Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this aliyah, Moshe Rabbeinu warns Klal Yisrael about the great spiritual danger of prosperity. When we enter Eretz Yisrael, eat and are satisfied, build beautiful homes, and see our wealth multiply, there is a major nisayon of the heart becoming haughty. Moshe cautions us not to forget Hashem and fall into the trap of thinking "my own power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth."
Instead, we must always remember that it is Hashem who gives us the koach to achieve success, in order to fulfill His covenant with the Avos. Moshe also prepares the nation for the upcoming conquest of Eretz Yisrael, reminding them that although the nations they will face are mighty giants, Hashem Himself is leading the way to destroy the enemies before them.
All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.
פָּסוּק א
Pasuk 1
הִשָּׁמֶרGuardלְךָyourselfפֶּןlestתִּשְׁכַּחyou forgetאֶת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godלְבִלְתִּיnot toשְׁמֹרkeepמִצְוֺתָיוHis commandmentsוּמִשְׁפָּטָיוand His ordinancesוְחֻקֹּתָיוand His statutesאֲשֶׁרwhichאָנֹכִיIמְצַוְּךָcommand youהַיּוֹם׃today
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
פֶּןlestתֹּאכַלyou will eatוְשָׂבָעְתָּand be satisfiedוּבָתִּיםand housesטוֹבִיםfineתִּבְנֶהyou will buildוְיָשָׁבְתָּ׃and dwell
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
וּבְקָרְךָand your herdsוְצֹאנְךָand your flocksיִרְבְּיֻןwill multiplyוְכֶסֶףand silverוְזָהָבand goldיִרְבֶּהwill increaseלָּךְfor youוְכֹלand allאֲשֶׁרthatלְךָis yoursיִרְבֶּה׃will increase
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
וְרָםand will grow haughtyלְבָבֶךָyour heartוְשָׁכַחְתָּand you will forgetאֶת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour GodהַמּוֹצִיאֲךָWho brought you outמֵאֶרֶץfrom the land ofמִצְרַיִםMitzrayimמִבֵּיתfrom the house ofעֲבָדִים׃bondage
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
הַמּוֹלִיכֲךָwho led youבַּמִּדְבָּרthrough the wildernessהַגָּדֹלthe greatוְהַנּוֹרָאand the awesomeנָחָשׁserpentשָׂרָףfieryוְעַקְרָבand scorpionוְצִמָּאוֹןand thirstאֲשֶׁרwhereאֵיןthere is noמָיִםwaterהַמּוֹצִיאwho brought forthלְךָfor youמַיִםwaterמִצּוּרfrom the rock ofהַחַלָּמִישׁ׃the flint
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
הַמַּאֲכִלְךָwho fed youמָןmannaבַּמִּדְבָּרin the wildernessאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹאnotיָדְעוּןknewאֲבֹתֶיךָyour fathersלְמַעַןin orderעַנֹּתְךָto afflict youוּלְמַעַןand in orderנַסֹּתֶךָto test youלְהֵיטִבְךָto benefit youבְּאַחֲרִיתֶךָ׃in your end
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
וְאָמַרְתָּand you sayבִּלְבָבֶךָin your heartכֹּחִיmy powerוְעֹצֶםand the strength ofיָדִיmy handעָשָׂהmadeלִיfor meאֶת—הַחַיִלthe wealthהַזֶּה׃this
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
וְזָכַרְתָּAnd you shall rememberאֶת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour GodכִּיthatהוּאHeהַנֹּתֵןis the One Who givesלְךָto youכֹּחַstrengthלַעֲשׂוֹתto makeחָיִלwealthלְמַעַןin orderהָקִיםto establishאֶת—בְּרִיתוֹHis covenantאֲשֶׁרwhichנִשְׁבַּעHe sworeלַאֲבֹתֶיךָto your forefathersכַּיּוֹםas thisהַזֶּה׃day
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
וְהָיָהAnd it shall beאִםifשָׁכֹחַforgettingתִּשְׁכַּחyou will forgetאֶת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godוְהָלַכְתָּand you goאַחֲרֵיafterאֱלֹהִיםgodsאֲחֵרִיםotherוַעֲבַדְתָּםand you serve themוְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָand you bow downלָהֶםto themהַעִדֹתִיI warnבָכֶםagainst youהַיּוֹםtodayכִּיthatאָבֹדperishingתֹּאבֵדוּן׃you will perish
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
כַּגּוֹיִםLike the nationsאֲשֶׁרthatיְהוָהHashemמַאֲבִידcauses to perishמִפְּנֵיכֶםfrom before youכֵּןsoתֹאבֵדוּןshall you perishעֵקֶבbecauseלֹאnotתִשְׁמְעוּןyou would hearkenבְּקוֹלto the voice ofיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֵיכֶם׃your God
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
שְׁמַעHearיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelאַתָּהyouעֹבֵרare crossingהַיּוֹםtodayאֶת—הַיַּרְדֵּןthe Yardenלָבֹאto comeלָרֶשֶׁתto dispossessגּוֹיִםnationsגְּדֹלִיםgreaterוַעֲצֻמִיםand mightierמִמֶּךָּthan youעָרִיםcitiesגְּדֹלֹתgreatוּבְצֻרֹתand fortifiedבַּשָּׁמָיִם׃to the heavens
פָּסוּק יב
Pasuk 12
עַםa peopleגָּדוֹלgreatוָרָםand tallבְּנֵיchildren ofעֲנָקִיםAnakitesאֲשֶׁרwhomאַתָּהyouיָדַעְתָּhave knownוְאַתָּהand youשָׁמַעְתָּhave heardמִיwhoיִתְיַצֵּבcan standלִפְנֵיbeforeבְּנֵיthe children ofעֲנָק׃Anak
פָּסוּק יג
Pasuk 13
וְיָדַעְתָּAnd you shall knowהַיּוֹםtodayכִּיthatיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour GodהוּאHeהָעֹבֵרis the One crossingלְפָנֶיךָbefore youאֵשׁa fireאֹכְלָהconsumingהוּאHeיַשְׁמִידֵםwill destroy themוְהוּאand Heיַכְנִיעֵםwill humble themלְפָנֶיךָbefore youוְהוֹרַשְׁתָּםand you shall drive them outוְהַאַבַדְתָּםand you shall destroy themמַהֵרquicklyכַּאֲשֶׁרasדִּבֶּרspokeיְהוָהHashemלָךְ׃to you
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah begins with a strong warning to guard ourselves against forgetting Hashem once we enjoy the material abundance of the land. Moshe Rabbeinu describes how Hashem lovingly sustained us through the dangerous wilderness with manna and water from the rock, proving that our sustenance comes entirely from Him. He warns that forgetting Hashem and turning to avodah zarah will lead to total destruction, just like the nations of Canaan. Finally, Moshe reassures Klal Yisrael that as they cross the Yarden to face the formidable Anakites and their fortified cities, they should not fear, because Hashem is crossing before them like a devouring fire to subdue the enemy.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
The Torah is warning us here about one of the biggest spiritual dangers a Yid faces, and that is the subtle trap of "kochi v'otzem yadi", the feeling that my own smarts, my own hard work, and my own talents are what brought me my success. When things are going well, when we have eaten and are satisfied, when the business is growing and the bank account is comfortable, the yetzer hara whispers that we did this ourselves. We forget that we are completely dependent on Hashem for every single breath.
Lichoira, the Torah does not tell us to stop working or to not use our talents. We have to do our hishtadlus. But the chiddush of the sugya is that even the very strength to do that hishtadlus, the energy to get out of bed, the sharp mind to make a good decision, the stamina to work, is a direct gift from Hashem. As the pasuk says, "He is the One who gives you the power to make wealth." The moment we think we are the ones running the show, we slip into a dangerous state of "ram levavecha," where our hearts become haughty and we lose our connection to the true Source of everything.
To fight this, we have to actively train ourselves to see Hashem's hand in our daily successes, big and small. When a deal goes through, when we find a great parking spot, or when we successfully navigate a difficult meeting, our immediate reaction must not be self-congratulation. Instead, we must pause and recognize that Hashem just gave us the strength and the siyata d'shmaya to make it happen.
Today, the moment you experience any small success or finish a productive task, pause for three seconds and say out loud or in your heart: "Thank you Hashem for giving me the strength and the ability to do this."