TRANSLITERATION
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu laasok b’divrei Torah.
TRANSLATION
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to engage with words of Torah.
Shabbat Chazon:
- The Shabbat prior to Tisha B'Av (9th of Av)
- The title comes from the Haftarah for the day, from Isaiah 1
- Chazon = "vision"
- A harsh rebuke of the people who are a 'sinful nation'
(א) חֲזוֹן֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־אָמ֔וֹץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם בִּימֵ֨י עֻזִּיָּ֧הוּ יוֹתָ֛ם אָחָ֥ז יְחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ מַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃
(1) The prophecies of Isaiah son of Amoz, who prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
(ד) ה֣וֹי ׀ גּ֣וֹי חֹטֵ֗א עַ֚ם כֶּ֣בֶד עָוֺ֔ן זֶ֣רַע מְרֵעִ֔ים בָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁחִיתִ֑ים עָזְב֣וּ אֶת־ה׳ נִֽאֲצ֛וּ אֶת־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נָזֹ֥רוּ אָחֽוֹר׃
(4) Ah, sinful nation!
People laden with iniquity!
Brood of evildoers!
Depraved children!
They have forsaken GOD,
Spurned the Holy One of Israel,
Turned their backs.
People laden with iniquity!
Brood of evildoers!
Depraved children!
They have forsaken GOD,
Spurned the Holy One of Israel,
Turned their backs.
(ז) אַרְצְכֶ֣ם שְׁמָמָ֔ה עָרֵיכֶ֖ם שְׂרֻפ֣וֹת אֵ֑שׁ אַדְמַתְכֶ֗ם לְנֶגְדְּכֶם֙ זָרִים֙ אֹכְלִ֣ים אֹתָ֔הּ וּשְׁמָמָ֖ה כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֥ת זָרִֽים׃
(7) Your land is a waste,
Your cities burnt down;
Before your eyes, the yield of your soil
Is consumed by strangers—
A wasteland as overthrown by strangers!aas overthrown by strangers Emendation yields “like Sodom overthrown.”
Your cities burnt down;
Before your eyes, the yield of your soil
Is consumed by strangers—
A wasteland as overthrown by strangers!aas overthrown by strangers Emendation yields “like Sodom overthrown.”
(ח) וְנוֹתְרָ֥ה בַת־צִיּ֖וֹן כְּסֻכָּ֣ה בְכָ֑רֶם כִּמְלוּנָ֥ה בְמִקְשָׁ֖ה כְּעִ֥יר נְצוּרָֽה׃
(8) Fairb Zion is left
Like a booth in a vineyard,
Like a hut in a cucumber field,
Like a city beleaguered.
(יא) לָמָּה־לִּ֤י רֹב־זִבְחֵיכֶם֙ יֹאמַ֣ר ה׳ שָׂבַ֛עְתִּי עֹל֥וֹת אֵילִ֖ים וְחֵ֣לֶב מְרִיאִ֑ים וְדַ֨ם פָּרִ֧ים וּכְבָשִׂ֛ים וְעַתּוּדִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָפָֽצְתִּי׃
(11) “What need have I of all your sacrifices?”
Says GOD.
“I am sated with burnt offerings of rams,
And suet of fatlings,
And blood of bulls;
And I have no delight
In lambs and he-goats.
Says GOD.
“I am sated with burnt offerings of rams,
And suet of fatlings,
And blood of bulls;
And I have no delight
In lambs and he-goats.
(יג) לֹ֣א תוֹסִ֗יפוּ הָבִיא֙ מִנְחַת־שָׁ֔וְא קְטֹ֧רֶת תּוֹעֵבָ֛ה הִ֖יא לִ֑י חֹ֤דֶשׁ וְשַׁבָּת֙ קְרֹ֣א מִקְרָ֔א לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל אָ֖וֶן וַֽעֲצָרָֽה׃
(13) no more;
Bringing oblations is futile,
Incense is offensive to Me.
New moon and sabbath,
Proclaiming of solemnities,
Assemblies with iniquityd
I cannot abide.
(טז) רַֽחֲצוּ֙ הִזַּכּ֔וּ הָסִ֛ירוּ רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י חִדְל֖וּ הָרֵֽעַ׃ (יז) לִמְד֥וּ הֵיטֵ֛ב דִּרְשׁ֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט אַשְּׁר֣וּ חָמ֑וֹץ שִׁפְט֣וּ יָת֔וֹם רִ֖יבוּ אַלְמָנָֽה׃ {ס} (יח) לְכוּ־נָ֛א וְנִוָּכְחָ֖ה יֹאמַ֣ר ה׳ אִם־יִהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ אִם־יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ כַתּוֹלָ֖ע כַּצֶּ֥מֶר יִֽהְיֽוּ׃
(16) Wash yourselves clean;
Put your evil doings
Away from My sight.
Cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do good.
Devote yourselves to justice;
Aid the wronged.
Uphold the rights of the orphan;
Defend the cause of the widow. (18) “Come, let us reach an understanding,
—says GOD.
Be your sins like crimson,
They can turn snow-white;
Be they red as dyed wool,
They can become like fleece.”
(ב) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ה׳ אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ג) רַב־לָכֶ֕ם סֹ֖ב אֶת־הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה פְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם צָפֹֽנָה׃ (ד) וְאֶת־הָעָם֮ צַ֣ו לֵאמֹר֒ אַתֶּ֣ם עֹֽבְרִ֗ים בִּגְבוּל֙ אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם בְּנֵי־עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר וְיִֽירְא֣וּ מִכֶּ֔ם וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃ (ה) אַל־תִּתְגָּר֣וּ בָ֔ם כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֤ן לָכֶם֙ מֵֽאַרְצָ֔ם עַ֖ד מִדְרַ֣ךְ כַּף־רָ֑גֶל כִּֽי־יְרֻשָּׁ֣ה לְעֵשָׂ֔ו נָתַ֖תִּי אֶת־הַ֥ר שֵׂעִֽיר׃ (ו) אֹ֣כֶל תִּשְׁבְּר֧וּ מֵֽאִתָּ֛ם בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֑ם וְגַם־מַ֜יִם תִּכְר֧וּ מֵאִתָּ֛ם בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וּשְׁתִיתֶֽם׃
(2) Then ה׳ said to me: (3) You have been skirting this hill country long enough; now turn north. (4) And charge the people as follows: You will be passing through the territory of your kin, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. Though they will be afraid of you, be very careful (5) not to provoke them. For I will not give you of their land so much as a foot can tread on; I have given the hill country of Seir as a possession to Esau. (6) *Or “You may obtain food from them to eat for money; and you may also procure water from them to drink for money.” What food you eat you shall obtain from them for money; even the water you drink you shall procure from them for money.
- We share common ancestry with the descendants of Esau, brother to Jacob
(א) וְטַעַם אֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו, שֶׁיִּחוּס יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן אַבְרָהָם, וְכָל זַרְעוֹ אַחִים כִּי כֻלָּם הֵם נִמּוֹלִים. וְזֶה טַעַם לֹא תְתַעֵב אֲדֹמִי כִּי אָחִיךָ הוּא (דברים כג ח), רַק בְּנֵי הַפִּלַגְשִׁים יִשְׁמָעֵאל וּמִדְיָן וְכָל בְּנֵי קְטוּרָה אֵינָם בָּאַחְוָה מִן הַכָּתוּב כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע (בראשית כא יב):
(1) YOUR BRETHREN THE CHILDREN OF ESAU. The reason for this expression is that descent of Israel is from Abraham and all his seed are thus “brothers” because they were all circumcised. This is the purport of the verse, Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is ‘thy brother.’124Further, 23:8. Only the sons of the concubines125Genesis 25:6. [of Abraham], Ishmael, Midian126Ibid., Verse 2. and all children of Keturah127Ibid., Verses 1-4. are not in this “brotherhood,” as we see from the verse, for in Isaac shall seed be called to thee.128Ibid., 21:12. Thus Esau [Edom] is in this “brotherhood” for he is a son of Isaac, but Ishmael, born of Hagar and Midian, born of Keturah, although they are Abraham’s biological sons, are not in this “brotherhood,” for as G-d said to Abraham: in Isaac shall seed be called to thee. This makes it clear that the spiritual brotherhood of the Abrahamitic seed is restricted to descendants of Isaac. See my Hebrew commentary p. 351.
(א) אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשו. אע"פ שהם בני עשו, אחיכם הם. בגבול, מעלתו גבול יש לה ובאין הכל ומזדווגין לו שנאמר (עובדיה ז) עד הגבול שלחוך, מכאן ואילך השיאוך יכלו לך.
(ב) וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד. ומה היא השמירה, אל תתגרו בם.
(ג) ובמדרש רבה וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד, אמר ר' אלעזר אוי לאזנים שכך שומעות, ומה אם בשעה שייראו מכם אמר ונשמרתם מאד, כשאנו יראים מהם על אחת כמה וכמה. ר' יהושע בשם ר' לוי אמר וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד, מבקשים אתם שייראו מכם, עסקו בתורה, כמה דתימר (דברים ד׳:י״ד-ט״ו) ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם.
(1) אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשו, “you are passing through the boundary of your brethren the descendants of Esau, etc.” G’d reminds the people that although these people are descended from Esau they are still to be considered as “your brethren.”
The word בגבול is an allusion to the fact that even Edom/Esau’s ascendancy (the Roman Empire) will have a limit גבול, although all the people of the earth are eager to join that Empire and they stream from all sides to join that culture. The Midrash uses a verse in Ovadiah 7 to prove this. The prophet writes: “all your allies turned you back at the frontier;” the second part of the verse reads: “they have duped you and overcome you.” The prophet describes how the one-time fair-weather friends of Rome have abandoned it and worse. The first half of the verse describes Edom/Esau’s ascent, the second half its decline. (2) וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד, ”they will fear you; but you shall be very careful.” In what way can you be careful? By not harassing them and provoking them.” (3) Rabbi Eleazar in Devarim Rabbah reflected on this verse by saying: “woe to the ears who have to listen to such instructions! If we have to be worried about the Edomites even while they are afraid of us, what is it going to be like under conditions when we are afraid of the Edomites seeing we are in exile, under their sovereignty!” Rabbi Joshua ben Levi preferred to read the words as the following message: “if you want them to be afraid of you, what can you do to ensure this? Be very careful with Torah observance, i.e. ונשמרתם מאד.” This expression has been used by the Torah also when warning us to protect our lives through maintaining our physical health (Deut. 4,15).
The word בגבול is an allusion to the fact that even Edom/Esau’s ascendancy (the Roman Empire) will have a limit גבול, although all the people of the earth are eager to join that Empire and they stream from all sides to join that culture. The Midrash uses a verse in Ovadiah 7 to prove this. The prophet writes: “all your allies turned you back at the frontier;” the second part of the verse reads: “they have duped you and overcome you.” The prophet describes how the one-time fair-weather friends of Rome have abandoned it and worse. The first half of the verse describes Edom/Esau’s ascent, the second half its decline. (2) וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד, ”they will fear you; but you shall be very careful.” In what way can you be careful? By not harassing them and provoking them.” (3) Rabbi Eleazar in Devarim Rabbah reflected on this verse by saying: “woe to the ears who have to listen to such instructions! If we have to be worried about the Edomites even while they are afraid of us, what is it going to be like under conditions when we are afraid of the Edomites seeing we are in exile, under their sovereignty!” Rabbi Joshua ben Levi preferred to read the words as the following message: “if you want them to be afraid of you, what can you do to ensure this? Be very careful with Torah observance, i.e. ונשמרתם מאד.” This expression has been used by the Torah also when warning us to protect our lives through maintaining our physical health (Deut. 4,15).
(א) עד מדרך כף רגל. אֲפִלּוּ מִדְרַךְ כַּף רֶגֶל, כְּלוֹמַר אֲפִלּוּ דְּרִיסַת הָרֶגֶל אֵינִי מַרְשֶׁה לָכֶם לַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצָם שֶׁלֹּא בִרְשׁוּת. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא יוֹם דְּרִיסַת כַּף רֶגֶל עַל הַר הַזֵּיתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה י"ד) "וְעָמְדוּ רַגְלָיו וְגוֹ'": (ב) ירשה לעשו. מֵאַבְרָהָם, עֲשָׂרָה עֲמָמִים נָתַתִּי לוֹ, שִׁבְעָה לָכֶם וְקֵינִי וּקְנִזִּי וְקַדְמוֹנִי הֵן עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב וְשֵׂעִיר, אֶחָד מֵהֶם לְעֵשָׂו וְהַשְּׁנַיִם לִבְנֵי לוֹט, בִּשְׂכַר שֶׁהָלַךְ אִתּוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם וְשָׁתַק עַל מַה שֶּׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲחוֹתִי הִיא, עֲשָׂאוֹ כִּבְנוֹ (בראשית רבה נ"א):
(1) עד מדרך כף רגל — This means, Even מדרך כף רגל, as much as to say: even only treading with the feet (a single step). The text means, I do not permit you to pass into their land without their permission. — A Midrashic explanation is: I shall not give you of their land until there come the day of the treading of the sole of foot upon the Mount of Olives (the Messianic period), as it is said, (Zechariah 14:4) "And his feet shall stand [in that day upon the Mount of Olives etc.]”.
(א) לא אתן וגו' מדרך כף וגו'. פירוש אין אני נותן לך לעבור בארצם כדי שתוכל לכופם עליו, אבל אם בני עשו יתרצו להניחם לעבור בארצם אין ה׳ אוסר עליהם הדבר, ולזה שלחו מלאכים בדברי אחוה וריצוי אם ירצו לתת להם מדרך כף רגליהם לעבור בארצם:
(1) לא אתן…מדרך כף רגל, "I will not give you…as much as for the sole of your foot, etc." Moses meant that G'd would not allow the Israelites to traverse the land of Edom in order to impose their will upon them. However, if the people of Edom would volunteer for the Israelites to pass through their country on their way to the West Bank, G'd would not forbid them to do so. This was the reason for sending messengers to sound out the Edomites on the subject.
(א) אֹכֶל תִּשְׁבְּרוּ מֵאִתָּם בַּכֶּסֶף, אִם תִּתְאַוּוּ לֶאֱכֹל מִפֵּרוֹת אַרְצָם לֹא תִקְחוּ מֵהֶם רַק בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא לִרְצוֹנָם, וְזֶה טַעַם מֵאִתָּם. וְגַם מַיִם לֹא תִּשְׁתּוּ מֵהֶם כְּלָל, רַק בַּכֶּסֶף לִרְצוֹנָם:
(1) YE SHALL PURCHASE FOOD OF THEM FOR MONEY. If you should desire to eat of the fruits of their land you should not take it from them except for the full price129Ibid., 23:9. at their pleasure, this being the sense of the word me’itam (of them) [purchase food ‘of them,’ i.e., with their consent]. Also you shall not drink water of them at all, except for money with their consent.
(א) אכל תשברו מאתם. בתמיה, וכי צריכין אתם לקנות אוכל ומים מאתם והלא אינכם חסרים כלום, ולכך סמך לו כי ה׳ אלקיך ברכך בכל מעשה ידיך זה ארבעים שנה לא חסרת דבר.
(1) אכל תשברו מאתם, “You may purchase food from them;” Our author understands these words as a question: “Do you need to purchase food from them? Are you short of water?” In other words: “seeing that all your needs are taken care of why would you be interested to set foot on the soil of these people?” This is also why the Torah immediately continuous with: “for the Lord your G’d has blessed you in all your handiwork during all these forty years.”
(ז) כִּי֩ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֜יךָ בֵּֽרַכְךָ֗ בְּכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔ךָ יָדַ֣ע לֶכְתְּךָ֔ אֶת־הַמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה זֶ֣ה ׀ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֙יךָ֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר׃
(7) Indeed, your God ה׳ has blessed you in all your undertakings. [God] has watched over your wanderings through this great wilderness; your God ה׳ has been with you these past forty years: you have lacked nothing.
(א) כי ה׳ אלקיך ברכך. לְפִיכָךְ לֹא תִכְפּוּ אֶת טוֹבָתוֹ לְהַרְאוֹת כְּאִלּוּ אַתֶּם עֲנִיִּים, אֶלָּא הַרְאוּ עַצְמְכֶם עֲשִׁירִים:
(1) כי ה׳ אלקיך ברכך FOR THE LORD THY GOD HATH BLESSED THEE — therefore you should not show yourselves ungrateful to Him by behaving as though you were poor, but act as rich people.
(ח) וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֞ר מֵאֵ֧ת אַחֵ֣ינוּ בְנֵי־עֵשָׂ֗ו הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר מִדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ הָֽעֲרָבָ֔ה מֵאֵילַ֖ת וּמֵעֶצְיֹ֣ן גָּ֑בֶר {ס} וַנֵּ֙פֶן֙ וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֔ר דֶּ֖רֶךְ מִדְבַּ֥ר מוֹאָֽב׃
(8) We then moved on, away from our kin, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the road of the Arabah, away from Elath and Ezion-geber; and we marched on in the direction of the wilderness of Moab.
(א) ונעבור מאת אחינו וגו'. טעם שהזכירם באחוה, לומר שקיימו מאמר ה׳ שצוה אותם לבל יתגרו בם ונסעו מהם באחוה. עוד קראם אחינו לפי שנהגו עם ישראל באחוה שמכרו להם לחם ומים ומזון דכתיב (פסוק כט) כאשר עשו לי בני עשו וגו':
(1) ונעבר מאת אחינו בני עשו, "we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, etc." The reason Moses stresses the brotherly relations with Esau is to remind the Israelites that the Jewish people had abided by G'd's command not to cause any friction or provocation in their dealings with the Edomites. Another reason why Moses refers to them as "our brothers" was because they maintained correct relations with the Israelites, selling them whatever produce the Israelites were willing to buy. We know this from verse 29 in our chapter.
- Midrash suggests a different meaning for 'we turned away'
(א) ונעבור מאת אחינו בני עשו היושבים בשעיר מדרך הערבה מאילת ומעציון גבר. עברנו מדרכים הערבים שבתורה ועל איילותיה של תורה, ומעציון גבר מה דעציון לגברא דעלמא דאמרי נעשה ונשמע ולא עבדין כן. כן אמרו במדרש רבה.
(1) ונעבור מאת אחינו בני עשו היושבים בשעיר מדרך הערבה מאילת ומעציון גבר, “we moved on away from our kinsmen the descendants of Esau, who dwell in Seir; from the way to the Aravah, from Eylat and from Etzyon-gever.” We turned away from (ערבה) from the paths of the Lord and Torah; this is why the Edomites were not given to us to conquer at this time (a Midrash found in Lieberman’s edition of Devarim Rabbah, not the standard printed text) [The implication of the words עציון גבר in this Midrash is that instead of honoring the נעשה ונשמע the Israelites had pledged at Sinai, they regressed to man-made counsel, the result being a reduced-size Eretz Yisrael. Ed.]