Pisqa’ 3371
1
“And HASHEM spoke to Moses in the very midst of the day” (Dt.32:48)—
In the very midst of the day
is stated in three contexts
The first concerns Noah.2
There it teaches that
Noah’s generation would swear:
By Such-and-Such!
If we notice him at work,
we won’t permit him to continue!
And, not only this—
but, we will take up picks and axes
and chop up his ark for him!
Said the Blessed Holy One:
Listen up!
At mid-day I plan to invite him into the ark.
If anyone has a problem with that,
let him come and file his complaint!
2
Now, why did [the Torah] see fit,
[during Israel’s enslavement] in Egypt,
to repeat the formula, stating:
“In the very midst of the day,
all the Retinues of HASHEM went out” (Ex.12:17).
For the Egyptians would swear:
By Such-and-Such!
If we notice them at work,
we won’t permit them to continue!
And, not only this—
but, we will take up swords and blades
to kill them with!
Said the Blessed Holy One:
Listen up!
At mid-day I plan to bring them out.
If anyone has a problem with that,
let him come and file his complaint!
3
Now, why did [the Torah] see fit,
in the present context
[of Moses’ preparations for death,]
to repeat the formula, stating:
In the very midst if the day (Dt.32:48)?
For Israel would swear:
By Such-and-Such!
If we notice him preparing,
we won’t permit him to continue!
The man who
brought us up from Egypt,
split the sea for us,
brought down the manna for us,
caused the quail to come for us,
and worked prodigious wonders for us—
how can we let him leave us?3
Said the Blessed Holy One:
Listen up!
At mid-day I plan to bring him to the grotto.
If anyone has a problem with that,
let him come and file his complaint!
And that’s why it is said:
“And HASHEM spoke to Moses in the very midst of the day” (Dt.32:48).