Moussar sur Le Deutéronome 4:39

After explaining by the way of reason that the Creator created His world only that it might worship Him and not through necessity, we shall (now) explain this matter by the way of Scripture. And we have advanced the rational arguments prior to the Scriptural arguments because the mind is more likely to accept them rather than the Scriptural arguments; they are more likely to become settled convictions in the mind of whoever attends to them because they are accompanied by (probable) arguments and demonstrations. I can therefore maintain that we have Scriptural warrant for the world’s creation, not by necessity, but as an act of grace and kindness¹⁶The word "Hesed" has several meanings in Biblical Hebrew. Louis Jacobs "The Concept of Hasid in the Biblical and Rabbinic Literatures" (Journal of Jewish Studies, Vol. VIII, numbers 3 and 4, pp. 20 ff) writes that the word "Hesed" means "mercy, loving kindness, loyalty, grace or charm, according to the context in which it occurs." See Nelson Glueck Das Wort Hesed im Alttestamentlichen Sprachge-brauche; English edition, Hesed in the Bible, Cincinnati, 1967.. As it is said (Psalms 89:3), “For I have said that the world is created through kindness.” We have discovered that every good done by the Creator, (may He be praised), for the sake of His creatures is implemented for His own sake rather than out of necessity or obligation. As it is said (Isaiah 48:11), “For mine own sake will I do it.” Further it is said (Hosea 14:5), “I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely.” It is said (Deuteronomy 4:30), “Know this day and lay it to Thy heart, that the Lord, He is God.” And even before this, reason has already taught us that the Creator, may He be praised, did not create His world by necessity, but only so that it might worship Him. Hence, we have explained the mystery of the world’s creation by the way of Scripture and that of reason.

And know that there are sublime virtues given over in the positive commandments such as: The virtues of free choice, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:19), “and choose life”; and the virtues of Torah study, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:7), “and you shall speak about them;” and the virtues of walking in the ways of the Lord, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 28:9), “and you shall walk in His ways;” and the virtues of contemplation of the greatness of the Lord, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:39), “Know therefore this day and keep in mind that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other,” and David said (Psalms 14:2), “The Lord looks down from heaven on mankind to find a man of understanding, a man who seeks God”; and the virtues of remembrance of His kindnesses,” as it is stated (Deuteronomy 8:2), “Remember the whole way,” and it is [also] stated (Deuteronomy 8:6), “And you shall know that the Lord your God disciplines you just as a man disciplines his son,” and David said (Psalms 107:43), “he will contemplate the kindnesses of the Lord,” and said (Psalms 26:3), “For Your kindness is across from my eyes”; and the virtues of holiness, as it is stated (Leviticus 11:44), “and you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy”; and the virtues of worship, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:20), “and He shall you worship;” and the virtues of fear, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:20), “And you shall fear the Lord”; and the virtues of love, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:5), “And you shall love the Lord, your God;” and the virtues of clinging, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:20), ”to Him shall you cling.” There are several levels to each of these, as will be explained, with God’s help. And man was created for the sake of these virtues, as it is stated (Isaiah 43:7), “All who are linked to My name, whom I have created for My glory.” And what is the hope of a creation if it does not make the things for which it was created, the toil of his soul and his main occupation?

There is no one like Me in the whole world," means that G–d's Power is supreme compared to other apparent sources of Power. These three statements must be appreciated by us not merely as articles of faith, but as something we know. It is not enough to accept such tenets as something handed down by our ancestors, but they must be ידיעות, something that we know as facts. The Torah reminds the Jewish people who had stood at Mount Sinai, that their experience was defined in the words (Deut. 4,39): "Know therefore this day and keep in mind that the Lord alone is G–d in Heaven above and on earth below." It is spelled out that G–d exercises control both in the Celestial Regions and on Earth. Any other powers that we perceive in this universe have been endowed by G–d and could not generate power independently. These are facts which we must appreciate over and above what we normally refer to as "faith."