Pisqa’ 335 198H:344-345; JN2:386-387. 1. “Then God said: Take to heart all of the matters with which I have charged you today— that you must command your sons to preserve and to observe all the words of this Torah” (Dt.32:46)— a person needs to coordinate his heart, eyes, and ears through words of Torah. And so He says: “Spawn of Adam! See with your eyes and hear with your ears all that I am saying to you, And take to heart your entry into the Abode” (Ezek.44:5). Why, it is a logical inference! For just as the Abode of Holiness, which is visible to the eye and measurable by the hand, requires [for its perception] the coordination of heart, eyes, and ears, all the more so, should words of Torah [require coordination of the mind and the senses], for they are like mountains suspended by a hair.199//M.Hag.1:10; T.Hag.1:9.
2. “That you must command your sons to preserve and to observe all the words of this Torah” (Dt.32:46)— Moses said to them: You’ve earned my gratitude for fulfilling the Torah after me, just as you will be grateful to your disciples for fulfilling the Torah after you. It once happened: Our Master [R. Judah the Patriarch] arrived from Laodokia200The modern city, Latakia, is like its Roman-era namesake, a major port on the Syrian coast. Rabbis are often depicted as departing by ship for Laodokia to raise funds for Jews in the Land.. R. Yose b. R. Judah and R. Elazar b. Judah entered to study before him. He said to them: Draw near! You’ve earned my gratitude for fulfilling the Torah after me, just as you will be grateful to your disciples201Heb: literally, “sons.” Cf. Pisqa’ 34:4 for the equivalence of “sons” and “disciples.” for fulfilling the Torah after you! Were Moses not a great [teacher], and had others not received the Torah from him, it would have had no impact. All the more so, for us! This is why it is stated: “Which you shall command to your sons” (Dt.32:46).
(דברים לב מו) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מֵעִיד בָּכֶם הַיּוֹם, צָרִיךְ אָדָם לִהְיוֹת לִבּוֹ וְעֵינָיו וְאָזְנָיו מְכֻוָּנִים לְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל מ ד): ״בֶּן אָדָם רְאֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ וּבְאָזְנֶיךָ שְׁמָע אֶל אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי דֹּבֵר אֵלֶיךָ, וְשִׂים לִבְּךָ אֶל מְבוֹא הַבָּיִת״. קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמַה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁנִּרְאֶה בְעֵינַיִם וְנִמְדַּד בְּיָד צָרִיךְ אָדָם שֶׁיְּהוּ לִבּוֹ וְעֵינָיו וְאָזְנָיו מְכֻוָּנִים, דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה שֶׁהֵם כַּהֲרָרִים הַתְּלוּיִים בִּשְׂעָרָה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
Pisqa’ 335 198H:344-345; JN2:386-387.
1. “Then God said:
Take to heart all of the matters with which I have charged you today—
that you must command your sons to preserve and to observe all
the words of this Torah” (Dt.32:46)—
a person needs to coordinate his heart, eyes, and ears
through words of Torah.
And so He says:
“Spawn of Adam!
See with your eyes and hear with your ears
all that I am saying to you,
And take to heart your entry into the Abode” (Ezek.44:5). Why, it is a logical inference!
For just as the Abode of Holiness,
which is visible to the eye and measurable by the hand,
requires [for its perception] the coordination of heart, eyes, and ears,
all the more so, should words of Torah
[require coordination of the mind and the senses],
for they are like mountains
suspended by a hair.199//M.Hag.1:10; T.Hag.1:9.
אֲשֶׁר תְּצַוֻּם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם לִשְׁמֹר, אָמַר לָהֶם, צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לְהַחֲזִיק לָכֶם טוֹבָה שֶׁתְּקַיְּמוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אַחֲרַי, אַף אַתֶּם צְרִיכִים שֶׁתַּחֲזִיקוּ טוֹבָה לִבְנֵיכֶם שֶׁיְּקַיְּמוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אַחֲרֵיכֶם. מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁבָּא רַבֵּינוּ מִלָּדִיקְיָא וְנִכְנַס רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן יְהוּדָה וְיָשְׁבוּ לְפָנָיו. אָמַר לָהֶם: קִרְבוּ לָכֶם, אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְהַחֲזִיק לָכֶם טוֹבָה שֶׁתְּקַיְּמוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אַחֲרַי, אַף אַתֶּם צְרִיכִים שֶׁתַּחֲזִיקוּ טוֹבָה לִבְנֵיכֶם שֶׁיְּקַיְּמוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אַחֲרֵיכֶם. אִלּוּ אֵין מֹשֶׁה גָּדוֹל וְאִלּוּלֵא אֲחֵרִים קִבְּלוּ תוֹרָה עַל יָדוֹ לֹא הָיְתָה שָׁוָה, [אָנוּ] עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: אֲשֶׁר תְּצַוֻּם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם.
2. “That you must command your sons to preserve and to observe all
the words of this Torah” (Dt.32:46)—
Moses said to them:
You’ve earned my gratitude for fulfilling the Torah after me,
just as you will be grateful to your disciples for fulfilling the Torah after you.
It once happened:
Our Master [R. Judah the Patriarch] arrived from Laodokia200The modern city, Latakia, is like its Roman-era namesake, a major port on the Syrian coast. Rabbis are often depicted as departing by ship for Laodokia to raise funds for Jews in the Land..
R. Yose b. R. Judah and R. Elazar b. Judah
entered to study before him.
He said to them:
Draw near!
You’ve earned my gratitude for fulfilling the Torah after me,
just as you will be grateful to your disciples201Heb: literally, “sons.” Cf. Pisqa’ 34:4 for the equivalence of “sons” and “disciples.” for fulfilling the Torah after you!
Were Moses not a great [teacher],
and had others not received the Torah from him,
it would have had no impact.
All the more so, for us!
This is why it is stated:
“Which you shall command to your sons” (Dt.32:46).