| 1When the Lord, your God, brings you into the land to which you are coming to possess it, He will cast away many nations from before you: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and powerful than you. |
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אכִּ֤י יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְנָשַׁ֣ל גּוֹיִֽם־רַבִּ֣ים | מִפָּנֶ֡יךָ הַֽחִתִּי֩ וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֨י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִ֜י וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֣י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֗י וְהַֽחִוִּי֙ וְהַיְבוּסִ֔י שִׁבְעָ֣ה גוֹיִ֔ם רַבִּ֥ים וַֽעֲצוּמִ֖ים מִמֶּֽךָּ: |
| He will cast away. Heb. וְנָשַׁל. This is an expression meaning casting away, and causing to fly. Similarly is (Deut. 19:5), “and the iron [axe blade] will cause to fly [from the tree].” |
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וְנָשַׁל.
לְשׁוֹן הַשְׁלָכָה וְהַתָּזָה, וְכֵן "וְנָשַׁל הַבַּרְזֶל" (דברים י"ט):
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| 2And the Lord, your God, will deliver them to you, and you shall smite them. You shall utterly destroy them; neither shall you make a covenant with them, nor be gracious to them. |
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בוּנְתָנָ֞ם יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ וְהִכִּיתָ֑ם הַֽחֲרֵ֤ם תַּֽחֲרִים֙ אֹתָ֔ם לֹֽא־תִכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית וְלֹ֥א תְחָנֵּֽם: |
| nor be gracious to them. Heb. וְלֹא תְחָנֵּם This means, you must not show them any grace (חֵן). It is forbidden for a person to say, “How handsome is this heathen!” Another explanation: Do not grant them a settlement (חֲניָּה) in the land. (Avodah Zarah 20a) |
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וְלֹא תְחָנֵּֽם.
לֹא תִתֵּן לָהֶם חֵן, אָסוּר לוֹ לָאָדָם לוֹמַר "כַּמָּה נָאֶה גוֹי זֶה". דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֹא תִּתֵּן לָהֶם חֲנִיָּה בָּאָרֶץ (עבודה זרה כ'):
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| 3You shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughter to his son, and you shall not take his daughter for your son. |
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גוְלֹ֥א תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בָּ֑ם בִּתְּךָ֙ לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֣ן לִבְנ֔וֹ וּבִתּ֖וֹ לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח לִבְנֶֽךָ: |
| 4For he will turn away your son from following Me, and they will worship the gods of others, and the wrath of the Lord will be kindled against you, and He will quickly destroy you. |
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דכִּֽי־יָסִ֤יר אֶת־בִּנְךָ֙ מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י וְעָֽבְד֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וְחָרָ֤ה אַף־יְהֹוָה֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁמִֽידְךָ֖ מַהֵֽר: |
| For he will turn away your son from following Me. i.e., the heathen’s son, if he marries your daughter, will turn away your [grand]son whom your daughter will bear to him, from following Me. This teaches us that your daughter’s son, born of a heathen man, is called “your son,” but your son’s son, born of a heathen woman, is not called “your son,” but “her son.” For Scripture [first says, “Do not give your daughter to his son, and do not take his daughter for your son.” Then it follows with “For he will turn away your son….” However], referring to “do not take his daughter,” it does not say “For she will turn away your son…” [because he is considered her son, not yours (Kid. 68b). |
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כִּֽי־יָסִיר אֶת־בִּנְךָ מֵאַֽחֲרַי.
בְּנוֹ שֶׁל גוֹי כְּשֶׁיִּשָּׂא אֶת בִּתְּךָ יָסִיר אֶת בִּנְךָ אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד לוֹ בִתְּךָ מֵאַחֲרַי, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁבֶּן בִּתְּךָ הַבָּא מִן הַגּוֹי קָרוּי בִּנְךָ, אֲבָל בֶּן בִּנְךָ הַבָּא מִן הַגּוֹיָה אֵינוֹ קָרוּי בִּנְךָ אֶלָּא בְּנָהּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נֶאֱמַר עַל בִּתּוֹ לֹא תִקַּח כִּי תָסִיר אֶת בִּנְךָ מֵאַחֲרַי:
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| 5But so shall you do to them: You shall demolish their altars and smash their monuments, and cut down their asherim trees, and burn their graven images with fire. |
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הכִּ֣י אִם־כֹּ֤ה תַֽעֲשׂוּ֙ לָהֶ֔ם מִזְבְּחֹֽתֵיהֶ֣ם תִּתֹּ֔צוּ וּמַצֵּֽבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּ֑רוּ וַֽאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם֙ תְּגַדֵּע֔וּן וּפְסִֽילֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֥וּן בָּאֵֽשׁ: |
| their altars. Heb. מִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶם [A מִזְבֵּח is a structure] built up [of several stones]. |
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מִזְבְּחֹֽתֵיהֶם.
שֶׁל בִּנְיָן:
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| and… their monuments. Heb. וּמַצֵּבֹתָם [A מַצֵּבָה is a structure made] of one stone. |
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וּמַצֵּֽבֹתָם.
אֶבֶן אַחַת:
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| their asherim trees. Trees that are worshipped (Avodah Zarah 48a).
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וַֽאֲשֵֽׁירֵהֶם.
אִילָנוֹת שֶׁעוֹבְדִין אוֹתָן:
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| and… their graven images. [These are] images (i.e., idols). |
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וּפְסִֽילֵיהֶם.
צְלָמִים:
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| 6For you are a holy people to the Lord, your God: the Lord your God has chosen you to be His treasured people, out of all the peoples upon the face of the earth. |
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וכִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּךָ֞ בָּחַ֣ר | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לִֽהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
| 7Not because you are more numerous than any people did the Lord delight in you and choose you, for you are the least of all the peoples. |
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זלֹ֣א מֵֽרֻבְּכֶ֞ם מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֗ים חָשַׁ֧ק יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּכֶ֖ם וַיִּבְחַ֣ר בָּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֥ם הַמְעַ֖ט מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּֽים: |
| Not because you were [more] numerous. [This is to be understood] according to its simple meaning. But its midrashic explanation [understanding וְלֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם as “not because you are great”] is: Because you do not boast about yourselves when I shower good upon you. This is why I delighted in you [says God]. |
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לֹא מֵֽרֻבְּכֶם.
כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ לְפִי שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם מַגְדִּילִים עַצְמְכֶם כְּשֶׁאֲנִי מַשְׁפִּיעַ לָכֶם טוֹבָה, לְפִיכָךְ חשק … בכם
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| For you are the least [of all the peoples]. You humble yourselves as, e.g., Abraham, who said, “For I am dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), and Moses and Aaron, who said, “but of what [significance] are we?” (Exod. 16:7) Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, who said, “I will liken myself to the Most High,” (Isa. 14:14), and Sennacherib, who said, (Isa. 36:20), “Who are they among all the gods of the lands [who saved their land from my hand]?” and Hiram, who said,“I am a god, I have sat in a seat of God” (Ezek. 28:2). (Chul. 89a) |
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כִּֽי־אַתֶּם הַמְעַט.
– הַמְמַעֲטִין עַצְמְכֶם, כְּגוֹן אַבְרָהָם שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית י"ח) "וְאָנֹכִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶר", וּכְגוֹן מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שמות ט"ז) "וְנַחְנוּ מָה", לֹא כִנְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר שֶׁאָמַר (ישעיהו י"ד) "אֶדַּמֶּה לְעֶלְיוֹן", וְסַנְחֵרִיב (שם ל"ו) שֶׁאָמַר "מִי בְּכָל אֱלֹהֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת", וְחִירָם שֶׁאָמַר (י"ח כ"ח) "אֵל אָנִי מוֹשַׁב אֱלֹהִים יָשַׁבְתִּי" (חולין פ"ט):
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| for you are the least. Heb. כִּי-אַתֶּם הַמְעַט Here כִּי is an expression of“because.” |
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כִּֽי־אַתֶּם הַמְעַט.
הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא:
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| 8But because of the Lord's love for you, and because He keeps the oath He swore to your forefathers, the Lord took you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. |
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חכִּי֩ מֵאַֽהֲבַ֨ת יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶתְכֶ֗ם וּמִשָּׁמְר֤וֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַֽאֲבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֧יא יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֑ה וַיִּפְדְּךָ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים מִיַּ֖ד פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| But because of the Lord’s love. Heb. כִּי מֵאַהֲבַת ה׳ Here, [however,] כִּי is an expression of “but.” [Thus, the verses read] Not because you were more numerous… did the Lord delight in you, but because of the Lord’s love for you. |
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כִּי מֵאַֽהֲבַת ה'.
הֲרֵי כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֶלָּא – לא מרבכם חשק ה' בכם, אֶלָּא מאהבת ה' אתכם:
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| and because He keeps the oath. Heb. וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ means, “and because of His keeping the oath” [not “and from His keeping the oath”]. |
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וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָה.
מֵחֲמַת שָׁמְרוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה:
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| 9Know, therefore, that the Lord, your God He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps the covenant and loving kindness with those who love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations. |
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טוְיָ֣דַעְתָּ֔ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים הָאֵל֙ הַנֶּֽאֱמָ֔ן שֹׁמֵ֧ר הַבְּרִ֣ית וְהַחֶ֗סֶד לְאֹֽהֲבָ֛יו וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָ֖יו (כתיב מצותו) לְאֶ֥לֶף דּֽוֹר: |
| to a thousand generations. But earlier, (verse 5:10) it says: “To thousands [of generations].” [Why the difference?] Here, where it is adjacent to “those who keep His commandments,” it says: “to a thousand generations” [because it is referring to those who obey God out of fear] but previously, where it is adjacent to those who love Him, it says: “for thousands [of generations].” (Sotah 31a) |
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לְאֶלֶף דּֽוֹר.
וּלְהַלָּן (דברים ה') הוּא אוֹמֵר "לַאֲלָפִים". כָּאן שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ אֵצֶל לְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו, הוּא אוֹמֵר לאלף, וּלְהַלָּן שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ אֵצֶל לְאֹהֲבַי, הוּא אוֹמֵר לַאֲלָפִים (סוטה ל"א):
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| with those who love Him. Those who perform [the commandments] out of love. |
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לְאֹֽהֲבָיו.
אֵלּוּ הָעוֹשִׂין מֵאַהֲבָה:
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| and keep His commandments. Those who perform [the commandments] out of fear. |
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וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵי מצותיו.
אֵלּוּ הָעוֹשִׂין מִיִּרְאָה:
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| 10And He repays those who hate Him, to their face, to cause them to perish; He will not delay the one who hates Him, but he will repay him to his face. |
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יוּמְשַׁלֵּ֧ם לְשֽׂנְאָ֛יו אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו לְהַֽאֲבִיד֑וֹ לֹ֤א יְאַחֵר֙ לְשׂ֣נְא֔וֹ אֶל־פָּנָ֖יו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֽוֹ: |
| And He repays those who hate Him to their face. During his lifetime, He pays him his good reward, in order to cause him to be lost from the World to Come. |
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וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשֽׂנְאָיו אֶל־פָּנָיו.
בְּחַיָּיו מְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ גְמוּלוֹ הַטּוֹב, כְּדֵי לְהַאֲבִידוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
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| 11You shall therefore, observe the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day to do. |
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יאוְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֜ה וְאֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לַֽעֲשׂתָֽם: |
| this day to do them. But in the future, in the World to Come, you will receive their reward (Eruvin 22a). |
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הַיּוֹם לעשותם.
וּלְמָחָר, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, לִטֹּל שְׂכָרָם (עירובין כ"ב):
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| 12And it will be, because you will heed these ordinances and keep them and perform, that the Lord, your God, will keep for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers. |
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יבוְהָיָ֣ה | עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֤ת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְשָׁמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַֽאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ: |
| And it will be, because you will heed. Heb. עֵקֶב, lit. heel. If you will heed the minor commandments which one [usually] tramples with his heels [i.e., which a person treats as being of minor importance]. |
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וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן.
אִם הַמִּצְווֹת קַלּוֹת שֶׁאָדָם דָּשׁ בַּעֲקֵבָיו תשמעון.
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| That the Lord, your God, will keep. He will keep His promise to you. |
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וְשָׁמַר ה' וגו'.
יִשְׁמֹר לְךָ הַבְטָחָתוֹ (עי' תנחומא):
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| 13And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the offspring of your cattle and the choice of your flocks, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you. |
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יגוַֽאֲהֵ֣בְךָ֔ וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֖ וְהִרְבֶּ֑ךָ וּבֵרַ֣ךְ פְּרִי־בִטְנְךָ֣ וּפְרִֽי־אַדְמָתֶ֠ךָ דְּגָ֨נְךָ֜ וְתִירשְׁךָ֣ וְיִצְהָרֶ֗ךָ שְׁגַר־אֲלָפֶ֨יךָ֙ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת צֹאנֶ֔ךָ עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ לָ֥תֶת לָֽךְ: |
| The offspring of your cattle. Heb. שְׁגַר אִלָפֶיךָ, [meaning] the offspring born of your herd, which the female casts out מְשַׁגֶּרֶת from her womb. |
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שְׁגַר־אֲלָפֶיךָ.
וַלְדֵי בְקָרְךָ שֶׁהַנְּקֵבָה מְשַׁגֶּרֶת מִמֵּעֶיהָ:
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| and the choice of your flocks. Heb. וְעַשְׁתְּרוֹת צֹאנֶךָ. Menachem [ben Saruk] explains this expression as: אַבִּירֵי בָּשָׁן, “the strong rams of Bashan” (Ps. 22:13), [meaning] the choicest of the flock, similar to “Ashteroth-Karnaim” (Gen. 14:5), [עַשְׁתְּרֹת being] an expression for “strength.” Onkelos translates it: “and the flocks of your sheep.” Our Rabbis said: Why are they עַשְׁתְּרֹת? Because they enrich (מַעֲשִׁירוֹת) their owners (Chul. 84b). |
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וְעַשְׁתְּרֹת צֹאנֶךָ.
מְנַחֵם פֵּרֵשׁ "אַבִּירֵי בָשָׁן" (תהילים כ"ב) – מִבְחַר הַצֹּאן, כְּמוֹ "בְּעַשְׁתְּרֹת קַרְנַיִם" (בראשית י"ד), לְשׁוֹן חֹזֶק, וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "וְעֶדְרֵי עָנָךְ". וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם עַשְׁתָּרוֹת? שֶׁמַּעֲשִׁירוֹת אֶת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן (חולין פ"ד):
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| 14You shall be blessed above all peoples: There will be no sterile male or barren female among you or among your livestock. |
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ידבָּר֥וּךְ תִּֽהְיֶ֖ה מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים לֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֛ עָקָ֥ר וַֽעֲקָרָ֖ה וּבִבְהֶמְתֶּֽךָ: |
| sterile male. Heb. עָקָר, [meaning] that does not beget children. |
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עָקָר.
שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹלִיד:
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| 15And the Lord will remove from you all illness, and all of the evil diseases of Egypt which you knew, He will not set upon you, but He will lay them upon all your enemies. |
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טווְהֵסִ֧יר יְהֹוָ֛ה מִמְּךָ֖ כָּל־חֹ֑לִי וְכָל־מַדְוֵי֩ מִצְרַ֨יִם הָֽרָעִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֗עְתָּ לֹ֤א יְשִׂימָם֙ בָּ֔ךְ וּנְתָנָ֖ם בְּכָל־שֽׂנְאֶֽיךָ: |
| 16And you shall consume all the peoples which the Lord your God gives you; you shall not spare them, nor shall you worship their gods, for that will be a snare for you. |
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טזוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֣ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ לֹֽא־תָח֥וֹס עֵֽינְךָ֖ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹ֤א תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־מוֹקֵ֥שׁ ה֖וּא לָֽךְ: |
| 17Will you say to yourself, "These nations are more numerous than I; how will I be able to drive them out"? |
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יזכִּ֤י תֹאמַר֙ בִּלְבָ֣בְךָ֔ רַבִּ֛ים הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵיכָ֥ה אוּכַ֖ל לְהֽוֹרִישָֽׁם: |
| Will you say to yourself. Heb. כִּי תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ. [The word כִּי here] must mean “perhaps.” [I.e.,] will you perhaps say to yourself, “Because they are many, I will be unable to drive them out”? Do not say this [but rather,] do not fear them. It is, however, impossible to explain this with one of the other [three] meanings of כִּי so that the statement “You shall not fear them” (verse 18) will appropriately follow it. [See Rashi on Gen. 18:15.] |
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כִּי תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ.
עַל כָּרְחֲךָ לְשׁוֹן דִּילְמָא הוּא, שֶׁמָּא תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם רַבִּים לֹא אוּכַל לְהוֹרִישָׁם, אַל תֹּאמַר כֵּן, לא תירא מהם, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרְשׁוֹ בְּאַחַת מִשְּׁאָר לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל כִּי שֶׁיִּפֹּל עָלָיו שׁוּב לֹא תִירָא מֵהֶם:
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| 18You shall not fear them. You shall surely remember what the Lord, your God, did to Pharaoh and to all of Egypt: |
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יחלֹ֥א תִירָ֖א מֵהֶ֑ם זָכֹ֣ר תִּזְכֹּ֗ר אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְפַרְעֹ֖ה וּלְכָל־מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| 19The great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm with which the Lord, your God, brought you out. So will the Lord, Your God, do to all the peoples you fear. |
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יטהַמַּסֹּ֨ת הַגְּדֹלֹ֜ת אֲשֶׁר־רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וְהָֽאֹתֹ֤ת וְהַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ וְהַיָּ֤ד הַֽחֲזָקָה֙ וְהַזְּרֹ֣עַ הַנְּטוּיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כֵּֽן־יַֽעֲשֶׂ֞ה יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְכָל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה יָרֵ֖א מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם: |
| the trials. הַמַּסֹּת, [meaning] the trials. |
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הַמַּסֹּת.
נִסְיוֹנוֹת:
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| the signs. For example, “and it became a serpent” (Exod. 4:3), [and] “will become blood on the dry land” (Exod. 4:9). |
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וְהָֽאֹתֹת.
כְּגוֹן וַיְהִי לְנָחָשׁ (שמות ד'), וְהָיוּ לְדָם בַּיַּבָּשֶׁת (שם):
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| the wonders. The wondrous plagues. |
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וְהַמֹּֽפְתִים.
הַמַּכּוֹת הַמֻּפְלָאוֹת:
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| the mighty hand. This is the pestilence. |
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וְהַיָּד הַֽחֲזָקָה.
זוֹ הַדֶּבֶר:
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| and the outstretched arm. This refers to the sword in the plague of the firstborn. |
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וְהַזְּרֹעַ הַנְּטוּיָה.
זוֹ הַחֶרֶב שֶׁל מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת:
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| 20And also the tzir'ah, the Lord, your God, will incite against them, until the survivors and those who hide from you perish. |
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כוְגַם֙ אֶת־הַצִּרְעָ֔ה יְשַׁלַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בָּ֑ם עַד־אֲבֹ֗ד הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֛ים וְהַנִּסְתָּרִ֖ים מִפָּנֶֽיךָ: |
| The tzir’ah. Heb. הַצִּרְעָה, a species of flying insect which injected poison into them [the Canaanites], making them impotent and blinding their eyes wherever they hid. — [Sotah 36a] |
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הַצִּרְעָה.
מִין שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף שֶׁהָיְתָה זוֹרֶקֶת בָּהֶם מָרָה וּמְסָרַסְתָּן וּמְסַמְּאָה אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיוּ נִסְתָּרִין שָׁם (סוטה ל"ו):
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| 21You shall not be terrified of them, for the Lord, your God, Who is in your midst, is a great and awesome God. |
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כאלֹ֥א תַֽעֲרֹ֖ץ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ בְּקִרְבֶּ֔ךָ אֵ֥ל גָּד֖וֹל וְנוֹרָֽא: |
| 22And the Lord, your God, will drive out those nations from before you, little by little. You will not be able to destroy them quickly, lest the beasts of the field outnumber you. |
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כבוְנָשַׁל֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֛ל מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ מְעַ֣ט מְעָ֑ט לֹ֤א תוּכַל֙ כַּלֹּתָ֣ם מַהֵ֔ר פֶּן־תִּרְבֶּ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה: |
| lest the beasts of the field outnumber you. But is it not so that if [the Israelites] obey the will of the Omnipresent, they need not fear the beasts? As it is said, “And the beasts of the field made peace with you” (Job 5:23). It was, however, revealed before him [Moses] that they would sin in the future. |
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פֶּן־תִּרְבֶּה עָלֶיךָ חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶֽה.
וַהֲלֹא אִם עוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם אֵין מִתְיָרְאִין מִן הַחַיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב ה') וְחַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה הָשְׁלְמָה לָּךְ? אֶלָּא גָּלוּי הָיָה לְפָנָיו שֶׁעֲתִידִין לַחֲטֹא:
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| 23But the Lord, your God, will deliver them to you, and He will confound them with great confusion, until they are destroyed. |
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כגוּנְתָנָ֛ם יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וְהָמָם֙ מְהוּמָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֔ה עַ֖ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָֽם: |
| And He will confound them. All of this [word] is vocalized with a “kamatz” because the last “mem” is not part of the root, [but it is a suffix,] and it is equivalent to וְהָם אוֹתָם, “And He will confound them.” But in “and the wheel of his wagon shall break וְהָמַם” (Isa. 28:28), the [word] is all root [letters], therefore, half of it [one syllable] has a “kamatz” and half of it has a “pattach,” just like any other verb of three letters. |
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וְהָמָם.
נָקוּד קָמָץ כֻּלּוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מ"ם אַחֲרוֹנָה מִן הַיְסוֹד, וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּמוֹ וְהָם אוֹתָם, אֲבָל "וְהָמַם גִּלְגַּל עֶגְלָתוֹ" (ישעיהו כ"ח) כֻּלּוֹ יְסוֹד, לְפִיכָךְ חֶצְיוֹ קָמָץ וְחֶצְיוֹ פַּתָּח, כִּשְׁאָר פֹּעַל שֶׁל שָׁלוֹשׁ אוֹתִיּוֹת:
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| 24And He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will destroy their name from beneath the heavens; no man will be able to stand up before you, until you have destroyed them. |
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כדוְנָתַ֤ן מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְהַֽאֲבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹֽא־יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב אִישׁ֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִֽדְךָ֖ אֹתָֽם: |
| 25The graven images of their gods you will burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is upon them and take it for yourself, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord, your God. |
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כהפְּסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן בָּאֵ֑שׁ לֹֽא־תַחְמֹד֩ כֶּ֨סֶף וְזָהָ֤ב עֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֣ לָ֔ךְ פֶּ֚ן תִּוָּקֵ֣שׁ בּ֔וֹ כִּ֧י תֽוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ הֽוּא: |
| 26Nor should you bring an abomination into your house, lest you are to be destroyed like it, but you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is to be destroyed. |
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כווְלֹֽא־תָבִ֤יא תֽוֹעֵבָה֙ אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ חֵ֖רֶם כָּמֹ֑הוּ שַׁקֵּ֧ץ | תְּשַׁקְּצֶ֛נּוּ וְתַעֵ֥ב | תְּתַֽעֲבֶ֖נּוּ כִּי־חֵ֥רֶם הֽוּא: |
