YE SHALL NOT ADD [UNTO THE WORD WHICH I COMMAND YOU] — “such as placing five sections [of the Torah] in the phylacteries, five species in a lulav,²² are: the palm-branch, the ethrog, the myrtle and the willows. — For phylacteries See Vol. II, p. 168, Note 406. five fringes [in a garment].²³ The same principle applies to the prohibition, neither shall ye diminish from it” [by placing three sections of the Torah in the phylacteries etc.]. This is Rashi’s language. And thus the Rabbis said in the Sifre:²⁴ 82. “Whence do we know that you are not to add to [the four species in the commandment of] the lulav,²² are: the palm-branch, the ethrog, the myrtle and the willows. — For phylacteries See Vol. II, p. 168, Note 406. nor to the [four] fringes?²³ Scripture therefore says, Ye shall not add. And whence do we know that you are not to diminish from them? Because Scripture states, neither shall ye diminish. Whence do we know that if [a priest] began to recite the Priestly Blessing²⁵ he is not to say: ‘Since I began to bless [the people], I will [further] say, The Eternal, the G-d of your fathers, make you a thousand times so many more as ye are?’²⁶ Because Scripture states, [Ye shall not add] unto the ‘word’ — even ‘a word’ you are not to add to it.” However, not only concerning these [commandments] have the Rabbis said [that the prohibitions neither to add nor to diminish, apply], but also in the case of someone who sleeps in a Booth on the eighth Day [of the Festival of Tabernacles]²⁷. Thus the Torah specifically states that the commandment to dwell in Booths applies to seven days only, and not to the eighth Day, which is a separate festival (Shemini Atzereth). Sleeping is part of the commandment “to dwell” in a Booth. [However, because of the general rule that he who feels uncomfortable is exempt from sitting in a Booth, sleeping there, in the colder climates in which we live, is practiced only by those who are very strict in religious observance (Orach Chayim 639:2, R’ma).] with the intent [of performing a religious duty] that he is liable to whipping [for having added to the commandment], as is mentioned in Tractate Rosh Hashanah.²⁸ So also if he were to observe the Festival of Tabernacles for only six days, he would be transgressing this negative commandment [neither shall ye diminish from it]. In my opinion, even if someone devised an independent commandment [rather than altering an existing one] such as establishing a festival in a month which he had devised of his own accord,²⁹ as Jeroboam did,²⁹ he transgresses the negative commandment [Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you]. And so did the Rabbis say with reference to the reading of the Scroll of Esther [on Purim]:³⁰ “One hundred and eighty prophets³¹ arose in Israel and they did not diminish from nor add even one letter to what was written in the Torah, except for reading the Scroll of Esther [which was instituted by the prophets]. What basis did they have for that? etc.”³² (reasoning from minor to major): If [when Israel was delivered] from slavery to freedom they sang [in praise of G-d], how much more ought they to do so when they were saved from death [that was decreed upon Israel through the plot of Haman] to life!” (Megillah 14 b). The reading of the Scroll of Esther constitutes the praise to G-d for our deliverance (ibid.). And in the Yerushalmi it is stated:³³ “Eighty-five elders, among them many prophets, were troubled about the matter [of the new duty to read the Scroll of Esther]. They said, ‘It is written, These are the commandments which the Eternal commanded Moses.³⁴ These are the commandments that [we] were ordered by the mouth of Moses, and Moses told us that no other prophet is destined to establish anything new for you — and Mordecai and Esther want to establish something new for us!’ They did not move from there while discussing the matter, until the Holy One, blessed be He, enlightened their eyes [and they found the new commandment intimated in the Torah, Prophets, and Writings].” Thus you see that [the institution of] this commandment [of reading the Scroll of Esther on Purim] would have been forbidden to them [were it not for the fact that ultimately they found it intimated in the Torah, etc.]; otherwise it would have been included in the principle, thou shalt not add thereto.³⁵ (613) Commandments, or of abolishing altogether one of the Divine precepts. In speaking, therefore, of the prophetic precept of reading the Scroll of Esther on Purim, Ramban thus rightly cites the verse from further on (13:1), for were it not that the prophets and Sages of that time found it intimated in the Torah, the prohibition against instituting such a new commandment would have come under the admonition, thou shalt not add thereto. However, the prohibition against adding [to the Torah] by word of a prophet we derive only from the verse stating, These are the commandments,³⁴ which establishes,³⁶. “From now on, no prophet is permitted to originate anything [in the Torah].” Whatever [laws] the Sages have established in the nature of “a fence [around the Torah],” such as the secondary degrees of forbidden marriages³⁷ — that activity of [establishing fences] is itself a requirement of the Torah, provided only that one realizes that these [laws] are a result of a particular fence and that they are not [expressly] from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the Torah.³⁸ (and ye shall keep My charge — Leviticus 18:30), tradition interpreting this to mean: “Make a mishmereth (a protection, a fence as a safeguard) l’mishmarti (for My commandment)” (Yebamoth 21 b).

footnotes: ²² The four species in the commandment of the lulav ²³ Further 22:12. ²⁴ Sifre, R’eih ²² The four species in the commandment of the lulav ²³ Further 22:12. ²⁵ Numbers 6:24-26. ²⁶ Above, 1:11. ²⁷ Leviticus 23:42: Ye shall dwell in Booths ‘seven’ days ²⁸ Rosh Hashanah 28 b. ²⁹ I Kings 12:33. ²⁹ I Kings 12:33. ³⁰ Megillah 14 a. ³¹ In our text of the Talmud: “Forty-eight prophets.” See my Hebrew commentary, page 360. ³² “Rabbi Chiya bar Abbin in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha said: It is a matter of kal vachomer ³³ Yerushalmi Megillah I, 7. On the term “Yerushalmi” see Vol. III, p. 192, Note 44. ³⁴ Leviticus 27:34. ³⁵ Further, 13:1. — It should be noted that at this point Ramban cites the later verse (13:1) instead of the verse here. The reason would seem to be that the verse here relates to adding to, or diminishing from, a Divine commandment, such as placing five sections of the Torah, or only three, in the phylacteries instead of the four sections ordained. The verse of 13:1, however, refers to adding a completely new commandment to the number of Taryag ³⁴ Leviticus 27:34. ³⁶ Torath Kohanim, at end of Bechukothai ³⁷ Yebamoth 21a-b. ³⁸ In other words, the duty devolving upon the Sages to establish “fences” [i.e., safeguards against trespassing the law of the Torah] is specifically stated in the Torah, but the precise terms of these “fences” are not written. — The duty of establishing such preventive Rabbinical laws is based on the verse, ushmartem eth mishmarti

YOUR EYES HAVE SEEN. Now Moses comes to forewarn on the details of the commandments, and he begins with [the prohibition against] idolatry which is the root of all [the commandments].

BEHOLD, I HAVE TAUGHT YOU. The meaning thereof is: “Behold, I teach you today,” just as he said, which I command you this day,³⁹ and which I set before you this day.⁴⁰ Or the meaning of the expression I have taught you may be that since he mentioned that ye should do so in the midst of the Land whither ye go in to possess it⁴¹ he is then saying: “Behold, at the time when you come into the Land, that I had already taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the Eternal my G-d commanded me.”⁴¹ Now Moses spoke first of a matter which is basic to all positive and negative commandments [namely, idolatry, which as mentioned above, is “the root of all” the commandments],⁴² etc. and now he admonished them concerning “the statutes,” which are His decrees, and “the ordinances,” which are the laws, for these need greater reinforcement because the reason for the statutes is hidden from us and also because it is by mishpat (justice) — [ordinances] — that they will establish the Land.⁴³ And then he states that ye should do so in the midst of the Land⁴¹ in order to admonish concerning all [commandments], for there are many statutes and ordinances which do not apply outside of the Land; or perhaps it suggests that the primary duty [of the fulfillment] of the commandments is in the Land, as I have hinted concerning the secret of [the sanctity of] the Land.⁴⁴ He states further that in the statutes and ordinances there are great benefits that bring honor from men to those who observe them. Even their enemies will praise them for [observing the commandments].⁴⁵ Moreover, a great, incomparable benefit is that G-d would be near to them whensoever they call upon Him.⁴⁶ The nations also will contemplate this and know that the statutes were ordained in wisdom and understanding so as to bring the people near to G-d, and they will fear them [i.e., the Israelites], this being the purport of what he said, For what great nation is there that hath G-d so nigh unto them?⁴⁶ Additionally, the statutes and ordinances are righteous in themselves,⁴⁷ fair and good for the welfare of society and countries.

footnotes: ³⁹ Further 11:13. ⁴⁰ Thus, although Verse 8 here uses the past tense, it should be interpreted as if it used the present tense. ⁴¹ In Verse 5 before us. ⁴¹ In Verse 5 before us. ⁴² So explained in the Tur. The reference is to Moses’ words, above in Verse 3: Your eyes have seen what the Eternal did because of Baal-peor ⁴³ See Proverbs 29:4. ⁴¹ In Verse 5 before us. ⁴⁴ See Leviticus 18:25; also further, 11:18. ⁴⁵ See Verse 6. ⁴⁶ Verse 7. ⁴⁶ Verse 7. ⁴⁷ See Verse 8.

ONLY TAKE HEED TO THYSELF etc. LEST THOU FORGET THE THINGS. “[Only] then when you will not forget them and fulfill them in their true form, will you be accounted wise and understanding men; but if you pervert them due to forgetfulness you will be regarded as fools.” This is Rashi’s language. But it is completely incorrect.⁴⁸ (take heed), it should be interpreted as a prohibition as will be explained. According to Rashi, however, it is not a prohibition, but a mere negation: if they do not observe the commandments, they will not be considered wise and understanding men. Rather, this verse, in my opinion, is a negative commandment in which he admonishes [us] severely [as follows]: For, as he stated that we should be careful concerning all the commandments and be heedful to perform the statutes and the ordinances, he again stated: “Only I warn you exceedingly to take heed and guard yourselves very, very much to remember whence the commandments came to you, that you should not forget the Revelation on Mount Sinai,⁴⁹ nor all the things which your eyes saw there — the thunderings, and the lightnings,⁵⁰ His glory and His greatness⁵¹ and His words that you have heard there out of the midst of the fire.⁵¹ And you should convey all the things which your eyes saw at that glorious Revelation unto thy children and thy children’s children⁵² forever.” He explained the reason [for this prohibition]: G-d made that Revelation so that you might learn to fear Him all the days and teach your children⁵³ during all generations. Therefore, do so [remember the Revelation and convey it to your offspring] and do not forget it. Thus before mentioning the commandments which were proclaimed there [on Mount Sinai] he admonished with a negative commandment that we are not to forget a thing from the Revelation [of the Eternal at Mount Sinai], and we are never to remove it from our hearts. He further charged in the form of a positive commandment that we should inform all our children from generation to generation of everything that happened there — what we saw and what we heard.⁵⁴, Vol. I, pp. 263-265). To resolve this difficulty we must say that Ramban includes the positive duty in the general commandment of teaching our children the words of the Torah (further 6:7; “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 16-18), which of course includes the narrative of the Revelation. The benefit of this commandment is very great. For if the words of the Torah had come to us only through the mouth of Moses, even though his prophecy was verified with signs and wonders, yet if there [were to] arise in the midst of us a prophet or a dreamer of dreams⁵⁵ and he were to command us [to do] the opposite of what the Torah commanded us, and he [were to] give us a sign or wonder,⁵⁵ then a doubt would enter the people’s hearts. But since the Torah reaches us from the mouth of the Almighty to our ears, and our eyes behold that there is no intermediary, we will reject anyone who differs and who casts doubt [upon the words of the Torah] and will declare him to be false. No sign will help him, nor will any wonder save him from death at our hands for we know his falsehood. It is this which He stated there [before the Revelation], and they may also believe in thee [Moses] forever,⁵⁶ for when we shall also transmit the matter [of the Revelation] to our children they will know that the thing was true without doubt as if all the generations had seen it, for we would not testify falsely to our children to cause them to inherit vanity and things wherein there is no profit,⁵⁷ and they will not doubt at all the testimony we will give them. Instead they will believe for a certainty that all of us saw it with our eyes, and likewise [they will believe] all that we told them. This subject will come up again in the section, If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams etc.⁵⁵ I have already mentioned it there in the section of In the third month.⁵⁸

footnotes: ⁴⁸ Ramban’s point seems to be that since the verse uses the expression, hishamer ⁴⁹ See Vol. II, p. 251, Note 17. ⁵⁰ Exodus 20:15. ⁵¹ Further, 5:21. ⁵¹ Further, 5:21. ⁵² Verse 9 before us. ⁵³ See Verse 10. ⁵⁴ Here in the commentary Ramban clearly holds that our duty to remember the Revelation on Sinai is comprised of two parts: 1) the prohibition against ever forgetting it, and 2) the positive duty of informing our children of the event. However, in his notes to Rambam’s Sefer Hamitzvoth (Book of the Commandments), Ramban lists as one of his supplementary commandments the prohibition against ever forgetting the Revelation (see also “The Commandments,” Vol. II, p. 335, Commandment 2), but he does not mention the positive commandment to inform our children thereof (see ibid. ⁵⁵ Further 13:2. ⁵⁵ Further 13:2. ⁵⁶ Exodus 19:9. See Vol. II, pp. 277-278. ⁵⁷ Jeremiah 16:19. ⁵⁵ Further 13:2. ⁵⁸ Exodus 19:1. See Vol. II, p. 278.

AND THE ETERNAL SPOKE UNTO YOU OUT OF THE MIDST OF THE FIRE. I have already explained the matter in its place⁵⁹, 19:20, and 20:15. See Vol. II, pp. 282-284, and p. 325. that the people heard the speaking of the Great Name, blessed be He, out of the midst of the fire, as they saw His great fire⁶⁰ and they perceived it. With this [Revelation] His covenant was declared to them in the ten words [i.e., the Ten Commandments],⁶¹ (i.e., the Ten Commandments). for in all of them they heard the Voice out of the midst of the fire. And the rest of the commandments He commanded me at that time to teach you,⁶² because I was already established to be a prophet of the Eternal⁶³ by what you saw, just as He said, and they may also believe in thee forever,⁵⁶ as I have explained.

footnotes: ⁵⁹ Ibid. ⁶⁰ Further, Verse 36. ⁶¹ Verse 13: And He declared unto you His covenant … even the ‘ten words’ ⁶² Verse 14. See also Vol. II, p. 305. ⁶³ I Samuel 3:20. ⁵⁶ Exodus 19:9. See Vol. II, pp. 277-278.

TAKE YE THEREFORE GOOD HEED UNTO YOURSELVES. He warns them lest they mistakenly follow the voice they heard and they commit the corruption of “mutilating the shoots.”⁶⁴ He states first the likeness of male or female,⁶⁵ [lest they corrupt themselves by making a graven image in the likeness of male or female] of the Being⁶⁶ from Whom the voice came. Afterwards he mentioned all that is on the earth of beast and of fowl,⁶⁷ of those that creep on the ground, and of the fish that are in the water,⁶⁸ and then he reverts to the host of heaven.⁶⁹ Now I have already explained⁷⁰ the expression, which the Eternal thy G-d hath allotted unto all peoples,⁶⁹ for every nation has a star and constellation, and, above them⁷¹ the angels of the Supreme One, like those mentioned in the Book of Daniel, the prince of the kingdom of Persia,⁷² and the prince of the kingdom of Greece⁷³, Verse 20. — this being the reason why they [the nations] make of them gods for themselves and worship them. Scripture continues, And you the Eternal hath taken,⁷⁴ for you are the portion of the Eternal.⁷⁵ You are thus not to appoint a prince or helper over yourselves except for Him, for it is He Who brought you forth out of the iron furnace⁷⁴ when you were in Egypt in the midst of a furnace of fire and wood [i.e., a furnace of affliction] and He took you out from there in spite of their princes against whom He executed judgments.⁷⁶ Had He not brought about their downfall you would not have gone out, for they were [so much] in their ascendancy that you would not be able to leave. Thus He has done all this in order that you be “an inheritance” to Him⁷⁷. and be to His Great Name a treasure from among all peoples.⁷⁸

footnotes: ⁶⁴ This consists of separating any of the Ten Emanations and worshipping it independently. See Vol. II p. 556, Note 308. ⁶⁵ Verse 16. ⁶⁶ See my Hebrew commentary p. 362. ⁶⁷ See Verse 17. ⁶⁸ See Verse 18. ⁶⁹ Verse 19. ⁷⁰ In Leviticus 18:25; Numbers 11:16. ⁶⁹ Verse 19. ⁷¹ Ecclesiastes 5:7. ⁷² Daniel 10:13. ⁷³ Ibid. ⁷⁴ Verse 20 here. ⁷⁵ Deuteronomy 32:9. ⁷⁴ Verse 20 here. ⁷⁶ Exodus 12:12. See Ramban there, Vol. II, pp. 129-131. ⁷⁷ Deuteronomy 32:9: Jacob is the lot of His inheritance ⁷⁸ See Exodus 19:5.

AND THE ETERNAL WAS ANGERED WITH ME FOR YOUR SAKES, AND SWORE THAT I SHOULD NOT GO OVER THE JORDAN. He repeated it in this place [despite having already mentioned it above, 1:37] as if to say: “The Eternal commanded me at that time to teach you⁷⁹ the commandments *that ye might do them in the Land whither ye go over to possess it;*⁷⁹ now accept instruction from my mouth, for I must die in this land, (I must not go over the Jordan),⁸⁰ and I will not be able to teach you in the Land [of Israel] and so do not forget there what I have taught you [here], nor what you have seen at Sinai.” By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], Moses is stating: Take good heed of yourselves lest you corrupt yourselves, for the Eternal was angered with me in His concern over this matter⁸¹ lest ye forget the covenant of the Eternal your G-d⁸² in the devouring fire on the top of the Mount,⁸³ and you will make the likeness of any thing,⁸² this being the sense of the expression, which the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee.⁸⁴ This has already been alluded to in the section Chukath Hatorah.⁸⁵ And Rashi wrote: “Which the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee — which He commanded thee not to do.” This is the simple meaning of Scripture. But one learned in the mystic teachings of the Cabala will understand these verses in the light of their true meaning. And the sense of the verse For the Eternal thy G-d is a devouring fire⁸⁶ is “as you have seen on the top of the Mount, ”⁸³ the intent being that it is the attribute of justice that is jealous of idols [and as the verse concludes, a jealous G-d].⁸⁶ From this verse⁸⁶ you will understand the expression the Eternal thy G-d that is always mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy.

footnotes: ⁷⁹ Verse 14. ⁷⁹ Verse 14. ⁸⁰ Verse 22. ⁸¹ Aside from the mystical allusions here implied, Ramban’s words can also be interpreted as follows: In addition to the several categories of graven images against which Moses warned the people, there was yet one more fear. They might deify Moses himself, since he was their leader and lawgiver. It was therefore necessary that he die in the wilderness lest the people consider him immortal and worship him as a deity (T’cheileth Mordechai; see my Hebrew commentary, p. 363). ⁸² Verse 23. ⁸³ Exodus 24:17. ⁸² Verse 23. ⁸⁴ Verse 23. Thus we were warned against making the likeness of any thing as commanded us from the mouth of the Eternal (T’cheileth Mordechai). ⁸⁵ Numbers 20:1 — Vol. IV, p. 217: “The Truth etc.” ⁸⁶ Verse 24. ⁸³ Exodus 24:17. ⁸⁶ Verse 24. ⁸⁶ Verse 24.

KI’ (WHEN) THOU SHALT BEGET CHILDREN, AND CHILDREN’S CHILDREN, AND YE SHALL HAVE BEEN LONG ESTABLISHED IN THE LAND. The purport of this verse is that it mentions and affirms that “when ye shall beget children and children’s children, and because you will have been long established in the Land and dwelled in security, you may perhaps forget G-d — I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day⁸⁷], but instead they constitute one statement, as follows: “Should a longer period of security in the Land create a tendency among the people to idolatry, heaven and earth will witness Israel’s loss of the Land.” that ye shall speedily perish, for He will not be long-suffering with you seeing that you worshipped idols.” Now this section, although constituting a warning, opened [with the word ki — “when” and] not with the expression im — “if” [which would be here more appropriate, since it speaks of a hypothetical condition of future time]. The reason is that he [Moses] was virtually prophesying about their affairs, and therefore he spoke in an equivocal manner — using an expression which in addition to being a warning [to avoid the sin of idolatry] also contains a prediction of things to come [when the warning will not be heeded]. He was thus saying that if they do so the following will happen to them, but he does not decree that they will do it. Therefore our Rabbis have said⁸⁸ that in the numerical-value of [the letters in the Hebrew word] v’noshantem (and ye shall have been long established)⁸⁹ is equivalent to 852 [vav = 6; nun = 50; vav = 6; shin = 300; nun = 50; tav = 400; mem = 40; — totalling 852]. Thus at the end of 852 years from the time that Israel came into the Land the exile was to occur. G-d, however, brought this about two years earlier in order that the prophecy — they shall “utterly perish” — at the end of that period should not come to pass. By bringing about the exile two years before the terminus of 852 years, G-d voided the prediction of total retribution. — It is of interest to note that in his Sefer Hage’ulah (Book of Redemption) Ramban similarly writes of the future redemption that, after it will have occurred, the allusion to that date will be found in this section of the Torah (Kithvei Haramban, Vol. I, p. 263). he alluded to the time of the exile following the destruction of the First Sanctuary. It was thus a tradition [among the prophets and Sages of the generations] that this section of the Torah contains an allusion to the time of the exile, and, when it actually came to pass, they understood the allusion by contemplating this section [and interpreting the hidden message of the prophecy in light of the historical event].

footnotes: ⁸⁷ Verse 26. Ramban’s point is thus that we are not to understand Verses 25 and 26 as expressing two independent thoughts [When thou shalt beget children … I call heaven and earth … ⁸⁸ Gittin 88 a. ⁸⁹ The numerical-value of the Hebrew letters in the word v’noshantem

He states and ye make a graven image, ‘t’munath kol’ (even the form of any thing),⁹⁰ but does not say “and you will worship it or bow down to it.” Instead he says, and ye shall corrupt yourselves, for “the graven image” spoken of here is the form of Kol (All)⁹¹ and on account of “corruption”⁹² He prohibited it, as I have explained above.⁹³

footnotes: ⁹⁰ In Verse 25 before us. ⁹¹ See in Vol. I, pp. 291-293. ⁹² I.e., of “mutilating the shoots” of faith (Ma’or V’shamesh). See above Note 64. ⁹³ Above, Verse 15 and 21.

AND YE SHALL BE LEFT FEW IN NUMBER. He is stating that we will be left as a minority among any of the nations whereto G-d will lead us, for He will scatter us as the four winds of the heaven,⁹⁴ but in our totality we are many [i.e., Israel will remain a large nation, but because of our dispersion we are in a minority in each of the many countries] — praise be to G-d [that in our totality we are many]!

footnotes: ⁹⁴ Zechariah 2:10.

AND THERE YE SHALL SERVE GODS. “When you serve their worshippers it is as though you serve them [the idols].” This is the language of Rashi. Now I have already explained the secret thereof that he who dwells outside of the Land is as if he worshipped the idols,⁹⁵ and the expression, [and there ye shall serve gods] the work of men’s hands indicates that the service begins with those on high and descends to the idols below,⁹⁶ as I have mentioned in the section Acharei Moth.⁹⁷

footnotes: ⁹⁵ Kethuboth 110 b. ⁹⁶ I.e., there they will be not only under the sway of the heavenly powers assigned by G-d to guide the destinies of the various nations from on high, but they will deteriorate until they worship idols, the work of men’s hands, below. ⁹⁷ Leviticus 18:25.

NOR DO THEY EAT, NOR SMELL. The purport thereof is to state that they [the idols] remain inanimate stones⁹⁸ as they were to begin with, having no spirit of life at all, not even mortal life, as does man. For at first he said, which neither see, nor hear, meaning that they are not G-d and see not the suffering of their servants, nor hear their prayers, nor save them from their troubles.⁹⁹ And then he went back and said that they do not even have the inferior [mortal] life of man. Thus the one who makes them is more honored than they. Or perhaps the sense of the verse is in relation to the honor of the Supreme One, the verse thus stating: “which neither see the suffering of their worshippers, nor hear their prayers, nor eat, since no fire ever comes out from before them and consumes their offerings,¹⁰⁰ nor smell their [offerings’] sweet odors.”¹⁰¹ Now Scripture adopted the general usage of language, but in fact the idols have none of these senses.

footnotes: ⁹⁸ Habakkuk 2:19. ⁹⁹ See Isaiah 46:7. ¹⁰⁰ A reference to Leviticus 9:24. The fire from heaven, which descended upon the offerings placed on the altar, indicated that G-d’s Presence was in their midst (see also I Kings 18:38). Such a miracle never occurred among idol-worshippers. ¹⁰¹ See Leviticus 26:31.

AND THOU WILT RETURN TO THE ETERNAL THY G-D, AND HEARKEN UNTO HIS VOICE. This, too,¹⁰² is an allusion to the redemption from [the exile in] Babylon, that they will repent to G-d and confess [their sins] before Him and hearken to the voice of the prophets that He will appoint for them. Therefore, he promised them that He would not destroy them, nor forget the covenant of their fathers, as He said, And I will remember My covenant with Jacob etc.¹⁰³ And at the end of this book he will allude to the future redemption¹⁰⁴ as I have explained,¹⁰⁵ and I will yet mention it with the help of G-d.¹⁰⁴

footnotes: ¹⁰² See above, Verse 25 towards end. ¹⁰³ Leviticus 26:42. ¹⁰⁴ See Ramban further, 32:40. Also 28:42, at end. ¹⁰⁵ Leviticus 26:15. ¹⁰⁴ See Ramban further, 32:40. Also 28:42, at end.

FOR ASK NOW OF THE DAYS PAST. He states “G-d will not forgive you, nor will He be long-suffering with you for idolatry and corruption with graven images and all forms of likenesses, for He has done with you what He has never done with any nation. He has made you hear the voice of G-d speaking out of the midst of the fire¹⁰⁶ so that His fear may be before you¹⁰⁷ and that you declare His Unity and not corrupt yourselves. He has taken you to Him a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs and by wonders¹⁰⁸ so that you should not worship anything beside Him. Thus you have been shown all this with your eyes that thou mightest know that the Eternal, He is G-d,¹⁰⁹ that He is One, and His Name One,¹¹⁰ and there is none else beside Him.¹⁰⁹ For out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice¹¹¹ to teach you *the discipline of wisdom;*¹¹² and upon the earth He made thee to see His great fire¹¹¹ burning unto the heart of heaven,¹¹³ and all His words thou didst hear out of the midst of the fire.¹¹¹ And He brought thee out ‘b’phanav’ (with His presence),¹¹⁴ similar to ‘al panav’ (before His presence), with His great power which is in His presence. And since the Great Name is G-d in heaven above and upon the earth beneath, and there is none else¹¹⁵ you shall keep His commandments and His statutes so that it may be well with thee¹¹⁶ in heaven above, and that thou mayest prolong thy days¹¹⁶ upon the earth beneath.”

footnotes: ¹⁰⁶ Verse 33. ¹⁰⁷ Exodus 20:17. ¹⁰⁸ Verse 34. ¹⁰⁹ Verse 35. ¹¹⁰ Zechariah 14:9. ¹⁰⁹ Verse 35. ¹¹¹ Verse 36. ¹¹² Proverbs 1:3. ¹¹¹ Verse 36. ¹¹³ Above, Verse 11. ¹¹¹ Verse 36. ¹¹⁴ Verse 37. ¹¹⁵ Verse 39. ¹¹⁶ Verse 40. ¹¹⁶ Verse 40.

THEN MOSES SEPARATED THREE CITIES. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained it to mean: “on the day that Moses separated three cities [to function as cities of refuge], he then said the words of the covenant [as stated in the following section].” But it is not correct. Rather, it is to be understood in its simple sense. Moses had gathered all Israel to explain to them the Torah and he began with words of reproof; after he uttered in their presence his words of reproof concerning what they had done, the admonishments about idolatry and the Unity of G-d, and completed [his statement] to them with the charge that they observe His statutes and His commandments so that it may be well with them — then he said in their presence before them: “Now we shall fulfill the commandment that G-d has commanded us, and Bezer in the wilderness, Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan in Bashan will be cities of refuge that every manslayer that kills any person through error may flee thither.”¹¹⁷ And although they would not legally provide refuge until [the cities of refuge] in the land of Canaan [on the western side of the Jordan] were set apart, Moses said, “‘If a commandment has come to our hands we shall fulfill it,’¹¹⁸ so that it may be well with us.” Afterwards he called with a great voice to all Israel that were there and said to them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances etc.,¹¹⁹ for now he commenced to speak of the commandments and the explanation of the Torah, as I have explained at the beginning of the section These are the words.¹²⁰

footnotes: ¹¹⁷ See Verses 42-43. ¹¹⁸ Makkoth 10 a. ¹¹⁹ Further, 5:1. ¹²⁰ Above, 1:1.

He mentioned here and they took his [Sihon’s] land in possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan etc. from Aroer etc.¹²¹ the sense of it being that he reverted to what he had stated at the beginning of this book, that the explanation of this Torah was [given] after he had smitten Sihon etc.,¹²² and he further explained here that this expounding of the Torah was also after they took all their lands [of Sihon and Og] in possession, that is, after he divided them among the two and a half tribes [Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Menasheh].

footnotes: ¹²¹ Verses 47-48. ¹²² Above, 1:4.