Pisqa’ 322¹

1

“I thought I’d put an end to them”² Dt.32:26)—

I wondered, in my rage:

Where are they?³

“I will obliterate them from human⁴ memory” (Dt.32:26)—

I thought:

better that they not be in the world!

But what can I do to them?

“Had it not been for HASHEM,

Who was with us when a man (‘adam) rose up against us” (Ps.124:1-2).

Another word:

I wondered, in my rage:

Where are they?

“I will obliterate them from human memory” (Dt.32:26)—

Better that they not be in the world—

But what can I do to them?

“Had it not been for HASHEM of Retinues, Who left us with a remnant” (Is.1:9).

Another word:

“I thought I’d put an end to them” (Dt.32:26)—

had it not been for what is stated:

“And He would have destroyed them,

had it not been for Moses, His Chosen, who stood in the breach!” (Ps.106:23)⁵

2

“Had it not been the enemy’s vengeance that I dread” (Dt.32:27).

What caused these enemies to take retribution from them?

The vengeance of the nations gathering in their bellies!

“I dread”⁶ (Dt.32:27)—

actually, dread implies piling-up,⁷

as it is said:

“This is the collection of wise sayings by

the Compiler (‘agur), son of Yaqeh” (Prov. 30:1).

And He says:

“Let Him incite death⁸ against them;

let them descend alive to Sheol,

for evils they gather are within them!” (Ps.55:16)

“Lest their enemies under-estimate ⁹ them” (Dt.32:27)—

In the hour of Israel’s distress,

the nations of the world estrange themselves from them,

acting as if they had never known them.

And so we find that when Israel sought to flee northward,

no one would gather them in.

Rather they would deport them.

Accordingly, it is stated:

“Thus says HASHEM:

For three crimes of Tyre,

and for four, I will not recant—

for they deported the entire exile to Edom” (Am.1:9).

And when Israel sought to flee southward,

they would also deport them.

Accordingly, it is stated:

“For three crimes of Gaza . . .

they deported the entire exile to Edom” (Am.1:6).

When they sought to flee eastward,

they would also deport them.

Accordingly, it is stated:

“For three crimes of Damascus . . . (Am.1:3)

When they sought to flee westward,

they would also deport them.

As it is stated:

“A prophecy about Arabia:

You will over-night in the western steppe,

you caravans of the Dedanites!”¹⁰ (Is.21:13)

In the hour of Israel’s well-being,

the nations of the world flatter them, acting like brothers.

Thus did Esau say to Jacob:

“I have plenty, my brother, let yours remain with you” (Gn.33:9).

And, along these lines, Hiram said to Solomon:

“What are these cities that you have given me, my brother?” (1Ki.9:13).

3

“Lest they claim: Our hands have prevailed;

Yet, HASHEM hasn’t done any of this!” (Dt.32:27)—

as those fools once said:

“Isn’t it by our own strength

that we have taken Qarnaim captive?” (Am.6:13).

“For they are a nation devoid of counsel” (Dt.32:28)—

R. Judah explains the verse in reference to Israel,

but R. Nehemiah explains it in reference to the nations of the world.

R. Judah explains the verse in reference to Israel:

Israel has lost the good sense

that had been given them.

For, actually, counsel implies Torah,

as it is said:

“Mine is the counsel and the wisdom!” (Prov.8:14).

“And there is no insight among them” (Dt.32:28)—

There isn’t one of them clever enough

to observe and wonder:

Yesterday, one of us would pursue

a thousand of the nations,

and two of us would put 10,000 to flight.

But now, one of the nations

pursues a thousand of us,

and two put 10,000 of us to flight—

is it not “because their Rock has sold them out” (Dt.32:30)?

R. Nehemiah explains it in reference to the nations:

The nations have lost the seven commandments

that I gave them,

“and there is no insight among them” (Dt.32:28).

In the days of Messiah, there won’t be one of them

clever enough to observe and wonder:

Now, one of them pursues a thousand of us,

and two of them puts 10,000 of us to flight.—

is it not “because their Rock has sold them out” (Dt.32:30)?

4

It once happened:

During the revolt in Judah,¹¹

a mounted Decurion chased an Israelite to kill him.

But he could not catch him.

While he was till chasing him,

a snake came out and bit [the Israelite] on the heel.

[The Roman] said to him:

“Don’t assume that because of our courage

[Israel] was given into our hands—

is it not “because their Rock has sold them out?” (Dt.32:30)

1. H:332-334; JN2:358-360.
2. Heb: ‘af’eihem; from the root, p-‘-h, “corner,” as in a field-corner (pe’ah).
3. God’s rage (api) and puzzlement (‘ayeh hem) are the vehicle for another experiment in verbal assonance.
4. Heb: ‘enosh. In nominal form: “human”; but as a proper noun it recalls Enosh, the grandson of Adam (Gn.5:6). The appearance of ‘adam in Ps.124:2 probably explains the midrashist’s choice of concluding verse.
5. Pisqa’ 322.1 sports two mnemonic schemes. The first, in bold face, represents the core of a baraita in its diverse versions; the second, italicized, picks up Dt.32:27’s counter-factual formula “had it not been for’ (lulei), as a thread of continuity linking together biblical verses and rabbinic traditions into a single medley.
6. Heb: ‘agur; root, g-w-r, “to fear, to sojourn, to dwell.”
7. Heb:kenos; root, k-n-s, “to enter, to gather together.
8. Heb: yashi mawet; reading as two words (instead of yeshimot), and with vowelization of MT. See Rashi and Kimkhi ad Ps.55:16.
9. Heb: yinakru. Root: n-k-r, “to make strange, alienate”. H:333 renders yinakru as “mis-deem.” Basser, p.137: “alienate;”JN2:359, “misjudge.” Neusner has selected the best idiomatic rendering.
10. JPS Study Bible identifies the Dedanites as “a nomadic Arab tribe of Northern Arabia” (p. 824, n. 13).
11. The messianic war lead by Simon b. Koziva, ca. 132-135 CE.