25b (כ״ה:ב׳)

From His left countenance the stars grow strong when The Holy One Blessed Be He is angered at Yisrael to afflict them (שְׂמֹאלוֹ הַפָּנִים מִתְחַזְּקִים הַכּוֹכָבִים כְּשֶׁהקב״ה חָרָה אַפּוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְיַסֵּר אוֹתָם). And for this reason it is said four times: “sevenfold for your sins” (וּלְזֹאת אָמַר ד׳ פְּעָמִים ״שֶׁבַע עַל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם״), to allude to these countenances, which are four - from each of which something extends (לְרַמֵּז עַל אֵלּוּ הַפָּנִים שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעָה, שֶׁמִּכָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם נִמְשָׁךְ דָּבָר אֶחָד).

And the first time He said: “to afflict you” (וּבַפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה אָמַר ״לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם״) (Leviticus 26). And in the second He strengthens it more and says: “a blow” (וּבַשֵּׁנִית מְחַזֵּק יוֹתֵר וְאוֹמֵר ״מַכָּה״), as I have shown you, that blow and blessing are one and the same place (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוֹדַעְתִּיךָ - שֶׁמַּכָּה וּבְרָכָה - הַכֹּל בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד). And therefore He said, “sheva [seven] according to your sins” (וּלְזֹאת אָמַר ״שֶׁבַע כַּחַטֹּאתֵיכֶם״)—meaning, the blow with which I shall strike you will be from the seven (יִרְצֶה - הַמַּכָּה שֶׁאַכֶּה אֶתְכֶם - תִּהְיֶה מֵהַשִּׁבְעָה), and according to the manner in which you sin, so those seven will strike you (שֶׁבְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתֶּחֶטְאוּ - כָּךְ יַכּוּ אֶתְכֶם אוֹתָם שִׁבְעָה). And for this reason there is a terachah [disjunctive accent] beneath the word sheva [seven] (וְלָזֹאת יֵשׁ בְּתֵּבַת ״שֶׁבַע״ טַרְחָא).

And in the third He strengthens further, for He said: “and I will smite” (וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁית מְחַזֵּק יוֹתֵר - שֶׁאָמַר ״וְהִכֵּיתִי״), and added and wrote: “I also, seven…” (וְהוֹסִיף וְכָתַב ״גַּם אֲנִי שֶׁבַע״), to hint to us that the blessing given to us was given on condition (לְרַמֵּז לָנוּ שֶׁהַבְּרָכָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָנוּ - נִתְּנָה עַל תְּנַאי), for wherever it says “also,” it hints to a condition (שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְתַּב ״גַּם״ - הוּא לְרַמֵּז עַל הַתְּנַאי), to say: this blessing I give you is on condition - if you are good (לוֹמַר: שֶׁזוֹ הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם - הִיא עַל תְּנַאי, אִם תִּהְיוּ טוֹבִים). And Esav said: “Bless me, also me, my father” (וְעֵשָׂו שָׁאַל ״בָּרֲכֵנִי גַם אָנִי אָבִי״) (Bereshit 27), and the meaning of this is that it shall be conditional (וְהַמּוּבָן מִזֶּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עַל תְּנַאי). And he prophesied and did not know what he prophesied (וְנִבָּא וְלֹא יָדַע מַה נִּבָּא), and from Yitzchak nothing was hidden (וּמִיִּצְחָק לֹא נִסְתָּר שׁוּם דָּבָר), but all was by the word of Hashem, may He be blessed (אֶלָּא הַכֹּל הָיָה בִּמַאֲמַר ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ). And then Yitzchak blessed him, and at the end of his blessing he said: “By your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve - and it shall be when you struggle, you shall break his yoke from your neck” (וְאָז בֵּרְכוֹ יִצְחָק, וּבְסוֹף בִּרְכָתוֹ אָמַר: ״וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִּחְיֶה, וְאֶת אָחִיךָ תַּעֲבֹד, וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר תָּרִיד - וּפֵרַקְתָּ עֻלּוֹ מֵעַל צַוָּארֶךָ״) (Bereshit 27).

Thus, it is hinted in his words: “Bless me also, my father,” that both blessings - Ya'akov’s and Esav’s - were conditional (הֲרֵי שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ ״בָּרֲכֵנִי גַם אָנִי אָבִי״ - שֶׁשְׁתֵּי הַבְּרָכוֹת, בֵּין שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב בֵּין שֶׁל עֵשָׂו - שְׁתֵּיהֶן עַל תְּנַאי). And what it says: “And it shall be when you struggle” - tarid in gematria is 614 (וּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר ״וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר תָּרִיד״ - תָּרִיד בְּגִימַטְרִיָּה תרי״ד), to hint to the 613 mitzvot and the Torah, which are the value of tarid (לְרַמֵּז עַל תַּרְיַ״ג מִצְווֹת וְהַתּוֹרָה - שֶׁהֵם כְּמִנְיַן ״תָּרִיד״). And the meaning is: when Yisrael forget the Torah, the blessing - which was given conditionally - will be removed from them (וְהַכַּוָּנָה: כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁכְּחוּ הַתּוֹרָה - הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה עַל תְּנַאי מִסְתַלֶּקֶת מֵהֶם). And you will find that the blessing of Ya'akov and Esav was equal in a certain respect (וְתִמְצָא שֶׁבִּרְכַּת יַעֲקֹב וְעֵשָׂו הָיְתָה שָׁוָה בְּאֵי זֶה צַד), for in Ya'akov’s blessing it said: “from the dew of the heavens and the fatness of the earth” (שֶׁבִּבִּרְכַּת יַעֲקֹב אָמַר ״מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ״) (Bereshit 27), and in Esav’s as well it said: “from the fatness of the earth shall be your dwelling” (וּבְעֵשָׂו גַּם כֵּן אָמַר ״הִנֵּה מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה מֹשָׁבֶךָ״) (Bereshit 27).

And to Esav was added: “By your sword you shall live” (וְנִתְּוַסֵּף לְעֵשָׂו: ״וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִּחְיֶה״), to hint that when Yisrael abandon the Torah - not only is the blessing withdrawn from them, but Hashem gives the sword to Esav to afflict them with it (לְרַמֵּז: כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹזְבִים הַתּוֹרָה - לֹא דַּי שֶׁהַבְּרָכָה מִסְתַלֶּקֶת מֵהֶם, אֶלָּא שֶׁנָּתַן הקב״ה הַחֶרֶב לְעֵשָׂו לְיַסְּרָם בָּהּ). And the word tarid is from the expression: “I will pour out my speech and groan” (וּמִלַּת ״תָּרִיד״ - הִיא מִלְּשׁוֹן ״אָרִיד בְּשִׂיחִי וְאֵהִימָה״) (Job 7), to hint that Esav himself will become accuser and prosecutor against them before The Holy One Blessed Be He when they do not guard the Torah (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁעֵשָׂו בְּעַצְמוֹ יִהְיֶה תּוֹבֵעַ וּמְקַטְרֵג עֲלֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי הקב״ה - כְּשֶׁאֵין הֵם שׁוֹמְרִים הַתּוֹרָה), as our Sages said in Shabbat, chapter “Rabbi Akiva” p1-9(כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל בְּשַׁבָּת פֶּרֶק ״רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא״).

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: At the moment when Moshe descended from before The Holy One Blessed Be He (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, בִּשְׁעָה שֶׁיָּרַד מֹשֶׁה מִלִּפְנֵי הקב״ה), the Satan came and said before Him: Master of the universe - where is the Torah? (בָּא שָׂטָן וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, תּוֹרָה הֵיכָן הִיא) He said to him: I gave it to the earth (אָמַר לוֹ: נְתַתִּיהָ לָאָרֶץ). He went to the earth and said to it: Where is the Torah? (הָלַךְ אֵצֶל אֶרֶץ, אָמַר לָהּ: תּוֹרָה הֵיכָן הִיא) She said to him: “Elohim understands her way” etc (אָמְרָה לוֹ: ״אֱלֹקִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּה״ וְגוֹ׳) (Job 28). He went to the sea and said to it: Where is it? The sea said: “It is not with me” (הָלַךְ אֵצֶל יָם וְאָמַר לוֹ: הֵיכָן הִיא אָמַר לוֹ: ״אֵין עִמָּדִי״) (Job 28). He went to the deep and said: Is it with you? It said: It is not with me (הָלַךְ אֵצֶל תְּהוֹם וְאָמַר לוֹ: הִיא בָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ: אֵין בִּי), as it is said: “The deep said: it is not in me; and the sea said: it is not with me” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״תְּהוֹם אָמַר לֹא בִי הִיא, וְיָם אָמַר אֵין עִמָּדִי״) (Job 28). Abaddon and death said: “With our ears we have heard its report” etc (אֲבַדּוֹן וָמָוֶת אָמְרוּ: ״בְּאָזְנֵינוּ שָׁמַעְנוּ שִׁמְעָהּ״ וְגוֹ׳) (Job 28).

The intent of the teaching is that the Satan - who is from the side of Sama’el, the prince of Esav (כַּוָּנַת הַמַּאֲמָר - שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן שֶׁהוּא מִצַּד סַמָּאֵ"ל שַׂרוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו), since he is the accuser and prosecutor over the observance of Torah, as we said (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא הַתּוֹבֵעַ וְהַמְּקַטְרֵג עַל שְׁמִירַת הַתּוֹרָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), it was fitting that he know and inquire when Yisrael received the Torah (רָאוּי הָיָה שֶׁיֵּדַע וְיִשְׁאֵל מָתַי קִבְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַתּוֹרָה). Therefore he asked and said: “Where is the Torah?” (וְלָכֵן שָׁאַל וְאָמַר ״תּוֹרָה הֵיכָן הִיא״) And Hashem answered him: It was given to the earth - which is Kenesset Yisrael (וְהקב״ה הֵשִׁיבוֹ שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהִיא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is said about her: “earth,” and also “sea” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהּ ״אֶרֶץ״ וְגַם נֶאֱמַר בָּהּ ״יָם״). And the Satan went to that middah which is called “earth,” where both blow and blessing exist, as we said (וְהַשָּׂטָן הָלַךְ לְאוֹתָהּ מִדָּה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת ״אֶרֶץ״ - שֶׁשָּׁם מַכָּה וּבְרָכָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), and said to her: Where is the Torah? (וְאָמַר לָהּ: תּוֹרָה הֵיכָן הִיא) And she answered and said to him: “Elohim understands her way” (וְהֵשִׁיבָה וְאָמְרָה לוֹ: ״אֱלֹקִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּה״), meaning: that which you ask - which is the Torah - “Elohim understands her way” (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר: מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה שׁוֹאֵל - שֶׁהוּא הַתּוֹרָה - ״אֱלֹקִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּה״), meaning: the middah of Elohim, which is the middat ha-din [attribute of judgment], discerns and examines her ways to know who are those who observe her (יִרְצֶה: מִדַּת אֱלֹקִים שֶׁהִיא מִדַּת הַדִּין - זוֹ מְבִינָה וּמְדַקְדֶּקֶת בִּדְרָכֶיהָ לָדַעַת מִי הֵם הַשּׁוֹמְרִים אוֹתָהּ). And he said: “Elohim understands her way” in order to conceal from the Satan that Yisrael had received the Torah (וְאָמַר ״אֱלֹקִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּה״ לְהַסְתִּיר מִן הַשָּׂטָן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל קִבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה). And He also satisfied the Satan’s desire in what He said - that the middat Elohim supervises the Torah to see whether it is observed properly or not (וְגַם כֵּן הִשְׁלִים תַּאֲוַת הַשָּׂטָן בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר - שֶׁמִּדַּת אֱלֹקִים מַשְׁגִּיחָה עַל הַתּוֹרָה לִרְאוֹת אִם שׁוֹמְרִים אוֹתָהּ כָּרָאוּי אוֹ לֹא). And the sea - which is with the middah of the earth, as we said - said: “It is not with me” (וְגַם הַיָּם - שֶׁהוּא עִם מִדַּת אֶרֶץ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ - אָמַר ״אֵין עִמָּדִי״), in order to preserve merit for Yisrael (לִשְׁמוֹר זְכוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), that is, to conceal it - so the Satan would not know that Yisrael had received the Torah (שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה לְהַסְתִּיר - שֶׁלֹּא יֵדַע הַשָּׂטָן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל קִבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה).