Vol 23.09 - Behaalotecha 2               Spanish French Audio  Video

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Chumash Beshallach   Chumash

Translation:

1. On the verse (Bamidbar 10:35):                    

“So it was, whenever the Ark set out, Moshe would say, Arise, O L-rd, may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You” –

Rashi explains,

May Your enemies be scattered: Those who are assembled (for battle)” (ויפוצו אויביך: המכונסין)

Those who hate You flee: "These are the pursuers" (וינסו משנאיך: אלו הרודפים)

In simplicity, one learns that Rashi is coming to forewarn the repetition in the verse:

“May Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You”

and to explain that here it is speaking of two categories:

• “May Your enemies be scattered” speaks of the enemies that “assemble (for battle)”, which is why it will be (the opposite of “assemble”) - “May Your enemies be scattered”.

• And “may those who hate You flee from You” means “the pursuers”. That instead of their pursuing Yidden, they will flee - as it states, “may those who hate You flee from You”.

However, there is a precise distinction in Rashi’s explanation:

• Regarding, “May Your enemies be scattered”, he states, “Those who are assembled” (המכונסין)
• Whereas regarding, “may those who hate You flee from You” he states, “these are the pursuers” (אלו הרודפים).

This precise wording in this is even stronger:

The source of Rashi’s comment is in the Sifri. There the wording is:

“These are those that assemble . . these are the pursuers” (אלו המכונסין . . אלו הרודפים)

Yet Rashi changes from the wording of the Sifri.

• By “enemies” he omits the word "These are” (אלו)
• Whereas by “those who hate You” he indeed states the word, "These are” (אלו)!

2. Further in Rashi, he again states the word, “those who hate You” (משנאיך) and explains:

“Those who hate Yisroel, for anyone who hates Yisroel hates the One Who spoke and the world came into being, as it says, “Those who hate you have raised their heads” (Ps. 83:3). Who are they? Those who “plot deviously against Your nation”

In simplicity, Rashi is forewarning that this verse speaks here regarding those who are coming to wage war with Yidden. Therefore, why does the verse call them “those who hate You” (referring to G-d). Therefore, Rashi explains that, “anyone who hates Yisroel hates the One Who spoke and the world came into being”.

It is however puzzling:

This very question arises previously by the words, “May Your enemies be scattered”. Why then does Rashi say his explanation, firstly on, “may those who hate You flee from You”?

There are commentators who answer that since in the verse, that Rashi cites as a proof, it states, “those who hate You”, therefore Rashi also brings it on, “may those who hate You (flee from You)” and not on “Your enemies” (“for it does not mention ‘enemies’ in that verse there”).

 However, this answer requires great examination:

For in that same verse, on the words “those who hate You have raised (their) heads”, it states,

“For behold, Your enemies stir.” (כי הנה אויביך יהמיון).

Thus, it expressly states that those who, “counsel cunningly against Your people” are called (“those who hate You”, and) also “Your enemies”? (״משנאיך״ און אויך ״אויביך״)

Moreover:

Similar to this aspect that Rashi states here – namely that:

“Those who hate Yisroel” are called “those who hate You” (G-d),

Rashi has already explained this previously on the verse,

“You tear down those who rise up against You” (in the Song of the Sea in Parshat Beshalach)

where he states:

“And who are those who rise up against Him? These are the ones who rise up against Yisroel”

There he indeed cites the proof:

“and so does he (the Psalmist) say”

(not from the words of the verse, “those who hate You have raised (their) heads”, but)

from

“For behold, Your enemies stir.” And what is that stirring? “Against Your people they plot cunningly. For this reason, he calls them the enemies of the Omnipresent.” (אויביו של מקום).

Yet in our verse, Rashi comments (not on “your enemies”, but) first on “those who hate You”?

3. Other commentators explain that

• “Your enemies” (אויביך) (דיינע פיינט) could be translated that this means (not those that hate G-d, but on the contrary) those whom G-d hates.

• Whereas “those who hate You” (משנאיך)

(not “your haters” (שונאיך))

cannot be translated differently, other than ‘those that hate you’. Therefore, Rashi forewarns:

“These are the haters of Yisroel, since all those who hate Yisroel hate the One who spoke, and the world came into being”

 However, even this answer is not understood, because:

(In addition to the primary aspect, that since Rashi already previously explained (as aforementioned) that those that “Against Your people they counsel cunningly” are called "Your enemies (אויביך)", “enemies of G-d”

(For those that “rise up against Yisroel” are “rising up against Him”. just like “those who hate You” (משנאיך)),

Therefore, there is no place to say here differently and to force an explanation that, “Your enemies (אויביך)”, here, means those whom G-d hates)

From the general context of the flow of the verses (according to Rashi’s explanation) it proves that with “Your enemies (אויביך)”, just like with “Those who hate You (משנאיך)”, the verse means those that hate Yidden, and where their hatred and enmity manifests itself is their waging war against Yidden. As it expressly states in the verse:

“And the Ark of the L-rd's covenant traveled ahead of them”

As Rashi explains:

“This was the Ark that accompanied them in battle”

And in continuation to this the verse states,

“So it was, whenever the ark set out, Moshe would say,. . may Your enemies (who assemble against you) be scattered and may those who hate You (who pursue you) flee from You”

Therefore, there is from the very onset no place to say that the translation of “May Your enemies (be scattered)”, here, refers to those whom G-d hates.

One must therefore say, that the reason that Rashi does not comment at all on “Your enemies (אויביך)” is because he is relying on his previous comment of, “You tear down those who rise up against You”, where he clearly translates that those that “counsel cunningly against Your people . . are called “enemies of the Omnipresent” (אויביו של מקום).

 However, if this is so, then it is questionable on the other side:

Why when it comes to the word in our verse, “those who hate You”, does Rashi not rely on his previous comment, but rather repeats it again?

4. There are also many precise wordings in Rashi’s words. Especially the changes between Rashi here and his aforementioned wording on, “You tear down those who rise up against You”.

Some of them are:

1. Why does Rashi emphasize here, “(for anyone who hates Yisroel) hates the One Who spoke and the world came into being”, and he does not write concisely, “hates G-d” or “hates the Omnipresent”?
2. In his comment on, “You tear down those who rise up against You”, Rashi elaborates, “And who are those who rise up against Him?”

Yet here he immediately says,

“Those who hate You (משנאיך) – These are those who hate Yisroel"

3. When Rashi cites there the proof of the verse,

“For behold, Your enemies stir”, he uses the words “and so does he (the Psalmist) say”

Yet here he states, “as it states” (שנאמר).

4. In translating the proof – Rashi states here, “those who hate You have raised (their) heads and who are they? – those who ‘counsel cunningly against Your people’).

(Namely, that the question is who are those who hate You) .

However, this is contrary to what Rashi states there:

1. “For behold, Your enemies stir.” And what is that stirring? “Against Your people they plot cunningly”.

(In other words, the question is – how is this deed (the stirring of “Your enemies”, implemented.)

2. Afterward, Rashi concludes, “For this reason,

(Due to the stirring of those who ‘counsel cunningly against Your people’).

he calls them the enemies of the Omnipresent”.

5. The explanation of all this will be understood by prefacing that which, in Rashi’s comment on our Parsha, there is a major change regarding the wording in the Sifri (Rashi’s source).

• The Sifri states:

“All those who hate Yisroel is as if (כאילו) they hate the One who spoke, and the world came into being“.

• Whereas Rashi states:

“All those who hate Yisroel hate (שונא) the One who spoke, and the world came into being” (Omitting the word “as if (כאילו)”).

In other words, Rashi learns that the reason that the verse states, “those who hate You” is not just that it is similar to the severity (הארבקייט) of the sin and punishment.

(i.e. that hating Yidden is similar to hating G-d).

Rather, “those who hate You”, here, is literal – they hate G-d, since it is the same thing.

Alternatively, one could say that the reason that they “hate Yisroel” is because he “hates the One who spoke, and the world came into being”.

Similarly, this is the explanation of “You tear down those who rise up against You”.

Rashi precisely notes, “And who are those who rise up against Him? These are the ones who rise up against Yisroel”

(Not like the wording of the Mechilta, “All those who rise up against Yisroel is as if (כאילו) they rise up against G-d”). 

For according to Rashi this is the same thing:

The nations of the world know that Yidden are “My special treasure among all the peoples”, and “Yisroel is My son, My firstborn”. Therefore, this is the same thing (איין זאך) to them. By “rising up against Him” they are automatically, “rising up against Yisroel” who are G-d’s treasured people.

However, in this itself,

(in the manner and power of the hatred)

there is a difference between

• “Your enemies (אויביך)” (who rise up against You) and
• “Those who hate You (משנאיך)”.

For this reason, Rashi,

when commenting on the words, “May those who hate You (flee)” (וינסו משנאיך),

cannot rely on his comment on the verse, “You tear down those who rise up against You”:

Since we find that the nations of the world “rise up against You” (קמיך) and are “Your enemies (אויביך)”, because they “rise up against Yisroel”,

(and “Against Your people they counsel cunningly”)

it is still not a proof that one can say that the same applies to “those who hate You (משנאיך)”.

(Namely, that their hatred for Yidden is a reflection of their hatred of G-d)

For “hater” (שונא) manifests itself in stronger and deeper hatred than “enemy (אויב)” (or “one who rises up against You” (קמיך)) which is seemingly not applicable to the Supernal, as will be explained.

6. The difference between “enemy (אויב)” and “hater” (שונא) – when one is precisely differentiates between them, is:

• “Enemy (אויב)” – means one whose hatred (is mainly) in an outward and visible manner. A hatred which is connected with actual deed (he reacts with another with hatred).

• Contrary to this, “hater” (שונא) is (mainly) hatred as a characteristic of the heart, which is a deeper hatred. The hatred towards the other is ingrained (איינגעקארבט) into his heart. Therefore, not only does he treat him badly when he has the opportunity to do so. But rather, he is consumed with this and constantly looks for ways how to do evil with the other.

(Similar to what is stated in the verse, “and he had not been his enemy yesterday (or) the day before;”. One who holds a hatred from “yesterday (or) the day before” and constantly looks to do the other evil is called, “his enemy” (שונא לו).

This is also the reason why in the rebuke of Parshat Bechukotai, the Torah uses two expressions,

• “You will be defeated before your enemies (אויביכם);
• “Your foes (שונאיכם) will rule over you”.

Which is (as Rashi cites there)

• “You will be defeated before your enemies”, means, “your enemies will surround you from without” (מקיפין אתכם מבחוץ).
• Whereas “your foes (שונאיכם) will rule over you” means those who “seek your hidden treasures”

An “enemy (אויב)” which is not a “hater” (שונא), just has a visible “hatred”. Therefore, it is possible that his hatred is disguised (פארהיטן), so that the other does not suspect him (שעדיגן). Therefore, he is satisfied by “surrounding you from without”.

Whereas a “hater” (שונא) whose hatred is steeped (כבושה) into his heart, intends to pursue and crush (פארטיליקן) the other. Therefore, these haters (do not just “surround you from without”, but rather) “seek your hidden treasures”.

7. According to this, one can also understand the difference in Rashi’s wording in our verse:

May Your enemies be scattered: Those who are assembled (for battle)” (ויפוצו אויביך: המכונסין)

Those who hate You flee: "These are the pursuers" (וינסו משנאיך: אלו הרודפים)

The reason that, “May Your enemies be scattered” means “assembled” is (because it is) not connected with the appellation, “Your enemies (אויביך)”.

For there are many ways that enemies can wage their war:

Sometimes it is better that they “assemble (for battle)”. Whereas sometimes, it is appropriate according to the tactics of war, to divide themselves into separate camps.

Therefore, Rashi cannot say,

“May Your enemies be scattered- These are those (אלו) who are assembled (for battle)”

(Namely, that “Your enemies (אויביך)” depicts those who are (always) “assembled (for battle)”).

Rather “May Your enemies be scattered” (refers to those who are) - assembled (for battle)”. For since the verse states, “be scattered”, one knows that here it is speaking of the type of enemies that are “assembled”.

Whereas by “may those who hate You flee from You”, Rashi indeed states,

“These are the pursuers”.

For “pursuers” are (not just the opposite of those who “flee”, but this is) the primary translation (אינהאלט טייטש) of “those who hate You” (“Those who hate You (משנאיך)”. Those that have a hatred in their hearts and therefore pursue Yidden. They consistently strive to do evil to Yidden.

8. In conjunction with the explanation,

“(May those who hate You flee) - These are the pursuers“(וינסו משנאיך: אלו הרודפים))

that “those who hate You” are those that have a hatred steeped in their hearts against Yidden (and therefore pursue them)-

Rashi has a question:

How can one say “those who hate You” – towards G-d. Namely, that a mortal person should have an ingrained hatred toward G-d, and moreover – in a manner of “ pursuers”?

One can understand, “Your enemies (אויביך)”, which is just a visible hatred which is connected with actual deed (and certainly “who rise up against You” which means the actual deed) against G-d.

For it is understood that just as he wants to do a thing that is contrary to G-d’s will, and he cannot (or will not) stop himself (איינהאלטן), he rebels against G-d and does the opposite of His Will.

(So much so, that it can result in enmity (איבה), that he does this with intent to provoke (להכעיס) against G-d’s will)

However, how could one think (געמאלט) that they should be, “those who hate You”, those that have, a hatred in their hearts toward G-d, that manifests itself in a constant motion of pursuit etc.?

Therefore, Rashi utilizes in his comment the expression,

“The One Who spoke and the world came into being”,

to emphasize how much it is not befitting for one to have such a hatred toward G-d. For He is “the One Who spoke and the world came into being”.

Therefore,

1. How can one have a hatred steeped in his heart, against that which (even he believes that He) created him and gives him life?
2. Moreover, since it speaks here regarding “the One Who spoke and the world came into being”, how is it, at all, possible for a mortal to “pursue” G-d?

On this Rashi answers:

“Those who hate You. These are the haters of Yisroel”.

“Those who hate You” (in every place) means “those who hate Yisroel”.

In other words, to have a hatred steeped in one’s heart against, “the One Who spoke and the world came into being” is indeed not applicable.

However, those that “hate Yisroel” - those that have an ingrained hatred against Yidden,

(as Rashi has already cited in his comment, “It is a rule that it is common knowledge that Esav hates Yaakov”),

 automatically, hate “the One Who spoke and the world came into being”.

On this comment,

(that “Those who hate You. These are the haters of Yisroel”)

Rashi must cite a proof (from Scripture):

“As it is said, "those who hate You have raised (their) heads"- who are they?- "Against Your people they counsel cunningly.”

Therefore, one sees that, who are "Those who hate You (משנאיך)” (and who are they?) – those that “counsel cunningly against Your people”.

9. According to this, the reason for the change in wording between Rashi’s comment, here, versus Rashi’s comment on “You tear down those who rise up against You”, is understood:

Regarding the verse “You tear down those who rise up against You”, Rashi does not wish to say that “those who rise up against You” is, in general, is connected with “those who rise up against Yisroel”.

For as aforementioned, there can be an entity of “those who rise up against You” -

(and even “Your enemies (אויביך)” )

against G-d, even though it is not through their “rising up against Yisroel”. Therefore, Rashi cannot plainly say (like in our Parsha):

“rise up against You” – these are those (אלו) that rise up against Yisroel”

Rather, Rashi wishes to clarify the word “rise up against You” in that verse,

(Of the Song of the Sea, where Yidden gave praise and thanks to G-d for that which “Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea etc.”)

Who are those that this verse, here, identifies as,

“Those who rise up against You”

These are the ones who “rise up against Yisroel”.

For this reason, Rashi elaborates in his wording.

“Those who rise up against You. (and he translates) And who are those who rise up against Him? (who is this verse referring to) “These are the ones who rise up against Yisroel”.

Where does one find that (also) due to “those who rise up against Yisroel”, that one is in the category of “those who rise up against Him”? Therefore, Rashi cites an example (“and so does it say”) from another verse:

“For behold, Your enemies stir.” And what is that stirring? “Against Your people they plot cunningly. For this reason, he calls them the enemies of the Omnipresent”.

One sees, that through this very stirring (“המי׳”) and deed of “Against Your people they plot cunningly”, because of this, “For this reason, he calls them the enemies of the Omnipresent”.

Whereas in our Parsha, Rashi wishes to prove that,

“Those who hate You. These are the haters of Yisroel”.

Therefore, he cites a proof (“as it is said”) from

"Those who hate You have raised (their) heads"--- who are they? - "Against Your people they counsel cunningly.”), as aforementioned.

10. From the homiletic style of Torah in Rashi's commentary here (Yayina shel Torah):

Similar to the verse,

“Arise, O L-rd, may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You”,

there is also the verse in Tehillim,

“May G-d rise; His enemies scatter, and those who hate Him flee from before Him”.

However, there is a difference:

• In the Chumash it states G-d’s name, Havaye: “Arise, O L-rd” (קומה הוי׳)
• Whereas in Tehillim it states G-d’s name, Elokim: “May G-d rise” (יקום אלקים)

It therefore comes out that in relation to his aspect, G-d is mentioned with three descriptions:

• In the Chumash it states, Havaye (קומה הוי׳)
• In the Writings (Ketuvim) the wording is Elokim (יקום אלקים)
• And in the Oral Torah (the Sifri and) Rashi – “the One Who spoke and the world came into being”

One could say that the explanation of this is:

The (inner) reason why the verse here says, “May Your enemies be scattered” and “those who hate You” (those who hate G-d) is because here it is speaking regarding a condition where the Avodah of Yidden is lacking.

(As Rashi alludes to in his comment on, “So it was, whenever the Ark set out,”) that “it is written here to make a break between one punishment and the next”. The verse, “Arise, O L-rd” comes to separate (and nullify) the punishment, that come to them due to a deficiency in the Avodah of Bnei Yisroel).

Therefore, the salvation comes (not so much due to the virtue of the Avodah of Yidden, but rather) due to that which an enemy and hater of Yidden is, “Your enemy (אויביך)” and “those who hate You”.

In other words:

If the nations of the world see that they can interfere (טשעפען), G-d forbid, with Yidden –

For Yidden are the “treasured people” –

and G-d does not help, G-d forbid. This is a desecration of G-d’s name (Chillul HaShem).

The nations of the world do not care and do not think about whether Yidden are whole in Torah and Mitzvot or not, G-d forbid. They only know that Yidden are G-d’s children.

Therefore, it is, “Not for us, O L-rd, not for us, but for Your name give honor etc.”

G-d’s great Name, must not be “profaned among the nations”.

This is the prayer, “Arise, O L-rd, may Your enemies be scattered etc.”

In order that “Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You”, it must be visible that the connection and attachment of Yidden with G-d cannot be weakened (אפשוואכן). Due to this (in whatever a condition a Yid finds himself) it is “I cannot exchange them with another nation”.

For then, it is manifestly visible that those who hates Yisroel are “those who hate You” (for the Jewish people and G-d, are entirely one). Therefore, it is “may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You”.

This is accomplished through “Arise, O L-rd”. There is a “rising” (קימה) and elevation in G-d’s name – Havaye - to a level which is higher than the Creation of the world, higher than Seder Hishtalshelut. For there it is specifically, “I love Yaakov”.

11. However, in order that there be an actual salvation. That it should be “may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You”, as they are here below. The “Arise, O L-rd” must be drawn down below, so much so that it comes into the (hiddenness of the) world, the world (וועלט).

This is the reason for the order of the three aforementioned appellations of G-d:

• In the Chumash – the main aspect of the Written Torah – the source and allusion (שרש ורמז) of each thing illuminates. Therefore it states, “Arise, O L-rd” (קומה הוי׳) (For specifically from there comes, “May Your enemies be scattered”).

• In the Ketuvim – where the aspects of Torah are further drawn down below

(However, after all, it is still part of the Written Torah) –

it states “May G-d rise” (יקום אלקים). The “Arise, O L-rd” (קומה הוי׳) is drawn down into G-d’s name Elokim.

(It therefore becomes, “May G-d rise” (יקום אלקים).

For although Elokim is a holy Name, however, it is stated in the plural and it is a root and source of the hiddenness of the world (העלם העולם).

• And in the Oral Torah – which is how Torah is drawn down into the intellect of the recipient (מקבל). The expression is, “the One Who spoke and the world came into being” is used. For here, it already speaks of how one is found in the world/Olam (from the wording helem/hiddenness.

(It is only that one knows that there is “the One Who spoke and the world came into being”. However, it is “the One Who spoke” (מי) - an expression of hiddenness and concealment. “The One Who – and the world came into being”

Through that which, in the hiddenness of the world, there is drawn the “Arise, O L-rd” (קומה הוי׳), this accomplishes that “Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You”, in actuality,

And since one must forewarn, “Your enemies (אויביך)” and “those who hate You”, which affects (רירט אן) “Your great name”, G-d does not make any calculations (חשבונות),

(Not even a calculation that Yidden must, beforehand, do Teshuvah)

 and immediately brings down the true and complete Geulah through our righteous Moshiach, speedily and in our days, mamosh.

MSichas Shabbat Parshat Behaalotecha 5729