murder, and his twin-soul is the poison of idolatry, the two together being called Samael (lit. poison-god). There is more than one Samael, and they are not all equal, but this side of the serpent is accursed above all of them.
AND THE LORD GOD CALLED TO THE MAN AND SAID, WHERE ART THOU? The word aiekah (where art thou) has the same letters as the word aikah (how), which commences the book of Lamentations, and thus foreshadows the destruction of the Temple and the lamentation over it. But in the days to come God will sweep away all evil growths from the world, as it is written, “He hath swallowed up death for ever” (Is. 25, 8), and everything shall be restored to its rightful place, as it is written, “On that day the Lord shall be one and his name one” (Zech. 14, 9). IN THE BEGINNING.1v. Appendix, p. 383.
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל ה' אֱלהִים וְגו' כַּד קְרִיבוּ לְטוּרָא דְסִינַי. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ד׳:ל״ג) הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלהִים מְדַבֵּר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ וְגו' וְעֵרֶב רַב מִיתוּ. וְאִנּוּן הֲווּ דְּאָמְרוּ לְמשֶׁה (שמות כ׳:ט״ז) וְאַל יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ אֱלהִים פֶּן נָמוּת וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא. וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ דְּאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן (דברים כ״ז:כ״א) אָרוּר שׁוֹכֵב עִם כָּל בְּהֵמָה בְּגִין דְּאִנּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְהַהוּא חִוְיָא דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה.
AND THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD, ETC. This alludes to the time when Israel came to Mount Sinai as it is written, “Hath a people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire, etc.” The mixed multitude then perished, those who said to Moses, “Let not God speak with us lest we die” (Ex. 20, 16). These are the prototypes of the unlearned (Am haaretz), of whom it is said, “cursed is he that lieth with any manner of beast” (Deut. 27, 21), because they are from the side of the serpent, of which it is said, “cursed art thou from among all the beasts” (Gen. 3, 14).
וְהָא כַּמָּה עִרְבּוּבִין אִנּוּן בִּישִׁין בְּעִירָן וְחֵיוָון. אֲבָל אִית עִרְבּוּבְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְנָחָשׁ. וְאִית עִרְבּוּבְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּאוּמֵי עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת דְּדָמוּ לְחֵיוָון וּבְעִירָן דְּחַקְלָא. וְאִית עִרְבּוּבְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְמַזִּיקִין דְּנִשְׁמָתָן דְּחַיָּיבַיָא אִנּוּן מַזִּיקִין דְּעָלְמָא מַמָּשׁ. וְאִית עִרְבּוּבְיָא דְשֵׁדִים וְרוּחִין וְלִילִין וְכֹלָּא מְעוֹרְבָבִין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלָא אִית בְּכֻלְהוּ לַטְיָיא כַּעֲמָלֵק דְּאִיהוּ חִיוְיָא בִּישָׁא אֵל אַחֵר. אִיהוּ גָּלוּי לְכָל עֶרְיָין דְּעָלְמָא רוֹצֵחַ אִיהוּ וּבַת זוּגֵיהּ סַם מָוֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְכֹלָּא סמא"ל. וְאִית סמא"ל וְאִית סמא"ל, וְלָאו כֻּלְהוּ שָׁוְיָין. אֲבָל הַהוּא סִטְרָא דְחִיוְיָא אִיהוּ לַטְיָיא עַל כֹּלָּא.
Various impurities are mingled in the composition of Israel, like animals among men. One kind is from the side of the serpent; another from the side of the Gentiles, who are compared to the beasts of the field; another from the side of mazikin (goblins), for the souls of the wicked are literally the mazikin (goblins) of the world; and there is an impurity from the side of the demons and evil spirits; and there is none so cursed among them as Amalek, who is the evil serpent, the “strange god”. He is the cause of all unchastity and murder, and his twin-soul is the poison of idolatry, the two together being called Samael (lit. poison-god). There is more than one Samael, and they are not all equal, but this side of the serpent is accursed above all of them.
וַיִּקְרָא יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶל הָאָדָם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אַיֶּכָּה. הָכָא רְמִיז לֵיהּ דְּעֲתִיד לְחָרְבָא בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא וּלְמִבְכֵּי בָּהּ אֵיכָה. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (איכה א׳:א׳) אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד א"י כ"ה. וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאֲתֵי עֲתִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְבַעֲרָא כָּל זִינִין בִּישִׁין מֵעָלְמָא כְּדִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו כ״ה:ח׳) בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח. כְּדֵין תָּב כֹּלָּא לְאַתְרֵיהּ כְּדִכְתִיב, (זכריה י״ד:ט׳) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד:
AND THE LORD GOD CALLED TO THE MAN AND SAID, WHERE ART THOU? The word aiekah (where art thou) has the same letters as the word aikah (how), which commences the book of Lamentations, and thus foreshadows the destruction of the Temple and the lamentation over it. But in the days to come God will sweep away all evil growths from the world, as it is written, “He hath swallowed up death for ever” (Is. 25, 8), and everything shall be restored to its rightful place, as it is written, “On that day the Lord shall be one and his name one” (Zech. 14, 9). IN THE BEGINNING.1v. Appendix, p. 383.