Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this final aliyah of Parshas Vaetchanan, Moshe Rabbeinu prepares the Bnei Yisrael for their entry into Eretz Yisrael, warning them about the seven Canaanite nations they are about to conquer. Hashem will deliver these nations into their hands, and the Torah commands us to utterly destroy them, without making any treaties or showing them favor. We are strictly warned against intermarrying with them, as this would lead our children away from Hashem to worship avodah zarah, which would chas v'shalom bring down Hashem's anger upon us.
Instead of adopting their ways, the Torah commands us to completely wipe out all traces of their avodah zarah by tearing down their altars, smashing their pillars, and burning their images. Moshe Rabbeinu reminds the Bnei Yisrael of our special status as an Am Kadosh, a holy nation chosen by Hashem to be His treasured people. This choice was not because of our physical size, but because of Hashem's love for us and His loyalty to the shevua He made to our Avos.
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
כִּיWhenיְבִיאֲךָbrings youיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godאֶלtoהָאָרֶץthe landאֲשֶׁרthatאַתָּהyouבָאare comingשָׁמָּהthereלְרִשְׁתָּהּto possess itוְנָשַׁלand He casts outגּוֹיִםnationsרַבִּיםmanyמִפָּנֶיךָfrom before youהַחִתִּיthe Chittiוְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁיand the Girgashiוְהָאֱמֹרִיand the Emoriוְהַכְּנַעֲנִיand the Kenaaniוְהַפְּרִזִּיand the Perizziוְהַחִוִּיand the Chiviוְהַיְבוּסִיand the Yevusiשִׁבְעָהsevenגוֹיִםnationsרַבִּיםgreaterוַעֲצוּמִיםand mightierמִמֶּךָּ׃than you
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
וּנְתָנָםand He delivers themיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godלְפָנֶיךָbefore youוְהִכִּיתָםand you defeat themהַחֲרֵםutterlyתַּחֲרִיםyou must destroyאֹתָםthemלֹאnotתִכְרֹתshall you sealלָהֶםwith themבְּרִיתa covenantוְלֹאand notתְחָנֵּם׃shall you show them favor
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
וְלֹאAnd you shall notתִתְחַתֵּןintermarryבָּםwith themבִּתְּךָyour daughterלֹאyou shall notתִתֵּןgiveלִבְנוֹto his sonוּבִתּוֹand his daughterלֹאyou shall notתִקַּחtakeלִבְנֶךָ׃for your son
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
כִּיforיָסִירhe will turn awayאֶת—בִּנְךָyour sonמֵאַחֲרַיfrom after Meוְעָבְדוּand they will serveאֱלֹהִיםgodsאֲחֵרִיםotherוְחָרָהand will flareאַףthe anger ofיְהוָהHashemבָּכֶםagainst youוְהִשְׁמִידְךָand He will destroy youמַהֵר׃quickly
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
כִּיRatherאִם·כֹּהthusתַעֲשׂוּyou shall doלָהֶםto themמִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶםtheir altarsתִּתֹּצוּyou shall tear downוּמַצֵּבֹתָםand their pillarsתְּשַׁבֵּרוּyou shall smashוַאֲשֵׁירֵהֶםand their sacred treesתְּגַדֵּעוּןyou shall cut downוּפְסִילֵיהֶםand their carved imagesתִּשְׂרְפוּןyou shall burnבָּאֵשׁ׃in the fire
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
כִּיForעַםa peopleקָדוֹשׁholyאַתָּהare youלַיהוָהto Hashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godבְּךָin youבָּחַרchoseיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour Godלִהְיוֹתto beלוֹfor Himלְעַםas a nationסְגֻלָּהtreasuredמִכֹּלabove allהָעַמִּיםthe peoplesאֲשֶׁרthatעַלuponפְּנֵיthe face ofהָאֲדָמָה׃the earth
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
לֹאNotמֵרֻבְּכֶםbecause of your being more numerousמִכָּלthan allהָעַמִּיםthe peoplesחָשַׁקdesiredיְהוָהHashemבָּכֶםyouוַיִּבְחַרand choseבָּכֶםyouכִּיforאַתֶּםyouהַמְעַטare the fewestמִכָּלof allהָעַמִּים׃the peoples
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
כִּיBecauseמֵאַהֲבַתof the love ofיְהוָהHashemאֶתְכֶםfor youוּמִשָּׁמְרוּand because He keptאֶת—הַשְּׁבֻעָהthe oathאֲשֶׁרwhichנִשְׁבַּעHe sworeלַאֲבֹתֵיכֶםto your fathersהוֹצִיאbrought outיְהוָהHashemאֶתְכֶםyouבְּיָדwith a handחֲזָקָהstrongוַיִּפְדְּךָand He redeemed youמִבֵּיתfrom the house ofעֲבָדִיםbondmenמִיַּדfrom the hand ofפַּרְעֹהParohמֶלֶךְking ofמִצְרָיִם׃Mitzrayim
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
וְיָדַעְתָּAnd you shall knowכִּיthatיְהוָהHashemאֱלֹהֶיךָyour GodהוּאHeהָאֱלֹהִיםis the Godהָאֵלthe Almightyהַנֶּאֱמָןthe faithfulשֹׁמֵרWho keepsהַבְּרִיתthe covenantוְהַחֶסֶדand the kindnessלְאֹהֲבָיוfor those who love Himוּלְשֹׁמְרֵיand for those who keepמצותוHis commandmentמִצְוֺתָיוHis commandmentsלְאֶלֶףfor a thousandדּוֹר׃generations
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
וּמְשַׁלֵּםand He repaysלְשֹׂנְאָיוto His enemiesאֶלtoפָּנָיוhis faceלְהַאֲבִידוֹto destroy himלֹאHe will notיְאַחֵרdelayלְשֹׂנְאוֹfor his enemyאֶלtoפָּנָיוhis faceיְשַׁלֶּםHe will repayלוֹ׃him
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
וְשָׁמַרְתָּAnd you shall keepאֶת—הַמִּצְוָהthe commandmentוְאֶתand —הַחֻקִּיםthe decreesוְאֶתand —הַמִּשְׁפָּטִיםthe lawsאֲשֶׁרwhichאָנֹכִיIמְצַוְּךָcommand youהַיּוֹםtodayלַעֲשׂוֹתָם׃to perform them
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah concludes by emphasizing that Hashem is the ultimate, faithful Elokim Who keeps His covenant and shows chesed to those who love Him and keep His mitzvos for thousands of generations. At the same time, Hashem pays back those who hate Him by destroying them in this world without delay. Therefore, we are exhorted to be extremely careful to keep the mitzvos, chukim, and mishpatim that Hashem commands us today, so that we may merit His eternal reward.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
The Torah is telling us a major chiddush about our relationship with Hashem. Lichoira, we might think that Hashem chose us because we are a big, powerful, or impressive nation. But the pasuk says the exact opposite: "For you are the smallest of all the peoples." Rashi explains that this means we do not puff ourselves up with pride; even when Hashem showers us with greatness, we make ourselves small and humble. Our entire connection to Hashem is built on this bittul, this quiet humility.
This is a powerful yesod for our daily avodas Hashem. The yetzer hara always wants us to feel big, to seek honor, and to show off our accomplishments. But the real segulah of a Yid, the very reason Hashem chose us and loves us, is our ability to remain small and humble. When we realize that everything we have is a gift from Hashem, we don't feel superior to others. Mimeila, we create a vessel for Hashem's presence to dwell within us.
Today, when you do a mitzvah or experience a success, don't let it feed your ego. Take a quiet moment to make yourself small, acknowledge that it all comes from Hashem's chessed, and thank Him for choosing you to be His.