18b (י״ח:ב׳)

And the Torah also says about them, regarding that wall they built for me (וְגַם אוֹמֶרֶת הַתּוֹרָה עֲלֵיהֶם בְּאוֹתָהּ חוֹמָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ לִי): “I was in his eyes as one that finds peace” (״הָיִיתִי בְעֵינָיו כְּמוֹצְאֵת שָׁלוֹם״) (Song of Songs 8:10), meaning-even though the Holy One Blessed Be He has hidden from us the secrets through which we wage battle (יִרְצֶה: שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִסְתִּיר מִמֶּנּוּ הקב״ה הַסּוֹדוֹת שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁבָּהֶם נַעֲשֶׂה הַמִּלְחָמוֹת), nevertheless, by that wall they built for me (עִם כָּל זֶה בְּאוֹתָהּ חוֹמָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ לִי), “I was in his eyes”-in the eyes of the Holy One Blessed Be He (הָיִיתִי בְּעֵינָיו שֶׁל הקב״ה), “as one that finds peace” (כְּמוֹצְאֵת שָׁלוֹם).

That is, He gave me peace and I do not need to make war (יִרְצֶה: שֶׁנָּתַן לִי הַשָּׁלוֹם וְאֵינִי צְרִיכָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמוֹת). For all who engage in me shall find peace and strength and might (שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹסְקִים בִּי יִמְצְאוּ שָׁלוֹם וָעֹז וְחֹזֶק), as it is said: “Hashem will give strength to His people…” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן״ וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 29:11). And since the Torah has a wall and is the sister of the Shekhinah (וּכְוָון שֶׁלַּתּוֹרָה יֵשׁ לָהּ חוֹמָה וְהִיא אֲחוֹת הַשְּׁכִינָה), and the Shekhinah likewise has brotherhood with Yisrael, since she dwells upon them (וְהַשְּׁכִינָה גַּם כֵּן יֵשׁ לָהּ אַחֲוָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל מִצַּד שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹרָה עֲלֵיהֶם), the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the Shekhinah that she should say to Bnei Yisrael, who are her brothers: “Ami [My people],” and to your sisters, who are the two Torahs: “Ruchamah [she has received mercy]” (אָמַר הקב״ה לַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁתֹּאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם אַחֶיהָ: ״עַמִּי״, וּלְאַחְיוֹתֵיכֶם שֶׁהֵן שְׁתֵּי תּוֹרוֹת: ״רֻחָמָה״), for it was said of the Torah: “Lo-Ruchamah [she has not received mercy],” and of Yisrael: “Lo-Ami [not My people]” (לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל הַתּוֹרָה ״לֹא רֻחָמָה״, וְעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל ״לֹא עַמִּי״) (Hosea 1:6–9).

And because of the sins of Yisrael, the Torah was weaned from her breasts (וּבִשְׁבִיל עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְמְלָה הַתּוֹרָה מִשָּׁדֶיהָ), and Yisrael were distanced from being the people of God (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל נִתְרַחֲקוּ מֵהֱיוֹת עַם הָאֵל), as it says: “And she weaned Lo-Ruchamah [she has not received mercy]” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: ״וַתִּגְמֹל אֶת לֹא רֻחָמָה״) (Hosea 1:8).

And it is proper to ask: since the Torah is a part of the Holy One Blessed Be He (וְיֵשׁ לִרְאוֹת: כְּיוָון שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה הִיא חֵלֶק מֵהקב״ה), what sin did she commit if Yisrael sinned, and why was she weaned? (מַה פִּשְׁעָהּ אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל חָטְאוּ, וְלָמָּה גָּמַל אוֹתָהּ)

The answer is: it was not the Holy One Blessed Be He who weaned her (הַתְּשׁוּבָה: שֶׁלֹּא גָּמַל אוֹתָהּ הקב״ה), but her children weaned her (אֶלָּא בָּנֶיהָ גָּמְלוּ אוֹתָהּ). For all the ways of Hashem, may He be blessed, are justice, and He does not harm anyone (כִּי כָּל דַּרְכֵי ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ מִשְׁפָּט, וְאֵינוֹ מַזִּיק לְשׁוּם אָדָם), as it is said: “Righteous and upright is He” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא) (Deuteronomy 32:4), and afterward he said, “Corruption is not His,” and there is a tevir [breaking cantillation mark] there (וְאָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ: ״שִׁחֵת לוֹ״ וְשָׁם יֵשׁ תְּבִיר), and it asks whether any damage or corruption comes from Him, may He be blessed (וְהוּא שׁוֹאֵל אִם נִמְשָׁכָה שׁוּם נֵזֶק וְהַשְׁחָתָה מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ).

And it answers and says: No-but “His children are their own flaw,” when they are a “crooked and twisted generation” (וּמֵשִׁיב וְאוֹמֵר ״לֹא״, אֶלָּא ״בָּנָיו מוּמָם״, כְּשֶׁהֵם ״דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּל) (Deuteronomy 32:5). And these are they who wean the Torah (וְאֵלּוּ הֵם שֶׁגוֹמְלִים הַתּוֹרָה). And this is what it says: “Is this how you repay Hashem?” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר: ״הֲלַה׳ תִּגְמְלוּ זֹאת)" (Deuteronomy 32:6), meaning: do you think you are weaning the Torah from Hashem, may He be blessed? (יִרְצֶה: אַתֶּם חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁאַתֶּם גוֹמְלִים הַתּוֹרָה מֵהקב״ה) Do not think this (אַל תַּחְשְׁבוּ זֹאת), for you are not weaning her from Him, may He be blessed (כִּי אֵין אַתֶּם גוֹמְלִים אוֹתָהּ מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), and “this [zot]” refers to the Torah (וְ״זֹאת״ רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר: הַתּוֹרָה), as it is written: “And this is the Torah which Moshe placed…” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה) (Deuteronomy 4:44).

For He, may He be blessed, has no need of her breasts, for He created her and understands her (כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ אֵין צָרִיךְ בָּהּ שָׁדַיִם, כִּי הוּא בְּרָאָהּ וְהוּא מֵבִין אוֹתָהּ). Rather, it is for you that you are weaning her (אֶלָּא לָכֶם אַתֶּם גוֹמְלִים אוֹתָהּ). And one who does this and goes after idolatry is “a vile and unwise people” (וּמִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה זֹאת וְהוֹלֵךְ אַחַר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הוּא "עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם) (Deuteronomy 32:6). And there is reason for the Holy One Blessed Be He to distance him from being His people and to expose his vileness (וְיֵשׁ סִיבָּה שֶׁהקב״ה יַרְחִיק אוֹתוֹ מֵהֱיוֹת לוֹ לְעָם וּלְגַלּוֹת נַבְלָתוֹ), as it is said: “Now I will uncover her shame” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַתָּה אֲגַלֶּה אֶת נַבְלָתָהּ) (Hosea 2:12), because he does not recognize his Creator (בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכִּיר בּוֹרְאוֹ), and he clings to idolatry from which the Holy One Blessed Be He distanced him (וְהוּא מִתְדַּבֵּק בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁהקב״ה הִרְחִיקוֹ מִמֶּנָּה), as I said above regarding Avraham (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְמַעְלָה עַל אַבְרָהָם). And the Holy One Blessed Be He acquired Yisrael, as it is said: “Until the people You acquired passed over” (וְהקב״ה קָנָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַד יַעֲבֹר עַם זוּ קָנִיתָ) (Exodus 15:16), meaning, as though He acquired them with money (יִרְצֶה, שֶׁהוּא כְּאִלּוּ קָנָם בְּדָמִים).

For if it meant creation-He also created other nations (שֶׁאִם הָיָה מִלְּשׁוֹן בְּרִיאָה, גַּם כֵּן בָּרָא הקב״ה שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת). Rather, the meaning is kinyan-acquisition, as I said (אֶלָּא הַכַּוָּנָה לְשׁוֹן קִנְיָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי), and therefore it is said: “Your Father acquired you” (וְלָכֵן אָמַר: ״אָבִיךָ קָנֶךָ) (Deuteronomy 32:6), for He acquired Avraham when He separated him from idolatry (כִּי קָנָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם כְּשֶׁהִרְחִיקוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). And it is said: “He made you,” for when He distanced Avraham from idolatry He said, “And I will make you a great nation” (וְאָמַר ״הוּא עָשֶׂךָ״, לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁהִרְחִיק אֶת אַבְרָהָם מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אָמַר ״וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל) (Bereshit 12:2). And so it was, that from Avraham they multiplied until they became sixty myriads when they left Egypt in order to receive the Torah (וְכֵן עָשָׂה, שֶׁמֵּאַבְרָהָם פָּרוּ וְרָבוּ עַד שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה), which was weaned due to the sins of that generation, as it is said about them: “A vile and unwise people” (שֶׁנִּגְמְלָה בַּעֲווֹן הַדּוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם: ״עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם). And when Yisrael lost the power of Torah, they became despised and lowly (וּכְשֶׁאָבְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּחַ הַתּוֹרָה נִהְיוּ נְבוּזִים וּשְׁפֵלִים), and the nations had power over them to destroy, kill, and annihilate (וְיֵשׁ לָאֻמּוֹת כֹּחַ עֲלֵיהֶם לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרוֹג וּלְאַבֵּד), and to reduce them from sixty myriads (וּלְמַעֵט אוֹתָם מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא). And even though the nations’ intent is not merely to reduce but to cause total destruction (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכַּוָּנָתָם אֵינָהּ לְמַעֵט בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלָיָה), this is not the will of the Holy One Blessed Be He (אֵין רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כֵּן), as we find that even though the Holy One Blessed Be He said, “Call his name Lo-Ami, for you are not My people…” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר הקב״ה ״קְרָא שְׁמוֹ לֹא עַמִּי כִּי אַתֶּם לֹא עַמִּי״ וְגוֹ׳) (Hosea 1:9), He immediately said: “And the number of the children of Yisrael…” etc (תִּכֶּף אָמַר: "וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" וְגוֹ׳) (Hosea 2:1), and He said: “In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God’” (וְאָמַר: ״וְהָיָה בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם לֹא עַמִּי אַתֶּם, יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם בְּנֵי אֵ-ל חָי) (Hosea 2:1).

And it is puzzling why the Name El is mentioned more than any other Name (וְיֵשׁ לְסָפֵק לָמָּה הִזְכִּיר שֵׁם ״אֵ-ל״ יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר הַשֵּׁמוֹת). The answer is that El is the attribute of Chesed (הַתְּשׁוּבָה: לְפִי שֶׁאֵ-ל הוּא מִדַּת חֶסֶד), and Chesed is from Avraham (וְחֶסֶד הוּא מֵאֲבְרָהָם). And it is followed by the word “living” to teach that the seed of Avraham will live and endure forever (וְסָמַךְ לוֹ ״חָי״ לְהוֹרוֹת כִּי זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם יִהְיֶה חַי וְנִצְחִי לְעוֹלָם). And this attribute of Chesed will be placed as chief over them (וְזוֹ הַמִּדָּה שֶׁל חֶסֶד יוּשַׂם לְרֹאשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם), as it is said: “And the children of Yehudah and the children of Yisrael will be gathered…” etc., “and they will appoint over themselves one head and go up from the land, for great is the day of Yizre’el” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנִקְבְּצוּ בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַחְדָּו… וְשָׂמוּ לָהֶם רֹאשׁ אֶחָד וְעָלוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ כִּי גָדוֹל יוֹם יִזְרְעֶאל) (Hosea 2:2). And this head will be King David (וְזֶה הָרֹאשׁ יִהְיֶה הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד), and he will be the one who will speak regarding the sister we mentioned (וְהוּא יִהְיֶה שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר בָּאֲחוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), “on the day it is spoken of” (בְּיוֹם שֶׁיְּדֻבַּר בָּהּ) (Song of Songs 8:8). And he will loosen the bonds of the Torah so that she will give forth fragrance like a bundle of myrrh (וִיתִּיר קִשְׁרֵי הַתּוֹרָה לְשַׁיְּתָנָה רֵיחַ כְּמוֹ ״צְרוֹר הַמּוֹר), as it is said: “A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״צְרוֹר הַמּוֹר דוֹדִי לִי) (Song of Songs 1:13), and that is David (שֶׁהוּא דָּוִד), “who lies between my breasts” (בֵּין שָׁדַי יָלִין), and he will reveal all the secrets of the Torah, which are the shadayim [breasts] (וְהוּא יְגַלֶּה כָּל סוֹדוֹת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהֵם הַשָּׁדַיִם).