Sifrei Devarim Reader

They went forward twelve mil and recoiled ten mil at each commandment, and they were not deterred, neither by the sound of the (shofar) blasts, nor by the "sound" of the flashes.

Variantly: "He found them in a desert land": Everything was provided for them in the desert: The well rose up for them; the manna descended for them; the quail was available for them; the clouds of glory surrounded them. "and in a waste land, howling and desolate": in a place of afflictions, invaders, and marauders.

"He surrounded them": with flags: three from the north, three from the south, three from the east, three from the west.

"He built them up": with two gifts. We are hereby taught that when one of the nations stretched out its hand to receive the manna, it ended up with nothing; to fill up (its vessels) with water from the well, it ended up with nothing.

"He protected them like the pupil of His eye": As it is written (Bamidbar 10:35) "Arise, O L-rd, and let Your foes be scattered, and let your foes flee before You!"

"He found them in a desert land": As it is written (Hoshea 2:16) "Behold, I will entice her and lead her into the wilderness."

"and in a wasteland, howling and desolate": These are the four exiles, viz. (Devarim 8:15) "Who led you in the great, awesome desert of snake (1), serpent (2), scorpion (3) and waterless drought (4)."

"He surrounded them": with the elders. "He guarded them like the pupil of His eye": He protected them from harm by mazzikim (adverse elements), viz. (Zechariah 2:12) "For he that touches you touches the pupil of His eye."

(Devarim, Ibid. 11) "As an eagle wakes its nest": Just as an eagle does not enter its nest immediately until it flutters its wings between one tree and another, between one booth and another, until its young awake and have the strength to mount it, so, when the L-rd revealed Himself to give the Torah to Israel, He did not reveal Himself to them (suddenly) from one side, but from four, as it is written (Ibid. 33:2) "The L-rd came from Sinai and shone forth from Seir to them. He appeared from Mount Paran." And which is the fourth side? (Habakkuk 3:3) "G-d came from Teman."

"spreading its wings and taking them" (upon them): as it is written (Devarim 1:31) "and in the desert, where you saw how the L-rd your G-d bore you."

"bearing them on its pinion": as it is written (Shemoth 19:4) "and I bore you on eagles' wings."

Variantly: "as an eagle wakes its nest": in time to come, viz. (Song of Songs 2:8) "The voice of my Beloved — behold He is coming" (to redeem me).

"spreading its wings": viz. (Isaiah 43:6) "I will say to the North "Give (My exiles) etc."

"bearing them on its pinion": (Ibid. 49:22) "and they will bring your sons in (their) bosom."

(Devarim 32:12) "The L-rd led him, alone": The L-rd said to Israel: Just as you sat alone in the world and derived no benefit whatsoever from the nations, so I am destined to seat you in the world to come, the nations deriving no benefit whatsoever from you.

"and there was no strange god against them": None of the nations will be permitted to come and rule over you, as it is written (Daniel 10:20) "Then I will depart. And, behold, the (tutelary) power of Greece approaches" (Ibid. 10) "But the power of Persia stood opposed to me," (Ibid. 21) "But I will tell you what is inscribed in truthful writing, etc."

Variantly: "The L-rd alone will lead him": The L-rd is destined to cause you to inherit from one end of the world to the other, as it is written (Ezekiel 48:2-4) "Next to Dan's border, from the eastern side to the western side — Asher, one portion. Next to Asher's border, from the eastern side to the western side — Naftali, one (portion)." What is the intent of "Yehudah, one (portion)," "Asher, one (portion)," "Dan, one (portion)"? That Israel is destined to take from east to west until the length of twenty-five thousand kanim, the extent of seventy-five mil.

"and there will not be with him a strange god": There will be none among you who serve idolatry. And thus is it written (Isaiah 27:9) "With this shall Jacob's sin be atoned for … and asherah trees and sun idols shall arise no more."

Variantly: "The L-rd shall lead him alone": I am destined to settle you at peace in the world.

"and there shall not be with him a strange god": There shall be none among you engaging in any kind of commerce whatsoever, (but all shall be free for Torah study). As it is written (Psalms 72:16) "There will be an abundance (pisath) of grain in the land": The wheat will bring forth gluskaoth (delicacies) the fulness of the palm ("pas," as in "pisath") of a hand. (Ibid.) "Its fruit will rustle like (the trees of) Levanon.": The wheat (stalks) will rub against each other and shed their meal on the ground, and you will come and take of it a full palmful, sufficient for your livelihood.

(Devarim, 32:13) "He made him ride on the high places of the earth": This is Eretz Yisrael, which is higher than all the lands, as it is written (Bamidbar 13:30) "Let us go up and inherit it," (Ibid. 21) "and they went up and spied out the land," (Ibid. 22) "and they went up in the south."

"and he ate the shoots of the field": These are the fruits of Eretz Yisrael, which are easier to eat than the fruits of all of the lands.

"and He gave him to suck (fig-) honey from the rock": such as (is found in Sichni and its neighbors. Once R. Yehudah said to his son in Sichni: "Go and bring me figs from the barrel." The son: "Father, but it is (a barrel) of honey!" The father: "My son, stick your hand into it and you will bring up figs from it."

"And oil from the flint of the rock": These are the olives of Gush Chalav. Once R. Yossi said to his son in Sepphoris: Go up and bring us olives from the attic." He went and found the attic flooded with oil.

(Devarim 32:14) "Cream from the herd and milk from he flock": as in the days of Solomon, viz. (I Kings 5:3) "ten fattened oxen, twenty oxen from the pasture, and a hundred sheep, etc." "with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan and he-goats": as in the days of the ten tribes, viz. (Amos 6:4) "eating the fattened sheep of the flock and calves from inside the stall." "with wheat (as fat as) the fat of kidneys": as in the days of Solomon, viz. (I Kings 5:2) "And Solomon's provision for one day was, etc." "and the blood of the grape did you drink (as choice) wine": as in the days of the ten tribes, viz. (Amos 6:6) "who drink wine out of bowls."

Variantly: "He made him ride on the high places of the earth": This refers to the Temple, which is higher than the rest of the world, viz. (Devarim 17:8) "then you shall arise and go up to the place" (the Temple), and (Isaiah 2:3) "And many peoples will go and say: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd, to the Temple of the G-d of Jacob." "and he ate the shoots of the field": the baskets of bikkurim (the first-fruits). "and He gave him to seek honey from the rock": the oil libations.

"Cream from the herd and milk from the flock with fat of lambs and rams of the breed of Bashan and he-goats": the sin-offering, the burnt-offering, peace-offerings, the guilt-offering, the thank-offering, and lower order offerings. "with wheat (as fat as) the fat of kidneys": the meal-offerings. "and the blood of the grape did you drink (as choice) wine": the wine libations.

Variantly: "He made him ride on the high places of the earth": Torah, viz. (Proverbs 5:22) "The L-rd acquired me (Torah) the beginning of His way." "and he ate the shoots of the field": Scripture. "and He gave him to seek honey from the rock": Mishnah. "and oil from the flint of the rock": Talmud. "cream from the herd and milk from the flock with fat of rams and rams of the breed of Bashan and he-goats": a fortiori arguments, gezeiroth shavoth (identities), intercalations, and gematrioth (numerical equivalents). "with wheat (as fat as) the wheat of kidneys": halachoth, the essence of Torah. "and blood of the grape did you drink (as choice) wine": aggadoth, which "pull" a man's heart, like wine.

Variantly: "He made him ride on the high places of the earth": this world. "and he ate the shoots of the field": the four exiles. "and He gave him to suck honey from the rock": as it is written (Psalms 20:14) "The boar of the forest ravages it" (Israel). "and oil from the flint of the rock": The reference is to the "oppressors," who have seized upon Eretz Yisrael and from whom it is as difficult to extract a perutah (small coin) as from a rock, viz. (Ibid.) "and the crawler of the field feeds on it." In the future, Israel will inherit their possessions, which will be as sweet to it as honey and oil.

Variantly: "cream of the herd": These are their (the nations') nobles and generals. "with fat of lambs": their officers. "and rams": their atheists. "of the breed of Bashan": their centurions, that "attack" between their teeth. "and he-goats": their assessors. "with wheat (as fat as) the fat of kidneys": their matrons. "and He gave him to suck honey from the rock, and oil from the flint of the rock.": Israel, who in the future will inherit their possessions, which will be as sweet to it as oil and honey.

Variantly: "with wheat (as fat as) the fat of kidneys": Each wheat (stalk in Eretz Yisrael is destined to produce (the quantity of) two kidneys of a large ox, fourteen litras by the litra of Sepphoris. And do not wonder at that. Look at the turnip heads. A fox once denned in the head of a turnip, which when it (the turnip) was weighed, was found to be sixty litra by the litra of Sepphoris. And it once happened in Shichin (near Sepphoris) with a mustard stalk of three shoots, that (the bast of) one shoot, when it was stripped, sufficed to roof a potter's hut, and which, when pounded, was found to contain nine measures of mustard. R. Shimon b. Chalafta said: There was a cabbage stalk in our field, which I would ascend and descend as I would a ladder.

Variantly: "and the blood of the grape will you drink as wine": You will not weary yourself with treading and harvesting, but you will bring it in a wagon and stand it in a corner and drink from it as one would drink from a nipple.

(Devarim 32:15) "And Yeshurun grew fat and it kicked": Satiety breeds rebellion. And thus we find with the men of the generation of the flood — that they rebelled against the L-rd only from (a superabundance of) food and drink and tranquility. What is written of them? (Iyyov 21:9) "Their houses are at peace, without fear. The rod of G-d is not upon them." (see #43 above). And thus we find with the men of the generation of the desert, that they rebelled against the L-rd only from (a superabundance of) food and drink, viz. (Shemoth 32:6) "and the people sat down to eat and drink." What follows? (Ibid. 8) "They have turned quickly from the way that I have commanded them, etc." The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: When Israel enters the land, they are destined to rebel from (a superabundance of) food and drink and tranquility, (viz. Devarim 31:20) "For I shall bring them to the land that I have sworn to their fathers, flowing milk and honey, and they shall eat and be sated and grow fat, and they shall turn to other gods, etc." Moses said to Israel: When you enter the land, see to it that you do not rebel against the L-rd through eating, drinking, and tranquility, viz. (Ibid. 8:12-13) "Lest you eat and be sated … and your herds and your flocks increase, etc." What follows? (Ibid. 14) "and your heart be lifted and you forget the L-rd your G-d."

And thus do we find with the sons and daughters of Iyyov, that they were punished only through eating, drinking, and tranquility, viz. (Iyyov 1:18-19) "This one was still speaking when another came and said, 'Your sons were eating and drinking wine, when suddenly a mighty wind came from the wilderness. It struck the four corners of the house, etc.'" And thus do we find with the twelve tribes, that they were exiled only through eating, drinking and tranquility, viz. (Amos 6:4-7) "They lie on ivory beds … they drink (straight) from the wine bowls … therefore, they shall now be exiled at the head of the exiles."

And thus do we find before the days of the Messiah, that they are destined to rebel only out of eating, drinking, and tranquility. What is written of them? "And Yeshurun grew fat and it kicked."

An analogy: A man had a calf, which he groomed, curried, and fed vetch — to groom him for plowing! When the calf was grown, his master placed the yoke upon it — at which it bolted, broke the yoke, and snapped its ends, viz. (Jeremiah 28:13) "You broke yokes of wood, etc."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "You grew fat": in the days of Yeravam. "you grew thick": in the days of Achav. "you were covered (with fat)" — all in the days of Yehu.

Variantly: "you grew fat": in the days of Achaz. "you grew thick": in the days of Menasheh. "you were covered (with fat)" — all in the days of Yehoyakim.

Variantly: "you grew fat; you grew thick; you were covered with fat": as one who is fat within and forms fat on the groins, as in (Iyyov 15:27) "when he covers his face with fat and forms roils of blubber on his groins."

Variantly: "you grew fat (1)"; "you grew thick" (2); "you were covered with fat (3)" — three generations before the days of the Messiah, as it is written (Isaiah 2:7-8) "And his land was filled with silver (1)"; "and his land was filled with horses (2)"; "and his land was filled with idols (3)."

"and he forsook the G-d who made him": as in (Isaiah 51:13) "And you have forgotten the L-rd who made you, who spread out the heavens and founded the earth." And (Jeremiah 2:13) "For two evils have My people committed": The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: As you have meted it out to Me have I meted it out to you (Ibid. 12:7) "I have abandoned My house (the Temple); I have forsaken My inheritance," (Psalms 78:60) "and He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh," (Isaiah 2:6) "For you have forsaken your people, house of Jacob."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "and he abased the Rock of his salvation": as in (Ezekiel 8:16) "And He brought me to the inner courtyard of the Temple of the L-rd, and behold, at the entrance of the sanctuary of the L-rd … twenty-five men, their backs to the sanctuary of the L-rd, etc."

R. Dostai b. R. Yehudah says: Read if not "vayenabel" ("and he abased"), but "veyinavel" ("and there be abased"), as in (Jeremiah 14:21) "Do not reject us, for the sake of Your name; let there not be abased the throne of Your glory."

(Devarim, Ibid. 16) "They provoked Him with 'strange'": They went and did "strange" things, viz. (I Kings 15:13) "And (even) Ma'achah, his (grand) mother, he (Asa) removed (from the throne) because she had made an abomination for the asheirah."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "They angered Him with abominations": homosexuality, viz. (Vayikra 18:22) "And with a male you shall not lie the lyings of a woman; it is an abomination," and (I Kings, Ibid. 14:24) "There was also prostitution in the land; they did all the abominations of the nations, etc."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "They sacrificed to demons, which availed naught": If they served the sun, the moon, the stars, the constellations — things which are of need and benefit to the world, His anger would not be "doubled," (as it is now), but they serve others which are of no benefit to them, but are detrimental to them. "to demons" (sheidim): a shed enters a man and overmasters him.

"gods they had not known": the nations did not know them. "new ones, newly come': Whenever a gentile saw it he would say "This is a Jewish image." As it is written (Isaiah 10:10) "Just as my hand has overpowered the kingdoms of the false god — and their graven images are from Jerusalem and Shomron" — whereby we are taught that Jerusalem and Shomron would supply moulds (for images) to all comers.

"your fathers had not dreaded them" (lo se'arum): The hair (sa'aroth) of your forefathers did not stand on end in dread of them, i.e., even though they sacrificed and smoked incense to them, they did not fear them.

Variantly: "Your forefathers lo se'arum": Read it not "lo se'arum," but "lo sha'um" (They had no regard for them, as in (Bereshith 4:5) "But to Cain and his offering lo sha'ah" ("He did not pay heed.")

(Devarim 32:18) "The Rock of your birth you have weakened": The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: You rendered Me (comparable to) a male who sought to give birth (viz.): If a woman were sitting on the mashber (the birth-stone, and she could not deliver), would she not be in great pain? viz. (I Kings 19:3) "For the sons have come to the mashber (i.e., they are at the point of being born), and she has no strength to bear them" (i.e., to eject them from the womb). And if she were sick and having her first child, would she not be in great pain? viz. (Jeremiah 4:31) "For I have heard an outcry like that of a woman sick (in labor), in pain as with her first child." And if there were two in her womb, would she not be in great pain? viz. (Bereshith 25:22) "And the sons wrangled within her" — And if it were a male, who cannot give birth, that sought to bear, would his agony not be compounded? viz. (Jeremiah 30:6) "Ask now and see if a male has ever given birth!" (Thus: "The Rock of your birth you have weakened.")

Variantly: "The rock of your birth you have forgotten": You have forgotten the acts of your forefathers, viz. (Isaiah 51:1-2) "Look to the rock from which you were hewn and to the hollow of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your forefather and to Sarah who bore you."

Variantly: "You have weakened the Rock of your birth": Whenever I sought to confer good upon you, you "weakened the celestial power" (i.e., Me): You stood at the Red Sea and said (Shemoth 15:2) "This is my G-d and I will extol Him," and I sought to confer good upon you, when you turned around and said (Ibid. 17:3) "Why did You bring us up from Egypt, etc." You stood at Sinai and said (Ibid. 29:7) "All that the L-rd spoke we will do and we will hear," and I sought to confer good upon you, when you turned around and said of the golden calf (Ibid. 32:4) "These are your gods, O Israel" — Whenever I sought to confer good upon you, you "weakened the celestial power." (Devarim, Ibid.) "And you forgot the G-d mecholalecha":

The G-d who conferred "hacheil" His name upon you — what He did with no other nation (— you forgot Him), viz. (Shemoth 20:2) "I am the L-rd, your G-d." R. Meir says: The G-d shechechil ("who suffered pangs [chil]") over you, as in (Psalms 48:7) "chil, as a woman in labor." And (Ibid. 29:3) "The voice of the L-rd is upon the water... (Ibid. 9) The voice of the L-rd yecholel [lit., "brings pangs"] upon the hinds." R. Yehudah says: He made you mechilin, mechilin (i.e., with many natural openings).

R. Nechemiah says: The G-d who made you "profane" (chullin) in the eyes of all men, when you do not occupy yourselves with Torah, viz. (Isaiah 47:6) "I have profaned (chillati) My inheritance."

Variantly: "and you have forgotten the G-d mecholalecha": the G-d who forgives you (mochel lecha) for all of your sins.

(Devarim 32:19) "And the L-rd saw and thrust away": R. Yehudah says: At the (very) time that they are seen (favorably) by Him, they thrust Him away! "in anger at His sons and daughters."

R. Meir says: Now does this not follow a fortiori? If (even) when they anger Him they are called "sons," if they did not anger Him, how much more so!

(Ibid. 20) "And He said: I shall hide My face from them": The Holy One Blessed be He said: I shall remove My Shechinah from among you." I shall see mah acharitham": I shall know what their end will be.

Variantly: I shall relegate them to servitude in four exiles.

"for they are a generation of tahpuchoth" It is not written "tahfoch," but "tahpuchoth."

They are "turncoats" (hafachpechanim), they are "runabouts." "sons without emun": You are sons without emunah (faith). You stood before Mount Sinai and said (Shemoth 24:7) "All that the L-rd spoke we will do and we will hear." I, too, said to you (Psalms 82:6) "You are angels." But since they said of the golden calf (Shemoth 32:4) "These are your gods, O Israel," I, too, said of you (Psalms, Ibid. 7) "but like men will you die."

I brought you into the land of your forefathers and I gave you the Temple. I said to you: You will never be exiled from it. But since you said (II Samuel 20:1) 'We have no part in David," I, likewise, said to you (Amos 7:17) "And Israel will be exiled from its land." R. Dostai says: Read it not ("sons) without emun; but "without 'Amen.'"

They did not want to answer "Amen" after the prophets when they blessed them. And thus is it written (Jeremiah 11:5) "in order to fulfill the oath that I swore to your forefathers to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as this very day." And not one of them opened his mouth and answered Amen, until Jeremiah came and answered Amen, as it is written (Ibid.) "And I answered and said: 'Amen, O L-rd!'"

(Devarim, Ibid. 21) "They incited Me with a no-god; they angered Me with their vanities': There are men who serve images, things that can be seen (in themselves), but they serve reflections of things, and not these alone, but (they serve) vapors that rise from pots, viz. "They angered Me with their vanities" (lit., "their vapors").

"And I will anger them with a no-people." Read it not "belo am" ("with a no-people"), but "balui am" ("the dregs of the people"), who are cast out of their houses.

Variantly: Those who come from Barbaria, Tunos, and Mauritania, who walk naked in the marketplace, there being nothing more despicable to the L-rd.

"With a nation, naval, I shall anger them": These are the heretics, viz. (Psalms 14:1) "The naval says in his heart: 'There is no G-d.'"

(Devarim, Ibid. 22) "For a fire has been kindled in My wrath": When punishment emerges from the world, it does so only through wrath. Whence is it derived (that it descends) even into Gehinnom? From "and it shall burn to the nethermost pit."

"and it shall consume the land and its produce": Eretz Yisrael. "and it shall set ablaze the foundations of the mountains": Jerusalem, as it is written (Psalms 125:2) "Jerusalem — mountains surround it, and the L-rd surrounds His people."

Variantly: "and it shall consume the land and its produce": the world. "and it shall set ablaze the foundations of the mountains": the four exiles, viz. (Zechariah 6:1) "And I raised my eyes and I saw. And, behold, four chariots emerging from between the two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of copper."

(Devarim 32:23) "I will join evils upon them": I will gather together and bring upon them all of the evils at once.

Variantly: It is not written "asuf ('join') upon them evils," but "asfah ('end') upon them evils" — all of the punishments will end, but they (Israel) will not end. And thus is it written (Ibid.) "My arrows achaleh ('I will end') in them." It is not written "My arrows 'yichlu' ('will end') them, but "My arrows I will end in them" — My arrows will end, but they (Israel) will not end.

Variantly: "My arrows achaleh in them" — these are arrows of famine, as it is written (Ezekiel 5:16) "when I send the evil arrows of famine against them."

(Devarim, Ibid. 24) "mezei with hunger and embattled by reshef": They will be hairy with hunger and strewn about the streets, as it is written (Jeremiah 14:16) "And the people to whom they prophesy will be strewn about in the streets of Jerusalem."

"and cut down by Meriri" (a demon) — whence it is derived that whoever is invested by a demon becomes rebellious ("mored").

"And the tooth of beasts I will send against them": His beast will bite and raise (in the victim) a fatal ulcer. Indeed, we have been witnesses to sheep biting and killing.

Variantly: Read it not "And the tooth of beasts (behemoth) I will send against them," but "and 'a tooth' — 'death' — will I send in them" (bam).

"with chamath": One of them will become heated (mithchamem), bite himself, raise an ulcer, and die. Variantly: They heated themselves and committed all the sins of illicit relations.

"the crawlers in the dust": They crawled in the dust. Variantly: The crawlers in the dust are the serpents, whose "realm" is the dust.

(Ibid. 25) "On the outside (of the city) the sword (of legions) shall devour (them) "— whence they derived: "In time of war, 'gather in' your legs" (i.e., stay at home); "in time of famine, 'spread out' your legs (and leave)." And thus is it written (Jeremiah 19:18) "If I go out to the field, there are the slain of the sword! And if I enter the city, there are the sick with famine!" And (Ezekiel 7:15) "Whoever is in the field will die by the sword, and whoever is in the city, famine and plague will consume him."

"and in the chambers, fright": If he saw the sword entering the marketplace, if he could flee from it, then the chambers of his heart would pound with fright, which would kill him.

Variantly: "On the outside the sword shall devour": because of what they did in the thoroughfares (i.e., idolatry), viz. (Jeremiah 11:13) "For (as) the number of your cities was (the number of) your gods, O Judah, and (as) the number of streets in Jerusalem have you made altars to the shame — altars to sacrifice to the ba'al." "and in the chambers, fright": what they do in their secret chambers, viz. (Ezekiel 8:12) "what the elders of the house of Israel do in the darkness … For they say: 'The L-rd does not see us; the L-rd has left the land."

"both young man and virgin": and not these alone, but even "suckling and the man of grey hairs." And thus is it written (Jeremiah 6:11) "Also man and woman are ensnared; the elder with the full of years (and near death)."

Variantly: "both young man (bachur)": You have caused Me to send My hand against My chosen ones ("bechirai"), as in (Bamidbar 11:28) "And Joshua the son of Nun answered, the servant of Moses, of his chosen ones ('mibachurav')."

"both virgin": They were clean of sin, as a virgin, who had never tasted the taste of sin. "suckling": They sucked words of Torah as a babe sucks milk from its mother's breasts. "with the man of grey hairs": Read it not "ish seva" ("the man of grey hairs"), but "ish yeshivah," being fit to sit in "yeshivah" (a consortium of Torah scholars). And thus is it written (of the exiles, II Kings 24:16) "and the charash and the masger, one thousand, all heroes, waging war." Now what feats of strength are performed by men going into exile? What war is waged by men bound in chains? Rather, (the meaning is that they were) "heroic" in the war of Torah. As it is written (Psalms 103:20) "Bless the L-rd, O His angels, heroic in power, doing His word to hear the voice of His word." (II Kings, Ibid.) "waging war": "giving and taking" in the "war" of Torah, viz. (Bamidbar 21:14) "Therefore, it is said in the Book of the wars of the L-rd, etc." (II Kings, Ibid.) "the charash" (lit., "mute"): One (of these scholars) speaks and the rest remain silent. "and 'the masger'" (lit., the "closer": All sit before him and learn from him. After he "closes," no one "opens," and after he "opens," no one "closes," in fulfilment of (Isaiah 22:22) "And he (David) will open, and none will close; and he will close, and none will open."

(Devarim 32:26) "I said 'afeihem'": I said in My "wrath" ('api') "Where are they?" ('ayei hem') ['api-ayei-hem' (acronymic of 'afeihem')]

(Devarim, Ibid.) "I will wipe their memory from mankind": They will no longer be in the world. But what can I do to them?

"Lulei": ("Were it not") (Psalms 124:1-2) "'Lulei ('Were it not') for the L-rd who was with us,' let Israel now say. 'Lulei for the L-rd who was with us when (evil) men assailed us…'"

Variantly: "Lulei" (Psalms 106:23) "And He thought to destroy them lulei Moses, His chosen one…"

(Devarim, Ibid.) "Were it not ("lulei") that the anger of the foe was stored up (agur)": What caused them to be punished by these nations? The fact that their anger was stored up (i.e., concealed) within them (behind a façade of friendliness).

"agur": "gathered together," as in (Proverbs 30:1) "the words of "agur bin yakeh" (Solomon) the gatherer of wisdom." And (Psalms 55:16) "Let Him incite death against them; let them go down alive into Sheol. For evils are stored up ('b'meguram') in their midst."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "lest their oppressors estrange them": When Israel is in distress, the nations estrange them, as if they did not exist in the world. And thus we find that when Israel wanted to flee to the north they handed them over (to their foes), viz. (Amos 1:9) "Thus said the L-rd: For three transgressions of Tyre, etc." When they wanted to flee to the south, they handed them over, viz. (Ibid. 6) "Thus said the L-rd: For three transgressions of Azza, etc." When they wanted to flee to the east, they handed them over, viz. "Thus said the L-rd: For the three transgressions of Damascus, etc." When they wanted to flee to the west, they handed them over, viz. (Isaiah 21:13) "The prophecy for Arav: In the forest, in Arav shall you lodge, O caravans of the Dedanites, etc."