Chasidut על מגילה 35:24
Kedushat Levi
Deuteronomy 17,3 “or to the sun or the moon or to the celestial constellations that I never commanded you.”
Rashi explains this line as if the words “to worship them,” had been left out at the end of this verse, and the reader is expected to add them himself. The Talmud Megillah 9, appears to take the same approach when it tells us that the Septuagint, the 72 scholars forced by the Greeks/Egyptians under King Talmay to translate the entire Torah into Greek while each was incommunicado with anyone else. They all translated the verse in that way. [The reason they had been separated was for the Greeks to point to discrepancies in the translations, and to use these as a pretext to invalidate the Torah. Ed.]
At that time, each one of these scholars added some words of their own being guided by the Holy Spirit. In the case of our verse, they added the word: לעובדם, “to serve them."
In this instance, Rashi presumably bases himself on the meaning of the word השתחוה, not always meaning “to worship G’d.” In Kings I 18,7 we find that term applied to man, when Ovadiah made an obeisance to the prophet Elijah. Although Ovadiah himself was a prophet, he deferred to Elijah. We even find that G’d Himself on one occasion referred to Yaakov as א-ל, “a divine power.” He did so because Yaakov observed all the laws that later were to appear in the Torah. (Compare comment in Talmud Megillah 18) All the righteous people are entitled to this attribute, so that it is permissible to make an obeisance called השתחוויה to them. The same is not true of sun, moon, or the celestial constellations, seeing that they have not been charged with observing the Torah. The meaning of אשר לא צויתי, “that I have not commanded,” is that seeing that G’d did not command these powerful forces in nature to observe the Torah, they do not qualify for any obeisance to them to be made by man, i.e. Israelites, who have been commanded to keep the Torah. [The problem in our verse is that on the face of it, it seems that the words וישתחו and ויעבוד are used to create the impression that when the Torah did not repeat the specific prohibition to make an obeisance through השתחוויה, this form of obeisance might have been permitted. Ed.]
Rashi explains this line as if the words “to worship them,” had been left out at the end of this verse, and the reader is expected to add them himself. The Talmud Megillah 9, appears to take the same approach when it tells us that the Septuagint, the 72 scholars forced by the Greeks/Egyptians under King Talmay to translate the entire Torah into Greek while each was incommunicado with anyone else. They all translated the verse in that way. [The reason they had been separated was for the Greeks to point to discrepancies in the translations, and to use these as a pretext to invalidate the Torah. Ed.]
At that time, each one of these scholars added some words of their own being guided by the Holy Spirit. In the case of our verse, they added the word: לעובדם, “to serve them."
In this instance, Rashi presumably bases himself on the meaning of the word השתחוה, not always meaning “to worship G’d.” In Kings I 18,7 we find that term applied to man, when Ovadiah made an obeisance to the prophet Elijah. Although Ovadiah himself was a prophet, he deferred to Elijah. We even find that G’d Himself on one occasion referred to Yaakov as א-ל, “a divine power.” He did so because Yaakov observed all the laws that later were to appear in the Torah. (Compare comment in Talmud Megillah 18) All the righteous people are entitled to this attribute, so that it is permissible to make an obeisance called השתחוויה to them. The same is not true of sun, moon, or the celestial constellations, seeing that they have not been charged with observing the Torah. The meaning of אשר לא צויתי, “that I have not commanded,” is that seeing that G’d did not command these powerful forces in nature to observe the Torah, they do not qualify for any obeisance to them to be made by man, i.e. Israelites, who have been commanded to keep the Torah. [The problem in our verse is that on the face of it, it seems that the words וישתחו and ויעבוד are used to create the impression that when the Torah did not repeat the specific prohibition to make an obeisance through השתחוויה, this form of obeisance might have been permitted. Ed.]
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Kedushat Levi
The Torah writes in 33,20: ויקרא לו א-ל אלוקי ישראל, “He (G’d) called him ‘a G’d Who is the G’d of Yisrael.’” (Compare Megillah 18) How do we know that G’d bestowed such a “title” on Yaakov? Does it not almost sound blasphemous? [Rabbeinu Bachya, see my translation page 519 already deals with this problem. Ed.]
In order to explain this puzzling verse, we must state categorically that the word א-ל is most certainly not meant to convey that the bearer of that title should be regarded as someone to be worshipped. We need to answer why the Torah chose this occasion for bestowing such a strange sounding title on Yaakov/Yisrael, and if so why only on this occasion? The word אל generally refers to someone powerful and aggressive.
We have mentioned on several occasions that the tzaddik is powerful enough to bring about cancellation of decrees issued by G’d. (Compare also Moed Katan 16 on the subject where G’d Himself is quoted as saying: מי מושל בי? צדיק “Who has the power to rule over me? the righteous.”) This “ruling” over G’d, is restricted to the ability of the righteous to cancel evil decrees directed at the people of Israel by G’d. Accordingly, our verse answers the question: “who is it who called Yaakov “el,” i.e. someone righteous enough to be able to overturn harmful decrees against the Jewish people?” Answer; אלוקי ישראל, “the G’d of Israel.”
In order to explain this puzzling verse, we must state categorically that the word א-ל is most certainly not meant to convey that the bearer of that title should be regarded as someone to be worshipped. We need to answer why the Torah chose this occasion for bestowing such a strange sounding title on Yaakov/Yisrael, and if so why only on this occasion? The word אל generally refers to someone powerful and aggressive.
We have mentioned on several occasions that the tzaddik is powerful enough to bring about cancellation of decrees issued by G’d. (Compare also Moed Katan 16 on the subject where G’d Himself is quoted as saying: מי מושל בי? צדיק “Who has the power to rule over me? the righteous.”) This “ruling” over G’d, is restricted to the ability of the righteous to cancel evil decrees directed at the people of Israel by G’d. Accordingly, our verse answers the question: “who is it who called Yaakov “el,” i.e. someone righteous enough to be able to overturn harmful decrees against the Jewish people?” Answer; אלוקי ישראל, “the G’d of Israel.”
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Kedushat Levi
The Talmud in Shabbat 133 urges each one of us to “attach” ourselves to the virtues manifested by Hashem, by emulating them whenever possible, giving as an example: “just as He is merciful, you are to be merciful also.”
The problem with this “moral imperative” posited by the Talmud is that one of the attributes G’d has revealed to Moses in our portion is called א-ל, usually understood as a reference to G’d being omnipotent, תקיף; (compare Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 5) how are we to emulate such an attribute? We need to understand this slightly differently, i.e. that G’d has given the tzaddik the power to “compel” Him to carry out the tzaddik’s wishes. This is what the Talmud in Megillah 18 had in mind when it posed the rhetorical question of “how do we know that G’d called Yaakov by the attribute א-ל?” What possible “omnipotence” did Yaakov possess, seeing that all he could do was to abide by rules established in the Torah? Our sages in the Talmud in Ketuvot 111 alluded to this problem when they taught us that G’d made the Jewish people swear three oaths at the time of the destruction of the Temple. One of them was: “do not pressure Me to postpone the date of the coming of the messiah.” [Our author prefers an alternate version of that oath with the word ירחקו being replaced by the word ידחקו, i.e. pressuring G’d to advance the date of the coming of the messiah. Ed.] The root דחק is well known as referring to someone “hastening an event,” the best known example being the saying in B’rachot 64: כל הדוחק את השעה השעה דוחק אותו, “whosoever tries to advance the timetable for events destined to occur later, will find that it proves to have been counterproductive.”
Concerning the appropriate time for the coming of the messiah, the prophet Isaiah had predicted in Isaiah 51,4 כי תורה מאתי תצא , “for a teaching will come forth from Me, etc.” The prophet refers to a teaching which prior to that era could not have been understood at all by man, [as his spiritual horizons had not been sufficiently expanded. Ed.] This “Torah” will be called superior to all.
Besides, how is it possible to hasten the end of the exile, seeing that if all of Israel‘s virtues are the result of emulating G’d’s attributes, it follows that everything the Israelites do is pattered on the Torah, so how could they possibly be able to influence G’d’s timetable for the coming of the Messiah then? The answer is that by conferring on Yaakov the title א-ל, (Genesis 35,10, 33,20), He had conferred on him (and subsequent tzaddikim) some of His powers so that He had to warn them not to abuse these powers by making them take an oath. This complimentary title that G’d bestowed on Yaakov and other zaddikim after him was conditioned on his regarding the Torah and its laws inviolate. G’d had decided on His timetable for the coming of the messiah either at the same time as when He bestowed the title א-ל on Yaakov, or even earlier, so that his “powers” did not extend to overriding this. How could man then interfere with G’d’s decree? If man, i.e. the tzaddik could not interfere, why would the בנות ישראל, “chronologically later generations of Israelites,” have to swear an oath concerning something that was beyond their power to do anyways?
The apparent contradiction is resolved by an interesting commentary on Song of Songs 2,10, (a few verses after the verse in which G’d beseeches the “daughters of Jerusalem” to swear the abovementioned oath); we read there, concerning G’d: הנה זה עומד אחר כתלנו משגיח מן החלונות מציץ מחרקים, “here He is standing behind our walls looking down through the windows, peering through the blinds.” This verse describes G’d, Who, on the one hand is לעילא מן כל, “towering high above all,” as also on occasion retreating so far into the background that He only peers through the lattices. The verse alludes to the varying degrees of light that emanates from Him, tailored to what the situation requires. On occasion, if warranted, the tzaddik can override G’d’s plan; seeing that this is so, G’d had to protect His ultimate program for mankind by making the בנות ירושלים swear that they would not interfere with certain of His plans.
The problem with this “moral imperative” posited by the Talmud is that one of the attributes G’d has revealed to Moses in our portion is called א-ל, usually understood as a reference to G’d being omnipotent, תקיף; (compare Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 5) how are we to emulate such an attribute? We need to understand this slightly differently, i.e. that G’d has given the tzaddik the power to “compel” Him to carry out the tzaddik’s wishes. This is what the Talmud in Megillah 18 had in mind when it posed the rhetorical question of “how do we know that G’d called Yaakov by the attribute א-ל?” What possible “omnipotence” did Yaakov possess, seeing that all he could do was to abide by rules established in the Torah? Our sages in the Talmud in Ketuvot 111 alluded to this problem when they taught us that G’d made the Jewish people swear three oaths at the time of the destruction of the Temple. One of them was: “do not pressure Me to postpone the date of the coming of the messiah.” [Our author prefers an alternate version of that oath with the word ירחקו being replaced by the word ידחקו, i.e. pressuring G’d to advance the date of the coming of the messiah. Ed.] The root דחק is well known as referring to someone “hastening an event,” the best known example being the saying in B’rachot 64: כל הדוחק את השעה השעה דוחק אותו, “whosoever tries to advance the timetable for events destined to occur later, will find that it proves to have been counterproductive.”
Concerning the appropriate time for the coming of the messiah, the prophet Isaiah had predicted in Isaiah 51,4 כי תורה מאתי תצא , “for a teaching will come forth from Me, etc.” The prophet refers to a teaching which prior to that era could not have been understood at all by man, [as his spiritual horizons had not been sufficiently expanded. Ed.] This “Torah” will be called superior to all.
Besides, how is it possible to hasten the end of the exile, seeing that if all of Israel‘s virtues are the result of emulating G’d’s attributes, it follows that everything the Israelites do is pattered on the Torah, so how could they possibly be able to influence G’d’s timetable for the coming of the Messiah then? The answer is that by conferring on Yaakov the title א-ל, (Genesis 35,10, 33,20), He had conferred on him (and subsequent tzaddikim) some of His powers so that He had to warn them not to abuse these powers by making them take an oath. This complimentary title that G’d bestowed on Yaakov and other zaddikim after him was conditioned on his regarding the Torah and its laws inviolate. G’d had decided on His timetable for the coming of the messiah either at the same time as when He bestowed the title א-ל on Yaakov, or even earlier, so that his “powers” did not extend to overriding this. How could man then interfere with G’d’s decree? If man, i.e. the tzaddik could not interfere, why would the בנות ישראל, “chronologically later generations of Israelites,” have to swear an oath concerning something that was beyond their power to do anyways?
The apparent contradiction is resolved by an interesting commentary on Song of Songs 2,10, (a few verses after the verse in which G’d beseeches the “daughters of Jerusalem” to swear the abovementioned oath); we read there, concerning G’d: הנה זה עומד אחר כתלנו משגיח מן החלונות מציץ מחרקים, “here He is standing behind our walls looking down through the windows, peering through the blinds.” This verse describes G’d, Who, on the one hand is לעילא מן כל, “towering high above all,” as also on occasion retreating so far into the background that He only peers through the lattices. The verse alludes to the varying degrees of light that emanates from Him, tailored to what the situation requires. On occasion, if warranted, the tzaddik can override G’d’s plan; seeing that this is so, G’d had to protect His ultimate program for mankind by making the בנות ירושלים swear that they would not interfere with certain of His plans.
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Kedushat Levi
Genesis 50,19. “Joseph said to them: ‘do not fear for I am in place of G’d.’” According to Onkelos the meaning of this line is: “since G’d when He performs an act that appears to us as evil, although He knows that it will turn out for our benefit, I, if I were to be instead of G’d, I would have to perform a similar act against you. Since it is not within man’s power to foresee how his actions will turn out in the end, I am obviously not entitled to do something that begins by being harmful.”
Looking at the plain meaning of the text it is difficult to understand Onkelos.
Perhaps we have to fall back on the principle that every human being, as part of his character, (virtues) must endeavour to maintain close relations with his Creator. This involves a degree of awe and reverence for the Creator to be present in his mind at all times. It also presumes that he is imbued with a degree of love for his Creator, as he contemplates the greatness of G’d. He is obligated to do this if for no other reason than G’d has performed so many more deeds of loving kindness for the Jewish people than He has performed for any other nation. The same is true for other attributes of G’d that have been of benefit to us on numerous occasions. The sum total of such a relationship between us, the creature, and the Creator, makes this an עולם האמת, a world in which truth is predominant. Once we appreciate this we can understand the Talmud in Megillah 18 in which the rhetorical question is posed of how we know that G’d had referred to Yaakov by the title א-ל, a name used for referring to Him on many occasions?
The foregoing will also help us understand what the Talmud meant when it described G’d as having built and destroyed worlds on a regular basis before He commenced with the construction of the universe described in Bereshit. The Talmud in Baba Batra 75 tells us that just as G’d has been building worlds, so the righteous, in a future, refined world, will also “build worlds;” not only that but they will be given titles used by G’d to describe Himself. The ministering angels when meeting up with these righteous will address them as “your holiness.” Although such statements first strike us as bordering on blasphemy, when we consider that these “righteous people” have already acquired many of G’d’s own attributes, it is not difficult to understand the Talmudic references to the future better state of the world at all.
If man has not attained the level of perfection described in the last few lines, then instead of being accorded titles that he can share with G’d, he remains below that spiritual level; this is why Joseph asks his brothers if they have such a low opinion of him that he is תחת אלוקים, “beneath the level of minimal perfection” described in the Talmud, so that he would be capable of dealing on a basis of revenge with them.
If man has not attained the level of perfection described in the last few lines, then instead of being accorded titles that he can share with G’d, he remains below that spiritual level; this is why Joseph asks his brothers if they have such a low opinion of him that he is תחת אלוקים, “beneath the level of minimal perfection” described in the Talmud, so that he would be capable of dealing on a basis of revenge with them.
Looking at the plain meaning of the text it is difficult to understand Onkelos.
Perhaps we have to fall back on the principle that every human being, as part of his character, (virtues) must endeavour to maintain close relations with his Creator. This involves a degree of awe and reverence for the Creator to be present in his mind at all times. It also presumes that he is imbued with a degree of love for his Creator, as he contemplates the greatness of G’d. He is obligated to do this if for no other reason than G’d has performed so many more deeds of loving kindness for the Jewish people than He has performed for any other nation. The same is true for other attributes of G’d that have been of benefit to us on numerous occasions. The sum total of such a relationship between us, the creature, and the Creator, makes this an עולם האמת, a world in which truth is predominant. Once we appreciate this we can understand the Talmud in Megillah 18 in which the rhetorical question is posed of how we know that G’d had referred to Yaakov by the title א-ל, a name used for referring to Him on many occasions?
The foregoing will also help us understand what the Talmud meant when it described G’d as having built and destroyed worlds on a regular basis before He commenced with the construction of the universe described in Bereshit. The Talmud in Baba Batra 75 tells us that just as G’d has been building worlds, so the righteous, in a future, refined world, will also “build worlds;” not only that but they will be given titles used by G’d to describe Himself. The ministering angels when meeting up with these righteous will address them as “your holiness.” Although such statements first strike us as bordering on blasphemy, when we consider that these “righteous people” have already acquired many of G’d’s own attributes, it is not difficult to understand the Talmudic references to the future better state of the world at all.
If man has not attained the level of perfection described in the last few lines, then instead of being accorded titles that he can share with G’d, he remains below that spiritual level; this is why Joseph asks his brothers if they have such a low opinion of him that he is תחת אלוקים, “beneath the level of minimal perfection” described in the Talmud, so that he would be capable of dealing on a basis of revenge with them.
If man has not attained the level of perfection described in the last few lines, then instead of being accorded titles that he can share with G’d, he remains below that spiritual level; this is why Joseph asks his brothers if they have such a low opinion of him that he is תחת אלוקים, “beneath the level of minimal perfection” described in the Talmud, so that he would be capable of dealing on a basis of revenge with them.
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