Pisqa’ 3091
1
“Is this how you repay HASHEM?” (Dt.32:6)—
They taught an analogy—
What is this like?
Someone was standing in the street and insulting a Roman Councilman.
People over-heard.
They said:
You insufferable fool!
Do you stand before a Councilman and hurl insults at him?
If he decided to beat you,
or tear off your clothes,
or throw you into prison,
would you be able to thwart him?
And all the more so,
were he a high-ranking Centurion.
And even more so,
were he high and mighty Consul!
Another word:
“Is this how you repay HASHEM?” (Dt.32:6)—
An analogy—
What is this like?
Someone was standing in the street and insulting his father.
People over-heard.
They said:
You insufferable fool!2
Before whom do you stand, hurling insults?
Before your father?
Listen—how much toil did he accept for you?
How much exhaustion did he endure for you?
If you don’t honor him for the past,
you should at least honor him now,
before he signs his property over to someone else!
This is what Moses said to Israel:
If you aren’t mindful of the prodigious wonders worked for you in Egypt
by the Blessed Holy One,
then call to mind the good He is planning to bequeath you in the coming eon!
2
“A stupid people, without wisdom” (Dt.32:6)—
“A stupid people”—refers to their past.
“Without wisdom”—refers to their future.
And, similarly:
“Israel did not know” (Is.1:3)—refers to their past.
“My people did not grasp” (Is.1:3)—refers to their future.
Now, what caused Israel to be so stupid and senseless?
That they didn’t gain wisdom from words of Torah!
And this, indeed, is what is said:
“Is their cord not pulled up when they die—
but without wisdom?” (Job4:21)
“Is He not your father, your creator” (Dt.32:6)?
Shimon b. Halafta says:
[imagine two wrestlers—]
if the weaker were on top and a veteran were beneath—
who would win the match?
Could you prevail [over such an opponent]?
And even more so,
if the veteran were on top and the weaker one beneath!
On a similar theme, He states:
“Do not be quick with your mouth, and let your heart not be hasty to speak before God;
for God is in the Heavens while you are on the Earth!” (Ecc.5:1).
[And furthermore:]
“Is He not your father, your creator” (Dt.32:6)?
Said Moses to Israel:
You are beloved to Him for He had created you,
but you are not like an inheritance to Him.
An analogy—
A certain father left his son an inheritance of ten fields.
[The son] went and acquired a field of his own,
loving it more than all the fields he inherited from his father.
And so, too:
A certain father left his son an inheritance of ten mansions.
He went and acquired a mansion of his own,
loving it more than all the mansions he inherited from his father.
This is what Moses said to Israel:
You are beloved to Him for He had created you,
but you are not like an inheritance to Him!
3
“Your creator” (Dt.32:6)—
this is one of three who are called creations of the All-Present:
Torah is called a
creation of the All-Present,
as it is said:
“HASHEM created Me at the beginning of His way” (Prov.8:22)
Israel is called a
creation of the All-Present,
as it is said:
“Is He not your father, your creator” (Dt.32:6)?
The Holy Abode is called a creation of the All-Present,
as it is said:
“And this mountain did His right hand create” (Ps.78:54)3
“He formed you, and He firmly grounded you” (Dt.32:6)—
R. Meir would say:
This [Holy Abode] is a city where all find their place:
Priests live within it, prophets live within it,
sages live within it, and scribes live within it,
as it is, indeed, stated:
“From out of them shall come the cornerstone, from out of them the tent-peg” (Zekh.10:4).
R. Judah says:
[“He firmly grounded you”4 (Dt.32:6)—]
this implies that He made you full of interior conduits.5
R. Shimon b. Judah says:
[“He firmly grounded you,”]
implies that He placed you on a firm foundation.
He fed you from the booty of the seven [Canaanite] nations,
gave you what He had sworn to you,
and allowed you to inherit what he promised you.
R. Dosethai b. Judah says:
He made you full of interior chambers.6
Should they become entangled with each other,
You would be unable to survive.