Reeh 11:28 · unit 1

TT #1 · Parashas Reeh · First Aliyah · Passuk 11:28

The Complete Passuk

וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃

And the curse, if you will not hearken to the mitzvos of Hashem your God, and you turn aside from the way that I command you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.

Chabad.org — 11:28

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְסַרְתֶּם וגו׳ – מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ, כָּל הַמּוֹדֶה בַּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים כְּכוֹפֵר בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה, וְכָל הַכּוֹפֵר בַּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים כְּמוֹדֶה בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה.

English: “And you turn aside…” — From here they said: Anyone who acknowledges idolatry is as one who denies the entire Torah, and anyone who denies idolatry is as one who acknowledges the entire Torah.

On the daf / in context: The verse begins with the general failure to hearken to the mitzvos of Hashem and concludes specifically with turning after other gods. This juxtaposition teaches that the matter of idolatry is weighed against the entire Torah: affirming it is equivalent to denying everything, and rejecting it is equivalent to affirming everything.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — equating the specific sin of idolatry with denial of the whole Torah through the structure of the passuk.

What Is Learned

Acknowledgment of idolatry is tantamount to denying the entire Torah; denial of idolatry is tantamount to affirming the entire Torah.