meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Kli Yakar/Torah/Kli Yakar on Deuteronomy/English/merged.txt"}
text: Kli Yakar on Deuteronomy
  כלי יקר על דברים
  merged
  
  This file contains merged sections from the following text versions:
  -Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009
  -
  -Sefaria Community Translation
  -
  
  Kli Yakar on Deuteronomy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  
  
  Verse 36
  
  
  
  Verse 37
  
  
  Also at me was Hashem angry. Moshe mentioned the decree against him here, because one depends on the other. Because of the decree against the spies they were forced to remain in the desert for forty years. As a result of this the time arrived for Miriam to die. Because of her death the well ceased and there was no water. And through this Moshe ended up hitting the rock and being punished.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  Many say that this verse...has a hint for that time and for the future. This idea of “going around” refers to the many years which the Jewish People will be wandering (in exile). As long as Israel is in exile they are told, “turn to the Tzafon”. The rabbis interpreted this to mean, “If the time of (the nation of) Esau comes, hide yourselves. (ed.- The root of the word for North, Tzafon, can also mean “to hide”)
  This idea of hiding means that if a Jewish person in exile finds some small amount of success he should hide it from (the people of) Esau, because there is no nation which is more jealous of Israel than Esau, because in their opinion everything (the Israel has) is stolen from Esau because Jacob our forefather took the blessings from Esau.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  I pleaded to Hashem. Rashi explains that even though the righteous can claim rewards based on their good deeds, they ask the Almighty only for an undeserved gift. This is difficult to understand, for why would one think that they would ask for reward based on the good deeds that they had already performed? A person can never have any claim that Hashem owes him, because all of the mitzvot that a person does can never be sufficient to pay Hashem back for all the goodness that He does…  
  The answer to this question is that when it says that the righteous can claim based on their good deeds it does not refer to those good deeds that they have already performed, but to those good deeds that they will do in the future. For it is understood that no righteous person wants to claim any physical benefit, except in order to be able to fulfill another mitzva… If so, Moshe could have based his request on those good deeds that he would do in the future if Hashem would grant him his request. This is something real.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  Look out for yourself and guard your life exceedingly. “Guard yourself” means look after your physical body. It does not add “exceedingly” as it does after the second part of the verse which refers to guarding one’s soul, because one must be even more careful to protect one’s soul than one’s body.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  Only your forefathers. The word “only” is to exclude the heavens and the heavenly heavens. Out of all of those, Hashem only desired your forefathers. This is in accordance with the opinion of the kabbalists, who said that the righteous are greater than the acts of heaven and earth. All agree that everything else was only created for the sake of mankind.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  Look, I place before you today. “See” is singular. “Before you” is plural. This is what our Sages teach us: A person must always view things as if the entire world is half righteous and half wicked. If he performs a single <i>mitzvah</i> he tips himself and the entire world to the side of merit. Therefore Moshe spoke to every individual, “See” that he should see in his thought that every single action affects all of them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  “Slaughter from your cattle…as I have commanded you”:  Not at all times, but only periodically, when the desire becomes strong.  And what was said, “just as the gazelle and the deer are eaten, so may you eat them” (Deuteronomy 12:22), and as it said, “When one hunts game of an animal or bird” (Leviticus 17:13), and our Sages said, “the Torah taught proper behavior, that a person should eat meat only on this kind of occasional basis” (Talmud Bavli Chullin 84a 46).  The explanation of the matter is that if people accustom themselves to eating the animals present in the home, ox, sheep, or goat, then all day they will have desire and will accustom themselves to eat it on a daily basis, but they don’t eat it until they hunt game of animals or birds in the forest or desert, where there is danger and great effort to hunt them, then their desire will be calmed, because the eating isn’t worth the great pain and effort.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  For because (<i>biglal</i>) of this thing, the Lord will bless you: The Rabbis, may their memory be blessed (Shabbat 151b), learned from the expression, <i>biglal</i>, that  it is a cycle (<i>galgal</i>) that repeats itself in the world. But many wondered about the expression, since <i>biglal</i> is not [related to] <i>galgal</i>, as behold, a [letter], <i>gimmel</i> is lacking [in the former]. And I say that their intention, may their memory be blessed, was to understand <i>biglal</i> as related to the usage, "and they would roll (<i>gallelu</i>) the stone" (Genesis 29:3). And [by this], they wanted to say [that] when poverty goes around among people from this one to that one - as is customary - then "the Lord will bless you," and cause that it not roll over and fall upon (crush) you when it falls on people. And axiomatically, we learn that the thing goes around in the world like a cycle, such that everyone who gives will in the end [also] receive. As that is the trait of everything that exists in all three of the worlds, that everything that gives will come back to [also] take, in the way that we explained above in Parshat Bereshit on the verse, "the sixth day" (Kli Yakar on Genesis 1:31:5). As with everything that exists, the thing moves like a cycle, that each one of them gives and receives, except for God alone - He gives and does not receive.
  And it appears that the reason for the thing is that God did not want man to establish himself on the land - he and his seed - forever, in the way that it stated (Leviticus 25:23), "And the land may not be sold forever, as the land is Mine." And if a man would never come to this trait - not he and not his seed - he would establish himself on the land forever, and forget that 'to God is the land (earth).' Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, causes that every man come to this trait, either he or his seed; to know and make known that they are all like strangers upon the land, and [that] to God is the universe and its fullness. And that which it is written after [this] verse to give a reason why it goes around upon people, "Since a destitute person will never be lacking from within the land"(Deuteronomy 15:11), is because [being] within the  land necessitates this matter, as mentioned. "Therefore, I command you: open your hand to your poor," so that they will also give to you or to your seed. But not to both of them, as it is stated (Psalms 37:25), "and I have never seen a righteous man abandoned, and his seed seeking bread" - meaning to say he and his seed, but rather [it can only be] either he or his seed. And with this, this verse does not contradict that which the Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 151b) [that] either he or his seed come to be included in this trait. And some say that the lack of a <i>gimmel</i> in the word, <i>biglal</i>, is to say that it follows from the iniquity of refraining from acts of loving-kindness. As the [letter combination] <i>gimmel-dalet</i> [as expounded by] the Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, [means] to give to the poor (<i>gomel dalim</i>) and the lack of a <i>gimmel</i> (which represents giving) to the poor, moves the cycle [forward].
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  Judges and officers. The explanation is that this verse is a command to those who have the authority and power to appoint judges, that they should appoint them in order that they will judge. The judges should not show favoritism even to those who appointed them. This is the meaning of the phrase, “appoint for yourself,” as if to say, “over yourself”. It follows <i>a fortiori</i> that the judges should judge all the people justly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  The rabbis interpreted (Brachot 19b), with regard to the laws of returning a lost object, it is stated: “You shall not see the ox of your brother or his sheep go astray and ignore them; return them to your brother” (Deuteronomy 22:1). The baraita explains that the seemingly extraneous expression and disregard them must be understood to give license that at times you disregard lost objects and at times you do not disregard them.
  For example, a respected elder for whom it is socially inappropriate [to chase after an ox, is exempt from this mitzvah.]  And similarly, someone may be exempt in the manner described by the rabbis (Avot 4:18), "Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says...do not seek to see your friend at the time of their humiliation."  For there is no distinction between physical or financial humiliation, they are equivalent in the circumstance when it is impossible to rescue them [from that humiliation] and return whatever it is that has wandered off.
  This is what the text is referring to when it literally says, "Do not see the ox of your friend or the sheep that has wandered off," i.e. when they are so completely astray, that they might as well be submerged in the river.  In such circumstances, [when the text literally says,] "you should ignore them", [it means that] it is necessary for you to conduct yourself as if you had not seen.
  Certainly, when the verse says, "you must take it back", it is teaching us that if you have the means to take them back, if they are not so completely astray, but rather it is possible for you [individually] to return that which has wandered away, then you shall return them to your fellow; you are obligated to try to see, in order to rescue them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  
  
  Verse 36
  
  
  
  Verse 37
  
  
  
  Verse 38
  
  
  
  Verse 39
  
  
  
  Verse 40
  
  
  
  Verse 41
  
  
  
  Verse 42
  
  
  
  Verse 43
  
  
  
  Verse 44
  
  
  
  Verse 45
  
  
  
  Verse 46
  
  
  
  Verse 47
  
  
  
  Verse 48
  
  
  
  Verse 49
  
  
  
  Verse 50
  
  
  
  Verse 51
  
  
  
  Verse 52
  
  
  
  Verse 53
  
  
  
  Verse 54
  
  
  
  Verse 55
  
  
  
  Verse 56
  
  
  
  Verse 57
  
  
  
  Verse 58
  
  
  If you will not guard to perform. The prophet Yeshaya is certainly speaking about a generation who fulfill the mitzvos. However they do not do so out of fear of Hashem, but for some other purpose, to achieve a material goal, or out of fear for some person who forces them to act against their will. This causes Hashem’s name to be profaned, for without doubt Hashem examines the hearts and know that they are not acting for the right reason, and He punishes them for their evil thoughts. Those who witness this see them involved in learning Torah and performing mitzvos, and will criticize Hashem’s actions. Therefore our Sages have said: If you see a generation for whom the Torah is not dear to it, gather to yourself (Berachot 63a). The Sages were not speaking about a generation that does not learn Torah at all, but is referring to those who learn but not out of fear of Hashem. Therefore the Torah is not dear to them, as their main goal and priority, but they have some other value and goal… Hashem will find reasons to destroy the wisdom of the wise people of such a generation, because such learning does not create a pleasant spirit before Him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  Life and the good. If it is life that you seek, look towards the good, to do that which is good in the eyes of Hashem. And if you ask, why “good” is not mentioned first, for it is through the good actions that one merits life, the answer is that it comes to warn us not to do that which is good in Hashem’s eyes only in order to live. But rather to live in order to do that which is good. A person should not seek life for material gain, but only in order to spend his life serving his Creator.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  And this is also a reason for this <i>hakhel</i> (assembly). As in addition to the taking of these four species on the first day of the festival, God commanded to make another impression similar to [the impression made by] it, at the end of seven years. Since the seventh year also causes assembly and peace by way of one not planting and growing upon it. And the destitute of His people eat on it, since the [landowners] are not permitted to hold on to their produce on the seventh year as [would usually be the way of] an owner. And without a doubt, this is is a cause of peace, since all disagreements are from the trait of "what's mine is mine" [and] "this one says, 'it is all mine.'" And this is not so [prevalent] on the seventh year, since [even if] in the positive acts, not all are equal, in the negative acts, all are equal, and this is truly the way of peace. And so [too] with the festival of Sukkot, when everyone goes out from a permanent dwelling to a temporary dwelling and sits under the 'Sukkah (hut) of His peace.' Behold, [accordingly] on the first of the intermediate days, the king was commanded to make an impression about peace and this is the matter of <i>hakhel</i>. As all of this is a preparation to repentance, and [so] he reads from Deuteronomy words of exhortation and rebuke. And this is [the meaning of] what they said, "'the men' to learn, etc, 'the youngsters' - why are they coming, to bring reward to those that bring them." Since in the time when Israel repents, they offer supplications in front of Him, may He be blessed, for the forgiving of sin and say, "If not for our sake, then do it for the sake of those weaned from their mothers, who have not sinned." [This is] as it is found in the text of 'Avinu Malkenu' - Have mercy on our sucklings and on our youngsters. And we [also] say, "Do it for those weaned from their mothers, etc." And this is the reward that is given to those that bring them, from the youngsters - that they will say in front of Him, may He be blessed, "Do it for the sake of these youngsters that are brought to the House of God," in the same way as it stated in Joel 2:16, "Collect the people, sanctify the assembly, gather the elders, collect the sucklings, and those that suck the breasts, etc.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Remember world history. Remember that the world was created in six days, and protect it so that it does not become destroyed. Study the generational epochs. This refers to two sets of ten generations; from Adam until Noach, and from Noach until Avraham. Consider that if Hashem is patient, and does not punish immediately, this may lead you to think that there is no Judge and no justice. Perhaps you will decide, as a result, to act wickedly. Know that you are trusting in lies, and understand from those generations who angered Hashem until eventually he destroyed them with the flood, and until Avraham came along and received the reward of all of them.
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  
  
  Verse 36
  
  
  
  Verse 37
  
  
  
  Verse 38
  
  
  
  Verse 39
  
  For it is I! I am the One!. It repeats the word “I” to negate the view of those who say that there are two deities, one who rules over good, and one who rules over evil… The proof of this is that it states, “I put to death and make live … and no one can rescue from My grasp.” If there was another deity with Me, he would save from My hand, and the dead would live, the living would die instantly. From this you can understand and know that there is no other deity Our Sages learned from here the source for the resurrection of the dead in the Torah (Pesachim 68a), as it states, “I put to death and make live.” One might think that this refers to putting one person to death and making another person live, therefore the verse states, “I smite and I will heal.” Just as smiting and healing are referring to the same person , so too death and life refer to the same person. The support for their opinion is that it first states, “put to death” and then “make live”.
  
  Verse 40
  
  
  
  Verse 41
  
  
  
  Verse 42
  
  
  
  Verse 43
  
  
  
  Verse 44
  
  And Hoshe’a. He was only named Yehoshua due to Moshe’s prayer that Hashem should save him from the plot of the spies. As long as there were people from that generation alive, he was called by the name Yehoshua. However, once all of that generation had died out, there was no longer a need to call him by that name, and Moshe returned to calling him Hoshe’a.
  
  Verse 45
  
  
  
  Verse 46
  
  
  
  Verse 47
  
  
  
  Verse 48
  
  At the very height of that day. The day of death is called a person’s sunset, but when Moshe died, “His appearance was not dulled and his freshness did not fade.” Therefore it was as if he was still in the middle of his life, and at the height of his day.