Ha’azinu

The passuk says איכה ירדף אחד אלף ושנים יניסו רבבה. Rashi explains this means 1 goy will chase 1,000 Yidden and 2 goyim will chase 10,000 Yidden.

The Gemara says when Dovid went out to war he would throw one arrow and kill 800 goyim. Dovid was sad and groaned that he wasn’t able to kill 1,000 at a time. This would be as the passuk says in our parsha 1 will chase 1,000. The Gemara says a bas kol came out and said only because of Uriah was he not able to kill 1,000 at once. Rashi explains because of Uriah haChiti 200 were taken away.

The Gra asks: how does Rashi know that Dovid was able to kill 1,000 and 200 were taken away? Maybe he was always only able to kill 800? I heard Avi Mori shlita in the name of the Gra that in Tehillim the passuk says by Dovid’s shira תשימני לראש גוים whereas in Shmuel in our Haftarah it says תשמרני לראש גוים. The numerical value of תשמיני is 800, and תשמרני is 1,000. The shira in Shmuel was said before the shira in Tehillim. Therefore we see that he was able to kill 1,000, but because of Uriah 200 were taken away.

The Maharsha is bothered: Rashi in Chumash explains the passuk that goyim would be able to kill Yidden, however the Gemara explains the same passuk that Yidden kill goyim?! He explains because of the concept גדולה מדה טובה ממדת פורעניות, therefore if the goyim can kill Yidden, certainly the Yidden can kill goyim.

In our parsha concerning פורעניות it says 1 goy will chase 1,000 Yidden and 2 will chase 10,000. However in Bechukosai it says 5 Yidden will chase 100 and 100 will chase 10,000. From here we see that מדת פורעניות is greater than מדת טובה. The Gemara however says the opposite: גדולה מדה טובה ממדת פורעניות? Tosfos answers that in our parsha it is referring just to chasing, 1 will chase 1,000, however in Bechukosai it is referring to killing as the passuk ends, “and your enemies will fall before you by the sword!” On this the Maharsha asks: from the Gemara mentioned previously it says Dovid groaned because he only killed 800 and not 1,000- so we see that both pesukim refer to killing?

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh answers that in parshas Bechukosai the passuk refers to the weak talmidei chachamim as it says, מכם. However here the passuk refers to strong ones as it says, אחד- especially strong. There are different levels of talmidei chachamim and the greater they are the greater strength they have.

May Hashem help the bracha of 1 Yid chasing and killing 1,000 and 2 – 10,000 be fulfilled with the coming of Moshiach, amen!