Shoftim 20:18 · unit 1

TT #322 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 20:18

The Complete Passuk

לְמַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יְלַמְּד֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכֹל֙ תּֽוֹעֲבֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַחֲטָאתֶ֖ם לַיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

So that they will not teach you to do according to all their abominations that they have done for their gods, and you would sin against the Eternal your God.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 200.

TT lemma: לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְלַמְּדוּ אֶתְכֶם.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 200

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְלַמְּדוּ אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת – זוֹ סִבַּת הַהֶחְרֵם.

English: ‘So that they will not teach you to do’ – this is the reason for the herem.

On the daf / in context: The motive is protection from idolatrous influence.

Type of Learning

Derash on the purpose of the herem (Sifrei) — the complete destruction is to prevent learning of abominations.

What Is Learned

The seven nations are to be destroyed so that they will not teach Yisrael their abominable practices and cause them to sin against Hashem.