(Devarim, Ibid.) "It shall not be built again": It may not serve even for gardens and orchards; even as a coop for homing pigeons. These are the words of R. Yossi Haglili. R. Akiva said: It may not be restored to its original state, but it may serve for gardens and orchards.
(Ibid. 18) "And let there adhere to your hand naught from the spoil": From here they ruled: If he took from it (the spoil) a stick or a fork, or a shuttle, or a staff, he may not benefit from any of them. What shall he do with them? He shall take them to the Sea of Salt. In sum: All who would benefit from idolatry — let him take that "benefit" to the Sea of Salt!
"so that the L-rd turn from the fierceness of His wrath": So long as there is idolatry in the world, there is fierce wrath in the world. When idolatry departs, the wrath departs.
(Ibid. 19) "when you hearken to the voice of the L-rd your G-d to keep…": From here they said: If a man begins to hear a little, in the end, he merits hearing much. If he begins to hear, in the end he keeps.
(Ibid. 14:1) "Children are you to the L-rd your G-d": R. Yehudah says: When you deport yourselves as children, you are called "children"; when you do not deport yourselves as children, you are not called "children." R. Meir says: In either instance you are called "children," as it is written (Jeremiah 4:22) "They are foolish children," and (Ibid. 32:30) "children without faith," and (Isaiah 1:4) "seed of evildoers, perverse children," and (Hoshea 2:1) "Instead of being said of them, 'You are not My people,' it will be said of them 'children of the living G-d.'"
(Devarim, Ibid.) "Do not lacerate yourselves" (lo tithgodedu): Do not form opposing factions (agudoth, agudoth), but all of you consolidate into one bond, as in (Amos 9:6) "and He founded His bond (agudah) upon the earth."
"and do not make baldness between your eyes for the dead": I might think that there is liability only for (making baldness) between the eyes. Whence is it derived that the entire head is included? From (Vayikra 21:5) "They (the Cohanim) shall not make a baldness upon their heads" — the entire head is included. And whence is it derived that there is liability for each baldspot in itself? From "They shall not make a baldness (lit., "baldness, baldness"). I might think that only the Cohanim, to whom Scripture accorded additional mitzvoth, were liable for each baldspot and for the (entire) head as between the eyes, but not Israelites, to whom additional mitzvoth were not accorded. It is, therefore, written "baldness" (there) - "baldness" (here) for an identity (gezeirah shavah ). Just as Cohanim are liable for the above, so, Israelites; and just as "baldness" in respect to an Israelite refers only to baldness only "for the dead," so, "baldness in respect to the Cohanim.
(דברים יג יז) לֹא תִבָּנֶה עוֹד, לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ אֲפִלּוּ גַּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִים, אֲפִלּוּ שׁוֹבַךְ יוֹנֵי הַרְדְּסָאוֹת, כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָה.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "It shall not be built again": It may not serve even for gardens and orchards; even as a coop for homing pigeons. These are the words of R. Yossi Haglili. R. Akiva said: It may not be restored to its original state, but it may serve for gardens and orchards.
(דברים יג יח) וְלֹא יִדְבַּק בְּיָדְךָ מְאוּמָה מִן הַחֵרֶם, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ (ע״ז ג ט): נָטַל מַקֵּל אוֹ מַלְגֵּז אוֹ כַּרְכַּר אוֹ שַׁרְבִיט – כֻּלָּם אֲסוּרִים בַּהֲנָיָה; נִתְעָרְבוּ בַאֲחֵרִים – כֻּלָּם אֲסוּרִים בַּהֲנָאָה. מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לָהֶם? יוֹלִיךְ הֲנָיָה לְיָם הַמֶּלַח. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר: כָּל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה – יוֹלִיךְ הֲנָאָה לְיָם הַמֶּלַח.
(Ibid. 18) "And let there adhere to your hand naught from the spoil": From here they ruled: If he took from it (the spoil) a stick or a fork, or a shuttle, or a staff, he may not benefit from any of them. What shall he do with them? He shall take them to the Sea of Salt. In sum: All who would benefit from idolatry — let him take that "benefit" to the Sea of Salt!
לְמַעַן יָשׁוּב ה׳ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בָּעוֹלָם – חֲרוֹן אַף בָּעוֹלָם, נִסְתַּלְּקָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מִן הָעוֹלָם – נִסְתַּלֵּק חֲרוֹן אַף מִן הָעוֹלָם.
"so that the L-rd turn from the fierceness of His wrath": So long as there is idolatry in the world, there is fierce wrath in the world. When idolatry departs, the wrath departs.
וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ, לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְלֹא לַאֲחֵרִים רַחֲמִים. מִכָּן הָיָה רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּרַבִּי אוֹמֵר: כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאַתָּה מְרַחֵם עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת – מְרַחֲמִים עָלֶיךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, אֵין אַתָּה מְרַחֵם עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת – אֵין מְרַחֲמִים עָלֶיךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וְהִרְבֶּךָ – כְּמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כו ד): ״וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת זַרְעֲךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם״.
"and He will grant you mercy and multiply you." R. Gamliel Berebbi says: All who are merciful to others are accorded mercy by Heaven.
כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ – הַכֹּל בִּזְכוּת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ.
"as He swore to your forefathers": All is in the merit of your forefathers.
(דברים יג יט) כִּי תִשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: הִתְחִיל אָדָם לִשְׁמֹעַ קִמְעָה – סוֹפוֹ לִשְׁמֹעַ הַרְבֵּה.
(Ibid. 19) "when you hearken to the voice of the L-rd your G-d to keep…": From here they said: If a man begins to hear a little, in the end, he merits hearing much. If he begins to hear, in the end he keeps.
לִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם, שֶׁתְּהֵא מִצְוָה קַלָּה חֲבִיבָה עָלֶיךָ כְּמִצְוָה חֲמוּרָה.
"to keep all of His mitzvoth that I command you this day": that a "slight" mitzvah be as beloved by you as a "weighty" one.
לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: ״הַיָּשָׁר״ – בְּעֵינֵי שָׁמַיִם.
"to do what is just in the eyes of the L-rd your G-d": As R. Yishmael says: "what is just" — in the eyes of Heaven.
(דברים יד א) בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אִם נוֹהֲגִים אַתֶּם מִנְהַג בָּנִים – הֲרֵי אַתֶּם בָּנִים, וְאִם לָאו – אִי אַתֶּם בָּנִים! רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (הושע ב א): ״וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ וְגוֹ׳.
(Ibid. 14:1) "Children are you to the L-rd your G-d": R. Yehudah says: When you deport yourselves as children, you are called "children"; when you do not deport yourselves as children, you are not called "children." R. Meir says: In either instance you are called "children," as it is written (Jeremiah 4:22) "They are foolish children," and (Ibid. 32:30) "children without faith," and (Isaiah 1:4) "seed of evildoers, perverse children," and (Hoshea 2:1) "Instead of being said of them, 'You are not My people,' it will be said of them 'children of the living G-d.'"
לֹא תִתְגֹּדְדוּ – לֹא תֵעָשׂוּ אֲגֻדּוֹת, אֶלָּא הֱיוּ כֻּלְּכֶם אֲגֻדָּה אַחַת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (עמוס ט ו): ״הַבּוֹנֶה בַשָּׁמַיִם מַעֲלוֹתָיו וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ״.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "Do not lacerate yourselves" (lo tithgodedu): Do not form opposing factions (agudoth, agudoth), but all of you consolidate into one bond, as in (Amos 9:6) "and He founded His bond (agudah) upon the earth."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: לֹא תִתְגֹּדְדוּ – לֹא תִתְגֹּדְדוּ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲחֵרִים מִתְגּוֹדְדִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א יח כח): ״וַיִּתְגֹּדְדוּ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם״.
Variantly, "Do not lacerate yourselves," as others do, viz. (I Kings 18:28) "and they lacerated themselves, as was their custom."
וְלֹא תָשִׂימוּ קָרְחָה, יָכוֹל לֹא יְהוּ חַיָּבִים אֶלָּא עַל בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם בִּלְבַד? מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת כָּל הָרֹאשׁ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא כא ה): ״בְּרֹאשָׁם״ – לְרַבּוֹת כָּל הָרֹאשׁ. יָכוֹל הַכֹּהֲנִים, שֶׁרִבָּה בָהֶם הַכָּתוּב מִצְווֹת יְתֵרוֹת, חַיָּבִים עַל כָּל קָרְחָה וְקָרְחָה וְחַיָּבִים עַל הָרֹאשׁ כְּבֵין הָעֵינַיִם, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא רִבָּה בָהֶם הַכָּתוּב מִצְווֹת יְתֵרוֹת, לֹא יְהוּ חַיָּבִים אֶלָּא אַחַת, וְלֹא יְהוּ חַיָּבִים אֶלָּא עַל בֵּין הָעֵינַיִם בִּלְבַד? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: קָרְחָה קָרְחָה, לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה! מַה קָרְחָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּכֹּהֲנִים, חַיָּבִים עַל כָּל קָרְחָה וְקָרְחָה וְחַיָּבִים עַל הָרֹאשׁ כְּבֵין הָעֵינַיִם, אַף קָרְחָה הָאֲמוּרָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, חַיָּבִים עַל כָּל קָרְחָה וְקָרְחָה וְחַיָּבִים עַל הָרֹאשׁ כְּבֵין הָעֵינַיִם. מַה קָרְחָה הָאֲמוּרָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵין חַיָּבִים אֶלָּא עַל הַמֵּת, אַף קָרְחָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּכֹּהֲנִים, אֵין חַיָּבִים אֶלָּא עַל הַמֵּת!
"and do not make baldness between your eyes for the dead": I might think that there is liability only for (making baldness) between the eyes. Whence is it derived that the entire head is included? From (Vayikra 21:5) "They (the Cohanim) shall not make a baldness upon their heads" — the entire head is included. And whence is it derived that there is liability for each baldspot in itself? From "They shall not make a baldness (lit., "baldness, baldness"). I might think that only the Cohanim, to whom Scripture accorded additional mitzvoth, were liable for each baldspot and for the (entire) head as between the eyes, but not Israelites, to whom additional mitzvoth were not accorded. It is, therefore, written "baldness" (there) - "baldness" (here) for an identity (gezeirah shavah ). Just as Cohanim are liable for the above, so, Israelites; and just as "baldness" in respect to an Israelite refers only to baldness only "for the dead," so, "baldness in respect to the Cohanim.