Ki Savo 26:15 · unit 1 — R’ Huna / Sifrei

Parashas Ki Savo

The Complete Passuk

הַשְׁקִ֩יפָה֩ מִמְּע֨וֹן קָדְשְׁךָ֜ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבָרֵ֤ךְ אֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל…

Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel…

Chabad.org — Devarim 26

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to R’ Huna / Sifrei Devarim 303.

Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
הַשְׁקִיפָה – בֹּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כֹּחָן שֶׁל עוֹשֵׂי מִצְוָה, שֶׁכָּל הַשְׁקָפָה אֲרוּרָה וְזוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן בְּרָכָה.

English: “Look down” — come and see how great is the power of those who perform mitzvos: every [other] “looking down” is associated with curse, yet here it is in the language of blessing.

In context: The unusual use of hashkifah for blessing (elsewhere the root signals harsh scrutiny) is attributed to the merit of the mitzvos just declared in the biur confession.

Type of Learning

Custom (aggadic diyuk on “hashkifah”).

What Is Learned

The power of the mitzvos turns a word of potential curse into a request for blessing.