241. "O that they were wise, that they understood this" (Devarim 32:29). Rabbi Yosi said, All the verses here are reproofs with which Moses admonished Yisrael, except for the Holy Name he disclosed at the beginning of his words, NAMELY, "BECAUSE I WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF HASHEM..." (IBID. 3), WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. Rabbi Aba said, Even the verses in which he admonished Yisrael are part of the Holy Name, because there is nothing in the Torah that is excluded from the Holy Name, as the whole Torah is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.

242. The verses WE HAVE EXPLAINED SO FAR are known TO EVERYONE, but since the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is mentioned in this portion, we had TO EXPLAIN THEM until now. But here it is written, "O that they were wise, that they understood this (Heb. zot)," assuredly zot, WHO IS MALCHUT. We have explained it in several places that if Yisrael knew how zot held to its punishments to take revenge on the wicked, "they would consider their latter end" (Devarim 32:29), and take care to be in it, THAT IS, TO KEEP ITS COMMANDMENTS, as it is written, "the earth," WHICH IS MALCHUT, "shall rise up against him" (Iyov 20:27).

243. Another explanation for, "O that they were wise, that they understood this (Heb. ZOT)" is that when zot is attached to Yisrael, THAT IS, WHEN they keep the commandments of the Torah and dwell with it wholly, they shall know they have with them the help of zot in taking revenge on their enemies. And Yisrael, who are a minority among the nations shall know, "How should one man chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight" (Devarim 32:30). Who brought it about? Zot, which was wholly in them when they performed the commandments of the Torah. And it will never leave them, or leave wreaking vengeance for them ON THEIR ENEMIES.

244. "Unless their Rock had sold them, and Hashem had shut them up" (Ibid.). What is the reason "their Rock had sold them"? It is because, "Of the Rock that begot you you are unmindful" (Ibid. 18), as these structures do not properly rest in their place. "Their Rock had sold them:" Rabbi Yehuda said, This is Abraham, as we explained that Abraham said, Let Yisrael be forced into exile rather than go to Gehenom, because Yisrael cannot bear these years of exile and Gehenom. And the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him that as long as Yisrael sin they will fall into exile and their enemies will enslave them. For that reason, that "their Rock had sold them," surely, NAMELY ABRAHAM WHO DELIVERED THEM INTO EXILE, "and Hashem had shut them up," since He agreed with him.