פחד יצחק שבועות מאמר א מראה מקומות

(1) Adam, the first man, was commanded with six commandments: 1) idolatry, 2) “blessing” (euphemistically) the Name (of G-d), 3) murder, 4) illicit sexual relations, 5) thievery and, 6) establishing a system of justice. Even though all of these have been received as a Tradition from Moses our Teacher and we can understand the rationale for them, nevertheless, from (verses in) the Torah (we learn that) it was these that they were commanded. A seventh commandment forbidding the eating of a limb torn from a live animal was added for Noah, as it says, “Even flesh, life is in the blood, do not eat of it” (Genesis 9:4). These commandments were universally applicable - until Abraham. With Abraham, circumcision was also commanded and he prayed Shacharis (the Morning Prayer). Isaac separated out a tithe and added another prayer in the afternoon and, with Jacob, the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve was added, as was the Maariv (Evening) Prayer. In Egypt, Amram was commanded with other precepts and, with Moses our Teacher, the Torah was completed.

(1) Moses our Master was not believed in by Israel because he delivered tokens, for whosoever bases his belief contingent upon tokens retains suspicion in his heart, for it is possible that the token was delivered by means of enchantment and witchcraft. But all the tokens delivered by Moses in the wilderness were responsive to necessities, and not as testimony for prophecy. When it became necessary to have the Egyptians sunk, he divided the sea and drowned them therein; when our need was food, he brought down for us Manna; when they became thirsty, he split open the rock for them; when the Korah confederacy denied him, the earth swallowed them up. Likewise came to pass all the other tokens. Wherein, then, did they believe in him? In being present at Mount Sinai; for our own eyes saw and not through a stranger's, and our own ears heard and not that of another; the flame, the thunder and lightning, and he drew near the thick cloud and the Voice speaking unto him, we listening, saying: "Moses, Moses, go and tell them thus and such," for so he also said: "The Lord spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of fire" (Deut. 5.4); and it is moreover said: "The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us" (Ibid. –31). Whencefrom do we know that the standing at Mount Sinai alone is the evidence which makes his prophecy true without a shadow of suspicion? Because it is said: "Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak unto thee, and may also believe thee forever" (Ex. 19.9). Evidently, hitherto they did not believe in him with an everlasting belief, but with a belief wherein there is after-thought and reflection.

(2) Consequently they to whom he was sent are the witnesses by whom the truth of his prophecy is established, wherefor he needed no other token to deliver to them, as they and he witnessed it together, and as when two witnesses see one thing together each one testifies for the other that he speaks the truth, and neither needs other testimony for the other. Thus, Moses our Master, all Israel are his witnesses since their presence at Mount Sinai, and there was no need for him to deliver to them any token. This is what the Holy One, blessed is He! spoke unto him, when he commenced to prophesy, at the time He endowed him with the tokens to be delivered in Egypt, saying to him: "And they shall hearken to thy voice" (Ex. 3.18). Moses our Master knew that whosoever believes on the testimony of tokens retains in his heart suspicions and continues to think and reflect; and he endeavored not to go, saying: "But, behold, they will not believe me" (Ibid. 4.1). Then it was that the Holy One, blessed is He! made known to him that these tokens were of no need save until they go forth out of Egypt, but after they go forth, when they will stand upon this Mount the suspicious thoughts which they might be thinking after thee will disappear, for I am herewith investing thee with a token which they will know in truth that it was I Who sent thee from the very start, so that there be left no suspicion in their heart. And it is this what the Verse says: "And this shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain" (Ibid. 3. 12). Consequently, it must be said that in every prophet who rises up after Moses our Master, we do not believe because of the token alone, so as to say: "If he deliver a token we will hearken to all of his prophesying"; but because of the commandment which Moses commanded in the Torah and said, if he do give a token, "Unto him ye shall hearken" (Deut. 18.15). Even as he commanded us to render decision in a matter on the testimony of two witnesses, although we do not know whether they have testified truth or falsehood, so it is mandatory to hearken to such prophet, notwithstanding our lack of knowledge whether the token is true or whether it was delivered by witchcraft and enchantment.