## Rashi on Judges Chapter 6 ###### Rashi on Judges 6:1:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:1:1) **וַיַּעֲשׂוּ הָרַע.** עַד כָּאן נֶאֱמַר ׳וַיּוֹסִיפוּ׳, שֶׁהָיָה נִצְבָּר חֵטְא עַל חֵטְא, אֲבָל בְּשִׁירָה זוֹ נִמְחַל לָהֶם כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ, וְעַכְשָׁיו מַתְחִילִין לַחֲטוֹא, כָּךְ נִדְרַשׁ בְּאַגָּדַת תְּהִלִּים (מדרש תהלים יח ו): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Acted wickedly.** Until this period, Scripture states, "They resumed [acting wickedly]" since their iniquities accumulated. However, through this hymn¹ they were granted forgiveness for all that they had perpetrated.² But now they began sinning anew. This interpretation is in Agadas Tehilim. footnotes: ¹ Sung by Devorah and Barak [ch.5]. ² Anyone rescued miraculously who then sings a hymn of praise forgiven all his sins, as if he had been newly created. (Yalkut, 60) ###### Rashi on Judges 6:2:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:2:1) **הַמִּנְהָרוֹת.** (תרגום:) מַטְמוֹרִיתָא, וּבִלְשׁוֹן לַעַ״ז: וודו״ש, וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בָּהֶם מָאוֹר קָטָן בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין נִיכָּר קוֹרְאָן מִנְהָרוֹת, לויישיט״ש בְּלַעַ״ז: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Retreats.** Hidden places.³ In old French, "voutes". Because a slight bit of illumination is positioned in them in some inconspicuous spot, they are referred to as מִנְהׇרוֹת, lit. "glimmerings", "lucerno" in old French. footnotes: ³ This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:2:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:2:2) **מְעָרוֹת.** גרוטי״ה בְּלַעַ״ז: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Caves.** "Grotte" in old French ###### Rashi on Judges 6:2:3 [Rashi on Judges 6:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:2:3) **מְצָדוֹת.** פליישדי״ץ בְּלַעַ״ז, שֶׁעוֹשִׂים בַּיְּעָרִים עַל יְדֵי הַפָּלַת הָאִילָנוֹת סָבִיב סָבִיב: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Stockades.** "Palliser" in old French, "pales", as it is constructed in the forest by felling trees around its perimeter.⁴ footnotes: ⁴ The trees serve as the pales or stakes forming the stockade. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:5:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:5:1) **הֵם וּמִקְנֵיהֶם.** לִרְעוֹת אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **With their cattle** to graze on the produce. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:8:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:8:1) **אִישׁ נָבִיא.** זֶה הַנָּבִיא הוּא פִּנְחָס, בְּ״סֵדֶר עוֹלָם״ (פרק ב): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **A prophet.** This prophet was Pinchas.⁵ Taken from Seder Olam. footnotes: ⁵ See above, 2:1. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:11:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:11:1) **אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי.** מִבְּנֵי אֲבִיעֶזֶר בֶּן גִּלְעָד בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **The Aviezrite.** One of the sons of Aviezer ben Gilod ben Menasheh. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:11:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:11:2) **וְגִדְעוֹן בְּנוֹ.** אָבִיו הָיָה חוֹבְטָן וְהוּא כוֹבְרָן, אָמַר לוֹ: אַבָּא, זָקֵן אַתָּה וְאִם יָבֹאוּ הַמִּדְיָנִים לֹא תוּכַל לָנוּס, לֵךְ אַתָּה וַאֲנִי אֶחְבֹּט: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **His son Gidon.** His father had been threshing, while he sifted. He told him, "Father, you are elderly. If the enemies come, you will never be able to escape. You leave, and I will thresh." ###### Rashi on Judges 6:11:3 [Rashi on Judges 6:11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:11:3) **בַּגַּת.** בְּקוֹרוֹת בֵּית הַבַּד: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **In the wine press.** With beams of an olive press. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:12:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:12:1) **ה׳ עִמְּךָ גִּבּוֹר הֶחָיִל.** שֶׁנָּתַן לְךָ כֹּחַ כָּזֶה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Adonoy is with you, man of supreme power.** Since He infused you with such power. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:13:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:13:1) **וְיֵשׁ ה׳ עִמָּנוּ.** וְאִם יֵשׁ ה׳ עִמָּנוּ, לָמָּה מְצָאַתְנוּ וְגוֹ׳: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **If [lit. and] Adonoy is with us.⁶** If Adonoy is with us, why has [all this] occurred, etc. footnotes: ⁶ Not “And Adonoy is with us,” as the literal reading would indicate, but “If Adonoy is with us,” as demonstrated by the following phrase cited by Rashi, “why has [all this] occurred, etc.”. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:13:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:13:2) **אֲשֶׁר סִפְּרוּ לָנוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ.** פֶּסַח הָיָה, אָמַר לוֹ: אֶמֶשׁ הִקְרַנִי אַבָּא אֶת הַהַלֵּל, וּשְׁמַעְתִּיו שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר (תהלים קיד:א): בְּצֵאת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, ׳וְעַתָּה נְטָשָׁנוּ׳, אִם צַדִּיקִים הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, יַעֲשֶׂה לָנוּ בִּזְכוּתָם, וְאִם רְשָׁעִים הָיוּ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָשָׂה לָהֶם נִפְלְאוֹתָיו חִנָּם כֵּן יַעֲשֶׂה לָנוּ, וְאַיֵּה כָל נִפְלְאוֹתָיו: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Which our forefathers recounted to us.** It was Pesach, and he told him, "Last night father recited the Hallel for me, and I heard him read, "When Yisroel departed from Egypt"⁷—but now He has abandoned us. If our forefathers were saintly, let Him act in our behalf in their merit; and if they were wicked, then, just as He worked His wonders for them gratuitously, so, let Him act in our behalf. Where are all His marvels?"⁸ footnotes: ⁷ “…the sea observed and fled, the Yardein turned back, etc.” (Tehilim, 114) ⁸ Yalkut, 62. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:14:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:14:1) **וַיִּפֶן אֵלָיו.** הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Turned to him.** The Holy One, blessed is He, Himself.⁹ footnotes: ⁹ Gidon was visited by Adonoy himself in the merit of his advocacy of Yisroel. (Yalkut, ibid) ###### Rashi on Judges 6:14:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:14:2) **בְּכֹחֲךָ זֶה.** בְּכֹחַ הַזְּכוּת הַזֶּה שֶׁלִּמַּדְתָּ סָנֵגוֹרְיָא עַל בָּנַי, כָּךְ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא (מדרש תנחומא שופטים ד): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **By this power of yours.** By the power of the merit of your advocacy of my children.¹⁰ This is R' Tanchuma's explanation. footnotes: ¹⁰ Ibid. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:15:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:15:1) **הִנֵּה אַלְפִּי.** הָאֶלֶף שֶׁאֲנִי נִמְנֶה בּוֹ לִהְיוֹת תַּחַת שַׂר הָאֶלֶף, הוּא הָאֶלֶף הַדַּל בְּכָל אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּׁה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Behold, my unit [lit. thousand].** The thousand member unit of which I am a constituent, under the command of its captain, is the most inadequate unit among all the units in Menasheh. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:17:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:17:1) **שָׁאַתָּה.** כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **That you.** The same as שֶׁאַתׇּה, with the *segol* vocalization.¹¹ vocalization, which appears in the text, is the same as שֶׁאַתׇּה “that you.” footnotes: ¹¹ שֶׁאַתׇּה, with the “kamatz” ###### Rashi on Judges 6:19:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:19:1) **קֶמַח מַצּוֹת.** לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁפֶּסַח הָיָה, יוֹם תְּנוּפַת הָעוֹמֶר, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (לקמן ז:יג) וְהִנֵּה צְלִיל לֶחֶם שְׂעוֹרִים מִתְהַפֵּךְ וְגוֹ׳: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Matzos containing flour.** We learn that it was Pesach, the day the Omer offering was waved.¹² This is why it is said,¹³ "Behold, a toasted barley bread was careening,¹⁴ etc." footnotes: ¹² On the second day of Pesach. (Vayikra, 23:11) ¹³ Below, 7:13. ¹⁴ “… into the camp of Midyon. It reached the tent and struck it down.” This was in the merit of the Omer offering (Rashi, there, Yalkut, 62), which was made of barley. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:19:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:19:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:19:2) **וְהַמָּרָק.** וְהָרוֹטֶב: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Soup.** Broth. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:22:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:22:1) **אֲהָהּ.** לְשׁוֹן דְּאָגָה, כְּלוֹמַר מַה תְּהֵא עָלַי: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Aahha.** This denotes apprehension, as if to say, "What will become of me?" ###### Rashi on Judges 6:22:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:22:2) **כִּי עַל כֵּן רָאִיתִי.** כִּי עַל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי מַלְאַךְ ה׳, לְכָךְ אֲנִי דּוֹאֵג וְצוֹעֵק ׳אֲהָהּ׳: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **This, because I have seen.** Because I have seen an angel of Adonoy—this is why I am apprehensive and exclaim "Aahha!" ###### Rashi on Judges 6:24:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:24:1) **וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ.** גִּדְעוֹן לַמִּזְבֵּחַ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Entitled it.** Gidon named the altar.¹⁵ footnotes: ¹⁵ The reading is, “[He] entitled it, ‘Adonoy is peace,’” not “Adonoy entitled it, ‘Peace.’”. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:24:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:24:2) **ה׳ שָׁלוֹם.** ה׳ הוּא שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Adonoy is peace.** Adonoy is our peace. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:25:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:25:1) **פַּר הַשּׁוֹר.** פַּר הַבָּחוּר, שֶׁהַשּׁוֹר בֶּן יוֹמוֹ קָרוּי שׁוֹר: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Bullock [lit. bull ox].** The young bull, as even a day old ox is called an "ox".¹⁶ footnotes: ¹⁶ The inference of “Bull ox” is a bull that qualifies as an ox. Since even a day old bull qualifies, the reference is to a young bull. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:25:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:25:2) **וּפַר הַשֵּׁנִי.** (תרגום:) וְתוֹרָא תִּנְיָנָא: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **A second bull.**וְתוֹרָא תִּנְיׇנׇא, "A second bull".¹⁷ footnotes: ¹⁷ This is Targum Yonasan’s rendition. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:25:3 [Rashi on Judges 6:25:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:25:3) **שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים.** (תרגום:) דְּאִיתְפַּטַּם שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. שְׁמוֹנָה דְבָרִים הוּתְרוּ אוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה: מוּקְצֶה, אֲשֵׁרָה, וְלַיְלָה, וּבָמָה וְכוּ׳, כִּדְאִיתָא בִּתְמוּרָה (כח ב): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Seven year.** Which had been fattened for seven years to be brought as an idolatrous sacrifice. Eight prohibitions were suspended¹⁸ sacrifices were now used. 3. The wood of the *Asheirah* tree was used as fuel. 4. The offering was brought at night. 5. It was brought on a personal altar outside the Mishkon at Shiloh. 6. The second bull had been actually worshipped as a deity. 7. Gidon was not a Kohein. 8. He did not use the required sacred utensils. that night; 'designated', *'asheirah',* 'night', 'altar', etc., as enumerated in Temurah.¹⁹ footnotes: ¹⁸ 1. The second bull, which had been designated as an idolatrous sacrifice, was now brought as an offering. 2. Utensils used previously for the Asheirah ¹⁹ 29:a. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:26:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:26:1) **רֹאשׁ הַמָּעוֹז.** רֹאשׁ הַסֶּלַע: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Top of the bulwark.** Top of the rock. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:31:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:31:1) **הַאַתֶּם תְּרִיבוּן לַבַּעַל.** בִּשְׁבִיל הַבַּעַל: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **You want to fight for [lit. "to"] the baal?** For the sake of the baal. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:31:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:31:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:31:2) **תּוֹשִׁיעוּן אוֹתוֹ.** תִּנְקְמוּ נִקְמָתוֹ, וְכֵן (שמואל א כה:לג): וְהֹשֵׁעַ יָדִי לִי, דְּדָוִד בְּנָבָל: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **To avenge [lit. rescue] him.** To exact vengeance for him.²⁰ Similarly, "by my own hand exacting my vengeance,"²¹ by David concerning Novol. footnotes: ²⁰ The literal translation of תּוֹשִׁיעוּן, “to rescue,” does not apply, since the idol was no longer endangered. The alternate interpretation, “to avenge,” is correct here. ²¹ Shmuel 1, 25:33. הוֹשִׁיעָה is interpreted as “avenge.” ###### Rashi on Judges 6:31:3 [Rashi on Judges 6:31:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:31:3) **אֲשֶׁר יָרִיב לוֹ.** בִּשְׁבִילוֹ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Whoever fights for [lit. "to"] him.** For his sake. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:31:4 [Rashi on Judges 6:31:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:31:4) **עַד הַבֹּקֶר.** עַד הַבֹּקֶר הַמְתִּינוּ: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Wait until morning.** Until morning, wait. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:31:5 [Rashi on Judges 6:31:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:31:5) **אִם אֱלֹהִים הוּא.** יָרִיב הוּא לְעַצְמוֹ רִיבוֹ וְנִקְמָתוֹ, וּכְדֵי לִדְחוֹתָם עַד שֶׁיִּבְרַח גִּדְעוֹן הָיָה אוֹמֵר כֵּן: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **If he is a god** let him fight his own battle and exact his own vengeance. To rebuff them until Gidon could escape, he said this. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:32:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:32:1) **יָרֶב בּוֹ.** בְּגִדְעוֹן אֵצֶל רִיב נוֹפֵל עִם, אוֹ אֶת, אוֹ בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ (בראשית לא:לו): וַיָּרֶב בְּלָבָן, אֲבָל ׳לוֹ׳ אֵינוֹ נוֹפֵל עַל הַלָּשׁוֹן, וְכָל ׳לוֹ׳ הַכְּתוּבִים כָּאן ׳בִּשְׁבִיל׳ הֵם: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Fight against him.** Against Gidon. In relation to רַיב, "fight", the proper term is עִם, or אֶת, or בּוֹ, "with" [him], as in "he fought with Lavan".²² However, לוֹ, lit. "to", is not the proper term. Every לוֹ mentioned here is interpreted as "for his sake." footnotes: ²² Bereishis, 31:36. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:34:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:34:1) **רוּחַ ה׳.** רוּחַ גְּבוּרָה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **The Divine spirit.** The spirit of valor. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:34:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:34:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:34:2) **וַיִּזָּעֵק אֲבִיעֶזֶר.** כָּל הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **Aviezer gathered.** The entire clan. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:38:1 [Rashi on Judges 6:38:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:38:1) **וַיְהִי כֵן.** שֶׁהָיָה טַל עַל הַגִּזָּה לְבַדָּהּ יוֹתֵר מִבִּשְׁאָר מְקוֹמוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר (פסוק לז): מְלֹא הַסֵּפֶל מַיִם, אֲבָל ׳עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ חֹרֶב׳ לֹא נִתְקַיֵּם, שֶׁהַבְּרִית כְּרוּתָה לַטַּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ נֶעְצָר (תענית ג א): **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **That is what occurred.** The dew condensed on the fleece alone more than everywhere else, as it is said, "a full bowl of water." However, "while all of the ground is dry" did not materialize, as a Divine covenant assures perpetual dew fall. ###### Rashi on Judges 6:38:2 [Rashi on Judges 6:38:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Judges/r/6:38:2) **וַיָּזַר.** לְשׁוֹן מְכַבֵּשׁ, וְכֵן (ישעיהו א:ו): לֹא זֹרוּ וְלֹא חֻבָּשׁוּ, לֹא נֶחְבְּשׁוּ לְהוֹצִיא הַלֵּחָה: **The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J:** **He squeezed.** The word connotes pressure. Similarly, "They were neither pressed nor bandaged."²³ They were not strapped in bandages to draw out the discharge. footnotes: ²³ Yeshaya, 1:6.