פירוש על דברים 8:2

התשמר מצותו [THAT HE MIGHT KNOW WHAT WAS IN THY HEART] WHETHER THOU WOULDST KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS — viz., the commandment that ye should not put Him to the test, and that you should not doubt Him (i.e. His ways).

AND THOU SHALT REMEMBER ALL THE WAY WHICH THE ETERNAL THY G-D HATH LED THEE etc. He is stating that you can realize that in the observance of the commandments is entailed the perfect good and there will not be the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread,⁵⁸Psalms 37:25. for G-d supported you in the wilderness with the performance of a great miracle because you followed after His commandments. I have already explained⁵⁹Exodus 16:4 (Vol.II, pp. 221-222). in the section of the manna [the verse before us], that He might afflict thee, to try thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no, for [the manna itself] was a great trial to them. They did not know what counsel to adopt for themselves when they entered the great wilderness, a place of no food, and they had none of the manna [in reserve because it could not be stored from day to day] but each day’s portion came down on its day, and as the sun waxed hot, it melted,⁶⁰Ibid., Verse 21. although they hungered mightily after it. All this they did to keep the commandment of G-d, to follow as He commanded. Now G-d could have led them through the [populated] cities that were around them, but instead He brought them into this trial [of never having any food in reserve] for He knew that as a result [of this experience] they would keep His commandments forever.

וזכרת את כל הדרך, during which He gave you bread to eat, clothes to wear, by supernatural means.

למען ענותך, this is the kind of affliction endured by people who have nothing to eat. Their lives hang by a thread each and every day.

וזכרת את כל הדרך,” you will remember the entire route, etc.” Nachmanides explains here that Moses reminds the people that they had first hand experience that by keeping G’d’s commandments, they, who had come this far, had enjoyed G’d’s miracles throughout their trek in the desert only because they did keep the commandments.

Not to test Him and not to be critical of Him. Rashi is answering the question: Just because Hashem oppresses them will they guard His commandments? [Therefore] Rashi explains the verse as, “Adonoy oppressed them in order to know… will you guard His commandments.” I.e., that you are not to test Him, etc. It is at if the verse says: ...to know if you will be critical of Him after He oppresses you and say, “Why do I need His commandments?”

V. 2. וזכרת את כל הדרך. Diese alles andere ausschließende Zuversicht in die der göttlichen Mizwa zu zollende Pflichttreue, als einzig mögliche und allein völlig genügende Vermittlung unseres Zusammenhanges mit Gott und als einzig mögliche und allein völlig genügende Begründung unseres Heiles, bildet also den Grund und Boden unserer Bestimmung, dass Gott, durch eine vierzigjährige Wanderung in der Wüste uns ganz eigentlich zu dieser Zuversicht und Überzeugungsgewißheit hat erziehen wollen.

וזכרת את כל הדרך, “you will remember the whole way, etc.” This refers to Moses having told the people not to lust after silver and gold, (Deut. 7.25) as they had managed without any of that for forty years in the desert. [It is not silver and gold that keeps us alive. Ed.]

וזכרת את כל הדרך, “you will remember the whole trek;” if your heart urges you to covet the gold and silver which are part of the idols of these nations, I remind you of the last 40 years in the desert when you had no need for, nor even use for gold and silver;

לנסותך, to test you if, seeing that you did not have to work hard for a livelihood, you would in return carry out His will.

למען ענותך לנסותך, “in order to afflict you by testing you;” Entering a desert that did not offer means of survival was indeed a great trial for you, and you were totally dependent daily on manna from heaven, never knowing if it would materialize on the following day. G’d did all this in order to train you to observe His commandments and to follow His instructions, where to go, when to rest, etc. He could have led you on a highway leading through cities, but He did not, as He wanted you to know that you could survive by means of His largesse alone. This experience taught you that following His commandments is the fountain of life.

Dieser Wüstenwanderung unter Gottes Schutz sollen wir daher stets eingedenk bleiben, hat sie doch in dem jährlichen Hüttenfeste das ewige Denkmal in Israel erhalten (siehe Wajikra 23, 42 u. 43). — למען ענתך, eigentlich: dich völlig arm zu machen, dich alle Selbständigkeit verlieren zu lassen. לנסתך, dich zu erproben, ׳לדעת וגו, damit du selber dich kennen lernest, kennen lernest, wie viel du bereits von jener sittlichen Kraft besitzest, die zur schwankenlosen Erfüllung des göttlichen Gesetzes gehört. Gänzliche Hingebung an die göttliche Führung, ein von allen anderen Sorgen, als der Sorge, unsere Pflicht zu tun, freimachendes Gottvertrauen, das ist die Grundgesinnung, auf welcher unser Gehorsam gegen Gottes Gebote allein beruhen kann. Bereit sein, wenn es sein muss, mit Weib und Kind in die Wüste zu ziehen, um Gott treu und gehorsam zu bleiben, das ist die Frage, die wir uns alle vorzulegen haben, um einen Gradmesser unserer sittlichen Kraft zu haben.

לדעת את אשר בלבבך, so that what you had in your mind will come to light, so that every angel will know that you had a justified claim to a higher rank in the universe than even the ministering angels.

למען ענותך, “in order to test you to see if you would revolt.

התשמור מצותיו אם לא “if you would observe His commandments or not.” Actually the term נסיין in the sense of a “test,” that could be passed or failed, does not exist in G-d’s vocabulary, seeing that He knows the result of the “test” in advance, being omniscient. G-d employs such “tests” in order to demonstrate to the attribute of justice as well as to the attribute of mercy the true nature of the Jewish people, as I have explained in my commentary on Exodus 16,4.