The Lantern

Sifrei Devarim327

Silverstein

"See, now, that I, I am He!": If one says there are two Authorities in heaven, he is rebutted — "and there is no god with Me!" — But perhaps He cannot bring to life or put to death or bring harm or benefit; it is, therefore, written "I put to death and I bring to life; I wound and I heal, etc." And it is written (Isaiah 44:6) "Thus has said the L-rd, King of Israel, and its Redeemer, the L-rd of hosts: I am the first and I am the last, and besides Me there is no G-d."

Variantly: "I put to death and I bring to life": I put to death those of whom it is written (Bamidbar 23:10) "Let my soul die the death of the just," and I bring to life, viz. (Devarim, Ibid. 33:6) "Reuven shall live and he shall not die," (Hoshea 6:2) "He will make us live from the two times, etc."

Variantly: "I put to death and I bring to life": I hear (i.e., I understand) death to one and life to another; it is, therefore, written "I wound and I heal." Just as the wounding and the healing is in one, so the death and the life is in one — a proof for the resurrection from the Torah.

"and there is no saving (from sin) from My hand": Fathers do not save sons. Abraham does not save Yishmael, and Israel does not save Esav. This tells me only that fathers do not save sons. Whence do I derive that brothers do not save brothers? From (Psalms 49:8) "A brother cannot redeem another": Isaac cannot redeem Yishmael, and Yaakov cannot redeem Esav. Even if he gives all the money in the world, he cannot ransom him, viz.: "A brother cannot redeem another … (9) Too costly is their souls' redemption and forever unattainable." How precious is this soul! When one sins, there is no payment for it!