English translation — עקב ד

A.

In the verse¹

"And I will give the rain of your land in its time, etc." - Rashi stands on the words "And I will give the rain of your land,"

and explains²

: You did what is upon you, so I too will do what is upon Me.

It is not understood³

: What is difficult here in the plain meaning of the verse that is answered with the explanation "You did what is upon you, etc."; especially since prima facie Rashi is thereby not innovating anything on the <b>simple</b> interpretation of the verse?

The Ra”m answers,

that Rashi intends to protect that which in the parshah are enumerated many details in the blessing of “And I will give the rain of your land” — “the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather your grain etc. and I will give grass etc. and you will eat and be satisfied”

where it says only “And I will give your rains in their time”]

; on this Rashi says,

that this is because “you did what is upon you”: you did that which lies upon you —

i.e.

&lt;b&gt;Everything &lt;/b&gt;that you need to do — therefore “I too will do what is upon Me”,

I will do everything that lies upon Me,

“until no good remains that I will not do for you”.

It is, however, difficult to thus

To study in Rashi's commentary - because:

a)

Rashi focuses on the words "and I will give the rain of your land"

(and does not even add "etc."),

that the necessity for his commentary is from <b>the </b>words - and according to the commentary of the Ra"am the necessity is <b>only </b>from the <b>subsequent </b>words

(in the verse)

; <b>and on the contrary</b>: in <b>the </b>words - "and I will give the rain of your land" - the verses of Parshat Bechukotai and of our Parsha are equal.

According to <b>Rashi</b>, the blessings in parshas Bechukosai are greater than those of our parshah⁵,

as Rashi explains there⁴

: "And the tree of the field,

they are <b>barren</b> trees and destined to produce fruit"⁶

i.e.,

- i.e.,

that is,

that is,

a blessing also in a manner above nature,

which is entirely a higher type of blessing than that of our parshah.

b)

b.

Comparing the continuation of the two verses, one sees several changes in Rashi: here Rashi focuses on the word "in its time,"

and explains: at nights⁷

so that they will not trouble you.

Another explanation: "in its time" on Friday nights⁸

when everyone is found in their homes,

On the "be'itam" in Parshas Bechukosai

("And I will give your rains in their time")

Rashi explains⁹

: a time

that it is not the way of people to go out, such as on Friday nights¹⁰.

one must understand:

a)

why in parshas Bechukosai Rashi is satisfied with the explanation "such as on Shabbos nights" and in our parshah he says about it

(aside from the explanation of "on Shabbos nights")

another explanation¹¹?

b)

Furthermore: the interpretation "on Shabbat nights" here Rashi says as a <b>second </b>interpretation,

i.

e.

<b>not </b>as a primary interpretation in the plain meaning of Scripture - and the first and primary interpretation is,

that "in its time" means simply <b>at nights </b>- contrary to in Parshat Bechukotai,

where the interpretation of "in their time" is specifically and <b>only </b>- "on Shabbat nights".

c)

In Parshat Bechukotai Rashi says first the content - "at a time when it is not the way of people to go out",

and afterwards the exact time - "such as on Shabbat nights"; in contrast, in our parshah Rashi says in a reversed order: first "on Shabbat nights",

and afterwards "that everyone is found in their homes"¹².

d)

In parshas Bechukosai Rashi says the negative side - "

(at the time)

<b>that it is not</b> the way of people <b>to go out</b>",

and here - the positive side: that everything <b>is distinguished</b> in their homes.

e)

In parshas Bechukosai - "people",

and here - "<b>that everything</b>".

6)

Before Rashi gives here the second explanation "on Shabbat nights",

he again cites from the verse the word "in its time"

(another explanation: <b>in its time</b> on Shabbat nights etc.").

3.

The explanation of all this:

The point of difference between the blessing in Parsha Bechukotai and in our Parsha: There it says "And I will give your rains in their time" - the rains of Jews; here it says "And I will give the rain of your land" - the rain of your land; the.

h.

In Parsha Bechukotai one blesses the Jews with rains,

and here one blesses the land

(and only through this - does it come to the owners of the land,

Jews).

This is also the reason for the difference between the type of blessings in Parsha Bechukotai

(above nature)

and in our Parsha

(according to nature)

: In Parsha Bechukotai,

since the blessing is to Jews,

it is not limited within the boundaries of nature.

He is blessed according to his needs,

even when this is not "sustainable" according to the ways of nature;

In contrast, in our parshah,

where the blessing is to the <b>land</b>,

it is therefore according to the land,

whose subject is indeed <b>nature and in the manner of</b> what is stated¹³

: Yet all the days of the <b>earth</b>, seed etc. shall not cease — but not in a manner of above nature¹⁴.

4.

And the reason for the difference between the blessings of Parshat Bechukotai and our parshah — Rashi explains in his commentary on "And I will give <b>the rain of your land</b>"¹⁵

— "You have done what is upon you, so I too will do what is upon Me":

This that here is the blessing in connection to &lt;b&gt;the Land &lt;/b&gt;

(and its content - nature),

is because here Jews did &lt;b&gt;only &lt;/b&gt;"&lt;b&gt;what is upon you&lt;/b&gt;" - that which was imposed upon you,

that which one is &lt;b&gt;obligated &lt;/b&gt;to do,

but not &lt;b&gt;more &lt;/b&gt;than that; and therefore "&lt;b&gt;I too&lt;/b&gt;" the Most High - I will do

(measure for measure)

&lt;b&gt;only &lt;/b&gt;"&lt;b&gt;what is upon Me&lt;/b&gt;": indeed a blessing,

but only as it is maintained in the ways of nature,

not more than that&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;.

However in parshas Bechukosai the blessings are promised as reward for that which Jews will conduct themselves in a manner of "in My statutes you shall walk etc.",

which means

(as Rashi interprets it)

"that you will be &lt;b&gt;toiling &lt;/b&gt;in Torah": not merely learning as much as one is obligated,

but "&lt;b&gt;toiling &lt;/b&gt;in Torah" &lt;b&gt;more &lt;/b&gt;than is the commandment of Torah study&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

- therefore

is also the blessing from the One Above

(not only "what is upon me",

but)

above nature.

Seemingly one can ask on this: on the verse

(in Parshat Ki Tavo¹⁸)

"Look down from Your holy dwelling" Rashi translates: "We have done what You decreed upon us, do You what is upon You to do, as You said: 'If you walk in My statutes, I will give your rains in their time'" -

D.

H.

That "And I will give your rains in their time"¹⁹

- above nature - is the reward for "We did what You decreed upon us"

(Which is,

apparently,

the same matter as "You did what is upon you",

which Rashi says here in Parshat Eikev)?

Rashi safeguards it in the commentary itself through the change-addition in his language: He does not say "We did what is upon us"

(As he says in Parshat Eikev),

rather "We did what <b>You decreed </b>upon us"; i.e.

E.

e.

The reward is not on the fulfillment of the commandments - we did - in a manner that one fulfills commandments of the type of laws and testimonies which the human intellect understands them and agrees to them²⁰,

rather on the fulfillment in a manner that one fulfills statutes and <b>decrees</b>,

which one fulfills by <b>nullifying </b>one's own intellect - in Rashi's language²¹

(That one does them only because)

"<b>A decree </b>it is before Me, you have no permission to ponder it".

And since the existence of the mitzvos is through the powers that are higher than intellect

(and nature)

ha'adam²²,

therefore also the reward for the mitzvos is in a manner of "and I will give <b>your rains</b>

(your,

as you conduct yourselves)

in their time" — a blessing that is above nature,

as above.

6.

The general difference mentioned above between parshas Bechukosai and our parshah,

is also the reason for the difference in the interpretation of "in their time"

("in its time")

in the two places:

In parshas Bechukosai,

where the blessing of the rains is

to the <b>Jews</b>

("your rains<b> </b>"),

the rains come according to the will of Jews — and the best time for rain for a Jew is when he does not go

(at all)

outside; therefore Rashi explains "in their season,

at a time when people do not usually go out, such as on Friday nights",

although that such a small amount of time of rains should be sufficient

(only on the "Friday nights")

is above the way of nature.

But in our parshah,

where the blessing is

(primarily)

(primarily)

to the land

("your land"),

according to the definitions of land

(nature)

as above,

the "in its season"

(that the time of rains is adjusted²³)

is also in a natural manner — "at nights" simply,

on many nights during the week — not only "on Friday nights",

that for that to be sufficient is a miraculous matter.

7.

The above-mentioned difference is also connected with the meaning of the word “

(matar

artzechem)

<b>be'ito</b>” and “

(gishmeichem)

<b>be'itam</b>”,

which means,

that this is the time that is allocated <b>exclusively </b>for the rain – it is the time when only the rain itself “goes”,

and not someone else²⁴

– but in this there can be two ways:

a)

When the blessing is to <b>Jews</b>, then also the “their-time” of rain is dependent on <b>Jews</b> in general,

in all their matters: when is the “their-time” of rain,

which is only outside - “at a time when it is not the way of people to go out

(<b>in general</b>)

such as on Friday nights.”

(earlier)

on Friday nights

(and afterwards)

at a time when it is not the way of people to go out”

(in the manner that he says in Parshat Eikev)

- because the <b>interpretation</b> of “their-time” is “at a time when it is not the way of people to go out”,

and consequently then is the “their-time” of rain; and only afterwards does Rashi give an example of such a time - “<b>such as</b> on Friday nights”].

b)

When the blessing is to the <b>land</b>,

"rain of <b>your land </b>in its time"

(in our parshah),

then also the connection to Jews is - as Jews are connected with

(working the)

land,

in its time - when no one does any work in the field; and therefore Rashi explains,

that "in its time" of this "rain of <b>your land</b>" is "at nights",

when one does not work in the field.

In what does the blessing consist for "your land" when the rain goes only "at nights" - says Rashi,

that it is indeed not a blessing for the <b>land</b>,

but "that they will not trouble <b>you</b>": it is good for the <b>Jews </b>who work in the fields

(That is when it is light,

by day - and as it is written²⁵

and Jacob came from the field in the evening),

who will not have the trouble to work in the rain.

Ch.

Rashi, however, cannot be satisfied with the explanation "at nights" - because:

א)

Why does the verse say "בעתו" and mean "בלילות" - it could have stood clearly "בלילות"*²⁵

(No more than one word,

exactly like "בעתו")?

ב)

The word "בעתו" is not smooth,

because the meaning of "בעת<b>ו</b>",

<b>its </b>

(of the rain)

exclusive time <b>in general </b>- not only regarding the

(working of)

land; and especially that the blessing "בעתו" is not goodness of heart,

but because of

(that it prevents trouble from the)

<b>Jews</b>,

Therefore Rashi brings a second explanation "ד"א בעתו בלילי שבתות שהכל מצויין &lt;b&gt;בבתיהם&lt;/b&gt;"; and Rashi copies the word "בעתו" in his explanation - because the advantage of the second explanation over the first consists in the meaning of the word "בעתו",

as above -

Nevertheless, the explanation "בלילות"

(plain)

is the first and primary explanation,

since this is consistent with the general content of the matter,

as above.

as above.

9.

According to this explanation of the distinction mentioned above between parshas Bechukosai and our parshah — it turns out that there is in this yet another distinction:

There it speaks about the reward that those who are

"Those who toil in Torah"²⁶,

a special type of Jews; in contrast, in our parshah,

where it speaks about the reward for that which "you did what is upon you"

(fulfillment of the Torah and commandments in general)

- this includes <b>all</b> Jews.

And based on this, the variations in language in Rashi's commentary will be explained:

(a)

Here Rashi says "&lt;b&gt;that all &lt;/b&gt;are found in their houses" - &lt;b&gt;all &lt;/b&gt;Jews; in parshas Bechukosai Rashi says "when it is not the way of &lt;b&gt;people &lt;/b&gt;etc." and does not say "&lt;b&gt;all&lt;/b&gt;",

because there it speaks only about those who toil in Torah.

(b)

Here he says "

(that all)

are found in their houses"

(and not in the negative: it is not the way etc.),

because one cannot say about all Jews that they do not go outside on Friday nights - one goes to pray,

visit and the like&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;

- it is only that one is "found"

(most of the time)

"in their houses";

But not so in parshas Bechukosai,

where it speaks only about those who are "&lt;b&gt;toiling &lt;/b&gt;in Torah",

it is understood,

that when it is "you shall do no work" they do their &lt;b&gt;matter &lt;/b&gt;— "toiling in Torah" and therefore they are on Shabbos nights

(not only "&lt;b&gt;distinguished &lt;/b&gt;in their homes",

but also)

&lt;b&gt;it is not their way to go out&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;.

(as in parshas Bechukosai)

the word "be'ito" — "at the time when everyone is distinguished in their homes such as on Shabbos nights": this alone that one is merely "distinguished in their homes" is not the correct "be'ito" of the rain,

because since after all one does go out into the street,

it is the "be'ito" not only of the rain;

But not so in parshas Bechukosai,

where it speaks about those who are "toiling in Torah" for whom "there is no way etc. to exit"].

Yud.

The lesson from this in the service of G-d:

Here one sees the greatness of the matter of toil and effort specifically in Torah and mitzvos.

It is not enough that one learns Torah and fulfills all the mitzvos,

rather it must be done with toil and effort,

more than the measures and limits of his nature,

even from the nature of the soul &lt;b&gt;the G-dly&lt;/b&gt;.

But a Jew can argue: he does not see any necessity in such service specifically - he is already in a "picture" of holiness, learns Torah and fulfills all the mitzvos - so what is the necessity to break the nature

(habit)

of his soul &lt;b&gt;the G-dly?&lt;/b&gt;

To this one answers him,

that it must be “we have done what &lt;b&gt;He decreed &lt;/b&gt;upon us”: thus has the Almighty &lt;b&gt;decreed &lt;/b&gt;that a Jew should change his nature,

and specifically through this

(the service

of “with all &lt;b&gt;your might&lt;/b&gt;”)

one is “doing the will of the Place”&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;.

If the “with all your might” is lacking,

then not only can one not be certain with the service and one must have the safeguard “beware for yourselves lest your heart be deceived”³⁰

— rather more: service in a manner of changing one’s nature is called “<b>not </b>they served”³¹,

“Israel does not do the will of the Omnipresent”²⁹.

And through the service in a manner of “with all your might”,

this brings down the influence from above also without measures and limitations,

until in the manner that he says in parshas Ki Tavo there “<b>Look down </b>from Your holy habitation etc.” — that even a thing which in all of Scripture is the opposite of blessing,

becomes transformed into a “

(language)

blessing”³².

and Shabbos Parshas Re’eh 5734)