בהנחל עליון גוים. אמרו המפרשים על דור הפלגה שנפצה כל הארץ כי אז גזר השם להיות ארץ שבעה גוים לישראל והוא שתספיק למספרם על כן למספר בני ישראל: WHEN THE MOST HIGH GAVE TO THE NATIONS THEIR INHERITANCE. The commentaries83See Rashi and Rashbam. say that the reference is to “the generation of the dispersion”84The generation that was involved in building the tower of Babel. See Gen. 11:1-9. when all the earth became inhabited.85Gen. 11:8,9. God at that time decreed that the land of the seven nations should belong to Israel, as this land would be large enough for them. Scripture therefore reads, According to the number of the children of Israel.86God set aside the land of the seven nations for the Jews because it was suitable for Israel’s population.
יצב. י״א שהוא שם הפועל כמו הנה לא ידעתי דבר. וי״א שהוא פועל עתיד תחת פועל עבר כמו יעשו עגל בחורב. והנכון בעיני כי שאל אביך רמז למביני' וכן זקניך והטעם כמו אשר חלק ה' אלהיך כי לכל חלק למטה חלק למעלה: HE SET. Some say that yatzev (he set) is an infinitive.87Yatzev appears to be a third person imperfect, meaning he will set. The verbs be-hanchel (When…gave the nations their inheritance) and be-hafrido (When He separated) which precede yatzev are infinitives. Hence this opinion that yatzev too is an infinitive. Compare the word dabber (speak)88Which appears to be an imperative but which in reality is an infinitive. in behold, I cannot speak (Jer. 1:6). Others say that yatzev (he set) is a verb in the imperfect,89Meaning he will set. employed as a perfect.90In other words, yatzev is here to be rendered he set. It is like the word ya’asu (they made)91Ya’asu (they made) is an imperfect employed as a perfect. in They made a calf in Horeb (Ps. 106:19). I believe that Ask thy father alludes to those “who understand.”92Thy father means one who knows and understands the past history of Israel (Weiser). The same applies to “thy elders.” The meaning of the portion93Hebrew, chelek. of the Lord is His people94I.E. here comments on verse 9, and then goes back to verse 8 because there is a relationship between for the portion…and according to the number… is similar to which the Lord thy God hath allotted95Or apportioned. Hebrew, chalak. Deut. 4:19 reads: which the Lord thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven. (Deut. 4:19), for every portion96Nation and city. below97On earth. has a portion98A star or a constellation which determines its destiny. above.99However, Israel is the portion of the Lord, not that of any star. See I.E. on Deut. 4:19.
וטעם למספר בני ישראל. כאשר אחז״ל כי צורת יעקב אבינו חקוקה בכסא הכבוד והוא סוד גדול והעד כי חלק ה' עמו וזו היא המעלה הגדולה שלא עשה כן לכל גוי על כן אמר הלה' תגמלו זאת עם נבל ולא חכם שנפל ממעלתו באולתו וזה טעם אביך קנך כי קנהו לכבודו וילמדהו כאשר יפרש כמעשה האב עם הבן: ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. The rabbis, of blessed memory, say that the image of our father Jacob is engraved on the throne of glory.100Our verse opens For the portion of the Lord is His people. Hence I.E.’s comment. See Chullin 91b. Also see Bereshit Rabbah 68:18. The latter is a great secret.101It means that Israel is God’s portion and that Israel’s destiny is guided by God, not by the stars and constellations (Weiser). For the portion of the Lord is His people is proof of this.102The children of Israel are under the direct providence of God. This is a very great status. God did not do this for any nation. Scripture therefore states, Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? (v. 6), that is, a people who have fallen from their status in their foolishness. Now, this God is your father, for he created you for His glory,103I.E.’s paraphrase of the last part of verse 5. and as Scripture goes on to explain,104In verse 10. he taught you as a father teaches his son.