## Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy

###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:6:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:6:1)

**כי וגו' בך בחר ה' אלקיך להיות לו לעם סגולה.**שאין לך קצין שוטר ומושל מכל מלאכי מעלה אבל אתה סגולת השם ותחת ידו ולכך לא תטעה אחר אלקי העמים ועל כן אמר:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
בך בחר ה' אלוקיך להיות לו לעם סגולה, “*Hashem* has chosen you to be for Him a nation a treasured people.” This status as a treasured people is evident by the fact that instead of appointing one of His angels to be your guardian angel, as He has done for all the other nations, He Himself acts as your guardian. This is why Moses continues and says


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:7:1)

**לא מרובכם וגו'.**כי הי' ראוי שיהיו הרבים למלך כענין שכתוב ברב עם הדרת מלך ויפקוד שרי צבאות בראש הנשארים ואתם המעט ואעפ"כ חשק בכם ויבחר אתכם. ופי':

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
לא מרובכם, “(what motivated G’d was) not your being numerous, etc.” although it would have seemed appropriate that a great King, the King of the universe, should select a most numerous people as His special favorites. Throughout our history we have been taught (Proverbs 14,28) that ברב עם הדרת מלך, “where there is a multitude that is a king’s honour.” This would enable the King to appoint many generals to be in charge of different divisions of his armies. Although, in your case, you are not a numerous people, nonetheless *Hashem* chose you.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:2
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:7:2)

**חשק.**שנקשר עמכם בקשר אמיץ שלא יפקד מכם לעולם מלשון וחשוקיהם כסף:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
חשק, “desired;” the meaning of this word in this connection is that He established a permanent inseparable bond with you. We find this root in the same context in Exodus 38,12 and 38,18 וחשוקיהם כסף, where it describes how the silver bands connected the lace hangings of the Tabernacle to the pillars supporting them.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:3
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:7:3)

**ויבחר בכם.**מכל העמים כי הברירה בכל מקום ברירה בין אחרים. ואמר הטעם כי מאהבה בחר בכם שראה אתכם ראויים להתאהב לפניו ונבחרים לאהבה יותר מכל העמים ולא הזכיר בזה טעם רק הבחירה כי הנבחר לאוהב צריך לסבול את אוהבו בכל הבא עליו ממנו וישראל ראוים לכך מכל עם שהם עזים באומות שעומדין בנסיונותיו וחשק בכם בעבור אבותיכם שהגיע עמם עד שנשבע להם כדי שלא יגרום החטא ותבטל הבטחתם ועל כן הוציא אתכם מארץ מצרים ביד חזקה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ויבחר בהם, “He chose them;” He chose you out of all the nations that He had at disposal. The word בחר always means that the one doing the choosing had the option to select his choice from a number of candidates. The reason why He chose the Jewish people was out of a feeling of love for them. G’d had seen that this nation was worthy of His love more than all the other nations. Moses does not spell out a special virtue of the Jewish people that made them worthy of this extraordinary love of *Hashem.* When someone has been chosen as another person’s especially beloved, he must henceforth endure with equanimity anything that results from the fact that he is so beloved. Israel qualified as being especially beloved by G’d because they were a tough nation, a nation capable of enduring a great deal when being tested by their lover, *Hashem*. He took a liking to you on account of your forefathers the three patriarchs whom G’d had subjected to so many trials all of which they had endured uncomplainingly so that He eventually swore an oath to them promising to give them the Holy Land. He swore the oath in order that His promise previously not reinforced by an oath, should not become null and void on account of sins that the offspring of these patriarchs might become guilty of. As a result of this oath, G’d took this nation out of Egypt amongst all the miracles that were needed to accomplish this.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:4
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:7:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:7:4)

**ויפדך.**רמז שהכה אותם תחתיך כענין שנאמר נתתי כפרך מצרים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ויפדך, He liberated you, redeemed you;” an allusion to how G’d smote the Egyptians on account of the Israelites; (compare Isaiah 43,3 נתתי כפרך מצרים, “I have given (away) Egypt as a ransom in exchange for you.”)


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:9:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:9:1)

**וידעת.** מיציאת מצרים כי ה' הוא האלקים וברא שמים וארץ ועוד נדע מזה שהוא האל הנאמן שלא ישוב דבריו ריקם ושומר הברית והחסד וגו' כאשר שמר לך ברית אבותיך ותדע כי הוא משלם לשונאיו אל פניו פי' אל פני כל אחד ואחד להאבידו כאשר האביד את מצרים ולא איחר להם. ואע"פ שיש רשע מאריך ברעתו הוא מפני המדה שהזכיר כבר שהוא שומר החסד והנה עשה שום טובה שצריך לשלם לו. והחזיר:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
וידעת, “You must know;” the Exodus from Egypt surely taught you that the Lord your G’d is the true G’d, the One who created heaven and earth; this also taught us that this G’d is faithful and keeps His promises, including the various covenants which He entered into with your forefathers. You should know that just as this G’d keeps His promises so He will also exact retribution from those who deserve it. Each one of His enemies will be dealt with individually according to the severity of his sins. While it is true that sometimes we observe that G’d’s patience with a wicked person is extremely long, He will eventually, in His own good time, deal with such people, just as He dealt with the Egyptians. The reason that such retribution sometimes appears as long overdue, is that G’d also practices His virtue of rewarding everyone for his good deeds, and such wicked people as experience all this patience by G’d must have had good deeds to their credit for which they had not yet received a reward. Moses now reverts to


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:11:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:11:1)

**ושמרת את המצוה.**לומר לך שתשמור את המצוה והחוקים והמשפטים שלא תהיו משונאיו האובדים ותהיו מאוהביו ושומרי מצותיו הנזכרים לטובה. ור' אברהם כתב ושמרת וגו' לכך החזיר אותו לומר כמו שהוא שומר הברית כן שמור אתה מצותיו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ושמרת את המצוה, “You shall observe the commandment, etc;” In order that you will not belong to the group of people classified as those who hate Him and who will perish, it is incumbent upon you to keep the commandments, all types of them, Belong to the group of people described as those who love Him, the ones who receive favourable mention!
 Ibn Ezra writes that the reason why Moses at this point repeated the previous call to observe the commandments, is to compare G’d’s keeping His promises to the patriarchs by redeeming their offspring; hence you should keep your part of the bargain by keeping His commandments.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:12:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:12:1)

**והיה עקב תשמעון.**פירש"י אם המצות הקלות שאדם דש בעקיבו תשמעון וכו'. ולפי זה צריך לפרש שהפסוק מדבר בשני דברים והיה עקב תשמעון מצות הקלות ואת המשפטים תשמעון גם כן. והרמב"ן כתב לפירש"י אולי מזהיר במשפטים קלים בדיני ממונות שלא יבזו אותם. והמפרשים פירשו כי עקב הוא שכר באחרית וכן בשמר' עקב רב ופי' הפסוק והיה באחרית תשמעון המשפטים ישמור לך השם הברית והחסד כי בלשון הקודש קורא להתחלת כל דבר בלשון ראש וכך קורא לאחרית כל דבר בלשון עקב כי הלשון תופס דמיונו באדם והראש בו תחלה והעקב אחרית. ואונקלוס תרגם חלף כמו חלף עבודתכם עשאו לשון סביב נגזר מוהי' העקוב למישור הדרך המעוקל ההולך סביב ופי' הפסוק והיה סיבת שומעכם המשפטים ועשותכם אותם שישמור השם לכם בריתו. והזהיר במשפטים כי לא יהיה עם רב כולו נזהר במצות כולן שלא יחטאו בהם כלל רק במשפטים יעמידו התורה כמו שנא' בהם וכל ישראל ישמעו וייראו. ועוד הוצרך להזכיר בהם כי רבים ירחמו מלדון הנדון אחר שכבר נעשית העבירה כמו שאומר לא תגורו מפני איש. והזכיר כל אלה במסית לא תאבה לו ולא תשמע אליו לא תחוס עינך עליו לה תחמול ולא תכסה מזהיר לא חשמע אליו מפני הטעאתו לא תחוס מפני הרחמנות שירחמו רכי הלב על הנדונים ולא תכסה עליו שלא תשתוק בעבור תוקפו ויראת בני משפחתו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
והיה עקב תשמעון, “it shall be the result of your listening, etc.” *Rashi* understands the unusual word עקב, “heel,” as a reference to the sort of thing one steps on without giving it a second thought. If we relate to those commandments of *Hashem* that in our superficial way of evaluating things we consider as insignificant, irrelevant, by observing even such commandments by *Hashem* meticulously, Moses tells us that we will qualify for extraordinary success in our daily activities on the farm, etc. If we accept this approach by *Rashi* as correct, the Torah here speaks of two distinctly separate matters. The משפטים judgments, surely do not fall into the category of things the average man belittles, considers irrelevant. Moses must be understood as saying that in order to qualify for all the blessings that follow immediately, it is not enough to meticulously observe the seemingly immaterial command-ments, but we must meticulously observe the laws governing inter-personal relationships, laws that form the fabric of society, of civilization We must not even belittle those when the amount at stake seems trifling.
 Nachmanides suggests that possibly *Rashi* had in mind the משפטים that deal with matters and amounts that appear trifling, and that many judges would feel inclined not to waste their time on. Moses warns not to develop a cavalier attitude towards such “trifling” matters.
 Other commentators understand the word עקב as something that is the result of what preceded it, its outcome. We find that word in such a context in Psalms 19,12 בשמרם עקב רב, “by observing them there is much reward.” The meaning of our verse then would be: “it will be, as a result of your observing My commandments, etc., especially the ones governing human relationships, that *Hashem* on His part will fulfill the promises inherent in the covenant He made with you.”
 The beginning of something, in classical Hebrew, is usually referred to as בראש, “at the head,” i.e. the Torah employs body parts to illustrate beginnings; it is therefore not strange that it employs another body part, the heel, as something describing the end, the conclusion.
 Onkelos translates the word עקב as חלף, “in exchange for.” The word appears in that context in Numbers 18,21 and 18,31 where it describes the various gifts set aside for the priests as being an exchange for the Temple service performed by them on behalf of the people at large. He understands the concept of reward as a “balancing of the scales”, reverting to “zero” by wiping out an indebtedness. It is like Isaiah 40,4 והיה העקוב למישור, “that which had been bent will be straightened out again.” The meaning of our verse then would be: “in compensation for your observing My social commandments on account of My maintaining the terms of My covenant, I will indeed respond generously.”
 The reason Moses stressed the social laws especially is that many of the other commandments are not applicable in many peoples’ daily lives. He who is not a farmer does not have to observe the dozens of laws that address the farmer. Women are altogether not obliged to observe positive commandments linked to a specific time frame. The social laws apply to one and all at all times hence Moses uses them as an example. Overall, Torah observance by the people is measured against the background of how the social laws are observed. Furthermore, seeing that even the bringing to justice of someone guilty of certain sins against his fellow man does not reverse the situation created by the sin, and therefore many people tend to have compassion with the perpetrator when he was not an intentional criminal, Moses has to stress that the element of deterring a potential sinner overrides such considerations, as we hear again and again וכל העם ישמעו ויראו ולא יזידון עוד, “and the whole people shall hear and see and not sin again.” (Deut 17,13, *et al*) When discussing the person who tries to lure others into sin, especially idolatry, Moses reinforces this exhortation by warning the people not to advance excuses for the sinner, not to cover up for him, and not to do anything that would make it difficult to convict the culprit. Family members of guilty persons are especially warned not to allow their family ties, or their fear of a violent family member to override their duty to society at large.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:13:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:13:1)

**ואהבך.**כתב הרמב"ן כאשר תעשה המשפטים לאהבת השם גם הוא יאהב אותך. ויתכן שיהיה ואהבך יוצא שיאהיב אותך לאחרים במשפחת הנשפטים שלא ישנאוך עליהם:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ואהבך, “He will love you;” Nachmanides writes that what Moses means is that if the Jewish people will perform the social commandments from feelings of love for *Hashem*, He, in turn, will love them. It is possible that the word ואהבך could be meant transitively, i.e. that G’d will make the Jewish people beloved in the eyes of the families whose members have become the “victims” of the application of these social laws. They will not hate the judges who convicted members of their families.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:13:2
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:13:2)

**והרבך.**שלא תתמעט באבדון העוברים ואפי' יהיו רבים כאנשי עיר הנדחת:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
והרבך, ”He will multiply you;” your numbers will not decrease through the loss of the sinners who have been put to death by the judicial process as demanded by the משפטים, the social laws of the Torah. A prime example would be the mass executions if there ever were to be a עיר הנדחת, a city the majority of whose inhabitants had turned to idolatry. (Deut. 13,3-19)


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:15:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:15:1)

**והסיר ה' ממך כל חולי.**הנהוג בעולם. ואמר עוד:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
והסיר ה' ממך כל חולי, “*Hashem* will remove every sickness from you.” This refers to sicknesses that are part and parcel of everyday life. Moses adds:


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:15:2
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:15:2)

**וכל מדוי מצרים.**הבאים בשנוי והרמב"ן כתב הזכיר מדוי מצרים הרעים להבטיח אותם בהם ונתנם בכל שונאיך או ירמוז כי בעשותם המשפטים יכלו מהם ואם לא יעשו אותם יבואו עליהם כאשר באו על המצרים כאשר אמר בתוכחות והשיב בך את כל מדוי מצרים. והזכיר תחלה במשפטים להכרית ולכלות כל עובדי ע"ז ולכך אמר ואכלת את כל העמים שתכריתם כענין שנאמר כי לחמנו הם ואמר לא תחוס עינך עליהם כי ברחמנות השופט יאבד כל משפט:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
וכל מדוי מצרים “as well as all the bad maladies specifically prevalent in Egypt.” Probably, what are meant are different kinds of intestinal maladies, cancer of the colon, etc. Moses singles out these diseases with which the Israelites were familiar from their stay in Egypt, to assure them that G’d will cure them even from such diseases as part of the reward for observing the משפטים. He would instead afflict our enemies with such diseases. It is also possible that Moses hints here that if once afflicted with these diseases the meticulous observance of the social laws would cause G’d to heal the afflicted person, whereas non observance of these laws may bring in its wake such afflictions.
 When singling out specific commandments representing the social laws, משפטים, Moses singles out first (8,19) and foremost the eradication of every person guilty of practicing any kind of idolatry.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:22:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:22:1)

**פן תרבה עליך חית השדה.**פירש"י והלא אם עושים רצונו של מקום אין חיה שולטת בהם אלא גלוי וידוע לפניו שעתידין לחטוא. וכתב הרמב"ן אע"פ שהפרשה הזאת להבטח' נאמרה דע כי בכל משנה תורה מדבר לשון הבטחה מזהיר ורומז שלא תגיע זכותם להכריתם כולם ושישבית חי' רעה מן הארץ כמו שהבטיח להם בפרשת אם בחוקותי אבל יהיה כאשר אמר שיאבידו את רובם ומלכיהם בתחלה ואחר כך יאבדו הנשארים:


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:23:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:23:1)

**והמם מהומה גדולה.**בא להבטיח אע"פ שלא יכלו מיד אלא ישארו עד אשר תפרה ונחלת את הארץ לא יהיו הנשארים רבים אלא והמם מהומה גדולה בענין שלא ישארו מהם אלא מעט:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
והמם מהומה גדולה, “He will confound them with great confusion;” Moses reassures the people that although the Canaanites will not be wiped out overnight, G’d will utterly confuse them so that none of them will pose a threat. They will survive only long enough for the Israelites to have sufficient children and grandchildren to replace their numbers and not allow part of the land to become desolate because there are not enough of them to work the land. There will remain only small pockets of Canaanites throughout the land during that period.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:24:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:24:1)

**ונתן מלכיהם בידך והאבדת את שמם.**שלא יהיה לנשארים שם בארץ וכל הנצב בפניך תשמידם:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ונתן מלכיהם בידך והאבדת את שמם, “He will deliver their kings into your hand and you will cause their reputation to perish.” The few Canaanites remaining in the land during that time will not amount to anything, politically or militarily. Anyone who tries to make a stand against you will fail.


###### Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:25:1
[Tur HaArokh, Deuteronomy 7:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Deuteronomy/r/7:25:1)

**פסילי אלהיהם תשרפו באש.**פי' אע"פ שאמרתי לכם שהקב"ה ילחם לכם על ידי צרעה כאשר נלחם לכם במצרים לא יעשה שפטים באלקיהם כאשר עשה במצרים אלא אתם בעצמכם תעשו בהם שפטים ותשרפום באש:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
פסילי אלוהיהם תשרפו באש, “You are to burn their hewn or cast idolatrous images by fire.” Moses tells the people that although he had told them that G’d will conduct the war against the Canaanites [by means of various poisonous insects (verse 20) Ed.] just as He had done against the Egyptians at the sea of Reeds, He will not destroy their deities as He had done at the time when the Israelites had come out of Egypt. This is a chore that the Israelites themselves will have to perform.