From The Masters Of Kabbalah and Chumash (5 Books of
Moses)
13th century - "RambaN" - Rabbi Moshe ben
Nachman
14th century - "Bachya" - Rabbi Bachya ben
Asher
16th century - "Alsheich" - Rabbi Moshe
Alshech of Tsfat
17th century - "Shelah" - Rabbi Yeshaiya
Horowitz
18th century - "Ohr HaChayim" - Rabbi Chaim
Ben Attar
Ramban
"Listen, O heavens" [Deut. 32:1]
By way of the plain meaning of Scripture, the words of Rabbi Abraham
ibn Ezra are correct that the Scriptures designate as witnesses all things
that exist and endure. Similarly, "Hear O mountains, the Eternal's
controversy" [Micah 6:2].( Because the mountains endure, the prophet
designates them as witnesses in his statement of the Eternal's controversy
with Israel). So also with reference to the stone that Joshua set up [after
he made the covenant with the people], for there it is written, for it
was heard [all the words of the Eternal which He spoke unto us]. And by
way of the Truth [the mystic teachings of the Kabbalah], the reference
here is to the first [higher] heavens and earth mentioned in Genesis,
for it is they that shall enter the covenant with Israel. Therefore, he
states that the heavens should give ear and listen to the conditions,
and how he will apply them. He states: My doctrine shall drop as the rain,
for that which he took from the heavens [i.e., the Written Torah] and
His commandment upon the earth [i.e., the Oral Torah] shall drop upon
Israel and distill upon them like dew. When I shall call the name of the
Eternal in the heavens ascribe ye greatness to our G-d on earth - and
he is speaking to all Israel [for it is they who are on earth]. Similarly,
the "stone" of Joshua alludes to this earth, for from thence
is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. I have already explained it. So
also, The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone.
This is the Eternal's doing etc.[Psalms 118:22-23] Therefore, Joshua said,
Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us. And so also, For behold
the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone are seven facets
etc. The student learned in the mysteries of the Kabbalah will understand.
(credits)
Rabbeinu Bachya
"Listen heaven when I speak, and may the earth pay attention
to the words of my mouth." [32,1.]
A kabbalistic approach: The words 'heavens' and 'earth' of which Moses
speaks here are references to the respective emanations, kavod
and tiferet which they represent in the very first verse of Genesis.
In other words, Moses did not address the phenomena visible to the human
eye such as sky and earth, but to the mystical elements they represent,
and which are the elements with which the Jewish people entered into a
covenant. This is why Moses demanded that they hear the conditions which
exist between us. The term 'speak' refers to Moses speaking to Heaven,
whereas he used the term 'words' when addressing the mystical aspect of
Earth. He wanted to emphasize that 'speech' represents something originating
in a deeper source of the speaker than the thoughts uttered and described
as merely 'words', which do not necessarily originate in his innermost
self. [The author writes about why, according to Kabbalah, heaven had
to be addressed in direct speech as opposed to earth. I confess I have
not followed this. Ed.]
(credits)
Alsheich
"...Is He not your Father, your Master?....The Most High gave
nations their heritage...but his own nation remained G-d's portion...."
[32:6-9]
That G-d is your father, does not need elaborating. That He is your Master,
owner, needs explaining. Therefore, the Torah states "when the Supreme
Lord gave inheritance to the nations." He acquired special rights
to you at the time of the tower of Babel when of the 70 nations mankind
was divided into, Israel had been assigned to G-d, whereas all the other
nations were assigned an angel each to look after them. (Avot de Rabbi
Nathan) Concerning the division at that time, the following is worth noting.
Our patriarchs are 3, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They became 12 tribal
heads, i.e. the sons of Jacob. By the time the tribal heads had increased
to 70, they went down to Egypt. At that time assimilation started, so
much so that the angel of Egypt could claim that there was no basic difference
between the Israelites and the Egyptians, since they both worshipped idols.
Anticipating this, G-d had laid claim to Israel. Since He had allocated
to all the nations an angel each, He had reserved the 70 members of Jacob's
family to Himself - in due course. Because G-d did not only become our
owner, but we became an integral part of Him, i.e. ki chelek Hashem
amo, He does not destroy part of Himself in such a way that it would
preclude regeneration of that part.
(credits)
Shelah
(credits)
Ohr HaChayim
"But you will not enter there into the land which I give to the
children of Israel."
(32:52)
It is difficult to understand why, after having already told Moses that
he would not enter the land, the Torah would repeat the words, "to
the land, etc." Perhaps we can best understand this by a reference
to Devarim Rabbah 2 that in the future Moses together with the patriarchs
will enter the Holy Land. In the Zohar 2:120 it is stated that when the
redemption will take place, Moses will appear at the head of this whole
generation of Israelites who perished in the desert. This is why when
the Torah said: "you will not enter there," G-d was afraid that
anyone who heard this would conclude that Moses would never enter the
Holy Land. By limiting the denial of Moses' entrance to "the land
which I am about to give to the children of Israel," G-d corrected
such an impression, and made certain that the people understood that Moses
was only denied entry at this time.
(credits)
Sources
Ramban
- credits
Adapted from the 13th century classic by the illustrious scholar, philosopher
and defender of the faith, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman-known as 'RAMBAN' or
'Nachmanides', a master kabbalist in his own right and a major link in
the transmission of Jewish mysticism-based on the excellent annotated
English translation, Nachmanides on the Torah, by Rabbi Dr. Charles B.
Chavel
Bachya
- credits
Selected with permission from the seven-volume English edition of The
Torah Commentary of Rabbeinu Bachya, as translated and annotated by Eliyahu
Munk. Rabbi Bachya ben Asher [1255-1340] of Saragosa, Spain, was the outstanding
pupil of Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet (the "Rashba"), a main disciple
of Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (the "Ramban"). Several books have
been written about the Kabballah-based portions of R. Bachya's commentary.
Alsheich
- credits
Adapted from Torat Moshe - the 16th commentary of Rabbi Moshe Alshech,
the "Preacher of Zefat" on the Torah, as translated and condensed
in the English version of Eliyahu Munk)
Ohr HaChayim
- credits
Selected with permission from the five-volume English edition of Ohr HaChaim:
the Torah Commentary of Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar, as translated and annotated
by Eliyahu Munk.
The holy Rabbi Chayim ben Moses Attar was born in Sale, Western Morocco,
on the Atlantic in 1696. His immortal commentary on the Five Books Of
Moses, Or Hachayim, was printed in Venice in 1741, while the author was
on his way to the Holy Land. He acquired a reputation as a miracle worker,
hence his title "the holy," although some apply this title only
to his Torah commentary.
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