Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 10

12And now, Israel, what does God, your God, demand of you? Only to revere God, your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve God, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul,   יבוְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָ֠ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַֽהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:
וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל - And now, Israel - even though you did all this, He still regards you with mercy and holds you dear, and despite all that you have sinned before Him, He only asks of you “to revere….”   וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם כָּל זֹאת, עוֹדֶנּוּ רַחֲמָיו וְחִבָּתוֹ עֲלֵיכֶם, וּמִכָּל מַה שֶּׁחֲטָאתֶם לְפָנָיו אֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל מִכֶּם כי אם ליראה וגו':
כִּי אִם־לְיִרְאָה וגו' - Only to revere… Our rabbis 1 derived from here that everything is determined by heaven except for reverence of heaven, for which free will is given to humanity.   כִּי אִם־לְיִרְאָה וגו'.  וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ מִכָּאן הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם חוּץ מִיִּרְאַת שָׁמַיִם (ברכות ל"ג):
13by keeping God’s commandments and rules, which I am commanding you today, for your own good.   יגלִשְׁמֹ֞ר אֶת־מִצְוֹ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לְט֖וֹב לָֽךְ:
לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־מִצְוֹת ה' - By keeping God’s commandments - and even this He does not ask that you do gratuitously, but “for your own good,” as you will receive reward.   לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־מִצְוֹת ה'.  וְאַף הִיא לֹא לְחִנָּם, אֶלָּא לטוב לך שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ שָׂכָר:
14Behold, both the physical heaven and the spiritual heavens beyond the physical heaven, not to mention the earth and all that is on it, belong to God, your God.   ידהֵ֚ן לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּשְׁמֵ֣י הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּֽהּ:
הֵן לה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ - Behold, to God, your God - belongs everything, and nevertheless “God desired only your forefathers” out of all.   הֵן לה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ.  הַכֹּל, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, רק באבתיך חשק ה'. מִן הַכֹּל:
15Yet God desired only your forefathers, to love them, and He chose their seed after them—you—out of all peoples, as you remain His chosen ones to this day.   טורַ֧ק בַּֽאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ חָשַׁ֥ק יְהֹוָ֖ה לְאַֽהֲבָ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וַיִּבְחַ֞ר בְּזַרְעָ֣ם אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם בָּכֶ֛ם מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֖ים כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
בָּכֶם - You - i.e., just as you can see how you are the most desired “out of all peoples, as to this day.”   בָּכֶם.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתֶּם רוֹאִים אֶתְכֶם חֲשׁוּקִים מכל העמים היום הזה:
16You must therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart and cease being stiff-necked.   טזוּמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת עָרְלַ֣ת לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְעָ֨רְפְּכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַקְשׁ֖וּ עֽוֹד:
עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם - The foreskin of your heart - i.e., the barrier over your heart and its covering.   עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם.  אֹטֶם לְבַבְכֶם וְכִסּוּיוֹ:
17For God, your God, is God over all divine beings and Lord over all earthly kings and lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, who will not be partial, nor will He accept a bribe.   יזכִּ֚י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם ה֚וּא אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַֽאֲדֹנֵ֖י הָֽאֲדֹנִ֑ים הָאֵ֨ל הַגָּדֹ֤ל הַגִּבֹּר֙ וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹֽא־יִשָּׂ֣א פָנִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִקַּ֖ח שֹֽׁחַד:
וַֽאֲדֹנֵי הָֽאֲדֹנִים - And Lord over [all] lords - i.e., no lord will ever be able to save you from His hand.   וַֽאֲדֹנֵי הָֽאֲדֹנִים.  לֹא יוּכַל שׁוּם אָדוֹן לְהַצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיָּדוֹ:
לֹֽא־יִשָּׂא פָנִים - Who will not be partial - if you throw off His yoke, i.e., totally shirk your Divine mission.   לֹֽא־יִשָּׂא פָנִים.  אִם תִּפְרְקוּ עֻלּוֹ:
וְלֹא יִקַּח שֹֽׁחַד - Nor will He accept a bribe - to appease Him by donating money to His causes in such a case, even though this can atone for sins in certain other cases.   וְלֹא יִקַּח שֹֽׁחַד.  לְפַיְּסוֹ בְּמָמוֹן:
18He executes justice on behalf of the orphan and widow, and He showers love upon the convert by giving him bread and clothing.   יחעֹשֶׂ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט יָת֖וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֑ה וְאֹהֵ֣ב גֵּ֔ר לָ֥תֶת ל֖וֹ לֶ֥חֶם וְשִׂמְלָֽה:
עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפַּט יָתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה - He executes justice on behalf of the orphan and widow. Here is mention of His might, and with His might you also find mentioned His humility –   עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפַּט יָתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה.  הֲרֵי גְּבוּרָה, וְאֵצֶל גְּבוּרָתוֹ אַתָּה מוֹצֵא עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ (מגילה ל"א):
וְאֹהֵב גֵּר לָתֶת לוֹ לֶחֶם וְשִׂמְלָֽה - And He showers love upon the convert by giving him bread and clothing. Do not underestimate this quality: it is a matter of great importance, for it was the only material concern our father Jacob prayed for: “and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear.” 2   וְאֹהֵב גֵּר לָתֶת לוֹ לֶחֶם וְשִׂמְלָֽה.  וְדָבָר חָשׁוּב הוּא זֶה, שֶׁכָּל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ עַל זֶה נִתְפַּלֵּל (בראשית כ"ח) וְנָתַן לִי לֶחֶם לֶאֱכֹל וּבֶגֶד לִלְבֹּשׁ (בראשית רבה ע'):
19You must love the convert, for you were strangers in Egypt.   יטוַֽאֲהַבְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הַגֵּ֑ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
כִּֽי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם - For you were strangers - i.e., do not accuse another of a defect you yourself possess.   כִּֽי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם.  מוּם שֶׁבְּךָ אַל תֹּאמַר לַחֲבֵרְךָ (בבא מציעא נ"ט):
20You must revere God, your God, worship Him, and be attached to Him in love; only then may you swear by His Name.   כאֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ תִּירָ֖א אֹת֣וֹ תַֽעֲבֹ֑ד וּב֣וֹ תִדְבָּ֔ק וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ:
אֶת־ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא - You must revere God…. and worship Him and be attached to Him, and once you possess all these qualities, “you may swear by His Name.”   אֶת־ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא.  וְתַעֲבֹד לוֹ וְתִדְבַּק בּוֹ, וּלְאַחַר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְךָ כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הַלָּלוּ, אָז בִּשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ:
21He deserves to be the object of your praise, because He is your God, who did these great and awesome things for you, as you have seen with your own eyes.   כאה֥וּא תְהִלָּֽתְךָ֖ וְה֣וּא אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה אִתְּךָ֗ אֶת־הַגְּדֹלֹ֤ת וְאֶת־הַנּֽוֹרָאֹת֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָא֖וּ עֵינֶֽיךָ:
22Your forefathers descended to Egypt with seventy souls, and now God, your God, has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.   כבבְּשִׁבְעִ֣ים נֶ֔פֶשׁ יָֽרְד֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וְעַתָּ֗ה שָֽׂמְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כְּכֽוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹֽב:

Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 11

1You must love God, your God, and guard His charge, rules, ordinances, and commandments, all the days.   אוְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֣ מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְחֻקֹּתָ֧יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֛יו וּמִצְו‍ֹתָ֖יו כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים:
2Know all that I am saying today, for I am not speaking with your children—who did not know and who did not see the chastisement of God, your God, His greatness, His mighty hand, His outstretched arm,   בוִֽידַעְתֶּם֘ הַיּוֹם֒ כִּ֣י | לֹ֣א אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־יָֽדְעוּ֙ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־רָא֔וּ אֶת־מוּסַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם אֶת־גָּדְל֕וֹ אֶת־יָדוֹ֙ הַֽחֲזָקָ֔ה וּזְרֹע֖וֹ הַנְּטוּיָֽה:
וִֽידַעְתֶּם הַיּוֹם - Know today - i.e., pay attention to be aware of, to understand and to accept my reproof –   וִֽידַעְתֶּם הַיּוֹם.  תְּנוּ לֵב לָדַעַת וּלְהָבִין ולְקַבֵּל תּוֹכַחְתִּי:
כִּי לֹא אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶם - For not with your children - am I speaking now, who would be able to say, “We did not know and we did not see all this.”   כִּי לֹא אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶם.  אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר עַכְשָׁו, שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לוֹמַר אָנוּ לֹא יָדַעְנוּ וְלֹא רָאִינוּ בְּכָל זֶה:
3His signs, and His deeds, which He performed in the midst of Egypt, to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to his entire land;   גוְאֶת־אֹֽתֹתָיו֙ וְאֶת־מַֽעֲשָׂ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְפַרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם וּלְכָל־אַרְצֽוֹ:
4and what He did to the army of Egypt, to its steeds, and to its chariots, how He made the water of the Sea of Reeds inundate them when they pursued you, and how God destroyed them, so that their army remains crippled to this day;   דוַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂה֩ לְחֵ֨יל מִצְרַ֜יִם לְסוּסָ֣יו וּלְרִכְבּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵצִ֜יף אֶת־מֵ֤י יַם־סוּף֙ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֔ם בְּרָדְפָ֖ם אַֽחֲרֵיכֶ֑ם וַיְאַבְּדֵ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
5and what He did for you in the desert, until you arrived at this place;   הוַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר עַד־בֹּֽאֲכֶ֖ם עַד־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
6and what He did to Dathan and Aviram sons of Eli’av grandson of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, their tents, and all their money, which stood them on their feet, in the midst of all Israel—   ווַֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֜ה לְדָתָ֣ן וְלַֽאֲבִירָ֗ם בְּנֵ֣י אֱלִיאָב֘ בֶּן־רְאוּבֵן֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּֽצְתָ֤ה הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ וַתִּבְלָעֵ֥ם וְאֶת־בָּֽתֵּיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־אָֽהֳלֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם בְּקֶ֖רֶב כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
בְּקֶרֶב כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - In the midst of all Israel. Wherever any one of them had fled, the earth split beneath him and swallowed him up. This is the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Nechemyah said to him: Does it not already say: “the earth opened its mouth,” 3 and not “its mouths”? Rabbi Yehudah replied: If so, how do I explain: “in the midst of all Israel,” implying that there were openings everywhere? Rabbi Nechemyah replied: The earth turned into a slope, like a funnel, and wherever one of them had fled, he rolled down the slope until the one place where the earth had split.   בְּקֶרֶב כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל.  כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם בּוֹרֵחַ הָאָרֶץ נִבְקַעַת מִתַּחְתָּיו וּבוֹלַעְתּוֹ, אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (במדבר ט"ז) וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת פִּיהָ – וְלֹא פִּיּוֹתֶיהָ. אָמַר לוֹ וּמָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם בקרב כל ישראל? אָמַר לוֹ שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית הָאָרֶץ מִדְרוֹן כְּמַשְׁפֵּךְ, וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם הָיָה מִתְגַּלְגֵּל וּבָא עַד מְקוֹם הַבְּקִיעָה (עי' ילקוט שמעוני תשנ"ב):
וְאֶת־כָּל־הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם - And all (lit.) the substance at their feet. This refers to a person’s money, which stands him on his feet.   וְאֶת־כָּל־הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם.  זֶה מָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם שֶׁמַּעֲמִידוֹ עַל רַגְלָיו (סנהדרין ק"י):
7rather, it is with you that I am speaking, for your eyes have seen all the great work of God, which He did.   זכִּ֤י עֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ הָֽרֹאֹ֔ת אֵ֛ת כָּל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה הַגָּדֹ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עָשָֽׂה:
כִּי עֵֽינֵיכֶם הָֽרֹאֹת - Rather, your eyes have seen. This refers back to the verse above: “for not with your children, who did not know…” 4 – but with you, that “your eyes have seen….”   כִּי עֵֽינֵיכֶם הָֽרֹאֹת.  מֻסָּב עַל הַמִּקְרָא הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה – כִּי לֹא אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי אִם עִמָּכֶם אֲשֶׁר עֵינֵיכֶם הָרֹאֹת וְגוֹ':
8Keep all the commandments that I am commanding you today, in order that you be strong and come take possession of the land that you are crossing the Jordan River into in order to possess,   חוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לְמַ֣עַן תֶּֽחֶזְק֗וּ וּבָאתֶם֙ וִירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם עֹֽבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
9and in order that you endure in the land that God swore to your forefathers that He would give to them and to their seed, a land flowing with milk and date- and fig-honey.   טוּלְמַ֨עַן תַּֽאֲרִ֤יכוּ יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה לַֽאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֛ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם וּלְזַרְעָ֑ם אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ: