Rashi on TanakhDeuteronomy 11

Know today. Pay close attention, so that you know and understand, and accept my reprimand.

For it is not with your children. That I now speak, who might say, ‘We do not know, nor have we seen, all this.’

Amid all of Yisroel. Wherever any of them fled, the earth split and swallowed him up. These are R’ Yehudah’s remarks. R’ Nechemiah said to him, ‘But is it not already stated, “The earth opened its mouth” — not “its mouths”?’ He said, ‘Then how am I to sustain “amid all of Yisroel”’? He replied, ‘The ground sloped, funnel-like, so that wherever one of them was, he rolled into the abyss.

And all the sustenance at their feet. This refers to a man’s wealth, which establishes him on his feet.

But rather your eyes have witnessed. This completes the passage stated above, ‘For it is not with your children who have not known, etc., but rather with you, whose eyes have witnessed, etc.’

Is not like the land of Egypt. But better than it. This assurance was made to the Israelites when they departed from Egypt, when they said, ‘Perhaps we shall never come to a land as good and as beautiful as this.’ But perhaps Scripture speaks derogatorily and this is what he told them: ‘It is not like the land of Egypt, but inferior to it.’ The Torah therefore teaches, “Chevron was built seven years before, etc.” One man built them, Cham built Tzoan for his son Mitzrayim, and Chevron for Canaan. it is customary for a man to build the superior one and afterward build the inferior one, so that what is discarded by the first is relegated to the second. Everywhere, what is cherished takes precedence. Thus you learn that Chevron is superior to Tzoan. Now Mitzrayim is the most praiseworthy of all lands, as it is said, “Like Adonoy’s garden, like the land of Mitzrayim.” And Tzoan was the most praiseworthy in Mitzrayim, for it was the seat of royalty, as it is said, “for his ministers were in Tzoan.” Chevron was most inferior in Eretz Yisroel — that is why it was set aside as a cemetery. Yet, despite this, it was superior to Tzoan. In Kesubos, this is expounded differently. Is it possible that a man would build a home for his younger son, and then for his older son? Rather, it was built up seven times more than Tzoan.

From which you departed. Even the land of Raamses [and Goshen], where you dwelt, which is the best of the land of Mitzrayim, as it is said, “in the best of the land, etc.” — even that cannot compare with Eretz Yisroel.

And watered it on foot. In the land of Egypt, you had to bring water from the Nile on foot in order to irrigate it; you had to lose sleep, to toil. The lowlands were irrigable, but not the highlands, and you had to bring the water up from the low areas to the high ones. But with this, “by the rain of the skies you will drink water.” You can sleep in your bed while the Holy One, may He be blessed, irrigates lowland and highland, open and enclosed areas alike.

Like a vegetable garden. For which rainfall is insufficient. It must be irrigated on foot, with [the water carried on] the shoulders.

Is a land of mountains and plains. The mountain is more valuable than the plain, for in the plain, on a kor-sized parcel you may plant a kor, but on the mountain, a kor-sized parcel yields five kors — four on its four slopes, and one at its peak.

And plains. This refers to level areas.

That Adonoy, your God, looks after. But does He not look after all the lands, as it is said, “Bringing rain to no-man’s land”? But, rather, it is as if He seeks after no other land but this, and as a result of seeking after this, He incidentally seeks after all the other lands.

The eyes of Adonoy, your God, are always upon it. To see what its needs are, and to initiate decrees concerning it, sometimes beneficial, and sometimes damaging, etc., as stated in tractate Rosh Hashanah.

From the year’s beginning. From the beginning of the year judgement is passed determining what is to occur at its end.

Should you heed [lit., “It shall be . . .”]. “It shall be” relates to the statement above, ”by the rain of the skies you will drink water.”

Should you thoroughly heed. If you heed the old, then you shall heed the new. Similarly, “It shall be, if forgetting you forget.” If you begin forgetting, you shall eventually forget everything. This is as it is written in the scroll, ‘If you forsake me for a day, I shall forsake you for two.’

Commanding you today. They must be as fresh to you, as if you heard them this very day.

To love Adonoy. You must not say, ‘I shall study so that I may become wealthy, or so that I may be entitled “Rabbi,” or so that I may be rewarded.’ Rather, all that you fulfill, fulfill with love, and the glory will eventually follow.

And to serve Him with all your hearts. With the service of the heart — this refers to prayer, as prayer is entitled “service,” as it is said, “Your God whom you constantly serve.” Was there service in Bavel? Rather, because he prayed, as it is said, “Windows were open for him, etc.” Similarly, with Dovid it is said, “May my prayer be established like incense before You.”

With all your hearts and with all your souls. But has not Scripture already commanded, “With all your heart and with all your soul”? Evidently, one command is addressed to the individual, and the other command is addressed to the community.

I will provide the rain of your land. You fulfilled your obligation — I, too, shall fulfill my obligation.

In its time. During the night, so that it does not trouble you. Another interpretation of “in its time.” On Shabbos eve, when everyone is at home.

Fall rain. This refers to the rain which falls after seeding, saturating the earth and the seeds.

Spring rain. This refers to the rain which falls just prior to the harvest, filling the stalks with grain. The word מַלְקוֹשׁ denotes something which arrives late, as Targum renders “the late ones,” לַקִּישָׁא Another interpretation. It is called מַלְקוֹשׁ because it descends on the ears and on the stalks.

You will harvest your grain. You will gather it into your home, not your enemies, as it is said, “...if I give your grain, etc., for he who gathers it shall consume it,” but not as it is said, “It shall come to pass that if Yisroel plants, etc.”

And I will provide grass in your field. So that it will not be necessary for you to lead it to the desert. Another interpretation. You will reap your produce throughout the entire rainy season, and throw it before your animals. Then you will discontinue reaping for thirty days prior to the harvest, and there will be no shortfall of grain.

And you will eat and be full. This a different blessing — the blessing will visit the bread with your abdomen, so that you will eat and be full.

Look out for yourselves. Since you will eat and be full, look out for yourselves, so that you are not insubordinate, for a man does not rebel against the Holy One, may He be blessed, except when satiated, as it is said, “Lest you eat and become full, and your cattle and flocks multiply.” What is said afterward? “You shall become arrogant and forget.”

And you turn away. By abandoning the Torah, and because of this, “you serve alien gods.” For once a man abandons the Torah, he proceeds to adhere to idolatry. Similarly, Dovid said, “For they have driven me away, this day, from adherence to Adonoy’s heritage, saying, ‘Go, worship, etc.”’ Now who said this to him? But, rather, since I have been driven away from engaging in the study of Torah, I am thereby brought close to worshipping alien gods.

Alien gods. They are alien to those who worship them — he cries out to him, but he does not respond. Thus, he has become alienated from him.

Its produce. Even what you bring to it, as it is said, “You have planted much, but gathered little.”

And you will swiftly be removed. In addition to all the other suffering, I will exile you from the land which caused you to sin. This is compared to a king who sent his son off to a feast, but sat and admonished him, ‘Do not overindulge in eating, so that you may return home in cleanliness.’ The son payed no attention, overindulged in eating and drinking, vomited, and filthied everyone attending the feast. He grasped his hand and foot, and flung him behind the palace.

Swiftly. I will not allow you any extension. But you may ask, was not an extension granted to the generation of the flood, as it is said, “His days shall be a hundred and twenty years”? The generation of the flood had no one from whom to learn. You, however, have someone from whom to learn.

You are to place these words of Mine. Even after you are exiled, you must distinguish yourselves by performing mitzvos. Set the tefilin in place, and affix the mezuzos, so that they do not seem novel when you return. Similarly, it is said, “Establish marks of distinction for yourself.”

To speak in them. From the time that the son is able to speak, teach him “Torah, Moshe commanded us,” so that this develops his speech. From here it is said that, when an infant begins speaking, his father should converse with him in the sacred language, and teach him Torah. If he failed to do this, it is as if he had buried him, for it is said, “Teach them to your sons to speak in them, etc.”

In order that they will be many — your years and the years of your children. If you do this, they will be many, but if not, they will not be many, for the Torah’s statements may be expounded so that the negative infers the positive, and the positive infers the negative.

To give them. “To give you” is not written here, but “to give them.” Thus, we discover the derivation of the revival of the dead from the Torah.

You truly guard. This admonishment includes many warnings. One must be diligent in learning, so that it will not be forgotten.

To walk in all His ways. He is merciful — you should be merciful. He acts kindly — you should act kindly.

And to cling to Him. Is it possible to say this? Is He not a consuming fire? Rather, cling to the disciples and the sages, and I will credit you as if you had clung to Him.

Adonoy will expel. You have fulfilled your obligations — I, too, shall fulfill my obligation.

And more powerful than you. You are powerful, but they are more powerful than you. For, if the Israelites are not powerful, what kind of praise is it by which He extols the Emorites by saying that they are more powerful than you? But rather, you are more powerful than the other nations, and they are more powerful than you.

No man will stand up, etc. I only know a man. A nation, family, or sorceress with her witchcraft — how is this derived? The Torah therefore teaches, “there will not stand up” — in any case. If so, why does the Torah teach “a man”? Even one like Og, king of Bashan.

Fear of you and awe of you. But are not fear and awe the same? Evidently, “fear of you” refers to those nearby, and “awe of you” to those distant. “Fear” denotes sudden fright, ”awe” denotes long term dread.

As he promised you. Where did He promise? “I shall send My fear before you.”

Look, I place a blessing and a curse. To be pronounced at Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival.

The blessing. On condition that you listen.

From the course which I command you this day, to follow. This teaches that anyone who worships idols has strayed from the entire course commanded to Yisroel. From here it is derived that anyone who admits to idolatry denies the entire Torah.

You shall place the blessers. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, יָת מְבָרְכַיּאָ, “The blessers.”

On Mount Gerizim. Towards Mount Gerizim they turned their faces, and opened with the blessing, “Blessed is the man who does not make a sculptured or molten, etc.” All the curses in that chapter were first recited with the word “blessed.” Then they turned their faces towards Mount Eival, and opened with the curse.

Are they not. This provides the landmarks.

Far beyond. Far after the crossing of the Yardein, in the distance beyond, as indicated by the word “beyond.” Wherever אַחֲרֵי — “beyond” is mentioned, the reference is to great distance.

Along the route of the sunset. Beyond the Yardein, toward the west. The cantillation of the passage proves that they are two matters, since they are punctuated with two cantillation symbols; אַחֲרֵי, “far beyond,” is punctuated with the pashta symbol, while דֶרֶךְ, “the route,” is punctuated with the mishpal symbol, and is dotted. If אַחֲרֵי דֶּרֶךְ, “far beyond the route,” were a single phrase, then אַחֲרֵי, “far beyond,” would be punctuated with the meshares symbol — the reverse shofar — and דֶּרֶךְ, “route,” would be punctuated with the pashta symbol, and would be undotted.

Opposite Gilgal. At a distance from Gilgal.

Moreh Plain. This was Shechem, as it is said, “Until the territory of Shechem — until Moreh Plain.”

For you shall pass across the Yardein, etc. The miracles at the Yardein will portend, for you, that you will enter the land and take possession of it.