AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN THOU ART COME. Since Scripture wrote, Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest (Deut. 25:19),¹ God now says that there are commandments that must be observed before He gives you rest. In fact, these commandments take effect as soon as you enter the land. They are: the first fruits,² the tithes,³ writing the Torah on the stones,⁴ building the altar,⁵, 4-6. and the blessing and the curse on the two mountains.⁶

footnotes: ¹ Then you shall go to war against Amalek and destroy him. ² Verses 2-11. ³ Verses 12-15. ⁴ Deut. 27:1-3. ⁵ Ibid. ⁶ Mount Grezim and Mount Ebal (Deut. 27:11-26).

IN A BASKET. Tene (basket) is a basket-like receptacle. The word tanakha (thy basket) (Deut 28:5) is its companion.⁷ This commandment⁸ 3:4, “When they reached the Temple mount even King Agrippa would take his basket on his shoulder” (Krinsky). Or, bringing fresh fruits (Weiser). See Mishnah Bikkurim 3:3, “They that were near to Jerusalem brought fresh figs and grapes, and they that were far off brought dried figs and raisins.” is incumbent upon those who are close to the place of the sanctuary.

footnotes: ⁷ The other place the word is found in Scripture. ⁸ Placing the first fruits in baskets. See Mishnah Bikkurim

[THAT SHALL BE IN THOSE DAYS.] In those days means that this law is in force as long as there is a kohen gadol there.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ In the sanctuary.

I PROFESS. The reason for this utterance is so that the children will hear. Or it is, like a statement of thanks to God, for He has fulfilled his oath. The fruit¹⁰ is proof of this.¹¹

footnotes: ¹⁰ Which I bring. ¹¹ That God had fulfilled his oath.

AND THOU SHALT SPEAK. It is possible that the kohanim will ask,¹² “What is this that you brought?” Hence Scripture reads ve-anita¹³ (and thou shalt speak). On the other hand, ve-anita may mean, and you shall begin speaking. Compare, And Job spoke (va-ya’an)¹⁴ and ve-anita come from the same root. and said (Job 3:2).¹⁵ asked the worshipper, “What is this that you brought?”

footnotes: ¹² The celebrant. ¹³ Literally, and you shall answer. Hence I.E.’s comment. ¹⁴ Va-ya’an ¹⁵ In this case we do not have to assume that the kohanim

A WANDERING ARAMEAN. The word oved (wandering) is an intransitive verb. If Aramean referred to Laban¹⁶ (a wandering Aramean was my father) is to be rendered an Aramean (Laban) sought to destroy my father (Jacob). See Sifre, the Passover Haggadah, and Rashi. then Scripture should have read mavid or me’abbed.¹⁷ Furthermore, what reason would Scripture have had for stating, Laban sought to destroy my father and he¹⁸ went down to Egypt? Laban did not cause Jacob to descend to Egypt. It thus appears to me that the term Aramean refers to Jacob. Scripture, as it were, reads, when my father was in Aram he was “perishing.” That is, he was poor, he had no money. Similarly oved (perish) in Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish (Prov. 31:6). Let him drink, and forget his poverty (Prov. 31:7) is proof.¹⁹ The meaning of our phrase thus is, a perishing Aramean was my father. Its import is, I did not inherit the land from my father, for my father was poor when he came to Aram.²⁰ He was also a stranger in Egypt. He was few in number.²¹ He then became a large nation.²² You O Lord took us out of slavery and gave us a good land. Let the one who disputes²³. not argue, “How could Jacob be called an Aramean?”²⁴ Look, we find the same with Ithra the Ishmaelite²⁵ who, as Scripture clearly states,²⁶ was an Israelite.²⁷

footnotes: ¹⁶ According to the midrash, arami oved avi ¹⁷ For these are the transitive forms of the verb. ¹⁸ My father. ¹⁹ That “perish” in the previous verse refers to poverty. ²⁰ When he fled from his brother Esau. ²¹ When he came down to Egypt. ²² In Egypt. ²³ Against I.E.’s interpretation of arami oved avi ²⁴ Jacob was a Hebrew. ²⁵ See Chron. 2:17. ²⁶ In II Sam. 17:25. ²⁷ Scripture refers to him as an Ishmaelite because he lived in the land of the Ismaelites. So too Jacob, who was called an Aramean because he lived there.

FEW IN NUMBER.²⁸. Literally, with men of few, i.e., few men. The word mete (men of) is in the construct,²⁹ has been omitted from our text. Our verse should be read as if written, mete am me’at (Krinsky). for it is not found in the singular.³⁰ cannot be in the construct with me’at, which is a singular. If mete was in the construct with me’at then our text would read, mete me’atim. The word metim is a plural. Rabbi Jonah the grammarian explained it very well under the entry mem, tav, heh.

footnotes: ²⁸ Hebrew, mete me’at ²⁹ With the word am. However, the word am ³⁰ Hence the form mete

OUR AFFLICTION. In lacking wealth.

OUR TOIL. In building.³¹

footnotes: ³¹ The Egyptian store cities.

OUR OPPRESSION.³². Literally, our pressure, i.e., the pressure placed on us. Hence I.E. ‘s comment. As in [And the taskmasters] were urgent, saying: Fulfill your work (Ex. 5:13). 11.

footnotes: ³² Hebrew, lachatzenu

[THOU, AND THE LEVITE, AND THE STRANGER.] This means you are obligated to cheer them up with the fruit of your land.

OF TITHING. La-ser (of tithing) is a hifil.³³ in it. Its normal spelling would be leha’aser. It has no neighbor.³⁴.

footnotes: ³³ Even though it does not have a heh ³⁴ In the hifil

WHICH IS THE YEAR OF TITHING. The reference is to the poor tithe.³⁵

footnotes: ³⁵ Given every third year, for Scripture goes on to mention the stranger an d the fatherless.

UNTO THE LEVITE, TO THE STRANGER, TO THE FATHERLESS. To any one of them that you wish.³⁶

footnotes: ³⁶ These were usually in need of charity.

I HAVE PUT AWAY THE HALLOWED THINGS. The reference is to the tithe. I have also not deposited it.³⁷ On the contrary, I have handed it over to the one I am obligated to give it to.

footnotes: ³⁷ With another person.

I HAVE NOT TRANSGRESSED. Deliberately.

NEITHER HAVE I FORGOTTEN THEM.³⁸ I did not forget to take the tithes from my house. Or its meaning is, I did not forget to give the two tithes.³⁹

footnotes: ³⁸ The Hebrew reads, neither have I forgotten. Hence I.E.’s interpretation. ³⁹ The tithe given to the Levites (the first tithe) and the tithe given to the poor.

I HAVE NOT EATEN THEREOF IN MY MOURNING. The word oni (my mourning) is similar to the word oni (sorrow) in ben-oni (the son of my sorrow) (Gen. 35:18) and onim (mourners) in bread of mourners (Hosea 9:4). I alluded⁴⁰ to its meaning⁴¹ in Hebrew.⁴². 38. Some emend our verse to read, “in my book on the Hebrew language (Moznayim).” See Weiser. The meaning of oni is, my mourning. If I was in mourning then I did not eat of it before setting aside the tithe.⁴³. Some editions read lo akhalti kodesh ha-ma’aser, I did not eat the holy, the tithe. The latter is forbidden to a mourner in the time between the death and burial of a close relative.

footnotes: ⁴⁰ It is not clear where. ⁴¹ The reference is probably to bread of mourners. ⁴² This line is not found in Vat. Ebr ⁴³ Reading lo akhalti kodem ha-ma’aser

NEITHER HAVE I PUT AWAY THEREOF. This means neither did I destroy any of that which was holy.⁴⁴

footnotes: ⁴⁴ I did not destroy any of the tithe.

BEING UNCLEAN. Be-tame (being unclean) means for something unclean.⁴⁵ of be-tame means for (Filwarg).

footnotes: ⁴⁵ For the bet

FOR THE DEAD. For the need of the dead. Others say the reference is to idol worship.⁴⁶ on Ps. 106:28. These things⁴⁷ are enumerated⁴⁸ because it is prohibited to use the grain for any purpose before giving of the tithe which is holy.⁴⁹ If he gives from the remainder he is acting disrespectfully.⁵⁰ This is certainly so if he exchanges it for something unclean. As I kept myself and I kept the grain, that is, I removed that which is holy from my house, so may our God watch over our country.⁵¹ This is the meaning of and the land (v. 15).

footnotes: ⁴⁶ Offerings to idols are called sacrifices to the dead (Ps. 106:28), for idols have no more life than a corpse. See I.E. and Metzudat ⁴⁷ Mentioned in our verse, i.e., not eating of the tithe in a state of mourning, bartering it or exchanging it for something that is unclean. ⁴⁸ By the celebrant. ⁴⁹ In other words, it is prohibited to use the grain for any purpose before separating the tithe from it and giving it to the one who is to receive it. ⁵⁰ If he first uses the grain and then gives the tithe from what remains. ⁵¹ I.E.’s explanation of verse 15.

[A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.] It means a land that will always flow with milk and honey.⁵² is to be interpreted as Thou didst swear unto our fathers a land always (reading tamid as in Vat. Ebr. 38) flowing with milk and honey.

footnotes: ⁵² As Thou didst swear unto our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey

THIS DAY. These are the words of Moses.⁵³

footnotes: ⁵³ Up to now Scripture reports the declaration of the one who brought the first fruits. What now follows are Moses’ words to the people of Israel.

THOU SHALT THEREFORE OBSERVE. In your heart.

AND DO THEM. In the land.

THOU HAST AVOUCHED. He’emarta (avouched) means exalted. It is close in meaning to amir (uppermost bough) in In the top of the uppermost bough (Is. 17:6). Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Levi, who rests in Eden, says that the word is related to va-yomer (said). Its meaning is, you were so righteous that the Lord said He is your God. God likewise acted very righteously towards you that you said that you would be His own treasure. He explained well. Now the word he’emarta is a hifil.⁵⁴

footnotes: ⁵⁴ Meaning you caused [Him] to say. According to Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Levi our verse reads: Thou hast caused the Lord to declare this day to be thy God…

AND TO MAKE THEE HIGH. This is the reward for extolling God.