Commento su Esodo 20:17

לבעבור נסות אתכם signifies, in order to exalt you in the world (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:17:2) — that you may obtain a great name amongst the nations because He has revealed Himself to you in His Glory.

FOR G-D IS COME IN ORDER TO ‘NASOTH’ YOU. “I.e., to make you ‘great’ in the world, [to ensure] that you obtain a name amongst the nations [because of the fact] that He in His Glory revealed Himself to you. Nasoth is a term for ‘exalting’ and ‘greatness,’ just as in the verses: Lift up a ‘neis’ (an ensign);⁵⁵¹Isaiah 62:10. ‘k’neis’ (as an ensign) on a hill,⁵⁵²Ibid., 30:17. which is so called because it is high.” Thus Rashi’s language. But this is not correct.⁵⁵³Rashi connects nasoth with neis (ensign, banner). Ramban objects to this because in his opinion, the root of the word nasoth is nasoh (try, accustom). Instead, it is possible that Moses is saying that “it is in order to get you ‘accustomed’ to have faith in Him that G-d is come. Since He has shown you the Revelation of the Divine Presence, your faith in Him has entered your hearts to cleave to Him, and your souls will never be separated from it forever. And that His fear may be before you when you see that He alone is G-d in heaven and upon the earth, you will have great fear of Him.” It may be that Moses is saying that “the fear of this great fire⁵⁵⁴Deuteronomy 5:22. will be before you, and you will not sin because of your fear of it.” And the word nasoth is similar in expression to the verses: And he [David] assayed to go, but could not, for he had ‘nisah’ (tried) it. And David said unto Saul: I cannot go with these; for I have not ‘nisithi’ (tried) them,⁵⁵⁵I Samuel 17:39. something like “accustomed.”
The Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] has said in the Moreh Nebuchim⁵⁵⁶Guide of the Perplexed, III, 24. The Hebrew text here follows Al Charizi’s translation, and not that of Ibn Tibbon. that Moses said to the people, “Fear not, because the purpose of that which you have seen is that when the Eternal G-d, in order to demonstrate your faithfulness to Him, will test you by sending you a false prophet who will aim to reverse that which you have heard, your steps will never slide from the way of the truth, for you have seen the truth with your own eyes.” But if so, the sense of the verse, [according to Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon], is that “in order to be able to prove you in the future, G-d came now so that you should remain faithful to Him in all trials.”
In my opinion, the real “trial” is now, [and not as Rambam has it that “He now came in order to be able to prove you in the future”]. Moses is saying: “Now G-d wanted to try you whether you will keep His commandments,⁵⁵⁷See Deuteronomy 8:2. since He has now removed all doubt from your hearts. From now on, He will see whether ye do love Him,⁵⁵⁸Ibid., 13:4. and whether you want Him and His commandments.” So also does every expression of nisayon mean “test,” such as: I cannot go with these; for I have not ‘nisithi’ them,⁵⁵⁵I Samuel 17:39. which means “I have never tried to walk with them.”
It is possible that this “trial” is for the good [of the one who is being tried],⁵⁵⁹See Vol. I, p. 275. for the master will sometimes try his servant with hard work in order to know whether he will endure it out of his love for him. Sometimes he will do him good in order to know whether he will requite him with additional service and honor for the good he has done him. This is similar to what the Sages have said:⁵⁶⁰Shemoth Rabbah 31:2. “Happy is the person who stands through his trials, for there is no man whom the Holy One, blessed be He, does not try. He tries the rich to see if his hand will be open for the poor; He tries the poor if he can bear suffering, etc.” This is why Scripture says here: “G-d has been good to you in showing you His Glory, which He hath not dealt with any nation,⁵⁶¹Psalms 147:20. in order to prove you whether you will requite Him according to the good He has done to you to be unto Him a people of inheritance,⁵⁶²Deuteronomy 4:20. similar to what He said, Do ye thus requite the Eternal?⁵⁶³Ibid., 32:6. And it is said. “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities,⁵⁶⁴Amos 3:2. for the nations are not obligated to me as are you, whom I have known face to face.”

לבעבור נסות אתכם, in order that you become used to prophetic insights which this time were of the highest caliber, i.e. what is known as פנים אל פנים, “face to face.” The people’s experience paralleled that of the prophet Elijah at the same mountain where the fire and the overpowering sound were only an introduction to the קול דממה דקה, to the barely audible voice which heralded the arrival of the Shechinah. On that occasion (Kings I 19,13) Elijah had wrapped his mantle around his face as he was so afraid. Elijah’s prophetic vision at the time was on a very high level, as he was able to freely make use of all his physical faculties. It presumably was only slightly inferior to the level of prophecy achieved by Moses.