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Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Devarim - Deuteronomy Nitzavim Texts & Summaries

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First Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 29

9“You are all standing today before God, your God—the leaders of your tribes, your elders, your sheriffs, and every Israelite man,		טאַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים - You are standing today. This teaches us that Moses assembled them before the Holy One, blessed be He, on the day of his death, specifically to have them enter the covenant.		אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכִּנְּסָם מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם מוֹתוֹ לְהַכְנִיסָם בַּבְּרִית:
רָֽאשֵׁיכֶם שִׁבְטֵיכֶם - (lit.) Your heads, your tribes - means: the heads of your tribes.		רָֽאשֵׁיכֶם שִׁבְטֵיכֶם. רָאשֵׁיכֶם לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם:
זִקְנֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם - Your elders and your sheriffs - i.e., whoever is more important is mentioned first, and afterward, at the end, “every Israelite man.”		זִקְנֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם. הֶחָשׁוּב חָשׁוּב קוֹדֵם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כל איש ישראל:
10your young children, your womenfolk, and your converts who are in your camp, from your woodcutter to your water-drawer—		יטַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַֽחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵֽחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ:
מֵֽחֹטֵב עֵצֶיךָ - From your woodcutter. This teaches us that Canaanites came to convert during Moses’ lifetime, just as we find that Gibeonites came in the time of Joshua, and this is alluded to by the statement regarding the Gibeonites: “they also did so cunningly.” 1 Moses accepted them, but appointed them as woodcutters and water-drawers.		מֵֽחֹטֵב עֵצֶיךָ. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּאוּ כְנַעֲנִיִּים לְהִתְגַּיֵּר בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁבָּאוּ גִּבְעוֹנִים בִּימֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְזֶהוּ הָאָמוּר בַּגִּבְעוֹנִים (יהושע ט') "וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם הֵמָּה בְּעָרְמָה", וּנְתָנָם מֹשֶׁה חוֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וְשׁוֹאֲבֵי מַיִם (עי' תנחומא):
11in order to perform a ritual by which you will enter into a covenant with God, your God—and to take His oath to uphold it—which God, your God, is making with you today		יאלְעָבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָֽלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כֹּרֵ֥ת עִמְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם:
לְעָבְרְךָ - means: so that you enter the covenant. It is impossible to explain it as equivalent to: לְהַעֲבִירְךָ “to make you enter,” where the suffix ך refers to the direct object; rather, it is like: לַעֲשֹׂתְכֶם אֹתָם “so that you perform them,” 2 where the suffix כם refers to the one doing the action.		לְעָבְרְךָ. לִהְיוֹתְךָ עוֹבֵר בַּבְּרִית, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרְשׁוֹ כְּמוֹ לְהַעֲבִירְךָ, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ לַעֲשֹׂתְכֶם אֹתָם:
לְעָבְרְךָ בִּבְרִית - In order that you enter into a covenant - in a manner of “passing” (הַעֲבָרָה). This was the custom of parties to a covenant, namely, to make a partition on one side and another partition on the other and pass between them, as it says: “the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts.” 3		לְעָבְרְךָ בִּבְרִית. דֶּרֶךְ הַעֲבָרָה כָּךְ: הָיוּ כוֹרְתֵי בְרִיתוֹת עוֹשִׂין מְחִצָּה מִכָּאן וּמְחִצָּה מִכָּאן וְעוֹבְרִים בֵּינְתַּיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "הָעֵגֶל אֲשֶׁר כָּרְתוּ לִשְׁנַיִם וַיַּעַבְרוּ בֵּין בְּתָרָיו" (ירמיהו ל"ד):

Footnotes

Joshua 9:4.

Deuteronomy 4:14.

Jeremiah 34:18.

Second Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 29

12in order to establish you today as His people, so that He can be your God for all time, as He spoke concerning you and as He swore to your forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.		יבלְמַ֣עַן הָקִֽים־אֹֽתְךָ֩ הַיּ֨וֹם \| ל֜וֹ לְעָ֗ם וְה֤וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־לָ֑ךְ וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹֽב:
לְמַעַן הָקִֽים־אֹֽתְךָ הַיּוֹם לוֹ לְעָם - In order to establish you today as His people. He makes this effort of entering these partitions Himself, so to speak, in order to ensure that you remain permanently before Him and thus remain His people.		לְמַעַן הָקִֽים־אֹֽתְךָ הַיּוֹם לוֹ לְעָם. כָּל כָּךְ הוּא נִכְנָס לִטְרֹחַ לְמַעַן קַיֵּם אוֹתְךָ לְפָנָיו לְעָם:
וְהוּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ לֵֽאלֹהִים - So that He can be your God. Since He spoke regarding you, and swore to your forefathers that He would not exchange their descendants for another nation, He is binding you with these oaths, so that you not antagonize Him, since He is unable to separate Himself from you. Until here, I have explained this passage according to its contextual meaning. But the aggadic Midrash 1 says: Why is the passage “You are all standing…” stated following the curses? Because when Israel heard these 100 curses less two, besides the 49 stated in Leviticus, their faces turned pale and they said: “Who can withstand all these curses?” Moses therefore began to appease them by saying:		וְהוּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ לֵֽאלֹהִים. לְפִי שֶׁדִּבֵּר לְךְ וְנִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבוֹתֶיךָ שֶׁלֹּא לְהַחֲלִיף אֶת זַרְעָם בְּאֻמָּה אַחֶרֶת, לְכָךְ הוּא אוֹסֵר אֶתְכֶם בַּשְּׁבוּעוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁלֹּא תַקְנִיטוּהוּ, אַחַר שֶׁהוּא אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִבָּדֵל מִכֶּם. עַד כָּאן פֵּרַשְׁתִּי פְּשׁוּטָהּ שֶׁל פָּרָשָׁה. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים לַקְּלָלוֹת? לְפִי שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָה קְלָלוֹת חָסֵר שְׁתַּיִם חוּץ מִמ"ט שֶׁבְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, הוֹרִיקוּ פְנֵיהֶם וְאָמְרוּ מִי יוּכַל לַעֲמֹד בָּאֵלּוּ? הִתְחִיל מֹשֶׁה לְפַיְּסָם — :
אתם נצבים היום - “You are all standing today” - i.e., although You have angered the Omnipresent many times, He has not destroyed you, and you remain standing firm before Him.		אתם נצבים היום. הַרְבֵּה הִכְעַסְתֶּם לַמָּקוֹם וְלֹא עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם כְּלָיָה וַהֲרֵי אַתֶּם קַיָּמִים לְפָנָיו:
הַיּוֹם - Today - i.e., just as the day remains firm, as it is overcome by darkness and shines again, so, too, God gave you light and will continue to give you light in the future, while the curses and suffering in between help you endure and cause you to stand firm before Him. Similarly, the passage above is also words of appeasement: “You have seen all that God did….” 2 Another explanation.		הַיּוֹם. כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה שֶׁהוּא קַיָּם וְהוּא מַאֲפִיל וּמֵאִיר, כָּךְ הֵאִיר לָכֶם וְכָךְ עָתִיד לְהָאִיר לָכֶם, וְהַקְּלָלוֹת וְהַיִּסּוּרִין מְקַיְּמִין אֶתְכֶם וּמַצִּיבִין אֶתְכֶם לְפָנָיו; וְאַף הַפָּרָשָׁה שֶׁל מַעְלָה מִזּוֹ פִּיּוּסִין הֵם, אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה; דָּבָר אַחֵר — :
אתם נצבים - “You are all standing…”. Since Israel was passing from one leader to another – from Moses to Joshua – Moses had them stand assembled, in order to inspire them. So, too, did Joshua before his death, and so did Samuel before his death: “stand and I will reason with you,” 3 when they left his authority and entered the authority of Saul.		אתם נצבים. לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹצְאִין מִפַּרְנָס לְפַרְנָס — מִמֹּשֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ — לְפִיכָךְ עָשָׂה אוֹתָם מַצֵּבָה כְּדֵי לְזָרְזָם; וְכֵן עָשָׂה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (יהושע כ"ד) וְכֵן שְׁמוּאֵל (שמואל א י"ב) "הִתְיַצְּבוּ וְאִשָּׁפְטָה אִתְּכֶם", כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִיָּדוֹ וְנִכְנְסוּ לְיָדוֹ שֶׁל שָׁאוּל (עי' תנחומא):
13I am not making this covenant and administering this oath on God’s behalf solely with you,		יגוְלֹ֥א אִתְּכֶ֖ם לְבַדְּכֶ֑ם אָֽנֹכִ֗י כֹּרֵת֙ אֶת־הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶת־הָֽאָלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת:
14but with those standing here with us today before God, our God, and with those who are not here with us today,		ידכִּי֩ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶשְׁנ֜וֹ פֹּ֗ה עִמָּ֨נוּ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד הַיּ֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה עִמָּ֥נוּ הַיּֽוֹם:
וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ פֹּה - And with those who are not here - i.e., even with future generations, so that they be direct parties to the covenant just as you are.		וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ פֹּה. וְאַף עִם דּוֹרוֹת הָעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת:

Footnotes

Tanchuma.

Deuteronomy 29:1.

1 Samuel 12:7.

Third Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 29

15for you know how we dwelt in Egypt, and how we passed through the territories of the nations that you encountered on our way to the Land of Israel.		טוכִּֽי־אַתֶּ֣ם יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁ֖בְנוּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֛רְנוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲבַרְתֶּֽם:
כִּֽי־אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם וגו' - For you know…you saw their loathsome idols. Since you have observed the idolatrous nations – and therefore one of you may be drawn to follow them – “perhaps there is among you…” and I need to adjure you with an oath.		כִּֽי־אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁרְאִיתֶם הָאֻמּוֹת, וְשֶׁמָּא הִשִּׂיא לֵב אֶחָד מִכֶּם אוֹתוֹ לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵיהֶם, פן יש בכם וגו', לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁבִּיעֲכֶם:
16You saw their loathsome and repugnant idols of wood and stone, and those of silver and gold, which they hid with them.		טזוַתִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־שִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת גִּלֻּֽלֵיהֶ֑ם עֵ֣ץ וָאֶ֔בֶן כֶּ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִמָּהֶֽם:
וַתִּרְאוּ אֶת־שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם - You saw their loathsome idols. They are so called on account of the fact that they are repulsive, like loathsome creatures.		וַתִּרְאוּ אֶת־שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מְאוּסִים כַּשְּׁקָצִים:
גִּלֻּֽלֵיהֶם - Their repugnant idols - that are foul and repulsive, like dung (גָּלָל).		גִּלֻּֽלֵיהֶם. שֶׁמֻּסְרָחִים וּמְאוּסִין כַּגָּלָל:
עֵץ וָאֶבֶן - Of wood and stone. Those of wood or stone you have seen openly, since the non-Jews are not afraid that they will be stolen, but those of silver and gold are “with them” in their concealed chambers, since they are afraid that they might be stolen.		עֵץ וָאֶבֶן. אוֹתָן שֶׁל עֵצִים וְשֶׁל אֲבָנִים רְאִיתֶם בַּגָּלוּי, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין הַגּוֹי יָרֵא שֶׁמָּא יִגָּנְבוּ, אֲבָל שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב עמהם, בְּחַדְרֵי מַשְׂכִּיתָם הֵם, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם יְרֵאִים שֶׁמָּא יִגָּנְבוּ (תנחומא):
17Perhaps there is among you a man, woman, family, or tribe, whose heart is straying today from being bound to God, our God, and will induce you to go and worship the deities of those nations. Perhaps there is among you, figuratively speaking, a root that produces poison hemlock and bitter wormwood.		יזפֶּן־יֵ֣שׁ בָּ֠כֶ֠ם אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֞ה א֧וֹ מִשְׁפָּחָ֣ה אוֹ־שֵׁ֗בֶט אֲשֶׁר֩ לְבָב֨וֹ פֹנֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ מֵעִם֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ לָלֶ֣כֶת לַֽעֲבֹ֔ד אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֖י הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָהֵ֑ם פֶּן־יֵ֣שׁ בָּכֶ֗ם שֹׁ֛רֶשׁ פֹּרֶ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְלַֽעֲנָֽה:
פֶּן־יֵשׁ בָּכֶם - means: “Perhaps there is among you.”		פֶּן־יֵשׁ בָּכֶם. שֶׁמָּא יש בכם:
אֲשֶׁר לְבָבוֹ פֹנֶה הַיּוֹם - Whose heart is straying today - from accepting the covenant upon himself.		אֲשֶׁר לְבָבוֹ פֹנֶה הַיּוֹם. מִלְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו הַבְּרִית:
שֹׁרֶשׁ פֹּרֶה רֹאשׁ וְלַֽעֲנָֽה - A root that produces hemlock and wormwood - i.e., a root that produces a bitter herb, such as gidin (wormwood), which is bitter. In other words, he nurtures and breeds wickedness in your midst.		שֹׁרֶשׁ פֹּרֶה רֹאשׁ וְלַֽעֲנָֽה. שֹׁרֶשׁ מְגַדֵּל עֵשֶׂב מַר כַּגִּידִין שֶׁהֵם מָרִים, כְּלוֹמַר — מַפְרֶה וּמַרְבֶּה רֶשַׁע בְּקִרְבְּכֶם:
18When he hears the words of this oath, he may bless himself in his heart, saying, ‘I will enjoy peace of mind even if I follow my heart’s illusions.’ As a result, God will add the punishment for his “drunk” (unintentional) sins to the punishment for his “thirsty” (intentional) sins.		יחוְהָיָ֡ה בְּשָׁמְעוֹ֩ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֨י הָֽאָלָ֜ה הַזֹּ֗את וְהִתְבָּרֵ֨ךְ בִּלְבָב֤וֹ לֵאמֹר֙ שָׁל֣וֹם יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֔י כִּ֛י בִּשְׁרִר֥וּת לִבִּ֖י אֵלֵ֑ךְ לְמַ֛עַן סְפ֥וֹת הָֽרָוָ֖ה אֶת־הַצְּמֵאָֽה:
וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּלְבָבוֹ - He may bless himself in his heart. This denotes blessing, i.e., he will imagine himself still blessed with peace, saying: These curses will not affect me, but “I will enjoy peace.”		וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּלְבָבוֹ. לְשׁוֹן בְּרָכָה, יַחֲשֹׁב בְּלִבּוֹ בִּרְכַּת שָׁלוֹם לְעַצְמוֹ לֵאמֹר, לֹא יְבוֹאוּנִי קְלָלוֹת הַלָּלוּ, אַך שלום יהיה לי:
וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ - “bendira soi” in Old French (“he will consider himself blessed”). It is a reflexive form, similar to: וְהִתְגַּלַּח “he must shave himself”; 1 וְהִתְפַּלֵּל “he will pray.” 2		וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ. בנדי"רא שו"יא בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ וְהִתְגַּלָּח, וְהִתְפַּלֵּל:
בִּשְׁרִרוּת לִבִּי אֵלֵךְ - means: “I follow what my heart sees,” similar to: “I behold it (אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ), but not soon,” 3 i.e., what my heart sees fit to do.		בִּשְׁרִרוּת לִבִּי אֵלֵךְ. בְּמַרְאִית לִבִּי, כְּמוֹ (במדבר כ"ד) "אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ וְלֹא קָרוֹב", כְּלוֹמַר, מַה שֶּׁלִּבִּי רוֹאֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת:
לְמַעַן סְפוֹת הָֽרָוָה - (lit.) So as to add the “drunk” [sin] - i.e., because I will add punishment for what he previously committed unintentionally, which I had overlooked until now, but now he causes Me to add them to the intentional sins and punish him for everything. Onkelos translates it similarly: בְּדִיל לְאוֹסָפָא לֵהּ חֶטְאֵי שָׁלוּתָא עַל זְדָנוּתָא – i.e., I will add his unintentional sins to the intentional ones.		לְמַעַן סְפוֹת הָֽרָוָה. לְפִי שֶׁאוֹסִיף לוֹ פֻּרְעָנוּת עַל מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה עַד הֵנָּה בְשׁוֹגֵג, וְהָיִיתִי מַעֲבִיר עֲלֵיהֶם, וְגוֹרֵם עַתָּה שֶׁאֲצָרְפֵם עִם הַמֵּזִיד וְאֶפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ הַכֹּל, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "בְּדִיל לְאוֹסָפָא לֵהּ חֶטְאֵי שָׁלוּתָא עַל זְדָנוּתָא" — שֶׁאוֹסִיף לוֹ אֲנִי הַשְּׁגָגוֹת עַל הַזְּדוֹנוֹת:
הָֽרָוָה - (lit.) The drunk - refers to unintentional sins, which a person commits as if drunk, without intent.		הָֽרָוָה. שׁוֹגֵג, שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה כְאָדָם שִׁכּוֹר שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה שֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעַת:
הַצְּמֵאָֽה - (lit.) The thirsty - refers to that which he commits knowingly and with desire.		הַצְּמֵאָֽה. שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה מִדַּעַת וּבְתַאֲוָה:
19God will not be willing to forgive him, for God’s fury and His zeal will then fume against that man, the entire curse written in this scroll will come down upon him, and God will obliterate his name from under heaven, i.e., from the whole world.		יטלֹֽא־יֹאבֶ֣ה יְהֹוָה֘ סְלֹ֣חַ לוֹ֒ כִּ֣י אָ֠ז יֶעְשַׁ֨ן אַף־יְהֹוָ֤ה וְקִנְאָתוֹ֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְרָ֤בְצָה בּוֹ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אָלָ֔ה הַכְּתוּבָ֖ה בַּסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה וּמָחָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־שְׁמ֔וֹ מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם:
יֶעְשַׁן אַף־ה' - (lit.) God’s nose will smoke - i.e., through anger, the body heats up and “smoke” comes out of the nose, and so we find: עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ “smoke went up in His nose.” 4 Although no such thing happens regarding the Omnipresent, Scripture describes it to us in a way that we are familiar with and able to understand, in the natural manner.		יֶעְשַׁן אַף־ה'. עַל יְדֵי כַעַס הַגּוּף מִתְחַמֵּם וְהֶעָשָׁן יוֹצֵא מִן הָאַף, וְכֵן (שמואל ב כ״ב:ט׳) "עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ", וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין זוֹ לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, הַכָּתוּב מַשְׁמִיעַ אֶת הָאֹזֶן כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהִיא רְגִילָה וִיכוֹלָה לִשְׁמֹעַ כְּפִי דֶרֶךְ הָאָרֶץ:
וְקִנְאָתוֹ - And His zeal. קִנְאָה here denotes fury, “enprenement” in Old French, i.e., He takes up the attire of vengeance and does not pass over principle.		וְקִנְאָתוֹ. לְשׁוֹן חֵמָה, אנפרטמי"נט, אֲחִיזַת לְבִישַׁת נְקָמָה וְאֵינוֹ מַעֲבִיר עַל הַמִּדָּה:
20God will single him out for evil from among all the tribes of Israel, punishing him in accordance with all the curses of the covenant written in this Torah scroll.		כוְהִבְדִּיל֤וֹ יְהֹוָה֙ לְרָעָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּכֹל֙ אָל֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֔ית הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּֽה:
הַכְּתוּבָה בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּֽה - Written in this Torah scroll - but above 5 it says: גַּם כָּל חֳלִי וְכָל מַכָּה וְגוֹ׳ בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת “In addition, God will bring upon you every disease and plague that is not written in the scroll of this Torah”; there הַזֹּאת, a feminine term, refers to תּוֹרָה “the Torah,” a feminine noun, but here הַזֶּה, a masculine term, refers to סֵפֶר “scroll,” a masculine noun. By way of the cantillation marks they are differentiated as two distinct phrases; above, in the passage of the curses, the disjunctive tipcha cantillation is under בְּסֵפֶר, and the words הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת are connected to each other, and therefore it says הַזֹּאת (feminine). But here, the tipcha is under הַתּוֹרָה, and thus the words סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה are connected to each other, and therefore it is followed by a masculine form, since it refers to סֵפֶר “scroll,” a masculine noun.		הַכְּתוּבָה בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּֽה. וּלְמַעְלָה הוּא אוֹמֵר "גַּם כָּל חֳלִי וְכָל מַכָּה … בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת"? הַזֹּאת — לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה מוּסָב אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, הַזֶּה — לְשׁוֹן זָכָר מוּסָב אֶל הַסֵּפֶר, וְעַל יְדֵי פִסּוּק הַטְּעָמִים הֵן נֶחֱלָקִין לִשְׁתֵּי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, בְּפָרָשַׁת הַקְּלָלוֹת הַטִּפְּחָא נְתוּנָה תַּחַת בְּסֵפֶר, וְהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת דְּבוּקִים זֶה לָזֶה, לְכָךְ אָמַר הַזֹּאת, וְכָאן הַטִּפְּחָא נְתוּנָה תַּחַת הַתּוֹרָה, נִמְצָא סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה דְּבוּקִים זֶה לָזֶה, לְפִיכָךְ לְשׁוֹן זָכָר נוֹפֵל אַחֲרָיו, שֶׁהַלָּשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל הַסֵּפֶר:
21A later generation, made up of your descendants who will arise after you, along with the foreigner who comes from a distant land, will say, upon seeing the plagues of that land and the diseases with which God struck it:		כאוְאָמַ֞ר הַדּ֣וֹר הָאַֽחֲר֗וֹן בְּנֵיכֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָק֨וּמוּ֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרֵיכֶ֔ם וְהַ֨נָּכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָבֹ֖א מֵאֶ֣רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֑ה וְ֠רָא֠וּ אֶת־מַכּ֞וֹת הָאָ֤רֶץ הַהִוא֙ וְאֶת־תַּ֣חֲלֻאֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁר־חִלָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה בָּֽהּ:
22‘Everything is sulfur and salt! This nation’s entire land is burned up! It cannot be sown, nor can it grow anything; not even any grass will sprout from it. It is similar to how God overturned Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Tzevoyim in His fury and in His rage.’		כבגָּפְרִ֣ית וָמֶ֘לַח֘ שְׂרֵפָ֣ה כָל־אַרְצָהּ֒ לֹ֤א תִזָּרַע֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְמִ֔חַ וְלֹא־יַֽעֲלֶ֥ה בָ֖הּ כָּל־עֵ֑שֶׂב כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת סְדֹ֤ם וַֽעֲמֹרָה֙ אַדְמָ֣ה וּצְבוֹיִ֔ם (כתיב וצביים) אֲשֶׁר֙ הָפַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּאַפּ֖וֹ וּבַֽחֲמָתֽוֹ:
23All the other nations will say, ‘Why did God do this to this land? What is the reason for this great, furious rage?’		כגוְאָֽמְרוּ֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם עַל־מֶ֨ה עָשָׂ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה כָּ֖כָה לָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את מֶ֥ה חֳרִ֛י הָאַ֥ף הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה:
24They will say, ‘It is because the Jews forsook the covenant of God, God of their forefathers, which He made with them when He took them out of Egypt,		כדוְאָ֣מְר֔וּ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽזְב֔וּ אֶת־בְּרִ֥ית יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר֙ כָּרַ֣ת עִמָּ֔ם בְּהֽוֹצִיא֥וֹ אֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
25for they went and served other peoples’ deities, prostrating themselves to them—deities that they had never known, and that He had not assigned to them.		כהוַיֵּֽלְכ֗וּ וַיַּֽעַבְדוּ֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲו֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יְדָע֔וּם וְלֹ֥א חָלַ֖ק לָהֶֽם:
לֹֽא־ידעם - That they had never known - means: in which they had never observed any Divine power.		לֹֽא־ידעם. לֹא יָדְעוּ בָהֶם גְּבוּרַת אֱלֹהוּת:
וְלֹא חָלַק לָהֶם - And that He had not assigned to them - i.e., God did not give these deities to them as their portion. But Onkelos translates it as: וְלָא אוֹטִיבָא לְהוֹן, i.e., they did not provide them any benefit, the phrase לֹא חָלַק meaning: the deity that they chose did not apportion them any inheritance or portion.		וְלֹא חָלַק לָהֶם. לֹא נְתָנָם לְחֶלְקָם; וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "וְלָא אוֹטִיבָא לְהוֹן", לֹא הֵטִיבוּ לָהֶם שׁוּם טוֹבָה; וְלָשׁוֹן לֹא חָלַק — אוֹתוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ שֶׁבָּחֲרוּ לָהֶם לֹא חָלַק לָהֶם שׁוּם נַחֲלָה וְשׁוּם חֵלֶק:
26God’s fury raged against that land, bringing upon it the entire curse written in this book.		כווַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֑וא לְהָבִ֤יא עָלֶ֨יהָ֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַקְּלָלָ֔ה הַכְּתוּבָ֖ה בַּסֵּ֥פֶר הַזֶּֽה:
27God uprooted them from their land with fury, wrath, and fuming indignation, and He cast them to another land, leaving them just as they are this day.’		כזוַיִּתְּשֵׁ֤ם יְהֹוָה֙ מֵעַ֣ל אַדְמָתָ֔ם בְּאַ֥ף וּבְחֵמָ֖ה וּבְקֶ֣צֶף גָּד֑וֹל וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֛ם אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ אֲחֶ֖רֶת כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
וַיִּתְּשֵׁם ה' - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וְטַלְטְלִנּוּן “God banished them.” Similar usage is: “I am going to pluck them up (נֹתְשָׁם) out of their land.” 6		וַיִּתְּשֵׁם ה'. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וְטַלְטְלִינוּן", וְכֵן "הִנְנִי נֹתְשָׁם מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם" (ירמיהו י"ב):
28The hidden sins are for God, our God, to punish; but the revealed sins are forever for us and for our children to punish, to ensure that we fulfill all the words of this Torah.		כחהַנִּ֨סְתָּרֹ֔ת לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹ֞ת ֹלָֹ֤נוֹּ ֹוֹּלְֹבָֹנֵֹ֨יֹנֹוּ֨ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם לַֽעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת:
הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ - The hidden [sins] are for God, our God. If you ask: “What can we do? You punish the community for the sinful thoughts of the individual, as it says: ‘perhaps there is among you a man…,’ 7 and subsequently: ‘seeing the plagues of that land.’ 8 But surely no one knows the secret thoughts of others!” The answer is: I will not punish you for the hidden sins, which “are for God, our God” alone to know, and He (i.e., I) will punish that individual. But “the revealed sins are for us and for our children” to remove evil from among us, and if we do not judge him, God will punish the community. The letters of לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ have dots above them, implying that they are to be expounded as indicating that even for revealed sins, He did not punish the community until they crossed the Jordan River and accepted the oath on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival, thus becoming responsible for each other.		הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ. וְאִם תֹּאמְרוּ מַה בְּיָדֵנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת? אַתָּה מַעֲנִישׁ אֶת הָרַבִּים עַל הִרְהוּרֵי הַיָּחִיד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "פֶּן יֵשׁ בָּכֶם אִישׁ וְגוֹ'", וְאַחַר כָּךְ "וְרָאוּ אֶת מַכּוֹת הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא", וַהֲלֹא אֵין אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ טְמוּנוֹתָיו שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ אֵין אֲנִי מַעֲנִישׁ אֶתְכֶם עַל הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת, שֶׁהֵן לַה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וְהוּא יִפָּרַע מֵאוֹתוֹ יָחִיד, אֲבָל "הַנִּגְלוֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ" לְבָעֵר הָרָע מִקִּרְבֵּנוּ, וְאִם לֹא נַעֲשֶׂה דִּין בָּהֶם יֵעָנְשׁוּ הָרַבִּים. נָקוּד עַל לנו ולבנינו לִדְרֹשׁ שֶׁאַף עַל הַנִּגְלוֹת לֹא עָנַשׁ אֶת הָרַבִּים עַד שֶׁעָבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן, מִשֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה בְּהַר גְּרִזִים וּבְהַר עֵיבָל וְנַעֲשׂוּ עֲרֵבִים זֶה לָזֶה (סוטה ל"ז; עי' סנהדרין מ"ג):

Footnotes

1 Kings 8:42.

Fourth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 30

1When all these things come upon you—the blessing and the curse that I have set before you—I promise you that you will consider them in your heart, as you reside amidst all the nations to which God, your God, has banished you,		אוְהָיָה֩ כִֽי־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַֽהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכָ֨ל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה:
2and you will be inspired to return to God, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will once again heed His voice in accordance with all that I am commanding you today—you and your children.		בוְשַׁבְתָּ֞ עַד־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֣ בְקֹל֔וֹ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם אַתָּ֣ה וּבָנֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:
3Then God, your God, will bring back your exiles and have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from among all the nations to which God, your God, had dispersed you.		גוְשָׁ֨ב יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־שְׁבֽוּתְךָ֖ וְרִֽחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה:
וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־שְׁבֽוּתְךָ - If Scripture meant to say “He will bring back your exiles,” it should have written וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ. As written, in contrast, these words should be translated “God, your God, will return with your exiles.” Thus, our rabbis 1 derived from here that the Divine Presence is, so to speak, together with Israel in the troubles of their exile, and He stipulated that when they will be redeemed, He will also be redeemed; and moreover, He will return concurrently with them. We can further explain this phraseology to imply that the day of the ingathering of the exiles is so great and so complicated that it is as if He Himself must take each person by the hand from his location, similar to that which it says: “you will be gathered together one by one, Israelites.” 2 We find this concept regarding the other peoples’ return from exile, as well: “I will bring back the exiles of Moab.” 3		וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־שְׁבֽוּתְךָ. הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "וְהֵשִׁיב" אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן כִּבְיָכוֹל שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרַת גָּלוּתָם, וּכְשֶׁנִּגְאָלִין הִכְתִּיב גְּאֻלָּה לְעַצְמוֹ — שֶׁהוּא יָשׁוּב עִמָּהֶם. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁגָּדוֹל יוֹם קִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת וּבְקֹשִׁי, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא עַצְמוֹ צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אוֹחֵז בְּיָדָיו מַמָּשׁ אִישׁ אִישׁ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו כ"ז) "וְאַתֶּם תְּלֻקְּטוּ לְאַחַד אֶחָד בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", וְאַף בְּגָלֻיּוֹת שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת מָצִינוּ כֵן (ירמיהו מ"ח) "וְשַׁבְתִּי שְׁבוּת מוֹאָב":
4Even if some of your exiles are in countries at the end of the heavens, God, your God, will gather you from there, and He will take you back from there.		דאִם־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה נִדַּֽחֲךָ֖ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם מִשָּׁ֗ם יְקַבֶּצְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וּמִשָּׁ֖ם יִקָּחֶֽךָ:
5God, your God, will bring you to the land that your forefathers took possession of, and you too will take possession of it. He will be better to you than He was to your forefathers, and He will also make you more numerous than your forefathers were.		הוֶֽהֱבִֽיאֲךָ֞ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָֽרְשׁ֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֥ וְהִרְבְּךָ֖ מֵֽאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:
6God, your God, will figuratively circumcise your heart, as well as the heart of your offspring, enabling you to love God, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your very life.		ווּמָ֨ל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ:

Footnotes

Megilah 29a.

Isaiah 27:12.

Jeremiah 48:47.

Fifth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 30

7God, your God, will place all these curses upon your enemies and those who hate you, who pursued you.		ז וְנָתַן֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָֽאָל֖וֹת הָאֵלֶּ֑ה עַל־אֹֽיְבֶ֥יךָ וְעַל־שֽׂנְאֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רְדָפֽוּךָ:
8You will return to obeying God and fulfilling all His commandments that I am commanding you today.		חוְאַתָּ֣ה תָשׁ֔וּב וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעָשִׂ֨יתָ֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְו‍ֹתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם:
9God, your God, will grant you superabundance in all that you do, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your domestic animals, and in the fruit of your soil, all in only good ways. For God will once again rejoice over you, rejoicing to do good to you, as He rejoiced over your forefathers,		טוְהוֹתִֽירְךָ֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בְּכֹ֣ל \| מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֗ךָ בִּפְרִ֨י בִטְנְךָ֜ וּבִפְרִ֧י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֛ וּבִפְרִ֥י אַדְמָֽתְךָ֖ לְטֹבָ֑ה כִּ֣י \| יָשׁ֣וּב יְהֹוָ֗ה לָשׂ֤וּשׂ עָלֶ֨יךָ֙ לְט֔וֹב כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖שׂ עַל־אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:
10when you obey God, your God, safeguarding His commandments and His rules written in this Torah scroll by studying them assiduously; and when you return to God, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.		יכִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֗ע בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְו‍ֹתָיו֙ וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י תָשׁוּב֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

Sixth Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 30

11For this commandment about which I am commanding you today, is not remote from you; it is not far away.		יאכִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹֽא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹֽא־רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא:
לֹֽא־נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ - means: “it is not concealed from you,” similar to that which it says: כִּי יִפָּלֵא, 1 which Onkelos translates as: אֲרֵי יִתְכַּסֵּי “if it will be hidden”; and וַתֵּרֶד פְּלָאִים, 2 which means: she went down into concealment by being covered up, confined to a concealed location.		לֹֽא־נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ. לֹא מְכֻסָּה הִיא מִמְּךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י"ז) "כִּי יִפָּלֵא" — אֲרֵי יִתְכַּסֵּי, (איכה א') "וַתֵּרֶד פְּלָאִים" — וַתֵּרֶד בְּמַטְמוֹנִיּוֹת, מְכֻסָּה, חֲבוּשָׁה בְּטָמוּן:
12It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to “heaven” for us and fetch it for us, to expound it to us so that we can fulfill it?’		יבלֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַֽעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֨יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַֽעֲשֶֽׂנָּה:
לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא - It is not in heaven - for even if it were in heaven, you would have to go up after it and study it.		לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא. שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיְתָה בַשָּׁמַיִם, הָיִיתָ צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ לְלָמְדָהּ:
13It is not beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and fetch it for us, to expound it to us so that we can fulfill it?’		יגוְלֹֽא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַֽעֲבָר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַֽעֲשֶֽׂנָּה:
14Rather, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, so you can fulfill it.		ידכִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִלְבָֽבְךָ֖ לַֽעֲשׂתֽוֹ:
כִּֽי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ - Rather, it is very close to you - for the Torah was given to you as a written document with its oral explanation.		כִּֽי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ. הַתּוֹרָה נִתְּנָה לָכֶם בִּכְתָב וּבְעַל פֶּה:

Footnotes

Deuteronomy 17:8.

Lamentations 1:9.

Seventh Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 30

15Behold, I have set before you today life and good on the one hand and death and evil on the other,		טורְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע:
אֶת־הַֽחַיִּים וְאֶת־הַטּוֹב - Life and good. One is dependent on the other: If you do good, you will have life, but if you do evil, you will have death. Scripture continues to explain how:		אֶת־הַֽחַיִּים וְאֶת־הַטּוֹב. זֶה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה — אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה טוֹב הֲרֵי לְךָ חַיִּים, וְאִם תַּעֲשֶׂה רַע הֲרֵי לְךָ הַמָּוֶת, וְהַכָּתוּב מְפָרֵשׁ וְהוֹלֵךְ הֵיאַךְ:
16inasmuch as I command you today to love God, your God, to walk in His ways, and to safeguard His commandments, rules, and ordinances, so that you live and increase in number, and God, your God, bless you in the land that you are entering in order to possess.		טזאֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֘ הַיּוֹם֒ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֔יו וְלִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְו‍ֹתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑יו וְחָיִ֣יתָ וְרָבִ֔יתָ וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
אֲשֶׁר אָֽנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְאַֽהֲבָה - Inasmuch as I command you today to love… This being “good,” and upon it depends –		אֲשֶׁר אָֽנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְאַֽהֲבָה. הֲרֵי הַטּוֹב, וּבוֹ תָלוּי:
וחיית ורבית - So that you live and increase - this being “life.”		וחיית ורבית. הֲרֵי הַחַיִּים:
17But if your heart deviates from this path and you do not listen, and are drawn astray, prostrating yourself to other peoples’ deities and serving them,		יזוְאִם־יִפְנֶ֥ה לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמָ֑ע וְנִדַּחְתָּ֗ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֛יתָ לֵֽאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים וַֽעֲבַדְתָּֽם:
וְאִם־יִפְנֶה לְבָֽבְךָ - But if your heart deviates - this being “evil.”		וְאִם־יִפְנֶה לְבָֽבְךָ. הֲרֵי הָרָע:
18I declare to you this day that you will certainly perish. You will not endure in the land that you are crossing the Jordan River in order to enter and possess.		יחהִגַּ֤דְתִּי לָכֶם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֥י אָבֹ֖ד תֹּאבֵד֑וּן לֹא־תַֽאֲרִיכֻ֤ן יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹבֵר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָב֥וֹא שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן - That you will certainly perish - this being “death.”		כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן. הֲרֵי הַמָּוֶת:
19I invoke heaven and earth today as witnesses for you. I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You should choose life, in order that you and your offspring will live,		יטהַֽעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֘ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַֽחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֨וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ:
הַֽעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ - I invoke heaven and earth today as witnesses for you - as they exist forever, and when the evil befalls you, they will be witnesses that I warned you about all this. Another explanation of הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו׳: – The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Look at heaven, which I created to serve you. Did it ever stray from its function? Did the sun ever fail to rise from the east to illuminate the world, as it says: “the sun rises and the sun sets”? 1 Look, furthermore, at the earth, which I created to serve you. Did it ever stray from its function? Did you ever sow seeds that did not sprout? Did you ever sow wheat and it produced barley? If these creations, which were created neither to receive reward for obedience nor to suffer loss for disobedience – for if they achieve their mission they receive no reward and if they fail to do so they receive no punishment – do not stray from their function, all the more so should you, who receive reward if you are worthy and receive punishment if you sin, remain true to your obligation.		הַֽעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁהֵם קַיָּמִים לְעוֹלָם, וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּקְרֶה אֶתְכֶם הָרָעָה יִהְיוּ עֵדִים שֶׁאֲנִי הִתְרֵיתִי בָכֶם בְּכָל זֹאת; דָּבָר אַחֵר — העדתי בכם היום את השמים וגו', אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הִסְתַּכְּלוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁבָּרָאתִי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁמָּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת מִדָּתָם? שֶׁמָּא לֹא עָלָה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה מִן הַמִּזְרָח וְהֵאִיר לְכָל הָעוֹלָם כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת א') "וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ"? הִסְתַּכְּלוּ בָאָרֶץ שֶׁבָּרָאתִי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁמָּא שִׁנְּתָה מִדָּתָהּ? שֶׁמָּא זְרַעְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ וְלֹא צָמְחָה אוֹ שֶׁמָּא זְרַעְתֶּם חִטִּים וְהֶעֶלְתָה שְׂעוֹרִים? וּמָה אֵלּוּ שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לֹא לְשָׂכָר וְלֹא לְהֶפְסֵד, אִם זוֹכִין אֵין מְקַבְּלִין שָׂכָר וְאִם חוֹטְאִין אֵין מְקַבְּלִין פֻּרְעָנוּת, לֹא שִׁנּוּ אֶת מִדָּתָם, אַתֶּם שֶׁאִם זְכִיתֶם תְּקַבְּלוּ שָׂכָר וְאִם חֲטָאתֶם תְּקַבְּלוּ פֻּרְעָנוּת, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (ספרי דברים ל"ב):
וּבָֽחַרְתָּ בַּֽחַיִּים - You should choose life. I instruct you to choose the portion of life, like a person says to his son, “Choose yourself a superior portion of my property!” and then directs him to the superior portion, saying to him, “Select this for yourself.” About this situation, it says: “God is my allotted portion and my cup. You support my lot,” 2 i.e., by giving us the Torah, You placed my hand on the good lot, saying: “Take this one for yourself.” End of parashat Nitzavim		וּבָֽחַרְתָּ בַּֽחַיִּים. אֲנִי מוֹרֶה לָכֶם שֶׁתִּבְחֲרוּ בְּחֵלֶק הַחַיִּים, כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר לִבְנוֹ, בְּחַר לְךָ חֵלֶק יָפֶה בְנַחֲלָתִי, וּמַעֲמִידוֹ עַל חֵלֶק הַיָּפֶה וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ אֶת זֶה בְּרֹר לְךָ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (תהילים ט"ז) "ה' מְנָת חֶלְקִי וְכוֹסִי אַתָּה תּוֹמִיךְ גּוֹרָלִי" — הִנַּחְתָּ יָדִי עַל גּוֹרָל הַטּוֹב לוֹמַר אֶת זֶה קַח לְךָ:
20to love God, your God, to obey Him, and to cleave to Him, for He is your source of life and the source of your length of days, and He enables you to dwell in the land that God swore to your forefathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—that He would give them.”		כלְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדָבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֨יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם:

Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 1:5.

Psalms 16:5.

Maftir Portion

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 30

15Behold, I have set before you today life and good on the one hand and death and evil on the other,		טורְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע:
אֶת־הַֽחַיִּים וְאֶת־הַטּוֹב - Life and good. One is dependent on the other: If you do good, you will have life, but if you do evil, you will have death. Scripture continues to explain how:		אֶת־הַֽחַיִּים וְאֶת־הַטּוֹב. זֶה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה — אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה טוֹב הֲרֵי לְךָ חַיִּים, וְאִם תַּעֲשֶׂה רַע הֲרֵי לְךָ הַמָּוֶת, וְהַכָּתוּב מְפָרֵשׁ וְהוֹלֵךְ הֵיאַךְ:
16inasmuch as I command you today to love God, your God, to walk in His ways, and to safeguard His commandments, rules, and ordinances, so that you live and increase in number, and God, your God, bless you in the land that you are entering in order to possess.		טזאֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֘ הַיּוֹם֒ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֔יו וְלִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְו‍ֹתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑יו וְחָיִ֣יתָ וְרָבִ֔יתָ וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
אֲשֶׁר אָֽנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְאַֽהֲבָה - Inasmuch as I command you today to love… This being “good,” and upon it depends –		אֲשֶׁר אָֽנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְאַֽהֲבָה. הֲרֵי הַטּוֹב, וּבוֹ תָלוּי:
וחיית ורבית - So that you live and increase - this being “life.”		וחיית ורבית. הֲרֵי הַחַיִּים:
17But if your heart deviates from this path and you do not listen, and are drawn astray, prostrating yourself to other peoples’ deities and serving them,		יזוְאִם־יִפְנֶ֥ה לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמָ֑ע וְנִדַּחְתָּ֗ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֛יתָ לֵֽאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים וַֽעֲבַדְתָּֽם:
וְאִם־יִפְנֶה לְבָֽבְךָ - But if your heart deviates - this being “evil.”		וְאִם־יִפְנֶה לְבָֽבְךָ. הֲרֵי הָרָע:
18I declare to you this day that you will certainly perish. You will not endure in the land that you are crossing the Jordan River in order to enter and possess.		יחהִגַּ֤דְתִּי לָכֶם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֥י אָבֹ֖ד תֹּאבֵד֑וּן לֹא־תַֽאֲרִיכֻ֤ן יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹבֵר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָב֥וֹא שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן - That you will certainly perish - this being “death.”		כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן. הֲרֵי הַמָּוֶת:
19I invoke heaven and earth today as witnesses for you. I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You should choose life, in order that you and your offspring will live,		יטהַֽעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֘ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַֽחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֨וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ:
הַֽעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ - I invoke heaven and earth today as witnesses for you - as they exist forever, and when the evil befalls you, they will be witnesses that I warned you about all this. Another explanation of הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו׳: – The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Look at heaven, which I created to serve you. Did it ever stray from its function? Did the sun ever fail to rise from the east to illuminate the world, as it says: “the sun rises and the sun sets”? 1 Look, furthermore, at the earth, which I created to serve you. Did it ever stray from its function? Did you ever sow seeds that did not sprout? Did you ever sow wheat and it produced barley? If these creations, which were created neither to receive reward for obedience nor to suffer loss for disobedience – for if they achieve their mission they receive no reward and if they fail to do so they receive no punishment – do not stray from their function, all the more so should you, who receive reward if you are worthy and receive punishment if you sin, remain true to your obligation.		הַֽעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁהֵם קַיָּמִים לְעוֹלָם, וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּקְרֶה אֶתְכֶם הָרָעָה יִהְיוּ עֵדִים שֶׁאֲנִי הִתְרֵיתִי בָכֶם בְּכָל זֹאת; דָּבָר אַחֵר — העדתי בכם היום את השמים וגו', אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הִסְתַּכְּלוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁבָּרָאתִי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁמָּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת מִדָּתָם? שֶׁמָּא לֹא עָלָה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה מִן הַמִּזְרָח וְהֵאִיר לְכָל הָעוֹלָם כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת א') "וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ"? הִסְתַּכְּלוּ בָאָרֶץ שֶׁבָּרָאתִי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁמָּא שִׁנְּתָה מִדָּתָהּ? שֶׁמָּא זְרַעְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ וְלֹא צָמְחָה אוֹ שֶׁמָּא זְרַעְתֶּם חִטִּים וְהֶעֶלְתָה שְׂעוֹרִים? וּמָה אֵלּוּ שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לֹא לְשָׂכָר וְלֹא לְהֶפְסֵד, אִם זוֹכִין אֵין מְקַבְּלִין שָׂכָר וְאִם חוֹטְאִין אֵין מְקַבְּלִין פֻּרְעָנוּת, לֹא שִׁנּוּ אֶת מִדָּתָם, אַתֶּם שֶׁאִם זְכִיתֶם תְּקַבְּלוּ שָׂכָר וְאִם חֲטָאתֶם תְּקַבְּלוּ פֻּרְעָנוּת, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (ספרי דברים ל"ב):
וּבָֽחַרְתָּ בַּֽחַיִּים - You should choose life. I instruct you to choose the portion of life, like a person says to his son, “Choose yourself a superior portion of my property!” and then directs him to the superior portion, saying to him, “Select this for yourself.” About this situation, it says: “God is my allotted portion and my cup. You support my lot,” 2 i.e., by giving us the Torah, You placed my hand on the good lot, saying: “Take this one for yourself.” End of parashat Nitzavim		וּבָֽחַרְתָּ בַּֽחַיִּים. אֲנִי מוֹרֶה לָכֶם שֶׁתִּבְחֲרוּ בְּחֵלֶק הַחַיִּים, כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר לִבְנוֹ, בְּחַר לְךָ חֵלֶק יָפֶה בְנַחֲלָתִי, וּמַעֲמִידוֹ עַל חֵלֶק הַיָּפֶה וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ אֶת זֶה בְּרֹר לְךָ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (תהילים ט"ז) "ה' מְנָת חֶלְקִי וְכוֹסִי אַתָּה תּוֹמִיךְ גּוֹרָלִי" — הִנַּחְתָּ יָדִי עַל גּוֹרָל הַטּוֹב לוֹמַר אֶת זֶה קַח לְךָ:
20to love God, your God, to obey Him, and to cleave to Him, for He is your source of life and the source of your length of days, and He enables you to dwell in the land that God swore to your forefathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—that He would give them.”		כלְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדָבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֨יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם:

Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 1:5.

Psalms 16:5.

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 61

10I will rejoice with the Lord; my soul shall exult with my God, for He has attired me with garments of salvation, with a robe of righteousness He has enwrapped me; like a bridegroom, who, priestlike, dons garments of glory, and like a bride, who adorns herself with her jewelry.		ישׂ֧וֹשׂ אָשִׂ֣ישׂ בַּֽיהֹוָ֗ה תָּגֵ֚ל נַפְשִׁי֙ בֵּֽאלֹהַ֔י כִּ֚י הִלְבִּישַׁ֙נִי֙ בִּגְדֵי־יֶ֔שַׁע מְעִ֥יל צְדָקָ֖ה יְעָטָ֑נִי כֶּֽחָתָן֙ יְכַהֵ֣ן פְּאֵ֔ר וְכַכַּלָּ֖ה תַּעְדֶּ֥ה כֵלֶֽיהָ:
like a bridegroom. who dons garments of glory like a high priest.		כחתן. אשר ילבש לבושי פאר ככהן גדול:
and like a bride, who adorns herself with her jewelry. Heb. כֵלֶיהָ, [lit. her utensils, in this case,] her jewelry.		וככלה תעדה כליה. תכשיטיה:
11For, like the earth, which gives forth its plants, and like a garden that causes its seeds to grow, so shall the Lord God cause righteousness and praise to grow opposite all the nations.		יאכִּ֚י כָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תּוֹצִ֣יא צִמְחָ֔הּ וּכְגַנָּ֖ה זֵרוּעֶ֣יהָ תַצְמִ֑יחַ כֵּ֣ן \| אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה יַצְמִ֚יחַ צְדָקָה֙ וּתְהִלָּ֔ה נֶ֖גֶד כָּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם:
For like the earth.		כי כארץ. אשר תוציא צמחה וגו':

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 62

1For the sake of Zion, I will not be silent, and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not rest, until her righteousness comes out like brilliance, and her salvation burns like a torch.		אלְמַ֚עַן צִיּוֹן֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽחֱשֶׁ֔ה וּלְמַ֥עַן יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם לֹ֣א אֶשְׁק֑וֹט עַד־יֵצֵ֚א כַנֹּ֙גַהּ֙ צִדְקָ֔הּ וִישֽׁוּעָתָ֖הּ כְּלַפִּ֥יד יִבְעָֽר:
For the sake of Zion. I will do, and I will not be silent concerning what they did to her.		למען ציון. אעשה ולא אחשה על מה שעשו לה:
I will not rest. There will be no peace before Me until her righteousness comes out like brilliance.		לא אשקוט. לא יהא שלום לפני עד יצא כנוגה צדקה:
2And nations shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory, and you shall be called a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall pronounce.		בוְרָא֚וּ גוֹיִם֙ צִדְקֵ֔ךְ וְכָל־מְלָכִ֖ים כְּבוֹדֵ֑ךְ וְקֹ֚רָא לָךְ֙ שֵׁ֣ם חָדָ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יִקֳּבֶֽנּוּ:
shall pronounce. Heb. יִקֳּבֶנּוּ, shall pronounce.		יקבנו. יפרשנו:
3And you shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a kingly diadem in the hand of your God.		גוְהָיִ֛ית עֲטֶ֥רֶת תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת בְּיַד־יְהֹוָ֑ה וּצְנִ֥יף (כתיב וּצְנִ֥וף) מְלוּכָ֖ה בְּכַף־אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ:
4No longer shall "forsaken" be said of you, and "desolate" shall no longer be said of your land, for you shall be called "My desire is in her," and your land, "inhabited," for the Lord desires you, and your land shall be inhabited.		דלֹא־יֵֽאָמֵר֩ לָ֨ךְ ע֜וֹד עֲזוּבָ֗ה וּלְאַרְצֵךְ֙ לֹא־יֵֽאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה כִּ֣י לָ֗ךְ יִקָּרֵא֙ חֶפְצִי־בָ֔הּ וּלְאַרְצֵ֖ךְ בְּעוּלָ֑ה כִּֽי־חָפֵ֚ץ יְהֹוָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ וְאַרְצֵ֖ךְ תִּבָּעֵֽל:
“inhabited”. Heb. בְּעוּלָה, [lit. possessed,] inhabited.		בעולה. מיושבת:
5As a young man lives with a virgin, so shall your children live in you, and the rejoicing of a bridegroom over a bride shall your God rejoice over you.		הכִּֽי־יִבְעַ֚ל בָּחוּר֙ בְּתוּלָ֔ה יִבְעָל֖וּךְ בָּנָ֑יִךְ וּמְשׂ֚וֹשׂ חָתָן֙ עַל־כַּלָּ֔ה יָשִׂ֥ישׂ עָלַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ:
As a young man lives with a virgin, etc.. As a young man lives with a virgin, so shall your children live in you [after Jonathan].		כי יבעל וגו'. ארי כמה דמתיתב עולם עם בתולתא כן יתייתבין בגוייכי בנייכי:
6On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night, they shall never be silent; those who remind the Lord, be not silent.		ועַל־חֽוֹמֹתַ֣יִךְ יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֗ם הִפְקַ֙דְתִּי֙ שֹֽׁמְרִ֔ים כָּל־הַיּ֧וֹם וְכָל־הַלַּ֛יְלָה תָּמִ֖יד לֹ֣א יֶֽחֱשׁ֑וּ הַמַּזְכִּירִים֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה אַל־דֳּמִ֖י לָכֶֽם:
On your walls, O Jerusalem. Our Rabbis expounded it according to its apparent meaning as referring to the angels who remind the Lord concerning its destruction, to build it. What do they say? (Ps. 102:14) “You shall rise, You shall have mercy on Zion;” (ibid. 132:13) “For the Lord has chosen Zion.” As is found in the Tractate Menahoth (87a, Rashi ad loc.). Jonathan, [however,] renders “your walls,” the early forefathers, who protect us like a wall.		על חומותיך ירושלים. רבותינו דרשוהו כמשמעו מלאכי' המזכירים את ה' על חורבנה לבנותה מאי אמרי אתה תקום תרחם ציון (תהלים קב) כי בחר ה' בציון (שם קלב) כדאיתא במסכת מנחות וי"ת חומותיך אבות הראשונים המגינים עלינו כחומה:
I have appointed watchmen. to inscribe a book of remembrances, that their merit be not forgotten from before Me.		הפקדתי שומרים. לכתוב ספר זכרונות שלא ישתכח זכותם מלפני:
they shall never be silent. not to mention their merit before Me.		לא יחשו. מלהזכיר זכותם לפני:
those who remind the Lord. of the merit of the forefathers.		המזכירים את ה'. את זכות האבות:
be not silent. Heb. לָכֶם אַל-דֳּמִי, [lit. let there be no silence to you,] be not silent.		אל דמי לכם. אל תחרישו:
7And give Him no rest, until He establishes and until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the land.		זוְאַל־תִּתְּנ֥וּ דֳמִ֖י ל֑וֹ עַד־יְכוֹנֵ֞ן וְעַד־יָשִׂ֧ים אֶת־יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֛ם תְּהִלָּ֖ה בָּאָֽרֶץ:
8The Lord swore by His right hand and by the arm of His strength; I will no longer give your grain to your enemies, and foreigners shall no longer drink your wine for which you have toiled.		חנִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהֹוָ֛ה בִּֽימִינ֖וֹ וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ עֻזּ֑וֹ אִם־אֶתֵּן֩ אֶת־דְּגָנֵ֨ךְ ע֚וֹד מַֽאֲכָל֙ לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ וְאִם־יִשְׁתּ֚וּ בְנֵֽי־נֵכָר֙ תִּֽירוֹשֵׁ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָגַ֖עַתְּ בּֽוֹ:
9But its gatherers shall eat it and they shall praise the Lord, and its gatherers shall drink it in My holy courts.		טכִּ֚י מְאַסְפָיו֙ יֹֽאכְלֻ֔הוּ וְהִֽלְל֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה וּמְקַבְּצָ֥יו יִשְׁתֻּ֖הוּ בְּחַצְר֥וֹת קָדְשִֽׁי:
shall eat it. This refers back to “your grain.”		יאכלוהו. מוסב על דגנך:
shall drink it. This refers back to “your wine.”		ישתוהו. מוסב על תירושך:
10Pass, pass through the portals, clear the way of the people, pave, pave the highway, clear it of stones, lift up a banner over the peoples.		יעִבְר֚וּ עִבְרוּ֙ בַּשְּׁעָרִ֔ים פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הָעָ֑ם סֹ֣לּוּ סֹ֚לּוּ הַֽמְסִלָּה֙ סַקְּל֣וּ מֵאֶ֔בֶן הָרִ֥ימוּ נֵ֖ס עַל־הָעַמִּֽים:
Pass, pass through the portals. Said the prophet, “Pass and return in the portals; turn the heart of the people to the proper path” [after Jonathan].		עברו עברו בשערים. אמר נבייא עברו ותובו בתרעיא אפנו לבא דעמא לאורח תקנא:
pave, pave the highway. Heb. סֹלּוּ. Pave the road, batec lokemin in O.F., beat down the road. סֹלּוּ is the same root as מְסִלָּה.		סלו סלו המסלה. כבשו הדרך בטי"ץ לוקמי"ן בלע"ז סולו לשון מסלה הוא:
clear it of stones. Clear the highway of stones and cast the stumbling blocks to the sides.		סקלו מאבן. סקלו המסילה והשליכו אבני מכשול לצדדין:
clear it of stones. Heb. סַקְּלוּ, espedrec in O.F., to rid of stones.		סקלו. אישפירייא"ן בלע"ז:
of stones. of there being there a stone, and he is alluding to the evil inclination. It may also be interpreted as referring to the repairs of the road for the ingathering of the exiles.		מאבן. מהיות שם אבן וכנגד יצר הרע הוא אומר, ויש עוד לפותרו על תיקון הדרכים לקבוץ הגליות:
lift up a banner. A staff, perche in French. That is a sign, that they gather to Me and bring Me those exiled beside them [i.e., those exiled in their land].		הרימו נס. כלונס פורקא בלע"ז אות הוא שיקבצו אלי ויביאו לי את הגולים אצלם:
11Behold, the Lord announced to the end of the earth, "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold your salvation has come.' " Behold His reward is with Him, and His wage is before Him.		יאהִנֵּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה הִשְׁמִ֙יעַ֙ אֶל־קְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ אִמְרוּ֙ לְבַת־צִיּ֔וֹן הִנֵּ֥ה יִשְׁעֵ֖ךְ בָּ֑א הִנֵּ֚ה שְׂכָרוֹ֙ אִתּ֔וֹ וּפְעֻלָּת֖וֹ לְפָנָֽיו:
Behold his reward. [that is prepared] to give to His servants is prepared with Him.		הנה שכרו. שמוכן לתת לעבדיו מוכן אתו:
and His wage. [Lit. His deed.] The reward for the deed they did with Him, is before Him, prepared to give.		ופעולתו. שכר הפעולה שפעלו עמו לפניו הוא מוכן לתת:
12And they shall call them the holy people, those redeemed by the Lord, and you shall be called, "sought, a city not forsaken."		יבוְקָרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם עַם־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ גְּאוּלֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלָךְ֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א דְרוּשָׁ֔ה עִ֖יר לֹ֥א נֶעֱזָֽבָה:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 63

1Who is this coming from Edom, with soiled garments, from Bozrah, this one [Who was] stately in His apparel, girded with the greatness of His strength? "I speak with righteousness, great to save."		אמִי־זֶ֣ה \| בָּ֣א מֵֽאֱד֗וֹם חֲמ֚וּץ בְּגָדִים֙ מִבָּצְרָ֔ה זֶה הָד֣וּר בִּלְבוּשׁ֔וֹ צֹעֶ֖ה בְּרֹ֣ב כֹּח֑וֹ אֲנִ֛י מְדַבֵּ֥ר בִּצְדָקָ֖ה רַ֥ב לְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ:
Who is this coming from Edom. The prophet prophesies concerning what the Holy One, blessed be He, said that He is destined to wreak vengeance upon Edom, and He, personally, will slay their heavenly prince, like the matter that is said (supra 34:5), “For My sword has become sated in the heaven.” And afterward, (ibid.) “it shall descend upon Edom,” and it is recognizable by the wrath of His face that He has slain [them with] a great massacre, and the prophet is speaking in the expression of the wars of human beings, dressed in clothes, and when they slay a slaying, the blood spatters on their garments, for so is the custom of Scripture; it speaks of the Shechinah anthropomorphically, to convey to the ear what it can hear. Comp. (Ezek. 43:2) “His voice is like the voice of many waters.” The prophet compares His mighty voice to the voice of many waters to convey to the ear according to what it is possible to hear, for one cannot understand and hearken to the magnitude of the mighty of our God to let us hear it as it is.		מי זה בא מאדום. נתנבא הנביא על שאמר הקב"ה שעתיד לעשות נקמה באדום והוא עצמו בכבודו יהרוג את שר שלהם תחלה, כענין שנאמר לעיל ל"ד כי רִוְתָה בשמים חרבי ואחר כך על אדום תרד ונכר בזעם פניו שהרגם הרג רב, והנביא מדבר בלשון מלחמות בני אדם לבושי בגדים, ובהרגם הרג הדם נתז על בגדיהם, כי כן דרך הכתובים מדברים בשכינה כדרך בני אדם לשבר את האזן מה שהיא יכולה לשמוע, וכן וקולו כקול מים רבים, דימה הנביא קול חזק שלו לקול מים רבים לשבר את האזן כדרך שאפשר לה לשמוע שאין להבין ולהאזין ברוח גבורות אלהינו להשמיעה כמות שהיא:
Who is this coming from Edom. Israel says, “Who is this, etc.?” And He is coming with soiled garments, colored with blood, and anything repugnant because of its smell and its appearance fits to the expression of חִמּוּץ, soiling.		מי זה בא מאדום. ישראל אומר מי זה וגו ובא חמוץ בגדים צבועים בדם, וכל דבר שהוא מתנאץ בריחו ובמראיתו נופל בו לשון חימוץ:
from Bozrah. Our Rabbis said (see Makkoth 12a): “The heavenly prince of Edom is destined to commit two errors. He thinks that Bozrah is identical with Bezer in the desert, which was a refuge city. He will also err insofar as it affords refuge only for inadvertent murder, but he killed Israel intentionally.” There is also an Aggadic midrash (see above 34:6) that because Bozrah supplied a king for Edom when its first king died, as in Gen. (36:33), “And Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his stead,” and Bozrah is of Moab, according to the matter that is stated (Jer. 48:24): “Upon Kerioth and upon Bozrah.”		מבצרה. אמרו רבותינו שתי טעיות עתיד שר של שעיר לטעות כסבור הוא שבצרה היא בצר במדבר שהיתה עיר מקלט, וטועה משום שאין קולטת אלא שוגג והוא הרג את ישראל מזיד, ועוד יש מדרש אגדה על שהספיקה בצרה מלך לשעיר במות מלכה הראשון וימלך תחתיו יובב בן זרח מבצרה ובצרה ממואב היא כענין שנא' על קריות ועל בצרה:
this one. who was stately in His attire, צֹעֶה, and girded with the greatness of His strength. And the Holy One, blessed be He, replies to him, ‘It is I, upon Whom the time has come to speak of the righteousness of the Patriarchs, and of the righteousness of the generation of religious persecution, and My righteousness, too, is with them, and I have revealed Myself as being great to save.’ And they say, ‘Why is your clothing red? Why are your garments red?’		זה. (שהיה) הדור בלבושו וצעה ונאזר ברוב כחו והקב"ה משיבו אני הוא שעלתה לפני לדבר בצדקת האבות ובצדקת דורו של צרה וצדקתי גם היא עמהם ונגליתי להיות רב להושיע והם אומרים מדוע אדום ללבושך מדוע בגדיך אדומים:
2Why is Your clothing red, and your attire like [that of] one who trod in a wine press?		במַדּ֥וּעַ אָדֹ֖ם לִלְבוּשֶׁ֑ךָ וּבְגָדֶ֖יךָ כְּדֹרֵ֥ךְ בְּגַֽת:
3"A wine press I trod alone, and from the peoples, none was with Me; and I trod them with My wrath, and I trampled them with My fury, and their life blood sprinkled on My garments, and all My clothing I soiled.		גפּוּרָ֣ה \| דָּרַ֣כְתִּי לְבַדִּ֗י וּמֵֽעַמִּים֙ אֵֽין־אִ֣ישׁ אִתִּ֔י וְאֶדְרְכֵ֣ם בְּאַפִּ֔י וְאֶרְמְסֵ֖ם בַּֽחֲמָתִ֑י וְיֵ֚ז נִצְחָם֙ עַל־בְּגָדַ֔י וְכָל־מַלְבּוּשַׁ֖י אֶגְאָֽלְתִּי:
and from the peoples, none was with Me. standing before Me to wage war.		ומעמים אין איש אתי. מתייצב לפני להלחם:
and their lifeblood sprinkled. Heb. נִצְחָם, Their blood, which is the strength and victory (נִצָּחוֹן) of a man.		ויז נצחם. דמם שהוא תוקפו ונצחונו של אדם:
I soiled. Heb. אֶגְאָלְתִּי. Comp. (Lam. 4:14) “They were defiled (נִגֹּאֲלוּ) with blood.”		אגאלתי. כמו נגאלו בדם (איכה ד):
4For a day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redemption has arrived.		דכִּ֛י י֥וֹם נָקָ֖ם בְּלִבִּ֑י וּשְׁנַ֥ת גְּאוּלַ֖י בָּֽאָה:
5And I looked and there was no one helping, and I was astounded and there was no one supporting, and My arm saved for Me, and My fury-that supported Me.		הוְאַבִּיט֙ וְאֵ֣ין עֹזֵ֔ר וְאֶשְׁתּוֹמֵ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין סוֹמֵ֑ךְ וַתּ֚וֹשַֽׁע לִי֙ זְרֹעִ֔י וַֽחֲמָתִ֖י הִ֥יא סְמָכָֽתְנִי:
And I looked, and there was no one helping. Israel.		ואביט ואין עוזר. לישראל:
and I was astounded. An expression of keeping silent, and I have already explained it above (57:16): “And He was astounded for there was no intercessor.”		ואשתומם. ל' שתיקה וכבר פירשתי למעלה וישתומם כי אין מפגיע:
and My fury that supported Me. My fury that I have against the heathens (the nations [mss. and K’li Paz]), for I was a little wrath with My people, and they helped to harm them. That strengthened My hand and aroused My heart to mete recompense upon them although Israel is not fit and worthy of redemption.		וחמתי היא סמכתני. חמתי שיש לי על האומות אשר אני קצפתי מעט על עמי והמה עזרו לרעה היא סמכתני חיזקה ידי ועוררה את לבי ליפרע מהם ואע"פ שאין ישראל ראוין והגונים לגאולה:
6And I trod peoples with My wrath, and I intoxicated them with My fury, and I brought their power down to the earth."		ווְאָב֚וּס עַמִּים֙ בְּאַפִּ֔י וַֽאֲשַׁכְּרֵ֖ם בַּֽחֲמָתִ֑י וְאוֹרִ֥יד לָאָ֖רֶץ נִצְחָֽם:
And I trod. Heb. וְאָבוּס. An expression of wallowing in blood and treading with the feet. Comp. (Ezekiel 16:6) “wallowing (מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת) in your blood.” Comp. also (Jer. 12: 10): “They trod (בֹּסְסוּ) My field.”		ואבוס. ל' מתגולל בדם ודורך ברגלים כמו מתבוססת בדמיך (יחזקאל ט״ז:ו׳) וכמו בוססו את חלקתי (ירמיהו י״ב:י׳):
their power. Heb. נִצְחָם, the might of their victory.		נצחם. גבורת נצחונם:
7The kind acts of the Lord I will mention, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord bestowed upon us, and much good to the house of Israel, which He bestowed upon them according to His mercies and according to His many kind acts.		זחַֽסְדֵּ֨י יְהֹוָ֚ה \| אַזְכִּיר֙ תְּהִלּ֣וֹת יְהֹוָ֔ה כְּעַ֕ל כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־גְּמָלָ֖נוּ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְרַב־טוּב֙ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־גְּמָלָ֥ם כְּרַֽחֲמָ֖יו וּכְרֹ֥ב חֲסָדָֽיו:
The kind acts of the Lord I will mention. The prophet says, I will remind Israel of the kind acts of the Lord.		חסדי ה' אזכיר. הנביא אמר אזכיר את ישראל את חסדי ה':
and much good. I will remind Israel of what He bestowed upon the house of Israel with His mercies.		ורב טוב. אזכיר אשר גמל לבית ישראל ברחמיו:
8And He said, "They are but My people, children who will not deal falsely." And He became their Savior.		חוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַךְ־עַמִּ֣י הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְשַׁקֵּ֑רוּ וַיְהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם לְמוֹשִֽׁיעַ:
They are but My people. Although it is revealed before Me that they would betray Me, they are, nevertheless, My people, and they are to Me like children who will not deal falsely.		אך עמי המה. אע"פ שגלוי לפני שיבגדו בי מכל מקום עמי הם והרי הם לפני כבנים אשר לא ישקרו:
9In all their trouble, He did not trouble [them], and the angel of His presence saved them; with His love and with His pity He redeemed them, and He bore them, and He carried them all the days of old.		טבְּכָל־צָֽרָתָ֣ם \| ל֣וֹ (כתיב לֹ֣א) צָ֗ר וּמַלְאַ֚ךְ פָּנָיו֙ הֽוֹשִׁיעָ֔ם בְּאַֽהֲבָת֥וֹ וּבְחֶמְלָת֖וֹ ה֣וּא גְאָלָ֑ם וַֽיְנַטְּלֵ֥ם וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֖ם כָּל־יְמֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם:
In all their trouble. that He would bring upon them.		בכל צרתם. שהביא עליהם:
He did not trouble [them]. He did not trouble them according to their deeds, that they deserved to suffer, for the angel of His presence i.e., Michael the prince of the Presence, of those who minister before Him saved them always as an agent of the Omnipresent.		לא צר. לא היצר להם כפי מעלליהם שהיו ראויין ללקות כי מלאך פניו הוא מיכאל שר הפנים ממשמשי' לפניו הושיעם תמיד בשליחותו של מקום:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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