Midrash · Halachah

Sifrei Devarim 301/ספרי דברים ש״א

א(דברים כו ה) וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן עֲנִיָּה וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן עֲנִיָּה, מַה עֲנִיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ אַף עֲנִיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה כָּאן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ.

1Pisqa’ 301³⁰1. “Then you should respond, saying” (Dt. 26:5).Here, response is mentioned (Dt. 26:5),and elsewhere, response is mentioned (Dt. 27:14).Just as the response mentioned elsewhere (Dt. 27:14)refers to a response in the sacral language,³¹ This term is commonly rendered as “Holy Tongue.” In most rabbinic contexts, as here, it refers to the scriptural texts that are recited aloud in the course of ritual exercises of speech. Cf. Pisqa’ 291.2.so, too, the response mentioned here (Dt. 26:5)must refer to a response in the sacral language.

במִכָּן אָמְרוּ: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת קוֹרֵא, וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת מַקְרִים אוֹתוֹ. נִמְנְעוּ מִלְּהָבִיא. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מַקְרִים אֶת הַיּוֹדֵעַ וְאֶת מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ. סָמְכוּ עַל הַמִּקְרָא: וְעָנִית, אֵין עֲנִיָּה אֶלָּא מִפִּי אֲחֵרִים.

2On this basis they taught:In the olden days,whoever knew how to declaim³²n this case, the sense is to deliver a text aloud in leshon haqodesh from a written transcript such as a scriptural scroll. would declaim,and whoever did not know how to declaim—they would declaim for him.When people hesitated to bring the First-fruits[lest they expose their ignorance,]sages ordained that:whether one knows how [to declaim] or not,they shall declaim for him. ³³They based this [innovation in the rite] on the verse:“Then you should respond” (Dt. 26:5)—Actually, response implies [prompting] from the mouths of others.

גוְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב לַאֲרָם אֶלָּא עַל מְנָת לֵאָבֵד, וּמַעֲלֶה עַל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי כְּאִלּוּ אִבְּדוֹ.

32. “Saying³⁴ 301.2 closely parallels the text of the Passover Hagaddah. In general the Sifre version is briefer than that of the Haggadah, although it does as well contain some material that is absent from the Haggadah’s version. For details, see the critical apparatus of F:319, ls. 5ff. and M. Kasher, A Critical Edition of the Passover Haggadah, pp. 32-43. before HASHEM your God:an Aramaean [desired] to destroy my father” (Dt. 26:5).³⁵This teaches thatFather Jacob descended [from the Land] to Aramonly on the condition that he be destroyed (li’abeid),³⁶ (“to be lost” or “to destroy”) is the textual hook that enables the midrashist to read the figure of Laban into the narrative of the declaration as the “Aramean” who “sought to destroy” Jacob.and that Laban, the Aramaean, be consideredas if he had destroyed him (‘ybedo).

דוַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד לְהִשְׁתַּקֵּעַ אֶלָּא לָגוּר שָׁם, שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר שֶׁיָּרַד לִטֹּל כֶּתֶר מַלְכוּת, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וַיָּגָר שָׁם. יָכוֹל בְּאוּכְלוּסִים הַרְבֵּה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בִּמְתֵי מְעָט, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י כב): ״בְּשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ יָרְדוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ מִצְרָיְמָה״.

4“But he descended to Egypt” (Dt. 26:5)—this teaches that he did not [intend to] descend permanently,but only for temporary asylum.³⁷Would you insist that he descendedin order to seize the royal crown?The Teaching states:“Taking asylum there” (Dt. 26:5).Is it possible to say thathe brought along a vast population?The Teaching states:“With a few men” (Dt. 26:5)—in accordance with what was said:“With seventy persons did your ancestors descend to Egypt” (Dt. 10:22).

הוַיְהִי שָׁם לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצֻיָּנִים שָׁם.

5“And they grew there into a great people” (Dt. 26:5)—this teaches that Israel stood out there.

ווַיַּרְא אֶת עָנְיֵנוּ, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם א טז): ״וּרְאִיתֶן עַל הָאָבְנָיִם״.

6“And He saw our suffering” (Dt. 26:7)—for it is stated:“When you examine their birthing-stools, if it is a boy, then kill him” (Ex. 1:16).

זוְאֶת עֲמָלֵנוּ, כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות א כב): ״כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ״ וְכוּ׳.

7“And our toil” (Dt. 26:7)—[toil is the waste of our fertility,]for it is stated:“Every son born shall be thrown into the river” (Ex. 1:22).{“But HASHEM took us out of Egypt . . .amidst powerful signs and prodigious wonders” (Dt. 26:8)—}³⁸

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כהרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָיָה נוֹתֵן בָּהֶם סִימָן: דְּצַ״ךְ עֲדַ״שׁ בְּאַחַ״ב.

25R. Judah would create a mnemonic for them,pronouncing their initial letters [as an acrostic]:DaTZaK, `ADaSH, B’AKHaB .³⁹ (see Jastrow, s.v.). The solution to the present example is: Dam (blood), TZefardei`a (frogs), Kinim (lice),`Arov (wild beasts), Dever (cattle fever), SHekhin (boils), Barad (hail),‘Arbeh (locusts), KHoshek (darkness), Bechorot (death of the Firstlings).

כו(דברים כו ט) וַיְבִאֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. אוֹ יָכוֹל זֶה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר וַיִּתֶּן לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, הֲרֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמוּרָה. וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וַיְבִאֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה? בִּשְׂכַר בִּיאָתֵנוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה נָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת.

263. “Then He brought us to this place” (Dt. 26:9)—this implies the Holy Abode.Or: is it [equally] possible to say thatthis implies the Land of Israel?When He says [in the same verse]:“And He gave to us this Land” (Dt. 26:9)—indeed, the topic here is the Land of Israel!What, then, does the Teaching convey by“Then He brought us to this place” (Dt. 26:9)?As a reward for our arrival at this place, [the Holy Abode],He has given us this Land.

כזאֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (שמות יג ה) ״אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ״, מָה ״אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ״ הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן חֲמֵשֶׁת עֲמָמִים אַף אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֶרֶץ חֲמֵשֶׁת עֲמָמִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: אֵין מְבִיאִים בִּכּוּרִים מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן, שֶׁאֵינוֹ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ.

27“A Land dripping with milk and honey” (Dt. 26:9).Here we find the phrase,“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Dt. 26:9);and elsewhere we find the phrase,“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Ex. 13:5).Just as elsewhere, the phrase,“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Ex. 13:5),refers to [the territory of] the five nations[i.e., Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites],so, too, here, the phrase,“a Land dripping with milk and honey” (Dt. 26:9),must refer to [the territory of] the five nations.R. Yose the Galilean says:they do not bring First-fruits from Trans-Jordan,for it does not drip with milk and honey!⁴⁰ 299.2.

כח(דברים כו י) וְעַתָּה, מִיָּד.

284. {“And, now, indeed, I have brought” (Dt. 26:10).}⁴¹“Now”—immediately.

כטהִנֵּה, בְּשִׂמְחָה.

29“Indeed”—enthusiastically.

להֵבֵאתִי, מִשֶּׁלִּי.

30“I have brought”—from my own [soil].⁴²

לאאֶת רֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: יוֹרֵד אָדָם לְתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ וְרוֹאֶה תְּאֵנָה שֶׁבִּכְּרָה, אֶשְׁכּוֹל שֶׁבִּכֵּר, רִמּוֹן שֶׁבִּכֵּר, קוֹשְׁרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּגֶמִי וְאוֹמֵר: הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ בִּכּוּרִים.

31“The first and finest of all the fruit of the soil” (Dt. 26:10).On this basis they taught:A person may go down to his fieldand see an early-ripening fig,an early-ripening grape-cluster,or an early-ripening pomegranate,tie some reed-grass around it,and say:These are indeed the First-fruits!⁴³

לבאֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִּי ה׳, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: הָאַפּוֹטְרוֹפִּיס וְהָעֶבֶד וְהַשָּׁלִיחַ אִשָּׁה וְטוּמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס מְבִיאִים וְלֹא קוֹרִים, שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִים לוֹמַר ״אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לִּי ה׳״.

32“Which you have given me, HASHEM” (Dt. 26:10).On this basis they taught:Administrators [of property],[Hebrew] slaves,court-appointed messengers,⁴⁴women,persons with ill-defined genitalia,⁴⁵; “one whose sex is obscure.”and those with both sets of genitalia,⁴⁶ “androgyne.” This second group of three, because they are women or inconclusively male, are precluded by biological destiny from uttering the confession that includes acknowledgement of the Land as theirs.bring the First-fruits, but do not declaim—for they are unable to say:“Which you have given me, HASHEM” (Dt. 26:10) ⁴⁷[since their status prevents them from owning land].

לגוְהִנַּחְתּוֹ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לִפְנֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁטְּעוּנִים הַנָּחָה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים, אַחַת בִּשְׁעַת קְרִיאָה וְאַחַת בִּשְׁעַת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה.

335. “And set it before HASHEM . . ., and prostrate yourself before HASHEM your God” (Dt. 26:10)—this teaches thatsettings should be performed twice—one at the time of the declamation,and one at the time of the prostration.

לד(דברים כו יא) וְשָׂמַחְתָּ, בְּכָל מִינֵי שְׂמָחוֹת.

34“And you shall rejoice” (Dt. 26:11)—with as many kinds of rejoicing as possible.

להבְּכָל הַטּוֹב, זֶה הַשִּׁיר.

35“In all the good” (Dt. 26:11)—this is by means of the song

לואֲשֶׁר נָתַן לְךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּלְבֵיתֶךָ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָדָם מֵבִיא בִּכּוּרִים מִנִּכְסֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְקוֹרֵא.

36[offerred as an expression of joy during the rite].⁴⁸“Which HASHEM your God has bestowed upon your household” (Dt. 26:11)—this teaches thata person may bring the First-fruitsfrom his wife’s property and then declaim [on her behalf].

לזאַתָּה וְהַלֵּוִי וְהַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבֶּךָ, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמְזֵרִים מִתְוַדִּים, אֲבָל לֹא גֵּרִים וַעֲבָדִים מְשֻׁחְרָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ.

37“You, and the Levite, and the migrant who is in your midst.” (Dt. 26:11)On this basis they taught:Israelites of impaired lineagemake the confession,but not proselytes, or freed [gentile] slaves[who have been naturalized as Israelites].for they have no [ancestral] share in the Land.⁴⁹