What is the connection between the current Parshah and the previous one?
Rashi: With reference to "li'Metar ha'Shamayim Tishteh Mayim" in Pasuk 11, the Torah is now informing us that if we keep the Mitzvos, Hashem will send rain, and if we don't He will withhold it.
Why does the Torah use the double expression "Shamo'a Tishm'u"?
Rashi and Rashbam: 'If you will listen to the old (you will revise what you have already learned), 1 you will listen to the new? - (you will learn new things from the old ones). 2
B?rachos, 13a: To teach us that if someone keeps one Mitzvah, he will merit to keep many Mitzvos. 3
Why does the Torah insert the word "asher Anoch Metzaveh eschem ha'Yom"?
Rashi: To teach us that the words of Torah should always be new to us, as if we had just heard them that day. 1
What are the implications of "Le'ahavah es Hashem Elokeichem"?
Rashi: 'One should not say "I will learn Torah (or keep Mitzvos) in order to acquire wealth, to be called a Rav or to earn a livelihood - but all that you do you should do out of love (of Hashem), and the reward will come later.he juxtaposition to "Venasati M'tar Artz'chem" we learn the obligaton to mention Gevuros Geshamim in the Amidah.
What are the connotations of "u'Le'avdo be'Chol Levavchem"?
Rashi: Avodah with the heart refers to Tefilah 1 (And from the juxtaposition to "Venasati M'tar Artz'chem", the Chachamim learnt to insert Gevuros Geshamim 2 in the second B?rachah of the Amidah - Ta'anis, 2a).
Rashi: Like we find in Daniel, 6:17, to whom Daryavesh said "Elakach di Ant Palach leih bi'Tedira", even though there was no Avodas ha'Korbanos in Bavel. See also Tehilim, 141:2.
See Torah Temimah, note 2.
Having already issued the command "be'Chol Levavecha u've'Chol Nafshecha" in Va'eschnan, 6:5, why does the Torah repeat it here?
Rashi and Ramban: The Pasuk in Va'eschann is referring to individuals, whereas the Pasuk here is referring to the Tzibur, 1 (the majority of whom are either Tzadikim or Resha'im 2 - Ramban).
Ramban: On whose behalf Hashem performs miracles - to send the rain in its right time and to make an abundance of grass grow for the animals, or to shut down the heavens so that no rain should fall, whereas the individual lives on his merits and dies for his sins.
Ramban: But if they are only Beinonim, then, depending upon their deeds He does good or bad to them, based entirely on the laws of nature, devoid of miracles,
Why does the Torah not insert "u've'Chol Me'odeichem", as it did in Va'eschanan 6:5?
Midrash Tanchuma (in No'ach): In Va'eschanan the Torah is discussing someone who studies the oral Torah, whereas here it is discussing the reward for other Mitzvos, which are rewarded in this world. 1
Roke'ach: Here the Torah is not discussing Avodah that requires monetary loss, but Torah and Tefilah, in which case 'be'Chol Me'odechem' 2 is not applicable..
Maharsha (in Berachos 35b, according to R. Shimon): Here the Torah is discussing Tzadikim who are not Tzadikim with their money ('be'Chol Me'odechem'). 3
K'li Yakar, Sifsei Chachamim, and Parshas Derachim 21: "be'Chol Me'odecha" in Va'eschanan is written with regard to fools who value their money more than their life. Whereas the current Parshah is referring to the majority of people who value their lives more than their money - and 'be'Chol Me'odeichem' is therefore not applicable. 4
Kol Eliyahu: The Pasuk in Va'eschanan is discussing individuals who serve Hashem with all their money - like R. Shimon ben Yochai, who did not engage at all in Parnasah. Whereas the current Parshah is discussing the majority of people, who engage in Parnasah, 5 in which case 'be'Chol Me'odeichem' is not applicable.
Beis ha'Levi (Derushim 7): Had the Torah written 'be'Chol Me'odechem' here, we would have thought that, just as Mesiras Nefesh is confined to the three cardinal sins or for Kidush Hashem, so too, does forfeiting one's money. Therefore it omits it, to extrapolated that one must forfeit all one's money rather than transgress any La'av, even in private.
Meshech Chochmah: The Sifri (41) explains "b'Chol Levavchem" to mean that Kohanim should not ponder 'does Hashem really need Korbanos?' This does not apply to all your property.
The Torah omits it here to teach us that a Tzibur is not obligated to serve Hashem with all its money. 6
Midrash Tanchuma (Ibid.): And The Torah did not specify the reward, since it is due only in the world to come. This in turn, is because someone who loves wealth and physical pleasures cannot study the oral Torah properly, since the study of the oral Torah requires pain and deprivation of sleep.
Which means 'with all your money'.
Maharsha (Ibid.): Which explains why they need to do their own work ("Ve'asafta Deganecha ... "). Refer to 11:14:4:3*.
See Oznayim la'Torah, who queries this explantion. One can also ask why the Torah did not insert it to learn from it "be'Chol Midah u'Midah she'Hashem MOdeid lahem, Hevu Modim Lo Me'od Me'od!' - Refer to 6:5:6:2 - which applies to a Tzibur too?
Nefesh ha'Chayim: It is highly improbable for the Tzibur not to engage in Parnasah.
In fact, the Chachamim make decrees to prevent the Tzibur from becoming poor - such as not to redeem captives for more than their value ? Gitin 45a. Heard from R. A. Lopiansky.
