Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 7

1When God, your God, brings you into the land that you are entering in order to possess, He will cast out many nations from before you: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites—seven nations more numerous and powerful than you.   אכִּ֤י יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְנָשַׁ֣ל גּוֹיִֽם־רַבִּ֣ים | מִפָּנֶ֡יךָ הַֽחִתִּי֩ וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֨י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִ֜י וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֗י וְהַֽחִוִּי֙ וְהַיְבוּסִ֔י שִׁבְעָ֣ה גוֹיִ֔ם רַבִּ֥ים וַֽעֲצוּמִ֖ים מִמֶּֽךָּ:
וְנָשַׁל - This is an expression of casting off and ejection, and so we find: וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל “the iron blade flies off.” 1   וְנָשַׁל.  לְשׁוֹן הַשְׁלָכָה וְהַתָּזָה, וְכֵן "וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל" (דברים י"ט):
2God, your God, will deliver them to you, and you must smite them. You must utterly destroy them: you must neither make a covenant with them nor be gracious to them.   בוּנְתָנָ֞ם יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֑ם הַֽחֲרֵ֤ם תַּֽחֲרִים֙ אֹתָ֔ם לֹֽא־תִכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית וְלֹ֥א תְחָנֵּֽם:
וְלֹא תְחָנֵּֽם - means: do not regard them with favor (חֵן); i.e., it is forbidden for a person to say, “How handsome is this non-Jew!” Another explanation: Do not give them any dwelling (חֲנִיָּה) in the land.   וְלֹא תְחָנֵּֽם.  לֹא תִתֵּן לָהֶם חֵן, אָסוּר לוֹ לָאָדָם לוֹמַר "כַּמָּה נָאֶה גוֹי זֶה". דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֹא תִּתֵּן לָהֶם חֲנִיָּה בָּאָרֶץ (עבודה זרה כ'):
3You must not intermarry with them: you must not give your daughter to a son of theirs, and you must not take a daughter of theirs for your son,   גוְלֹ֥א תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בָּ֑ם בִּתְּךָ֙ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֣ן לִבְנ֔וֹ וּבִתּ֖וֹ לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח לִבְנֶֽךָ:
4for your daughter’s husband will turn away your grandchild from following Me, and they will worship other peoples’ deities. The wrath of God will be kindled against you, and He will quickly destroy you.   דכִּֽי־יָסִ֤יר אֶת־בִּנְךָ֙ מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י וְעָֽבְד֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְחָרָ֤ה אַף־יְהֹוָה֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁמִֽידְךָ֖ מַהֵֽר:
כִּֽי־יָסִיר אֶת־בִּנְךָ מֵאַֽחֲרַי - (lit.) For he will turn away your child from following Me - i.e., the non-Jew’s son, when he marries your daughter, will turn your grandchild, whom your daughter bore to him, away from Me. This teaches us that your daughter’s child born from a non-Jewish father is called your child, but your son’s child born from a non-Jewish mother is not called your child but her child, for it does not say about the non-Jew’s daughter: לֹא תִקַּח. כִּי תָסִיר אֶת בִּנְךָ מֵאַחֲרַי “Do not take her as a wife, for she will turn away your grandchild from following Me,” but: כִּי יָסִיר אֶת בִּנְךָ וגו׳ “for he [the non-Jewish father] will turn away your grandchild….”   כִּֽי־יָסִיר אֶת־בִּנְךָ מֵאַֽחֲרַי.  בְּנוֹ שֶׁל גוֹי כְּשֶׁיִּשָּׂא אֶת בִּתְּךָ יָסִיר אֶת בִּנְךָ אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד לוֹ בִתְּךָ מֵאַחֲרַי, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁבֶּן בִּתְּךָ הַבָּא מִן הַגּוֹי קָרוּי בִּנְךָ, אֲבָל בֶּן בִּנְךָ הַבָּא מִן הַגּוֹיָה אֵינוֹ קָרוּי בִּנְךָ אֶלָּא בְּנָהּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נֶאֱמַר עַל בִּתּוֹ לֹא תִקַּח כִּי תָסִיר אֶת בִּנְךָ מֵאַחֲרַי:
5Rather, thus must you do to them: You must demolish their multi-stone altars, smash their one-stoned pedestals, cut down their deified trees, and burn their sculpted images in fire.   הכִּ֣י אִם־כֹּ֤ה תַֽעֲשׂוּ֙ לָהֶ֔ם מִזְבְּחֹֽתֵיהֶ֣ם תִּתֹּ֔צוּ וּמַצֵּֽבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּ֑רוּ וַֽאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם֙ תְּגַדֵּע֔וּן וּפְסִֽילֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֥וּן בָּאֵֽשׁ:
מִזְבְּחֹֽתֵיהֶם - Their altars - which are built with a number of stones.   מִזְבְּחֹֽתֵיהֶם.  שֶׁל בִּנְיָן:
וּמַצֵּֽבֹתָם - Their pedestals - made of one stone.   וּמַצֵּֽבֹתָם.  אֶבֶן אַחַת:
וַֽאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם - i.e., trees that are worshiped as idols.   וַֽאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם.  אִילָנוֹת שֶׁעוֹבְדִין אוֹתָן:
וּפְסִֽילֵיהֶם - Their sculpted images - i.e., graven images.   וּפְסִֽילֵיהֶם.  צְלָמִים:
6For you are a holy people, consecrated to God, your God: God, your God, has chosen you to be His treasured people out of all the peoples upon the earth.   וכִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּךָ֞ בָּחַ֣ר | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לִֽהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
7God did not delight in you and choose you because you are more numerous than any other people, for you are the least numerous of all the peoples.   זלֹ֣א מֵֽרֻבְּכֶ֞ם מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֗ים חָשַׁ֧ק יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וַיִּבְחַ֣ר בָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֥ם הַמְעַ֖ט מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּֽים:
לֹא מֵֽרֻבְּכֶם - Not…because you are more numerous. Understand it according to its straightforward meaning. But its Midrashic interpretation is: Because you do not aggrandize yourselves when I bestow good upon you, I desire you.   לֹא מֵֽרֻבְּכֶם.  כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ לְפִי שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם מַגְדִּילִים עַצְמְכֶם כְּשֶׁאֲנִי מַשְׁפִּיעַ לָכֶם טוֹבָה, לְפִיכָךְ חשק … בכם
כִּֽי־אַתֶּם הַמְעַט - For you are the least - i.e., you are self-effacing, like Abraham, who said: “I am dust and ashes,” 2 and like Moses and Aaron, who said: “what are we?”; 3 not like Nebuchadnezzar, who said: “I will be like the Most High”; 4 and Sennacherib, who said: “who among all the gods of the lands saved their land from me”; 5 and Chiram, who said: “I am a god; I sat on God’s throne.” 6   כִּֽי־אַתֶּם הַמְעַט.  – הַמְמַעֲטִין עַצְמְכֶם, כְּגוֹן אַבְרָהָם שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית י"ח) "וְאָנֹכִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶר", וּכְגוֹן מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שמות ט"ז) "וְנַחְנוּ מָה", לֹא כִנְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר שֶׁאָמַר (ישעיהו י"ד) "אֶדַּמֶּה לְעֶלְיוֹן", וְסַנְחֵרִיב (שם ל"ו) שֶׁאָמַר "מִי בְּכָל אֱלֹהֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת", וְחִירָם שֶׁאָמַר (י"ח כ"ח) "אֵל אָנִי מוֹשַׁב אֱלֹהִים יָשַׁבְתִּי" (חולין פ"ט):
כִּֽי־אַתֶּם הַמְעַט - For you are the least. Here כִּי is used in the sense of “because.”   כִּֽי־אַתֶּם הַמְעַט.  הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא:
8Rather, it was because of God’s love for you and because He kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that God took you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.   חכִּי֩ מֵאַֽהֲבַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶתְכֶ֗ם וּמִשָּׁמְר֤וֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַֽאֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֑ה וַיִּפְדְּךָ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים מִיַּ֖ד פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָֽיִם:
כִּי מֵאַֽהֲבַת ה' - Rather, it was because of God’s love. Here כִּי is used in the sense of “rather” – God did not desire you on account of your large numbers, but out of God’s love for you.   כִּי מֵאַֽהֲבַת ה'.  הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֶלָּא – לא מרבכם חשק ה' בכם, אֶלָּא מאהבת ה' אתכם:
וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה - means: on account of His keeping the oath.   וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה.  מֵחֲמַת שָׁמְרוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה:
9You must know that God, your God, is God, the faithful God. He will keep the covenant and bestow all the kindness He promised upon those who love Him and to those who keep His commandments, for 1,000 generations.   טוְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים הָאֵל֙ הַנֶּֽאֱמָ֔ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר הַבְּרִ֣ית וְהַחֶ֗סֶד לְאֹֽהֲבָ֛יו וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְו‍ֹתָ֖יו (כתיב מצותו) לְאֶ֥לֶף דּֽוֹר:
לְאֶלֶף דּֽוֹר - For one thousand generations. But elsewhere 7 it says: לַאֲלָפִים “for thousands of generations”! The answer is: Here, where it is stated next to לְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָו “those who keep His commandments,” who act out of fear, it says: לְאֶלֶף “for one thousand generations,” but above, where it is stated next to לְאֹהֲבַי “to those who love Me” – meaning, who act out of love, whose reward is greater – it says: לַאֲלָפִים “for thousands.”   לְאֶלֶף דּֽוֹר.  וּלְהַלָּן (דברים ה') הוּא אוֹמֵר "לַאֲלָפִים". כָּאן שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ אֵצֶל לְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו, הוּא אוֹמֵר לאלף, וּלְהַלָּן שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ אֵצֶל לְאֹהֲבַי, הוּא אוֹמֵר לַאֲלָפִים (סוטה ל"א):
לְאֹֽהֲבָיו - To those who love Him - this refers to those who act out of love.   לְאֹֽהֲבָיו.  אֵלּוּ הָעוֹשִׂין מֵאַהֲבָה:
וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵי מצותיו - And to those who keep His commandments - this refers to those who act out of fear.   וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵי מצותיו.  אֵלּוּ הָעוֹשִׂין מִיִּרְאָה:
10He recompenses those who hate Him while they are alive, causing them to perish. He does not delay in rewarding one who hates Him; He recompenses him while he is alive.   יוּמְשַׁלֵּ֧ם לְשֽׂנְאָ֛יו אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו לְהַֽאֲבִיד֑וֹ לֹ֤א יְאַחֵר֙ לְשׂ֣נְא֔וֹ אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ:
וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשֽׂנְאָיו אֶל־פָּנָיו - He recompenses those who hate Him while they are alive - i.e., during his lifetime, He pays him reward for whatever good he does, in order that he perish and be denied the World to Come.   וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשֽׂנְאָיו אֶל־פָּנָיו.  בְּחַיָּיו מְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ גְמוּלוֹ הַטּוֹב, כְּדֵי לְהַאֲבִידוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
11You must observe the commandments, rules, and ordinances that I command you today to do.”   יאוְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֜ה וְאֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לַֽעֲשׂתָֽם:
הַיּוֹם לעשותם - Today to do - i.e., although in this world reward for the commandments is not necessarily received immediately, tomorrow, in the World to Come, you will be able to take their reward in full. End of parashat Va’etchanan   הַיּוֹם לעשותם.  וּלְמָחָר, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, לִטֹּל שְׂכָרָם (עירובין כ"ב):