כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: שָׂרְרֵךְ אַגַּן הַסַּהַר אַל יֶחְסַר הַמָּזֶג (שה״ש ז, ג). שָׂרְרֵךְ, זֶה סַנְהֶדְרִין. וְלָמָּה נִקְרְאוּ שׂרֶר. מָה הַשֹּׁרֶר הַזֶּה נָתוּן בְּאֶמְצָעִיתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, כָּךְ סַנְהֶדְרִין יוֹשְׁבִין בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית שֶׁהִיא בְּאֶמְצַע בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. מָה הַשֹּׁרֶר הַזֶּה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַתִּינוֹק נָתוּן בִּמְעֵי אִמּוֹ, פִּיו סָתוּם וּמִן הַשֹּׁרֶר הוּא אוֹכֵל, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין אוֹכְלִין אֶלָּא מִסַּנְהֶדְרִין, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְשְׁלוּ כַּשֹּׁרֶר. אַגַּן. מָה אַגַּן עָגֹל, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thy navel is like a round goblet, thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies, wherein no mingled wine is wanting (Song 7:3). Thy navel refers to the Sanhedrin. But why did they call the Sanhedrin a navel? Just as the navel is located in the center of a man’s body, so the Sanhedrin met in a chamber of hewn stone in the center of the Temple. Furthermore, just as the child, whose mouth is closed while within its mother’s womb, is sustained through the navel, so the Israelites were sustained only by virtue of the Sanhedrin. Hence they likened it to a navel. The word round indicates that just as the navel is round, so the Sanhedrin sat in a semicircular room.
אַף כָּךְ סַנְהֶדְרִין הָיְתָה כַּחֲצִי גֹּרֶן עֲגֻלָּה. הַסַּהַר, שֶׁדּוֹמֶה לַסּוֹחֵר, מָה הַסּוֹחֵר כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בּוֹ, כָּךְ סַנְהֶדְרִין מְטַהֲרִין וּמְטַמְּאִין, פּוֹסְלִין וּמַכְשִׁירִין, מַתִּירִים וְאוֹסְרִים. The meeting place of the Sanhedrin was called a sahar (“goblet”) because it resembled a sohar (“store”). For just as you are able to find whatever you need in a store, so the Sanhedrin decided what was pure and impure, fit and unfit, permitted and forbidden.
אַל יֶחְסַר הַמָּזֶג. שֶׁאִם הֻצְרַךְ אֶחָד מֵהֶן לָצֵאת לְצָרְכּוֹ, רוֹאִין אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה, יוֹצֵא. וְאִם לָאו, אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא. בִּטְנֵךְ עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים (שה״ש ז, ג). מָה עֲרֵמָה זוֹ יֵשׁ בָּהּ מִחְיָה לָעוֹלָם, אַף סַנְהֶדְרִין בִּזְכוּתָן הָיָה הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אוֹמֵר: בִּטְנֵךְ עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים, זוֹ תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ כַּפָּרַת חַטָּאוֹת וַאֲשָׁמוֹת, חַטָּאת הִיא, אָשָׁם הוּא, וְהוּא נָתוּן בְּאֶמְצָעָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, וְכֻלָּן חַטָאוֹת, כְּמוֹ בִּטְנֵךְ עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים. Wherein no mingled wine is wanting. If one of the members of the Sanhedrin found it necessary to leave the meeting to satisfy his physical needs, he would first look about to see if twenty-three members were in attendance.4The judicial court, also called the small court, consisted of twenty-three members; all had to be present at a trial. If there were, he would leave, but if not, he would not depart. Thy belly is like a heap of wheat. Just as there is in a heap of wheat life for the world, so the world was sustained through the merit of the Sanhedrin. Another explanation. R. Johanan said: Thy belly is like a heap of wheat alludes to the Book of Leviticus, which contains the means for attaining atonement for guilt and sinful acts. It holds (a heap of) sin (het) offerings and (a heap of) guilt offerings. He placed it in the middle of the Torah, with all its offerings.5Two books of the Torah precede Leviticus, and two follow it. In that way it resembles a heap of wheat (hittim).
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אוֹמֵר: לָמָּה נִמְשְׁלָה בַּחִטִּים? מָה חִטִּים אֵלּוּ עוֹלוֹת בְּמִדָּה, כָּךְ הָיוּ עוֹלִין בְּמִנְיַן הַזְּקֵנִים וְהַתַּלְמִידִים וַחֲכָמִים וְהַחֲסִידִים. מִנַּיִן? R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: Why is it (Israel) compared to wheat? Just as wheat piles up when poured into a measure, so the elders, the students, the wise, and the pious increase in number when a census is taken.
בִּטְנֵךְ עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים. אָמַר רַב אִידִי: וַהֲלֹא עֲרֵמַת שֶׁל אִסְטְרוֹבְלִין יָפָה מִשֶּׁל חִטִּים, וְכָאן הוּא אוֹמֵר עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים, אָמַר לוֹ: אֵין הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד עַל אִסְטְרוֹבְלִין בְּלֹא חִטִּים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים. Thy belly is like a heap of wheat. R. Idi said: Is not a heap of cedar cones more beautiful than a heap of wheat? Why does this verse say a heap of wheat? They replied: The world cannot exist on cedar cones if it lacks wheat. Hence it says: Thy belly is like a heap of wheat.
סוּגָה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים (שה״ש ז, ג). וְכִי יֵשׁ אָדָם סָג שָׂדֵהוּ בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים. דֶּרֶךְ הָעוֹלָם גּוֹדְרִים שְׂדוֹתֵיהֶם בְּקוֹצִים וּבְדַרְדָּרִים בְּשִׁיחִין וּבְסַגְיָין. וּמַה הוּא סוּגָה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים? אֵלּוּ מִצְוֹת הָרַכּוֹת כַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים. כֵּיצַד? הָיָה מִתְאַוֶּה לִרְאוֹת עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ חֻפָּתוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ יוֹם בָּעוֹלָם חָבִיב מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁהוּא שָׂמֵחַ עִם אִשְׁתּוֹ. מֶה עָשָׂה? הוֹצִיא הוֹצָאוֹת הַרְבֵּה, הִצִּיעַ חֻפָּתוֹ, בָּא לְהִזָּקֵק עִמָּהּ. אָמְרָה לוֹ: כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה אֲדֻמָּה רָאִיתִי, פֵּרַשׁ הֵימֶנָּה. זֶה הוֹפֵךְ פָּנָיו לְכָאן, וְזוֹ הוֹפֶכֶת פָּנֶיהָ לְכָאן. מִי הִפְרִישׁוֹ מִמֶּנָּה? אֵי זֶה נָחָשׁ עֲקָצוֹ, אֵי זֶה עַקְרָב הִזִּיקוֹ, אֵי זֶה נָחָשׁ עֲקָצוֹ, אֵי זֶה עַקְרָב הִזִּיקוֹ, אֵי זֶה גָּדֵר בֵּינֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאָמְרָה וְאֶל אִשָּׁה בְּנִדַּת טֻמְאָתָהּ לֹא תִקְרַב (ויקרא יח, יט). לְכָךְ כְּתִיב סוּגָה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים. Set about with lilies. Does a man ever fence in his fields with lilies? Does he not normally fence in his fields with thorns and thistles, with pits and thornbushes? What then is the meaning of Set about with lilies? This refers to numerous commandments that are as sensitive as lilies. For example, a man is extremely anxious to enter his bridal chamber, for no day is dearer to him than that day. It is the day on which he rejoices with his bride. What does he do? He spends a considerable amount of money to set up the bridal chamber and he comes to have intercourse with her. But if she says to him: “I have seen something like a red lily (i.e., the blood of menstruation), he draws away from her. He turns his face to one side and she to the other. What compelled him to turn from her? Was it a snake biting him, a scorpion stinging him, or a thorn between them? No, only the words of the Torah, since it is said: And thou shalt not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness (Lev. 18:19). Hence it is written: Set about like lilies.
זֶה יִתְּנוּ. בֹּא וּרְאֵה חִבָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעֲבֵרוֹתֵיהֶן מְבִיאִין לִידֵי מַעֲלוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת. וְאִם עֲבֵרוֹתֵיהֶן כָּךְ, זְכֻיּוֹתֵיהֶן עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. אַתְּ מוֹצֵא כְּשֶׁשָּׁלַח יַעֲקֹב אֶת יוֹסֵף אֵצֶל אֶחָיו, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתוֹ, וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו הִנֵּה בַּעַל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הַלָּזֶה בָּא, וְעַתָּה לְכוּ וְנַהַרְגֵהוּ (בראשית לז יט, כ). הִשְׁלִיכוּהוּ לַבּוֹר. אָמְרוּ נֹאכַל וְנִשְׁתֶּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נַעֲלֵהוּ וְנַהַרְגֵהוּ. אָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ, בָּאוּ לְבָרֵךְ. אָמַר לָהֶם יְהוּדָה: אָנוּ מְבַקְשִׁין לַהֲרֹג נֶפֶשׁ וּנְבָרֵךְ לֵאלֹהֵינוּ, אֵין אָנוּ מְבָרְכִין אֶלָּא מְנַאֲצִין. עַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ, נִאֵץ ה' (תהלים י, ג). לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים וְיָדֵנוּ אַל תְּהִי בוֹ (בראשית לז, כז). This they shall give (Exod. 30:12). Observe that Israel was so beloved that even their sins brought them considerable benefit. If their sins could do that, how much more so would their meritorious deeds. You find that when Jacob sent Joseph to his brethren, they watched him approach and said to one another: Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now, therefore, and let us slay him (Gen. 37:19–20). They hurled him into the pit and said: Let us eat and drink, and then we will kill him. After eating and drinking, they were about to say grace when Judah said to them: We are planning to take a life, yet now we would bless God. If we should do this, we would be blaspheming against God and not blessing Him. Because of this Scripture says: And the covetous vaunteth himself, though he condemn the Lord (Ps. 10:3). Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him (Gen. 37:27). (And they all agreed.)
וַיֵּשְׁבוּ לֶאֱכָל לֶחֶם (בראשית לז, כה). אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שַׁלּוּם: יְשִׁיבָה אַחַת שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים בְּעֵצָה אַחַת לִמְכֹּר אֶת יוֹסֵף, כִּלְכְּלָה אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בִּשְׁנֵי רְעָבוֹן. אִם עֲבֵרוֹתֵיהֶן כִּלְכְּלָה וְהֶעֱמִיד אֶת הָעוֹלָם, זְכֻיּוֹתֵיהֶן עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וְאַף כָּאן, מִי גָּרַם לַשְּׁבָטִים בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁקָלִים שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן, מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל. וְאִם חֲטָאָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ, גָּרְמָה לְמִצְוָה וְלִזְכוּת. מִצְוֹת שֶׁהֵן עוֹשִׂין, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. And they sat down to eat bread (ibid., v. 25). R. Judah the son of Shalum said: This is a notable instance of many sitting down together in unity, with a single thought in mind; to sell Joseph. Yet he fed the world for seven years, through two famines. If despite their sin he could feed the world and cause it to endure, how much more beneficial would have been the result if they had acted meritoriously. Similarly, observe what happened to the tribes in the chapter Shekalim, when they were permitted to atone for the incident of the golden calf. If the heinous sin they committed could lead to the performance of a worthy act, how much more so if they had acted meritoriously.