האזינו, שני

זכר ימות עולם. מֶה עָשָׂה בָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לְפָנָיו:

Remember world history. How He treated those before you who angered Him.

בינו שנות דר ודר. דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ שֶׁהֵצִיף עֲלֵיהֶם מֵי אוֹקְיָנוּס וְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שֶׁשְּׁטָפָם. דָּ"אַ — לֹא נְתַתֶּם לְבַבְכֶם עַל שֶׁעָבַר, בינו שנות דר ודר — לְהַכִּיר לְהַבָּא, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לְהֵיטִיב לָכֶם וּלְהַנְחִיל לָכֶם יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא (עי' ספרי):

Study the generational epochs. Enosh’s generation, when He inundated them with the waters of Okianus, and the generation of the Deluge, when He flooded them. Another interpretation: You have not taken heed of the past. Comprehend the era of every generation, to recognize for the future that He has the power to bestow benefits upon you, and to grant to you the era of Moshiach, and the World to Come.

שאל אביך. אֵלּוּ הַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים אָבוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב ב') בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ "אָבִי אָבִי רֶכֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל" (ספרי):

Ask your father. This refers to the prophets, entitled “fathers,” as it is said concerning Eliyahu, “My father, my father, carriage of Yisroel.”

זקניך. אֵלּוּ הַחֲכָמִים:

Your elders. This refers to the sages.

ויאמרו לך. הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת:

And they will tell you. Ancient history.

בהנחל עליון גוים. כְּשֶׁהִנְחִיל הַקָּבָּ"ה לְמַכְעִיסָיו אֶת חֵלֶק נַחֲלָתָן הֱצִיפָן וּשְׁטָפָם:

When the Exalted One bequeathed nations. When the Holy One, Blessed is He, bequeathed, to those who aroused His fury, their ancestral portions, He inundated and swamped them.

בהפרידו בני אדם. כְּשֶׁהֵפִיץ דּוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה הָיָה בְיָדוֹ לְהַעֲבִירָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן אֶלָּא יצב גבלת עמים, קִיְּמָם וְלֹא אִבְּדָם:

When He set apart the sons of man. When he scattered the dispersed generation, He could have annihilated them. He did not do so, but, rather, “He established national boundaries” — He sustained them, did not destroy them.

למספר בני ישראל. בִּשְׁבִיל מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעֲתִידִין לָצֵאת מִבְּנֵי שֵׁם, וּלְמִסְפַּר שִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְמִצְרַיִם הִצִּיב גבלת עמים — שִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן:

According to the number of Bnei Yisroel. Because of the number of Bnei Yisroel who were destined to issue from Shem’s posterity. Also, according to the number of the seventy souls of Bnei Yisroel who descended into Egypt, He established national boundaries — seventy tongues.

כי חלק ה' עמו. לָמָּה כָּל זֹאת? לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה חֶלְקוֹ כָּבוּשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם וְעָתִיד לָצֵאת, וּמִי הוּא חֶלְקוֹ? עמו. וּמִי הוּא עַמּוֹ?

Because [of] Adonoy’s portion, His people. Why all this? Because His portion was hidden among them, and was destined to emerge. Who are His portion? His people. Who are his people . . .?

יעקב חבל נחלתו. וְהוּא הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בָּאָבוֹת, הַמְשֻׁלָּשׁ בְּשָׁלוֹשׁ זְכֻיּוֹת, זְכוּת אֲבִי אָבִיו וּזְכוּת אָבִיו וּזְכוּתוֹ, הֲרֵי ג', כַּחֶבֶל הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא עָשׂוּי בְּג' גְּדִילִים, וְהוּא וּבָנָיו הָיוּ לוֹ לְנַחֲלָה, וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, וְלֹא עֵשָׂו בְּנוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק (עי' ספרי):

Yaakov the cable of His heritage. He was the third patriarch, and was invested with a triple merit — the merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father, and his own merit. So there were three, like the cable, which consists of three strands. He and his sons were His [God’s] heritage, but not Yishmael, the son of Avrohom, and not Eisav, Yitzchak’s son.

ימצאהו בארץ מדבר. אוֹתָם מָצָא לוֹ נֶאֱמָנִים בְּאֶרֶץ הַמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם תּוֹרָתוֹ וּמַלְכוּתוֹ וְעֻלּוֹ, מַה שֶּׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְעֵשָׂו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ל"ג) "וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן":

He found them in a wilderness country. He found them faithful to Hashem in wilderness country, as they obligated themselves to His Torah, His sovereignty, and His yoke of bondage, which Yishmael and Eisav did not do, as it is said, “He radiated from Se’ir to them, appeared from Mount Paran.”

ובתהו ילל ישמן. אֶרֶץ צִיָּה וּשְׁמָמָה, מְקוֹם יִלְלַת תַּנִּינִים וּבְנוֹת יַעֲנָה, אַף שָׁם נִמְשְׁכוּ אַחַר הָאֱמוּנָה, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לְמֹשֶׁה הֵיאַךְ נֵצֵא לַמִּדְבָּרוֹת מְקוֹם צִיָּה וְשִׁמָּמוֹן? כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ב'), "לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר":

In arid, shrieking desolation. An arid, desolate land, an area with the shrieking of the Taninim and the Bnos Ya’anah. There, too, they adhered to the faith, and did not say to Moshe, ‘How can we go into wildernesses, arid, desolate areas’? as it is said, “. . . when you followed Me into the wilderness.”

יסבבנהו. שָׁם סִבְּבָם וְהִקִּיפָם בַּעֲנָנִים וְסִבְּבָם בִּדְגָלִים לְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת וְסִבְּבָן בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר שֶׁכָּפָהוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כְּגִיגִית (עי' ספרי):

He encircled them. There He encircled and enveloped them with clouds, and encircled them with banners on four sides, and encircled them with the bottom of the mountain, which He arched over them like a barrel.

יבוננהו. שָׁם בְּתוֹרָה וּבִינָה:

He granted them understanding. There, with Torah and wisdom.

יצרנהו. מִנָּחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב וּמִן הָאֻמּוֹת:

He sheltered them. From serpents, venomous reptiles, scorpions, and from the Gentile nations.

כאישון עינו. הוּא הַשָּׁחֹר שֶׁבָּעַיִן שֶׁהַמָּאוֹר יוֹצֵא הֵימֶנּוּ. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם יִמְצָאֵהוּ — "יַסְפִּיקֵהוּ כָּל צָרְכּוֹ בַמִּדְבָּר", כְּמוֹ (במדבר י"א) "מָצָא לָהֶם", (יהושע י"ז) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא לָנוּ הָהָר":

Like the pupil of His eye. This refers to the dark area of the eye, from which light emanates. However, Onkelos renders, “He sustained them,” He provided for all their needs in the wilderness, as in, “and provide for them,” “the mountain does not sufficiently provide for us.”

יסבבנהו. "אַשְׁרִינוּן סְחוֹר סְחוֹר לִשְׁכִנְתֵּיהּ", אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד בָּאֶמְצָע וְאַרְבָּעָה דְגָלִים לְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת:

He encircled them. He encamped them around His Presence — the Tent of Meeting at the center, and the four banners in four directions.

כנשר יעיר קנו. נִהֲגָם בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְחֶמְלָה, כַּנֶּשֶׁר הַזֶּה רַחְמָנִי עַל בָּנָיו, וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס לְקִנּוֹ פִּתְאֹם עַד שֶׁהוּא מְקַשְׁקֵשׁ וּמְטָרֵף עַל בָּנָיו בִּכְנָפָיו בֵּין אִילָן לְאִילָן, בֵּין שׂוֹכָה לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּעוֹרוּ בָּנָיו וִיהֵא בָהֶם כֹּחַ לְקַבְּלוֹ (ספרי):

Like an eagle who rouses his nest. He directed them with compassion and sympathy, like the eagle who is compassionate with his children. He does not enter his nest suddenly, until he causes a commotion and disturbance over his children with his wings, between one tree and another, between one branch and the next, so that his children are roused, and are capable of receiving him.

יעיר קנו. יְעוֹרֵר בָּנָיו:

Who rouses his nest. He arouses his children.

על גוזליו ירחף. אֵינוֹ מַכְבִּיד עַצְמוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶלָּא מְחוֹפֵף — נוֹגֵעַ וְאֵינוֹ נוֹגֵעַ (תלמוד ירושלמי חגיגה ב') — אַף הַקָּבָּ"הּ, "שַׁדַּי לֹא מְצָאנֻהוּ שַׂגִּיא כֹחַ" (איוב ל"ז) כְּשֶׁבָּא לִתֵּן תּוֹרָה לֹא נִגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם מֵרוּחַ אַחַת אֶלָּא מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "ה' מִסִּינַי בָּא וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן" (דברים ל"ג), "אֱלוֹהַּ מִתֵּימָן יָבוֹא" (חבקוק ג') — זוֹ רוּחַ רְבִיעִית (ספרי):

Fluttering over his young. He does not press himself on them, but hovers, touching yet not touching. So, too, the Holy One, Blessed is He — ”Shaddai — we did not find Him at full power.” When He came to give the Torah, He did not reveal Himself to them from one direction, but, rather, from four directions, as it is stated, “Adonoy came from Sinai, radiated from Se’ir to them, appeared from Mount Paran, arriving with some of His sacred myriads.” “God came from Teiman” — this is the fourth direction.

יפרש כנפיו יקחהו. כְּשֶׁבָּא לִטְּלָם מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם אֵינוֹ נוֹטְלָן בְּרַגְלָיו כִּשְׁאָר עוֹפוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁשְּׁאָר עוֹפוֹת יְרֵאִים מִן הַנֶּשֶׁר שֶׁהוּא מַגְבִּיהַּ לָעוּף וּפוֹרֵחַ עֲלֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ נוֹשְׂאָן בְּרַגְלָיו, מִפְּנֵי הַנֶּשֶׁר, אֲבָל הַנֶּשֶׁר אֵינוֹ יָרֵא אֶלָּא מִן הַחֵץ, לְפִיכָךְ נוֹשְׂאָן עַל כְּנָפָיו, אוֹמֵר מוּטָב שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס הַחֵץ בִּי וְלֹא יִכָּנֵס בְּבָנַי, אַף הַקָּבָּ"ה (שמות י"ט) "וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים" — כְּשֶׁנָּסְעוּ מִצְרַיִם אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְהִשִּׂיגוּם עַל הַיָּם הָיוּ זוֹרְקִים בָּהֶם חִצִּים וְאַבְנֵי בָּלִיסְטְרָאוֹת, מִיָּד "וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ' וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם וְגוֹ'" (שמות י"ד):

He extends his wings, grasps them. When he comes to transport them from place to place, he does not grasp them with his talons like other birds. For the other birds fear the eagle, who soars high and flies above them — he therefore carries them in his talons because of the eagle. The eagle, however, fears nothing but the arrow, and, therefore, carries them on his wings, saying, ‘Better let the arrow enter me, and not enter my children.’ So, too, with the Holy One, Blessed is He, “I carried you on wings of eagles.” When the Egyptians pursued them and overtook them at the sea, they propelled arrows and projectiles at them. Immediately, “The angel of God moved, etc., and came between the Egyptian camp, etc.”

ה' בדד ינחנו. נִהֲגָם בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּדָד וּבֶטַח:

Adonoy conducted them alone. He conducted them alone, in security, in the wilderness.

ואין עמו אל נכר. לֹא הָיָה כֹחַ בְּאֶחָד מִכָּל אֱלֹהֵי הַגּוֹיִם לְהַרְאוֹת כֹּחוֹ וּלְהִלָּחֵם עִמָּהֶם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְרָשׁוּהוּ עַל הֶעָתִיד וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס, וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר דִּבְרֵי תּוֹכֵחָה הֵם לְהָעִיד הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וּתְהֵא הַשִּׁירָה לָהֶם לְעֵד שֶׁסּוֹפָן לִבְגֹּד וְלֹא יִזְכְּרוּ לֹא הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם וְלֹא הַנּוֹלָדוֹת שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ לְיַשֵּׁב הַדָּבָר לְכָאן וּלְכָאן. וְכָל הָעִנְיָן מוּסָב עַל זכר ימות עולם בינו שנות דר ודר, כֵּן עָשָׂה לָהֶם וְכֵן עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת, כָּל זֶה הָיָה לָהֶם לִזְכֹּר:

Without [opposition by] alien gods. There was no capability, among any of the gods of the Gentiles, of displaying their power by waging war with them. The Rabbis expound this as referring to the future, and Onkelos translates it similarly. Now I say that these are words of reproach, calling on the testimony of heaven and earth, so that this song might serve as a warning to them, for they would ultimately betray the faith, and remember neither the early favors which He performed for them, nor the future ones which He would eventually perform for them. Therefore, the matter must be reconciled both here and there. The entire subject revolves around “Remember world history, study the generational epochs” — this is what He did for them, and this is what He will eventually do. All this they should have remembered.