Commento su Deuteronomio 30:12

לא בשמים הוא IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN — for were it in heaven it would still be your duty to go up after it and to learn it (Eruvin 55a).

לא בשמים היא, in order to repent you do not need to turn to a prophet who represents heaven,

לא בשמים היא, “it is not in heaven;” it is possible that the reason Moses makes this point is because prior to bringing the Torah to the people it had indeed resided in heaven, and we have quoted arguments offered by the angels opposing its descent to earth. The word היא which we might have considered as redundant, is a reference to the highest level of חכמה, the emanation wisdom, which does indeed reside in heaven.

For if it were in heaven, etc. Rashi is answering the question: The beginning of the verse and the end of the verse apparently contradict each other. At the beginning it is written, It is not in heaven, [for you] to say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us, etc.’ This implies: [that it is not in heaven], but near enough to send a messenger for it. It [also] implies that it is not that close that you do not [even] need to send a messenger for it. But afterwards it is written, For the matter is extremely close to you, etc., implying that one does not even need a messenger. Therefore Rashi explains, 'It is not in heaven,' (For if it were in heaven, you would be required to ascend in quest of it). But if it were in heaven it would be impossible to send a messenger after it and if you wanted to study it, you yourself would have to go up for it. Therefore there is no [longer] a problem when it is written [afterwards], For the matter is extremely close to you, [because the beginning of the verse too, is talking about the person himself and now it is saying that, on the contrary, it is close to the person himself]. And when the verse says “[Who will go up to heaven for us], and acquire it for us, [which implies that we are dealing with a messenger], it is adding even more, that [you might mistakenly think that] not only could you certainly never travel or go up to study it there, but you would never find any person to go up or travel [over the sea] in order to bring so as to study it.

V. 12. לא בשמים היא: Die Erkenntnisse und Vollbringungen, die es bezweckt, bewegen sich nicht im Bereiche des Übersinnlichen, Himmlischen, und nichts von dem, was zu seinem Verständnis und seiner Vollbringung an göttlichen Offenbarungen notwendig war, ist noch im Himmel zurückgeblieben, dass du sprechen könntest, wo finden wir einen so übermenschlich erleuchteten Geist, dass er für uns in die Geheimnisse des Himmels eindränge, oder uns eine uns noch fehlende, neue, unsere Erkenntnis ergänzende Offenbarung aus dem Himmel holte, dann könnten wir das Gesetz dem göttlichen Willen entsprechend erfüllen.

מי יעלה לנו השמימה, “who will ascend to heaven on our behalf?” the respective first letters in these four words, when read separately and consecutively spell מילה, circumcision. It is a hint that it was the merit of the performance of the commandment of circumcision that enabled Moses to ascend Mount Sinai and receive