Shoftim 17:19 · unit 3

TT #111 · Parashas Shoftim · Second Aliyah · Passuk 17:19

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיְתָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו לְמַ֣עַן יִלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔יו לִ֠שְׁמֹר אֶֽת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֞י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את וְאֶת־הַחֻקִּ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם׃

And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Eternal his God, to keep all the words of this Torah and these statutes, to do them.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 161.

TT lemma: לְמַעַן יִלְמַד לְיִרְאָה.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 161

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לְמַעַן יִלְמַד לְיִרְאָה אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהָיו – שֶׁהַקְּרִיאָה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי יִרְאָה, וְהַיִּרְאָה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי שְׁמִירָה.

English: ‘So that he may learn to fear the Eternal his God’ – for reading leads to fear, and fear leads to observance.

On the daf / in context: Sifrei traces the educational chain: reading → fear of Heaven → keeping the mitzvos.

Type of Learning

Derash on the educational sequence (Sifrei) — the purpose of constant reading is to produce yiras Shamayim and then practical observance.

What Is Learned

Constant reading of the Torah is the means by which the king acquires fear of Heaven, which in turn leads him to keep the commandments.