Va’eschanan 4:6 · unit 2

TT #11 · Parashas Va’eschanan · First Aliyah · Passuk 4:6

The Complete Passuk

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כׇּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה׃

You shall keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the peoples…

Chabad.org — 4:6

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to the derasha of R’ Yehoshua ben Levi that the mitzvos performed in this world will confront the nations in the World to Come.

Sefaria — Deuteronomy 4:6

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: נֶגֶד הָעַמִּים לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים — מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בָּאוֹת וְטוֹרְפוֹת לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים עַל פְּנֵיהֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

English: R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said: It does not say “against the peoples” but “in the eyes of the peoples” — this teaches that all the mitzvos that Israel performs in this world come and strike the idolaters in the face in the World to Come.

On the daf / in context: The change of preposition is read as a future confrontation: the visible performance of mitzvos becomes evidence against the nations.

Type of Learning

Diyuk of the preposition “le’einei” (versus a possible “neged”).

What Is Learned

Israel’s observance of the mitzvos is not only wisdom in the present; it will stand as a visible rebuke to the nations in the World to Come.