Comentário sobre Deuteronômio 28:52

עד רדת חמתיך — The word רדת means subjugation (רדוי) and conquest (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 20:20).

והצר לך בכל שעריך, “It will besiege you in all your cities.” The word שעריך is a simile for “in every location.” It is possible to explain the fact that the Torah uses the word שעריך four times in our context (verse 52 twice, plus verses 55 and 57) as meaning that the first time the word is mentioned it is in the nature of a heading, כולל. The second time the reference is to the gates guarding the country. The third time it refers to gates guarding entrances to houses of individuals, whereas the last time it is derived from the word שעור, “measure” in the sense of “planning.” It describes how the enemy would thwart whatever plans the Jews would make to counter him and fight him. Such planning of counter measures would only result in additional hurt and confusion among the Jewish people. The entire passage then would express the very reverse of what happens when one plans successful activities. Israel would be frustrated in every single move it makes. It would endure the reverse of what has been described as the fate of the wicked in Psalms 10,5: ”his ways prosper at all times.”

The meaning is mastering, conquering. And חומותיך is missing a בי"ת, since it should have written עד רדת בחומותיך, as in the verse (Bereishis 1:26), וירדו בדגת הים, “And let him dominate the fish of the sea.” [Rashi does not translate רדת as “fall” or descend], because the expression of “descend” applies only to falling from a high place to a low place, and the walls are already standing low on the ground. Rashi therefore explains it as an expression of mastering or conquering. And though רדת is of the same basic structure as שבת, Rashi understands that this is one of the atypical words that often appear in the Torah. And though Scripture writes (Bamidbar 10:17), “[Then] the Mishkon was taken down (הורד),” [and] (ibid. 1:51), “They shall take down (יורידו) the Mishkon,” although the Mishkon stood on the ground, the word רדת is different because it is a verb applying to the subject itself, whereas יורידו and הורד are verbs that apply to another object.