Devarim - Love and the Land

B"H

Here is the link to the full text of the Midrash Tanchuma, although I will mostly be relying on other sources this week.

Sources

1) Talmud Bavli, Ketubot 111a

  ורב יהודה כתיב קרא אחרינא (שיר השירים ב) השבעתי אתכם בנות ירושלים בצבאות או באילות השדה וגו' ורבי זירא ההוא שלא יעלו ישראל בחומה ורב יהודה השבעתי אחרינא כתיב ורבי זירא ההוא מיבעי ליה לכדרבי יוסי ברבי חנינא דאמר ג' שבועות הללו למה אחת שלא יעלו ישראל בחומה ואחת שהשביע הקדוש ברוך הוא את ישראל שלא ימרדו באומות העולם ואחת שהשביע הקדוש ברוך הוא את <העובדי כוכבים> {אומות העולם} שלא ישתעבדו בהן בישראל יותר מדאי ורב יהודה (שיר השירים ב) אם תעירו ואם תעוררו כתיב ורבי זירא מיבעי ליה לכדרבי לוי דאמר שש שבועות הללו למה תלתא הני דאמרן אינך שלא יגלו את הקץ ושלא ירחקו את הקץ ושלא יגלו הסוד <לעובדי כוכבים> {לאומות העולם} (שיר השירים ב) בצבאות או באילות השדה אמר רבי אלעזר אמר להם הקב"ה לישראל אם אתם מקיימין את השבועה מוטב ואם לאו אני מתיר את בשרכם כצבאות וכאילות השדה

 

And Rav Yehuda? — Another text also is available: I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, [that ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please]'. And R. Ze'era? — That implies that Israel shall not go up [all together as if surrounded] by a wall. And Rav Yehuda? — Another 'I adjure you'  is written in Scripture. And R. Ze'era? — That text is required for [an exposition] like that of R. Jose son of R. Hanina who said: 'What was the purpose of those three adjurations?  — One, that Israel shall not go up [all together as if surrounded] by a wall; the second, that whereby the Holy One, blessed be He, adjured Israel that they shall not rebel against the nations of the world; and the third is that whereby the Holy One, blessed be He, adjured the idolaters that they shall not oppress Israel too much'. And Rav Yehuda? — It is written in Scripture, That ye awaken not, nor stir up.  And R. Ze'era? — That text is required for [an exposition] like that of R. Levi who stated: 'What was the purpose of those six adjurations? — Three for the purposes just mentioned and the others, that [the prophets] shall not make known the end, that [the people] shall not delay the end, and that they shall not reveal the secret to the idolaters'.

By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field. R. Eleazar explained: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, 'If you will keep the adjuration, well and good; but if not, I will permit your flesh [to be a prey] like [that of] the gazelles and the hinds of the field'. (based on Soncino Translation)

2a) & b) Shir HaShirim (2:7 & 3:5)

הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם בִּצְבָאוֹת אוֹ בְּאַיְלוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה  אִם-תָּעִירוּ וְאִם-תְּעוֹרְרוּ אֶת-הָאַהֲבָה עַד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּץ

I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem, by gazelles or by hinds of the field: do not awake or rouse love until it please! (JPS Translation)

c) Shir HaShirim (8:4)

הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם  מַה-תָּעִירוּ וּמַה-תְּעֹרְרוּ אֶת-הָאַהֲבָה עַד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּץ

I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem: do not wake or rouse love until it please! (JPS Translation)

d) Shir HaShirim (5:8)

הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם  אִם-תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת-דּוֹדִי מַה-תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי

I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem! If you meet my beloved, tell him this: that I am faint with love 
(JPS Translation)

3) Devarim (1:34-35; 1:41-45; 2:2-5)

לד וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוָה אֶת-קוֹל דִּבְרֵיכֶם וַיִּקְצֹף וַיִּשָּׁבַע לֵאמֹר.  לה אִם-יִרְאֶה אִישׁ בָּאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה הַדּוֹר הָרָע הַזֶּה אֵת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָתֵת לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם.

מא וַתַּעֲנוּ וַתֹּאמְרוּ אֵלַי חָטָאנוּ לַיהוָה אֲנַחְנוּ נַעֲלֶה וְנִלְחַמְנוּ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-צִוָּנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַתַּחְגְּרוּ אִישׁ אֶת-כְּלֵי מִלְחַמְתּוֹ וַתָּהִינוּ לַעֲלֹת הָהָרָה.  מב וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי אֱמֹר לָהֶם לֹא תַעֲלוּ וְלֹא-תִלָּחֲמוּ כִּי אֵינֶנִּי בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְלֹא תִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיכֶם.  מג וָאֲדַבֵּר אֲלֵיכֶם וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וַתַּמְרוּ אֶת-פִּי יְהוָה וַתָּזִדוּ וַתַּעֲלוּ הָהָרָה.  מד וַיֵּצֵא הָאֱמֹרִי הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּהָר הַהוּא לִקְרַאתְכֶם וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אֶתְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂינָה הַדְּבֹרִים וַיַּכְּתוּ אֶתְכֶם בְּשֵׂעִיר עַד-חָרְמָה.  מה וַתָּשֻׁבוּ וַתִּבְכּוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְלֹא-שָׁמַע יְהוָה בְּקֹלְכֶם וְלֹא הֶאֱזִין אֲלֵיכֶם

ב וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר.  ג רַב-לָכֶם סֹב אֶת-הָהָר הַזֶּה פְּנוּ לָכֶם צָפֹנָה.  ד וְאֶת-הָעָם צַו לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים בִּגְבוּל אֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵי-עֵשָׂו הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר וְיִירְאוּ מִכֶּם וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד.  ה אַל-תִּתְגָּרוּ בָם כִּי לֹא-אֶתֵּן לָכֶם מֵאַרְצָם עַד מִדְרַךְ כַּף-רָגֶל  כִּי-יְרֻשָּׁה לְעֵשָׂו נָתַתִּי אֶת-הַר שֵׂעִיר.

'When the Lord heard your loud complaint, He was angry. He vowed: "Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers..." [....] You replied to me, saying, "We stand guilty before the Lord. We will go up now and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us." And you all girded yourselves with war gear and recklessly started for the hill country. But the Lord said to me, "Warn them: Do not go up and do not fight, since I am not in your midst; else you will be routed by your enemies". I spoke to you, but you would not listen; you flouted the Lord's command and willfully marched into the hill country. Then the Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you like so many bees and chased you, and they crushed you at Hormah in Seir. Again you wept before the Lord; but the lord would not heed your cry or give ear to you...Then the Lord said to me: "You have been skirting this hill country long enough; now turn north. And charge the people as follows: You will be passing through the territory of your kinsmen, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. Though the will be afraid of you, be very careful not to provoke them. For I will not give you of their land so much as a foot can tread on; I have given the hill country of Seir as a possession to Esau'. (JPS Translation)

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This week, I am taking a different approach and focusing mostly on the Talmudic version of a midrash found in the Midrash Tanchuma - the (in)famous midrash of the 'Three Oaths'. While the Talmudic version is not directly linked to parshat Devarim, the Midrash Tanchuma does bring a truncated version of this in relation to the parsha (more later on the link!) - however, we are better off starting with the more detailed/authoritative midrash from the Talmud.

The Talmudic midrash of the 'Three Oaths' (see Source 1) above) arises out of an ongoing debate between the Babylonian sages Rav Yehuda and his pupil Rabbi Ze'era. Rabbi Ze'era strongly wanted to leave Babylon for Eretz Yisrael, but faced disapproval from Rav Yehuda who held on theological grounds that the Jews in Babylon should not seek to return to Eretz Yisrael before the appropriate time i.e. G-d's redemption of the Jews from exile.  This argument mirrors aspects of the debate between Zionist and anti-Zionist movements preceding the establishment of the State of Israel - and, to a certain extent, by some anti-Zionist movements even after 1948. Indeed, the midrash of the 'Three Oaths' itself has played an important part in the latter debate, and while this is beyond the subject of this post it is worth bearing in mind that some anti-Zionist groups (e.g. Satmar) will still draw upon it today.

The midrash is based on a recurring refrain in ShirHaShirim (see Sources 2a)-c) above), which reads 'I adjure you, O maidens/daughters of Jerusalem, by gazelles or by hinds of the field: do not awake or rouse love until it please!'. The midrash from Ketubot 111a at source 1) above uses this refrain as a source-text for first one, then three, then finally six oaths summarised below:

1) The Jews may not to go up to Eretz Yisrael 'like a wall'
2) The Jews may not to rebel against the nations [reflected in Midrash Tanchuma as 'not to rebel against the rulers']
3) The non-Jewish nations are not to oppress the Jews too much 
4) The Jews may not to reveal the 'end of days' [reflected in Midrash Tanchuma]
5) The Jews may not to delay the 'end of days'
[reflected in Midrash Tanchuma as 'not to push back the end of days']
6) The Jews may not to reveal 'secrets' to the nations.

The midrash appears to base these oaths on the part of the refrain that one should not 'awake or rouse love until it please', which in the case of most of these oaths becomes the Jews holding back from doing/revealing something until the appropriate time i.e. until the 'end of days' or G-d's expression of His love in allowing the Jews back into the land. While some oaths do not exactly fit this pattern, they can still be reconciled with it - for example, oath 3) can be seen as the non-Jews not awakening G-d's 'love' by oppressing the Jews too harshly, while oath 6) could be taken as the Jews not arousing some form of 'love' by revealing the 'secrets' only known to them at this time.

However, the one oath which does not fit neatly into this pattern is oath 5) - that the Jews are not to delay the 'end of days'. While many of the other oaths are concerned with the Jews trying to re-establish a presence in Eretz Yisrael before the right time, this one addresses the opposite concern - that the Jews may in fact delay the redemption/their return to Eretz Yisrael from its appointed time.  How can we reconcile this with the source-text of Shir HaShirim, in which it seems clear that the warning against arousing 'love' before the proper time rather than against delaying that 'love'?

In fact, if we look at Shir HaShirim we can find that there are four expressions of 'Hish'bati' or 'I adjure you'. The fourth, which is not included in our midrash, reads rather differently from the others: 'I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem! If you meet my beloved, tell him this: that I am faint with love' (see Source 2d) above). 

This fourth expression comes just after the episode in Chapter 5 where the female lover (traditionally representing Israel) initially refuses to answer the door to the pleading of her male lover (traditionally representing G-d), then relents and opens the door only to find that he has gone. She then roams the streets searching for him and is attacked by the watchmen of the city - following which she cries out to the 'maidens of Jerusalem', this time not to advise restraint of love/desire but to express her desire for the lover having missed the opportunity of being with him.  

And so to parshat Devarim. Chapter 4 of the Midrash Tanchuma on this parsha starts with a version of the above midrash, supposedly based on the verse "You have been skirting this hill country long enough..." (Devarim 2:2 - see Source 3) above). While the Midrash Tanchuma does not make it clear why it connects this verse to its version of the 'Three Oaths' midrash, we can perhaps see a link in its placement between two warnings/episodes relating to Eretz Yisrael and the surrounding nations. The first warning/episode (most of Devarim Chapter 1) is Moshe's reminding the current generation of the incident of the Spies, where their fathers' refused to believe they can conquer Eretz Yisrael despite G-d's promise to be with them, then subsequently trying and failing to make an armed invasion into Eretz Yisrael despite G-d's decree that they will not enter but will die in the wilderness (Devarim 1:41-45). The second warning (Devarim 2:3 onwards) is that the people are not to attach or provoke Esau's descendants living in Mt. Seir - bearing in mind not only the Torah's warning itself that Mt. Seir has been reserved by G-d for Esau's descendants but also the fact that they (in the form of the Romans) were later used by G-d as His instrument for punishing the Jews through the destruction of the Second Beit HaMikdash and the subsequent period of exile/oppression. 

We can see that both warnings are reflected in the 'oaths' of our midrash. In the first case, we are warned not to try to conquer Eretz Yisrael/bring about the 'end of days' before the time appointed by G-d. In the second, we are warned not to rebel against the non-Jewish nations who are carrying out their Divinely-appointed role (as represented in parshat Devarim by Esau's descendants on Mt. Seir).  In both cases, the midrash sees these as warnings against 'arousing' love - either G-d's love for us or our love for Eretz Yisrael/G-d as expressed through trying to return to our proper place in Eretz Yisrael.

However, we should also bear in mind the fourth adjuration in Shir HaShirim in response to a missed opportunity. Here, the female lover perhaps parallels the first generation of B'nei Israel who, realising too late their mistake in the Incident of the Spies, try to make up for this and express their 'love' by going to invade Eretz Yisrael only to be beaten and repelled from its borders.Perhaps this is also a warning of the consequences of breaking the fifth 'oath' - that if we delay the 'end of days' or final redemption and miss this opportunity, we will also suffer the consequences of being abandoned by G-d like the gazelles/hinds of the field.

Overall, we can see a tension between holding back from showing or acting on love for G-d/Eretz Yisrael until the proper time, and not delaying this beyond the right 'window of opportunity' - in both cases, whether we act too soon or too late the consequences are potentially disastrous. However, it is notable that our opening protagonist Rabbi Ze'era did in fact fulfil his desire of emigrating to Eretz Yisrael. Regardless of the wider politics surrounding Zionism and the nature of the Jewish presence in Eretz Yisrael today, perhaps we can take Rabbi Ze'era as an example and focus on identifying the 'right time' for us as individuals to act on our love for G-d and the Land.

Shabbat shalom

RPT