Nitzavim 29:28 · unit 1

Parashas Nitzavim · Passuk 29:28

The Complete Passuk

הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ עַד־עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת׃

The hidden things belong to Hashem our God, and the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever, to do all the words of this Torah.

Chabad.org — 29:28

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 43b on the dots over “lanu u’levaneinu” and the ayin of “ad.”

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 43b

E-Daf image — Sanhedrin 43b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ — נָקוּד עַל ״לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ״ וְעַל עַיִן שֶׁל ״עַד״; מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא עָנַשׁ עַל הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת עַד שֶׁעָבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן. דָּבָר אַחֵר: הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת — לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וְהַנִּגְלוֹת — לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ, מִשֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה בְּהַר גְּרִזִים וּבְהַר עֵיבָל.

English: “To us and to our children” — there are dots over “to us and to our children” and over the ayin of “until”; this teaches that [Heaven] did not punish for the hidden things until they crossed the Jordan. Alternatively: the hidden things belong to Hashem our God, and the revealed things to us and to our children — from the time that Israel accepted the oath at Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival.

On the daf: The masoretic dots mark a historical boundary. Communal areivut — mutual responsibility for revealed deeds — took full effect only after the people crossed the Jordan and accepted the oath at the two mountains. Until then the hidden remained solely with Hashem; thereafter the revealed deeds of the community became the responsibility of all.

Type of Learning

Custom (masoretic diyuk from the dots; historical starting point of communal areivut).

What Is Learned

Mutual responsibility for the revealed deeds of the community began in full after the crossing of the Jordan and the oath at Gerizim and Eival.