(ה) כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ (יא) וְהָיָ֣ה הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר֩ ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֥ם (יד) כִּ֣י אִם־בַּמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֤ר ה' (יח) כִּ֡י אִם־לִפְנֵי֩ ה' אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ תֹּאכְלֶ֗נּוּ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִבְחַ֜ר ה' (כא) כִּֽי־יִרְחַ֨ק מִמְּךָ֜ הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִבְחַ֜ר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮ לָשׂ֣וּם שְׁמ֣וֹ שָׁם֒
(כו) רַ֧ק קָֽדָשֶׁ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁר־יִהְי֥וּ לְךָ֖ וּנְדָרֶ֑יךָ תִּשָּׂ֣א וּבָ֔אתָ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֥ר ה'
(1) These are the statutes and the ordinances, which ye shall observe to do in the land which the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath given thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. (2) Ye shall surely destroy all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree. (3) And ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods; and ye shall destroy their name out of that place. (4) Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God. (5) But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come; (6) and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock; (7) and there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee. (8) Ye shall not do after all that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes; (9) for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth thee. (10) But when ye go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God causeth you to inherit, and He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; (11) then it shall come to pass that the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD. (12) And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and the Levite that is within your gates, forasmuch as he hath no portion nor inheritance with you. (13) Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; (14) but in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee. (15) Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh within all thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which He hath given thee; the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart. (16) Only ye shall not eat the blood; thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water. (17) Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thine oil, or the firstlings of thy herd or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill-offerings, nor the offering of thy hand; (18) but thou shalt eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite that is within thy gates; and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thy hand unto. (19) Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon thy land. (20) When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as He hath promised thee, and thou shalt say: ‘I will eat flesh’, because thy soul desireth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, after all the desire of thy soul. (21) If the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to put His name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat within thy gates, after all the desire of thy soul. (22) Howbeit as the gazelle and as the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat thereof; the unclean and the clean may eat thereof alike. (23) Only be stedfast in not eating the blood; for the blood is the life; and thou shalt not eat the life with the flesh. (24) Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water. (25) Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD. (26) Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose; (27) and thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God; and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out against the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh. (28) Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the eyes of the LORD thy God. (29) When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest in to dispossess them, and thou dispossessest them, and dwellest in their land; (30) take heed to thyself that thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying: ‘How used these nations to serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.’ (31) Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God; for every abomination to the LORD, which He hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.
(ו) הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר לְפָנָ֑יו עֹ֥ז וְ֝תִפְאֶ֗רֶת בְּמִקְדָּשֽׁוֹ׃
(6) Honour and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
(כז) ה֤וֹד וְהָדָר֙ לְפָנָ֔יו עֹ֥ז וְחֶדְוָ֖ה בִּמְקֹמֽוֹ׃
(27) Honour and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place.
ספרי זוטא נשא, 228
ארץ כנען מקודשת מעבר הירדן שארץ כנען כשרה לבית השכינה ואין עבר הירדן כשר לבית השכינה
(טו) שׂ֣וֹם תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר ה' אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב אַחֶ֗יךָ תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ לֹ֣א תוּכַ֗ל לָתֵ֤ת עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ נָכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־אָחִ֖יךָ הֽוּא׃
(15) thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.
(כד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֗ם הַרְּאִיתֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּֽחַר־בּ֣וֹ ה' כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין כָּמֹ֖הוּ בְּכָל־הָעָ֑ם וַיָּרִ֧עוּ כָל־הָעָ֛ם וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יְחִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (פ)
(24) And Samuel said to all the people: ‘See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?’ And all the people shouted, and said: ‘Long live the king.’
(יב) לְבִנְיָמִ֣ן אָמַ֔ר יְדִ֣יד ה' יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כָּל־הַיּ֔וֹם וּבֵ֥ין כְּתֵיפָ֖יו שָׁכֵֽן׃ (ס)
(12) Of Benjamin he said: The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him; He covereth him all the day, And He dwelleth between his shoulders.
(דף כד ע״ב) מ״ד (ש״א יט יט) חנה דוד בניות ברמה וכי מה ענין ניות אצל רמה אלא שהיו יושבין ברמה ועוסקין בנויו של עולם אמרי כתיב (דברים יז ח) וקמת ועלית אל המקום אשר יבחר ה' אלהיך בו מלמד שבהמ"ק גבוה מכל א״י וא״י גבוה מכל הארצות ולא הוו ידעי מקומו היכא אייתו ספר יהושע בכולהו שבטים כתיב (יהושע יח יד) וירד ועלה הגבול ותאר הגבול בשבט בנימין (שם יח) ועלה כתיב וירד לא כתיב אמרי ש״מ הכא הוא מקומו סבור למבנייה בעין עיטם דמידלי אמרי ניתתי ביה קליל כדכתיב (דברים לג יב) ובין כתפיו שכן:
(Ib. b) Raba lectured : "What does the passage (I Sam. 19. 19) Behold, David is at Na'yoth near Ramah mean? Is then Na'yoth situated near Ramah? We must therefore say that they were at Ramah occupying themselves in the construction of Temple. They said: The passage reads (Deut. 17, 8) Then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; from this it may be inferred the Holy Temple ought to be higher [in elevation] than any other part of the land of Israel, and that the land of Israel is higher than all other land. They (David and his associates were not able to discover the exact spot [where the land is highest and thus suitable for the building of the Temple]. They finally brought the book of Joshua [and they found that] concerning all other tribes it reads (Josh. 15) It went up, it passed along and it went down, but concerning the tribe of Benjamin, the passage says (Ib. 18) It went up, but It went down is not mentioned. They then said from this it is inferred that there (Benjamin's portion) is the proper sight. They then contemplated erecting it in En Eitam for this is the highest elevation ; it was, howere, argued that it should rather be built at a moderate elevation, for it is written (Deut. 33, 12) And He dwelleth between his shoulders [i.e., the shoulders are lower than the head, hence the altar should be built at a moderate elevation]." According to others, the decision came because we have a tradition that the Sanhedrin were to sit in the part of Juda and the Shechina was to rest in the part of Benjamin, therefore if the Temple were built at the highest elevation, the Sanhedrin would have been separated too far from the Sanctuary where the Shechina rests. They therefore decided to have it built at a lower site in order to conform the passage And He dwelleth between his shoulders. And for this thing did Doeg the Edomite envy David, as it is written (Ps. 69, 10) Because zeal for Thy house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproach Thee are fallen upon me. And another passage reads (Ib. 132, 1) A song of ascends, etc. How he swore unto the Lord, and vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob. Surely I will come, etc. Until I find out a place, etc. Lo, we heard it as being in Ephrath; we have found it at the field of the wood, i.e., Ephrath refers unto Joshua who is a descendant of Ephraim ; at the field of the wood, refers unto Benjamin concerning whom it is written (Gen. 49, 27) A wolf that raveneth.
(י) וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃ (יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
(טז) וַיִּיקַ֣ץ יַעֲקֹב֮ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ ה' בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי׃
(יז) וַיִּירָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
(1) And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him: ‘Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. (2) Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother. (3) And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a congregation of peoples; (4) and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings, which God gave unto Abraham.’ (5) And Isaac sent away Jacob; and he went to Paddan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother. (6) Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying: ‘Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan’; (7) and that Jacob hearkened to his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan-aram; (8) and Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; . (9) so Esau went unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives that he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife. (10) And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. (11) And he lighted upon the place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. (12) And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. (13) And, behold, the LORD stood beside him, and said: ‘I am the LORD, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. (14) And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (15) And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.’ (16) And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: ‘Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.’ (17) And he was afraid, and said: ‘How full of awe is this place! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’ (18) And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. (19) And he called the name of that place Beth-el, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. (20) And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, (21) so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then shall the LORD be my God, (22) and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee.’
ויפגע במקום. לא הזכיר הכתוב באיזה מקום אלא במקום הנזכר במקום אחר, הוא הר המוריה שנאמר בו (לעיל כב ד) וירא את המקום מרחוק:
כי אם בית אלהים. אמר רבי אלעזר בשם רבי יוסי בן זמרא הסלם הזה עומד בבאר שבע ואמצע שפועו מגיע כנגד בית המקדש, שבאר שבע עומד בדרומה של יהודה, וירושלים בצפונה בגבול שבין יהודה ובנימין, ובית אל היה בצפון של נחלת בנימין בגבול שבין בנימין ובין בני יוסף, נמצא סלם שרגליו בבאר שבע וראשו בבית אל מגיע אמצע שפועו נגד ירושלים וכלפי שאמרו רבותינו שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא צדיק זה בא לבית מלוני ויפטר בלא לינה, ועוד אמרו יעקב קראה לירושלים בית אל וזו לוז היא ולא ירושלים ומהיכן למדו לומר כן. אומר אני שנעקר הר המוריה ובא לכאן, וזהו היא קפיצת הארץ האמורה בשחיטת חלין (חולין צא ב) , שבא בית המקדש לקראתו עד בית אל, וזהו ויפגע במקום.
וזה שער השמים. מקום תפלה לעלות תפלתם השמימה ומדרשו שבית המקדש של מעלה מכון כנגד בית המקדש של מטה
(יט) וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ (כ) וַיִּדַּ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב נֶ֣דֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־יִהְיֶ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים עִמָּדִ֗י וּשְׁמָרַ֙נִי֙ בַּדֶּ֤רֶךְ הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י הוֹלֵ֔ךְ וְנָֽתַן־לִ֥י לֶ֛חֶם לֶאֱכֹ֖ל וּבֶ֥גֶד לִלְבֹּֽשׁ׃ (כא) וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וְהָיָ֧ה ה' לִ֖י לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (כב) וְהָאֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה יִהְיֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י עַשֵּׂ֖ר אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ׃
(19) And he called the name of that place Beth-el, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. (20) And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, (21) so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then shall the LORD be my God, (22) and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee.’
וא"ל רב נחמן לר' יצחק מאי דכתיב (הושע יא, ט) בקרבך קדוש ולא אבוא בעיר משום דבקרבך קדוש לא אבוא בעיר א"ל הכי א"ר יוחנן אמר הקב"ה לא אבוא בירושלים של מעלה עד שאבוא לירושלים של מטה ומי איכא ירושלים למעלה אין דכתיב (תהלים קכב, ג) ירושלם הבנויה כעיר שחוברה לה יחדיו