“This is the law of jealousy when a woman will stray while married to her husband, and become defiled” (Numbers 5:29). “This is the law of jealousy [hakenaot]” – so said the Holy One blessed be He: This law of zealotry [kenaot] vis-à-vis idol worship will exist forever. Just as the Holy One blessed be He exacted punishment upon the worshippers of the calf with jealousy, so he will exact retribution against them throughout the generations.
Likewise, it says: “They incensed Me [kinuni] with a non-god, angered Me with their vanities” (Deuteronomy 32:21). What is written? “Bloated with famine” (Deuteronomy 32:24), corresponding to: “Her belly will distend,” as Onkelos translated: Swollen with famine. “From without the sword will bereave” (Deuteronomy 32:25), corresponding to those whom the Levites killed by sword.
“And ketev meriri’ (Deuteronomy 32:24) – this is pestilence, corresponding to: “The Lord afflicted the people with a plague” (Exodus 32:35). “When a woman will stray while married to her husband” – “The adulterous wife takes strangers in place of her husband” (Ezekiel 16:32); the prophet admonished them that instead of [serving] the Holy One blessed be He they engaged in idol worship. “Or a man who will be overcome with the spirit of jealousy, and warn his wife and stand the woman before the Lord.
The priest shall perform for her this entire ritual” (Numbers 5:30). “Or a man who will be overcome with the spirit of jealousy” – Moses was prophesying that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to be jealous in their regard. That is why he wrote at the beginning of the portion: “A spirit of jealousy overcame him” (Numbers 5:14), as he is speaking of the past jealousy regarding the calf. At the end it is written: “will be overcome with the spirit of jealousy,” which is said regarding the future.
“And warn [kineh] his wife” – this was in the days of Ezekiel when Israel was engaged in idol worship and the Holy One blessed be He warned [vekineh] them, as it is stated: “He said to me: Son of man, lift your eyes now to the way northward. I lifted my eyes to the way northward, and behold, north of the gate of the altar was this image of infuriation [kina] in the entrance” (Ezekiel 8:5). “And stand the woman before the Lord” – as Ezekiel admonished them, to cause them to repent to the Holy One blessed be He, to no avail.
“The priest shall perform for her” – this is Ezekiel.184Ezekiel was a priest. “This entire ritual” – that he and Jeremiah the priest prophesied in their regard that punishments would befall them just as they befell Israel in the wilderness due to the act of the calf. The punishment befell Israel in their days. You find that in the act of the calf they died by sword, so in the days of these priests it is written in their regard: “And those for the sword to the sword” (Jeremiah 43:11).
With the calf they died unnatural deaths, so, in the days of Jeremiah: “They will die deaths of diseases” (Jeremiah 16:4). With the calf they died of pestilence, as it is stated: “The Lord afflicted the people with a plague” (Exodus 32:35); so in the days of Jeremiah: “And those for pestilence to pestilence.”185No such verse appears in Jeremiah. Perhaps the reference is to: “Those for death to death” (Jeremiah 43:11).
Regarding the calf, it is written: “And on the day of My reckoning [pokdi]” (Exodus 32:34), and in the days of Ezekiel, it is written: “Those appointed [pekudot] over the city, draw near” (Ezekiel 9:1). That is why it is stated: “The priest shall perform for her this entire ritual.” “The man will be absolved of iniquity, and that woman will bear her iniquity” (Numbers 5:31). “The man will be absolved of iniquity” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who will cleanse Israel so that they will no longer perform any iniquity before Him, as this is what He said to them by means of Ezekiel: “I will sprinkle pure water upon you, [and you will be purified; from all your impurities and from all your idols I will purify you], I will give you a new heart…I will place My spirit within you…I will save you from all your impurities” (Ezekiel 36:25–27, 29).
“And that woman will bear her iniquity” – just as it says: “Not for your sake am I acting, the utterance of the Lord God, let it be known to you; be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel” (Ezekiel 36:32). Just as the Holy One blessed be He forgave them regarding the calf, and he acceded to them, rested in their midst, and took them into the land, so, Ezekiel prophesied that the Holy One blessed be He will do so again ultimately, as it is stated: “Speak to them: So said the Lord God: Behold, I am taking [the children of Israel]…[and I will bring them to their land].… they will no longer be defiled with their idols.… My dwelling place will be [among them].… [and the nations will know] that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel when My Sanctuary is in their midst forever” (Ezekiel 37:21, 23, 27–28).