Pisqa’ 34432H:356-357; JN2:413-415. 1. “He indeed loves the peoples” (Dt.33:3)— this teaches that the All-Present loved Israel in a way different from any other nation or kingdom.33Cf. Pisqa’ 97.1.
“All its consecrated ones are in Your hands” (Dt.33:3)— these are the providers of Israel, who give their lives on behalf of Israel. Of Moses, He says: “Now, can You bear their sin? If not, I beg of You: Rub me out of Your record that You have written!” (Ex.32:32) Of David, He says: “Didn’t I order the census of the people? I alone am guilty . . . But these sheep, what have they done? HASHEM my God! Let your hand be upon me and my father’s house, yet may Your people not be afflicted!” (1Chron.21:17).
“And they followed in Your footsteps” (Dt.33:3)— despite being raped, despite beatings, and despite humiliation.2. “Bearing Your words” (Dt.33:3)— they accepted them upon themselves, saying: “All that HASHEM has spoken, we will obediently perform!” (Ex.24:7).
Another word: “He indeed loves the peoples” (Dt.33:3)— this teaches that the Blessed Holy One did not share His love with the nations of the world as He shared His love with Israel.34Repeated in a similar exegesis at Pisqa’ 344.3. You can be sure of this, for, indeed, they have taught: An object stolen from a foreigner (nochri)— [Israel] is permitted [to benefit from it]. But an object stolen from Israel— [Israel] is forbidden [to benefit from it].35I take the case to concern a gentile’s theft of an object from another gentile. For more on this theme, see Pisqa’ 16.2-3, where R. Ishmael’s version of this opinion is rejected in the name of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel, in favor of a single standard of justice for all thefts. Now, one time, the Imperium sent two investigators, instructing them: Disguise yourselves as Jews, and determine what their Torah is about. They went to the Ushan academy of Rabban Gamliel.36Some commentaries emend as follows: “the Yavnean academy of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel.” Others prefer: “the Ushan academy of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel.” The confusion here, as elsewhere, results from the confusion in mss between the Yavnean figures, Rabban Shimon b, Gamliel I and Rabban Gamliel II, and the Ushan figure, Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel II. Cf. M. Avot 16-18 and H:507, Pisqa’ 344, n. 3. They declaimed Scriptures (miqra’), recited the oral-performative tradition (mishnah), and mastered hermeneutics (midrash), law (halakhah) and lore (haggadot).37This is a standard list of the topics of the rabbinic curriculum. With certain substitutions or additions, it is common in tannaitic compilations, in which scriptural terms are resignified in terms of the rabbinic intellectual lexicon. For Sifre alone, cf. Pisqa’ot 306.16 + 18, and 317.4. When they were about to depart, they said to [the sages]: This Torah of yours is lovely and praiseworthy, except for a single thing that you teach: An object stolen from a gentile (goy) — [Israel] is permitted [to benefit from it]. But an object stolen from Israel— [Israel] is forbidden [to benefit from it].38Cf. Pisqa’ 16.2-3 and H:397, Pisqa’ 16, ns. 6-7. But we will not inform the Imperium about this!
3. “All its consecrated ones are in Your hands” (Dt.33:3)— these are the giants of Israel, who are held as ransom for Israel. And, so does He state of Ezekiel: “And as for you, lie on your left side . . . for as many days as you lie upon it you shall bear their punishment . . . corresponding to the number of the years of their punishment; and so you shall bear the punishment for the House of Israel” (Exek.4:4-5).
“And they followed in Your footsteps” (Dt.33:3)— despite being irksome, and despite being sinners. “Bearing Your words” (Dt.33:3)— they accepted upon themselves the yoke of Your Torah, saying: “All that HASHEM has spoken, we will obediently perform” (Ex.24:7).
Another word: “He indeed loves the peoples” (Dt.33:3)— this teaches that the Blessed Holy One loved Israel in a way different from any other nation or kingdom.39//Pisqa’ 344.2 above. 4. “All its consecrated ones are in Your hands” (Dt.33:3)— these are the souls of the Righteous, which are deposited in a treasury, as it is said: “May M’lord’s soul be bound up in the bundle of those who are living with HASHEM your God” (1Sam.25:29).40//Sifre Nu., 139; cf. SZ:12. “And they followed in Your footsteps” (Dt.33:3)— even though [at each Utterance] they recoiled twelve mil backwards, and twelve mil forwards.41Cf. Pisqa’ 313.3. “Bearing Your words” (Dt.33:3)— They accepted them upon themselves, saying: “All that HASHEM has spoken, we will obediently perform” (Ex.24:7).
(דברים לג ג) אַף חוֹבֵב עַמִּים, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחִבֵּב הַמָּקוֹם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא חִבֵּב כָּל אֻמָּה וּמַלְכוּת.
Pisqa’ 34432H:356-357; JN2:413-415.
1. “He indeed loves the peoples” (Dt.33:3)—
this teaches that the All-Present
loved Israel in a way different
from any other nation or kingdom.33Cf. Pisqa’ 97.1.
כָּל קְדוֹשָׁיו בְּיָדֶךָ, אֵלּוּ פַּרְנָסֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים אֶת נַפְשָׁם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּמֹשֶׁה הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות לב לב): ״וְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ״. בְּדָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (דהי״א כא יז): ״הֲלֹא אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לִמְנוֹת בָּעָם״.
“All its consecrated ones are in Your hands” (Dt.33:3)—
these are the providers of Israel,
who give their lives on behalf of Israel.
Of Moses, He says:
“Now, can You bear their sin? If not, I beg of You:
Rub me out of Your record that You have written!” (Ex.32:32)
Of David, He says:
“Didn’t I order the census of the people?
I alone am guilty . . . But these sheep, what have they done?
HASHEM my God! Let your hand be upon me and my father’s house,
yet may Your people not be afflicted!” (1Chron.21:17).
וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶיךָ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנוּסִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלּוֹקִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבְּזוּזִים. יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶיךָ, מְקַבְּלִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְאוֹמְרִים (שמות כד ז): ״כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע״.
“And they followed in Your footsteps” (Dt.33:3)—
despite being raped, despite beatings, and despite humiliation.2. “Bearing Your words” (Dt.33:3)—
they accepted them upon themselves, saying:
“All that HASHEM has spoken, we will obediently perform!” (Ex.24:7).
דָּבָר אַחֵר אַף חֹבֵב עַמִּים מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא חָלַק לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חִבָּה לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁחָלַק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ: גְּזֵלוֹ שֶׁל נָכְרִי מֻתָּר וְשֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָסוּר. וּכְבָר שָׁלְחָה מַלְכוּת שְׁנֵי סַרְדִיטְיָאוֹת וְאָמְרָה לָהֶם: לְכוּ וַעֲשׂוּ עַצְמְכֶם יְהוּדִים וּרְאוּ תּוֹרָתָם מַה טִּיבָהּ. הָלְכוּ אֵצֶל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל לְאוּשָׁא, וְקָרְאוּ אֶת הַמִּקְרָא וְשָׁנוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁנָה מִדְרָשׁ הֲלָכוֹת וְהַגָּדוֹת. בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתָם אָמְרוּ לָהֶם: כָּל הַתּוֹרָה נָאָה וּמְשֻׁבַּחַת חוּץ מִדָּבָר אֶחָד זֶה שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים: גְּזֵלוֹ שֶׁל גּוֹי מֻתָּר וְשֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָסוּר, וְדָבָר זֶה אֵין אָנוּ מוֹדִיעִים לַמַּלְכוּת.
Another word:
“He indeed loves the peoples” (Dt.33:3)—
this teaches that
the Blessed Holy One did not share His love
with the nations of the world as He shared His love with Israel. 34Repeated in a similar exegesis at Pisqa’ 344.3.
You can be sure of this,
for, indeed, they have taught:
An object stolen from a foreigner (nochri)—
[Israel] is permitted [to benefit from it].
But an object stolen from Israel—
[Israel] is forbidden [to benefit from it].35I take the case to concern a gentile’s theft of an object from another gentile. For more on this theme, see Pisqa’ 16.2-3, where R. Ishmael’s version of this opinion is rejected in the name of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel, in favor of a single standard of justice for all thefts.
Now, one time,
the Imperium sent two investigators, instructing them:
Disguise yourselves as Jews,
and determine what their Torah is about.
They went to the Ushan academy of Rabban Gamliel.36Some commentaries emend as follows: “the Yavnean academy of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel.” Others prefer: “the Ushan academy of Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel.” The confusion here, as elsewhere, results from the confusion in mss between the Yavnean figures, Rabban Shimon b, Gamliel I and Rabban Gamliel II, and the Ushan figure, Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel II. Cf. M. Avot 16-18 and H:507, Pisqa’ 344, n. 3.
They declaimed Scriptures (miqra’),
recited the oral-performative tradition (mishnah),
and mastered hermeneutics (midrash), law (halakhah) and lore (haggadot).37This is a standard list of the topics of the rabbinic curriculum. With certain substitutions or additions, it is common in tannaitic compilations, in which scriptural terms are resignified in terms of the rabbinic intellectual lexicon. For Sifre alone, cf. Pisqa’ot 306.16 + 18, and 317.4.
When they were about to depart, they said to [the sages]:
This Torah of yours is lovely and praiseworthy,
except for a single thing that you teach:
An object stolen from a gentile (goy) —
[Israel] is permitted [to benefit from it].
But an object stolen from Israel—
[Israel] is forbidden [to benefit from it].38Cf. Pisqa’ 16.2-3 and H:397, Pisqa’ 16, ns. 6-7.
But we will not inform the Imperium about this!
כָּל קְדוֹשָׁיו בְּיָדֶיךָ, אֵלּוּ גְּדוֹלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמִּתְמַשְׁכְּנִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בִּיחֶזְקֵאל (יחזקאל ד ד-ו): ״וְאַתָּה שְׁכַב עַל צִדְּךָ הַשְּׂמָאלִי וְאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת שְׁנֵי עֲוֹנָם לְמִסְפַּר יָמִים וְכִלִּיתָ אֶת אֵלֶּה וְשָׁכַבְתָּ עַל צִדְּךָ הַיְמָנִי״.
3. “All its consecrated ones are in Your hands” (Dt.33:3)—
these are the giants of Israel,
who are held as ransom for Israel.
And, so does He state of Ezekiel:
“And as for you, lie on your left side . . .
for as many days as you lie upon it you shall bear their punishment . . .
corresponding to the number of the years of their punishment;
and so you shall bear the punishment for the House of Israel” (Exek.4:4-5).
וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶיךָ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם מַכְעִיסִים וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם חוֹטְאִים. יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרוֹתֶיךָ, מְקַבְּלִים עֲלֵיהֶם עֹל תּוֹרָתֶךָ (שמות כד ז): ״כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע״.
“And they followed in Your footsteps” (Dt.33:3)—
despite being irksome, and despite being sinners.
“Bearing Your words” (Dt.33:3)—
they accepted upon themselves the yoke of Your Torah, saying:
“All that HASHEM has spoken, we will obediently perform” (Ex.24:7).
דָּבָר אַחֵר: אַף חוֹבֵב עַמִּים, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחִבֵּב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא חִבֵּב כָּל אֻמָּה וּמַלְכוּת. כָּל קְדוֹשָׁיו בְּיָדֶיךָ, אֵלּוּ נַפְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים שֶׁהֵן נְתוּנוֹת בָּאוֹצָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ש״א כה כט): ״וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֵת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״. וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶיךָ, וַאֲפִילּוּ הֵם נִרְתָּעִים לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל וְחוֹזְרִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל. יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרוֹתֶיךָ, מְקַבְּלִים עֲלֵיהֶם ״כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע״.
Another word:
“He indeed loves the peoples” (Dt.33:3)—
this teaches that
the Blessed Holy One loved Israel
in a way different from any other nation or kingdom. 39//Pisqa’ 344.2 above.
4. “All its consecrated ones are in Your hands” (Dt.33:3)—
these are the souls of the Righteous, which are deposited in a treasury,
as it is said:
“May M’lord’s soul be bound up
in the bundle of those who are living
with HASHEM your God” (1Sam.25:29).40//Sifre Nu., 139; cf. SZ:12.
“And they followed in Your footsteps” (Dt.33:3)—
even though [at each Utterance]
they recoiled twelve mil backwards, and twelve mil forwards.41Cf. Pisqa’ 313.3.
“Bearing Your words” (Dt.33:3)—
They accepted them upon themselves, saying:
“All that HASHEM has spoken, we will obediently perform” (Ex.24:7).