Parashat BiChukosai

7) And you will chase after your enemies, and they will fall before you to the sword. 8) And five amongst you will chase a hundred. A hundred amongst you will chase a myriad. And your enemies will fall before you to the sword.
VaYikra, perek 26

When compared to 33 pasukim of Klalos, the conditional Brachos of Parashat BiChukosai seem relatively terse, as if each pasuk holds a world of blessing on its own; such a feeling is certainly echoed in the Brachos of Parashat Ki Tavo, a mere fifteen pasukim compared to 54 of curses. Yet two pasukim – pasukim 7 and 8, consecutive pasukim no less – carry a most blatant redundancy. In fact, there isn’t even a word in pasuk 7 that doesn’t appear again in pasuk 8! What then is the point, the world of blessings, contained within this seemingly superfluous pasuk?

It is clear that Rashi, quoting directly from the Sifra, saw a difference between these two pasukim. When commenting on the words ViNaflu Lifneichem LiCharev in pasuk 7, Rashi explains, “Eesh BiCherev Rei’eihu,” that our enemies will not fall on our swords but rather on each others. Had the pasuk said BiCherev, as opposed to LiCherev, we would have understood it to refer to our own swords; but the strange wording instead suggests that they will kill each other, not that we would kill them. However, when commenting on these exact same words in pasuk 8, Rashi instead comments, “SheLo KiDerech Ha’Aretz,” that they will fall on their own swords [while fleeing from us] in an uncommon fashion, an uncommon and unnatural death. Clearly, there is something about these two pasukim, some clear distinction, which warrants the Midrash to interpret identical clauses differently. But what is that difference?

But before we attempt to make sense of these two pasukim’s redundancies, perhaps we should question their overall placement. In pasuk 6, Hashem promises us ViCherev Lo Sa’avor Bi’Artzichem, that no sword will pass through Eretz Yisrael in a time of peace. Pasukim 7 and 8 are therefore very troubling, for if Hashem just promised us that no sword would pass through our land, how could our enemies fall by the sword as we chase them out? Perhaps these pasukim are out of order. Perhaps these pasukim refer to a time before there is full peace in the land. But if these pasukim don’t follow a chronological order, what order do they follow?

Rashi answers this question in pasuk 6. Pasuk 6 promises us Shalom, and Rashi comments on the value of peace, “Shema Tomru Harei Ma’achal ViHarei Mishteh, [Aval] Im Ein Shalom, Ein Klum.” Hashem can promise us plentiful food and drink, but what would it be worth without peace. Therefore, the pasukim mention peace after food to emphasize its worth. The promise for abundance and security in the land cannot be fulfilled until Hashem rids the country of our enemies and wild animals, but it nonetheless is stated first.

Likewise, Hashem can promise us ViCherev Lo Sa’avor Bi’Artzichem, but there are two ways to fulfill this promise. On one hand, Eretz Yisrael could be in charge, we could be the nation to decide whether neighboring armies may pass through our land. Or, Eretz Yisrael could be one of many nations bound by a truce, no more powerful than its peaceful neighbors. The Bracha offered in pasuk 7 comes specifically to promise us that Eretz Yisrael will not be bound by the laws of other nations; rather we will dictate the laws and not be bullied around by another nation. Therefore, our freedom will not be achieved by treaty or truce, but rather by victory in battle, as the pasuk promises, U’Ridaftem Es Oiveichem. And the bordering nations will certainly not look to make peace, as the pasuk promises ViNaflu Lifneichem LiCharev, they will kill each other, but they will not try to kill us.

However, even the promises of pasuk 7 are incomplete, for within the promise of legislative authority come the incredible burdens of military supremacy. How could we ever be a strong authoritative nation without exhaustively devoting ourselves to our army? Pasuk 8 directly addresses this new concern, and promises ViRadfu MiKem. The Sifra, again quoted by Rashi, comments on the extra word Mikem, explaining it refer to the average person among the nation, and not to the military. Even our weakest will successfully defeat our enemies when Hashem is on our side. The pasuk continues this promise, five will chase a hundred and a hundred will chase a myriad, that Hashem will assist the efforts of many who keep the Torah even more than He will assist a few righteous individuals.

Therefore, ViNaflu Lifneichem LiCharev can no longer refer to our enemies’ rowdy attitude after being kicked out of Eretz Yisrael. It instead refers to our success against them in battle, before we kick them out. Hashem will cause our enemies’ unnatural deaths on behalf of our nation’s Rabim Ha’Osin Es HaTorah, thus making our path to victory even more efficient with forcing us to work any harder. Pasuk 8 is indeed nothing like pasuk 7, and these clauses, though identical, refer to totally different points in the chronology of our victory.