וישלח ה' בעם את הנחשים השרפים (שם שם ו). מה ראה הקב"ה לפרוע מהם בנחשים, אלא נחש פתח בלשון הרע תחלה ונתקלל, ולא למדו ממנו, אמר הקב"ה יבא הנחש שהתחיל בלשון הרע, ויפרע ממספרי לשון הרע, הה"ד ופורץ גדר ישכנו נחש (קהלת י ח).
(Numb. 21:6:) THEN THE LORD SENT FIERY SERPENTS AMONG THE PEOPLE. Why did the Holy One see fit to exact retribution from them through serpents?175Numb. R. 19:22. It is simply that the snake started <the use of> slanderous language at the beginning and was cursed, but they did not learn from it. The Holy One said: Let the serpent, which was the first <to use> slanderous language, come and exact retribution from the those who <still> speak slanderous language. This is what is written (in Eccl. 10:8): THE ONE WHO BREAKS THROUGH A BARRIER176In general “to break through a barrier” means “to say,” but here the reference may denote more specifically the barrier of one’s teeth, through which slander must pass. WILL HAVE A SNAKE BITE HIM.
2
ד"א למה נפרע מהם בנחשים, הנחש אפילו אוכל כל מעדני עולם נהפכין לו לעפר בפיו ובמעיו, שנאמר ונחש עפר לחמו (ישעיה סה כה), ואלו אוכלים את המן, שנהפך למטעמים הרבה, שנאמר ויתן להם (את) שאלתם (תהלים קו טו), ואומר זה ארבעים שנה ה' אלהיך עמך לא חסרת דבר (דברים ב ז), יבא נחש שאוכל מינין הרבה, ובפיו טעם אחד, ויפרע (ממין אחד ואוכין) [מאוכלי מין אחד] וטועמין מינין הרבה.
Another interpretation of why retribution was exacted from them through serpents. Even though the serpent eats all the luxury foods of the world, for him they are turned to dust in his mouth and belly. Thus it is stated (in Is. 65:25): BUT THE SERPENT'S FOOD SHALL BE DUST. Now these people ate the manna, as stated (in Ps. 106:15): SO HE GAVE THEM WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. It also says (in Deut. 2:7): THESE FORTY YEARS THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS BEEN WITH YOU; YOU HAVE LACKED NOTHING.177I.e., no luxury foods. Let a serpent that eats many species and has <but> one taste in his mouth come and exact the retribution {from one species and those who eat it} [from those who eat one species] and taste many species.
3
השרפים (במדבר כא ו), שהן שורפים את הנפש.
(Numb. 21:6:) FIERY (serafim). <They are called seraphim> because they burn (sorefim) the soul.
וישלח ה' בעם את הנחשים השרפים (שם שם ו). מה ראה הקב"ה לפרוע מהם בנחשים, אלא נחש פתח בלשון הרע תחלה ונתקלל, ולא למדו ממנו, אמר הקב"ה יבא הנחש שהתחיל בלשון הרע, ויפרע ממספרי לשון הרע, הה"ד ופורץ גדר ישכנו נחש (קהלת י ח).
(Numb. 21:6:) THEN THE LORD SENT FIERY SERPENTS AMONG THE PEOPLE. Why did the Holy One see fit to exact retribution from them through serpents?175Numb. R. 19:22. It is simply that the snake started <the use of> slanderous language at the beginning and was cursed, but they did not learn from it. The Holy One said: Let the serpent, which was the first <to use> slanderous language, come and exact retribution from the those who <still> speak slanderous language. This is what is written (in Eccl. 10:8): THE ONE WHO BREAKS THROUGH A BARRIER176In general “to break through a barrier” means “to say,” but here the reference may denote more specifically the barrier of one’s teeth, through which slander must pass. WILL HAVE A SNAKE BITE HIM.
ד"א למה נפרע מהם בנחשים, הנחש אפילו אוכל כל מעדני עולם נהפכין לו לעפר בפיו ובמעיו, שנאמר ונחש עפר לחמו (ישעיה סה כה), ואלו אוכלים את המן, שנהפך למטעמים הרבה, שנאמר ויתן להם (את) שאלתם (תהלים קו טו), ואומר זה ארבעים שנה ה' אלהיך עמך לא חסרת דבר (דברים ב ז), יבא נחש שאוכל מינין הרבה, ובפיו טעם אחד, ויפרע (ממין אחד ואוכין) [מאוכלי מין אחד] וטועמין מינין הרבה.
Another interpretation of why retribution was exacted from them through serpents. Even though the serpent eats all the luxury foods of the world, for him they are turned to dust in his mouth and belly. Thus it is stated (in Is. 65:25): BUT THE SERPENT'S FOOD SHALL BE DUST. Now these people ate the manna, as stated (in Ps. 106:15): SO HE GAVE THEM WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. It also says (in Deut. 2:7): THESE FORTY YEARS THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS BEEN WITH YOU; YOU HAVE LACKED NOTHING.177I.e., no luxury foods. Let a serpent that eats many species and has <but> one taste in his mouth come and exact the retribution {from one species and those who eat it} [from those who eat one species] and taste many species.
השרפים (במדבר כא ו), שהן שורפים את הנפש.
(Numb. 21:6:) FIERY (serafim). <They are called seraphim> because they burn (sorefim) the soul.