Commento su Deuteronomio 4:45

אלה העדות … אשר דבר THESE ARE THE TESTIMONIES … WHICH [MOSES] SPAKE — Those are the very same testimonies which he spoke when they came forth from Egypt; and he again repeated it (this law) to them in the plains of Moab.

אלה העדות, what follows are the practical, tangible aspects of the Torah.

They are the very same [testimonies, etc.] that he spoke when they went out of Egypt, etc. Otherwise, why does the verse say here that Moshe addressed Bnei Yisroel when they came out of Egypt? Rashi explains that, “These are the testimonies,” is connected to, “And this is the Torah (v. 44).” Meaning: This is the Torah, [referring to] the testimonies set forth after this chapter, are the very same testimonies that Moshe spoke when they went out of Egypt, and they were reviewed and taught to Bnei Yisroel in the plains of Moav. The verses are [as if they were] abridged.

V. 45. אלה העדות, und es sind dies dieselben עדות für unsere Erkenntnispflege und חקים ומשפטים für unser sittliches und soziales Verhalten, die Mosche auf dem ganzen Zuge von Ägypten durch die Wüste und zuletzt noch in dem bereits eroberten transjordanischen Gebiete im Anblick des verheißenen Landes "mündlich" an die ganze Nation zum Ausspruch brachte.

אלה העדות והחוקים, “These are the testimonial laws and the statutes;” wherever a paragraph is introduced with the word אלה, this constitutes a break with what had preceded it. (Sh’mot Rabbah 1,2) What the Torah says it that the laws given to the people after the Exodus from Egypt have now been concluded. Laws that follow were not revealed to the people until the fortieth year. The details of laws pertaining to cities of refuge were not revealed until now. [Exodus 21 13, in which mention is made of a place where an inadvertent killer can flee to, apparently did not provide details. Ed.]

העדות, the word means the same as התראות, “encounter,” it is used in this sense in Exodus 19,21: רד העד בעם, “descend and warn the people by meeting them.” [Normally the word עדות means “testimony,” eye witness report, i.e. the witness had been present at the occurrence about which he testifies. Ed.]