Pisqa’ 13107H:37-38; JN1:44-46 1. “Select108Heb: havu, formed from the root: y-h-b, “to give” also stands behind “judicious” (hav; attend to). for yourselves . . .” (Dt.1:13). The term, select, implies consultation, for it is said: “Select for yourselves counsel—what shall we do?” (2 Sam.16:2). [And He says:] “Be judicious! Let us deal cleverly with Israel” (Ex.1:10).
“Select for yourselves men” (Dt.1:13). Should we have imagined that women might be chosen? What does the Teaching mean by men? Those who can analyze109Heb: pesippas, “mosaic tiling.” Through metaphoric extension, “a multi-talented person”.: See F:21, n.8and compose [arguments].110//ARNA,28; cf. Sifre Nu. 92. “Men”—those of experience and talent.
“Men of wisdom” (Dt.1:13) This is what [the proselyte]111Little is known about Arius. See H: 396, Pisqa’ 13, n. 2. Arius asked R. Yose. He said: Who is wise? [R. Yose] replied: One who retains his learning.112// M. Avot 4:1. [Arius responded:] Perhaps it actually means discerning? [R. Yose] said: The verse [at Dt.1:13] already specified discerning.2. What is the difference between wise and discerningt? A wise person is like a rich money changer. When they bring him coins to appraise, he examines them. When they don’t bring him coins, he takes out his own and examines them. A discerning person is like a poor money changer. When they bring him coins to appraise, he examines them. When they don’t bring him coins, he sits and stares.113The difference between money changers symbolizes the active seeker of wisdom and the passive appreciator of what others have learned. The wise student, like the wealthy money changer, reviews his accumulated wisdom if he encounters nothing new; the discerning student, by contrast, receives new wisdom gladly, but does not review what he has already learned.
3. “And known to your tribes” (Dt.1:13)— they should be familiar to you. Look—if he wraps himself in his shawl and comes to sit before me, I don’t know what tribe he’s from. But you recognize him, for you grew up among them. Therefore it is said: ”Known to your tribes” (Dt.1:13)— so they should be familiar to you. Rabban Shimon b.Gamliel says: Not a single council can convene without people finding fault with it, saying: how is So-and-so qualified to sit, and how is So-and-so disqualified!114Cf. Sifre Nu.93, SZ, beha`alotechah 16 Therefore it is said: “Known to your tribes” (Dt.1:13)— so they should be familiar to you.
4. “And I will appoint them as your heads” (Dt.1:13). Is it possible to say that if Moses appointed them, they are appointed, but if not, they are not appointed? The Teaching states: “And I will appoint them as your heads” (Dt.1:13). If I appointed them, they are appointed, but if not, they are not appointed! Is it possible to say that if you exalted them to office, they are exalted, but if not, they are not exalted? The Teaching states: “And I will appoint them as your heads” (Dt.1:13). If I exalted them to office, they are exalted, but if not, they are not exalted. Another word: If you guard your words, indeed, your heads [i.e., leaders] will be protected, but if not, your heads will not be protected.
5. Another word: Don’t vocalize the verse in the conventional way as: “I will appoint them as your heads.”115That is, do not vowelize the consonantal text as follows: ‘asimeim ber’osheichem Rather, vocalize the verse as: “Their guilt is upon your heads.”116Rather vowelize it as: ‘ashamam bero’sheichem. This teaches that Israel’s guilt hangs over the heads of their judges. And so He says [to Ezekiel]: “As for you, O human! I have appointed you a scout for the House of Israel. When you hear a word from My mouth, you must transmit my warning to them . . . But if you have warned the wicked man to turn back from his way, he may die for his own sin, but you will have saved your life” (Ezek.33:2-9).
(דברים א יג) הָבוּ לָכֶם, אֵין הָבוּ אֶלָּא עֵצָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב טז כ): ״הָבוּ לָכֶם עֵצָה מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה״, (שמות א י) ״הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ״.
Pisqa’ 13107H:37-38; JN1:44-46
1. “Select108Heb: havu, formed from the root: y-h-b, “to give” also stands behind “judicious” (hav; attend to). for yourselves . . .” (Dt.1:13).
The term, select, implies consultation,
for it is said:
“Select for yourselves counsel—what shall we do?” (2 Sam.16:2).
[And He says:]
“Be judicious!
Let us deal cleverly with Israel” (Ex.1:10).
אֲנָשִׁים, וְכִי עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתֵּנוּ נָשִׁים? מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אֲנָשִׁים? בַּחֲתִיכָה וּבִפְסִיפָס, אֲנָשִׁים וָתִיקִים וּכְשֵׁרִים.
“Select for yourselves men” (Dt.1:13).
Should we have imagined that women might be chosen?
What does the Teaching mean by men?
Those who can analyze109Heb: pesippas, “mosaic tiling.” Through metaphoric extension, “a multi-talented person”.: See F:21, n.8 and compose [arguments]. 110//ARNA,28; cf. Sifre Nu. 92.
“Men”—those of experience and talent.
חֲכָמִים, זוֹ שֶׁשָּׁאַל אַרְיוֹס אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אָמַר לוֹ: אֵי זֶה הוּא חָכָם? אָמַר לוֹ: הַמְקַיֵּם תַּלְמוּדוֹ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא נָבוֹן? אָמַר לוֹ: כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר וּנְבֹנִים. מַה בֵּין חָכָם לְנָבוֹן? חָכָם דּוֹמֶה לְשֻׁלְחָנִי עָשִׁיר: כְּשֶׁמְּבִיאִים לוֹ לִרְאוֹת – רוֹאֶה, וּכְשֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִים לוֹ לִרְאוֹת – מוֹצִיא מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וְרוֹאֶה. נָבוֹן דּוֹמֶה לְשֻׁלְחָנִי עָנִי: כְּשֶׁמְּבִיאִים לוֹ לִרְאוֹת – רוֹאֶה; כְּשֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִין לוֹ לִרְאוֹת – יוֹשֵׁב וְתוֹהֶה!
“Men of wisdom” (Dt.1:13)
This is what [the proselyte]111Little is known about Arius. See H: 396, Pisqa’ 13, n. 2. Arius asked R. Yose.
He said:
Who is wise?
[R. Yose] replied:
One who retains his learning.112// M. Avot 4:1.
[Arius responded:]
Perhaps it actually means discerning?
[R. Yose] said:
The verse [at Dt.1:13] already specified discerning.2. What is the difference between wise and discerningt?
A wise person is like a rich money changer.
When they bring him coins to appraise,
he examines them.
When they don’t bring him coins,
he takes out his own and examines them.
A discerning person is like a poor money changer.
When they bring him coins to appraise,
he examines them.
When they don’t bring him coins,
he sits and stares.113The difference between money changers symbolizes the active seeker of wisdom and the passive appreciator of what others have learned. The wise student, like the wealthy money changer, reviews his accumulated wisdom if he encounters nothing new; the discerning student, by contrast, receives new wisdom gladly, but does not review what he has already learned.
וִידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְדוּעִים לָכֶם. הֲרֵי שֶׁנִּתְעַטֵּף בְּטַלִּיתוֹ וּבָא וְיָשַׁב לְפָנַי; אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מֵאֵיזֶה שֵׁבֶט הוּא, אֲבָל אַתֶּם מַכִּירִים אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁאַתֶּם גְּדַלְתֶּם בֵּינֵיהֶם. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וִידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם, שֶׁיְּהוּ יְדוּעִים לָכֶם. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: אֵין כָּל יְשִׁיבָה וִישִׁיבָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַד שֶׁהַבְּרִיּוֹת מְרַנְּנוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ, וְאוֹמְרוֹת: מָה רָאָה אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי לֵישֵׁב, וּמָה רָאָה אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי שֶׁלֹּא לֵישֵׁב? לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וִידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְדוּעִים לָכֶם.
3. “And known to your tribes” (Dt.1:13)—
they should be familiar to you.
Look—if he wraps himself in his shawl
and comes to sit before me,
I don’t know what tribe he’s from.
But you recognize him,
for you grew up among them.
Therefore it is said:
”Known to your tribes” (Dt.1:13)—
so they should be familiar to you.
Rabban Shimon b.Gamliel says:
Not a single council can convene
without people finding fault with it, saying:
how is So-and-so qualified to sit,
and how is So-and-so disqualified!114Cf. Sifre Nu.93, SZ, beha`alotechah 16
Therefore it is said:
“Known to your tribes” (Dt.1:13)—
so they should be familiar to you.
וַאֲשִׂימֵם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶם, יָכוֹל אִם מִנִּיתֶם אַתֶּם אוֹתָם מְמוּנִּים, וְאִם לָאו אֵינָם מְמוּנִּים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וַאֲשִׂימֵם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶם: אִם מִנִּיתִים – הֲרֵי הֵם מְמוּנִּים, אִם לָאו – אֵינָם מְמוּנִּים. יָכוֹל אִם גִּדַּלְתֶּם אַתֶּם אוֹתָם הֲרֵי הֵם גְּדוֹלִים, וְאִם לָאו אֵינָם גְּדוֹלִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וַאֲשִׂימֵם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶם: אִם גִּדַּלְתִּים – הֲרֵי הֵם גְּדוֹלִים, וְאִם לָאו – אֵינָם גְּדוֹלִים.
4. “And I will appoint them as your heads” (Dt.1:13).
Is it possible to say that
if Moses appointed them, they are appointed,
but if not, they are not appointed?
The Teaching states:
“And I will appoint them as your heads” (Dt.1:13).
If I appointed them, they are appointed,
but if not, they are not appointed!
Is it possible to say that
if you exalted them to office, they are exalted,
but if not, they are not exalted?
The Teaching states:
“And I will appoint them as your heads” (Dt.1:13).
If I exalted them to office, they are exalted,
but if not, they are not exalted.
Another word:
If you guard your words,
indeed, your heads [i.e., leaders] will be protected,
but if not, your heads will not be protected.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: אִם שְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת דַּבָּרֵיכֶם – הֲרֵי רָאשֵׁיכֶם שְׁמוּרִים, וְאִם לָאו – אֵין רָאשֵׁיכֶם שְׁמוּרִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר: אַל תְּהִי קוֹרֵא וַאֲשִׂימֵם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶם אֶלָּא ״וַאֲשָׁמָם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶם״; מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּלוּיִים בְּרָאשֵׁי דַיָּנֵיהֶם; וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל לג ז-ט): ״בֶּן אָדָם צֹפֶה נְתַתִּיךָ לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ מִפִּי דָּבָר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ אוֹתָם מִמֶּנִּי, בְּאָמְרִי לָרָשָׁע וְגוֹ׳ וְאַתָּה כִּי הִזְהַרְתָּ רָשָׁע״ וְגוֹ׳ (דברים א יד).
5. Another word:
Don’t vocalize the verse in the conventional way as:
“I will appoint them as your heads.”115That is, do not vowelize the consonantal text as follows: ‘asimeim ber’osheichem
Rather, vocalize the verse as:
“Their guilt is upon your heads.”116Rather vowelize it as: ‘ashamam bero’sheichem.
This teaches that
Israel’s guilt hangs over the heads of their judges.
And so He says [to Ezekiel]:
“As for you, O human! I have appointed you a scout for the House of Israel.
When you hear a word from My mouth, you must transmit my warning to them . . .
But if you have warned the wicked man to turn back from his way,
he may die for his own sin, but you will have saved your life” (Ezek.33:2-9).