EXTRA Derasha — not cited by Torah Temimah on this passuk; supplied for completeness of the SKIP range.

EXTRA — Haazinu 32:3 | When I call upon the Name of Hashem

Parashas Haazinu

The Complete Passuk

כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ אֶקְרָא הָבוּ גֹדֶל לֵאלֹהֵינוּ׃

When I call upon the Name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our God.

Source Citation

Berakhot 21a / Sifrei Devarim (on 32:3)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ אֶקְרָא הָבוּ גֹדֶל לֵאלֹהֵינוּ – מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: מִנַּיִן לְעוֹנֶה אָמֵן שֶׁלֹּא יַגְבִּיהַּ קוֹלוֹ יוֹתֵר מִן הַמְבָרֵךְ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ אֶקְרָא הָבוּ גֹדֶל לֵאלֹהֵינוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: מִכָּאן סְמָכוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁבַּמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיוּ עוֹנִים בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד אַחַר הַזְכָּרַת הַשֵּׁם.

English: “When I call upon the Name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our God” — from here they said: From where is it derived that one who answers Amen should not raise his voice higher than the one who blesses? From the verse “When I call upon the Name… ascribe greatness…”. Another interpretation: from here the Sages supported the practice that in the Temple they would respond “Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever” after the mention of the Name.

In Berakhot and Sifrei: The call to “ascribe greatness” is read both as a rule of etiquette for the response Amen and as the scriptural basis for the Temple response “Baruch shem kevod…”.

Type of Learning

Custom (derivation of liturgical practice from the call to ascribe greatness).

What Is Learned

See the Core Text and context note for the specific point derived from the verse.