| 9“You are all standing today before God, your God—the leaders of your tribes, your elders, your sheriffs, and every Israelite man, |
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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. |
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אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים.
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכִּנְּסָם מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם מוֹתוֹ לְהַכְנִיסָם בַּבְּרִית:
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| רָֽאשֵׁיכֶם שִׁבְטֵיכֶם - (lit.) Your heads, your tribes - means: the heads of your tribes. |
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רָֽאשֵׁיכֶם שִׁבְטֵיכֶם.
רָאשֵׁיכֶם לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם:
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| זִקְנֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם - Your elders and your sheriffs - i.e., whoever is more important is mentioned first, and afterward, at the end, “every Israelite man.” |
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זִקְנֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם.
הֶחָשׁוּב חָשׁוּב קוֹדֵם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כל איש ישראל:
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| 10your young children, your womenfolk, and your converts who are in your camp, from your woodcutter to your water-drawer— |
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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.” Moses accepted them, but appointed them as woodcutters and water-drawers. |
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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):
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| 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 |
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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,” where the suffix כם refers to the one doing the action. |
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לְעָבְרְךָ.
לִהְיוֹתְךָ עוֹבֵר בַּבְּרִית, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרְשׁוֹ כְּמוֹ לְהַעֲבִירְךָ, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ לַעֲשֹׂתְכֶם אֹתָם:
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| 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.” |
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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):
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| 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. |
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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. |
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לְמַעַן הָקִֽים־אֹֽתְךָ הַיּוֹם לוֹ לְעָם.
כָּל כָּךְ הוּא נִכְנָס לִטְרֹחַ לְמַעַן קַיֵּם אוֹתְךָ לְפָנָיו לְעָם:
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| 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 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: |
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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 — :
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| אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם - “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. |
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אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם.
הַרְבֵּה הִכְעַסְתֶּם לַמָּקוֹם וְלֹא עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם כְּלָיָה וַהֲרֵי אַתֶּם קַיָּמִים לְפָנָיו:
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| 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….” Another explanation. |
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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 — :
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| אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים - “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,” when they left his authority and entered the authority of Saul. |
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אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים.
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):
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| 13I am not making this covenant and administering this oath on God’s behalf solely with you, |
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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, |
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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. |
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וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ פֹּה.
וְאַף עִם דּוֹרוֹת הָעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת:
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| 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. |
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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. |
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כִּֽי־אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם וגו'.
לְפִי שֶׁרְאִיתֶם הָאֻמּוֹת, וְשֶׁמָּא הִשִּׂיא לֵב אֶחָד מִכֶּם אוֹתוֹ לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵיהֶם, פן יש בכם וגו', לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁבִּיעֲכֶם:
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| 16You saw their loathsome and repugnant idols of wood and stone, and those of silver and gold, which they hid with them. |
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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. |
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וַתִּרְאוּ אֶת־שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם.
עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מְאוּסִים כַּשְּׁקָצִים:
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| גִּלֻּֽלֵיהֶם - Their repugnant idols - that are foul and repulsive, like dung (גָּלָל). |
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גִּלֻּֽלֵיהֶם.
שֶׁמֻּסְרָחִים וּמְאוּסִין כַּגָּלָל:
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| 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. |
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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):
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| 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. |
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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.” |
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פֶּן־יֵשׁ בָּכֶם.
שֶׁמָּא יש בכם:
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| אֲשֶׁר לְבָבוֹ פֹנֶה הַיּוֹם - Whose heart is straying today - from accepting the covenant upon himself. |
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אֲשֶׁר לְבָבוֹ פֹנֶה הַיּוֹם.
מִלְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו הַבְּרִית:
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| 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. |
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שֹׁרֶשׁ פֹּרֶה רֹאשׁ וְלַֽעֲנָֽה.
שֹׁרֶשׁ מְגַדֵּל עֵשֶׂב מַר כַּגִּידִין שֶׁהֵם מָרִים, כְּלוֹמַר — מַפְרֶה וּמַרְבֶּה רֶשַׁע בְּקִרְבְּכֶם:
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| 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. |
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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.” |
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וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּלְבָבוֹ.
לְשׁוֹן בְּרָכָה, יַחֲשֹׁב בְּלִבּוֹ בִּרְכַּת שָׁלוֹם לְעַצְמוֹ לֵאמֹר, לֹא יְבוֹאוּנִי קְלָלוֹת הַלָּלוּ, אַך שלום יהיה לי:
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| וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ - “bendira soi” in Old French (“he will consider himself blessed”). It is a reflexive form, similar to: וְהִתְגַּלַּח “he must shave himself”; וְהִתְפַּלֵּל “he will pray.” |
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וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ.
בנדי"רא שו"יא בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ וְהִתְגַּלָּח, וְהִתְפַּלֵּל:
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| בִּשְׁרִרוּת לִבִּי אֵלֵךְ - means: “I follow what my heart sees,” similar to: “I behold it (אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ), but not soon,” i.e., what my heart sees fit to do. |
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בִּשְׁרִרוּת לִבִּי אֵלֵךְ.
בְּמַרְאִית לִבִּי, כְּמוֹ (במדבר כ"ד) "אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ וְלֹא קָרוֹב", כְּלוֹמַר, מַה שֶּׁלִּבִּי רוֹאֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת:
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| 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. |
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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:
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| הָֽרָוָה - (lit.) The drunk - refers to unintentional sins, which a person commits as if drunk, without intent. |
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הָֽרָוָה.
שׁוֹגֵג, שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה כְאָדָם שִׁכּוֹר שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה שֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעַת:
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| הַצְּמֵאָֽה - (lit.) The thirsty - refers to that which he commits knowingly and with desire. |
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הַצְּמֵאָֽה.
שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה מִדַּעַת וּבְתַאֲוָה:
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| 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. |
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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.” 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. |
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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:
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| 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. |
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וְקִנְאָתוֹ.
לְשׁוֹן חֵמָה, אנפרטמי"נט, אֲחִיזַת לְבִישַׁת נְקָמָה וְאֵינוֹ מַעֲבִיר עַל הַמִּדָּה:
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| 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. |
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כוְהִבְדִּיל֤וֹ יְהֹוָה֙ לְרָעָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּכֹל֙ אָל֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֔ית הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּֽה: |
| הַכְּתוּבָה בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּֽה - Written in this Torah scroll - but above 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. |
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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:
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| 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: |
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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.’ |
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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?’ |
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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, |
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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. |
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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. |
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לֹֽא־ידעם.
לֹא יָדְעוּ בָהֶם גְּבוּרַת אֱלֹהוּת:
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| 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. |
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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:
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| 26God’s fury raged against that land, bringing upon it the entire curse written in this book. |
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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.’ |
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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.” |
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וַיִּתְּשֵׁם ה'.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וְטַלְטְלִינוּן", וְכֵן "הִנְנִי נֹתְשָׁם מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם" (ירמיהו י"ב):
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| 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. |
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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…,’ and subsequently: ‘seeing the plagues of that land.’ 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. |
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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):
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