Chumashחומש

ואכלתם ישן נושן. הַפֵּרוֹת יִהְיוּ מִשְׁתַּמְרִין וְטוֹבִים לְהִתְיַשֵּׁן, שֶׁיְּהֵא יָשָׁן הַנּוֹשָׁן שֶׁל שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנִים יָפֶה לֶאֱכֹל מִשֶּׁל אֶשְׁתָּקַד (בבא בתרא צ"א):

ואכלתם ישן נושן AND YE SHALL EAT STORE OF FORMER YEARS (lit., ye shall eat old that has become old) — This involves a promise that the fruits (grain) will be fit to keep the whole year and will even be of such good quality as to become old, so that the old grain that has grown old, that which is in its third year, will be better for food than that of the last year (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 3 1; cf. Bava Batra 91b).

וישן מפני חדש תוציאו. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַגְּרָנוֹת מְלֵאוֹת חָדָשׁ וְהָאוֹצָרוֹת מְלֵאוֹת יָשָׁן, וּצְרִיכִים אַתֶּם לְפַנּוֹת הָאוֹצָרוֹת לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר, לָתֵת הֶחָדָשׁ לְתוֹכָן (שם):

וישן מפני חדש תוציאו AND YE SHALL CLEAR OUT THAT OF THE FORMER YEARS BECAUSE OF THE NEW — because the threshing floors in the fields will be full of new grain while the granaries are still full of the old, so that you will have to clear the granaries out into another place in order to place the new fruit in them (for this requires a dry place to preserve them, while the old fruit has already become dry and may therefore be removed from the granaries) (Bava Batra 91b)

ונתתי משכני. זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (ספרא: עירובין ב'):

ונתתי משכני AND I WILL SET MY DWELLING [AMONGST YOU] — This means the Temple at Jerusalem (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 3 2; Eruvin 2a).

ולא תגעל נפשי. אֵין רוּחִי קָצָה בָכֶם; כָּל גְּעִילָה לְשׁוֹן פְּלִיטַת דָּבָר הַבָּלוּעַ בְּדָבָר, כְּמוֹ "כִּי שָׁם נִגְעַל מָגֵן גִּבּוֹרִים" (שמואל ב א') — לֹא קִבֵּל הַמְּשִׁיחָה, שֶׁמּוֹשְׁחִין מָגֵן שֶׁל עוֹר בְּחֵלֶב מְבֻשָּׁל כְּדֵי לְהַחֲלִיק מֵעָלָיו מַכַּת חֵץ אוֹ חֲנִית, שֶׁלֹּא יִקֹּב הָעוֹר:

ולא תגעל נפשי אתכם This means AND MY SPIRIT SHALL NOT LOATHE YOU. The root געל wherever it occurs denotes the casting out (as though spewing) or something that has been absorbed in another substance. In a similar sense the verb is used in (II Samuel 1:21) “For there the shield of the mighty was נגעל, [the shield of Saul, as though it had never been anointed with oil]”, i. e. it did not show itself receptive to being anointed, but ejected, as it were, the oily substance with which it had been smeared; for they used to smear leather shields with boiled fat in order to make the blow of the arrow or the spear glide off, so that it should not penetrate the leather. (Thus, when two things have been in the closest association, the term געל may be used of that which finally discards the other. It spews it out, as it were, it is sick of it, loathes it.)

והתהלכתי בתוככם. אֲטַיֵּל עִמָּכֶם בְּגַן עֵדֶן כְּאֶחָד מִכֶּם, וְלֹא תִהְיוּ מִזְדַּעְזְעִים מִמֶּנִּי, יָכוֹל לֹא תִירְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי, תַּ"לֹ "וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים" (ספרא):

והתהלכתי בתוככם AND I WILL WALK AMONG YOU — I will, as it were, walk with you in the Garden of Eden as though I were one of yourselves and you will not be frightened of Me. One might think that this implies: you will not fear (reverence) Me! Scripture however states, “but I will be your God” (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 3 3-4).

אני ה' אלהיכם. כְּדַאי אֲנִי שֶׁתַּאֲמִינוּ בִי שֶׁאֲנִי יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל אֵלֶּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְעָשִׂיתִי לָכֶם נִסִּים גְּדוֹלִים:

אני ה׳ אלהיכם I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD [WHO BROUGHT YOU FORTH FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT] — I deserve that you should put your trust in Me that I am able to do all these things, for, behold, I brought you forth from the land of Egypt and have wrought great miracles for you (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 3 4).

מטת. כְּמִין יָתֵד בִּשְׁנֵי רָאשֵׁי הָעֹל הַמְעַכְּבִים הַמּוֹסֵרָה שֶׁלֹּא תֵצֵא מֵרֹאשׁ הַשּׁוֹר וְיַתִּיר הַקֶּשֶׁר, כְּמוֹ "עֲשֵֹה לְךָ מוֹסֵרוֹת וּמֹטוֹת" (ירמיהו כ"ז), קבילייא בְּלַעַז:

מטות are a kind of peg inserted in both ends of the yoke which hold back the strap from slipping off the head of the ox whereby the knot might become undone. Similar is (Jeremiah 27:2). “Make thee strips and poles (מטות)”; cheville, in old French, English pins.

קוממיות. בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה (ספרא):

קוממיות means erect in stature (in contrast to the bent position of a person who is under a yoke) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 3 7).

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.

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:

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 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.

במתיכם. מִגְדָּלִים וּבִירָנִיּוֹת:

במתיכם YOUR HIGH PLACES — towers and castles.

חמניכם. מִין עֲ"זָ שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין עַל הַגַּגּוֹת, וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין בַּחַמָּה, קְרוּיִין חַמָּנִים (ספרא ויקרא י"ט):

חמניכם SUN IMAGES — a kind of idols which they used to set on their roofs; and because they were placed in the sun (חמה) they are called “sun images” (חמנים) (Sifra, Kedoshim, Section 1 11).

ונתתי את פגריכם. תְּפוּחֵי רָעָב הָיוּ, וּמוֹצִיאִים יִרְאָתָם מֵחֵיקָם וּמְנַשְּׁקִים אוֹתָם, וּכְרֵיסָן נִבְקַעַת וְנוֹפֵל עָלֶיהָ (ספרא; סנהדרין ס"ג):

ונתתי את פגריכם AND I WILL CAST YOUR CARCASSES [UPON THE CARCASSES OF YOUR IDOLS] —[This actually happened, for it is related (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 4; Sanhedrin 63b) that] people were once swollen from starvation during a siege, and yet they took their idols from their bosom and kissed them, and whilst they were so doing each person’s belly burst open and he fell to the ground upon it (the idol).

וגעלה נפשי אתכם. זֶה סִלּוּק שְׁכִינָה (ספרא):

וגעלה נפשי אתכם AND MY SOUL SHALL LOATHE YOU — This refers to the departure of the Shechinah from their midst (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 4).

ונתתי את עריכם חרבה. יָכוֹל מֵאָדָם, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִי אֲנִי אֶת הָאָרֶץ הֲרֵי אָדָם אָמוּר, הָא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם חָרְבָּה? מֵעוֹבֵר וָשָׁב:

ונתתי את עריכם חרבה AND I WILL MAKE YOUR CITIES WASTE — I might think that this means that they will be so waste that there will be no human being there (no inhabitants)! But when Scripture states (v. 32) “I will bring the land into desolation” its becoming desolate of human beings is expressed there. How, then, must I explain the words "[and I will make your cities] waste”? That there will not even be occasional passers to and fro — no occasional visitors (cf. Sifra, Bechukotai, Section 1 4).

והשמותי את מקדשיכם. יָכוֹל מִן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְלֹא אָרִיחַ הֲרֵי קָרְבָּנוֹת אֲמוּרִים, הָא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם וַהֲשִׁמּוֹתִי אֶת מִקְדְּשֵׁיכֶם? מִן הַגְּדוּדִיּוֹת — שַׁיָּרוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְקַדְּשׁוֹת וְנוֹעָדוֹת לָבֹא שָׁם; הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת: אֲכִילַת בְּשַׂר בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וְהַשְׁמָדַת בָּמוֹת הֲרֵי שְׁתַּיִם — כְּרִיתוּת חַמָּנִים אֵין כָּאן פֻּרְעָנוּת, אֶלָּא עַ"יְ הַשְׁמָדַת הַבִּירָנִיּוֹת יִפְּלוּ הַחַמָּנִים שֶׁבְּרָאשֵׁי הַגַּגּוֹת וְיִכָּרְתוּ — וְנָתַתִּי אֶת פִּגְרֵיכֶם וְגוֹ' הֲרֵי שָׁלוֹשׁ, סִלּוּק שְׁכִינָה אַרְבַּע, חֻרְבַּן עָרִים, שִׁמְמוֹן מִקְדָּשׁ מִן הַגְּדוּדִיּוֹת, וְלֹא אָרִיחַ קָרְבָּנוֹת, הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע:

והשמותי את מקדשיכם AND I WILL BRING YOUR SANCTUARIES UNTO DESOLATION — I might think that this means they will be desolate of sacrifices! But when Scripture states, “and I will not smell [your pleasing odors]”, their being desolate of sacrifices is expressed there! How then must I explain והשמותי את מקדשיכם? As referring to their being abandoned by the bands of pilgrims — by the caravans of Israelites which used to prepare and to band together in order to pilgrim there (Sifra, Bechukotai, Section 1 4). Thus again you have seven punishments: the eating of the flesh of their sons and daughters, the destruction of the high places, these make two. — The cutting off of the sun-images, however, is not reckoned as a separate punishment, for that statement means that through the destruction of the high places the sun-images which were placed on the top of the roofs would fall and so be destroyed. — “I will cast your carcasses etc.”, three; the departure of the Shechinah, four; the laying waste of the cities, the desertion of the Sanctuary by the pilgrim bands and “I shall not smell the pleasing odor of the sacrifices” — make altogether seven.

והשמתי אני את הארץ. זוֹ מִדָּה טוֹבָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא יִמְצְאוּ הָאוֹיְבִים נַחַת רוּחַ בְּאַרְצָם, שֶׁתְּהֵא שׁוֹמֵמָה מִיּוֹשְׁבֶיהָ (ספרא):

והשמתי אני את הארץ AND I WILL BRING THE LAND INTO DESOLATION [AND YOUR ENEMIES WHO ABIDE IN IT SHALL BE DESOLATE UPON IT] — This was a kindly measure for Israel that the enemies would find no satisfaction in their (the Israelites') land and so it would become desolate of its inhabitants (of the enemies also, and Israel might again easily take possession of it) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 5).

ואתכם אזרה בגוים. זוֹ מִדָּה קָשָׁה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה גּוֹלִים לְמָקוֹם אֶחָד, רוֹאִים זֶה אֶת זֶה וּמִתְנַחֲמִין, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל נִזְרוּ כְבַמְּזָרֶה — כְּאָדָם הַזּוֹרֶה שְׂעוֹרִים בְּנָפָה וְאֵין אַחַת מֵהֶן דְּבוּקָה בַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ (שם):

ואתכם אזרה בגוים AND I WILL SCATTER YOU AMONG THE NATIONS — This again was a harsh measure; because when the inhabitants of a country go into exile in one and the same place they have the opportunity to see each other and so find consolation for their bad lot. Israel, however, was scattered as though by a winnowing fan — as when a man winnows barley with a fan — when not even one grain of them adheres to the other (not even two grains remain in the same place; cf. Jeremiah 25:7) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 6).

והריקתי. כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹלֵף הַחֶרֶב מִתְרוֹקֵן הַנָּדָן; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ חֶרֶב הַנִּשְׁמֶטֶת אַחֲרֵיכֶם אֵינָהּ חוֹזֶרֶת מַהֵר, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמֵּרִיק אֶת הַמַּיִם וְאֵין סוֹפָן לַחֲזֹר (ספרא):

והריקתי — (lit., I shall empty out) — This term may be used for drawing the sword because when one draws the sword the scabbard becomes empty (cf. Rashi on Ex 15:9). A Midrashic explanation (referring the word והריקתי to the sword itself not to the scabbard) is the sword once drawn to pursue you will not soon return unto the scabbard — as a man pours out water and it can never return to the vessel that once contained it (i. e. I will, as it were, empty out the scabbard — pour forth the sword from it, and it shall never return, but always follow you) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 6 7).

והיתה ארצכם שממה. שֶׁלֹּא תְמַהֲרוּ לָשׁוּב לְתוֹכָהּ, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ עָרֵיכֶם יִהְיוּ חָרְבָּה — נִרְאוֹת לָכֶם חֲרֵבוֹת, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָדָם גּוֹלֶה מִבֵּיתוֹ וּמִכַּרְמוֹ וּמֵעִירוֹ וְסוֹפוֹ לַחֲזֹר, כְּאִלּוּ אֵין כַּרְמוֹ וּבֵיתוֹ חֲרֵבִים, כָּךְ שְׁנוּיָה בְּתֹ"כֹּ:

והיתה ארצכם שממה AND YOUR LAND WILL BE (REMAIN) DESOLATE — This implies that you will not soon return unto it, and on that account עריכם יהיו חריבה YOUR CITIES WILL BE WASTE, i. e. they will seem to you waste; for when a man is exiled from his house, or from his vineyard, or from his city, knowing that he is ultimately to return to it, it appears to him as though his vineyard or his house were not waste. —Thus is it explained in Torat Cohanim (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 7 1).

אז תרצה. תְּפַיֵּס אֶת כַּעַס הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁכָּעַס עַל שְׁמִטּוֹתֶיהָ:

אז תרצה means: then the land shall appease the wrath of the Omnipresent who was angry because of the neglect of the Sabbatical years.

והרצת. לַמֶּלֶךְ את שבתתיה:

והרצת — means, it will give satisfaction to the King as regards its Sabbatical years.

כל ימי השמה. לְשׁוֹן הֵעָשׂוֹת, וּמֵ"ם דָּגֵשׁ בִּמְקוֹם כֵּפֶל שְׁמָמָה:

כל ימי השמה — The word השמה expresses the idea of something being done (passive infinitive; here Hophal); and the מ has a Dagesh in place of doubling that letter in the root שמם.

את אשר לא שבתה. שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁל גָּלוּת בָּבֶל הֵן הָיוּ כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים שְׁנוֹת הַשְּׁמִטָּה וְיוֹבֵל שֶׁהָיוּ בַּשָּׁנִים שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַרְצָם לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם — אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים שָׁנָה; שְׁלוֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְתִשְׁעִים הָיוּ שְׁנֵי עֲוֹנָם מִשֶּׁנִּכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ עַד שֶׁגָּלוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים, וּבְנֵי יְהוּדָה הִכְעִיסוּ לְפָנָיו אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה מִשֶּׁגָּלוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים עַד חָרְבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּיחֶזְקֵאל "וְאַתָּה שְׁכַב עַל צִדְּךָ הַשְּׂמָאלִי וְגוֹ', וְכִלִּיתָ אֶת אֵלֶּה וְגוֹ', וְשָׁכַבְתָּ עַל צִדְּךָ הַיְמָנִי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְנָשָׂאתָ אֶת עֲוֹן בֵּית יְהוּדָה", וּנְבוּאָה זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה לִיחֶזְקֵאל בַּשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִשִּׁית לְגָלוּת הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוֹיָכִין, וְעוֹד עָשׂוּ שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים עַד גָּלוּת צִדְקִיָּהוּ, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעִים וְשֵׁשׁ; וְאִ"תֹּ שְׁנוֹת מְנַשֶּׁה חֲמִשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ הָיוּ, מְנַשֶּׁה עָשָֹה תְשׁוּבָה שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנָה, וְכָל שְׁנוֹת רִשְׁעוֹ עֶשְֹרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּאַגָּדַת חֵלֶק, וְשֶׁל אָמוֹן שְׁתַּיִם, וְאַחַת עֶשְֹרֵה לִיהוֹיָקִים, וּכְנֶגְדָּן לְצִדְקִיָּהוּ; צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב לְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנָה שְׁמִטִּין וְיוֹבְלוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶם, וְהֵם שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֶה לְמֵאָה — אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שְׁמִטִּין וּשְׁנַיִם יוֹבְלוֹת, הֲרֵי לְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה שִׁשִּׁים וְאַרְבַּע, לִשְׁלוֹשִׁים וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנָה חָמֵשׁ שְׁמִטּוֹת, הֲרֵי שִׁבְעִים חָסֵר אַחַת, וְעוֹד שָׁנָה יְתֵרָה, שֶׁנִּכְנְסָה בַשְּׁמִטָּה הַמַּשְׁלֶמֶת לְשִׁבְעִים, וַעֲלֵיהֶם נִגְזַר שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה שְׁלֵמִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָמִים (דברי הימים ב' ל"ו), עַד רָצְתָה הָאָרֶץ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתֶיהָ … לְמַלֹּאות שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה (סדר עולם):

את אשר לא שבתה BECAUSE IT DID NOT REST [IN YOUR SABBATHS] — The seventy years of the Babylonian exile exactly corresponded to the seventy Sabbatical and Jubilee years that were due in those years when Israel was provoking the anger of the Omnipresent whilststill in their land, i. e. in 430 years. Three hundred and ninety were their years of sin from the time they entered the Land until the Ten Tribes went into exile. The people of the Kingdom of Judah provoked Him still another forty years, — from the exile of the Ten Tribes until the destruction of Jerusalem (in the days of king Jehoiachin; cf. 2 Kings 24:10 ff.). It is this that is mentioned in the case of Ezekiel (4:4—6): “Moreover lie thou upon thy left, [and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it, thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be unto thee a number of days, even three hundred and ninety days…]. And again, when thou hast accomplished these, thou shalt lie on thy right side, and shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days [each day for a year have I appointed it unto thee]”. This prophecy was spoken to Ezekiel in the fifth year of king Jeoiachin’s captivity (cf. Ezekiel 1:2). They spent another six years in the Land until Zedekiah (the last king, who reigned eleven years) went into exile; thus you have altogether forty-six years. — And if you say “But this period must have covered more than forty-six years because the years of the reign of Manasseh (the son of Hezekiah during whose reign the Ten Tribes became exiled), were alone 55 years, and there followed other kings also until the destruction of the Temple!” Then I reply that Manasseh lived in a state of repentence 33 years of these and that the years of his wickedness with which alone we are concerned were only twenty-two, as it is said, (2 Kings 21:3) “For he (Manasseh)… made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel”, and Ahab reigned 22 years, just as they (the Rabbis) stated (i. e. they stated that this comparison of Manasseh with Ahab shows that the latter was wicked for 22 years only) in the chapter Chelek (Sanhedrin 103a). Then we have the years of his successor, Amon, two; eleven of Jehoiakin, and a similar number of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah — altogether 46 years. Now, go and calculate for four hundred and thirty-six years the number of Sabbatical and Jubilee periods contained in them and you will find that they are sixteen for every hundred years, viz., fourteen Sabbatical periods and two Jubilee-periods; so for four hundred years there are sixty-four. For the remaining thirty-six there are five Sabbatical periods, making seventy less one. There is yet one year over (the thirty-sixth, since five Sabbatical periods give only thirty-five years) which entered into (began) the Sabbatical period and which completes seventy such periods, each terminating in a Sabbatical year. And because of them (i. e. because of the neglect of these seventy years) exactly seventy years of exile were decreed against them. Thus, too, it is said in Chronicles, (II Chronicles 36:21) “[and them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon…] until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths [for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbaths] to fulfill three score and ten years” (Seder Olam).

והבאתי מרך. פַּחַד וְרֹךְ לֵבָב; מ"ם שֶׁל מֹרֶךְ יְסוֹד נוֹפֵל הוּא, כְּמוֹ מ"ם שֶׁל מוֹעֵד וְשֶׁל מוֹקֵשׁ:

והבאתי מרך AND I WILL SEND A FAINTNESS [INTO THEIR HEART] — מרך‎ means timidity and faint-heartedness. The מ is an essential letter of the noun, which, however, is omitted in the root; as is the case with the מ in the nouns מועד and ומוקש.

ונסו מנסת חרב. כְּאִלּוּ רוֹדְפִים הוֹרְגִים אוֹתָם:

ונסו מנוסת חרב AND THEY SHALL RUN AWAY AS RUNNING AWAY FROM THE SWORD — as though pursuers were about to kill them.

עלה נדף. שֶׁהָרוּחַ דּוֹחֲפוֹ וּמַכֵּהוּ עַל עָלֶה אַחֵר וּמְקַשְׁקֵשׁ וּמוֹצִיא קוֹל, וְכֵן תַּרְגּוּמוֹ קַל טַרְפָּא דְשָׁקִיף, לְשׁוֹן חֲבָטָה, "שְׁדוּפוֹת קָדִים" (בראשית מ"א) — שְׁקִיפָן קִדּוּם, לְשׁוֹן מַשְׁקוֹף, מְקוֹם חֲבָטַת הַדֶּלֶת, וְכֵן תַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל "חַבּוּרָה" (שמות כ"א) — מַשְׁקוֹפֵי:

עלה נדף A RUSTLING LEAF — i. e. a leaf which the wind pushes along and beats it against another leaf, so that, in tapping it, it produces a sound. This, too, is its translation in the Targum: the sound of a leaf דשקיף — a term that signifies beating. The words (Genesis 41:6): שדופות קדים are rendered in the Targum by שקיפן קידום, beaten by the east wind, the first word being of the same meaning as משקוף, a lintel, that being the place against which the door beats. Similarly the Targum translation of חבורה, a wound, (Exodus 21:25), is משקופי (a spot that has been beaten).

וכשלו איש באחיו. כְּשֶׁיָּרוּצוּ לָנוּס יִכָּשְׁלוּ זֶה בָזֶה, כִּי יִבָּהֲלוּ לָרוּץ:

וכשלו איש באחיו AND THEY SHALL STUMBLE ONE UPON ANOTHER — When they are running in order to escape they will stumble one against the other because they will be in a hurry to run away.

כמפני חרב. כְּאִלּוּ בּוֹרְחִים מִלִּפְנֵי הוֹרְגִים, שֶׁיְּהֵא בִלְבָבָם פַּחַד, וְכָל שָׁעָה סְבוּרִים שֶׁאָדָם רוֹדְפָם; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ וְכָשְׁלוּ אִישׁ בְּאָחִיו, זֶה נִכְשָׁל בַּעֲוֹנוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲרֵבִין זֶה לָזֶה (ספרא; סנהדרין כ"ז):

כמפני חרב AS IT WERE BEFORE THE SWORD — i. e. as though they were fleeing from before murderers. It means that in their heart there will be timidity, and at every moment they will think that somebody is pursuing them. A Midrashic explanation of וכשלו איש באחיו is: one will stumble by reason of the sin of the other (באחיו is taken in the sense of: on account of the other), for all Israelites are held responsible for one another (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 7 5; Sanhedrin 27b).

ואבדתם בגוים. כְּשֶׁתִּהְיוּ פְזוּרִים, תִּהְיוּ אֲבוּדִים זֶה מִזֶּה (עי' ספרא):

ואבדתם בגוים AND YE SHALL BE LOST AMONG THE NATIONS — when you are scattered about among the nations you will lose sight of each other (lit., “you will be lost from one another”) (cf. Rashi on v. 33; see also Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 1).

ואכלה אתכם. אֵלּוּ הַמֵּתִים בַּגּוֹלָה:

ואכלה אתכם [AND THE LAND OF YOUR ENEMIES] SHALL EAT YOU UP — This refers to those who will die in exile (cf. Targum Jonathan on).

בעונת אבתם אתם. כְּשֶׁעֲווֹנוֹת אֲבוֹתָם אִתָּם — כְּשֶׁאוֹחֲזִים מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם (שם):

בעונת אבתם אתם means if the iniquities of their fathers shall be with them, i. e. if they hold fast to (imitate) the doings of their fathers (cf. Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 2; Sanhedrin 27b).

ימקו. לְשׁוֹן הֲמַסָּה, כְּמוֹ יִמַּסּוּ, וְכָמוֹהוּ "תִּמַּקְנָה בְחֹרֵיהֶן" (זכריה י"ד), "נָמַקּוּ חַבּוּרֹתָי" (תהילים ל"ח):

ימקו — This is an expression denoting “melting away” and therefore means the same as ימסו, “they shall melt away”. Similar to it are (Zechariah 14:12) “[their eyes] shall melt away (תמקנה) in their holes”; (Psalms 38:6) “My wounds נמקו, melt” (i. e. run with pus).

והבאתי אתם. אֲנִי בְעַצְמִי אֲבִיאֵם; זוֹ מִדָּה טוֹבָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ אוֹמְרִים, הוֹאִיל וְגָלִינוּ בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת נַעֲשֶׂה כְמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, אֲנִי אֵינִי מַנִּיחָם, אֶלָּא מַעֲמִיד אֲנִי אֶת נְבִיאַי וּמַחֲזִירָן לְתַחַת כְּנָפַי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כ"א), "וְהָעֹלָה עַל רוּחֲכֶם הָיוֹ לֹא תִהְיֶה וְגוֹ' חַי אָנִי … אִם לֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וְגוֹ'" (ספרא):

והבאתי אתם AND I SHALL BRING THEM [INTO THE LAND OF THEIR ENEMIES] — I Myself shall bring them; this is a kindly measure for Israel in order that they should not say, “Since we are banished among the nations let us do like their doings”. “For”, says God “I will not suffer them to do this, but I will raise up My prophets and so bring them back under My wings, as it is said, (Ezekiel 20:30) “And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, — [that ye say, We will be as the heathens, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone]. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out, will “I” be king over you etc.” (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 5).

או אז יכנע. כְּמוֹ "אוֹ נוֹדַע כִּי שׁוֹר נַגָּח הוּא" (שמות כ"א) — אִם אָז יִכָּנַע; לָשׁוֹן אַחֵר אוּלַי — שֶׁמָּא אָז יִכָּנַע לְבָבָם וְגוֹ':

או אז יכנע — The word או here has the same meaning as in (Exodus 21:36) או נודע כי שור נגח הוא (cf. Rashi on that verse and our Note thereon). The translation therefore is: “If then [their uncircumcised hearts] will be humbled”. Another explanation is that או means perhaps, — “perhaps then their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled”.

ואז ירצו את עונם. יְכַפְּרוּ עַל עֲווֹנָם בְּיִסּוּרֵיהֶם:

ואז ירצו את עונם means, and they will atone for their iniquities by the punishments they will have suffered.

וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב. בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְקוֹמוֹת נִכְתַּב מָלֵא, וְאֵלִיָּהוּ חָסֵר בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְקוֹמוֹת — יַעֲקֹב נָטַל אוֹת מִשְּׁמוֹ שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ עֵרָבוֹן שֶׁיָּבֹא וִיבַשֵּׂר גְּאֻלַּת בָּנָיו:

וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב THEN I WILL REMEMBER MY COVENANT WITH JACOB — In five places in Scripture it (the name יעקב) is written plene (יעקוב) and the name אליהו is written defectively in five places, to intimate that Jacob — as it were — took one letter of his (Elijah’s) name as a pledge that at some future time he should come and proclaim the good tidings of his descendants’ redemption (cf. Midrash ‎חסירות ויתירות).

וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב. לָמָּה נִמְנוּ אֲחוֹרַנִּית? כְּלוֹמַר, כְּדַאי הוּא יַעֲקֹב הַקָּטָן לְכָךְ, וְאִם אֵינוֹ כְדַאי, הֲרֵי יִצְחָק עִמּוֹ, וְאִם אֵינוֹ כְדַאי, הֲרֵי אַבְרָהָם עִמּוֹ שֶׁהוּא כְדַאי, וְלָמָּה לֹא נֶאֶמְרָה זְכִירָה בְיִצְחָק? אֶלָּא אֲפָרוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק נִרְאֶה לְפָנַי צָבוּר וּמֻנָּח עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ (ספרא):

‎ וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב‎ THEN I WILL REMEMBER MY COVENANT WITH JACOB [AND ALSO MY COVENANT WITH ISAAC, AND ALSO MY COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM WILL I REMEMBER] — Why are they (the patriarchs) enumerated here in a reverse order (in contrast to e. g., Exodus 32:13, where it states: ‎'לאברהם ליצחק ולישראל וכו‎‎‎זכור ‏)? It is to say: Jacob the youngest among the patriarchs is worthy of this that, through his merits, his children should be redeemed; if he be not sufficiently worthy, behold, the merit of Isaac is with him; if that does not suffice, behold, then there is Abraham with him who is surely worthy enough! And why does Scripture not use the word “remember” in connection with Isaac’s name? Because this is unnecessary, for — says God, as it were — the ashes of Isaac (who according to My command to Abraham was to become a burnt offering) are ever visible before Me as though they were heaped up lying upon the altar (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 6-7).

יען וביען. גְּמוּל וּבִגְמוּל אֲשֶׁר בְּמִשְׁפָּטַי מָאָסוּ (עי' ספרא):

יען וביען BECAUSE AND BECAUSE [THEY REJECTED MY ORDINANCES] — i. e. it is a retribution — and a retribution, too, that they have rejected My ordinances.

ואף גם זאת. וְאַף אֲפִלּוּ אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה עִמָּהֶם זֹאת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי בהיותם בארץ איביהם, לֹא אֶמְאָסֵם לְכַלֹּתָם וּלְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר אִתָּם:

ואף גם זאת AND YET FOR ALL THIS — i. e., but also (אף) even though (גם) I shall execute on them this (זאת) punishment which I have mentioned when they shall be in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them to make an end of them and to make void My covenant which has thus far been with them (viz., the covenant 'כי אני ה‎‎ אלהיהם that I, the Lord, would be their God).

ברית ראשנים. שֶׁל שְׁבָטִים (ספרא):

ברית ראשנים THE COVENANT OF THE ANCESTORS — i. e. of the twelve Tribes (cf. Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 10).

והתורת. אַחַת בִּכְתָב וְאַחַת בְּעַל פֶּה, מַגִּיד שֶׁכֻּלָּם נִתְּנוּ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי (שם):

והתורת AND THE TORAHS… [WHICH GOD GAVE… IN MOUNT SINAI BY THE HAND OF MOSES] — (The plural is used because there are two Torahs:) one in writing and one by word of mouth (the Oral Law). This verse therefore tells us that all (both) of them were given by God to Moses on Sinai (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 10).