Komentarz do Powtórzonego Prawa 26:19

ולהיתך עם קדש … כאשר דבר AND THAT THOU MAYEST BE AN HOLY PEOPLE … AS HE HATH SPOKEN — in the words, (Leviticus 20:26) “And ye shall be holy unto Me” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:25).

AND TO MAKE THEE HIGH ABOVE ALL NATIONS THAT HE HATH MADE, IN PRAISE — that all the peoples of the earth should praise you for the fact that G-d will be near whenever you call upon Him.⁴⁷See above, 4:7.

ולתתך עליון על כל הגוים, in your ability to understand the meaning of life on earth and to teach it. This is the meaning of Exodus 19,6 “you shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

ולתתך עליון וגו', “and to make you supreme, etc.;” to set you up as an example that all the other nations praise and wish to emulate. They do so because they realize that you evoke immediate responses when you call upon Hashem.

על כל הגוים אשר עשה לתהילה ולשם ולתפארת, “over all the nations that He made, for praise, for renown, and for splendour.” Whereas the Lord will make the Jewish people supreme in these respects, He does not do so with any of the other nations as they have been assigned to the various planets which govern their fates. לא כאלה חלק יעקב כי יוצר הכל הוא, “not like these is the portion of Yaakov, for it is He Who formed all things” (Jeremiah 10,16). This difference is meant when the Torah describes the Jewish people as being לשם ולתהילה. Israel’s fame is its praising the Lord and His great name. He is Israel’s G’d in a somewhat exclusive manner.

ולתתן עליון, “and to place you supreme;” where is the source for G-d doing this? Compare Deut. 28,13: 'ונתנך ה לראש ולא לזנב, “and the Lord will make you the head and not the tail.”

לתהלה ולשם ולתפארת, for the Almighty, as per Isaiah 49,3 “Israel, you in whom I glory.”

ולשם, “and for renown,” to enhance your reputation all over the world.

AND IN NAME — that thy renown will go forth among the nations for His splendor which He had placed upon thee,⁴⁸Ezekiel 16:14. for you are exalted above all.

ולהיותך עם קדוש, and your being a holy and eternal nation.

ולתפארת, “and for splendour;” you will be able to boast that whatever enterprise you are embarking on will be crowned with success.

AND IN GLORY — for you will be glorified over them by being able to do with them whatever you will desire; thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee,⁴⁹Job 22:28. similar to what is stated, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying: Mine own hand hath saved me.⁵⁰Judges 7:2.

כאשר דבר, when He said at the time in Exodus 20 “you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

ולהיותך עם קדוש, “and for you to be a holy nation.” You will have attained the דבקות, close attachment, a state of relationship with your G’d which is the ultimate level of closeness to Hashem that man is capable of attaining. Rabbi Yehudah the Spaniard explains that the word האמרת in verse 17 is derived from the word ויאמר, “he said,” and its meaning in that verse is that you have done what is good in His eyes to such a degree that it is said about you or of you that He is surely your G’d, and He in turn will do for you in accordance with what you say (request) so that you can truly say that you will be His special people.

AND THAT THOU MAYEST BE A HOLY PEOPLE UNTO THE ETERNAL — to cleave to Him ultimately.⁵¹See above, 11:22.
And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], in praise suggests that the G-d of Israel is thy praise,⁵²Ibid., 10:21. and His Great Name is thy G-d,⁵²Ibid., 10:21. and this is your Glory, similar to what is written, For Thou art the Glory of their strength;⁵³Psalms 89:18. the Glory of Israel.⁵⁴Lamentations 2:1.