meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Sforno/Torah/Sforno on Deuteronomy/English/Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009.txt"}
text: Sforno on Deuteronomy
  ספורנו על דברים
  Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009
  
  
  Sforno on Deuteronomy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  Eleven days from Chorev. For all thirty eight years that they were in the desert they moved here and there and did not go on a straight and direct path to their destination. Whenever they came to a place from where they would have to [retrace their steps and] move backwards or to the sides, Moshe would tell them, “Look what your actions caused. For it is an eleven day journey from Chorev to Kadesh Barnea via Mount Se’ir, which is the quickest route for travelers. Hashem led you to Kadesh Barnea in three days through the great and terrible wilderness. But because of your sins you are constantly moving,” He would say all of this to them in order that they would remember and return to Hashem.
  
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  And we walked the entire great wilderness. A path that had not been travelled before by men, due to the great number of snakes, scorpions and other dangerous obstacles, as the verse states, “Snake serpent and scorpion” (Devarim 8:15). Our Rabbis have already told us that the snakes were the size of beams, and the scorpions the size of bows. Hashem did all of this for them in order to shorten the path for them, so that they could enter the land immediately, before their pots became like thorns and they had sinned too much. But even so it was not sufficient, because they still managed to sin with the complainers, and with their desire for meat, and with the spies.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  That has Hashem close to it. The reason that it is important to be particular that they should be considered clever and wise in the eyes of the nations is because Hashem is close to us in everything that we do. This will show that He chose us from all the nations. However if the nations consider you to be foolish it will profane Hashem’s name, when they say, “Are these Hashem’s people?”
  
  
  
  
  
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  Face to face. Not in a dream or a night vision, but while you were in full control of your senses.
  
  Verse 5
  
   Saying. “Hashem spoke all these things, saying, I am…” However I stood between Hashem and you, to tell you the word of Hashem, for you were afraid …
  
  
  
  
  
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  Teach them through repetition and through sharp, intellectual evidence.  
  And you are to discuss them. For through this you will constantly remember them.
  
  
  
  
  
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  Lest you be ensnared by it. Sometimes it will happen that you will be successful with that silver and gold which you took from the idol, and you will think that the success can be attributed to the idol from which it came.
  
  
  
  
  
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  When and if you forget. This wil happen when you credit your success to your own actions, and do not bless Hashem for it.  
  You will surely be destroyed. From both this world and the World to Come.
  
  
  
  
  
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  Do not think. When you see your miraculous victory and recognize that it is the work of Hashem,  
  do not mistakenly think that it was your righteousness that brought you to inherit the land, and that you are worthy of inheriting the land in your merit.  
  Because of the wickedness of these nations is Hashem expelling them before you. The reason that Hashem fought for you was because of the wickedness of the gentile nations, not in order that you should inherit quickly.
  
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  Verse 6
  
  For you are a stubborn people. It is impossible that a stubborn people will be righteous and upright. One who is stubborn will follow his thoughts and ideas even if teachers show him clearly that they are not good, and will cause him to fail. He will not pay attention to this teacher, and will act as though his neck is set with iron, so that he is unable to turn to either side, and will continue to go after his own ideas.
  
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  The mountain was burning with fire. You sinned while the King was still at His feast.
  
  
  
  
  
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  The Almighty — the Great. There is nothing that can compare to him on any of the levels of creation.
  The powerful. Who gives continued existence to all of creation, as they said, “You give life to everything” (Nechemiah 9:6).  
  The Awesome. Who watches to reward and punish those who fear Him accordingly.
  Who neither exercises favoritism. To a son who breaks away, to show favor to the righteous father. Even though He will hold back His anger for a long time in the merit of the father.  
  Nor accepts bribes. He will not remove the punishment for the sin because of the reward of a <i>mitzvah</i> that the sinner has done. As our Sages teach: A <i>mitzvah</i> does not extinguish a sin (Sotah 21a). All of this comes to teach that if you sin you may not rely on Hashem to save you from any punishment in any merit, unless you perform complete <i>teshuvah</i>.
  
  
  
  
  
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  You will swiftly be removed. Due to famine, which is worse than the sword. Therefore, “Look out for yourselves”.
  
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  You are to teach them to your sons. Accustom your children to perform <i>mitzvos</i>.
  To speak in them. In order that you constantly speak of them.
  
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  For if you truly guard. If you are involved in Torah in order to recognize the kindness of Hashem, this will lead to love.  
  To walk in all His ways. Accustom yourself in those ways with which He runs the world — righteousness and justice.
  And cling to Him. That all of your actions will be with the intention of doing His will, as the verse states, “In all your ways, know Him” (Mishlei 3:6).
  
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  Look. Look and see that you will never be average, like the majority. Rather, I give you today a choice between blessing and curse, which are the two extremes. The blessing is greater success than required, reaching the upper limit of goodness, but curse is affliction of lack where even the minimum cannot be attained. These are both before you, to choose which you prefer.
  
  
  
  
  
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  Let me do so, too. Let me worship Hashem using the types of service that they use for their idols.
  
  
  
  
  
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  Do not add to it. For perhaps you will add something which Hashem finds disgusting. For example, if you add types of worship to the service of Hashem, sometimes the additional worship will be disgusting for Hashem, such as burning children.  
  Do not subtract from it. Even if the reason for the mitzvah seems to no longer apply, like Shlomo, who thought that he could have many wives and not be led to sin.
  
  
  
  
  
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  Through tithing the crops and the animals the crops and the animals will increase, as our Sage have said, “Tithe so that you will become rich”.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Only a tree that you know. Even though it may be a species of fruit-bearing tree, when you know that it is old, or damaged in such a way that it will not bear fruit, you may destroy it.
  
  
  
  
  
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  He may not prefer the son of the loved one. The birthright of the eldest son may not be transferred due to love or hatred for one or another of his wives. However, if the father transfers the birthright due to the wicked behavior of the son, then he acts appropriately. As our Sages have said: If the son does not act in a proper manner, a father who disinherits him will be remembered for good (Bava Basra 133b). This is what Yaakov did, as the verse states, “Because he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Yisroel” (I Divrei HaYomim 5:1).
  
  
  
  
  
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  Do not place blood. When someone falls, you should not be the cause of that, in a way that the punishment of blood should be in your home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  To the <i>kohein:</i> Even though he is not great in wisdom, you must still speak to him respectfully. You must say, “Hashem, your God” even though this phrase is only spoken to people of stature, such as kings or prophets. Nevertheless, since you are bringing your first fruits to him, like bringing a gift to Hashem, Master of the Heavens, it is appropriate to speak respectfully also to the <i>kohein</i>.
  
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  And place it. To show and make known that the first fruits were not brought to the <i>kohein</i> but to Hashem. Hashem gave them to the <i>kohein</i> along with the other priestly gifts.
  
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  The Aramite. My father, Yaakov, was for many years a wandering Aramite. He had not fixed abode, and therefore was not able to establish a nation worthy of inheriting the land of Israel.
  
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  You have distinguished. When you accepted upon yourselves to enter the covenant with an oath and a vow, giving up all material wealth if necessary, you distinguished and elevated Hashem, by making the fulfillment of His will more important to you than any material goodness.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Lest their hearts lead them astray, to the foolishness of the Moavites who dwell nearby, and they think in their hearts that they can nullify the covenant. Therefore I said that all of you are standing before Hashem, who examines the mind, and you are unable to fool him.
  
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  The hidden matters. Even though I told you that you are all standing before Hashem, and nobody can misunderstand, and that Hashem will punish those who rebel, all of this only applies to the hidden matters.
  
  
  
  
  
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  And you will return. Your repentance will be in order to solely perform the will of your Creator. This is the type of repentance that reaches the Heavenly Throne.
  And obey Him exactly. Not out of habit, as you did before now.  
  You and your sons. Even the children of the next generation will recognize this, as the verse states, “All of you know Me, from the young to the old” (Yirmiyahu 31:33). 
  Wholeheartedly. So that you will have no doubt.
  With your whole being. Your desires of your soul will not prevent you, when you recognize the importance of the matter.
  
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  In your mouth and in your mind to fulfill it. To recognize your sins in your mind, and to know Hashem, to whom you sinned, and to regret and confess this verbally.
  
  
  
  
  
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  I am 120 years old today. Do not be sad at my death, for I was would not have lived any longer by the laws of nature.  
  I cannot any longer go forth and return. Even if I would have lied longer, I would no longer be able to come and go before the people, due to my old age.  
  For Hashem has said to me: Even If I was able to come and go, Hashem has said to me that I may not cross the Yardein, and if so, it is better for you that I die now so that you can cross.
  
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  In order for them to hear. The wise people will understand.
  And in order for them to learn. In order that those who cannot understand will learn from them.
  To fear Hashem, your God. When they understand His greatness, which comes through His Torah with rational signs.
  
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  And I will forsake them. To those who will destroy the Beis HaMikdosh, who will overpower them. 
  And I shall conceal My face from them. I will close My eyes of mercy from them, as if I do not see their suffering. 
  Because my God is not within me. This has happened to us because He has removed His Divine Presence from our midst. When they realize this they will not turn to Him in prayer, nor repent before Him.
  
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  For I know their impulse. They do not wish to enter the Land of Israel in order to serve me, which is My intent, as the verse states, “That they may keep His statutes” (Tehillim 105:45). However, they want to enter to fulfil their desires, and this will lead to all the evil that will surely come, as the verse states, “Yeshurun grew fat and rebelled” (Devarim 32:15).
  
  
  
  
  
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  He found them. He found the hearts of the Jewish people trusting in Him when they were in the wilderness, as the verse states, “Your going after Me in the wilderness” (Yirmiya 2:2).  
  He encircled them. At Mount Sinai, as the verse states, “You will set bounds for the people, round about” (Shemos 19:12).  
  He granted them understanding. As it states, “The Torah and the mitzvos, which I have written, that you may teach them” (Shemos 24:12).  
  He sheltered them. From the slavery in Egypt, and from the angel of death. 
  Like the pupil of his eye. Like the pupil of a person’s eye is protected with eyelids so that it will not be damaged.
  
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  The wine-flavored blood of the grapes. Grape juice can be drunk without requiring much labor. Similarly, they will earn their livelihood without effort. Hashem will do all of this for them so that they would have time to involve themselves with Torah and mitzvos.
  
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  For their grapevine is the grapevine of Sodom. The reason that they have no understanding to grasp this is because they are proud, and use all their intellect only to attain their physical desires, like the people of Sodom. In order to do so, the people of Sodom would respise any kind of kindness to others, as the prophet testified when he said about them, “Behold, this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she her daughters had pride, satiety, and tranquil peace but she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” (Yechezkel 16:49).
  
  
  
  
  
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  They shall teach Your law to Yaakov. Since they are the most upright tribe, give give them the grace and wisdom to teach Your laws, as our Sages have said, “If the teacher appears to you as an angel of Hashem seek Torah from his mouth.