[Piska 318]
"And Yeshurun grew fat and it kicked": Satiety breeds rebellion. And thus we find with the men of the generation of the flood — that they rebelled against the Lord only from (a superabundance of) food and drink and tranquility. What is written of them?
(Iyyov 21:9) "Their houses are at peace, without fear. The rod of G-d is not upon them." (see #43 above). And thus we find with the men of the generation of the desert, that they rebelled against the Lord only from (a superabundance of) food and drink, viz.
(Shemot 32:6) "and the people sat down to eat and drink." What follows? (
Ibid. 8) "They have turned quickly from the way that I have commanded them, etc." The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: When Israel enters the land, they are destined to rebel from (a superabundance of) food and drink and tranquility,
(viz. Devarim 31:20) "For I shall bring them to the land that I have sworn to their fathers, flowing milk and honey, and they shall eat and be sated and grow fat, and they shall turn to other gods, etc." Moses said to Israel: When you enter the land, see to it that you do not rebel against the Lord through eating, drinking, and tranquility, viz. (
Ibid. 8:12-13) "Lest you eat and be sated … and your herds and your flocks increase, etc." What follows? (
Ibid. 14) "and your heart be lifted and you forget the Lord your G-d."
And thus do we find with the sons and daughters of Iyyov, that they were punished only through eating, drinking, and tranquility, viz.
(Iyyov 1:18-19) "This one was still speaking when another came and said, 'Your sons were eating and drinking wine, when suddenly a mighty wind came from the wilderness. It struck the four corners of the house, etc.'" And thus do we find with the twelve tribes, that they were exiled only through eating, drinking and tranquility, viz.
(Amos 6:4-7) "They lie on ivory beds … they drink (straight) from the wine bowls … therefore, they shall now be exiled at the head of the exiles." And thus do we find before the days of the Messiah, that they are destined to rebel only out of eating, drinking, and tranquility. What is written of them? "And Yeshurun grew fat and it kicked."
An analogy: A man had a calf, which he groomed, curried, and fed vetch — to groom him for plowing! When the calf was grown, his master placed the yoke upon it — at which it bolted, broke the yoke, and snapped its ends, viz.
(Jeremiah 28:13) "You broke yokes of wood, etc."
"You grew fat": in the days of Yeravam. "you grew thick": in the days of Achav. "you were covered (with fat)" — all in the days of Yehu.
Variantly: "you grew fat": in the days of Achaz. "you grew thick": in the days of Menasheh. "you were covered (with fat)" — all in the days of Yehoyakim.
Variantly: "you grew fat; you grew thick; you were covered with fat": as one who is fat within and forms fat on the groins, as in
(Iyyov 15:27) "when he covers his face with fat and forms roils of blubber on his groins."
Variantly: "you grew fat (1)"; "you grew thick" (2); "you were covered with fat (3)" — three generations before the days of the Messiah, as it is written
(Isaiah 2:7-8) "And his land was filled with silver (1)"; "and his land was filled with horses (2)"; "and his land was filled with idols (3)."
"and he forsook the G-d who made him": as in
(Isaiah 51:13) "And you have forgotten the Lord who made you, who spread out the heavens and founded the earth." And
(Jeremiah 2:13) "For two evils have My people committed": The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: As you have meted it out to Me have I meted it out to you (
Ibid. 12:7) "I have abandoned My house (the Temple); I have forsaken My inheritance,"
(Psalms 78:60) "and He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh,"
(Isaiah 2:6) "For you have forsaken your people, house of Jacob."
"and he abased the Rock of his salvation": as in (Ezekiel 8:16) "And He brought me to the inner courtyard of the Temple of the Lord, and behold, at the entrance of the sanctuary of the Lord … twenty-five men, their backs to the sanctuary of the Lord, etc."
R. Dostai b. R. Yehudah says: Read if not "
vayenabel" ("and he abased"), but "
veyinavel" ("and there be abased"), as in
(Jeremiah 14:21) "Do not reject us, for the sake of Your name; let there not be abased the throne of Your glory."