(Devarim 32:9) "For the portion of the L-rd is His people": An analogy: A king had a field and gave it to tenant-farmers, who began to steal from it — upon which he gave it to their sons — who began to be worse than the first. When a son was born to him, he said to them: Get out of what is mine. You cannot remain there. Give me my portion so that I can recognize it. Similarly, when our father Abraham came to the world, there issued from him base matter — Ishmael and the sons of Keturah. When our father Isaac came to the world, there issued from him base matter — Esav and the chiefs of Edom, who became worse than the first. When Jacob came, no base matter issued from him, but all of his sons were born kasher, as he was, as it is written (Bereishit 25:27) "And Jacob was a whole (i.e., "unalloyed") man, a dweller of tents" (the tents of Torah). From where does the L-rd recognize His portion? From Yaakov, as it is written (Psalms 135:4) "For Yaakov did G-d choose; Israel, as His select ones," and (Devarim, Ibid.) "For the portion of the L-rd is His people, Jacob the cord of His inheritance." And we still do not know whether the L-rd chose Israel as His inheritance, or Israel chose the L-rd, (both readings being possible). It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 7:6) "You (Israel) has the L-rd your G-d chosen to be unto Him a select people." And whence do we derive that Jacob, likewise, chose the Holy One Blessed be He? From (Jeremiah 10:16) "Not as those is the portion of Jacob, for He is the Former of all, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; the L-rd of hosts is His name."
"Jacob is the chevel of His inheritance": "chevel" is a lot, as it is written (Psalms 16:5) "chavalim have fallen to me in pleasant places," and (Joshua 17:5) "And the lots of Menasheh fell — ten." (Ibid. 19:9) "From the chevel of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Shimon": Just as a chevel (a rope) is three-fold, so Jacob was the third of the fathers, and he received reward over and against all of them. When Abraham was born, what is written? (Proverbs 17:17) "And a brother (Abraham) is born for affliction" (see beginning of # 311). When Israel was born, what is written? (Koheleth 4:9) "Better the two than the one." When Jacob was born, what is written (Ibid. 4:12) "And the three-fold cord is not soon sundered."
(דברים לב ט) כִּי חֵלֶק ה׳ עַמּוֹ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ שָׂדֶה וּנְתָנָהּ לַעֲרִיסִים. הִתְחִילוּ עֲרִיסִים גּוֹנְבִים אוֹתָהּ, נְטָלָהּ מֵהֶם וּנְתָנָהּ לִבְנֵיהֶם. הִתְחִילוּ לִהְיוֹת רָעִים מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, נְטָלָהּ מִבְּנֵיהֶם וּנְתָנָהּ לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם. חָזְרוּ לִהְיוֹת רָעִים יוֹתֵר מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, נוֹלַד לוֹ בֵּן, אָמַר לָהֶם: צְאוּ מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלִּי, אִי אֶפְשִׁי שֶׁתִּהְיוּ בְתוֹכָהּ, תְּנוּ לִי חֶלְקִי שֶׁאֱהֵא מַכִּירוֹ. כָּךְ כְּשֶׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לָעוֹלָם יָצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ פְּסוֹלֶת, יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְכָל בְּנֵי קְטוּרָה. בָּא יִצְחָק לָעוֹלָם יָצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ פְּסוֹלֶת, עֵשָׂו וְכָל אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם. חָזְרוּ לִהְיוֹת רָעִים יוֹתֵר מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים. וּכְשֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב לֹא יָצְאָה מִמֶּנּוּ פְּסוֹלֶת, אֶלָּא נוֹלְדוּ כָּל בָּנָיו כְּשֵׁרִים, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כה כז): ״וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים״. מֵהֵיכָן הַמָּקוֹם מַכִּיר אֶת חֶלְקוֹ? מִיַּעֲקֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי חֵלֶק ה׳ עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים קלה ד): ״כִּי יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר לוֹ יָהּ״. וַעֲדַיִן הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בִּדְלָא תָּלוּי, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּחַר בְּיַעֲקֹב אִם יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר בַּקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שם): ״יִשְׂרָאֵל לִסְגֻלָּתוֹ״. וַעֲדַיִן הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בִּדְלָא תָּלוּי, וְאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּחַר לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִסְגֻלָּתוֹ וְאִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּחֲרוּ בַּקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יד ב): ״וּבְךָ בָּחַר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה״. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאַף יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר בּוֹ בְּיָהּ? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י טז): ״לֹא כְאֵלֶּה חֵלֶק יַעֲקֹב״.
(Devarim 32:9) "For the portion of the L-rd is His people": An analogy: A king had a field and gave it to tenant-farmers, who began to steal from it — upon which he gave it to their sons — who began to be worse than the first. When a son was born to him, he said to them: Get out of what is mine. You cannot remain there. Give me my portion so that I can recognize it. Similarly, when our father Abraham came to the world, there issued from him base matter — Ishmael and the sons of Keturah. When our father Isaac came to the world, there issued from him base matter — Esav and the chiefs of Edom, who became worse than the first. When Jacob came, no base matter issued from him, but all of his sons were born kasher, as he was, as it is written (Bereishit 25:27) "And Jacob was a whole (i.e., "unalloyed") man, a dweller of tents" (the tents of Torah). From where does the L-rd recognize His portion? From Yaakov, as it is written (Psalms 135:4) "For Yaakov did G-d choose; Israel, as His select ones," and (Devarim, Ibid.) "For the portion of the L-rd is His people, Jacob the cord of His inheritance." And we still do not know whether the L-rd chose Israel as His inheritance, or Israel chose the L-rd, (both readings being possible). It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 7:6) "You (Israel) has the L-rd your G-d chosen to be unto Him a select people." And whence do we derive that Jacob, likewise, chose the Holy One Blessed be He? From (Jeremiah 10:16) "Not as those is the portion of Jacob, for He is the Former of all, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; the L-rd of hosts is His name."
יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ, אֵין חֶבֶל אֶלָּא גּוֹרָל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים טז ו): ״חֲבָלִים נָפְלוּ לִי בַּנְּעִימִים״, וְאוֹמֵר (יהושע יז ה): ״וַיִּפְּלוּ חֶבְלֵי מְנַשֶּׁה עֲשָׂרָה״, [וְאוֹמֵר] (יהושע יט ט): ״מֵחֶבֶל בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה נַחֲלַת בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן״. דָּבָר אַחֵר: מַה חֶבֶל זֶה מְשֻׁלָּשׁ, כָּךְ הָיָה יַעֲקֹב שְׁלִישִׁי לָאָבוֹת וְקִבֵּל שְׂכַר כֻּלָּם. כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד אַבְרָהָם מַהוּ אוֹמֵר (משלי יז יז): ״וְאָח לְצָרָה יִוָּלֵד״, וּכְשֶׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק מַהוּ אוֹמֵר (קהלת ד ט): ״טוֹבִים הַשְּׁנַיִם מִן הָאֶחָד״, וּכְשֶׁנּוֹלַד יַעֲקֹב מַהוּ אוֹמֵר (קהלת ד יב): ״וְהַחוּט הַמְשֻׁלָּשׁ לֹא בִמְהֵרָה יִנָּתֵק״.
"Jacob is the chevel of His inheritance": "chevel" is a lot, as it is written (Psalms 16:5) "chavalim have fallen to me in pleasant places," and (Joshua 17:5) "And the lots of Menasheh fell — ten." (Ibid. 19:9) "From the chevel of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Shimon": Just as a chevel (a rope) is three-fold, so Jacob was the third of the fathers, and he received reward over and against all of them. When Abraham was born, what is written? (Proverbs 17:17) "And a brother (Abraham) is born for affliction" (see beginning of # 311). When Israel was born, what is written? (Koheleth 4:9) "Better the two than the one." When Jacob was born, what is written (Ibid. 4:12) "And the three-fold cord is not soon sundered."