Lang: he;
Title: שמות פרק יז;
Content:
(א) וַיִּסְעוּ כׇּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּדְבַּר סִין לְמַסְעֵיהֶם עַל פִּי י״י וַיַּחֲנוּ בִּרְפִידִים וְאֵין מַיִם לִשְׁתֹּת הָעָם.
(ב) וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ תְּנוּ לָנוּ מַיִם וְנִשְׁתֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה מַה תְּרִיבוּן עִמָּדִי מַה תְּנַסּוּן אֶת י״י.
(ג) וַיִּצְמָא שָׁם הָעָם לַמַּיִם וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת בָּנַי וְאֶת מִקְנַי בַּצָּמָא.
(ד) וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל י״י לֵאמֹר מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה עוֹד מְעַט וּסְקָלֻנִי.
(ה) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם וְקַח אִתְּךָ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַטְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת הַיְאֹר קַח בְּיָדְךָ וְהָלָכְתָּ.
(ו) הִנְנִי עֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ שָּׁם עַל הַצּוּר בְּחֹרֵב וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר וְיָצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם וְשָׁתָה הָעָם וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן מֹשֶׁה לְעֵינֵי זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(ז) וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה עַל רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת י״י לֵאמֹר הֲיֵשׁ י״י בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן.
(ח) וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְפִידִם.
(ט) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק מָחָר אָנֹכִי נִצָּב עַל רֹאשׁ הַגִּבְעָה וּמַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים בְּיָדִי.
(י) וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה לְהִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק וּמֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וְחוּר עָלוּ רֹאשׁ הַגִּבְעָה.
(יא) וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ וְגָבַר עֲמָלֵק.
(יב) וִידֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּבֵדִים וַיִּקְחוּ אֶבֶן וַיָּשִׂימוּ תַחְתָּיו וַיֵּשֶׁב עָלֶיהָ וְאַהֲרֹן וְחוּר תָּמְכוּ בְיָדָיו מִזֶּה אֶחָד וּמִזֶּה אֶחָד וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה עַד בֹּא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ.
(יג) וַיַּחֲלֹשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת עֲמָלֵק וְאֶת עַמּוֹ לְפִי חָרֶב.
(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶל מֹשֶׁה כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר וְשִׂים בְּאׇזְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם.
(טו) וַיִּבֶן מֹשֶׁה מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ י״י נִסִּי.
(טז) וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּבכתר ארם צובה היה כתוב: כֵּסְיָהּ בתיבה אחת. מִלְחָמָה לַי״י בַּעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּר.
===
Lang: en;
Title: Shemot 17;
Content:
(1) The entire congregation of the Children of Israel travelled from the Wilderness of Sin, in their journeysin their journeys | לְמַסְעֵיהֶם – The verse hints to the fact that the people did not travel directly from Sin to Rephidim, but that there were other stops along the way, as seen in Bemidbar 33:12-14 (Ibn Ezra, Ramban). Thus, the verse might more loosely translate as: "The Children of Israel travelled… place by place…" at the directive of Hashem, and they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
(2) The people quarreled with Moshe and said, "GiveGive | תְּנוּ – Though only Moshe is addressed in the verse, the word "תְּנוּ" is in the plural, implying that the people spoke also to Aharon, but this is simply assumed (Ibn Ezra). us water that we may drink." Moshe said to them, "Why do you quarrelquarrel | תְּרִיבוּן – See Ramban that the language used in this verse is harsher than in earlier complaints; the people do not just grumble (וַיִּלּוֹנוּ), seeking what to eat or drink, but as soon as they see that there is no water, they actively fight with the intention of testing whether God can meet their demands. Cf. Hoil Moshe on verse 3, who suggests the opposite, viewing "grumbling" as a more severe complaint, noting that the initial "quarrel" intensifies into "grumbling" when the people begin to actively thirst. with me? Why do you testtest | תְּנַסּוּן – See Ibn Ezra that there were two groups in the nation, those who had no water and quarreled with Moshe due to real thirst, and those who had water from earlier stops and were simply testing God. Cf. Ramban in the previous note that the quarrel and testing are one and the same. Hashem?"
(3) The people thirsted there for water, and they grumbled against Moshe and said, "Why have you brought us up from Egypt to kill me and my children and my livestock with thirst?"
(4) Moshe cried out to Hashem, saying, "What shall I do for this people? A little longer and they will stone me!"
(5) Hashem said to Moshe, "Pass before the people,Pass before the people | עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם – See Rashi that Hashem is subtly chastising Moshe, telling him to actively pass by the people, for he has no reason to fear that they will stone him. Alternatively, God is saying that Moshe needs to go ahead of the people, to lead them from Rephidim to Chorev where the water will be supplied (Ramban, pointing to similar usage in Bereshit 32:17 or Yirmeyahu 15:14). and take with you from the elders of Israel; and the staff with which you struck the river, take in your hand and go.
(6) Behold, I am standing before youI am standing before you | עֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ – This might refer to Hashem's presence as manifest in either the pillar of cloud or fire. there, by the rock at Chorev, and you shall strike the rock, and waters will go forth from it, and the nation will drink." And Moshe did so before¬¬¬¬¬¬ the eyes of the elders of Israel.
(7) He named the place Masa and Meriva,Masa and Merivah | מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה – The name means: "Testing and Quarrelling", as explained in the continuation of the verse. because of the quarrel of the Children of Israel and because of their testing of Hashem, saying, "Is Hashem among us or not?"
(8) Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
(9) Moshe said to Yehoshua, "Choose men,Choose men | בְּחַר לָנוּ – Literally: "choose for us", but see Ibn Ezra that the word "לָנוּ" is insignificant and adds no extra meaning to the verse. It is simply a matter of style (compare Bereshit 12:,1 Shemot 24:14, and Shemuel II 24:12). and go out; fight against Amalek tomorrow.tomorrow | מָחָר – Moshe might have had Yehoshua wait until the forces could be gathered. Alternatively, the word is connected to that which follows, as per the cantillation marks: "Tomorrow, I will stand" (See Bavli Yoma 52a-b who notes that this is an example of a verse whose meaning cannot be determined). I will stand at the top of the hill with the staff of Hashem in my hand."
(10) Yehoshua did as Moshe said to him, to fight against Amalek; and Moshe and Aharon and Chur went up to the top of the hill.
(11) When Moshe would raise his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he would rest his hand, Amalek would prevail.
(12) The hands of Moshe were heavy, and they took a stone and placed it under him and he sat upon it, and Aharon and Chur supported his hands, one on this side and one on that. And his hands wereAnd his hands were | וַיְהִי יָדָיו – Literally: "and his hands was"(with the verb in the singular masculine, not matching the feminine plural "hands"), but see Ibn Ezra and Radak Bereshit 1:14 that the root "היה" often does not con¬¬form to number and gender. See Bereshit 1:14, Bemidbar 9:6 and Nonconformity for other examples. steadfaststeadfast | אֱמוּנָה – See Rashbam and Ibn Ezra who explain that the word refers to something that is firm and enduring. [Though the word "אֱמוּנָה" appears to be a noun, it functions here as an adjective, as if written "באֱמוּנָה" (Shadal, R. D"Z Hoffmann).] Alternatively: "his hands were [raised] in faith", i.e. in prayer (Rashi). Cf. R. Saadia (cited by R. Avraham b. HaRambam): "his hands were supported (or: raised)", suggesting that the noun is related to the root "אמן" as used in Esther 2:7, " וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת הֲדַסָּה" (And he raised/brought up Hadassah). until the sun set.
(13) Yehoshua weakenedweakened | וַיַּחֲלֹשׁ – Alternatively, the word has a stronger connotation: "broke" (Ibn Janach), "defeated" (Rashbam, pointing to the related noun in Shemot 32:18), or: "killed off" (R"Y Bekhor Shor, pointing to the root's usage in Iyyov 14:10). Amalek and his people by the edge of the sword.by the edge of the sword | לְפִי חָרֶב – Literally: "by the mouth of the sword". Swords in the time of Tanakh were often sickle shaped, which might explain the choice of term "by the mouth" (and by extension, the related term, "eaten by the sword"). Alternatively, "לְפִי" simply means "according to" (as in Bereshit 47:12 or Vayikra 25:16) and the idiom would be translated as "by the sword".
(14) Hashem said to Moshe, "Write this as a memorial in the book, and place it Yehoshua's hearing, for I will surely wipe outfor I will surely wipe out | כִּי מָחֹה אֶמְחֶה – See R. D"Z Hoffmann. Alternatively: "that I will surely wipe out", with these words being the content of what was recorded in the book. For discussion of what Amalek did which was so problematic that it warranted them total annihilation, see Annihilating Amalek . the remembranceremembrance | זֵכֶר – Alternatively: "name", and see R"Y Kara and Radak on Hoshea 12:6 that the two nouns, "זֵכֶר" and "שם" (name) are synonymous, and are often parallel to each other (see Yeshayahu 26:8, Tehillim 135:13, and Mishlei 10:7). As the idiom "מחה שם" (wipe out the name) appears to refer to the total destruction of a people or family (see Devarim 9:14, Melakhim II 14:27, and Tehillim 109:13), that might be the connotation here as well. of Amalek from under the heavens."
(15) Moshe built an altar and named it "Hashem is my banner."Hashem is my banner | י"י נִסִּי – See Rashbam and R"Y Bekhor Shor. Cf. Rashi: "Hashem is my miracle". However this meaning of the word is not attested to elsewhere in Tanakh and might first be used in the Rabbinic period.
(16) He said, "For a hand on Yah's throne,For a hand on Yah's throne | כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּ – This assumes that "כֵּס", a word which appears only here, is a variant of or synonymous to the word "כִּסֵּא", chair. See Targum Onkelos, Rashi, and others that the connotation is that Hashem has raised His hand to take an oath on His eternal throne that He will have an everlasting war with Amalek. Cf. R"Y Kara: "when the power is on God's throne", understanding "כִּי" to mean "when", "יָד" to refer metaphorically to strength, and "God's throne" to represent the Israelite monarchy. As such Moshe states that when the king of Israel sits on his throne in strength, Hashem will wage war with Amalek. Alternatively, "יָד" means: "memorial" (as in Shemuel I 15:12), and Moshe states that the altar will serve as a monument on God's "throne", i.e. on Mt. Chorev (R. D"Z Hoffmann, and see Tehillim 68:17). a war for God against Amalek from generation to generation."