Kommentar zu Dewarim 4:34

הנסה אלהים which means, HAS ANY GOD DONE MIRACLES (לבוא לקחת לו גוי וגו׳ ,(נס TO GO AND TAKE HIM A NATION [FROM THE MIDST OF A NATION] etc. — All these letters ה are interrogative prefixes, and therefore they are vowelled with Chataph Patach: הֲנהיה, הֲנשמע, הֲשמע, הֲנסה.

או הנסה אלוקים, even though G’d from time to time may have seen to it that certain people among the gentiles escaped what seemed like imminent disaster, such instances were limited to a few select individuals;

או הנסה אלו-הים לבא לקחת לו גוי מקרב גוי במסות, Or, did G’d ever attempt to remove one nation from the midst of a nation with displays of power, etc.” the word מסות is the same as נסיונות, “display of power,” such as when Moses offered Pharaoh that he could determine when he wanted the plague of frogs to disappear (Exodus 8,5). באותות, “with miracles,” i.e. certain signs on Moses’ staff. ובמופתים, “and with wonders.” This is a reference to the Ten Plagues. ובמלחמה, and with war, i.e. G’d fighting the Egyptian army at the Sea of Reeds. We read there that Pharaoh said: “for the Lord is fighting against Egypt” (Exodus 14,25). וביד חזקה, “and with a strong hand.” This is a reference to the Israelites leaving Egypt ביד רמה, with their hands held high.” ובזרוע נטויה, “and with an outstretched arm.” This is a reference to the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire in which G’d manifested Himself during the Exodus. ובמוראים גדולים, “and with awesome deeds.” This is a reference to the splitting of the Sea and the drowning of the Egyptians in it. במצרים לעיניך, “in Egypt before your eyes.” The word לעיניך is a figure of speech which occurs frequently after the Torah had first spoken in the plural and then suddenly reverts to the singular, i.e. the eyes of an individual instead of the eyes of the people collectively. A well known example of such a construction is found in Leviticus 19,9 where the Torah writes ובקצרכם את קציר ארצכם לא תכלה, “when you (collectively) will harvest the grain harvest of your lands, you (individual) must not completely cut, etc.”
It is possible that Torah here wanted that our verse commenced with the letter א and concludes with the letter כ, seeing that the combined numerical value of the these letters is the same as the name of G’d אהיה, i.e. 21. It was this name with which Moses’ mission to the Jewish people commenced (Exodus 3,14) a form of the attribute of Justice contained within the attribute of Mercy. Seeing that the whole purpose of the Exodus was the acceptance by the Jewish people of the Torah at Mount Sinai, it is fitting that Moses continues after mentioning the degree to which G’d extended Himself to orchestrate the Exodus, אתה הראת לדעת, “you have been given visual knowledge that the Lord is the G’d, etc.,” a reference to the unforgettable experiences at Mount Sinai. In verse 36, מן השמים וגו’, you find all the letters of the aleph bet, just as in the Ten Commandments you also find all the letters of the aleph bet. The Ten Commandments also commence with the letter א and conclude with the letter כ, just as does our verse here.

ובמלחמה, and in war; Moses considers the crossing by the Jewish people of the sea of reeds the end of a “war” as he had referred to G–d as conducting war in the song of thanksgiving he composed after that event, as well as in the critical hours preceding it. Compare Exodus 14,14: ה' ילחם לחם, “the Lord will fight on your behalf.”

?או הנסה, “or did He ever test or examine?” This is all part of the questions you must ask yourselves

במסות BY TRIALS — through trials imposed upon Him He showed them His mighty deeds, as e.g., (Exodus 8:5) “Boast yourself over Me”, whether I am able to do so: here you have a trial (putting God to the proof).

במסות באותות, all of which proved that your good fortune was not due to some coincidence but had been planned by G’d.

לקחת לו גוי מקרב גוי, “to take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, etc.;” after all, you were Egyptians just like all the other Egyptians. We have proof of this from Ezekiel 20,7: ואומר אליהם איש גלולי עיניו השליכו, “I also said to them: cast away everyone of you all the detestable things that you are drawn to.”

באתת i.e. BY SIGNS to confirm that he is the messenger of the Omnipresent, as e.g., (Exodus 4:2) “What is that in your hand?"

ובזרוע נטויה, ready to inflict further chastisements to demonstrate that that if the afflicted person did not respond with penitence You would continue to discipline him.

ובמלחמה, “and by war;” for the Lord fought on their behalf against Egypt. (Exodus 14,25)

ובמפתים these are WONDERS: — that He brought upon them (the Egyptians) wondrous plagues.

ובמוראים, “all very visibly.” [The author, basing himself on the Targum traces the word to ראה, “to see.” Ed.]

ובמלחמה AND BY WAR, at the Red Sea, as it is said, (Exodus 14:25) “For the Lord fought for them".