What are the connotations of "mi'Chutz Teshakel Cherev"?
Rashi #1: 'Outside the city the sword of the brigands bereaves'.
Rashi #2: 'The sword bereaves due to the sins that they committed outside'. 1
Targum Yonasan: 'The plague of the sword will cut down those who are outside Eretz Yisrael. 2
Rashi: As the Pasuk writes in Yirmiyah.11:13 "You set up as many altars to the shameful idol (Ba'al) as the number of streets in Yerushalayim.
What are the connotations of "u'me'Chadarim Eimah"?
Rashi #1: 'And when someone escapes from sword, the walls of his heart pound from dread - and this leads to his death'.
Rashi #2 (citing Onkelos): 'Whereas inside his house there exists the dread of pestilence. 1
Rashi #3: And there is dread due to the sins that they committed in their innermost rooms. 2
Seforno: And in the rooms (of their houses) terror will cut down the boys and girls.
Targum Yonasan: Whereas those that remain in Eretz Yisrael in their bedrooms I will arouse in them the fear of death, which, like the sword in Chutz la'Aretz, will cause their death.
Bava Kama, 60b: It teaches us that in time of pestilence, one should remain indoors. 3
Rashi: See Yirmiyah, 9:20.
Rashi: As the Pasuk writes in Yechezkel, 8:12: 'Have you seen what the elders of the House of Yisrael do in the darkness - each man in his paved room!?'
See Torah Temimah, note 75.
What is the significance of 'the boys and the girls, the babies and the old men'?
Rashi (in Divrei Hayamim 2, 36:17): When armies defeat their enemies, they generally have compassion on old people, on young boys and young girls. 1 Not so Nevuchadnetzar King of Bavel. 2
Hadar Zekenim: Also bachelors and virgins sitting in the room will not escape. 3
Refer also to 32:19:1:1*.
As the Pasuk testifies there and as the Pasuk here already predicts.
Who can run quickly, and can flee alone (because they do not have children) - even they will not escape. (PF)
