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Deuteronomy 12:29 - Conquering land, avoiding idolatry's lure?

Deuteronomy 12:29 - דברים 12:29

Hebrew Text

כִּי־יַכְרִית יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָא־שָׁמָּה לָרֶשֶׁת אוֹתָם מִפָּנֶיךָ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֹתָם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְּאַרְצָם׃

English Translation

When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to dispossess them, and thou dost succeed them and dost dwell in their land;

Transliteration

Ki-yachrit Adonai Eloheicha et-hagoyim asher ata ba-shamah lareshet otam mipaneicha, veyarashta otam, veyashavta be'artzam.

Hebrew Leining Text

כִּֽי־יַכְרִית֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֛מָּה לָרֶ֥שֶׁת אוֹתָ֖ם מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֹתָ֔ם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֖ בְּאַרְצָֽם׃
כִּֽי־יַכְרִית֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֛מָּה לָרֶ֥שֶׁת אוֹתָ֖ם מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֹתָ֔ם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֖ בְּאַרְצָֽם׃

🎵 Listen to leining

Parasha Commentary

Context in Sefer Devarim

This verse appears in Parshat Re'eh (Devarim 12:29) as part of Moshe Rabbeinu's final instructions to Bnei Yisrael before entering Eretz Yisrael. The Torah warns against adopting the idolatrous practices of the Canaanite nations while inheriting their land.

Rashi's Explanation

Rashi emphasizes that the phrase "כי יכרית" ("when He cuts off") refers to Hashem's promise to gradually remove the Canaanite nations rather than an immediate destruction. This gradual process (as mentioned in Shemot 23:29-30) prevented the land from becoming desolate before Bnei Yisrael could properly settle it.

Rambam's Perspective

In Hilchot Avodat Kochavim (12:1), Rambam cites this verse as the source for the prohibition against inquiring about or imitating gentile practices, even when inheriting their lands. The conquest comes with a moral responsibility to maintain Jewish distinctiveness.

Midrashic Interpretation

The Sifrei (Devarim 81) connects this verse to the earlier commandment to destroy idolatry (12:2-3), teaching that the inheritance of the land is conditional upon eradicating avodah zarah. The physical conquest must be accompanied by spiritual purification.

Chizkuni's Insight

Chizkuni notes the unusual phrasing "וישבת בארצם" ("you shall dwell in their land") rather than "בארצך" ("your land"). This teaches that if Bnei Yisrael adopt the ways of the former inhabitants, they will ultimately lose the land just as the Canaanites did.

Practical Halachic Implications

  • The Chatam Sofer (Responsa YD 2:19) derives from this verse that Jews must maintain separation from foreign influences even when living among other nations.
  • The Netziv (Ha'amek Davar) explains that the warning applies specifically to adopting foreign religious practices, not necessary secular knowledge or technology.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Avodah Zarah 20a
The verse is referenced in a discussion about the prohibition of learning from the ways of the nations that were dispossessed from the land of Israel.
📖 Sanhedrin 94b
The verse is cited in a discussion about the conquest of the land of Israel and the divine commandment to dispossess the nations dwelling there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Deuteronomy 12:29 mean?
A: Deuteronomy 12:29 speaks about Hashem helping the Jewish people conquer the land of Israel by removing the nations that lived there before them. According to Rashi, this verse emphasizes that the conquest is divinely ordained and not just a result of human strength. The Jewish people are instructed to settle in the land after inheriting it.
Q: Why is this verse important in Judaism?
A: This verse is important because it establishes the Jewish people's connection to the land of Israel as part of Hashem's plan. The Rambam (Maimonides) explains that settling the land of Israel is a mitzvah (commandment), and this verse serves as one of the biblical sources for that obligation. It reminds us that our presence in the land is tied to divine providence.
Q: What can we learn from Deuteronomy 12:29 today?
A: We learn that the Jewish people's relationship with the land of Israel is eternal and divinely ordained. The Sforno teaches that this verse also warns against adopting the ways of the previous inhabitants, reminding us to maintain our unique Jewish identity even after settling the land. Today, it reinforces the significance of Eretz Yisrael in Jewish life and Torah observance.
Q: How does this verse apply to modern times?
A: The principle of yishuv ha'aretz (settling the land of Israel) remains relevant today. While the conquest described in the verse happened in biblical times, Orthodox Judaism views the mitzvah of living in Israel as ongoing. The Chatam Sofer and other rabbinic authorities have emphasized that even today, dwelling in Eretz Yisrael holds special spiritual significance for the Jewish people.
Q: What does 'cut off the nations' mean in this context?
A: The phrase 'cut off the nations' refers to Hashem's intervention in removing the Canaanite nations from the land so the Jewish people could inherit it. Ibn Ezra explains that this demonstrates Hashem's power and the fulfillment of His promise to our ancestors. It does not mean complete annihilation, as we see from other verses that some nations remained (as tests for Israel), but rather the removal of their control over the land.