Comentario sobre Deuteronómio 29:3

ולא נתן ה' לכם לב לדעת YET THE LORD HATH NOT GIVEN YOU A HEART TO KNOW — i.e. to understand the loving-kindnesses of the Omnipresent and to cleave unto Him.

ולא נתן ה' לכם לב לדעת, even though He had tried by means of His teachings and His miracles to give the people a knowing heart, as we know from Exodus 10,20ולמען תספר.....וידעתם כי אני ה', “and in order that you will tell…and be aware that I am the Lord,” the lesson had not taken hold due to your overwhelming quarrelsomeness.

עד היום הזה, even though you have witnessed all His great deeds.

ואזנים לשמוע עד היום הזה, “and ears to listen, until this day.” The message is that a student does not truly appreciate the opinions and knowledge of his teacher until he reaches the age of 40. This is why the sages in Avot 5,27 characterize the attainment of the fortieth birthday as a time when one is granted בינה, a measure of insight.

To recognize Hashem’s benevolence, etc. But [the verse does not mean] not to know the great miracles and the signs and wonders, as the simple connotation of the verse implies, because regarding these the verse would not say “a knowledgeable mind, etc.”

V. 3. ולא נתן וגו׳ (siehe zu Kap. 28, 65). Alle diese euch bei eurer Entstehung zum Volke von Gott bereiteten Erfahrungen hätten genügen sollen, die Erkenntnis der Wahrheit von Gott, seiner Macht, seinem Wesen und Walten, seiner der sträflichen Verirrungen der Menschen und Völker nicht gleichgültig zuschauenden Gerechtigkeit, in euer "Herz" für immer zu pflanzen, auf dass ihr auf Grund dieser Erkenntnis die Welt und ihre Erscheinungen in ihrem wahren Lichte, mit ganz anderen "Augen" hättet anschauen, und eure "Ohren" bereitwillig und ausschließlich den Lehren der Wahrheit und der Pflicht hättet öffnen und damit zum Antritt der Verwirklichung eures Berufes als Gottesvolk im Gotteslande hättet befähigt sein sollen. Allein es hatten diese beim Auszuge aus Mizrajim gemachten Erfahrungen nicht genügt. Mit allem, was euch Gott da erleben ließ, hatte er euch noch kein לב לדעת ועינים לראות ואזנים לשמע gegeben, es musste noch alles das hinzukommen, was ihr seitdem עד היום הזה bis auf diesen Tag weiter erlebt habt.

ואזנים לשמוע עד היום הזה, “and ears with which to hear until this day.” This day is included in that statement.

עד היום הזה UNTO THIS DAY — I have heard that on the day when Moses gave the Book of the Law to the sons of Levi, as it is written, (Deuteronomy 31:9) “And he gave it to the priests the sons of Levi”, all Israel came before Moses and said to him: Teacher Moses, we, too, stood at Sinai and accepted the Torah, and it was given to us; why, then, do you give the people of your tribe control over it, that they may tomorrow say to us, “Not to you was it given, but to us was it given”? Moses rejoiced at this matter and in reference to this he said to them, (Deuteronomy 27:9) “This day have you become the people [of the Lord thy God]”, meaning, Only this day have I come to understand that you are attached to and have a desire for the Omnipresent.

I have heard: because on that day, etc.” Rashi is explaining how it is possible that before this they did not have eyes and ears.

How is it that you are empowering your fellow tribesmen over it, etc. That is, over the Torah.