IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF HEAVEN. With regard to the Land of Israel.¹

footnotes: ¹ For a person living in the Land of Israel, the place of Israel’s exile appears to be at the uttermost parts of the heavens. However, in truth the heavens have no uttermost part for they are round.

AND THE LORD THY GOD WILL CIRCUMCISE. For He is the first cause of all actions.² seems to indicate that man has no free will, for it implies that God will change man’s nature so that he will no longer sin. Hence I.E.’s comment. After saying, you shall return unto the Lord and listen to His voice,³ Moses says that unlike the circumcision of the flesh, which you are obligated to execute, God will help you and will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed.

footnotes: ² I.E.’s paraphrase of I Sam. 2:3. In other words, God is the first cause who gave man the power to circumcise his heart. Since all things can be traced back to God, God can be said to “circumcise” man’s heart. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart ³ I.E.’s paraphrase of the opening of verse 6.

[AND THE LORD THY GOD WILL MAKE THEE OVERABUNDANT.] Scripture states ve-hotirekha⁴ as He will permit you to remain. (make thee overabundant) because God will place curses upon the enemies [of Israel]⁵

footnotes: ⁴ I. E. renders ve-hotirekha ⁵ Which shall destroy them. However, you shall survive.

AS HE REJOICED OVER THY FATHERS. Who inherited the land, for Scripture addresses those who were exiled from it.

WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK OF THE LAW. For the main part of all the commandments is there,⁶ although they need the explanation provided by tradition.⁷ They⁸ cannot be kept unless the heart is complete.⁹ Scripture therefore states, with all thy heart, for the commandment to keep means to keep with one’s heart.¹⁰

footnotes: ⁶ Hence Scripture mentions the written law and omits the oral law. ⁷ The oral tradition elaborates the laws which are found in the Torah. ⁸ The commandments. ⁹ Has total belief in God. ¹⁰ Belief must accompany observance. See I.E. on Ex. 31:18 (Vol. 2, p. 653).

TOO HARD. The word niflet (too hard) means concealed.¹¹ Or its meaning is, wondrous, that is, something that will cause you to grow weary while trying to accomplish it.¹²

footnotes: ¹¹ See Rashi. ¹² In other words, too hard.

IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN. This explains niflet (too hard) (v. 11).

BEYOND THE SEA. This explains neither is it far off (v. 11). It is possible that the reference is to the great sea¹³ whose width a person cannot enter¹⁴ because of the darkness of the water.¹⁵

footnotes: ¹³ The Atlantic Ocean. ¹⁴ That is, one cannot cross it. ¹⁵ A dark cloud covers it. I.E. like other medievalists believed that one cannot cross the “large sea.”

IN THY MOUTH, AND IN THY HEART. For the heart is the core of the commandments.¹⁶ Some commandments require the uttering of statements which serve to reinforce the heart.¹⁷ to reinforce our belief. Others consist of deeds¹⁸. so that a person will utter the required statements.¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁶ The commandments that pertain to the heart are the most important ones. Among the latter are the commandments to believe in God, to love God, etc. ¹⁷ We thus recite the shema ¹⁸ Such as donning tefilin ¹⁹ So that a person will remember to recall verbally the commandment tied to the ritual. However, not all commandments observed by deeds have this as their purpose. See I.E. on Ex. 31:18 (Vol. 2, p. 410) where he divides the positive commandments into three categories: those to be observed by the heart, those to be observed by speech, and those to be observed by action.

LIFE. Long life.²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ A person must ultimately die. Hence I.E.’s interpretation.

AND GOOD. Wealth, bodily health and honor.

Death and evil are the reverse of the above.

TO LOVE. This is most important.

TO WALK IN HIS WAYS. You shall not modify the way He asked you to act²¹ and the precepts which He commanded you, even though you do not know why the statutes and ordinances were given.

footnotes: ²¹ Literally, the way of His deeds.

Note, Then thou shalt live explains the term life (v. 15).

AND MULTIPLY. This explains and good (v. 15), for it refers to material increase,²² that is, in children and in wealth.

footnotes: ²² Literally, an increase in bodies.

BUT IF THY HEART TURN AWAY. For the heart is most important.²³

footnotes: ²³ Hence it personifies the entire human being.

BUT SHALT BE DRAWN AWAY. I have previously explained the meaning of ve-niddachta (but shall be drawn away).²⁴

footnotes: ²⁴ See I.E. on Deut. 4:19.

THAT YE SHALL SURELY PERISH. This explains death and evil (v. 15), for they and their children and their wealth shall perish.

YE SHALL NOT PROLONG YOUR DAYS. The reverse of the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land (v. 16).

HEAVEN AND EARTH. For they endure.²⁵ Similarly with regard to this stone shall be a witness against us (Josh. 24:27) and Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord’s controversy (Micah 6:2).

footnotes: ²⁵ From generation to generation.

LIFE AND DEATH. The reference is to the blessing and the curse.²⁶ is not an addition to what precedes it but is synonymous with it. Observe, it is incumbent upon you to choose life.²⁷.

footnotes: ²⁶ The blessing and the curse ²⁷ I.E.’s interpretation of therefore choose life

THAT THOU MAYEST LIVE. Physically or in memory. Scripture explains that life is to love.²⁸

footnotes: ²⁸ The object of life is to love God.

FOR THAT IS THY LIFE.²⁹. According to the commentaries this refers to the voice of God. I believe that the reference is to God,³⁰, which reads, for he is your life. Hence this interpretation. as the poet says,³¹ the Lord is my salvation;³². The God of my mercy (Ps. 59:11); My shield (Ps. 18:3); and my sword.³³.

footnotes: ²⁹ Hebrew, ki hu chayyyekha ³⁰ Literally, ki hu chayyyekha ³¹ We should not be surprised that the Torah refers to God by the term life. For Scripture terms God my sword, my shield, my mercy, my salvation. ³² Compare Ps. 18:47: The God of my salvation ³³ Compare, Deut. 33:29: The Lord is the sword of thy excellency