הִנֵּ֛ה יָמִ֥ים בָּאִ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְכָרַתִּ֗י אֶת־בֵּ֧ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּרִ֥ית חֲדָשָֽׁה׃
זע, טעג קומע, זאָגט גאָט, און איך װעל שליסן מיט דעם הױז פֿון ישׂראל, און מיאָט דעם הױז פֿון יהודה, אַ נײַעם בונד;
Ramban
AND THOU SHALT RETURN UNTO THE ETERNAL THY G-D, AND HEARKEN TO HIS VOICE ACCORDING TO ALL THAT I COMMAND THEE THIS DAY, THOU AND THY CHILDREN. The meaning thereof is that you will return with all thy heart, and with all thy soul48In Verse 2 before us. and you will take it upon yourself and upon your children throughout their generations to do according to all that I command thee this day, just as they did at the second redemption [i.e., the redemption from Babylon], as it is written, and they entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in G-d’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of G-d, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Eternal our G-d, and His ordinances and His statutes.49Nehemiah 10:30. Or it may be that the expression that I command thee this day, thou and thy children is like “command you — to you and to your children,”50The word thou is gramatically difficult, because the verse begins with the accusative thee, and follows with the nominative thou. Ramban offers two explanations: First, that the verse contains two separate thoughts: that you will return to G-d, and that you will accept upon yourself and your children all that He commands us. Second, that the nominative thou is equivalent to the accusative thee [“to you”], and the verse is thus expressing a single thought: “that I command thee this day — to you and to your children.” Ramban proceeds to cite Scriptural examples of similar usage — a nominative in place of an accusative. similar to the expression ‘v’atah tzuveitha’51Genesis 45:19. Here, too, the nominative v’atah (and you) is to be understood as lecha (“and to you”). [meaning lecha tzuveithi — “to you I ordered that the command be given”]. So also, and they dealt ill ‘othanu’52Above, 26:6. Here likewise the literal meaning of othanu is “us,” but Ramban interprets it in the context of the verse as if it means “to us.” means lanu (“to us”).53So also in the verse before us, atah (you) means lecha (to you). And in my opinion there is in this matter a great secret; for it alludes to that which the Rabbis said,54Yebamoth 62a. “The son of David [i.e., the Messiah] will not come until all souls in the guf55Here understood as “a storehouse of souls in heaven.” Ramban’s concept is that the final redemption will come when all souls will have been purified and no longer in need of a sojourn on earth. See my Hebrew commentary, p. 479. are exhausted.” I have already spoken of this matter.56See Genesis 1:26 (Vol. I, p. 479).
Ramban
AND THE ETERNAL THY G-D WILL CIRCUMCISE THY HEART. It is this which the Rabbis have said,57Shabbath 104a. “If someone comes to purify himself, they assist him” [from on High]. The verse assures you that you will return to Him with all your heart and He will help you.
This following subject is very apparent from Scripture: Since the time of Creation, man has had the power58Literally: “the permission.” to do as he pleased, to be righteous or wicked. This [grant of free will] applies likewise to the entire Torah-period, so that people can gain merit upon choosing the good and punishment for preferring evil. But in the days of the Messiah, the choice of their [genuine] good will be natural; the heart will not desire the improper and it will have no craving whatever for it. This is the “circumcision” mentioned here, for lust and desire are the “foreskin” of the heart, and circumcision of the heart means that it will not covet or desire evil. Man will return at that time to what he was before the sin of Adam, when by his nature he did what should properly be done, and there were no conflicting desires in his will, as I have explained in Seder Bereshith.59Genesis 2:9 (Vol. I, pp. 72-73). See also Vol. III, pp. 456-457. — It should be noted here that Ramban’s intention is not to state that man in the era of Messiah will be completely devoid of the desire to do evil, for if that were the case there would be no place for reward and punishment, which is founded upon the principle of man’s freedom of choice between good and evil. Rather, the import of his words is to state that man will then be so motivated for good that he will naturally be doing the good and proper according to the Will of G-d, and it will appear as if the instinct for evil has been completely eliminated from him, although potentially it will still be with him. The case is similar to what we say now of a normal knowledgeable person that it is “impossible” for him to jump into a blazing fire. Of course, it is within his powers to do so, but it is his knowledge of the danger entailed that makes it “impossible” for him to do so. In the Messianic era man will have that kind of reaction to all things prohibited by G-d. There will, therefore, still be place for reward and punishment, since potentially man will still have his freedom of choice. See my Hebrew commentary, Vol. I, p. 36-37, where I quote this thought in the name of Rabbi Yeruchum, one of the great leaders of the Musar movement. It is this which Scripture states in [the Book of] Jeremiah, Behold, the days come, saith the Eternal, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers etc. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Eternal, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it.60Jeremiah 31:30-32. This is a reference to the annulment of the evil instinct and to the natural performance by the heart of its proper function. Therefore Jeremiah said further, and I will be their G-d, and they shall be My people; and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying: ‘Know the Eternal;’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.61Ibid., Verses 32-33. Now, it is known that the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth62Genesis 8:21. and it is necessary to instruct them, but at that time it will not be necessary to instruct them [to avoid evil] for their evil instinct will then be completely abolished. And so it is declared by Ezekiel, A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit will I put within you;63Ezekiel 36:26. and I will cause you to walk in My statutes.64Ibid., Verse 27. The new heart alludes to man’s nature, and the [new] spirit to the desire and will. It is this which our Rabbis have said:65Shabbath 151b. “And the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say: ‘I have no pleasure in them’66Ecclesiastes 12:1. — these are the days of the Messiah, as they will offer opportunity neither for merit nor for guilt,” for in the days of the Messiah there will be no [evil] desire in man but he will naturally perform the proper deeds and therefore there will be neither merit nor guilt in them, for merit and guilt are dependent upon desire.
This following subject is very apparent from Scripture: Since the time of Creation, man has had the power58Literally: “the permission.” to do as he pleased, to be righteous or wicked. This [grant of free will] applies likewise to the entire Torah-period, so that people can gain merit upon choosing the good and punishment for preferring evil. But in the days of the Messiah, the choice of their [genuine] good will be natural; the heart will not desire the improper and it will have no craving whatever for it. This is the “circumcision” mentioned here, for lust and desire are the “foreskin” of the heart, and circumcision of the heart means that it will not covet or desire evil. Man will return at that time to what he was before the sin of Adam, when by his nature he did what should properly be done, and there were no conflicting desires in his will, as I have explained in Seder Bereshith.59Genesis 2:9 (Vol. I, pp. 72-73). See also Vol. III, pp. 456-457. — It should be noted here that Ramban’s intention is not to state that man in the era of Messiah will be completely devoid of the desire to do evil, for if that were the case there would be no place for reward and punishment, which is founded upon the principle of man’s freedom of choice between good and evil. Rather, the import of his words is to state that man will then be so motivated for good that he will naturally be doing the good and proper according to the Will of G-d, and it will appear as if the instinct for evil has been completely eliminated from him, although potentially it will still be with him. The case is similar to what we say now of a normal knowledgeable person that it is “impossible” for him to jump into a blazing fire. Of course, it is within his powers to do so, but it is his knowledge of the danger entailed that makes it “impossible” for him to do so. In the Messianic era man will have that kind of reaction to all things prohibited by G-d. There will, therefore, still be place for reward and punishment, since potentially man will still have his freedom of choice. See my Hebrew commentary, Vol. I, p. 36-37, where I quote this thought in the name of Rabbi Yeruchum, one of the great leaders of the Musar movement. It is this which Scripture states in [the Book of] Jeremiah, Behold, the days come, saith the Eternal, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers etc. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Eternal, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it.60Jeremiah 31:30-32. This is a reference to the annulment of the evil instinct and to the natural performance by the heart of its proper function. Therefore Jeremiah said further, and I will be their G-d, and they shall be My people; and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying: ‘Know the Eternal;’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.61Ibid., Verses 32-33. Now, it is known that the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth62Genesis 8:21. and it is necessary to instruct them, but at that time it will not be necessary to instruct them [to avoid evil] for their evil instinct will then be completely abolished. And so it is declared by Ezekiel, A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit will I put within you;63Ezekiel 36:26. and I will cause you to walk in My statutes.64Ibid., Verse 27. The new heart alludes to man’s nature, and the [new] spirit to the desire and will. It is this which our Rabbis have said:65Shabbath 151b. “And the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say: ‘I have no pleasure in them’66Ecclesiastes 12:1. — these are the days of the Messiah, as they will offer opportunity neither for merit nor for guilt,” for in the days of the Messiah there will be no [evil] desire in man but he will naturally perform the proper deeds and therefore there will be neither merit nor guilt in them, for merit and guilt are dependent upon desire.