“And His commandments” (Dt.13:5)— these are the prescriptions. “Shall you preserve” (Dt.13:5)— by identifying [and avoiding] the proscriptions.159On the textual basis of this translation, see F:150, n.5 and H:428, Pisqa’ 85, n.1.
4
וּבְקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ – בְּקוֹל נְבִיאָיו.
“And to His voice shall you listen” (Dt.13:5)— to the voice of His prophets.
(דברים יג ה) אַחֲרֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם תֵּלֵכוּ – זֶה הֶעָנָן.
Pisqa’ 85158H:137; JN1:235.
1. “Follow after HASHEM your God” (Dt.13:5)—
thus, follow the Cloud [by day].
וְאֹתוֹ תִירָאוּ – שֶׁיְּהֵא מוֹרָאוֹ עֲלֵיכֶם.
“And Him shall you revere” (Dt.13:5)—
you should stand in awe of Him.
וְאֶת מִצְוֹתָיו – זוֹ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, תִּשְׁמֹרוּ – לִתֵּן לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.
“And His commandments” (Dt.13:5)—
these are the prescriptions.
“Shall you preserve” (Dt.13:5)—
by identifying [and avoiding] the proscriptions.159On the textual basis of this translation, see F:150, n.5 and H:428, Pisqa’ 85, n.1.
וּבְקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ – בְּקוֹל נְבִיאָיו.
“And to His voice shall you listen” (Dt.13:5)—
to the voice of His prophets.
וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹדוּ – עִבְדוּ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ, עִבְדוּ בְּמִקְדָּשׁוֹ.
“And Him shall you serve” (Dt.13:5)—
serve Him with [study of] his Torah,
and serve Him [with sacrificial offerings]
in His Holy Shrine.
וּבוֹ תִדְבָּקוּן – הִפָּרְשׁוּ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְדִבְקוּ בַּמָּקוֹם!
“And to Him shall you cling” (Dt.13:5)—
separate yourselves from serving a foreign cult,
and cling to the All-Present.