Parsha Vaera

(30) Aaron repeated all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and he performed the signs in the sight of the people,(31) and the people were convinced. When they heard that the LORD had taken note of the Israelites and that He had seen their plight, they bowed low in homage.

(22) Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why did You bring harm upon this people? Why did You send me?(23) Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt worse with this people; and still You have not delivered Your people.”

(1) למה הרעתה לעם הזה O Lord, why did You bring harm upon this people? — And if You ask, “What concern is that of yours?” I answer “I have to complain that You have sent me at all” (Exodus Rabbah 5:22).(1) הרע This is an expression denoting “he has caused something to happen” — he (Pharaoh) has brought even more evil upon them. It must be translated in the Targum by אבאיש “he has treated badly”.

(12) But Moses appealed to the LORD, saying, “The Israelites would not listen to me; how then should Pharaoh heed me, a man of impeded speech!”

(1) ואיך ישמעני פרעה HOW THAN SHALL PHARAOH HEAR ME? — This is one of the ten inferences from minor to major which are found in the Bible (Genesis Rabbah 92:7).(2) ערל שפתים OF UNCIRCUMCISED LIPS — It really means obstructed as regards the lips. So, too, in respect to all forms derived from ערל I say that they signify obstructed. E. g. (Jeremiah 6:10) “their ear is עֲרֵלָה — stopped up so that it will not hear; (Jeremiah 9:25) “עַרְלִי in heart” — their hearts are closed so that they will not understand; (Habakkuk 2:16) “Drink thou, also וְהֵעָרֵל” — and become thou closed up (in thy senses) through intoxication caused by the cup of curse mentioned in that passage; the foreskin (ערלה) of the flesh is so called because the membrum is closed up and covered by it; (Leviticus 19:23) וערלתם ערלתו signifies, make for it (the tree) a closure (אוטם) and cover by means of an inhibition that will prove a barrier against eating it; (Leviticus 19:23 “Three years shall it be to you as ערלים” — it shall be closed up and covered and barred so that it many not be eaten.

(12) I shall see the defeat of my watchful foes, hear of the downfall of the wicked who beset me.(13) The righteous bloom like a date-palm; they thrive like a cedar in Lebanon;(14) planted in the house of the LORD, they flourish in the courts of our God.

(1)upon those who stare at me Heb. בשורי, at those who stare at me, as (5:9): “those who lie in wait for me (בשוררי).”(2)when evildoers rise up against me About the wicked who rise up against me, my ears heard from behind the “veil” that they will not succeed in destroying us [perhaps, David and his men]. So I heard.(1)The righteous one flourishes like the palm, etc. Like the palm that produces fruit, and like the cedar insofar as its trunk renews itself.(1)Planted The righteous will be [planted] in the house of the Lord.

(11) If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death, Those condemned to slaughter—(12) If you say, “We knew nothing of it,” Surely He who fathoms hearts will discern [the truth], He who watches over your life will know it, And He will pay each man as he deserves.(13) My son, eat honey, for it is good; Let its sweet drops be on your palate.(14) Know: such is wisdom for your soul; If you attain it, there is a future; Your hope will not be cut off.(15) Wicked man! Do not lurk by the home of the righteous man; Do no violence to his dwelling.(16) Seven times the righteous man falls and gets up, While the wicked are tripped by one misfortune.(17) If your enemy falls, do not exult; If he trips, let your heart not rejoice,(18) Lest the LORD see it and be displeased, And avert His wrath from him.(19) Do not be vexed by evildoers; Do not be incensed by the wicked;(20) For there is no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked goes out.

(1)rescuing those taken, etc. To rescue those taken to death.(2)If you refrain from rescuing them, concerning this I said, “Your strength will be weak indeed.”(1)will you say Heb. כי תאמר. And this instance of כי is used as an expression of “perhaps.”(1)Eat honey, my son It is customary for people to eat honey because it is good; so too know wisdom for your soul, and just as you run to eat honey, so should you run to know wisdom.(1)if you have found it, then you will have a future.(1)Do not compete to be like them, as in (Jer. 12:5): “How will you compete (תתחרה)?” Also, (ibid. 22:15): “for you compete (מתחרה) with the cedar.”

(6) He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor; and no one knows his burial place to this day.(7) Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated.(8) And the Israelites bewailed Moses in the steppes of Moab for thirty days. The period of wailing and mourning for Moses came to an end.(9) Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the Israelites heeded him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.(10) Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses—whom the LORD singled out, face to face,(11) for the various signs and portents that the LORD sent him to display in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his courtiers and his whole country,(12) and for all the great might and awesome power that Moses displayed before all Israel.

(1) לא כהתה עינו HIS EYE WAS NOT DIM — even after he had died (Sifrei Devarim 357:34).(2) ולא נס לחו means, nor did the life-sap that was in him depart (Sifrei Devarim 357:35): decomposition had no power over him (had no effect on his body), and the appearance of his face had not changed.(1) בני ישראל THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [WEPT] — i.e., the men; but regarding Aaron, — because he pursued peace, and made peace between a man and his fellow, and between a woman and her husband, it is stated, (Numbers 20:29) “The whole house of Israel [wept for him]” — the men and the women (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 17).

(14) And now, as I go back to my people, let me inform you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(15) He took up his theme, and said: Word of Balaam son of Beor, Word of the man whose eye is true,(16) Word of him who hears God’s speech, Who obtains knowledge from the Most High, And beholds visions from the Almighty, Prostrate, but with eyes unveiled: