1)

What is the meaning of "Ad Asher Lo Yerasek [Chevel]"?

1.

Rav Sadya Gaon: [Before] it will snap. Seforno - also in old age, before it snaps, strive to acquire eternal perfection as much as you can.

2.

Rashi: Yerasek is like "u'Resukos Kesef" (Yeshayah 40:19), i.e. chains. Also refer to 12:6:2:2.

3.

Ibn Ezra: This is an esteemed Mashal. There is a ball that rolls on a rope. The end of the rope is tied on Gulah (a ball on top of a pillar). Then, it cannot reach the Mabu'a (spring). Thus relates to the Kesiv "Yerachek".

4.

Rid: Yerasek is [to break the Resek (chain)], like Shoresh - Tesharesh (to uproot from the Shoresh).

5.

Metzudas David: This refers to "remember your Creator

2)

What is "Chevel ha'Kesef"?

1.

Rashi, from Shabbos 151b: It is the spinal cord, which is white like silver. When one dies, it is emptied and dries. It bends in the vertebrae, and becomes like a chain. Rashbam - the verse mentions four things that happen with death - the spine breaks, the skull is crushed, the stomach splits and the body is crushed in the grave.

2.

Rashi (from Eichah Rabah): The chain of lineage.

3)

What is the meaning of "v'Sarutz Gulas ha'Zahav"?

1.

Rav Sadya Gaon: The golden channel will be crushed.

2.

Rashi, from Shabbos 151b: This refers to the male organ. Rashi - it flows water (urine) like a spring. Gulas is like "Gulos Iliyos" (Yehoshua 15:19 - springs).

3.

Rashi (from Eichah Rabah): This refers to Divrei Torah, which are coveted more than fine gold (Tehilim 19:11).

4.

Ibn Ezra, Rid, Metzudas David: This is like "va'Tarutz Es Gulgalto" and "va'Yirtzetzu" (Shoftim 9:53, 10:8), when the ball will break. "Gulas ha'Zahav" is the brain 1 . It is compared to gold due to the red membrane on it, which is close to gold.

5.

Rashbam: "Gulas ha'Zahav" is the head, on which a crown is put.

6.

Seforno: It is the liver, which is the spring (Gulah) of blood 2 .


1

Rid: With its case (the skull). It is made like Gulas Mayim, and it is clean like gold. Metzudas David - the brain wets the spinal cord and gives to it to drink.

2

Ibn Ezra and Metzudas David say that the color of gold is close to red. (PF)

4)

What is the "Kad"?

1.

Rashi, from Shabbos 151b: It is the stomach 1 , which swells and splits when one dies.

2.

Ibn Ezra, Rid, Seforno: It is the gall bladder; red bile is in it. Metzudas David - it breaks at the time of death.

3.

Metzudas Tziyon: It is a Kli, like "v'Chadah Al Shichmah" (Bereishis 24:15).


1

One could explain Rashi to mean that the Mavu'a is the stomach, like Rid (refer to 12:6:5:4). (PF)

5)

What is "ha'Mabu'a"?

1.

Rrefer to 12:6:4:1*.

2.

Rashi (from Eichah Rabah): It is the spring (teachings) of Yirmeyah. The Kad (flask) of Baruch was broken - he used to learn from Yirmeyah. Both of them ceased learning due to the afflictions of traveling. First Yochanan ben Kerach exiled them to Egypt. When Nebuchadnetzar destroyed Egypt, he exiled them to Bavel.

3.

Ibn Ezra: It is the liver. Seforno - the liver is the spring of all [bodily] moisture.

4.

Rid: It is the stomach, which is made like Amas ha'Mayim. 1

5.

Metzudas Tziyon: It is a flowing spring.


1

I do not understand how it is like a channel of water. (PF)

6)

Why does it say that the Kad breaks on the Mabu'a?

1.

Rashbam: This is a repetition, for it already said that the rope will snap. Surely the flask tied to it will fall and break!

7)

What is the meaning of "v'Narotz ha'Galgal El ha'Bor"?

1.

Shabbos 151b: This refers to excrement.

2.

Rashi #1: The eye will be crushed in its cavity.

3.

Rashi #2: A wheel (pulley) used to draw water from the pit [will be crushed].

4.

Rashi (from Eichah Rabah): The Bor is Bavel, which is at the bottom of the world.

5.

Ibn Ezra, Metzudas David: The flask will break, and water will not go up. The head, which was always above, will descend to the pit, below the ground. Metzudas Tziyon - Galgal is the skull.

6.

Rid: Galgal is the Veshet (esophagus), which brings food and drink down to the stomach. It will break and fall into the interior of the body, which is made like a pit.

7.

Seforno: Galgal is the stomach. It will descend to the lower intestines.

8.

Metzudas David: The gall bladder breaks at the time of death, and its fluid (bile) spills 1 on the liver. The verse gives a Mashal of a flask breaking over a spring - the flask's water goes to a place that does not need water. In his lifetime, the liver gets angry, and the gall bladder shoots a drop [of bile] at it to calm it (Brachos 61b). After death, it does not get angry, and does not need a drop.


1

Metzudas Tziyon: Narotz is an expression of Ritzah (running) and chasing.

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