Chewing The Cud: Eikev

Torah Reading for Eikev

Parshat Eikev

Shabbat, 23 Av, 5779

24 August, 2019

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1st Portion: (Deuteronomy 7:12 - 8:10)

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Deuteronomy Chapter 7

12And it will be, because you will heed these ordinances and keep them and perform, that the Lord, your God, will keep for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers.   יבוְהָיָ֣ה | עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֤ת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְשָׁמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַֽאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:
And it will be, because you will heed: Heb. עֵקֶב, lit. heel. If you will heed the minor commandments which one [usually] tramples with his heels [i.e., which a person treats as being of minor importance].   והיה עקב תשמעון: ×× המצות הקלות שאדם דש בעקביו תשמעון (תנחומא א(:
That the Lord, your God, will keep: He will keep His promise to you.   ושמר ×”' אלוהיך לך את הברית וגו': ×™×©×ž×•×¨ לך הבטחתו:
13And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the offspring of your cattle and the choice of your flocks, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you.   יגוַֽאֲהֵ֣בְךָ֔ וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֖ וְהִרְבֶּ֑ךָ וּבֵרַ֣ךְ פְּרִי־בִטְנְךָ֣ וּפְרִֽי־אַדְמָתֶ֠ךָ דְּגָ֨נְךָ֜ וְתִירשְׁךָ֣ וְיִצְהָרֶ֗ךָ שְׁגַר־אֲלָפֶ֨יךָ֙ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת צֹאנֶ֔ךָ עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ לָ֥תֶת לָֽךְ:
The offspring of your cattle: Heb. שְׁגַר אִלָפֶיךָ, [meaning] the offspring born of your herd, which the female casts out מְשַׁגֶּרֶת from her womb.   שגר אלפיך: ×•×œ×“×™ בקרך, שהנקבה משגרת ממעיה:
and the choice of your flocks: Heb. וְעַשְׁתְּרוֹת צֹאנֶךָ. Menachem [ben Saruk] explains this expression as: אַבִּירֵי בָּשָׁן, “the strong rams of Bashan” (Ps. 22:13), [meaning] the choicest of the flock, similar to “Ashteroth-Karnaim” (Gen. 14:5), [עַשְׁתְּרֹת being] an expression for “strength.” Onkelos translates it:“and the flocks of your sheep.” Our Rabbis said: Why are they עַשְׁתְּרֹת? Because they enrich (מַעֲשִׁירוֹת) their owners (Chul. 84b).   ועשתרות צאנך: ×ž× ×—ם פירש אבירי בשן (תהלים כב, ×™×’), מבחר הצאן. כמו עשתרות קרנים (בראשית יד, ×”), לשון חוזק. ואונקלוס תרגם ועדרי ענך. ורבותינו אמרו למה נקרא שמם עשתרות שמעשרות את בעליהן (חולין פד):
14You shall be blessed above all peoples: There will be no sterile male or barren female among you or among your livestock.   ידבָּר֥וּךְ תִּֽהְיֶ֖ה מִכָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים לֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֛ עָקָ֥ר וַֽעֲקָרָ֖ה וּבִבְהֶמְתֶּֽךָ:
sterile male: Heb. עָקָר, [meaning] that does not beget children.   עקר: ×©××™× ×• מוליד:
15And the Lord will remove from you all illness, and all of the evil diseases of Egypt which you knew, He will not set upon you, but He will lay them upon all your enemies.   טווְהֵסִ֧יר יְהֹוָ֛ה מִמְּךָ֖ כָּל־חֹ֑לִי וְכָל־מַדְוֵי֩ מִצְרַ֨יִם הָֽרָעִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֗עְתָּ לֹ֤א יְשִׂימָם֙ בָּ֔ךְ וּנְתָנָ֖ם בְּכָל־שֽׂנְאֶֽיךָ:
16And you shall consume all the peoples which the Lord your God gives you; you shall not spare them, nor shall you worship their gods, for that will be a snare for you.   טזוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֣ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ לֹֽא־תָח֥וֹס עֵֽינְךָ֖ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹ֤א תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־מוֹקֵ֥שׁ ה֖וּא לָֽךְ:
17Will you say to yourself, "These nations are more numerous than I; how will I be able to drive them out"?   יזכִּ֤י תֹאמַר֙ בִּלְבָ֣בְךָ֔ רַבִּ֛ים הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵיכָ֥ה אוּכַ֖ל לְהֽוֹרִישָֽׁם:
Will you say to yourself: Heb. ×›Ö´Ö¼×™ תֹאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ. [The word ×›Ö´Ö¼×™ here] must mean “perhaps.” [I.e.,] will you perhaps say to yourself,“Because they are many, I will be unable to drive them out”? Do not say this [but rather,] do not fear them. It is, however, impossible to explain this with one of the other [three] meanings of ×›Ö´Ö¼×™ so that the statement “You shall not fear them” (verse 18) will appropriately follow it. [See Rashi on Gen. 18:15.]   ×›×™ תאמר בלבבך: ×¢×œ כרחך לשון דלמא הוא, שמא תאמר בלבבך מפני שהם רבים לא אוכל להורישם, אל תאמר כן, לא תירא מהם. ולא יתכן לפרשו באחת משאר לשונות של ×›×™ (גיטין ל) שיפול עליו שוב לא תירא מהם:
18You shall not fear them. You shall surely remember what the Lord, your God, did to Pharaoh and to all of Egypt:   יחלֹ֥א תִירָ֖א מֵהֶ֑ם זָכֹ֣ר תִּזְכֹּ֗ר אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְפַרְעֹ֖ה וּלְכָל־מִצְרָֽיִם:
19The great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm with which the Lord, your God, brought you out. So will the Lord, Your God, do to all the peoples you fear.   יטהַמַּסֹּ֨ת הַגְּדֹלֹ֜ת אֲשֶׁר־רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וְהָֽאֹתֹ֤ת וְהַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ וְהַיָּ֤ד הַֽחֲזָקָה֙ וְהַזְּרֹ֣עַ הַנְּטוּיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כֵּֽן־יַֽעֲשֶׂ֞ה יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לְכָל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה יָרֵ֖א מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם:
the trials: ×”ַמַּסֹּת, [meaning] the trials.   המסות: × ×¡×™×•× ×•×ª:
the signs: For example, “and it became a serpent” (Exod. 4:3), [and]“will become blood on the dry land” (Exod. 4:9).   והאותות: ×›×’ון ויהי לנחש (שמות ד:×’), והיו לדם ביבשת (שמות ד:ט) :
the wonders: The wondrous plagues.   והמופתים: ×”מכות המופלאות:
the mighty hand: This is the pestilence.   והיד החזקה: ×–×” הדבר:
and the outstretched arm: This refers to the sword in the plague of the firstborn.   והזרוע הנטויה: ×–×” החרב של מכת בכורות:
20And also the tzir'ah, the Lord, your God, will incite against them, until the survivors and those who hide from you perish.   כוְגַם֙ אֶת־הַצִּרְעָ֔ה יְשַׁלַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בָּ֑ם עַד־אֲבֹ֗ד הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֛ים וְהַנִּסְתָּרִ֖ים מִפָּנֶֽיךָ:
The tzir’ah: Heb. הַצִּרְעָה, a species of flying insect which injected poison into them [the Canaanites], making them impotent and blinding their eyes wherever they hid. — [Sotah 36a]   הצרעה: ×ž×™×Ÿ שרץ העוף, שהיתה זורקת בהם מרה ומסרסתן ומסמאה את עיניהם בכל מקום שהיו נסתרים שם:
21You shall not be terrified of them, for the Lord, your God, Who is in your midst, is a great and awesome God.   כאלֹ֥א תַֽעֲרֹ֖ץ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ בְּקִרְבֶּ֔ךָ אֵ֥ל גָּד֖וֹל וְנוֹרָֽא:
22And the Lord, your God, will drive out those nations from before you, little by little. You will not be able to destroy them quickly, lest the beasts of the field outnumber you.   כבוְנָשַׁל֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֛ל מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ מְעַ֣ט מְעָ֑ט לֹ֤א תוּכַל֙ כַּלֹּתָ֣ם מַהֵ֔ר פֶּן־תִּרְבֶּ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה:
lest the beasts of the field outnumber you: But is it not so that if [the Israelites] obey the will of the Omnipresent, they need not fear the beasts? As it is said, “And the beasts of the field made peace with you” (Job 5:23). It was, however, revealed before him [Moses] that they would sin in the future.   פן תרבה עליך חית השדה: ×•×”לא אם עושין רצונו של מקום אין מתיראין מן ×”×—×™×”, שנאמר (איוב ×”, ×›×’) וחית השדה השלמה לך, אלא גלוי ×”×™×” לפניו שעתידין לחטוא:
23But the Lord, your God, will deliver them to you, and He will confound them with great confusion, until they are destroyed.   כגוּנְתָנָ֛ם יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וְהָמָם֙ מְהוּמָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֔ה עַ֖ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָֽם:
And He will confound them: All of this [word] is vocalized with a “kamatz” because the last“mem” is not part of the root, [but it is a suffix,] and it is equivalent to וְהָם אוֹתָם, “And He will confound them.” But in“and the wheel of his wagon shall break וְהָמַם ” (Isa. 28:28), the [word] is all root [letters], therefore, half of it [one syllable] has a “kamatz” and half of it has a“pattach,” just like any other verb of three letters.   והמם: × ×§×•×“ קמ"×¥ כולו, לפי שאין מ"ם אחרונה מן היסוד, והרי הוא כמו והם אותם. אבל (ישעי' ×›×—, ×›×—) והמם גלגל עגלתו, כולו יסוד. לפיכך חציו קמ"×¥ וחציו פת"×—, כשאר פעל של שלש אותיות:
24And He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will destroy their name from beneath the heavens; no man will be able to stand up before you, until you have destroyed them.   כדוְנָתַ֤ן מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְהַֽאֲבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹֽא־יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב אִישׁ֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִֽדְךָ֖ אֹתָֽם:
25The graven images of their gods you will burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is upon them and take it for yourself, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord, your God.   כהפְּסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן בָּאֵ֑שׁ לֹֽא־תַחְמֹד֩ כֶּ֨סֶף וְזָהָ֤ב עֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֣ לָ֔ךְ פֶּ֚ן תִּוָּקֵ֣שׁ בּ֔וֹ כִּ֧י תֽוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ הֽוּא:
26Nor should you bring an abomination into your house, lest you are to be destroyed like it, but you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is to be destroyed.   כווְלֹֽא־תָבִ֤יא תֽוֹעֵבָה֙ אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ חֵ֖רֶם כָּמֹ֑הוּ שַׁקֵּ֧ץ | תְּשַׁקְּצֶ֛נּוּ וְתַעֵ֥ב | תְּתַֽעֲבֶ֖נּוּ כִּי־חֵ֥רֶם הֽוּא:

Deuteronomy Chapter 8

1Every commandment that I command you this day you shall keep to do, that you may live and multiply, and come and possess the land that the Lord swore to your forefathers.   אכָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַֽעֲשׂ֑וֹת לְמַ֨עַן תִּֽחְי֜וּן וּרְבִיתֶ֗ם וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה לַֽאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
Every commandment: [This is to be understood] according to its simple meaning. A midrashic explanation is [“the whole of the commandment… you shall keep”]: If you have started a mitzvah, finish it, because it is attributed only to the one who completes it, as it is said, “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up from Egypt, they buried in Shechem” (Josh. 24:32). But did not Moses alone occupy himself with them to bring them up? [See Exod. 13:19.] However, since he did not complete the mitzvah [of burying the bones], and [the children of] Israel did, [this mitzvah] is accredited to their name. — [Tanchuma 6]   כל המצוה: ×›×¤×©×•×˜×•. ומדרש אגדה אם התחלת במצוה גמור אותה, שאינה נקראת המצוה אלא על שם הגומרה, שנאמר (יהושע כד, לב) ואת עצמות יוסף אשר העלו בני ישראל ממצרים קברו בשכם, והלא משה לבדו נתעסק בהם להעלותם, אלא לפי שלא הספיק לגומרה וגמרוה ישראל, נקראת על שמם:
2And you shall remember the entire way on which the Lord, your God, led you these forty years in the desert, in order to afflict you to test you, to know what is in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.   בוְזָֽכַרְתָּ֣ אֶת־כָּל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹלִֽיכְךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ ×–Ö¶Ö›×” אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר לְמַ֨עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֜ לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗ לָדַ֜עַת אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֧ר בִּלְבָֽבְךָ֛ הֲתִשְׁמֹ֥ר מִצְו‍ֹתָ֖יו(כתיב מצותו) ×Ö´×Ö¾×œÖ¹Ö½×:
whether you would keep His commandments: that you would not test Him or suspect Him [i.e., doubt His ways].   התשמור מצותיו: ×©×œ× תנסהו ולא תהרהר אחריו:
3And He afflicted you and let you go hungry, and then fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your forefathers know, so that He would make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but rather by, whatever comes forth from the mouth of the Lord does man live.   גוַיְעַנְּךָ֘ וַיַּרְעִבֶ֒ךָ֒ וַיַּֽאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֔עְתָּ וְלֹ֥א יָֽדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן הוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ ×›Ö´Ö¼Ö ×™ לֹ֣א עַל־הַלֶּ֤חֶם לְבַדּוֹ֙ ×™Ö´Ö½×—Ö°×™Ö¶Ö£×” הָֽאָדָ֔ם ×›Ö´Ö¼Ö›×™ עַל־כָּל־מוֹצָ֥א פִֽי־יְהֹוָ֖ה ×™Ö´Ö½×—Ö°×™Ö¶Ö¥×” הָֽאָדָֽם:
4Your clothing did not wear out upon you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.   דשִׂמְלָ֨תְךָ֜ לֹ֤א בָֽלְתָה֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְרַגְלְךָ֖ לֹ֣א בָצֵ֑קָה ×–Ö¶Ö–×” אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה:
Your clothing did not wear out: The clouds of glory would rub their [the Israelites’] clothes and clean them so that they looked like freshly laundered clothes. And also their children, as they grew, their clothes grew along with them, like a snail’s shell, which grows along with it- [Pesikta d’Rav Kahana p. 92a]   שמלתך לא בלתה: ×¢× × ×™ כבוד היו שפין בכסותם ומגהצים אותם כמין כלים מגוהצים, ואף קטניהם כמו שהיו גדלים ×”×™×” גדל לבושן עמהם, כלבוש ×”×–×” של חומט שגדל עמו:
nor did [your foot] swell: Heb. לֹא בָצֵקָה [This means:] Neither [did your foot] swell like dough בָּצֵק, as [usually happens] with those who walk barefoot, that their feet swell.   לא בצקה: ×œ× נפחה כבצק, כדרך הולכי ×™×—×£ שרגליהם נפוחות:
5You shall know in your heart, that just as a man chastises his son, so does the Lord, your God, chastise you.   הוְיָֽדַעְתָּ֖ עִם־לְבָבֶ֑ךָ ×›Ö´Ö¼Ö—×™ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יְיַסֵּ֥ר אִישׁ֙ אֶת־בְּנ֔וֹ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מְיַסְּרֶֽךָּ:
6And you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to go in His ways, and to fear Him.   ווְשָׁ֣מַרְתָּ֔ אֶת־מִצְוֹ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לָלֶ֥כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֖יו וּלְיִרְאָ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ:
7For the Lord your God is bringing you to a good land, a land with brooks of water, fountains and depths, that emerge in valleys and mountains,   ×–×›Ö´Ö¼Öš×™ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ מְבִֽיאֲךָ֖ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ טוֹבָ֑ה אֶ֚רֶץ נַ֣חֲלֵי מָ֔יִם עֲיָנֹת֙ וּתְהֹמֹ֔ת יֹֽצְאִ֥ים בַּבִּקְעָ֖ה וּבָהָֽר:
8a land of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil producing olives and honey,   חאֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ:
oil-producing olives: Heb. זֵית שֶׁמֶן, lit. olives of oil, [i.e.] olives that produce oil.   זית שמן: ×–יתים העושים שמן:
9a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, you will lack nothing in it, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose mountains you will hew copper.   טאֶ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹ֤א בְמִסְכֵּנֻת֙ תֹּֽאכַל־בָּ֣הּ לֶ֔חֶם לֹֽא־תֶחְסַ֥ר כֹּ֖ל בָּ֑הּ אֶ֚רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲבָנֶ֣יהָ בַרְזֶ֔ל וּמֵֽהֲרָרֶ֖יהָ תַּחְצֹ֥ב נְחֽשֶׁת:
10And you will eat and be sated, and you shall bless the Lord, your God, for the good land He has given you.   יוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ: