Reeh 16:12 · unit 1

TT #403 · Parashas Reeh · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 16:12

The Complete Passuk

וְזָ֣כַרְתָּ֔ כִּי־עֶ֥בֶד הָיִ֖יתָ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ וְעָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall observe and do these statutes.

Chabad.org — 16:12

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei.

Sefaria — Sifrei

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְזָכַרְתָּ כִּי עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ – מַה אֲנִי חִנָּם לְךָ אַף אַתָּה חִנָּם לוֹ.

English: "And you shall remember that you were a slave" — just as I [gave] to you freely, so you [must give] to him freely.

On the daf / in context: The memory of Egyptian bondage obligates free and open-handed treatment of the vulnerable listed in the preceding verse.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — free giving modeled on the Exodus.

What Is Learned

Because Hashem redeemed Israel freely from Egypt, one must give freely to the Levi, the stranger, the orphan and the widow.