## Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy Chapter 26

###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:1:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:1:1)

**וְהָיָה כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ.** אָמַר **וְהָיָה** לְשׁוֹן שִׂמְחָה, לְהָעִיר שֶׁאֵין לִשְׂמוֹחַ אֶלָּא בִּישִׁיבַת הָאָרֶץ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהלים קכו:ב) ״אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והיה כי תבא, "It will be when you come, etc."** The Torah introduces this paragraph with the word והיה, indicating a joyous event; the message is that the only true reason for being joyful is when one is privileged to live in the Holy Land. Compare what David had to say about the return to Zion, i.e. (Psalms 126,2) "then our mouths will be filled with laughter."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:1:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:1:2)

**אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה הִיא גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב, אִם ״וְלָקַחְתָּ״ וְגוֹ׳ הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר ״תִּקַּח מֵרֵאשִׁית״ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא הַתְחָלַת הַצִּוּוּי. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁכַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא שֶׁיְּצַו ה׳ אַרְבַּע מִצְווֹת: אֶחָד – שֶׁיֵּדַע בְּלִבּוֹ כִּי לֹא בְּכֹחוֹ וְלֹא בְּעֹצֶם גְּבוּרָתוֹ בָּא לָרֶשֶׁת הָאָרֶץ אֶלָּא מַתַּת ה׳, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לְךָ״. וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ** לְהָעִיר שֶׁעַל מְנָת שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל אֱלֹהוּתוֹ עָלָיו הוּא נוֹתֵן. ב׳ – לְהוֹרִישׁ הָאָרֶץ מִיּוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, הֲגַם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ דָּבָר הַמַּסְפִּיק לוֹ בָּאָרֶץ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יְגָרֵשׁ אוֹיְבֵי ה׳ מֵאַרְצוֹ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וִירִשְׁתָּהּ.** שְׁלִישִׁית – יְשִׁיבַת הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ כַּמָּה הִפְלִיגוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (כתובות קיא.) בְּמִצְוַת יְשִׁיבַת הָאָרֶץ. רְבִיעִית – הֲבָאַת הַבִּכּוּרִים, כְּאָמְרוֹ **וְלָקַחְתָּ** וְגוֹמֵר.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אשר ה׳ אלוקיך נתן לך נחלה וירשתה, "which the Lord your G'd is about to give you as an inheritance and you will dwell in it."** What exactly is this verse driving at? If the purpose of our verse is to convey the legislation of בכורים, "the offering of the first fruit," the Torah should have commenced these instructions with the words תקח מראשית כל פרי, "take from the first ripened fruit, etc." seeing this is the beginning of this legislation. Why did the Torah write ולקחת with the conjunctive letter ו when there is no connection to the most recently mentioned commandment? It appears that G'd actually commanded 4 separate commandments here. 1) The Israelite should realise in his heart that it was not he nor his strength which enabled him to conquer the land of Canaan but that it was a gift to him from G'd. This is why the Torah first wrote: "which the Lord your G'd is about to give to you." G'd gives it to you in order for you to realise this. The Torah advisedly used the formula אלוקיך, "your G'd," to remind you that He gave you the land in order for you to recognise Him as such. 2) You must drive out the former inhabitants of this land. You have to do this even if it appears to you that there is a good reason for keeping some former inhabitants in this land. The Torah demands that the enemies of G'd must be expelled from His land. This is why the Torah stresses וירשתה, "and you shall possess it." 3) Dwelling in the Holy Land is a commandment all by itself. We have numerous instances where the Talmud extols the importance of the commandment to dwell in the Holy Land. Compare *Ketuvot* 111. 4) The bringing to the Temple annually of some of the first ripened fruit which this land produces.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:2:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:2:1)

**מֵרֵאשִׁית.** פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁאִם בִּכְּרוּ הַרְבֵּה כְּאַחַת אֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְהָבִיא כָּל רֵאשִׁית אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ מֵהֶם. וּמַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ביכורים א,ג) שֶׁאֵין לְהָבִיא אֶלָּא מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים, נִלְמַד הַדָּבָר בִּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״אֶרֶץ״ וְגוֹ׳ (מנחות פד:). וְאָמְרוֹ **כָּל פְּרִי**, פֵּרוּשׁ כָּל הַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁשִּׁבַּחְתִּי לְךָ בָּהֶם הָאָרֶץ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**מראשית, "of the first, etc."** This means that if a number of fruits ripen all at the same time only some of them have to be offered under the heading of בכורים. Our sages in *Bikkurim* 1,6 who stated that only the seven species mentioned in Deut. 8,8 are the subject of this legislation, derived this by the exegetical tool called גזרה שוה, i.e. the Torah employing similar sounding words in two unrelated subject matters when one or both of these words are superfluous in their context. The word which gives rise to this *halachah* is the word ארץ in the verse we just mentioned. According to *Menachot* 84 the words כל פרי, "all the fruit," mean that just as in Deut. 8,8. the Torah enumerated the seven species for which the land of Israel is especially extolled, so the law of בכורים applies only to these species.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:2:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:2:2)

**אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לָךְ.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְפִי שֶׁשִּׁיֵּר ה׳ לוֹ חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ וְהוּא שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה (ויקרא כה:ד), דִּכְתִיב ״וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית וְגוֹ׳ שַׁבָּת לַה׳״, לָזֶה בָּא דְּבָרוֹ הַטּוֹב שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְצַוֶּה אֶלָּא עַל זְמַן הַנְּתִינָה לְךָ שֶׁהֵם שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים, אֲבָל שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה אֵין בָּהּ הֲבָאַת בִּכּוּרִים לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָם שֶׁלּוֹ אֶלָּא מֻפְקֶרֶת לַכֹּל.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אשר ה׳ אלוקיך נתן לך "which the Lord your G'd is about to give to you;"** The Torah emphasises the part of the land that G'd gives **to you,** because He had reserved for Himself part of that land, i.e. every seventh year when you are not allowed to work the land (compare Leviticus 25,4). It states there specifically that during the seventh year the land reverts to being G'd's. The legislation of *Bikkurim* applies only during the six years the Israelite farms his land. Although the land produces a harvest also during the seventh year the legislation does not apply as the land does not then belong to the farmer but is officially "ownerless."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:3:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:3:1)

**נִשְׁבַּע וְגוֹ׳ לָתֶת לָנוּ.** לְמַעֵט הַגֵּר שֶׁאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא (בכורים א,ד), וְלֹא מִעֲטוֹ אֶלָּא בִּקְרִיאָה וְלֹא בַּהֲבָאָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אשר נשבע ה׳ לאבותינו, "which the Lord swore to our forefathers to give to us."** The wording of this verse excludes this passage being recited by proselytes. He is obligated to bring the offering but cannot recite a line which would make a liar out of him (compare *Bikkurim* chapter 1).


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:1)

(א-יא) **וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ.** אָמַר **וְעָנִיתָ**, יֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים לְשׁוֹן הַתְחָלָה, וּכְמוֹ (איוב ג:ב) ״וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב״, וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהוּא עֹנִי, כְּאָדָם פָּחוּת שֶׁקִּבֵּל טוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה מִמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁמַּעֲנִי עַצְמוֹ לְפָנָיו בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר, כְּמוֹ כֵן הוּא יַכְנִיעַ עַצְמוֹ לִפְנֵי ה׳, וְיֹאמַר ״אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי״, כִּי אָבִינוּ הָיָה אוֹבֵד וְתוֹעֶה וְגוֹלֶה בְּמִצְרַיִם בִּמְתֵי מְעָט וְגוֹ׳, וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ ה׳ מִמִּצְרַיִם וַיְבִיאֵנוּ וְגוֹ׳. וּכְנֶגֶד מַאֲמָר זֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ עִלּוּי וַחֲשִׁיבוּת אָמַר **וְאָמַרְתָּ**, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים קטז:) בְּעִנְיַן הַגָּדַת פֶּסַח מַתְחִיל בִּגְנוּת וּמְסַיֵּם בִּשְׁבָח.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וענית ואמרת, "And you shall answer and say, etc."** Some commentators understand the word וענית as similar to Job 3,2: i.e. "he answered." It is also possible that the word is related to עני. When an undeserving individual has received a great favour from his king, he humbles himself before his king with a contrite heart. Similarly, the Jewish farmer who has seen the blessing G'd has showered on his field or orchard humbles himself before the Lord. He does so by recounting the lowly beginnings of the Jewish people whose ancestor Jacob was a hired hand working for Laban, who made every effort to destroy him. Up to this point the word וענית applies to the recital of the Jewish farmer. Once he recalls the Exodus and how G'd has elevated the Jewish people the Torah refers to his recital as ואמרת, "you will say (with a sense of great satisfaction)". This is what the sages had in mind in *Pessachim* 116 when they said that the order in which we recount the story of the Exodus on the night of the "Seder" is that one begins by reciting something shameful only to conclude with something representing praise and satisfaction.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:2)

**וְהִצַּצְתִּי** בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ שֶׁרוֹמֶזֶת גַּם כֵּן בִּיאַת אֶרֶץ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, וְאָמַר **וְהָיָה כִּי תָבֹא** שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי לָאָדָם לִשְׂמֹחַ אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁיָּבֹא לָאָרֶץ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (משלי לא:כה) ״וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן״, כִּי שִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ. וְחָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ עַל אֵיזֶה אֶרֶץ מְדַבֵּר, וְאָמַר **אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה** כִּי לָזוֹ יִקָּרֵא נַחֲלַת עוֹלָם, וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **נוֹתֵן לְךָ**, כִּי בְּעֵרֶךְ מַה שֶׁשָּׁוֶה עוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן כָּל מַה שֶׁיְּסַגֵּל אָדָם בַּעֲדוֹ לֹא יַגִּיעַ לְחֵלֶק מֵאֶלֶף אֲלָפִים מִשָּׁוְיוֹ. וְלָזֶה אָמַר ״נוֹתֵן לְךָ״ בְּתוֹרַת מַתָּנָה. וּלְצַד שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִטְרֹחַ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לְקַיֵּם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת לְזֹאת אָמַר ״וִירִשְׁתָּהּ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
After having had a good look at our paragraph I have also found in it an allusion to our inheriting the celestial regions. The words והיה כי תבא אל הארץ hint that a person has no right to rejoice until he arrives in the land of the higher regions of which Solomon says in Proverbs 31,25: "she looks forward to the יום אחרון, "the final day" with laughter." This means that even a woman of valour such as described by Solomon as the epitome of woman-hood does not permit herself joy in this life. Joy in this life is vanity and רעות רוח, "a vexation of the spirit." The Torah continues with **אשר ה׳ אלוקיך נתן לך, "which the Lord your G'd will give to you,"** i.e. only that land (the hereafter) is called an enduring inheritance. The reason the Torah is careful to say נתן לך, "gives to you," is because all of the treasures of this world are as nothing compared to the gift of an inheritance in the "higher world." No matter how much wealth any one of us has acquired in this world, it would not suffice to acquire, i.e. to buy even the least bit of an inheritance in the hereafter. This is why the Torah can only describe such an inheritance as a gift from G'd not as something we could trade for our assets in this world.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:3)

וְאָמַר ״**וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ**״ – עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם (ברכות לה:) צַדִּיקִים יוֹשְׁבִים וְעַטְרוֹתֵיהֶם בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וישבת בה "and you will dwell therein;"** this is best understood in light of the description of what the righteous will be doing in the hereafter supplied by *Berachot* 35. The Talmud there describes the righteous as sitting in the hereafter with their crowns on their heads.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:4
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:4)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וְלָקַחְתָּ** וְגוֹ׳, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר (חלק ב נט.) כִּי כָל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם מֵהַמִּצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בְּעוֹדוֹ חַי מִתְקַבֵּץ עַל יָד עַל יָד עַד יוֹם נְסִיעָתוֹ, וּבָהֶם מְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, כְּדֶרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (ישעיהו נח,ח) ״וְהָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדְקֶךָ״, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא יִקַּח בְּיָדוֹ לְהַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי ה׳ אֶלָּא מִדְּבָרִים הַמֻּבְחָרִים שֶׁעָשָׂה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. עוֹד רָמַז אֶל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת רֵאשִׁית (בראשית רבה א:א).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ולקחת מראשית, "and you will take from the first, etc."** we can understand this according to the *Zohar* volume two page 59 that all the commandments a person performs in this life together with all the good deeds he does are collected and stored up in the celestial regions awaiting his arrival there at which time they will serve him as an entrance card to an audience with the King of Kings, the Almighty. This idea is based on Isaiah 58,8: "that your righteousness walks ahead of you when the Glory of G'd gathers you in." **ולקחת מראשית כל, "and you will take from the first of all, etc."** The Torah means that the word ראשית refers to the best, the choicest. When presenting an offering to G'd you will only take the choicest of the products this world has to offer. Another meaning which the Torah alludes to when choosing the word ראשית is the Torah itself. We have it on the authority of *Bereshit Rabbah* 1 that the Torah itself is called ראשית.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:5
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:5)

וְאָמְרוֹ **אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לָךְ** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות לה.): כְּתִיב ״לַה׳ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ״ (תהלים כד:א) וּכְתִיב ״וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם״ (תהלים קטו:טז), לֹא קַשְׁיָא, כָּאן קוֹדֶם בְּרָכָה כָּאן לְאַחַר בְּרָכָה, עַד כָּאן. הֲרֵי שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם מַה שֶׁצִּוָּהוּ ה׳, נֶחְשָׁב הַדָּבָר שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּתוֹ עָשָׂה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהוּא נָתוּן לוֹ בְּמַתָּנָה, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הָאָדָם אֵין לָנוּ בּוֹ יִתְרוֹן כִּי לְפִי שֶׁמִּפְעָלוֹ כֻּלּוֹ הוּא בְּאֶמְצָעוּת עוֹלָם שֶׁהוּא בּוֹ וְלַה׳ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ, לָזֶה אָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לָךְ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אשר ה׳ אלוקיך נתן לך, "which the Lord your G'd gives to you;"** this may be understood in terms of what our sages in *Berachot* 35 said about an apparent contradiction between two verses in Psalms. In Psalms 24,1 the Psalmist says: "the earth and all which is in it belongs to G'd," whereas in Psalms 115,16 the same Psalmist proclaims: "the heavens are G'd's heavens, whereas He has given the earth to man." The Talmud resolves the apparent dilemma by saying that the first verse is true when man has failed to thank the Lord by reciting a benediction before he enjoys the pleasures this earth provides. The second verse is true after man has obtained permission from G'd to treat the earth as his by means of reciting the appropriate benedictions. In other words, once man has complied with G'd's commandments, whatever he has accomplished on earth is considered as something he has accomplished in his own domain, albeit one that G'd has given to him as a gift. Were it not so, none of man's actions would be of the slightest value since he would constantly toil within a domain to which he has no claim and upon which he could not therefore make a lasting impact. When the Torah wrote: "which the Lord your G'd gives to you," it referred to the gift of the entire earth to man provided he had first complied with G'd's wishes.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:6
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:6)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא.** יִרְמֹז שֶׁצָּרִיךְ כָּל מִפְעָלוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה יִהְיוּ עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם, כְּאָמְרוֹ (דברים יז:יא) ״עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ וְעַל הַמִּשְׁפָּט״ וְגוֹ׳, וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים בֵּאֲרוּ אוֹתָם חֲכָמִים בְּשִׁשִּׁים מַסֶּכְתוֹת כְּמִנְיַן טֶנֶא, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה הֲגַם שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה כָּל מִצְווֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם יִשָּׂרֵף הוּא וְהֵם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ושמת בטנא, "and you will place it in a basket, etc."** This is a hint that all the good deeds a person does have to correspond to the guidelines set by our sages as we read in Deut. 17,11: "in accordance with the Torah which they (the sages) will teach you and in accordance with the judgments they will say to you." These sages are the ones who have expounded the Torah in 60 tractates of the Talmud, the numerical value of the letters in the word טנא, "basket" symbolising these 60 tractates of the Talmud. Unless the performance of all these good deeds is based on the authority of the sages and the framework which they have provided both the do-gooder and his good works will be burned.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:7
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:7)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וְהָלַכְתָּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם** וְגוֹ׳, לְפִי שֶׁבַּעֲלִיַּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ לָעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵּלֵךְ תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד לְהַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי ה׳, עַד שֶׁיָּכִין עַצְמוֹ בַּפְּרוֹזְדוֹר, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁמִּתְעַכְּבִים עַד שִׁבְעָה יָמִים, אוֹ חֹדֶשׁ, אוֹ יָמִים, כָּאָמוּר בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר (חלק א פא.), וְאַחַר כָּךְ עוֹלֶה לְגַן עֵדֶן הָעֶלְיוֹן הַנִּקְרָא צְרוֹר הַחַיִּים, וְהוּא הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה׳ לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והלכת אל המקום, "and you will go to the place, etc."** According to the Zohar volume one page 81 man does not normally proceed directly to be received by G'd in His palace, but he has to prepare himself in a place called the ante-chamber. Sometimes the period such a soul has to stay in the ante-chamber preparing itself for the fateful interview may be quite lengthy. Our verse alludes to the period needed for man's soul to prepare itself for entering the palace where it will come face to face with G'd, i.e. "the place which He chooses for His name to reside in."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:8
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:8)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן.** עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה יב:) כִּי מִיכָאֵל עוֹמֵד לְכַהֵן לִפְנֵי ה׳ לְהַקְרִיב הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם, וְאֵלָיו יֹאמַר כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה ״הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ובאת אל הכהן, "and you will come to the priest, etc."** We may look at this in light of *Chagigah* 12 where the archangel Michael is described as standing ready to sacrifice the souls of the righteous on a celestial altar in honour of G'd Almighty. The words which the Torah here tells the person offering his בכורים to recite are to be understood as the words which the soul is to recite to the arch-angel Michael, who is the High Priest in the celestial regions, before he proceeds to offer this soul as a sacrifice.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:9
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:9)

וְאָמְרוֹ **אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּנֶּה הַכֹּהֵן הָעוֹמֵד שָׁם. צֵא וּלְמַד מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּזוֹהַר חָדָשׁ (פרשת לך לך דף לד) בְּעִנְיַן מִיכָאֵל, אֵימָתַי זָכָה לִהְיוֹת בְּמַצָּב זֶה, שֶׁהוּא מֵעֵת שֶׁהֶעֱלָה נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד לְגַן עֵדֶן הָעֶלְיוֹן אַחַר שֶׁבָּנָה שְׁלֹמֹה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְכוּ׳. הֲרֵי שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים יִשְׁתַּנֶּה הַכֹּהֵן, לָזֶה אָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם״. **וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַה׳ כִּי בָאתִי אֶל הָאָרֶץ** הִיא אֶרֶץ שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה בָּא, וְאָמַר **נִשְׁבַּע ה׳ לָתֵת לָנוּ** הִיא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּתָהּ יַשִּׂיגוּ קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The words **אשר יהיה בימים ההם, "who will officiate at that time,"** may be understood in light of the *Zohar* who says that the "priests" (angels) officiating in the celestial spheres are subject to rotation. We have a statement to this effect in the *Zohar Chadash Parshat Lech Lecha* concerning the status of the archangel Michael. This is the reason the Torah wrote אשר יהיה בימים ההם. We are told there that this angel only attained the position of "High Priest" after he had offered the soul of King David thus enabling it to enter the celestial regions. This occurred after Solomon had built the Temple on earth. [According to the text in the *Zohar Chadash,* although G'd had forgiven David the sin with Bat Sheva, David had not yet secured entry to the hereafter until that day. Ed.] The recital of the abbreviated history of the Jewish people including the words אשר נשבע ה׳… לתת לנו, "which the Lord had sworn an oath …to give to us," refers to the land of Israel which is **the means** through which Torah observance and performance of good deeds will continue.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:10
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:10)

וְאָמְרוּ **וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן הַטֶּנֶא מִיָּדֶךָ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא יְקַבֵּל שַׂר עֶלְיוֹן אֶלָּא הַבָּא בְּיָדוֹ מְיֻסָּד עַל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה הָרָמוּז בְּתֵבַת טֶנֶא כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, ״וְהִנִּיחוֹ לִפְנֵי״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The Torah goes on with **ולקח הכהן הטנא מידך, "and the priest will accept the basket from your hand,"** to indicate that the only thing the celestial High Priest will accept from you as a suitable gift for G'd are offerings based on Torah values as taught to us by the oral Torah, i.e. as per the number 60 represented by the word טנא and referring to the 60 tractates of the Talmud.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:11
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:11)

**וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם מֵהַטּוֹבוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֵין דַּי לְרַצּוֹת מֶלֶךְ עֶלְיוֹן. צֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ערובין יז.) אִם יָבֹא בְּמִשְׁפָּט עִם אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו, כִּי מַה יִּצְדַּק אֱנוֹשׁ. וּכְתִיב (איוב ד:יז) ״אִם מֵעוֹשֵׂהוּ יִטְהַר גָּבֶר״, לָזֶה אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה שֶׁיִּתֵּן תְּשׁוּבָה לַה׳ וְהִתְנַצְּלוּת עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָשָׂה רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּמִּצְטָרֵךְ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי.** אֲרַמִּי זֶה יֵצֶר הָרָע שֶׁהוּא רַמַּאי גָּדוֹל, כְּאָמְרוֹ (בראשית ג:א) ״וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם״, שֶׁמְּרַמֶּה הַבְּרִיּוֹת לְאַבְּדָם. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֹבֵד אָבִי**, פֵּרוּשׁ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (ישעיהו מג:כז) ״אָבִיךָ הָרִאשׁוֹן חָטָא״, וְאִבְּדוֹ וְגָרַם מִיתָה לוֹ וְלַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים אַחֲרָיו, וְהִשְׁרִישׁ בְּכָל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת חֵלֶק הָרַע, וְהוּא סוֹד עָרְלָה הַדְּבוּקָה בָּאָדָם מִבֶּטֶן וּמֵהֵרָיוֹן. עוֹד יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **אֹבֵד אָבִי** עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהלים יד:א) ״אָמַר נָבָל בְּלִבּוֹ אֵין אֱלֹהִים״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וענית ואמרת, "and you will say in your (spiritual) poverty,"** the Torah refers to the fact no matter how much a person tries to do good in this life it is not enough to please the Lord. Our sages in *Eyruvin* 17 said that when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob face G'd to be judged, neither one of them is able to hold his own seeing that it is not possible for man born of woman to meet the standards demanded of him by G'd. Job referred to this when he said (Job 4,17) "can mortals be aquitted by G'd, can man be cleared by his Maker?" The recital the Torah prescribes for the farmer bringing the first fruit is nothing but a list of the excuses cited by man for his failure to live up to G'd's expectations of him. First he refers to the adverse circumstances under which he laboured at Laban the swindler. This is a simile for the temptations of the evil urge who is a great swindler having tricked Eve into eating from the tree of knowledge. The Torah itself had described the tempter, the serpent, as very wily (Genesis 3,1). The words אבד אבי are a reference to Adam. Isaiah 43,27 quotes G'd as saying "your original father (Adam) has sinned, and your spokesmen (priests and prophets) trangressed against Me." The word אבד is a reference to the mortality this sin introduced to the human race, something which affected all subsequent generations who became infected with an evil pollutant. This is the mystical dimension of the foreskin which is part of the embryo from its very earliest gestation. Another meaning of the words **אבד אבי "who denies my Father,"** is similar to Psalms 14,1: "the withered man has said in his heart 'there is no G'd.'"


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:12
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:12)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ **אָבִי**, שֶׁהִיא הַנְּשָׁמָה, שֶׁכָּל מוֹעֲצוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַשָּׂטָן לְאַבֵּד הַנְּשָׁמָה. וְהַנְּשָׁמָה נִקְרֵאת אָב, כְּאָמְרָם בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת לֶךְ לְךָ (עו.), וְהוּא הוּא הַמּוֹנֵעַ הָאָדָם מֵעֲשׂוֹת חִיּוּבוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳. וְלֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא ״וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה״ – פֵּרוּשׁ הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁבָּא בּוֹ הַיֵּצֶר, שֶׁהוּא גּוּפוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, הוּא מְצֵרָיו שֶׁל הַיֵּצֶר הַקְּרוֹבִים אֵלָיו, בְּסוֹד (ישעיהו סה,כה) ״וְנָחָשׁ עָפָר לַחְמוֹ״, וַחֲפֵצִים בַּאֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ מִדִּבְרֵי עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּמַטְעַמָּיו אֲשֶׁר הִתְעִיב ה׳, כִּי אַרְבָּעָה יְסוֹדוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ הֵן הַיּוֹם אַחַר חֵטְא הָאָדָם נִגְשְׁמוּ וְנִטְמְאוּ, שֶׁלְּסִבָּה זוֹ גָּזַר ה׳ מִיתָה לְהָאָדָם. וּבָזֶה נִשְׁמָעִים דְּבָרָיו וּפִתּוּיָיו לִיסוֹדֵי הָאָדָם. גַּם יִקָּרֵא הַגּוּף מִצְרַיִם לְפִי שֶׁמֵּצֵר לַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּתַאֲווֹתָיו.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The word אבי, "my father," may also be a reference to the soul seeing all the efforts of Satan are aimed at corrupting and destroying the holy soul in man. The soul is called "father" in the *Zohar* volume one page 76. It is Satan who tries to prevent man from carrying out his duty to serve his Maker. This is not all Satan was responsible for, but **וירד מצרים, "he descended to Egypt,"** i.e. to the place where the evil urge is at home, the epitome of physicality, the place where the soul is under the greatest amount of pressure to yield to Satan. This is the mystical dimension of Isaiah 65,25: ונחש עפר לחמו, "and the serpent feeds on dust." This is a simile for Satan subsisting on all the material pleasures of this world, enjoying them for their own sakes, something which is an abomination to G'd. Literally, the very fact that man's body is narrow, **מצר** (same as **מצרים**) accounts for the fact that the evil urge within us is so close to our soul that we can hardly avoid touching. The four basic raw materials which G'd employed to create this physical universe have all become predominantly secular and even defiled through man's original sin so that G'd had to decree mortality on His creatures. [The author, in common with all other Kabbalists, has explained that death is part of the rehabilitative process for the spirit which will ultimately redeem man. Ed.]. This perversion of the basic raw materials man is made of is the reason people respond so readily to the seductive tactics of Satan. The body itself is called מצרים, "Egypt," (confined), because it exerts constant pressure on man through the pleasures man lusts after.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:13
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:13)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וַיָּגָר שָׁם**, כִּי בַּתְּחִלָּה נִכְנָס כְּגֵר, כְּאָמְרוֹ (שמואל ב יב:ד) ״וַיָּבֹא הֵלֶךְ״ וְגוֹ׳ (סוכה נב:).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויגר שם, "it sojourned there,"** i.e. intitially the presence of Israel's soul in Egypt, Satans' home, was only comparable to the presence of a stranger. [compare the parable the prophet Nathan told David to illustrate to him how wrong he had been in taking Bat Sheva as his wife. Ed.] We read in Samuel II 12,4: "the traveller went" (and seduced David). Compare the treatment of these verses in *Sukkah* 52.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:14
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:14)

**בִּמְתֵי מְעָט** פֵּרוּשׁ בְּכֹחוֹת מוּעָטִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מִתְרַבִּים כֹּחוֹתָיו עַל יְדֵי הָאָדָם עַצְמוֹ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיְהִי שָׁם לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל עָצוּם**, **וָרָב** בְּסוֹד (תהלים כה:יא) ״וְסָלַחְתָּ לַעֲוֹנִי כִּי רַב הוּא״, וּפֵרֵשׁ הָרַב הָאֲרִ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה שֶׁחוֹזֵר אֶל הַמְּפַתֶּה כִּי רַב הוּא, וְהָרְאָיָה שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים גּוֹרָל אֶחָד לַה׳ וְגוֹרָל אֶחָד לַעֲזָאזֵל (ויקרא טז:ח).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**במתי מעט, "few in numbers."** This is a reference to the relatively weak forces of Satan at that time. Afterwards these forces increased manifold due to the active co-operation of man himself. This is why the Torah continues: **ויהי שם לגוי גדול ועצום "and while there it became a powerful nation."** This is the mystical dimension of Psalms 25,11: וסלחת לעוני כי רב הוא "and pardon my iniquity though it is great." Rabbi Yitzchak Luria explained that the word רב, "great," refers to the evil urge whose powers are great. The fact that G'd commanded us to perform the rites of the scape-goat on the Day of Atonement is proof that Satan's power must not be discounted. G'd commanded that we present one scape-goat each to Him and to the Azzazel (Leviticus 16,8).


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:15
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:15)

וְאָמְרוֹ **״וַיָּרֵעוּ אֹתָנוּ הַמִּצְרִים״ וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּת יְסוֹדוֹת הָאָדָם גָּרְמוּ גַּם לַנֶּפֶשׁ לְהַרְשִׁיעַ כְּמוֹתָם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיָּרֵעוּ אֹתָנוּ** – פֵּרוּשׁ, עָשׂוּ אוֹתָנוּ רָעִים כְּמוֹתָם, כִּי הַמֶּזֶג כְּשֶׁיַּסְרִיחַ יִמְשֹׁךְ אֵלָיו רְצוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וירעו אותנו המצרים ויענונו, "The Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, etc."** The Torah means that by means of the transformation which had taken place in the four basic raw materials from which G'd had created the physical universe we ourselves became evil. You have to translate the words וירעו אותנו "they made us evil". Once the composition of the raw materials had become redefined, the willpower of the life-force, נפש, within man was bound to reflect the nature of the material his body is made of.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:16
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:16)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וַיְעַנּוּנוּ** – זֶה אֲפִיסַת כֹּחַ הַלּוֹחֵם כְּנֶגֶד הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע. צֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּעֲשֵׂה רַב עַמְרָם חֲסִידָא (קידושין פא.) שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בּוֹ כֹּחַ לְהִתְעַצֵּם כְּנֶגֶד הַמַּחֲטִיא עַד שֶׁקָּרָא ״נוּרָא בֵּי עַמְרָם״ וְכוּ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויענונו, "they afflicted us;"** this describes the utter inability of the victim to resist his attacker anymore, in this case the attack by the evil urge. The Talmud relates an interesting story involving this point in *Kidushin* 81 involving Rabbi Amram who was well known as "Rabbi Amram the pious." Some female prisoners had been rescued from their captors by men of his town Nehardea who entrusted their care to Rabbi Amram. The Rabbi provided accomodations for them in the second floor of his house and removed the staircase leading to the upper floor as a precaution to protect the chastity of these girls or women. It happened that when one of the girls passed the space near where the ladder used to stand, Rabbi Amram experienced a sudden shaft of light which he considered as due to the physical beauty of that girl. This caused the evil spirit within him to be aroused to the point where he tried to put the ladder back in place. Although the ladder was far too heavy for one man to carry, his urge was so strong that he managed it. At the last moment before completing the climbing of the ladder, he was able to shout for help exclaiming that there was a fire in the house which needed to be extinguished. Naturally, the townspeople including the local scholars came to help, and when they became aware of the true state of affairs they chided Rabbi Amram for embarassing them in such a way. Rabbi Amram retorted that it was better both for them and himself to be embarassed before their peers on earth rather than to be embarassed after his departure from earth in the celestial regions in front of all the righteous souls keeping company with G'd. The Rabbi implored the evil urge to leave him, whereupon the latter departed in a column of fire. Thereupon Rabbi Amram said to the evil urge: "although you are a column of fire and I am only flesh and blood, I am superior to you."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:17
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:17)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלֵינוּ עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה**, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא נָהַג הַיֵּצֶר בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה בְּעִתִּים מְרֻחָקִים, אֶלָּא תָּמִיד בְּכָל שָׁעָה וּבְכָל רֶגַע מִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הָאָדָם, וְלָזוֹ יִקָּרֵא עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה. עוֹד נִתְכַּוֵּן עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין ל:) שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּכָל יוֹם מִתְחַדֵּשׁ הַיֵּצֶר עַל הָאָדָם בְּתִגְבֹּרֶת חָדָשׁ, וּכְנֶגֶד זֶה אָמַר **עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה.** כָּל אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים יֹאמַר עֶבֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַבּוֹרֵא לְהִתְנַצֵּל עַל מִנְחָה קְטַנָּה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויתנו עלינו עבודה קשה, "and they made us perform hard labour."** This is hyperbole describing that instead of the evil urge bothering them only from time to time, the attempts by the evil urge to pervert the Israelites became something ongoing. This is why the Torah describes it as עבודה קשה. Another meaning of the expression is along the lines of the statement in *Kidushin* 30 that the evil urge appears anew every single day in a stronger form. All the words the Torah has written here are what the servant Israel argues before G'd Almighty after his death in order to explain why his offering to G'd is so insignificant.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:18
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:18)

וְאָמְרוֹ **״וַנִּצְעַק אֶל ה׳״** – כָּאן רָמַז שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לַה׳ בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁיַּצִּילֵהוּ מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **״וַנִּצְעַק אֶל ה׳״** וְגוֹ׳, וְאָמְרוֹ **״וַיִּשְׁמַע ה׳ אֶת קוֹלֵנוּ״** וְגוֹ׳ – פֵּרוּשׁ, הֲגַם שֶׁה׳ הוּא שֶׁבָּרָא יֵצֶר הָרָע לִבְחֹן הָאָדָם בַּעֲבוֹדַת בּוֹרְאוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן כְּשֶׁצּוֹעֲקִים אֵלָיו שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלָם, מִטַּעַם שֶׁרָאָה אֶת הָרָשׁוּם שֶׁהוּא עָנְיֵנוּ וַעֲמָלֵנוּ וְלַחֲצֵנוּ. הָעֹנִי הוּא אֲפִיסַת כֹּחַ הַלּוֹחֵם, שֶׁאֵין כֹּחַ בָּנוּ הַמַּסְפִּיק לְהִלָּחֵם בּוֹ לְגָרְשׁוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ; הֶעָמָל הוּא שֶׁאָנוּ צְרִיכִין לַעֲמֹל בְּמִלְחַמְתּוֹ; הַלַּחַץ הוּא הַדֹּחַק שֶׁדּוֹחֵק הַיֵּצֶר אֶת הָאָדָם לַחֲטֹא בְּעַל כָּרְחוֹ, וּלְשָׁלֹשׁ סִבּוֹת שָׁמַע ה׳ אֶת קוֹלֵנוּ. עוֹד יִרְצֶה ״עָנְיֵנוּ״ – זֶה הָעֲנִיּוּת הַנִּסְבָּךְ עִם לוֹמְדֵי תּוֹרָה, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש תהלים ה) שֶׁאָמְרָה תּוֹרָה מִפְּנֵי מָה בָּנַי עֲנִיִּים, וַהֲגַם שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא בֶּן תּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין שֵׁבֶט עֹנִי עָלָיו, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יִתְנַהֵג בְּמִדַּת עֹנִי, כְּאָמְרָם (אבות פ״ו) כָּךְ הִיא דַּרְכָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וְגוֹ׳. ״וְאֶת עֲמָלֵנוּ״ – עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם (ברכות יז.) אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁעֲמָלוֹ בַּתּוֹרָה וְגוֹ׳, וּמַה גַּם בַּדּוֹרוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנִים שֶׁרַב עֲמָלָהּ לְהוֹצִיא לָאוֹר מִשְׁפָּט אֶחָד וַהֲלָכָה אַחַת. ״וְאֶת לַחֲצֵנוּ״ – כִּי כָל הַנִּסְמָךְ לַתּוֹרָה רַבּוּ לוֹחֲצָיו וְעֵינֵי כֹל אֵלָיו יְשַׂבֵּרוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ונצעק אל ה׳ אלוקינו, "We cried out to the Lord our G'd, etc."** Here the Torah provides a hint that it is necessary for man to pray to G'd daily to save him from the wiles of the evil urge. **וישמע ה׳ את קולנו, "and G'd listened to our voice, etc."** Although G'd Himself created the evil urge in order to examine if man truly serves Him, nonetheless when man cries out to G'd to be saved from these temptations He responds when He sees how the evil urge has made a deep imprint on us, one described here as ,ענינו, עמלנו לחצנו. The word עני refers to the complete collapse of our spiritual resources to fight the temptation of the evil urge; the word עמלנו refers to the burdensome task of fighting off the evil urge; the word לחצנו refers to the evil urge imposing his will upon us against our better judgment. G'd listened to our appeal because we suffered from all these three pressures. Another way of looking at this verse is to understand the word ענינו as a reference to the fact that most Torah scholars suffer from personal poverty. In fact *Midrash Tehillim* 5 quotes the Torah as wanting to know from G'd why the scholars devoting themselves to its study are poor. Although one must not generalise, as there have always been some Torah scholars who enjoyed great material wealth, we are taught in *Avot* 6,4 that the normative approach to the path of Torah is when its scholars eat bread and salt, drink water sparingly (as opposed to wine), sleep on the floor and generally practice a life of asceticism. The word עמלנו should be understood as in *Berachot* 17 "hail to those who labour hard in order to acquire Torah." In our day and age when a tremendous amount of toil is required to extract even a single halachah or new Torah insight, we can appreciate what the sages meant with their statement. Finally, the word לחצנו refers to the fact that all the people who make their lives dependent on Torah study, etc. experience that they are being opposed from many quarters so that ועיני כל אליו ישברו, "and the eyes of all the Torah scholars have to be trained upon Him (for help)."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:19
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:19)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ ה׳ מִמִּצְרַיִם.** זוֹ הַצָּלַת יֵצֶר הָרָע וְכֹחוֹתָיו הַמְּצֵרִים אוֹתָנוּ, כִּי הוּא הַמַּצִּיל מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין ל:) שֶׁלּוּלֵי שֶׁה׳ עוֹזֵר לָאָדָם כְּנֶגֶד יֵצֶר הָרָע אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט לְהִנָּצֵל מִמֶּנּוּ, דִּכְתִיב ״צוֹפֶה רָשָׁע״ – זֶה יֵצֶר הָרָע – ״לַצַּדִּיק לַהֲמִיתוֹ, ה׳ לֹא יַעַזְבֶנּוּ בְיָדוֹ״ (תהלים לז:לב).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויוציאנו ה׳ ממצרים, "And the Lord took us out of Egypt, etc."** This is a reference to G'd saving us from the onslaught of the evil urge which squeezed us i.e. מצרים. Our sages in *Kidushin* 30 state that without G'd's help it would be impossible to withstand the temptations of the evil urge. They base this on Psalms 37,32: "the 'wicked one' watches for the righteous and attempts to kill him. The Lord will not abandon him to his power."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:20
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:20)

וְאָמְרוֹ **בְּיָד חֲזָקָה** וְגוֹ׳, רָמַז לַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּתָם יַצִּילֵהוּ ה׳ וְכוּ׳, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין ל:) אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרָאתִי לָכֶם יֵצֶר הָרַע בָּרָאתִי לוֹ תַּבְלִין שֶׁהִיא הַתּוֹרָה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיּוֹצִיאֵנוּ ה׳** וְגוֹ׳, **בְּיָד חֲזָקָה** זוֹ תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מִימִינוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דִּכְתִיב (דברים לג:ב) ״מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ״, גַּם נִתְּנָה בִּגְבוּרוֹת מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ביד חזקה, "with a strong hand, etc."** Here the Torah alludes to the means G'd employs in order to save man from the attacks of the evil urge. The Talmud in *Kidushin* which we cited previously quotes G'd as saying that He has created antidotes to every potential hazard in His universe. The antidote to the evil urge is Torah study, for instance. יד חזקה is a reference to Torah based on Deut. 33,2: "from His **right hand** He presented the fiery Torah to them."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:21
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:21)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה** וְגוֹ׳, רָמַז לִשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּתָם נִצּוֹל אָדָם מִיֵּצֶר הָרַע, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות מג:) כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תְּפִלִּין בִּזְרוֹעוֹ וְצִיצִית בְּבִגְדוֹ וּמְזוּזָה בְּפִתְחוֹ לֹא בִּמְהֵרָה הוּא חוֹטֵא. כְּנֶגֶד תְּפִלִּין בִּזְרוֹעוֹ אָמַר **וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה** שֶׁמִּצְוַת תְּפִלִּין בַּזְּרוֹעַ, וְאָמַר **וּבְמוֹרָא גָּדוֹל** כְּנֶגֶד תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ. וּכְנֶגֶד צִיצִית אָמַר **וּבְאוֹתוֹת** כִּי מִצְוַת צִיצִית הוּא סִימָן לָנוּ שֶׁאָנוּ עַבְדֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת צִיצִית (במדבר טו:לז), גַּם תִּקָּרֵא כֵן בְּרֶמֶז הַתְּכֵלֶת, שֶׁבּוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב רַמְבַּ״ן (במדבר טו:לח) שֶׁרוֹמֵז אֶל מִדָּה הַכּוֹלֶלֶת שֶׁנִּקְרָא אוֹתוֹת. וּכְנֶגֶד הַמְּזוּזָה אָמַר **וּבְמוֹפְתִים** כְּמַשְׁמָעָהּ, גַּם תִּקָּרֵא הַמְּזוּזָה מוֹפֵת לִהְיוֹתָהּ מוֹפֵת לָזוּז מָוֶת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כְּאָמְרָם בְּסֵפֶר הַזּוֹהַר (זוהר ח״ג רסה.) שֶׁכַּמָּה כִּתּוֹת הַקְּלִפּוֹת נִרְתָּעִים בִּרְאוֹתָם שֵׁם שַׁדַּ״י עַל פֶּתַח בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ובזרע נטויה, "and with an outstretched arm."** The Torah refers to three separate means employed by G'd to save man from being victimised by the evil urge. *Menachot* 43 states that anyone wearing phylacteries on his arm, fringes on his garments, and who affixes a *mezzuzah* on the doorpost of his house, will not easily succumb to sin. In our verse we may understand the words בזרע נטויה as an allusion to the effect of phylacteries worn on the arm against the temptation by the evil urge. The Torah continues ובמורא גדול "and with great fearsomeness;" this may be viewed as an allusion to the power of the phylacteries worn on the head to combat attempts by the evil urge to corrupt us. Concerning the power of fringes worn on our garments to fight off the evil urge, the Torah writes ובאותות. The reason is that the commandments to wear ציצית is a sign demonstrating that we are not idolators but are servants of the Lord. Nachmanides in his commentary on *Parshat Shelach Lecha* claims that these fringes allude to an all-embracing known as *Ottot.* The word ובמופתים corresponds to the law to affix *mezzuzot* to the door-posts of our houses. This practice originated in Egypt prior to the killing of the firstborn when the sign of the blood of the passover lamb protected its inhabitants against the angel of death, Satan incarnate. According to *Zohar* volume three page 265 just looking at a *mezzuzah* has such a powerful effect on the forces of the קליפה that many of them are frightened by merely seeing the name שדי on the outside of the capsule.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:22
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:22)

**עוֹד** אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁכָּל הַכָּתוּב יִרְמֹז אֶל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבָּהּ יִנָּצֵל אָדָם מִיֵּצֶר הָרַע וּמִתַּאֲווֹת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְאָמַר חֲמִשָּׁה עִנְיָנִים כְּנֶגֶד חֲמִשָּׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תּוֹרָה: **בְּיָד חֲזָקָה** כְּנֶגֶד סֵפֶר בְּרֵאשִׁית, כִּי שָׁם נֶאֱמַר מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי יוֹצֵר אֲשֶׁר כּוֹנְנוּ יָדָיו עוֹלָם וּמְלוֹאוֹ; וְאָמַר **וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה** כְּנֶגֶד סֵפֶר שְׁמוֹת, כִּי בוֹ חָשַׂף אֶת זְרוֹעוֹ וְהֶרְאָה גְּבוּרוֹתָיו בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מִצְרַיִם וּבַיָּם וּבִנְתִינַת הַתּוֹרָה; וְאָמַר **וּבְמוֹרָא גָּדוֹל** כְּנֶגֶד וַיִּקְרָא, כִּי שָׁם צִוָּה מַעֲשֵׂה [עֲבוֹדַת] הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּשְׁכוּנַת שְׁכִינָתוֹ וְצִוָּה עַל מוֹרָא הַמָּקוֹם וְקִדֵּשׁ הַבַּיִת בִּשְׁנֵי גְּדוֹלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָזֶה יִחֵס לְסֵפֶר זֶה מוֹרָא גָּדוֹל; וְאָמַר **וּבְאוֹתוֹת** כְּנֶגֶד סֵפֶר חוּמַשׁ הַפְּקוּדִים עַל שֵׁם (במדבר ב:ב) ״אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְאֹתֹת״; וְאָמַר **וּבְמוֹפְתִים** כְּנֶגֶד סֵפֶר דְּבָרִים, כִּי בוֹ דִּבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹכִיחַ בְּמוֹפְתִים עַל פַּחֲזוּתָם וְעַל טוּב ה׳ וְחַסְדּוֹ עִמָּהֶם, וְהוֹכִיחַ כִּי לֹא שִׁלֵּם ה׳ לָהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים וְגָבַר עֲלֵיהֶם חַסְדּוֹ, גַּם בּוֹ נֶאֱמַר מוֹפְתֵי הַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁבָּהֶם יַצְדִּיקוּ הַנָּבִיא.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
It is entirely possible that the entire verse contains a hint at the power of the Torah which saves man from the evil urge and the various cravings for satisfying one's urges in this life. The verse contains 5 separate items each one representing one of the five Books of Moses. The expression ביד חזקה, "with a strong hand," corresponds to the Book of Genesis in which the deeds of G'd the Creator who has fashioned the whole universe are described. The expression בזרע נטויה, "with an outstretched arm," corresponds to the Book of Exodus in which G'd is described as displaying His might against the Egyptians both in Egypt and at the sea, and where we learned about His manifesting Himself to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai. The expression ובמורא גדול, "and with great awesomeness," reflects the Book of Leviticus in which we are commanded to perform the various acts of service to the Lord in the Tabernacle, where G'd taught us to fear the holy sites, and where He sanctified the Tabernacle when He killed the two sons of Aaron who had made unauthorised use of a holy site. The expression ובאותות, "and with signs," corresponds to the Book of Numbers, where the Israelites were reported counted איש על דגלו **באותות**. The expression ובמופתים, "and with miracles," corresponds to the Book of Deuteronomy, during the course of which Moses admonished the Jewish people pointing to all the miracles G'd had performed on their behalf and which alone accounted for their surviving up until then. Moses warned the people that G'd had not paid them back for their evil deeds as He would have been entitled to do, but had instead made them the recipients of all His love and kindness. This Book also contains information about the institution of prophecy and the miracles such prophets would be authorised to perform under certain conditions and how the performance of such miracles may serve to establish the prophet's credibility.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:23
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:23)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וַיְבִיאֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה** מְדַבֵּר עַל עוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה בּוֹ, וְהִנֵּה אֵין הַנְּשָׁמָה מַגַּעַת לְדַבֵּר כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶלָּא אַחַר עֲלִיָּתָהּ לָעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁנִּקְרָא גַּן עֵדֶן שֶׁל מַעְלָה, אַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר שָׂבְעָה יָמִים בְּגַן עֵדֶן שֶׁלְּמַטָּה, וְלָזֶה כְּנֶגֶד עֲמִידָתָהּ לִפְנֵי ה׳ לְדַבֵּר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ אוֹמֵר **וַיְבִיאֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה**, כִּי עֲמִידַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ שָׁם לְבַד יֵשׁ לָהּ בּוֹ שַׁעֲשׁוּעַ גָּדוֹל, וּכְנֶגֶד גַּן עֵדֶן שֶׁלְּמַטָּה שֶׁכְּבָר זָכָה בּוֹ אָמַר **וַיִּתֶּן לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ**, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (שיר השירים ד:יא) ״דְּבַשׁ וְחָלָב תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנֵךְ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויביאנו אל המקום הזה, He has brought us to this place, etc.** The Torah refers to the higher world, the world inhabited by the נשמה, the superior soul. This soul is unable to make all these statements until after it has left the body it had inhabited and has reached the regions known as *Gan Eden* of the celestial regions. This occurs after it has had its fill of the *Gan Eden* to be found on earth. This is why these words about the soul having been brought back to this place have been said at this stage. The very fact that the soul has managed to reach these regions and face G'd and to tell Him all the aforegoing is already a delight for it, especially when compared to its former location in what was merely an earthly Paradise. The Torah goes on to describe this earthly Paradise as ארץ זבת חלב ודבש, "a land flowing with milk and honey". We have a similar description of an idyllic country in the terrestrial regions in Song of Songs 4,11 when Solomon says דבש וחלב תחת לשונך, "honey and milk lie under Your tongue."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:24
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:24](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:24)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה.** פֵּרוּשׁ אָמְרוֹ ״וְעַתָּה״ לְשׁוֹן תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁשָּׁב לִפְנֵי ה׳ עַל פְּרָטֵי דִּקְדּוּקֵי הַמִּצְווֹת, וַהֲגַם שֶׁהַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר בְּמִי שֶׁכְּבָר זָכָה בְּגַן עֵדֶן שֶׁלְּמַטָּה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לְגָדֵר עֶלְיוֹן יְדַקְדְּקוּ עָלָיו בְּיוֹתֵר. וְהוּא סוֹד הַמִּשְׁפָּט שֶׁיִּשְׁפֹּט ה׳ לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא בְּעֵמֶק יְהוֹשָׁפָט (מדרש תהלים ח), שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ פָּחַד וְרָהַב שְׁמוּאֵל כְּשֶׁהֶעֱלַתּוּ בַּעֲלַת אוֹב (חגיגה ד:).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ועתה הנה הבאתי, "And now, here I have brought, etc."** We have mentioned repeatedly that whenever the Torah uses the word עתה it has a connotation of תשובה, repentance. The person whom the Torah describes as reciting this prayer is a penitent. Although we have described him as having already been a resident in the terrestrial *Gan Eden* which certainly places him amongst the select group of the righteous, this is not enough when one desires entry to the celestial *Gan Eden.* Here we deal with the mystical dimension of the judgment G'd subjects the souls to in the future, something referred to as עמק יהושפט, [compare Yoel 4,2 where this location is described as where G'd judges the survivors of the war of Gog and Magog Ed.]. Even the prophet Samuel dreaded to face this final judgment and this is why he was so upset when the necromancer brought him back at the behest of King Saul (compare *Midrash Tehillim* 8 and *Chagigah* 4). This *Midrash* claims that there never was nor ever will be a valley named "the valley of Yehoshophat," i.e. that the name Yehoshaphat is a combination of the Hebrew for "G'd will judge."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:25
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:25](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:25)

וְאָמְרוֹ **הִנֵּה הֵבֵאתִי אֶת רֵאשִׁית וְגוֹ׳ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִּי.** כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה בְּמַאֲמַר ״אֲשֶׁר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לָךְ״.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:26
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:26](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:26)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לִפְנֵי ה׳.** בָּזֶה הֵעִיר רוּחַ חַיִּים בַּטּוֹבָה הַמֻּפְלָאָה בָּעֵדוּת הַמֻּפְלָג אֲשֶׁר יִזְכּוּ אֵלָיו הַצַּדִּיקִים, וְהוּא שֶׁתִּתְקָרֵב נֶפֶשׁ הַצַּדִּיק לִפְנֵי אוֹר הַנֶּעֱרָב וְתִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְפָנָיו בְּאֵין מָסָךְ מַבְדִּיל, אַשְׁרֵי נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם שֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לְגָדֵר מֻפְלָג כָּזֶה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ** שָׁם תַּכִּיר הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֱלֹהֶיהָ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והשתחוית לפני ה׳ אלוקיך, "and you will prostrate yourself before the Lord your G'd."** Here the Torah pays a tremendous compliment to the souls who will enjoy this privilege, i.e. that they may face the Lord without a dividing curtain between them and Him. Hail to the soul which achieves such stature.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:27
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:27](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:27)

וְאָמַר סָמוּךְ לָזֶה **וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּכָל הַטּוֹב**, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהלים קמה,ט) ״טוֹב ה׳״, וּלְהָעִירְךָ עַל זֶה אָמַר ״בְּכָל הַטּוֹב״, פֵּרוּשׁ דָּבָר הַכּוֹלֵל כָּל הַטּוֹב, וְאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹר הַטּוֹב, **אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לְךָ** פֵּרוּשׁ כִּי דָּבָר זֶה אֵין עֵרֶךְ אֵלָיו אֶלָּא מַתְּנַת חִנָּם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ושמחת בכל הטוב, "And you will rejoice with all the goodness, etc."** The word טוב may be understood as in Psalms 145,9: "G'd is good to all." In order that we should so understand the verse, the Torah wrote בכל הטוב, i.e. "you will rejoice with the One who is the only One representing all goodness." He is the source of all goodness. אשר נתן לך, "which He has given to you." This goodness is a free gift, it is not value for services rendered.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:28
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:28](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:28)

**וְאָמַר לְךָ**, לִשְׁלוֹל זוּלָתוֹ, לֹא מַלְאָךְ וְלֹא שָׂרָף יִזְכֶּה לָזֶה. גַּם יִרְמוֹז בְּמַאֲמַר **בְּכָל הַטּוֹב** אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ה.): וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאִם הָיוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם מַרְגִּישִׁין בִּמְתִיקוּת וַעֲרֵבוּת טוּב הַתּוֹרָה הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּגְּעִים וּמִתְלַהֲטִים אַחֲרֶיהָ, וְלֹא יֵחָשֵׁב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם מְלֹא עוֹלָם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב לִמְאוּמָה כִּי הַתּוֹרָה כּוֹלֶלֶת כָּל הַטּוֹבוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The reason the Torah writes the additional word לך is to exclude anyone else including angels from becoming recipients of all this goodness G'd has at His disposal. This is in line with *Berachot* 5 that when the Torah mentions טוב, it refers to the Torah. The angels were not given the Torah. If mankind at large were only aware of the goodness represented by the Torah there would be an endless queue of people offering all their material possessions in order to receive the Torah.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:29
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:29](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:29)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וּלְבֵיתֶךָ.** כִּי לֹא לַנְּשָׁמָה לְבַד יַגִּיעַ הַטּוֹב, אֶלָּא גַּם לְבֵית הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁהִיא רוּחַ וְנֶפֶשׁ שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁכַּן הַנְּשָׁמָה, כָּל אֶחָד יִתְעַדֵּן כְּפִי יְכָלְתּוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ולביתך, "and to your house."** The Torah emphasises that the goodness of G'd will not only be experiences by the soul but also within the soul's house, i.e. the body it inhabits. Each one will experience it in accordance with his capacity to do so.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:30
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:30](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:30)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וְהַלֵּוִי.** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר (חלק ב צד.) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: זָכָה יַתִּיר יָהֲבִין לֵיהּ נִשְׁמְתָא וְכוּ׳, זָכָה יַתִּיר יָהֲבִין לֵיהּ נִשְׁמְתָא מֵאוֹר אֲצִילוּת״ וְכוּ׳ עַד כָּאן. וְלִבְחִינָה זוֹ יִקְרָא הַכָּתוּב לֵוִי, לְפִי שֶׁמִּתְלַוָּה עִם הָאָדָם מֵחָדָשׁ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והלוי, "as well as the Levite."** This may be understood on the basis of an assurance in the *Zohar* volume two page 94 that certain people who deserve it are assigned a soul from a higher spiritual domain, from the עולם האצילות. The word הלוי in our verse is an allusion to this soul which **accompanies** some people.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:31
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:5:31](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:5:31)

וְאָמְרוֹ **וְהַגֵּר.** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זוהר חלק ג רי״ז.) שֶׁאָמְרוּ כִּי כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְיַד אָדָם מִצְוָה מֵאוֹתָם מִצְווֹת שֶׁאֵינָם נוֹהֲגוֹת תָּמִיד, אוֹתָם הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁכְּבָר נִסְתַּלְּקוּ מֵהָעוֹלָם וְהֵם חֲסֵרֵי מִצְוָה זוֹ, בָּאִים וְגָרִים עִם הָעוֹשֶׂה הַמִּצְוָה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, קְרוֹבִים לַשָּׂכָר וּרְחוֹקִים מִן הַהֶפְסֵד, כָּאָמוּר בְּאֹרֶךְ בְּדִבְרֵי הַמְּקֻבָּלִים, וּכְנֶגֶד בְּחִינָה זוֹ אָמַר וְהַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבֶּךָ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והגר אשר בקרבך, "and the proselyte within your midst."** This too may be understood according to what is written in the *Zohar* volume three page 217. It is stated there that when a person has an opportunity to perform one of the commandments which are not usually capable of being performed, G'd enables the souls who have already departed from earth without having had the opportunity to perform this commandment to join a soul in the body of the Jew who is about to perform this commandment. In this way these souls can claim their share in its performance. This is the גר אשר בקרבך "the stranger within your midst" which the Torah alludes to in our verse.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:15:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:15:1)

**הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה כָּפַל לוֹמַר **מִמְּעוֹן** וְגוֹ׳ **מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם**, וְאִם לְכַנּוֹת שֵׁם מְקוֹמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּלְשׁוֹן קְדֻשָּׁה הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן וְגוֹ׳ הַשָּׁמַיִם״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**השקיפה ממעון קדשך, "Look down from Your holy abode, etc."** Why did Moses repeat his reference to heaven by calling it both "holy abode" as well as "heaven?" If all Moses had wanted was to tell us that G'd's abode is a holy place he should simply have written: השקיפה ממעון קדשך השמים, without the additional word מן.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:15:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:15:2)

וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁהַכָּתוּב יָעִיר סוֹד אֶחָד, וְהוּא כִּי הָאָדוֹן בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֵכִין שְׁתֵּי הַשְׁפָּעוֹת לְמַעְלָה: א׳ הַשְׁפָּעַת הָרוּחָנִיּוּת שֶׁהֵם הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הַטְּהוֹרוֹת, וְאֶחָד הַשְׁפָּעַת הַטּוֹב לְחַיּוֹת הַנִּבְרָאִים שֶׁהוּא מָזוֹן לַכֹּל. וּשְׁנַיִם אֵלּוּ יִקְרְאוּ לָהֶם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זוהר הקדוש) זִוּוּג, שֶׁכָּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּבְחִינַת מַשְׁפִּיעַ וּבְחִינַת נִשְׁפָּע יִתָּכְנוּ בְּשֵׁם זִוּוּג. וְאָמְרוּ הַמְּקֻבָּלִים שֶׁמִּיּוֹם שֶׁנֶּחֱרַב הַבַּיִת נִפְסַק הַשְׁפָּעַת הַנְּשָׁמוֹת וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר אֶלָּא הַשְׁפָּעַת חַיּוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת, שֶׁהוּא מֻכְרָח לְקִיּוּם הָעוֹלָמוֹת. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ** כְּנֶגֶד הַשְׁפָּעַת הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, וְהַשְׁקָפָה זוֹ הִיא עֶלְיוֹנָה בְּמָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ הַנִּקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ. וּכְבָר גִּלּוּ הַמְּקֻבָּלִים (זוהר חלק ב׳ קכ״א.) מַה בֵּין הַדְרָגַת קֹדֶשׁ לְהַדְרָגַת קָדוֹשׁ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ לְמַעְלָה, וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין. וּכְנֶגֶד הַשְׁפָּעַת חַיּוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת אָמַר ״מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם״, זֶה זִוּוּג לְמַטָּה מֵהָרִאשׁוֹן. וְאָמַר כְּנֶגֶד מַאֲמַר ״הַשְׁקִיפָה״ – ״וּבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמְּךָ״, וּפֵרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מעשר שני פרק ה׳ משנה י״ג) בְּבָנִים וּבָנוֹת. וְזֶה יַצְדִּיק פֵּרוּשֵׁנוּ שֶׁעַל זִוּוּג הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר. וּכְנֶגֶד מַאֲמַר ״מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם״ אָמַר ״וְאֵת הָאֲדָמָה״ שֶׁהִיא בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, וְנָכוֹן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
I believe the Torah wants to make us privy to a secret, i.e. that G'd has prepared two distinct sources in the celestial spheres from which to exert His benevolent influence on mankind. One source is the reservoir of spiritual input into man, i.e. the source from which the holy souls are despatched to inhabit our bodies. The other reservoir is that which provides us with physical goodness, i.e. the sustenance enabling His creatures to stay alive by means of food, etc. In the language of the *Zohar,* the combination of these two are called זווג, coupling, pairing (as in marriage). This term is applicable whenever one of the two of the pair in question is active, i.e. provides the input, and the other is the recipient of that input. According to our Kabbalists the input of holy souls which used to originate from the celestial spheres has been interrupted ever since the day the Temple was destroyed, so that nowadays we receive input only from the source which provides the material goodness G'd has to offer. Moses, i.e. the Jewish farmer in our chapter, prays that G'd should provide the spiritual input, i.e. ממעון קדשך, "from Your holy abode." This input originates in the highest celestial region, hence the Torah describes that abode as קדש, holy. Kabbalists have already revealed (*Zohar* volume two page 121) the difference between a level called *kadosh,* and the level in the celestial spheres called *kodesh.* The latter level is higher than the former as every intelligent student will appreciate. The words מן השמים "from the heavens," refer to the lower of the above-mentioned levels within the celestial spheres. The pairing, זווג which results when the input originates only in the spheres called *kadosh* is inferior to that which results when the input from heaven includes input from the part known as *kodesh.* Concerning the first request, that G'd should provide input from the highest regions, the farmer asks that "Your people will be blessed," i.e. with sons and daughters whose souls originate in מעון קדשך. Concerning the heavenly input into our world of material blessings i.e. food, the blessings originating in the sphere called השמים, the farmer asks the blessing for the אדמה, the earth on which the Israelite dwells (compare *Maaser Sheyni* 5,13).


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:16:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:16:1)

**הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וְגוֹ׳.** וְכִי הַיּוֹם הוּא מְצַוֶּה, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר צִוָּה בְּהַר סִינַי? וְרַשִׁ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה פֵּרֵשׁ: בְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ חֲדָשִׁים. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁכַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל הַתּוֹרָה צִוָּה אוֹתָהּ ה׳ בְּהַר סִינַי, בֵּין דְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם קוּם עֲשֵׂה בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן בֵּין דְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָם בְּקוּם עֲשֵׂה אֶלָּא לְאַחַר זְמַן, כְּאוֹתָם הָאֲמוּרִים בְּפָרָשָׁה זֹאת – בִּכּוּרִים וּמַעַשְׂרוֹת שֶׁאֵינָם נוֹהֲגִים אֶלָּא בָּאָרֶץ, וְצִוָּה ה׳ אוֹתָם הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה זְמַנָּם, מִטַּעַם כְּדֵי לִלְמֹד אוֹתָם וּלְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר עַל קַבָּלָתָם. וְאָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה כִּי הֵן הַיּוֹם מְצַוֶּה אוֹתָם לַעֲשׂוֹת הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה שֶׁהֵם בִּכּוּרִים וּמַעַשְׂרוֹת, שֶׁעַד הַיּוֹם נִצְטַוּוּ לִלְמֹד דִּינֵיהֶם לְבַד, וְהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה מְצַוֶּה אוֹתָם לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּי הִגִּיעוּ לָאָרֶץ. וְתֵבַת ״הַיּוֹם״ לָאו דַּוְקָא, אֶלָּא זָכַר זְמַן הַמּוּכָן בְּשֵׁם ״הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**היום הזה, "On this day, etc."** Did then Moses command these commandments on the day the Torah reports this, i.e. a few days before his death? Did G'd not command all these commandments already when the people were at Mount Sinai? Rashi explains that Moses meant that the commandments should be regarded by the people as if they were something new each day. I think that maybe what the Torah had in mind is this. Whereas it is true that all these commandments had been legislated and taught ever since the people had stood at Mount Sinai, the commandments which pertained to the land of Israel had thus far been only in the realm of theory, i.e. they had to be studied but could not be performed. Moses says, that as of the day he addressed the people, the laws pertaining to the land of Israel were no longer in the sphere of theory but had begun to assume practical significance. The people might therefore view these commandments as if they had just been given to them. The word היום, "this day," is not to be interpreted literally but refers to an imminent period.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:17:1)

**אֶת ה׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ הַיּוֹם לִהְיוֹת וְגוֹ׳.** אָמְרוֹ **הַיּוֹם** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (כתובות קי:) כָּל הַדָּר בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, עַד כָּאן, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֶת ה׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ הַיּוֹם** דַּוְקָא, פֵּרוּשׁ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ בָּאָרֶץ הַמְּקֻדֶּשֶׁת, וַהֲגַם שֶׁעֲדַיִן הָיוּ בְּאֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג, עִם כָּל זֶה כְּבָר כָּתַבְנוּ שֶׁהִיא מְקֻדֶּשֶׁת כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְבְּשָׁה כִּבּוּשׁ רַבִּים עַל פִּי נָבִיא, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהוֹכַחְנוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת מַטּוֹת (במדבר לב:ג), וּמֵעַתָּה אֵין מְקוֹמָהּ נֶחְשָׁב חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. וְלָזֶה הֶאֱמִירוּ ה׳ לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**את ה׳ האמרת היום להיות, "You have distinguished Hashem this day to be a G'd for you, etc."** The reason the Torah added the word היום, "this day," may be understood in conjunction with what we learned in *Ketuvot* 110 that "anyone who lives in the diaspora is considered as if he did not have a G'd." The words את ה׳ האמרת היום apply only to people who are in the Holy Land. Even though at that precise moment the Israelites were still on the land that used to belong to Sichon and Og, this was considered part of the Holy Land seeing that it had been conquered by the whole nation at the command of their prophet Moses. We have discussed and proved this point in connection with our commentary on Numbers 32,3. Seeing that the land in question was no longer part of the diaspora, the Israelites could truly claim to have adopted the Lord as their G'd, and G'd in turn adopted them as His exclusive people.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:17:2)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זוהר חלק א׳ ק״ח:) שֶׁשְּׁאָר הָאֲרָצוֹת נִמְסְרוּ בְּיַד שָׂרֵי מַעְלָה, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין עָלֶיהָ שׁוֹפֵט מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה׳, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֶת ה׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ הַיּוֹם** בִּכְנִיסָתְךָ לָאָרֶץ **לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים**, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהלים י״ז:ב) ״מִלְּפָנֶיךָ מִשְׁפָּטִי יֵצֵא״, וְלֹא יָבֹא מִשְׁפָּטֵינוּ לִפְנֵי שַׂר וְשׁוֹפֵט.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Another meaning of this verse may be based on the *Zohar* volume one page 108 according to which the other countries on earth have been assigned by G'd to a respective שר, minister, who is in charge of them on G'd's behalf. The land of Israel and its people on the other hand are not subject to any delegate of G'd but are ruled over directly by G'd Almighty. In Psalms 17,2 David phrased it thus: "My judgment will proceed from directly in front of Your eyes." In other words, we are not subject to the authority of any of G'd's deputies.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:17:3)

**עוֹד** נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר כִּי יַאֲמִירוּ ה׳, הֲגַם כִּי יְבִיאֵם בַּמִּשְׁפָּט לָתֵת לְאִישׁ כִּדְרָכָיו וּכְמַעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֶת ה׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ** וְגוֹ׳ **לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים**, וְיָדוּעַ כִּי אֱלֹהִים הוּא מִדַּת הַדִּין, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יַאֲמִיר ה׳ וִיבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה מֵעֵין הַטּוֹבָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Still another thought which may be concealed in our verse is that Hashem, the attribute of Mercy, will participate in judgment of the Jewish people. While it is true that G'd judges everyone and every nation according to their just deserts, i.e. להיות לך **לאלוקים**, in your case, G'd the merciful will cause the Israelites to say (to acknowledge) that His judgment is fair, i.e. they will bless the Lord even when they experience what appears to them to be a harsh judgment.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:4
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:17:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:17:4)

**וְלָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו**, פֵּרוּשׁ, הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא צִוָּה ה׳ לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן כְּשֶׁיַּכִּירוּ בָּהֶם שֶׁהֵם דַּרְכֵי ה׳, כָּל אֲשֶׁר הוּא עוֹשֶׂה יַעֲשׂוּ כֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּגוֹן בִּקּוּר חוֹלִים, קְבוּרַת מֵתִים וְכַדּוֹמֶה, שֶׁמָּצִינוּ לַה׳ עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָם – יֵלְכוּ גַּם הֵם בִּדְרָכָיו. **חֻקָּיו** הֵם מִצְווֹת שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם טַעַם, **מִצְוֹתָיו** הֵם מִצְווֹת שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל גַּם כֵּן מַסְכִּים עֲלֵיהֶם, **מִשְׁפָּטָיו** הֵם דִּינִים שֶׁמָּסַר לִשְׁפּוֹט בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין רֵעֵהוּ, **וְלִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹלוֹ** זֶה תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר ״בְּקוֹלוֹ״ עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (במדבר רבה פרק י״ד) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: מִנַּיִן לַשּׁוֹמֵעַ מִפִּי קָטָן וְכוּ׳ כְּשׁוֹמֵעַ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ט״ו, ה׳) ״אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״. וְטַעַם שֶׁצִּוָּה עַל עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה, לְהָעִיר שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁהִשִּׂיג אָדָם לָדַעַת כָּל הָאָמוּר וְקִיְּמוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא יֹאמַר: ״מַה לִּי לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה? אִם לָדַעַת מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל – הִנֵּה יָדַעְתִּי וְקִיַּמְתִּי כָּל דִּבְרֵי ה׳!״, אֶלָּא אַף עַל פִּי כֵן חִיֵּב הַכָּתוּב תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ אַחַר כָּל מַה שֶׁחִיֵּב לַעֲשׂוֹת ״וְלִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹלוֹ״, כִּי מִצְוַת תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה הִיא מִצְוָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ שֶׁאֵין זְמַן לִפָּטֵר מִמֶּנָּה עַד יוֹם מוֹתוֹ, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר י״ט, י״ד) ״זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וללכת בדרכיו, "and to walk in His ways, etc."** Moses compliments the Jewish people that they walk in G'd's paths even in matters G'd has not specifically commanded. As soon as they have divined what it is that He would want them to do, they do so of their own accord. Specific examples are such good practices as visiting the sick, burying the dead. The Israelites learned from G'd visiting Abraham or burying Moses that these were virtues He wants us to practice though there is no specific commandment ordering us to do so. Israel's walking in the paths of G'd extends both to חוקיו, His statutes, the laws that appear to have no rationale, as well as מצותיו ומשפטיו, His other commandments and His social laws, i.e. the laws governing inter-personal relationships, relationships which are to be administered by terrestrial courts. **ולשמע בקלו, "and by listening to His voice;"** this is a reference to Torah study. The reason the Torah describes this as G'd's "voice" may be understood with reference to *Sifri, 115* where the author asked: "how do we know that if one studies Torah from the mouth of a minor scholar this is equivalent to one's hearing the Torah from G'd's own mouth? Answer: it says in Deut. 15,5 אם שמע תשמע בקול ה׳ אלוקיך (compare Rashi on that verse). Why did the Torah mention Torah study as the last of the virtues Israel is to practice? This is to inform us that even if a person has mastered all the disciplines of Judaism, is thoroughly familiar with all the laws and precepts, he is still obligated to make study of the Torah part of his daily program. It is a commandment all by itself. As long as man lives he has never fully discharged his obligation to engage in the study of Torah as we know from Numbers 19,14: זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל. We may translate this as: "this is the obligation to study Torah. It extends until man dies while engaged in its study."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:1)

**וַה׳ הֶאֱמִירְךָ וְגוֹ׳.** אָמְרוֹ **לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה**, שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁתָּבֹא אֻמָּה אַחֶרֶת וְתֵיטִיב מַעֲשֶׂיהָ וְתִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְהִדָּבֵק בַּשְּׁכִינָה – לֹא יַשִּׂיגוּ מַדְרֵגַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבְחִינָה זוֹ תִּקָּרֵא סְגֻלָּה וְזוֹ הִיא גְּדֻלָּתָם. וְאָמְרוֹ **כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָךְ**, בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַר סִינַי דִּכְתִיב (שמות יט:ה) ״וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים״:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
He (G-d) said to (Israel) to be to Him a treasured nation, that even if another nation were to come along and improve their deeds and to try to cleave to the divine presence, nevertheless, they will never achieve the level of the Jewish people, and it is this aspect of the Jewish people that is referred to as ‘treasured’, and this is the greatness of the Jewish nation…


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:2)

**אוֹ** יִרְצֶה שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זְמַן שֶׁיַּכְעִיסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא יָמִיר אוֹתָם בְּאֻמָּה אַחֶרֶת. וְאָמְרוֹ **כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר**, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ז.) בְּפָסוּק (שמות לג:טז) ״וְנִפְלִינוּ אֲנִי וְעַמְּךָ״, שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה מֵה׳ שֶׁלֹּא יַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ עַל הָאֻמּוֹת, וּפֵרַשְׁנוּהוּ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ (חפץ ה׳) שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה הִיא הֲגַם שֶׁתַּכְשִׁיר מַעֲשֶׂיהָ אֻמָּה מֵאֻמּוֹת וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבְרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ, וְהִסְכִּים ה׳ וְדִבֵּר לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּדִבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Alternatively, this is intended as reassurance to the Jewish people that although there would be stormy periods in their relationship with G'd, periods during which G'd would be very angry at them, G'd would never exchange them for another nation. The words כאשר דבר לך have to be understood as in *Berachot* 7 where the meaning of Exodus 33,16: ונפלינו אני ועמך, "and I (Moses) and Your people will be distinguished" is discussed. This was a request by Moses that G'd not allow His Presence to rest on any other nation and not to grant them prophets. We have explained in our book *Chefetz Hashem* that what Moses meant was that even if another nation were to qualify for such favourite treatment by G'd on the basis of its moral and ethical achievements, whereas at that same time the Israelites would be habitually violating the Torah precepts, G'd should not distinguish such a nation by making it His favourite. At that time G'd promised Moses that the Israelites would retain their status of being special to G'd.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:3)

**וְלִשְׁמֹר כָּל מִצְוֹתָיו.** יֵשׁ לְהָעִיר בַּדָּבָר, הֲלֹא דָּבָר זֶה הוּא מִתְּנָאֵי הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁרָשַׁם בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה׳ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּפָּסוּק ״אֶת ה׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ״, וּמַה מָקוֹם לְהַזְכִּירוֹ בַּדְּבָרִים שֶׁמֵּה׳ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל?

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ולשמר כל מצותיו "and to observe all His commandments."** Seeing that this is a commitment undertaken by Israel vis-a-vis G'd why does the Torah write such a line in a verse which portrays G'd's commitment to Israel?


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:4
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:4)

**וְאוּלַי** כִּי תִּפְאֶרֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא מַה שֶׁהֶעֱלָה וְרוֹמֵם אוֹתָם בְּתֵת לָהֶם כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת, מַה שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה כֵן לָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁנָּתַן מִצְוֹתָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ לְאָדָם וּלְנֹחַ וּלְהָאָבוֹת, לֹא נָתַן אֶלָּא שְׁנַיִם שְׁלֹשָׁה גַּרְגְּרִים, אֲבָל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נָתַן שְׁמִירַת כָּל מִצְוֹתָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְיֵשׁ לְךָ לָדַעַת כִּי כָל הַמִּצְווֹת אֵינָם אֶלָּא שְׁמִירָה מֵהַתֵּעוּב וּמִלִּכְלוּךְ הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וּבְהַשְׁלָמַת שְׁמִירַת הַמִּצְווֹת יִהְיֶה הָאָדָם שָׁלֵם מִכָּל מוּם וּמִכָּל לִכְלוּךְ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Perhaps the glory of Israel consists in the fact that G'd has seen fit to "give" this nation all His laws, something He had not seen fit to do for any nation or individual during the 2,000 years of mankind's existence prior to G'd's revelation at Mount Sinai. G'd had only given a few laws to Adam and Noach, holding back the vast majority of them until He revealed them to Israel. We must remember that the principal function of these commandments is to act as a barrier against the various abominations in our universe. Observing these commandments acts like inoculation against the danger of becoming polluted by these various spiritually negative influences which abound all around us.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:5
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:5)

**ב׳)** יִרְצֶה כִּי ה׳ יְחַזֵּק זְרוֹעוֹת לִשְׁמֹר כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת, כִּי לֹא הַכֹּל זוֹכִים לְדָבָר זֶה, הֲגַם שֶׁיַּחְפְּצוּ לִשְׁמֹר לֹא יִזְדַּמֵּן לְיָדָם, וְאִם יִזְדַּמֵּן לֹא תַּשִּׂיג יָדָם, וְאִם תַּשִּׂיג לְחֵלֶק מֵהַמִּצְווֹת לֹא תַּשִּׂיג לְכָל הַמִּצְווֹת, וְאָמַר כָּאן כִּי ה׳ הֶאֱמִירָם לִשְׁמֹר כָּל מִצְווֹתָיו.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
A **second** explanation for the strange phenomenon of G'd being described as "keeping all His commandments," maybe that it is an assurance that G'd will strengthen all the forces which are active to promote the keeping of His commandments. We have to understand this verse as a gentle reminder that even with the best will in the world we would not be able to observe all of G'd's commandments unless we received a heavenly assist.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:6
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:6)

**ג׳)** יִרְצֶה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (קהלת ח:ה) ״שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָּבָר רָע״, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים ח:) שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָם נִזּוֹקִין, וְהוּא מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב כָּאן **וְלִשְׁמֹר**, פֵּרוּשׁ, ה׳ יִשְׁמֹר כָּל מִצְוֹתָיו לְבַל יֵצֵא מֵהֶם דְּבַר תַּקָּלָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
A **third** meaning may be based on Kohelet 8,5: "he who keeps the commandments will know no evil;" our sages in *Pesachim* 8 derive from that verse that anyone engaged in the performance of a commandment either himself or even as a delegate for someone else, will not come to harm while so engaged. The word ישמר in our verse then means that G'd will watch over people engaged in מצוה-performance.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:7
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:7)

**ד׳(** יִרְצֶה לְהָעִירָם בְּדָבָר שֶׁלֹּא הִשִּׂיגוֹ מֹשֶׁה עַצְמוֹ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, הֲגַם הֱיוֹתוֹ בִּכְלַל עַם סְגֻלָּה, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יד.) בְּעִנְיַן תְּפִלַּת מֹשֶׁה לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ: וְכִי לֶאֱכוֹל מִפֵּירוֹתֶיהָ וְגוֹ׳? אֶלָּא אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה מִצְווֹת שֶׁתְּלוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר לָהֶם: רְאוּ מַעֲלַתְכֶם שֶׁה׳ הֶאֱמִיר אֶתְכֶם וְגוֹ׳ וְלִשְׁמֹר כָּל מִצְווֹתָיו, וְלָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **הֶאֱמִירְךָ הַיּוֹם**, פֵּרוּשׁ, בִּזְמַן זֶה שֶׁאַתֶּם בָּאִים אֶל הָאָרֶץ וְשָׁם תִּשְׁמְרוּ כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת, וְזוֹ מַעֲלָה שֶׁלֹּא הִשִּׂיגָהּ אֲפִילוּ מֹשֶׁה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
A **fourth** meaning may be that our verse speaks of a dimension which even Moses himself had not attained, even though he too was part of this nation called עם סגולה. Our sages in *Sotah* 14, commenting on Moses' prayer to be allowed to enter the Holy Land, ask why Moses was so anxious to do this. Did he perhaps want to taste the produce of that land? They answer that what motivated Moses to make this request was his desire to be allowed to fulfil all the commandmnets which can only be fulfilled on the soil of that land, not in the desert or anywhere else for that matter. G'd's promise here refers to His granting the Israelites the **opportunity** to fulfil all the commandments, i.e. to let them live in the Holy Land. This is why the Torah emphasised the word היום when speaking about G'd's undertaking vis-a-vis Israel. He referred to the time when entry to the Holy land had become imminent. This was a distinction which had been denied even to Moses.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:8
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 26:18:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/26:18:8)

**וְהִנֵּה** תִּמְצָא שֵׁשׁ מַעֲלוֹת בַּפָּסוּק **אֶת ה׳ הֶאֱמַרְתָּ**: א׳ – לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים, ב׳ – לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו, ג׳ – לִשְׁמֹר חֻקָּיו, ד׳ – וּמִצְווֹתָיו, ה׳ – וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו, ו׳ – וְלִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹלוֹ. כְּנֶגְדָּם אָמַר ה׳ שֵׁשׁ מַעֲלוֹת לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל: א׳ – לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה, זֶה כְּנֶגֶד לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים, ב׳ – וְלִשְׁמֹר כָּל מִצְווֹתָיו, זֶה כְּנֶגֶד לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו, ג׳, ד׳ וְה׳ – וּלְתִתְּךָ עֶלְיוֹן וְגוֹ׳ לִתְהִלָּה וּלְשֵׁם וּלְתִפְאָרֶת, הֵם כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמִירַת חֻקָּיו וּמִצְווֹתָיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו, ו׳ – וְלִהְיוֹתְךָ עַם קָדוֹשׁ לַה׳, זֶה כְּנֶגֶד וְלִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹלוֹ, כִּי עַל יְדֵי עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה יִתְיַחֵס לָהֶם שֵׁם זֶה שֶׁל קָדוֹשׁ. וְאָמְרוֹ **כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר**, דִּכְתִיב (שמות יט:ו): ״וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי וְגוֹ׳ וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
When you examine the two verses 17 and 18 respectively you will find that between them they describe six virtues which Israel excels in, and 6 six distinctions G'd bestows on the Jewish people. 1) "to be your G'd;" 2) to walk in His paths; 3) to observe His statutes; 4) to observe His commandments; 5) to observe His social laws; 6) to hearken to His voice. Verse 18 is G'd's response where He bestows six distinctions upon us. 1) to be His precious people; 2) to protect us when performing all His commandments. 3-5) to make Israel supreme over all the nations; to be famous and a glorious example amongst all the nations through the performance of laws given to us exclusively by G'd; 6) to be a holy nation, an achievement which is due to Torah-observance. The verse concludes with כאשר דבר לך, "as He said to you" (in Exodus 19,6) where the Torah wrote: "these are the words you are to say to the children of Israel."