Rashbam on Deuteronomy 27:15
ושם בסתר, there are a total of 12 “curses” corresponding to the 12 tribes, all of the sins mentioned in them being of the type that one commits in private, when one is unobserved and no witnesses are present. I will explain all of them. There are only two of these which are sometimes committed in private and sometimes in public. These are idolatry and striking one’s fellow Jew. This is the reason that the Torah mentions the word בסתר specifically in connection with thee two sins that are listed here. The reason is that for sins committed in public there is no need to utter a curse as people sinning in public are not frightened of the curses either. Not only that, the court has a chance to deal with crimes/sins committed in public.
ושם בסתר, there are a total of 12 “curses” corresponding to the 12 tribes, all of the sins mentioned in them being of the type that one commits in private, when one is unobserved and no witnesses are present. I will explain all of them. There are only two of these which are sometimes committed in private and sometimes in public. These are idolatry and striking one’s fellow Jew. This is the reason that the Torah mentions the word בסתר specifically in connection with thee two sins that are listed here. The reason is that for sins committed in public there is no need to utter a curse as people sinning in public are not frightened of the curses either. Not only that, the court has a chance to deal with crimes/sins committed in public.
Shavuot 36a
§ Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says with regard to the term amen: There is an element of oath within it, there is an element of acceptance of the statement and agreement within it, and there is an element of confirmation of the statement, i.e., that he believes and prays that the statement will be fulfilled, within it. The Gemara elaborates: There is an element of oath within it, as it is written: “And the priest shall administer an oath to the woman…and the woman shall say: Amen, amen” (Numbers 5:21–22). “Amen” is the oath that the woman takes. There is an element of acceptance of the statement within it, as it is written: “Cursed is he who shall not confirm the matters of this Torah to perform them; and all the people shall say: Amen” (Deuteronomy 27:26), expressing their agreement to fulfill all the matters of the Torah. There is an element of confirmation of the statement within it, as it is written: “And Jeremiah the prophet said: Amen, may the Lord do so; may the Lord uphold your statement” (Jeremiah 28:6).
§ Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says with regard to the term amen: There is an element of oath within it, there is an element of acceptance of the statement and agreement within it, and there is an element of confirmation of the statement, i.e., that he believes and prays that the statement will be fulfilled, within it. The Gemara elaborates: There is an element of oath within it, as it is written: “And the priest shall administer an oath to the woman…and the woman shall say: Amen, amen” (Numbers 5:21–22). “Amen” is the oath that the woman takes. There is an element of acceptance of the statement within it, as it is written: “Cursed is he who shall not confirm the matters of this Torah to perform them; and all the people shall say: Amen” (Deuteronomy 27:26), expressing their agreement to fulfill all the matters of the Torah. There is an element of confirmation of the statement within it, as it is written: “And Jeremiah the prophet said: Amen, may the Lord do so; may the Lord uphold your statement” (Jeremiah 28:6).
Dr. Samuel Lebens, chair of the Association for the Philosophy of Judaism at University of London, wrote in The Power of 'Amen' on Yom Kippur:
“The vast majority of Jews will be marking Yom Kippur in one way or another. And for many of us, the experience of staring blankly upon a prayer book written in an ancient and unfamiliar language is daunting. But if you can say nothing else, you can still say "Amen” and you can know, that in doing so, you have really said it all – (1) you have committed yourself, with that one word, to becoming a better Jew, (2) you have accepted upon yourself the consequences of your identity, and (3) you have expressed the prayer that you will live up to your potential and receive abundant blessings in return.
Don’t look over at those Jews who know what they’re doing with the prayer book, as they fervently follow each word of the service, beating away at their chests as they read the confession; don’t let your head hang in shame that you can’t muster the appropriate feelings, nor concentrate through a cumbersome liturgy. Know that, in the words of the Midrash, "Before the Holy One, blessed be He, there is nothing greater than a Jew who says ‘amen’ ...." That single word, uttered with sincerity, can make the whole day worthwhile.”
“The vast majority of Jews will be marking Yom Kippur in one way or another. And for many of us, the experience of staring blankly upon a prayer book written in an ancient and unfamiliar language is daunting. But if you can say nothing else, you can still say "Amen” and you can know, that in doing so, you have really said it all – (1) you have committed yourself, with that one word, to becoming a better Jew, (2) you have accepted upon yourself the consequences of your identity, and (3) you have expressed the prayer that you will live up to your potential and receive abundant blessings in return.
Don’t look over at those Jews who know what they’re doing with the prayer book, as they fervently follow each word of the service, beating away at their chests as they read the confession; don’t let your head hang in shame that you can’t muster the appropriate feelings, nor concentrate through a cumbersome liturgy. Know that, in the words of the Midrash, "Before the Holy One, blessed be He, there is nothing greater than a Jew who says ‘amen’ ...." That single word, uttered with sincerity, can make the whole day worthwhile.”
למימרא דמברך עדיף ממאן דעני אמן והתניא ר' יוסי אומר גדול העונה אמן יותר מן המברך א"ל ר' נהוראי השמים כן הוא תדע שהרי גוליירין יורדין ומתגרין [במלחמה] וגבורים יורדין ומנצחין תנאי היא דתניא אחד המברך ואחד העונה אמן במשמע אלא שממהרין למברך יותר מן העונה אמן
The Gemara asks: Is that to say that one who recites a blessing is preferable to one who answers amen? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei says: The reward of the one who answers amen is greater than the reward of the one who recites the blessing?
Rabbi Nehorai said to him: By Heavens, an oath in the name of God, it is so. Know that this is true, as the military assistants [gulyarin]descend to the battlefield and initiate the war and the mighty descend and prevail. The amen that follows a blessing is compared to the mighty who join the war after the assistants, illustrating that answering amen is more significant than reciting the initial blessing.
ויצו משה וזקני ישראל. שתף עמו הזקנים מפני שהם יהיו במעמד בעברם הירדן:
ויצא משה וזקני ישראל, G’d co-opted the elders seeing it was they who would stand at Mount Gerizim and Mount Eyval, and not Moses.
שמור את כל המצוה. ומה היא והקמות לך אבנים גדולו' להכיל התורה ויאמר הגאון ז״ל כי כתוב עליהם מספר המצות כמו הכתובות בהלכות גדולות בענין אזהרות ויפה אמר:
KEEP ALL THE COMMANDMENTS. Namely, that thou shalt set thee up great stones to contain the entire Torah. The Gaon, of blessed memory, said that the commandments were listed upon the stones, as in the Halakhot Gedolot. They were listed in a manner similar to the azharot. He explained well.
נמצאת אומר שלשה מיני אבנים הן אחד [שהעמיד] משה על שפת הירדן בערבות מואב [ואחד] שנתן תחת מצב רגלי הכהנים [ואחד שהעבירו עמהן].
It comes out that you can say there were three sets of stones: One that Moses erected on the banks of the Jordan River on the Plains of Moab (Deut. 27:2), and one that was under the feet of the priests [in the middle of the Jordan] (Josh. 4:3), and one that they brought over with them (Josh. 4:5).
אָ֣ז יִבְנֶ֤ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּהַ֖ר עֵיבָֽל׃ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּה֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּכָּתוּב֙ בְּסֵ֙פֶר֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִזְבַּח֙ אֲבָנִ֣ים שְׁלֵמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־הֵנִ֥יף עֲלֵיהֶ֖ן בַּרְזֶ֑ל וַיַּעֲל֨וּ עָלָ֤יו עֹלוֹת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַֽיִּזְבְּח֖וּ שְׁלָמִֽים׃ וַיִּכְתׇּב־שָׁ֖ם עַל־הָאֲבָנִ֑ים אֵ֗ת מִשְׁנֵה֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּתַ֔ב לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(30) ...he ETERNAL, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, (31) as Moses, the servant of GOD, had commanded the Israelites—as is written in the Book of the Teaching of Moses—an altar of unhewn stone upon which no iron had been wielded. They offered on it burnt offerings to GOD, and brought sacrifices of well-being. (32) And there, on the stones, he inscri...
נִמְצֵאתָ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שְׁלֹשָׁה מִינֵי אֲבָנִים הָיוּ: אֶחָד שֶׁהֵקִים מֹשֶׁה בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב הוֹאִיל מֹשֶׁה בֵּאֵר וְגוֹ׳״, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וְכָתַבְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וְגוֹ׳״, וְאָתְיָא ״בֵּאֵר״ ״בֵּאֵר״. וְאֶחָד שֶׁהֵקִים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אֲבָנִים הֵקִים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן״. וְאֶחָד שֶׁהֵקִים בַּגִּלְגָּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאֵת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה הָאֲבָנִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ וְגוֹ׳״.
§ The Gemara returns to the discussion of how the Ark was brought into Eretz Yisrael. You are found saying that there were three sets of stones. One is a set that Moses erected in the land of Moab, as it is stated: “Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses took upon himself to expound [be’er] this law, saying” (Deuteronomy 1:5). And it states there with regard to the mitzva to erect the stones on Mount Ebal: “And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law clearly elucidated [ba’er]” (Deuteronomy 27:8). It is derived through a verbal analogy between the word “be’er” that appears with regard to Moses, and the word “ba’er” that appears with regard to the mitzva to write the Torah on the stones on Mount Ebal that Moses also wrote down the Torah on stones. And there is one set that Joshua erected in the Jordan, as it is stated: “Joshua also set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests that bore the Ark of the Covenant stood, and they are there to this day” (Joshua 4:9). And there is one set that Joshua erected in Gilgal, as it is stated: “And these twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal” (Joshua 4:20).
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כֵּיצַד כָּתְבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה? רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: עַל גַּבֵּי אֲבָנִים כְּתָבוּהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְכָתַבְתָּ עַל הָאֲבָנִים אֶת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וְגוֹ׳״, וְאַחַר כָּךְ סָדוּ אוֹתָן בְּסִיד. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: לִדְבָרֶיךָ, הֵיאַךְ לָמְדוּ אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם תּוֹרָה? אָמַר לוֹ: בִּינָה יְתֵירָה נָתַן בָּהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְשִׁיגְּרוּ נוֹטֵירִין שֶׁלָּהֶן, וְקִילְּפוּ אֶת הַסִּיד וְהִשִּׂיאוּהָ. וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה נִתְחַתֵּם גְּזַר דִּינָם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶן לִלְמֹד וְלֹא לָמְדוּ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: עַל גַּבֵּי סִיד כְּתָבוּהָ, וְכָתְבוּ לָהֶן לְמַטָּה ״יְלַמְּדוּ אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכֹל וְגוֹ׳״. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאִם הָיוּ חוֹזְרִין בִּתְשׁוּבָה — הָיוּ מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן.
The Sages taught: How did the Jewish people write the Torah? Rabbi Yehuda says: They wrote it on stones, as it is stated: “And you shall write on the stones all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 27:8). And afterward they plastered them over with plaster. Rabbi Shimon said to him: According to your statement that they plastered over the writing, how did the nations of the world study Torah? He said to him: The Holy One, Blessed be He, granted them an extra degree of understanding, and they sent their scribes [noteirin], and they peeled off the plaster and copied it down. And on account of this matter their decree to be sent to the pit of destruction was sealed, as once the Torah was in their possession they should have studied it, and they did not study. Rabbi Shimon says: That is not what happened. Rather, the Jewish people wrote the text of the Torah on top of the plaster, and they wrote below for the gentiles to read that the verse commands the Jewish people to destroy the gentile inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael: “Lest they teach you to do like all their abominations” (Deuteronomy 20:18). You derive from the fact that they wrote this verse that if the gentiles who lived in Eretz Israel would have repented, the Jews would have accepted them, i.e., allowed them to live in Eretz Yisrael.
וְכָתַבְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת, אָמַר ר"א (אבן עזרא על דברים כ"ז:א') בְּשֵׁם הַגָּאוֹן, שֶׁכָּתְבוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִנְיַן הַמִּצְוֹת, כְּמוֹ הַכְּתוּבוֹת בַּהֲלָכוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, כְּעֵין אַזְהָרוֹת. וְטַעַם בַּאֵר הֵיטֵב (דברים כ"ז:ח'), הַכְּתִיבָה. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (סוטה לב) בְּשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן. וּמָצִינוּ בְּסֵפֶר תָּאגֵי שֶׁהָיְתָה כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כְּתוּבָה בָּהֶן מִבְּרֵאשִׁית עַד לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתָאגֶיהָ וְזִיּוּנֶיהָ, וּמִשָּׁם נֶעְתְּקוּ הַתָּאגִין בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהָיוּ הָאֲבָנִים גְּדוֹלוֹת מְאֹד אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מִמַּעֲשֵׂה הַנִּסִּים:
AND THOU SHALT WRITE UPON THEM ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote in the name of the Gaon that “they wrote upon the stones a list of the commandments like those written down in the ‘Hilchoth Gedoloth,’ in the form of Azharoth (‘Exhortations’ of the liturgical poets). And the meaning of the expression ‘ba’eir heiteiv’ (very plainly) refers to the writing” [i.e., that it be in legible script, but it does not mean “well explained,” since only a brief list of the commandments rather than a detailed rendering was inscribed upon the stones].
And our Rabbis have said [that ‘ba’eir heiteiv’ means] in the seventy languages [of the peoples of the world]. Now, we find in the Book of Tagin (crownlets) that the entire Torah was written on them [i.e., the stones] — from the beginning of Bereshith to in the sight of all Israel — with its crownlets and its flourishes, and from there all the crownlets in the entire Torah were copied. It is likely that either these stones were huge, or it was a miraculous event [for, otherwise, it would have been impossible to inscribe so much on a few stone tablets].
And our Rabbis have said [that ‘ba’eir heiteiv’ means] in the seventy languages [of the peoples of the world]. Now, we find in the Book of Tagin (crownlets) that the entire Torah was written on them [i.e., the stones] — from the beginning of Bereshith to in the sight of all Israel — with its crownlets and its flourishes, and from there all the crownlets in the entire Torah were copied. It is likely that either these stones were huge, or it was a miraculous event [for, otherwise, it would have been impossible to inscribe so much on a few stone tablets].
וְעוֹד פָּתַח רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בִּכְבוֹד תּוֹרָה וְדָרַשׁ: ״הַסְכֵּת וּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִהְיֵיתָ לְעָם״, וְכִי אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל? וַהֲלֹא אוֹתוֹ יוֹם סוֹף אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָיָה! אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁחֲבִיבָה תּוֹרָה עַל לוֹמְדֶיהָ בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם כַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מֵהַר סִינַי.
And Rabbi Yehuda again began to speak in honor of Torah and taught: When Moses took leave of Israel on his last day in this world, he said: “Keep silence [hasket] and hear, Israel; this day you have become a people unto the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 27:9). This is surprising: Was the Torah given to Israel on that day? Wasn’t that day at the end of forty years since the Torah was given? Rather, it comes to teach that each and every day the Torah is as dear to those who study it, as it was on the day it was given from Mount Sinai.