EXTRA Derasha — not cited by Torah Temimah on this passuk; supplied for completeness of the SKIP range.

EXTRA — Haazinu 32:9 | Hashem’s portion is His people

Parashas Haazinu

The Complete Passuk

כִּי חֵלֶק ה׳ עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ׃

For Hashem’s portion is His people; Yaakov is the rope of His inheritance.

Source Citation

Sifrei Devarim 312 (approx.) / classic midrash on chevel

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כִּי חֵלֶק ה׳ עַמּוֹ – לָמָּה הָלַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּכָל הַטֹּרַח הַזֶּה? מִפְּנֵי חֶלְקוֹ הַטָּמוּן בָּהֶם, שֶׁעָתִיד לָצֵאת מֵהֶם. יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ – חֶבֶל שֶׁל שְׁלֹשָׁה חוּטִין, זְכוּת אָבִיו וּזְכוּת אֲבִי אָבִיו וּזְכוּתוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ, הֲרֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה. כְּחֶבֶל הַמְשֻׁלָּשׁ לֹא בִמְהֵרָה יִנָּתֵק.

English: “For Hashem’s portion is His people” — why did the Holy One go to all this trouble? Because of His portion that was hidden among them, destined to come forth from them. “Yaakov is the rope of His inheritance” — a rope of three strands: the merit of his father, the merit of his father’s father, and his own merit — behold three. As a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

In Sifrei: The word “chevel” (rope/portion) is read as a three-strand cord of patriarchal merit, explaining why the portion is secure.

Type of Learning

Custom (word-play on chevel + cumulative merit of the Avot).

What Is Learned

See the Core Text and context note for the specific point derived from the verse.