5 expounded

Tractate Berakoth, by , by A. Lukyn Williams, [1921], at sacred-texts.com

On Saying a Benediction for Evil: Deut. 6⁵ expounded.

M.IX. 7 (5^a). A man is under "obligation to say a Benediction for evil just as he does for good. For it is said: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all Mine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." ² "With all Mine heart"— with thy two natures, ³ with thy good nature and with thy evil nature. "And with all thy soul"—even if He taketh away thy soul (life). "And with all thy might"—with all thy wealth. ⁴ Another explanation is: "With all thy might (m’odeka)"—With every single quality (middah) that He measures (môdēd) out to thee, in all [ever] acknowledge (môdeh) Him very exceedingly (bm’ôd m’ôd). ⁵

Footnotes

85:2 Deut. 6⁵.

85:3 thy two natures. See Oesterley, The Sayings of the Jewish Fathers, p. 25.

85:4 wealth. The word used is mamon (Matt. 6²⁴).

85:5 A singularly full example of the play on words so beloved of Rabbinic writers, who, however, do not regard it merely as "play," but as the legitimate result of the fulness of meaning inherent in Scriptures inspired to every letter.