AND MOSES CALLED UNTO ALL ISRAEL. To establish a covenant. Scripture therefore reads afterwards, Ye are standing this day (v. 9).¹ (v. 11).

footnotes: ¹ And goes on to say, that thou shouldest enter into the covenant of the Lord

The reason Scripture reads Ye have seen and then And I have led (v. 4) and then And Og…came out (v. 6) is that some of the Israelites saw the signs that God showed in Egypt,²was directed to this group. and they and those who came after them³ saw the miracle of the manna,⁴…was directed to this group. for they ate no food aside from the manna. And these sons⁵ saw that God helped them and they smote two kings (v. 6).

footnotes: ² You have seen… ³ The first generation born in the wilderness. ⁴ And I have led ⁵ The second generation born in the wilderness.

[BUT THE LORD HATH NOT GIVEN YOU A HEART TO KNOW.] Scripture reads a heart to know because they tested God ten times⁶ and did not make mention of the signs which they witnessed.

footnotes: ⁶ See Num. 14:22.

Scripture reads given because God is the first cause.⁷. Hence I.E. points out that Scripture ascribes man’s achievements to God because God is the first cause and in that sense can be said to give man a heart to know. Furthermore,⁸ they saw that they had no need for bread or wine.⁹

footnotes: ⁷ Man has free will and thus must develop a “knowing heart” on his own. However, our verse implies that it is God who gives man a heart to know ⁸ Israel is obligated to observe the commandments. ⁹ In addition to the miracles which Israel witnessed in Egypt, they experienced the miracle of living in the wilderness for forty years without bread or wine (Meijler). In other words, our verse (and the one before it) continues the theme of verse 1.

[ARE NOT WAXEN OLD.] I have previously explained this.¹⁰ Sihon and Og were recently¹¹ defeated.¹² You are therefore¹³ obligated to keep the covenant.

footnotes: ¹⁰ See I.E. on Deut. 8:4. ¹¹ Shortly before Moses gave this address. ¹² Thus even the youngest among them witnessed the defeat of these kings. Furthermore, the event was fresh in their minds. ¹³ Because of what precedes it in verses 1-7.

THAT YE MAY…PROSPER. Taskilu means prosper. It is a hifil¹⁴ as the word ta’asun¹⁵ is the object of taskilu. Hence the meaning of le-ma’an taskilu et kol asher ta’asun is that ye may make to prosper all that ye do. (all that ye do) proves. Compare, maskil (great success) in And David had great success in all his ways (I Sam. 18:14).¹⁶ means to prosper. The root of maskil (sin, kaf, lamed) means intelligence. Hence I.E.’s comments.

footnotes: ¹⁴ A causative. ¹⁵ Ta’asun ¹⁶ We thus see that the word maskil

YE ARE STANDING THIS DAY. Around the ark.

YOUR HEADS. Roshekhem (your heads) is similar to ha**ohelah (the tent) in into the tent Sarah his mother (Gen. 24:67)¹⁷ is short for into the tent, the tent of Sarah his mother. Similarly, your heads is short for your heads the heads of. See I.E. on Gen. 24:67 (Vol. 1, p. 243). and even the prophecy, Odad the prophet¹⁸ (II Chron. 15:8).¹⁹ is short for even the prophecy, the prophecy of Odad the prophet. See I.E. on Gen. 24:67 (Vol. 1, p. 243). Roshekhem shivtekhem (your heads, your tribes) is to be interpreted as your heads, who are the heads of your tribes.²⁰ is short for roshekhem roshe shivtekhem. Roshekhem (your heads) is like the word va-niram (we have shot at them) (Num. 21:30).²¹ (we have shot at them, Heshbon is destroyed). According to I.E. this is to be interpreted as And their king, the king of Heshbon was destroyed. See I.E. on Num. 21:30 (Vol. 4, p. 175). The word is to be so interpreted for the princes²² were closest to the ark.²³ After them came the elders, followed by the officers, after whom came all the men of Israel, that is, the males, followed by the male little ones, after whom came the women, followed by the strangers.

footnotes: ¹⁷ Translated literally. According to I. E. into the tent Sarah his mother ¹⁸ Translated literally. ¹⁹ According to I.E. even the prophecy, Odad the prophet ²⁰ Roshekhem shivtekhem ²¹ Num. 21:30 reads, va-niram avad cheshbon ²² The heads of the tribes. ²³ According to I.E. our verse records the hierarchical arrangement of the Israelites before the ark, when the covenant was made. If we take our verse literally the word “tribes” breaks up the arrangement. Hence I.E. insists that our verse reads, your heads, the heads of your tribes.

THAT THOU SHOULDEST ENTER INTO THE COVENANT. Le-ovrekha (that thou shouldest enter) is an infinitive.²⁴ It is like va-ya’avru (and passed) in and passed between the parts thereof (Jer. 34:18).²⁵ (that thou shouldest enter) means that you should pass, i.e., that you should enter the covenant, for they used to cut an animal in half when making a covenant and walk between the halves. Observe, the word avar (passed) minus the bet²⁶ has the opposite meaning.²⁷ preceding brit means to violate the covenant. Hence our verse reads, le-ovrekha bi-verit. Had our verse read, le-ovrekha berit, it would have meant that you should violate the covenant.

footnotes: ²⁴ With the pronominal suffix. ²⁵ In other words, le-ovrekha ²⁶ Following it. ²⁷ The word avar

NEITHER WITH YOU ONLY. But with you and with those who come after you, namely, your sons and your sons’ sons.

[BUT WITH HIM THAT STANDETH HERE WITH US THIS DAY.] The nun of yeshno (that standth here) is superfluous.²⁸ is the word yesh plus the third person pronominal suffix. That suffix is a vav. Thus we would expect yesho rather than yeshno. Hence I.E.’s comment (Krinsky).

footnotes: ²⁸ Yeshno

AND ALSO WITH HIM THAT IS NOT HERE WITH US. Ve’et asher ennnu (and also with him that is not) means with him that is not here with us²⁹ means and with. This is not the usual meaning of et. Hence I.E.’s comment. See I.E. on Gen. 1:1 (Vol. 1, p. 27): “Et means the very thing…However, sometimes…et is used in place of with.” but will come after us. It is not to be interpreted as those who say that the spirits of the coming generations were there.³⁰. See Tanchuma, Nitzavim: The souls were there, but the bodies [these souls were to enter] had not yet been created.

footnotes: ²⁹ Here with us today. In other words, ve’et ³⁰ This is the opinion of some midrashim

FOR YE KNOW. There are among you some who witnessed the abominations of Egypt, namely, their gods. Additionally, all of you have seen the abominations of the nations.

WHICH YE PASSED. Among them, namely, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Midianites.

[A ROOT THAT BEARETH GALL AND WORMWOOD.] For gall injures the healthy.³¹ It is a disease that is infectious.³²

footnotes: ³¹ Hence it symbolizes idolatry. Even a spiritually healthy person is injured by idolatry. ³² The person afflicted by idolatry will infect others.

THIS CURSE. This curse refers to Cursed be the man that maketh a graven or molten image (Deut. 27:15).

THAT HE BLESS HIMSELF IN HIS HEART. Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi, of blessed memory, says that he bless himself is to be taken according to its plain meaning. When he hears the curse he will bless himself in his heart and say I shall have peace. In other words, when he hears the ban³³ he will say it will not fall on me but upon someone else.

footnotes: ³³ The curse.

THAT…BE SWEPT AWAY. Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi, who rests in paradise, says that the word sefot (swept away) means to extirpate. Compare, tispeh³⁴. [thou (wilt) sweep away] in Wilt Thou indeed sweep away (Gen. 18:23). In other words, the one who blesses himself³⁵ wants to nullify the words of the righteous,³⁶ who are metaphorically called “the watered,” with the words of “the dry.” Look, the righteous are called watered. Compare, For he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water (Jer. 17:8). The wicked are called dry. Compare, For he shall be like a tamarisk in the desert (Ibid., v. 6). The wicked person thinks that the blessing which he utters in his heart will also stop the curse. He explained well were it not that the word ravah (well watered) is an adjective.³⁷ (dry). The point is that Rabbi Judah’s interpretation requires that nouns, not adjectives, be employed in our verse, for according to his interpretation the verse speaks of people. Filwarg argues that Rabbi Judah’s interpretation requires a noun because the dry and the watered are metaphors for curses and blessing, which are nouns. He interprets in this manner because later on I.E. himself interprets the dry and the watered as referring to people. The problem with Filwarg’s interpretation is that I.E. quotes Rabbi Judah as saying, “The righteous are called watered…The wicked are called dry.” Our text should have read, ravi³⁸ et ha-tzama³⁹ (the well watered…with the dry). Rabbi Jonah the grammarian⁴⁰ says that it means⁴¹. because the corrupt sees the righteous⁴² destroyed along with the wicked⁴³ he therefore thinks evil in his heart.⁴⁴. The wicked person says I might as well be wicked, for both the righteous and the wicked suffer one fate. They are both swept away. However, this is incorrect because Scripture reads, I shall have peace.⁴⁵ implies that he says something positive to himself. However, there is nothing positive in saying the righteous and I will be swept away. In my opinion the word sefot (swept) means to add. Compare, sefot chattat (add sin) (Is. 30:1). The added sin is the wicked person’s statement, I shall have peace even though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart. I will live because of the righteousness of the righteous, for the pious are many and I am an individual sinner.⁴⁶. A nation is judged by the majority of its people. The wicked believe that the merit of the majority, who are righteous, will protect the sinners, who are a minority. Scripture therefore afterwards reads, The Lord will not be willing to pardon him⁴⁷. but then… (v. 19). The meaning of the latter is he shall immediately be destroyed. This verse is also proof of my interpretation of and he shall be forgiven⁴⁸. According to I.E. the word salach means to delay punishment. See I.E. on Num. 14:19, “Selach refers to being slow to anger.” (Num. 15:28). The meaning of sefot is that the well watered will add to the dry. Scripture compares the righteous to the well watered, as in And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water (Ps. 1:3). It compares the wicked to the dry. Compare, For he shall be like a tamarisk in the desert (Jer. 17: 6). The fact that Scripture at first reads, a root that beareth gall and wormwood (v. 17), is proof of this.⁴⁹ It is in a dry place.⁵⁰ grows in parched land. Hence the wicked person is called the dry (Meijler, Krinsky). I.E.’s interpretation presents a problem. He interprets “the watered and the dry” as referring to people. However, earlier I.E. rejects Rabbi Judah Ha-Levi’s interpretation for this very reason. As noted above, Filwarg attempts to justify I.E.’s position. However, his interpretation is forced.

footnotes: ³⁴ Both words come from the root samekh, peh, heh ³⁵ The wicked. ³⁶ Moses. ³⁷ As is tzeme’ah ³⁸ A noun. ³⁹ A noun. ⁴⁰ Rabbi Jonah ibn Janach. ⁴¹ The meaning of that he blesses himself in his heart…that the watered are swept away with the dry ⁴² The watered. ⁴³ The dry. ⁴⁴ Rabbi Jonah’s interpretation of that he bless himself in his heart ⁴⁵ That he blesses himself in his heart ⁴⁶ I.E.’s interpretation of the watered be swept away with the dry ⁴⁷ Hebrew, selo’ach lo ⁴⁸ Hebrew, ve-nislach lo ⁴⁹ That dry refers to the wicked. ⁵⁰ The root that beareth gall and wormwood

THE ANGER OF THE LORD…SHALL BE KINDLED.⁵¹ (literally, shall smoke). Our clause literally reads, the anger of the Lord…shall smoke. Hence I.E.’s interpretation. The fire of God’s anger shall bum him to the point where the smoke will be visible. Observe, if the sinner be an individual he will die immediately, and if it is a family all the curse…shall lie upon him. This means that the curse shall lie upon the family until its name is eradicated. If the sinner be a tribe, the Lord shall separate him unto evil (v. 20).⁵² refers to an individual; and all the curse…shall lie upon him refers to a family; and the Lord shall separate him unto evil refers to a tribe. Similarly And I will offer it up for a burnt-offering (Jud. 11:31), as I have explained.⁵³ there has the meaning of or. It appears that I.E. interpreted similarly.

footnotes: ⁵¹ Hebrew, yeshan ⁵² Thus The anger of the Lord…shall be kindled against that man ⁵³ We no longer have I.E.’s commentary on Judges. However, Radak in his comments on Judges notes that the vav

AND THE GENERATION TO COME. Your children. Also the foreigners who see the plagues of the land.

BRIMSTONE. A prayer to God that all the land should be burnt in brimstone and salt like the overthrow of the places that are mentioned.⁵⁴ Some explain that even all the nations shall say (v. 23) repeats what was stated earlier⁵⁵ because Scripture went off on a tangent,⁵⁶ as is the style of the language.⁵⁷ [24.] THEN MEN SHALL SAY. The earlier inhabitants.⁵⁸

footnotes: ⁵⁴ Our verse records the prayer that will be offered by coming generations and by the foreigner. When they see what God did to the land, they too will curse it. ⁵⁵ In verse 21. Our verse repeats parts of verse 21 because it picks up its trend of thought. ⁵⁶ In verse 22. In other words, verse 23 is a continuation of verse 21. ⁵⁷ To go off on a tangent and then return to the original point. ⁵⁸ The earlier inhabitants shall respond to their children and to the foreigner.

[THE GOD OF THEIR FATHERS.] They forsook the God that they and their fathers knew and they served gods whom they did not know.

AND THAT HE HAD NOT ALLOTTED UNTO THEM. I have previously explained this.⁵⁹ (Deut. 4:19).

footnotes: ⁵⁹ See I.E.’s comment on which the Lord thy God hath allotted

AND THE LORD ROOTED THEM OUT. Va-yitteshem (and rooted them out) is missing a nun.⁶⁰. Compare li-netosh (to root out) (Jer. 1:10). The nun is swallowed by the dagesh, as is the rule.⁶¹.

footnotes: ⁶⁰ Its root is nun, tet, shin ⁶¹ For words whose first root letter is a nun

[AS IS THIS DAY.] These are the words of the respondents.⁶²

footnotes: ⁶² It is part of the answer given by earlier inhabitants of the land.

THE SECRET THINGS. The reference is to one who serves idols in secret.

BELONG UNTO THE LORD OUR GOD. Its meaning is that his punishment is in the hands of God, and the Lord will exact punishment from him. However, if the sin was committed in public there is an obligation on us and our children to do in accordance with that which is written in the Torah. Others say⁶³ that the secret and the revealed things belong to God. It is incumbent upon us only to observe the words of the Torah. Now this interpretation has no head or foot.⁶⁴ What reason is there to mention this here?⁶⁵ Scripture states that if you return unto the Lord (Deut. 30:2), God will turn thy captivity (Ibid., v. 3) even though you are outside of the land because it stated earlier, and cast them into another land (v. 27). According to Rabbi Judah⁶⁶ the first grammarian, the meaning of ve-shav (then shall turn) (Deut. 30:3) means God will give rest;⁶⁷ (Ibid., v. 3) as God will give rest to your captivity. that is, he will give rest to the captives and be merciful to them, and after this He will return and gather.⁶⁸ in 30:3 as will He give rest, and the second ve-shav as and will He return.

footnotes: ⁶³ That the meaning of our verse is. ⁶⁴ It makes no sense and has no legs to stand on. ⁶⁵ It does not continue the thought of the previous verse. ⁶⁶ Rabbi Judah Chayuj. ⁶⁷ See I.E. on Num. 10:36 (Vol. 4, p. 75). Rabbi Judah renders God will turn thy captivity ⁶⁸ Your captivity. It should be noted that Rabbi Judah renders the first ve-shav