לְֽכָל תִּ֭כְלָה רָאִ֣יתִי קֵ֑ץ רְחָבָ֖ה מִצְוָתְךָ֣ מְאֹֽד׃
Wszelkiéj znikomości widziałem kres; rozległe przykazania Twoje wielce.
Rav Hirsch
Der Grundbegriff von כלה ist: zu einem Ziele hinstreben, daher תכלית: das Ziel, תכלה: das Streben nach einem Ziele. לכל תכלה ראיתי קץ, "für jedes Streben nach irgend einem Ziele gibt es eine Grenze" es gibt kein Ziel, an welches man alles andere daran setzen dürfte, רחבה מצותך מאוד "nur die Erfüllung göttlichen Gebotes ist ein alles umfassendes und alles forderndes Ziel." Daher auch כלה: schmachten nach einem Ziele, und כלי: alles, was einem bestimmten Ziele dient, Werkzeug, Gerät, Gewand usw. (כלה: das vollendete Lebensalter, in welchem wir das vollendete Hiersein mit dem noch vollendeteren Dortsein vertauschen.) כַּלֵה: zu einem Ziele führen, ויכֻלו sie wurden zum Ziele geführt.
Ramban
In the name of the great G-d, and the fearful,1Daniel 9:4. It could not be Deuteronomy 10:17 since there the attribute mighty is mentioned. It is possible that the author chose the verse from Daniel rather than that of Deuteronomy in order to allude to the rest of the verse there: And I prayed unto the Eternal my G-d, and made confession and said, O, Eternal the great and fearful G-d, and Who keepest the covenant and mercy with them that love Thee and keep Thy commandments. There is thus here an allusion to a prayer for G-d’s mercy in the author’s work before him. I will begin to write novel interpretations On the explanation of the Torah, With terror, with fear, With trembling, with sweat, with dread,2See Berachoth 22 a, where it is explained that these are the ways in which the Torah was given and by which it was studied. Praying and confessing With a humble heart and a broken spirit, Asking forgiveness, Seeking pardon and atonement,3That is, in case he errs in his interpretations and especially in his refuting the opinions of the other masters. With bowing to the ground, With kneeling, with prostration, Until all the vertebrae of the spine Seem to be loosened.4Berachoth 28 b. And that my soul knoweth right well,5Psalms 139:14. In clear awareness, That the egg of the ant is not as small In comparison to the outermost sphere As is my little wisdom And brief knowledge Against the hidden matters of the Torah6A reference to the Cabala — the mystic teachings of the Torah — elements of which the author intends to include in his commentary, but here he confesses his brief knowledge thereof. That lie hidden in her house, Concealed in her room; For every precious thing and every wonder, Every profound mystery and all glorious wisdom Are stored up with her, Sealed up in her treasure By a hint, by a word, In writing and in speaking; Just as the prophet — who was adorned With royal garments and a crown, The annointed of the G-d of Jacob,7II Samuel 23:1. The author of the sweetest of songs — said: I have seen an end To every purpose; But Thy commandment Is exceedingly broad,8Psalms 119:96. And it is said, Thy testimonies are wonderful; Therefore doth my soul keep them.9Ibid., Verse 129.
Rabbeinu Bahya
וארד להצילו ...אל ארץ טובה, “I shall descend in order to save it....to a good land, etc.” What was the need for the Torah to lavish so many compliments on the stones and trees of the land of Canaan? Was it not enough for a people in the condition of abject slavery such as the Jewish people to be told that they would be redeemed and would become free? Would they not consider this a welcome message even if the land they would go to would be of inferior quality? The fact is that all the compliments in our verse apply to the Torah. Torah has been described as לקח טוב, “good” instruction; (Proverbs 4,2) it has been described as רחבה, “spacious” (Psalms 119,96). All the adjectives in this verse apply to Torah as if the Torah had written “to a land (Torah) which is good, spacious flowing with milk and honey” (compare Song of Songs 4,11).
The details of the land of Israel itself are described only commencing with the words: אל ארץ הכנעני, “to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, etc.” G’d’s message to the Israelites is that they would inherit the land of these nations as these people are not worthy of living in a country in which the Torah makes its home. Our commentary corresponds to what I have found in Bereshit Rabbah 16,7 on Genesis 2,12: “the gold of this land was good;” the Midrash says: “there is no Torah comparable to the Torah in the land of Israel and there is no wisdom comparable to the wisdom to be found in the land of Israel.” We may add that the words אל מקום הכנעני “to the place of the Canaanite,” instead of the usual “to the land of the Canaanite,” contain an additional message, i.e. that the Israelites would wipe out the present inhabitants of that land and inherit their land. They would not merely live there as residents as had their forefathers.
The details of the land of Israel itself are described only commencing with the words: אל ארץ הכנעני, “to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, etc.” G’d’s message to the Israelites is that they would inherit the land of these nations as these people are not worthy of living in a country in which the Torah makes its home. Our commentary corresponds to what I have found in Bereshit Rabbah 16,7 on Genesis 2,12: “the gold of this land was good;” the Midrash says: “there is no Torah comparable to the Torah in the land of Israel and there is no wisdom comparable to the wisdom to be found in the land of Israel.” We may add that the words אל מקום הכנעני “to the place of the Canaanite,” instead of the usual “to the land of the Canaanite,” contain an additional message, i.e. that the Israelites would wipe out the present inhabitants of that land and inherit their land. They would not merely live there as residents as had their forefathers.