Translations

Question

Dear Rabbi, Thank you
1) What is the exact translation of this Commentary?
אם על ישראל נאמר יקרא כל ישראל בכלל אבן על דרך משל כי ישראל עיקר בנין העולם בחוקיהם ובמשפטיהם, והיו מואסים אותם המלכים שיהיו אפילו אחד מאבני הבנין כל שכן שתהיה:
2) and also:
אבן, המלכות תצויר כבנין כמ”ש כ”פ, והמלך הוא יסוד הבנין כמ”ש הנני יסד בציון אבן (ישעיהו כ״ח:ט״ז), שנאמר על חזקיה,

והבונים מאסו בו אז, כי עמדו אז שבנא וסייעתו לחלוק על מלכותו, ובכ”ז
היתה לראש פנה, וזה לא היה בדרך הטבע, רק

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The commentary for the 1) is that of the Radak the commentary for 2) is the Malbim – both on Psalms 118:22.

    1) Israel is described as being a “stone”. There is a parable that Israel is the foundation stone of the world with its statutes and its laws. And the [non-Jewish] kings despised them that there will be even one of the building stones.

    2) The kingship is likened to a stone as is written each time, the king is the foundation of the building as is written, “Behold I am laying a foundation stone in Zion” (Isaiah 28:16), as is written about Hezekiah, “the builders despised him” they stood when he built and they wanted to
    disagree [fight against] with his kingdom and because of this “he became the cornerstone”, and this did not happen in a natural fashion.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team