meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Rashbam/Torah/Rashbam on Deuteronomy/English/Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009.txt"}
text: Rashbam on Deuteronomy
  רשב"ם על דברים
  Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009
  
  
  Rashbam on Deuteronomy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  His bed. This refers to his crib, when he was a baby he required an iron bed, because when he was young he was extremely strong. When he lay down he would have broken a wooden crib. Therefore they had to make his crib out of iron. But for a large person who has intelligence he would not have needed this.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
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  Verse 7
  
  You are to teach them [<i>veshinantem</i>] to your children. This means sharpen, to explain them well.
  
  
  
  
  
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  You will know. Perhaps you will say that since Hashem swore to our forefathers to give us this land, why must we keep the mitzvos? Hashem must do what He promised to do regardless of our actions. Therefore I answer you that if you do not observe the mitzvos you will not inherit the land. Yet Hashem will not break His promise, for this is one of His attributes, that He can wait with the covenant and the kindness that He swore to the forefathers to fulfill it even after a thousand generations, only to that generation who love Him and keep His mitzvos.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
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  Verse 9
  
  You will not eat bread in poverty.In other words you will not eat dry bread, like poor, downtrodden people. For aside from wheat and barley, you will have grapes and figs etc.
  
  
  
  
  
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  I prostrated myself. Why did Moshe have to repeat that the prostrated himself for forty days? … In his great wisdom he came to teach Yisroel. They should not think that since Moshe’s prayer saved them from such a big sin as the Golden Calf, so too in the land of Israel, if they sin the prophets will pray for them and save them. Moshe said to them that such prayers will not work in the land of Israel, for now Moshe atoned for them in order that they not profane Hashem’s name. Here Moshe prayed, “Recall Your servants… lest they say of the land.” For this reason they were saved from death. But once the thirty one Canaanite kings have been vanquished and Hashem has caused them to inherit the land, he can then throw them out and exile them from the land. This would not profane Hashem’s name, the nations will not be able to say “Because of Hashem’s inability to bring them to the land.” Rather the gentile nations will understand that it is because the Jews sinned, as explained in Parshas Nitzovim, “They will reply, ‘Because they forsook the covenant of Hashem’ ” (Devarim 29:24).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
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  In order that you learn to fear Hashem, your God. When you see the place of the Divine Presence, and the <i>Kohanim</i> in their service, the Levites in their song and Yisroel standing in their position.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Because you eat from it. You will need food after you conquer the city, and it will become yours.  
  You are not to cut it down. Only those fruit trees which do not give strength to the people in the city, i.e. those far away, are the ones that you may not cut down.
  
  
  
  
  
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  An affront to Hashem. When people see those who are hanging they will curse the judges or relatives of the deceased or other people. Sometimes a criminal is killed for a relatively minor crime, for example the Biblical example of the one who gathered wood on Shabbat. Hashem says, “Do not curse.” And because people do tend to curse in these situations, the Torah commands “Do not leave his corpse hanging…” but rather “You are surely to bury him.” It also states, “Do not defile your land” because if he is not buried the corpse spreads impurity through touch and to anything under the same roof.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Be extremely careful. Even a king, like Uzziah, may not be given honor if he has leprosy, but must be quarantined for seven days and must dwell alone.  
  You must remember what Hashem, your God, did to Miriam, even though she was a prophetess and the sister of Moshe, the people did not give her special privileges.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
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  When I pronounce Hashem’s name. When I speak to you of the great acts that Hashem did for you, and the kindness which he caused you, and also that He is righteous in everything that He has done for you, you should also exclaim Hashem’s greatness and acknowledge the truth.
  
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  For their almighty one is not like our Almighty. Moshe is explaining that this is logical. For Hashem made all of this, and not the gods of the gentiles … even though our enemies are victorious and rule over us, this is all done by Hashem, because the Jews have sinned against Him.
  
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  Let the nations extol His people. This is similar to the verse, “Praise Hashem, all you nations” (Tehillim 117:1), and believe in Him, “For His mercy is great toward us,” more than to all the other nations. Therefore praise Him and believe in Him, and His mercy will be great towards you, as He is to us. Similarly, in this verse: Let the nations extol Him, and serve Him, and He will do the same for you if you fear Him and serve Him.