(Devarim 32:4) "The rock (hatzur), perfect is His work": "hatzur" — "hatzayar" (the artist). He formed the world and formed the man in it, viz. (Bereshith 2:7) "And the L-rd G-d formed the man."
"Perfect is His work": His work is whole with all creatures, and His ways are not to be brought into question. The slightest variation is not to be entertained regarding them — "If I had three eyes," "If I had three hands" "If I had three feet," "If I could walk on my head," "If my face faced backwards" — "how wonderful it would be!" This is the intent of "Perfect is His work."
3
אֵל אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהֶאֱמִין בָּעוֹלָם וּבְרָאוֹ.
"for all of His ways are justice": He sits in judgment with everyone and gives him what he deserves. "a faithful G-d": He believed in the world and created it.
"without wrong": He did not create men to be wicked, but to be righteous, as it is written (Koheleth 7:29) "G-d made man just, but they sought many devices."
Variantly: "The Rock": "the Resolute." "Perfect is His work": His work is whole with all creatures, and His ways are not to be brought into question. The slightest variation is not to be entertained regarding any of them — "What did the men of the generation of the flood see that brought the deluge upon them?" "What did the men of the Tower (of Bavel) see that caused them to be scattered from one end of the world to the other?" "What did the men of Sodom and Amorah see to be swept away by fire and brimstone?" "What did Aaron see that accorded him the priesthood?" "What did David see that accorded him kingdom?" "What did Korach and his congregation see to be swallowed up by the earth?"
"without wrong": claiming what is His in the end. For not as His way is the way of flesh and blood. The way of flesh and blood: One deposits two hundred with his neighbor, and owes him one hundred. When he comes to claim his deposit, the neighbor says: Deduct the hundred that you owe me and here is the rest. But He who spoke and brought the world into being is not so; but He is "a faithful G-d without wrong" — He claims what is His in the end.
9
דָּבָר אַחֵר הַצּוּר, הַתַּקִּיף.
"Righteous and just is He": as it is written (Psalms 11:7) "For the L-rd is righteous and loves righteousness."
Variantly: "The Rock": the resolute one. "Perfect is His work": The work of His creatures is "whole" before Him. He delays the reward of the righteous and He delays the punishment of the wicked. The former take nothing (of their reward) in this world, and the latter take nothing (of their reward) in the world to come, as it is written (Devarim 32:34) "Is it (My reward) not laid up with Me, sealed in My stores (in the world to come)?" When do both receive (their punishment)?
In the future, when He sits on the seat of justice, viz. "for all of His ways are justice." In the future, when He sits in judgment with each one, He gives him what he deserves. "He is a G-d of trust": Just as He rewards an absolute tzaddik in the world to come for the "lightest" mitzvah that he performed in this world, so, He "rewards" an absolute evildoer in this world for the lightest mitzvah that he has performed. And just as He punishes an absolute evildoer in the world to come for a transgression that he performed in this world, so, He punishes in this world an absolute tzaddik for a transgression that he has performed.
"without wrong": When a man departs from the world, all his deeds come and present themselves to him one by one, saying: "This is what you did on this and this day. Do you believe it?" The man: "Yes, I do." The deed: "Sign!" — and he signs, viz. (Iyyov 37:7): "He makes the hand of every man sign."
"Righteous and just is He." He (the man) vindicates His judgment (of him), saying: "Correctly did You judge me," viz. (Psalms 51:6) "So that You are (found) righteous in Your words, vindicated in Your judgments."
When they seized R. Chanina b. Teradyon, it was decreed upon him to be burned together with his Torah scroll. They said to him: It was decreed upon you to be burned together with your Torah scroll — whereupon he recited "The Rock, perfect is His work." They said to his wife: It was decreed upon your husband to be burned together with his Torah scroll, and upon you to be executed — whereupon she recited "He is a G-d of trust, without wrong." They said to his daughter: It was decreed upon your father to be burned together with his Torah scroll, upon your mother to be executed, and upon you to sit in a hovel of harlots — whereupon she recited (Jeremiah 32:19) "Great in counsel and mighty in deed, Your eyes are open to all the ways of men to give to a man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds." Rebbi said: How great are these righteous ones, who were presented in the time of their affliction with these three verses of vindication of (G-d's) justice (tzidduk hadin), (the likes of) which are not to be found in all of the writings! All of them directed their hearts (to Heaven) and vindicated His judgment upon them — whereupon a philosopher stood up against his consul, (who had issued the decree, and said to him: Don't let your head swell over having burned the Torah scroll. As soon as you left, it (the Torah) returned to its Father's house. The consul: Tomorrow, your fate will be as theirs. The philosopher: Glad tidings! — Tomorrow, let my portion be with those in the world to come!
Variantly: "The Rock, perfect is His work": When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, all of Israel came to him and said: Moses, our teacher, what is the attribute of justice like on high? He answered: Not only does He not exculpate the guilty and inculpate the innocent, but even vis-à-vis "exchanging" (i.e., deducting one from the other), "He is a G-d of trust, without wrong."
(דברים לב ד) הַצּוּר, הַצַּיָּר שֶׁהוּא צָר אֶת הָעוֹלָם תְּחִלָּה וְיָצַר בּוֹ אֶת הָאָדָם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב ז): ״וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם״.
(Devarim 32:4) "The rock (hatzur), perfect is His work": "hatzur" — "hatzayar" (the artist). He formed the world and formed the man in it, viz. (Bereshith 2:7) "And the L-rd G-d formed the man."
תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, פְּעֻלָּתוֹ שְׁלֵמָה עִם כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם, וְאֵין לְהַרְהֵר אַחַר מַעֲשָׂיו אֲפִלּוּ עִלָּה שֶׁל כְּלוּם, וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁיִּסְתַּכֵּל וְיֹאמַר: אִלּוּ הָיוּ לִי שָׁלֹשׁ עֵינַיִם וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ לִי שָׁלֹשׁ יָדַיִם וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ לִי שָׁלֹשׁ רַגְלַיִם וְאִלּוּ הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ עַל רֹאשִׁי וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ פָנַי הֲפוּכוֹת לַאֲחוֹרַי – כַּמָּה הָיָה נָאֶה לִי, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: כִּי כָל דְּבָרָיו מִשְׁפָּט, יוֹשֵׁב עִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בַּדִּין וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ מַה שֶּׁהוּא רָאוּי לוֹ.
"Perfect is His work": His work is whole with all creatures, and His ways are not to be brought into question. The slightest variation is not to be entertained regarding them — "If I had three eyes," "If I had three hands" "If I had three feet," "If I could walk on my head," "If my face faced backwards" — "how wonderful it would be!" This is the intent of "Perfect is His work."
אֵל אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהֶאֱמִין בָּעוֹלָם וּבְרָאוֹ.
"for all of His ways are justice": He sits in judgment with everyone and gives him what he deserves. "a faithful G-d": He believed in the world and created it.
וְאֵין עָוֶל, שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרְאוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם לִהְיוֹת רְשָׁעִים אֶלָּא צַדִּיקִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (קהלת ז כט): ״לְבַד רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאתִי אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם יָשָׁר וְהֵמָּה בִקְשׁוּ חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת רַבִּים״.
"without wrong": He did not create men to be wicked, but to be righteous, as it is written (Koheleth 7:29) "G-d made man just, but they sought many devices."
צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא, מִתְנַהֵג בְּיַשְׁרוּת עִם כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם.
"Righteous and just is He": He deals justly with all of His creations.
דָּבָר אַחֵר הַצּוּר, הַתַּקִּיף. תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, פְּעֻלָּתוֹ שְׁלֵמָה עִם כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם, וְאֵין לְהַרְהֵר אַחַר מַעֲשָׂיו אֲפִלּוּ עִלָּה שֶׁל כְּלוּם, וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁיִּסְתַּכֵּל וְיֹאמַר: מָה רָאוּ אַנְשֵׁי דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל לְהִשָּׁטֵף בַּמַּיִם, וּמָה רָאוּ אַנְשֵׁי מִגְדָּל שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, וּמָה רָאוּ אַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם לְהִשָּׁטֵף בְּאֵשׁ וְגָפְרִית, וּמָה רָאָה אַהֲרֹן לִטֹּל אֶת הַכְּהֻנָּה, וּמָה רָאָה דָּוִד לִטֹּל אֶת הַמַּלְכוּת, וּמָה רָאוּ קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ שֶׁתִּבְלָעֵם הָאָרֶץ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: כִּי כָל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט, יוֹשֵׁב עִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בְּדִין, וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ מַה שֶּׁרָאוּי לוֹ. אֵל אֱמוּנָה, בַּעַל הַפִּקָּדוֹן.
Variantly: "The Rock": "the Resolute." "Perfect is His work": His work is whole with all creatures, and His ways are not to be brought into question. The slightest variation is not to be entertained regarding any of them — "What did the men of the generation of the flood see that brought the deluge upon them?" "What did the men of the Tower (of Bavel) see that caused them to be scattered from one end of the world to the other?" "What did the men of Sodom and Amorah see to be swept away by fire and brimstone?" "What did Aaron see that accorded him the priesthood?" "What did David see that accorded him kingdom?" "What did Korach and his congregation see to be swallowed up by the earth?"
וְאֵין עָוֶל, גּוֹבֶה שֶׁלּוֹ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה, שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם מִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם, מַפְקִיד אֵצֶל חֲבֵרוֹ כִּיס שֶׁל מָאתַיִם וְיֵשׁ לוֹ אֶצְלוֹ מָנֶה, כְּשֶׁהוּא בָּא לִטֹּל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, אוֹמֵר לוֹ: צֵא מָנֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי בְּיָדְךָ, וְהֵי לְךָ אֶת הַשְּׁאָר. וְכֵן פּוֹעֵל שֶׁעָשָׂה אֵצֶל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת וְיֵשׁ לוֹ בְּיָדוֹ דִּינָר, כְּשֶׁהוּא בָּא לִטֹּל אֶת שְׂכָרוֹ, אוֹמֵר לוֹ: צֵא דִּינָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי בְּיָדְךָ וְהֵי לְךָ אֶת הַשְּׁאָר, אֲבָל מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ כֵן, אֶלָּא אֵל אֱמוּנָה בַּעַל הַפִּקָּדוֹן, וְאֵין עָוֶל, גּוֹבֶה אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה.
Thus: "For all of His works are justice": He sits in judgment with everyone and gives him what he deserves. "a faithful G-d": trustworthy.
צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יא ז): ״כִּי צַדִּיק ה׳ צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב״.
"without wrong": claiming what is His in the end. For not as His way is the way of flesh and blood. The way of flesh and blood: One deposits two hundred with his neighbor, and owes him one hundred. When he comes to claim his deposit, the neighbor says: Deduct the hundred that you owe me and here is the rest. But He who spoke and brought the world into being is not so; but He is "a faithful G-d without wrong" — He claims what is His in the end.
דָּבָר אַחֵר הַצּוּר, הַתַּקִּיף.
"Righteous and just is He": as it is written (Psalms 11:7) "For the L-rd is righteous and loves righteousness."
תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, פְּעֻלָּתָם שֶׁל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנָיו, מַתַּן שְׂכָרָם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים וּמַחַת פֻּרְעָנוּתָם שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים, אֵלּוּ לֹא נָטְלוּ כְּלוּם מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְאֵלּוּ לֹא נָטְלוּ כְּלוּם מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ צַדִּיקִים כְּלוּם מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים לא כ): ״מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ״. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ רְשָׁעִים כְּלוּם מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לב לד): ״הֲלֹא הוּא כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי חָתֻם בְּאוֹצְרֹתָי״. אֵי מָתַי אֵלּוּ וְאֵלּוּ נוֹטְלִים, כִּי כָל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט לְמָחָר כְּשֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא דִין יוֹשֵׁב עִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בְּדִין וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ מַה שֶּׁרָאוּי לוֹ.
Variantly: "The Rock": the resolute one. "Perfect is His work": The work of His creatures is "whole" before Him. He delays the reward of the righteous and He delays the punishment of the wicked. The former take nothing (of their reward) in this world, and the latter take nothing (of their reward) in the world to come, as it is written (Devarim 32:34) "Is it (My reward) not laid up with Me, sealed in My stores (in the world to come)?" When do both receive (their punishment)?
אֵל אֱמוּנָה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּשַׁלֵּם לְצַדִּיק גָּמוּר שְׂכַר מִצְוָה שֶׁעָשָׂה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כָּךְ מְשַׁלֵּם לְרָשָׁע גָּמוּר שְׂכַר מִצְוָה קַלָּה שֶׁעָשָׂה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁנִּפְרָע מֵרָשָׁע גָּמוּר עַל עֲבֵרָה שֶׁעָשָׂה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כָּךְ נִפְרָע מִצַּדִּיק גָּמוּר עַל עֲבֵרָה קַלָּה שֶׁעָשָׂה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.
In the future, when He sits on the seat of justice, viz. "for all of His ways are justice." In the future, when He sits in judgment with each one, He gives him what he deserves. "He is a G-d of trust": Just as He rewards an absolute tzaddik in the world to come for the "lightest" mitzvah that he performed in this world, so, He "rewards" an absolute evildoer in this world for the lightest mitzvah that he has performed. And just as He punishes an absolute evildoer in the world to come for a transgression that he performed in this world, so, He punishes in this world an absolute tzaddik for a transgression that he has performed.
וְאֵין עָוֶל, כְּשֶׁאָדָם נִפְטָר מִן הָעוֹלָם בָּאִים כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו וְנִפְרָטִים לְפָנָיו וְאוֹמְרִים לוֹ: כָּךְ וְכָךְ עָשִׂיתָ בְּיוֹם פְּלוֹנִי, וְכָךְ וְכָךְ עָשִׂיתָ בְּיוֹם פְּלוֹנִי. אַתָּה מַאֲמִין בַּדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ? וְהוּא אוֹמֵר: הֵן. אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: חֲתוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב לז ז): ״בְּיַד כָּל אָדָם יַחְתּוֹם לָדַעַת כָּל אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֵׂהוּ״.
"without wrong": When a man departs from the world, all his deeds come and present themselves to him one by one, saying: "This is what you did on this and this day. Do you believe it?" The man: "Yes, I do." The deed: "Sign!" — and he signs, viz. (Iyyov 37:7): "He makes the hand of every man sign."
צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא, וְהוּא מַצְדִּיק אֶת הַדִּין וְאוֹמֵר: יָפֶה נִדַּנְתִּי. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים נא ו): ״לְמַעַן תִּצְדַּק בְּדָבְרֶךָ״.
"Righteous and just is He." He (the man) vindicates His judgment (of him), saying: "Correctly did You judge me," viz. (Psalms 51:6) "So that You are (found) righteous in Your words, vindicated in Your judgments."
דָּבָר אַחֵר הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ כְּשֶׁתָּפְסוּ אֶת רַבִּי חֲנִינָה בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן נִגְזְרָה עָלָיו גְּזֵרָה לִשָּׂרֵף עִם סִפְרוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: נִגְזְרָה עָלֶיךָ גְּזֵרָה לִשָּׂרֵף עִם סִפְרָךְ. קָרָא הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה: הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ. אָמְרוּ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ: נִגְזְרָה עַל בַּעְלֵךְ גְּזֵרָה לִשָּׂרֵף וְעָלַיִךְ לֵהָרֵג. קָרְאָה הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה: אֵל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל. אָמְרוּ לְבִתּוֹ: נִגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה עַל אָבִיךְ לִשָּׂרֵף וְעַל אִמֵּךְ לֵהָרֵג וְעָלַיִךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלָאכָה. קָרְאָה הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה (ירמיה לב יט): ״גְּדוֹל הָעֵצָה וְרַב הָעֲלִילִיָּה אֲשֶׁר עֵינֶיךָ פְּקוּחוֹת״. אָמַר רַבִּי: כַּמָּה גְּדוֹלִים צַדִּיקִים אֵלּוּ, שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת צָרָתָם הִזְמִינוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּסוּקִים שֶׁל צִדּוּק הַדִּין, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּכָל הַכְּתוּבִים, כִּוְּנוּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּם אֶת לִבָּם וְצִדְּקוּ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הַדִּין. עָמַד פִילוֹסוֹפוֹס עַל אַפַּרְכְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ: מָרִי, אַל תָּזוּחַ דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁשָּׂרַפְתָּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁמִּמָּקוֹם שֶׁיָּצָאת חָזְרָה לָהּ לְבֵית אָבִיהָ. אָמַר לוֹ: לְמָחָר אַף דִּינָךְ כַּיּוֹצֵא בְּאֵלּוּ. אָמַר לוֹ: בִּשַּׂרְתַּנִי בְּשׂוֹרָה טוֹבָה שֶׁמָּחָר יְהֵא חֶלְקִי עִמָּהֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
When they seized R. Chanina b. Teradyon, it was decreed upon him to be burned together with his Torah scroll. They said to him: It was decreed upon you to be burned together with your Torah scroll — whereupon he recited "The Rock, perfect is His work." They said to his wife: It was decreed upon your husband to be burned together with his Torah scroll, and upon you to be executed — whereupon she recited "He is a G-d of trust, without wrong." They said to his daughter: It was decreed upon your father to be burned together with his Torah scroll, upon your mother to be executed, and upon you to sit in a hovel of harlots — whereupon she recited (Jeremiah 32:19) "Great in counsel and mighty in deed, Your eyes are open to all the ways of men to give to a man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds." Rebbi said: How great are these righteous ones, who were presented in the time of their affliction with these three verses of vindication of (G-d's) justice (tzidduk hadin), (the likes of) which are not to be found in all of the writings! All of them directed their hearts (to Heaven) and vindicated His judgment upon them — whereupon a philosopher stood up against his consul, (who had issued the decree, and said to him: Don't let your head swell over having burned the Torah scroll. As soon as you left, it (the Torah) returned to its Father's house. The consul: Tomorrow, your fate will be as theirs. The philosopher: Glad tidings! — Tomorrow, let my portion be with those in the world to come!
דָּבָר אַחֵר הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, כְּשֶׁיָּרַד מֹשֶׁה מֵהַר סִינַי נִתְקַבְּצוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶצְלוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבֵּינוּ מֹשֶׁה, אֱמֹר לָנוּ מַה הִיא מִדַּת הַדִּין לְמַעְלָה. אָמַר לָהֶם: אֵינִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם לְזַכּוֹת אֶת הַזַּכַּאי וּלְחַיֵּב אֶת הַחַיָּב, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ לְהַחֲלִיף בַּדָּבָר אֵל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל.
Variantly: "The Rock, perfect is His work": When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, all of Israel came to him and said: Moses, our teacher, what is the attribute of justice like on high? He answered: Not only does He not exculpate the guilty and inculpate the innocent, but even vis-à-vis "exchanging" (i.e., deducting one from the other), "He is a G-d of trust, without wrong."