Parsha Points To Ponder

QUESTIONS

1)Why does the Torah use the repetitive language of NOT WITH YOU ALONE DO I MAKE THIS PACT (29:13) and FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE TODAY (29:14)? The second statement alone should have sufficed!

2)Why does the Torah say that we are responsible to listen to all that G-D teaches TODAY? (30:2)
3)Why does the Torah say FROM YOU (MIMCHA) when relating that the mitzvot are NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU (LO NIFLEIT HI)but it does not say FOR YOU when teaching that mitzvot are NOT FAR (LO RECHOKA) from us? (30:11)

ANSWERS

1)The Ohr HaChayim explains that had the Torah simply said NOT WITH YOU ALONE DO I MAKE THIS PACT, the implication could have been that G-D will make the pact with future generations but this generation had no responsibilities for the future generations. The extra phrase FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE TODAY taught that that generation had an active responsibility to accept the pact with G-D on behalf of the future generations.

2)The Seforno answers that the word TODAY teaches that throughout all generations we must strive to perform mitzvot with a freshness and excitement as if they were given TODAY and never by rote.

3)The Kli Yakar teaches that NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU refers to the explanations for the mitzvot as taught in the Oral Torah. That is NOT HIDDEN from the Jewish people who have the traditions of the Oral Torah but is hidden from the gentile world who lack this tradition. NOT FAR refers to the straightforward actions of the mitzvot described in the Written Torah. That is not distant not just from Jews but from non-Jews as well. Thus, the word FROM YOU is omitted.

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