(Devarim 11:15) "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts.": You will not need to take them into the wilderness (to graze). You say (it means) this, but perhaps it is to be taken literally, (that only your beasts and not you will be fed)! — (No,) for it is written (Ibid.) "and you will eat and be sated." How, then, am I to understand "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts"? That you will not need to take them into the wilderness.
R. Yehudah b. Bava says: "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts": Within the (Sabbath) bound (i.e., two thousand ells). R. Shimon b. Yochai says: "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts": You will cut (the grass) and throw it before your beast all the days of the rainy season, and leave it to itself thirty days before the harvest season, and it will work without lacking for corn.
Variantly: "And I shall give grass in your field to your field": This is flax. And thus is it written (Psalms 104:14) He makes flax sprout for the beast, and grass for the labor of man."
"and you will eat and be sated": It is a good sign for a man when his beast eats and is stated, viz. (Proverbs 12:10) "The righteous one knows the spirit of his beast."
Variantly: "and you will eat and be sated": from the offspring. And even though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Jeremiah 31:12) "And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and they shall stream together to the goodness of the L-rd, for corn, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd."
(Devarim, Ibid. 15) "Take heed unto yourselves lest your hearts be enticed, etc.": He said to them: Take care that you do not rebel against the Holy One Blessed be He. For one rebels against Him only in the midst of satiety, as it is written (Ibid. 8:12-13) "Lest you eat and be sated, and you build and inhabit good houses, and your flocks increase for you, (and whatever you have increase.") What follows? (14) "and your heart be lifted and you forget the L-rd your G-d." Similarly, (Ibid. 31:20) "And I shall bring them to the land that I have sworn to their fathers, flowing milk and honey, and they shall eat and be sated and grow fat, and they shall turn to other gods, and serve them, and they shall spurn Me and break My covenant." Similarly, (in the incident of the golden calf), (Shemoth 32:6) "And the people sat down to eat and drink, and they arose to 'play.'"
Similarly, the men of the generation of the flood rebelled only out of satiety, it being written of them (Job 21:10) "Their bull genders and does not fail; their cow calves, and does not abort … (12) They take the timbral and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. (13) They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave." This (i.e., satiety) is the cause. (14) "And they say unto G-d: 'Depart from us'": They said: All we need (from Him) is one drop of rain. We do not need Him (for that. We can manage the water problem ourselves.) (Bereshith 2:6) "And a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground." The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: "You vaunt yourselves over the good that I have bestowed upon you? With it I shall exact punishment of you!" — (Ibid. 7:12) "And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights." R. Yossi b. Dermaskith says: They made their eyes (eineihem) rove up and down to satisfy their lust — The Holy One Blessed be He, in kind, opened upon them the upper and lower fountains (maynoth [like "eineihem"]) in order to destroy them, as it is written (Ibid. 13) "On this day were broken up all the fountains of the great deep, and the windows of heaven were opened."
And thus do you find with the men of the tower (of Bavel), that they rebelled against the Holy One Blessed be He only out of satiety, as it is written (Ibid. 11:1-2) "And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they sat there." The "sitting" here refers to eating and drinking, as in (Shemoth 32:6) "And the people sat down to eat and drink, and they arose to 'play.'" This is what caused them to say (Bereshith, Ibid. 4) "Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower with its top in heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves." What is said of them? (Ibid. 8) "And the L-rd scattered them from there over the face of all the earth."
And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that they rebelled only out of satiety, it being written of them (Job 28:5) "a land from which bread came forth, and whose place was overturned as with fire." The men of Sodom said: "We have food; we have silver and gold. Let us arise and banish the law of hospitality from our midst" — to which the L-rd responded: "With the good that I have bestowed upon you, you want to banish the law of hospitality from your midst? I shall banish you from the world!" What is written of them? (Ibid. 4) "A stream (of fire and brimstone) burst forth from its source (upon Sodom), who (i.e., the people of Sodom) caused the (code of the) wayfarer to be forgotten." (Ibid. 12:5-6) "The torch of (the) shame (of Gehinnom awaits) him who is at ease in (his) thoughts, (saying: "I shall be at peace,") (and that he is) prepared (to join the ranks of) those whose foot slips. The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who anger G-d dwell secure, (and with all) that G-d has brought (to the evildoer, the 'hour' plays into) his hand." And this is the intent of (Ezekiel 16:48-50) "Behold, this was the sin of Sodom your sister. She and her daughter had pride, surfeit of bread and peaceful serenity; but she did not strengthen the land of the poor and the needy. And they grew presumptuous and committed abomination before Me, and I removed them (from the world) when I saw (their ways)."
Similarly, (Bereshith 13:10) "And Lot lifted his eyes and he saw the entire plain of the Jordan, that it was all watered (mashkeh)," and (Ibid. 19:33) "And they gave to drink (vatashkena [like "mashkeh"]) their father wine on that night (in order to cohabit with him)." Now where could they find wine in the cave? It was "in readiness" for them for that time, viz. (Yoel 4:18) "And it shall be on that day that the mountains shall drip wine." If the Holy One Blessed be He thus "accommodates" those who anger Him, how much more so those who do His will!
R. Gamliel, R. Yehoshua, R. Elazar b. Azaryah and R. Akiva were once going to Rome, when they heard the sound of the (Roman) throng at a distance of one hundred and twenty mils — whereupon they began to cry, and, R. Akiva, to laugh. They: Why are you laughing? R. Akiva: Why are you crying? They: Shall we not cry when the idolators, who are sacrificing to the idols and bowing down to the images are dwelling in tranquility, while we — the footstool of our G-d (i.e., the Temple) has been consumed by fire and has become the habitation of wild beasts! R. Akiva: That is precisely why I am laughing. If He is so forthcoming to His angerers, how much more so to the doers of His will!
Another time, going up to Jerusalem, they came to Mount Scopus and tore their garments (in mourning over the destruction). When they saw a fox emerging from the holy of holies, they began to cry — and R. Akiva, to laugh. They: Akiva, will you always wonder why we are crying while you are laughing! He: And why are you crying? They: Why should we not cry over the place whereof it is written (Bamidbar 1:51) "And the zar (a non-priest) who comes near shall be put to death," when now a fox is emerging from it! We are fulfilling (Eichah 5:16-18) "For this our heart fails; for these our eyes are darkened: For the mountain of Zion is desolate; foxes walk in it." He: That is precisely why I was laughing. For it is written (Isaiah 8:2) "And I took for Myself faithful witnesses, Uriah the Cohein and Zecharyahu ben Yeverechyah." Now why the juxtaposition of Uriah with Zechariah? What did Zechariah say (Zechariah 8:4) "There yet shall sit old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, each his staff in his hand from abundance of days." And what did Uriah say? (Michah 3:12) "Therefore, because of you Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be heaps, and the Temple Mount as forest mounds." The Holy One Blessed be He is hereby saying: Here are My two witnesses. If the words of Uriah will be fulfilled, the words of Zechariah will be fulfilled. And if the words of Uriah will not be fulfilled, the words of Zechariah will not be fulfilled. I was happy at the fulfillment of the words of Uriah. In the end, the words of Zechariah will be fulfilled. At these words they said to him: "Akiva, you have consoled us."
Variantly: (Devarim 11:16) "Take heed unto yourselves lest your hearts be enticed": He said to them: Take care that the evil inclination not lead you astray to separate yourselves from the Torah. For once a man separates himself from the Torah, he cleaves to idolatry, as it is written (Shemoth 32:8) "They have turned aside quickly from the way which I have commanded them; they have made for themselves a golden calf." And it is written (I Samuel 26:19) "If the L-rd has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. And if the sons of man, let them be cursed before the L-rd. For they have driven me out this day from joining the inheritance of the L-rd, saying 'Go and serve other gods.'" Now would it enter your mind that David, king of Israel, would serve idolatry? (The thought is,) rather, that his ceasing to occupy himself with words of Torah is equivalent to his cleaving to idolatry.
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וְסַרְתֶּם, מִדֶּרֶךְ חַיִּים לְדֶרֶךְ מָוֶת.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and you go astray": from the way of life to the way of death
"and you serve other gods": Now are they gods? Is it not written (Isaiah 37:19) "And they have cast their gods into the fire. For they are not gods, but the work of men's hands." Why, then, "other gods"? For others make them gods.
Variantly: Why are they called "other gods"? For they are "others" (i.e., "strangers") to their worshippers. And thus is it written (Ibid. 46:7) "He will also cry out to him (his god) and he will not answer. From his trouble he shall not save him."
R. Yossi says: Why are they called "elohim" ("gods")? So as not to leave an opening for future generations to say: If they (their idols) were called by His name ("Elokim"), they would have been effective. And when were they called by His name? In the days of the generation of Enosh, of which it is written (Bereshith 4:26) "And to Sheth, too, there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then they began to call (artifacts) by the name of the L-rd."
At that time Oceanus rose and flooded a third of the world. The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: You have made something new and called it by My name; I, too, will do something new and call it by My name, as it is written (Amos 5:8) "He called to the waters of the sea, and He spilled them out upon the face of the earth — 'the L-rd' is His name." R. Yitzchak says: If the names of idolatry were to be spelled out, all the hides in the world would not suffice, (for which reason the general "other gods" is written). R. Eliezer says: Why are they called "other gods"? For they (their worshippers) fabricated for themselves many gods. For if it were made of gold and he (its maker) needed gold, he would (appropriate that and) make it of silver; if of silver and he needed that, he would make it of copper; if of copper and he needed that, he would make it of iron; if of iron and he needed that, he would make it of lead; if of lead and he needed that, he would make it of wood.
R. Chanina b. Antignos says: Come and see the rationale of the language of Scripture. Why is it called "Molech" (viz. Vayikra 18:21)? To designate anything that they made to rule (yamlichuhu") over them — even a splinter, even a pebble.
Variantly: Why are they called "other (acherim) gods"? Because they come after (acharei) the last (acharonim) of the creations (i.e., man), who made them and called them "gods."
(Devarim 15:16) "and you bow down to them": You bow down to them, but not to Me! And thus is it written (in respect to the golden calf, Shemoth 32:8) "and they bowed down to it and they sacrificed to it." Others say: If Israel had not joined the name of the Holy One Blessed be He to that of idolatry (the golden calf), they would have been exterminated, viz. (Shemoth, Ibid.) "These are your gods, O Israel, who (plural) brought you up from the land of Egypt." R. Shimon says: But is not one who joins the name of Heaven with that of idolatry liable to extermination, it being written (Ibid. 22:19) "He who sacrifices to a god will be destroyed, other than to the L-rd alone!" What, then, is the intent of "who (plural) brought you up"? We are hereby taught that they made for themselves many calves. And thus (that they did not join the L-rd in their service) is it written (II Chronicles 29:7) "They have also shut up the doors of the ulam (the Temple hall), and they have put out the lamps, and they have not offered a burnt-offering in the holy place to the G-d of Israel." They did burn incense to something else. In the holy place they did not offer, but in chullin (a profane place) they did offer. To the G-d of Israel they did not offer, but they did offer to something else.
If you do thus, (Devarim 11:17) "the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you." An analogy: A father sent his son to a feast, instructing him: Do not eat more than you need and do not drink more than you need, so that you return clean to your home. The son did not heed his father's words, but ate and drank more than he needed, and he vomitted and sullied his fellows, who took him by his hands and feet and flung him behind the mansion. Thus, the Holy One Blessed be He says to Israel: I have brought you to a good, broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to eat of its fruits and to be sated with its good, and to bless My name upon it. You were not with the good — be with the penalty: "The wrath of the L-rd will burn against you!"
Variantly: "and the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you": I might think (the intent is that) they will be exterminated; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and He will hold back the heavens, etc." Five types of punishments are destined to come upon you. And this is the intent of (Ibid. 32:23) "My arrows shall I end in them" — My arrows will end, but they will not end. And thus is it written (Eichah 4:11) "The L-rd has 'ended' His anger; He has spilled out His burning wrath."
"Burning wrath" is mentioned here, and it is mentioned elsewhere. Just as that mentioned elsewhere is the sword, so, that mentioned here. And just as that mentioned elsewhere is pestilence and wild beasts, so, that mentioned here. And just as that mentioned here is withholding of the rains and exile, so, that mentioned elsewhere. In sum, wherever "burning wrath" is mentioned, five punishments are understood: the sword, wild beasts, pestilence, withholding of the rains, and exile.
Variantly: "and the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you": against you, and not against the Babylonians. So that the Babylonians will say: They (the Babylonians) are steeped in good, while they (the Jews) are stepped in sorrow; the Babylonians are not burying their sons and daughters and they are burying their sons and daughters.
"and He will hold back the heavens": The clouds will be "loaded" with rain, and not shed even one drop. And whence is it derived that even dews and winds (will not obtain)? From (Vayikra 26:19) "and I will make your heavens as iron." — But perhaps irrigation ditches will produce fruits. It is, therefore, written, (to indicate otherwise), (Ibid.) "and your earth as brass."
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and the ground will not yield its yevul": not even what you bring (movil) to it. — But perhaps a tree will yield fruit. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 26:20) "and the tree of the land will not yield its fruit." — But perhaps he can go abroad and be steeped in good; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 28:23) "And your skies over your head shall be as brass, and your earth under you as iron."
Variantly: "and the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you, and He will hold back the heavens and there will not be rain … then you will go lost quickly (into exile)." After all the afflictions that I bring upon you, I will exile you. Sore is exile over and against all, as it is written (Ibid. 29:27) "And the L-rd drove them off from their land in wrath and fury and great rage, and He cast them into a different land as this day." And (Jeremiah 15:2) "And it shall be, if they say to you: Where shall we go? Then you shall say: Thus said the L-rd: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such are for famine, to famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity." And (Amos 7:17) "Therefore, thus says the L-rd: Your wife will be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, and your lands will be divided by line, and you will die in an unclean land, and Israel will go into captivity from off his land." And (Jeremiah 22:10) "Do not weep for the dead one, and do not bemoan him. But weep for the one that goes (into exile), for he will return no more to see the land of his birth." "Do not weep for the dead one": This is Yehoyakim, king of Judah. What is written of him? (Ibid. 22:19) "The burial of an ass will he be buried, dragged and cast beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
"But weep for the one that goes (into exile)": This is Yehoyachin king of Judah. What is written of him? (Ibid. 52:53) "He changed (from) his prison clothing, etc." — whence we learn that the corpse of Yehoyakim king of Judah which was cast to the heat of day and the cold of night was to be preferred to the life of (the exile), Yehoyachin king of Judah, whose seat was above that of all the kings, and who ate and drank in the chamber of kings!
Variantly: "and you will go lost quickly": I will exile you immediately and give you no grace period. And if you ask: But the men of the generation of the flood had a grace period of a hundred and twenty years (viz. Bereshith 6:3), the generation of the men of the flood had no one from whom to learn — you have someone from whom to learn!
Variantly: "and you will go lost quickly": exile after exile. And thus do you find with the ten tribes — exile after exile. And thus do you find with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin — exile after exile. They were exiled in the seventh year of Nevuchadnezzar, in the eighteenth year, and in the twenty-third year (viz. Jeremiah 52:28). R. Yehoshua b. Karcha says: An analogy: Robbers enter one's field and cut down his standing grain — and he does not protest. They cut down his sheaves — and he does not protest — until they fill up their tubs and leave. And thus is it written (Isaiah 8:23) "For there is no fatigue in (the nation, Ashur) which afflicts it (Eretz Yisrael). (This exile, the middle one,) will be (relatively) light, as (that of) the land of Zevulun and the land of Naftali (For in the second exile, too, only the two and a half tribes in trans-Jordan were exiled), but (in) the last, he will sweep (everything away)."
R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Now if of those of whom "quickly" (i.e., "and you will go lost quickly") was written, were exiled only after the passage of much time (i.e., even though they were idolatrous for many years, they were not exiled until the days of Tzidkiyahu), how much more so (will this [long passage of time] obtain with) those (Gog, etc.), of whom "quickly" was not written, it being written (of them, Ezekiel 38:8) "After many years you will be remembered (for punishment)."
"and you will go lost quickly … (18) And you shall place these, My words, upon your heart": Even though I am exiling you from Eretz Yisrael, be observant of the mitzvoth, so that when you return they will not be new to you. An analogy: A king was angry with his wife and she returned to her father's house. The king: "Continue wearing your jewels, so that when you return, they will not be new to you." So, the Holy One Blessed be He to Israel (in exile): "My children, be observant of the mitzvoth, so that when you return, they will not be new to you." As Jeremiah said (to the Jews going into exile, Jeremiah 31:21) "Set up signposts (tziyunim) for yourselves": These are the mitzvoth, in which Israel are distinctive (metzuyanim). (Ibid.) "Make high heaps for yourself": reminiscent of the destruction of the Temple, viz. (Psalms 137:5) "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten." (Jeremiah, Ibid.) "Set your heart to the road, the way on which you came.": The Holy One Blessed be He says to them: "My children, give heart to the ways in which you walked, and repent (of them), and immediately you will return to your cities, viz. (Ibid.) "Repent, O virgin of Israel — Return to these, your cities!"
Variantly: "and you will go lost quickly (from the good land"): You will be exiled quickly, and not to a "good" land like it. R. Yehudah says: "good" — This is Torah. And thus is it written (Proverbs 4:2) "For I have given you a goodly acquisition — Do not forsake My Torah."
(דברים יא טו) וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ, שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא מִצְטַעֵר לַמִּדְבָּרוֹת. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא מִצְטַעֵר לַמִּדְבָּרוֹת, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ. הָא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ? שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא מִצְטַעֵר לַמִּדְבָּרוֹת.
(Devarim 11:15) "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts.": You will not need to take them into the wilderness (to graze). You say (it means) this, but perhaps it is to be taken literally, (that only your beasts and not you will be fed)! — (No,) for it is written (Ibid.) "and you will eat and be sated." How, then, am I to understand "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts"? That you will not need to take them into the wilderness.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶן בָּבָא אוֹמֵר: וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ – בֵּין הַתְּחוּמִים. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר: וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ – שֶׁתְּהֵא גּוֹזֵז וּמַשְׁלִיךְ לִפְנֵי בְּהֶמְתְּךָ כָּל יְמוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, וְאַתָּה מוֹנֵעַ יָדְךָ מִמֶּנָּה קוֹדֶם לַקָּצִיר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם – וְהִיא עוֹשָׂה וְאֵינָהּ פּוֹחֶתֶת מִדְּגָנָהּ.
R. Yehudah b. Bava says: "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts": Within the (Sabbath) bound (i.e., two thousand ells). R. Shimon b. Yochai says: "And I shall give grass in your field to your beasts": You will cut (the grass) and throw it before your beast all the days of the rainy season, and leave it to itself thirty days before the harvest season, and it will work without lacking for corn.
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ – זֶה פִּשְׁתָּן, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים קד יד): ״מַצְמִיחַ חָצִיר לַבְּהֵמָה וְעֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַת הָאָדָם לְהוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ״.
Variantly: "And I shall give grass in your field to your field": This is flax. And thus is it written (Psalms 104:14) He makes flax sprout for the beast, and grass for the labor of man."
וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ – סִימָן טוֹב לָאָדָם כְּשֶׁבְּהֶמְתּוֹ אוֹכֶלֶת וּשְׂבֵעָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי יב י): ״יוֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּוֹ״.
"and you will eat and be sated": It is a good sign for a man when his beast eats and is stated, viz. (Proverbs 12:10) "The righteous one knows the spirit of his beast."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ – כְּשֶׁבְּהֶמְתְּךָ אוֹכֶלֶת וּשְׂבֵעָה, עוֹבֶדֶת בְּכֹחַ הָאֲדָמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי יד ד): ״וְרָב תְּבוּאוֹת בְּכֹחַ שׁוֹר״.
When your beast eats and is sated, it works the ground with vigor, viz. (Ibid. 14:4) "There is much produce in the power of the ox."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ – מִן הַוְּלָדוֹת. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין רְאָיָה לַדָּבָר, זֵכֶר לַדָּבָר (ירמיה לא יא): ״וּבָאוּ וְרִנְּנוּ בִמְרוֹם צִיּוֹן וְנָהֲרוּ אֶל טוּב ה׳ עַל דָּגָן וְעַל תִּירוֹשׁ וְעַל יִצְהָר״.
Variantly: "and you will eat and be sated": from the offspring. And even though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Jeremiah 31:12) "And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and they shall stream together to the goodness of the L-rd, for corn, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd."
(דברים יא טו-טז) וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ, הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם, אָמַר לָהֶם: הִזָּהֲרוּ שֶׁמָּא תִּמְרְדוּ בַּמָּקוֹם! שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מוֹרֵד בַּמָּקוֹם אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שׂוֹבַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ח יב-יג): ״פֶּן תֹּאכַל וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבָתִּים טוֹבִים תִּבְנֶה וְיָשָׁבְתָּ, וּבְקָרְךָ וְצֹאנְךָ יִרְבְּיֻן וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב יִרְבֶּה לָּךְ״, מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? (דברים ח יד) ״וְרָם לְבָבֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״! כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (דברים לא כ): ״כִּי אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֶל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָיו זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ״, מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? ״וּפָנָה אֶל אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים״! כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (שמות לב ו): ״וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְשָׁתֹה״, מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? (שמות לב ח) ״עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה״!
(Devarim, Ibid. 15) "Take heed unto yourselves lest your hearts be enticed, etc.": He said to them: Take care that you do not rebel against the Holy One Blessed be He. For one rebels against Him only in the midst of satiety, as it is written (Ibid. 8:12-13) "Lest you eat and be sated, and you build and inhabit good houses, and your flocks increase for you, (and whatever you have increase.") What follows? (14) "and your heart be lifted and you forget the L-rd your G-d." Similarly, (Ibid. 31:20) "And I shall bring them to the land that I have sworn to their fathers, flowing milk and honey, and they shall eat and be sated and grow fat, and they shall turn to other gods, and serve them, and they shall spurn Me and break My covenant." Similarly, (in the incident of the golden calf), (Shemoth 32:6) "And the people sat down to eat and drink, and they arose to 'play.'"
וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּאַנְשֵׁי דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, שֶׁלֹּא מָרְדוּ בַמָּקוֹם אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שׂוֹבַע. מַה נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם? (איוב כא ט-יג) ״בָּתֵּיהֶם שָׁלוֹם מִפָּחַד וְכוּ׳ שׁוֹרוֹ עִבַּר וְגוֹ׳ יְשַׁלְּחוּ כַצֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶם וְגוֹ׳ יְבַלּוּ בַטּוֹב יְמֵיהֶם״. הִיא גָּרְמָה לָהֶם (איוב כא יד-טו): ״וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ, מַה שַּׁדַּי כִּי נַעַבְדֶנּוּ״ וְגוֹ׳. אָמְרוּ: טִפָּה אַחַת שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים הִיא, אֵין אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לוֹ! (בראשית ב ו) ״וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ״! אָמַר לָהֶם הַמָּקוֹם: בַּטּוֹבָה שֶׁהֵיטַבְתִּי לָכֶם, בָּהּ אַתֶּם מִתְגָּאִים לְפָנַי? – בָּהּ אֲנִי נִפְרָע מִכֶּם! (בראשית ז יב) ״וַיְהִי הַגֶּשֶׁם עַל הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה״! רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן דּוֹרְמַסְקִית אוֹמֵר: הֵם נָתְנוּ עֵינֵיהֶם עֶלְיוֹנָה וְתַחְתּוֹנָה כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת תַּאֲוָתָם, אַף הַמָּקוֹם פָּתַח עֲלֵיהֶם מַעְיָנוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים כְּדֵי לְאַבְּדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ז יא): ״בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִבְקְעוּ כָּל מַעְיְנוֹת תְּהוֹם רַבָּה וַאֲרֻבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם נִפְתָּחוּ״.
Similarly, the men of the generation of the flood rebelled only out of satiety, it being written of them (Job 21:10) "Their bull genders and does not fail; their cow calves, and does not abort … (12) They take the timbral and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. (13) They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave." This (i.e., satiety) is the cause. (14) "And they say unto G-d: 'Depart from us'": They said: All we need (from Him) is one drop of rain. We do not need Him (for that. We can manage the water problem ourselves.) (Bereshith 2:6) "And a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground." The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: "You vaunt yourselves over the good that I have bestowed upon you? With it I shall exact punishment of you!" — (Ibid. 7:12) "And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights." R. Yossi b. Dermaskith says: They made their eyes (eineihem) rove up and down to satisfy their lust — The Holy One Blessed be He, in kind, opened upon them the upper and lower fountains (maynoth [like "eineihem"]) in order to destroy them, as it is written (Ibid. 13) "On this day were broken up all the fountains of the great deep, and the windows of heaven were opened."
וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּאַנְשֵׁי מִגְדָּל, שֶׁלֹּא מָרְדוּ בַמָּקוֹם אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שׂוֹבַע. מַה נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם? (בראשית יא א-ב) ״וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אֶחָת וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים, וַיְהִי בְּנָסְעָם מִקֶּדֶם וַיִּמְצְאוּ בִקְעָה בְּאֶרֶץ שִׁנְעָר וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם״. וְאֵין יְשִׁיבָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָּאן אֶלָּא אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב ו): ״וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְשָׁתֹה וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק״. הִיא גָּרְמָה לָהֶם שֶׁאָמְרוּ (בראשית יא ד): ״הָבָה נִבְנֶה לָּנוּ עִיר״ וְגוֹ׳. מַה נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם? (בראשית יא ח) ״וַיָּפֶץ ה׳ אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם״!
And thus do you find with the men of the tower (of Bavel), that they rebelled against the Holy One Blessed be He only out of satiety, as it is written (Ibid. 11:1-2) "And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they sat there." The "sitting" here refers to eating and drinking, as in (Shemoth 32:6) "And the people sat down to eat and drink, and they arose to 'play.'" This is what caused them to say (Bereshith, Ibid. 4) "Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower with its top in heaven, and let us make a name for ourselves." What is said of them? (Ibid. 8) "And the L-rd scattered them from there over the face of all the earth."
וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם, שֶׁלֹּא מָרְדוּ בַמָּקוֹם אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שׂוֹבַע. מַה נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם? (איוב כח ה-ח) ״אֶרֶץ מִמֶּנָּה יֵצֵא לָחֶם, מְקוֹם סַפִּיר אֲבָנֶיהָ, נָתִיב לֹא יְדָעוֹ עָיִט, לֹא הִדְרִיכוּהוּ בְּנֵי שָׁחַץ״ וְגוֹ׳. אָמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם: הֲרֵי מָזוֹן אֶצְלֵינוּ, הֲרֵי כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב אֶצְלֵינוּ, נַעֲמֹד וּנְשַׁכַּח תּוֹרַת הָרֶגֶל מֵאַרְצֵנוּ! אָמַר לָהֶם הַמָּקוֹם: בַּטּוֹבָה שֶׁהֵיטַבְתִּי לָכֶם אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים לְשַׁכַּח תּוֹרַת הָרֶגֶל מִבֵּינֵיכֶם? אֲנִי מְשַׁכֵּחַ אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעוֹלָם! מַה נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם (איוב כח ד) ״פָּרַץ נַחַל מֵעִם גָּר״, (איוב יב ה-ו) ״לַפִּיד בּוּז וְגוֹ׳ יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהָלִים לְשׁוֹדְדִים וּבַטֻּחוֹת לְמַרְגִּיזֵי אֵל״ הִיא גָּרְמָה לָהֶם ״לַאֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא אֱלוֹהַּ בְּיָדוֹ״! וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל טז מח-נ): ״חַי אָנִי נְאֻם ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אִם עָשְׂתָה סְדֹם... הִנֵּה זֶה הָיָה עֲוֹן סְדֹם אֲחוֹתֵךְ״ וְגוֹ׳ כָּל כָּךְ ״וְיַד עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן לֹא הֶחֱזִיקָה וַתִּגְבְּהֶינָה״.
And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that they rebelled only out of satiety, it being written of them (Job 28:5) "a land from which bread came forth, and whose place was overturned as with fire." The men of Sodom said: "We have food; we have silver and gold. Let us arise and banish the law of hospitality from our midst" — to which the L-rd responded: "With the good that I have bestowed upon you, you want to banish the law of hospitality from your midst? I shall banish you from the world!" What is written of them? (Ibid. 4) "A stream (of fire and brimstone) burst forth from its source (upon Sodom), who (i.e., the people of Sodom) caused the (code of the) wayfarer to be forgotten." (Ibid. 12:5-6) "The torch of (the) shame (of Gehinnom awaits) him who is at ease in (his) thoughts, (saying: "I shall be at peace,") (and that he is) prepared (to join the ranks of) those whose foot slips. The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who anger G-d dwell secure, (and with all) that G-d has brought (to the evildoer, the 'hour' plays into) his hand." And this is the intent of (Ezekiel 16:48-50) "Behold, this was the sin of Sodom your sister. She and her daughter had pride, surfeit of bread and peaceful serenity; but she did not strengthen the land of the poor and the needy. And they grew presumptuous and committed abomination before Me, and I removed them (from the world) when I saw (their ways)."
כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (בראשית יג י): ״כִּי כֻלָּהּ מַשְׁקֶה״, מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? (בראשית יט לג) ״וַתַּשְׁקֶיןָ אֶת אֲבִיהֶם יַיִן״, וּמֵאַיִן הָיָה לָהֶן יַיִן בַּמְּעָרָה? אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן לָהֶן לְשָׁעָה. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יואל ד יח): ״וְהָיָה בַיּוֹם הַהוּא יִטְּפוּ הֶהָרִים עָסִיס״. אִם כָּךְ נָתַן לְמַכְעִיסָיו – קַל וָחֹמֶר לְעוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנוֹ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר (אסתר א ו): ״חוּר כַּרְפַּס וּתְכֵלֶת״, וְכִי מַה בָּא הַכָּתוּב לְלַמְּדֵנוּ עָשְׁרוֹ שֶׁל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ? אֶלָּא אִם כָּךְ נָתַן לְמַכְעִיסָיו קַל וָחֹמֶר לְעוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנוֹ!
Similarly, (Bereshith 13:10) "And Lot lifted his eyes and he saw the entire plain of the Jordan, that it was all watered (mashkeh)," and (Ibid. 19:33) "And they gave to drink (vatashkena [like "mashkeh"]) their father wine on that night (in order to cohabit with him)." Now where could they find wine in the cave? It was "in readiness" for them for that time, viz. (Yoel 4:18) "And it shall be on that day that the mountains shall drip wine." If the Holy One Blessed be He thus "accommodates" those who anger Him, how much more so those who do His will!
וּכְבָר הָיוּ רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָה נִכְנָסִים לְרוֹמִי, שָׁמְעוּ קוֹל הֶמְיָה שֶׁל מְדִינָה מִפִּיטְיוֹלִיס עַד מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים מִיל. הִתְחִילוּ הֵם בּוֹכִים וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָה מְצַחֵק. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עֲקִיבָה, מִפְּנֵי מָה אָנוּ בּוֹכִים וְאַתָּה מְצַחֵק? אָמַר לָהֶם: אַתֶּם לָמָּה בְּכִיתֶם? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: וְלֹא נִבְכֶּה? שֶׁהַגּוֹיִם עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, מְזַבְּחִים לָאֱלִילִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לָעֲצַבִּים – יוֹשְׁבִים בֶּטַח שַׁלְוָה וְשַׁאֲנָן, וּבֵית הֲדוֹם רַגְלָיו שֶׁל אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָיָה לִשְׂרֵפַת אֵשׁ וּמָדוֹר לְחַיּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה! אָמַר לָהֶם: אַף אֲנִי לְכָךְ צָחַקְתִּי; אִם כָּךְ נָתַן לְמַכְעִיסָיו קַל וָחֹמֶר לְעוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנוֹ!
R. Gamliel, R. Yehoshua, R. Elazar b. Azaryah and R. Akiva were once going to Rome, when they heard the sound of the (Roman) throng at a distance of one hundred and twenty mils — whereupon they began to cry, and, R. Akiva, to laugh. They: Why are you laughing? R. Akiva: Why are you crying? They: Shall we not cry when the idolators, who are sacrificing to the idols and bowing down to the images are dwelling in tranquility, while we — the footstool of our G-d (i.e., the Temple) has been consumed by fire and has become the habitation of wild beasts! R. Akiva: That is precisely why I am laughing. If He is so forthcoming to His angerers, how much more so to the doers of His will!
שׁוּב פַּעַם אַחַת הָיוּ עוֹלִים לִירוּשָׁלַיִם. הִגִּיעוּ לַצּוֹפִים – קָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם. הִגִּיעוּ לְהַר הַבַּיִת וְרָאוּ שׁוּעָל יוֹצֵא מִבֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים. הִתְחִילוּ הֵם בּוֹכִים וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָה מְצַחֵק. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עֲקִיבָה, לְעוֹלָם אַתָּה מַתְמִיהַּ, שֶׁאָנוּ בּוֹכִים וְאַתָּה מְצַחֵק! אָמַר לָהֶם: וְאַתֶּם לָמָּה בְּכִיתֶם? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: לֹא נִבְכֶּה עַל מָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (במדבר א נא) ״וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת״, הֲרֵי שׁוּעָל יוֹצֵא מִתּוֹכוֹ! עָלֵינוּ נִתְקַיֵּם (איכה ה יז-יח): ״עַל זֶה הָיָה דָוֶה לִבֵּנוּ עַל הַר צִיּוֹן שֶׁשָּׁמֵם שׁוּעָלִים הָלְכוּ בוֹ״! אָמַר לָהֶם: אַף אֲנִי לְכָךְ צָחַקְתִּי: הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה ח ב) ״וְאָעִידָה לִּי עֵדִים נֶאֱמָנִים אֵת אוּרִיָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶת זְכַרְיָהוּ בֶּן יְבֶרֶכְיָהוּ״, וְכִי מָה עִנְיַן אוּרִיָּה אֵצֶל זְכַרְיָה? מָה אָמַר אוּרִיָּה? (ירמיה כו יח) ״צִיּוֹן שָׂדֶה תֵחָרֵשׁ וִירוּשָׁלִַם עִיִּים תִּהְיֶה, וְהַר הַבַּיִת לְבָמוֹת יָעַר״, מָה אָמַר זְכַרְיָה? (זכריה ח ד) ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ צְבָאוֹת עוֹד יֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת וְגוֹ׳ וּרְחֹבוֹת הָעִיר״ וְגוֹ׳, אָמַר הַמָּקוֹם: הֲרֵי לִי שְׁנֵי עֵדִים הָאֵלּוּ; אִם קַיָּמִים דִּבְרֵי אוּרִיָּה – קַיָּמִים דִּבְרֵי זְכַרְיָה, וְאִם בָּטְלוּ דִּבְרֵי אוּרִיָּה – בְּטֵלִים דִּבְרֵי זְכַרְיָה! שָׂמַחְתִּי שֶׁנִּתְקַיְּמוּ דִּבְרֵי אוּרִיָּה, לְסוֹף שֶׁדִּבְרֵי זְכַרְיָה עֲתִידִים לָבוֹא! בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה אָמְרוּ לוֹ: עֲקִיבָה נִחַמְתָּנוּ!
Another time, going up to Jerusalem, they came to Mount Scopus and tore their garments (in mourning over the destruction). When they saw a fox emerging from the holy of holies, they began to cry — and R. Akiva, to laugh. They: Akiva, will you always wonder why we are crying while you are laughing! He: And why are you crying? They: Why should we not cry over the place whereof it is written (Bamidbar 1:51) "And the zar (a non-priest) who comes near shall be put to death," when now a fox is emerging from it! We are fulfilling (Eichah 5:16-18) "For this our heart fails; for these our eyes are darkened: For the mountain of Zion is desolate; foxes walk in it." He: That is precisely why I was laughing. For it is written (Isaiah 8:2) "And I took for Myself faithful witnesses, Uriah the Cohein and Zecharyahu ben Yeverechyah." Now why the juxtaposition of Uriah with Zechariah? What did Zechariah say (Zechariah 8:4) "There yet shall sit old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, each his staff in his hand from abundance of days." And what did Uriah say? (Michah 3:12) "Therefore, because of you Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be heaps, and the Temple Mount as forest mounds." The Holy One Blessed be He is hereby saying: Here are My two witnesses. If the words of Uriah will be fulfilled, the words of Zechariah will be fulfilled. And if the words of Uriah will not be fulfilled, the words of Zechariah will not be fulfilled. I was happy at the fulfillment of the words of Uriah. In the end, the words of Zechariah will be fulfilled. At these words they said to him: "Akiva, you have consoled us."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ, הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם, אָמַר לָהֶם: הִזָּהֲרוּ שֶׁמָּא יַטְעֶה אֶתְכֶם יֵצֶר הָרַע וְתִפְרְשׁוּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאָדָם פּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הַתּוֹרָה – הוֹלֵךְ וּמִדַּבֵּק בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב ח): ״סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִים – עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה״, וְאוֹמֵר (שמואל א כו יט): ״אִם ה׳ הֱסִיתְךָ בִי יָרַח מִנְחָה, וְאִם בְּנֵי אָדָם – אֲרוּרִים הֵם לִפְנֵי ה׳ כִּי גֵרְשׁוּנִי הַיּוֹם מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ בְּנַחֲלַת ה׳, לֵאמֹר לֵךְ עֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים״! וְכִי תַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁדָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁפּוֹסֵק מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה – הוֹלֵךְ וּמִדַּבֵּק בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.
Variantly: (Devarim 11:16) "Take heed unto yourselves lest your hearts be enticed": He said to them: Take care that the evil inclination not lead you astray to separate yourselves from the Torah. For once a man separates himself from the Torah, he cleaves to idolatry, as it is written (Shemoth 32:8) "They have turned aside quickly from the way which I have commanded them; they have made for themselves a golden calf." And it is written (I Samuel 26:19) "If the L-rd has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. And if the sons of man, let them be cursed before the L-rd. For they have driven me out this day from joining the inheritance of the L-rd, saying 'Go and serve other gods.'" Now would it enter your mind that David, king of Israel, would serve idolatry? (The thought is,) rather, that his ceasing to occupy himself with words of Torah is equivalent to his cleaving to idolatry.
וְסַרְתֶּם, מִדֶּרֶךְ חַיִּים לְדֶרֶךְ מָוֶת.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and you go astray": from the way of life to the way of death
וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, וְכִי אֱלֹהִים הֵם? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (ישעיה לז יט): ״וְנָתוֹן אֶת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם בָּאֵשׁ כִּי לֹא אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה״, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים? שֶׁמְּאַחֲרִים אֶת הַטּוֹבָה מִלָּבוֹא בָּעוֹלָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים – שֶׁעוֹשִׂים אֶת עוֹבְדֵיהֶם אֲחֵרִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים – שֶׁאֲחֵרִים קוֹרִים אוֹתָם אֱלוֹהוֹת.
"and you serve other gods": Now are they gods? Is it not written (Isaiah 37:19) "And they have cast their gods into the fire. For they are not gods, but the work of men's hands." Why, then, "other gods"? For others make them gods.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים – שֶׁאֲחֵרִים הֵם לְעוֹבְדֵיהֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה מו ז): ״אַף יִצְעַק אֵלָיו וְלֹא יַעֲנֶה מִצָּרָתוֹ לֹא יוֹשִׁיעֶנּוּ״.
Variantly: Why are they called "other gods"? For they are "others" (i.e., "strangers") to their worshippers. And thus is it written (Ibid. 46:7) "He will also cry out to him (his god) and he will not answer. From his trouble he shall not save him."
רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים? שֶׁלֹּא לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבָאֵי הָעוֹלָם לוֹמַר, אִלּוּ נִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמוֹ הָיָה בָּהֶם צוֹרֶךְ, וַהֲרֵי נִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמוֹ – וְלֹא הָיָה בָּהֶם צוֹרֶךְ! אֵימָתַי נִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמוֹ? בִּימֵי אֱנוֹשׁ בֶּן שֵׁת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ד כו): ״אָז הוּחַל לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם ה׳״
R. Yossi says: Why are they called "elohim" ("gods")? So as not to leave an opening for future generations to say: If they (their idols) were called by His name ("Elokim"), they would have been effective. And when were they called by His name? In the days of the generation of Enosh, of which it is written (Bereshith 4:26) "And to Sheth, too, there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then they began to call (artifacts) by the name of the L-rd."
בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה עָלָה אוֹקְיָינוֹס וְהֵצִיף שְׁלִישׁוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אַתֶּם עֲשִׂיתֶם מַעֲשֶׂה חָדָשׁ וּקְרָאתֶם לְעַצְמְכֶם, אַף אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה חָדָשׁ וְאֶקְרָא לְעַצְמִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ה ח) ״הַקּוֹרֵא לְמֵי הַיָּם וַיִּשְׁפְּכֵם״ וְגוֹ׳. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אוֹמֵר: אִלּוּ נִפְרַט שְׁמָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה לֹא סִפְּקוּ לָהֶם כָּל עֲיָירוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם ״אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים״? שֶׁמְּחַדְּשִׁים לָהֶם אֱלוֹהוּת בְּכָל יוֹם, שֶׁאִם הָיָה שֶׁל זָהָב וְצָרִיךְ לוֹ – עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל כֶּסֶף, שֶׁל כֶּסֶף – עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת, שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת – עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל, בַּרְזֶל – עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל בְּדִיל, בְּדִיל – עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל עוֹפֶרֶת, שֶׁל עוֹפֶרֶת וְצָרִיךְ לוֹ – עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל עֵץ.
At that time Oceanus rose and flooded a third of the world. The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: You have made something new and called it by My name; I, too, will do something new and call it by My name, as it is written (Amos 5:8) "He called to the waters of the sea, and He spilled them out upon the face of the earth — 'the L-rd' is His name." R. Yitzchak says: If the names of idolatry were to be spelled out, all the hides in the world would not suffice, (for which reason the general "other gods" is written). R. Eliezer says: Why are they called "other gods"? For they (their worshippers) fabricated for themselves many gods. For if it were made of gold and he (its maker) needed gold, he would (appropriate that and) make it of silver; if of silver and he needed that, he would make it of copper; if of copper and he needed that, he would make it of iron; if of iron and he needed that, he would make it of lead; if of lead and he needed that, he would make it of wood.
רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אוֹמֵר: צֵא וּרְאֵה לָשׁוֹן שֶׁתָּפְסָה תּוֹרָה – מוֹלֶךְ, כָּל שֶׁתַּמְלִיכֵהוּ עָלֶיךָ אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת.
R. Chanina b. Antignos says: Come and see the rationale of the language of Scripture. Why is it called "Molech" (viz. Vayikra 18:21)? To designate anything that they made to rule (yamlichuhu") over them — even a splinter, even a pebble.
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים? שֶׁהֵם אֲחֵרִים לָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבַּמַּעֲשִׂים, שֶׁמִּי שֶׁהוּא אַחֲרוֹן בַּמַּעֲשִׂים קְרָאָם אֱלָהוּת.
Variantly: Why are they called "other (acherim) gods"? Because they come after (acharei) the last (acharonim) of the creations (i.e., man), who made them and called them "gods."
וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם לָהֶם, לָהֶם אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים, לִי אִי אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות לב ח): ״וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל״ וְגוֹ׳. אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: אִלּוּ לֹא שִׁתְּפוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה – כָּלִים הָיוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: וַהֲלֹא כָּל הַמְשַׁתֵּף שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הֲרֵי הוּא חַיָּב כְּלָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כב יט): ״זֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם״ וְגוֹ׳! מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁעָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֲגָלִים הַרְבֵּה! וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברי הימים ב כט ז): ״גַּם סָגְרוּ דַּלְתוֹת הָאוּלָם וַיְכַבּוּ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת וּקְטֹרֶת לֹא הִקְטִירוּ וְעוֹלָה לֹא הֶעֱלוּ בַקֹּדֶשׁ לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ – מְקַטְּרִים הֵם לְדָבָר אַחֵר, ״וְעוֹלָה לֹא הֶעֱלוּ״ – מַעֲלִים הֵם לְדָבָר אַחֵר. ״בַּקֹּדֶשׁ״ לֹא הֶעֱלוּ, בַּחוֹל הֶעֱלוּ. ״לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ לֹא הֶעֱלוּ, מַעֲלִים הֵם לְדָבָר אַחֵר.
(Devarim 15:16) "and you bow down to them": You bow down to them, but not to Me! And thus is it written (in respect to the golden calf, Shemoth 32:8) "and they bowed down to it and they sacrificed to it." Others say: If Israel had not joined the name of the Holy One Blessed be He to that of idolatry (the golden calf), they would have been exterminated, viz. (Shemoth, Ibid.) "These are your gods, O Israel, who (plural) brought you up from the land of Egypt." R. Shimon says: But is not one who joins the name of Heaven with that of idolatry liable to extermination, it being written (Ibid. 22:19) "He who sacrifices to a god will be destroyed, other than to the L-rd alone!" What, then, is the intent of "who (plural) brought you up"? We are hereby taught that they made for themselves many calves. And thus (that they did not join the L-rd in their service) is it written (II Chronicles 29:7) "They have also shut up the doors of the ulam (the Temple hall), and they have put out the lamps, and they have not offered a burnt-offering in the holy place to the G-d of Israel." They did burn incense to something else. In the holy place they did not offer, but in chullin (a profane place) they did offer. To the G-d of Israel they did not offer, but they did offer to something else.
אִם עֲשִׂיתֶם כֵּן (דברים יא יז) וְחָרָה אַף ה׳ בָּכֶם. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁשִּׁגֵּר אֶת בְּנוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה, וְהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וּמְפַקְּדוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: בְּנִי, אַל תֹּאכַל יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכְּךָ, אַל תִּשְׁתֶּה יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכְּךָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּבוֹא נָקִי לְבֵיתְךָ. לֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ הַבֵּן הַהוּא, אָכַל יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכּוֹ וְשָׁתָה יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכּוֹ וְהֵקִיא וְטִנֵּף אֶת בְּנֵי מְסִבָּה. נְטָלוּהוּ בְּיָדָיו וּבְרַגְלָיו וּזְרָקוּהוּ לְאַחַר פַּלְטוֹרִין! כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: הִכְנַסְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אֶל אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה, לְאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ, לֶאֱכֹל מִפִּרְיָהּ וְלִשְׂבּוֹעַ מִטּוּבָהּ, וּלְבָרֵךְ שְׁמִי עָלֶיהָ. לֹא הֱיִיתֶם בְּטוֹבָה – הֱיוּ בְּפוּרְעָנוּת: וְחָרָה אַף ה׳ בָּכֶם.
If you do thus, (Devarim 11:17) "the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you." An analogy: A father sent his son to a feast, instructing him: Do not eat more than you need and do not drink more than you need, so that you return clean to your home. The son did not heed his father's words, but ate and drank more than he needed, and he vomitted and sullied his fellows, who took him by his hands and feet and flung him behind the mansion. Thus, the Holy One Blessed be He says to Israel: I have brought you to a good, broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to eat of its fruits and to be sated with its good, and to bless My name upon it. You were not with the good — be with the penalty: "The wrath of the L-rd will burn against you!"
וְחָרָה אַף ה׳ בָּכֶם, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁהֵם כָּלִים מִן הָעוֹלָם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם״ מִינֵי פֻּרְעָנִיּוֹת הֵם כָּלִים! וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים לב כג): ״חִצַּי אֲכַלֶּה בָּם״, חִצַּי כָּלִים וְהֵם אֵינָם כָּלִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (איכה ד יא): ״כִּלָּה ה׳ אֶת חֲמָתוֹ שָׁפַךְ חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ״.
Variantly: "and the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you": I might think (the intent is that) they will be exterminated; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and He will hold back the heavens, etc." Five types of punishments are destined to come upon you. And this is the intent of (Ibid. 32:23) "My arrows shall I end in them" — My arrows will end, but they will not end. And thus is it written (Eichah 4:11) "The L-rd has 'ended' His anger; He has spilled out His burning wrath."
נֶאֱמַר כָּאן חֳרִי אַף, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (שמות כב כג) חֳרִי אַף, מָה חֳרִי אַף הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן חֶרֶב – אַף חֳרִי אַף הָאָמוּר כָּאן חֶרֶב, מָה (ויקרא כו טז) חֳרִי אַף הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן דֶּבֶר וְחַיָּה רָעָה – אַף חֳרִי אַף הָאָמוּר כָּאן דֶּבֶר וְחַיָּה רָעָה, מָה חֳרִי אַף הָאָמוּר כָּאן עֲצִירַת גְּשָׁמִים וְגָלוּת, אַף (שמות כב כג) חֳרִי אַף הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן עֲצִירַת גְּשָׁמִים וְגָלוּת. נִמְצִינוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר חֲרוֹן אַף – חֲמִשָּׁה מִינֵי פֻּרְעָנִיּוֹת הֵם: חֶרֶב וְדֶבֶר וְחַיָּה רָעָה וַעֲצִירַת גְּשָׁמִים וְגָלוּת.
"Burning wrath" is mentioned here, and it is mentioned elsewhere. Just as that mentioned elsewhere is the sword, so, that mentioned here. And just as that mentioned elsewhere is pestilence and wild beasts, so, that mentioned here. And just as that mentioned here is withholding of the rains and exile, so, that mentioned elsewhere. In sum, wherever "burning wrath" is mentioned, five punishments are understood: the sword, wild beasts, pestilence, withholding of the rains, and exile.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְחָרָה אַף ה׳ בָּכֶם – וְלֹא בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שְׁרוּיִים בְּטוֹבָה וְהֵם שְׁרוּיִים בְּפֻרְעָנוּת. אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אֵין קוֹבְרִים בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, וְהֵם קוֹבְרִים בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם.
Variantly: "and the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you": against you, and not against the Babylonians. So that the Babylonians will say: They (the Babylonians) are steeped in good, while they (the Jews) are stepped in sorrow; the Babylonians are not burying their sons and daughters and they are burying their sons and daughters.
וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁיְּהוּ עֲנָנִים טְעוּנִים וְעוֹמְדִים, וְאֵין מוֹרִידִים אֲפִלּוּ טִפַּת גְּשָׁמִים. מִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ טְלָלִים וְרוּחוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא כו יט): ״וְנָתַתִּי אֶת שְׁמֵיכֶם כַּבַּרְזֶל״. אוֹ בֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִים יְהֵא עוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְאֶת אַרְצְכֶם כַּנְּחֻשָׁה״.
"and He will hold back the heavens": The clouds will be "loaded" with rain, and not shed even one drop. And whence is it derived that even dews and winds (will not obtain)? From (Vayikra 26:19) "and I will make your heavens as iron." — But perhaps irrigation ditches will produce fruits. It is, therefore, written, (to indicate otherwise), (Ibid.) "and your earth as brass."
וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת יְבוּלָהּ, אַף לֹא נִפְלָהּ. וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת יְבוּלָהּ – אַף מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה מֵבִיא לָהּ. אוֹ יְהֵא אִילָן עוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא כו כ): ״וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה לֹא יִתֵּן פִּרְיוֹ״. אוֹ יְהוּ עוֹשִׂים עֵצִים לְהַסִּיק בָּהֶם תַּנּוּר וְכִירַיִם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה לֹא יִתֵּן פִּרְיוֹ״. אוֹ יֵלֵךְ לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ וִיהֵא שָׁרוּי בְּטוֹבָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים כח כג): ״וְהָיוּ שָׁמֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשְׁךָ נְחֹשֶׁת וְהָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתֶּיךָ בַּרְזֶל״, בְּכָל מָקוֹם.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and the ground will not yield its yevul": not even what you bring (movil) to it. — But perhaps a tree will yield fruit. It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 26:20) "and the tree of the land will not yield its fruit." — But perhaps he can go abroad and be steeped in good; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 28:23) "And your skies over your head shall be as brass, and your earth under you as iron."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְחָרָה אַף ה׳, אַחַר כָּל הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁאֲנִי מֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם אֲנִי מַגְלֶה אֶתְכֶם. קָשָׁה גָּלוּת, שֶׁשְּׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד הַכֹּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כט כז): ״וַיִּתְּשֵׁם ה׳ מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם בְּאַף וּבְחֵמָה וּבְקֶצֶף גָּדוֹל וַיַּשְׁלִיכֵם אֶל אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה״, וְאוֹמֵר (ירמיה טו ב): ״וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ אָנָה נֵצֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר ה׳: אֲשֶׁר לַמָּוֶת לַמָּוֶת, וַאֲשֶׁר לַחֶרֶב לַחֶרֶב, וַאֲשֶׁר לָרָעָב לָרָעָב, וַאֲשֶׁר לַשְּׁבִי לַשֶּׁבִי״. וְאוֹמֵר (עמוס ז יז): ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳: אִשְׁתְּךָ בָּעִיר תִּזְנֶה, וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנוֹתֶיךָ בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ, וְאַדְמָתְךָ בַּחֶבֶל תְּחֻלָּק וְאַתָּה עַל אֲדָמָה טְמֵאָה תָּמוּת, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלֹה יִגְלֶה מֵעַל אַדְמָתוֹ״. וְאוֹמֵר (ירמיה כב י): ״אַל תִּבְכּוּ לְמֵת וְאַל תָּנֻדוּ לוֹ; בְּכוּ בָכוֹ לַהֹלֵךְ כִּי לֹא יָשׁוּב עוֹד וְרָאָה אֶת אֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתּוֹ״. ״אַל תִּבְכּוּ לְמֵת״ – זֶה יְהוֹיָקִים מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה; מַה נֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ? (ירמיה כב יט): ״קְבוּרַת חֲמוֹר יִקָּבֵר״ וְגוֹ׳.
Variantly: "and the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you, and He will hold back the heavens and there will not be rain … then you will go lost quickly (into exile)." After all the afflictions that I bring upon you, I will exile you. Sore is exile over and against all, as it is written (Ibid. 29:27) "And the L-rd drove them off from their land in wrath and fury and great rage, and He cast them into a different land as this day." And (Jeremiah 15:2) "And it shall be, if they say to you: Where shall we go? Then you shall say: Thus said the L-rd: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such are for famine, to famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity." And (Amos 7:17) "Therefore, thus says the L-rd: Your wife will be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, and your lands will be divided by line, and you will die in an unclean land, and Israel will go into captivity from off his land." And (Jeremiah 22:10) "Do not weep for the dead one, and do not bemoan him. But weep for the one that goes (into exile), for he will return no more to see the land of his birth." "Do not weep for the dead one": This is Yehoyakim, king of Judah. What is written of him? (Ibid. 22:19) "The burial of an ass will he be buried, dragged and cast beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
(ירמיה כב י) ״בְּכוּ בָכוֹ לַהוֹלֵךְ״ – זֶה יְהוֹיָכִין מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה; מַה נֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ? (ירמיה נב לג-לד) ״וְשִׁנָּה אֶת בִּגְדֵי כִלְאוֹ, וַאֲרֻחָתוֹ״ וְגוֹ׳. נִמְצֵינוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁנִּבְלַת יְהוֹיָקִים מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, שֶׁהָיְתָה מֻשְׁלֶכֶת לַחֹרֶב בַּיּוֹם וְלַקֶּרַח בַּלַּיְלָה חֲבִיבָה מֵחַיָּיו שֶׁל יְהוֹיָכִין מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, שֶׁהָיָה כִּסְאוֹ מֵעַל כִּסֵּא הַמְּלָכִים וְאוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה בִּטְרַקְלִינֵי מְלָכִים.
"But weep for the one that goes (into exile)": This is Yehoyachin king of Judah. What is written of him? (Ibid. 52:53) "He changed (from) his prison clothing, etc." — whence we learn that the corpse of Yehoyakim king of Judah which was cast to the heat of day and the cold of night was to be preferred to the life of (the exile), Yehoyachin king of Judah, whose seat was above that of all the kings, and who ate and drank in the chamber of kings!
וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה – מִיָּד אֲנִי מַגְלֶה אֶתְכֶם וְאֵינִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם אַרְכָּה. אִם תֹּאמְרוּ: אַנְשֵׁי מַבּוּל נָתַן לָהֶם אַרְכָּה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה! אַנְשֵׁי מַבּוּל לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם מִמִּי שֶׁיִּלְמְדוּ, אַתֶּם יֵשׁ לָכֶם מִמִּי שֶׁתִּלְמְדוּ!
Variantly: "and you will go lost quickly": I will exile you immediately and give you no grace period. And if you ask: But the men of the generation of the flood had a grace period of a hundred and twenty years (viz. Bereshith 6:3), the generation of the men of the flood had no one from whom to learn — you have someone from whom to learn!
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה – גּוֹלָה אַחַר גּוֹלָה; וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת שְׁבָטִים – גּוֹלָה אַחַר גּוֹלָה, וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּשֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן, גּוֹלָה אַחַר גּוֹלָה. גָּלוּ בִּשְׁנַת שֶׁבַע לִנְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר, וּבִשְׁנַת שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה, וּבִשְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלֹשׁ. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר: מָשָׁל לְלִסְטִיס שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְשָׂדֶה שֶׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, קָצַר קֻפָּתוֹ – וְלֹא הִקְפִּיד בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, קָצַר בְּשִׁבֳּלִים – וְלֹא הִקְפִּיד בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, עַד שֶׁגָּדַשׁ בְּקֻפָּתוֹ וְיָצָא. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה ח כג): ״כִּי לֹא מוּעָף לַאֲשֶׁר מוּצָק לָהּ כָּעֵת הָרִאשׁוֹן הֵקַל אַרְצָה זְבוּלוּן וְאַרְצָה נַפְתָּלִי וְהָאַחֲרוֹן הִכְבִּיד״.
Variantly: "and you will go lost quickly": exile after exile. And thus do you find with the ten tribes — exile after exile. And thus do you find with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin — exile after exile. They were exiled in the seventh year of Nevuchadnezzar, in the eighteenth year, and in the twenty-third year (viz. Jeremiah 52:28). R. Yehoshua b. Karcha says: An analogy: Robbers enter one's field and cut down his standing grain — and he does not protest. They cut down his sheaves — and he does not protest — until they fill up their tubs and leave. And thus is it written (Isaiah 8:23) "For there is no fatigue in (the nation, Ashur) which afflicts it (Eretz Yisrael). (This exile, the middle one,) will be (relatively) light, as (that of) the land of Zevulun and the land of Naftali (For in the second exile, too, only the two and a half tribes in trans-Jordan were exiled), but (in) the last, he will sweep (everything away)."
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר: אִם מִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם מְהֵרָה לֹא גָּלוּ אֶלָּא לְאַחַר זְמַן, קַל וָחוֹמֶר לְמִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בָּהֶם מְהֵרָה.
R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Now if of those of whom "quickly" (i.e., "and you will go lost quickly") was written, were exiled only after the passage of much time (i.e., even though they were idolatrous for many years, they were not exiled until the days of Tzidkiyahu), how much more so (will this [long passage of time] obtain with) those (Gog, etc.), of whom "quickly" was not written, it being written (of them, Ezekiel 38:8) "After many years you will be remembered (for punishment)."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה, וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה וְגוֹ׳, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי מַגְלֶה אֶתְכֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ – הֱיוּ מְצֻיָּנִים בַּמִּצְווֹת, שֶׁכְּשֶׁתַּחְזְרוּ לֹא יְהוּ עֲלֵיכֶם חֲדָשִׁים. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁכָּעַס עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ וּטְרָפָהּ בְּבֵית אָבִיהָ, אָמַר לָהּ: הֱוִי מְקֻשֶּׁטֶת בְּתַכְשִׁיטַיִךְ, שֶׁכְּשֶׁתַּחְזְרִי לֹא יְהוּ עָלַיִךְ חֲדָשִׁים. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: בָּנַי, הֱיוּ מְצֻיָּנִים בַּמִּצְווֹת, שֶׁכְּשֶׁתַּחְזְרוּ לֹא יְהוּ עֲלֵיכֶם חֲדָשִׁים. הוּא שֶׁיִּרְמְיָהוּ אוֹמֵר (ירמיה לא כ): ״הַצִּיבִי לָךְ צִיּוּנִים״ וְגוֹ׳ – אֵלּוּ הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְצֻיָּנִים בָּהֶם, ״שִׂימִי לָךְ תַּמְרוּרִים״ – זֶה חֻרְבַּן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים קלז ה-ו): ״אִם אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְגוֹ׳ תִּדְבַּק לְשׁוֹנִי״ וְגוֹ׳, (ירמיה לא כ) ״שִׁיתִי לִבֵּךְ לַמְסִלָּה דֶּרֶךְ הָלָכְתְּ״. אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: רְאוּ בְּאֵלּוּ דְרָכִים הֲלַכְתֶּם וַעֲשׂוּ תְשׁוּבָה, מִיָּד אַתֶּם חוֹזְרִים לְעָרֵיכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״שׁוּבִי בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוּבִי אֶל עָרַיִךְ אֵלֶּה.״
"and you will go lost quickly … (18) And you shall place these, My words, upon your heart": Even though I am exiling you from Eretz Yisrael, be observant of the mitzvoth, so that when you return they will not be new to you. An analogy: A king was angry with his wife and she returned to her father's house. The king: "Continue wearing your jewels, so that when you return, they will not be new to you." So, the Holy One Blessed be He to Israel (in exile): "My children, be observant of the mitzvoth, so that when you return, they will not be new to you." As Jeremiah said (to the Jews going into exile, Jeremiah 31:21) "Set up signposts (tziyunim) for yourselves": These are the mitzvoth, in which Israel are distinctive (metzuyanim). (Ibid.) "Make high heaps for yourself": reminiscent of the destruction of the Temple, viz. (Psalms 137:5) "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten." (Jeremiah, Ibid.) "Set your heart to the road, the way on which you came.": The Holy One Blessed be He says to them: "My children, give heart to the ways in which you walked, and repent (of them), and immediately you will return to your cities, viz. (Ibid.) "Repent, O virgin of Israel — Return to these, your cities!"
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ, מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אַתֶּם גּוֹלִים וְאֵין אַתֶּם נִכְנָסִים לְאֶרֶץ טוֹבָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָהּ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: ״טוֹבָה״ זוֹ תּוֹרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי ד ב): ״כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם״ – בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, ״תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ״ וְגוֹ׳ – בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ.
Variantly: "and you will go lost quickly (from the good land"): You will be exiled quickly, and not to a "good" land like it. R. Yehudah says: "good" — This is Torah. And thus is it written (Proverbs 4:2) "For I have given you a goodly acquisition — Do not forsake My Torah."