Komentaryo sa Mga Bilang 15:37: Alshekh, Or HaChaim & Rav Hirsch

Tzitzis-fringes. When a person performs the 248 positive commandments and observes the 365 negative commandments it encompasses his entire self in holiness. However, not every person can do all the commandments. Therefore, Hashem gave us one commandment with which we can remember all the commandments every day and accept them upon ourselves. And, “the Holy One combines good thoughts to deeds.” This is the intention of the verse (40): “In order that you will remember and perform all My commandments” — by remembering, it is considered as if you performed them. Through this, “and you will be holy unto your God” — with your entire self. This is the language of tzitzis — by gazing at them we will remember the commandments.

I am Hashem. I did for you beyond the letter of the law, for I did not wait until you were holy. Rather, I took you out of Egypt with My great holiness, so that with your exit from impurity alone you would become holy. Therefore, now you must do your part to become holy.

And the LORD said to Moses: the reason that this passage deviates from the norm in that it says, 'And HE said' whereas in all of scripture it says 'And HE spoke' can be explained by the teaching pf the Sages (Yalkut): When Moses saw the event of the Sabbath woodcutter he said to the LORD, "On the weekdays the Israelites don phylacteries (tefillin) and thereby remember the commandments. On Sabbath, (when it is forbidden to don phylacteries) how are they to remember?" The Holy Blessed ONE responded, "I am hereby giving them the commandment to tie fringes, through which they will remember, etc." This is why "And HE Said" is appropriate. It implies soft words that satisfy the heart of a questioner.