ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף דברים 4:5

ויקרא את עשו בנו הגדול, “he called in Esau his elder son.” Both his father and his mother referred to Esau as גדול, “senior.” Rivkah is on record as doing so in verse 15 when the Torah tells us where Esau kept his valuable clothes. G’d, on the other hand, referred to Esau as קטן, “junior.” We know this from Ovadiah 2 הנה קטן נתתיך בגוים, “here I have made you junior amongst the nations.” The meaning of the word גדול is justified according to the popular proverb לקבל תורא טבחא, “one hands over the fully grown ox for slaughter.” Compare Isaiah 34,6: “For the Lord holds a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom.” The prophet speaks of retribution being meted out to the descendants of Esau. Ed.] On the other hand, the reason the description “junior” when applied to Yaakov may be appropriate on occasions is that in verse 30 where he is so described by his mother, G’d retaliated in due cause by referring to Israel as ומי גוי גדול בארץ, “who is a great nation on earth such as Israel” (Deut. 4,5).

NOR A SPADE WITH WHICH TO DIG. Rav: it is forbidden to take money for teaching Torah, as the verse says “and G-d commanded at that moment to teach you laws and statutes” (Deuteronomy 4:14), and another verse earlier¹⁵⁰Tosafot Yom Tov clarifies that these are two separate verses that Rav wrote as one. says “...as Hashem my G-d commanded me” (Deuteronomy 4:5)—just as I learnt for free, you must learn for free. This is based on the Talmud in Nedarim 37a, where Ran writes (s.v. uchtiv re’eh): “As He commanded me.” I.e. he commanded me to teach for free. Otherwise, to what could “as He commanded me” be referring to? We cannot say that it means “[as He commanded me] to teach for pay”, for how could Moses say “as he commanded me”—had G-d commanded him this? Is it impossible to teach without taking pay? We also cannot say that he meant G-d commanded him these things and they were not of his own invention, for the people certainly would not have entertained such doubts, as the verse says “they will believe in you forever” (Exodus 19:9). We must say, rather, that “as He commanded me” must mean that He commanded me to teach for free.
Rav also writes: similarly, a judge may not take money for rendering judgment… and if [he does], his rulings are void. This is a mishna in Bechorot 4:6, see our comments there.
Rav also writes: the Torah has allowed him to benefit… in that his merchandise should be sold in the market first, and that the first customers in the market be directed to him.¹⁵¹Our editions of Rav do not have this second benefit, but Rambam includes it in his commentary on the mishna, which is Rav’s source. Rambam in his commentary here: ...for merchants regularly honor one another by doing these two things, even though there is no learning among them. A Torah scholar is not worse than a respected ignoramus.
Rav also writes: he is also exempt from all taxes and burdens. This is based on a verse in Ezra 7:24: “We also declare to you that it is unlawful to levy minda, b’lo, and halach¹⁵²Types of taxes. on all the priests and Levites, singers and gatekeeprs, Nethinim and whoever serves in this Temple of God.”

However, this can be explained by what is stated in Tractate Nedarim 38a: R. Yosi ben R. Hanina said: “The Torah was given only to Moshe and his seed, for it is written, ‘Write for yourself these words’¹⁴Ex. 34:27. [and] ‘Carve for yourself’:¹⁵Ex. 34:1. just as the carvings [of the Tablets] are yours, so is the writing yours. But Moshe generously gave it to Israel, and concerning him it is said, ‘He who possesses a bountiful eye shall be blessed, etc.’”¹⁶Prov. 22:9. R. Hisda objected, “[The Torah states]: ‘God commanded me at that time to teach you hukim [statutes] and mishpatim [judgments]?’”¹⁷Deut. 4:14. This proves that it was not given to Moshe for himself. [R. Yosi answered], “[It should be translated as], ‘He commanded me, and I [passed it on] to you.’”¹⁸This is the answer, which interprets the verse as: “And God commanded me at that time [and I determined] to teach you,” etc. “[There is a further objection, as the Torah states]: ‘Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me?’”¹⁹Deut. 4:5. [R. Yosi answered], “He commanded me, and I then taught you.” “[Another objection is that Scripture states]: ‘Now, therefore, write this song for you!’”²⁰Deut. 31:19. “For you” implies that it was given to the Israelites in the first place. [R. Yosi answered], “This refers only to the song²¹This refers to Ha’azinu, Deut. 32:1–43. [whereas the rest of the Torah had been given to Moshe alone].” “[But does not “song” refer to the entire Torah, as Scripture states]: ‘This song shall be a witness against the children of Israel’?”²²Deut. 31:19. If the reference is to the song alone, how can that testify against Israel? “Only pilpul be-alma [the pilpul method] [was given to Moshe alone, and he later taught it to the people].”