Vayikra 26:14-26 ויקרא כ״ו:י״ד-כ״ו

ואם לא תשמעו לי. לִהְיוֹת עֲמֵלִים בַּתּוֹרָה, לָדַעַת מִדְרַשׁ חֲכָמִים. יָכוֹל לְקִיּוּם הַמִּצְווֹת? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וְגוֹ' הֲרֵי קִיּוּם מִצְווֹת אָמוּר, הָא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם וְאִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ לִי? לִהְיוֹת עֲמֵלִים בַּתּוֹרָה, וּמַה תַּ"לֹ לִי? אֵין לִי אֶלָּא זֶה הַמַּכִּיר אֶת רִבּוֹנוֹ וּמְכַוֵּן לִמְרֹד בּוֹ, וְכֵן בְּנִמְרוֹד "גִּבּוֹר צַיִד לִפְנֵי ה'" (בראשית י'), שֶׁמַּכִּירוֹ וּמִתְכַּוֵּן לִמְרֹד בּוֹ, וְכֵן בְּאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם "רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים לַה' מְאֹד" (שם י"ג), מַכִּירִים אֶת רִבּוֹנָם וּמִתְכַּוְּנִים לִמְרֹד בּוֹ (ספרא):

ואם לא תשמעו לי BUT IF YE WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME to study the Torah laboriously in order to fathom the textual interpretation of the Sages…, I also will do this unto you, etc. One might think that this refers to the fulfillment of the commandments! When, however, Scripture states immediately afterwards: “and ye will not do [all my commandments]”, it is evident that the fulfilment of the commandments is mentioned there! How, then, must I explain לא תשמעו לי? Obviously as meaning: “But if you will not hearken unto Me to study the Torah industriously” as I bid you do when I said אם בחקתי תלכו (cf. Rashi on v. 3). And what is the force of the word לי? (To express this idea would it not have sufficed to state: ואם לא תשמעו?) It implies that your disobedience is directed לי against Me. The word לי is used only in the case of such a one who knows his Master and yet of set purpose rebels against Him (i. e. the entire chapter containing these threats of punishment is addressed only to such a person, not to one who sins against God unwittingly). Similarly in reference to Nimrod: (Genesis 10:9) “a mighty hunter before (לפני) the Lord” which means that he knew Him and yet of set purpose rebelled against him. Similarly in reference to the men of Sodom: (Genesis 13:13) “[But the men of Sodom were] evil and sinful against the Lord ('לה‎) exceedingly” — they knew their Master and yet of set purpose rebelled against him (Sifra, Bechukotai, Section 2 1-2; cf. Rashi on those two verses).

ולא תעשו. מִשֶּׁלֹּא תִלְמְדוּ לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ, הֲרֵי שְׁתֵּי עֲבֵרוֹת:

ולא תעשו AND YOU WILL NOT DO — Because you will not learn you will not practice the commandments: thus you have two separate sins mentioned here (Sifra, Bechukotai, Section 2 3).

ואם בחקתי תמאסו. מוֹאֵס בַּאֲחֵרִים הָעוֹשִׂים:

ואם בחקתי תמאסו AND IF YE WILL SCORN MY ORDINANCES — scorn those who practise them.

משפטי תגעל נפשכם. שׂוֹנֵא הַחֲכָמִים:

משפטי תגעל נפשם [IF] YOUR SOUL LOTH MY JUDGMENTS — This implies hating the Sages.

לבלתי עשות. מוֹנֵעַ אֶת אֲחֵרִים מֵעֲשׂוֹת:

לבלתי עשות (lit., that my commandments should not be done) — this therefore implies that one prevents others from practising them. (That they themselves do not do them has already been stated in v. 14).

את כל מצותי. כּוֹפֵר שֶׁלֹּא צִוִּיתִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתַי" וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר "אֶת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת":

את כל מצותי ALL MY COMMANDMENTS — This refers to him who denies the Divine origin of the commandments, asserting that I have not commanded them. It is for this reason that Scripture states, “all My commands” and does not state, as in v. 14, "all these commands”.

להפרכם את בריתי. כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָּר; הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע עֲבֵרוֹת, הָרִאשׁוֹנָה גוֹרֶרֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה, וְכֵן עַד הַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: לֹא לָמַד, וְלֹא עָשָׂה, מוֹאֵס בַּאֲחֵרִים הָעוֹשִׂים, שׂוֹנֵא אֶת הַחֲכָמִים, מוֹנֵעַ אֶת הָאֲחֵרִים, כּוֹפֵר בַּמִּצְווֹת, כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָּר:

להפרכם את בריתי TO MAKE VOID MY COVENANT — denying the great principle of the existence of God (Sifra, Bechukotai, Section 2 3). — Thus you have here seven sins the first of which brings the second in its train and so on to the seventh. And these are: he has not studied and therefore has not practised the commandments; consequently he scorns others who do practise them, hates the Sages, prevents others from practising, denies the Divine origin of the commandments, and finally denies the existence of God.

והפקדתי עליכם. וְצִוִּיתִי עֲלֵיכֶם:

והפקדתי עליכם means, I will order upon you the following calamities.

השחפת. חֹלִי שֶׁמְּשַׁחֵף אֶת הַבָּשָׂר, אנפו"ליש בלעז, דּוֹמֶה לְנָפוּחַ שֶׁהוּקַלָּה נְפִיחָתוֹ וּמַרְאִית פָּנָיו זְעוּפָה:

שחפת CONSUMPTION — A disease which swells the flesh, ampoules in old French; it resembles a thing that has been distended, the distension of which has become reduced — and the appearance of his (the sick man’s) face is thin and woebegone.

הקדחת. חֹלִי שֶׁמַּקְדִּיחַ אֶת הַגּוּף וּמְחַמְּמוֹ וּמַבְעִירוֹ, כְּמוֹ "כִּי אֵשׁ קָדְחָה בְאַפִּי" (דברים ל"ב):

קדחת is a disease which inflames the body, makes it hot and burning (feverish). It is similar in meaning to the verb in, (Deuteronomy 32:22) “For a fire burns (קדחה) in My nostril”.

מכלות עינים ומדיבת נפש. הָעֵינַיִם צוֹפוֹת וְכָלוֹת לִרְאוֹת שֶׁיֵּקַל וְיֵרָפֵא, וְסוֹף שֶׁלֹּא יֵרָפֵא, וְיִדְאֲבוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת שֶׁל מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ בְּמוֹתוֹ; כָּל תַּאֲוָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ בָּאָה וְתוֹחֶלֶת מְמֻשָּׁכָה קְרוּיָה כִלְיוֹן עֵינַיִם:

מכלות עינים ומדיבת נפש THAT THE EYES PINE AND CAUSE SORROW TO THE SOUL — The eyes look expectantly and pine to see that he (the sick) should be relieved and healed, and in the end it turns out that he is not healed, and the souls of his family grieve when he dies. Any desire that does not come to fulfilment and any hope deferred is termed כליון עינים, “pining of the eyes”.

וזרעתם לריק. תִּזְרְעוּ וְלֹא תִצְמַח, וְאִם תִּצְמַח ואכלהו איביכם:

וזרעתם לריק AND YE SHALL SOW [YOUR SEED] IN VAIN — ye shall sow your seed but it shall not grow — and if it does grow, ואכלוהו איביכם YOUR ENEMIES SHALL EAT IT.

אף אני אעשה זאת. אֵינִי מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא בְּאַף, וְכֵן "אַף אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם בְּקֶרִי" (פסוק מ"א):

אף אני אעשה זאת — I speak to you only with the expression אף. Similarly it states, (v. 41) “So, too, (אף) I will walk contrary unto them”.

והפקדתי עליכם. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַמַּכּוֹת פּוֹקְדוֹת אֶתְכֶם מִזוֹ לְזוֹ, עַד שֶׁהָרִאשׁוֹנָה פְקוּדָה אֶצְלְכֶם, אָבִיא אַחֶרֶת וְאֶסְמְכֶנָּה לָהּ:

והפקדתי עליכם I WILL ORDER UPON YOU denotes that the calamities will come upon you from one to another — while the first will still be on visit to you (will afflict you) I will bring another and add it to that.

בהלה. מַכָּה הַמְבַהֶלֶת אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְאֵי זוֹ? זוֹ מַכַּת מוֹתָן:

בהלה is a plague that causes terror upon people. And what is that? It is an epidemic plague of pestilence.

את השחפת. יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁהוּא חוֹלֶה וּמֻטָּל בַּמִּטָּה אֲבָל בְּשָׂרוֹ שָׁמוּר עָלָיו, תַּ"לֹ "שַׁחֶפֶת", שֶׁהוּא נִשְׁחָף, אוֹ עִתִּים שֶׁהוּא נִשְׁחָף אֲבָל נֹחַ וְאֵינוֹ מַקְדִּיחַ, תַּ"לֹ "וְאֶת הַקַּדַּחַת", מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהוּא מַקְדִּיחַ, אוֹ עִתִּים שֶׁהוּא מַקְדִּיחַ אֲבָל סָבוּר הוּא בְעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיִּחְיֶה, תַּ"לֹ "מְכַלּוֹת עֵינַיִם", אוֹ הוּא אֵינוֹ סָבוּר בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיִּחְיֶה, אֲבָל אֲחֵרִים סְבוּרִים שֶׁיִּחְיֶה, תַּ"לֹ "וּמְדִיבֹת נָפֶשׁ":

את השחפת THE CONSUMPTION — You may have a person that is sick and even confined to his bed, but his flesh is in a well-preserved state; therefore Scripture states, “I will visit you with שחפת” — that he will waste away. Or there are times that he may be wasting away but is calm and without fever, Scripture therefore states, “I will visit you with… קדחת” — that he will be in a fever. Or there are times that he may be in a fever but still cherishes the belief that he will recover (and therefore is easy in mind), Scripture therefore states, “I will visit you… with fever that shall make the eyes pine”. Or there may be the last stage when he cherishes no belief that he will recover, but others (his relatives) cherish the belief that he will recover, Scripture therefore states, “I will visit you with… fever… that shall cause sorrow of soul (utter despair).

וזרעתם לריק זרעכם. זוֹרְעָהּ וְאֵינָהּ מַצְמַחַת, וּמֵעַתָּה מָה אוֹיְבֵיכֶם בָּאִים וְאוֹכְלִים? תַּ"לֹ "וַאֲכָלֻהוּ אֹיְבֵיכֶם", הָא כֵיצַד? זוֹרְעָהּ שָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה וְאֵינָהּ מַצְמַחַת, שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה מַצְמַחַת, וְאוֹיְבִים בָּאִים וּמוֹצְאִים תְּבוּאָה לִימֵי הַמָּצוֹר, וְשֶׁבִּפְנִים מֵתִים בָּרָעָב, שֶׁלֹּא לִקְּטוּ תְּבוּאָה אֶשְׁתָּקַד; דָּ"אַ: "וּזְרַעְתֶּם לָרִיק זַרְעֲכֶם", כְּנֶגֶד הַבָּנִים וְהַבָּנוֹת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁאַתָּה עָמֵל בָּהֶם וּמְגַדְּלָן, וְהַחֵטְא בָּא וּמְכַלֶּה אוֹתָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲשֶׁר טִפַּחְתִּי וְרִבִּיתִי אֹיְבִי כִלָּם" (איכה ב'):

וזרעתם לריק זרעכם — One shall sow it (the soil) but it shall not grow grain. Well, then, what does it mean when it states that your enemies will come and eat?. How is this possible? But the explanation is: One shall sow it (the soil) the first year and it will not yield; the next year, however, it will yield, and then the enemies will come and will find grain for the time of siege, whilst those within the beleaguered city will die of famine because they will have gathered no grain the year before. Another explanation of וזרעתם לריק זרעכם is: Scripture is speaking in reference to your sons and daughters — you will rear them only after much toil but sin, the enemy, will come and destroy them, as it is said, (i. e. a similar thought is expressed in the text) (Lamentations 2:22) “those that I have swaddled and brought up mine enemy hath consumed”.

ונתתי פני. פְּנַאי שֶׁלִּי — פּוֹנֶה אֲנִי מִכָּל עֲסָקַי לְהָרַע לָכֶם:

ונתתי פני AND I WILL SET פני [AGAINST YOU] — i. e. פנאי שלי, My leisure, — I will turn away from all My other affairs in order to do you evil (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 17:20).

ורדו בכם שנאיכם. כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, יִשְׁלְטוּ בָכֶם: אַגָּדַת תֹּ"כֹּ מִפָּרָשָׁה זוֹ:

ורדו בכם שנאיכם — These words mean exactly what they imply: THEY THAT HATE YOU SHALL RULE OVER YOU. — The Agadic explanation of the Torat Cohanim (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 4 1-5) on this section is as follows:

ונתתי פני בכם. כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּטּוֹבָה "וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם", כָּךְ נֶאֱמַר בָּרָעָה "וְנָתַתִּי פָנַי"; מָשְׁלוּ מָשָׁל, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר לַעֲבָדָיו, פּוֹנֶה אֲנִי מִכָּל עֲסָקַי וְעוֹסֵק אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם לְרָעָה:

ונתתי פני בכם — Even as it is stated in the case of the promise of good (v. 9), “I will turn (ופניתי) unto you” so is it stated also with regard to the threat of evil “I will set My face (פני) against you”. They (the Sages) illustrated this by a parable: it may be compared to the case of a king who said to his subjects, “I will turn away from all My other affairs and will devote myself to you alone — for evil”.

ונגפתם לפני איביכם. שֶׁיְּהֵא הַמָּוֶת הוֹרֵג אֶתְכֶם מִבִּפְנִים, וּבַעֲלֵי דְבָבֵיכוֹן מַקִּיפִין אֶתְכֶם מִבַּחוּץ:

ונגפתם לפני איביכם — (This may signify: and ye shall be plagued in the presence of your enemies) — it means that death (pestilence — נגף) will kill you within the city whilst your enemies are besieging you outside (cf. the first Agadic comment on ‎וזרעתם לריק ).

ורדו בכם שנאיכם. שֶׁאֵינִי מַעֲמִיד שׂוֹנְאִים אֶלָּא מִכֶּם וּבָכֶם, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם עוֹמְדִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵינָם מְבַקְּשִׁים אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁבַּגָּלוּי, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר "וְהָיָה אִם זָרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעָלָה מִדְיָן וַעֲמָלֵק וּבְנֵי קֶדֶם וְגוֹ' וַיַּחֲנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וַיַּשְׁחִיתוּ אֶת יְבוּל הָאָרֶץ" (שופטים ו'), אֲבָל בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲעֲמִיד עֲלֵיכֶם מִכֶּם וּבָכֶם, הֵם מְחַפְּשִׂים אַחַר הַמַּטְמוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁלָּכֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַאֲשֶׁר אָכְלוּ שְׁאֵר עַמִּי וְעוֹרָם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם הִפְשִׁיטוּ וְגוֹ'" (מיכה ג'):

‎ ורדו בכם שנאיכם — ‎(בכם is taken to signify: those who are amongst you) — this means that I will raise up haters of you only out of your own people and in your own midst. Internal enemies (שונאים) are a greater curse than external enemies (אויבים) for when the nations of the world rise against Israel they seek only what lies in the open, as it is said, (Judges 6:3, 4) “And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east,… and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the land”; but when I raise up against you those of your own people and in your own midst they search also after your hidden treasures. And thus it states, (Micah 3:1—3) “[Hear, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel…] who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them etc.”

ונסתם. מִפְּנֵי אֵימָה:

ונסתם AND YE SHALL RUN AWAY — from sheer panic,

ואין רדף אתכם. מִבְּלִי כֹחַ (ספרא):

ואין רדף אתכם WHEN NONE PURSUETH YOU, since there is no strength in them to do so.

ואם עד אלה. וְאִם בְּעוֹד אֵלֶּה לא תשמעו:

ואם עד אלה means AND IF, WHILE THESE ARE YET with you,לא תשמעו YOU WILL NOT HEARKEN,

ויספתי. עוֹד יִסּוּרִין אַחֵרִים:

ויספתי — This together with ליסרה means, THEN I WILL ADD still other afflictions,

שבע על חטאתיכם. שֶׁבַע פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת עַל שֶׁבַע עֲבֵרוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת לְמַעְלָה:

שבע על חטאתיכם SEVEN punishments FOR THE seven SINS which were mentioned above (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 1).

ושברתי את גאון עזכם. זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "הִנְנִי מְחַלֵּל אֶת מִקְדָּשִׁי גְּאוֹן עֻזְּכֶם" (יחזקאל כ"ד):

ושברתי את גאון עזכם AND I WILL BREAK THE EXCELLENCY OF YOUR STRENGTH — This is a reference to the Temple; for thus does it state, (Ezekiel 24:21) “Behold I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength”.

ונתתי את שמיכם כברזל ואת ארצכם כנחשה. זוֹ קָשָׁה מִשֶּׁל מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁשָּׁם הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהָיוּ שָׁמֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשְׁךָ נְחֹשֶׁת וְגו'" (דברים כ"ח), שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם מַזִּיעִין כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַנְּחֹשֶׁת מַזִּיעָה, וְהָאָרֶץ אֵינָהּ מַזִּיעָה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֵין הַבַּרְזֶל מַזִּיעַ, וְהִיא מְשַׁמֶּרֶת פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ, אֲבָל כָּאן הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יִהְיוּ מַזִּיעִין כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֵין הַבַּרְזֶל מַזִּיעַ, וִיהֵא חֹרֶב בָּעוֹלָם, וְהָאָרֶץ תְּהֵא מַזִּיעָה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַנְּחֹשֶׁת מַזִּיעָה, וְהִיא מְאַבֶּדֶת פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ (ספרא):

ונתתי את שמיכם כברזל ואת ארצכם כנחשה AND I WILL MAKE YOUR HEAVEN AS IRON AND YOUR EARTH AS COPPER — This threat is even severer than that of Moses, because there it says, (Deuteronomy 28:23) “And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be copper, [and the earth that is under thee shall be iron]” which implies that the heaven will at least exude moisture (will give some humidity) just as the copper exudes moisture, whilst the earth will not exude just as iron does not exude, and so it will keep its fruit in good condition, since it will not be too humid. Here, however, Scripture threatens that the heaven will not exude moisture, just as iron does not exude, and there will therefore be draught in the world, whilst the earth will exude (be too humid) just as copper sweats, and it will consequently make its fruits perish (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 3).

ותם לריק כחכם. הֲרֵי אָדָם שֶׁלֹּא עָמַל, שֶׁלֹּא חָרַשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא זָרַע, שֶׁלֹּא נִכֵּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא כִּסֵּחַ, שֶׁלֹּא עָדַר, וּבִשְׁעַת הַקָּצִיר בָּא שִׁדָּפוֹן וּמַלְקֶה אוֹתוֹ, אֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם, אֲבָל אָדָם שֶׁעָמַל וְחָרַשׁ וְזָרַע וְנִכֵּשׁ וְכִסֵּחַ וְעָדַר וּבָא שִׁדָּפוֹן וּמַלְקֶה אוֹתוֹ, הֲרֵי שִׁנָּיו שֶׁל זֶה קֵהוֹת:

ותם לריק כחכם AND YOUR STRENGTH SHALL BE SPENT IN VAIN — Behold, if a man does not toil in his field — neither tills, nor sows, nor weeds it, nor clears away the thorns, nor hoes it, and then at harvest time blight comes and strikes it (the field, i. e. destroys that which sprung up of itself), surely it does not matter much (he does not take it to heart). But if a man has toiled — he has ploughed, sown, weeded, cleared away the thorns and hoed it, and then blight comes and strikes it, surely then the teeth of that man become blunt! (a figurative expression for becoming speechless, terror-stricken) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 4).

ולא תתן ארצכם את יבולה. אַף מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה מוֹבִיל לָהּ בִּשְׁעַת הַזֶּרַע (ספרא):

ולא תתן ארצכם את יבולה — This means, the earth shall not yield even as much as you brought to it at sowing-time (יבולה as passive participle with suffix of יבל “to bring”, may denote: that which is brought to it) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 4).

ועץ הארץ. אֲפִלּוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ יְהֵא לָקוּי, שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲנִיט פֵּרוֹתָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַחֲנָטָה (שם):

ועץ הארץ AND THE TREE OF THE GROUND [SHALL NOT YIELD] — This implies that even from the very earth a curse will rest upon it — that it will not bring its fruits to development at the time when they should develop (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 4).

לא יתן. מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה, אָעֵץ וְאַפְּרִי:

לא יתן serves as the verb with what precedes and with what follows — with “tree” and with “fruit”. Thus we obtain a second sense —

לא יתן פריו. כְּשֶׁהוּא מַפְרֶה מַשִּׁיר פֵּרוֹתָיו, הֲרֵי שְׁתֵּי קְלָלוֹת, וְיֵשׁ כָּאן שֶׁבַע פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת (ספרא):

לא יתן פריו IT WILL NOT GIVE ITS FRUIT — when it does produce fruit, it will cast its fruits (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 4). This gives two curses, and so you have here seven punishments in all.

ואם תלכו עמי קרי. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ עֲרַאי, בְּמִקְרֶה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לִפְרָקִים, כֵּן תֵּלְכוּ עֲרַאי בְּמִצְווֹת; וּמְנַחֵם פֵּרֵשׁ לְשׁוֹן מְנִיעָה, וְכֵן "הֹקַר רַגְלְךָ" (משלי כ"ה), וְכֵן "יְקַר רוּחַ" (שם י"ז), וְקָרוֹב לָשׁוֹן זֶה לְתַרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס, לְשׁוֹן קֹשִׁי, שֶׁמַּקְשִׁין לִבָּם לִמָּנַע מֵהִתְקָרֵב אֵלַי:

ואם תלכו עמי קרי — Our Rabbis said (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 5): this word signifies “irregularly”, “by chance” (מקרה), which is a thing that happens only occasionally; thus this means: if you will follow the commandments irregularly. Menachem explains it as an expression for “refraining”. Similar is, (Proverbs 25:17) “Refrain (הוקר) thy foot [from thy neighbour’s house]”; (Proverbs 17:27) “of a refraining (יקר) spirit”. This meaning approximates to the translation given by Onkelos which is a term denoting “stubbornness” (קושי) — that they harden their hearts so as to refrain from coming near unto Me.

שבע כחטאתיכם. שֶׁבַע פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת אֲחֵרִים, בְּמִסְפַּר שֶׁבַע כְּחַטֹּאתֵיכֶם (ספרא):

שבע כחטאתיכם SEVEN ACCORDING TO YOUR SINS — i. e. seven other punishments. These words mean: I will bring upon you more plagues (ויספתי עליכם מכה) in number, seven, corresponding to your sins (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 5).

והשלחתי. לְשׁוֹן גֵּרוּי:

והשלחתי is an expression for “inciting”.

ושכלה אתכם. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא חַיָּה מְשַׁכֶּלֶת שֶׁדַּרְכָּהּ בְּכָךְ, בְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּהּ בְּכָךְ מִנַּיִן? תַּ"לֹ "וְשֶׁן בְּהֵמֹת אֲשַׁלַּח בָּם" (דברים ל"ב), הֲרֵי שְׁתַּיִם. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁתְּהֵא מְמִיתָה בִנְשִׁיכָתָהּ? תַּ"לֹ "עִם חֲמַת זֹחֲלֵי עָפָר" (שם), מָה אֵלּוּ נוֹשְׁכִין וּמְמִיתִין אַף אֵלּוּ נוֹשְׁכִין וּמְמִיתִין, כְּבָר הָיוּ שָׁנִים בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמוֹר נוֹשֵׁךְ וּמֵמִית, עָרוֹד נוֹשֵׁךְ וּמֵמִית:

ושכלה אתכם [I WILL INCITE THE WILD ANIMALS AGAINST YOU] WHICH WILL ROB YOU OF YOUR CHILDREN — I find here mention only of wild animals robbing them of their children, i. e. of animals whose nature consists in this (to attack human beings); whence do we know that cattle whose nature is not thus will also rob them of their children? Because it states in a similar series of threats (Deuteronomy 32:24) “I will also incite (אשלח) the teeth of cattle (בהמות) against them”. — Thus you have two of the seven calamities mentioned above (the attacks of wild beasts and of cattle). And whence do we know that it (the cattle) will kill by its bite? Because Scripture states immediately afterwards, “with the poison of serpents of the dust". How is it in the case of these (the serpents)? They bite and kill by their bite! So, too, will those (the cattle) bite and thus kill. There were indeed such years in the Land of Israel when both a tame ass bit someone and caused his death and the wild ass bit and caused death (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 6).

ושכלה אתכם. אֵלּוּ הַקְּטַנִּים:

ושכלה אתכם AND THEY WILL ROB YOU OF YOUR CHILDREN — This means your little children.

והכריתה את בהמתכם. מִבַּחוּץ:

והכריתה את בהמתכם AND THEY WILL DESTROY YOUR CATTLE — those being outside in the fields (and so unable to escape the attacks of wild beasts),

והמעיטה אתכם. מִבִּפְנִים:

והמעיטה אתכם AND REDUCE YOUR NUMBERS — you being inside in the houses (reduce your numbers and not destroy entirely, for some of you will be able to escape).

ונשמו דרכיכם. שְׁבִילִים גְּדוֹלִים וּשְׁבִילִים קְטַנִּים; הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת: שֵׁן בְּהֵמָה, וְשֵׁן חַיָּה, חֲמַת זוֹחֲלֵי עָפָר, וְשִׁכְּלָה, וְהִכְרִיתָה, וְהִמְעִיטָה, וְנָשַׁמּוּ:

ונשמו דרכיכם AND YOUR ROADS SHALL BE DESOLATE — both the highways and the by-paths (דרכיכם plural!) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 5 7). — Here again you have seven punishments: 1) the teeth of domestic animals, 2) the teeth of wild animals, 3) the venom of the crawling things of the dust, 4) and they will bereave , 5) utterly destroy, 6) and diminish, 7) and [your roads] will become desolate.

לא תוסרו לי. לָשׁוּב אֵלַי:

‎‏ לא תוסרו לי‏AND IF YOU WILL NOT BE CHASTISED — so that you should return unto Me.

נקם ברית. יֵשׁ נָקָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּבְּרִית, כְּדֶרֶךְ שְׁאָר נְקָמוֹת, וְזֶהוּ סִמּוּי עֵינָיו שֶׁל צִדְקִיָּהוּ (ספרא). דָּ"אַ: נקם ברית נִקְמַת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר עֲבַרְתֶּם. כָּל הֲבָאַת חֶרֶב שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא הִיא מִלְחֶמֶת חֲיָלוֹת אוֹיְבִים:

נקם ברית [AND I WILL BRING UPON YOU A SWORD AVENGING] THE VENGEANCE OF THE COVENANT — Scripture speaks of “the vengeance of the covenant” because there is vengeance which is not mentioned in “The Covenant” (i. e. in this chapter of Scripture) being in the manner of other acts of vengeance (i. e. like the barbarous acts of revenge that are customary among other peoples, but which are not threatened in the Torah), and such a one was the blinding of the eyes of king Zedekiah (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 1; cf. 2 Kings 25:7). Another explanation of נקם ברית is that it means vengeance for My covenant which you have transgressed. Wherever “bringing of the sword” is mentioned in Scripture it signifies a war waged by the enemies’ armies.

ונאספתם. מִן הַחוּץ אֶל תּוֹךְ הֶעָרִים מִפְּנֵי הַמָּצוֹר (שם):

ונאספתם AND YE SHALL GATHER YOURSELVES from outside (from the open country) WITHIN YOUR CITIES on account of the state of siege (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 1).

ושלחתי דבר בתוככם. עַ"יְ הַדֶּבֶר ונתתם ביד הָאוֹיְבִים הַצָּרִים עֲלֵיכֶם, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מְלִינִים אֶת הַמֵּת בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, וּכְשֶׁהֵם מוֹצִיאִים אֶת הַמֵּת לְקָבְרוֹ נִתָּנִין בְּיַד אוֹיֵב (שם):

ושלחתי דבר בתוככם AND I WILL SEND THE PESTILENCE AMONG YOU, and through the pestilence it will happen, ונתתם ביד THAT YOU WILL BE GIVEN INTO THE HAND of the enemies who besiege you. This is because no corpse was permitted to remain in Jerusalem over night, and therefore when they would carry the corpse out of the city to bury it they would be given (they would fall) into the hands of their enemies (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 1).

מטה לחם. לְשׁוֹן מִשְׁעָן, כְּמוֹ מַטֵּה עֹז (ירמיהו מ"ח):

מטה לחם THE STAFF OF YOUR BREAD: מַטֵּה — This expression denotes [a source of] “support”, similar to “staff (מַטֵּה) of strength” (Jeremiah 48:17).

בשברי לכם מטה לחם. אֶשְׁבֹּר לָכֶם כָּל מִסְעַד אֹכֶל, וְהֵם חִצֵּי רָעָב (יחזקאל ה'):

בשברי לכם מטה לחם WHEN I BREAK THE STAFF OF YOUR BREAD — This implies: “I will break for you every support of food”. These are the “arrows of famine” alluded to by Ezekiel (5:16), for he continues with exactly the same words: “and I will break your staff of bread” (cf. Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 2).

ואפו עשר נשים לחמכם בתנור אחד. מֵחֹסֶר עֵצִים (ספרא):

בתנור אחד [TEN WOMEN SHALL BREAK YOUR BREAD] IN ONE OVEN — on account of scarcity of wood (fuel) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 2).

והשיבו לחמכם במשקל. שֶׁתְּהֵא הַתְּבוּאָה נִרְקֶבֶת וְנַעֲשֵׂית פַּת נְפֹלֶת, וּמִשְׁתַּבֶּרֶת בַּתַּנּוּר, וְהֵן יוֹשְׁבוֹת וְשׁוֹקְלוֹת אֶת הַשְּׁבָרִים לְחַלְּקָם בֵּינֵיהֶם (שם):

והשיבו לחמכם במשקל AND THEY SHALL DELIVER YOUR OWN BREAD AGAIN BY WEIGHT, because the grain will rot and the bread will become פת נפולת (crumbly bread) and break into pieces in the oven, so that they (the women) will deliberately weigh the pieces in order to divide them between themselves (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 2).

ואכלתם ולא תשבעו. זֶהוּ מְאֵרָה בְּתוֹךְ הַמֵּעַיִם בַּלֶּחֶם, הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת: חֶרֶב, מָצוֹר, דֶּבֶר, שֶׁבֶר מַטֵּה לֶחֶם, חֹסֶר עֵצִים, פַּת נְפֹלֶת, מְאֵרָה בַמֵּעַיִם; וְנִתַּתֶּם אֵינָהּ מִן הַמִּנְיָן, הִיא הַחֶרֶב:

ואכלתם ולא תשבעו AND YE SHALL EAT AND NOT BE SATISFIED — This is a special curse that will take effect on the bread already in their stomach (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 2; cf. Rashi on v. 5). Thus you have seven punishments (alluded to in v. 24): (1) the attacking armies, (2) the siege, (3) the plague, (4) the destruction of food supply, (5) a lack of wood, (6) crumbly bread and (7) a curse in the intestines.