Written but not Read "For rather Amnon" (II Samuel 13:33) is written, because at first Jonadab son of Shim'ah said "for Amnon alone has died," for the truth of the matter that Amnon alone had died was not known to him, so when he thought it in his heart he said, "Let not milord the king put the thought in his head that all the king's sons have died, rather Amnon alone is dead," for he was heading the truth of the matter. And the scripture is lacking a word because of the ignominity of his actions and the unnaturalness of his death, so the word "rather" is written and not read. "For rather wherever milord king will be" (II Samuel 15:21) is written, because Ittai the Gittite spoke with all his heart and all his soul and the force of his words, "For rather, wherever milord king will be, be it to death, or to life, for there your servant will be," and he was righteous in the heart of David as a foreigner. And the verse is missing "rather," because it says "Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner, and an exile to your country" (II Samuel 15:19), thus "rather" is written but not read. "May haShem please pardon your servant regarding this matter" (II Kings 5:18)—the scripture is missing a word, because Naaman spoke these words unreasonably, thus Elisha the prophet responded to his words, as he said "when my master comes to the house of Rimmon to prostrate there." The scripture is missing "please" because of the lack of sense and his words, thus it is written and not read. "As haShem, the one who made this life for us, lives" (Jeremiah 38:16)—the scripture is missing the word "the one" because he had sworn once before and reneged, as it says, "And against the king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God, he rebelled" (II Chronicles 36:13). And Ezekiel rebuked, "See if I don't, for My vow that he disrespected, and My covenant that he overturned" (Ezekiel 17:19), and Jeremiah said, "If 'as haShem lives' they say, then for falsehood they swear" (Jeremiah 5:2). Thus the scripture is lacking, and the oath is lacking, for it has a word that is written and not read. To where the archer will draw, will draw his bow" (Jeremiah 51:3) is written. This teaches about the two vengeances and the two calamities that haShem will avenge for his people upon the kingdom of the Chaldeans, and it is written twice. The first "will draw" being the speedy vengeance of this world, as it says "Hey, I argue your case and avenge your vengeance" (Jeremiah 51:36). The second "will draw" is written and not read, for it is hidden away and dependent on what is to come. "I have done as all that You have commanded me" (Ezekiel 9:11) is written. Learn from this that there is hope and mercy and kindness—but a little from a lot—and it is not a set thing, but there is hope and the possibility of repentance, and when the angel clothed in garb looked out the evil of their deeds was magnified. And thus it says, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is so very very great" (Ezekiel 9:9)—he put an end to them and said and returned word "I have done all that You commanded me," for "all" is a language of finality without escape, and thus it says "Kill elder and youth and virgin and infant and women in slaughter" (Ezekiel 9:6). "And the southern corner, five five hundred and four thousand" (Ezekiel 48:16) is written. Learn from this that five hundred additional were added in an allusive line, as the scripture said, "And these are its measurements" (Ezekiel 48:9), and gave a rule and line and measure for the Third Temple, for its fields and its suburbs and its exteriors and interiors, and set out children to repent. And thus it says, "You, mortal, tell the house of Israel of the house, and they will be ashamed with their iniquities" (Ezekiel 43:10), and "And if they are ashamed from all they did" (Ezekiel 43:11), then all this honor is due to them, and haShem can give more than this, five by five to a thousand by a thousand. And thus it says, "A day to build up your fences, that rule is extended" (Micah 7:11), and it says, "That day, and to you he will come" (Micah 7:12). Thus "five five" is written—may the Master of Mercies say it, amen! "And now, though it is true that I maybe a redeemer" (Ruth 3:12) is written, its reason being that Bo'az, knowing there is another redeemer closer than him, therefore said "that I may be a redeemer"—"may" being the language of doubt—maybe he will redeem—good!—or maybe he will not redeem. And he was not certain that he would redeem, for he said "If he does not desire to redeem you, then I myself will redeem you." Thus "that I may be a redeemer" is written, "that I be a redeemer" is read.