Cytowanie Komentarza do Powtórzonego Prawa 11:15

ולא דקדק באותיותיה – To emit them with one’s lips clearly – so that two words where the first letter of the second word begins with the same letter that concluded the first word – such as “Al L’va’vekha” (Deuteronomy 6:6 – “Take to heart”) עשב בשדך” (Deuteronomy 11:15 – “I will provide grass in the fields”), ועבדתם מהרה"” (Deuteronomy 11:17 – “and you will soon perish”) - that if you do not place a space between [these words] to separate them, you will end up reading these two (identicaletters as one letter.

We may view the matter also in light of what the Talmud teaches in Berachot 40, based on Deuteronomy 11,15 that one must feed one's animals before eating oneself. This ruling applies only when there is no danger to the life of the person involved. If his life is in danger, concern for his own health takes precedence over the wellbeing of his animals. When Rebeccah heard Eliezer ask for some water she concluded that she faced a man whose need for water was immediate. This is why she said to him: "drink!" As soon as she had given him sufficient water to ensure he was not in danger of dehydrating she suggested giving water to his camels, the ones which normally should have been looked after first. This is why the Torah phrases Rebeccah's action in such a way that we understand that as soon as was practicable she turned her attention to the camels, giving them to drink. She added that she would continue until the camels had finished drinking, meaning that in the case of the camels she was not going to rely on her personal judgment of when the animals had had enough to drink. She kept drawing water for the camels until they stopped drinking.

AND HE COMMANDED JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN. “This [pronoun ‘He’] refers to the Divine Presence [mentioned] above⁴⁵I.e., Verse 14: And the Eternal said unto Moses … as it is explained [here], into the Land which I swore unto them; and I will be with thee.” This is Rashi’s language. He has explained it well. And in the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra:⁴⁶Found in Ibn Ezra on Verse 15. “And he commanded Joshua — that is, Moses [commanded] by order of G-d, and therefore he said, into the Land which I swore unto them.” Similarly we find that Moses said, And I will give the rain of your Land in its season.⁴⁷Above, 11:14. So also, And I will give grass in thy fields for thy cattle.⁴⁸Ibid., Verse 15. Likewise, that ye might know that I am the Eternal your G-d.⁴⁹Above, 29:5. And so also, The Eternal will send upon thee the scantiness etc. because of the evil doings, whereby thou hast forsaken Me.⁵⁰Above, 28:20. I have already discussed this.⁵¹See above, 5:12.