הלד' תגמלו זאת עם נבל ולא חכם
Moshe Rabbeinu wonders how Klal Yisrael could have been so vile and unwise as to sin against Hashem. The words, Am naval v’lo chacham, “A vile and unwise people,” is translated by Targum Onkelos as, Ama d’kabila oraisa v’lo chakimu, “A nation that received the Torah who is unwise.” Thus, Onkelos defines naval, which normally means vile or abominable, as, “who accepted /received the Torah.” Should it not be quite the opposite? One who rejects Torah should be considered vile, not one who receives it. The Kotzker Rebbe, zl, explains that the definition is relative, with the reality of our…
