Commentary for Deuteronomy 26:15

השקיפה ממעון קדשך GLANCE DOWN FROM THE RESIDENCE OF THY HOLINESS . . [AND BLESS THY PEOPLE ISRAEL — “We have done what Thou hast laid upon us, do Thou now what has upon Thee to do, because Thou hast said, (Leviticus 25:3, 4) If ye walk in My ordinances … Then I will give you rain in its season etc.

WHICH THOU HAST GIVEN US, AS THOU DIDST SWEAR UNTO OUR FATHERS — “to give it³⁶Rashi adds the phrase “to give it,” for otherwise the two phrases [as Thou didst swear unto our father — a Land flowing with milk and honey] lack a connecting word or phrase. Ramban will point out that “giving” is implicit in “swearing.” to us and Thou hast fulfilled [Thy promise by] giving us A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.” This is Rashi’s language. If so, the order of the verse is [to be inverted as follows]: “and the Land which Thou hast given us, a Land flowing with milk and honey, as Thou didst swear unto our father.” And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that the meaning thereof is, may it always be so, that is to say, “and bless the Land which You have given us to be [always] a Land flowing with milk and honey.” But there is no need for all this, for included in the term “speaking” or “swearing” is the act of “giving.” Thus a man may say to his fellow, “You have sworn me your field” [which means: “you have sworn to give me your field”], or “You have told me a hundred” [which means “you have sworn to give me a hundred dinars”]. Similarly, as the Eternal, the G-d of thy fathers, hath spoken unto thee — a Land flowing with milk and honey³⁷Above, 6:3. [the term “hath spoken” means “hath spoken that He would give thee”]. We have already explained it [there].³⁷Above, 6:3. So also, and he gave him a house, and food he told him, and gave him land³⁸I Kings 11:18. [which means “and food he promised to give him”]. Now, do not find it difficult here that in the oaths made to the patriarchs “a Land flowing with milk and honey” is not mentioned. Since at that time the Land was a Land flowing with milk and honey, [it would have been redundant to describe it explicitly. Therefore it was as if] He swore to them by a Land flowing with milk and honey. Or it may be that unto our fathers [here does not mean the patriarchs] but those who came forth from Egypt, for it was to them that it was said, unto a Land flowing with milk and honey,³⁹Exodus 3:8. similar to the expression, and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers⁴⁰Numbers 20:15. [which refers to “our fathers” who came forth from Egypt].

וברך את עמך...ואת האדמה אשר נתתה לי, in the same manner as You have sworn to our forefathers, when You swore to them: “I will take you up from the poverty in Egypt to a wide good land, etc.” (Exodus 3,17)