Pisqa’ 38¹⁶

1. “It is not like the land of Egypt” (Dt. 11:10). The land of Egypt drinks from what is *low,*¹⁷ but the Land of Israel drinks from what is high.¹⁸ When, [during the summer floods,] the land of Egypt drinks from what is low, it does not drink from what is high, [for the rains are scarce]. But the Land of Israel drinks [in all seasons] from what is low and what is high. When, [during the summer floods,] the land of Egypt drinks from what is low, it afterward drinks from what is high. But the Land of Israel drinks [in all seasons] from what is low and from what is high alike.

footnotes: ¹⁶ H:69-73;JV1:107-111. ¹⁷ I.e., the Nile waters. ¹⁸ The rains

When, [during the summer floods,] the land of Egypt drinks from what is exposed [in the Nile], it does not drink from what is not exposed [in the rains].

But the Land of Israel drinks [in all seasons] from what is exposed [in its rivers] and from what is not exposed [in its rains]. [During the summer floods,] the land of Egypt drinks, and only afterwards can it be sown. But the Land of Israel drinks [from its rivers] and can be sown at any time. Or it can be sown, and [after the rains] drinks; or it drinks any time, and can be sown any time.

The land of Egypt yields its fruit if you work it with a mattock or a shovel, and lose your sleep over it. And if not, there is no yield. But the Land of Israel is not like this. Rather, they sleep in their beds, and the All-Present brings the rains for them!2. There is an analogy— a king was walking on his way and he saw a certain well-born person. So he handed over to him one slave to serve him. Another time, he saw another well-born person, who was pampered and spoiled, but engaged in the king’s business. Moreover, the king knew him and his ancestors . He said: I decree that I shall feed him with my own hands! Thus, all lands have received servants to attend them— Egypt drinks from the Nile, while Babylonia drinks from canals— but the situation is different for Israel! Rather, they sleep in their beds, and the All-Present brings the rains to them. Now, this teaches you that the behavior of flesh and blood is not comparable to the behavior of the All-Present. A person of flesh and blood acquires for himself servants who feed and care for him. But the One Who spoke the world into being acquires servants so that He may feed and care for them!

3. One time, R. Eliezer, R. Joshua, and R. Zadok were reclining at the wedding feast of Rabban Gamliel’s son. Rabban Gamliel mixed the cup of wine for R. Eliezer. He refused to take it. R. Joshua took it. Said to him R. Eliezer: What’s this, Joshua? We should recline while Gamliel, our Master, stands and serves us? Replied R. Joshua: Let him serve! Abraham, the world’s great one, served the angelic messengers, thinking they were Arabian servants of foreign cults, for it is said: “And he lifted his eyes and saw three men” (Gn. 18:2). Now, doesn’t it follow logically? Just as Abraham, the world’s great one, served the angelic messengers, thinking they were Arabian servants of foreign cults— shall Gamliel, our Master, not serve us? Said to them R. Zadok: You’ve both neglected the honor due the All-Present in order to honor flesh and blood! If the One Who spoke the world into being— Who causes the winds to blow, raises up clouds and brings down the rains, and causes vegetation to sprout— sets a table for each and every being, shall Gamliel, our Master, not serve us?

4. [Regarding the superiority of the Land of Israel (Pisqa’ 38.1),] you might wonder: does the verse (Dt. 11:10) come to teach only this? Perhaps Scripture compares Egypt— as the trash-heap of nations— to the Land of Israel? But the Teaching states: “Like the Garden (gan) of HASHEM, like the land of Egypt” (Gn. 13:10). [The Jordan plain was] “like the Garden of HASHEM” regarding its trees and “like the land of Egypt” regarding its seeds— [thus, Egypt compares favorably to the Land of Israel].

Or, perhaps, the comparison is only with what is indecent (megunah) in Egypt?¹⁹ and megunah have no etymological connection, their assonance sustains the exegesis. The Teaching states: “The land of Egypt within which you settled” (yeshavtem; Lv. 18:3)— that is, Goshen, the place you settled (yeshavtem), [is distinct from the rest of Egypt,] for it is said: “In the best part of the land” (Gn. 47:6). Or, perhaps, the comparison is only with the hour of Egypt’s shame (ganutah)? The Teaching states: “The land of Egypt, from which you departed” (Dt. 11:10)— when you were there it was blessed on your behalf. But not now! For there is no blessing upon it, as when you were there.

footnotes: ¹⁹ While gan

5. And so you find: Wherever the Righteous go, blessing follows in their footsteps.²⁰ Isaac descended to Gerar and blessing followed in his footsteps,

**“And Isaac sowed . . . and reaped a hundred-fold” (Gn. 26:12).**²¹ Jacob descended to Laban and blessing followed in his footsteps,

“HASHEM has blessed me on account of you” (Gn. 30:27);²² Joseph descended to Potiphar and blessing followed in his footsteps,

“And HASHEM blessed . . . on account of Joseph” (Gn. 39:5). Jacob descended to Pharaoh and blessing followed in his footsteps,

“And Jacob blessed Pharaoh” (Gn. 47:10). How did he bless him? He prevented the years of famine from affecting him,

“And now, do not fear! I will supply your needs” (Gn. 50:21). Just as in the supplying stated elsewhere (Gn. 45:11), Scripture speaks of years of famine [survived by Joseph’s family in Goshen], so too, in the supplying stated here Scripture speaks of years of famine **[survived in Goshen].**²³

footnotes: ²⁰ // T. Sotah 10:1. ²¹ // T. Sotah 10:6 ²² Cf. T.Sotah 10:6 ²³ Cf. T. Sotah 10:7-8

6. R. Shimon b. Yohai says: there is no sanctification of the Name if the words of the Righteous are fulfilled during their lives, but are nullified upon their death! Said R. Elazar b. Shimon: I prefer the words of R. Yose to the words of my father.

when Father Jacob died, the famine returned to its former intensity,

“And now, do not fear! I will supply your needs” (Gn. 50:21).²⁴ For this is the true sanctification of the divine Name— that as long as the Righteous are in the world, blessing is in the world; but when the Righteous vanish from the world, blessing vanishes from the world.7. And so do you find regarding the Chest²⁵ often renderd as “Ark.” of God, that it descended to the house of Oved-’Edom of Gath, and he was blessed for its sake. For it is said: “HASHEM has blessed the house of Oved-’Edom . . . on account of the Chest of God” (2 Sam. 6:12). Now doesn’t it follow logically? For just as the Chest— which was not made for the sake of profit or loss, but only for the sake of the shards of the Tablets within it— brought blessings upon `Oved-’Edom, the same should logically apply to the Righteous, for whom the world was created!

footnotes: ²⁴ //T. Sotah 10:9. ²⁵ Heb: ‘aron;

8. Our ancestors came to the Land and blessing followed in their footsteps, for it is said: “And houses filled with every good thing, which you did not fill” (Dt. 6:11). R. Shimon b. Yohai says: Now isn’t it obvious that you didn’t fill them— because you’ve just now reached the Land! “And hewn cisterns which you did not dig” (Dt. 6:11)— isn’t it obvious that you didn’t dig them, because you’ve just now reached the Land! “Vineyards and olive orchards which you did not plant” (Dt. 6:11)— isn’t it obvious that you didn’t plant them, because you’ve just now reached the Land! So what does the Teaching mean by “filled,” “dug”, and “planted”? It is your [unearned] merits which caused this [but not your deeds]!9. And so you find: During the forty years that Israel was in the wasteland, the [Canaanite] residents of the Land were building houses, and digging wells, cisterns, and caves, planting fields, vineyards, and every kind of fruit tree, so that our ancestors would enter the Land and find it filled with blessing. Perhaps, since they received upon themselves such blessing, it is possible that they did eat and were satisfied? The Teaching states: “And you shall eat and be satisfied” (Dt. 6:11).— this means that Israel will eat and be satisfied, but that they [the Canaanites] will withhold food from their wives, sons, and daughters, so that our ancestors would enter the Land and find it filled with blessing.10. Regarding the verse we have studied: “The land of Egypt, from which you departed” (Dt. 11:10)— while you were there, it was blessed on your behalf. But not now! For there is no blessing upon it, as there was when you were there.

You might claim: Does the verse come to teach only this? Perhaps Scripture compares this entry [into the Land of Israel] with that entry [into the land of Egypt]? You dwelled upon the land of Egypt for a fixed term of years, Sabbaticals, and Jubilees. Is it possible to say that the same fixed term applies to your tenure in the Land of Canaan? The Teaching states: “To inherit it” (Dt. 11:10)— you are coming to inherit it, not merely to be on it for a fixed measure of years, Sabbaticals, and Jubilees. Nevertheless, mark the [key] differences between this entry [into the land of Egypt] and that entry [into the Land of Israel]! The entry to the land of Egypt was optional, while the entry to the Land of Israel was obligatory; Israel stayed in the land of Egypt, whether they performed the will of the All-Present or whether they did not perform the will of the All-Present. So much for the land of Egypt! But not so the Land of Israel! For if you perform the will of the All-Present, indeed, you are entitled to the Land of Canaan, but if not, you will be exiled from it. And so He says: “So that the Land does not vomit you out . . .when you pollute it” (Lv. 18:28).²⁶

footnotes: ²⁶ Cf. H:409. n.23.