## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 79

###### Sifrei Devarim 79:1
[Sifrei Devarim 79:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/79:1)

(דברים יב כח) **שְׁמֹר וְשָׁמַעְתָּ**, אִם שָׁמַעְתָּ מְעַט – סוֹפְךָ לִשְׁמוֹעַ הַרְבֵּה, אִם שָׁמַרְתָּ מְעַט – סוֹפְךָ לִשְׁמוֹר הַרְבֵּה, אִם שָׁמַרְתָּ מַה שֶּׁשָּׁמַעְתָּ – סוֹפְךָ לִשְׁמוֹר מַה שֶּׁלֹּא שָׁמַעְתָּ; שְׁמוֹר מַה שֶּׁבְּיָדְךָ – וְסוֹפְךָ לִלְמוֹד לֶעָתִיד.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 79**¹³²
1. “*Preserve* and *hear* all these things” (Dt. 12:28)—
if you’ve heard only a little Torah,
you’ll eventually hear much.
**If you’ve preserved only a little,**
**you’ll eventually preserve much.**
**If you’ve preserved what you’ve heard,**
**you’ll eventually preserve what you haven’t heard.**¹³³, 1. Cf. *Pisqa’* 96.3
Preserve what is at hand [to do],
and eventually you’ll learn [more to do] for the future.

footnotes:
¹³² H:133-134; JN1:226
¹³³ Mechilta Ishmael, vayass`a


###### Sifrei Devarim 79:2
[Sifrei Devarim 79:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/79:2)

דָּבָר אַחֵר: זָכָה אָדָם לִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה – זָכָה לוֹ וּלְדוֹרוֹתָיו עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
Another word:
If a person earns the merit of Torah-study,
he earns it for all his generations,
till the end of all generations.¹³⁴

footnotes:
¹³⁴ This material is lacking in several mss. See F:145, n.1 and Fraade: 252, n. 162.


###### Sifrei Devarim 79:3
[Sifrei Devarim 79:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/79:3)

**שְׁמֹר וְשָׁמַעְתָּ**, כָּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּכְלַל מִשְׁנָה – אֵינוֹ בִּכְלַל מַעֲשֶׂה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. “*Preserve and hear*” (Dt. 12:28)—
whatever is not heard in the oral-performative tradition,
has no bearing upon behavior.¹³⁵) comprehends all meaningful action (*ma`aseh*).

footnotes:
¹³⁵ For the tradition (mishnah


###### Sifrei Devarim 79:4
[Sifrei Devarim 79:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/79:4)

**אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּךָּ**, שֶׁתְּהֵא מִצְוָה קַלָּה חֲבִיבָה עָלֶיךָ כְּמִצְוָה חֲמוּרָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“*All* these things which I am commanding you” (Dt. 12:28)—
**so that the simplest commandment**
**shall be as dear to you**
**as the most arduous commandment.**¹³⁶ 82.1 .

footnotes:
¹³⁶ // M. Avot 2:1 and Pisqa’


###### Sifrei Devarim 79:5
[Sifrei Devarim 79:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/79:5)

**כִּי תַעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר**, **הַטּוֹב** בְּעֵינֵי שָׁמַיִם, **וְהַיָּשָׁר** בְּעֵינֵי אָדָם, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**“For you will perform the good and the virtuous” (Dt. 12:28)—**
**“the good”—in the sight of Heaven;**
**“and the virtuous”—in the sight of human beings:**
**words of R. Akiva**.¹³⁷
And, moreover, He states;
“He shall find favor and appreciation
in the sight of God and human beings” (Prov. 3:4).
R. Ishmael says:
“And the virtuous” (Dt. 12:28)—
in the sight of Heaven.¹³⁸

footnotes:
¹³⁷ =T. Sheq.2:1.
¹³⁸ The bulk of 79.2 is repeated below at 96.3