Comentario sobre Deuteronómio 8:8

זית שמן (lit., the olive of oil) means, olives that produce oil (i.e. good olives, not hard fruits that give no oil).

A land. There are ten words in this verse. Therefore one must place all ten fingers on the bread while reciting the berocho. It also corresponds to the ten mitzvos which are done in preparing bread: You may not plow with an ox and with a donkey together (Devarim 22:10); Do not plant in your vineyard mixed species (Devarim 22:9); Fallen sheaves (Vayikra 19:10); Forgotten sheaves (Devarim 24:19); Leaving the corners of the field (Vayikra 23:22); You may not muzzle and ox while it threshes (Devarim 25:4); Terumah (Bamidbar 15:21); Maaser Rishon (Bamidbar 18:24); Maaser Sheni (Devarim 12:17); Challah (Bamidbar 15:20).

ארץ חטה ושעורה, “a land producing wheat and barley, etc.” Seeing the land corresponds to the tenth emanation, it is praised as possessing ten qualities. Five of these qualities are the types of grain that can be grown in the land of Israel successfully. Moses mentions only the two principal varieties, i.e. wheat and barley as he considers the other three as sub-categories, i.e. oats, spelt, and rye. The five types of fruit mentioned make up the number ten. On other occasions the blessings of the land of Israel are summarized under the heading of “a land flowing with milk and honey.” This hints that G’d’s goodwill results in an abundance of products reminding us both of His attribute of Mercy (the white, milk) and His attribute of Justice, (the red color of the honey from dates). [The author commented on Genesis 36,39 that the abundance of material blessings when abused such as by the descendants of Esau may result in the attribute of Justice being activated. Ed.].