English translation — בהעלותך ב

1.

In the verse¹

"And it came to pass when the ark set out, and Moses said: Arise, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee from before You,"

Rashi explains: "And let Your enemies be scattered,

those who are gathered together.

And let those who hate You flee,

these are the pursuers."

Simply, one learns²,

that Rashi addresses the repetition of language in the verse³

— "And let Your enemies be scattered and let those who hate You flee" — and explains that here it speaks about two types: "And let Your enemies be scattered" speaks about the enemies "who are gathered together,"

for which there will be

(the opposite of "who are gathered together" —)

"<b>And let be scattered </b>Your enemies"⁴

; and "and let those who hate You flee" means the "pursuers,"

that in contrast to what they are pursuing Jews,

they will flee — <b>and let flee </b>those who hate You.

There is, however, a sharp diyuk in Rashi's commentary: by "vifotzu oyvecha" he says "hamekunasin",

and by "veyanusu misona'acha" he adds "&lt;b&gt;elu&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;

harodfim"?

The diyuk in this is even stronger: the source of this Rashi is in Sifri&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;,

and there the wording is "elu hamekunasin ..

elu harodfim",

and Rashi changes from the wording of the Sifri — by oyvecha he leaves out the word "elu",

and by sona'acha he copies the word!

2.

Further, Rashi again quotes the word “your enemies” and explains⁷

: “These are the enemies of Israel, for whoever hates Israel hates the One who spoke and the world came into being, as it is said⁸

And your enemies have raised their head, and who are they? Against Your people they devise a plot.”

In the plain sense, Rashi needs to justify: The verse here speaks about those who wage war against <b>Jews</b>,

so why does the verse call them “your enemies”

(of the Most High)⁹?

Therefore Rashi explains,

“For whoever hates Israel hates the One who spoke and the world came into being.”

It is however perplexing: behold this question arises earlier by "and your enemies scatter" — so why does Rashi say this explanation only on "and your haters flee"?

There are commentators

who answer,

that since in the verse that Rashi brings as proof it says "your haters",

therefore Rashi also brings it on "

(and they flee)

your haters",

and not on "your enemies"

("because enemies are not mentioned there").

But the answer is tz”g,

for in that same verse,

before the words “your haters have raised their head”,

it says: “For behold, &lt;b&gt;Your enemies &lt;/b&gt;are in tumult”&lt;sup&gt;11&lt;/sup&gt;

— it says there explicitly that those who “take crafty counsel against Your people” are called

(“Your haters” and)

also “&lt;b&gt;Your enemies&lt;/b&gt;”?

Further: similar to the matter that Rashi says here — that “haters of Israel” are called “Your haters”

(of the Most High)

— Rashi already explained &lt;b&gt;earlier&lt;/b&gt;,

on the verse “You will destroy those who rise up against You”

(in the Song of the Sea in Parshat Beshalach&lt;sup&gt;12&lt;/sup&gt;

(: “And who are those who rise up against Him? These are those who rise up against Israel”,

and there he indeed brings the proof — “and so it says” —

(not from the phrase “your haters have raised their head”,

from “For behold, &lt;b&gt;Your enemies &lt;/b&gt;are in tumult, and what is the tumult? They take crafty counsel against Your people, and about this He calls them &lt;b&gt;His enemies&lt;/b&gt; of the Omnipresent”.

And in our verse Rashi stands

(<b>not</b> on "your enemy",

but)

but)

first also "your enemy"?

3.

Other commentators¹³

answer it,

that "your enemy" — your enemies,

One could interpret,

that this means

(not those who hate the Most High,

but the opposite)

those whom the Most High hates; unlike “misna’echa”

(not “sone’echa”)

cannot be interpreted otherwise than: those who hate <b>You</b> — and therefore Rashi must explain “these are the haters of Israel, for whoever hates etc.”

But also this answer is not understandable,

because

that since Rashi had already explained earlier

(as above)

that those who "against Your people they devise a plot" are called "Your enemies",

"enemies of the Omnipresent"

(because those who "rise up against Israel" are they "rising up against Him" — exactly as with "those who hate You")

— then there is already no room to say here differently and to be forced that "Your enemies" here means those whom the Almighty hates — is]

From the totality of the content of the sequence of verses

(according to Rashi's commentary)

it is proven,

that with "Your enemies",

just as with "those who hate You",

the verse means those who hate Jews¹⁴,

whose enmity and hatred expresses itself in their waging war against Jews; as it says immediately before that*¹⁴

"And the ark of the covenant of the Lord traveled before them" as Rashi explains "this is the ark that went out with them to war",

and in continuation of this the verse says "And it was when the ark traveled etc. Your enemies shall scatter

(those gathered together)

and those who hate You shall flee

(these are the pursuers)

" — and therefore there is initially no room to say that the meaning of

„

(ויפוצו)

“Your enemies” &lt;b&gt;here &lt;/b&gt;is [the one] whom the Almighty hates.

One must say,

that the fact that Rashi does not explain at all on “Your enemies”,

is because he relies on his &lt;b&gt;previous &lt;/b&gt;explanation on “You shall destroy those who rise against you” where he clearly indicated that those who “against Your people they devise a plot ..

calls them enemies of the Omnipresent”;

But if so, it is difficult on the other hand: why when he comes to the word "your enemies" does Rashi <b>not</b> rely on his earlier explanation,

but rather he repeats it once again?

D.

Also there are several nuances in the language of Rashi — and especially the changes between the language of Rashi here and his language in his aforementioned explanation on "You will destroy your enemies" — and among them:

a)

What is the emphasis of Rashi here “

(that the hater of Israel)

hates &lt;b&gt;Him Who spoke and the world came into being&lt;/b&gt;”,

and not in brief “hates the Holy One, blessed be He” or “hates the Omnipresent”&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;?

b)

In his commentary on “You will destroy those who rise up against You” Rashi elaborates “And who are those who rise up against Him”,

and here he says immediately: “Those who hate You,

&lt;b&gt;these are &lt;/b&gt;the haters of Israel”&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;.

3)

When Rashi brings there the proof from the verse "For behold Your enemies are in turmoil" he uses

the expression "and so it says",

and here he says "as it is said"¹⁷.

d)

When interpreting the verse — there is Rashi says "Your enemies have lifted up their head &lt;b&gt;And who are they &lt;/b&gt;who take crafty counsel against Your people"

(that the question is &lt;b&gt;who &lt;/b&gt;are your enemies)&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

; in contrast there Rashi says

(a)

"For behold Your enemies are in an uproar &lt;b&gt;And what is this uproar &lt;/b&gt;they take crafty counsel against Your people"

(the question is — in what does the action consist

(uproar)

of "Your enemies"),

and

(b)

afterwards Rashi concludes "and about this

(because of the uproar of "and against Your people etc.")

he calls them enemies of the Omnipresent".

e.

The explanation of all this will be understood with an introduction to what in Rashi's language in our parshah there is a fundamental change regarding the language in the Sifri

(source of Rashi's comment)

: In the Sifri it says "whoever hates Israel &lt;b&gt;it is as if &lt;/b&gt;he hates the One who spoke and the world came into being"&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;,

and Rashi says "whoever hates Israel &lt;b&gt;hates &lt;/b&gt;the One who spoke and the world came into being"

(without the "as if"&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;).

That is: Rashi teaches that what the verse says "your enemies" is not only similar in the severity of the sin and punishment

(that enemies have Jews is <b>similar</b> to enemies have the Most High),

but "your enemies" means simply — they have enmity toward the Most High,

Because it is the same thing.

Or — the one who is "an enemy of Israel" is it because he <b>is</b> "an enemy of the One who spoke and the world came into being".

And so forth in his commentary on “You shall destroy your enemies” Rashi is precise “And who are &lt;b&gt;those who rise against him &lt;/b&gt;these are those who rise against Israel”

(Not like the language of the Mechilta&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;

“That whoever rises against Israel &lt;b&gt;it is as if &lt;/b&gt;he rises against the Holy One, blessed be He”&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;

( — Because according to Rashi this is the same thing: The nations of the world know that Jews are “a treasured people from all the nations”&lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;

and “Israel is My firstborn son”&lt;sup&gt;24&lt;/sup&gt;,

and therefore,

is this for them &lt;b&gt;one &lt;/b&gt;thing: With that which they are “those who rise against him” they are automatically “those who rise against Israel”&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

who are the Most High’s treasured people&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;.

But in this

(manner and intensity of enmity)

itself there is a difference

Between "oyivcha"

(kamcha)

and "son'acha" — and for this reason Rashi by "

(veyanusu)

son'acha" cannot rely on his commentary by "taharos kamcha": from that which one finds that the nations of the world are "kamcha" and "oyivcha" because they are "kamim al Yisrael"

(and "al amcha ya'arimu sod"),

it is still no proof that one can say the same by "&lt;b&gt;son'acha&lt;/b&gt;"

(that their hatred of Jews is a proof of their hatred of the Most High)

— because "soneh" expresses a much stronger,

deeper enmity than "oyev"

(and "kamcha"),

which does not fit prima facie regarding Above,

as follows.

6.

The difference between oyev and soneh — when one is precise &lt;b&gt;to distinguish &lt;/b&gt;between them&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;

— is&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;

If — means one who has the hatred

(mainly)

in an external,

open, revealed manner,

a hatred that is connected with actual deed

(he behaves toward the other with enmity)

; in contrast, "an enemy" is

(mainly)

hatred as a <b>trait in the heart</b>²⁹,

which is a deep hatred: the

hatred toward the other is ingrained in his heart.

And consequently, not only does he treat him badly when he has the opportunity to do so,

but he <b>lies</b> in it and continually seeks advice on how to do evil to the other

(in the manner of what is stated in the verse³⁰

"And he was not an enemy to him from yesterday and the day before" — one who holds a hatred "from yesterday and the day before" and continually seeks the other's harm,

is called "an enemy to him").

That this is also the reason why in the admonition of Parshat Bechukotai³¹,

the Torah uses the two expressions "ונגפתם לפני <b>אויביכם</b> ורדו בכם <b>שונאיכם</b>",

which

(as Rashi brings there³²

("ונגפתם לפני אויביכם" means "בעלי דבביכון מקיפין אתכם <b>מבחוץ</b>",

and "ורדו בכם שונאיכם" means those who "<b>מחפשים</b> אחר <b>המטמוניות</b> שלכם".

An "enemy" who is not a hater, with him there is only a revealed hatred,

it is possible that his hatred is to protect himself,

so that the other should not be able to harm <b>him</b>,

and therefore he contents himself with "מקיפין אתכם <b>מבחוץ</b>";

But not so an "enemy",

who has a hatred suppressed in the heart,

he is externally to <b>that one</b> to persecute and destroy,

and therefore the enemies are

(not only "surrounding you from outside",

but)

"<b>searching</b> after <b>the treasures</b> of yours".

7.

Based on this one will also understand the change of language in Rashi on our verse: "And let your enemies be scattered,

those gathered together.

And let those who hate you flee,

<b>these</b> are the pursuers":

That which "ויפוצו אויביך" means "המכונסין" is not connected with the description "אויביך" — because there are several ways in which enemies can wage their war: sometimes it is better for them that they are gathered together,

and sometimes it is worthwhile, from the perspective of military tactics, that they should divide into separate camps;

And consequently Rashi cannot say "ויפוצו אויביך <b>אלו </b>המכונסין"

(that "אויביך" indicates those who are "מכונסין"),

but rather "ויפוצו אויביך המכונסין": from that which the verse says "<b>ויפוצו</b>",

one knows that here it speaks about such enemies who are "מכונסין"³³

But regarding "and Your enemies shall flee," Rashi says "these are the pursuers,"

because pursuers is

(not only the opposite of "and they shall flee,"

but this is)

the <b>content interpretation</b> of "<b>Your enemies</b>"³⁴

("Your enemies, these are the pursuers"*³⁴)

— such ones who have hatred in the heart and therefore they are <b>pursuers</b> of Jews,

they constantly chase to do evil to the Jews.

8.

Continuation to the interpretation "

(and they shall flee)

Your enemies,

<b>these</b> are the pursuers" — that "Your enemies" are those who have a concealed hatred in the heart toward Jews and consequently they are <b>pursuers</b> after them — it becomes difficult for Rashi: how can one say "Your enemie<b>s</b>" — toward the Above,

that a human being should have a <b>concealed</b> hatred toward the Most High,

and moreover — in a manner of "<b>pursuers</b>"³⁵?

Granted, “your enemies,”

which is only an open hatred that is connected with conduct in practice

(and all the more so “those who rise up against You,” which means the action in practice)

against G‑d,

is understandable: just as he wants to do a thing that is contrary to G‑d’s will,

and he cannot

(or — does not want to)

restrain himself,

he is a rebel against G‑d and does contrary to His will

(until from this can become enmity,

that he does with intent to spite against G‑d’s will).

But how can it be that they should be “&lt;b&gt;those who hate You&lt;/b&gt;,”

such ones who have toward the &lt;b&gt;Supernal One&lt;/b&gt; a hatred in the heart that expresses itself in a &lt;b&gt;constant&lt;/b&gt; movement of persecution etc.?

Therefore Rashi uses in his commentary the phrase "He who spoke and the world came into being" — to emphasize how much it is not fitting that someone should have a hatred towards the Above — because He is indeed "He who spoke and the world came into being",

And consequently:

(a)

How can someone have a hatred hidden in the heart

against the One who

(also he believes³⁶

that He)

created him and gives him his vitality?

(b)

Even more: since here it speaks about "He who spoke and the world came into being" — how is it at all possible that a flesh and blood should be able to "pursue" the Above?

On this Rashi answers: "Your enemies — these are the enemies of Israel": with "Your enemies"

(in every place³⁷)

is meant enemies of Israel; i.e.

i.e.

a hatred hidden in the heart towards "He who spoke and the world came into being" is indeed not applicable,

but those who are "enemies of Israel",

those who have a hatred hidden in the heart towards Jews

(as Rashi already brought in his commentary³⁸

"it is a known law that Esau hates Jacob"),

they are automatically "enemies of He who spoke and the world came into being".

And on this

(that "Your enemies are the enemies of Israel")

Rashi must bring a proof

(from a verse)

: "as it is said: Your enemies have raised their head, and who are they? Against Your people they devise a plot" — from this one sees,

that who are "Your enemies"

(and who are they)

— those who "against Your people devise a plot".

9.

Based on this, the reason for the differences in language between Rashi here and the Rashi on “Taharos Kamecha” also becomes understood:

In the verse “Taharos Kamecha” Rashi does not intend to say that “Kamecha” in general is connected to “those who rise up against Israel” —

Because,

as mentioned,

there can be a reality of "your enemies"

(and even "those who rise against you")

against God also <b>not</b> through that they are "rising against Israel",

and therefore Rashi cannot simply say

(as in our portion)

: your enemies — <b>these are</b> those who rise against Israel;

Rather Rashi wants to explain the "your enemies" in <b>the</b> verse

(from the Song of the Sea,

where Jews gave the Supreme One praise and thanksgiving for that which "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea etc."³⁹)

: who are those that <b>the</b> verse <b>here</b> designates them as "your enemies" — these are those who are "rising against Israel".

And for this reason Rashi elaborates in his language: "those who rise against you

(and he explains)

<b>And who are</b> those who rise against Him

(whom does <b>the</b> verse mean)

these are those who rise against Israel";

Where does one find that

(also)

Because of "those who rise against Israel" one is in the category of "those who rise against him" — Rashi brings an <b>example</b>

(<b>And so it says</b>)

from another verse: "For behold Your enemies are in tumult <b>and what is the tumult?</b> Against Your people they devise a plot <b>and about this</b> He calls them enemies of the Omnipresent" — one sees,

that through these

(tumult and)

the action of "against Your people they devise a plot",

it is because of this "

(<b>and about this</b>)

He calls them enemies of the Omnipresent".

However, in our parshah Rashi comes out to prove that "those who hate You <b>are</b> those who hate Israel",

and therefore he brings a <b>proof</b>

("as it is said")

from "those who hate You have raised the head <b>and who are they?</b> Against Your people they devise a plot",

as above.

Yud.

The essence of the Torah in Rashi's commentary:

Similar to the verse "Arise, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee from before You,"

is also

The verse in Psalms⁴⁰

: "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from before Him,"

but with a change: in Chumash it says "Arise <b>Havayah</b>",

and in Psalms "Let <b>Elokim</b> arise".

It turns out,

that in connection with this matter the Most High is mentioned through three titles: in <b>Chumash</b> it says "Havayah",

in <b>Ketuvim</b> the expression is "Elokim",

and in <b>Torah Shebe'al Peh</b> —

(Sifrei 6)

Rashi — "He who spoke and the world came into being".

And it can be explained: the reason

(inner)

why the verse says here "Let Your enemies be scattered" and "Let those who hate You"

(of the Most High),

is because here it speaks about a situation,

where there is a lack in the service of the Jews

that "it was written here to interrupt between one calamity and another": the "Arise, O Lord" comes to interrupt

(and nullify)

the calamities,

which come because of the lack in the service of the Children of Israel]

And therefore the salvation comes

(not so much because of the merit of the service of the Jews,

but)

because an enemy and hater of Jews is — "Your enemies" and "Those who hate You".

In other words: if the nations of the world will see that they can attach themselves, G-d forbid, to Jews — that Jews are indeed the "Chosen People" — and the Most High will not help, G-d forbid,

this is a desecration of God's name.

The nations of the world do not care and they do not think whether Jews are complete in Torah and commandments or not, G-d forbid,

they only know that Jews are children of the Most High —

And therefore "Not to us, O Lord ..

for to Your name give glory, etc."⁴¹,

that My great name should not be profaned among the nations⁴².

And this is the prayer "Arise, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered": in order that there should be "let Your enemies be scattered and let those who hate You flee," there must be revealed the connection and bond of Jews with the Holy One, blessed be He, which nothing in the world can weaken,

so that from this

(it is in whatever state a Jew may be)

is "I cannot exchange them for another nation"⁴³,

because then it is revealed that the haters of Israel are "those who hate You"

(for Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are completely one),

and consequently it becomes "let Your enemies be scattered and let those who hate You flee"⁴⁴

And this is accomplished through "Arise, Havayah" — it becomes a "rising" and ascent in the name Havayah⁴⁵

to a level that is higher than the coming-into-being of the world,

from the order of the chain of descent,

where there is "and He loved Jacob"⁴⁶

specifically.

Yes.

But in order that the salvation should come in actuality,

that there should be "let Your enemies be scattered and let Your foes flee" as they are here below,

the "Arise, Havayah" is drawn down here below until into

(the concealment of)

the world,

into the world.

And this is the order of the three attributes of the Most High mentioned above:

In the Chumash — the essence of the Written Torah — the root shines⁴⁷

and hint⁴⁸

of every thing,

and therefore it says "Arise, <b>Havayah</b>,"

(from which specifically comes "Your enemies shall be scattered," etc.)

In the Writings — where the matters of Torah are drawn down more into the lower realm⁴⁹

(But it is still a part of the Written Torah)

— it says "May <b>Elokim</b> arise",

that the "Arise, Havayah" is drawn down into the name Elokim⁵⁰

(And consequently it becomes "May Elokim arise").

What, although Elokim is a holy name⁵¹,

it is nevertheless in the plural form⁵²

and it is a root and source for concealment⁵³

the world⁵⁴

And in the Oral Torah — which is like Torah being drawn down into the comprehension of the <b>recipient</b> — the phrase "He who spoke and the world came into being" is used: here it already speaks as one finds oneself in the world, from the word concealment

(It is only that one knows that there exists a "He who spoke and the world came into being",

but it is

"<b>Who</b> said — in the language of <b>concealment and hiddenness</b> "Who"⁵⁵

— and it was the world").

And through that which in the concealment of the world is drawn the "stature of Havayah",

is actualized the "they will scatter your enemies and flee from before you" <b>in actuality</b>.

And since one must safeguard "your enemies" and "those who hate you" which touches upon "Your great Name",

the Above does not reckon with any accounts

(even not with the account that Jews must specifically first do repentance),

and brings down immediately the true and complete redemption through Moshiach our righteousness,

speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Shabbat Parshat Beha'alotcha 5729)