Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "Kol Tzipor Kanaf"?
Chulin, 139b: "Tzipor" incorporates Tahor birds; "Kanaf" includes Tamei birds and locusts.
What are the implications of "u'Fen Tisa Einecha ha'Hashamaymah"?
Rashi: It implies that one may not look at them with the intention of straying after them. 1
R. Bachye: "ha'Shamaymah" - as opposed to ?ha'Shamayim' 2 (which refers to the expanse of the sky 3 - incorporating all that one can see - refers to the kindom of Heaven, incorporating the specific heavenly bodies listed in the Pasuk. 4 5
See Sifsei Chachamim.
R. Bachye: As the Torah writes here at the end of the Pasuk "Tachas Kol ha'Shamayim".
See R. Bachye who elaborates.
R. Bachye: And the same distinction applies to "Mitzrayim" and "Mitzraymah" - See Bamidbar 20:15. This explanation disagrees with Rashi, who explains in many places that the ?Hey' at the end of a place-name means simply ?to'.
What does the Torah mean when it writes "asher Chalak Elokecha osam Hashem le'Chol ha'Amim"?
Rashi #1 and Rashbam #1: It means that Hashem gave the luminaries to the nations to illuminate the world on their behalf. 1
Rashi #2, Rashbam #2 and Targum Yonasan: It means that He did not prevent them from straying after (worshipping) them as gods - on the contrary, He made it possible for them 2 to stumble with their nonsense 3 on order to drive them out of the world. 4
Ramban: With reference to the stars and the constellations, it refers to the 'angel' of each and every nation, which the nations subsequently adopted as gods and worshipped. 5
Seforno: He distributed the luminaries to serve the world in an orderly fashion, based on the needs of the different lands and their inhabitants. 6
See Torah Temimah, citing Megilah, 9b - that this was the change that the seventy-two elders made for King Ptolmey, and the explanation according to the original text concurs with answer #2.
Rashi: But not Yisrael, whom He took out of Egypt in order to be their G-d, as the Pasuk goes on to explain.
See Torah Temimahh, note 41.
Rashbam: As the Pasuk intimates in Tehilim, 26:3.
Ramban: Which is why the Torah writes in Pasuk 20 "But you, Hashem took (for Himself)", implying that Yisrael are the nation of Hashem, who do not have (who do not need) a celestial power to lead them. See Ramban who elaborates.
Seforno: Something that could not possibly have happened by itself. See Seforno.
"Vera'isa es ha'Shemesh ve'es ha'Yare'ach ve'es ha'Kochavim Kol Tz'va ha'Shamayim". What is the difference between "ha'Kochavim" and "Kol Tz'va ha'Shamayim"
R. Bachye: After listing the two large (major) luminaries, "ha'Kochavim" refers to the seven planets, "Tz'va ha'Shamayim", to the twelve Mazalos (the signs of the Zodiac), whereas "Kol" includes the Mal'achei ha'Shareis.
What are the connotations of "Vera'isa es ha'Shemesh ve'es ha'Yare'ach ve'es ha'Kochavim Kol Tz'va ha'Shamayim"?
R. Bachye: With reference to 4:19:1:2 - it means that, through studying them, you nderstand their function. 1
R. Bachye: It annopt mean literally -?see them', seeing as it incorporates even those that one cannot see.
Why does the The Torah switch from "Pen Tashchisun" (in Pasuk 15) to "Venidachta ... "?
R. Bachye: The Torah uses the term "Ve'nidachta" because whoever goes strays after Avodah Zarah is pushed away - like a person whom one pushes away aand he dies'.
Oznayim (on Pasuk 15): Because ?the term 'Hashchasah' (corruption) is applicable with regard to worshiping creatures that are inferior to, or on the same level as oneself, but not to superior creatures 1 such as the sun, the moon and the celestial beings. 2
Because the term "Ve'nidachta" is applicable to the celestial beings, which one actually worships, but not to people, animals, birds, vermin and fish, whose image one is worshiping, but not the creatures themselves. 3
What are the connotations of "asher Chalak Elokecha osam Hashem le'Chol ha'Amim"?
Rashi #1 and Rashbam #1: It means that Hashem gave the luminaries to the nations to illuminate the world on their behalf. 1
Rashi #2, R. Bachye #1, Rashbam #2 and Targum Yonasan: It means that He did not prevent them from straying after (worshipping) them as gods - on the contrary, He made it possible for them 2 to stumble with their nonsense 3 in order to drive them out of the world. 4 5
Ramban: With reference to the stars and the constellations, it refers to the 'angel' of each and every nation, which the nations subsequently adopted as gods and worshipped. 6
R; Bachye #2: It means that Hashem distributed the luminaries into their portion - leaving them the choice whether to worship them (the luminaries) or Hashem. 7
Seforno: He distributed the luminaries to serve the world in an orderly fashion, based on the needs of the different lands and their inhabitants. 8
See Torah Temimah, citing Megilah, 9b - that this was the change that the seventy-two elders made for King Ptolmey, and the explanation according to the original text concurs with answer #2.
Rashi: But not Yisrael, whom He took out of Egypt in order to be their G-d, as the Pasuk goes on to explain.
See Torah Temimahh, note 41.
Rashi: As the Pasuk intimates in Tehilim, 26:3. (and in Iyov 12:23 "Masgi la'Goyim Vaye'abdem" - which one reads as "Mashgi" - R. Bachye): See R. Bachye and R. Chavel's footnotes.
See R. Bachye.
Ramban: Which is why the Torah writes in Pasuk 20 "But you, Hashem took (for Himself)", implying that Yisrael are the nation of Hashem, who do not have (who do not need) a celestial power to lead them. See Ramban who elaborates.
See R. Bachye - middle of page 263.
Seforno: Something that could not possibly have happened by itself. See Seforno.
