ואתחנן, רביעי

לא את אבתינו בִּלְבַד כרת ה' וגו'. כי אתנו וגו':

Not with our fathers alone did Adonoy make this covenant, etc., but with us, etc..

פנים בפנים. אָ"רַ בֶרֶכְיָה: כָּךְ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אַל תֹּאמְרוּ אֲנִי מַטְעֶה אֶתְכֶם עַל לֹא דָבָר, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהַסַּרְסוּר עוֹשֶׂה בֵּין הַמּוֹכֵר לַלּוֹקֵחַ, הֲרֵי הַמּוֹכֵר עַצְמוֹ מְדַבֵּר עִמָּכֶם (פסיקתא רבתי):

Face to face. R’ Berachia said, “This is what Moshe said [implied], Do not say that I am misleading you about something that is not a matter of fact such as an agent does acting as a middleman between the buyer and seller; for in this case, the seller himself is speaking to you.

לאמר. מוּסָב עַל דבר ה' עמכם בהר מתוך האש, לאמר אנכי ה' וגו' ואנכי עומד בין ה' וביניכם:

Saying. [The word לֵאמֹר ] is connected [with the previous verse]: Adonoy spoke to you at the mountain from within the fire saying I am Adonoy etc.”; while I was standing between Adonoy and you.

על פני. בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי שָׁם, וְזֶהוּ כָּל הָעוֹלָם. דָּ"אַ — כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֲנִי קַיָּם. עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת כְּבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּים:

In My presence. In any place where I am and that includes the entire world. Another explanation: So long as I exist. I have already explained the Ten Commandments.

שמור. וּבָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר "זָכוֹר", שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד וּבְתֵבָה אַחַת נֶאֶמְרוּ, וּבִשְׁמִיעָה אַחַת נִשְׁמְעוּ (מכילתא):

Preserve. In the previous [Ten Commandments] it states “remember.” [the explanation is] both of them (שָׁמוֹר וְזָכוֹר) were pronounced simultaneously and as one word, and were heard in one sound.

כאשר צוך. קֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה בְּמָרָה (שבת פ"ז):

As . . . commanded you. Before the giving of the Torah [you were commanded to do so] at Marah.

וזכרת כי עבד היית וגו'. עַל מְנָת כֵּן פְּדָאֲךָ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לוֹ עֶבֶד וְתִשְׁמֹר מִצְווֹתָיו:

Remember that you were a slave, etc. He freed you on the condition that you shall be His servant and preserve His commandments.

כאשר צוך. אַף עַל כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם נִצְטַוּוּ בְמָרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ט"ו) שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט (סנהדרין נ"ו):

As the way . . . commanded you. Also regarding the honor of father and mother were they commanded at Marah, as it is said, “there He set before them a statute and an ordinance.”

ולא תנאף. אֵין לְשׁוֹן נִאוּף אֶלָּא בְאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ:

Do not commit adultery. The term נִאוּף, adultery, is applicable only in reference to a married woman.

ולא תתאוה. וְלָא תֵרוֹג, אַף הוּא לְשׁוֹן חֶמְדָּה, כְּמוֹ נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה (בראשית ב') דִּמְתַרְגְּמִינָן דִּמְרַגַּג לְמִחְזֵי:

Do not covet. [“ לָא תִתְאִַבֶה “ is translated by Targum Onkeles] — “ לֹא תֵירוֹג “ which is also an expression of desiring, similar to נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה (pleasant to look at), which the Targum translates דִּמְרַגַּג לְמֶחֱזֵי (desirable to behold.)