Re'eh ראה

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ראה אנכי ... ברכה וקללה BEHOLD I [SET BEFORE YOU THIS DAY] A BLESSING AND A CURSE — those which are later to be recited on Mount Gerizim and on Mount Ebal respectively (cf. v. 29).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

את הברכה [I SET BEFORE YOU] THE BLESSING — with the condition that you should obey (אשר תשמעו‎).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מן הדרך אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם היום ללכת וגו׳ [IF YE DEPART] FROM THE WAY WHICH I COMMAND YOU THIS DAY, TO GO [AFTER OTHER GODS] etc. — You thus learn that he who serves idols departs from the entire path of life that Israel has been commanded. From this passage they (the Rabbis) taught the well-known dictum that he who acknowledges the divinity of an idol is as though he denied the Torah in its entirety (Sifrei Devarim 54:4).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ונתת את הברכה THEN THOU SHALT PUT THE BLESSING [UPON MOUNT GERIZIM] — Understand this as the Targum renders it: ית מברכיא those who pronounce the blessing.

על הר גרזים means “towards Mount Gerizim”: they (the Levites) turned their faces towards it and began with a formula of blessing: “Blessed be the man that doth not make any graven or molten image etc.”. For each of the paragraphs beginning with the expression ארור as set forth in the chapter (Deuteronomy 27), they first recited in a converse form, beginning with the expression ברוך, “Blessed be etc.” and only afterwards did they turn their faces towards Mount Ebal and began to recite the corresponding curse (Sifrei Devarim 55:2; Sotah 32a; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 27).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הלא המה ARE THEY NOT [AT THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN … ]? — He gave geographical indications regarding them (the mountains).

אחרי [AT THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN,] AFTER — This means: behind the passage of the Jordan much further on in a distance, for that is the force of the expression אחרי, because wherever the term אחרי (in contradistinction to אחר; cf. Rashi on Genesis 15:1) is used it signifies “greatly separated” (Genesis Rabbah 44:5; cf. Sifrei Devarim 56:1; Sotah 33b).

דרך מבוא השמש [AT THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN, FAR DISTANT FROM IT] ON THE WAY OF THE SETTING OF THE SUN — i.e. beyond the Jordan towards the West. The accents in the verse prove that they (the word אחרי and the phrase דרך מבוא השמש) are two unconnected phrases since they bear two separate accents of a different character, viz., the word אחרי is marked by a Pashta (a disjunctive accent), and the word דרך is marked by a משפל (our Yetib), and also has a Dagesh. If, however, אחרי דרך formed one phrase, the word אחרי should be marked by a conjunctive accent, a שופר הפוך (our Mahpach) and דרך by a Pashta, while the ד of דרך would be ‘‘weak” (i.e. have no Dagesh; cf. Rashi on Joshua 7:15).

מול הגלגל means, distant from Gilgal (not near Gilgal).

אלוני מורה [BESIDE] THE TEREBINTHS OF MOREH — This is Shechem, for it states, (Genesis 12:6): “unto the place of Shechem, unto the terebinth of Moreh” (Sifrei Devarim 56:1; Sotah 33b; cf. Rashi on that verse).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי אתם עברים את הירדן וגו׳ FOR YE SHALL PASS OVER THE JORDAN etc., — The miracles that will be wrought for you during your crossing of the Jordan shall be an omen for you that you will indeed come into and inherit the land (cf. Sifrei Devarim 57).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אבד תאבדון YE SHALL UTTERLY DESTROY — Destroy and again destroy! (i.e. utterly destroy). From here we learn that he who eradicates an object of idol-worship must thoroughly uproot it (i.e. remove every trace of it) (Sifrei Devarim 60:1).

את כל המקמות אשר עבדו שם וגו׳ [YE SHALL UTTERLY DESTROY] ALL THE PLACES (according to Rashi: FROM ALL THE PLACES) WHEREIN [THE NATIONS …] SERVED — And what shall ye destroy from them? Their gods which are upon the mountains (Avodah Zarah 45a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מזבח consists of many stones,

מצבה of one stone only. It is the בימוס, the pedestal for idolatrous statuary, of which we learn in the Mishna (Avodah Zarah 3:7): A stone which one originally hewed for an idol’s pedestal is forbidden for use.

אשרה is a tree that had been worshipped (Avodah Zarah 47a).

ואבדתם את שמם AND DESTROY THEIR NAMES by giving them contemptuous nicknames. What they call בית גליא, “a sublime house”, you should call בית כריא, “a base house”, what they call עין כל, “the universal eye”, you call, עין קוץ “the thorn eye” (Avodah Zarah 46a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא תעשון כן YE SHALL NOT DO SO [UNTO THE LORD YOUR GOD] — i.e. to burn offerings to God at any place you choose (as do the idolaters, cf. v. 2), but at the place which He will choose (cf. vv. 5—6). — Another explanation is: ונתצתם את מזבחתם … ואבדתם את שמם … לא תעשון כן YE SHALL PULL DOWN THEIR ALTARS … YE SHALL DESTROY THEIR NAMES … BUT YE SHALL NOT DO THIS [TO THE LORD YOUR GOD] — It is a prohibition addressed to one who would blot out the Name of God from any writing, or would pull out a stone from the altar or from the forecourt (cf. Sifrei Devarim 61:12; Makkot 22a). R. Ishmael said: “But can the idea enter your mind that the Israelites would pull down the altars of God?” But the meaning of לא תעשון כן is that you should not do like their doings so that your sins would cause the Sanctuary of (built by) your fathers to be laid waste (Sifrei Devarim 61:7).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לשכנו תדרשו AFTER HIS RESIDENCE SHALL YE INQUIRE — This refers to the Tabernacle at Shiloh. (Sifrei Devarim 62:3)

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וזבחיהם AND YOUR SACRIFICES — Obligatory feast-offerings (cf. Sifrei Devarim 63:7)

מעשרתיכם [THERE YOU SHALL BRING] YOUR TITHES — i.e. both the tithe of the cattle and the second tithe, in order to consume them within the wall(cf. Sifrei Devarim 63:8).

תרומת ידכם THE HEAVE-OFFERING OF YOUR HAND — These are the first-fruits of which it is said, (Deuteronomy 26:4) “And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand” (cf. Sifrei Devarim 63:9).

ובכרת בקרכם AND THE FIRSTLINGS OF YOUR HERD — in order to give them to the priest that he may offer them there.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אשר ברכך ה׳ ACCORDING AS THE LORD [YOUR GOD] HAS BLESSED YOU — in accordance with the blessing bring [the offerings of festive rejoicing] (Sifrei Devarim 64:5).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא תעשון ככל אשר אנחנו עשים וגו׳ YE SHALL NOT DO AFTER ALL [THE THINGS] THAT WE DO [HERE THIS DAY] — This refers back to what is stated above (Deuteronomy 11:31) “for ye shall pass over the Jordan etc.”, the meaning being: when ye have crossed the Jordan, you are at once permitted to offer on Bamahs, during all the fourteen years of subjugating and dividing the land amongst the tribes: but on these Bamahs you must not sacrifice all that you sacrifice “here this day”, in the Tabernacle that is with you and that has been anointed and is thus fit to offer sin and guilt offerings and vows and free-will offerings on it, whilst on a Bamah only that may be sacrificed which has been made the subject of a vow or a free-will offering. And that is the meaning of איש כל הישר בעיניו, “every man whatsoever is right in his eyes” — vows and free-will offerings which you dedicate because it is pleasing in your eyes to bring them, and not because of an obligation imposed upon you, such may you offer on Bamahs, but not sacrifices that are to be offered in consequence of an obligation (sin and guilt offerings) (Sifrei Devarim 65:4; Zevachim 117b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי לא באתם FOR YE SHALL NOT HAVE COME [UNTO THE REST] all those fourteen years of conquering and dividing the land.

עד עתה is the same as “by that time”.

אל המנוחה [FOR YE SHALL NOT HAVE COME YET] TO THE REST — This refers to Shiloh (Sifrei Devarim 66:2),

נחלה [AND TO] THE INHERITANCE — This refers to Jerusalem (Sifrei Devarim 66:2; Zevachim 119a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ועברתם את הירדן וישבתם בארץ BUT WHEN YE GO OVER THE JORDAN, AND SETTLE IN THE LAND — This means, that ye shall have divided it amongst the tribes and every man knows his portion and the territory of his tribe,

והניח לכם AND WHEN HE GIVETH YOU REST — i.e., after having conquered and divided the land and having obtained rest from the nations “which the Lord left by which to prove Israel” (Judges 3:1) — which was only in the days of David (cf. Sifrei Devarim 68:3) — then,

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

והיה המקום וגו׳ IT SHALL BE [THAT YE SHALL BRING TO] THE PLACE [WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD SHALL CHOOSE … EVEN THITHER YE SHALL BRING ALL THAT I COMMAND YOU] — then build the “Chosen House” for yourselves in Jerusalem. And so indeed it states of David, (II Samuel 7:1, 2): “And it came to pass when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies, that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I dwell in the house of cedar, but the Ark of God dwelleth within curtains …'” (Sifrei Devarim 67:3; cf. Rashi on that verse).

שמה תביאו THITHER SHALL YE BRING [ALL THAT I COMMAND YOU] — Above (v. 6) it (the same expression) is said in reference to Shiloh, but here it is said in reference to Jerusalem. It is for the following reason that Scripture divides the matter into two paragraphs: to give permission to offer on a Bamah in the intermediate period between the existence of the one sanctuary and the other; viz., that after Shiloh was destroyed and they came to Nob and erected the Tabernacle there, and then again when Nob was destroyed and they came to Gibeon, sacrificing on the Bamah was allowed until they finally came to Jerusalem (Zevachim 119a and Mishnah Zevachim 14:1).

מבחר נדריכם YOUR CHOICE VOWS — This teaches that one should bring one’s offerings from the choicest (Sifrei Devarim 68:4).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

השמר לך TAKE HEED TO THYSELF [LEST THOU OFFER THY BURNT OFFERINGS IN EVERY PLACE THAT THOU SEEST] — This negative form of the positive command in v. 11, is stated in order to attach a negative command (לאו) to this matter (Sifrei Devarim 70:1).

בכל מקום אשר תראה IN EVERY PLACE THAT “THOU” SEEST — i.e., that enters thy mind, but thou mayest offer anywhere by the command of a prophet, as, for instance, Elijah did on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:21 ff.) (Sifrei Devarim 70:3).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

באחד שבטיך [BUT IN THE PLACE WHICH THE LORD SHALL CHOOSE] IN ONE OF THY TRIBES — namely in the allotment of Benjamin (in whose territory the Temple stood). But above (v. 5) it states, “the place which the Lord … shall choose from all your tribes”? How can this be reconciled with that? In the following manner: when David bought the threshing-floor from Araunah the Jebusite (II Samuel 24:24) to build the Temple thereon, he collected money from all the tribes; however, the threshing-floor itself was situated in the territory of Benjamin (Sifrei Devarim 62:3).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

רק בכל אות נפשך HOWEVER [THOU MAYEST SLAUGHTER AND EAT FLESH IN ALL THY GATES] IN EVERY LONGING OF THY SOUL — About what is Scripture here speaking? If you say that it speaks about בשר תאוה (flesh eaten for satisfying the appetite — an ordinary meal of meat and not a sacrificial meal) and that this verse is intended to permit it to them without offering the fat portions on the altar, behold, it states in another passage (v. 20) “When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy boundary … and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, [because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh in every longing of thy soul]”! About what, then, is this verse speaking? About consecrated animals which had become blemished, — that they must be redeemed and may then be eaten in anyplace (בכל שעריך). One might think that they may be redeemed and thus divested of their holy character also on account of a transitory blemish! Scripture, however, uses the expression רק (which word has a limitative force) (Sifrei Devarim 71:1).

תזבח ואכלת THOU MAYEST SLAUGHTER AND EAT [FLESH] — You have no permission to use their fleece or milk (those of consecrated animals that had become blemished), but only the eating of their flesh after ritual slaughtering is permitted (cf. Sifrei Devarim 71:2-3; Bekhorot 15b).

הטמא והטהור THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN [MAY EAT THEREOF] — Because they (the consecrated animals that had become blemished) came to their present status by virtue of once having been consecrated animals, of which it is stated, (Leviticus 7:19) “And the flesh of offerings that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten”, it felt it necessary explicitly to permit in their case that an unclean and a clean person may eat out of the same dish (i.e. together) (cf. Sifrei Devarim 71:7),

כצבי וכאיל AS OF THE GAZELLE AND OF THE HART of which no sacrifice is ever brought.

כצבי וכאיל AS OF THE GAZELLE, AND OF THE HART — These apparently redundant words are intended to exempt them (the פסולי המקדשין שנפדו) from the dues of “the shoulder, the two cheeks and the maw” (Deuteronomy 18:3) which are compulsory gifts to the priests in the case of non-holy (חולין) animals (Chullin 130a; Sifrei Devarim 71:9).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

רק הדם לא תאכלו ONLY YE SHALL NOT EAT THE BLOOD — Although I have told you that there is no sprinkling of blood on the altar in its case (it being blemished and thus unfit for the altar), you shall nevertheless not eat it.

תשפכנו כמים YE SHALL POUR IT [UPON THE EARTH] AS WATER — This latter word is intended to tell you that although they are compared to these חיות, yet it (the blood) requires no covering with dust as prescribed in the case of these חיות in Leviticus 17:13 (Sifrei Devarim 71:15; Chullin 84a). Another explanation is that the word כמים is intended to suggest: It is like water in so far as to make seed (food) receptive to uncleanness just as water does (cf. Leviticus 11:38) (Sifrei Devarim 71:15; Chullin 35b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא תוכל THOU MAYEST NOT [EAT WITHIN THY GATES THE TITHE OF THY CORN etc.] — Scripture thereby intends to attach to this matter (the eating of מעשר בכור etc. outside the walls of Jerusalem) a negative command also (the positive command being contained in v. 11).

לא תוכל THOU MAYEST NOT (lit., thou canst not) [EAT etc.] — Rabbi Joshua the son of Korcha said: You can, but you are not allowed to (i.e. לא תוכל does not mean: you are unable for some reason or another to do so, but it expresses the inability to do it because of a legal restriction). A similar case we have in (Joshua 15:63) “As to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out” — they could have done so, but they were not allowed to (Sifrei Devarim 72:1); because Abraham had made a covenant with them when he bought from them the cave of Machpelah that they would be spared at the conquest of the Land. — As a matter fact they were not Jebusites but Hittites (the people mentioned in Genesis 23 at the purchase of the cave), but they were called Jebusites after the city the name of which was Jebus. Thus is it explained in the Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 36. And this is the meaning of what is stated, that when David was about to drive out the Jebusites, they said to him (II Samuel 5:6) “Except thou take away the blind and the lame [thou shalt not come in hither]” — by “the blind and the lame” they meant the idols (that stood at the gates) upon which they had written the oath which Abraham had taken.

ובכרת בקרך [THOU MAYEST NOT EAT WITHIN THY GATES THE TITHE OF THY CORN …] AND THE FIRSTLINGS OF THY HERD — This, in contradistinction to מעשר דגנך וכו׳, is of course a prohibition addressed to the priests (since the Israelites were not at all permitted to eat firstlings; cf. Zevachim 5:1: הבכור נאכל לכהנים והמעשר לכל אדם).

‎ ותרומת ידך AND THE HEAVE-OFFERINGS OF THY HAND — This refers to the first-fruits (cf. Deuteronomy 26:4) (Sifrei Devarim 72:9; Makkot 17a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לפני ה׳ [BUT THOU MUST EAT THEM] BEFORE THE LORD — i.e. within the walls of the city of Jerusalem.

והלוי אשר בשעריך [BUT THOU MUST EAT THEM BEFORE THE LORD, THOU …] AND THE LEVITE THAT IS WITHIN THY GATES — If you have nought to give him that is due to him as his portion, as, for instance, the first tithe, give him the “tithe of the poor” (the tithe that replaces the “second tithe” in the 3rd and 6th year of the Sabbatical period); and if you have no “tithe of the poor”, invite him to your feast-offering meal (Sifrei Devarim 74:5).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

השמר לך TAKE HEED TO THYSELF [LEST THOU FORSAKE THE LEVITE] — This is intended in addition to the positive command expressed in the previous verse, to attach to it (the neglect of the Levite) a negative command, also.

על אדמתך [TAKE HEED TO THYSELF LEST THOU FORSAKE THE LEVITE] UPON THY GROUND — but in exile (outside the Holy Land) you are not admonished as regards him more than as regards the poor of the ordinary Israelites (Sifrei Devarim 74:9; Talmud Yerushalmi Horayot end).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי ירחיב וגו׳ WHEN [THE LORD THY GOD] SHALL ENLARGE [YOUR BOUNDARY … AND YOU SHALL SAY, I WILL EAT FLESH … YOU MAY EAT FLESH] — The Torah teaches the proper rule of life — that one should not desire to eat flesh unless he lives amidst abundance and wealth (cf. Sifrei Devarim 75:5; Chullin 84a; see also Rashi on Leviticus 17:13).

בכל אות נפשך וגו׳ [YOU MAY EAT FLESH] IN EVERY LONGING OF YOUR SOUL — In the wilderness, however, the flesh of a non-holy animal was forbidden to them as food, unless one first dedicated it to the altar and offered it as a peace-offering (Sifrei Devarim 75:4; Chullin 16b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי ירחק ממך המקום IF THE PLACE [WHICH THE LORD THY GOD HAS CHOSEN TO PUT HIS NAME THERE] BE TOO FAR FROM THEE and thou therefore art unable to come and prepare peace-offerings at any time, as thou doest now when the Tabernacle accompanies you,

וזבחת … כאשר צויתך THEN THOU MAYEST SLAUGHTER … AS I HAVE COMMANDED THEE — This teaches us that there was already a commandment regarding the slaughtering of animals — as to how one should slaughter; it is not written in the Torah but it comprises the traditional regulations regarding the slaughter of animals that were given orally (נאמרו) to Moses on Mount Sinai (Sifrei Devarim 75:7; Chullin 28a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אך כאשר יאכל את הצבי וגו׳ BUT ONLY AS THE GAZELLE [AND THE HART] IS EATEN, [SO THOU SHALT EAT THEM] — i.e. thou art not admonished to eat them in a state of cleanness as is the case with sacrifices which you slaughter in a holy place; if, however, you will argue: How is the case with the gazelle and the hart? Their fat is permitted as food; so, too, is the fat of non-consecrated domestic animals (חולין) permitted! Then I reply: Scripture says אך (which word has a limitative force and thus indicates that חולין are not to be treated like the gazelle and the hart in every respect) (cf. Bekhorot 15a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

רק חזק לבלתי אכל הדם ONLY BE STRONG THAT THOU EAT NOT THE BLOOD — From the fact that it states, “Be strong” (make a special effort), you may learn that they had a prediliction to blood — to the eating of it; it was therefore necessary to state, “be strong”. This is the view of R. Judah. R. Simeon, the son of Azzai, however, says: Scripture merely intends to caution you and to teach you to what great an extent you must strive to fulfil the divine commandments in general. If, as regards blood from which one can easily keep aloof since one does not long for it, it felt it necessary to insist on a strong effort on your part when forbidding it to you, how much the more is it necessary for you to make great efforts in keeping other commands [the fulfillment of which requires much moral strength] (cf. Sifrei Devarim 76:1-3).

ולא תאכל הנפש עם הבשר AND THOU MAYEST NOT EAT THE LIFE WITH THE FLESH — This is a prohibition of אבר מן החי, the eating of a limb cut from a living animal (Sifrei Devarim 76:5; Chullin 102a; cf. Rashi on Genesis 9:4).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא תאכלנו THOU SHALT NOT EAT IT — This is a prohibition against the eating of דם התמצית (the last blood oozing through the cut of a vein: תמצית from מצה “to squeeze”) (Keritot 4b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא תאכלנו THOU SHALT NOT EAT IT — This is a prohibition against eating of the blood contained in the limbs (Keritot 4b).

למען ייטב לך וגו׳ THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH THEE, etc. — Go and learn how great is the grant of reward for keeping the divine commandments: if in the case of blood for which the soul of man feels a loathing, he who keeps aloof from it obtains merit for himself and for his children after him, how much the more is it so in the case of robbery or forbidden sexual relations for which the soul of man may feel a longing (Makkot 23b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

רק קדשיך ONLY (i.e. however) THY HOLY THINGS [… THOU SHALT BEAR AND GO UNTO THE PLACE WHICH THE LORD SHALL CHOOSE] — This means: although you are permitted to slaughter non-holy animals I do not permit you to slaughter consecrated animals and to eat them in thy gates (i.e. wherever you please) without sacrificing them on the altar, but bring them to the “House of Choice” (the Sanctuary).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ועשית עלתיך AND THOU SHALT OFFER THY BURNT OFFERINGS — i.e. if they (thy sacrifices) be burnt offerings, put the flesh as well as the blood on the altar, but if they are peace offerings, then “the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured” first on the altar and afterwards you may eat the flesh. Furthermore did our Rabbis deduce that [the words] “thy sacrifices, however, [thou shalt bear, etc.]” are intended to teach with regard to consecrated animals that are outside the Land (abroad) as well as regards such animals that have been exchanged for other consecrated animals, and finally regarding the young of consecrated animals that [all] such must [also] be offered [in Jerusalem] (Sifrei Devarim 77:1; Bekhorot 14b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

שמר KEEP [AND HEAR (understand) ALL THESE WORDS WHICH I COMMAND THEE] — This (the word שמר) implies the studying of the oral law — that you must keep it within you that it should not be forgotten, just as it is said, (Proverbs 22:18) “[And apply thy heart unto my knowledge] for it is a pleasant thing if thou keep (תשמרם) them within thee”, and only if thou learnest is it possible that thou wilt understand and fulfil the commands, but one who is not amongst those who study (lit., who is not included in learning) cannot be amongst those who act correctly (cf. Sifrei Devarim 79:3; see also Rashi on Deuteronomy 4:6). (The translation is: keep, i.e. study and retain your learning in mind: ושמעת, and then thou wilt understand how to observe the commands).

את כל הדברים [KEEP …] ALL WORDS [WHICH I COMMAND THEE] — This implies that a light precept should be as dear to you as a grave precept (Sifrei Devarim 79:4).

הטוב [THAT IT MAY GO WELL WITH THEE … WHEN THOU DOEST] WHAT IS GOOD — This refers to an action that is proper in the eyes of the Heavenly Father.

והישר AND WHAT IS RIGHT — this refers to an action that appears to be proper in the eyes of men (Sifrei Devarim 79:5).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

פן תנקש [TAKE HEED TO THYSELF] LEST THOU BE SNARED — Onkelos renders תנקש as an expression of the same root and meaning as מוקש, a snare. But I say that he was not particular to examine carefully the expression, for we never find a נ in the term that means to snare, not even as a root letter that is sometimes omitted from it; but in the term denoting movement from place to place and knocking we do find a נ, as in (Daniel 5:6) “and his knees knocked (נקש) one against the other”. Here, too, I say that פן תנקש means lest thou run after them so that you cling to their doings. Similar is (Psalms 109:11) “Let the creditor be מנקש to all that he has” — he (the speaker) is cursing the wicked that he may have many creditors and that these may go about running after his money.

אחרי השמדם מפניך [TAKE HEED THAT THOU BE NOT SNARED] (according to Rashi, THAT THOU DO NOT RUN AFTER THEM) AFTER THAT THEY BE EXTERMINATED BEFORE THEE — The meaning is: after you see that I exterminate them from before you, you ought to pay attention to why these were exterminated — because of the depraved doings which they practiced. Consequently you should not act likewise lest others come and exterminate you (cf. Sifrei Devarim 81:3).

איכה יעבדו HOW DID [THESE NATIONS] SERVE [THEIR GODS? EVEN SO WILL I DO LIKEWISE] — Because Scripture has laid down a punishment for idolatrous worship only in the case of sacrifice, offering incense, libation and prostration, as it is written (Exodus 22:19), “[He that sacrifices unto any god] save unto the Lord only [shall be doomed to death]” — which thus puts under the death penalty only kinds of worship that are performed in honor of the Most High God (i.e. such as have characteristics similar to “sacrifice”; cf. Rashi on Exodus 22:19), Scripture comes and teaches you here that if the usual way of worshiping any idol is by some other rite, as e.g., that one exposes himself in front of Baal Peor, or casts a stone before Mercury — then this is its cult and one who performs it is therefore liable to the death penalty, but for sacrifice, offering incense, libation and prostration one becomes liable to the death penalty even though this be not the usual way of worshiping it (Sanhedrin 60b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי גם את בניהם FOR ALSO THEIR SONS [AND THEIR DAUGHTERS HAVE THEY BURNT IN THE FIRE TO THEIR GOD] — The word גם, “also”, is intended to include amongst those they used to burn, their parents also. R. Akiba related, “I once saw a heathen who bound his father before his dog which thereupon devoured him” (Sifrei Devarim 81:6).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

את כל הדבר EVERYTHING [I COMMAND YOU] — light precepts as well as grave ones (Sifrei Devarim 82:1),

תשמרו לעשות OBSERVE TO DO — This statement is intended to attach also a prohibition (לאו) to the positive commands mentioned in this section (Sifrei Devarim 82:2), for wherever השמר is used it is a term that implies a prohibition, but the difference between this and an ordinary prohibition is that flagellation is not inflicted for infringing a prohibition resulting from the use of the term השמר in connection with a positive command.

לא תסף עליו THOU SHALT NOT ADD THERETO — as, for instance, to place five chapters in the Tephillin, to employ five species of fruit and plants in the fulfilment of the command of Lulab, to recite four instead of three blessings in the Benedictions of the priests (Sifrei Devarim 82:4; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 4:2).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ונתן אליך אות [IF THERE ARISE AMONG YOU A PROPHET …] AND GIVETH THEE A SIGN that will show itself in the heavens, just as it is stated in the case of Gideon who spoke to the angel, (Judges 6:17) “[If now I found grace in your sight], then show me a sign (אות)”, and then it further states, (Judges 6:39) “[let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece;] let it be dry only upon the fleece [and upon all the ground let there be dew]”.

או מופת OR A WONDER showing itself on the earth. — Nevertheless you shall not hearken unto him (although the sign or the wonder come to pass; cf. v. 3). But if you ask, why then does God give him the power to perform a sign? Scripture replies, (v. 4) “for the Lord your God trieth you, [to know whether you really love the Lord your God]” (Sifrei Devarim 84:1; cf. Sanhedrin 90a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואת מצותיו תשמורו HIS COMMANDMENTS YE SHALL KEEP — the Law of Moses,

ובקלו תשמעו HIS VOICE YE SHALL OBEY — the voice of the prophets,

ואתו תעבדו HIM YE SHALL SERVE in His Temple (Sifrei Devarim 85:5).

ובו תדבקון AND UNTO HIM YE SHALL CLEAVE — i.e. cleave to His ways: do kindly actions, bury the dead, visit the sick, as did the Holy One, blessed be He (Sotah 14a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

סרה [BECAUSE HE HATH SPOKEN] סרה — i.e. something that is strange in the world (more lit., removed from the world), something which never existed and was never created (a pure invention), and which I never bade him say; detournure in O. F.

והפדך מבית עבדים AND WHO RELEASED YOU OUT OF THE HOUSE OF SERVANTS — even though he had no other claim on you but that He delivered you, it would be sufficient for Him to claim your obedience (Sifrei Devarim 86:5).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי יסיתך IF [THY BROTHER …] ENTICE THEE — The term יסת always denotes to “stir up”, “to incite”, as it is said, (I Samuel 26:19) ”If it be the Lord that hath stirred thee up (הסיתך) against me” (Sifrei Devarim 87:2); inciter in O. F., Engl, to incite — i.e. that he induces one to act thus.

אחיך THY BROTHER — means, thy brother on the father’s side (Sifrei Devarim 87:4).

בן אמך THE SON OF THY MOTHER — i.e., thy brother on the mother’s side. (The meaning of the Hebrew words is: thy brother or the son of thy mother) (Sifrei Devarim 87:5).

חיקך [OR THE WIFE OF] THY BOSOM — i.e. who lies on thy bosom and is attached (מחוקה) to you, affichee in O. F. Similar is the expression (Ezekiel 43:14) “and from the bottom (מחיק) upon the ground” — i.e. from the foundation that is sunk in the ground.

אשר כנפשך [OR THY FELLOWMAN] WHO IS AS THINE OWN SOUL — Thus refers to thy father (Sifrei Devarim 87:11). Scripture specially mentions all those who are dear to you — that you must not consent unto them nor spare them (v. 9), how much the less should you consent unto others or spare them.

בסתר [IF THY BROTHER ENTICE THEE] SECRETLY — Scripture speaks of what usually occurs (but does not intend to exclude one who entices people publicly), for usually the words of the enticer are spoken in secret. Similarly does Solomon say of the strange woman that she practises her art of seduction (Proverbs 7:9) “In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness” (Sifrei Devarim 87:12).

אשר לא ידעת אתה ואבתיך [LET US GO AND SERVE OTHER GODS] WHICH THOU HAST NOT KNOWN, THOU, NOR THY FATHERS — This would be a great disgrace for you: for not even the heathen nations abandon that which their fathers have handed down to them, and this man says to you, “Abandon what thy fathers have handed down to you”! (Sifrei Devarim 87:13).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הקרבים אליך או הרחקים [LET US GO AND SERVE OTHER GODS … NAMELY, OF THE GODS] WHICH ARE NIGH UNTO THEE, OR FAR OFF [FROM THEE] — To what end does it (Scripture) mention the gods of the near nations and those of the far-off ones? But this is in effect what Scripture says: From your knowledge of the gods of the near nations, you may draw conclusions regarding the nature of the gods of those far-off; just as there is nothing real in those of the near ones so there is nothing real in those of the far-off ones (Sanhedrin 61b; Sifrei Devarim 88:1).

מקצה הארץ [GODS … FAR OFF FROM THEE] FROM THE ONE END OF THE EARTH [EVEN UNTO THE OTHER END OF THE EARTH] — This refers to the sun, the moon and the host of heaven (the stars) who move from one end of the world to the other (Sifrei Devarim 88:2).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא תאבה לו THOU SHALT NOT CONSENT UNTO HIM — i.e. thou shalt feel no longing (תאב) towards him, thou shalt show no affection for him (אהב); This is stated because it is said, (Leviticus 19:18) “Thou shalt love thy fellowman as thyself”; this man, however, thou shalt not love (Sifrei Devarim 89:1).

ולא תשמע אליו AND THOU SHALT NOT HEARKEN UNTO HIM when he makes entreaty for his life, that you should forgive him. This is stated because it says. (Exodus 23:5) “[If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee] thou shalt surely help him”; this man, however, thou shalt not help (Sifrei Devarim 89:2).

ולא תחוס עינך עליו NEITHER SHALL THINE EYE SPARE HIM — This is stated because it says, (Leviticus 19:16) “thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy fellow” — this man, however, thou shalt not spare (Sifrei Devarim 89:3).

ולא תחמל NEITHER SHALT THOU PITY [HIM] — i.e. thou shalt not occupy thyself in his favour (you shall not seek to find anything favorable to him) (Sifrei Devarim 89:4).

ולא תכסה עליו AND THOU SHALT NOT CONCEAL (COVER OVER) HIM — If you know anything about him that will condemn him, you are not allowed to keep silent (Sifrei Devarim 89:5).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי הרג תהרגנו BUT THOU SHALT SURELY KILL HIM — and if he has left the court after having been acquitted have him brought back for condemnation if you know anything against him; if, on the other hand, he has left the court after being found guilty do not bring him back to plead in his favour (Sifrei Devarim 89:6-7).

ידך תהיה בו בראשונה THINE HAND SHALL BE FIRST UPON HIM [TO PUT HIM TO DEATH] — He who was to be seduced to idolatry has the duty to put him to death; if he did not die by his hand he must die by the hands of others, as it goes on to state “and afterwards the hands of all the people” (cf. Sifrei Devarim 89:8).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לשבת שם [IF THOU SHALT HEAR SAY IN THE CITIES WHICH THE LORD THY GOD HATH GIVEN THEE] TO ABIDE THERE — The words “to abide there” are added to exclude Jerusalem which city was not intended as a dwelling-place (Sifrei Devarim 92:5; cf. Bava Kamma 82b).

כי תשמע לאמור IF THOU SHALT HEAR … SAYING means, if thou shalt hear people saying thus: “[Certain men, worthless persons,] have gone out” etc.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אנשים CERTAIN MEN — but not women (Sifrei Devarim 93:1).

בני בליעל. WORTHLESS PERSONS — people that have thrown off the yoke of the Omnipresent (the word is taken in the sense of בְּלִי עוֹל, without a yoke) (Sifrei Devarim 93:2).

ישבי עירם THE INHABITANTS OF THEIR CITY — but not the inhabitants of another city (Sifrei Devarim 93:4). From here they (our Rabbis) derived what they said, “A town is not treated as an עיר הנדחת (i.e. does not come under the category of a “condemned city” which according to vv. 16—17 must be utterly destroyed) unless it be men who lead them (the inhabitants) astray, and unless its seducers be of its midst (inhabitants of that city) (Sanhedrin 111b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ודרשת וחקרת ושאלת היטב THEN SHALT THOU INQUIRE, AND MAKE SEARCH, AND ASK DILIGENTLY — From here — from the variety of expressions denoting inquiry in this verse — they (the Rabbis) derived the law of investigating capital cases by means of seven investigations” (referring to date, time and place). in the following manner: here (in our verse) there occur three expressions relating to inquiry, viz., ודרשת, וחקרת and היטב — the expression ושאלת does not come into account, because from it they derived בדיקות, the examination referring to accompanying circumstances, — and in another passage (Deuteronomy 19:18) it states, “and the judges shall enquire diligently (ודרשו השופטים היטב)”, and still in another passage (Deuteronomy 17:40) it states, “and thou shalt inquire diligently (ודרשת היטב)" — thus altogether seven expressions. — And although they are used in connection with different cases they learned by way of analogy (ג"ש) of the term היטב used here and in the passages quoted that it is intended to apply what is stated in one case to the others also (Sanhedrin 40a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 93:6).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הכה תכה THOU SHALT SURELY SMITE [THE INHABITANTS OF THAT CITY] — If you cannot put them to death by the death-penalty prescribed regarding them, kill them in some other way (Sifrei Devarim 94:1; Bava Metzia 31b; cf. Rashi on v. 10).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לה' אלהיך [AND THOU SHALT BURN WITH FIRE THE CITY …] FOR THE LORD THY GOD — i.e. for the honor of His name and for His sake.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

למען ישוב ה' מחרון אף THAT THE LORD MAY TURN FROM THE FIERCENESS OF HIS WRATH — for as long as idol-worship exists in the world the fierce wrath of God is kindled against the world (Sifrei Devarim 96:3; Sanhedrin 111b; cf. Rashi on Genesis 9:32).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לא תתגדדו YE SHALL NOT CUT YOURSELVES — i.e. you shall not make cuttings and incisions in your flesh for the dead in the way the Amorites do (Sifrei Devarim 96:11), because you are children of the Lord and it is therefore becoming for you to be comely and not cut about and with hair torn out.

בין עיניכם [NOR MAKE ANY BALDNESS] BETWEEN YOUR EYES — i.e. adjoining the forehead. In another passage (Leviticus 21:5), however, it states, “They shall not make their head bald”! It, however, intends to make the entire head like between the eyes (בֵּין עֵינַיִם) [i.e., one must not make bald spots on any part of the head]. (Sifrei Devarim 96:13; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 21:5 and Note thereon).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי עם קדוש אתה FOR THOU ART AN HOLY PEOPLE — You are holy — your actual holiness comes to you from your fathers, but, in addition, ובך בחר ה׳ THE LORD HAS CHOSEN YOU [so that you are for two reasons bound to keep away from these pagan customs] (cf. Sifrei Devarim 97:1).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כל תועבה [THOU SHALT NOT EAT] ANY ABOMINATION — i.e. anything that I have declared to be an abomination to you (which in itself may not be an abominable thing) — as for instance if one deliberately makes a slit in the ear of a firstborn animal (thus making it unfit for sacrifice) so that one may slaughter it in the country (i.e. outside Jerusalem) and eat it there. Here you have a thing I declared to be an abomination to you, in that I commanded you (Leviticus 22:21) “one shall cause no blemish to be therein”. Scripture now comes and teaches you here that one should not slaughter such an animal and eat it, on account of that blemish. Another example: If one boils meat in milk — here you have a thing that I have declared to be an abomination to you (cf. Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21), and here it lays down the prohibition about eating it (Chullin 114b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

זאת הבהמה … איל וצבי ויחמור THESE ARE THE BEASTS [WHICH YOU MAY EAT] THE HART AND THE GAZELLE AND THE FALLOW DEER — This (the fact that Scripture begins with זאת הבהמה and goes on to enumerate חיות) teaches us that חיה is included in the term בהמה (Sifrei Devarim 100:1; Chullin 71a; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 11:2, last sentence, and Note thereon). It further teaches us that there are more unclean beasts and wild animals than clean ones, for where two contrasted classes are spoken of it always enumerates by name the individuals of the smaller class (Sifrei Devarim 100:3; Chullin 63a.) (Since it enumerates here the clean animals these must be the minority.)

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ואקו AND THE אקו — This is rendered in the Targum by יעלא, the same term as the Hebrew יעל in the expression יעלי סלע (Job 39:1). This is what is called in German 'Steinbock'.

ותאו — This is rendered in the Targum by תורבלא which is the same as תור יער, the ox of the forest (wild ox), for בלא means “forest״ in the Aramaic language.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מפרסת means split, as the Targum has it.

פרסה - plante in O. F. (English = hoof).

ושסעת AND HATH CLOVEN [HOOFS] — i.e. hoofs divided into two nails, for there are animals with hoofs split but not entirely divided into two nails (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 9:3), and such are unclean.

בבהמה [AND EVERY BEAST THAT PARTETH THE HOOF …] AMONG THE BEASTS [YE MAY EAT] — if one takes בבהמה to signify “within the animal”, it suggests: that which is found in the beast you may eat. From here, therefore, they (the Rabbis) derived the law that a שליל (a fully developed embryo) becomes permitted to be eaten through the slaughter of its mother without requiring ritual slaughtering itself (Chullin 69a; Chullin 74a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

השסועה — (lit., a cleft one) is a certain animal which has two backs and two spinal columns (Chullin 60b). — Our Rabbis asked, “Why are these (the clean and unclean beasts and fowls) here repeated” since the names have already been mentioned in Leviticus XI? They replied: the repetition was necessary so far as quadrupeds are concerned because of the שסועה, and so far as fowls are concerned because of the ראה, both of which are not mentioned in Torath Cohanim (i.e. Leviticus) (Chullin 63b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ובנבלתם לא תגעו YE SHALL NOT TOUCH THEIR CARRION — Our Rabbis explained that this refers only to the festive seasons when every male Israelite was obliged to appear in the Sanctuary and should therefore be in a state of cleanness. One might think that they (the Israelites, i.e. non-priests) are prohibited from touching a carcass during the whole year! It, however, states, (Leviticus 21:1) in reference to the uncleanness of a corpse: “Say unto the priests … [there shall none be defiled by the dead] etc.”. Now you may draw a conclusion a fortiori: How is it in the case of uncleanness caused by a corpse which is a stringent kind of uncleanness? Priests only are prohibited regarding it but ordinary Israelites are not prohibited! Surely in the case of uncleanness caused by a carcass which is less stringent this is all the more so! (Sifra, Shemini, Chapter 4 8-9; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 11:8 and Note thereon).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כל צפור טהרה תאכלו ALL CLEAN BIRDS YOU MAY EAT — 'All' — this is intended to permit as food also the bird that is set free in the case of a leper (i.e. at his purification rite; Leviticus 14:7) (Sifrei Devarim 103:1; Kiddushin 57a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וזה אשר לא תאכלו מהם BUT THESE ARE THEY WHICH YOU MAY NOT EAT — This again is intended to forbid as food the bird that is slaughtered in the case of a leper (Sifrei Devarim 103:1-2; Kiddushin 57a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ראה — הראה וראיה and איה and דיה are names for the same bird. Why is it called ראה? Because it sees keenly. And why does Scripture prohibit it under each of its names? In order not to give an opponent occasion to argue, i.e. in order that he who regards it as forbidden may not say, “This is the ראה and is therefore forbidden”, and he who wishes to declare it as permitted will then reply, “But this is named דיה", or “this is named איה and this Scripture has not forbidden”. — In the case of birds, Scripture enumerates by name the unclean species, thus telling you that the clean birds are more numerous than the unclean (in contradistinction to quadrupeds; see vv. 4—5), for which reason Scripture mentions those by name which form the minority (Chullin 63b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

התנשמת — This is the chauve-souris in old French; (English = bat).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

שלך is a bird that draws out (שלה = שלך) fish from out the sea (see Rashi on Leviticus 11:17).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

דוכיפת is the wild cock, which is called in old French herupe, and which has a double comb (Chullin 63a; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 11:19).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

שרץ העוף — These are the lowly creatures which move upon the ground: flies, hornets and the unclean species of grass-hoppers (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 11:20), come under the term of שרץ.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כל עוף תאכלו ALL CLEAN FOWLS, YOU MAY EAT — but not (as is implied by these words) the unclean. Scripture intends, by this statement, to attach to the negative command which forbids unclean fowls (v. 12), a positive one which implicitly contains a prohibition. And similarly, when in the case of clean cattle it states, (v. 6) “that you may eat”, it implies: not, however, the unclean ones. Now a prohibition which is not plainly expressed but can only be drawn by inference from a positive command, is itself regarded only as a positive command, so that one who eats such food transgresses thereby not two negative commands, but a positive and a negative command (Sifrei Devarim 101:10; and cf. Rashi on Leviticus 11:3).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לגר אשר בשעריך [YE SHALL NOT EAT ANY CARRION: THOU SHALT GIVE IT] UNTO THE STRANGER THAT IS IN THY GATES — i.e. unto a stranger that is a sojourner (גר תושב) — one who has undertaken not to worship idols (i.e. one who has been converted to the fundamental tenet of Judaism) but who eats carrion (does not obey the other teachings of the Torah) (Sifrei Devarim 104:2; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 25:35).

כי עם קדוש אתה לה׳ FOR THOU ART AN HOLY PEOPLE UNTO THE LORD — This implies: show yourself holy (abstinent) in respect to things which are permitted to you — i.e. things that are actually permitted but which some treat as forbidden you should not treat as permissible in their presence (Sifrei Devarim 104:7).

לא תבשל גדי THOU SHALT NOT SEETHE A KID [IN ITS MOTHER’S MILK] — Three times the prohibition of seething meat in milk is mentioned in the Torah (here, and in Exodus 23:19 and Exodus 34:26) and each time in the form: “thou shalt not seethe a kid” thus excluding three species: a wild beast, fowls and unclean beasts from the prohibition (Sifrei Devarim 104:8; Chullin 113a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

THOU SHALT TRULY TITHE [ALL THE INCREASE OF THY SEED] — What has this matter to do with that? (Why are they placed in juxtaposition)? But the Holy One, blessed be He, says in effect to Israel: “Do not compel Me to blast by heat the tender kernels of the grain, whilst they are yet in their mother’s womb (i.e. in the husks), for if you do not tithe your products as is proper, when they are near ripening I shall bring forth the east wind and it will blast them”, as it is said, (2 Kings 19:26) “[Therefore … they were] as the corn blasted before it be grown up” (Midrash Tanchuma, Re'eh 17). A similar reason may be given for בכורים (for its juxtaposition to לא תבשל גדי (Exodus 34:26).

שנה שנה [THOU SHALT TRULY GIVE TITHE] YEAR BY YEAR — From here we may derive that one must not give tithe from the new grain for the old (Sifrei Devarim 105:1).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

'ואכלת וגו AND THOU SHALT EAT [BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD, IN THE PLACE WHICH HE SHALL CHOOSE … THE TITHE OF THY CORN etc.] — This is the “Second Tithe”, for it (Scripture) has already taught us to give the “First Tithe” to the Levites — as it is said, (Numbers 18:26) “[And unto the Levite shalt thou speak …], when ye take of the children of Israel the tithes”, etc., — and besides it gave them permission to eat it in any place, as it is said, (Numbers 18:31) “and ye shall eat it in any place” — thus you must admit that this tithe mentioned here, (which is to be eaten by an ordinary Israelite in Jerusalem) must be another one, — the “Second Tithe”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי יברכך WHEN [THE LORD THY GOD] HATH BLESSED THEE — so that your produce will be too much to carry [as far as Jerusalem].

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

בכל אשר תאוה נפשך [AND THOU SHALT GIVE THAT MONEY] FOR WHATSOEVER THY SOUL LONGETH AFTER — this is a general statement,

בבקר ובצאן וביין ובשכר FOR ANY OF THE HERD, OR ANY OF THE FLOCK, OR FOR WINE, OR FOR STRONG DRINK — this is a particularisation,

ובכל אשר תאוה נפשך OR FOR WHATEVER THY SOUL DESIRES — Scripture again includes them in a general statement. [The rule is that when a verse expresses a כְּלָל, a פְּרָט, and then a כְּלָל again, as in this case, we apply the characteristics of the פְּרָט to the whole matter. Therefore,] just as the particulars mentioned have the characteristic of being products (ולד) of things themselves produced by the earth during the week of Creation, and are fitted to be food for man, etc. [So, too, the money must be expended only on things of this character] (Eruvin 27b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

והלוי … לא תעזבנו AND THE LEVITE [THAT IS WITHIN THY GATES;] THOU SHALT NOT FORSAKE HIM by not giving him the “First Tithe” (מעשר ראשון).

כי אין לו חלק ונחלה עמך OR HE HATH NO PORTION NOR INHERITANCE WITH THEE — This excludes “Gleanings” (לקט), “the forgotten sheaf” (שכחה), the “corner of the field” (פאה), and ownerless things (הפקר) from the things that must be tithed — for he (the Levite) has a portion in them (is entitled to take of them) with you, just the same as you, and they are therefore exempt from tithes (Mishnah Challah 1:3; Bava Kamma 94a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מקצה שלש שנים AT THE END OF THREE YEARS [THOU SHALT BRING FORTH ALL THE TITHE OF THY INCREASE THE SAME YEAR] — Scripture hereby intends to teach you that if one has delayed to give his tithes of the first and the second year of the Sabbatical period, he has to remove them from his house in the third year.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ובא הלוי AND THE LEVITE SHALL COME and take the “First Tithe” which you have failed to give him,

והגר והיתום AND THE STRANGER AND THE FATHERLESS [SHALL COME] and take the “Second Tithe”, which belongs to the poor in that year, and you shall not eat it yourself in Jerusalem, as you were bound to eat the “Second Tithe” of the first two years,

ואכלו ושבעו AND THEY SHALL EAT AND BE SATISFIED — Give them sufficient to satisfy them. From here they (the Rabbis) derived the law: one must give the poor in the barn no less than half a kab of wheat or a kab of barley (Sifrei Devarim 110:3). As for you, go up to Jerusalem with the tithe (i.e. מעשר שני) of the first and the second years which thou hast delayed, and make the confession there: “I have removed the hallowed things from the house” — as it is stated in the section beginning with the words כי תכלה לעשר (Deuteronomy 26:12).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מקץ שבע שנים AT THE END OF SEVEN YEARS [THOU SHALT MAKE A REMISSION] — One might think that this means seven years after each individual loan! Scripture, however, states, (v. 9) “[Take heed unto thyself lest there be in thy heart a word of worthlessness, saying], The seventh year … approacheth [and thine eye be evil against thy brother and thou givest him nought]”! Now, if you say that the seven years spoken of here mean seven years after each individual loan, i.e., after the granting of the loan to each individual person, how can one say, at the time the request for a loan is being made, “it (the seventh year) is coming near?” Consequently you must learn from this that Scripture means seven years according to the reckoning of the Sh’mitta-period (Sifrei Devarim 111:8).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

שמוט כל בעל משה ידו means as much as שמוט את ידו של כל בעל משה THERE SHALL BE A RELAXING OF THE HAND OF EVERY CREDITOR.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

את הנכרי תגוש OF ANY ALIEN THOU MAYEST EXACT IT AGAIN — This implies a positive command (Sifrei Devarim 113:1).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

אפס כי לא יהיה בך אביון HOWBEIT THERE SHALL BE NO NEEDY AMONG YOU — But further on (v. 11) it states, “For the needy shall never cease out of the land”! But the explanation is: When you do the will of the Omnipresent the needy will be amongst the others and not amongst you, if, however, you do not the will of the Omnipresent, the needy will be amongst you (Sifrei Devarim 114:1).

אביון denotes a person who is more destitute than an עני. The term אביון (from the root אבה “to long for”, “to desire”; cf. Rashi on Exodus 23:6) denotes one who longs for everything (because he lacks everything) (Leviticus Rabbah 34:6).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

רק אם שמוע תשמע ONLY IF THOU WILT CAREFULLY HEARKEN [UNTO THE VOICE OF THE LORD THY GOD] — then לא יהיה בך אביון THERE SHALL BE NO NEEDY AMONGST YOU.

שמוע תשמע [IF] THOU WILT CAREFULLY HEARKEN — The repetition of the verbal form suggests: If one listens a little (if one shows the determination to obey) he is caused to listen to many things (he gradually becomes obedient to every divine command) (Sifrei Devarim 115:1; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:13).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כאשר דבר לך [FOR THE LORD GOD BLESSETH THEE] AS HE PROMISED THEE — and where did He promise you this? In the statement, (Deuteronomy 28:3—12) “Blessed shalt thou be in the city, etc.” (Sifrei Devarim 116:1).

והעבטת AND THOU SHALT LEND ON PLEDGE — In the case of every term that denotes transacting a loan when it refers to the lender, the Hiphil form is appropriate to it (to cause a person to do something: here, “you will make many people to be borrowers” i.e. you will lend to them), as for instance, והעבטת, והלוית; while if it stated וְעָבַטְתָּ (in the Kal), it would apply to the borrower, meaning “thou wilt borrow on pledge”, the same as ולוית (“and thou will borrow”, which in Kal refers to the borrower).

והעבטת גוים AND THOU SHALT LEND ON PLEDGE UNTO [MANY] NATIONS — One might think that you might do this in that you will borrow from one nation and lend to another! Scripture, however, states, “but you shall not borrow” (Sifrei Devarim 116:2).

ומשלת בגוים רבים AND THOU SHALT RULE OVER MANY NATIONS — One might think that at the very same time other nations will be ruling over you! Scripture, however, states, “but they shall not rule over you (Sifrei Devarim 116:3).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי יהיה בך אביון IF THERE BE AMONG YOU A NEEDY MAN — The most needy has preference (Sifrei Devarim 116:4);

מאחד אחיך ONE OF THY BRETHREN — thy brother on thy fathers side has preference over thy brother on thy mother’s side (Sifrei Devarim 116:5);

שעריך [WITHIN ANY OF] THY GATES — this implies that the poor of thine own city have preference over the poor of another city (Sifrei Devarim 116:6; cf. Rashi on Exodus 22:24).

לא תאמץ THOU SHALT NOT MAKE [THY HEART] OBSTINATE — There are people who painfully deliberate whether they should give or not, therefore Scripture states, “thou shalt not make thy heart obstinate”; there again are people who stretch their hand forth (show readiness to give) but then close it, therefore it is written, “thou shalt not close thine hand” (Sifrei Devarim 116:10-11).

מאחיך מאביון [NOR CLOSE THINE HAND] FROM THY NEEDY BROTHER — If you will not give him you will become in the end a brother of the needy (become as needy as himself) (cf. Sifrei Devarim 116:12).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

פתח תפתח [BUT] THOU SHALT SURELY OPEN [THINE HAND] — even many times (Sifrei Devarim 116:13).

כי פתח תפתח BUT THOU SHALT SURELY OPEN [THINE HAND] — Here, you see, the word כי has the meaning of “but” (whilst e.g.. in v. 7 it means “if”, in v. 10 “because”).

והעבט תעביטנו AND THOU SHALT LEND HIM ON PLEDGE — If he does not want a gift, give it to him as a loan (cf. Sifrei Devarim 116:14; Ketubot 67b).

די מחסרו [LEND HIM ON PLEDGE] SUFFICIENT FOR HIS NEED — but you are not commanded to make him rich.

אשר יחסר לו [SUFFICIENT FOR HIS NEED] IN THAT WHICH HE LACKETH — This implies: you must provide him even with a horse to ride on and a slave to run before him (if he was accustomed to such and now feels the lack of them) (Sifrei Devarim 116:16; Ketubot 67b).

לו — implies that you must help him even to get a wife; for so it states. אעשה לו עזר כנגדו “I will make a helpmate for him (לו)” (Sifrei Devarim 116:17; Ketubot 67b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וקרא עליך AND HE CRY [UNTO THE LORD] AGAINST THEE — One might think this is a command (“he shall call against thee”). Scripture, however, states, (Deuteronomy 24:15) “[At his day thou shalt give him his hire … he is poor], so that he may not call against thee [unto the Lord]” (Sifrei Devarim 117:5).

והיה בך חטא AND IT BE SIN UNTO THEE — under any circumstances, even if he does not cry against thee. But if this be so, to what end is it written “and he cry against thee”? It suggests that I will make greater haste to punish thee because of him who cries, than because of one who does not cry (Sifrei Devarim 117:5).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

נתן תתן לו THOU SHALT SURELY GIVE HIM — even hundred times (Sifrei Devarim 117:6).

לו implies between him and you (privately) (Sifrei Devarim 117:7.)

כי בגלל הדבר הזה BECAUSE THAT FOR THIS THING [THE LORD THY GOD SHALL BLESS THEE] — (the word is taken in its literal sense of “word”, for it would have sufficed to state כי בגלל זה suggesting): even if you only say (intend) to give but are later unable to do so you will receive a reward for the mere saying (intention) together with the reward for the action (Sifrei Devarim 117:8).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

על כן means מפני כן BECAUSE OF THIS.

לאמר suggests: I give you good advice for your own benefit (Sifrei Devarim 118:2).

לאחיך לעניך [THOU SHALT SURELY OPEN THINE HAND] UNTO THY BROTHER, TO THY POOR — open thine hand to thy brother, to which brother? To the poor one.

לעניך written with one Jod denotes one poor man, but ענייך with two Jods denotes two (or many) poor, i.e. it is a plural form.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי ימכר לך IF [THY BROTHER …] BE SOLD UNTO THEE by others (not one that sells himself as a servant on account of his destitution, of which case Scripture deals in Leviticus 25:46 ff); Scripture is speaking of one whom the court has sold for a theft that he has committed. But has it not already been stated. (Exodus 21:2) “If thou buyest an Hebrew servant” and there, too, Scripture speaks of one whom the court has sold (as proved by Rashi in his comment on that verse; Mekhilta)?!. But the repetition was necessary because of two new points that are stated here: the one is that it is here written “or an Hebrew woman”, that she, too, like a man-servant, goes free at the end of six years of servitude — it does not mean a woman whom the court had sold, for a woman cannot be sold by the court on account of a theft committed by her, since it states, (Exodus 22:2) that the thief shall be sold “for his theft” which implies: he for his theft, but not she for her theft (Sotah 23b); — but what Scripture is speaking of here is of a woman under age whom her father has sold as a handmaid, and it teaches you here that if six years of servitude terminate before the time that she shows signs of incipient puberty she goes free. And further it mentions a new point here, viz., “thou shalt furnish him (or her) liberally” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 30:4).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

הענק תעניק THOU SHALT FURNISH HIM LIBERALLY — The noun from the root ענק denotes an ornament worn high up on the body which thus easily comes within sight of the eye (i.e. is conspicuous), (cf. ענק, a giant, someone who towers on high) — i.e. you shall furnish him with something that will make it patent that you have been kind to him. There are some who explain the word הענק to mean loading on his (the servant’s) neck.

מצאנך מגרנך ומיקבך [THOU SHALT FURNISH HIM LIBERALLY] OUT OF THY FLOCK, AND OUT OF THY FLOOR, AND OUT OF THY WINE PRESS — One might think I have this duty in respect to these things only! Scripture, however, states “that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee [shalt thou give him]” implying, of all with which thy Creator hath blessed thee. Why, then, are these alone specifically mentioned? To teach you the following: How is it with these things? They have the characteristic that they come under the term of “blessing”, (i.e. they possess the power of propagating) so, too, you are obliged to furnish him only with such things that come under the term “blessing”, thus excluding mules, (because they are sterile) (Sifrei Devarim 119:3; Kiddushin 17a). — Our Rabbis have derived in Treatise Kiddushin 17a by reasoning from the analogous expressions found in certain texts (גז"ש) what quantities one must give him of all the different kinds here mentioned.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וזכרת כי עבד היית AND THOU SHALT REMEMBER THAT THOU WAST A SERVANT [IN THE LAND OF EGYPT] — and I loaded thee with good things, and did so a second time — from the spoil of the land of Egypt and from the spoil at the Red Sea; so you, too, load him once, and do it again for him (Sifrei Devarim 120:1).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

עבד עולם [AND HE SHALL BE THY] SERVANT עולם — One might think that עולם has here its usual meaning: for ever! Scripture, however, states, (Leviticus 25:10) “[And ye shall sanctify the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof] and ye shall return every man unto his family”. Consequently, you learn that it (what Scripture terms here עולם), can only mean the period until the termination of that Jubilee cycle (Mekhilta; cf. Rashi on that verse),

ואף לאמתך תעשה כן AND ALSO UNTO THY MAID SERVANT THOU SHALT DO LIKEWISE — i.e. furnish her out of thy property. One might think, however, that Scripture puts her on the same level with the man-servant concerning the piercing of the ear too! It however, states, (Exodus 21:5) “And if the man-servant (העבד) shall plainly say, [I love my lord … then … his lord shall bore his ear through with an awl]” — so you see that a man-servant must have his ear pierced, but a maid-servant does not have it pierced (Sifrei Devarim 122:6).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כי משנה שכר שכיר [IT SHALL NOT SEEM HARD UNTO THEE WHEN THOU LETTEST HIM GO FREE …] FOR [HE HATH BEEN WORTH] A DOUBLE HIRED SERVANT [UNTO THEE] — From here they (the Rabbis) derived the law that a Hebrew servant has to do service both by day and by night, and that is double as much as the labor of a man hired for day work only. And what is his service during the night? That his master gives him a Canaanite maid-servant with the object of raising children, and the children belong to the master (Sifrei Devarim 123:1; Kiddushin 15a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

כל הבכור ... תקדיש ALL THE FIRSTLING MALES … THOU SHALT SANCTIFY [UNTO THE LORD] — But in another passage (Leviticus 27:26) it states, “[Only the firstborn of the beasts …] one shall not sanctify it”? How can these be reconciled? The latter passage means: he must not dedicate it as a different sacrifice (i.e. offer it as an עולה or שלמים instead of as a בכור), whilst here it teaches that it is a duty to say: “Thou art holy as a firstborn!” Another comment is: It is impossible to say that “thou shalt sanctify” is to be taken literally, for it already states in another passage “one shall not sanctify it”; it is, on the other hand, also impossible to take “one shall not sanctify it” literally, since it states “thou shalt sanctify it”. How can these be reconciled? In the following manner: by taking תקדיש in our verse to imply: “thou mayest dedicate” so far as the dedication of its value (הקדש עלוי) is concerned, and then he must give a sum corresponding to the טובת הנאה in it to the Temple treasury, but you must not dedicate it as far as the altar is concerned (i.e. dedicate it as any sacrifice other than as a בכור) (Arakhin 29a: cf. Sifrei Devarim 124:4).

לא תעבד בבכור שורך ולא תגז וגו׳ THOU SHALT NOT WORK WITH THE FIRSTLING OF THY HERD, NOR SHEAR [THE FIRSTLING OF THY FLOCK] — The converse case also (working with the firstborn sheep and using the hair of the firstborn calf) have our Rabbis derived to be forbidden, but Scripture merely speaks of what usually occurs (Sifrei Devarim 124:6; Bekhorot 25a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לפני ה׳ אלהיך תאכלנה THOU SHALT EAT IT BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD — Scripture is speaking to the priest (not to the owner to whom תקדיש in the previous verse refers), for we find already stated that it (the בכור) is one of the dues of the priests whether it is unblemished (and its blood and fat portions are to be sacrificed on the altar and the flesh eaten by the priests), or whether it is blemished (when it must not be offered on the altar), for it states, (Numbers 18:18) “and the flesh of them (the firstborn animals, both the blemished and the unblemished) shall be thine” (the priest’s) (cf. Bekhorot 28a).

שנה בשנה [THOU SHALT EAT IT BEFORE THE LORD …] YEAR BY YEAR — From here we derive the law that one should not defer it (i.e. sacrificing and eating it) beyond its first year (Bekhorot 28a). If so, one might think that it becomes invalid as a sacrifice as soon as its first year has passed! This is not the case, for it has been put in comparison with the second tithe, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 14:23; cf. Rashi on that verse): “and thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds, and thy flocks”. How is it in the case of the second tithe? It does not become invalid if left over from one year to the other (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 14:28 and 29), so, too, does the firstborn animal not become invalid under the same circumstances, only that it is a meritorious act to offer and consume it within its first year.

שנה בשנה (may also be translated A YEAR WITH ANOTHER YEAR) — If one slaughtered it at the end of its first year (an the last day) he may eat it that day and the first day of the next year. This teaches us that it (a firstborn animal) may in all cases be eaten on two successive days and the intervening night (cf. Sifrei Devarim 125; Bekhorot 27b).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מום [AND IF THERE BE] ANY BLEMISH [THEREIN, IF IT BE LAME, OR BLIND, OR HAVE ANY ILL BLEMISH, THOU SHALT NOT SACRIFICE IT …] — any blemish is a general statement,

פסח או עור LAME OR BLIND is a particularization,

כל מום רע ANY ILL BLEMISH — it again comprises them in a general statement. How is it with the blemishes particularised? They have the characteristic that each is a visible (external) blemish and the animal never returns naturally to its original condition (i.e. never becomes free from the blemish). So, too, the general statement includes all such blemishes that are visible and incurable [while in the case of a transitory blemish the animal may be sacrificed when the blemish has disappeared] (Bekhorot 37a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 126:2).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

רק את דמו לא תאכל ONLY THOU SHALT NOT EAT THE BLOOD THEREOF — This prohibition appears to be redundant, since the blood of no animal may be eaten, but it is mentioned, in order that you should not think: since it (the blemished firstborn animal) is something that in every respect is permitted originally it belonged to a forbidden class of animals — for, you see, it was holy and yet it may be slaughtered outside the Temple, and may be eaten without redemption — and consequently you might think that its blood is also permitted, Scripture therefore states, “However thou shalt not eat its blood”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

שמור את חדש האביב WATCH THE MONTH OF ABIB — This means: Before it comes watch whether it will be capable of producing ripe ears (אביב), so that one may offer the Omer meal-offering during it, and if not (i.e. if you observe that the ears will not be ripe by the 16th of Nisan), then intercalate the year (i.e. add a month to the winter-period, so that the month Abib falls later than it otherwise would, by which time the ears will be ripened) (cf. Sanhedrin 11b and Note 4 on p. 191 of Leviticus in the Silbermann edition of the Pentateuch).

ממצרים לילה [FOR IN THE MONTH OF ABIB THE LORD THY GOD BROUGHT THEE FORTH] FROM EGYPT BY NIGHT — But did they not go forth by day , as it is said, (Numbers 30:3) “on the morrow after the Passover the children of Israel went out … [in the sight of all the Egyptians]”? But it states that they went out by night because Pharaoh gave them permission to go forth by night, as it is said, (Exodus 12:31) “And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, [and said, Rise up, go forth from among my people etc.]” (cf. Sifrei Devarim 128:5; Berakhot 9a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וזבחת פסח לה' אלהיך צאן THOU SHALT THEREFORE SACRIFICE THE PASSOVER UNTO THE LORD THY GOD OF SHEEP, as it is said of the Passover offering, (Exodus 12:5) “Ye shall take it from the sheep or from the goats”,

— ובקר AND OXEN thou shalt slaughter as the חגיגה (the festival offering sacrificed on the fourteenth of Nisan in addition to the Passover offering); for if they have counted themselves (formed themselves) into too large a company for the Passover offering (so that one lamb will not suffice for them) they bring together with it a festival offering and this is eaten first, in order that it (the Passover sacrifice) can be eaten in satiety (i.e. after the appetite is satisfied; cf. Pesachim 69b, 70a). — And besides this our Rabbis derived many Halachic matters from this verse (cf. Sifrei Devarim 129; Berakhot 9a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לחם עני THE BREAD OF AFFLICTION — i.e. bread that calls to mind the affliction to which they were subjected in Egypt (Sifrei Devarim 130:5).

כי בחפזון יצאת FOR THOU CAMEST FORTH [FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT] IN HASTE, and the dough therefore had no time to become leavened, and this (the eating of unleavened bread) shall be unto you as reminder of this. The haste, spoken of here, was not on thy part, but on Egypt’s part, for so it states, (Exodus 12:33) “And Egypt was urgent upon the people [hastening to send them out of the land]” (Sifrei Devarim 130:6; cf. Berakhot 9a).

למען תזכר THAT THOU MAYEST REMEMBER through the eating of the Passover sacrifice and the unleavened bread, את יום צאתך THE DAY WHEN THOU CAMEST FORTH [OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT].

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ולא ילין מן הבשר אשר תזבח בערב ביום הראשון לבקר NEITHER SHALL ANY OF THE FLESH, WHICH THOU HAST SACRIFIED THE FIRST DAY AT EVEN, REMAIN ALL NIGHT UNTIL THE MORNING — This is a prohibition addressed to one who might, in the case of the Passover sacrifice offered in later generations (i.e. after the first that was offered in Egypt), leave over night any of its flesh. And it was necessary to state this because so far it has been mentioned only with regard to that one Passover sacrifice that was offered in Egypt (פסח מצרים) (Exodus 12:10). — The “first day” spoken of here is the fourteenth day of Nisan (not the, fifteenth which is the first day of the Festival), just as you must explain that term in the passage (Exodus 12:15): “even the first day (ביום הראשון) ye shall put away leaven out of your houses” (cf. Rashi on that verse). — And because Scripture has digressed from the subject of the Passover Sacrifice with which this section begins and has begun to speak of the ordinances relating to the seven days of the festival, as, for instance, (v. 3) “seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread therewith”, and (v. 4) “and there shall be no leaven seen with thee in all thy boundaries [seven days]”, it was compelled to specify with regard to which offering it states the prohibition of leaving the flesh over night. For if it had written only “neither shall any of the flesh which thou sacrificedst at even (not mentioning ביום הראשון) remain all night until the morning”, I might have thought that the peace offerings which are slaughtered during all the seven days all come under the prohibition of “and thou shalt not leave any of it until the morning” (Exodus 12:10), and may therefore be eaten one day and the following night only (which is not so); therefore it wrote “[neither shall any of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst] at even on the first day [remain all night]”. — Another explanation is that Scripture speaks here of the festival offering brought on the fourteenth of Nisan (חגיגת י״ד, not of the קרבן פסח) and that it teaches with reference to it that it may be eaten during two successive days and the intervening night (cf. however, Rashi on Exodus 7:14 and Note 2 thereon). As regards the first day” that is mentioned here — according to this explanation — Scripture is speaking of the first day of the festival (the fifteenth of Nisan), and what the verse implies is the following: None of the flesh of the festival offering which you slaughtered at even (i.e. towards eventide on the fourteenth of Nisan) shall remain on the first day of the festival until the morning of the second day of the festival (the sixteenth of Nisan), but it may be eaten on the fourteenth and the fifteenth (and the intervening night). So is it set forth in Treatise Pesachim 71b.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

בערב כבוא השמש מועד צאתך ממצרים [THERE THOU SHALT SACRIFICE THE PASSOVER] AT EVEN, AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, AT THE APPOINTED TIME THAT THOU CAME FORTH OUT OF EGYPT — But these are three different points of time! The explanation is: at evening, i.e. from the sixth hour (reckoning from six o’clock in the morning) and onwards you shall slaughter it (תזבח בערב); and when the sun goes down you shall eat it, and at the time when you left Egypt (in the early morning) you shall burn it — that is to say, if in the morning there is any flesh left, it becomes what is technically termed נותר and must be removed to the “place of burning” (not actually burnt, for this is not permissible on a festival) (Sifrei Devarim 133:1; cf. Berakhot 9a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ובשלת is identical with צלי אש “roast with fire” mentioned in Exodus 12:9, for it (roasting) also comes under the term בשול “cooking” (Mekhilta).

ופנית בבקר AND THOU SHALT TURN IN THE MORNING [AND GO INTO THY TENTS] — i.e. in the morning of the second day of the Passover week. — It teaches us that he (the pilgrim) is required to stay in Jerusalem during the night when the festival terminates (Sifrei Devarim 134:2; Pesachim 95b; Chagigah 17).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ששת ימים תאכל מצות SIX DAYS THOU SHALT EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD — But in another passage it states, (Exodus 12:15): “seven days [ye shall eat unleavened bread]’’! But the explanation is: seven days ye may eat Mazzoth prepared from the old produce and six days (out of the seven. i.e. the last six days, after the Omer has been offered and the new crop has become permitted as food) ye may eat Mazzoth prepared from the new crop (Sifrei Devarim 134:5). Another explanation is: It teaches regarding the eating of unleavened bread on the seventh day of Passover that it is not obligatory; and from here (from this law concerning the seventh day) you may derive the law for the other six days. For the seventh day was included in the general statement (“seven days, thou shalt eat unleavened bread’’), and in the text: “six days thou shall eat unleavened bread” it has left the general statement, to teach ... eating unleavened bread on it is not obligatory but optional. Now, according to the well-known rule, it did not leave the general statement in order to teach this regarding itself alone but regarding everything that is included in the general statement. Now how is it with the seventh day? It is optional as regards the eating of unleavened bread (as explained in the earlier portion of this comment)! This, too, according to the rule, applies also to everything that was included in the general statement, and therefore all the other days are also optional in this respect, with the exception, however, of the first night of Passover, for which Scripture has fixed it (the eating of unleavened bread) as an obligation, as it is said, (Exodus 22:18) “at evening ye shall eat unleavened bread” (Pesachim 120a; cf. also Rashi on Exodus 12:15).

עצרת לה' אלהיך [AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY SHALL BE] A RESTRICTION IN HONOR OF THE LORD — i.e., restrict yourself from work (Chagigh 18a). — Another explanation is that עצרת denotes a gathering for eating and drinking (a banquet), like the expression used (Judges 13:15) “Let us detain (נעצרה) thee [that we may make ready a kid for thee]”.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מהחל חרמש בקמה [BEGIN TO NUMBER SEVEN WEEKS] FROM THE TIME THOU BEGINNEST TO PUT THE SICKLE TO THE CORN — i.e. from when the “Omer” has been cut (from the sixteenth of Nisan) which is the first produce to be harvested (Leviticus 23:10) (cf. Sifrei Devarim 136:2-3; Menachot 71a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

מסת נדבת ידך means sufficient (די) free-will offerings of thy hand (i.e. of thy possession) (cf. Targum on Deuteronomy 15:8, which renders די מחסרו by כמסת חסרונה); everything must be in accordance with the blessing which God has bestowed upon you (אשר יברכך): offer peace-offerings of rejoicing and invite guests for the meal.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

לוי גר יתום ואלמנה THE LEVITE THE STRANGER, THE FATHERLESS, THE WIDOW — these four are Mine, corresponding to four that are yours, viz., בנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך THY SON, THY DAUGHTER, THY MAN-SERVANT AND THY MAID-SERVANT; if you gladden Mine, I will gladden yours (Midrash Tanchuma, Re'eh 18).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

וזכרת כי עבד היית וגו׳ AND THOU SHALT REMEMBER THAT THOU WAST A SERVANT [IN EGYPT] — Only on this condition did I deliver you from Egypt: that you keep and do these statutes.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

באספך [THOU SHALT KEEP THE FESTIVAL OF TABERNACLES …] AFTER THAT THOU HAST GATHERED IN THE PRODUCE — i.e. at the usual harvest time, when thou bringest into the house the summer fruits. Another explanation is: באספך מגרנך ומיקבך teaches that one should cover the Succah only with the פסולת (lit., the chips, — that which falls off) of the barn and the wine-press [i.e. with vegetable matter] (Rosh Hashanah 13a; Sukkah 12a).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

והיית אך שמח ONLY BE REJOICED — According to its plain sense this is not the expression of a command but expresses an assurance: “thou will be rejoicing”. But according to the Halachic interpretation they (the Rabbis) derived from here that the night before the last day of the festival (that preceding the eighth day) is to be included in the obligation of rejoicing (Sukkah 48a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 142:4).

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

ולא יראה את פני ה׳ ריקם AND THEY SHALL NOT APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD EMPTY, but — bring the burnt offerings that are obligatory when one appears before the Lord, and the peace offerings of the festival.

Rashi — M. Rosenbaum & A. M. Silbermann

איש כמתנת ידו EVERY MAN [SHALL BRING] ACCORDING TO THE ABILITY OF HIS HAND TO GIVE — i.e. one who has a large household (lit., many eaters) and great possessions brings many burnt offerings and many peace offerings (Sifrei Devarim 143:10; Chagigah 8b).