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Shelishi
- Hashem carried him over the high mountains and fed him the produce of the earth, nursing him with honey and oil from the rocks. Cattle and flock, milk, meat of various animals, and the blood of grapes were given to them.
- Jewish rebelliousness: The Jewish people became fattened and rebelled and deserted Hashem. They provoked Him with abominations, slaughtering to demons and foreign entities. You ignored the Rock who gave birth to you and the G-d who brought you out.
Parsha Bee – Devarim 32:13–18 (Rashi)
- What does “He made them ride upon the high places of the earth” refer to?
Answer: The Land of Israel. - Why is Eretz Yisrael called the “high places of the earth”?
Answer: Because it is higher than all other lands. - What are “the produce of the field”?
Answer: The fruits of Eretz Yisrael, which ripen quickly. - What miracle story does Rashi bring to explain “honey from a rock”?
Answer: A barrel thought to contain figs overflowed with honey. - Where did this story occur?
Answer: In Sichni. - What does “oil from the mighty part of the crag” refer to?
Answer: The famous olives of Giscala. - What does חַלְמִישׁ mean?
Answer: A hard, strong rock. - What does בָּמֳתֵי mean?
Answer: Heights. - What does שָׂדָי mean?
Answer: Field. - What time period is described by “the cream of cattle and the milk of sheep”?
Answer: The days of King Solomon. - Which verse does Rashi quote about Solomon’s abundance?
Answer: The verse describing Solomon’s daily provisions. - What does “the fat of lambs” refer to?
Answer: The prosperity of the Ten Tribes. - Which prophet’s words does Rashi quote regarding lambs?
Answer: Amos. - What does “fat kidneys of wheat” mean?
Answer: Wheat whose kernels were large and rich. - What era does “fat kidneys of wheat” describe?
Answer: The days of Solomon. - What does “the blood of grapes” refer to?
Answer: Excellent wine. - What does חָמֶר mean here?
Answer: Fine, strong wine. - What language uses חָמֶר as the word for wine?
Answer: Aramaic. - What is חֶמְאַת בָּקָר?
Answer: Cream taken from milk. - What does חִלֵב צֹאן mean here?
Answer: The milk of sheep. - What are כָּרִים?
Answer: Lambs. - What are אֵילִים?
Answer: Rams. - Why are the rams of Bashan mentioned?
Answer: Because they were exceptionally fat. - What happened when Jeshurun became prosperous?
Answer: He rebelled. - Who is Jeshurun?
Answer: The Jewish people. - What does עָבִיתָ mean?
Answer: You became thick or fat. - What does כָּשִׂיתָ mean?
Answer: You became covered with folds of fat. - What caused Israel’s rebellion according to these verses?
Answer: Excessive prosperity and comfort. - What did Israel do after becoming prosperous?
Answer: They abandoned Hashem. - What does “spurned the Rock of their salvation” mean?
Answer: They despised and disgraced Hashem. - What example does Rashi give of such disrespect?
Answer: People turning their backs toward the Beit HaMikdash. - What does יַקְנִאֻהוּ mean?
Answer: They aroused Hashem’s jealousy and anger. - How did they provoke Hashem?
Answer: Through foreign worship. - What are the “abominations” mentioned in verse 16?
Answer: Practices such as sorcery and immoral behavior. - To whom did they sacrifice according to verse 17?
Answer: Demons. - What does לֹא אֱלוֹהַּ mean?
Answer: Gods that have no real power. - Why does the worship of powerless gods increase Hashem’s jealousy?
Answer: Because the idols are completely worthless. - What does “new things that only recently came” mean?
Answer: New idols unknown even to the nations. - What would gentiles say when seeing these idols?
Answer: “This is a Jewish idol.” - What does לֹא שְׂעָרוּם mean?
Answer: Your forefathers did not fear these idols. - How is fear connected to hair in Rashi’s explanation?
Answer: Hair stands on end when a person is frightened. - What is Rashi’s second explanation of שְׂעָרוּם?
Answer: It is related to demons (שְׂעִירִים). - What does תֶּשִׁי mean in the simple sense?
Answer: You forgot. - What is Rashi’s homiletic explanation of תֶּשִׁי?
Answer: You weakened Hashem’s ability to bestow good, as it were. - Who is called “the Rock who bore you”?
Answer: Hashem. - What does מְחֹלְלֶךָ mean?
Answer: The One who brought you forth. - To what is מְחֹלְלֶךָ compared?
Answer: A mother bringing a child into the world. - What Psalm does Rashi quote to support this meaning?
Answer: “The voice of Hashem makes the hinds give birth.” - What is the overall pattern described in verses 13–18?
Answer: Hashem blesses Israel abundantly, Israel becomes prosperous, and then forgets Hashem. - What is the central warning of this section?
Answer: Prosperity can lead to spiritual complacency and rebellion if gratitude to Hashem is forgotten.
Bonus: What nickname for Israel is used when describing their prosperity and later rebellion?
Answer: Jeshurun.