## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 81

###### Sifrei Devarim 81:1
[Sifrei Devarim 81:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/81:1)

(דברים יב ל) **הִשָּׁמֶר** – בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. **פֶּן** – בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(Devarim 12:30) "Take heed unto yourselves": a negative commandment. "lest they be a stumbling block to you": a negative commandment.


###### Sifrei Devarim 81:2
[Sifrei Devarim 81:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/81:2)

**פֶּן תִּנָּקֵשׁ אַחֲרֵיהֶם**, שֶׁמָּא תִּמָּשֵׁךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶם, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא תִּדְמֶה לָהֶם, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲשֶׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְיִהְיוּ לְךָ לְמוֹקֵשׁ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Lest you are drawn after them, or lest you emulate them, or lest you do as they do, and they become a stumbling block to you.


###### Sifrei Devarim 81:3
[Sifrei Devarim 81:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/81:3)

**אַחֲרֵי הִשָּׁמְדָם מִפָּנֶיךָ**, מִפְּנֵי מָה אֲנִי מַשְׁמִידָם מִפָּנֶיךָ? שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲשֶׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְיָבוֹאוּ אֲחֵרִים וְיַשְׁמִידוּ פָּנֶיךָ!

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"after their being destroyed before you": Why do I destroy them before you? Because of their deeds. That you not do as they do and they come after you and destroy you.


###### Sifrei Devarim 81:4
[Sifrei Devarim 81:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/81:4)

**פֶן תִּדְרֹשׁ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר**, שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר: הוֹאִיל וְהֵם יוֹצְאִים בְּטָגָא – אַף אֲנִי אֵצֵא בְּטָגָא, הוֹאִיל וְהֵם יוֹצְאִים בְּאַרְגָּמָן – אַף אֲנִי אֵצֵא בְּאַרְגָּמָן, הוֹאִיל וְהֵם יוֹצְאִים בְּתוֹלְסִין – אַף אֲנִי אֵצֵא בְּתוֹלְסִין, **וְאֶעֱשֶׂה כֵּן גַּם אָנִי**.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and lest you inquire after their gods, saying, etc.": that you not say: Since they go out in a toga, I will go out in a toga, too; since they go out in purple, I will go out in purple too; since they go out in fancy headdress, so will I.


###### Sifrei Devarim 81:5
[Sifrei Devarim 81:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/81:5)

(דברים יב לא) **לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כֵן לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ**, יֵשׁ כֵּן לָעֲבֹדָה וְיֵשׁ כֵּן לַמִּתְעַבֵּד. מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: בְּדָבָר שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ, אִם מַקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה – חַיָּב. דָּבָר שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אִם הִקְרִיבוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ – פָּטוּר. דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין מַקְרִיבִים אוֹתוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְהִקְרִיבוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אִם מַקְרִיבִים כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ – חַיָּב, וְאִם לָאו – פָּטוּר.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and I will do the same (31) You shall not do thus to the L-rd your G-d": Subsumed herein is (service) for idolatry, and service for the altar (in the Temple) — whence they ruled: A type of service which they use for idolatry is forbidden (to a Jew) for idolatry. If he performed the like (for idolatry) he is liable (to the death penalty). And the like is forbidden (to a Jew) for the altar. If he performed the like for the altar, he is not liable (to the death penalty).


###### Sifrei Devarim 81:6
[Sifrei Devarim 81:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/81:6)

יָכוֹל לֹא יְהוּ מַקְרִיבִים חַטָּאוֹת וַאֲשָׁמוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **כִּי כָל תּוֹעֲבַת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר שָׂנֵא** – דָּבָר הַשָּׂנאוּי וּמְתֹעָב לַמָּקוֹם. דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֹא נִתְכַּוְּנוּ לְהַקְרִיב אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁהַמָּקוֹם שׂוֹנֵא. **כִּי גַם אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם וְאֶת בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם**, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, אֲבוֹתָם וְאִמּוֹתָם מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **בְּנֵיהֶם** – גַּם בְּנֵיהֶם, **בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם** – גַּם בְּנוֹתֵיהֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָה: אֲנִי רָאִיתִי גּוֹי אֶחָד שֶׁכְּפָתוֹ לְאָבִיו וְהִנִּיחוֹ לִפְנֵי כַּלְבּוֹ – וַאֲכָלוֹ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
I might think that if they sacrifice (to idolatry) sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, it is forbidden to do the same for the altar; it is, therefore, written (21) "For every abomination of the L-rd, which He hates, did they do unto their gods" — Scripture intends (to forbid [for the altar]) only things which the Holy One Blessed be He hates. (*Ibid*. 31) "For even their sons and their daughters did they burn in fire to their gods. This tells me only of their sons and their daughters. Whence do I derive (that they did the same to) their fathers and their mothers? From "for *even* their sons and their daughters." R. Yaakov says; I saws a Canaani who bound his father before his dog — which ate him.