Sefer Yirmiyahu, chapter 24. Hashem showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs set before the Heichal of Hashem, after Nevuchadnetzar king of Bavel had exiled Yechonyah son of Yehoyakim king of Yehudah, and the officers of Yehudah, and the craftsmen and the smiths, from Yerushalayim, and brought them to Bavel.
Yirmiyahu here describes a prophecy that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him, and this prophecy relates to Yehoyachin who was exiled first, in the days of Yehoyakim, and afterward to Tzidkiyahu who was exiled on the second occasion, meaning the second time that the king of Bavel came here.
He describes: Hashem showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs set before the Heichal of Hashem. "Dudai" - the commentators explain here that this means like "dudei," baskets. The alef is extra. So this is not speaking of "dudai" fruit, but of baskets. Hashem showed me two baskets of figs, two baskets, like two containers with figs inside them, figs that are "mu'adim." "Mu'adim" means ready, designated, yes, already designated for eating. These figs were ready to be eaten. Before the Heichal of Hashem.
The Malbim, I do not know why, did not explain anything on this pasuk, and an explanation was very much called for here. It seems that he did explain it, only that it dropped out of the printing. This seems likely, and it is also implied from the continuation of his commentary, where he returns to matters that he apparently explained in pasuk 1. But in the printed editions no commentary appears on this pasuk. In its place we have brought the commentary of the Abarbanel, since it is known that the Malbim often brings the commentary of the Abarbanel, often relies on his commentary. He calls him the Ri"a. Many times people have asked me what is this "Ri"a" that brings the Abarbanel? The Ri"a is Rabbeinu Yitzchak Abarbanel. Yes, the Ri"a Abarbanel. So here we will explain the commentary of the Abarbanel in place of the commentary of the Malbim.
Hashem showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs. The Abarbanel explains: since Hashem showed Yirmiyahu the exile of the people of Yehudah, the exile that was destined to be, and He also shows him what would happen to them after they would go into exile. Therefore He shows him two baskets of figs, two baskets full of figs that were set before the Heichal of Hashem. What are baskets of figs doing before the Heichal of Hashem? Where at all was there fruit in the Beit HaMikdash? On this the Abarbanel says: from the bikkurim that were brought to the Beit HaMikdash, they were placed there in the Beit HaMikdash. Two baskets of figs, baskets with figs before the Heichal of Hashem.
After, this prophecy, after Nevuchadnetzar king of Bavel exiled Yechonyah son of Yehoyakim king of Yehudah. The Abarbanel asks that seemingly the order here is not logical. First he should have said: after Nevuchadnetzar king of Bavel exiled Yechonyah son of Yehoyakim king of Yehudah, and the officers of Yehudah, and the craftsmen and the smiths, from Yerushalayim, and brought them to Bavel, Hashem showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs. To say "Hashem showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs," this was after the exile, that is not how one speaks. First you state the time, after the king of Bavel exiled the first exile of Yechonyah, Yehoyakim, then Hashem showed me two baskets of figs. Why did he reverse the order?
So he explains that since the two baskets here, one alludes to Yechonyah, who was exiled first, and to the officers of Yehudah and the craftsmen and the smiths. What are the "charash" and the "masger"? Chazal say: "charash" is a term of deafness. "Masger" is a term of closing. Chazal say: those who were exiled at first were the advisors, they were the sages, they were the great ones of Torah. And they are called the charash and the masger. That is, there were such great ones in Torah that when one of them would speak, everyone would fall silent. Like a deaf-mute, unable to speak. That is, when he would rise to speak, then it was such power and the matters were so true and so correct, that all the rest were silent. And "masger," because after he would close a certain matter, saying about a certain matter that the conclusion is thus, ruling or in whatever way, arriving at some conclusion, after he closes it, there is no one who opens it. No one can, no, but perhaps one could still say, some more... no, if he closed it, that means he examined all the possibilities and nothing can be said. Yes, like when the Gemara reaches some conclusion, then that is the conclusion. Now a Rishon cannot come, one of the Rishonim or one of the Geonim, and say, although Ravina and Rav Ashi said thus, but perhaps one could resolve it, no, one cannot resolve it. After they closed it, no one can open it. So in fact these were great sages. So that is the one basket. The one basket speaks of the first exile of Yechonyah, who was exiled first, and there were the charash and the masger.
And the second basket alludes to Tzidkiyahu and the officers and the remnant of the people, who were exiled afterward. And here he comes to tell us that if Yechonyah and his officers and his sages were exiled, and Tzidkiyahu and his officers remained in Yerushalayim, do not think that because of this Tzidkiyahu and his people are more righteous. Better. Behold, look, Yechonyah and his people were exiled, while Tzidkiyahu and his people are still in Yerushalayim. So one might think, Hashem exiled the bad ones and left the good ones. This is what the navi comes to nullify. This is what the navi comes to negate. He tells you, I saw two baskets, baskets of figs, two baskets of figs set before the Heichal of Hashem. What is the meaning of "set before the Heichal of Hashem"? Set for punishment. Both of them before the Heichal of Hashem, meaning before the Holy One, blessed be He, set for punishment, that Hashem will exact retribution from them. This comes to show that the Holy One, blessed be He, carries out judgment with them. So the exile of Tzidkiyahu is only a matter of time. So the fact that they were not exiled now is not because they are better, but because the time had not yet come. Therefore he tells you, know that according to their deeds, their deeds are equal. Although note, certainly Tzidkiyahu himself was a righteous and worthy king compared to Yehoyakim. But with all this, the people, speaking of the people as a whole, the people as a whole were negative.
One basket had very good figs, like the first-ripe figs, and one basket had very bad figs, that could not be eaten from being so bad. One basket, meaning in one basket, I saw very good figs, like the first-ripe figs. What are the first-ripe figs? Figs that have ripened fully, like at the beginning of the first figs. And then these figs are important, they are cherished by those who find them. The Malbim explains that a fig, as Chazal say in the Midrash, if one does not pick it immediately when its ripening is evident, it splits, a little sun, it becomes wormy, it rots, it becomes repulsive. Figs must be picked even a little unripe. If you wait a bit longer, afterward it is only good for soup. There is nothing to do with it. So the figs, I saw that there were the first-ripe figs, very good figs, ones that are right at the beginning of their growth, so these figs, immediately when they ripened, it is good to take them, they are choice figs. Note, with this he compares the exile of Yehoyachin, says the Malbim, that they were picked first from Eretz Yisrael. They were picked first. He comes to tell you that relatively Yehoyachin, the people of this exile, they are like the fig that ripens first, they are the choice figs.
By the way, it is written "the one basket good figs." According to the rules of grammar, says the Malbim, it should have said "the one basket" (ha'echad). Like "the one lamb (ha'echad) you shall offer in the morning." One does not say "the lamb one." Why here "the basket, one" (hadud echad)? Rather he says, since each one was unique in itself, therefore he calls it "one." The basket, one. Why is each one unique? Because this one is in Bavel and that one is in Yerushalayim. So each one, each group is unique. Therefore he does not call it "ha'echad," but says "echad." "Echad" means something unique in itself.
And Hashem said to me, what do you see, Yirmiyahu? And I said, figs. The good figs, very good. And the bad, very bad, that could not be eaten from being so bad. He asks him, what do you see? He says to Him, I see figs, and as we said there are first-ripe figs which are good figs, figs whose time has now come to ripen, I see that these good figs are very good. And the bad, as we said, those that were not picked in time, and this symbolizes Tzidkiyahu who was not picked in time from Eretz Yisrael, but still remained here, who is in the category of the bad figs, the bad, very bad, that could not be eaten from being so bad.
The Malbim asks, what is the doubling? The figs very good and the bad very bad. Why the good very good and the bad very bad? Why in fact this phrasing and what does he want to say here? The Malbim says, there is good and there is bad that are relative. You ask, is this good or bad? I tell you, relative to that one, it is bad. But if you want to know it in itself, it is good. But relative to the most choice, relative to it, it is bad. On the other hand, there is bad that is bad in essence. Without any comparison. It is bad. Not because of relative to this or relative to that. It is bad in itself. So too when I speak of good, there is relative good. I can speak, for example, of prisoners in jail, I tell you this is a good prisoner. Why? He does not cause much trouble. Do you understand? He causes a little, so he is a good prisoner. What is "good"? Relative to the other criminals wandering around there, he is a good prisoner. A well-behaved prisoner. But if you want to judge, wait, so what, is this a person you would take as a groom for your daughter? No, do not get carried away. "Good" is relative. Relative to his deeds, he is fine. But if you want to judge him relative to normative people, then it is not exactly good. On the other hand, I can say about a person that he is good in essence. In any measure and parameter that you measure him by, he is good. However you measure, however you examine, he is good.
The Malbim says, here he wanted to tell us, come and see that the good and the bad that he saw are good and bad in themselves. Absolute, not relative. Therefore he says, the good, very good. In themselves they are very good. And the bad, very bad. In themselves they are bad. Not only relative to others are they bad, but also relative to themselves, in themselves they are bad. The meaning, the Malbim explains, is that the good ones had an addition of goodness and they became very good. The good, very good. That is, since you picked them immediately, they became more choice and fit for eating. And the bad, since you did not pick them immediately, this delay caused them to become negative until they could not be eaten from being so bad. What does he really want to say? I will already state the analogy. The analogy is that the exile of Yechonyah, since they were picked at once, exiled immediately, so they justified their deeds there in exile. They improved their deeds. And on the other hand Tzidkiyahu, they continue in their wickedness, since they remained here in Eretz Yisrael, so the bad figs became bad in essence. They were not picked in time for exile, so they became bad in essence.
And the word of Hashem came to me, saying: Thus said Hashem the God of Yisrael, like these good figs, so will I regard the exile of Yehudah, whom I have sent from this place to the land of the Kasdim, for good. Like these good figs that were picked in their time, so will I regard for good the exile of Yehudah who were picked in their time, who became exceedingly good. That is, that what I sent them away from this place is for their good, and this actually improved them, this bettered them. This sending is a good sending. The Malbim explains that what is written "whom I have sent from this place to the land of the Kasdim for their good," the "I have sent," of this it says "for good." The meaning is, the "I have sent" was for their good. And also on "I will regard," of this too it says "for good." So it is written here, so will I regard the exile of Yehudah whom I have sent, for good. I will regard for good, and I have sent for good. The word "for good" applies to both things written earlier.
How? I will set My eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear down. And I will plant them and not uproot. He says, I will set My eyes upon them for good. I will set My eyes upon them for good, meaning My providence will be upon them in exile. First of all there, in the place where they are, I did not cast them off, but I watch over them, providence for good. Beyond that, and I will bring them back to this land. There is here an additional promise, that they are destined to return in the days of Koresh, Ezra and Nechemyah, I will bring them back to this land. And then, I will build them up and not tear down. You will be built up, this exile will be built up and I will not tear down. As now there was here destruction and ruin. And I will plant them and not uproot, and I will not exile them. And in particular he says, that there will no longer be a cause for ruin and exile. For, I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am Hashem, and they will be My people and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart. I gave them a heart to know Me, and by virtue of this they will be My people, and through the exile they will return with all their heart, and then automatically they will no longer be deserving of punishment and exile.
And like the bad figs that could not be eaten from being so bad, for thus said Hashem, so will I make Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah and his officers and the remnant of Yerushalayim who remain in this land, and those dwelling in the land of Mitzrayim. And like the bad figs that were not picked in time, the bad figs that became wormy, that could not be eaten from being so bad, thus said Hashem, know, so will I make Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah and his officers and the remnant of Yerushalayim. All those who were not picked to Bavel, their end will be that they will be exiled, and the remnant of Yerushalayim who remain in this land and those dwelling in the land of Mitzrayim. Afterward I will make them a horror and so on, as we will see in the next pasuk. So the very fact that they were not picked in time, meaning not exiled in time, this thing will be to their detriment. So do not think that because you were not exiled, it is because we are better than those who were exiled. No, rather there is further evil and punishment destined to come upon them.
The Malbim dwells here on a precise point, what is "for thus said Hashem, so will I make Tzidkiyahu"? Seemingly we already said earlier that this is a prophecy from Hashem. The Malbim says, because one might have thought that what we saw above in pasuk 3, that the bad very bad that could not be eaten from being so bad, one might have thought that these were the words of Yirmiyahu. Meaning, his own words, of his own. That thus he says, expressing in this his personal opinion. So the Holy One, blessed be He, comes and reveals to him, know, what you said, "that could not be eaten from being so bad," this is not your private words, this I placed in your mouth. For thus said Hashem. The meaning is, that the bad figs that could not be eaten from being so bad, thus said Hashem. This was placed in your mouth according to the word of Hashem. Hashem placed the words in his mouth, for here there is in fact a prophecy, so will I make Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah and so on, that they will be like those bad figs.
And I will make them a horror, an evil, to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and a byword, a taunt and a curse, in all the places where I will drive them. I will make them a horror. What is "zava'ah" (horror)? The Malbim explains, "zava'ah" is from the term "to move," to move from its place. That is, the Malbim says, it was decreed upon them that Nevuchadnetzar would pursue them. And by virtue of that pursuit, note, and by virtue of that decree, not only will Yisrael be pursued, but also all the nations among whom they are. And then it comes out that all the kingdoms will tremble. Why? Because behold Nevuchadnetzar pursues us and we now fled to another place, so he will reach there too. So it comes out then that he will shake and all the kingdoms will tremble in the wake of his pursuit of us. All will be trembling and moving by virtue of the fact that we will flee there. So automatically it comes out, and I will make them a horror, an evil, to all the kingdoms of the earth. So all the kingdoms of the earth will be in a horror. All the kingdoms of the earth will be in motion, they will tremble by virtue of the movement of Yisrael.
And then it will be a disgrace and a byword and a taunt and a curse. "Cherpah" is shame, reviling. "Sheninah" means they will speak of you constantly, they will repeat and speak about all of their punishment. All will say, did you see what a great trouble befell Am Yisrael. And this too is what is written, that among those nations you will find no ease, and there will be no rest for the sole of your foot, and you will be there for a byword and a taunt. This is astonishing, this is a prophecy that were the Torah not to say it, how could one say it, how could one know it? And you will be there for a byword and a taunt. The Torah in fact tells us in advance, you will be few, you will be scattered among all the nations, and with all this everyone will constantly speak about the Jews. There is no explanation for this. Nothing, there is no historical parallel to it either. That a people scattered from its land, into fragments, in the places of their settlements, in those places you will find no ease, there will be no rest for the sole of your foot, all will pursue you, so then it is assured that this people would be destroyed. Yet with all this the Holy One, blessed be He, promises that even so, while they are in the land of their enemies, I did not reject them nor abhor them to destroy them. So I promise that they will not be destroyed. All will want to destroy them and they will not be destroyed. And everyone will speak about them. You know that someone once did a survey and found, first of all, the UN resolutions, more than 70% against the State of Israel. Are there no other nations in the world? Are there no other problems in the world? Thank God, the problems with Assad were resolved, his people mainly were resolved. And all kinds of others, in short, we have no problems, Israel, we have a problem with Israel. 70% of UN resolutions are against Israel. And the Jewish people is the most talked-about people everywhere, in the press, in the media, in everything. They elect a president of the United States, what is the discussion? What do the Jews think? Whom are the Jews with? What will the Jews say? It is unbelievable, how much they pursue the Jews, the Jews are spoken about everywhere. They tell that once the Chinese minister met the Israeli foreign minister. He said to him, tell me, how many are you, how many Jews are you? So he said to him, how many are we? Something like five, six, seven million. So he says to him, what? He says to him, that is your number? He tells him, we are more than a billion and we do not take up in the press even a fraction of a percent of the volume that the Jews take up in the press. Beyond that they are media giants. It is known that the Jews are media giants, let us put that aside. But how much is written about them? He said to him, do you know what five million is? He tells him, know that with us in China they take a population census, five million is a sampling error. He tells him, so with us you fall within a sampling error. He tells him, and you make such a noise, the whole world hears about you. Netanyahu has something to say against Obama, do you understand? Some Middle Eastern balcony there in some corner, you cannot see him on the globe, but he has criticism of Obama, he goes out against him head to head. That is not, what are you, Russia? Are you Putin? Do you understand? But here some small one can sit and provoke that giant elephant that is there, or the donkey, whatever it is, yes, provoking the president of the United States there. It is unbelievable how much the whole entire world speaks about Am Yisrael. He says, this is a byword and a taunt and a curse. He says, they will repeat you, but not praises, curses mainly, that is mainly what you will receive there.
And I will send against them the sword, the famine, and the plague, until they are consumed from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers. And I will send against them the sword, the famine, and the plague, until they are consumed. The Malbim explains that this speaks of those who will want to return to Eretz Yisrael. They will insist against the exile and they will decide that in any case they are returning. "Until they are consumed," meaning until they are destroyed from off the land.