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Deuteronomy
Perek 8כָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת לְמַ֨עַן תִּֽחְי֜וּן וּרְבִיתֶ֗ם וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
All the commandment that I command you this day, both the commandments already mentioned and those to be stated below, you shall take care to perform, so that you will live, as you have already seen that those who abandoned their connection with God were destroyed (4:3). And beyond your survival, a life of commandments will bring you: You will multiply and come and take possession of the land with regard to which the Lord took an oath to your forefathers.
RASHI
כל המצוה.כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה אִם הִתְחַלְתָּ בְּמִצְוָה גְּמֹר אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁאֵינָהּ נִקְרֵאת אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם הַגּוֹמְרָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם קָבְרוּ בִשְׁכֶם" (יהושע כ"ד), וַהֲלֹא מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ נִתְעַסֵּק בָּהֶם לְהַעֲלוֹתָם? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הִסְפִּיק לְגָמְרָהּ וּגְמָרוּהָ יִשְׂרָאֵל נִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמָם (תנחומא):
וְזָכַרְתָּ֣ אֶת־כָּל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֹלִֽיכֲךָ֜ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ זֶ֛ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר לְמַ֨עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֜ לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗ לָדַ֜עַת אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֧ר בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֛ הֲתִשְׁמֹ֥ר מצותו [מִצְוֺתָ֖יו] אִם־לֹֽא׃
Apart from the practical obedience to God’s commandments, it is important for Israel to maintain its collective national memory, which encompasses the period of the wanderings in the wilderness that it is about to conclude.
You shall remember the entire way that the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, and He did so to afflict you, so that you would become accustomed to nomadic conditions and exile,
RASHI
התשמר מצותו.שֶׁלֹּא תְנַסֵּהוּ וְלֹא תְהַרְהֵר אַחֲרָיו:
וַֽיְעַנְּךָ֮ וַיַּרְעִבֶךָ֒ וַיַּֽאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ אֶת הַמָּן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדַ֔עְתָּ וְלֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן הוֹדִֽעֲךָ֗ כִּ֠י לֹ֣א עַל־הַלֶּ֤חֶם לְבַדּוֹ֙ יִחְיֶ֣ה הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֛י עַל־כָּל־מוֹצָ֥א פִֽי־יְהוָ֖ה יִחְיֶ֥ה הָאָדָֽם׃
He afflicted you, and starved you, and then He fed you the manna, which is a food that you did not know, and your fathers did not know; in order to impart to you that man does not live by bread alone; rather, it is by everything that emanates from the mouth of the Lord
שִׂמְלָ֨תְךָ֜ לֹ֤א בָֽלְתָה֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְרַגְלְךָ֖ לֹ֣א בָצֵ֑קָה זֶ֖ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃
Your garment did not grow worn from upon you, and your foot did not swell, these forty years. Despite the extensive travels and walking, all your needs were provided for by God.
RASHI
שמלתך לא בלתה.עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד הָיוּ שָׁפִים בִּכְסוּתָם וּמְגַהֲצִים אוֹתָם כְּמִין כֵּלִים מְגֹהָצִים, וְאַף קְטַנֵּיהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ גְדֵלִים הָיָה גָּדֵל לְבוּשָׁן עִמָּהֶם, כַּלְּבוּשׁ הַזֶּה שֶׁל חֹמֶט שֶׁגָּדֵל עִמּוֹ (עי' ילקוט שמעוני תת"ן):
לא בצקה.לֹא נָפְחָה כְּבָצֵק, כְּדֶרֶךְ הוֹלְכֵי יָחֵף שֶׁרַגְלֵיהֶם נְפוּחוֹת:
וְיָדַעְתָּ֖ עִם־לְבָבֶ֑ךָ כִּ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יְיַסֵּ֥ר אִישׁ֙ אֶת־בְּנ֔וֹ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מְיַסְּרֶֽךָּ׃
When you consider the matter, you shall know in your heart that just as a man chastises his son due to his concern and love, so the Lord your God chastises you. The child understands that his father punishes him because he cares about him and is acting in his best interests. Furthermore, he realizes that even if his father chastens him, he will not stop providing for his needs. Similarly, you saw that even when you were being punished, the manna did not cease for even a single day.
וְשָׁ֣מַרְתָּ֔ אֶת־מִצְוֺ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לָלֶ֥כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֖יו וּלְיִרְאָ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃
You shall observe the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. Your relationship with God is not based on love and acceptance alone; it includes a commitment to law and justice, based on the fear of God.
כִּ֚י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ מְבִֽיאֲךָ֖ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ טוֹבָ֑ה אֶ֚רֶץ נַ֣חֲלֵי מָ֔יִם עֲיָנֹת֙ וּתְהֹמֹ֔ת יֹצְאִ֥ים בַּבִּקְעָ֖ה וּבָהָֽר׃
For the Lord your God is bringing you to a good land, a land of streams of water, of springs and depths, coming out in the valley and on the highlands. These plentiful sources
אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
A land praised for the types of food that grow there. It is a land of wheat and barley, grapevines, figs, pomegranates; a land of oil olives, olives from which oil is produced, and date honey ;
RASHI
זית שמן.זֵיתִים הָעוֹשִׂים שֶׁמֶן:
אֶ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹ֤א בְמִסְכֵּנֻת֙ תֹּֽאכַל־בָּ֣הּ לֶ֔חֶם לֹֽא־תֶחְסַ֥ר כֹּ֖ל בָּ֑הּ אֶ֚רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲבָנֶ֣יהָ בַרְזֶ֔ל וּמֵהֲרָרֶ֖יהָ תַּחְצֹ֥ב נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃
a land in which you shall eat bread without poverty, as it gives forth bountiful produce. You shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and from whose hills you will excavate copper. The land also contains deposits of various types of metals.
וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃
You will eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless
הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֨י שְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְוֺתָיו֙ וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃
Beware, lest you forget the Lord your God, to not observe His commandments, and His ordinances, and His statutes that I am commanding you today.
פֶּן־תֹּאכַ֖ל וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבָתִּ֥ים טוֹבִ֛ים תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְיָשָֽׁבְתָּ׃
Lest you eat and be satisfied with the economic success that you have been promised, and you will build good houses, and settle in them. You are currently nomads who live in huts, at best, but you will soon be able to build houses and your lives will become increasingly comfortable.
וּבְקָֽרְךָ֤ וְצֹֽאנְךָ֙ יִרְבְּיֻ֔ן וְכֶ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב יִרְבֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֖ יִרְבֶּֽה׃
And your cattle and your flocks increase; and silver and gold increase for you; and everything that is yours increases, following your settlement of the land;
וְרָ֖ם לְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ הַמּוֹצִיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃
and your heart will grow haughty, and you will forget the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. It is natural that once you become accustomed to the easy life in Canaan, you will come to take it for granted, and you will forget that it is incumbent upon you to be grateful to God.
הַמּוֹלִ֨יכֲךָ֜ בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּדֹ֣ל וְהַנּוֹרָ֗א נָחָ֤שׁ ׀ שָׂרָף֙ וְעַקְרָ֔ב וְצִמָּא֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין־מָ֑יִם הַמּוֹצִ֤יא לְךָ֙ מַ֔יִם מִצּ֖וּר הַֽחַלָּמִֽישׁ׃
Who guides you in the great and awesome wilderness, a place inhabited by the snake known as the fiery serpent, whose venom burns like fire, and scorpion, and thirst where there is no water; who took water for you even from the rock of flint, which is a hard rock.
הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥ מָן֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֗ וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ נַסֹּתֶ֔ךָ לְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֖ בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃
who feeds you manna in the wilderness, which your fathers did not know, in order to afflict you, and in order to test you, to do good for you in your future, so that you will learn through this dependency about the true source of all blessings. The affliction mentioned here was caused by the unusual nature of the manna. Although it provided sustenance, it was always food of the same type and it could not be preserved for the next day to enable a sense of security. Furthermore, consumption of the manna did not create a true sense of satiation.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ כֹּחִי֙ וְעֹ֣צֶם יָדִ֔י עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י אֶת־הַחַ֥יִל הַזֶּֽה׃
And you will say in your heart: My power and the might of my hand made me these riches.
וְזָֽכַרְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י ה֗וּא הַנֹּתֵ֥ן לְךָ֛ כֹּ֖חַ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת חָ֑יִל לְמַ֨עַן הָקִ֧ים אֶת־בְּרִית֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (פ)
You shall remember the Lord your God, as it is He who gives you power to generate riches, in order to fulfill His covenant with regard to which He took an oath to your forefathers, as you can remember this day.
וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁכֹ֤חַ תִּשְׁכַּח֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֗ אַחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַעֲבַדְתָּ֖ם וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֣יתָ לָהֶ֑ם הַעִדֹ֤תִי בָכֶם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֥י אָבֹ֖ד תֹּאבֵדֽוּן׃
It shall be if you shall forget the Lord
כַּגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יְהוָה֙ מַאֲבִ֣יד מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם כֵּ֖ן תֹאבֵד֑וּן עֵ֚קֶב לֹ֣א תִשְׁמְע֔וּן בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (פ)
Like the nations that the Lord annihilates from before you, so you will be annihilated, because you would not heed the voice of the Lord your God.