Why did Hashem afflict Yisrael through a non-nation?
Da'as Zekenim: Midah ke'Neged Midah, because they angered Him with non-gods..
What are the connottions of "be'Lo Eil"?
Rashi and Targum Yonasan: It means 'with their non-gods'. 1
Ramban: It refers to deities, which are not genuine, since there is no G-d besides Hashem and no Savior other than Him. 2
Ibn Ezra: It means gods that are devoid of power to save.
Toldos Yitzchak #1: ['They aroused My envy through saying] that I am not G-d'. Refer to 32:21:6:6.
Toldos Yitzchak #2: It means that they reversed the letters of My Bame 'Keil' to 'Lo'.
Who is "Heim Kin'uni be'Lo Eil" referring to?
Seforno: It refers to the people who lived during the era of the first Beis-Hamikdash.
What are the connotations of "Ki'asuni be'Havleihem"?
Ramban: It means that they angered Hashem by [worshipping] demons.
Seforno: Refer to 32:21:3:1.It refers to Yisrael in the second Beis-Hamikdash [who angered Hashem through sins other than idolatry]. 1
Ibn Ezra: It means that they angered Hashem with their falsehoods.
Ha'Kesav veha'Kabalah: It means 'They tried to anger Me, but failed; But I will truly anger them' - like a judge who punishes for one's evil intentions. 2
Ha'amek Davar: It refers to the days of the Kings of Yisrael, who sinned in order to anger Hashem.
To whom is "Lo Am" referring?
Ramban, Seforno and Targum Yonasan: It refers to Bavel. 3
Rashi: As the Navi writes in Yeshayah, 23:13. Ramban - Hashem raised them in order to dominate the world - as the Navi wrote in Yirmiyah, 51:20.
Rashi: The Navi in Ovadyah 1:2 describes Esav as "Bazuy Atah Me'od". See also Ba'al ha'Turim.
See Ba'al ha'Turim.
Who is "Goy Naval" referring to?
Rashi: It is referring to those who deny Hashem. 1
Ramban: It is referring to Eisav, a base nation 2 who did not remember the covenant of brothers. Seforno
Rashi: See Tehilim, 14:1.
Ramban: The Torah has now hinted at the two exiles. See also Ba'al ha'Turim.
See Ba'al ha'Turim.
See Na'ar Yonasan.
Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim cite the Bechor Shor, but give different names for these nations.
See Torah Temimah, mnote 64.
Panim Yafos: In Hoshe'a 1:9, 2:1.
Panim Yafos: See Pasuk #6. This is Midah ke'Neged Midah for "Vayenabel Tzur Yeshu'aso" (Pasuk 15),
See also Torah Temimah, note 65, who explains that refers to the Persian priests.
See Torah Temimah, note 62.
See Torah Temimah, note 63.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that "be'Lo Am" eefers to lowly nations. But the Gemara states in Chagigah 13b that Hashem caused Bavel to conquer the world before Yisrael, so that people should not say that Yisrael fell to a lowly nation?
The nation was intrinsically lowly, only Hashem made them powerful in order to afflict Yisrael through them. Perhaps it is to help Yisrael recognize that it is all from Hashem! 1 (PF)
Michtav me'Eliyahu points out that throughout history, leaders were always born to nobility, or were great generals or statesmen. In the Holocaust however, people of no stature seized power in Germany!
