ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף בראשית 12:19

And there are passages that resemble commandments, but none of them are obligatory commandments, such as the case of a woman of beautiful appearance. The scripture does not permit taking her as a wife until certain conditions are met. Do not be puzzled by the verse in Deuteronomy 21:11 that states, "And you desire her and take her to yourself as a wife," for the meaning is similar to Pharaoh's thought in Genesis 12:19, "And take her for me as a wife," according to his own thoughts. The same applies to Balak in Numbers 21:1, "And he fought against Israel." The conclusive proof is found in Deuteronomy 21:13, which states, "And afterward, you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife." The conditions are that he brings her into his home, does not leave her in another domain, shaves her head, and lets her nails grow, similar to the case of a leper. There is no need to mention that she must undergo ritual purification with the waters of menstruation, as it is written elsewhere in Numbers 31:19, "You and your captives." In Deuteronomy 21:13, it is stated, "And she shall remove the clothing of her captivity from upon her," which she used in idolatrous worship, as it is written in Genesis 35:2, "And change your garments." In Deuteronomy 21:13, it is also stated, "And she shall weep for her father and her mother," whether they are alive or deceased. All these conditions may cause the man to reconsider and not take her as a wife. The one who takes an Israelite woman as a wife should not impose these conditions on her, for they are more stringent than the desire he has for her. The entire passage does not contain obligatory commandments except for Deuteronomy 21:14, "You shall not sell her." Similarly, in the blessings (Birkat HaMitzvot), we are obligated to bless obligatory commandments.

In Abraham there was chosen as progenitor of this people a man who, in his individual life, already realized the ideal of the people that was to be. The All-One, whom he alone worshipped amidst the multitude of idolatrous seekers after wealth and lust, the All-One called and loving Him alone, Abraham cast from him his native land, his family, his parental dwelling, and all which man loves and cherishes, and followed Him who called him; he accepted the mission to become progenitor of a people from which "blessing should come to all the peoples of the earth which would keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment," and followed Him; he carried out the ideal of this love to the All-One in his love to his children, to his fellow beings; he cared for them, saved them, instructed them, whenever and wherever he could, and prayed for them to the Judge of all. And He, for whom he left all, and whose call he had followed into a strange land, He protected him upon his wanderings, and blessed him, so that he needed to derive safety and blessing only from His hands, and used them only for the salvation of the world.