[Avodah] Kol Yisrael Areivim...

[Micha Berger]

On Areivim, someone wrote "Come on ...., haven't you ever heard
expressions like ... 'kol yisrael areivim zeh lazeh'?"

To which someone else replied:
: I can't speak for ..., but I've never heard the latter expression
: except as a misquotation. It's "bazeh," not "lazeh."

Actually, it's a girsaos issue.

The Vilna Shas, Shavuos 39a, has "lazeh". Teimanim ad loc have "bazeh",
and Mechon Mamre corrected accordingly. The same quote in Ein Yaaqov is
"bazeh" However, Rashi in Vayiqra 26:37 has "lazeh". So, it might be
that both girsaos are equally "right".

There is "omerim zeh lazeh" at the top of 39b. That might explain where
an error in girsa may have originated, OR it may indicate that "lazeh"
was used since the gemara is more likely to use parallel language.

Siddur Rashi (381) has "MIzeh".

"Lazeh" would imply that "areivim" is meant in the sense of collateral
or guarantee. All Jews are responsible for each other.

"Bazeh" would imply that "areivim" is to be translated as "mixed
together". The Or haChaim uses this peshat to explain how Moshe lost
his "Peh"-el-peh nevu'ah after the cheit ha'eigel. That his neshamah
was intertwined with those of the rest of BY, and therefore their sin
diminished MRAH as well. (The nevu'ah was restored with the rise of the
next generation. This explains how 38 years pass between two pesuqim
with no Torah relayed.)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             With the "Echad" of the Shema, the Jew crowns
micha at aishdas.org        G-d as King of the entire cosmos and all four
http://www.aishdas.org   corners of the world, but sometimes he forgets
Fax: (270) 514-1507      to include himself.     - Rav Yisrael Salanter