אלהיהם על ההרים . The expression אלוהיהם על ההרים in 12,2 presents a difficulty. Why did the Torah see fit to add the words על ההרים, "on the mountains?" You will understand when you read this verse in conjunction with with the verse about Mount Gerizim. It reminds us of a statement by our sages in Chulin 6a that the Samaritans, כותים, (a people introduced into Samaria by the Assyrians after the ten tribes had been exiled), eventually became total Gentiles and fashioned themselves the image of a pigeon to which they prayed. When this happened it became clear that all the Torah commandments which these people had previously undertaken to perform had been motivated only by their desire to insure themselves against attacks by ferocious beasts which roamed the area. When מצוה performance is based on such considerations it will not lead to the desired objective of sanctification of body and spirit. The kind of "fear" G–d asks of us is something internal, not external i.e. connected to external considerations.

ואכלתם שם לפני ה' אלוקיכם, … ושמחתם לפני ה' אלוקיכם . According to the Zohar, these verses (12,7 and 12,12) describe different epochs. As long as the Temple was standing one could be in the Presence of G–d, consume the sacrifices in Jerusalem, and rejoice while doing so. How can a person sit down and eat and enjoy same in the knowledge that there is no Temple and that no sacrifices can be offered and that we are not allowed into G–d's Presence? The second verse comes to console us that G–d will join us when we sit down for our meals and recite the appropriate benedictions. He will encourage us to speak words of Torah during the meal.

By doing so one fulfills the directive of verse 7: "to eat in the Presence of G–d." In view of the fact that one eats in the Presence of the שכינה, one has to share one's meal with the poor, and not give them anything inferior to what the host eats himself. One must observe table manners, not gulp down one's food as did Esau when he sold Jacob his birthright (Genesis 25,30). We have a tradition that a wicked person will always feel that his belly lacks something, is hungry (Proverbs 13,25). When the Torah writes לפני ה' אלוקיך, this is always to emphasize that we must feel in the presence of positive rather than negative forces, חצוניות. While consuming one's meal one must not engage in futile pursuits but concentrate on the immediate requirements of the meal and on words of Torah.

In this way joy will become part of our meal which we must signify by drinking wine and reciting the appropriate benediction to display our joyous frame of mind. We must not project sadness. If we follow these guidelines we may be sure that the שכינה is above our heads. The Rabbis enumerate ten rules to observe in connection with the cup of wine we fill before saying grace (Berachot 51a). According to Rabbi Yochanan only four of these rules are actually practiced nowadays. The four are: הדחה, שטיפה, חי, מלא. The cup has to be washed on the inside, on the outside, the wine has to be potent prior to being diluted with water, and the cup has to be full. The first letters of the four requirements form the acronym שמחה, joy.

איש כמתנת ידו כברכת ה' אלוקיך אשר נתן לך . The two letters כ in front of the words כמתנת, כברכת, are a reminder that when we give a gift we should never feel that what we are giving away was ours in the first place, and that we therefore are truly generous. Whatever is at our disposal was given to us by G–d. David expressed this idea already very forcefully when he said (Chronicles I 29,14): כי ממך הכל ומידך נתנו לך, “For everything is from You, and it is Your gift that we have given to You.” The Torah alludes to this by not writing מתנת ידך, but כמתנת ידך instead.

When the Torah goes on כברכת ה' אלוקיך this is a warning that we should not think that G–d's "blessing" is something He grants without any input from us. G–d does not "give" a blessing. When man on earth performs "blessed" deeds, he activates the blessing which lies in wait in Heaven. The blessing that man appears to have received from G–d is actually something that is the direct result of his own activities. When the Torah directs (15,8): פתח תפתח את ידך, "Keep opening your hand, etc.," the message is that G–d will open His heavenly treasure chamber in direct relation to the number of times we have opened our hands to the poor down here on earth. Keeping such considerations in mind we will surely fulfil the commandment to be charitable in the proper spirit.