Pekudei: Chapter 12

"And he turned back, and looked at them"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi begins by telling how Elisha went out of the city and was followed by some small boys who mocked him. He says 'small' means that they had no faith and that they were guilty according to the laws of this world and the next. "And he turned back, and looked at them" means Elisha looked to see if they would repent, and he knew that they had been conceived on the night of Yom Kippur, so he "cursed them in the Name of Hashem." Rabbi Yosi adds that he saw the boys were destined to cause a great deal of evil in Yisrael. He compares the title verse to "but his wife looked back from behind him," saying it means 'behind' the Shechinah. Next he quotes: "And there came forth two bears out of the wood," meaning that there were female bears with male cubs. Lastly, he says that when the bears "tore 42 of the children" this counteracted the sacrifices of Balak.

Elisha Faith Gold Precepts Torah World to Come, The

70. "And all the gold that was applied for the work, in all the work of the holy place" (Shemot 38:24). Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the story of Elisha. It is written, "And he went up from there to Bethel and as he was going up by the way, some small boys" (II Melachim 2:23). It has been said that they were small (Heb. ne'arim), empty (Heb. niurim) of words of Torah or its precepts, "small," as they were of little faith, and they were guilty according to the law of this world and of the World to Come. They "came out of the city" (Ibid.), leaving the secret of the Faith, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'CITY'. It is written here, "came out of the city," and there "and I will not enter the city" (Hoshea 11:9); IN BOTH CASES IT MEANS MALCHUT.

70. כָּל הַזָּהָב הֶעָשׂוּי לַמְּלָאכָה בְּכֹל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְגוֹ'. ר' יוֹסֵי פָּתַח קְרָא בְּאֱלִישָׁע, דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּעַל מִשָׁם בֵּית אֵל וְהוּא עוֹלֶה בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְגוֹמֵר. וּנְעָרִים קְטַנִּים. הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, מְנוּעָרִים הֲווֹ מִכָּל מִלֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא וּמִכָּל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. קְטַנִּים זְעִירֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְאִתְחַיְּיבוּ בְּחִיוּבָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְחִיּוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. יָצְאוּ מִן הָעִיר, נַפְקוּ מֵרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא. כְּתִיב הָכָא יָצְאוּ מִן הָעִיר, וּכְתִיב הָתָם וְלֹֹא אָבֹא בְּעִיר.

Atonement Repentance

71. "And he turned back, and looked at them" (II Melachim 2:24): "turned back" MEANS he looked back, to see whether they would repent or not. "And looked at them" means he saw that it is not worthy that a good seed issue from them, and this was explained. "And looked at them" that they were conceived on the night of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), THAT THEIR MOTHER CONCEIVED THEN. Immediately, he "cursed them in the Name of Hashem" (Ibid.).

71. וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו וַיִּרְאֵם, וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו, דְּאִסְתָּכַּל לַאֲחוֹרָא, אִי יְהַדְרוּן בְּתִיוּבְתָּא, וְאִם לָאו. וַיִּרְאֵם, מַאי וַיִּרְאֵם. אִסְתָּכַּל בְּהוּ, דְּהָא לֵית זַרְעָא מְתַּתְקְנָא זַמִּין לְנָפְקָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְאוּקְמוּהָ. וַיִּרְאֵם, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ בְּלֵילְיָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי. מִיַּד וַיְקַלְלֵם בְּשֵׁם יְיָ'.

Aaron Evil Leprosy

72. And there is a mystery in this verse: "And he turned back" MEANING THAT he looked at them whether he would be punished for them, and turned away from it. Also "Aaron turned" (Bemidbar 12:10) from leprosy. Here also "TURNED" MEANS he turned from their punishment. "And he looked at them," MEANING THAT HE SAW that they are destined to cause much evil in Yisrael.

72. וְרָזָא אִיהוּ בְּהַאי קְרָא, וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו, אִסְתָּכַּל בְּהוּ, אִי יִתְעֲנֵשׁ עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְפְּנֵי מֵהַאי. כד"א, וַיִּפֶן אַהֲרֹן, דְּאִתְפְּנֵי מִצָּרַעְתֵּיהּ. אוּף הָכָא אִתְפְּנֵי מֵעוֹנְשָׁא דִּלְהוֹן. וַיִּרְאֵם, דַּהֲווֹ קַיְימִין לְבָתַר לְמֶעְבַּד כַּמָה בִּישִׁין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.

Atonement Balak Female Sacrifice Shechinah Sin

73. "And he turned back" is similar to "but his wife looked back from behind him" (Beresheet 19:26). What does "behind him" mean? It means behind the Shechinah. Here also "he turned back," behind the Shechinah and saw that their mothers all conceived at the night in charge of the atonement of the sins of Yisrael, NAMELY, AT THE NIGHT OF YOM KIPPUR. Immediately "he cursed them in the Name of Hashem." IT IS WRITTEN, "and there came forth two bears out of the wood" (II Melachim 2:24). HE ASKS: Why is it written "two (fem.) bears (masc.)"? Because they were female bears and their cubs WERE WITH THEM, AND THEREFORE, IT SAYS 'BEARS' (MASC.). "And tore 42 of the children." This was established, to counteract the sacrifices of Balak.

73. וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו, כד"א וַתַּבֵּט אִשְׁתּוֹ מֵאַחֲרָיו. מַאי מֵאַחֲרָיו. מֵאֲחוֹרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא. אוּף הָכָא וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו, אִסְתָּכַּל מֵאֲחוֹרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא. וְחָמָא לְכֻלְּהוּ, דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא דְּשַׁלְטָא עַל כַּפָּרָה דְּחוֹבֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִתְעֲבָּרוּ אִמְּהוֹן מִנַּיְיהוּ, מִיַּד וַיְקַלְלֵם בְּשֵׁם יְיָ'. וַתֵּצֶאנָה שְׁתַּיִם דוּבִּים מִן הַיַּעַר. שְׁתַּיִם דוּבִּים, שְׁנַיִם דוּבִּים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי שְׁתַּיִם דוּבִּים. נוּקְבִין הֲווֹ, וּבְנַיְיהוּ. וַתְּבַקַּעְנָה מֵהֶם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנַיִם יְלָדִים, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ לָקֳבֵל קָרְבָּנִין דְּבָלָק.

<
>