The verse says, "Because you know what we dwelled in the land of Egypt and what we passed through among the nations that you passed." The Torah is reminding the Jewish people that they have personal knowledge and experience of what it was like in Egypt, and also what they saw as they traveled through the lands of other nations. This is setting up the warning that follows, because they have seen firsthand the practices of these nations, especially their idol worship. The Torah is emphasizing that the people are not being told something theoretical—they themselves have witnessed these things, and therefore the warning is especially relevant to them.

Rashi explains that the reason the Torah says "because you know" is because you saw the nations who serve avoda zara—idol worship. And maybe, as a result of seeing all this, one of your hearts has been led astray to go after them. That's why the Torah says, "Pen yesh bachem"—lest there is among you someone who will turn after them. Therefore, I need to make you swear, to take an oath, so that you will not be drawn after these things that you saw. Rashi is telling us that the Torah is not just giving information, but is warning us because of the danger that seeing these practices could influence someone. That's why the oath is necessary, to protect against the possibility that someone might be tempted to follow the nations' ways.

The verse continues, "And you saw their abominations and their detestable idols—wood and stone, silver and gold that were with them." The Torah is describing what the people actually saw: the idols of the nations, made from different materials—wood, stone, silver, and gold. The point is that the Jewish people were exposed to all these forms of idol worship, and the Torah is warning them not to be influenced by what they saw. The verse is emphasizing the variety and the presence of these idols, to show that the danger is real and present.

Rashi explains the term "shikutzayhem"—their abominations. He says it is called this because they are disgusting like creeping things, like insects. The word comes from the idea of something that is repulsive, and that's why the Torah uses this term for idols. Rashi is emphasizing that idol worship is not just forbidden, but is something that should be seen as revolting and disgusting, just like these creatures.

Rashi explains the term "giluleihem"—their detestable idols. He says it comes from the word for dung, because these idols are as repulsive and disgusting as dung. Rashi is highlighting that not only are these idols forbidden, but they are also considered to be completely disgusting and worthless, just like dung. This is to reinforce the idea that idol worship is not just a mistake, but something that is inherently revolting.

The verse mentions "wood and stone" and Rashi explains that the idols made of wood and stone were seen openly, because the nations were not afraid that someone would steal them. But the idols made of silver and gold were kept with them in their treasure rooms, hidden away, because they were afraid that someone might steal them. So the Torah is telling us that the Jewish people saw the wooden and stone idols out in the open, but the silver and gold ones were kept hidden. This shows the difference in how the nations treated their idols based on their value, and also emphasizes that the Jewish people saw all types of idol worship, both the obvious and the hidden.

The verse says, "Lest there is among you a man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turns away today from Hashem our God to go and serve the gods of those nations; lest there is among you a root that produces gall and wormwood." The Torah is warning that maybe there is someone among you—whether an individual, a family, or even a whole tribe—whose heart is turning away from Hashem to serve other gods. The phrase "a root that produces gall and wormwood" means that there could be a source of bitterness and poison among the people, someone whose actions or influence could lead to idolatry and bring harm to the community. The Torah is emphasizing the danger that even one person or group turning away can have a negative effect on everyone.

Rashi explains the phrase "pen yesh bachem"—lest there is among you. He says this means maybe there is among you someone who is turning away. Rashi is clarifying that the Torah is warning about the possibility that even if it's just one person, there is a danger that someone among the people could be led astray to serve other gods. The warning is not just about the majority, but even about the individual who could bring harm to the whole community.

This verse is referring to a person whose heart turns away today from accepting upon himself the covenant. The teacher explains that the Torah is warning about someone who, after seeing all the miracles and the punishments that happened to those who served idols, still allows his heart to turn away and does not accept the covenant. The Torah is emphasizing that even after all you have seen, there might still be someone among you who is thinking of going after other gods. This is why the Torah needs to warn and make you take an oath, to ensure that you do not stray after those things you saw on your journey.

The phrase "Shoresh Porah Rosh VeLa'anah" refers to a root that produces a bitter herb, like a plant with bitter stems or roots. The teacher explains that this means a root that grows a bitter grass, which is like sinews, and they are bitter. In other words, it is describing someone who produces and increases wickedness among you. The Torah is warning that there could be a person who is like a root that spreads bitterness and evil within the community, causing others to sin as well.

This verse describes a person who, upon hearing the words of this curse, blesses himself in his heart and says, "Peace will be with me, for I will go in the stubbornness of my heart, in order to add the watered to the thirsty." The teacher explains that this is talking about someone who hears all the warnings and still thinks to himself that nothing bad will happen to him. He convinces himself that he can continue following his own desires and that he will be fine, even if he acts against the Torah. The phrase "to add the watered to the thirsty" means to add intentional sins to unintentional ones, thinking that it will not make a difference. The person is essentially saying that he will be safe even if he continues to do as he pleases, ignoring the consequences described in the Torah.

On the words "VeHisbarech Bilvavo," Rashi explains that this is a language of blessing. The person thinks in his heart a blessing of peace for himself, saying, "These curses will not come upon me, but peace will be with me." The teacher elaborates that this is the mindset of someone who convinces himself that he will not be affected by the punishments, and that he will be fine even if he does not follow the Torah. The person is deluding himself, thinking that he can escape the consequences by simply wishing himself well.

On the word "VeHisbarech," Rashi brings the expression "Bein Dira Shei Shem Yud" in another language, meaning "he will bless himself." The teacher explains that this is similar to other expressions in the Torah like "VeHisgalach" (he will shave) or "VeHispalel" (he will pray), where the person does the action to himself. Here, it means he is blessing himself, convincing himself that everything will be fine.

On the phrase "BiShrirus Libi Eleich," Rashi explains that this means "in the stubbornness of my heart." The teacher says that it is like the verse "Ashurenu Velo Karov"—what my heart sees to do. In other words, the person is saying, "I will do whatever my heart wants, whatever I feel like doing," ignoring the Torah's warnings and following his own desires.

On the words "Lema'an Sefos HaRaveh Es HaTzme'ah," Rashi explains that this means Hashem will add punishment for what the person did unintentionally, and He would have passed over those, but now, because the person is brazen and adds intentional sins, Hashem will punish him for everything. The teacher elaborates that this is like the Targum Onkelos, which says that Hashem will add the unintentional sins to the intentional ones. In other words, by acting with such arrogance, the person causes even his accidental sins to be counted against him as if they were intentional.

On the word "HaRaveh," Rashi explains that this refers to an unintentional sinner, someone who acts like a drunk person who does things without awareness. The teacher says that this is describing a person who sins by accident, not on purpose, similar to someone who is intoxicated and not in control of his actions.

Rashi explains that the word "Hatzme'ah" refers to someone who acts intentionally and with desire. In other words, this is a person who sins not out of ignorance or accident, but with full awareness and a craving for the act. The sin is done with intent and a certain passion, not passively or by mistake.

This verse says: "Hashem will not want to forgive him, for then Hashem's anger and His zeal will smoke against that man, and all the curses written in this Sefer will rest upon him, and Hashem will erase his name from under the heavens." The teacher explains that this is talking about a person who hears the words of the oath and thinks to himself that he can do whatever he wants, that nothing bad will happen to him. He blesses himself in his heart, saying, "Peace will be with me, even if I go according to the desires of my heart." The Torah says that Hashem will not forgive such a person. Instead, Hashem's anger will be kindled against him, and all the curses written in the Torah will come upon him. Hashem will erase his name from under the heavens. The teacher elaborates that this is a very strong warning against someone who thinks he can get away with doing whatever he wants, ignoring the Torah and its commandments, and still be safe. The Torah says clearly that Hashem will not forgive such a person, and all the curses will befall him.

Rashi explains the phrase "Ye'ashan af Hashem"—that Hashem's anger will smoke. This is an expression borrowed from the way human beings experience anger: when a person gets angry, his body heats up and smoke seems to come out of his nose. The Torah uses this language so that people can understand, even though, of course, there is no such thing as Hashem literally having smoke coming out of His nose. The Torah speaks in the language that people are used to, so we can grasp the idea of Hashem's anger. The teacher also brings a proof from another verse, "Ala ashan be'apo"—smoke went up in his nose—again showing this metaphor for anger.

Rashi explains the word "Kinaso"—His zeal—as an expression of anger, specifically a kind of anger that involves holding on to vengeance and not letting go. The teacher says this is a type of anger where a person, or in this case Hashem, does not forgive or overlook the wrongdoing, but instead holds on to it and seeks to take revenge. The word "Kinaso" is related to the idea of dressing oneself in vengeance and not passing over the offense.

This verse says that Hashem will separate that person for evil from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this Sefer HaTorah. The teacher explains that this means Hashem will single out this individual for punishment, separating him from the rest of the Jewish people, and all the curses that are written in the Torah will come upon him. The teacher also notes that the verse refers to the "Sefer HaTorah," emphasizing that these are not just general warnings, but specific curses written in the Torah itself.

Rashi comments on the phrase "Hak'suvah b'Sefer HaTorah hazeh"—the curses written in this Sefer HaTorah. He points out that earlier, in Parshas Ki Savo, the Torah uses the phrase "b'Sefer HaTorah hazos"—with the word "hazos" in the feminine form, referring to the Torah, which is a feminine word. Here, the Torah uses "hazeh" in the masculine, referring to the Sefer, the scroll, which is masculine. The teacher explains that the difference in language is due to the way the words are connected in the verse, and the placement of the cantillation mark (the "tipcha"). In the earlier verse, the words "Sefer HaTorah" are connected, so the feminine form is used. Here, the words are separated, so the masculine form is used, referring specifically to the Sefer. This is a grammatical point that Rashi brings out to explain the change in language.

This verse describes how the later generations—your children who will arise after you, and the stranger who comes from a distant land—will see the plagues and diseases that Hashem brought upon the land. The teacher explains that this is a prophecy about the future, that people will come and see the destruction and suffering that has befallen the land of Israel because of the sins of the people. Both Jews and non-Jews will witness the consequences of abandoning the covenant with Hashem, and they will see the terrible punishments that have come upon the land.

This verse describes the land as being burned with sulfur and salt, so that nothing can be planted or grow there, not even grass. It will be like the overturning of Sedom and Amorah, Admah and Tzevoyim, which Hashem overturned in His anger and wrath. The teacher explains that this is a description of total destruction, where the land becomes completely barren and uninhabitable, just like what happened to Sedom and the other cities. The Torah is emphasizing the severity of the punishment that will come if the Jewish people abandon Hashem and His Torah.

This verse describes how all the nations will say, "Why did Hashem do this to this land? What is the reason for this great anger and fury?" The teacher explains that when the nations see the plagues and the destruction that has come upon the land, they will be shocked and question the cause of such devastation. They will wonder what could have brought about such a strong display of Hashem's anger. The teacher emphasizes that the nations are observing the consequences and are trying to understand the reason behind Hashem's actions against the land of Israel.

The teacher explains that the nations will answer their own question, saying it is because the Jewish people abandoned the covenant of Hashem, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He took them out of the land of Egypt. The teacher elaborates that the nations recognize that the root cause of the punishment is the breaking of the covenant—the agreement that was established at the time of the Exodus from Egypt. This abandonment of the covenant is seen as the reason for the harsh consequences that befell the land and its people.

The teacher explains that the Jewish people went and served other deities and prostrated themselves to them—deities that they had not known and which Hashem had not apportioned to them. He clarifies that these are foreign gods, which the Jewish people had no previous connection to, and that Hashem had not given them as their portion. The teacher further explains that the phrase "which they had not known" means that the Jewish people never experienced any strength or power from these other gods. He also notes that "which He had not apportioned to them" means that Hashem did not give these deities to the Jewish people as their inheritance or portion. The teacher brings in the Targum Onkelos, which translates this as "they did not do any good for them," emphasizing that these foreign gods brought no benefit or favor to the Jewish people. The teacher concludes that this verse is highlighting the futility of serving other gods, as they neither provided any strength nor were they given to the Jewish people by Hashem.

The teacher explains Rashi's comment on the phrase "lo yeda'um"—that the Jewish people did not know these gods. Rashi says this means they never experienced any strength of godliness from these deities. The teacher elaborates that the Jewish people had no relationship or connection to these foreign gods, and they never saw any power or divinity from them. This emphasizes the emptiness and worthlessness of these idols, as they could not provide any real benefit or spiritual experience to those who served them.

The teacher continues to explain the phrase "velo chelek lahem"—that Hashem did not give these deities as a portion to the Jewish people. He says this means Hashem did not give them any inheritance or share in these gods. The teacher brings in the Targum Onkelos, which translates this as "velo otiva lehon"—they did not do any good for them. He explains that these deities never did any favors for the Jewish people. The teacher further clarifies that the phrase "lo chelek" refers to the god that the people chose for themselves, but that god did not give them any inheritance or portion. He distinguishes between the two uses of "lo chelek lahem" in the verse: the first refers to Hashem not giving the Jewish people these gods as their portion, and the second, as explained by Rashi and Onkelos, refers to the idols themselves not providing any benefit or inheritance to their worshippers. The teacher emphasizes that this shows the complete lack of value in serving these foreign gods.

The teacher explains that Hashem's fury was kindled against that land, and He brought upon it all the curses written in this Sefer HaTorah. He notes that the verse uses the phrase "ba'aretz hahi"—against that land—to indicate that the punishment was directed specifically at the land of Israel. The teacher discusses the language of the verse, pointing out that "Sefer HaTorah" is in the feminine form, referring to the Torah. He explains that the curses mentioned are those written in the Torah, and that the destruction and suffering described are a direct result of the Jewish people's abandonment of Hashem and the covenant. The teacher also mentions that the Torah uses different grammatical forms to refer to the Torah and the curses, and that these forms are connected in the text to show the relationship between the Torah and the consequences for not following it.

The teacher explains that Hashem uprooted the Jewish people from their land with fury, anger, and great wrath, and cast them into another land, as is the case today. He elaborates that the verse describes the complete removal of the Jewish people from their land as a result of their sins. The teacher brings in the Targum, which translates "vayitteshem" as "v'taltalinon"—He drove them out. He also references a similar expression in Yirmiyahu, "hineni noteshem me'al admatan"—I am going to uproot them from their land. The teacher emphasizes that this exile is a direct consequence of the Jewish people's actions and is described in strong terms to show the severity of the punishment. He notes that the verse uses multiple expressions of anger and wrath to convey the intensity of Hashem's response.

The teacher explains Rashi's comment on the phrase "vayitteshem Hashem"—that Hashem uprooted them. Rashi says this is as the Targum translates: "v'taltalinon"—He drove them out. The teacher also brings a similar expression from Yirmiyahu: "hineni noteshem me'al admatan"—I am going to uproot them from their land. He explains that both the Torah and the prophets use this language to describe the exile of the Jewish people from their land, emphasizing the completeness and finality of the punishment. The teacher highlights that this is not just a temporary removal, but a total uprooting, as described by both the Torah and the prophets.

The verse says, "The hidden things belong to Hashem our God, but the revealed things are for us and our children forever, to fulfill all the words of this Torah." The teacher explains that this means there are things that are hidden, which only Hashem knows, and there are things that are revealed, which are our responsibility and the responsibility of our children. The hidden things are not something we can be held accountable for, but the revealed things are what we must act upon and fulfill according to the Torah. The teacher emphasizes that our obligation is to do all that is revealed to us in the Torah, and that is what we and our children are responsible for, forever.

The Rashi explains on the words, "The hidden things belong to Hashem our God," that if you might ask, what can we do about hidden matters? Are you going to punish the public for the private thoughts of an individual? As it says earlier in the verse, "Perhaps there is among you a man..." and then later, "they will see the plagues of that land." So it seems that the whole land is being punished for the actions of one individual. But, Rashi says, a person does not know the hidden things of his friend. Hashem says, I do not punish you for the hidden things, because they are for Hashem our God, and He will punish that individual. But the revealed things are for us and our children, to remove evil from among us. If we do not judge and deal with the revealed sins, then the public will be punished. Rashi also notes that there are dots on the words "for us and for our children" in the Sefer Torah, to teach that even for the revealed things, Hashem did not punish the public until they crossed the Jordan and accepted the oath at Har Gerizim and Har Eival, and became responsible for one another. The teacher elaborates that this means only after they accepted mutual responsibility did the community become liable for each other's revealed sins, but not for what is hidden in the heart, which only Hashem knows and judges.