Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this aliyah, Moshe Rabbeinu continues his warm and heartfelt words of mussar to Klal Yisrael, asking them the famous question: "What does Hashem demand of you? Only to fear Hashem." Moshe is teaching us that despite Hashem owning the entire universe, the heavens and the earth, He chose our holy Avos out of pure love, and chose us, their children, from all the nations. Moshe begs the Yidden to remove the blockages from their hearts, to stop being stiff-necked, and to serve Hashem with all their heart and soul.
Moshe then describes the greatness of Hashem, who is the ultimate Judge, showing no favor and taking no bribes, yet He cares for the most vulnerable—the orphan, the widow, and the stranger. We are commanded to love the stranger because we ourselves were strangers in Mitzrayim. Moshe reminds the generation entering the land that they saw Hashem's great miracles with their own eyes, from the plagues in Mitzrayim to the splitting of the Yam Suf, and the punishment of Dathan and Abiram, and therefore they must keep all the mitzvos.
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
וְעַתָּהAnd nowיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelמָהwhatיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godשֹׁאֵלasksמֵעִמָּךְfrom youכִּיexceptאִם·לְיִרְאָהto fearאֶת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godלָלֶכֶתto walkבְּכָלin allדְּרָכָיוHis waysוּלְאַהֲבָהand to loveאֹתוֹHimוְלַעֲבֹדand to serveאֶת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godבְּכָלwith allלְבָבְךָyour heartוּבְכָלand with allנַפְשֶׁךָ׃your soul
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
לִשְׁמֹרto keepאֶת—מִצְוֺתthe commandments ofיְהוָהHashemוְאֶתand —חֻקֹּתָיוHis statutesאֲשֶׁרwhichאָנֹכִיIמְצַוְּךָcommand youהַיּוֹםtodayלְטוֹבfor goodלָךְ׃for you
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
הֵןBeholdלַיהוָהto Hashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godהַשָּׁמַיִםbelong the heavensוּשְׁמֵיand the heavens ofהַשָּׁמָיִםthe heavensהָאָרֶץthe earthוְכָלand allאֲשֶׁרthatבָּהּ׃is in her
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
רַקOnlyבַּאֲבֹתֶיךָin your forefathersחָשַׁקdesiredיְהוָהHashemלְאַהֲבָהto loveאוֹתָםthemוַיִּבְחַרand He choseבְּזַרְעָםin their offspringאַחֲרֵיהֶםafter themבָּכֶםin youמִכָּלfrom allהָעַמִּיםthe peoplesכַּיּוֹםas this dayהַזֶּה׃·
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
וּמַלְתֶּםAnd you shall circumciseאֵת—עָרְלַתthe barrier ofלְבַבְכֶםyour heartוְעָרְפְּכֶםand your neckלֹאnotתַקְשׁוּyou shall stiffenעוֹד׃anymore
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
כִּיForיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֵיכֶםyour GodהוּאHeאֱלֹהֵיis the God ofהָאֱלֹהִיםthe godsוַאֲדֹנֵיand the Lord ofהָאֲדֹנִיםthe lordsהָאֵלthe Godהַגָּדֹלthe greatהַגִּבֹּרthe mightyוְהַנּוֹרָאand the awesomeאֲשֶׁרWhoלֹאdoes notיִשָּׂאfavorפָנִיםpersonsוְלֹאand does notיִקַּחtakeשֹׁחַד׃a bribe
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
עֹשֶׂהWho executesמִשְׁפַּטthe justice ofיָתוֹםan orphanוְאַלְמָנָהand a widowוְאֹהֵבand Who lovesגֵּרa strangerלָתֶתto giveלוֹto himלֶחֶםbreadוְשִׂמְלָה׃and clothing
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
וַאֲהַבְתֶּםAnd you shall loveאֶת—הַגֵּרthe strangerכִּיforגֵרִיםstrangersהֱיִיתֶםyou wereבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofמִצְרָיִם׃Mitzrayim
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
אֶת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godתִּירָאyou shall fearאֹתוֹHimתַעֲבֹדyou shall serveוּבוֹand to Himתִדְבָּקyou shall cleaveוּבִשְׁמוֹand by His nameתִּשָּׁבֵעַ׃you shall swear
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
הוּאHeתְהִלָּתְךָis your praiseוְהוּאand Heאֱלֹהֶיךָis your GodאֲשֶׁרWhoעָשָׂהperformedאִתְּךָwith youאֶת—הַגְּדֹלֹתthese great deedsוְאֶתand —הַנּוֹרָאֹתthe awesome deedsהָאֵלֶּהtheseאֲשֶׁרwhichרָאוּsawעֵינֶיךָ׃your eyes
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
בְּשִׁבְעִיםWith seventyנֶפֶשׁsoulיָרְדוּwent downאֲבֹתֶיךָyour ancestorsמִצְרָיְמָהּto Mitzrayimוְעַתָּהand nowשָׂמְךָhas made youיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godכְּכוֹכְבֵיlike the stars ofהַשָּׁמַיִםthe heavenלָרֹב׃for multitude
פָּסוּק יב
Pasuk 12
וְאָהַבְתָּAnd you shall loveאֵת—יְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godוְשָׁמַרְתָּand you shall keepמִשְׁמַרְתּוֹHis chargeוְחֻקֹּתָיוand His statutesוּמִשְׁפָּטָיוand His ordinancesוּמִצְוֺתָיוand His commandmentsכָּלallהַיָּמִים׃the days
פָּסוּק יג
Pasuk 13
וִידַעְתֶּםAnd you shall knowהַיּוֹםtodayכִּיthatלֹאnotאֶת—בְּנֵיכֶםyour childrenאֲשֶׁרwhoלֹאnotיָדְעוּhave knownוַאֲשֶׁרand whoלֹאnotרָאוּhave seenאֶת—מוּסַרthe discipline ofיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֵיכֶםyour Godאֶת—גָּדְלוֹHis greatnessאֶת—יָדוֹHis handהַחֲזָקָהthe strongוּזְרֹעוֹand His armהַנְּטוּיָה׃the outstretched
פָּסוּק יד
Pasuk 14
וְאֶתand —אֹתֹתָיוHis signsוְאֶתand —מַעֲשָׂיוHis deedsאֲשֶׁרwhichעָשָׂהHe didבְּתוֹךְin the midst ofמִצְרָיִםMitzrayimלְפַרְעֹהto Pharaohמֶלֶךְking ofמִצְרַיִםMitzrayimוּלְכָלand to all ofאַרְצוֹ׃his land
פָּסוּק טו
Pasuk 15
וַאֲשֶׁרand whatעָשָׂהHe didלְחֵילto the army ofמִצְרַיִםMitzrayimלְסוּסָיוto its horsesוּלְרִכְבּוֹand to its chariotsאֲשֶׁרwhomהֵצִיףHe floodedאֶת—מֵיthe waters ofיַםthe Sea ofסוּףReedsעַלoverפְּנֵיהֶםtheir facesבְּרָדְפָםin their pursuingאַחֲרֵיכֶםafter youוַיְאַבְּדֵםand He destroyed themיְהוָהHashemעַדuntilהַיּוֹםthe dayהַזֶּה׃this
פָּסוּק טז
Pasuk 16
וַאֲשֶׁרand whatעָשָׂהHe didלָכֶםto youבַּמִּדְבָּרin the wildernessעַדuntilבֹּאֲכֶםyour comingעַדuntoהַמָּקוֹםthe placeהַזֶּה׃this
פָּסוּק יז
Pasuk 17
וַאֲשֶׁרand whatעָשָׂהHe didלְדָתָןto Dathanוְלַאֲבִירָםand to Aviramבְּנֵיsons ofאֱלִיאָבEliabבֶּןson ofרְאוּבֵןReuvenאֲשֶׁרthatפָּצְתָהopenedהָאָרֶץthe earthאֶת—פִּיהָits mouthוַתִּבְלָעֵםand swallowed themוְאֶתand —בָּתֵּיהֶםtheir householdsוְאֶתand —אָהֳלֵיהֶםtheir tentsוְאֵתand —כָּלallהַיְקוּםthe living substanceאֲשֶׁרthat wasבְּרַגְלֵיהֶםat their feetבְּקֶרֶבin the midst ofכָּלall ofיִשְׂרָאֵל׃Yisrael
פָּסוּק יח
Pasuk 18
כִּיforעֵינֵיכֶםyour eyesהָרֹאֹתare the ones seeingאֶת—כָּלall ofמַעֲשֵׂהthe work ofיְהוָהHashemהַגָּדֹלthe greatאֲשֶׁרthatעָשָׂה׃He did
פָּסוּק יט
Pasuk 19
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּםAnd you shall keepאֶת—כָּלall ofהַמִּצְוָהthe commandmentאֲשֶׁרthatאָנֹכִיIמְצַוְּךָcommand youהַיּוֹםtodayלְמַעַןso thatתֶּחֶזְקוּyou will be strongוּבָאתֶםand you will enterוִירִשְׁתֶּםand you will inheritאֶת—הָאָרֶץthe landאֲשֶׁרthatאַתֶּםyouעֹבְרִיםare crossing overשָׁמָּהthereלְרִשְׁתָּהּ׃to inherit it
פָּסוּק כ
Pasuk 20
וּלְמַעַןand so thatתַּאֲרִיכוּyou may prolongיָמִיםdaysעַלuponהָאֲדָמָהthe landאֲשֶׁרwhichנִשְׁבַּעsworeיְהוָהHashemלַאֲבֹתֵיכֶםto your fathersלָתֵתto giveלָהֶםto themוּלְזַרְעָםand to their offspringאֶרֶץa landזָבַתflowing withחָלָבmilkוּדְבָשׁ׃and honey
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah flows from a powerful demand for yiras Shamayim and ahavas Hashem to a reminder of our historical obligations. Moshe Rabbeinu commands Klal Yisrael to fear Hashem, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him, while specifically warning them to love the stranger. He reminds them of their humble beginnings when seventy souls went down to Mitzrayim, contrasted with how Hashem has now made them as numerous as the stars. Finally, Moshe warns them that because they personally witnessed the great miracles in Mitzrayim, the midbar, and the downfall of Dathan and Abiram, they carry a personal responsibility to keep the Torah so they can merit to inherit and live long in Eretz Yisrael, a land flowing with milk and honey.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
The Torah asks us a question that seems to make no sense: "What does Hashem ask of you, except to fear Him?" The Gemara in Berachos is immediately bothered by this. Is yiras Shamayim really such a small, simple thing that Hashem can ask for it as if it is nothing? The Gemara answers that yes, for Moshe Rabbeinu, yiras Shamayim is indeed a small thing. But we have to ask, if the Torah is speaking to all of Klal Yisrael, how does Moshe's level help us?
The yesod here is that by connecting ourselves to the tzaddikim of the generation, and by remembering that we are the children of the Avos whom Hashem loved, we inherit a natural capacity for emunah and yiras Shamayim. It is already inside us, waiting to be uncovered. The only thing holding us back is the "orlas levavchem", the spiritual blockage on our hearts that comes from getting too caught up in the material world and our own stubbornness.
When we remove that outer shell, we find that loving and fearing Hashem is not a distant, impossible mountain to climb. It is our natural state. We don't need to achieve angelic perfection; we just need to clear away the distractions and remember who we are and what our eyes have seen throughout our history.
Today, take three minutes to sit quietly, away from your phone and the noise of the world, and simply think about the chessed Hashem has done in your life. By clearing away the daily noise, you allow your natural, inherited yiras Shamayim to surface.