Devarim 12:29-13:1 דברים י״ב:כ״ט-י״ג:א׳

פן תנקש. אֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם לְשׁוֹן מוֹקֵשׁ, וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא חָשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק בַּלָּשׁוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ נוּ"ן בִּלְשׁוֹן יוֹקֵשׁ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לַיְסוֹד הַנּוֹפֵל מִמֶּנּוּ, אֲבָל בִּלְשׁוֹן טֵרוּף וְקִשְׁקוּשׁ מָצִינוּ נוּ"ן, "וְאַרְכֻּבָתֵהּ דָא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן" (דניאל ה'); וְאַף זֶה אֲנִי אוֹמֵר "פֶּן תִּנָּקֵשׁ אַחֲרֵיהֶם" – פֶּן תִּטָּרֵף אַחֲרֵיהֶם, לִהְיוֹת כָּרוּךְ אַחַר מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם; וְכֵן (תהילים ק"ט) "יְנַקֵּשׁ נוֹשֶׁה לְכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ" – מְקַלֵּל אֶת הָרָשָׁע לִהְיוֹת עָלָיו נוֹשִׁים רַבִּים וְיִהְיוּ מַחֲזִירִין וּמִתְנַקְּשִׁין אַחַר מָמוֹנוֹ:

Lest you are torn apart. Onkelos’ interpretation is that the reference is to a pitfall. In my opinion, he was not exacting in following the literal meaning, for we never find the letter ‘ נ in the word יוֹקֵשׁ, “pitfall,” even as a root letter which is sometimes dropped. However, in reference to tearing apart and violent shaking, we find the ‘ נ, “His knees knocked against each other.” Here, too, my rendition is, “Lest you are torn apart with them,” by emulating their activities. Similarly, “Let the debtor jostle after all his possessions.” He curses the villain, wishing him numerous debtors who will jostle one another in pursuit of his money.

אחרי השמדם מפניך. אַחַר שֶׁתִּרְאֶה שֶׁאַשְׁמִידֵם מִפָּנֶיךָ, יֵשׁ לְךָ לָתֵת לֵב מִפְּנֵי מָה נִשְׁמְדוּ אֵלּוּ, מִפְּנֵי מַעֲשִׂים מְקֻלְקָלִים שֶׁבִּידֵיהֶם, אַף אַתָּה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כֵן שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹאוּ אֲחֵרִים וְיַשְׁמִידוּךָ (עי' ספרי):

After they have been annihilated before you. After you observe when I have annihilated them before you, focus your attention as to why I annihilated them — because of their decadent behavior. So you refrain from emulating them so that no one come to annihilate you.

איכה יעבדו. לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא עָנַשׁ עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֶלָּא עַל זִבּוּחַ וְקִטּוּר וְנִסּוּךְ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות כ"ב) "בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ" – דְּבָרִים הַנַּעֲשִׂים לַגָּבוֹהַּ, בָּא וְלִמֶּדְךָ כָאן שֶׁאִם דַּרְכָּהּ שֶׁל עֲ"זָ לְעָבְדָהּ בְּדָבָר אַחֵר, כְּגוֹן פּוֹעֵר לִפְעוֹר וְזוֹרֵק אֶבֶן לְמַרְקוּלִיס, זוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְחַיָּב, אֲבָל זִבּוּחַ וְקִטּוּר וְנִסּוּךְ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה – אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא כְדַרְכָּהּ חַיָּב (סנהדרין ס'):

How did . . . worship? Since no punishment was specified for idol worship except for slaughtering, burning, pouring libations, or prostrating oneself, as it is written, “For the sake of none but Adonoy alone” — activities generally performed for the sake of the Supreme Being. This passage proceeds to teach that, if it is customary to worship an idol with some other ritual for example, exposing oneself for the sake of Peor, or casting a stone for the sake of Markolis — then that is its recognized worship form, and [the worshiper] is liable. However, for slaughtering, burning, pouring libations, and prostrating oneself, even when not customary, one is liable.

כי גם את בניהם. "גַּם" – לְרַבּוֹת אֶת אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם וְאִמּוֹתֵיהֶם; אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אֲנִי רָאִיתִי גוֹי שֶׁכְּפָתוֹ לְאָבִיו לִפְנֵי כַלְבּוֹ וַאֲכָלוֹ (ספרי):

For, even their sons. “Even” includes their fathers and mothers. R’ Akiva said, ‘I saw a Gentile tie his father before his dog, who then ate him.’

את כל הדבר. קַלָּה כַּחֲמוּרָה (שם):

Everything. The less significant as well as the greatly consequential.

תשמרו לעשות. לִתֵּן לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה עַל עֲשֵׂה הָאֲמוּרִים בַּפָּרָשָׁה, שֶׁכָּל הִשָּׁמֶר לְשׁוֹן לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה הוּא, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין לוֹקִין עַל הִשָּׁמֶר שֶׁל עֲשֵׂה (מכות י"ג):

Be careful to fulfill. This adds a negative command to the positive commands stated in this chapter, as “be careful” always denotes a negative command, except that one is not punished with lashes for violating “be careful” when it is added to a positive command.

לא תסף עליו. חֲמִשָּׁה טֹטָפוֹת, חֲמִשָּׁה מִינִין בַּלּוּלָב, אַרְבַּע בְּרָכוֹת לְבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (ספרי):

Do not add to it. Five totafos with the tefilin, five species with the lulav, four benedictions with the priestly benediction.