Chumashחומש

עבדת עבד. עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל גְּנַאי שֶׁיְּהֵא נִכָּר בָּהּ כְּעֶבֶד, שֶׁלֹּא יוֹלִיךְ כֵּלָיו אַחֲרָיו לְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ וְלֹא יַנְעִיל לוֹ מִנְעָלָיו (עי' ספרא):

עבדת עבד [THOU SHALT NOT COMPEL HIM] TO SERVE AS A BOND-SERVANT — i. e. thou shalt not make him do degrading work by which he is recognised as a slave — this might come out that he shall not, for instance, carry his (the master’s) clothes after him to the public baths nor help him on with his boots (cf. Sifra, Behar, Chapter 7 2).

כשכיר כתושב. עֲבוֹדַת קַרְקַע וּמְלֶאכֶת אֻמָּנוּת כִּשְׁאָר שְׂכִירִים הִתְנַהֵג בּוֹ:

כשכיר כתושב BUT AS A HIRED SERVANT AND AS A SOJOURNER HE SHALL BE UNTO THEE] —Employ him on field-labour or on a handicraft; Treat him as you do any hired servant.

עד שנת היבל. אִם פָּגַע בּוֹ יוֹבֵל לִפְנֵי שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים הַיּוֹבֵל מוֹצִיאוֹ:

עד שנת היבל [HE SHALL SERVE THEE] UNTIL THE YEAR OF THE JUBILEE — This implies that if the Jubilee happens to come (lit., happens to meet him) before the six years of his servitude are at an end, it frees him.

הוא ובניו עמו. אָמַר רַ' שִׁמְעוֹן אִם הוּא נִמְכַּר, בָּנָיו מִי מְכָרָן? אֶלָּא מִכָּאן שֶׁרַבּוֹ חַיָּב בִּמְזוֹנוֹת בָּנָיו (קידושין כ"ב):

הוא ובניו עמו [AND HE SHALL GO AWAY FROM THEE] BOTH HE AND HIS CHILDREN WITH HIM — Rabbi Simeon asked: If he sold himself who sold his children that Scripture has to state they shall leave the master together with him? But we may learn from this that the master is bound to provide his (the servant’s) children with food (Kiddushin 22a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 21:3) although they are not his slaves.

ואל אחזת אבתיו. אֶל כְּבוֹד אֲבוֹתָיו, וְאֵין לְזַלְזְלוֹ בְּכָךְ (ספרא; מכילתא י"ג):

ואל אחזת אבתיו AND UNTO THE POSSESSION OF HIS FATHERS [SHALL HE RETURN] — This means, he shall return to the dignity held by his ancestors and people shall not hold him in low esteem because of this (because he had previously been a slave);

אחזת. חֲזָקַת:

אחזת thus means as much as חזקת “the status of” (Makkot 13a).

כי עבדי הם. שְׁטָרִי קוֹדֵם (ספרא):

כי עבדי הם FOR THEY ARE MY SERVANTS — My document (deed of purchase) is of an earlier date ( Sifra, Behar, Section 6 1).

לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד. בְּהַכְרָזָה — "כָּאן יֵשׁ עֶבֶד לִמְכֹּר" וְלֹא יַעֲמִידֶנּוּ עַל אֶבֶן הַלֶּקַח (ספרא):

לא ימכרו ממכרת עבד THEY SHALL NOT BE SOLD AS THOUGH BY THE SALE OF A BONDSMAN — by public announcement: “Here is a slave to be sold!” Nor shall one make him stand on the auction-stone (Sifra, Behar, Section 6 1).

לא תרדה בו בפרך. מְלָאכָה שֶׁלֹּא לְצֹרֶךְ, כְּדֵי לְעַנּוֹתוֹ, אַל תֹּאמַר לוֹ, הָחֵם לִי אֶת הַכּוֹס הַזֶּה וְהוּא אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, עֲדֹר תַּחַת הַגֶּפֶן עַד שֶׁאָבֹא; שֶׁמָּא תֹאמַר אֵין מַכִּיר בַּדָּבָר אִם לְצֹרֶךְ אִם לָאו, וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי לוֹ שֶׁהוּא לְצֹרֶךְ, הֲרֵי הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה מָסוּר לְלִבּוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וְיָרֵאתָ" (שם):

לא תרדה בו בפרך THOU SHALT NOT RULE OVER HIM WITH RIGOUR — i. e. do not force him to do some useless work with the sole purpose of vexing him. Do not e.g. say to him, “Warm me this cup of drink" when this is unnecessary; nor: “Hoe beneath this vine tree until I come" whilst he does not know when you may be expected to come back. Perhaps you will say, “No one knows the fact — whether it is necessary or not, so I will tell him that it is necessary”! — the thing is thus entrusted to his (the master’s) heart only, therefore Scripture states, “but be afraid of thy God!” (Sifra, Behar, Section 6 2; see Rashi on Leviticus 19:32).

ועבדך ואמתך אשר יהיו לך. אִם תֹּאמַר אִם כֵּן בְּמָה אֶשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ? בַּעֲבָדַי אֵינִי מוֹשֵׁל, בָּאֻמּוֹת אֵינִי נוֹחֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִזְהַרְתַּנִי לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל נְשָׁמָה, אֶלָּא מִי יְשַׁמְּשֵׁנִי?

ועבדך ואמתך אשר יהיו לך BUT THY MAN-SERVANT AND THY MAID-SERVANT WHO MAY BE THINE [SHALL BE OF THE NATIONS THAT ARE ROUND ABOUT YOU] — If you should say, “But if this be so (that I must treat my Jewish servant with so much regard), by whom shall I be served? Over my Jewish servants I have no power; of the Canaanite people I cannot possess any for You have warned me, (Deuteronomy XX 16) “Thou shalt keep alive any soul"! Who then shall serve me?” Then I reply —

מאת הגוים. הֵם יִהְיוּ לְךָ לַעֲבָדִים (שם):

מאת הגוים OF THE OTHER NATIONS — they may be servants to you.

אשר סביבתיכם. וְלֹא שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ גְּבוּל אַרְצְכֶם, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָהֶם אָמַרְתִּי לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל נְשָׁמָה:

אשר סביבתיכם [THE NATIONS] WHO ARE ROUND ABOUT YOU — not, however, those who live within the boundaries of your land; for with regard to them I have indeed told you, “Thou shalt keep alive no soul” (Sifra, Behar, Section 6 3).

וגם מבני התושבים. שֶׁבָּאוּ מִסְּבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם לִשָּׂא נָשִׁים בְּאַרְצְכֶם, וְיָלְדוּ לָהֶם, הַבֵּן הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הָאָב, וְאֵינוֹ בִּכְלַל לֹא תְחַיֶּה, אֶלָּא אַתָּה מֻתָּר לִקְנוֹתוֹ כְּעֶבֶד (קידושין כ"ז):

‎ וגם מבני התושבים MORE-OVER FROM AMONGST THE TOLERATED STRANGERS who came from the lands round about you in order to marry Canaanite women in your land and these bear them children; then the child follows the father in respect of nationality, and thus, not being regarded as a Canaanite, is not included in this command, “Thou shalt not keep alive any soul”, but you may purchase him as a servant (cf. Sifra, Behar, Section 6 4; Kiddushin 67b).

מהם תקנו. אוֹתָם תִּקְנוּ:

מהם תקנו means THEM MAY YE BUY.

והתנחלתם אתם לבניכם. הַחֲזִיקוּ בָהֶם לְנַחֲלָה לְצֹרֶךְ בְּנֵיכֶם אַחֲרֵיכֶם; וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ הַנְחִילוּם לִבְנֵיכֶם, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "וְהִנְחַלְתֶּם" אוֹתָם לִבְנֵיכֶם, וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם כְּמוֹ וְהִתְחַזַּקְתֶּם:

והתנחלתם אתם לבניכם means, you may hold them as your possession, לבניכם אחריכם, for the benefit of your children after you. It would not, however, be correct to give the word והתנחלתם the meaning: “leave them as an inheritance to your children”, for if this were intended it should have written: והנחלתם אותם לבניכם (the Hiphil), but והתנחלתם (which is the Hithpael form) is equivalent to והתחזקתם “you may hold them as your possession”.

איש באחיו. לְהָבִיא נָשִׂיא בְעַמָּיו וּמֶלֶךְ בִּמְשָׁרְתָיו שֶׁלֹּא לִרְדּוֹת בְּפָרֶךְ:

איש באחיו ONE OVER ANOTHER — These apparently redundant words (for the text might have run: ובאחיכם בני ישראל לא תרדו בפרך) are intended to include in the prohibition that the prince must not rule with rigour over his people nor the king over his subjects.

יד גר ותושב. גֵּר וְהוּא תוֹשָׁב, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ עָרֵל תוֹתָב, וְסוֹפוֹ מוֹכִיח — וְנִמְכַּר "לְגֵר תּוֹשָׁב":

יד גר ותושב [AND IF] A גר ותושב WAX RICH — This means a stranger, he being at the same time a sojourner with thee, as the Targum renders it: ערל תותב an uncircumcised sojourner (the phrase is hendiadys). The end of the verse proves this, for it states: “and he sells himself unto a strange sojourner” (גר תושב, without the copulative ו before the second word).

וכי תשיג יד גר ותושב עמך. מִי גָּרַם לוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשִׁיר? דִּבּוּקוֹ עִמְּךָ.

וכי תשיג יד גר ותושב עמך AND IF A STRANGE SOJOURNER WAX RICH BY THEE — The last word suggests: What was the cause that he has waxen rich? His close connection with thee (עמך) (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 8 1).

ומך אחיך עמו. מִי גָּרַם לוֹ שֶׁיָּמוּךְ? דִּבּוּקוֹ עִמּוֹ, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלָּמַד מִמַּעֲשָׂיו:

ומך אחיך עמו AND THY BROTHER WAX POOR BY HIM — Here again the last word suggests: What was the cause that he has waxen poor? His intimacy with him (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 8 1), — because of the fact that he learned evil from his (the stranger’s) evil doings.

משפחת גר. זֶה הַגּוֹי, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר לְעֵקֶר, זֶה הַנִּמְכָּר לְעֲ"זַ עַצְמָהּ, לִהְיוֹת לָהּ שַׁמָּשׁ, וְלֹא לֶאֱלֹהוּת אֶלָּא לַחֲטֹב עֵצִים וְלִשְׁאֹב מַיִם (ספרא; בבא קמא קי"ג):

משפחת גר — itself denotes a heathen; since, however, Scripture adds the word לעקר “to the stock of the heathen’s family” it thereby refers to one who sells himself to the idol itself — to be its servant; not to worship it as a deity, but e. g., to chop wood or to draw water which are to be used in connection with this idol worship (cf. Sifra, Behar, Chapter 8 1; Bava Kamma 113b; Arakhin 30b; Kiddushin 20a).

גאלה תהיה לו. מִיָּד, אַל תַּנִּיחֵהוּ שֶׁיִּטָּמַע:

גאלה תהיה לו means HE SHALL BE REDEEMED at once — do not allow him totally to sink his identity among the heathens (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 8 1; Kiddushin 20b).

עד שנת היבל. שֶׁהֲרֵי כָל עַצְמוֹ לֹא קְנָאוֹ אֶלָּא לְעָבְדוֹ עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַיּוֹבֵל יֵצֵא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְמַטָּה וְיָצָא בִּשְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל; וּבְגוֹי שֶׁתַּחַת יָדְךָ הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר (ספרא; קידושין ט"ז), וְאַעַפִּ"כֵ לֹא תָבֹא עָלָיו בַּעֲקִיפִין מִפְּנֵי חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם (בבא קמא קי"ג), אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁבָּא לִגָּאֵל, יְדַקְדֵּק בַּחֶשְׁבּוֹן, לְפִי הַמַּגִּיעַ בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה יְנַכֶּה לוֹ הַגּוֹי מִן דָּמָיו, אִם הָיוּ עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה מִשֶּׁנִמְכַּר עַד הַיּוֹבֵל, וּקְנָאוֹ בְּעֶשְׂרִים מָנֶה, נִמְצָא שֶׁקָּנָה הַגּוֹי עֲבוֹדַת שָׁנָה בְּמָנֶה, וְאִם שָׁהָה זֶה אֶצְלוֹ חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים, וּבָא לִגָּאֵל, יְנַכֶּה לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה מָנִים, וְיִתֵּן לוֹ הָעֶבֶד ט"ו מָנִים, וְזֶהוּ והיה כסף ממכרו במספר שנים:

עד שנת היובל [AND HE SHALL RECKON WITH HIM…] UNTO THE YEAR OF THE JUBILEE — for after all, essentially he has bought him only to work for him till the Jubilee, for surely you must admit in the Jubilee he is to go free, as Scripture states later ,on (v. 54) “[and if he be not redeemed in these ways], then he shall go out in the year of the Jubilee”. And, of course, Scripture is speaking here of a heathen who is under your control (i. e. who has to submit to your jurisdiction, for otherwise Scripture could not dictate to him) (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 9 3; Kiddushin 16a). But nevertheless you must not practise crooked ways against him because this would result in a desecration of the Name of the Lord (Bava Kamma 113a), but when he wishes to be redeemed he must be exact in his calculation — only just as much as is due each year shall the heathen allow him as a deduction from the purchase-money: (i. e. the Jew cannot demand a larger deduction); if e. g., there were twenty years from the date when he was sold till the Jubilee and he has bought him for twenty manehs — and consequently the heathen has purchased the labour of each year for one maneh — if he (the Jewish servant) stayed with him five years and then wishes to be redeemed, he (the master) has to allow him only a deduction of five manehs from the purchase-money, so that the servant must repay him fifteen manehs. This is the meaning of: והיה כסף ממכרו במספר שנים; AND THE PRICE OF HIS SALE SHALL BE CALCULATED AS HAVING BEEN ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF YEARS;

כימי שכיר יהיה עמו — חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַמַּגִּיעַ לְכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה יַחֲשֹׁב, כְּאִלּוּ נִשְׂכַּר עִמּוֹ כָּל שָׁנָה בְּמָנֶה, וִינַכֶּה לוֹ:

כימי שכיר יהיה עמו AS AT THE RATE OF THE DAYS OF AN HIRED SERVANT SHALL HE HAVE BEEN WITH HIM — i. e. he shall calculate the amount due for each year as though he had hired himself out with him e. g., at one maneh per year and that amount only he (the master) has to allow him.

אם עוד רבות בשנים. עַד הַיּוֹבֵל:

אם עוד רבות בשנים IF THERE BE YET MANY YEARS until the Jubilee.

לפיהן. הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי:

לפיהן ACCORDING TO THEM [HE SHALL RESTORE THE PRICE OF HIS REDEMPTION] — all exactly as I have explained above.

לא ירדנו בפרך לעיניך. כְּלוֹמַר וְאַתָּה רוֹאֶה (ספרא):

לא ירדנו בפרך לעיניך HE SHALL NOT RULE WITH RIGOUR OVER HIM IN THY EYES — that is to say, you looking on unconcernedly (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 8 9; cf. Targum Jonathan on).

ואם לא יגאל באלה. בְּאֵלֶּה הוּא נִגְאָל וְאֵינוֹ נִגְאָל בְּשֵׁשׁ (קידושין ט"ו):

ואם לא יגאל באלה AND IF HE BE NOT REDEEMED BY THESE — by these (his relatives) he may be redeemed, but he cannot be redeemed through the termination of the six-years-period of servitude as in the case of a Hebrew servant of a Hebrew master (Kiddushin 15b).

הוא ובניו עמו. הַגּוֹי חַיָּב בִּמְזוֹנוֹת בָּנָיו:

הוא ובניו עמו [HE SHALL GO OUT…] BOTH HE, AND HIS CHILDREN WITH HIM — the hèathen who acquires a Hebrew servant is bound to provide his children also with food just as is the Israelite master (cf. Rashi v. 41).

כי לי בני ישראל עבדים. שְׁטָרִי קוֹדֵם:

כי לי מי ישראל עבדים FOR UNTO ME THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ARE SERVANTS — My document (deed of purchase) is of an earlier date (cf. Rashi on v. 42).

אני ה' אלהיכם. כָּל הַמְשַׁעְבְּדָן מִלְּמַטָּה כְּאִלּוּ מְשַׁעְבְּדוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה (ספרא):

אני ה׳ אלהיכם I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD — Whosoever enslaves thee (the Israelites) on earth enslaves, as it were, Him in Heaven (Sifra, Behar, Chapter 9 4).

לא תעשו לכם אלילים. כְּנֶגֶד זֶה הַנִּמְכָּר לְגוֹי, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי מְגַלֶּה עֲרָיוֹת, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי עוֹבֵד עָ"זָ, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, הוֹאִיל וְרַבִּי מְחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת, אַף אֲנִי כְּמוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֶמְרוּ מִקְרָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ; וְאַף הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ נֶאֶמְרוּ עַל הַסֵּדֶר: בַּתְּחִלָּה הִזְהִיר עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית, וְאִם חָמַד מָמוֹן וְנֶחְשַׁד עַל הַשְּׁבִיעִית, סוֹפוֹ לִמְכֹּר מִטַּלְטְלָיו, לְכָךְ סָמַךְ לָהּ וְכִי תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר — (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ? אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ — דָּבָר הַנִּקְנֶה מִיָּד לְיָד) — לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֲחֻזָּתוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֶת בֵּיתוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף לֹוֶה בְרִבִּית — כָּל אֵלּוּ הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת קָשׁוֹת מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת — לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, סוֹף מוֹכֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ, לֹא חָזַר בּוֹ, לֹא דַיּוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ לְגוֹי:

לא תעשו לכם אלילם YE SHALL MAKE YOU NO IDOLS This command is repeated here with reference to one who has sold himself as a slave to a non-Jew in order that he should not say "Since my master is a libertine I will be like him; since my master worships idols, I will be like him; since my master desecrates the Sabbath, I will be like hin", on this account have these verses (v. 1 and v. 2) been stated. Indeed all these sections (these of the whole Sedrah) are stated in the sequence in which the incidents to which they refer actually occur. First Scripture warns the people about the seventh year's produce (not to do trade in them). If, however, one is covetous of money and brings himself under the constant suspicion of trading in the seventh-year fruits, he will at some time have to sell his movable property on account of his destitution. It is for this reason that Scripture put in juxtaposition to it (the“And when you make a sale [to your fellow-Jew]” (25:14) “or make a purchase from the hand…,” something that is transferred from hand to hand). If he still does not repent, he will eventually have to sell his inheritance (25:25). If he even then does not repent, he will eventually have to sell his home, and if even then, he does not repent, he will eventually have to borrow money with interest (verses 25:35-38). Now, the later the scenario in this passage, the more severe it is [i.e., first he sells his belongings, then his property, then his home and then even borrowing with interest which is more severe than selling one’s property; (Nachalath Ya’akov) thus, the passage continues accordingly, for] if he still does not repent, he will eventually have to sell himself [to his fellow Jew as a servant] (verses 25:39-46); and [finally,] if he has still not repented, not enough that he had to be sold to his fellow Jew - but he will [be forced to sell himself] even to a non-Jew! (Kiddushin 20a)

ואבן משכית. לְשׁוֹן כִּסּוּי, כְּמוֹ "וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי" (שמות ל"ג), שֶׁמְּכַסִּין הַקַּרְקַע בְּרִצְפַּת אֲבָנִים:

ואבן משכית (a kind of mosaic pavement) — The word משכית is an expression denoting “covering”, similar to the verb in (Exodus 33:22) “I will cover thee (ושכותי) with my hand”. Such a mosaic is so called because people cover the ground with a pavement of stones

להשתחות עליה. אֲפִלּוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה בְּפִשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם הִיא וְאָסְרָה תוֹרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן חוּץ מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (מגילה כ"ב):

להשתחות עליה TO PROSTRATE YOURSELVES UPON IT, not even to the Lord, since prostration involves stretching forth of hands and feet (the highest form of adoration) and Scripture forbids doing so outside the Temple (Megillah 22b)

אני ה'. נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר:

‎'אני ה‎ I AM THE LORD, Who am faithful to pay you your reward.

אם בחקתי תלכו. יָכוֹל זֶה קִיּוּם הַמִּצְווֹת, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וְאֶת מִצְוֹתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִיתֶם אֹתָם הֲרֵי קִיּוּם הַמִּצְווֹת אָמוּר, הָא מָה אֲנִי מְקַיֵּם אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ? שֶׁתִּהְיוּ עֲמֵלִים בַּתּוֹרָה (ספרא):

אם בחקתי תלכו IF YE WALK IN MY ORDINANCES — One might think that this denotes the fulfilment of the commandments; but when Scripture states “and ye shall keep My commandments and do them”, it is plain that in this passage there is mentioned the “fulfilment of the commands”. How then must I explain אם בחקתי תלכו? As an admonition that you should study the Torah laboriously (Sifra, Bechukotai, Section 1 1-2)

ואת מצותי תשמרו. הֱווּ עֲמֵלִים בַּתּוֹרָה עַל מְנָת לִשְׁמֹר וּלְקַיֵּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּלְמַדְתֶּם אֹתָם וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם לַעֲשֹׂתָם" (דברים ה'):

ואת מצותי תשמרו AND TAKE HEED OF MY COMMANDMENTS — Study the Torah laboriously with the intention to take heed and to fulfil its teachings, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 5:1) “and ye shall learn them and take heed to do them".

בעתם. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם לָצֵאת, כְּגוֹן בְּלֵילֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת (ספרא; תענית כ"ג):

בעתם [THEN I WILL GIVE YOU RAIN] IN ITS SEASON — i. e. at times when the rain is “seasonable”, at such moments when people do not usually go out on journeys, as, for instance, in the nights preceding the Sabbaths (Friday nights) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 1 1; cf. Taanit 23a).

ועץ השדה. הֵן אִילָנֵי סְרָק, וַעֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת (ספרא):

ועץ השדה AND THE TREES OF THE FIELD [SHALL YIELD THEIR FRUIT] — This refers to the wild trees; and even these will bear fruits in future (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 1 6).

והשיג לכם דיש את בציר. שֶׁיְּהֵא הַדַּיִשׁ מְרֻבֶּה, וְאַתֶּם עֲסוּקִים בּוֹ עַד הַבָּצִיר, וּבַבָּצִיר תַּעַסְקוּ עַד שְׁעַת הַזֶּרַע (ספרא):

והשיג לכם דיש את בציר AND YOUR THRESHING SHALL REACH UNTO THE VINTAGE — This means that there will be plenty of threshing-work so that you will be busy with it till the vintage, and with the vintage you will be busy till the time of sowing (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 1 7).

ואכלתם לחמכם לשבע. אוֹכֵל קִמְעָא וְהוּא מִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּמֵעָיו:

ואכלתם לחמכם לשבע AND YE SHALL EAT YOUR BREAD TO THE FULL — This means, one will eat only a little and it will become blessed in his bowels (will fully satisfy him) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 1 7; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 25:19).

ונתתי שלום. שֶׁמָּא תֹאמְרוּ, הֲרֵי מַאֲכָל וַהֲרֵי מִשְׁתֶּה, אִם אֵין שָׁלוֹם אֵין כְּלוּם, תַּ"לֹ אַחַר כָּל זֹאת "וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ"; מִכָּאן שֶׁהַשָּׁלוֹם שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד הַכֹּל, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה מ"ה) "עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא אֶת הַכֹּל":

ונתתי שלום AND I WILL GIVE PEACE [IN THE [LAND— Perhaps you will say, “Well, there is food and there is drink; but if there is no peace, then all this is nothing!” Scripture therefore states after all these promises “I will give peace in the land”. Hence we may learn that peace counterbalances everything. In a similar sense it states: “Who makest peace and createst all things" (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 1 8).

וחרב לא תעבר בארצכם. אֵצָ"לֹ שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹאוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ לַעֲבֹר דֶּרֶךְ אַרְצְכֶם מִמְּדִינָה לִמְדִינָה (ספרא):

וחרב לא תעבור בארצכם NEITHER SHALL THE SWORD PASS THROUGH YOUR LAND — Surely it is unnecessary to say that they (enemies) will not enter your land to wage war (since this is implied in ‎‎בארץ ‎‎‎‎‎ונתתי שלום). But this means that they will not enter even to pass by way of your land [on their march from one country to another to wage war] (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 3).

לפניכם לחרב. אִישׁ בְּחֶרֶב רֵעֵהוּ (שם):

לפניכם לחרב [AND YE SHALL PURSUE YOUR ENEMIES AND THEY SHALL FALL] BEFORE YOU BY THE SWORD — one by the sword of the other (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 3).

ורדפו מכם. מִן הַחַלָּשִׁים שֶׁבָּכֶם וְלֹא מִן הַגִּבּוֹרִים שֶׁבָּכֶם (שם):

ורדפו מכם [AND FIVE] OF YOU SHALL PURSUE [A HUNDRED] — five of the weakest among you — and not alone of the most robust among you (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 4).

חמשה מאה ומאה מכם רבבה. וְכִי כָךְ הוּא הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן? וַהֲלֹא לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא מֵאָה מִכֶּם שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים יִרְדֹּפוּ, אֶלָּא אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה מֻעֲטִין הָעוֹשִׂים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה לִמְרֻבִּין הָעוֹשִׂין אֶת הַתּוֹרָה (שם):

‎חמישה מאה ומאה מכם רבבה FIVE [OF YOU SHALL PURSUE] A HUNDRED AND A HUNDRED… TEN THOUSAND — But is this the right proportion? Surely it should have stated only “and a hundred of you shall pursue two thousand (and not ten thousand)!? But the explanation is: a few who fulfill the commandments of the Torah cannot compare with the many who fulfill the commandments of the Torah (i. e. the greater the group of those loyal to the Torah, the greater is the morale and, under God’s blessing, the physical strength of each individual belonging to the group) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 4).

ונפלו איביכם וגו'. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נוֹפְלִין לִפְנֵיכֶם שֶׁלֹּא כְדֶרֶךְ הָאָרֶץ (שם):

'ונפלו איביכם וגו AND YOUR ENEMIES SHALL FALL etc . — The repetition of this promise already expressed in v. 7 suggests that they will fall before you in a supernatural way (lit., not in the way of the world) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 4).

ופניתי אליכם. אֶפְנֶה מִכָּל עֲסָקַי לְשַׁלֵּם שְׂכַרְכֶם. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁשָּׂכַר פּוֹעֲלִים וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּתֹ"כֹּ:

ופניתי אליכם AND I WILL TURN UNTO YOU — This means, I will turn away from all My business in order to pay you your reward. A parable! To what may this be compared? To a king who hired labourers etc., just as is explained in Torath Cohanim (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 5).

והפריתי אתכם. בִּפְרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה:

והפריתי אתכם AND I SHALL MAKE YOU FRUITFUL — This, of course, means:in פריה ורביה in reproductive power (i. e. in numbers), but —

והרביתי אתכם. בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה (ספרא):

והרביתי אתכם (which may denote: “I will make you large”) means in height (lit., erect stature) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 5).

והקימתי את בריתי אתכם. בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה, לֹא כַבְּרִית הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁהֵפַרְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה שֶׁלֹּא תּוּפַר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ל"א) "וְכָרַתִּי אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת בֵּית יְהוּדָה בְּרִית חֲדָשָׁה לֹא כַבְּרִית וְגוֹ'" (ספרא):

והקמתי את בריתי אתכם AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH YOU — a new covenant; not like that covenant which you broke by worshipping the golden calf), as it said, (Jeremiah 31:31-32): “[Behold, the days come, saith the Lord that] I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant [that I made with their fathers,… which My covenant they broke, but… I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts]” (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 2 5).