Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 49:10/רמב"ן על בראשית מ״ט:י׳

אלֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה אֵין עִנְיָנוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָסוּר לְעוֹלָם, כִּי כָּתוּב: "יוֹלֵךְ ה' אֹתְךָ וְאֶת מַלְכְּךָ אֲשֶׁר תָּקִים עָלֶיךָ אֶל גּוֹי אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַעְתָּ אַתָּה וַאֲבֹתֶיךָ" (דברים כח לו), וְהִנֵּה הֵם וּמַלְכָּם בַּגּוֹלָה, אֵין לָהֶם עוֹד מֶלֶךְ וְשָׂרִים, וְיָמִים רַבִּים אֵין מֶלֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהַנָּבִיא לֹא יַבְטִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא יֵלְכוּ בַּשְּׁבִי בְּשׁוּם עִנְיָן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיִּמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם יְהוּדָה. אֲבָל עִנְיָנוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה אֶל אֶחָד מֵאֶחָיו, כִּי מַלְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמּוֹשֵׁל עֲלֵיהֶם מִמֶּנּוּ יִהְיֶה, וְלֹא יִמְשֹׁל אֶחָד מֵאֶחָיו עָלָיו. וְכֵן לֹא יָסוּר "מְחוֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו", שֶׁכָּל מְחוֹקֵק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ טַבַּעַת הַמֶּלֶךְ, מִמֶּנּוּ יִהְיֶה, כִּי הוּא יִמְשֹׁל וִיצַוֶּה בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלוֹ חוֹתַם הַמַּלְכוּת, עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת כָּל הָעַמִּים לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֻלָּם כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְזֶהוּ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, כִּי: "הַשֵּׁבֶט" יִרְמֹז לְדָוִד שֶׁהוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר לוֹ שֵׁבֶט מַלְכוּת, וְ"שִׁילֹה" הוּא בְּנוֹ אֲשֶׁר לוֹ יִקְּהַת הָעַמִּים. וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן מַאֲמַר רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שִׁילֹה דָּוִד, כִּי לֹא הָיָה לִיהוּדָה שֵׁבֶט קֹדֶם דָּוִד, כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשִּׁבְטוֹ נִכְבָּד וְנוֹסֵעַ בַּתְּחִלָּה, אֵין שֵׁבֶט רַק לְמֶלֶךְ וּמוֹשֵׁל, כְּדִכְתִיב: "שֵׁבֶט מִישֹׁר שֵׁבֶט מַלְכוּתֶךָ" (תהלים מה ז), "שֵׁבֶט מוֹשְׁלִים" (ישעיהו יד ה), "שֵׁבֶט לִמְשֹׁל" (יחזקאל יט יד). וְהַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה רָמַז, כִּי יַעֲקֹב הִמְלִיךְ שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה עַל אֶחָיו, וְהוֹרִישׁ לִיהוּדָה הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהוּא מָה שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד: "וַיִּבְחַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּי מִכֹּל בֵּית אָבִי לִהְיוֹת לְמֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם כִּי בִיהוּדָה בָּחַר לְנָגִיד וּבְבֵית יְהוּדָה בֵּית אָבִי וּבִבְנֵי אָבִי בִּי רָצָה לְהַמְלִיךְ עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל" (דברי הימים א כח ד). וְאָמַר "לֹא יָסוּר" לִרְמֹז, כִּי יִמְלֹךְ שֵׁבֶט אַחֵר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל מֵעֵת שֶׁיָּחֵל לִהְיוֹת לִיהוּדָה שֵׁבֶט מַלְכוּת, לֹא יָסוּר מִמֶּנּוּ אֶל שֵׁבֶט אַחֵר, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נָתַן מַמְלָכָה לְדָוִד עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם לוֹ וּלְבָנָיו" (דברי הימים ב יג ה). וְעִנְיַן שָׁאוּל הָיָה, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁדְּבַר שְׁאֵלַת הַמַּלְכוּת בָּעֵת הַהִיא נִתְעָב אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לֹא רָצָה לְהַמְלִיךְ עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הַשֵּׁבֶט אֲשֶׁר לוֹ הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלֹּא יָסוּר מִמֶּנּוּ לְעוֹלָמִים, וְנָתַן לָהֶם מַלְכוּת שָׁעָה, וְלָזֶה רָמַז הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאָמַר: "אֶתֶּן לְךָ מֶלֶךְ בְּאַפִּי וְאֶקַּח בְּעֶבְרָתִי" (הושע יג יא), שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְלָכֵן לְקָחוֹ בְּעֶבְרָתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג הוּא וּבָנָיו וְנִפְסְקָה מִמֶּנּוּ הַמַּלְכוּת. וְהָיָה כָּל זֶה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה שְׁמוּאֵל שׁוֹפֵט וְנָבִיא וְלוֹחֵם מִלְחֲמוֹתֵיהֶם עַל פִּי ה' וּמוֹשִׁיעַ אוֹתָם, וְלֹא הָיָה לָהֶם לִשְׁאֹל מֶלֶךְ בְּיָמָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם: "וַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מַלְכְּכֶם" (שמואל א יב יב). וְהקב"ה אָמַר לוֹ: "לֹא אֹתְךָ מָאָסוּ כִּי אֹתִי מָאֲסוּ מִמְּלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם" (שמואל א ח ז), וּלְפִיכָךְ לֹא נָתַן לָהֶם מַלְכוּת שֶׁל קַיָּמָא. וּמָה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: "נִסְכָּלְתָּ לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת מִצְוַת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּךְ כִּי עַתָּה הֵכִין ה' אֶת מַמְלַכְתְּךָ אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד עוֹלָם" (שמואל א יג יג), שֶׁאִם לֹא חָטָא, הָיָה לְזַרְעוֹ מַלְכוּת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא עַל כֻּלָּם, וְזֶה טַעַם "אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל"; אוּלַי הָיָה מוֹלֵךְ עַל שִׁבְטֵי אִמּוֹ, עַל בִּנְיָמִן וְאֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה, כִּי יְהוּדָה וְאֶפְרַיִם כִּשְׁנֵי עֲמָמִים נֶחְשָׁבִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל; אוֹ הָיָה מֶלֶךְ תַּחַת יַד מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה. וּלְפִי דַּעְתִּי, הָיוּ הַמְּלָכִים הַמּוֹלְכִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשְּׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים אַחֲרֵי דָּוִד עוֹבְרִים עַל דַּעַת אֲבִיהֶם וּמַעֲבִירִים נַחֲלָה, וְהֵם הָיוּ סוֹמְכִים עַל דְּבַר אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילוֹנִי הַנָּבִיא שֶׁמָּשַׁח לְיָרָבְעָם וְאָמַר: "וַאעַנֶּה אֶת זֶרַע דָּוִד לְמַעַן זֹאת אַךְ לֹא כָל הַיָּמִים" (מלכים א יא לט), וְכַאֲשֶׁר הֶאֱרִיכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַמְלִיךְ עֲלֵיהֶם מִשְּׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים מֶלֶךְ אַחַר מֶלֶךְ, וְלֹא הָיוּ חוֹזְרִים אֶל מַלְכוּת יְהוּדָה, עָבְרוּ עַל צַוָּאַת הַזָּקֵן וְנֶעֶנְשׁוּ בָּהֶם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הוֹשֵׁעַ: "הֵם הִמְלִיכוּ וְלֹא מִמֶּנִּי" (הושע ח ד). וְזֶה הָיָה עֹנֶשׁ הַחַשְׁמוֹנָאִים, שֶׁמָּלְכוּ בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי, כִּי הָיוּ חֲסִידֵי עֶלְיוֹן, וְאִלְמָלֵא הֵם נִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן נֶעֶנְשׁוּ עֹנֶשׁ גָּדוֹל, כִּי אַרְבַּעַת בְּנֵי חַשְׁמוֹנַאי הַזָּקֵן הַחֲסִידִים הַמּוֹלְכִים זֶה אַחַר זֶה, עִם כָּל גְּבוּרָתָם וְהַצְלָחָתָם, נָפְלוּ בְּיַד אוֹיְבֵיהֶם בַּחֶרֶב, וְהִגִּיעַ הָעֹנֶשׁ בַּסּוֹף לְמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז"ל (בבא בתרא ג א): "כָּל מַאן דְּאָמַר מִבֵּית חַשְׁמוֹנַאי קָאָתֵינָא עַבְדָּא הוּא", שֶׁנִּכְרְתוּ כֻּלָּם בֶּעָוֹן הַזֶּה. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה בְּזֶרַע שִׁמְעוֹן עֹנֶשׁ מִן הַצַּדּוּקִים, אֲבָל כָּל זֶרַע מַתִּתְיָה חַשְׁמוֹנַאי הַצַּדִּיק לֹא אָבְדוּ אֶלָּא בַּעֲבוּר זֶה שֶׁמָּלְכוּ וְלֹא הָיוּ מִזֶּרַע יְהוּדָה וּמִבֵּית דָּוִד, וְהֵסִירוּ הַשֵּׁבֶט וְהַמְּחוֹקֵק לְגַמְרֵי, וְהָיָה עוֹנְשָׁם מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, שֶׁהִמְשִׁיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת עַבְדֵיהֶם וְהֵם הִכְרִיתוּם. וְאֶפְשָׁר גַּם כֵּן שֶׁהָיָה עֲלֵיהֶם חֵטְא בְּמַלְכוּתָם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ כֹּהֲנִים, וְנִצְטַוּוּ: "תִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם לְכָל דְּבַר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּלְמִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת וַעֲבַדְתֶּם עֲבֹדַת מַתָּנָה אֶתֵּן אֶת כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם" (במדבר יח ז), וְלֹא הָיָה לָהֶם לִמְלֹךְ, רַק לַעֲבֹד אֶת עֲבֹדַת ה'. וְרָאִיתִי בַּיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי בְּמַסֶּכֶת הוֹרָיוֹת (ירושלמי הוריות פרק ג הלכה ב): אֵין מוֹשְׁחִין מְלָכִים כֹּהֲנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה עַנְתּוֹרְיָא עַל שֵׁם "לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה". אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בֵּר' אַבָּא "לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים עַל מַמְלַכְתּוֹ הוּא וּבָנָיו בְּקֶרֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל", מָה כְּתִיב בָּתְרֵהּ "לֹא יִהְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם". הִנֵּה שָׁנוּ בְּכָאן שֶׁאֵין מוֹשְׁחִין מְלָכִים מִן הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן. וּפֵרֵשׁ תְּחִלָּה שֶׁהוּא לִכְבוֹד יְהוּדָה, שֶׁאֵין הַשְּׂרָרָה סָרָה מִן הַשֵּׁבֶט הַהוּא. וּלְפִיכָךְ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְקִימִים עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ מִשְּׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים כְּפִי צֹרֶךְ הַשָּׁעָה, אֵין מוֹשְׁחִים אוֹתָן, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה עֲלֵיהֶם הוֹד מַלְכוּת, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ שׁוֹפְטִים וְשׁוֹטְרִים יִהְיוּ. וְהִזְכִּירוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן בְּעַצְמָן רְאוּיִים לִמְשִׁיחָה, אֵין מוֹשְׁחִין אוֹתָן לְשֵׁם מַלְכוּת, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (הוריות יא) שֶׁאֵין מוֹשְׁחִין אֶלָּא מַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד. וְרַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא פֵּרֵשׁ, שֶׁהוּא מָנוּעַ מִן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם כָּל שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה בַּמַּלְכוּת, וְהוּא דָּבָר רָאוּי וְהָגוּן.

1THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH. Its purport is not that the sceptre of royalty shall never depart from Judah, for it is written, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers,¹²² with the result that the people and their king will be in exile, devoid of royalty and nobility, and for a long time there has not been a king in Israel! The prophet Jacob did not assure Israel that they would not enter captivity under any circumstances because Judah would rule over them. Instead, the purport of the verse before us is that the sceptre shall not depart from Judah to any of his brothers, for the king of Israel, who will rule over them, will be from the tribe of Judah, and none of his brothers will rule over him. The same meaning applies to the expression, there shall not depart a lawgiver from between his feet, which means that every lawgiver in Israel who carries the king’s signet shall be from Judah. It is he who will rule and command in all Israel, and he will have the seal of royalty until the coming of his son, who [will have] the obedience of all people, to do with all as he pleases, this being a reference to the Messiah. “The sceptre” is thus an allusion to David, who was the first king to have the sceptre of royalty, and “Shiloh”¹²³, “until Shiloh come, and his be the obedience of peoples.” is his son, who will have the obedience of the peoples.Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra’s assertion that “Shiloh” is a reference to David is impossible for Judah never possessed a royal sceptre prior to David. And even though the tribe of Judah was honored and marched first in the desert,¹²⁴ the word sheivet (sceptre) applies only to a king or prince, as it is written: A sceptre (‘sheivet’) of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom;¹²⁵ the sceptre of the rulers;¹²⁶ a sceptre to rule.¹²⁷Now this verse before us alludes to the fact that Jacob made the tribe of Judah king over his brothers and bequeathed to Judah sovereignty over Israel. This is what David said: And the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, chose me out of all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever; for He has chosen Judah to be prince, and in the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.¹²⁸Jacob said, It shall not depart, in order to allude to the fact that another tribe¹²⁹ will rule over Israel, but once the sceptre of royalty comes to Judah it will not depart from him to another tribe. This is the intent of the verse, For the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons.¹³⁰ The reason for Saul [being appointed the first king over Israel] was that the request for royalty at that time was distasteful to the Holy One, blessed be He.¹³¹ He did not wish to appoint a king over them from the tribe to whom royalty belonged and from whom it was never to depart. He therefore granted them a temporary royalty. It is this which Scripture alludes to when it says, I give thee a king in Mine anger, and take him away in My wrath.¹³² Having given him unwillingly, He therefore removed him in His wrath, as he and his children were killed¹³³ and his royal line was interrupted. The reason for all this was that at this time Samuel was judge and prophet who was fighting their battles according to the word of G-d, saving them in times of trouble, and it was improper for them to request a king during his lifetime, even as Samuel said to them, And the Eternal your G-d is your king,¹³⁴, 12:12. and Scripture further states, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them.¹³⁵, 8:7. It was for this reason that He did not grant them permanent royalty. The verse stating, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the Eternal thy G-d, which He commanded thee; for now would the Eternal have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever,¹³⁶, 13:13. This verse clearly indicates that had Saul not sinned, his kingdom would have endured forever, which seems contrary to Ramban’s above thesis. Ramban’s answer is stated in the text. means that had not Saul sinned, his descendants would have had sovereignty over some part of Israel, but not over all. This is the meaning of [the expression], upon Israel, [rather than “upon all Israel].” Perhaps Saul would have reigned over the tribes that were descended from his mother,¹³⁷ namely, Benjamin, Ephraim and Menasheh, as Judah and Ephraim were considered as two nations in Israel.¹³⁸ Or again, Saul might have been king, subject to the king of Judah.In my opinion, the kings from other tribes, who ruled over Israel after David, went against the wish of their father Jacob by diverting the inheritance of Judah to another tribe. Now they relied on the word of Achiyah the Shilonite, the prophet who anointed¹³⁹ Jeroboam, who said, And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever.¹⁴⁰ But when [the ten tribes of] Israel continued to crown kings one after another of the rest of the tribes, and they did not revert to the kingdom of Judah, they transgressed the testament of the ancestor, and they were accordingly punished, just as Hosea said, They have set up kings, but not from Me.¹⁴¹This was also the reason for the punishment of the Hasmoneans, who reigned during the Second Temple. They were saints of the Most High, without whom the learning of Torah and the observance of Commandments would have been forgotten in Israel, and despite this, they suffered such great punishment. The four sons¹⁴² of the old Hasmonean Matithyahu, saintly men who ruled one after another, in spite of all their prowess and success, fell by the sword of their enemies. And ultimately the punishment reached the stage where our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said:¹⁴³ “He who says, ‘I come from the house of the Hasmoneans,’ is a slave,” as they were all destroyed on account of this sin.¹⁴⁴ Now although among the children of Shimon, there was cause for punishment on account of the Sadducees,¹⁴⁵ all the children of the righteous Matithyahu the Hasmonean were deposed for this only: they ruled even though they were not of the seed of Judah and of the house of David, and thus they completely removed “the sceptre” and “the lawgiver” from Judah. And their punishment was measure for measure, as the Holy One, blessed be He, caused their slaves¹⁴⁶ to rule over them, and it is they who destroyed them.It is also possible that, [in addition to the Hasmoneans having sinned for assuming royalty when they were not of the tribe of Judah], they sinned in ruling on account of their being priests, who have been commanded: Guard your priesthood in everything that pertaineth to the altar, and to within the veil; and ye shall serve; I give you the priesthood as a service of gift.¹⁴⁷ Thus it was not for them to rule, but only to perform the Service of G-d.In Tractate Horayoth of the Jerusalem Talmud¹⁴⁸ I have seen the following text: “We do not anoint priests as kings. Rabbi Yehudah Anturya said that this is on account of the verse, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah. Rabbi Chiya the son of Rabbi Abba said [that Scripture states concerning the king], To the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.¹⁴⁹ Now what is written afterwards? The priests the Levites … shall have no portion.”¹⁵⁰, 18:1. Thus taeching by juxtaposition that the priests are not to act as kings. Thus the Sages have taught here that kings are not to be anointed from among the priests, the sons of Aaron. Now at first the above text explains that this is out of respect for the tribe of Judah since sovereignty is not to depart from that tribe. Therefore, even if Israel, out of temporary necessity, raises a king over itself from the other tribes, he is not to be anointed so that the glory of royalty should not be upon him. Instead, such kings are to be merely as judges or officers. The reason for mentioning “priests” [when the same stricture applies to all tribes other than Judah] is that even though the priests as such are suited for anointment,¹⁵¹ we are not to anoint them as kings, and the moreso the rest of the tribes. It is as the Rabbis said in the Gemara:¹⁵² we are to anoint only the kings of the house of David.¹⁵³ And Rabbi Chiya the son of Rabbi Abba, [who in the above text from the Jerusalem Talmud based the law upon a verse in the book of Deuteronomy], explained that anointing priests as kings is forbidden by a law of the Torah, which says that the priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance¹⁵⁴ in royalty. This comment is a matter which is fitting and proper.

בוְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים אֲסִיפַת הָעַמִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "אֵלָיו גּוֹיִם יִדְרֹשׁוּ" (ישעיהו יא י). וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ: "עַיִן תִּלְעַג לְאָב וְתָבוּז לִיקֲּהַת אֵם" (משלי ל יז), לְקִבּוּץ קְמָטִים שֶׁבְּפָנֶיהָ מִפְּנֵי זִקְנָתָהּ. וּבַתַּלְמוּד (יבמות קי א): דְּמַקְהוּ קְהִיאֲתָא בְּשׁוּקָא דִּנְהַרְדְּעָא. וְיָכוֹל לוֹמַר קְהִיַּת עַמִּים, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית מ"ט:י'). וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה לְפָרֵשׁ בְּ"יִקְּהַת אֵם" אֲסִיפַת אֵם. וּלְשׁוֹן "מַקְהוּ קְהִיאֲתָא" אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן פִּרְכוֹת וְקֻשְׁיוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ מַקְשִׁים וּמְפָרְכִים בָּהּ קֻשְׁיוֹת הַרְבֵּה, כִּי הַמִּתְקַשֶּׁה בְּדָבָר יִקָּרֵא "קוֹהֶה" בִּלְשׁוֹן חֲכָמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּמִדְרַשׁ חָזִיתָ (שיר השירים רבה ג ח), "כֻּלָּם אֲחוּזֵי חֶרֶב" – שֶׁהָיוּ כֻּלָּם שׁוֹנִים הֲלָכָה כְּחֶרֶב, שֶׁאִם בָּא מַעֲשֶׂה אֶל יְדֵיהֶם לֹא תְּהֵא הֲלָכָה קוֹהָה לָהֶם. וְכֵן עוֹד שָׁם רַבִּים. וּמִמֶּנּוּ אָמְרוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (נזיר סה ב): "ר' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ קִהָה וְטִהֵר", שֶׁהִקְשָׁה בּוֹ דְּבָרִים רַבִּים וְשָׁבַר כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַמְּטַמְּאִים עַד שֶׁטִּהֵר בְּהֶכְרֵחַ. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּנֻסְחָאוֹת יְשָׁנוֹת בַּגְּמָרָא (בבא מציעא נב א): "מַאן דְּקָהֵי אַזּוּזֵי מִקְּרֵי נֶפֶשׁ רָעָה", שֶׁמְּדַקְדֵּק בּוֹ וּמִתְקַשֶּׁה לְקַבֵּל אוֹתוֹ מֵחֲבֵרוֹ. וּבַעֲלֵי הַדִּקְדּוּק (הרד"ק ור' יונה בן ג'נאח) אוֹמְרִים בְּ"יִקְּהַת" שֶׁשָּׁרְשׁוֹ יקה, וּפֵרְשׁוּ בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן מִשְׁמַעַת וְקִבּוּל הַמִּצְוָה, "יִקְּהַת עַמִּים" – שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֵלָיו וְיַעֲשׂוּ כָּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם; "תָּבוּז לִיקֲּהַת אֵם" – לְקַבֵּל מִצְוָתָהּ. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, שֶׁהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן "הָאֹכֵל הַבֹּסֶר תִּקְהֶינָה שִׁנָּיו" (ירמיהו לא כט), וְשָׁרְשׁוֹ קהה, וְהַיּוֹ"ד בּוֹ כְּיוֹ"ד יִצְהָר, וְעִנְיַן כֻּלָּם הַחֻלְשָׁה וְהַשְּׁבִירָה: יֹאמַר שֶׁלֹּא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט נוֹגֵשׂ מִיהוּדָה, עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא בְּנוֹ אֲשֶׁר לוֹ חֻלְשַׁת הָעַמִּים וּשְׁבִירָתָם, שֶׁיַּחְלִישׁ אֶת כֻּלָּם לְפִי חֶרֶב. וְכֵן: "אִם קֵהָה הַבַּרְזֶל" (קהלת י י), שֶׁנֶּחְלַשׁ וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִכְרֹת, כְּסַכִּין שֶׁעָמְדָה בִּלְשׁוֹן חֲכָמִים (ביצה כח), אוֹ שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּר קְצָת וְנַעֲשׂוּ בּוֹ פְּגִימוֹת. וְכֵן מָצָאתִי עוֹד שָׁם בְּמִדְרַשׁ חָזִיתָ (שיר השירים רבה א יב): הוֹפִיעַ לָהֶם הקב"ה רֵיחַ טוֹב מִבִּשְׂמֵי גַּן עֵדֶן, וְהָיְתָה נַפְשָׁם קוֹהָה לֶאֱכֹל, אָמְרוּ לוֹ, רַבֵּינוּ מֹשֶׁה תֵּן לָנוּ מָה נֹאכַל! אָמַר לָהֶם, כָּךְ אָמַר לִי הקב"ה, כָּל בֶּן נֵכָר לֹא יֹאכַל בּוֹ. עָמְדוּ וְהִפְרִישׁוּ הַנָּכְרִים מִבֵּינֵיהֶם, וְהָיְתָה נַפְשָׁם קוֹהָה לֶאֱכֹל וְכוּ'. וְהָעִנְיָן, שֶׁהָיְתָה נַפְשָׁם נֶחְלֶשֶׁת וּמִשְׁתַּבֶּרֶת בְּגוּפָם מֵרֹב תַּאֲוָתָם לֶאֱכֹל מִן הַפֶּסַח, שֶׁנִּדְבַּק בּוֹ הָרֵיחַ הַטּוֹב. וְכֵן לֹא תְּהֵא הֲלָכָה קוֹהָה לָהֶם – נֶחְלֶשֶׁת וְרוֹפֶפֶת בְּיָדָם. וּמַקְהוּ קְהִיאֲתָא – מַקְשִׁים קֻשְׁיוֹת מֵחֲלִישׁוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ מֵרֹב הַצַּעַר וְהָעִיּוּן, אוֹ הוּא לְשׁוֹן שֶׁמְּשַׁבְּרִין וּמְפָרְכִין, כִּלְשׁוֹן (קידושין יג ב) פָּרֵיךְ רַב אֲחָא. וְכָךְ אָמְרוּ (מכילתא בא יח), אַף אַתָּה הַקְהֵה אֶת שִׁנָּיו – שַׁבֵּר אוֹתָם אוֹ תַּחֲלִישֵׁם בִּדְבָרֶיךָ, כִּי הַבֹּסֶר מַחְלִישׁ וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁבֵּר, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַחֲלִישׁוּת וְהַשְּׁבִירָה עִנְיָן שָׁוֶה, וְהַקְּהִיָּה תִּכְלֹל אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם.

2AND UNTO HIM SHALL BE AN ASSEMBLAGE (‘YIKHATH’) OF PEOPLES. Yikhath amim means an assemblage of peoples, as it is said with reference to the Messiah, Unto him shall the nations seek.¹⁵⁵ Of similar meaning is the verse, The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth ‘likhath eim,’¹⁵⁶ meaning “the gathering of wrinkles in his mother’s face due to her old age.” In the Talmud¹⁵⁷ we find a similar expression: “They gathered assemblies (d’makhu k’hiatha) in the streets of Nehardea.” It could also have said here in the verse, kehiyath amim, instead of yikhath amim. This is the language of Rashi.Now it does not appear to me to be correct to explain, as Rashi does, likhath eim to mean the gathering of wrinkles in the mother’s face. And the expression, makhu k’hiatha, is nothing but a phrase to express disputes and questions, suggesting that the matter was disputed with many questions and interrogations, for in the language of the Sages, one who finds difficulty with a certain point of law is referred to as kohah. Such an example is found in the Midrash Chazit:¹⁵⁸ (Seest thou a man.…)” The Midrash quoted here is in 3:13. “They all handle the sword,¹⁵⁹ as they all study the Law with minds sharpened as a sword, so that if any problem comes before them, the law should not be moot (kohah) to them.” There are many other similar examples of the usage of this word there in the Midrash Chazit. This is also the origin of the expression in the Gemara:¹⁶⁰ “Rabbi Yehoshua kihah and declared it to be clean,” meaning that he asked many questions and refuted all arguments of those who held it to be unclean until he was compelled to pronounce it to be clean. In many old texts in the Gemara Baba Metzia¹⁶¹ we also find the saying: “He who d’kohi on coins is called a malevolent soul,” meaning that he who is strict and causes difficulty in accepting a coin from another [on the grounds that it is slightly worn shows himself to be stingy in his dealings].Grammarians¹⁶². have said concerning yikhath that its root is yakah, thus explaining it in the sense of obedience and acceptance of a command. Hence yikhath amim would mean that the peoples would listen to him and do whatever he commands them to do; and despiseth ‘likhath eim’¹⁵⁶ means “despising accepting her command.”The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the word yikhath is similar in expression to the verse, He that eateth the sour grapes his teeth ‘tikhenah’ (shall be set on edge),¹⁶³ and its root is kahah, with the letter yud in the word yikhath being similar to the yud in the word yitzhar. The purport of all words having the root kahah is weakness and collapse. The verse before us is thus stating that the rod of the oppressor will not be removed from Judah until his son, who will bring about the meakness of the peoples and their collapse, will come, as he will weaken them all by sword. Similarly, the verse, If the iron be ‘keihah,’¹⁶⁴ means “if the iron be dull and unable to cut” — similar to [the expression] in the language of the Sages, sakin she’amda,¹⁶⁵ (a knife which has become dull) “or has been partly broken and contains notches.”Again I found a similar use of the word kohah there in Midrash Chazit,¹⁶⁶ [with reference to the period of the Exodus when Israel was to eat of the Passover-offering]: “The Holy One, blessed be He, directed at them a most pleasant odor from the Garden of Eden, and their souls were koheh, to eat. They said to Moses: ‘Our master Moses, give us something to eat.’ He answered them: ‘So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to me: There shall no alien eat thereof.’¹⁶⁷ So the Israelites arose and separated the aliens from among them. Now their souls were koheh to eat, etc.” The purport of the word koheh here is that their souls were weakened and their bodies overcome on account of their desire to eat of the Passover-offering to which there had been attached this good odor from the Garden of Eden. In a similar vein are the expressions mentioned above: “The Law should not be kohah to them,”¹⁵⁸ (Seest thou a man.…)” The Midrash quoted here is in 3:13. meaning “faint and deficient in their hand”; the expression, makhu k’hiatha,¹⁵⁷ means that they were asking questions which induce a weakening of the soul from the great pressure and concentration. It may be that it is an expression of disproof and smashing refutation, such as, “Parich Rav Acha.”¹⁶⁸ They similarly use the expression [in connection with the question of the wicked son in the Passover Hagaddah]: “You too hakheih his teeth,”¹⁶⁹ meaning “break them or weaken them by your words,” for with respect to the flesh you can only use the term “weaken” but not “break” although the intent of weakening and breaking is alike, and the word kehiyah includes both.