## Haamek Sheilah on Sheiltot d'Rav Achai Gaon, Kidmat HaEmek, Part I

###### Haamek Sheilah on Sheiltot d'Rav Achai Gaon, Kidmat HaEmek, Part I 13:1
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וה' חפץ למען צדקו, לשנן ברק חרבה ש"ת, ולהגדיל תורה והדרה, למען נחזק בתורת ה' בגבורה, גלה כבוד התורה מבבל למדינת צרפת ארץ לא ראו אור הקבלה סדורה, והוצרכו למצוא פתח הפלטרין עפ"י עיון וחקירה. יגעו ומצאו שביל חדש כחמה ברה, לא שמשו לאורה עין גאון קדמון רב ומורה, ומחשך ואופל הוציאו שלהבת יה מאירה, על קצות ים התלמוד שואף זורח בגבורה, וגם פרשו על קדושת הגמרא, מעטה תהלה וחדוש צורה.

**The path of Torah, introduction to Ha'amek she'elah. Trans. by Elchanan Greenman. Urim, 2009:**
**THE APPLICATION OF PILPUL AND THE TRANSFER OF THE CENTER OF TORAH LEARNING FROM BABYLONIA TO FRANCE**
FOR THE SAKE of [Israel’s] righteousness,¹ God desired to sharpen the glittering sword of Torah and to enlarge the Torah and its splendor. [To ensure] that Israel would be fortified and strengthened by God’s Torah, He exiled the Torah’s honor from Babylonia to the province of France. It was a land [whose inhabitants] had not seen the well-arranged light of tradition, [and they therefore] needed to search for the doorway of the palace² through examination and analysis. They toiled and discovered a new path that [shone] as brilliantly as the sun,³ as they lacked the light [of tradition] seen by the eyes of the Geonim of antiquity who were [Israel’s] teachers and masters. From darkness and obscurity [theTosafists] produced an enlightening flame of God⁴ that hastened⁵ across the sea of the Talmud from shore to shore and shone upon it a powerful brilliance. They also expounded the holiness of the Talmud, providing for it a garment of splendor⁶ and a new visage.

footnotes:
¹ See Isa. 42:21.
² See chapter 8 for an explanation of the metaphor of the palace.
³ See Song of Songs 6:10.
⁴ See Song of Songs 8:6.
⁵ Eccl. 1:5.
⁶ Isa. 60:3.


###### Haamek Sheilah on Sheiltot d'Rav Achai Gaon, Kidmat HaEmek, Part I 13:2
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והנה אי' בב"ר פ' כ"ה רעב שהי' בימי דוד, ר"ה ור"י בשם ר"ש בר"י עיקר אוותנטיא שלו לא הי' ראוי להיות בימי דוד כו' אמר ר"ח רבא, משל לזגג שהי' בידו קופה מלאה כוסות דייטרוטין בשעה שהי' מבקש לתלות את קופתו הי' מביא יתד ותקעה ונתלה בה, ואחר כך הי' תולה את קופתו, לפיכך לא באו בימי ב"א שפופים אלא בימי ב"א גבורים שהן יכולין לעמוד בהן.

**The path of Torah, introduction to Ha'amek she'elah. Trans. by Elchanan Greenman. Urim, 2009:**
In *Bereshis Rabbah*, parashah 25, it is written: R. Hunah and R. Yirmiyah stated in the name of R. Shmuel, ben R. Yitzhak, “The famine [in King David’s time] was meant to have occurred in the days of King Saul.⁷ However, since Saul [was compared] to the shoot of a sycamore tree,⁸ the Holy One, blessed be He, postponed it and brought it about during the days of David. [This is like the] well-known saying: ‘Shilo sinned and Yohana is punished’” [i.e., later generations pay for the sins of their ancestors]. R. Hiyya Rabba says, “This [timing of the famine] is similar to a glassmaker who was holding a basket filled with glass cups and other precious glassware. When he wanted to hang the basket, he [first] brought a peg and hammered it into the wall. [To test the strength of the peg], he first hung his own weight on it [after which he felt confident that the peg was strong enough], and then he suspended his basket from it. Therefore, the famine did not come during the days of men who were weak, but during the days of the mighty men who could withstand it.

footnotes:
⁷ Due to Saul’s sins, the famine was to occur in his generation.
⁸ A sycamore is a lowly tree.


###### Haamek Sheilah on Sheiltot d'Rav Achai Gaon, Kidmat HaEmek, Part I 13:3
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ר' ברכי' הוי קרי עליהון נותן ליעף כח, המשיל את הרעב לקופה יקרה שמכבדת את בעלי' לעת מצוא, אלא שצריך להזהר בה שלא תשבר, ומוכרח לשקוד ע"ז ולהתבזות כמעט, דבשעה שצריך לעשות יתד לתלותה, וירא שמא אין היתד חזק כ"כ, מה הוא עושה, תולה עצמו על היתד תחלה ואחר כך תולה את קפתו, והרי זה מבזה עצמו בשביל שסוף הכבוד לבא בשעתו, כך חרפת רעב לישראל יש בזה חה"ש, שנצרכים לבריות ומפזרים עצמם לבין אוה"ע, אבל זה גורם שימסרו גבורי ישראל להלחם מלחמות ה', ולהתפרנס מן השלל, וכדאית' ברכות ד' ג' ב' עמך ישראל צריכים לפרנסה כו' לכו ופשטו ידיכם בגדוד, וכמנצחים ש"ש מתגדל ומתקדש, ונודע לעיני עמים ישועת ה', משא"כ אם שכן ישראל לבטח.

**The path of Torah, introduction to Ha'amek she'elah. Trans. by Elchanan Greenman. Urim, 2009:**
R. Birchaya used to apply to [the timing of the famine] the verse: ‘He provides strength to the weary.’”⁹ The Midrash is comparing the famine to a basket containing precious glassware that will in time bring honor to its owner. Since the owner needs to be careful that it will not break, he is zealous to the extent that he will even demean himself to protect it. [This is referred to in the Midrash] in a passage that says: When a glassmaker needs a strong peg from which to suspend the basket, what does he do? He first [tests its strength] by hanging his own weight on the peg [after which he feels confident enough] to hang his basket from it. He is willing to demean himself, because honor will result in the end. So it was with Israel’s shameful famine, which was a profanation of God’s name, as the people became needy and dependent on [the] other [peoples], which in turn led to their dispersal among the other nations.¹⁰ However, [David’s degradation, the famine], caused the valiant of Israel to wage God’s battle [by attacking the neighboring nations], so that they could be sustained by the spoils of war. As reported in Tractate *Berachos* 3b, [the sages of Israel approached King David with the request], “Your nation Israel needs provisions,” [after which] King David replied, ‘Go, stretch out your hands as a band of marauders.’” When [Israel] triumphs, God’s name is made great and sanctified, because Divine salvation becomes well-known among the nations. However, this would not be the case if Israel had lived in security, [as there would be no impetus to wage a war that would result in the sanctification of God’s name.]

footnotes:
⁹ Isa. 40:29.
¹⁰ For example, Jews would move to neighboring countries to obtain food, as did Mahlon and Kilion (See Ruth, chapter 1).


###### Haamek Sheilah on Sheiltot d'Rav Achai Gaon, Kidmat HaEmek, Part I 13:4
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וכשם שא"א לנסות עצמו על היתד אם לא שמשער תחלה שהוא חזק ויש בו כדי להתלות ולא יפול ויוזק ולא יגיע לכבוד הקופה, כך לא בא הרעב בימי ב"א שפופים שאין יכולין לעמוד כלל ברעב, ולא יבא לקידוש השם כלל, ומש"ה בא הרעב בימי ב"א גבורים ויכולים לעמוד ברעב עד שבאים לידי מלחמה. אבל ר' ברכיה א' דהקב"ה נותן ליעף כח, והי' נותן עוז לחילותיו של דוד לעמוד ברעב, ולא שהיו יכולים מצד גבורתם, ובאמת אלו הי' בא הרעב בימי שאול הי' נותן ה' כח וגבורה גם לגבוריו וחילותיו, אלא שבא בימי דוד בזמנו.

**The path of Torah, introduction to Ha'amek she'elah. Trans. by Elchanan Greenman. Urim, 2009:**
[The previously cited Midrash, *Bereshis Rabba* 25, illustrates why God imposes famine only in certain generations]. One would not risk his physical well-being by using his body to test the strength of the peg unless he could determine with confidence that it could withstand his weight [and that he would be unlikely] to fall and injure himself, as a consequence of which he would miss out on the honor [of preserving the precious glassware]. Similarly, a famine will not occur during a generation of weak people who are incapable of surviving it, as this would not result in the sanctification of God’s name. Therefore, the famine occurred during the time of strong individuals who would be able to withstand it, by providing an impetus for them to wage battle [and sanctify God’s name]. R. Berachiah, however, quotes the verse, “God gives strength to the weary.” [This means] that God gave strength to the armies of David to withstand the famine. For they could not [withstand it on their own without special Divine intervention]. In truth, if the famine had occurred during the time of King Saul, God would also have provided the necessary strength for his [Saul’s] mighty and valorous men, but for [certain reasons God desired] that the famine should take place during [King David’s] time.


###### Haamek Sheilah on Sheiltot d'Rav Achai Gaon, Kidmat HaEmek, Part I 13:5
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וזה הענין בעצמו שייך לדבר הלכה אשר המשילו חז"ל עפ"י דרשת המקרא לחרפת רעב, כדאי' שבת ד' קל"ח ב' עתידה תורה שתשתכח מישראל שנא' הנה ימים באים וגו' והשלחתי רעב בארץ לא רעב ללחם וגו' כי אם לשמוע את דברי ה' זו הלכה, אמרו עתידה אשה שתטול ככר של תרומה כו', וכ"ז שהיו שבעים באור הארון וקדושת כה"ג לא היו נצרכים להלחם מלחמות ה' בפלפולא ש"ת, עד שבא הרעב בימי יאשי' כמש"כ באות ח', ונעשו גבורים כדכתיב והחרש והמסגר הכל אלף גבורים וגו', וכמש"כ לעיל בשם הספרי, ובזה נתגדל כבודו ית' להראות לרבים חזותו של עמקת התורה.

**The path of Torah, introduction to Ha'amek she'elah. Trans. by Elchanan Greenman. Urim, 2009:**
This topic [discussed in the Midrash], is also applicable to the subject of halachah. As demonstrated by the Talmud’s exegesis of a verse [in Amos], the sages compared [periods of Jewish history lacking erudition in halachah] to a shameful famine.¹¹ It is noted in Tractate *Shabbos* 138b: In the future, the Torah will become forgotten amongst Israel, as it is stated in [Amos],¹² “A time is coming, says the Lord God, when I will send famine upon the land; not a hunger for bread or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of God – the halachah.” The verse continues,¹³ “People shall wander from sea to sea and from north to east to seek the word of God, but they shall not find it.” … What is the meaning of ‘people shall wander… to seek the word of God’? This [prophesies] that in the future a woman shall take a tithe from her bread and will wander amongst different synagogues and academies to inquire as to whether the tithe is ritually pure or impure, and they [the sages] will be unable to discern its halachic status. This [inability to render a halachic decision] occurred [because that generation, at the end of the First Temple period], lacked proper training in applying pilpul]. This deficiency occurred because [earlier generations] were satiated with the Divine light of the Ark and the holiness of the high priest, and therefore did not need to wage God’s battle with the aid of pilpul. [This continued] until the famine [of Torah] that occurred during the time of Josiah, when the sages became mighty in the application of pilpul [to counter it]. I described this in chapter 8, pertaining to the *Sifrei’s* interpretation of the verse, “craftsmen, gate sentries, one thousand, all mighty men, warriors.”¹⁴ Thanks to this [impetus to wage battle by means of pilpul], God’s honor, may He be blessed, became great, because the profundities of the Torah became known to the masses. [Alternating cycles of generations applying deep analysis and generations minimizing pilpul but relying on tradition, continued throughout history].

footnotes:
¹¹ Shameful because they became dependent on the non-Jewish world.
¹² Amos 8:11.
¹³ Amos 8:12.
¹⁴ II Kings 24:16; Jer. 52:28.


###### Haamek Sheilah on Sheiltot d'Rav Achai Gaon, Kidmat HaEmek, Part I 13:6
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וכן אח"כ היו שבעים בכללי הלל שלמד שבע מדות עד שהוגרע כחם בימי האמוראים והוצרכו לפלפל בפי' המשנה ולהגדיל תורה בחכמת התלמוד, וכן אחר שנסתם התלמוד, והיו הגאונים שבעים בקבלתם בכמה ענינים בסוגית הש"ס, ואח"כ נתגלגל לחכמי התו' שהוצרכו לפלפל ולהגדיל תורה בפירושים והויות הרבה, ואילו היו הראשונים צריכים היו גם הם משתמשים ובאים לידי זו המדה, בעזר הנוצר תעודה.

**The path of Torah, introduction to Ha'amek she'elah. Trans. by Elchanan Greenman. Urim, 2009:**
When [the sages] became satiated with the seven exegetical rules given by Hillel,¹⁵ [they had less need for pilpul]. [In the periods after Hillel, the need for pilpul increased], because the knowledge of tradition decreased during the amoraic period, and they needed to apply pilpul to expound the Mishnah, thereby enhancing the Torah [by means of] the wisdom of the Talmud. [Once again], after the completion of the Talmud, [the need for pilpul diminished] since the Geonim became satiated with the traditions that they had received in regard to the interpretation of many Talmudic subjects. After this, the Talmud, [several generations later], was transmitted to the Tosafists, who [due to their lack of tradition in interpreting the Talmud], needed to apply pilpul, thereby making the Torah greater through their various interpretations and arguments. If [those generations which relied primarily on tradition] had been given the need to apply pilpul, they would have also been able to reach this level of analysis through the Divine assistance of the Guardian of the Covenant.¹⁶

footnotes:
¹⁵ See note 4.
¹⁶ As noted in the text, R. Berachia stated regarding the occurrence of famine, “He provides strength to the weary.” One might suggest that the Netziv follows R. Berachia against R. Shmuel, son of Yitzhak. However, this appears not to be the case, as the Netziv alludes to both interpretations in describing the reason for the famine. It appears, therefore, that according to the Netziv, both rabbis are in agreement and that R. Berachia is merely adding to the words of R. Shmuel. This means that God mainly subjects those generations that are stronger to be hardened and elevated through famine, and thereby requiring less Divine assistance. In a few situations, however, God will subject a weak generation to harsh situations such as famine (for reasons only known to the One of Infinite Wisdom), and will elevate even them to such a level that they can be provided the impetus to wage battle and win.