## Rashi on Deuteronomy Chapter 31

###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:1:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:1:1)

**וילך משה.** וגו':


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:2:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:2:1)

**וילך משה וגו', אנכי היום.** הַיּוֹם מָלאוּ יָמַי וּשְׁנוֹתַי, בְּיוֹם זֶה נוֹלַדְתִּי וּבְיוֹם זֶה אָמוּת (סוטה י"ג):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
וילך משה וגו' ... אנכי היום AND MOSES WENT ... I AM [HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS OLD] THIS DAY — Today my days and my years become full: for on this day (the seventh of Adar; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 1:3) I was born and on this day I must die (Sotah 13b).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:2:2
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:2:2)

**לא אוכל עוד לצאת ולבוא.** יָכוֹל שֶׁתָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "לֹא כָהֲתָה עֵינוֹ וְלא נָס לֵחֹה", אֶלָּא מַהוּ **לא אוכל**? אֵינִי רַשַּׁאי, שֶׁנִּטְּלָה מִמֶּנִּי הָרְשׁוּת וְנִתְּנָה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ. דָּ"אַ — **לצאת ולבוא.** בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּסְתְּמוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מָסוֹרוֹת וּמַעְיְנוֹת הַחָכְמָה (סוטה י"ג):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
לא אוכל עוד לצאת ולבוא I CAN NO LONGER GO OUT AND COME IN — One might think that this was because his physical strength failed him! Scripture, however, states (Deuteronomy 34:7) “His eye was not dim nor his natural force abated!” What then is the meaning of לא אוכל? It means: “I am not permitted” (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 12:17 and Deuteronomy 24:4), because the power (leadership) is being taken from me and given to Joshua. — Another explanation of לצאת ולבוא is: I can no more take the lead in the matter of the Law; this teaches us that the traditions and the well-springs of wisdom were stopped up for him (cf. Sotah 13b).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:2:3
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:2:3)

**וה' אמר אלי.** זֶהוּ פֵּרוּשׁ **לא אוכל עוד לצאת ולבוא** — לְפִי שֶׁה' **אמר אלי**:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
וה' אמר אלי — This (according to the previous comment) is the explanation of לא אוכל עוד לצאת ולבוא: I can no more go out and come in because (ו = because) the Lord has said unto Me, [Thou shalt not pass over this Jordan].


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:6:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:6:1)

**לא ירפך.** לֹא יִתֵּן לְךָ רִפְיוֹן לִהְיוֹת נֶעֱזָב מִמֶּנּוּ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
לא ירפך means He will give you no looseness that you should be abandoned by Him (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 4:31).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:7:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:7:1)

**כי אתה תבוא את העם הזה.** "אֲרֵי אַתְּ תֵּעוּל עִם עַמָּא הָדֵין": מֹשֶׁה אָמַר לוֹ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ זְקֵנִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר יִהְיוּ עִמְּךָ, הַכֹּל לְפִי דַעְתָּן וַעֲצָתָן, אֲבָל הַקָּבָּ"ה אָמַר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ "כִּי אַתָּה תָּבִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם" — תָּבִיא עַל כָּרְחָם, הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּךָ, טֹל מַקֵּל וְהַךְ עַל קָדְקֳדָן, דַּבָּר אֶחָד לְדוֹר וְלֹא שְׁנֵי דַבָּרִים לְדוֹר (סנהדרין ח'):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
כי אתה תבוא את העם הזה — Translate this as the Targum does: ארי אתה תעול עם עמא הדין, THOU SHALT GO WITH THIS PEOPLE. Moses, by the statement “Thou shall go with this people” (as one of them) said in effect to Joshua: The elders of the generation will be with thee: everything has to be done according to their opinion and their advice. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, said to Joshua, (v. 23) “For thou shalt bring (תביא) the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them” — thou shalt bring them even against their will; everything depends on you alone: if necessary take a stick and beat them over the head: there can be but one leader for a generation, and not two leaders for a generation (Sanhedrin 8a).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:9:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:9:1)

**ויכתב משה, ויתנה.** כְּשֶׁנִּגְמְרָה כֻּלָּהּ נְתָנָהּ לִבְנֵי שִׁבְטוֹ (עי' ספרי דברים ל"ד):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ויכתב משה ... ויתנה AND MOSES WROTE [THIS LAW] AND GAVE IT [UNTO THE PRIESTS, THE SONS OF LEVI] — When it was completely finished he gave it to the sons of his tribe.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:10:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:10:1)

**מקץ שבע שנים.** בְּשָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל שְׁמִטָּה — בַּשְּׁמִינִית, וְלָמָּה קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ **שנת השמטה**? שֶׁעֲדַיִּן שְׁבִיעִית נוֹהֶגֶת בָּהּ, בַּקָּצִיר שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית הַיּוֹצֵא לְמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
מקץ שבע שנים AT THE END OF EVERY SEVEN YEARS [AT THE APPOINTED SEASON OF THE SHEMITTAH YEAR] — This means in the first year of the new Shemittah-period — in the eighth year (Sotah 41a). But why does Scripture call it the “Shemittah-year”, which name usually implies the seventh year? Because the law of the “seventh year” still applies to it, viz., in connection with the harvest of the seventh year’s produce that actually goes forth into (takes place in) the year following the seventh year (the eighth year) (Rosh Hashanah 12b; cf. Rashi on Exodus 34:21).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:11:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:11:1)

**תקרא את התורה הזאת.** הַמֶּלֶךְ הָיָה קוֹרֵא מִתְּחִלַּת "אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים", כִּדְאִיתָא בְמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה (דף מ"א) עַל בִּימָה שֶׁל עֵץ שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂין בָּעֲזָרָה:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
תקרא את התורה הזאת [WHEN ALL ISRAEL IS COME TO APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD …] THOU SHALT READ THIS LAW [BEFORE ALL ISRAEL] — The king read from the beginning of the section “These are the words” (Deuteronomy 1:1), — as is set forth in Treatise Sotah 41a — upon a wooden platform that was erected in the forecourt.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:12:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:12:1)

**האנשים.** לִלְמֹד:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
האנשים [ASSEMBLE THE PEOPLE,] MEN [WOMEN, AND LITTLE ONES] — the men, in order to learn,


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:12:2
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:12:2)

**והנשים.** לִשְׁמֹעַ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
והנשים THE WOMEN, in order to listen to the words of the Law,


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:12:3
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:12:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:12:3)

**והטף.** לָמָּה בָא? לָתֵת שָׂכָר לִמְבִיאֵיהֶם (חגיגה ג'):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
והטף AND THE LITTLE ONES — Why did they come? For no other purpose than that a reward should be given to those who bring them (Chagigah 3a).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:14:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:14:1)

**ואצונו.** וַאֲזָרְזֶנּוּ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ואצונו means, THAT I MAY EXHORT HIM.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:16:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:16:1)

**נכר הארץ.** גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
נכר הארץ [THIS PEOPLE WILL … GO ASTRAY AFTER THE GODS OF] נכר הארץ — i.e., [after the gods of] the peoples of the land (Onkelos).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:17:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:17:1)

**והסתרתי פני.** כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֵינִי רוֹאֶה בְּצָרָתָם:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
והסתרתי פני AND I WILL HIDE MY FACE FROM THEM, as though I do not see their distress.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:19:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:19:1)

**את השירה הזאת.** "הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם" עַד "וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ":

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
את השירה הזאת [NOW THEREFORE WRITE YE] THIS SONG — i.e. the text “Give ear, O ye heavens”, till “and make expiation for his ground, and his people” (Deuteronomy 32:1—43).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:20:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:20:1)

**ונאצוני.** וְהִכְעִיסוּנִי, וְכֵן כָּל נִאוּץ לְשׁוֹן כַּעַס:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ונאצוני means AND THEY WILL PROVOKE ME TO ANGER. So, too, every form of the root נאץ denotes anger.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:21:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:21:1)

**וענתה השירה הזאת לפניו לעד.** שֶׁהִתְרֵיתִי בוֹ בְתוֹכָהּ עַל כָּל הַמּוֹצְאוֹת אוֹתוֹ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
וענתה השירה הזאת לפניו לעד [AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS …] THAT THIS SONG SHALL TESTIFY that in it I had warned them concerning all the things that had befallen them.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:21:2
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:21:2)

**כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו.** הֲרֵי זוֹ הַבְטָחָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין תּוֹרָה מִשְׁתַּכַּחַת מִזַּרְעָם לְגַמְרֵי:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו FOR IT SHALL NOT BE FORGOTTEN OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF THEIR SEED — This is an assurance to Israel that the Torah in which this song is contained will never be entirely forgotten by their descendants (Shabbat 138b).


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:23:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:23:1)

**ויצו את יהושע בן נון.** מוּסָב לְמַעְלָה כְּלַפֵּי שְׁכִינָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ "אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם":

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ויצו את יהושע בן נון AND HE COMMANDED JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN — This has to be connected with v. 14 above, and it refers to the Shechinah (to God; “He commanded” means “God commanded”), as it distinctly states here “[for thou shalt bring the children of Israel] into the land which “I” swore unto them, [and “I” will be with thee]”.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:26:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:26:1)

**לקח.** כְּמוֹ זָכוֹר (שמות כ') שָׁמוֹר (דברים ה'), הָלוֹךְ (ירמיהו ב'):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
לקח — The grammatical form and its meaning are the same as in (Exodus 20:8) זכור; (Deuteronomy 5:12) שמור; (Jeremiah 2:2) הלוך‎.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:26:2
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:26:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:26:2)

**מצד ארון ברית ה'.** נֶחְלְקוּ בוֹ חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבָבָא בָּתְרָא (דף י"ד), יֵשׁ מֵהֶם אוֹמְרִים דַּף הָיָה בוֹלֵט מִן הָאָרוֹן מִבַּחוּץ וְשָׁם הָיָה מֻנָּח, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים מִצַּד הַלּוּחוֹת הָיָה מֻנָּח בְּתוֹךְ הָאָרוֹן:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
מצד ארון ברית ה׳ [TAKE THIS BOOK OF THE LAW AND PUT IT] AT THE SIDE OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD — The sages of Israel differ about it (the meaning of the phrase “at the side of the Ark”) in Treatise Bava Batra 14a. Some of them say: A board projected from the Ark outside it and there it (the song) lay, whilst others say that it lay at the side of the Tablets within the Ark.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:28:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:28:1)

**הקהילו אלי.** וְלֹא תָקְעוּ אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת לְהַקְהִיל אֶת הַקָּהָל, לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י') "עֲשֵׂה לְךָ", וְלֹא הִשְׁלִיט יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְאַף בְּחַיָּיו נִגְנְזוּ — בְּיוֹם מוֹתוֹ — לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת ח') "וְאֵין שִׁלְטוֹן בְּיוֹם הַמָּוֶת" (תנחומא ויחי ובהעלותך):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
הקהילו אלי ASSEMBLE UNTO ME [ALL THE ELDERS OF YOUR TRIBE] — They did not, however, blow the trumpets that day to call the congregation together (as is prescribed in Numbers 10:3), because it states (Numbers 10:2) “Make for thee [two trumpets of silver]” (which Rashi explains to mean that no one should use them except himself), and he had not empowered Joshua to use them. Indeed they were hidden away even during his (Moses) lifetime — on the day of his death, thus fulfilling the words of the text, (Ecclesiastes 8:8) “There is no authority on the day of death” (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 2 on ויחי and ‎Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 10 on בהעלתך).‎


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:28:2
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:28:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:28:2)

**ואעידה בם את השמים ואת הארץ.** וְאִם תֹּאמַר הֲרֵי כְּבָר הֵעִיד לְמַעְלָה — "הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם וְגוֹ'"? הָתָם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר, אֲבָל לַשָּׁמַיִם וְלָאָרֶץ לֹא אָמַר, וְעַכְשָׁו בָּא לוֹמַר "הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ'"(דברים ל"ב):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ואעידה בם את השמים ואת הארץ I WILL CALL THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AS WITNESSES AGAINST THEM — But if you ask, “Behold he has already above (Deuteronomy 30:19) called heaven and earth as witnesses: “I call [the heaven and the earth] as witnesses this day against you etc.”?! Then I reply: There he said this to the Israelites (he told them that He would do this), but now he intends to say (Deuteronomy 32:1) “Give ear, O ye heavens, [and I will speak; and hear earth] etc.”, thus calling them as witnesses.


###### Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:29:1
[Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/31:29:1)

**אחרי מותי כי השחת תשחיתון.** וַהֲרֵי כָּל יְמוֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לֹא הִשְׁחִיתוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיַּעַבְדוּ הָעָם אֶת ה' כֹּל יְמֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ" (שופטים ב')? מִכָּאן שֶׁתַּלְמִידוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חָבִיב עָלָיו כְּגוּפוֹ, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיְּהוֹשֻׁעַ חַי הָיָה נִרְאֶה לְמֹשֶׁה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא חַי:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
אחרי מותי כי השחת תשחתון [FOR I KNOW THAT] AFTER MY DEATH YE WILL UTTERLY CORRUPT YOURSELVES — But, you see, as a matter of fact, that all the days of Joshua they did not corrupt themselves, for it states, (Judges 2:7) “And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua”?! (How, then, could Moses say that they would corrupt themselves after his death, by which he evidently meant immediately after his death, cf. v. 16)? But we may derive from here that one’s pupil should be as dear to him as his own self: — it appeared to Moses that so long as Joshua would live it would be as though he himself would be living (he thus alluded by the words “after my death” to a period after Joshua’s death).