(Devarim 33:1) "And this is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of G-d, blessed the children of Israel before his death:" (Devarim 33:1) "And this is the blessing": Because Moses had first spoken to Israel hard words — (Ibid. 32:24-25) (They will be) "hairy with hunger and embattled by demons… On the outside (of the city) the sword (of legions) shall devour (them), and in the chambers (of their hearts, when they flee), fright" (will pound, eventually killing them), (Ibid. 9:8) "And in Chorev you angered the L-rd," (Ibid. 7) "You have been rebellious…" — he reverted to words of consolation, viz.:
"And this is the blessing wherewith Moses blessed, etc." And from him all of the prophets learned: They first spoke hard words to Israel, and then they reverted to words of consolation. There were none among all of the prophets whose words were as hard as those of Hoshea. In the beginning he said to them (Hoshea 9:14) "Give them, O L-rd, what You will give. Give them a bereaving womb and shriveled breasts." And then he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 14:7-8) "His tender branches will go forth, and his glory will be like the olive tree… Those who dwell in His shade will return. They will revive like grain and blossom like the vine… (Ibid. 5-6) I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely… I will be like the dew to Israel; it will blossom like the rose…" And thus with Joel. (In the beginning) he said (Joel 1:2-4) "Tell your children about it, and your children to their children, and their children to another generation: What remained from the maggot, the locust has devoured, and what remained from the locust, the cankerworm has devoured, and what remained from the cankerworm, the cricket has devoured." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 2:25) "And I shall requite for you the years which were devoured by the locust, the cankerworm, the cricket, and the maggot." And thus with Amos. (In the beginning) he said (Amos 4:1) "Hear this thing, you cows of Bashan on the mountain of Shomron, who oppress the poor, who crush the destitute, who say to their lords, 'Bring, so we may drink!'" etc. And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 9:11) "On that day I will raise up the succah of David that is fallen, etc." And thus with Michah. (In the beginning) he said (Michah 1:9) "Her wound is grievous, etc." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 7:18-20) "Who is a G-d like You, who pardons iniquity and overlooks transgression for the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His wrath forever, for He desires lovingkindness. He will return and grant us mercy; He will suppress our iniquities. You will cast into the depths of the sea all of their sins. Grant truth to Jacob, lovingkindness to Abraham, as You swore to our forefathers in days of old." And thus with Jeremiah. (In the beginning) he said (Jeremiah 7:34) "I will cut off from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of groom and the sound of bride; for the land will become a wasteland." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 31:12) "Then the maiden shall rejoice with dance, and young men and old men together."
But, of the Babylonians, he who spoke of them words of consolation (in the beginning) — (Jeremiah 27:6) "I have given all these lands into the hand of Nevuchadnezzar, king of Bavel, My servant; even the beasts of the field have I given him to serve him" — He reverted to words of retribution — (Ibid. 51:64) "And you shall say: 'Thus shall Bavel sink and it shall not rise because of the evil I am bringing upon her, and she shall grow faint.' Until here the words of Jeremiah." He who (in the beginning) spoke of the Babylonians words of consolation, (in the end) reverted to words of retribution.
Variantly: "And this is the blessing": This is what he (Moses) added to the first blessing, whereby they were blessed by Jacob his father, viz. (Bereshith 49:28) "And this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them." We find, then, that from the place where our father Jacob concluded blessing his sons — from that place, Moses began to bless them, viz. "And this is the blessing." Variantly: "And this is the blessing": This adds to a previous (blessing). And which is that? (Psalms 90:1) "A prayer of Moses, the man of G-d." And we still do not know whether the prayer preceded the blessing or the blessing preceded the prayer. "And this is the blessing" indicates that the prayer preceded the blessing and not that the blessing preceded the prayer.
"wherewith Moses the man of G-d blessed the children of Israel": (Even) if others had blessed Israel their blessing would be of avail, but Moses came and blessed them — whence we learn that Moses was fit to bless Israel and that Israel was fit to be blessed by Moses.
"the man of G-d": There are ten who were called "the man of G-d": Moses — "This is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of G-d, blessed"; Elkanah — (I Samuel 2:27) "And the man of G-d came to Eli"; Samuel — (Ibid. 9:6) "Behold, there is a man of G-d in this city"; David — (Nechemiah 12:24) "by the command of David, the man of G-d"; Shemayah — (I Kings 12:2) "The word of the L-rd came to Shemayah, the man of G-d; Iddo — (Ibid. 13:1) "And a man of G-d came from Judah by the word of the L-rd"; Eliyahu — (II Kings 1:13) "Man of G-d, may my soul be worthy in your eyes"; Elisha — (Ibid. 4:9) "He is a holy man of G-d"; Michah — (I Kings 20:28) "And the man of G-d came and spoke to the king of Israel"; Amotz — (II Chronicles 25:7) "And a man of G-d came to him."
"before his death"; Would it enter your mind that Moses blessed Israel after his death? What, then, is the intent of "before his death"? Close to his death. Similarly, (Malachi 3:23-24) "Behold, I send you Eliyah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the L-rd, and he will return the heart of fathers to sons." Would it enter your mind that Eliyahu would prophesy to Israel after the coming (of that day)? What, then, is the intent of "before the coming of the day of the L-rd"? Close to its coming.
(דברים לג, א) וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ מֹשֶׁה, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים תְּחִלָּה (דברים לב כד-כה) ״מְזֵי רָעָב וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף״, ״מִחוּץ תְּשַׁכֶּל חֶרֶב״, (דברים ט ז-ח) ״וּבְחֹרֵב הִקְצַפְתֶּם אֶת ה׳״, ״מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם״, חָזַר וְאָמַר לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִחוּמִים: וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ מֹשֶׁה,
(Devarim 33:1) "And this is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of G-d, blessed the children of Israel before his death:" (Devarim 33:1) "And this is the blessing": Because Moses had first spoken to Israel hard words — (Ibid. 32:24-25) (They will be) "hairy with hunger and embattled by demons… On the outside (of the city) the sword (of legions) shall devour (them), and in the chambers (of their hearts, when they flee), fright" (will pound, eventually killing them), (Ibid. 9:8) "And in Chorev you angered the L-rd," (Ibid. 7) "You have been rebellious…" — he reverted to words of consolation, viz.:
וּמִמֶּנּוּ לָמְדוּ כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים תְּחִלָּה וְחוֹזְרִים וְאוֹמְרִים לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִיחוּמִים. וְאֵין לְךָ בְּכָל הַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁהָיוּ דְּבָרָיו קָשִׁים כְּהוֹשֵׁעַ. תְּחִלַּת דְּבָרָיו אָמַר לָהֶם (הושע ט יד): ״תֵּן לָהֶם ה׳ מַה תִּתֵּן תֵּן לָהֶם רֶחֶם מַשְׁכִּיל״, וְחָזַר וְאָמַר לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִיחוּמִים (הושע יד ז-ח): ״יֵלְכוּ יוֹנְקוֹתָיו וִיהִי כַזַּיִת הוֹדוֹ וְרֵיחַ לוֹ כַּלְּבָנוֹן״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״יָשׁוּבוּ יוֹשְׁבֵי בְצִלּוֹ יְחַיּוּ דָגָן וְיִפְרְחוּ כַגָּפֶן״, וְאוֹמֵר (שם ה-ו): ״אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם אֹהֲבֵם נְדָבָה, אֶהְיֶה כַטַּל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִפְרַח כַּשּׁוֹשַׁנָּה״. וְכֵן יוֹאֵל אָמַר לָהֶם (יואל א ב-ד): ״שִׁמְעוּ זֹאת הַזְּקֵנִים וְהַאֲזִינוּ כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ הֶהָיְתָה זֹּאת בִּימֵיכֶם וְאִם בִּימֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, עָלֶיהָ לִבְנֵיכֶם סַפֵּרוּ״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״יֶתֶר הַגָּזָם אָכַל הָאַרְבֶּה״, וְחָזַר וְאָמַר לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִיחוּמִים (יואל ב כה): ״וְשִׁלַּמְתִּי לָכֶם אֶת הַשָּׁנִים אֲשֶׁר אָכַל הָאַרְבֶּה הַיֶּלֶק הֶחָסִיל וְהַגָּזָם״. וְכֵן עָמוֹס אָמַר לָהֶם (עמוס ד א): ״שִׁמְעוּ הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה פָּרוֹת הַבָּשָׁן אֲשֶׁר בְּהַר שׁוֹמְרוֹן הָעֹשְׁקוֹת דַּלִּים הָרֹצְצוֹת אֶבְיוֹנִים הָאֹמְרוֹת לַאֲדוֹנֵיהֶם הָבִיאָה וְנִשְׁתֶּה״, וְחָזַר וְאָמַר לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִיחוּמִים (שם ט יג): ״הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים וְנִגַּשׁ חוֹרֵשׁ בַּקּוֹצֵר״. וְכֵן מִיכָה אָמַר לָהֶם (מיכה ג ב): ״שׂנְאֵי טוֹב וְאֹהֲבֵי רָעָה גּוֹזְלֵי״, וְאוֹמֵר (שם ג): ״וַאֲשֶׁר אָכְלוּ שְׁאֵר עַמִּי וְעוֹרָם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם הִפְשִׁיטוּ״, וְחָזַר וְאָמַר לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִיחוּמִים (מיכה ז יח-כ): ״מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְעֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ לֹא הֶחֱזִיק לָעַד אַפּוֹ כִּי חָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא, יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ יִכְבֹּשׁ עֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאתָם, תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִימֵי קֶדֶם״. וְכֵן יִרְמְיָה אָמַר לָהֶם (ירמיה ז לד): ״וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי מֵעָרֵי יְהוּדָה וּמֵחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַםִ קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה״, וְחָזַר וְאָמַר לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִיחוּמִים (שם לא יב): ״אָז תִּשְׂמַח בְּתוּלָה בְּמָחוֹל״.
"And this is the blessing wherewith Moses blessed, etc." And from him all of the prophets learned: They first spoke hard words to Israel, and then they reverted to words of consolation. There were none among all of the prophets whose words were as hard as those of Hoshea. In the beginning he said to them (Hoshea 9:14) "Give them, O L-rd, what You will give. Give them a bereaving womb and shriveled breasts." And then he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 14:7-8) "His tender branches will go forth, and his glory will be like the olive tree… Those who dwell in His shade will return. They will revive like grain and blossom like the vine… (Ibid. 5-6) I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely… I will be like the dew to Israel; it will blossom like the rose…" And thus with Joel. (In the beginning) he said (Joel 1:2-4) "Tell your children about it, and your children to their children, and their children to another generation: What remained from the maggot, the locust has devoured, and what remained from the locust, the cankerworm has devoured, and what remained from the cankerworm, the cricket has devoured." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 2:25) "And I shall requite for you the years which were devoured by the locust, the cankerworm, the cricket, and the maggot." And thus with Amos. (In the beginning) he said (Amos 4:1) "Hear this thing, you cows of Bashan on the mountain of Shomron, who oppress the poor, who crush the destitute, who say to their lords, 'Bring, so we may drink!'" etc. And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 9:11) "On that day I will raise up the succah of David that is fallen, etc." And thus with Michah. (In the beginning) he said (Michah 1:9) "Her wound is grievous, etc." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 7:18-20) "Who is a G-d like You, who pardons iniquity and overlooks transgression for the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His wrath forever, for He desires lovingkindness. He will return and grant us mercy; He will suppress our iniquities. You will cast into the depths of the sea all of their sins. Grant truth to Jacob, lovingkindness to Abraham, as You swore to our forefathers in days of old." And thus with Jeremiah. (In the beginning) he said (Jeremiah 7:34) "I will cut off from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of groom and the sound of bride; for the land will become a wasteland." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 31:12) "Then the maiden shall rejoice with dance, and young men and old men together."
יָכוֹל מִשֶּׁאוֹמְרִים לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִחוּמִים חוֹזְרִים וְאוֹמְרִים לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹכָחוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ירמיה נא סד): ״וְאָמַרְתָּ כָּכָה תִּשְׁקַע בָּבֶל וְלֹא תָקוּם מִן הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מֵבִיא עָלֶיהָ עַד הֵנָּה דִּבְרֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ״. הֱוֵי, מִשֶּׁאוֹמְרִים לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי נִחוּמִים אֵין אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹכָחוֹת.
But, of the Babylonians, he who spoke of them words of consolation (in the beginning) — (Jeremiah 27:6) "I have given all these lands into the hand of Nevuchadnezzar, king of Bavel, My servant; even the beasts of the field have I given him to serve him" — He reverted to words of retribution — (Ibid. 51:64) "And you shall say: 'Thus shall Bavel sink and it shall not rise because of the evil I am bringing upon her, and she shall grow faint.' Until here the words of Jeremiah." He who (in the beginning) spoke of the Babylonians words of consolation, (in the end) reverted to words of retribution.
וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה, הֲרֵי זוֹ מוֹסִיף עַל בְּרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁבֵּרְכָם יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם (בראשית מט כח): ״וְזֹאת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם״. נִמְצֵינוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁמִּמָּקוֹם שֶׁסִּיֵּם יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשָּׁם הִתְחִיל מֹשֶׁה לְבָרְכָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ. וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹסִיף עַל בְּרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא? (תהלים צ א): ״תְּפִלָּה לְמֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים״. וַעֲדַיִן הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי, אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים אִם תְּפִלָּה קוֹדֶמֶת לִבְרָכָה אִם בְּרָכָה קוֹדֶמֶת לִתְפִלָּה. כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה הֱוֵי תְּפִלָּה קוֹדֶמֶת לִבְרָכָה, וְאֵין בְּרָכָה קוֹדֶמֶת לִתְפִלָּה.
Variantly: "And this is the blessing": This is what he (Moses) added to the first blessing, whereby they were blessed by Jacob his father, viz. (Bereshith 49:28) "And this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them." We find, then, that from the place where our father Jacob concluded blessing his sons — from that place, Moses began to bless them, viz. "And this is the blessing." Variantly: "And this is the blessing": This adds to a previous (blessing). And which is that? (Psalms 90:1) "A prayer of Moses, the man of G-d." And we still do not know whether the prayer preceded the blessing or the blessing preceded the prayer. "And this is the blessing" indicates that the prayer preceded the blessing and not that the blessing preceded the prayer.
אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ מֹשֶׁה, אִלּוּ אֲחֵרִים בֵּרְכוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּדַי הִיא בִּרְכָתָם, אֶלָּא בֵּרְכָם מֹשֶׁה. נִמְצֵינוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁכְּדַי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּכְדַי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבֵּרְכָם מֹשֶׁה.
"wherewith Moses the man of G-d blessed the children of Israel": (Even) if others had blessed Israel their blessing would be of avail, but Moses came and blessed them — whence we learn that Moses was fit to bless Israel and that Israel was fit to be blessed by Moses.
אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, זֶה אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים. מֹשֶׁה נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים: ״תְּפִלָּה לְמֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים״. אֶלְקָנָה נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים (ש״א ב כז): ״וַיָּבֹא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל עֵלִי״. שְׁמוּאֵל נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם ט ו): ״הִנֵּה נָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת״. דָּוִד נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחמיה יב כד): ״בְּמִצְוַת דָּוִיד אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים״. שְׁמַעְיָה נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מ״א יב כב): ״וַיְהִי דְּבַר ה׳ אֶל שְׁמַעְיָה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר״. עִדּוֹא נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם יג א): ״וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים בָּא מִיהוּדָה בִּדְבַר ה׳״. אֵלִיָּהוּ נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מ״ב א יג): ״אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים תִּיקַר נָא נַפְשִׁי״. אֱלִישָׁע נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם ד ט): ״הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים קָדוֹשׁ הוּא״. מִיכָה נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מ״א כ כח): ״וַיִּגַּשׁ אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל״. אָמוֹץ נִקְרָא אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דהי״ב כה ז): ״וְאִישׁ אֱלֹהִים בָּא אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר הַמֶּלֶךְ אַל יָבֹא עִמְּךָ צְבָא יִשְׂרָאֵל״.
"the man of G-d": There are ten who were called "the man of G-d": Moses — "This is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of G-d, blessed"; Elkanah — (I Samuel 2:27) "And the man of G-d came to Eli"; Samuel — (Ibid. 9:6) "Behold, there is a man of G-d in this city"; David — (Nechemiah 12:24) "by the command of David, the man of G-d"; Shemayah — (I Kings 12:2) "The word of the L-rd came to Shemayah, the man of G-d; Iddo — (Ibid. 13:1) "And a man of G-d came from Judah by the word of the L-rd"; Eliyahu — (II Kings 1:13) "Man of G-d, may my soul be worthy in your eyes"; Elisha — (Ibid. 4:9) "He is a holy man of G-d"; Michah — (I Kings 20:28) "And the man of G-d came and spoke to the king of Israel"; Amotz — (II Chronicles 25:7) "And a man of G-d came to him."
לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ, וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁלְּאַחַר מוֹתוֹ הָיָה מֹשֶׁה מְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל? אֶלָּא מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ? סָמוּךְ לְמוֹתוֹ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ (מלאכי ג כג): ״הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא לִפְנֵי בּוֹא יוֹם ה׳״, וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁלְּאַחַר בִּיאָה אֵלִיָּהוּ מִתְנַבֵּא לָהֶם? מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״לִפְנֵי בּוֹא יוֹם ה׳״? סָמוּךְ לַבִּיאָה.
"before his death"; Would it enter your mind that Moses blessed Israel after his death? What, then, is the intent of "before his death"? Close to his death. Similarly, (Malachi 3:23-24) "Behold, I send you Eliyah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the L-rd, and he will return the heart of fathers to sons." Would it enter your mind that Eliyahu would prophesy to Israel after the coming (of that day)? What, then, is the intent of "before the coming of the day of the L-rd"? Close to its coming.