Pisqa’ 319127H:328-329;JN2:349-350. 1. “You neglected128Heb: teshi. From shayah, “to forget, abandon.” (BDB: p. 1009). Cf. the root, n-sh-h. “to forget” (BDB:674). the Rock, Who spawned you” (Dt.32:18)— Said to them the Blessed Holy One: You treated Me like a male longing to give birth! Now, were a woman in the midst of birthing, straining on her birthing-stool, wouldn’t she be in real pain? As it is said: “For the infants are ready for birthing, but there is no strength left to give birth” (2Ki.19:3). Now, were a woman in labor, giving birth to her First-born, wouldn’t she be in real pain? And, accordingly, it is said: “For I have heard a voice like that of a laboring woman suffering through the birth of her First-born” (Jer.4:13). Were there two in her belly, wouldn’t she be in real pain? Accordingly it is said: “And the infants struggled within her” (Gn.25:22). Now, [imagine] if this were a man— who could not give birth, but longed to give birth— wouldn’t his pain be doubled and re-doubled? And, accordingly, it states: “Go, now, ask and see: does a male give birth?” (Jer.30:6)
“You neglected the Rock, Who spawned you” (Dt.32:18)— You forgot Me, [in your reliance] upon the merits of your Patriarchs.129According to some translators, the syntax permits something like the following meaning: “would you have me forget the merits of your ancestors?” (so Basser, p. 128). See also, H:328: “You forgot me through the merits of the fathers” (and note, H:499, Pisqa’ 319, n. 2). As it is said: “Look to the Rock from which you were hewn. . . Look back to Abraham, your father” (Is.51:1-2).
2. Another word: “You neglected the Rock, Who spawned you” (Dt.32:18)— whenever I desire to show you favor, you disparage130Heb: matish; from the same semantic field as teshi/shayah/nasheh. The assonance is deliberately cultivated. the Supernal Power: When you stood at the Sea of Reeds, saying: “This is my God, Whom I adore” (Gn.15:2), and I desired to show you favor— you changed your minds, saying: “Let us appoint a leader to return us to Egypt” (Nu.14:4); When you stood at Mount Sinai, saying: “Whatever HASHEM says, we will obediently perform” (Ex.24:7), and I desired to show you favor— you changed your minds, saying to the Calf: “This is your god, Israel!” (Ex.32:4) So you see— whenever I desire to show you favor, you disparage the Supernal Power!
3. “And you forgot the God Who bore you”131Heb: mekholelekha; from the root, kh-w-l or kh`-y-l. Its transformations yield numerous senses, one of which (“to anguish, writhe, give birth, take ill”) appears prominently in the present word-play at 319.3. (Dt.32:18)— R. Meir says: The God Who bore you— this is the God Who suffered over you. Accordingly, is it said: “Pain, like a woman in labor” (Ps.48:7). R. Judah says: Who made you full of aches and pains.
Another word: “And you forgot the God Who bore you” (Dt.32:18)— the God Who made His Name rest upon you, as He has never done for any nation or kingdom. And so He says: “I am HASHEM . . . Who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (Ex.20:2). R. Nehemiah says: The God Who weakens you before the World’s inhabitants when you fail to observe the Torah. And, similarly, He says: “The voice of HASHEM is upon the waters” . . . “The voice of HASHEM births the ewes (Ps.29:3-10).
Another word: “And you forgot the God Who bore you” (Dt.32:18)— The God Who forgives (mokhel)132Mokhel, formed from the root, m-kh-l, is related to words with the root, kh-w-l, by assonance alone. all your transgressions.
(דברים לב יח) צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: עֲשִׂיתֶם אוֹתִי כְּאִלּוּ אֲנִי זָכָר מְבַקֵּשׁ לֵילֵד, אִלּוּ הָיְתָה חַיָּה יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל הַמַּשְׁבֵּר לֹא הָיְתָה מִצְטַעֶרֶת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מ״ב יט ג): ״כִּי בָאוּ בָנִים עַד מַשְׁבֵּר וְכֹחַ אַיִן לָלֶדֶת״? אִלּוּ הָיְתָה חוֹלָה וּמַבְכִּירָה לֹא הָיְתָה מִצְטַעֶרֶת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ד לא): ״כִּי קוֹל כְּחוֹלָה שָׁמַעְתִּי צָרָה כְּמַבְכִּירָה״? אִלּוּ הָיוּ שְׁנַיִם בְּמֵעֶיהָ לֹא הָיְתָה מִצְטַעֶרֶת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשי׳ כה כב): ״וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ״? אִלּוּ הָיָה זָכָר, שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכּוֹ לֵילֵד וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לֵילֵד, לֹא הָיָה צַעַר כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ל ו): ״שַׁאֲלוּ נָא וּרְאוּ אִם יֹלֵד זָכָר״?
Pisqa’ 319127H:328-329;JN2:349-350.
1. “You neglected128Heb: teshi. From shayah, “to forget, abandon.” (BDB: p. 1009). Cf. the root, n-sh-h. “to forget” (BDB:674). the Rock, Who spawned you” (Dt.32:18)—
Said to them the Blessed Holy One:
You treated Me like a male longing to give birth!
Now, were a woman in the midst of birthing,
straining on her birthing-stool,
wouldn’t she be in real pain?
As it is said:
“For the infants are ready for birthing,
but there is no strength left to give birth” (2Ki.19:3).
Now, were a woman in labor,
giving birth to her First-born,
wouldn’t she be in real pain?
And, accordingly, it is said:
“For I have heard a voice like that of a laboring woman
suffering through the birth of her First-born” (Jer.4:13).
Were there two in her belly,
wouldn’t she be in real pain?
Accordingly it is said:
“And the infants struggled within her” (Gn.25:22).
Now, [imagine] if this were a man—
who could not give birth, but longed to give birth—
wouldn’t his pain be doubled and re-doubled?
And, accordingly, it states:
“Go, now, ask and see: does a male give birth?” (Jer.30:6)
צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי, שְׁכַחְתֶּם אוֹתִי בִּזְכוּת אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה נא א): ״הַבִּיטוּ אֶל צוּר חֻצַּבְתֶּם וְאֶל מַקֶּבֶת בּוֹר נֻקַּרְתֶּם״.
“You neglected the Rock, Who spawned you” (Dt.32:18)—
You forgot Me, [in your reliance] upon the merits of your Patriarchs.129According to some translators, the syntax permits something like the following meaning: “would you have me forget the merits of your ancestors?” (so Basser, p. 128). See also, H:328: “You forgot me through the merits of the fathers” (and note, H:499, Pisqa’ 319, n. 2).
As it is said:
“Look to the Rock from which you were hewn. . .
Look back to Abraham, your father” (Is.51:1-2).
דָּבָר אַחֵר צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהֵיטִיב לָכֶם אַתֶּם מַתִּישִׁים כֹּחַ שֶׁל מַעְלָה, עֲמַדְתֶּם עַל הַיָּם וַאֲמַרְתֶּם (שמות טו ב): ״זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ״, בִּקַּשְׁתִּי לְהֵיטִיב לָכֶם – חֲזַרְתֶּם בָּכֶם וַאֲמַרְתֶּם (במדבר יד ד): ״נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה״; עֲמַדְתֶּם לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי וַאֲמַרְתֶּם (שמות כד ז): ״כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע״, בִּקַּשְׁתִּי לְהֵיטִיב לָכֶם – חֲזַרְתֶּם בָּכֶם וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לָעֵגֶל (שם לב ד): ״אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל״; הֱוֵי, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהֵיטִיב לָכֶם אַתֶּם מַתִּישִׁים כֹּחַ שֶׁל מַעְלָה.
2. Another word:
“You neglected the Rock, Who spawned you” (Dt.32:18)—
whenever I desire to show you favor,
you disparage130Heb: matish; from the same semantic field as teshi/shayah/nasheh. The assonance is deliberately cultivated. the Supernal Power:
When you stood at the Sea of Reeds, saying:
“This is my God, Whom I adore” (Gn.15:2),
and I desired to show you favor—
you changed your minds, saying:
“Let us appoint a leader to return us to Egypt” (Nu.14:4);
When you stood at Mount Sinai, saying:
“Whatever HASHEM says, we will obediently perform” (Ex.24:7),
and I desired to show you favor—
you changed your minds, saying to the Calf:
“This is your god, Israel!” (Ex.32:4)
So you see—
whenever I desire to show you favor,
you disparage the Supernal Power!
וַתִּשְׁכַּח אֵל מְחֹלְלֶךָ, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֵל שֶׁהֵחִיל בְּךָ, אֵל שֶׁנִּצְטַעֵר בְּךָ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים מח ז): ״חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה״. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: שֶׁעָשָׂךְ מְחִילִים מְחִילִים.
3. “And you forgot the God Who bore you”131Heb: mekholelekha; from the root, kh-w-l or kh`-y-l. Its transformations yield numerous senses, one of which (“to anguish, writhe, give birth, take ill”) appears prominently in the present word-play at 319.3. (Dt.32:18)—
R. Meir says:
The God Who bore you—
this is the God Who suffered over you.
Accordingly, is it said:
“Pain, like a woman in labor” (Ps.48:7).
R. Judah says:
Who made you full of aches and pains.
דָּבָר אַחֵר וַתִּשְׁכַּח אֵל מְחֹלְלֶךָ, אֵל שֶׁהֵחִיל שְׁמוֹ עָלֶיךָ מַה שֶּׁלֹּא הֵחִיל עַל כָּל אֻמָּה וּמַלְכוּת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כ ב): ״אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם״. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר: אֵל עָשְׂךָ חוֹלִים עַל כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאִי אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים כט ג-ט): ״קוֹל ה׳ עַל הַמָּיִם״ עַד ״קוֹל ה׳ יְחוֹלֵל אַיָּלוֹת״.
Another word:
“And you forgot the God Who bore you” (Dt.32:18)—
the God Who made His Name rest upon you,
as He has never done for any nation or kingdom.
And so He says:
“I am HASHEM . . . Who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (Ex.20:2).
R. Nehemiah says:
The God Who weakens you
before the World’s inhabitants when you fail to observe the Torah.
And, similarly, He says:
“The voice of HASHEM is upon the waters” . . . “The voice of HASHEM births the ewes (Ps.29:3-10).
דָּבָר אַחֵר וַתִּשְׁכַּח אֵל מְחוֹלְלֶךָ, אֵל שֶׁמּוֹחֵל לְךָ עַל כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתֶיךָ.
Another word:
“And you forgot the God Who bore you” (Dt.32:18)—
The God Who forgives (mokhel)132Mokhel, formed from the root, m-kh-l, is related to words with the root, kh-w-l, by assonance alone. all your transgressions.