Reeh 13:3 · unit 1

TT #118 · Parashas Reeh · Third Aliyah · Passuk 13:3

The Complete Passuk

וּבָ֤א הָאוֹת֙ וְהַמּוֹפֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ לֵאמֹ֑ר נֵֽלְכָ֞ה אַחֲרֵ֨י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתָּ֖ם וְנָֽעָבְדֵֽם׃

And the sign or the wonder comes to pass of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods that you have not known and let us serve them.”

Chabad.org — 13:3

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei.

Sefaria — Sifrei

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וּבָא הָאוֹת – תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר, הִגִּיעָה תּוֹרָה לְסוֹף דַּעְתָּהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, לְפִיכָךְ נָתְנָה מֶמְשָׁלָה בָּהּ, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ מַעֲמִיד חַמָּה בְּאֶמְצַע הָרָקִיעַ אַל תִּשְׁמַע לוֹ.

English: “And the sign comes” — It was taught: Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: The Torah reached the full extent of the power of idolatry; therefore it granted it authority, so that even if he makes the sun stand still in the middle of the sky, do not listen to him.

On the daf / in context: Even a successful supernatural sign performed by a prophet who calls to idolatry is insufficient to override the absolute prohibition; the Torah anticipates such a test.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — the Torah’s pre-emptive nullification of miraculous signs that promote idolatry.

What Is Learned

Even if a false prophet suspends the sun in the sky, one must not listen when he calls to the service of other gods.