לֹ֣א יִהְיֶ֥ה־לְךָ֛֩ אֱלֹהִ֥֨ים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל־פָּנָֽ֗יַ׃
(II). Tu n’auras point d’autre Dieu que moi.
Siftei Chakhamim
As long as I exist. . . It is commonly asked: Rashi in Devarim 5:7 explains על פני as follows: “Wherever I am, i.e., the entire world. An alternate explanation: As long as I exist.” [Why does Rashi here omit the first explanation?] The answer is: There, Rashi is addressing a different difficulty. It is written there (Devarim 4:25), “When you have been in the Land for a long time. . . and make a statue,” implying that the prohibition on idolatry applies only to the Land [of Yisrael]. Yet there, the Ten Commandments are preceded by: “It was not with our fathers that Hashem made this covenant [against idolatry], but with us” (ibid 5:3). This implies that the prohibition of idolatry applies to the person, and it must be observed [not only in the Eretz Yisrael] in all places. Therefore these two verses seemingly contradict each other. In light of this, Rashi in Devarim first explains על פני as, “Wherever I am,” [thus teaching that the prohibition against idolatry applies in all places]. This is in order to resolve the contradiction. But if so, why is it written, “When you have been in the Land”? [The answer is:] Because the [former] people of the Land were more steeped in idolatry than the other nations. Therefore the verse singles out “the Land” because the B’nei Yisrael needed a stronger warning pertaining to the idolatry in the Land.
Ramban
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.
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.
Ibn Ezra
your days is the antecedent of the clause, i.e., that which will go well with you. All the scholars of antiquity believed that the First Commandment is “I am…” [: 6] (even though it raises the question, why would one utter two commandments directly, and then stop?). I have already offered an explanation of the Ten Commandments that conforms to their belief. In my opinion, though, “I am…” is not one of the Ten Commandments. Rather, it introduces the Commander, and provides a basis for all the other Commandments, as I have already explained.