Renewal of the covenant - Fear of admonition (98 curses)

{NOTE: Element of sealing the covenant by/when entering the land of Israel. It is as if the previous narrative is preparation for that.(Land of) Israel representing secular/mundane/manifest life. Previously a spiritual story.}

Deuteronomy Chapter 29, verse

ט אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם

9. You are all standing this day before the Lord, your God the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel,

n29:9] אתם נצבים—You are standing Moses stressed that they were standing before G-d, Who cannot be deceived(Sforno).

Moses divided the people into categories to suggest that everyone is responsible according to how many others he or she influences. Leaders may be able to affect masses of people; women, their immediate families and neighbours; children, ony a few friends and classmates; common labourers, hardly anyone. God does not demand more than is possible, but he is not satisfied with less (Or HaChaim).

n29:10] טפכים — Your small children. The future of the (Jewish)^[1] people depends on the education of its children, and the halacha provides that even before building itself a synagogue, a community must provide for the (Torah)^[2] education of young.

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יא לְעָבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָֽלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כֹּרֵ֥ת עִמְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם

11. that you may enter the covenant of the Lord, your God, and His imprecation, which the Lord, your God, seals with you this day,

{NOTE: Why does It say: "This day?" Did we not already enter into the "covenant of the Lord"? Perhaps, from here, we take that every day we enter into our covenant anew.}

n29:11] בברית ובאלתו — Covenant and imprecation (invoke curse). This refers to the curse that will come upon those who defy the covenant.

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יג וְלֹ֥א אִתְּכֶ֖ם לְבַדְּכֶ֑ם אָֽנֹכִ֗י כֹּרֵת֙ אֶת־הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶת־הָֽאָלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת:

13. But not only with you am I making this covenant and this oath,

יד כִּי֩ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶשְׁנ֜וֹ פֹּ֗ה עִמָּ֨נוּ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד הַיּ֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה עִמָּ֥נוּ הַיּֽוֹם:

14. but with those standing here with us today before the Lord, our God, and [also] with those who are not here with us, this day.

n29:14] וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה — And with whomever is not here

The covenant was binding even on unborn generations ... because parents and children are like trees and their seeds. Just as the potential of all saplings is contained in the parent tree, so future generation are contained, in the parents who will give birth to them.

{NOTE: But it could also refer to all those who have not heard the call, and was not at Sinai or amongst the people who crossed over the Jordan. It may be speaking of the nations that were not there, for G-d could see the whole world, and know of the people that lived in distant lands that maybe the Jews about to enter the land of Israel did not even know about. But He would know and would care.}

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טו כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֣ם יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁ֖בְנוּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֛רְנוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲבַרְתֶּֽם:
טז וַתִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־שִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת גִּלֻּֽלֵיהֶ֑ם עֵ֣ץ וָאֶ֔בֶן כֶּ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִמָּהֶֽם:
יז פֶּן־יֵ֣שׁ בָּ֠כֶ֠ם אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֞ה א֧וֹ מִשְׁפָּחָ֣ה אוֹ־שֵׁ֗בֶט אֲשֶׁר֩ לְבָב֨וֹ פֹנֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ מֵעִם֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ לָלֶ֣כֶת לַֽעֲבֹ֔ד אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֖י הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָהֵ֑ם פֶּן־יֵ֣שׁ בָּכֶ֗ם שֹׁ֛רֶשׁ פֹּרֶ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְלַֽעֲנָֽה:
יח וְהָיָ֡ה בְּשָׁמְעוֹ֩ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֨י הָֽאָלָ֜ה הַזֹּ֗את וְהִתְבָּרֵ֨ךְ בִּלְבָב֤וֹ לֵאמֹר֙ שָׁל֣וֹם יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֔י כִּ֛י בִּשְׁרִר֥וּת לִבִּ֖י אֵלֵ֑ךְ לְמַ֛עַן סְפ֥וֹת הָֽרָוָ֖ה אֶת־הַצְּמֵאָֽה:

15. For you know how we dwelled in the land of Egypt, and how we passed through the midst of the nations through whom you passed.
16. And you saw their abominations and their detestible idols — of wood and stone, silver and gold that were with them.
17. Perhaps there is among you a man, woman, family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from being with the **HaShem**, our G-d, to go and serve the deities of those nations. Perhaps there is among you a root flourishing with gall (hemlock?) and wormwood. 18. And it will be, when he hears the words of this oath, that he will bless himself in his heart, saying, "Peace be with me, even though I walk as my heart sees fit,"[^3] — thereby adding the watered upon the thirsty.[^4]

n29:15-18] Warning against Idolatory. The passage warns against an astounding and sobering aspect of human behaviour. Having lived in Egypt and soon to live in Canaan, Israel would know first hand of the abominable and vain nature of idolatry — yet people might still be tempted to experiment with the "philosophies" and life-styles of its followers. So it still is. People know right from wrong, yet they devise rationalisations to legitimize the enjoyment of evil and immorality.

n29:18] שָׁל֣וֹם יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֔י — Peace will be with me

{NOTE: It is more likely "God's peace upon (or for) me."
I walk as my heart sees fit (_feminine_).
I walk according to my covenant (with G-d) (_masculine_)
}

n29:18] למען סְפות הרַווה את־הצמאַה — Thereby adding the watered upon the thirsty. "Watered" is a metaphor for שׁוגג, unintentional sin, because when a person has had too much to drink and becomes intoxicated, he may sin without being aware of what he is doing. {NOTE: So we can label the sin as a lessor one, but it is overridden by the sin of becoming intoxicated in the first place, perhaps in order to behave in a sinful manner.} "Thirsty" is a metaphor for מזיד, intentional sin, because a thirsty person is rational and seeks means of satisfying his craving. Thus, the sense of t he verse is that only under normal circumstances does G-d treat unintentional sins leniently, but when a person falls prey to the delusion that he is free to do as he pleases — peace will be with me — G-d holds him responsible even for his unintentional sins (watered), since they are the result of indifference to the gravity of a transgression. (Rashi)

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n29:19] וּמָחָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־שְׁמ֔וֹ מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם — Hashem will erase his name from under the heavens.. A person's name is of heavenly origin. The name symbolises the spiritual forces that a beaere can release if he acts properly, but when he becomes mired in sin that name is erased from its lofty source under the heaven (Or HaChaim)
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כח הַנִּ֨סְתָּרֹ֔ת לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹ֞ת ֹלָֹ֤נוֹּ ֹוֹּלְֹבָֹנֵֹ֨יֹנֹוּ֨ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם לַֽעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת:

28. The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God, but the revealed things apply to us and to our children forever: that we must fulfill all the words of this Torah.

n29:28] הנסתרות לה’ ־ — the hidden [sins] are for G-d.

Deuteronomy Chapter 30

{NOTE: This is a litany as to the good things that will happen if (and when) we "accept G-d and love Him with all our heart and all our soul. It is a lovely piece in many ways, but what I find particularly interesting is the turn of phrase(s) used to describe this abiding love we should arouse in ourselves. What stands out for me is the continuous "listen to His Voice". It has caused me to spend many hours meditating on what is meant by "His Voice". The majority of Rabbi's seem to look at it as "the reading/study of the Torah", but, postmodernist that I am, I wander. If G-d is everywhere and everything... would not His Voice be everywhere and in everything? Those Words uttered in the creation of the world would still be reverberating today, and, even more so, if, according to Kabbalah, the creation is happening continuously.}

א וְהָיָה֩ כִֽי־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַֽהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכָ֨ל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה:

1 And it will be, when all these things come upon you the blessing and the curse which I have set before you that you will consider in your heart, among all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you,

ב וְשַׁבְתָּ֞ עַד־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֣ בְקֹל֔וֹ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם אַתָּ֣ה וּבָנֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

2. and you will return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will listen to His voice according to all that I am commanding you this day you and your children,

ג וְשָׁ֨ב יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־שְׁבֽוּתְךָ֖ וְרִֽחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה:

3. then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from all the nations, where the Lord, your God, had dispersed you.

ו וּמָ֨ל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ:

6. And the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, [so that you may] love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your life.

י כִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֗ע בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְו‍ֹתָיו֙ וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י תָשׁוּב֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

10. when you obey the Lord, your God, to observe His commandments and His statutes written in this Torah scroll, [and] when you return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.

יא כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹֽא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹֽא־רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא:

11. For this commandment which I command you this day, is not concealed from you, nor is it far away.

יב לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַֽעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֨יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַֽעֲשֶֽׂנָּה:

12. It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?"

יג וְלֹֽא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַֽעֲבָר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַֽעֲשֶֽׂנָּה:

13. Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?"

יד כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִלְבָֽבְךָ֖ לַֽעֲשׂתֽוֹ:

14. Rather, [this] matter is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can fulfill it.

טו רְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע:

15. Behold, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil,

טז אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֘ הַיּוֹם֒ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֔יו וְלִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְו‍ֹתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑יו וְחָיִ֣יתָ וְרָבִ֔יתָ וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:

16. inasmuch as I command you this day to love the Lord, your God, to walk in His ways, and to observe His commandments, His statutes, and His ordinances, so that you will live and increase, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land to which you are coming to take possession of it.

יז וְאִם־יִפְנֶ֥ה לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמָ֑ע וְנִדַּחְתָּ֗ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֛יתָ לֵֽאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים וַֽעֲבַדְתָּֽם:

17. But if your heart deviates and you do not listen, and you will be drawn astray, and you will prostrate yourself to other deities and serve them,

יח הִגַּ֤דְתִּי לָכֶם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֥י אָבֹ֖ד תֹּאבֵד֑וּן לֹא־תַֽאֲרִיכֻ֤ן יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹבֵר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָב֥וֹא שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:

18. I declare to you this day, that you will surely perish, and that you will not live long days on the land, to which you are crossing the Jordan, to come and take possession thereof.

יט הַֽעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֘ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַֽחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֨וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ:

19. This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses [that I have warned] you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live;

כ לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדָבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֨יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם:

20. To love the Lord your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For that is your life and the length of your days, to dwell on the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give to them.

n30:1] והשָׂבות אל־לבבךָ — then you will take it to heart. It is not enough to know intellectually that the service of G-d is right. One must feel it emotionally as well — take it to heart.

n30:3-4] ושׁב ה’ ־ — Then G-d ... will bring back. The better word for bring back is והשׁיב. The word ושׁבmeans literally return with, implying that G-d Himself, as it were, as in exile and will return from exile together with the Jewish people. (Rashi)

n30:6] וּמָ֨ל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב — Will circumcise your heart. One you repent, G-d will help you by "circumcising your heart", meaning that he will help you overcome the hurdles the Evil inclination always places in the way. Unlike the physical foreskin, which must be removed by people, G-d will remove the spiritual impediment to total repentence (Ibn Ezra).

This Divine assistance follows the principle "if one comes to purify himself, he is assisted [by G-d]" (Shabbos 104a)... Throughout history, people struggle with conlficting desires to do good and evil... The "foreskin" is the spiritual barrier that prevents goodness from dominating the Jew's heart... (Ramban)

n30:11-14] Torah is close by. The goal of knowing and fulfilling the Torah may seem to be beyond human attainment, but this is actually not so... Far from requiring superhuman efforts or supernatural revelations to be equal to G-d's expectations, that goal is very much with reach — if you but make a sincere effort to grasp it.

n30:12] לא בשׁמום הוא — It is not in heaven, but even if it were, you would be expected to try and scale the heavens to study the Torah (Rashi); even if knowledge of the Torah were so elevated as to be beyond your capacity, you would still be required to make the attempt to master it, to whatever extent you can (Maharasha, Eruvin 55a).

The repentence spoken of is within your capacity; you do not need a prophet to bring you heavenly messages before you can become close to G-d (Sforno).

n30:13] לא מעביר לים הוא — Nor is it across the sea, i.e., one should not feel that the physical effor of adequite Torah study is as difficult as an impossible journey. Sforno points out that it is not necessary to seek out the greatest scholars in the world, who may be across distant seas.

n30:14] כי קרוב אליך — Rather the matter is very near to you. You have been given both a written and an oral Torah (Rashi).

The verse speaks of mouth, heart and deed. G-d want primarily the sincerity of the heart; some commandments involve speech, which inspires the heart; and some involve deeds which inspire speech (Sforno).

The Sages teach that a fetus is taught the Torah in the womb, and is casued to forget it at birth (Niddah 30b). But if he is not to remember it, whicy was it taught to him? Thanks to this prenatal teaching, every Jew has an affinity for the Torah, and even someone who never had the privilege of studying the Torah may be inspired with intuitive wisdom. When such such a sperson is given the opportunity to study, the Torah will not be something foreign to him but something he once knew.(R' Yosef Dov Solevetchik)

n30:15-20] Choose life. The Sidrah ends with an exhortation. The choice between the Torah and a diametrically opposed way of life is no less than a choice between life and death.

n30:15] אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע: — The life and the good, and the death and the evil. R' Yochanan siad of this verse ... goodness and evil did not emanate from His mouth; rather evil comes of its own accord to one who does evil, and good comes to one who does good (Rashi to Lamentations 3:38).

n30:19] אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ — Heaven and earth. Heaven and earth exist eternally. God wants Israel to draw a lesson from heaven and earth. Heaven and earth are not rewarded nor punished, but they never deviate from the functions G-d ordained for them.

n30:20] לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדָבְקָה־ב֑וֹ — To love G-d. The Sages teach that we should study Torah without any ulterior motive, such as a desire to be honoured as a rabbi. By definition, love means that one cares only to be attached to the object of one's love, without any selfish concerns... Someone who studies the Torah with other motives loves himself, not the Torah, and therefore will not come to love G-d (Maharal to Nedarim 62a).

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Haftorah p1202; 61:10-11 - exalt; 62-1-2 - silent.

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Footnotes

1. I would like to extend this further, including all those who are willing to follow the covenant with G-d, a spiritual path laid out in our guidebook, the Torah. ↩︎

2. The Torah, as the foundation, but the necessity of accepting G-d's Oneness, in addition to His Mercy, and practice listening to His Voice. ↩︎