meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Haamek Davar/Torah/Haamek Davar on Deuteronomy/English/Sefaria Community Translation.txt"}
text: Haamek Davar on Deuteronomy
  העמק דבר על דברים
  Sefaria Community Translation
  
  
  Haamek Davar on Deuteronomy
  
  Introduction to Deuteronomy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the works of your hands." For they had been close in proximity to Edom and the other settled lands, and they would do business with these folks and God caused this trade to be successful. "Knew your travels." As the Seforno translated, this is similar to the language of "and God knew...". Which is to say, God had a hand in your travels specifically. Any time the Torah says "knew", this is positive, as it says in the Sifri in parshat Behaalotcha, God only remembers for a blessing, as it says "God remembered us for good." And "knowing" is similar.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  To destroy you: As even though He already repented from annihilation, He nevertheless did not repent from destroying that generation... Such that [God's] will was that the infants would survive with Moses until they grew, as it was the scouts. But [in fact] this generation itself survived forty years; whereas at the time of the calf, the decree was to destroy that generation all at one time...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  And you shall say, etc.:  The explanation of "saying" [here] is not like its simple meaning, but rather like [its] usage in the phrase (Deuteronomy 12:20), “and you shall say,' I want to eat meat'” and in similar [instances]. However according to this usage, it is implied that this is not an absolute commandment to appoint a king, but rather optional, as in the case of “and you shall say, 'I want to eat meat,' etc.” And behold it is known in the words of the sages, may their memory be blessed, that it is a commandment to appoint a king. But, if so, why is it written, "and you shall say, etc.?" And it appears that it is because the government of a state depends upon whether it is run according to the opinion of a monarchy or according to the opinion of the people and its representatives: and there are states that cannot support the opinion of the monarchy and there are states that without a king are like a ship without a captain. And [so] such a thing cannot be done according to the coercion of a positive commandment, since a matter that is relevant to the government of the public touches upon mortal danger (<i>sakanat nefashot</i>) which pushes off a positive commandment. For this reason, it is impossible to absolutely command the appointment of king so long as it is without the consent of the people to support the yoke of the king as a result of their seeing states around them functioning more properly [with a king]. And then [only when they do so] is it a positive commandment for the Sanhedrin to appoint a king. And behold, it is certainly impossible to explain that there is no positive commandment here at all, but rather it is like, “and you shall say, 'I want to eat meat,' etc. and you shall slaughter from your cattle, etc.” which is only a negative commandment that comes out of a positive [statement], not to eat without ritual slaughter (<i>shechita</i>); [and that] here too, we would say that this is its explanation - "Surely place upon yourself a king that He will choose, etc., you may not, etc.," [meaning] specifically "that He will choose." But it is impossible to explain like this, as if so, what is it saying, "and you will possess and you will settle" and not before? Behold, even before the possession, it is permitted to [establish] a king, as behold, Yehoshua was like a king, as is written by Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 1:3 and 3:8, see there, and Sanhedrin 19. But rather perforce, it is a commandment; yet regardless the Sanhedrin is is not commanded [to act upon it] until the people say that they want the administration of a king. And it is for this reason that for all of three hundred years, while the Tabernacle was in Shilo, there was no king; because it was lacking the people’s agreement. 
  "Like all the nations that are around me": This is not discussing laws (<i>mishpatim</i>), since it is forbidden for us to go away from the laws of the Torah. And about this was the Holy One, blessed be He, upset with the Jews in the days of Shmuel, when they said, "'and our king will judge us like all of the nations, etc.'" And [it is] also not [concerning] the matter of war with the nations of the world, since also [about] this did the Holy One, blessed be He, get upset: And he said to Shmuel that (I Samuel 8:7), "'not with you did they get sick but rather with My being king over them have they gotten sick'" - the explanation [is that] they did not intend [it] concerning the matter of laws that concern Shmuel, but rather regarding the matter of war; as throughout the days of the Judges they were without a permanent supervisor for the needs of the group regarding the matter of war with the nations of the world, [but it was only addressed] when the word of God came through the Judge; and they wanted that a king should supervise this, and about this did the Holy One, blessed be He, get upset. But rather the explanation of our verse,  "'like all the nations that are around me'" is concerning the administration of the state, and as I have written (above): that in regards to this, there are different opinions among people as to which (form of government) functions better. And because of that, the agreement of the state is required; that they say, "'I will surely, etc.'"
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Do not let your heart falter - to do on them what's wrong, once they fell in your hands.
  
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  ... as you may eat from it:In anything that we will need for the benefit of man, it is a commandment not to destroy [it], but rather to benefit from it...
  
  ... Because man is compared to a tree of the field. And behold this comparison is found in several ways... And the explanation of the comparison [regarding the siege of war, which is only with a fruit tree] is that it is like [when] there is a man sent secretly by the besiegers (on the outside of the city) to be inside the siege in order to assist the besiegers break open the city by his causing division inside; and behold when the city is broken open and they kill the people of the besieged city - would they think of also killing those same people that came into the siege for the purpose of the besiegers and for their benefit?! So too does the fruit tree come for the benefit of the besiegers, since they benefit from its fruit at the time when they pluck the fresh fruit off of the tree. Hence it is fitting to appreciate it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  It is known according to the Midrash Shemot Rabbah perek 41 that every time the Torah uses the word Hashkafa, it has negative connotations. In this case, the word is used to show how great the strength of people who take ma'asrot that they can turn negative language into positive. It is surprising why use negative language and reverse it. What would be lost if the pasuk just used the world "hibitu" [which has a positive connotation]. The language of "From your holy dwelling place, from the heavens" should also be examined since the p'shat is repetAlthough in Chagiga (12) a "ma'on" (dwelling place) is called "shamayim" (heavens), as it quotes [our pasuk] "from your holy dwelling place, from the heavens." The repetition is because of the word "min" (from). The pasuk does not say "from your holy dwelling place the heavens." This teaches two things: The heavens are a place of the planets and stars that emanate blessing onto Earth. Additionally, the gemara in Chagiga (12) explains that me'on is the place where the heavenly angels dwell. And the Maharsha already discussed this in his Chiddushe Aggadot. But the explanation of this verse is that the person who brings bikkurim is glorified in his actions that he did everything to the best of his abilities. He therefore comes to ask for heavenly mercy that God should bless Israel and their land. In truth, a person can not be so certain in his or her deeds that his or her prayers will be heard from on high. For without a doubt this person has made some mistake. Therefore, this prayer was established with the words hashkifa mime'on kodhecha. An explanation: Look down (hashkifa) negatively upon the malachei hasharet. And find in them mistakes. Therefore, look down upon us from the Heavens and bless etc. And, in your mercy, do not focus on any mistakes that were made. In this way everything becomes clear: this is why it is reasonable to say hashkifah etc. But it could have said hashkifah meme'on kodshecha vehabitah min hashamayim, like in Tehillim 102. Instead, it is written as is to teach that "someone who brings ma'asrot" etc. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  And gather you from all of the nations: After the main exile returns from the nations, the Lord will return to gather the small pockets among the nations where the Lord scattered you. Likewise did Ramban write 1 in his commentary on Song of Songs (8:12), "you may have the thousand, O Solomon" - that at first, there will be a partial gathering of the exiles with the permission of the governments. And afterwards, the Lord will bring back His hand a second time, as it is written, "and He will return and gather you."
  
  
  
  
  
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  He will cross over before you: Behold we saw four expressions of providence in this section: "He will precede (over) ahead of you"; "He goes with you"; "He is the one who will go ahead of you"; "He will be with you." And it is all precise. But we should first see the language of the Gemara, Pesachim 7b:    Shmuel said, "With regard to all the commandments, one recites a blessing over them prior to (over) their performance." From where may it be inferred that the word, over, is an expression of precedence?... Abbaye said... "And their king preceded [vaya’avor] ahead of them" (Micah 2:13).     But it is difficult, why did Shmuel say it with an expression that needs to be explained (why did he choose this unusual unclear expression, "over their performance")? He should say, "kodem (before)" their performance," or "lifnei (ahead of)" their performance!" Rather there is a profound intention in this [choice of words]. Kodem and lifnei imply that he has not started with the commandment at all. As a result, he used the expression, "over," which implies immediately adjacent; such that he is holding the item of the commandment in his hand, and he will then begin to recite the blessing. And this is the intention of, "and their king passed ahead of them" - as it is clear that the king will not begin to go until all of his army is ready to go out and they are standing at the border...
  From here we understand the difference between that which is written about the time of the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 13:21), "And the Lord went lifneihem (ahead of them) by day"... which implies, before Israel went - as behold Israel did not do anything, neither regarding the splitting of the Red Sea, nor regarding the killing of snakes and scorpions. However now Moses says that it shall not be so, but rather the Lord "will over (precede) ahead of you" - adjacently to your action...
  
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  Do not be in dread: Onkelos translated, "and you shall not break." Likewise did Onklos translate (31:8), "do not be dismayed," "do not break." Nevertheless there is certainly a difference in the meanings: "Dread" is the breaking of a platoon, such that they give themselves up to their enemies, whereas "dismay" is the breaking of the heart...
  
  He shall not fail you: When you are fit and merit [it].
  nor forsake you: Whey you are fit for punishment, He will certainly fail you, but He will not completely forsake you, God forbid. Rather He stands a bit away, until they receive their punishment. And then the Holy One, blessed be He, returns to them.
  
  Verse 7
  
  There are two meanings in this, according to the manner of Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy).
  
  Verse 8
  
  He is the who will go ahead of you: As the Holy One, blessed be He, will be seen with you and He will command you prior to your beginning with rulership. And in this manner, it is called "going ahead of you" - prior to your placing yourself as the leader. And for this reason, when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to reassure Joshua later on (verse 23), He only says the second reassurance of Moshe, "and I will be with you."