Devarim 4:1-24

4:1

וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמַע אֶל־הַֽחֻקִּים וְאֶל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר אָֽנֹכִי מְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַעַן תִּֽחְיוּ וּבָאתֶם וִֽירִשְׁתֶּם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם נֹתֵן לָכֶֽם׃

And now Yisroel, listen to the statutes and to the laws that I am teaching you to fulfill, in order that you will live, and will arrive in, and will inherit the land that Adonoy, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

4:2

לֹא תֹסִפוּ עַל־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם וְלֹא תִגְרְעוּ מִמֶּנּוּ לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־מִצְוֺת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶֽם׃

Do not add to the matters that I am commanding you, and do not subtract from them; to guard the commandments of Adonoy, your God, that I am commanding you.

Rashi

לא תספו. כְּגוֹן חָמֵשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בַּתְּפִלִּין, חֲמֵשֶׁת מִינִין בַּלּוּלָב, וְחָמֵשׁ צִיצִיּוֹת, וְכֵן "לֹא תִגְרְעוּ" (ע' ספרי פ' ראה):

Do not add. For instance to place five parshiyos in the tefillin, to take five species [of fruit] for the mitzvah of lulav, to place five fringes [instead of four on one’s garment]; and this also applies to (the command), “And do not subtract from them.”

4:3

עֵֽינֵיכֶם הָֽרֹאוֹת אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה בְּבַעַל פְּעוֹר כִּי כׇל־הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי בַֽעַל־פְּעוֹר הִשְׁמִידוֹ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃

Your eyes have witnessed what Adonoy did regarding Ba’al Peor, that every man who followed Ba’al Peor—Adonoy, your God, destroyed him from within you.

4:4

וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּֽוֹם׃

But you who cling to Adonoy, your God—all of you are alive today.

4:5

רְאֵה ׀ לִמַּדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם בָּאִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

See, I have taught you statutes and laws as I was commanded by Adonoy, my God, to fulfill within the land that you are arriving there to inherit.

4:6

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם כִּי הִוא חׇכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן אֵת כׇּל־הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה וְאָמְרוּ רַק עַם־חָכָם וְנָבוֹן הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּֽה׃

You will preserve and you will fulfill [them], for that [displays] your wisdom and your understanding before the nations, who will hear all these statutes and will say, ‘‘The only wise and understanding people is this great nation.’’

Rashi

ושמרתם. זוֹ מִשְׁנָה:

You will preserve them. This refers to the study of the Mishnah.

ועשיתם. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ (שם):

And you will fulfill them. As literally implied.

כי הוא חכמתכם ובינתכם וגו'. בָּזֹאת תֵּחָשְׁבוּ חֲכָמִים וּנְבוֹנִים לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים:

For that [displays] your wisdom and understanding, etc. Through this you will be considered wise and understanding in the eyes of the nations.

4:7

כִּי מִי־גוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו כַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכׇל־קׇרְאֵנוּ אֵלָֽיו׃

For who is a great nation that has God close to it as [is] Adonoy, our God, whenever we call to Him?

4:8

וּמִי גּוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים צַדִּיקִם כְּכֹל הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּֽוֹם׃

And who is a great nation that has upright statutes and laws, like this entire Torah that I am putting before you today?

Rashi

חקים ומשפטים צדיקם. הֲגוּנִים וּמְקֻבָּלִים:

Upright statutes and laws. That are proper and acceptable.

4:9

רַק הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וּפֶן־יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶֽיךָ׃

Look out for yourself and guard your life exceedingly, lest you forget the words your eyes witnessed, and lest they are removed from your mind, all the days of your life; you will make them known to your children and to your grandchildren.

Rashi

רק השמר לך … פן תשכח את הדברים. אָז, כְּשֶׁלֹּא תִשְׁכְּחוּ אוֹתָם וְתַעֲשׂוּם עַל אֲמִתָּתָם, תֵּחָשְׁבוּ חֲכָמִים וּנְבוֹנִים, וְאִם תְּעַוְּתוּ אוֹתָם מִתּוֹךְ שִׁכְחָה, תֵּחָשְׁבוּ שׁוֹטִים:

[Only] look out for yourself, etc. Lest you forget the words. Then, if you do not forget them, and you fulfill them correctly will you be considered wise and understanding; but if you distort them through forgetfulness, you will be considered fools.

4:10

יוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּחֹרֵב בֶּאֱמֹר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי הַקְהֶל־לִי אֶת־הָעָם וְאַשְׁמִעֵם אֶת־דְּבָרָי אֲשֶׁר יִלְמְדוּן לְיִרְאָה אֹתִי כׇּל־הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם חַיִּים עַל־הָאֲדָמָה וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם יְלַמֵּדֽוּן׃

The day you stood before Adonoy, your God, at Choreiv, when Adonoy said to me, ‘‘Assemble for Me the people, and I will let them hear My statements, so that they will learn to fear Me all the years that they are living on the land, and will teach their sons.’’

Rashi

יום אשר עמדת. מוּסָב עַל מִקְרָא שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ אשר ראו עיניך – יום אשר עמדת בחרב אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ הַקּוֹלוֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִים:

The day you stood. This verse is connected with the preceding verse: “[the words] your eyes witnessed” on the day you stood at Choreiv, where you saw the thunder and lightning.

יִלְמְדוּן. יֵלְפוּן – לְעַצְמָם:

They will learn. For themselves [ יֵלְפוּן ].

יְלַמֵּדוּן. יְאַלְּפוּן – לַאֲחֵרִים:

They will teach. Others. [ יְאַלְפוּן ].

4:11

וַתִּקְרְבוּן וַתַּֽעַמְדוּן תַּחַת הָהָר וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ עַד־לֵב הַשָּׁמַיִם חֹשֶׁךְ עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃

You approached and stood beneath the mountain, while the mountain was burning with fire up to the heart of the heavens—darkness, cloud, and thick cloud.

4:12

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֲלֵיכֶם מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים וּתְמוּנָה אֵינְכֶם רֹאִים זוּלָתִי קֽוֹל׃

Adonoy addressed you from within the fire; you heard the sound of speech, seeing no image, solely sound.

4:13

וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת־בְּרִיתוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים וַֽיִּכְתְּבֵם עַל־שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִֽים׃

He told you His covenant, which He commanded you to fulfill—the ten statements—and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.

4:14

וְאֹתִי צִוָּה יְהֹוָה בָּעֵת הַהִוא לְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים לַעֲשֹׂתְכֶם אֹתָם בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

Adonoy commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and laws, for you to fulfill them in the land that you are crossing over there to inherit.

Rashi

ואתי צוה ה' ללמד אתכם. תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה:

Adonoy commanded me at that time to teach you. This refers to the Oral Law.

4:15

וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כׇּל־תְּמוּנָה בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֲלֵיכֶם בְּחֹרֵב מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ׃

Be extremely cautious for your lives, for you did not see any image on the day Adonoy addressed you at Choreiv from within the fire.

4:16

פֶּן־תַּשְׁחִתוּן וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כׇּל־סָמֶל תַּבְנִית זָכָר אוֹ נְקֵבָֽה׃

Lest you destructively make for yourselves a statue in the image of any form, the representation of a male or a female;

Rashi

סמל. צוּרָה:

סָמֶל . Form.

4:17

תַּבְנִית כׇּל־בְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ תַּבְנִית כׇּל־צִפּוֹר כָּנָף אֲשֶׁר תָּעוּף בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

[or] the representation of any animal that is on earth; [or] the representation of any winged bird that flies in the sky;

4:18

תַּבְנִית כׇּל־רֹמֵשׂ בָּאֲדָמָה תַּבְנִית כׇּל־דָּגָה אֲשֶׁר־בַּמַּיִם מִתַּחַת לָאָֽרֶץ׃

[or] the representation of anything that crawls on the ground; [or] the representation of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth.

4:19

וּפֶן־תִּשָּׂא עֵינֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְֽרָאִיתָ אֶת־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת־הַיָּרֵחַ וְאֶת־הַכּֽוֹכָבִים כֹּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנִדַּחְתָּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לָהֶם וַעֲבַדְתָּם אֲשֶׁר חָלַק יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹתָם לְכֹל הָֽעַמִּים תַּחַת כׇּל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Or lest you raise your eyes heavenward and see the sun or the moon or the stars—the entire host of the heavens—and you will err and bow to them and worship them, when Adonoy, your God, has made them available to all the peoples who are under the whole sky.

Rashi

ופן תשא עיניך. לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בַּדָּבָר וְלָתֵת לֵב לִטְעוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶם:

Or lest you raise your eyes [heavenward] — to speculate about the matter, and to set your heart to blunder after them.

אשר חלק ה'. לְהָאִיר לָהֶם (מגילה ט'); דָּ"אַ לֶאֱלוֹהוֹת, לֹא מְנָעָן מִלִּטְעוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶם אֶלָּא הֶחֱלִיקָם בְּדִבְרֵי הַבְלֵיהֶם לְטָרְדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים ל"ו) "כִּי הֶחֱלִיק אֵלָיו בְּעֵינָיו לִמְצֹא עֲוֹנוֹ לִשְׂנֹא" (עבודה זרה נ"ה):

When Adonoy has made them available to provide them with light. Another explanation: [He made them available] as deities. He did not prevent them from blundering after them, but paved the way for them [to err] through their meaningless speculations, in order to banish them from the world. Similarly it states: “For he smoothes [the way] before his eyes, causing Him [God] to discover his iniquity for which He will hate him.

4:20

וְאֶתְכֶם לָקַח יְהֹוָה וַיּוֹצִא אֶתְכֶם מִכּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל מִמִּצְרָיִם לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם נַחֲלָה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

But Adonoy took you [for Himself] when He took you out of the iron crucible, from Egypt, to be for Him a people-territory like this day.

Rashi

מכור. כּוּר הוּא כְלִי שֶׁמְּזַקְּקִים בּוֹ אֶת הַזָּהָב:

[Iron] crucible. This is a vessel in which gold is refined.

4:21

וַֽיהֹוָה הִתְאַנַּף־בִּי עַל־דִּבְרֵיכֶם וַיִּשָּׁבַע לְבִלְתִּי עׇבְרִי אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן וּלְבִלְתִּי־בֹא אֶל־הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָֽה׃

Yet Adonoy grew angry at me on account of your statements, and He swore that I would not cross the Yardein and would not enter the good land that Adonoy, your God, is giving you as territory.

Rashi

התאנף. נִתְמַלֵּא רֹגֶז:

Grew angry. He was filled with wrath.

על דבריכם. עַל אוֹדוֹתֵיכֶם, עַל עִסְקֵיכֶם:

On account of your statements. Because of your attitude and your actions.

4:22

כִּי אָנֹכִי מֵת בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֵינֶנִּי עֹבֵר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן וְאַתֶּם עֹֽבְרִים וִֽירִשְׁתֶּם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּֽאת׃

For I am to die in this land, I am not crossing the Yardein; but you are crossing, and will inherit this good land.

Rashi

כי אנכי מת וגו' אינני עבר. מֵאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת מֵהֵיכָן יַעֲבֹר? אֶלָּא אַף עַצְמוֹתַי אֵינָם עוֹבְרִים (ספרי במדבר כ"ז):

For I am to die — I am not crossing. Since he was to die, how was he to cross? But [what he meant was] “even my bones will not cross over.”

4:23

הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּֽן־תִּשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת־בְּרִית יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת עִמָּכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כֹּל אֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

Look out for yourselves lest you forget the covenant of Adonoy, your God, that He made with you, and you make for yourselves a statue—an image of anything—that Adonoy, your God, commanded you.

Rashi

תמונת כל. תְּמוּנַת כָּל דָּבָר:

An image of anything. The likeness of any object.

אשר צוך ה'. אֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת:

That Adonoy commanded you. That He commanded you not to make.

4:24

כִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא אֵל קַנָּֽא׃ {פ}

For Adonoy, your God, is a consuming fire, a jealous Almighty.

Rashi

אל קנא. מְקַנֵּא לִנְקֹם, אנפר"מנט בְּלַעַז, מִתְחָרֶה עַל רָגְזוֹ לְהִפָּרַע מֵעוֹבְדֵי עֲ"זָ:

A jealous Almighty. He is jealous to take vengeance; In Old French — emportement. His anger is glowing to punish those who worship idols.

Devarim 4:1-24 דברים ד׳:א׳-כ״ד

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