דברים, פרק כ״ט, פסוק א׳

As the Israelites stand on the threshold of entering the land, concluding their long journey through the desert, Moses gathers the nation to forge a new covenant. His words serve to calm their spirits after a harsh series of warnings and curses, reminding them that their historical destiny is to reveal God's glory in the world. He bases this renewed covenant on the foundation of the great miracles they have personally experienced [העמק דבר, אברבנאל].

Although the people have not moved from their places since his previous address, Moses formally calls them to attention once more. This renewed summons refocuses their minds on the continuation of his message, bridging the gap left by the preceding description of the curses [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר]. This specific gathering is uniquely inclusive, intentionally bringing together women, children, and converts to stand ready for the upcoming covenant ceremony [אור החיים].

Moses addresses the crowd by stating that they saw the miracles with their own eyes. This raises a historical question, as the generation that left Egypt died in the desert following the sin of the spies. However, the assembly actually contains many living eyewitnesses to the Exodus. Among the crowd are elders who were over the age of sixty, the tribe of Levi, and the women, all of whom were exempt from the fatal decree in the desert. Additionally, anyone who was under the age of twenty at the time of the Exodus is present [שפתי כהן, ברכת אשר, רש״ר הירש]. Together with the younger generation who witnessed the later miracles in the wilderness, the entire nation stands as firsthand witnesses to God's providence [ביאור שטיינזלץ, The Torah].

Moses reminds them of everything God has done, from the plagues in Egypt to the daily miracles like the manna, and up to their recent military victories over Sihon and Og. The purpose of recounting these events is to prove God's absolute power and to instill complete faith within the people. For forty years, they survived without standard military rations like bread and wine, yet they still managed to defeat mighty kings. This reality demonstrates that their success does not rely on natural military strength, but entirely on Divine providence and their adherence to the Torah [אבן עזרא, רלב״ג, צרור המור, בכור שור, אברבנאל].

Recalling the plagues in Egypt, Moses specifically breaks down the Egyptian hierarchy, addressing Pharaoh, his servants, and his land [אברבנאל]. This detailed breakdown highlights God's exact and precise justice. Pharaoh was punished as the ultimate authority who made independent decisions. His servants, acting as the state ministers, were punished because they possessed the influence to advise the king to treat the Israelites fairly but chose not to do so. Finally, the land, representing the general Egyptian population, was punished in direct proportion to the actual cruelty they inflicted upon the Israelites [מלבי״ם, רש״ר הירש].