Comentario sobre Deuteronómio 5:12

שמור OBSERVE [THE SABBATH DAY] — But in the former Ten Commandments (i.e. where they were first promulgated, in Exodus XX.), it states, “Remember [the Sabbath day]"! The explanation is: Both of them (זכור and שמור) were spoken in one utterance and as one word, and were heard in one hearing (i.e. were heard simultaneously) (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:8:1).

לקדשו כאשר צוך, in the manner He had already issued commandments pertaining to Sabbath observance at Marah (Exodus 15,26)

שמור את יום השבת, "Observe the Sabbath day, etc." Rosh Hashanah 27 teaches that the formula שמור את יום השבת (in Exodus 20) and the formula שמור את יום השבת (here) were articulated simultaneously. According to this interpretation we can understand the words כאשר צוך in our verse as a reference to the word זכור in the first report of the Ten Commandments in the Book of Exodus. We find in the Mechilta on the parallel verse in Exodus that the word שמור was enunciated later. [The Mechilta there quotes other examples of laws which were articulated by G'd simultaneously, i.e. by His using two words to describe them, and which also had to be written separately due to our limited ability to reproduce words articulated simultaneously as such. Ed.] We must ask why the Torah did not write the words זכור and שמור sequentially in Exodus instead of waitng till here to write this word. Perhaps the Torah intentionally separated these words in order that we should not think that the latter expression refers to the time during which the זכור aspect of the Sabbath applies. We might have understood the two words to mean: "remember to observe the Sabbath (at a certain time)." By separating the apparance of these two words the Torah conveyed that it spoke about two separate commandments one of which applies at the beginning of the Sabbath, the other at its conclusion. It is even possible that G'd Himself only uttered the word זכור; however, intelligent people realised that this word implied both the meaning associated with the word זכור and the meaning associated with the word שמור.

שמור את יום השבת, I have already explained in Exodus 20 why this time the expression שמור is used instead of the expression זכור which the Torah used there.

כאשר צוך ה' אלוקיך, “as the Lord your G’d has commanded you “ Rashi understands these words to refer to the part of the Sabbath legislation given to the people at Marah, prior to the revelation at Mount Sinai, where they had also been taught about the red heifer and various items of civil law. Here he added:

Were pronounced simultaneously as one word, etc. When it previously states that when, “Remember,” was said, “Preserve,” was also said — for both were miraculously pronounced as one word, etc. And unlike the other commandments, Rashi explains this once again here and does not rely on his explanation above (Shmos 20:8). This is because it is written here, “As [Adonoy, your God,] commanded you,” which is the basis for the teaching that, “Remember,” and, “Preserve,” were pronounced as one word. Therefore Rashi repeated his explanation here, in its proper place.

And now he begins the review of the Torah. He told them the Ten Commandments, not changing and not explaining anything in [the first two commandments]: I am the Eternal etc.,¹³³Verse 6. and Thou shalt have no other gods before Me,¹³⁴Verse 7. for they heard them from the mouth of the Almighty.¹³⁵Makkoth 24a. So, too, [there are no changes or explanations] in the third commandment¹³⁶Verse 11: Thou shalt not take the name of the Eternal thy G-d in vain etc. because he already stated [here, as in the text of the third commandment in Exodus 20:7, Thou shalt not take] the Name of the Eternal thy G-d [etc.], as I have explained in the section Ye shall be holy.¹³⁷Leviticus 19:2. See Ramban there on Verse 12 — Vol. III, p. 287. Then he began to exposit to them, saying ‘Observe’ [the Sabbath-day]¹³⁸Verse 12 here. instead of ‘Remember’ [the Sabbath-day],¹³⁹Exodus 20:8. this being in line with the plain meaning of Scripture [i.e., that ‘Observe’ is the explanation of ‘Remember’]. And in the opinion of our Rabbis¹⁴⁰Shebuoth 20 b. See also Vol. II, pp. 306-310. “[Remember and Observe] both were spoken in one utterance.” He explained this to them [here] because they all know Remember, and he is thus informing them [now] that Observe was said with it. And so it is by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], that they were both spoken in one utterance seeing that the Voice was both in “remembering” and “observing,” for the Torah is an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure,¹⁴¹II Samuel 23:5. and he [i.e., Moses] heard from [the attribute of] Remember while they [i.e., the people, heard] from that of Observe.¹⁴²L’vush Ha’orah in his commentary to Ricanti quoting the language of Ramban. The student [learned in the mystic teachings of the Cabala] will know this from what we have hinted there.¹⁴³See Vol. II, pp. 308-309.
He explained [with reference to the commandment that we are to Observe the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy] as the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee¹³⁸Verse 12 here. — “before the Giving of the Torah, at Marah,¹⁴⁴This is Rashi’s language here in Verse 12. [for there it is said], there He made for them a statute and an ordinance.”¹⁴⁵Exodus 15:25. — This is Rashi’s language here in Verse 16 on the commandment of honoring father and mother. However, from Ramban’s following comments, it is clear that in his text of Rashi this part, too, of the quotation mentioned in the text was stated in Verse 12, in connection with the commandment on the Sabbath. This is the language of Rashi. But if so, the commandment to honor father and mother was also given at Marah [for in the commandment, to honor parents, too, it is stated as the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee],¹⁴⁶Verse 16. but the Rabbi [Rashi] mentioned there [in connection with the verse referring to Marah] only “the Sabbath, the Red Heifer, and the laws of justice” [as having been given at Marah, but not the honoring of parents].¹⁴⁷See Vol. II, pp. 208-209.
It appears to me by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], concerning this matter [of the Ten Commandments] as well as the whole Book of Deuteronomy that Moses was speaking as if from the mouth of the Almighty, as he said, And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the Eternal your G-d, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give rain for your Land in its season.¹⁴⁸Further, 11:13-14. Now Moses is not the one who giveth rain upon the earth,¹⁴⁹Job 5:10. nor the one who gives grass in the fields!¹⁵⁰See further, 11:15. Rather, the communication of the Torah was given with Remember,¹⁵¹This alludes to the fact that the first four books of the Torah were given in the Great Name [i.e., the Tetragrammaton] whereas Deuteronomy was presented as if spoken by the messenger of the Almighty (Abusaula). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 366; also Vol. II, pp. 282-284. and that of Deuteronomy with Observe.¹⁵¹This alludes to the fact that the first four books of the Torah were given in the Great Name [i.e., the Tetragrammaton] whereas Deuteronomy was presented as if spoken by the messenger of the Almighty (Abusaula). See my Hebrew commentary, p. 366; also Vol. II, pp. 282-284. Therefore, Moses everywhere in Deuteronomy mentions the Eternal thy G-d while in [the first four books of] the Torah he mentions only the Proper Name of G-d [i.e., the Tetragrammaton] except in the Ten Commandments as it is said, And G-d spoke etc.¹⁵²Exodus 20:1. Understand this.

Verse 12. —15. Den in das Selbstleben der Vereinzelung und in die der Natur und Gesellschaft Selbständigkeit abringende Tätigkeit Übertretenden war vor allem der Schabbat mit seiner שמירה-Seite, mit seinem vierundzwanzigstündigen Gott huldigenden Bekenntnisopfer der Werkeinstellung nahezulegen, auf dass er den nunmehr eigene יד und eigene זרוע, eigene "Kraft" und eigene "Macht" Fühlenden nicht abhanden komme, vielmehr den יד- und זרוע-Gerüsteten immer aufs neue das freudige Bekenntnis abgewinne, dass jedes Fünkchen Kraft und jeder Splitter Macht und alles, was die Kraft ihr Werk und die Macht ihr Eigentum nennt, Gottes ist, der mitten in dem "kraft- und machtgerüsteten" Ägypterstaat an ihnen, den "kraft- und machtberaubten" "Sklaven", "Seine Kraft und Seine Macht" gezeigt, und mit Seiner Kraft und Macht ihnen das verliehen, was sie nunmehr an Kraft und Macht ihr eigen nennen — und nun von ihnen dieses, Seiner Kraft und Seiner Macht huldigende Bekenntnis mit dem vierundzwanzigstündigen Sabbatopfer der שביתת מלאכה והוצאה der Einstellung werkschaffender Kraft und Sachen handhabender Macht erwartet (siehe Schmot 20, 11 und 35, 2). Darum ist hier auch der ganze Kraft- und Machtbereich der Menschenpersönlichkeit durch ׳ושורך והמורך וכל וגו noch vollständiger gezeichnet (siehe daselbst S. 209 f. und sind andererseits alle Glieder dieses Machtbereichs durch das Waw kopulativum — עב nicht עבדך — in völliger Gleichheit mit der sie alle tragenden und am Schabbat sich mit ihnen allen Gott zu Füßen legenden Persönlichkeit verbunden, und darum hier das למען ינוח עבדך ואמתך כמוך als besonders sichtbare Konsequenz der Gott huldigenden, Menschenherrschaft einstellenden Sabbatfeier hervorgehoben (vergl. Schmot S. 306 f.). —

שמור את יום השבת, “to observe the Sabbath day.” In the first version of the Ten Commandments the Torah wrote: זכור את יום השבת, “to remember the Sabbath day.” This was in order to remind the people of the Sabbath each week as they were not to go out looking for manna. Now, in the fortieth year, when the people had been familiar with the manna since the day they were born, it was more appropriate for Moses to underline the importance of the observance of the commandments related to Sabbath observance. Another interpretation for the difference in the terminology used on these two occasions for the law to keep the Sabbath day. The expression שמר also means “to remember.” It was used first by Yaakov when Joseph related the dream to him in which sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to him (Genesis 37,11) The word שמר refers to long term remembering. Yaakov/Joseph had to wait for 22 years until they understood the meaning of that dream. זכור, on the other hand, refers to remembering for a short period of time. It is also possible that the expression זכור is addressed to people embarking on protracted voyages on the sea, where they may lose track of time, whereas the expression שמור is addressed to people living on dry land.

כאשר צוך [OBSERVE THE SABBATH DAY TO SANCTIFY IT] AS [THE LORD THY GOD] COMMANDED THEE before the giving of the Law, at Marah (Shabbat 87b).

כאשר צוך ה' אלוקיך, a reference to G’d having explained the rationale for Sabbath observance in the paragraph dealing with it both in Parshat Yitro (Exodus 20,10) as well as in Parshat Ki Tissa, and Parshat Vayakhel. The expression כאשר צוך used in connection with a positive commandment means that failure to observe it is simultaneously the violation of a negative commandment. We do not find individual negative commandments accompanied by a warning: “which the Lord your G’d has commanded you not to do.”

Before the giving of the Torah at Marah. The verse (above 4:45), “These are the statutes, etc.,” implies that the Ten Commandments here were said exactly the same as they were said above. If so, how could Moshe add here, “As Adonoy commanded you, etc.”? [Therefore, it cannot refer to the first Ten Commandments, but it must refer to Marah.]. Rashi explains likewise in Maseches Sanhedrin 56b: Moshe could not have said, “As Adonoy commanded you at Sinai” in the plains of Moav. For Moshe did not repeat the Mishnah Torah and warn about its commandments of his own accord. Rather, he repeated them just as he had received them. And whatever was written in the repetition of the Ten Commandments was written on the Tablets, and was heard at Sinai. See further in Tosefos (Maseches Shabbos 87b) where a difficulty is raised: Perhaps “As Adonoy commanded, etc.,” refers to the manna (Shmos 16:23) where Hashem also commanded them regarding Shabbos. The answer is: Regarding honoring one’s father and mother it is also written (v.16), “as Adonoy commanded, etc,” which cannot refer to the manna. For regarding the manna, Hashem did not command them about honoring one’s father and mother. Therefore, “as Adonoy commanded” mentioned regarding Shabbos also does not refer to the manna.

כאשר צון, “as He has commanded you.” Rashi comments that this commandment was first issued at Marah (Exodus 15,25.) When the first version of the Ten Commandments was read to the people, they were to remember that already at Marah they had received instructions about parts of the Sabbath legislation. In our paragraph, the people had to be reminded that actually the Sabbath legislation had preceded the revelation on Mount Sinai, and that the bulk of that legislation had been taught to the people already at Marah. We can find proof of this in the Haggadah shel Pessach, where the author, recounting 15 stages of gifts we had received from G-d, states specifically that if G-d had given us only the Sabbath, and never added the revelation at Mount Sinai, this too would have been ample reason to thank Him. According to the plain meaning of the words כאשר צוך is that G-d when He commanded us to observe the Sabbath by reminding us that we should emulate Him and rest on that day just as He had rested on that day. (Exodus 20 11) Still another interpretation: seeing that this expression also occurs in the fifth commandment, which follows immediately, and these two commandments comprise both negative and positive aspects, they are especially to be remembered for that feature. [This is according to the view that both the word זכור and the word שמור, mean: “to remember.” Ed.]

כאשר צוך ה’ אלו-היך, “as the Lord your G’d commanded you;” at the revelation at Mount Sinai at which time the Torah commenced with וידבר אלו-הים, to remind us that the Creator spoke those words.