| 10For the land to which you are coming to possess is not like Egypt, out of which you came, in which, after you sowed your seed, you watered the fields by foot like a vegetable garden. |
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יכִּ֣י הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה בָא־שָׁ֨מָּה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ לֹ֣א כְאֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ הִ֔וא אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְצָאתֶ֖ם מִשָּׁ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּזְרַע֙ אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֔ וְהִשְׁקִ֥יתָ בְרַגְלְךָ֖ כְּגַ֥ן הַיָּרָֽק: |
| לֹא כְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הִוא - Is not like Egypt - but better than it. This promise was given to the Israelites when they left Egypt, because they were saying: “Maybe we will not reach such a good and beautiful land as this one.” I might think that Scripture is here speaking to denigrate the land, and that Moses was saying to them: It is not like Egypt, but worse than it? Scripture therefore states: וְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים נִבְנְתָה לִפְנֵי [צֹעַן מִצְרַיִם] (lit.) “Hebron was built seven years before Tzo’an in Egypt.” One person built both of them – Ham built Tzo’an for his son Egypt, and Hebron for Canaan. Now, it is usual for a man to build the beautiful structure first and then build the ugly one, for what is discarded in the first structure he puts into building the second one. Furthermore, whatever is more precious always comes first. From here, you infer that Hebron was better than Tzo’an. Now, Egypt was the finest of all lands, as it says: “it was like God’s own garden and like Egypt,” and Tzo’an was the finest place in Egypt, for it was chosen as the seat of royalty, for so it says: “for his nobles were in Tzo’an.” Hebron was the poorest part of the Land of Israel, and it was thus reserved for burying the dead. Nevertheless it was better than Tzo’an. In Tractate Ketubot our sages explained the above verse differently: Is it possible that a man first builds a house for his younger son and then for his older son, i.e., how could Ham have built Hebron for Canaan before he built Tzo’an for Egypt?! Rather, “Hebron was built seven years before” means that it was seven times better built (מְבֻנָּה) than Tzo’an. |
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לֹא כְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הִוא.
אֶלָּא טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה, וְנֶאֶמְרָה הַבְטָחָה זוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּיצִיאָתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמָּא לֹא נָבֹא אֶל אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה וְיָפָה כָּזוֹ. יָכוֹל בִּגְנוּתָהּ הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְכָךְ אָמַר לָהֶם לֹא כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הִיא אֶלָּא רָעָה הֵימֶנָּה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וְחֶבְרוֹן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים נִבְנְתָה לִפְנֵי וְגוֹ'" (במדבר י"ג), אָדָם אֶחָד בְּנָאָן, חָם בָּנָה צֹעַן לְמִצְרַיִם בְּנוֹ, וְחֶבְרוֹן לִכְנַעַן, דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ אָדָם בּוֹנֶה אֶת הַנָּאֶה וְאַחַר כָּךְ בּוֹנֶה אֶת הַגָּרוּעַ, שֶׁפְּסָלְתּוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן הוּא נוֹתֵן בַּשֵּׁנִי, וּבְכָל מָקוֹם הֶחָבִיב קוֹדֵם, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁחֶבְרוֹן יָפָה מִצֹּעַן; וּמִצְרַיִם מְשֻׁבַּחַת מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית י"ג) "כְּגַן ה' כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם", וְצֹעַן שֶׁבַח מִצְרַיִם הִיא שֶׁהִיא מְקוֹם מַלְכוּת, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיהו ל') "כִּי הָיוּ בְצֹעַן שָׂרָיו", וְחֶבְרוֹן פְּסָלְתָּהּ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְכָךְ הִקְצוּהָ לְקְבוּרַת מֵתִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הִיא יָפָה מִצֹּעַן. וּבִכְתֻבּוֹת (דף קי"ב) דָּרְשׁוּ בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר, אֶפְשָׁר אָדָם בּוֹנֶה בַיִת לִבְנוֹ הַקָּטָן וְאַחַר כָּךְ לִבְנוֹ הַגָּדוֹל? אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּבֻנָּה עַל אֶחָד מִשִּׁבְעָה בְּצֹעַן:
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| אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִשָּׁם - Out of which you came - i.e., even the Rameses region of Goshen, where you lived – which is the best part of Egypt, as it says: “in the choicest part of the land, in the Rameses region of Goshen” – does not match up to the Land of Israel. |
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אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מִשָּׁם.
אֲפִלּוּ אֶרֶץ רַעְמְסֵס אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ וְהִיא בְּמֵיטַב אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ'" (בראשית מ"ז), אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ כְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
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| וְהִשְׁקִיתָ בְרַגְלְךָ - You watered by foot. Egypt required carrying water manually from the Nile in order to irrigate the land, and you had to lose sleep and toil at it, as the lower fields were watered by the overflow of the Nile and not the higher ones, and you would have to bring the water up from the lower fields to the higher ones. But this land “is watered by rain from the sky.” You sleep in your bed and the Holy One, blessed be He, waters both low and high areas, open and concealed areas equally. |
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וְהִשְׁקִיתָ בְרַגְלְךָ.
אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הָיְתָה צְרִיכָה לְהָבִיא מַיִם מִנִּילוּס, בְּרַגְלְךָ, וּלְהַשְׁקוֹתָהּ – צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לִנְדֹּד מִשְּׁנָתְךָ וְלַעֲמֹל, וְהַנָּמוּךְ שׁוֹתֶה וְלֹא הַגָּבוֹהַּ, וְאַתָּה מַעֲלֶה הַמַּיִם מִן הַנָּמוּךְ לַגָּבוֹהַּ, אֲבָל זוֹ למטר השמים תשתה מים – אַתָּה יָשֵׁן עַל מִטָּתְךָ וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁקֶה נָמוּךְ וְגָבוֹהּ גָּלוּי וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ גָלוּי כְּאֶחָת (ספרי):
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| כְּגַן הַיָּרָֽק - Like a vegetable garden - for which rainwater is not enough to survive and needs to be irrigated manually by foot or by carrying water on one’s shoulder. |
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כְּגַן הַיָּרָֽק.
שֶׁאֵין דַּי לוֹ בִגְשָׁמִים וּמַשְׁקִין אוֹתוֹ בָּרֶגֶל וּבַכָּתֵף:
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| 11The land that you are crossing into in order to possess is a land of mountains and valleys; it is watered by rain falling from the sky. |
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יאוְהָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹֽבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֨מָּה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ אֶ֥רֶץ הָרִ֖ים וּבְקָעֹ֑ת לִמְטַ֥ר הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם תִּשְׁתֶּה־מָּֽיִם: |
| אֶרֶץ הָרִים וּבְקָעֹת - A land of mountains and valleys. Mountain land is better than that of the plain, for on the plain you can sow a kor of seed in an area of a beit kor, whereas on a beit kor of mountain land you can sow five kor – four on its four slopes and one on its peak. |
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אֶרֶץ הָרִים וּבְקָעֹת.
מְשֻׁבָּח הָהָר מִן הַמִּישׁוֹר, שֶׁהַמִּישׁוֹר בְּבֵית כֹּר אַתָּה זוֹרֵעַ כֹּר, אֲבָל הָהָר בֵּית כֹּר מִמֶּנּוּ חֲמֵשֶׁת כֹּרִין – אַרְבָּעָה מֵאַרְבָּעָה שִׁפּוּעָיו וְאֶחָד בְּרֹאשׁוֹ:
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| וּבְקָעֹת - And valleys. This refers to the plain. |
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וּבְקָעֹת.
הֵן מִישׁוֹר:
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| 12It is the land that God, your God, watches over. The eyes of God, your God, are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. |
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יבאֶ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ דֹּרֵ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑הּ תָּמִ֗יד עֵינֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ בָּ֔הּ מֵֽרֵשִׁית֙ הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד אַֽחֲרִ֥ית שָׁנָֽה: |
| אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ - Which God, your God, watches over. Surely He watches over all lands, as is stated: “to bring rain upon a land where no one is”? This only means that, so to speak, He only watches solely over the Land of Israel, and through watching over it, He also watches over all other lands with it. |
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אֲשֶׁר־ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ.
וַהֲלֹא כָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת דוֹרֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לְהַמְטִיר עַל אֶרֶץ לֹא אִישׁ" (איוב ל"ח)? אֶלָּא כִּבְיָכוֹל אֵינוֹ דוֹרֵשׁ אֶלָּא אוֹתָהּ, וְעַל יְדֵי אוֹתָהּ דְּרִישָׁה שֶׁדּוֹרְשָׁהּ, דּוֹרֵשׁ אֶת כָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת עִמָּהּ:
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| תָּמִיד עֵינֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ - The eyes of God, your God, are always upon it - to see what it needs and to make new decrees upon it, reassessing the general decree made at the beginning of the year based on the merits of its inhabitants, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse…, as is stated in Rosh HaShanah. |
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תָּמִיד עֵינֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ.
לִרְאוֹת מַה הִיא צְרִיכָה, וּלְחַדֵּשׁ בָּהּ גְּזֵרוֹת, עִתִּים לְטוֹבָה עִתִּים לְרָעָה כוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (דף י"ז):
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| מֵֽרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה - From the beginning of the year - i.e., from Rosh Hashanah, it is judged and determined what is going to be at the year’s end. |
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מֵֽרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה.
מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה נִדּוֹן מַה יְּהֵא בְּסוֹפָהּ (שם ח'):
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| 13If you continuously study My commandments that I am commanding to you today, out of love for God, your God, and in order to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, |
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יגוְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמֹ֤עַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֹתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעָבְד֔וֹ בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם: |
| וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹעַ - (lit.) [This] will be if you heed. וְהָיָה “this will be” refers to the above statement: “it is watered by rain from the sky.” |
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וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹעַ.
וְהָיָה מוּסָב עַל הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה, לִמְטַר הַשָּׁמַיִם תִּשְׁתֶּה מָּיִם:
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| וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ - The doubled verb allows this to be interpreted: If you heed the old, i.e., review the material you have studied, you will heed the new, i.e., you will be able to discover new insights within it. Similarly: וְהָיָה אִם שָׁכֹחַ תִּשְׁכַּח means: If you begin to forget the Torah, you will ultimately forget it all, for so it is written in an ancient scroll: “If you forsake me for one day, I will forsake you for two days.” |
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וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ.
אִם שָׁמֹעַ בַּיָּשָׁן תִּשְׁמְעוּ בֶּחָדָשׁ, וְכֵן "אִם שָׁכֹחַ תִּשְׁכַּח" (דברים ח') – אִם הִתְחַלְתָּ לִשְׁכֹּחַ סוֹפְךָ שֶׁתִּשְׁכַּח כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב בִּמְגִלָּה אִם תַּעַזְבֵנִי יוֹם יוֹמַיִם אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ:
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| מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם - Am commanding you today - i.e., the commandments must be fresh and new to you, as if you had heard them on this very day. |
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מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם.
שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲלֵיכֶם חֲדָשִׁים, כְּאִלּוּ שְׁמַעְתֶּם בּוֹ בַיּוֹם (ספרי):
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| לְאַֽהֲבָה אֶת־ה' - (lit.) So as to love God. You must not say: I will study so that I become wealthy, or so that I be called a rabbi, or in order that I receive reward. Rather, whatever you do, do it out of love, and the honor will eventually come of its own accord. |
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לְאַֽהֲבָה אֶת־ה'.
שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הֲרֵי אֲנִי לוֹמֵד בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֶהְיֶה עָשִׁיר, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֶקָּרֵא רַב, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֲקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, אֶלָּא כָּל מַה שֶּׁתַּעֲשֶׂה עֲשֵׂה מֵאַהֲבָה וְסוֹף הַכָּבוֹד לָבֹא (שם):
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| וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶם - And in order to serve him with all your heart - i.e., with a service that is with the heart, which is prayer, for prayer is called “service,” as it says: “Your God whom you serve regularly”; was there then Temple service in Babylon? Rather, the term is used because Daniel would pray, as it says: “he had open windows in his upper chamber, facing Jerusalem…and he would pray….” Similarly, regarding David it says: “May my prayer be acceptable before You like incense.” |
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וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶם.
עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהִיא בַּלֵּב, וְזוֹ הִיא תְפִלָּה, שֶׁהַתְּפִלָּה קְרוּיָה עֲבוֹדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֱלָהָךְ דִּי אַנְתְּ פָּלַח לֵהּ בִּתְדִירָא" (דניאל ו'), וְכִי יֵשׁ פֻּלְחָן בְּבָבֶל? אֶלָּא עַל שֶׁהָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "וְכַוִּין פְּתִיחָן לֵהּ וְגוֹ'"; וְכֵן בְּדָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהילים קמ"א) "תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ":
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| בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם - With all your heart and with all your soul. Did not Scripture already enjoin us to serve God “with all your heart and with all your soul”? Rather, the earlier verse is addressed to the individual and this one is addressed to the community. |
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בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם.
וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר הִזְהִיר "בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ" (דברים ו'), אֶלָּא אַזְהָרָה לַיָּחִיד, אַזְהָרָה לַצִּבּוּר (ספרי):
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| 14I will give the rain for your land in its time—the early rain and the latter rain. You will gather in your grain, wine, and oil. |
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ידוְנָֽתַתִּ֧י מְטַר־אַרְצְכֶ֛ם בְּעִתּ֖וֹ יוֹרֶ֣ה וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וְאָֽסַפְתָּ֣ דְגָנֶ֔ךָ וְתִירֽשְׁךָ֥ וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ: |
| וְנָֽתַתִּי מְטַר־אַרְצְכֶם - I will give rain for your land. If you have done all this to the extent required of you, I will also do what is incumbent upon Me. |
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וְנָֽתַתִּי מְטַר־אַרְצְכֶם.
עֲשִׂיתֶם מַה שֶּׁעֲלֵיכֶם אַף אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה מַה שֶּׁעָלַי (שם):
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| בְּעִתּוֹ - In its time - i.e., at night, so that it does not bother you when you work the land. Another explanation: “in its time” – on Sabbath (Friday) nights, when everyone is at home. |
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בְּעִתּוֹ.
בַּלֵּילוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יַטְרִיחוּ אֶתְכֶם; דָּבָר אַחֵר – בְּעִתּוֹ בְּלֵילֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת שֶׁהַכֹּל מְצוּיִין בְּבָתֵּיהֶם:
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| יוֹרֶה - The early rain. This refers to the rain that falls after sowing, which saturates (מַרְוָה) the soil and the seeds. |
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יוֹרֶה.
הִיא רְבִיעָה הַנּוֹפֶלֶת לְאַחַר הַזְּרִיעָה, שֶׁמַּרְוָה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת הַזְּרָעִים:
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| מַלְקוֹשׁ - The latter rain. The rain that falls close to harvest time, to fully ripen (לְמַלֹּאות) the crop in its stalks (בְּקַשֶּׁיהָ). The term מַלְקוֹשׁ refers to something that is late, as in the phrase: וְהָיָה הָעֲטֻפִים לְלָבָן “the late-born offspring became Laban’s,” where הָעֲטֻפִים is translated as לַקִּישַׁיָּא. Another explanation: It is called מַלְקוֹשׁ because it falls on the ears of grain (מְלִילוֹת) and the stalks (קַשִּׁין). |
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מַלְקוֹשׁ.
רְבִיעָה הַיּוֹרֶדֶת סָמוּךְ לַקָּצִיר, לְמַלֹּאת הַתְּבוּאָה בְּקַשֶּׁיהָ. וּלְשׁוֹן מַלְקוֹשׁ דָּבָר הַמְאֻחָר כְּדִמְתַרְגְּמִינָן (בראשית ל') "וְהָיָה הָעֲטֻפִים לְלָבָן" – לַקִּישַׁיָּא; דָּבָר אַחֵר – לְכָךְ נִקְרֵאת מַלְקוֹשׁ, שֶׁיּוֹרֶדֶת עַל הַמְּלִילוֹת וְעַל הַקַּשִּׁין:
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| וְאָֽסַפְתָּ דְגָנֶךָ - You will gather in your grain. You will gather it into the house and not your enemies, in the way that it says: “I will no longer give your grain to be eaten by your enemies…rather, its gatherers will eat it,” and not in the way that it says: “Whenever Israel would sow, Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would rise and attack it.” |
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וְאָֽסַפְתָּ דְגָנֶךָ.
אַתָּה תַאַסְפֶנּוּ אֶל הַבַּיִת וְלֹא אוֹיְבֶיךָ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִם אֶתֵּן דְּגָנֵךְ וְגוֹ' כִּי מְאַסְפָיו יֹאכְלֻהוּ" (ישעיהו ס"ב) וְלֹא כָעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהָיָה אִם זָרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'" (שופטים ו'):
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| 15I will give grass to your domestic animals in your field; you will eat and be sated. |
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טווְנָֽתַתִּ֛י עֵ֥שֶׂב בְּשָֽׂדְךָ֖ לִבְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ: |
| וְנָֽתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָֽׂדְךָ - I will give grass in your field - so that you will not have to lead your animals out to desert areas. Another explanation: You will cut your produce throughout the rainy season to place in front of your livestock, and leave it untouched for only 30 days before the harvest, and the grain yield will not lack as a result. |
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וְנָֽתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָֽׂדְךָ.
שֶׁלֹּא תִצְטָרֵךְ לְהוֹלִיכָהּ לַמִּדְבָּרוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר — שֶׁתִּהְיֶה גּוֹזֵז תְּבוּאָתְךָ כָּל יְמוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים וּמַשְׁלִיךְ לִפְנֵי בְהֶמְתְּךָ וְאַתָּה מוֹנֵעַ יָדְךָ מִמֶּנָּה שְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם קֹדֶם לַקָּצִיר וְאֵינָהּ פּוֹחֶתֶת מִדְּגָנָהּ (ספרי):
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| וְאָֽכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ - You will eat and be sated. This is another blessing, namely, that the bread in your stomach be blessed, i.e., unusually filling. |
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וְאָֽכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ.
הֲרֵי זוֹ בְרָכָה אַחֶרֶת שֶׁתְּהֵא בְרָכָה מְצוּיָה בַּפַּת בְּתוֹךְ הַמֵּעַיִם ואכלת ושבעת:
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| 16Beware, lest your heart be misled and you neglect the study of the Torah, and you worship other peoples’ deities and prostrate yourselves before them, |
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טזהִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ לָכֶ֔ם פֶּן־יִפְתֶּ֖ה לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם וַֽעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִיתֶ֖ם לָהֶֽם: |
| הִשָּֽׁמְרוּ לָכֶם - You will eat and be sated; beware. Once you eat and are sated, be careful not to reject God, for a person does not rebel against the Holy One, blessed be He, unless when sated, as it says: “Lest you eat and be sated…and your herds and your flocks multiply” – what does it say afterwards? “and your heart grow haughty and you forget….” |
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הִשָּֽׁמְרוּ לָכֶם.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁתִּהְיוּ אוֹכְלִים וּשְׂבֵעִים הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם שֶׁלֹּא תִבְעֲטוּ, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מוֹרֵד בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שְׂבִיעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "פֶּן תֹּאכַל וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבְקָרְךָ וְצֹאנְךָ יִרְבְּיֻן" (דברים ח'), מַה הוּא אוֹמֵר אַחֲרָיו? "וְרָם לְבָבֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ":
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| וְסַרְתֶּם - (lit.) And you go astray - by neglecting study of the Torah, and as a result, “you will worship other peoples’ deities” – for once a person neglects study of the Torah, he is liable to become attached to idolatry. Similarly, King David said: “for they have banished me today from being attached to the inheritance of God, saying: Go and serve other deities!” Who had told David to do so? Rather, David said: “Since I have been debarred from Torah study, I am close to serving other deities.” |
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וְסַרְתֶּם.
לִפְרֹשׁ מִן הַתּוֹרָה, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ ועבדתם אלהים אחרים, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאָדָם פּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הַתּוֹרָה הוֹלֵךְ וּמִדַּבֵּק בְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְכֵן דָּוִד אוֹמֵר "כִּי גֵרְשׁוּנִי הַיּוֹם מֵהִסְתַּפֵּחַ בְּנַחֲלַת ה' לֵאמֹר לֵךְ עֲבֹד וְגוֹ'" (שמואל א כ"ו), וּמִי אָמַר לוֹ כֵן? אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֲנִי מְגֹרָשׁ מִלַּעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, הֲרֵינִי קָרוֹב לַעֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים:
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| אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים - (lit.) Other deities - i.e., they are strangers (אֲחֵרִים) to those who worship them. The worshiper cries out to it but it does not answer him. It thus behaves towards him like a stranger. |
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אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים.
שֶׁהֵם אֲחֵרִים לְעוֹבְדֵיהֶם – צוֹעֵק אֵלָיו וְאֵינוֹ עוֹנֵהוּ, נִמְצָא עָשׂוּי לוֹ כְּנָכְרִי (ספרי):
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| 17for then the wrath of God will be kindled against you. He will close off heaven and there will be no rain, and the ground will not give its produce. You will perish quickly from upon the good land that God is giving you. |
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יזוְחָרָ֨ה אַף־יְהֹוָ֜ה בָּכֶ֗ם וְעָצַ֤ר אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֣ה מָטָ֔ר וְהָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן אֶת־יְבוּלָ֑הּ וַֽאֲבַדְתֶּ֣ם מְהֵרָ֗ה מֵעַל֙ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶֽם: |
| אֶת־יְבוּלָהּ - Its produce - i.e., even as much as you bring (מוֹבִיל) to it when sowing it, like it says: “You have sown much and brought in little.” |
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אֶת־יְבוּלָהּ.
אַף מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה מוֹבִיל לָהּ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (חגי א') זְרַעְתֶּם הַרְבֵּה וְהָבֵא מְעָט (ספרי):
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| וַֽאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה - You will perish quickly - i.e., besides all the other punishments, I will exile you from the land that caused you to sin. This can be compared to a king who sent his son to the banqueting hall. The king sat and ordered him: “Do not eat or drink more than you need, so that you come home clean.” The son did not pay attention, but ate and drank excessively so that he vomited, soiling all participants in the banquet. They took him by his hands and feet and flung him behind the palace. |
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וַֽאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה.
עַל כָּל שְׁאָר הַיִּסּוּרִין אַגְלֶה אֶתְכֶן מִן הָאֲדָמָה שֶׁגָּרְמָה לָכֶם לַחֲטֹא; מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁשָּׁלַח בְּנוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה וְהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וּמַפְקִידוֹ אַל תֹּאכַל יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכְּךָ, שֶׁתָּבֹא נָקִי לְבֵיתְךָ, וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ הַבֵּן הַהוּא, אָכַל וְשָׁתָה יוֹתֵר מִצָּרְכּוֹ, וְהֵקִיא וְטִנֵּף אֶת כָּל בְּנֵי הַמְּסִבָּה, נְטָלוּהוּ בְיָדָיו וּבְרַגְלָיו וּזְרָקוּהוּ אֲחוֹרֵי פַּלְטְרִין (שם):
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| מְהֵרָה - Quickly. God says: I will not give you any reprieve. If you ask: Was not the generation of the Flood given reprieve, as it says: “they will have 120 years to repent”? The answer is: the generation of the Flood had no one to learn from, but you have from whom to learn. |
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מְהֵרָה.
אֵינִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם אַרְכָּא, וְאִם תֹּאמְרוּ וַהֲלֹא נִתְּנָה אַרְכָּא לְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָיוּ יָמָיו מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה (בראשית ו') דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם מִמִּי לִלְמֹד וְאַתֶּם יֵשׁ לָכֶם מִמִּי לִלְמֹד (ספרי):
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| 18You must set these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul. You must bind them as a sign upon your arm and they must act as a reminder on your forehead, above the point between your eyes. |
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יחוְשַׂמְתֶּם֙ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֣י אֵ֔לֶּה עַל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וְעַל־נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּ֨ם אֹתָ֤ם לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יֶדְכֶ֔ם וְהָי֥וּ לְטֽוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵֽינֵיכֶֽם: |
| וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת־דְּבָרַי - You must set these words of Mine. Even once you are exiled, be outstanding (מְצֻיָּנִים) in performance of the commandments: lay tefilin and affix mezuzot, so that they not be new to you when you return, as the verse says: “Erect for yourself signposts (צִיֻּנִים).” |
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וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת־דְּבָרַי.
אַף לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּגְלוּ הֱיוּ מְצֻיָּנִים בַּמִּצְווֹת, הַנִּיחוּ תְּפִלִּין, עֲשׂוּ מְזוּזוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ לָכֶם חֲדָשִׁים כְּשֶׁתַּחְזְרוּ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ירמיהו ל"א) הַצִּיבִי לָךְ צִיֻּנִים (ספרי):
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| 19You must teach them to your children, so that they speak with them with them when you are sitting in your house and when you are walking on the way, when you lie down to sleep at night and when you awaken in the morning. |
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יטוְלִמַּדְתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֛ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֨ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ: |
| לְדַבֵּר בָּם - So that they speak with them. From the time a child knows how to speak, teach him: “The Torah that Moses commanded us…,” so that this be how he learns to speak. From here, our sages derived that when an infant begins to speak, his father should converse with him in the Holy Tongue (Hebrew) and teach him the Torah. But if he does not do this, it is as if he had buried him, as it says: “You must teach them to your children, so that they speak with them…in order that…the days of your children increase….” |
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לְדַבֵּר בָּם.
מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַבֵּן יוֹדֵעַ לְדַבֵּר, לַמְּדֵהוּ "תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה" שֶׁיְּהֵא זֶה לִמּוּד דִּבּוּרוֹ; מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ כְּשֶׁהַתִּינוֹק מַתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר אָבִיו מֵשִׂיחַ עִמּוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּמְלַמְּדוֹ תוֹרָה, וְאִם לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן הֲרֵי הוּא כְאִלּוּ קוֹבְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם וגו'.
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| 20You must inscribe this paragraph upon the parchment placed on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates, |
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כוּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ: |
| 21in order that your days and the days of your children increase in the land that God swore to your forefathers to give them, for as long as the days of heaven above earth. |
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כאלְמַ֨עַן יִרְבּ֤וּ יְמֵיכֶם֙ וִימֵ֣י בְנֵיכֶ֔ם עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה לַֽאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם כִּימֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם - In order that your days and the days of your children increase. If you do this they will increase, but if not they will not increase – for the words of the Torah are expounded so as to infer the positive from the negative and the negative from the positive. |
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לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם.
אִם עֲשִׂיתֶם כֵּן יִרְבּוּ, וְאִם לָאו לֹא יִרְבּוּ, שֶׁדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה נִדְרָשִׁין מִכְּלַל לָאו הֵן וּמִכְּלַל הֵן לָאו (ספרי):
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| לָתֵת לָהֶם - To give them. It does not say: “to give you,” but “to give them.” We thus have a source here from the Torah for the resurrection of the dead. |
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לָתֵת לָהֶם.
לָתֵת לָכֶם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא לָתֵת לָהֶם, מִכָּאן מָצִינוּ לְמֵדִים תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה:
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