האזינו, חמישי

יבינו לאחריתם. יִתְּנוּ לֵב לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן לְסוֹף פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:

They would contemplate their ending. They would apply themselves to contemplating the ending punishment of Yisroel.

איכה ירדף אחד. מִמֶּנּוּ אלף מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל:

How can one pursue. One of us [pursue] a thousand of Yisroel.

אם לא כי צורם מכרם וה' הסגירם. מְכָרָם וּמְסָרָם בְּיָדֵנוּ, דליב"ר בְּלַעַז:

Unless their Almighty [lit. rock] has dealt them away, and Adonoy has delivered them? Dealt them away and delivered them into our hands. Delivrer in Old French.

כי לא כצורנו צורם. כָּל זֶה הָיָה לָהֶם לָאוֹיְבִים לְהָבִין שֶׁהַשֵּׁם הִסְגִּירָם וְלֹא לָהֶם וְלֵאלֹהֵיהֶם הַנִּצָּחוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַד הֵנָּה לֹא יָכְלוּ כְּלוּם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם כְּנֶגֶד צוּרֵנוּ, כִּי לֹא כְסַלְעֵנוּ סַלְעָם; כָּל צוּר שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן סֶלַע:

For their mighty one is not like our Almighty. All this the enemies should have understood — that God delivered them, and the victory is neither theirs nor their gods’, for heretofore their gods were powerless against our Almighty, for their rock is not like our Rock. צוּר in Scripture always denotes a rock.

ואיבינו פלילים. וְעַכְשָׁו אוֹיְבֵינוּ שׁוֹפְטִים אוֹתָנוּ, הֲרֵי שֶׁצוּרֵנוּ מְכָרָנוּ לָהֶם:

Yet our enemies sit in judgement. Yet now our enemies judge us, since our Almighty has dealt us away to them.

כי מגפן סדם גפנם. מוּסָב לְמַעְלָה — אָמַרְתִּי בְּלִבִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם וְאַשְׁבִּית זִכְרָם לְפִי שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם מַעֲשֵׂי סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה:

For their grapevine is of the grapevine of Sedom. This relates to the the above text: I thought privately I shall abandon them and abolish their memory, because their behavior is the behavior of Sedom and Amorah.

שדמת. שְׂדֵה תְּבוּאָה, כְּמוֹ "וּשְׁדֵמוֹת לֹא עָשָׂה אֹכֶל" (חבקוק ג'), "בְּשַׁדְמוֹת קִדְרוֹן" (מלכים ב כ"ג):

Fields. Arable fields, as in “The fields have produced no food,” “In the fields of Kidron.”

ענבי רוש. עֵשֶׂב מַר:

Grapes of bitter herbs. Clusters galling to them.

אשכלת מררת למו. מַשְׁקֶה מַר רָאוּי לָהֶם, לְפִי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וְתוּשְׁלָמַת עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן כִּמְרָרוּתְהוֹן":

Clusters galling to them. Galling beverages are appropriate for them — their punishment suits their behavior. Onkelos translates similarly, “The retribution for their behavior corresponds with their bitterness.”

חמת תנינם יינם. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "הָא כְמָרַת תַּנִּינַיָּא כֹּס פּוּרְעֲנוּתְהוֹן", הִנֵּה כִמְרִירַת נְחָשִׁים כּוֹס מִשְׁתֵּה פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם:

Like caustic serpents’ venom is their wine. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, “Behold, like caustic serpents’ venom is the cup of their punishment.” Behold, like caustic snake venom is the drinking cup of their punishment.

וראש פתנים. כּוֹסָם שֶׁהוּא אכזר לַנָּשׁוּךְ, אוֹיֵב אַכְזָרִי יָבֹא וְיִפָּרַע מֵהֶם:

The gall of adders. Their cup, merciless to the bite victim. A merciless enemy shall come and punish them.

הלא הוא כמס עמדי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כִּסְבוּרִים הֵם שֶׁשָּׁכַחְתִּי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כֻּלָּם גְּנוּזִים וּשְׁמוּרִים לְפָנַי:

Is this not sequestered with Me? As Targum [Onkelos] translates. They think I have forgotten their actions — they are all hidden away and guarded before Me.

הלא הוא. פְּרִי גַפְנָם וּתְבוּאַת שַׁדְמוֹתָם — כמס עמדי:

Is this not. The fruit of their grapevine, and the produce of their fields are sequestered with Me.

לי נקם ושלם. עִמִּי נָכוֹן וּמְזֻמָּן פֻּרְעֲנוּת נָקָם, וִישַׁלֵּם לָהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, הַנָּקָם יְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם גְּמוּלָם. וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים ושלם שֵׁם דָּבָר, כְּמוֹ וְשִׁלּוּם וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת "וְהַדִּבֵּר אֵין בָּהֶם" (ירמיהו ה') — כְּמוֹ וְהַדִּבּוּר. וְאֵימָתַי אֲשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם?

Vengeance is with Me, and shall administer retribution. With Me, ready and available, is the punishment by vengeance, and it shall administer retribution to them in accordance with their behavior. The vengeance shall administer retribution to them. Some interpret וְשִׁלֵּם as a noun, like וְשִׁלּוּם, “and retribution.” This is similar to “The word is not theirs,” like וְהַדִּבּוּר, “and the word.” When will I administer retribution to them?

לעת תמוט רגלם. כְּשֶׁתִּתֹּם זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם שֶׁהֵן סְמוּכִים עָלָיו:

At the time that they shall stumble. At the termination of the merit of their forefathers, upon which they lean for support.

כי קרוב יום אידם. מִשֶּׁאֶרְצֶה לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹם אֵידָם קָרוֹב וּמְזֻמָּן לְפָנַי לְהָבִיא עַל יְדֵי שְׁלוּחִים הַרְבֵּה:

For the day of their calamity is close by. As soon as I desire to inflict upon them the day of their calamity, it is close by and available to Me, to be inflicted through many emissaries.

וחש עתדת למו. וּמַהֵר יָבוֹאוּ הָעֲתִידוֹת לָהֶם:

Destiny speeds towards them. Quickly, destiny will be upon them.

וחש. כְּמוֹ "יְמַהֵר יָחִישָׁה" (ישעיהו ה'); עַד כָּאן הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה דִבְרֵי תּוֹכֵחָה לִהְיוֹת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד, כְּשֶׁתָּבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם הַפֻּרְעָנוּת יֵדְעוּ שֶׁאֲנִי הוֹדַעְתִּים מֵרֹאשׁ, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תַנְחוּמִין שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כִּכְלוֹת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לְמַעְלָה, "וְהָיָה כִי יָבֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ וְגוֹ' הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה וְגוֹ' וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְגוֹ'":

Speeds. Like “Let Him hurry, quicken.” Until this point, Moshe established testimony, for them, with words of reproach, wherein this song would serve witness. When they will be afflicted with punishment, they will know that I informed them beforehand. From this point onward, he established testimony with words of solace, which will transpire when the punishment ends, in accordance with all that was said above, “It will come to pass that, when all of these things will happen to you, etc., the blessing and the curse, etc., Adonoy, your God, will return your exiles, etc.”

כי ידין ה' עמו. כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁפֹּט אוֹתוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִין הַלָּלוּ הָאֲמוּרוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ "כִּי בָם יָדִין עַמִּים" (איוב ל"ו) — יְיַסֵּר עַמִּים. כִּי זֶה אֵינוֹ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא, לָתֵת טַעַם לַדְּבָרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן תְּחִלַּת דִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ (ויקרא כ"ה) "כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ", כְּשֶׁיָּבֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִשְׁפָּטִים הַלָּלוּ וְיִתְנַחֵם הַקָּבָּ"ה עַל עֲבָדָיו לָשׁוּב וּלְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם:

When Adonoy administers justice against His people. When He punishes them with the afflictions described above, as in “For through them He shall administer justice to the nations,” (Shall afflict the nations). כִּי here is not understood as “because,” providing the reason for the preceding statement. Rather, it is introductory, as in, “When you arrive in the land.” ‘When these punishments will be visited upon them, then the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reconsider, concerning His servants, and revert to have compassion for them.’

יתנחם. לְשׁוֹן הִפּוּךְ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְהֵיטִיב אוֹ לְהָרַע:

Will reconsider. This denotes a change of heart, whether benevolently or destructively.

כי יראה כי אזלת יד. כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה כִּי יַד הָאוֹיֵב הוֹלֶכֶת וְחוֹזֶקֶת מְאֹד עֲלֵיהֶם, ואפס בָּהֶם עצור ועזוב:

When He sees the power [lit. hand] surging. When He sees that the power of the enemy is surging to the utmost against them, and that there is no one, among them, structured or fortified.

עצור. נוֹשַׁע עַל יְדֵי עוֹצֵר וּמוֹשֵׁל שֶׁיַּעֲצֹר בָּהֶם:

Structured. Saved by an organizer and ruler who structures them.

עזוב. עַל יְדֵי עוֹזֵב; עוֹצֵר הוּא הַמּוֹשֵׁל הָעוֹצֵר בָּעָם שֶׁלֹּא יֵלְכוּ מְפֻזָּרִים בְּצֵאתָם לַצָּבָא עַל הָאוֹיֵב, בְּלַעַז מיינטינ"דור; עצור, הוּא הַנּוֹשָׁע בְּמַעֲצוֹר הַמּוֹשֵׁל; עזוב, מְחֻזָּק, כְּמוֹ (נחום ג') "וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עַד הַחוֹמָה"; "אֵיךְ לֹא עֻזְּבָה עִיר תְּהִלָּה" (ירמיהו מ"ט), אינפורצדו"ר:

Fortified. By someone who furnishes support. The organizer is the ruler who structures the people, so that they do not proceed haphazardly when advancing to battle the enemy. In Old French, meintenant. Structured. This refers to someone saved by the ruler’s structure. Fortified. Strengthened, as in “They fortified Jerusalem until the wall,” “How is it that the adored city was not fortified.” Enforcied.

ואמר. הַקָּבָּ"ה עֲלֵיהֶם אי אלהימו שֶׁעָבְדוּ:

He shall say. The Holy One, Blessed is He, concerning them, ‘Where is their god whom they worshipped’?

צור חסיו בו. הַסֶּלַע שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְכַּסִּין בּוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַחַמָּה וְהַצִּנָּה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהָיוּ בְטוּחִין בּוֹ לְהָגֵן עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הָרָעָה:

The rock on which they relied for shelter. The rock mass with which they shielded themselves from the sun and the cold; as if to say, they placed their faith in it, to protect them from harm.

אשר חלב זבחימו. הָיוּ אוֹתָן אֱלֹהוֹת אוֹכְלִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מַקְרִיבִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, וְשׁוֹתִין יין נסיכם:

They [ate] the fat of their sacrifices. Those gods would eat [the offerings] which they brought before them, and drink their libation wine.

יהי עליכם סתרה. אוֹתוֹ הַצּוּר יִהְיֶה לָכֶם מַחֲסֶה וּמִסְתּוֹר:

Let them serve as your shield. That rock — let it serve as your shelter and shield.

ראו עתה. הָבִינוּ מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁהֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם וְאֵין לָכֶם מוֹשִׁיעַ, וּמִן הַתְּשׁוּעָה שֶׁאוֹשִׁיעֲכֶם וְאֵין מוֹחֶה בְיָדִי:

Now observe! Learn from the punishment which I visited upon you, when no one could save you, and from the deliverance which I shall grant you, when no one will thwart Me.

אני אני הוא. אֲנִי לְהַשְׁפִּיל וַאֲנִי לְהָרִים:

For it is I! I am the One! It is I who humbles, and I who elevates.

ואין אלהים עמדי. עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדִּי לִמְחוֹת:

And no god matches Me. Stands against me to thwart.

עמדי. דֻּגְמָתִי וְכָמוֹנִי:

Matches Me. Is comparable or similar to Me.

ואין מידי מציל. הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי:

And no one can rescue from My grasp. Those who defy Me.