Now on that day they were commanded concerning a certain tree and disobeyed the command. And because the woman sinned first it was decreed that the husband should rule over her. And from that time, whenever men sin before God those women from the side of severe judgement are charged to rule over them-
those who are called “the flame of the revolving sword” (Gen. 3, 24), which takes the shape sometimes of males and sometimes of females, as elsewhere stated.
Alas for the world when those women have sway! When the prophet saw Israel perverting their ways and sinning before their Master, he exclaimed: “Ye women that are at ease, how can ye rest, how can ye sit idle in the world? Rise!” as has been explained elsewhere.’…1There is a lacuna here in the text.
It was only said in the sense in which it was applied to Deborah. There is a dictum: Woe to the man at whose table the wife says grace. So when we read that “Deborah judged Israel at that time”, we might exclaim, “Woe to the generation which could only find a female to be its judge!”
See now. There were two women in the world who composed praises to God such as the men never equalled, namely, Hannah and Deborah. Hannah opened the gate of faith to the world in the words, “He raiseth up the poor from the dust, etc.” (I Sam. 2, 8). “To make them sit with princes”: to wit, in the place where the princes, that is the patriarchs, sit above.
According to another explanation, however, this refers to Samuel, who was placed on a par with Moses and Aaron. “And make them inherit a throne of glory”: this refers to Samuel, who placed two kings on the throne. Or it may refer to God, who causes His servants to inherit His throne.
“They that strive with the Lord shall be broken in pieces”: that is to say, when judgement prevails over mercy, if then the Holy One, blessed be He, is blessed from the Source of the River, then mercy prevails and judgement is checked.
“Against them he shall thunder in heaven”: that is, when the dew from the Ancient Holy One shall rest upon Him and fills His head in the place called “heaven”, then He breaks the power of mighty judgements. “And he shall give strength to his king”: this is the Holy One, blessed be He; “and exalt the horn of his anointed”: this is the Community of Israel.
Deborah likewise praised the Holy King, as it is written: “Lord, when thou wentest forth out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom” (Judges 5, 1)-speaking in the mystery of wisdom until she began to praise herself, saying, “Until that I Deborah arose, that I arose, a mother in Israel.” Then the spirit of prophecy left her, so that she had to say to herself, “Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, utter a song” (Ibid. 12).
All this happened when the men were sinful and not worthy that the spirit of prophecy should rest upon them.’ AND IF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL SHALL ERR, ETC. This has been explained to mean, “err in interpreting the law”. The “congregation” (‘adath) refers to those who were in Jerusalem, from whence instruction went forth to all the people, so that if those who were there erred the whole people erred. AND THE THING BE HID FROM THE EYES OF THE ASSEMBLY: the eyes of the assembly are the Sanhedrin who were appointed over Israel.
תָּא חֲזִי, בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְפְּקָדוּ עַל אִילָנָא חַד, וְעָבְרוּ עַל פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, וּבְגִין דְּאִתְּתָא הִיא חָבַת בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְאָתָא עָלָה הַהוּא נָחָשׁ, כְּתִיב, (בראשית ג׳:ט״ז) וְהוּא יִמְשׁוֹל בָּךְ. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, בְּכָל זִמְנִין דְּגוּבְרִין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ חַיָּיבִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא דְּאִינּוּן נָשִׁים (דלעילא) מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, זְמִינִין לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עֲלֵיהוֹן, מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ג׳:י״ב) עַמִּי נוֹגְשָׂיו מְעוֹלֵל וְנָשִׁים מָשְׁלוּ בוֹ, נָשִׁים מָשְׁלוּ בוֹ ודַּאי.
Now on that day they were commanded concerning a certain tree and disobeyed the command. And because the woman sinned first it was decreed that the husband should rule over her. And from that time, whenever men sin before God those women from the side of severe judgement are charged to rule over them-
וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת, לָאו דְּאִינּוּן חֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת, אֶלָּא לַהַט מֵהַהוּא חֶרֶב, דְּאִקְרֵי (ויקרא כ״ו:כ״ה) חֶרְב נוֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית, (ישעיה לה) חֶרֶב לַיְיָ' מָלְאָה דָם. וְהַהוּא לַהַט הַחֶרֶב מִתְהַפֶּכֶת, לְזִמְנִין גּוּבְרִין וּלְזִמְנִין נוּקְבִין, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.
those who are called “the flame of the revolving sword” (Gen. 3, 24), which takes the shape sometimes of males and sometimes of females, as elsewhere stated.
ווי לְעָלְמָא, כַּד אִינּוּן נָשִׁין שַׁלְטָן בְּעָלְמָא, כַּד חָמָא נְבִיאָה, דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֲקְמֵי אָרְחַיְיהוּ, וְאִינּוּן אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּחוֹבִין קָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן, כְּדֵין אָמַר, נָשִׁים שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת הֵיךְ אַתּוּן שְׁקִיטָאן, הֵיךְ אַתּוּן יַתְבָן דְּלָא לְאִתְּעָרָא בְּעָלְמָא, קוֹמְנָה. וּבְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא (ק"ס) אוֹקִימְנָא לְהַאי קְרָא (כאן חסר ועיין לקמן קס"ז ע"ב). וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא.
Alas for the world when those women have sway! When the prophet saw Israel perverting their ways and sinning before their Master, he exclaimed: “Ye women that are at ease, how can ye rest, how can ye sit idle in the world? Rise!” as has been explained elsewhere.’…1There is a lacuna here in the text.
אֲבָל לָא אִתְּמַר, אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּאַשְׁכְּחָן בִּדְבוֹרָה. דִּכְתִּיב (שופטים ד׳:ד׳) הִיא שׁוֹפְטָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵת הַהִיא. וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן, וַוי לְבַּר נָשׁ דְּאִתְּתָא קָא מְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ לְפָתוֹרָא. כַּךְ דְּבוֹרָה, הִיא שׁוֹפְטָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵת הַהִיא, וַוי לְדָרָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהוּ מַאן דְּדָאִין לְעַמָּא, אֶלָּא חַד נוּקְבָּא.
It was only said in the sense in which it was applied to Deborah. There is a dictum: Woe to the man at whose table the wife says grace. So when we read that “Deborah judged Israel at that time”, we might exclaim, “Woe to the generation which could only find a female to be its judge!”
תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּרֵין נָשִׁין אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּכָּחוּ בְּעָלְמָא, וְאָמְרֵי תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכָל גּוּבְרִין דְּעָלְמָא לָא יֵימְרוּן הָכֵי. וּמַאן אִינּוּן. דְּבוֹרָה. וְחַנָּה. חַנָּה אָמְרָה, (שמואל א ב׳:ב׳) אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּיְיָ' כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ וְכֻלְּהוּ קְרָאֵי. דְּהִיא פַּתְחַת פִּתְחָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא לְעָלְמָא, כְּגוֹן (שמואל א ב׳:ח׳) מֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל מֵאַשְׁפּוֹת יָרִים אֶבְיוֹן, הָא פִּתְחָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא. לְהוֹשִׁיבִי עִם נְדִיבִים, הָא מְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בַּאֲתַר דַּאֲבָהָן שַׁרְיָין. מַאן נְדִּיבִים. אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן, כְּדִכְתִיב (תהילים מ״ז:י׳) נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים נֶאֱסָפוּ.
See now. There were two women in the world who composed praises to God such as the men never equalled, namely, Hannah and Deborah. Hannah opened the gate of faith to the world in the words, “He raiseth up the poor from the dust, etc.” (I Sam. 2, 8). “To make them sit with princes”: to wit, in the place where the princes, that is the patriarchs, sit above.
דָּבָר אַחֵר לְהוֹשִׁיבִי עִם נְדִּיבִים, נִבְּאָה עַל שְׁמוּאֵל, דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין לְאִתְקְשָׁא עִם מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים צ״ט:ו׳) מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקוֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ. (שמואל א ב׳:ח׳) וְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד יַנְחִילֵם. מַאן יַנְחִילֵם. דָּא שְׁמוּאֵל. דְּאַחֲסִין יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא לִתְרֵין מַלְכִין. דָּבָר אַחֵר וְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד יַנְחִילֵם, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּהוּא אַחֲסִין כּוּרְסְיָיא דִּילֵיהּ לְעַבְדוֹהִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד יַנְחִילֵם.
According to another explanation, however, this refers to Samuel, who was placed on a par with Moses and Aaron. “And make them inherit a throne of glory”: this refers to Samuel, who placed two kings on the throne. Or it may refer to God, who causes His servants to inherit His throne.
(עוד) (שמואל א ב׳:י׳) יְיָ' יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָו, מְרִיבָו חָסֵר, מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי. אֶלָּא מְרִיבָו תָּנֵינָן, מֵרִיב ו', וְדָא מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא וְרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִתְּמַר הָכָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינִין מִתְּעָרִין וְשַׁלִּיטִין שַׁלְטִין עַל רַחֲמֵי, וְרַחֲמֵי אִתְכַּפְיָין, וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְבְּרַךְ מִמַּבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא, כְּדֵין גַּבְרִין רַחֲמֵי וְאִתְכַּפְיָין דִּינֵי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יְיָ' יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָו מֵרִיב ו'.
“They that strive with the Lord shall be broken in pieces”: that is to say, when judgement prevails over mercy, if then the Holy One, blessed be He, is blessed from the Source of the River, then mercy prevails and judgement is checked.
עָלָיו בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם. עָלָיו. מַאי עָלָיו. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּטַלָא דְעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ, וּמַלְיָא רֵישֵׁיהּ, בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם, כְּדֵין יַרְעֵם: יַתְּבַּר חֵילֵיהוֹן וְתוּקְפֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין תַּקִּיפִין. וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְיָרֵם קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִקְרֵי קֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל (ס"א ל"ג היובל) כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. מְשִׁיחוֹ כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (מלכים ב כג) מְשִׁיחַ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, בְּגִין כָּךְ קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ, והָא אִתְּמַר.
“Against them he shall thunder in heaven”: that is, when the dew from the Ancient Holy One shall rest upon Him and fills His head in the place called “heaven”, then He breaks the power of mighty judgements. “And he shall give strength to his king”: this is the Holy One, blessed be He; “and exalt the horn of his anointed”: this is the Community of Israel.
דְּבוֹרָה דְּאָתַת לְשַׁבְּחָא שְׁבָחָא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, (שופטים ה׳:ד׳) יְיָ' בְּצֵאתְךָ מִשֵּׂעִיר בְּצַעְדְּךָ מִשְּׂדֵה אֱדוֹם. מְלַמֵּד, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַזְמִין לְכָל שְׁאָר עַמִּין לְקַבְּלָא לְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא בָּעוּ. וְכִי לָא הֲוָה גַּלֵּי קָמֵיהּ דְּלָא בָּעָאן, אֶלָּא דְּלָא יְהֵא לוֹן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה, דְּאִלְמָלֵא יָהַב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹרַיְיתָא הֲווֹ נַטְרֵי לָהּ. וְכָל אִינּוּן קְרָאֵי דְּאָמְרָה דְּבוֹרָה, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא, עַד הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּשַׁבְּחַת גַּרְמָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַד שַׁקַּמְתִּי דְּבוֹרָה שַׁקַּמְתִּי אֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מִנָּהּ רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, וּבְגִין כָּךְ (שופטים ה׳:י״ב) עוּרִי עוּרִי דְּבוֹרָה עוּרִי עוּרִי דַּבְּרִי שִׁיר.
Deborah likewise praised the Holy King, as it is written: “Lord, when thou wentest forth out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom” (Judges 5, 1)-speaking in the mystery of wisdom until she began to praise herself, saying, “Until that I Deborah arose, that I arose, a mother in Israel.” Then the spirit of prophecy left her, so that she had to say to herself, “Awake, awake, Deborah, awake, awake, utter a song” (Ibid. 12).
וכָל דָּא, כַּד אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ גּוּבְרִין בְּחַטָּאָה, וְלָאו אִינּוּן כְּדָאִין לְמִשְׁרֵי עָלַיְיהוּ רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא ודַּאי. (ויקרא ד׳:י״ג) ואִם כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ וְגוֹ', כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא בְּהוֹרָאָה דְּטָעוּ בָּהּ. אֲבָל ואִם כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ, ואִם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶלָּא אִינּוּן (כולהון) דְּאִשְתַּכְּחָן בִּיְרוּשָׁלַ ם, דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא אוֹרַיְיתָא לְכָל עַמָּא, וְאִי אִינּוּן דַּהֲווֹ תַּמָּן טָעָאן, כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל טָעָאן, ותָנֵינָן דְּכֵיוָן דְּתַמָּן טָעָאן, כָּל עַמָּא טָעָאן, בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ מַשְׁכֵי אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ. ונֶעְלַּם דָּבָר מֵעֵינֵי הַקָּהָל, עֵינֵי הַקָּהָל אִלֵּין סַנְהֶדְרֵי, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן דִּמְמָנָן עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
All this happened when the men were sinful and not worthy that the spirit of prophecy should rest upon them.’ AND IF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL SHALL ERR, ETC. This has been explained to mean, “err in interpreting the law”. The “congregation” (‘adath) refers to those who were in Jerusalem, from whence instruction went forth to all the people, so that if those who were there erred the whole people erred. AND THE THING BE HID FROM THE EYES OF THE ASSEMBLY: the eyes of the assembly are the Sanhedrin who were appointed over Israel.