## Sforno on Deuteronomy Chapter 9

###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:4:1
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:4:1)

**אַל תֹּאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ בַּהֲדֹף.** כְּשֶׁתִּרְאֶה שֶׁתְּנַצְּחֵם שֶׁלֹּא כְּמִנְהַג הָעוֹלָם וְתַכִּיר שֶׁהוּא פֹּעַל אֱלֹהִי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אל תאמר בלבבך בהדוף, when you see that you enjoy victory against all odds, so that you realise this victory has to be credited to your enjoying a heavenly assist, do not commit a terrible error.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:4:2
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:4:2)

אַל תִּטְעֶה לוֹמַר **בְּצִדְקָתִי הֱבִיאַנִי לָרֶשֶׁת.** וּכְדֵי שֶׁאִירַשׁ הָאָרֶץ מְהֵרָה בִּזְכוּתִי הָדַף אוֹתָם מְהֵרָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בצדקתי הביאני...לרשת, that G’d did all this on account of your being a model of righteousness, and that furthermore the speed with which all this occurred was on account of


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:4:3
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:4:3)

**וּבְרִשְׁעַת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה ה׳ מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶיךָ.** וְהִנֵּה הַסִּבָּה שֶׁהוּא נִלְחָם בָּהֶם הִיא בְּרִשְׁעָתָם, לֹא כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּירַשׁ אַתָּה מְהֵרָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ברשעת הגויים האלה ה' מורישם מפניך, that the Lord dispossessed them on account of their wickedness, because He wanted His retribution against these people to be orchestrated by your destroying them. This would be the very opposite of what David prayed for when he thought G’d was punishing him. He prayed that the judgment should not be executed by man but that he preferred to be punished by G;d directly, not by one of His surrogates, especially one of his peers. (Samuel II 24,14)


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:5:1
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:5:1)

**לֹא בְצִדְקָתְךָ אַתָּה בָא לָרֶשֶׁת.** כִּי אָמְנָם מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה יוֹרֵשׁ הָאָרֶץ אֵינוֹ בִזְכוּתְךָ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי שֶׁיִּלָּחֵם ה׳ לָכֶם לְמַעַן תִּירְשׁוּ מְהֵרָה.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:5:2
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:5:2)

**כִּי בְרִשְׁעַת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶיךָ.** שֶׁרָצָה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נִקְמָתוֹ בָּם עַל יָדְךָ, שֶׁתַּחֲרִימֵם בַּעֲוֹנָם, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״וַיֹּאמֶר הַשְׁמֵד״ (דברים לג:כז), עַל הֶפֶךְ ״וּבְיַד אָדָם אַל אֶפֹּלָה״ (שמואל ב כד:יד).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ולמען הקים, so that as a result of observing the commandments the nation would merit to inherit the land. We find another instance where, as a result of complying with a command by G’d to wipe out the family of Achav, G’d not only confirmed Jehu as king but extended his dynasty for four generations. (Kings II 10,30)


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:5:3
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:5:3)

**וּלְמַעַן הָקִים.** וּכְדֵי שֶׁבְּקִיּוּם מִצְוָתוֹ תִּזְכֶּה לָרֶשֶׁת אוֹתָהּ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ ״כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבִי עָשִׂיתָ לְבֵית אַחְאָב, בְּנֵי רְבִעִים יֵשְׁבוּ לְךָ עַל כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל״ (מלכים ב י:ל). וְכָל זֶה עָשָׂה לְמַעַן הָקִים מַה שֶּׁנִּשְׁבַּע לָאֲבוֹת.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:6:1
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:6:1)

**כִּי עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף אָתָּה.** שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה צֶדֶק וְיֹשֶׁר לֵבָב עִם קְשִׁי הָעֹרֶף, כִּי אָמְנָם קְשֵׁה הָעֹרֶף הוּא הַהוֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֵי שְׁרִירוּת לִבּוֹ וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיּוֹדִיעֵהוּ אֵיזֶה מוֹרֶה צֶדֶק בִּרְאָיָה בְּרוּרָה שֶׁמַּחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ הִיא בִּלְתִּי טוֹבָה וּמְבִיאָה אֶל הַהֶפְסֵד, וְזֶה כִּי לֹא יִפְנֶה אֶל הַמּוֹרֶה כְּאִלּוּ עׇרְפּוֹ קָשֶׁה כְּגִיד בַּרְזֶל בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לִפְנוֹת אָנָה וְאָנָה, אֲבָל יֵלֵךְ אַחֲרֵי שְׁרִירוּת לִבּוֹ כְּמֵאָז.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי עם קשה עורף אתה, being stiff-necked and righteous simultaneously is a non starter, as these two character qualities are mutually exclusive. Being stiff-necked means to follow the dictates of one’s own heart, one’s own opinions instead of accepting the yoke of the Creator’s commandments as being supreme. Such a person will reject even theories which have been proven beyond doubt if they conflict with what he deems good or convenient for himself. The simile of a “stiff-necked” person or people described someone who appears unable to turn around and face his teacher, as his neck is too stiff.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:7:1
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:7:1)

**זָכוֹר אַל תִּשְׁכַּח.** וְיָעִיד עַל הֱיוֹתְךָ עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף, כִּי הִנֵּה חֲזַרְתֶּם לְהַקְצִיף פַּעַם אַחַר פַּעַם כְּכֶלֶב שָׁב עַל קֵיאוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבְּכָל פַּעַם רְאִיתֶם אֶת מוּסַר ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְאֶת גָּדְלוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
זכור אל תשכח, Moses adds proof to his characterising the Jewish people as being stiff-necked by reminding them of how many times during his stewardship of the nation they had angered G’d, so that it reminds one of a dog which returns to his own excrement finding it attractive. This happened again and again although each time they had been subjected to disciplining by G’d, and they learned more about His greatness on each occasion.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:8:1
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:8:1)

**וּבְחֹרֵב הִקְצַפְתֶּם.** וְיָעִיד עַל רֹעַ מִדַּת קְשִׁי הָעֹרֶף, כִּי אָמְנָם כְּשֶׁהִקְצַפְתֶּם אֶת ה׳ בְּחֹרֵב, לֹא הָיָה אוֹמֵר לְהַשְׁמִידְכֶם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאַתֶּם עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף, כַּאֲמָרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ ״רָאִיתִי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא, הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם״ (דברים ט:יג-יד). וְזֶה כִּי אָמְנָם קְשִׁי הָעֹרֶף מֵסִיר אֶת תִּקְוַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ובחורב הקצפתם, Moses underlines the serious nature of this negative characteristic known as “stiff-necked,” by reminding the people that even at Mount Sinai when G’d had already decided to wipe them out, (verse 14 our chapter) G’d had justified this by referring to their stiff-necked nature. He had not decreed death for them on account of a specific and horrific sin, but on account of their attitude which bode ill for the future, indicated that such a people was not capable of becoming true penitents.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:15:1
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:15:1)

**וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ.** וּבְכֵן חֲטָאתֶם בְּעוֹד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וההר בוער באש, so that you actually committed the sin (golden calf) while the “King” i.e. the presence of the Shechinah, was actually still in your immediate vicinity.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:22:1
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:22:1)

**וּבְתַבְעֵרָה וּבְמַסָּה.** וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרְאִיתֶם שֶׁבְּהַקְצִיפְכֶם אֶת הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ נִשְׁבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת וְהֻצְרַכְתִּי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם בְּצוֹם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, חֲזַרְתֶּם לְהַקְצִיף בְּתַבְעֵרָה וּבְמַסָּה כְּשֶׁבִּכִּיתֶם בְּאָזְנָיו לְנַסּוֹת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ובתבערה ובמסה, even though you have seen with your own eyes that because you had made G’d angry the Tablets He had made Himself were shattered, and I had to pray for you and fast for 40 consecutive days and nights, you repeatedly angered G’d again at the locations I just mentioned, as if putting G’d to the test each time.


###### Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:22:2
[Sforno on Deuteronomy 9:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/9:22:2)

**וּבְקִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה.** בִּשְׁאֵלַת הַבָּשָׂר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ובקברת התאוה, when you demanded to eat meat.