Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah

Sforno on Exodus 23:26/ספורנו על שמות כ״ג:כ״ו

אלֹא תִהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה וַעֲקָרָה. בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתּוּכְלוּ לְלַמֵּד אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם.
1לא תהיה משכלה ועקרה, so that you will have an opportunity to teach the children that have been born to you.
באֶת מִסְפַּר יָמֶיךָ אֲמַלֵּא. שֶׁתִּחְיוּ כְּמִדַּת הַשֶּׁמֶן אֲשֶׁר בְּנֵר אֱלֹהִים, וְהוּא הַלַּחוּת הַשָּׁרְשִׁי בַּתּוֹלָדָה. וְהֵפֶךְ זֶה יִקְרֶה עַל הָרֹב שֶׁיָּמוּת הָאָדָם קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּכְלֶה הַלַּחוּת הַשָּׁרְשִׁי בָּחֳלָאִים, יִקְרוּ מֵרֹעַ בְּחִירָה אוֹ מִצַּד הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת וְהַיְסוֹדוֹת. וְהִנֵּה בִּמְלֹאת לְאָדָם מִסְפַּר יָמָיו יִרְאֶה עַל הָרֹב בָּנִים לְבָנָיו וְיוּכַל לְלַמְּדָם, כַּאֲמָרוֹ (דברים ד:ט) "וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ". וִיתֻקַּן בְּחַיֵּי הַזְּקֵנִים עִנְיְנֵי הַדּוֹרוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁסִּפֵּר שֶׁקָּרָה בְּעִנְיַן לֵוִי, קְהָת וְעַמְרָם.
2את מספר ימיך אמלא, so that you will live as a result of the heavenly oil in the lamp of G’d. [the physical phenomenon perceived as sustaining life once it exists is a certain inherent source of moisture, described as celestial oil, as oil does not dry up on its own. Usually, life is cut short due to diseases caused by external causes which are not due to this vital oil having become depleted. When a person is granted a lifespan not cut short by disease caused by external causes, he will usually live long enough to pass on his aims in life to his children. This is the meaning of Deuteronomy 4,9 והודעתם לבניך ולבני בניך, “you will make them known to your children and to your grandchildren.” A prominent example of such a blessing was the fact that Levi lived long enough to pass on his heritage to Kehot, his son, and Amram his grandson. They each became leaders of their generation.