Devarim, Aliyah 2 דברים, שני

יסף עליכם ככם אלף פעמים. מַהוּ שׁוּב ויברך אתכם כאשר דבר לכם? אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ לוֹ, מֹשֶׁה אַתָּה נוֹתֵן קִצְבָּה לְבִרְכוֹתֵינוּ? כְּבָר הִבְטִיחַ הַקָּבָּ"ה אֶת אַבְרָהָם "אֲשֶׁר אִם יוּכַל אִישׁ לִמְנוֹת וְגוֹ'" (בראשית י"ג), אָמַר לָהֶם זוֹ מִשֶּׁלִּי הִיא, אֲבָל הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָכֶם (ספרי):

[He] will add to you one thousandfold. What is the significance of the additional words: And will bless you as He spoke about you? They [Bnei Yisroel] said to Moshe, “You are limiting our blessing, the Holy One blessed is He, has already assured Avrohom, “[I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth] so that if a man can count, etc.” [Moshe then] said to them, “This [one thousandfold blessing] is my personal blessing, but He will bless you “As He spoke about you.”

איכה אשא לבדי. אִם אֹמַר לְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, לֹא אוּכַל, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם לֹא מֵעַצְמִי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם אֶלָּא מִפִּי הַקָּבָּ"ה:

How can I carry alone. If I would say, [“I will do so] in order to be rewarded,” I cannot do so. This is what I have [already] told you, “I did not say this to you on my own accord but by the order of the Holy One Blessed is He.”

טרחכם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל טַרְחָנִין – הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם רוֹאֶה אֶת בַּעַל דִּינוֹ נוֹצֵחַ בַּדִּין, אוֹמֵר יֵשׁ לִי עֵדִים לְהָבִיא, יֵשׁ לִי רְאָיוֹת לְהָבִיא, מוֹסִיף אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם דַּיָּנִין:

Your troublesomeness. This teaches us that Bnei Yisroel were troublesome. If one of them would see that his rival was about to win the Din Torah, he would say, “I have [additional] witnesses to bring, I have [more] proof to bring, I want to add additional judges over you.”

ומשאכם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִין, הִקְדִּים מֹשֶׁה לָצֵאת, אָמְרוּ מָה רָאָה בֶן עַמְרָם לָצֵאת? שֶׁמָּא אֵינוֹ שָׁפוּי בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ; אֵחַר לָצֵאת, אָמְרוּ מָה רָאָה בֶן עַמְרָם שֶׁלֹּא לָצֵאת? מָה אַתֶּם סְבוּרִים? יוֹשֵׁב וְיוֹעֵץ עֲלֵיכֶם עֵצוֹת רָעוֹת וְחוֹשֵׁב עֲלֵיכֶם מַחֲשָׁבוֹת:

Your burdensomeness. This teaches that they were scoffers. When Moshe left his tent early [in the morning], they would say, “Why does the son of Amram leave so early? Perhaps things are not calm in his house”? When he left late, they would say, “For what reason is the son of Amram not leaving? What do you think [is the reason]? He is sitting and planning evil schemes against you, and is thinking up plots [against you].”

ורבכם. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹגְנִים (ספרי):

Contentiousness. This teaches that they were discontented.

הבו לכם. הַזְמִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם לַדָּבָר:

Provide yourselves [men] Prepare yourselves to fulfil this matter.

אנשים. וְכִי תַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ נָשִׁים, מַה תַּ"לֹ אֲנָשִׁים? צַדִּיקִים, כְּסוּפִים:

Men. Would you think [that he expected them to take] women [as leaders]? Why then was it necessary to stipulate “men”? [To emphasize that they should be] righteous men, Men who are desired. Wise men.

חכמים ונבנים. מְבִינִים דָבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר; זוֹ הִיא שֶׁשָּׁאַל אֲרִיּוֹס אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסֵי מַה בֵּין חֲכָמִים לִנְבוֹנִים? חָכָם דּוֹמֶה לְשֻׁלְחָנִי עָשִׁיר, כְּשֶׁמְּבִיאִין לוֹ דִּינָרִין לִרְאוֹת רוֹאֶה, וּכְשֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִין לוֹ יוֹשֵׁב וְתוֹהֵא, נָבוֹן דּוֹמֶה לְשֻׁלְחָנִי תַּגָּר, כְּשֶׁמְּבִיאִין לוֹ מָעוֹת לִרְאוֹת רוֹאֶה, וּכְשֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִין לוֹ, הוּא מְחַזֵּר וּמֵבִיא מִשֶּׁלּוֹ (ספרי):

Understanding. Men who are able to deduce one matter on the basis of another matter. This is what Arius asked R’ Yosi, “What is the difference between wise men and understanding men”? A wise man is like a wealthy currency dealer, when people bring him dinarim to evaluate, he evaluates them; and when they do not bring to him, he sits and is idle. An understanding man is like a commercial trader, when they bring him coins to evaluate, he evaluates them; and when they do not bring to him, he goes about to bring his own.

וידעים לשבטיכם. שֶׁהֵם נִכָּרִים לָכֶם, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְפָנַי מְעֻטָּף בְּטַלִּיתוֹ, אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי הוּא וּמֵאֵי זֶה שֵׁבֶט הוּא, וְאִם הָגוּן הוּא, אֲבָל אַתֶּם מַכִּירִין בּוֹ, שֶׁאַתֶּם גִּדַּלְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וִידֻעִים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם (ספרי):

And renowned to your tribes. those that are known to you, for if he would come before me enwrapped in his talis, I would not know who he is, and from which tribe he comes, and if he is qualified; but you know him, for you have raised him. Therefore it is said, “And renowned to your tribes.”

בראשיכם. רָאשִׁים וּמְכֻבָּדִים עֲלֵיכֶם – שֶׁתִּהְיוּ נוֹהֲגִין בָּהֶם כָּבוֹד וְיִרְאָה:

Leaders over you. Leaders and men of honor over you, that you will conduct yourselves with them with respect and reverence.

ואשמם. חָסֵר יוֹ"ד, לִמֵּד שֶׁאַשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּלוּיוֹת בְּרָאשֵׁי דַּיָּנֵיהֶם, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם לִמְחוֹת וּלְכַוֵּן אוֹתָם לַדֶּרֶךְ הַיְשָׁרָה (ספרי):

And designated them. The word אַשִׂמֵם lacks the letter yud (our sifrei Torah however have the yud in place). This teaches that the guilt of Bnei Yisroel is placed on the heads of their judges (leaders) for it is their duty to admonish and direct them onto the right path.

ותענו אתי וגו'. חֲלַטְתֶּם אֶת הַדָּבָר לַהֲנָאַתְכֶם; הָיָה לָכֶם לְהָשִׁיב, רַבֵּנוּ מֹשֶׁה, מִמִּי נָאֶה לִלְמֹד, מִמְּךָ אוֹ מִתַּלְמִידְךָ? לֹא מִמְּךָ שֶׁנִּצְטַעַרְתָּ עָלֶיהָ? אֶלָּא יָדַעְתִּי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם, הֱיִיתֶם אוֹמְרִים עַכְשָׁו יִתְמַנּוּ עָלֵינוּ דַּיָּנִין הַרְבֵּה, אִם אֵין מַכִּירֵנוּ, אָנוּ מְבִיאִין לוֹ דוֹרוֹן וְהוּא נוֹשֵׂא לָנוּ פָנִים (שם):

And you answered me [and said]. You answered with determination to your benefit. You should have replied, “Moshe, our teacher, from whom is it more fitting to learn, from you or from your disciple? Would it not be better [to learn] from you who suffered for it?” But I knew your thoughts when you said, now many judges will be appointed over us, if he is not of our acquaintance, we will bring him a present (bribe), and he will deal favorably with us.

לעשות. אִם הָיִיתִי מִתְעַצֵּל, אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים עֲשֵׂה מְהֵרָה (שם):

To do. [Even] if I had been sluggish [in doing so], you [would have] said “Do it quickly.”

ואקח את ראשי שבטיכם. מְשַׁכְתִּים – אַשְׁרֵיכֶם, עַל מִי בָּאתֶם לְהִתְמַנּוֹת? עַל בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ אַחִים וְרֵעִים, חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה, וְכָל לְשׁוֹן חִבָּה (שם):

I took the leaders of your tribes. I persuaded them with words: Fortunate are you! Over whom are you to be appointed? Over the children of Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov, over those who are called [by the Almighty] [His] bretheren, friends, [His] portion, inheritance, and by every expression of affection.

אנשים חכמים וידעים. אֲבָל נְבוֹנִים לֹא מָצָאתִי; זוֹ אַחַת מִשֶּׁבַע מִדּוֹת שֶׁאָמַר יִתְרוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה וְלֹא מָצָא אֶלָּא שָׁלוֹשׁ, אנשים צַדִּיקִים, חכמים, וידעים (שם):

Men wise and renowned. But men of understanding I did not find. This qualification was one of the seven requirements which Yisro outlined to Moshe. [Moshe] found only three of them: righteous men, wise men, and men of renown.

ראשים עליכם. שֶׁתִּנְהֲגוּ בָהֶם כָּבוֹד, רָאשִׁים בְּמֶקַח, רָאשִׁים בְּמִמְכָּר, רָאשִׁים בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, נִכְנָס אַחֲרוֹן וְיוֹצֵא רִאשׁוֹן (שם):

Leaders over You. You must show them respect: [they must be given] first to buy, first chance to sell, first chance in business dealings; he is to enter [the Synagogue or Bais Hamidrash] last and he is to be first to leave.

שרי אלפים. אֶחָד מְמֻנֶּה עַל אֶלֶף:

Masters of thousands. One who is appointed [to govern] over one thousand.

שרי מאות. אֶחָד מְמֻנֶּה עַל מֵאָה:

Master of hundreds. One who is appointed [to govern] over one hundered.

ושטרים. מִנִּיתִי עֲלֵיכֶם לשבטיכם – אֵלּוּ הַכּוֹפְתִין וְהַמַּכִּין בִּרְצוּעָה עַל פִּי הַדַּיָּנִין (עי' שם):

Court-officers. I appointed court-officers for your tribes. These jail and flog the offender by order of judges.

ואצוה את שפטיכם. אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם הֱווּ מְתוּנִין בַּדִּין – אִם בָּא דִּין לְפָנֶיךָ פַּעַם אַחַת, שְׁתַּיִם, וְשָׁלוֹשׁ, אַל תֹּאמַר כְּבָר בָּא דִּין זֶה לְפָנַי פְּעָמִים הַרְבֵּה, אֶלָּא הֱיוּ נוֹשְׂאִים וְנוֹתְנִים בּוֹ (שם):

I commanded your judges. I said to them, ”Act with patience in judging. If certain litigation is brought before you once, twice and three times, do not say ‘this litigation has already been before me many times,’ but deliberate the case thoroughly.”

בעת ההוא. מִשֶּׁמִּנִּיתִים אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם אֵין עַכְשָׁיו כִּלְשֶׁעָבַר, לְשֶׁעָבַר הֱיִיתֶם בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמְכֶם, עַכְשָׁו הֲרֵי אַתֶּם מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לַצִּבּוּר (שם):

At that time. When I appointed them, I said to them, “The situation now is no longer as it was. In the past you were on your own, [but] now you are obligated to the community.”

שמע. לְשׁוֹן הֹוֶה, אודנ"ט בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ זָכוֹר, שָׁמוֹר:

Listen. שָׁמֹעַ is a grammatical form denoting present active, odant in Old French, similar to זָכוֹר remember, and שָׁמוֹר preserve.

ובין גרו. זֶה בַּעַל דִּינוֹ שֶׁאוֹגֵר עָלָיו דְּבָרִים; דָּ"אַ ובין גרו, אַף עַל עִסְקֵי דִּירָה בֵּין חֲלֻקַּת אַחִים, אֲפִלּוּ בֵּין תַּנּוּר לְכִירַיִם (שם; סנהדרין ז'):

And between his complainant. This refers to his complainant in a litigation who accumulates words against him. Another explanation — between his co-dweller — even refers to a dispute concerning a dwelling such as the division of a house between brothers, even [a dispute] about an oven and a range.

לא תכירו פנים במשפט. זֶה הַמְמֻנֶּה לְהוֹשִׁיב הַדַּיָּנִים, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי נָאֶה אוֹ גִּבּוֹר, אוֹשִׁיבֶנּוּ דַיָּן, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי קְרוֹבִי, אוֹשִׁיבֶנּוּ דַּיָּן בָּעִיר, וְהוּא אֵינוֹ בָּקִי בְדִינִין, נִמְצָא מְחַיֵּב אֶת הַזַּכַּאי וּמְזַכֶּה אֶת הַחַיָּב, מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עַל מִי שֶׁמִּנָּהוּ כְּאִלּוּ הִכִּיר פָּנִים בַּדִּין:

Do not show favor in judgement. This [command is addressed] to the one who appoints judges, he should not say, “This person is handsome or powerful, I will appoint him to be a judge; this person is my relative, I will appoint him to be a judge in the city,” and since this person is not an expert in the laws, consequently, he will convict the innocent, and acquit the guilty. I will consider it against the one who appointed him as though he showed favor in judgement.

כקטן כגדל תשמעון. שֶׁיְּהֵא חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ דִּין שֶׁל פְּרוּטָה כְּדִין שֶׁל מֵאָה מָנֶה, שֶׁאִם קָדַם וּבָא לְפָנֶיךָ, לֹא תְסַלְּקֶנּוּ לָאַחֲרוֹן. דָּ"אַ — כקטן כגדל תשמעון כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר זֶה עָנִי הוּא וַחֲבֵרוֹ עָשִׁיר וּמְצֻוֶּה לְפַרְנְסוֹ, אֲזַכֶּה אֶת הֶעָנִי וְנִמְצָא מִתְפַּרְנֵס בִּנְקִיּוּת; דָּ"אַ — שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר הֵיאַךְ אֲנִי פּוֹגֵם כְּבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל עָשִׁיר זֶה בִּשְׁבִיל דִּינָר, אֲזַכֶּנּוּ עַכְשָׁיו, וּכְשֶׁיּוֹצֵא לַחוּץ אֹמַר לוֹ תֵּן לוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה חַיָּב לוֹ (שם):

Small and great alike will you hear out. Litigation involving a peruta should be as dear to you as litigation involving a hundred maneh, so if a [minor litigation] comes before you first, do not push it off until the last. Another explanation: Small and great alike will you hear out, can be explained as the Targum Onkelos has it: [hear out the words of the small as well as the great person,] i.e., he should not say, “This one is a poor man, and his friend [opponent] is a rich man and since he is commanded to support him, I will rule in favor of the poor man and thus he will be supported in a tidy manner.” Another explanation: He should not say, “How can I offend the dignity of this rich man because of one dinar? I will rule in his favor for the moment, and when he goes outside [the court] I will say to him ‘give it back to him because you [really] owe it to him.”’

לא תגורו מפני איש. לֹא תִּירְאוּ; דָּ"אַ — לא תגורו לֹא תַכְנִיס דְּבָרֶיךָ מִפְּנֵי אִישׁ, לְשׁוֹן "אֹגֵר בַּקַּיִץ" (משלי י'):

Do not fear any man. Do not be afraid. Another explanation of לֹא תָגוּרוּ : Do not gather in [suppress] your words because of man. תָגוּרוּ is an expression similar to אוֹגֵר בְּקַיִץ — Gathering in the summer.

כי המשפט לאלהים הוא. מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה נוֹטֵל מִזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא כַדִּין, אַתָּה מַזְקִיקֵנִי לְהַחֲזִיר לוֹ, נִמְצָא שֶׁהִטֵּיתָ עָלַי הַמִּשְׁפָּט (סנהדרין ח'):

For justice belongs to God. Whatever you take from this man unjustly, you force Me to restore to him. The result being that you diverted the judgement upon Me.

תקרבון אלי. עַל דָּבָר זֶה נִסְתַּלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפַּט בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד (שם); וְכֵן שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר לְשָׁאוּל (שמואל א ט') "אָנֹכִי הָרוֹאֶה", אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה רוֹאֶה, וְאֵימָתַי הוֹדִיעוֹ? כְּשֶׁבָּא לִמְשֹׁחַ אֶת דָּוִד (שמואל א ט"ז) "וַיַּרְא אֶת אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמֶר אַךְ נֶגֶד ה' מְשִׁיחוֹ", אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה וְלֹא אָמַרְתָּ אָנֹכִי הָרֹאֶה? "אַל תַּבֵּט אֶל מַרְאֵהוּ" (ספרי):

Present to me. Because of this [statement] the law eluded him regarding the daughters of Tselofchod. Similarly, when Shmuel said to Shaul, “I am the Seer [prophet],” the Holy One Blessed is He said to him, “By your life! I will inform you that you are not a Seer [prophet].” When did He inform him? When he (Shmuel) came to anoint Dovid [it is written] “And when he saw Eliav, he said, ‘Surely before Adonoy stands His anointed.’ The Holy One blessed is He, said to him (Shmuel), “Did you not say ‘I am the Seer,’ do not look at the physical appearance.”

את כל הדברים אשר תעשון. אֵלּוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבֵּין דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת לְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת (שם):

All the things that you are to do. This refers to the ten things that differentiate between monetary litigations and capital litigations.

המדבר הגדול והנורא. שֶׁהָיוּ בוֹ נְחָשִׁים כְּקוֹרוֹת, וְעַקְרַבִּים כִּקְשָׁתוֹת (שם):

The Great and awesome wilderness. [It is so called] because in there were snakes thick as beams and scorpions large as bows.