신명기 4:14의 인용 해설

These are the descendants. [Scripture] calls only the sons of Aharon the descendants of Moshe [because he taught them Torah] but not all of Israel, although Moshe taught them, because Hashem commanded him to teach them Torah, and if not for them Hashem would not have given him the Torah. However, Moshe taught the sons of Aharon more than the others, and that was from Moshe alone; in this he is considered as having procreated them.

Rabbi Eleazar in Devarim Rabbah reflected on this verse by saying: “woe to the ears who have to listen to such instructions! If we have to be worried about the Edomites even while they are afraid of us, what is it going to be like under conditions when we are afraid of the Edomites seeing we are in exile, under their sovereignty!” Rabbi Joshua ben Levi preferred to read the words as the following message: “if you want them to be afraid of you, what can you do to ensure this? Be very careful with Torah observance, i.e. ונשמרתם מאד.” This expression has been used by the Torah also when warning us to protect our lives through maintaining our physical health (Deut. 4,15).

"and don't use it as a spade with which to dig": And do not study Torah in order to make from it a craft from which to earn a living, like a spade to dig with. As one that does this misappropriates the sanctity of the Torah and is liable for the death penalty from the Heavens, like one who derives [tangible] benefit form holy things (hekdesh). And teachers of small children receive payment for watching the children so that they will not err and cause damage; and payment for breaking up the cantillation, as a [Torah] teacher is not responsible to exert himself and to teach the students the breaking up of cantillation. But payment for teaching is forbidden to take, as it is written, (Deuteronomy 4:14), "And I did the Lord command at that time to teach you the statutes and the judgments, like the Lord, my God commanded me" - just like I [was taught] for free, so too are you [to be taught] for free. And so [too] is a judge forbidden to take payment for his legal decisions, but rather only for [not doing something else at that time] - [for] something that it is clear how much he would lose from the cessation of his work in order to hear the claims of the litigants, and [this is] only if he takes from both of them equally. But if he takes more than this, his decisions are nullified. And that which the Torah permitted the Torah scholar to derive [tangible] benefit from the words of Torah is that he may sell his merchandise in the marketplace before any [other] man, and also that he should be exempt from all taxes, yokes and property assessments. And the public is obligated to even give the poll tax for him. And even if he is wealthy and has much money, he is able to legally request that they exempt him. And if a Torah scholar is sick and suffering from afflictions and people bring many large portions for him on account of the honor of the Torah, he is [obligated] to accept, since it is impossible for him to earn a livelihood in another way. And so [too] a Torah scholar who the [community] appoints upon itself [as an] officer or the head of the group and he involves himself in the needs of the [community], it is permissible for him to take a reward from them; and even much more payment then he needs for his livelihood, so that his foods should be healthy. And through this, he will be great and feared and awesome in their eyes, as we find with the high priest, about whom it is written, "high (great) from his brothers" - and the sages expounded (Yoma 18a), "They should make him great from his brothers, such that his brothers, the priests, should make him wealthy from their [assets]. And the early sages who would abstain from this [were doing so out of piety] but not according to the [letter of the] law.

לעברך means THAT THOU SHOULDEST PASS [INTO THE COVENANT]. It would not, however, be correct to explain it as meaning “to make thee pass” (when the suffix would be objective), but it must be explained like (Deuteronomy 4:14) לעשתכם אתם, “that ye may do them”.