Pisqa’ 351¹

1

“They will teach² Your judgments to Jacob” (Dt.33:10)—

this teaches that

binding instructions (horayot) are issued

only on [levitical] authority (mi-pihem),³

as it is stated:

“And at their order (`al pihem)

shall every dispute be adjudicated,

and the status of every plague-sign” (Dt.21:5).

 

“Dispute”—

such as [procedural] disputes

over the burning of the [red] Heifer (Nu.19:1ff.),

over the Broken-necked Calf (Dt.21:1ff.)

and over the Suspected Wife (Nu.5:11ff.).

 

“Plague-sign”—

such as plague-signs

affecting humans (Lv.13:1ff.),

affecting garments (Lv.13:47ff.).

and affecting houses (Lv.14:22ff.)⁴

2

“And your Instructions (torotekha)⁵ to Israel” (Dt.33:10)—

this teaches that

two Torahs were given to Israel,

one transmitted orally (bifeh) and one inscribed in a text (bikhtav).

Agnitus,⁶ the Roman general, inquired of Rabban Gamliel:

Just how many Torahs were given to Israel?

He replied:

Two—

one transmitted orally and one inscribed in a text.

3

“They shall offer incense to appease Your anger” (Dt.33:10)—

this refers to the incense

offered within the inner-most [Chamber].

“Entirely consumed on Your altar” (Dt.33:10)—

this refers to the Priestly Flour-offering,

as it is said:

“And every Priestly Flour-offering

must be entirely consumed [by fire” (Lv.6:16)

Another word:

“They shall offer incense to appease Your anger” (Dt.33:10)—

this refers to the incense

offered within the inner-most [Chamber].

“Entirely consumed on Your altar” (Dt.33:10)—

this refers to the organs

of the Holocaust-offering (Lv.16:24-27).

[which are completely consumed in fire.]

1. H:363-364; JN2:428
2. Hebrew: yoru (“instruct”). The root, y-r-h, stands behind the word for “instruction”—torah. In the construction, hora’ah, it defines official instruction having the force of law, as in the present exegesis of Dt.33:10.
3. Heb: pihem; literally, “their mouths.” Prepositions provide nuance, thus, mi-pihem (“from the mouth of,” “on the authority of”) and `al pihem (“on the mouth of,” “at their order”).
4. Cf. Pisqa’ 152.1
5. Torot is the plural form of torah. Here, as we have seen in a number of cases, a plural noun is read as a dual. This permits the idea of two Torahs to flow easily from the biblical text itself.
6. Mss and editions copy the name variously. H:509, Pisqa’ 351, ns.6-7 suggests several possibilities.