Pisqa’ 312¹

1

“For the portion of HASHEM is His people” (Dt.32:9).

An analogy—

A king owned a field, which he let to some tenants.

The tenants began to steal from it.

So the king took the field from them,

letting it to their sons.

They became worse thieves than the first.

So the king took the field from them,

letting it to their grandsons.

Again, they became worse than the first.

Then a son was born to the king.

[The son] said to the tenants:

Get off my field! I don’t want you on it!

Return my portion to me,

So that I might recognize it [as my patrimony]!

Similarly:

When Father Abraham came into the world,

the filth of Ishmael and all the children of Qeturah,

proceeded from him.

When Isaac came into the world,

the filth of Esau and all the chiefs of Edom

proceeded from him.

They became worse than the first.

Now, when Jacob came,

no filth proceeded from him.

Rather, all his sons were born virtuous,

Along the lines of what is stated:

“But Jacob was a perfected man, dwelling under shelters” (Gn.25:27).

2

From when does the All-Present recognize His portion

[among Adam’s descendants]?

From Jacob!

For it is stated:

“For the portion of HASHEM is His people,

Jacob is the share of His inheritance” (Dt.32:9).

And He says:

“For the Almighty chose Jacob for Himself” (Ps.135:4).

Now, the resolution of the matter

hinges upon an unproven assumption!

For do we know if the Blessed Holy One chose Jacob,

or, if Jacob chose the Blessed Holy One?
The Teaching states:

“Israel, as His prized possession” (Ps.135:4)—

[implying that the choice is the Holy One’s].

But, still, the resolution of the matter

hindges upon an unproven assumption!

For do we know if the Blessed Holy One chose Israel

as His prized possession,

or, if Israel chose the Blessed Holy One?

The Teaching states:

“And HASHEM your God chose you for Himself to be a prized people” (Dt.14:2)—

[thus the choosing begins with the Holy One].

But on what basis do I know that

Jacob also chose the Almighty?

As it is said:

“The share of Jacob is not like them!” (Jer.10:16)—

[implying that Jacob chose his God].

3

“For the portion of HASHEM is His people,

Jacob is the share²of His bequest” (Dt.32:9).

Actually, share implies that something is “chosen by lottery.”

For it is said:

“The shares thrown before me yield pleasant lands” (Ps.16:6).

And it says:

“And Menassah’s shares came to ten” (Josh.17:5).

And it continues:

“From the share of the Judah-ites

came the bequest of the Shimon-ites” (Josh.19:9)

4

Another word:

Just as your typical rope (khevel)³ is made of three strands,

so was Jacob the third in patriarchal succession,

and he received the reward set aside for all of them.

When Abraham was born, what is said?

“A brother is born for adversity” (Prov.17:17)—

[this refers to Abraham’s trials].

When Isaac was born, what is said?

“Two are better than one” (Ecc.4:9)—

[namely, Abraham and Isaac].

But when Jacob was born, what is said?

“The three-fold cord will not be quickly severed” (Ecc.4:12)—

[The merit of Abraham and Isaac is

transmitted through the virtues of Jacob].

1. H:318-319;JN2:332-333.
2. “Portion” (kheileq) and “share” (khevel) share no common root, but are often used interchangeably. The root, kh-l-q, denotes “division”, while kh-b-l connotes “binding” or “pledge.” See the entries in BDB: 286 and 323.
3. Apparently “rope” is a metaphorical extension of the concept of “binding” inherent in the root kh-b-l. See BDB:286. But the midrashist is taking advantage of a fortuitous assonance.