Study Desk

‘Adonai Elohim , you have begun to reveal your greatness to your servant, and your strong hand — for what other god is there in heaven or on earth that can do the works and mighty deeds that you do?

"Now, Isra'el, listen to the laws and rulings I am teaching you, in order to follow them, so that you will live; then you will go in and take possession of the land that Adonai , the God of your fathers, is giving you.

In order to obey the mitzvot of Adonai your God which I am giving you, do not add to what I am saying, and do not subtract from it.

but you who stuck with Adonai your God are still alive today, every one of you.

(ii) Look, I have taught you laws and rulings, just as Adonai my God ordered me, so that you can behave accordingly in the land where you are going in order to take possession of it.

For what great nation is there that has God as close to them as Adonai our God is, whenever we call on him?

the day you stood before Adonai your God at Horev, when Adonai said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, and I will make them hear my very words, so that they will learn to hold me in awe as long as they live on earth, and so that they will teach their children.'

For the same reason, do not look up at the sky, at the sun, moon, stars and everything in the sky, and be drawn away to worship and serve them; Adonai your God has allotted these to all the peoples under the entire sky.

"But Adonai was angry with me on account of you and swore that I would not cross the Yarden and go into that good land, which Adonai your God is giving you to inherit.

Watch out for yourselves, so that you won't forget the covenant of Adonai your God, which he made with you, and make yourself a carved image, a representation of anything forbidden to you by Adonai your God.

For Adonai your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

"When you have had children and grandchildren, lived a long time in the land, become corrupt and made a carved image, a representation of something, and thus done what is evil in the sight of Adonai your God and provoked him;

However, from there you will seek Adonai your God; and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and being.

In your distress, when all these things have come upon you, in the acharit-hayamim, you will return to Adonai your God and listen to what he says;

for Adonai your God is a merciful God. He will not fail you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them.

"Indeed, inquire about the past, before you were born: since the day God created human beings on the earth, from one end of heaven to the other, has there ever been anything as wonderful as this? Has anyone heard anything like it?

Did any other people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of a fire, as you have heard, and stay alive?

Or has God ever tried to go and take for himself a nation from the very bowels of another nation, by means of ordeals, signs, wonders, war, a mighty hand, an outstretched arm and great terrors — like all that Adonai your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

This was shown to you, so that you would know that Adonai is God, and there is no other beside him.

know today, and establish it in your heart, that Adonai is God in heaven above and on earth below — there is no other.