## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 34

###### Sifrei Devarim 34:1
[Sifrei Devarim 34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:1)

(דברים ו ז) **וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ** – שֶׁיְּהוּ מְחֻדָּדִים בְּתוֹךְ פִּיךָ, שֶׁכְּשֶׁאָדָם שׁוֹאֲלְךָ דָּבָר לֹא תְּהֵא מְגַמְגֵּם בּוֹ, אֶלָּא תְּהֵא אוֹמְרוֹ לוֹ מִיָּד. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי ז ד): ״אֱמוֹר לַחָכְמָה אֲחוֹתִי אָתְּ וּמוֹדָע לַבִּינָה תִּקְרָא״, וְאוֹמֵר (משלי ז ג): ״קָשְׁרֵם עַל אֶצְבְּעוֹתֶיךָ כָּתְבֵם עַל לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ״, וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים מה ו): ״חִצֶּיךָ שְׁנוּנִים״. מַה שָּׂכָר לָזֶה? (תהלים מה ו) ״עַמִּים תַּחְתֶּיךָ יִפְּלוּ בְּלֵב אוֹיְבֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ״, וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים קכז ד): ״כְּחִצִּים בְּיַד גִּבּוֹר כֵּן בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים״, מַה נֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם? (תהלים קכז ה) ״אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אֶת אַשְׁפָּתוֹ מֵהֶם לֹא יֵבֹשׁוּ כִּי יְדַבְּרוּ אֶת אוֹיְבִים בַּשָּׁעַר״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 34**⁸⁴
1. “And drill them (*shinantem*)⁸⁵, is etymologically related to “incise” and “tooth”. Hence, I render it as “drill” in the sense of inculcating by memorization. Cf. H: *ad loc.,* ns.1, 2. into your sons” (Dt. 6:7).
Let them be sharpened in your mouth,
so that if someone asks you about a text,
you will not mumble through it,
but will rather reply unhindered.
For indeed He states:
“Say to wisdom—you are my sister! And call understanding your intimate!” (Prov. 7:4).
And He says:
“Bind them upon your fingers, inscribe them on the tablet of your heart!” (Prov. 7:3).
And He says:
“Your *arrows* ⁸⁶ stand *sharpened* . . .” (Ps. 45:6).
What is the reward for this diligence?
“Peoples will fall at your feet” (Ps. 45:6).
And He says:
“Like *arrows* in the hand of a warrior—
so are the *children* of one’s youth!”⁸⁷ (Ps. 127:4).
What is said of them?
“Fortunate is the man who fills his quiver with them;
they shall not be put to shame
when contending with the enemy in the gate!” (Ps. 127:5).

footnotes:
⁸⁴ H:63-65; JN1:91-92.
⁸⁵ The root, sh-n-n
⁸⁶ Arrows are likened to sharpness in uttering words of Torah.
⁸⁷ The simile figures the sharpened arrows of Torah in the mouths of children reciting texts of Torah.


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:2
[Sifrei Devarim 34:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:2)

דָּבָר אַחֵר: **וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ** – אֵלּוּ בְּשִׁנּוּן, וְאֵין (שמות יג ב) ״קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר״, (שמות יג יא) ״וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ״ בְּשִׁנּוּן. שֶׁהָיָה בַדִּין: אִם (במדבר טו לז) ״וַיֹּאמֶר״, שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּקְשִׁירָה – הֲרֵי הוּא בְּשִׁנּוּן, ״קַדֶּשׁ לִי״, ״וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ״, שֶׁהֵם בִּקְשִׁירָה, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁיְּהוּ בְּשִׁנּוּן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם**: אֵלּוּ בְּשִׁנּוּן, וְאֵין ״קַדֶּשׁ לִי״ ״וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ״ בְּשִׁנּוּן.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. Another word:
“And drill *them* into your sons” (Dt. 6:7)—
*these words* are to be drilled [in the Shema-liturgy],
but “Consecrate each Firstling to Me” (Ex. 13:2)
and “When HASHEM has brought you into the Land” (Ex. 13:11)
*need not* be [liturgically] drilled? ⁸⁸ 35.1
Now, we might reason [otherwise]:
If the verse:
“Instruct them to make fringes” (Nu. 15:37-38)—
which is *not* [among the verses]
bound [into the prayer-amulets]—
is nevertheless drilled
[in the twice-daily Shema-liturgy],
the verses:
“Consecrate each Firstling” (Ex. 13:2), and,
“When HASHEM has brought you” (Ex. 13:11)—
which *are* [among the verses]
bound [into the prayer-amulets]—
shouldn’t they also be *included* in [the text of] the drill?
[Nevertheless,] the Teaching states:
“And drill *them*” (Dt. 6:7)—
*these* [Nu. 15:37-38] *are* included [in the text of] the drill,
but “Consecrate each Firstling to Me” (Ex. 13:2), and,
“When the LORD has brought you” (Ex. 13:11)
*need not* be included [in the text of] the drill.

footnotes:
⁸⁸ Compare the parallel logical arguments of Pisqa’


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:3
[Sifrei Devarim 34:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:3)

וַעֲדַיִן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר: אִם ״וַיֹּאמֶר״, שֶׁקָּדְמוּהוּ מִצְווֹת אֲחֵרוֹת – הֲרֵי הוּא בְּשִׁנּוּן, עֶשֶׂר הַדִּבְּרוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא קְדָמוּם מִצְווֹת אֲחֵרוֹת, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁיְּהוּ בְּשִׁנּוּן? אָמַרְתָּ: קַל וָחוֹמֶר הוּא, אִם ״קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר״, ״וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ״, שֶׁהֵם בִּקְשִׁירָה – אֵינָם בְּשִׁנּוּן, עֶשֶׂר הַדִּבְּרוֹת, שֶׁאֵינָם בִּקְשִׁירָה, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ בְּשִׁנּוּן? הֲרֵי ״וַיֹּאמֶר״ יוֹכִיחַ לְעֶשֶׂר הַדִּבְּרוֹת, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָם בִּקְשִׁירָה שֶׁיְּהוּ בְּשִׁנּוּן! תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר **וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ**: אֵלּוּ בְּשִׁנּוּן וְאֵין עֶשֶׂר הַדִּבְּרוֹת בְּשִׁנּוּן!

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
But I can still say:
If the verse:
“HASHEM said to Moses” (Nu. 15:37)—
which *is* preceded by other commandments—
is, indeed, drilled
[in the twice-daily Shema-liturgy],
shouldn’t the Ten Utterances,
which *are not* preceded by other commandments,
*also* be included in text of the drill?
You can frame this logically
[to reach the opposite conclusion]:
If “Consecrate each Firstling” (Ex. 13:2) and
“When HASHEM has brought you” (Ex. 13:11),
which *are* bound [into the prayer-amulets],
*are not* [included] in [the text of] the drill,
shouldn’t the Ten Utterances,
which *are not* bound [into the prayer-amulets],
also *not* be included in the text of the drill?
Look—the verse, “HASHEM said to Moses” (Nu. 15:37),
illustrates the case of the Ten Utterances.
For even though the Ten Utterances are not bound in the prayer-amulets,
they *should have* been included in the text of the drill!
[Nevertheless,] The Teaching states [the rule as follows]:
“and drill them into your sons” (Dt. 6:7)—
*these* verses must be drilled [in the Shema-liturgy],
but the Ten Utterances need *not* be drilled.


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:4
[Sifrei Devarim 34:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:4)

**לְבָנֶיךָ**, אֵלּוּ תַלְמִידֶיךָ, וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהַתַּלְמִידִים קְרוּיִים בָּנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב ב ג): ״וַיֵּצְאוּ בְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית אֵל אֶל אֱלִישָׁע״, וְכִי בְּנֵי נְבִיאִים הָיוּ? וַהֲלֹא תַלְמִידִים הָיוּ! אֶלָּא מִכָּן לַתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁקְּרוּיִים בָּנִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (מלכים ב ב ה): ״וַיִּגְּשׁוּ בְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר בִּירִיחוֹ אֶל אֱלִישָׁע״, וְכִי בְּנֵי נְבִיאִים הָיוּ? וַהֲלֹא תַלְמִידִים הָיוּ! אֶלָּא שֶׁהַתַּלְמִידִים קְרוּיִים בָּנִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
3. “Your *sons*” (Dt. 6:7)—
these are your *disciples*.
And so do you find everywhere that
disciples are called *sons*,
for it is said:
“And the *sons* of the prophets who were in Bet El went out to Elisha” (2 Ki. 2:3).
Now, were they indeed the *offspring* of prophets?
Weren’t they *disciples*?
Rather, on this basis we know that
disciples are called *sons*.
And similarly He says:
“And the *sons* of the prophets who were in Jericho drew near to Elisha” (2 Ki. 2:5).
Now were they indeed the *offspring* of prophets?
Weren’t they *disciples*?
In fact, disciples are called *sons*!


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:5
[Sifrei Devarim 34:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:5)

וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְּחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, שֶׁלִּמֵּד כָּל הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּקְרָאָם בָּנִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב כט יא): ״בָּנַי עַתָּה אַל תִּשָּׁלוּ״. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהַתַּלְמִידִים קְרוּיִים בָּנִים כָּךְ הָרַב קָרוּי אָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב ב יב): ״וֶאֱלִישָׁע רֹאֶה וְהוּא מְצַעֵק אָבִי אָבִי רֶכֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפָרָשָׁיו וְלֹא רָאָהוּ עוֹד״, וְאוֹמֵר (מלכים ב יג יד): ״וֶאֱלִישָׁע חָלָה אֶת חָלְיוֹ אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בּוֹ וַיֵּרֶד אֵלָיו מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּבְךְּ וַיִּפֹּל עַל פָּנָיו וַיֹּאמַר אָבִי אָבִי רֶכֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפָרָשָׁיו״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
And so do you find with Hezekiah, the king of Judah,
that he taught the entire Torah to Israel,⁸⁹ 32.7 above.
and he called them *sons*.
For it is said: “My *sons*! Do not be lazy” (2 Chron. 29:11).
And just as the disciples are called *sons*,
so is the Master called *Father*,
as it is said:
“And Elisha . . . cried out, *my father*, my father!” (2 Ki. 2:12).
And He says:
“Elisha was ill . . . and he fell on his face, saying: *my father*, my father!” (2 Ki. 13:14).

footnotes:
⁸⁹ Cf. Pisqa’


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:6
[Sifrei Devarim 34:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:6)

**וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם**, עֲשֵׂם עִקָּר וְאַל תַּעֲשֵׂם טְפֵלָה, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא מַשָּׂאֲךָ וּמַתָּנְךָ אֶלָּא בָּהֶם, שֶׁלֹּא תְּעָרֵב בָּהֶם דְּבָרִים אֲחֵרִים כִּפְלוֹנִי. שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר: לָמַדְתִּי חָכְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵלֵךְ וְאֶלְמַד חָכְמַת הָאֻמּוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא יח ד): ״לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם״, וְלֹא לִפָּטֵר מִתּוֹכָם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי ה יז): ״יִהְיוּ לְךָ לְבַדֶּךָ וְאֵין לְזָרִים אִתָּךְ״.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
4. “And *discourse* upon them” (Dt. 6:7).
Make them primary rather than secondary,
so that your deliberations focus upon them alone.
And may you not confuse them with alien topics—
like So-and-So!⁹⁰) with Elisha b. Avuyah (also known as *‘Akher—*“the Other”), see F:61, l.16.
Lest you say:
I’ve learned the wisdom of Israel,
I’ll now *go* (*‘eilech*) and learn the wisdom of the nations!⁹¹
The Teaching states:
“Observe my statutes . . . to walk (*lalechet*) with them” (Lv. 18:4)—
but not to be free of them!
And similarly He says:
“[My wisdom] will be yours alone,
and foreigners have no share with you” (Prov. 5:17).

footnotes:
⁹⁰ On the identification of So-and-So (peloni
⁹¹ Likely a reference to Greek thought. See T. AZ. 1:20: “They asked R. Joshua: What is the ruling—should a man teach his son to read Greek? He replied; Let him study when it is neither night nor day.”


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:7
[Sifrei Devarim 34:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:7)

וְאוֹמֵר (משלי ו כב): ״בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אוֹתָךְ, בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ, וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ״. ״בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אוֹתָךְ״ – בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, ״בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ״ – בִּשְׁעַת מִיתָה, ״וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ״ – בִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, ״הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ״ – לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**And He says:**
**“When you *walk* (*hithalechecha*), it will guide you;**
**when you recline, it will preserve you;**
**when you awaken, it will converse with you” (Prov. 6:22).**
**“When you *walk*, it will guide you”—**
**in the present eon.**
**“When you recline, it will preserve you”—**
**at the hour of death.**
**“When you awaken”—**
**in the Days of Messiah.**
**“It will converse with you”—**
**in the coming eon.**⁹²

footnotes:
⁹² //ARNB:35.


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:8
[Sifrei Devarim 34:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:8)

**וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ**, יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ שָׁכַב בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **וּבְקוּמֶךָ**, יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ עָמַד בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ** – דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ דִּבְּרָה תּוֹרָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
5. “And when you *recline*” (Dt. 6:7).
Is it possible to say that
one recites the Shema-liturgy
even if reclining at *mid-day*?
The Teaching states:
“And when you *arise*” (Dt. 6:7).
Is it possible to say that
one recites even if he *arose* at mid-night?
The Teaching states:
“When you sit in your house,
and when you walk (*lechtecha*) the path (*derech*).” (Dt. 6:7)—
the Torah speaks here
in terms of how people should act *(derech ‘eretz*)!


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:9
[Sifrei Devarim 34:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:9)

וּכְבָר הָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מֻטֶּה וְדוֹרֵשׁ, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה זָקוּף. הִגִּיעַ זְמַן קְרִיַּת שְׁמַע, נִזְקַף רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְהִטָּה רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: מָה זֶה אֶלְעָזָר? אָמַר לוֹ: יִשְׁמָעֵאל אָחִי, אָמְרוּ לְאֶחָד: מִפְּנֵי מָה זְקָנְךָ מְגֻדָּל? אָמַר לָהֶם: יְהִי כְּנֶגֶד הַמַּשְׁחִיתִים! אָמַר לוֹ: אַתָּה הִטֵּיתָה כְּדִבְרֵי בֵית שַׁמַּיי, וַאֲנִי נִזְקַפְתִּי כְּדִבְרֵי בֵית הִלֵּל.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
6. **Once R. Ishmael was *reclining* while expounding Torah,**
**and R. Elazar b. Azariah stood *erect.***
**The moment arrived for the Shema-liturgy.**
**R. Ishmael stood himself erect, while R. Elazar b. Azariah reclined.**
**Said to him R. Ishmael:**
**What’s this about, Elazar!**
**He replied: Ishmael, my brother!**
**They once asked a fellow:**
**why is your beard grown out?**
**He said to them:**
**this is to challenge those who destroy [the beard]!**
**Said R. Ishmael to him:**
**You reclined**
**in accord with the words of the House of Shammai,**
**and I stood erect**
**in accord with the words of the House of Hillel!**⁹³

footnotes:
⁹³ //T. Ber. 1:4; cf. M. Ber. 1:3. The speakers assume that the Hillelite position requires no specific posture, while the Shammaites require reclining during the evening liturgical reading and standing in the morning.


###### Sifrei Devarim 34:10
[Sifrei Devarim 34:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/34:10)

דָּבָר אַחֵר: שֶׁלֹּא יִקָּבַע הַדָּבָר חוֹבָה; שֶׁבֵּית שַׁמַּיי אוֹמְרִים: בָּעֶרֶב כָּל אָדָם יַטּוּ וְיִקְרְאוּ, וּבַבֹּקֶר יַעַמְדוּ!

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Another word:**
**[Said R. Ishmael to him:**
**You reclined]**
**so that the [Shammaite] practice**
**not be deemed normative.**
**For the House of Shammai say:**
**in the evening everyone must recline and recite,**
**and in the morning they must stand.**⁹⁴

footnotes:
⁹⁴ //T.Ber. 1:4.