Torah Community Connections

Week 80 - Thursday - 7 June 2001

SOTAH: CHAPTER 5: MISHNAH 4

On that day, R. Akiva expounded: "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song unto the Lord and they spoke, saying" (Ex. 15:1). There was no need to state "saying"; what is meant by "saying"? It teaches that Israel responded to Moses after each phrase, as when they recite Hallel; hence it states "saying." R. Nehemiah says, As when they recite the Shema, and not as when they recite the Hallel.

Kehati

On that day, R. Akiva expounded: "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song unto the Lord and they spoke, saying"; There was no need - for Scripture - to state "saying"; which seems superfluous here, since throughout the Torah it implies: to convey to others, i.e., the Lord spoke to Moses to say these words to Israel, but here this does not apply; what is meant by "saying"? - What lesson does this expression teach us? Rabbi Akiva comments thus:

It teaches that Israel responded to Moses after each phrase, as when they recite Hallel - the Gemara cites the following baraita: "On that day, R. Akiva expounded: When the children of Israel came out of the sea, they desired to recite a song; and how did they recite the song? Like an adult who publicly recites the Hallel, while they respond with the refrains: Moses said: "I will sing unto the Lord," and they responded: "I will sing unto the Lord"; Moses said: "For He is highly exalted," and they responded: "I will sing unto the Lord." This mode of reciting the Hallel continued during the time of the early Sages: After the adult who reads the Hallel on behalf of the congregation recited the blessing, in order to discharge their obligation, he would open with "Halleluyah," and all would respond "Halleluyah"; he would then say, "Praise, 0 you servants of the Lord," and all would respond "Halleluyah"; he would then say, "Praise the Name of the Lord," and all would respond "Halleluyah," and so on until the end of the section. When the reader reached the beginning of the second section, they would repeat the initial phrase, and afterwards respond with "Halleluyah." Thus, when he said, "When Israel came forth out of Egypt," all would repeat "When Israel came forth out of Egypt"; the reader would then say "The house of Jacob from a people of strange language," and all would respond "Halleluyah" (Rambam, Hil. Hanukkah 3:12-14).

Others explain that for each section, from beginning to end, they would respond with the initial phrase of that section (Tosafot), hence it states "saying" - to teach that after each pronouncement made by Moses, Israel would respond with "I will sing unto the Lord," as explained above. Some authorities maintain that the Song at the Sea is likewise divided into sections (Hiddushei Aggadot Maharsha) wherein they responded with the initial phrase of each section.

R. Nehemiah says, As when they recite the Shema - a baraita in the Gemara explains: like a schoolteacher who reads out the Shema in the synagogue, where he begins first and they respond after him. Rashi explains: Like a teacher of young children, who frequents the synagogue, and leads the Shema for the congregation, i.e., he begins with the blessing before the recitation of the Shema, and they respond, reading in unison; thus Divinely inspired, they would identify with the entire content of the Song. Thus, "and spoke, saying," denotes that they recited the entire Song in unison after Moses had begun it (see Tosafot's reference to an alternative interpretation in the Tosefta), and not as when they recite the Hallel - unlike an adult who reads the Hallel, nor even like a minor who does so; we find a third view in a baraita cited by the Gemara whereby they recited the Song at the Sea as a minor who reads the Hallel. Accordingly, the Congregation repeats the text, verse by verse, Moses saying, "I will sing unto the Lord," and Israel reiterating, "I will sing unto the Lord"; Moses - "for He is highly exalted," Israel - "for He is highly exalted," etc. Hence, R. Nehemiah's statement: "and not as when they recite the Hallel" - i.e., the song at the Sea in no way resembled the recital of the Hallel.

SOTAH: CHAPTER 5: MISHNAH 5

On that day, R. Yehoshua b. Hyrkanus expounded: Job served the Holy One, Blessed be He, solely out of love, as it is said (Job 13:15): Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him." But the matter remains doubtful: I will trust in Him or I will not trust in Him? We learn from another verse (ibid. 27:5): "Until I die I will not remove my integrity from me," which teaches that he acted out of love. R. Yehoshua said, Who will remove the dust from your eyes, Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai! For you expounded all your life that Job served the Omnipresent solely out of fear, as it is said (ibid. 1:8): "A whole-hearted and an upright man, one who fears God, and shuns evil"; and has not Yehoshua, your disciple's disciple, taught that he acted out of love?

Kehati

On that day, R. Yehoshua b. Hyrkanus expounded: Job served the Holy One, Blessed be He, solely out of love - because he adored God, as it is said: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him" - hen yikteleni is interpreted: Even should he kill me, I shall not cease to believe in Him. But the matter remains doubtful - an open question whether lo ayahel means I will trust in Him - where lo written with a vav denotes "for Him," or I will not trust in Him - if lo were written with an aleph, the verse would mean: since He slays me, I will not longer trust in Him. In the extant Hebrew text lo is written with an aleph, whereas the Massoretic reading is with a vav.

We learn from another verse: "Until I die I will not remove my integrity from me," which teaches that he acted out of love - this verse reveals that Job served the Lord from love rather than fear of punishment. R. Yehoshua said, Who will remove the dust from your eyes, Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai! - Would that you were still alive! For you expounded all your life that Job served the Omnipresent solely out of fear - terrified by the prospect of Divine punishment (Rashi), as it is said: "A wholehearted and an upright man, one who fears God, and shuns evil" - which thus confirms that he was but God-fearing and not God-loving. And has not Yehoshua, your disciple's disciple, taught that he acted out of love? - The Gemara cites the following baraita: "R. Meir says, God-fearing is stated concerning both Job and Abraham. Just as Abraham's fear of God flowed from love, as it is said (Isa. 41:8): "The seed of Abraham who loves Me," so, too, Job's fear of God emanated from love.

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