Midrash · Halachah

Sifrei Devarim 8/ספרי דברים ח׳

א(דברים א ח) אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה׳ לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב? אִם לְעִנְיַן שְׁבוּעוֹת אָבוֹת, הֲרֵי כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (חבקוק ג ט): ״שְׁבֻעוֹת מַטּוֹת אֹמֶר סֶלָה״! מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב? כְּדַיי אַבְרָהָם בְּעַצְמוֹ, כְּדַיי יִצְחָק בְּעַצְמוֹ, כְּדַיי יַעֲקֹב בְּעַצְמוֹ.
מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנָּתַן לְעַבְדּוֹ שָׂדֶה אַחַת בְּמַתָּנָה; לֹא נְתָנָהּ לוֹ אֶלָּא כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא. עָמַד הָעֶבֶד הַהוּא וְהִשְׁבִּיחָהּ, וְאָמַר: מַה בְּיָדִי? לֹא נְתָנָהּ לִי אֶלָּא כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא! חָזַר וּנְטָעָהּ כֶּרֶם, וְאָמַר: מַה בְּיָדִי? לֹא נְתָנָהּ לִי אֶלָּא כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא!
כָּךְ כְּשֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, לֹא נְתָנָהּ לוֹ אֶלָּא כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יג יז): ״קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ לְאָרְכָּהּ וּלְרָחְבָּהּ כִּי לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה״. עָמַד אַבְרָהָם וְהִשְׁבִּיחָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כא לג): ״וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע״. עָמַד יִצְחָק וְהִשְׁבִּיחָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כו יב): ״וַיִּזְרַע יִצְחָק בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא וַיִּמְצָא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים״. עָמַד יַעֲקֹב וְהִשְׁבִּיחָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לג יט): ״וַיִּקֶן אֶת חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה״.

1Pisqa’ 8⁸⁵1. “Which HASHEM swore to your Patriarchs,to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob” (Dt. 1:8).What does the Teaching mean byto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob?If the reference is to the oaths sworn to the Patriarchs,⁸⁶isn’t it already said:“The oaths sworn to the tribal ancestors still speak!” (Hab. 3:9).So what does the Teaching mean byto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob?Abraham was worthy on his own merits,Isaac was worthy on his own merits,Jacob was worthy on his own merits!⁸⁷ which reads Habakkuk in reference not to the Patriarchs, but to founding figures of the priestly tribe of Levi.There is an analogy—a king gave his slave a single field as a gift.He gave it to him just as it was.Then the slave got busyand improved the field, saying:what is now in my handswas only given to me just as it was!Then he went and planted a vineyard, saying:what is now in my handswas only given to me just as it was!So, too, when the Blessed Holy Onegave the Land to Father Abraham,He gave it to him just as it was,for it is said:“Get up and walk around the Land, its length and breadth,for to you have I given it” (Gn. 13:17).⁸⁸Then Abraham arose and improved it,for it is said:“And he planted a tree in Beer Sheba” (Gn. 21:33).Then Isaac arose and improved it,for it is said:“And Isaac sowed that land,and that year it yielded a hundred-fold” (Gn. 26:12).Then Jacob arose and improved it,for it is said:“And he acquired a share in the field” (Gn. 33:19).

בלָתֵת לָהֶם – אֵלּוּ בָּאֵי הָאָרֶץ, וּלְזַרְעָם – אֵלּוּ בְנֵיהֶם, אַחֲרֵיהֶם – אֵלּוּ שֶׁכָּבְשׁוּ דָּוִד וְיָרָבְעָם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (מלכים ב יד כה): ״הוּא הֵשִׁיב אֶת גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלְּבוֹא חֲמָת״ וְגוֹ׳.

22. “To give them” (Dt. 1:8)—these are the immigrants to the Land[who were born in the wasteland].“And to their seed” (Dt. 1:8)—these are their children.“After them” (Dt. 1:8)—these are the territories conqueredby David and Jeroboam.For indeed He says:“[Jeroboam b. Joash, king of Judah]restored the border of Israelfrom the Hamat Pass until the sea of the Aravah” (2 Ki. 14:25).

גרַבִּי אוֹמֵר: לָתֵת לָהֶם – אֵלּוּ עוֹלֵי בָבֶל, וּלְזַרְעָם – אֵלּוּ בְּנֵיהֶם, אַחֲרֵיהֶם – אֵלּוּ יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ.

33. Rabbi says:“To give them” (Dt. 1:8)—these are the ascenders to the Land from Babylonia.“And to their seed” (Dt. 1:8)—these are their children.“After them” (Dt. 1:8)—[those restored to life] in the days of the Messiah.