כ״ז
י״אוַיְצַ֤ו מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹֽר׃
11Thereupon Moses charged the people, saying:
י״באֵ֠לֶּה יַֽעַמְד֞וּ לְבָרֵ֤ךְ אֶת־הָעָם֙ עַל־הַ֣ר גְּרִזִ֔ים בְּעׇבְרְכֶ֖ם אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן שִׁמְעוֹן֙ וְלֵוִ֣י וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר וְיוֹסֵ֥ף וּבִנְיָמִֽן׃
12cConstruction of vv. 12–13 is uncertain. After you have crossed the Jordan, the following shall stand on Mount Gerizim when the blessing for the people is spoken: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
לברך את העם. כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה (דף ל"ב): שִׁשָּׁה שְׁבָטִים עָלוּ לְרֹאשׁ הַר גְּרִיזִים וְשִׁשָּׁה לְרֹאשׁ הַר עֵיבָל וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְהָאָרוֹן לְמַטָּה בָּאֶמְצַע, הָפְכוּ לְוִיִּים פְּנֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי הַר גְּרִיזִים וּפָתְחוּ בַבְּרָכָה, "בָּרוּךְ הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה וְגוֹ'", וְאֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ עוֹנִין אָמֵן. חָזְרוּ וְהָפְכוּ פְּנֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי הַר עֵיבָל וּפָתְחוּ בַקְּלָלָה וְאוֹמְרִים "אָרוּר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסֶל וְגוֹ'", וְכֵן כֻּלָּם עַד "אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָקִים":
לברך את העם [THESE SHALL STAND UP …] TO BLESS THE PEOPLE — The procedure was as is found in Treatise Sotah 32a: Six tribes ascended the top of Mount Gerizim and the other six the top of Mount Ebal, the priests, the Levites and the Ark remaining below in the midst (i.e. in the valley between). The Levites turned their faces towards Mount Gerizim and began to recite the blessing: “Blessed be the man that does not make any graven or molten image etc.”, and both these and those (the tribes on Mount Gerizim and those on Mount Ebal) answered “Amen”! Then they turned their faces towards Mount Ebal and began to recite the curse, saying: “Cursed be the man who maketh any graven [or molten image]” — and so in the case of all of them (the curses set forth here) till the last: “Cursed be he that does not uphold [all the words of this law to do them]” (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:29).
י״גוְאֵ֛לֶּה יַֽעַמְד֥וּ עַל־הַקְּלָלָ֖ה בְּהַ֣ר עֵיבָ֑ל רְאוּבֵן֙ גָּ֣ד וְאָשֵׁ֔ר וּזְבוּלֻ֖ן דָּ֥ן וְנַפְתָּלִֽי׃
13And for the curse, the following shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
י״דוְעָנ֣וּ הַלְוִיִּ֗ם וְאָ֥מְר֛וּ אֶל־כׇּל־אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ק֥וֹל רָֽם׃ {ס}
14The Levites shall then proclaim in a loud voice to the entire body of Israel:
ט״ואָר֣וּר הָאִ֡ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַעֲשֶׂה֩ פֶ֨סֶל וּמַסֵּכָ֜ה תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה מַעֲשֵׂ֛ה יְדֵ֥י חָרָ֖שׁ וְשָׂ֣ם בַּסָּ֑תֶר וְעָנ֧וּ כׇל־הָעָ֛ם וְאָמְר֖וּ אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
15Cursed be anyone who makes a sculptured or molten image, abhorred by GOD, a craftsman’s handiwork, and sets it up in secret.—And all the people shall respond, Amen.
ט״זאָר֕וּר מַקְלֶ֥ה אָבִ֖יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
16Cursed be the one who insults their father or mother.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
מקלה אביו. מְזַלְזֵל, לְשׁוֹן "וְנִקְלָה אָחִיךָ" (דברים כ"ה):
מקלה means, “making light of”, it has the same meaning as (Deuteronomy 25:3) “Lest … thy brother become despicable (נקלה).
י״זאָר֕וּר מַסִּ֖יג גְּב֣וּל רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
17Cursed be the one who moves a neighbor’s landmark.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
מסיג גבול. מַחֲזִירוֹ לַאֲחוֹרָיו וְגוֹנֵב אֶת הַקַּרְקַע, לְשׁוֹן "וְהֻסַּג אָחוֹר" (ישעיהו נ"ט):
מסיג גבול [CURSED BE] HE THAT REMOVES [HIS NEIGHBOUR’S] LAND-MARK — i.e. puts it further back in his neighbor’s field and thereby steals ground from him. The word מסיג has the same meaning as the verb in (Isaiah 59:14) “and he is turned backwards (הֻסַּג )".
י״חאָר֕וּר מַשְׁגֶּ֥ה עִוֵּ֖ר בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
18Cursed be the one who misdirects a blind person who is underway.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
משגה עור. הַסּוּמָא בַדָּבָר וּמַשִּׂיאוֹ עֵצָה רָעָה:
משגה עור [CURSED BE] HE THAT CAUSES THE BLIND TO GO ASTRAY — This means: one who is blind (inexperienced) in a matter and one gives him bad advice (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 19:14).
י״טאָר֗וּר מַטֶּ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט גֵּר־יָת֖וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֑ה וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃*(ספק פרשה סתומה בכתר ארם צובה)
19Cursed be the one who subverts the rights of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
כ׳אָר֗וּר שֹׁכֵב֙ עִם־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֔יו כִּ֥י גִלָּ֖ה כְּנַ֣ף אָבִ֑יו וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
20Cursed be the one who lies with his father’s wife, for he has removed his father’s garment.dremoved his father’s garment See note at 23.1.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
כ״אאָר֕וּר שֹׁכֵ֖ב עִם־כׇּל־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
21Cursed be the one who lies with any animal.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
כ״באָר֗וּר שֹׁכֵב֙ עִם־אֲחֹת֔וֹ בַּת־אָבִ֖יו א֣וֹ בַת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
22Cursed be the one who lies with his sister, whether daughter of his father or of his mother.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
כ״גאָר֕וּר שֹׁכֵ֖ב עִם־חֹֽתַנְתּ֑וֹ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
23Cursed be the one who lies with his mother-in-law.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
כ״דאָר֕וּר מַכֵּ֥ה רֵעֵ֖הוּ בַּסָּ֑תֶר וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
24Cursed be the one who strikes down a fellow Israelite in secret.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
מכה רעהו בסתר. עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע הוּא אוֹמֵר; רָאִיתִי בִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן — י"א אֲרוּרִים יֵשׁ כָּאן כְּנֶגֶד י"א שְׁבָטִים, וּכְנֶגֶד שִׁמְעוֹן לֹא כָתַב אָרוּר, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְלִבּוֹ לְבָרְכוֹ לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ כְּשֶׁבֵּרֵךְ שְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים, לְכָךְ לֹא רָצָה לְקַלְּלוֹ:
מכה רעהו בסתר [CURSED BE] HE THAT SMITETH HIS FELLOW SECRETLY — It is of slander that it here speaks (slander may be termed “smiting in secret”) (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 53). — I have seen in the Work of R. Moses the Preacher; There are here eleven verses beginning with the words “cursed be” corresponding to eleven tribes. In allusion to Simeon, however, he (Moses) did not write down a formula beginning with “cursed be”, because he had no intention to bless him before his death when he blessed the other tribes (the tribe of Simeon is the only one not mentioned in chapter XXXIII. which contains the blessings that Moses bestowed on the tribes), therefore he did not want to curse him either.
כ״האָרוּר֙ לֹקֵ֣חַ שֹׁ֔חַד לְהַכּ֥וֹת נֶ֖פֶשׁ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֑י וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}
25Cursed be the one who accepts a bribe in the case of the murder ofein the case of the murder of I.e., to acquit the murderer of; in contrast to others “to slay.” an innocent person.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
כ״ואָר֗וּר אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יָקִ֛ים אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה־הַזֹּ֖את לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אוֹתָ֑ם וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {פ}
26Cursed be whoever will not uphold the terms of this Teaching and observe them.—And all the people shall say, Amen.
אשר לא יקים. כָּאן כָּלַל אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ וְקִבְּלוּהָ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּאָלָה וּבִשְׁבוּעָה:
אשר לא יקים [CURSED BE] HE THAT DOES NOT UPHOLD [ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW TO DO] — Here (in these words) he included the entire Torah under a curse and they took it upon them pledging themselves by an execration and an oath.
כ״ח
א׳וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע֙ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם וּנְתָ֨נְךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ עֶלְי֔וֹן עַ֖ל כׇּל־גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
1Now, if you obey the ETERNAL your God, to observe faithfully all the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day, the ETERNAL your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
ב׳וּבָ֧אוּ עָלֶ֛יךָ כׇּל־הַבְּרָכ֥וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְהִשִּׂיגֻ֑ךָ כִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֔ע בְּק֖וֹל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
2All these blessings shall come upon you and take effect, if you will but heed the word of the ETERNAL your God:
ג׳בָּר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בָּעִ֑יר וּבָר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
3Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the country.
ד׳בָּר֧וּךְ פְּרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֛ וּפְרִ֥י אַדְמָתְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י בְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּר֥וֹת צֹאנֶֽךָ׃
4Blessed shall be your issue from the womb, your produce from the soil, and the offspring of your cattle, the calving of your herd and the lambing of your flock.
שגר אלפיך. וַלְדוֹת בְּקָרְךָ, שֶׁהַבְּהֵמָה מְשַׁגֶּרֶת מִמֵּעֶיהָ:
שגר אלפיך means the young of thy cattle which the animal casts out (שגר) of its womb.
ועשתרות צאנך. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם עַשְׁתָּרוֹת? שֶׁמַּעֲשִׁירוֹת אֶת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן וּמַחֲזִיקוֹת אוֹתָם כְּעַשְׁתָּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁהֵן סְלָעִים חֲזָקִים:
ועשתרות צאנך — Understand this as the Targum does: the flocks of thy herd. Our Rabbis asked, “Why are they (the flocks of sheep) called עשתרות? Because, replied they, they enrich (מעשירות) their owners (through the sale of their wool, etc.) and make them strong as עשתרות — which are strong rocks (Chullin 84b; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 7:13).
ה׳בָּר֥וּךְ טַנְאֲךָ֖ וּמִשְׁאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃
5Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
ברוך טנאך. פֵּרוֹתֶיךָ; דָּ"אַ — טַנְאֲךָ דָּבָר לַח שֶׁאַתָּה מְסַנֵּן בְּסַלִּים:
ברוך טנאך BLESSED SHALL BE THY BASKET — i.e. thy fruits (which are kept in baskets). — Another explanation of טנאך is that it means liquids which you filter through baskets (wicker work).
ומשארתך. דָּבָר יָבֵשׁ שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר בַּכְּלִי וְאֵינוֹ זָב:
ומשארתך accordingly means dry produce that remains (נשאר) in the vessel and does not flow out.
ו׳בָּר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בְּבֹאֶ֑ךָ וּבָר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בְּצֵאתֶֽךָ׃
6Blessed shall you be in your comings and blessed shall you be in your goings.
ברוך אתה בבאך וברוך אתה בצאתך. שֶׁתְּהֵי יְצִיאָתְךָ מִן הָעוֹלָם בְּלֹא חֵטְא כְּבִיאָתְךָ לָעוֹלָם (ב"מ ק"ז):
ברוך אתה בבאך וברוך אתה בצאתך BLESSED SHALT THOU BE WHEN THOU COMEST IN, AND BLESSED SHALT THOU BE WHEN THOU GOEST OUT — This means: may thy departure from this world be as sinless as was thy coming into the world (Bava Metzia 107a).