Devarim
Book 5: Deuteronomy
KI SAVO - RASHI COMMENTARY
Chapter 26 - Rashi
Verse 1: When it happens that you come . . .
and you inherit it and settle it.
This teaches
that they were not obligated
to bring the first fruits
until they conquered the land
and apportioned it.1
Verse 2: Of the first.
But not all the first,
as not all fruits are
subject to the first fruit obligation,
but only the seven species.2
The phrase here is "the land,"
and the phrase there is
"A 'land' of wheat, barley,3 etc."
Just as the reference there
is to the seven species
by which Eretz Yisroel is extolled,
so, too, is the reference here
to the extollment of Eretz Yisroel,
meaning the seven species.4
The oil olive.
The aguri olive,5
with its oil gathered inside.6
Honey.
This refers to date honey.78
Of the first.
When a man enters his field
and notices the first9 fig to mature,10
he wraps a garamond strip around it
as a marking symbol,
and declares,
"This is bikurim."11
Verse 3: Who shall be [of service] during those days.
You have no one except the kohein
who serves during your days,
as he may be.12 13
And you will say to him.
That you are not ungrateful.14 15
I ascertain today.
Once16 each year,17
not twice.18
Verse 4: The kohein shall then take
the basket from your hand.
In order to wave it19---
the kohein places his hand
below the owner's hand20
and waves.
Verse 5: You shall then proclaim.
This denotes a loud proclamation.21
The Aramite destroyed my forefather.
He cites the Omnipresent's benevolence.22
The Aramite destroyed my forefather---
Lavan sought to uproot everything
when he pursued Yaakov,23
because he intended to act,
the Omnipresent considered it
as if he had actually acted;24
for with the nations,
the Omnipresent equates
the [evil] intent with the deed.25
Then he descended to Egypt.
Yet others fell upon us26
to annihilate us,
for after this
Yaakov descended to Egypt.
With a tiny community.
With seventy souls.27
Verse 9: To this place.
This refers to the Beis Hamikdosh.28
And He gave us this land.
As indicated by the plain connotation.29
Verse 10: You shall then place it.
This teaches that he takes it
after the kohein's waving,30
holds it in his hand while reciting,
and then waves it again.31
Verse 11: You shall rejoice with all the good.
From here they derive
that one does not recite the first-fruit reading
except during the time of rejoicing32---
from the Atzeres-Shavuos holiday
until the Succos celebration,
when a man gathers
his grain, fruit, wine, and oil.
However, from Succos and onward,
he brings without reciting.33
You, the Levi.
The Levi, too,
is subject to the first obligation---
if they planted in their cities.34
And the proselyte in your midst---
who brings without reciting,35
as he is unable to say, "to our forefathers."36 37
Verse 12: When you finish tithing
all the tithes of your produce in the third year.
When you finish setting aside the tithes
of the third38 year,39
designate the time for
the divesture40 and the recitation41
on the eve of Pesach42
of the fourth year,
as it is said,43
"At the end of three years
you shall remove, etc."44
Here,45 "at the end of" is said,
and below,46 "at the end of seven years"47 is said,
concerning Hakhel.
Just as, there,
[it refers to] a festival,
so here, [it refers to] a festival.
Perhaps, just as there
[it refers to] the Succos festival,
so here,
[it refers to] the Succos festival?48
The Torah therefore teaches,
'When you complete tithing the tithes
of the third year'---
the festival during which the tithes are completed,
which is Pesach,
since there are many trees
which are harvested after Succos.49
Thus, the tithes of the third [year]
are completed at Pesach of the fourth [year],
and if anyone delayed his tithes,
Scripture requires
that he divest his property of them.50
The year of the tithe.
The year when the tithing obligation is for only
one51 of the two tithes
which were applicable
during the two preceding years;
during the first and second years
of the Shemittah cycle,52
the obligation is for the first tithe53---
as it is said,
54"...when you take, from the Israelites, the
tithe..."---
and the second tithe,55
as it is said,
56"You shall eat, before Ad-noy your G-d,
the tithe of your grain, wine, and oil."
Hence, there are two tithes.
Here the teaching is that,
during the third year,
there is an obligation only
for one of those two tithes---
which one?
The first tithe,
and in place of the second tithe,
he must give the tithe for the indigent.
For it is said here,
"You have given to the Levi," his due---
thus, the first tithe.
"To the proselyte, orphan, and widow"---
this is the tithe for the indigent.57
So that they may eat within your portals
to their satisfaction.
Supply them with enough to satisfy them.
We derive from here
that one may not reduce the gift
to the poor person at the threshing area58
to less than half a kav59 of wheat.60 61
Verse 13: You shall declare before Ad-noy, your G-d.
Acknowledge62 that you gave your tithes.63
I have divested my estate of sacred material.
This refers to the second tithe
and the fourth-year fruit,64 65
and teaches you
that if one tarried with his two year tithes,66
and did not bring them up to Jerusalem,
he must bring them up now.67
And have also presented it to the Levi.
This refers to the first tithe.68
Also.
This includes the terumah-gift,69
and the first fruits.70
The proselyte, the orphan, and the widow.
This refers to the indigent tithe.71
Totally according to Your command.
I gave them in their proper order72---
I did not give precedence to the terumah-gift
over the first fruits,
or to the tithe over the terumah,
or to the second [tithe] over the first;
for terumah is entitled "the first,"73
as it is first
after becoming grain.74
And it is written,
"Your fully ripened produce
and your terumah gift,
do not delay"75---
do not change the order.
I did not transgress Your commandments.
I did not set aside the tithe
of one species for another,76
nor of the new crop for the old
(or of detached fruits
for those still growing,
or of growing fruits for those detached).77
Nor did I forget.
To bless you78 for the setting aside of tithes.79
Verse 14: I did not eat of it when grieving.
From here we derive
that it80 is forbidden during grief.81 82
Nor did I devour it when ritually defiled.
Whether I was defiled and it was clean,
or I was clean and it was defiled.83
Where is the admonition concerning this?84
"You may not eat in your cities"85---
this refers to eating during defilement,
as it is said
concerning disqualified sacred offerings,86
"You may eat it in your cities,
the defiled and the clean,87 etc."
But this,88
you may not eat
after the manner of the eating in your cities89
mentioned elsewhere.90 91
Nor did I make use of it for the dead.
To make a casket or shrouds.92 93
I have heeded the voice of Ad-noy my G-d.
I have brought it to the Temple.94 95
I have fulfilled everything
that You commanded me.
I rejoiced, and brought joy96 with it.97
Verse 15: View, from Your sacred residence.
We have fulfilled
what You decreed for us98---
now You fulfill
what is incumbent upon You
to do,99
as You said,
"If you follow My decrees, etc.,
I shall give you rain
at the proper time."100
Which You have given us,
as You swore to our forefathers.
To give to us101, and You fulfilled102---
a land flowing with milk and honey.
Verse 16: This very day,
Ad-noy, your G-d, commands you.
Each day
let them appear novel to you,
as if, on that very day,
you had been commanded to perform them.103
You shall observe and perform them.
A heavenly echo blesses him;104
'You have brought the first fruits on this day---
may you reiterate next year.'
Verse 17: You have distinguished . . .
He has distinguished you.
There is no compelling evidence concerning these words
in Scripture;
but it appears to me that the word denotes
setting aside, distinguishing---
you have distinguished Him,
from the alien gods,
to be your G-d,
and He set you aside, for Himself,
from the peoples of the earth,
to be His treasured people.
(Another interpretation,
to which I have found evidence;
it denotes glory,105
as in "All evildoers glorify themselves.")106
Verse 18: As He said to you.
"You shall be My treasure."107 108
Verse 19: And, so that you may be a people sanctified
as He said.
"You shall be sanctified to me."109 110
Chapter 27 - Rashi
Verse 1: Keep all of the commandment.
This111 denotes constancy.
Gardant in Old French.
Verse 2: Erect.
In the Yardein.112
Afterward, remove others from there,113
and construct an altar with them
on Mount Eival.
Consequently, we may state
that there were three kinds of stones;114
twelve in the Yardein,
a similar number at Gilgal,
the same at Mount Eival,
as stated in Tractate Sotah.115
Verse 8: Explained properly.
In seventy languages.116
Verse 9: Take heed.
As Targum [Onkelos] renders.117
This day you have become a people.
Each day
let it appear to you
as if, on that very day,118
you had entered
the covenant with Him.119
Verse 12: To bless the people.
As stated in tractate Sotah.120
Six tribes ascended the summit
of Mount Gerizim,
and six the summit of Mount Eival,
with the kohanim and Levi'im121 and the ark
below, at the center.
The Levi'im directed their faces
toward Mount Gerizim,
and began the blessing:122 123
'Blessed is the man
who does not make a sculpture or molten idol, etc.'
These, and the others as well, answered, Amein.
They turned, directed their faces
toward Mount Eival,
and began the curse, saying:
'Cursed is the man
who makes a sculpture, etc.'
[These, and the others as well, answered Amein.
They turned, directed their faces
toward Mount Gerizim, and said:
'Blessed is the one
who does not revile his father or mother,' etc.
Then they turned, directed their faces
toward Mount Eival, saying:
'Cursed is the one who reviles
his father or mother.']
Similarly with all of them,
until 'Cursed is whoever does not uphold.'
Verse 16: Whoever reviles.
To denigrate.
This means the same as
"Your brother shall be denigrated."[25:3]
Verse 17: Whoever casts aside the boundary.
Who casts it back,124
and steals the property.
This means the same as
"Has been cast back."125
Verse 18: Whoever misleads the blind.
Blind concerning a particular matter,
and he offers ill advice.126
Verse 24: Whoever strikes his fellow in secret.
This refers to slander.127 128
I have seen [this]
in R' Moshe Hadarshan's commentary:
There are eleven129 curses here,
corresponding to eleven tribes.
However, corresponding to Shimon,
no curse is recorded.
Because he (Moshe) did not intend
to bless him before his death,
as he blessed the other tribes,130
he, therefore, did not want to curse him.
Verse 26: Whoever does not uphold.
Here, he encompasses all of the Torah in its entirety,
which they accepted
by an imprecation and an oath.131
Chapter 28 - Rashi
Verse 4: The issue of your cattle.
The offspring of your cattle,
which the animal sends forth
from her stomach.
And the flocks of your sheep.
As Targum [Onkelos] renders.132
The Rabbis comment:
Why are they called {Hebrew Ref} 133?
Because they enrich their owners134
and strengthen them,
like the palisades,
which are powerful cliffs.135
Verse 5: Blessed will be your basket.
Your fruit.136
Another interpretation:
Your basket---
liquids137 which you filter
through baskets.
And your solid foods.
Solids, which remain in the utensil
without dripping.138
Verse 6: You will be blessed at your arrival,
and blessed at your departure.
For your departure from the world will be without sin,
like your arrival into the world.139
Verse 7: But by seven roads they will flee from you.
This is the way
the panic-stricken flee---
by scattering in every direction.140
Verse 20: Ruin.
Disintegration,
like "ruinous leprosy."141
Panic.
Dismay,
the roar of confusion.
Verse 22: With blistering.
Whereby the flesh swells and blisters.
Searing temperature.
Meaning the same as
"For a flame sears my nostrils,"142
which refers to the fever of the diseased.
Malweid in Old French,
which is extremely hot.
Raging fever.
Hotter than {Hebrew Ref} ---searing temperature.
These are various diseases.
With charchur.
A disease whereby the fever penetrates
throughout the body,
causing constant thirst.
In Old French, Esardement.
This means the same as
"My bones have become parched with heat,"143
"The bellows are shrivelled by fire."144
With the sword.
He will incite armed forces against you.145
With wind-blight and yellowing.
Injury to the crops in the field.
Wind-blight.
The east wind,
Hasle in Old French.
Yellowing.
Withering,
whereby the produce pales
and turns yellow.
Cro in Old French.
Until your annihilation.
Targum: {Hebrew Ref} ,
meaning until the annihilation of you,
until you are annihilated of yourself.146
Verse 23: The heavens above your head
will be like copper.
These curses
Moshe articulated himself,147
while those at Mount Sinai,148
by the word of G-d
he (Moshe) pronounced them,
as indicated by the text:149
there, it is said,
"If you do not heed 'Me'."150
"If you relate to 'Me' in a fickle way."151
Here, however, it says,
"to the voice of 'Ad-noy, your G-d',"152
" 'Ad-noy' shall attach to you"153
" 'Ad-noy' shall strike you."154
Moshe moderated his curses155
by expressing them in the singular form.156
He also moderated this curse,
for in the first ones, it states,
"your heavens like iron
and your land like copper."157
The heavens will not secrete moisture,
just as iron does not secrete moisture,
so that the world will subsequently suffer from drought.
But the land will secrete moisture,
just as copper secretes moisture,
so that its produce will rot.
Here, however, it says,
'Your heavens copper and your land iron,'
the heavens will secrete moisture.
Although they will not pour rain,
still, there won't be
a ruinous drought in the world.
And the land will not secrete moisture,
just as iron does not secrete moisture,
so that the produce will not rot.158
Still, this is a curse.
Whether it is like copper
or like iron,
it will not produce fruit.
Similarly, the heavens
will not pour rain.
Verse 24: The rain of your land into dust and soil.
When the wind follows a rainfall.159
The rain falls, but insufficiently,
not enough to settle the dust.
The wind follows
and lifts the dust,
so that it blankets the shoots
of the seeds
which were moistened by the water.
It becomes attached to them and turns to mud,
and they wither and rot.
Verse 25: A cause of shuddering.
Terror and shuddering,
for anyone learning of your injuries will shudder
because of you,
and exclaim, "Woe to us!
Let this not befall us
the way it befell them!"
Verse 27: With Egyptian boils.
Extremely pernicious,
moist outside160 and dry inside,161
as stated in [tractate] Bechoros.162
With running boils.
Wet boils.163
Dry boils.
Boils that are dry,
like ceramics.164
Verse 28: And with utter confusion.
Stupefaction.
Estordison in Old French.
Verse 29: The victim of wrangling.
Whatever you do165
will be subject to altercation.166
Verse 30: Will lie with her.
The meaning is related to
"mistress,"167
"concubine,"
but Scripture prefers a more refined term,
"Will lie with her."168
This is the kind of refinement169 made by scribes.170
Redeem it.
During the fourth year,
in order to eat its fruit.171
Verse 32: And pine for them.
Yearning for them to return,
but they shall never return.
Any unfulfilled longing
is described as "the pining of eyes."
Verse 37: Stupefaction.
Similar to utter confusion, Estordison.
Anyone who sees you
will be stupefied by you.172
Be cited as an example.
If a terrible blow
befalls a person,
they will say,
'This is like that person's blow.'
And become the subject of gossip.
This means the same as
"You shall discuss them."173
They will talk about you.
Targum's translation is the same---
" {Hebrew Ref} ," meaning to relate,
"And he174 related."
Verse 38: Will demolish it.
Will destroy it.
For this reason
it is called
{Hebrew Ref} 175, [lit.] the demolisher,
as it destroys everything.
Verse 40: Will be discarded.
Will discard its fruit,
meaning the same as
"And the iron discards."176
Verse 42: The cicada will impoverish.
The cicada will render it
impoverished of fruit.
Will impoverish.
Will make destitute.
The cicada.
A species of locusts.177
But it is not feasible
to interpret {Hebrew Ref}
as inheritance,
for, if so,
it should have written
{Hebrew Ref} .
Nor, as expulsion and ejection,
for, if so,
it should have written {Hebrew Ref} .
Verse 47: In total affluence.
While178 you had
every benefit.
Verse 49: As the eagle soars.
Suddenly,
travelling successfully,
with fleet steeds.179
Whose language you will not hear.
You will not recognize180
their language.181
Similarly, "You listen to a dream
so as to interpret it."182
Similarly, "That Yoseif was listening."183
Entendre in Old French.
Verse 52: Until mastering your ramparts.
The meaning is
mastering, conquering.184
Verse 53: You will eat..., the flesh of your sons,
etc.,
in the siege.
Because they will lay siege to the city,
resulting in torment there185---
the agony of starvation.