Pisqa’ 330180H:340-341;JN2:376-377. 1. “When I raise My hand to Heaven” (Dt.32:40)— When the Blessed Holy One created the world, He created it only with utterances,181Cf. M.Avot 5:1; ARNA:31 and He created it only with oaths— [each utterance equivalent to an oath]. Now who caused Him to create with oaths? Those of little trust caused Him to create with oaths, as it is said: “Then He raised His hand, swearing concerning them, to abandon their corpses in the wasteland” (Ps.106:26). [And further:] “I raised My hand, swearing concerning the nations surrounding you” (Ezek.36:7)
2. “And I will say: As I live for eternity!” (Dt.32:40)— The nature of flesh and blood is so unlike the nature of the Blessed Holy One! As for the nature of flesh and blood: A governor182Cf. Pisqa’ 317.4. who begins to administer a province — if he can retaliate against his predecessor immediately, [to establish his authority,] he retaliates. But if he does not, after a time, he can no longer retaliate. Now, the One Who Spoke the World into Being has no such limitation. If He doesn’t exact [immediate] retribution from the living, He exacts it [later] from the dead; And if He doesn’t exact retribution [from the dead] in this eon, He exacts it in the coming eon!
(דברים לב מ) כִּי אֶשָּׂא אֶל שָׁמַיִם יָדִי, כְּשֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הָעוֹלָם לֹא בְרָאוֹ אֶלָּא בְּמַאֲמָר וְלֹא בְרָאוֹ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבוּעָה, וּמִי גָּרַם לוֹ לִשָּׁבַע? מְחֻסְּרֵי אֲמָנָה הֵם גָּרְמוּ לוֹ לִשָּׁבַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו כו): ״וַיִּשָּׂא יָדוֹ לָהֶם לְהַפִּיל אוֹתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר״ (יחזקאל לו ז): ״אֲנִי נָשָׂאתִי אֶת יָדִי אֶל הַגּוֹיִם״ וְגוֹ׳.
Pisqa’ 330180H:340-341;JN2:376-377.
1. “When I raise My hand to Heaven” (Dt.32:40)—
When the Blessed Holy One created the world,
He created it only with utterances,181Cf. M.Avot 5:1; ARNA:31
and He created it only with oaths—
[each utterance equivalent to an oath].
Now who caused Him to create with oaths?
Those of little trust caused Him to create with oaths,
as it is said:
“Then He raised His hand, swearing concerning them,
to abandon their corpses in the wasteland” (Ps.106:26).
[And further:]
“I raised My hand,
swearing concerning the nations surrounding you” (Ezek.36:7)
וְאָמַרְתִּי חַי אָנֹכִי לְעֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם מִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם הַפִּיטְקִי נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ אַפַּרְכְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, אִם יָכוֹל לִפָּרַע מִן הַפִּיטְקִי שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא נִפְרָע, וְאִם לָאו אֵין יָכוֹל לִיפָּרַע. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ כֵן, אִם אֵינוֹ נִפְרָע מִן הַחַיִּים נִפְרָע מִן הַמֵּתִים, אִם אֵינוֹ נִפְרָע בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִפְרָע לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
2. “And I will say: As I live for eternity!” (Dt.32:40)—
The nature of flesh and blood is so unlike
the nature of the Blessed Holy One!
As for the nature of flesh and blood:
A governor182Cf. Pisqa’ 317.4. who begins to administer a province —
if he can retaliate against
his predecessor immediately,
[to establish his authority,]
he retaliates.
But if he does not,
after a time, he can no longer retaliate.
Now, the One Who Spoke the World into Being
has no such limitation.
If He doesn’t exact [immediate] retribution
from the living, He exacts it [later] from the dead;
And if He doesn’t exact retribution [from the dead] in this eon,
He exacts it in the coming eon!