Rabbit Holes to go down
- examples of the land spitting people out
- the word spit out (תקיא or בלע)
- three cardinal sins
- use of the word שכן / what does it mean for god to dwell in the land
- the land swallowing
- the land as a witness
- link between sexual impropriety and עבודה זרה / other nations
- impurity of land
- what causes the land to give or withhold rain (is that an action taken by the land?)
- אדמה vs. ארץ vs. יבשה
- שמים as a character
- ערוה, nakedness of land in joseph story
- many of the sexual sins are "do not uncover the nakedness of X Y or Z"
וַתִּטְמָ֣א הָאָ֔רֶץ וָאֶפְקֹ֥ד עֲוֺנָ֖הּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַתָּקִ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֶֽיהָ׃
Thus the land became defiled; and I called it to account for its iniquity, and the land spewed out its inhabitants.
(כח) וְלֹֽא־תָקִ֤יא הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם בְּטַֽמַּאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר קָאָ֛ה אֶת־הַגּ֖וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִפְנֵיכֶֽם׃
(28) So let not the land spew you out for defiling it, as it spewed out the nation that came before you.
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־כׇּל־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־תָקִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֜י מֵבִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֛ם שָׁ֖מָּה לָשֶׁ֥בֶת בָּֽהּ׃
You shall faithfully observe all My laws and all My regulations, lest the land to which I bring you to settle in spew you out.
בַּעֲוֹן גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהַשְׁמָטַת שְׁמִיטִּין וְיוֹבְלוֹת — גָּלוּת בָּא לָעוֹלָם, וּמַגְלִין אוֹתָן, וּבָאִין אֲחֵרִים וְיוֹשְׁבִין בִּמְקוֹמָן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אֶת כׇּל הַתּוֹעֵבוֹת הָאֵל עָשׂוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַתִּטְמָא הָאָרֶץ וָאֶפְקוֹד עֲוֹנָהּ עָלֶיהָ וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְלֹא תָקִיא הָאָרֶץ אֶתְכֶם בְּטַמַּאֲכֶם אוֹתָהּ״.
Due to the sin of prohibited sexual relations, and idol worship, and failure to let the land lie fallow during the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years, exile comes to the world and they exile the Jewish people from their land, and others come and settle in their place. As it is stated with regard to illicit sexual relations: “For all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land is defiled; that the land expel not you also, when you defile it, as it expelled the nation that was before you” (Leviticus 18:27–28). And it is written: “And the land was defiled, therefore I did visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land expelled her inhabitants” (Leviticus 18:25). And it is written: “That the land expel not you also, when you defile it, as it expelled the nation that was before you.”
בַּעֲוֹן שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ חָרֵב, וּשְׁכִינָה מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְלֹא תַחֲנִיפוּ וְגוֹ׳ וְלֹא תְטַמֵּא אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יוֹשְׁבִים בָּהּ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי שׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹכָהּ״. הָא אַתֶּם מְטַמְּאִים אוֹתָהּ — אֵינְכֶם יוֹשְׁבִים בָּהּ, וְאֵינִי שׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹכָהּ.
Due to the sin of bloodshed, the Holy Temple is destroyed, and the Divine Presence leaves Israel, as it says: “So you shall not pollute the land wherein you are; for blood, it pollutes the land; and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. And you shall not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the children of Israel” (Numbers 35:33–34). However, if you defile the land, you will not inhabit it, and I will not dwell in it.
דּוֹדָתוֹ דִּכְתַב בַּהּ רַחֲמָנָא ״עֲרִירִים יִהְיוּ״, לְמָה לִי? לְכִדְרַבָּה. דְּרַבָּה רָמֵי, כְּתִיב: ״עֲרִירִים יִהְיוּ״, וּכְתִיב: ״עֲרִירִים יָמֻתוּ״, הָא כֵּיצַד? יֵשׁ לוֹ בָּנִים — קוֹבְרָן, אֵין לוֹ בָּנִים — הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי.
The Gemara poses another question: Why do I need the phrase that the Merciful One writes with regard to one’s aunt, which states: They shall be childless? The death of one’s children is included in the punishment of karet, and it has already been established that all of the forbidden intercourse is punishable by karet. The Gemara answers that it is necessary for that which Rabba said, as Rabba raised a contradiction: It is written with regard to one who had intercourse with his brother’s wife: “They shall be childless” (Leviticus 20:22), and it also states with regard to one who had intercourse with his aunt: “They shall die childless” (Leviticus 20:21). How so? If he already has children, he will eventually bury them; if he does not have children, he will go childless.
אמר לו הקב"ה לשר של ים פלוט אותם ליבשה אמר לפניו רבש"ע כלום יש עבד שנותן לו רבו מתנה וחוזר ונוטלה הימנו אמר לו אני נותן לך אחד ומחצה שבהם
The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the ministering angel of the sea: Spew out the dead Egyptians onto dry land. The ministering angel said before Him: Master of the Universe, is there a servant whose master gives him a gift and then takes it from him? Since the dead Egyptians were given to me for my fish to eat, how can You retract Your gift? God said to the sea: I will give you one and a half times their number. Although I am taking them back now, later I will give you one and a half times as many people. In the case of the Egyptians it is stated: “Six hundred chosen chariots” (Exodus 14:7), whereas with regard to Sisera, who was defeated at the Kishon Brook, it is written: “Nine hundred chariots of iron” (Judges 4:13).
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְשַׂר שֶׁל יָם: פְּלוֹט אוֹתָן לַיַּבָּשָׁה! אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, כְּלוּם יֵשׁ עֶבֶד שֶׁנּוֹתֵן לוֹ רַבּוֹ מַתָּנָה וְחוֹזֵר וְנוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ? אָמַר לוֹ: אֶתֵּן לָךְ אֶחָד וּמֶחֱצָה שֶׁבָּהֶן.
The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the ministering angel of the sea: Spew out the dead Egyptians onto dry land. The sea said before Him: Master of the Universe, is there a servant whose master gives him a gift and then takes it from him? Since the dead Egyptians were given to me for my fish to eat, how can God retract His gift? He said to him: I will give you one and a half times their number. Although I am taking them back now, later I will give you one and a half times as many people.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה לַדָּ֑ג וַיָּקֵ֥א אֶת־יוֹנָ֖ה אֶל־הַיַּבָּשָֽׁה׃ {ס}
The LORD commanded the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon dry land.
בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים קוֹרִין ״אַחֲרֵי מוֹת״, וּמַפְטִירִין ״כִּי כֹה אָמַר רָם וְנִשָּׂא״. וּבַמִּנְחָה קוֹרִין בָּעֲרָיוֹת וּמַפְטִירִין בְּיוֹנָה.
The baraita continues: On Yom Kippur they read the portion of “After the death” (Leviticus 16), and they read as the haftara the portion of “For thus says the High and Lofty One” (Isaiah 57:14–58:14), which deals with fasting and repentance. And during the afternoon service they read from the portion detailing forbidden sexual relations (Leviticus 18) to convey the severity of these transgressions, so that if anyone transgressed any of these prohibitions he will repent on Yom Kippur. And they read as the haftara the book of Jonah, which mentions the repentance of the people of Nineveh.
כִּ֚י כׇּל־שֻׁלְחָנ֔וֹת מָלְא֖וּ קִ֣יא צֹאָ֑ה בְּלִ֖י מָקֽוֹם׃ {פ}
Yea, all tables are covered
With vomit and filth,
So that no space is left.
With vomit and filth,
So that no space is left.
יְהֹוָ֛ה מָסַ֥ךְ בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ ר֣וּחַ עִוְעִ֑ים וְהִתְע֤וּ אֶת־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ בְּכׇֽל־מַעֲשֵׂ֔הוּ כְּהִתָּע֥וֹת שִׁכּ֖וֹר בְּקִיאֽוֹ׃
The LORD has mixed within her
A spirit of distortion,
Which shall lead Egypt astray in all her undertakings
As a vomiting drunkard goes astray;
A spirit of distortion,
Which shall lead Egypt astray in all her undertakings
As a vomiting drunkard goes astray;
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֡ם {פ}
כֹּה־אָמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁת֤וּ וְשִׁכְרוּ֙ וּקְי֔וּ וְנִפְל֖וּ וְלֹ֣א תָק֑וּמוּ מִפְּנֵ֣י הַחֶ֔רֶב אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י שֹׁלֵ֖חַ בֵּינֵיכֶֽם׃
כֹּה־אָמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁת֤וּ וְשִׁכְרוּ֙ וּקְי֔וּ וְנִפְל֖וּ וְלֹ֣א תָק֑וּמוּ מִפְּנֵ֣י הַחֶ֔רֶב אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י שֹׁלֵ֖חַ בֵּינֵיכֶֽם׃
Say to them: “Thus said the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Drink and get drunk and vomit; fall and never rise again, because of the sword that I send among you.”
דְּבַ֣שׁ מָ֭צָאתָ אֱכֹ֣ל דַּיֶּ֑ךָּ פֶּן־תִּ֝שְׂבָּעֶ֗נּוּ וַהֲקֵֽאתֽוֹ׃
If you find honey, eat only what you need,
Lest, surfeiting yourself, you throw it up.
Lest, surfeiting yourself, you throw it up.
חַ֣יִל בָּ֭לַע וַיְקִאֶ֑נּוּ מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ יוֹרִשֶׁ֥נּוּ אֵֽל׃
The riches he swallows he vomits;
God empties it out of his stomach.
God empties it out of his stomach.
הַשְׁכִּירֻ֕הוּ כִּ֥י עַל־יְהוָ֖ה הִגְדִּ֑יל וְסָפַ֤ק מוֹאָב֙ בְּקִיא֔וֹ וְהָיָ֥ה לִשְׂחֹ֖ק גַּם־הֽוּא׃
Get him drunk
For he vaunted himself against the LORD.
Moab shall vomit till he is drained,
And he too shall be a laughingstock.
For he vaunted himself against the LORD.
Moab shall vomit till he is drained,
And he too shall be a laughingstock.
כְּ֭כֶלֶב שָׁ֣ב עַל־קֵא֑וֹ כְּ֝סִ֗יל שׁוֹנֶ֥ה בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃
As a dog returns to his vomit,
So a dullard repeats his folly.
So a dullard repeats his folly.
פִּֽתְּךָ־אָכַ֥לְתָּ תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה וְ֝שִׁחַ֗תָּ דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ הַנְּעִימִֽים׃
The morsel you eat you will vomit;
You will waste your courteous words.
You will waste your courteous words.
וְאֵ֥שׁ יָצְאָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וַתֹּ֗אכַל אֵ֣ת הַחֲמִשִּׁ֤ים וּמָאתַ֙יִם֙ אִ֔ישׁ מַקְרִיבֵ֖י הַקְּטֹֽרֶת׃ {ס}
And a fire went forth from יהוה and consumed the two hundred and fifty contestants offering the incense.
הָבִ֨יאוּ אֶת־כׇּל־הַֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֜ר אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הָאוֹצָ֗ר וִיהִ֥י טֶ֙רֶף֙ בְּבֵיתִ֔י וּבְחָנ֤וּנִי נָא֙ בָּזֹ֔את אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת אִם־לֹ֧א אֶפְתַּ֣ח לָכֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת אֲרֻבּ֣וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י לָכֶ֛ם בְּרָכָ֖ה עַד־בְּלִי־דָֽי׃
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, and let there be food in My House, and thus put Me to the test—said the LORD of Hosts. I will surely open the floodgates of the sky for you and pour down blessings on you;
(יט) הַעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃
(19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live—
from Parashat Nitzavim read on YK morning
(יט) הַעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃
(19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live—
from Parashat Nitzavim read on YK morning
הַעִידֹ֩תִי֩ בָכֶ֨ם הַיּ֜וֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ כִּֽי־אָבֹ֣ד תֹּאבֵדוּן֮ מַהֵר֒ מֵעַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹבְרִ֧ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ לֹֽא־תַאֲרִיכֻ֤ן יָמִים֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֥י הִשָּׁמֵ֖ד תִּשָּׁמֵדֽוּן׃
I call heaven and earth this day to witness against you that you shall soon perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess; you shall not long endure in it, but shall be utterly wiped out.
וַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַחֲלֹמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלַ֖ם לָהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מְרַגְּלִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לִרְא֛וֹת אֶת־עֶרְוַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּאתֶֽם׃
Recalling the dreams that he had dreamed about them, Joseph said to them, “You are spies, you have come to see the land in its nakedness.”
וְהָאָ֗רֶץ לֹ֤א תִמָּכֵר֙ לִצְמִתֻ֔ת כִּי־לִ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֧ים וְתוֹשָׁבִ֛ים אַתֶּ֖ם עִמָּדִֽי׃
But the land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with Me.
רְבִיבִים m.n. pl. copious showers. [From רבב ᴵ in the sense ‘to be numerous, be abundant’. Some scholars derive רְבִיבִים and Ugar. rbb (= drizzling rain) from רבב ᴵᴵ (= to shoot), and explain it as ‘rain pouring forth like arrows’. Many others connect רְבִיבִים and Ugar. rbb with ‘sheep’, in allusion to their sheeplike form, and refer to Arab. rabība (= sheep, lamb). For sense development cp. שָׂעִיר ᴵᴵ.] Derivative: רבב ᴵᴵᴵ.