Pt2 Public Covenant and Collective Responsibility: The Ceremony of Blessings and Curses at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal in Deuteronomy 27 (Sotah 37a-b)

R’ Shimon b. Yehuda of Kefar Akko citing R’ Shimon - Every mitzva had 48 covenants multiplied by 603,550 Israelites (since each Jew became guarantor for the others)

רבי שמעון בן יהודה איש כפר עכו אמר, משום רבי שמעון:

אין לך מצוה ומצוה שכתובה בתורה שלא נכרתו עליה ארבעים ושמנה בריתות של שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים.

R’ Shimon ben Yehuda Ish Kefar Akko said in the name of R’ Shimon:

There is no mitzva written in the Torah for which 48 covenants¹ were not established 603,550 times²

R’ Yehuda HaNasi - According to R’ Shimon b. Yehuda citing R’ Shimon, each individual Israelite had 603,550 covenantal responsibilities

אמר רבי:

לדברי רבי שמעון בן יהודה איש כפר עכו שאמר משום רבי שמעון --

אין לך כל מצוה ומצוה שבתורה שלא נכרתו עליה ארבעים ושמנה בריתות של שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים.

נמצא לכל אחד ואחד מישראל שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים.

[...]

R’ Yehuda HaNasi says:

According to the statement of R’ Shimon ben Yehuda Ish Kefar Akko, who spoke in the name of R’ Shimon --

there is no mitzva in the Torah for which 48 covenants were not established 603,550 times;

it follows that for every one of the Jewish people there were 603,550 covenants.

[...]

R’ Yehuda b. Naḥmani, interpreter of R’ Shimon b. Lakish - The whole blessings-and-curses passage concerns adultery: even idolatry is interpreted as resulting from forbidden relations that produce a child alienated from Israel - Deuteronomy 27:15

דרש רבי יהודה בן נחמני, מתורגמניה דרבי שמעון בן לקיש:

כל הפרשה כולה לא נאמרה אלא בנואף ונואפת,

§ R’ Yehuda ben Naḥmani, the disseminator of R’ Shimon ben Lakish, taught:

The entire passage of the blessings and curses is stated only in reference to an adulterer (נואף) and adulteress.

״ארור האיש אשר יעשה פסל ומסכה וגו׳״,

ב״ארור״ סגי ליה?

This is proved from the verse: “Cursed is the man who makes a graven or molten image” (Deuteronomy 27:15).

Is a curse a sufficient consequence for the actions of an idol worshipper?

He has rebelled against the fundamental tenet of the Torah.

אלא:

זה הבא על הערוה

והוליד בן,

והלך לבין אומות העולם

ועבד עבודה זרה.

ארורין אביו ואמו של זה שכך גרמו לו.

Rather,

this is referring to one who had sex with a forbidden relative (ערוה)

and bore her a mamzer son.

And the son, who is not allowed to marry a Jew of unflawed lineage, went to live among the other non-Jewish nations

and engaged in idol worship.

His father and mother are cursed for causing him to worship idols.

Likewise, the rest of the curses refer to sins that are the result of adultery.

Baraita - The verse requiring blessing on Gerizim and curse on Ebal teaches that each blessing precedes its paired curse, not that all blessings precede all curses - Deuteronomy 11:29, 27:12–13

תנו רבנן:

״ונתת את הברכה על הר גרזים

ואת הקללה וגו׳״,

מה תלמוד לומר?

אם ללמד שתהא ברכה על הר גרזים וקללה על הר עיבל,

הרי כבר נאמר ״אלה יעמדו לברך את העם על הר גרזים״,

וכתיב ״ואלה יעמדו על הקללה בהר עיבל״!

אלא להקדים ברכה לקללה.

A baraita states:

“And you shall give the blessing on Mount Gerizim

and the curse on Mount Ebal” (Deuteronomy 11:29).

Why must the verse state this?

If it is to teach that the blessing must be given on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal,

it is already stated: “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people” (Deuteronomy 27:12),

and it is written: “And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse” (Deuteronomy 27:13).

Rather, the verse teaches that the proclamation of the blessing must precede the curse.

יכול יהיו כל הברכות קודמות לקללות,

תלמוד לומר:

״ברכה״ ו״קללה״ —

• ברכה אחת

  • קודמת לקללה,

• ואין כל הברכות

  • קודמות לקללות.

One might have thought that all of the blessings should precede the curses.

Therefore, the verse states

“blessing” and “curse” in the singular, to teach that

• one blessing

  • precedes each curse,

• But not all of the blessings

  • precede the curses.

The blessings and curses were recited alternately, first one blessing and then one curse.

Blessing is compared to curse - List of 5 similarities: both are said by Levites, aloud, in Hebrew, in general and specific form, and answered “Amen” by both groups

(See footnote.)³

ולהקיש ברכה לקללה,

לומר לך:

1. 1. מה קללה בלוים,

   2. אף ברכה בלוים.

2. 1. ומה קללה בקול רם,

   2. אף ברכה בקול רם.

3. 1. ומה קללה בלשון הקודש,

   2. אף ברכה בלשון הקודש.

4. 1. ומה קללה בכלל ופרט,

   2. אף ברכה בכלל ופרט.

5. 1. ומה קללה — אלו ואלו עונין ואומרים ״אמן״,

   2. אף ברכה — אלו ואלו עונין ואומרים ״אמן״.

And furthermore, the verse comes to juxtapose the blessing with the curse,

to say to you that

1. 1. just as the curse is recited by the Levites,

   2. so too, the blessing is uttered by the Levites;

2. 1. and just as the curse is proclaimed loudly (קול רם),

   2. so too, the blessing is proclaimed loudly;

3. 1. and just as the curse is proclaimed in the sacred tongue, Hebrew,

   2. so too, the blessing is proclaimed in the sacred tongue;

4. 1. and just as the curse is proclaimed both in general and in detail,

   2. so too, the blessing is proclaimed in general and in detail.

5. 1. And just as after the curse is uttered, both groups of people on each mountain respond and say Amen,

   2. so too, after the blessing is uttered, both groups respond and say Amen.

Appendix - Who Entered the Red Sea First? Judah, Benjamin, and the Rewards of Temple and Kingship (Sotah 36b-37a)

Sotah.36b.23-37a.6

This sugya gives two tannaitic accounts of the tribes at the Red Sea (right before the sea split, at the time of Exodus). According to R. Meir, the tribes competed for the honor of entering first. Benjamin jumped into the sea, and Judah’s princes pelted them for taking precedence. Benjamin was rewarded by becoming the territory of the Temple, “host” to the Shekhina.

R. Yehuda gives a different account. The tribes hesitated to enter the sea, until Nahshon son of Amminadab of Judah jumped in first. Psalms 69 is read as his prayer while the waters rose around him. At that moment, Moses was praying, and God told him that action was required: “Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward.”

The passage concludes that Judah’s courage at the sea explains its later kingship. Psalms 114 is read as linking Judah’s sanctification of God with the sea’s retreat: “Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion; the sea saw and fled.”

R’ Meir - At the Red Sea, the tribes competed to enter

יהודה מאי היא?

דתניא,

היה רבי מאיר אומר:

כשעמדו ישראל על הים --

היו שבטים מנצחים זה עם זה,

• זה אומר:

  • אני יורד תחלה לים,

• וזה אומר:

  • אני יורד תחלה לים,

§ What was the incident where Judah sanctified God’s name in public?

As it is taught in a baraita that R’ Meir would say:

When the Jewish people stood at the Red Sea --

the tribes were arguing⁴ with one other.

• This one was saying:

  • I am going into the sea first,

• and that one was saying:

  • I am going into the sea first.

Benjamin jumped in first - Psalms 68:28

קפץ שבטו של בנימין וירד לים תחילה,

שנאמר:

״שם בנימין

צעיר

רדם״,

אל תקרי ״רדם״

אלא ״רד ים״.

Then, in jumped the tribe of Benjamin and descended into the sea first,

as it is stated:

“There is Benjamin,

the youngest,

ruling them [rodem]” (Psalms 68:28).

Do not read it as: “Ruling them [rodem]”;

Rather, read it as: “Descending [red] into the sea [yam]”

Judah’s princes pelted Benjamin

והיו שרי יהודה רוגמים אותם,

שנאמר:

״שרי יהודה

רגמתם״.

And the princes of the tribe of Judah were stoning them [rogmim otam] for plunging in first and not in the proper order,

as it is stated in the continuation of the verse:

“The princes of Judah,

their council [rigmatam]” (Psalms 68:28).

Benjamin was rewarded by “hosting God” (=the Temple) in its territory - Deuteronomy 33:12

לפיכך זכה בנימין הצדיק ונעשה אושפיזכן לגבורה,

שנאמר:

״ובין כתפיו שכן״.

Therefore,

Benjamin the righteous was privileged to serve as host (אושפיזכן) to the Shekhina of God, as the Temple was built in the territory of Benjamin,

as it is stated in Moses’ blessing for the tribe of Benjamin:

“The beloved of YHWH shall dwell in safety by Him; He covers him all the day, and He rests between his shoulders” (Deuteronomy 33:12).

R’ Yehuda - The tribes actually avoided entering first

אמר לו רבי יהודה:

לא כך היה מעשה,

אלא

• זה אומר:

  • אין אני יורד תחילה לים,

• וזה אומר:

  • אין אני יורד תחילה לים,

R’ Yehuda said to R’ Meir:

That is not how the incident took place.

Rather,

• this tribe said:

  • I am not going into the sea first,

• and that tribe said:

  • I am not going into the sea first.

Nahshon b. Amminadab of Judah jumped in first - Hosea 12:1

קפץ נחשון בן עמינדב וירד לים תחילה,

שנאמר:

״סבבני בכחש אפרים

ובמרמה בית ישראל

ויהודה עד רד עם אל״.

Then, in jumped the prince of Judah, Nahshon ben Amminadab, and descended into the sea first, accompanied by his entire tribe,

as it is stated:

“Ephraim surrounds Me with lies

and the house of Israel with deceit,

and Judah is yet wayward toward God [rad im El]” (Hosea 12:1),

which is interpreted homiletically as: And Judah descended [rad] with God [im El].

Psalms 69:2–3, 16

ועליו מפרש בקבלה:

״הושיעני אלהים

כי באו מים עד נפש ...

טבעתי ביון מצולה

ואין מעמד וגו׳״,

״אל תשטפני שבלת מים

ואל תבלעני מצולה וגו׳״.

And in this regard, the tradition, i.e., the Writings, explicates Nahshon’s prayer at that moment:

“Save me, God;

for the waters are come in even unto the soul.

I am sunk in deep mire,

where there is no standing…

let not the water flood overwhelm me,

neither let the deep swallow me up” (Psalms 69:2–3, 16).

Exodus 14:15–16

באותה שעה היה משה מאריך בתפלה,

אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא:

ידידיי טובעים בים

ואתה מאריך בתפלה לפני?!

At that time, Moses was prolonging his prayer.

God said to him:

My beloved ones are drowning in the sea

and you prolong your prayer to me?!

אמר לפניו:

רבונו של עולם!

ומה בידי לעשות?!

אמר לו:

״דבר אל בני ישראל ויסעו.

ואתה --

הרם את מטך ונטה את ידך וגו׳״.

Moses said before Him:

God!

but what can I do?!

God said to him:

“Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward.

And you --

lift up your rod and stretch out your hand” (Exodus 14:15–16).

Judah therefore merited kingship over Israel - Psalms 114:2–3

לפיכך,

זכה יהודה לעשות ממשלה בישראל,

שנאמר:

״היתה יהודה לקדשו ישראל ממשלותיו״,

מה טעם ״היתה יהודה לקדשו וישראל ממשלותיו״ ?

משום ד״הים ראה וינס״.

For this reason, because Nahshon and the tribe of Judah went into the sea first,

the tribe of Judah merited to govern (ממשלה) Israel,

as it is stated:

“Judah became His sanctuary,

Israel His dominion.

The sea saw it and fled” (Psalms 114:2–3).

The baraita interprets the verses in this manner: What is the reason that Judah became His sanctuary and Israel came under His dominion?

It is because “the sea saw it and fled.”

1. The “48 covenants” calculation was derived previously in the sugya, see Part 1, section “Baraita - Each mitzva involved general/specific blessing/curse (4), and obligations to learn, teach, keep, and perform (4), across Sinai, Gerizim/Ebal, and Moab (3), yielding 48 covenants per mitzva“.

2. Steinsaltz explains:

corresponding to the population of the Jewish people in the desert.

This is because each member of the Jewish people received the covenant both for himself and as a guarantor for the rest of the Jewish people.

On this population of the Jewish people in the desert, see “Large Numbers (≥100) in the Talmud: A Data Analysis“, especially section “Specific Number Patterns“, and my note there.

3. On the requirement that these blessings and curses be in Hebrew, see the Mishnah (cited in note in Part 1).

On the fact that they were both in “general and details”, see Part 1, section “Baraita - Each mitzva involved general/specific blessing/curse (4), and obligations to learn, teach, keep, and perform (4), across Sinai, Gerizim/Ebal, and Moab (3), yielding 48 covenants per mitzva“.

On the Levites in this ceremony, see the beginning of Part 1, as to exactly where they stood.

4. מנצחים - literally: “to conquer, be victorious, win, prevail over”.