## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 313

###### Sifrei Devarim 313:1
[Sifrei Devarim 313:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:1)

(דברים לב י) יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר, זֶה אַבְרָהָם. מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁיָּצָא הוּא וַחֲיָילוֹתָיו לַמִּדְבָּר, הִנִּיחוּהוּ חֲיָילוֹתָיו בִּמְקוֹם הַצָּרוֹת, בִּמְקוֹם הַגַּיָּסוֹת, בִּמְקוֹם הַלִּסְטִים, וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶם. נִתְמַנָּה לוֹ גִּבּוֹר אֶחָד, אָמַר לוֹ: אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, אַל יִפֹּל לִבְּךָ עָלֶיךָ וְאַל יְהִי עָלֶיךָ אֵימָה שֶׁל כְּלוּם, חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאֵינִי מְנִיחֲךָ עַד שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לְפַלְטֵרִים שֶׁלְּךָ וְתִישַׁן עַל מִטָּתְךָ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו ז): ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(Devarim 32:10) "He found *him* in a desert land": This refers to our father Abraham. An analogy: A king and his soldiers go out to the wilderness, whereupon his soldiers bring him to a place of afflictions, invaders, and marauders, and they abandon him — whereupon there joins him a hero, who says to him: King, do not despair; fear nothing. I swear not to leave you until you return to your palace and sleep in your bed, as it is written (in respect to Abraham, Bereshith 15:7) "I am the L-rd, who brought you out of Ur Kasdim, etc."


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:2
[Sifrei Devarim 313:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:2)

**יְסֹבְבֶנְהוּ**, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם יב א): ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He surrounded him": viz. (*Ibid*. 12:1) "And the L-rd said to Avram: Go for your sake, etc."


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:3
[Sifrei Devarim 313:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:3)

**יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ**, עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּא אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לָעוֹלָם כִּבְיָכוֹל לֹא הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם בִּלְבַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם כד ז): ״ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַנִי״, אֲבָל מִשֶּׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לָעוֹלָם הִמְלִיכוֹ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַל הָאָרֶץ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם כד ג): ״וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ בַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He built Him": Before Abraham came to the world, it seemed (as it were) as if the Holy One Blessed be He were king of the heavens alone, viz. (*Ibid*. 24:7) "O L-rd, G-d of the heavens, who took me, etc." But when Abraham came to the world, he enthroned Him over heaven and earth, viz. (*Ibid*. 3) "And I will have you swear by the L-rd, G-d of heaven and G-d of earth."


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:4
[Sifrei Devarim 313:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:4)

**יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ**, אֲפִלּוּ בִּקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ גַּלְגַּל עֵינוֹ הָיָה נוֹתֵן לוֹ, וְלֹא גַּלְגַּל עֵינוֹ בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא אַף נַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁחֲבִיבָה עָלָיו מִן הַכֹּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כב ב): ״קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֶת יִצְחָק״, וַהֲלֹא יָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא בְּנוֹ יְחִידוֹ? אֶלָּא זוֹ נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת יְחִידָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים כב כא): ״הַצִּילָה מֵחֶרֶב נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד כֶּלֶב יְחִידָתִי״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He guarded Him like the apple of his eye": Even if the L-rd asked Abraham for his eyeball, he would give it to Him. And not his eyeball alone, but he would give Him even his most beloved, his soul, viz. (*Ibid*. 22:2) "Take, now, your son, your special one, whom you love, Isaac." Is it not known that Isaac is his "special one"? (Why, then, need it be stated?) It must be that his special one, in this instance, refers to his soul, which is thus called elsewhere, viz. (Psalms 22:21) "Save my soul from the sword; from the dog, '*yechidathi*'" (my special one).


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:5
[Sifrei Devarim 313:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:5)

דָּבָר אַחֵר **יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר**, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ט י): ״כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר מָצָאתִי יִשְׂרָאֵל״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Variantly: "He found *them* in a desert land": This refers to Israel, as it is written (Hoshea 9:10) "As grapes in the desert, I found Israel."


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:6
[Sifrei Devarim 313:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:6)

**וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵל יְשִׁימֹן**, בִּמְקוֹם הַצָּרוֹת, בִּמְקוֹם הַגַּיָּסוֹת, בִּמְקוֹם הַלִּסְטִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and in a wasteland, howling and desolate": in a place of afflictions, invaders, and marauders.


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:7
[Sifrei Devarim 313:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:7)

**יְסוֹבְבֶנְהוּ**, לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יט יב): ״וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ אֶת הָעָם סָבִיב לֵאמֹר״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He surrounded them": before Mount Sinai, viz. (Shemoth 19:12) "And you shall set bounds to the people roundabout, saying, etc."


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:8
[Sifrei Devarim 313:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:8)

**יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ**, בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָיָה הַדִּבּוּר יוֹצֵא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל רוֹאִים אוֹתוֹ וּמַשְׂכִּילִים בּוֹ, וְיוֹדְעִים כַּמָּה מִדְרָשׁ יֵשׁ בּוֹ, וְכַמָּה הֲלָכָה יֵשׁ בּוֹ, וְכַמָּה קַלִּים וַחֲמוּרִים יֵשׁ בּוֹ, וְכַמָּה גְּזֵרוֹת שָׁווֹת יֵשׁ בּוֹ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He invested them with understanding": with the ten commandments. We are hereby taught that the Word left the mouth of the Holy One Blessed be He, and Israel perceived it and knew how many *midrashim* it contained, how many *halachoth* it contained, how many leniencies and stringencies it contained and how many *gezeiroth shavoth* (identities) it contained.


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:9
[Sifrei Devarim 313:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:9)

**יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ**, הוֹלְכִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל וְחוֹזְרִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מִיל עַל כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר, וְלֹא הָיוּ נִרְתָּעִים לֹא מִן הַקּוֹלוֹת וְלֹא מִן הַלַּפִּידִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
They went forward twelve mil and recoiled ten mil at each commandment, and they were not deterred, neither by the sound of the (shofar) blasts, nor by the "sound" of the flashes.


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:10
[Sifrei Devarim 313:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:10)

דָּבָר אַחֵר **יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר**, הַכֹּל מָצוּי וּמְסֻפָּק לָהֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר: בְּאֵר עוֹלָה לָהֶם, מָן יוֹרֵד לָהֶם, שְׂלָו מָצוּי לָהֶם, עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד מַקִּיפוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם. **וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵל יְשִׁמֹן**, בִּמְקוֹם הַצָּרוֹת, בִּמְקוֹם הַגַּיָּיסוֹת, בִּמְקוֹם הַלִּסְטִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Variantly: "He found them in a desert land": Everything was provided for them in the desert: The well rose up for them; the manna descended for them; the quail was available for them; the clouds of glory surrounded them. "and in a waste land, howling and desolate": in a place of afflictions, invaders, and marauders.


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:11
[Sifrei Devarim 313:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:11)

**יְסוֹבְבֶנְהוּ**, בִּדְגָלִים: שְׁלֹשָׁה מִן הַצָּפוֹן, שְׁלֹשָׁה מִן הַדָּרוֹם, שְׁלֹשָׁה מִן הַמִּזְרָח, שְׁלֹשָׁה מִן הַמַּעֲרָב.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He surrounded them": with flags: three from the north, three from the south, three from the east, three from the west.


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:12
[Sifrei Devarim 313:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:12)

**יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ** בִּשְׁתֵּי מַתָּנוֹת, שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מִן הָאֻמּוֹת פּוֹשֵׁט יָדוֹ לִקְמוֹץ מִן הַמָּן – לֹא הָיָה עוֹלֶה בְּיָדוֹ כְּלוּם, לְמַלֹּאת מַיִם מִן הַבְּאֵר – לֹא הָיָה עוֹלֶה בְּיָדוֹ כְּלוּם.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He built them up": with two gifts. We are hereby taught that when one of the nations stretched out its hand to receive the manna, it ended up with nothing; to fill up (its vessels) with water from the well, it ended up with nothing.


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:13
[Sifrei Devarim 313:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:13)

**יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ**, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י לה): ״קוּמָה ה׳ וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He protected them like the pupil of His eye": As it is written (Bamidbar 10:35) "Arise, O L-rd, and let Your foes be scattered, and let your foes flee before You!"


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:14
[Sifrei Devarim 313:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:14)

דָּבָר אַחֵר **יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר**, זֶה לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ב טז): ״לָכֵן הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מְפַתֶּיהָ וְהֹלַכְתִּיהָ הַמִּדְבָּר וְדִבַּרְתִּי עַל לִבָּהּ״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He found them in a desert land": As it is written (Hoshea 2:16) "Behold, I will entice her and lead her into the wilderness."


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:15
[Sifrei Devarim 313:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:15)

**וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵל יְשִׁימֹן**, אֵלּוּ אַרְבַּע מַלְכֻיּוֹת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ח טו): ״הַמּוֹלִיכְךָ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and in a wasteland, howling and desolate": These are the four exiles, viz. (Devarim 8:15) "Who led you in the great, awesome desert of snake (1), serpent (2), scorpion (3) and waterless drought (4)."


###### Sifrei Devarim 313:16
[Sifrei Devarim 313:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/313:16)

**יְסוֹבְבֶנְהוּ**, בִּזְקֵנִים. **יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ**, בִּנְבִיאִים. **יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ**, מְשַׁמְּרָם מִן הַמַּזִּיקִים שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיקוּם, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה ב יב): ״כִּי הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּכֶם נוֹגֵעַ בְּבָבַת עֵינוֹ״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"He surrounded them": with the elders. "He guarded them like the pupil of His eye": He protected them from harm by *mazzikim* (adverse elements), viz. (Zechariah 2:12) "For he that touches you touches the pupil of His eye."