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Sheiyni
Hashem comforts Bnei Yisrael that He will return them from exile:
- Bnei Yisrael will do Teshuvah: “After experiencing all the blessings and curses you will take to heart all that has happened and return to Hashem and follow His will with all your heart and soul.”
- Kibutz Galiyos: “Hashem will then have mercy on you and return you from the exiles, gathering you from all the nations to which you were dispersed. Even if you were dispersed to the end of the heavens, He will gather you and take you from there. He will bring you back to Eretz Yisrael, to the land your ancestors inherited, and you shall inherit it.”
- The blessings upon the return from exile: “Hashem will benefit you and make you multiply more than your forefathers. Hashem will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so you can love Him with all your heart and soul.”
Q&A on Rashi
Parsha Bee – Devarim 30:1–6 (Rashi)
- What will happen after the blessings and curses come upon Israel?
Answer: They will take the message to heart among the nations where they were exiled. - What must Israel do in exile?
Answer: Return to Hashem with all their heart and soul. - Who is included in the return to Hashem?
Answer: Both the people and their children. - What will Hashem do when Israel repents?
Answer: He will bring back their exiles and have mercy on them. - Why is the phrase “Hashem will return your exiles” unusual?
Answer: The Torah uses וְשָׁב instead of וְהֵשִׁיב. - What do the Rabbis learn from the word וְשָׁב?
Answer: That the Shechinah is with Israel in exile. - What happens to the Shechinah when Israel is redeemed?
Answer: It returns together with them. - According to Rashi, why is the ingathering of exiles described in this way?
Answer: Because it is as if Hashem personally gathers each Jew. - What image does Rashi use to describe the future redemption?
Answer: Hashem taking each Jew by the hand from exile. - Which verse does Rashi quote to support this idea?
Answer: “And you will be gathered one by one, O children of Israel” (Yeshayahu 27:12). - Even from where will Hashem gather the exiles?
Answer: From the ends of the heavens. - What does “the end of the heavens” emphasize?
Answer: That no place is too distant for redemption. - To where will Hashem bring the Jewish people?
Answer: The Land possessed by their forefathers. - What will happen after they return to the Land?
Answer: They will possess it. - How will Hashem treat them in the future redemption?
Answer: He will do good to them. - How will the future generation compare to the forefathers in number?
Answer: They will become more numerous. - What does it mean that Hashem will “circumcise your heart”?
Answer: He will remove the barriers preventing complete devotion to Him. - Whose hearts will be circumcised?
Answer: The hearts of Israel and their descendants. - What will be the result of this circumcision of the heart?
Answer: They will love Hashem wholeheartedly. - How much of the heart must be devoted to Hashem?
Answer: All of it. - How much of the soul must be devoted to Hashem?
Answer: All of it. - What is the connection between repentance and redemption in these verses?
Answer: Repentance brings about redemption. - What does Hashem’s mercy lead to?
Answer: The gathering of the exiles. - Is any Jew too far away to be redeemed?
Answer: No. - What role do future generations play in this process?
Answer: They also return to Hashem and benefit from the redemption. - What does Rashi say about the greatness of the future ingathering?
Answer: It is so monumental that Hashem is compared to personally gathering every exile. - What two major gifts are promised after repentance?
Answer: Return to the Land and spiritual transformation. - What internal change accompanies the external redemption?
Answer: Circumcision of the heart. - What is the goal of the circumcised heart?
Answer: To love Hashem completely. - What is the central theme of verses 1–6?
Answer: Through repentance, Israel will be redeemed, gathered from exile, returned to the Land, and spiritually renewed.
Bonus: According to Rashi, what is one of the strongest proofs that the Shechinah accompanies Israel in exile?
Answer: The Torah says וְשָׁב (“Hashem will return”) rather than וְהֵשִׁיב (“Hashem will bring back”), implying that Hashem Himself returns together with His people.