Derasha on Bamidbar 33:55 · TT unit 1

Parashas Masei · Passuk 33:55 · TT note 1

The Complete Passuk

וְאִם־לֹ֨א תוֹרִ֜ישׁוּ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָרֶץ֮ מִפְּנֵיכֶם֒ וְהָיָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תּוֹתִ֣ירוּ מֵהֶ֔ם לְשִׂכִּים֙ בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֔ם וְלִצְנִינִ֖ם בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑ם וְצָרֲר֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם יֹשְׁבִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Megillah 11a (TT note on “וְאִם לֹא תוֹרִישׁוּ”).

E-Daf — Megillah 11a · Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Megillah 11a

רַבִּי לֵוִי כַּד פָּתַח לְפָרָשְׁתָּא דְּמְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר פָּתַח פִּתְחָא מֵהַאי קְרָא: וְאִם לֹא תוֹרִישׁוּ אֶת יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶם וגו׳.

English: Rabbi Levi, when he opened the portion of Megillat Esther, opened with this verse: “And if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you…”

Type of Learning

Aggadic derasha opening — the warning of residual Canaanites used as the key to the Esther narrative.

What Is Learned

Failure to fully dispossess the inhabitants becomes a lasting source of affliction; Rabbi Levi opens the Esther story from this warning.

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