וְזֹ֣את הַמִּצְוָ֗ה הַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם לְלַמֵּ֣ד אֶתְכֶ֑ם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם עֹבְרִ֥ים שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

And this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances that the Lord your God commanded to teach you, to perform them in the land into which you are crossing to take possession of it

לְמַ֨עַן תִּירָ֜א אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ לִ֠שְׁמֹר אֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתָ֣יו וּמִצְוֺתָיו֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י מְצַוֶּךָ֒ אַתָּה֙ וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּ֑יךָ וּלְמַ֖עַן יַאֲרִכֻ֥ן יָמֶֽיךָ׃

so that you will fear the Lord your God, to observe all His statutes and His commandments that I am commanding you: You, your son, and your son’s son, all the days of your life; and so that your days will be extended, and there will be continuity of the nation of Israel.

וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר֙ יִיטַ֣ב לְךָ֔ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְבּ֖וּן מְאֹ֑ד כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ (פ)

You shall hear, Israel, and you shall take care to perform, so that it will be good for you, and so that you will increase greatly, as the Lord, the God of your forefathers, spoke to you, and you will experience this goodness in a land flowing with milk and honey. You are about to enter the good land and live a normal life there. If you fulfill your responsibilities, I will ensure that you have plentiful food and other necessities.

שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃

Hear, Israel: With these words, Moses was not merely addressing Israel, but also declaring the essence and faith of the people. He made two declarations: The Lord is our God, and the Lord is one.

וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃

Based on the fundamental declaration, the following commands are derived: You shall love the Lord your God with all the desire of your heart, and your heart shall not disagree with this, and with all your soul, to the point of giving up your life for His sake, and with all your might. You are commanded to love God at all times and in all places, and you shall increase the extent of this love as much as possible.

וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃

These matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart by remembering them constantly.

וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃

You shall inculcate them in your children, and you shall speak of them and review them while you are sitting in your house, and while you are walking on the way, in every place that you may be, and while you are lying down, and while you are rising, so that you will remember them.

וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃

You shall bind them as a sign on your arm by making square black boxes, inside which these words shall be written. This refers to the phylacteries bound on the arm, the binding of which symbolizes one’s connection to God. And they shall be for ornaments, which function as an emblem or a symbol, between your eyes, centered in between the eyes above the forehead. This refers to the phylacteries bound on the head.

וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּזֹ֥ת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)

You shall write them on the doorposts of your private house, and on your gates of the cities.

וְהָיָ֞ה כִּ֥י יְבִיאֲךָ֣ ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֜רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לָ֣תֶת לָ֑ךְ עָרִ֛ים גְּדֹלֹ֥ת וְטֹבֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־בָנִֽיתָ׃

It shall be when the Lord your God will take you into the land with regard to which He took an oath to your forefathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to you, great and good cities that you did not build, but will already be present,

וּבָ֨תִּ֜ים מְלֵאִ֣ים כָּל־טוּב֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־מִלֵּאתָ֒ וּבֹרֹ֤ת חֲצוּבִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־חָצַ֔בְתָּ כְּרָמִ֥ים וְזֵיתִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־נָטָ֑עְתָּ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃

and houses full of everything good, such as food and other stored items, that you did not fill or gather, and hewn cisterns for water that you did not hew, and likewise, vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant, and you shall eat all of these and you shall be satisfied.

הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃

Beware, lest you forget the Lord, who took you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

אֶת־יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ תִּירָ֖א וְאֹת֣וֹ תַעֲבֹ֑ד וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃

You shall fear the Lord your God, by treating Him with reverence, and Him you shall serve, and only afterward, if you must take an oath, by His name you shall swear, and thereby connect yourself to Him.

לֹ֣א תֵֽלְכ֔וּן אַחֲרֵ֖י אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים מֵאֱלֹהֵי֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃

You shall not follow other gods to worship them or to take an oath by them, from the gods of the peoples that are around you.

כִּ֣י אֵ֥ל קַנָּ֛א יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ פֶּן־יֶ֠חֱרֶה אַף־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ בָּ֔ךְ וְהִשְׁמִ֣ידְךָ֔ מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ס)

For the Lord your God is a zealous God in your midst. God’s love for you requires you to worship Him exclusively. He will not allow you to worship the gods of other nations; lest the wrath of the Lord your God will be enflamed against you,

לֹ֣א תְנַסּ֔וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִסִּיתֶ֖ם בַּמַּסָּֽה׃

When you encounter a challenge, and you require His assistance, you shall not test the Lord your God. Do not request your needs from Him as a test or an attempt for proof that God is present, as you tested Him in Masa, as your attempt there ended badly, resulting in Amalek’s attack.

שָׁמ֣וֹר תִּשְׁמְר֔וּן אֶת־מִצְוֺ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם וְעֵדֹתָ֥יו וְחֻקָּ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽךְ׃

You shall observe the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes that He commanded you.

וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ הַיָּשָׁ֥ר וְהַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וּבָ֗אתָ וְיָֽרַשְׁתָּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

The Torah contains numerous commandments that address every aspect of life. Here, however, the Torah refers to a demand more general than merely fulfilling specific commandments. You shall do the right and the good in the eyes of the Lord, even if it is not stated explicitly in the Torah; so that it will be good for you, and you will come and you will take possession of the good land with regard to which the Lord took an oath to your forefathers,

לַהֲדֹ֥ף אֶת־כָּל־אֹיְבֶ֖יךָ מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃ (ס)

to cast all your enemies from before you, as the Lord spoke. If the children of Israel conduct themselves as described in the previous verse, God will be good to them and protect them from their enemies.

כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָלְךָ֥ בִנְךָ֛ מָחָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר מָ֣ה הָעֵדֹ֗ת וְהַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֛ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ אֶתְכֶֽם׃

When your son asks you tomorrow, when you are already settled in the Land of Israel, saying: What are the testimonies, the commandments that serve as symbols for other commandments and call attention to particular messages of the Torah, or those that serve to commemorate past events; and the statutes, laws whose reasons are unknown or unclear; and the ordinances, commandments with clear and understandable reasons, that the Lord our God commanded you? What are the reasons for the numerous commandments in the Torah, and why is their fulfillment required specifically of us?

וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ עֲבָדִ֛ים הָיִ֥ינוּ לְפַרְעֹ֖ה בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיּוֹצִיאֵ֧נוּ יְהוָ֛ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃

You shall say to your son: We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord took us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

וַיִּתֵּ֣ן יְהוָ֡ה אוֹתֹ֣ת וּ֠מֹפְתִים גְּדֹלִ֨ים וְרָעִ֧ים ׀ בְּמִצְרַ֛יִם בְּפַרְעֹ֥ה וּבְכָל־בֵּית֖וֹ לְעֵינֵֽינוּ׃

The Lord provided signs and wonders, great and awful, against Egypt, against Pharaoh, and against his entire household, before our eyes. We saw God strike the Egyptians and their king with our own eyes.

וְאוֹתָ֖נוּ הוֹצִ֣יא מִשָּׁ֑ם לְמַ֙עַן֙ הָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ לָ֤תֶת לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ׃

He took us out of there, not due to our righteousness, but rather so that He would bring us, to give us the land with regard to which He took an oath to our forefathers. His purpose was to fulfill His covenant that He had made with our forefathers.

וַיְצַוֵּ֣נוּ יְהוָ֗ה לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לְיִרְאָ֖ה אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְט֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ כָּל־הַיָּמִ֔ים לְחַיֹּתֵ֖נוּ כְּהַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

The Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good all the days, in order to keep us alive continuously, just as we are alive on this day.

וּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־לָּ֑נוּ כִּֽי־נִשְׁמֹ֨ר לַעֲשׂ֜וֹת אֶת־כָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֗את לִפְנֵ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽנוּ׃ (ס)

Justice, a just action, or a reward, or a privilege, will be had for us, if we take care to perform all of this commandment, to be remembered before the Lord our God, as He commanded us.