2024 Notes on Vaetchanan (Deuteronomy 3：23-7：11)
2024注释 vaetchanan”恳求” 申命记3：23-7：11
(ChatGPT translation from Chinese, edited by Mijiale）
Deuteronomy 4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 所 以 你 们 要 谨 守 遵 行 。 这 就 是 你 们 在 万 民 眼 前 的 智 慧 ， 聪 明 。 他 们 听 见 这 一 切 律 例 ， 必 说 ， 这 大 国 的 人 真 是 有 智 慧 ， 有 聪 明 。
2024注释：我觉得遵守律法会使人聪明。犹太人很聪明，虽然他们的人口只有像上海一个城市那么多，但他们的得诺贝尔奖的人数超过全世界华人得诺贝尔奖的人数的10倍以上。虽然这些得奖的犹太人大多数不遵守律法，但智商是遗传的，他们的聪明可能与他们祖先的遵守律法有关。当然，本节经文所说的智慧与聪明不一定是指科学上的成就，而可能是指律法本身的智慧。但是学习和实践智慧的律法可能会带来其他方面的聪明智慧。比如律法书（申6：4）启示造物主是一。那么这样的传统观念可以影响一个不守律法的犹太人（爱因斯坦）认为看似不同的东西背后的规律可以是统一的，比如空间与时间是统一的，质量与能量是统一的，几何与引力是统一的。
**2024 Annotation:** I believe that following the law can make people wise. The Jewish people are very intelligent; although their population is only about the size of a city like Shanghai, the number of Nobel Prize winners among them is more than ten times that of the entire Chinese population. Although most of these Jewish Nobel laureates do not observe the law, intelligence is hereditary, and their intelligence may be related to their ancestors’ adherence to the law. Of course, the wisdom and understanding mentioned in this verse may not necessarily refer to academic achievements but rather to the wisdom inherent in the law itself. However, learning and practicing the wise laws can lead to other forms of intelligence and wisdom. For example, the Book of Law (Deuteronomy 6:4) reveals that the Creator is one. Such a traditional concept can influence a non-observant Jew like Einstein to see that seemingly different things can have unified principles behind them, such as space and time being unified, mass and energy being unified, and geometry and gravity being unified.
4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;你 只 要 谨 慎 ， 殷 勤 保 守 你 的 心 灵 ， 免 得 忘 记 你 亲 眼 所 看 见 的 事 ， 又 免 得 你 一 生 ， 这 事 离 开 你 的 心 。 总 要 传 给 你 的 子 子 孙 孙 。
2024注释: 关于教导孙子圣经，犹太人也是很鼓励的，参见https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/vayechi/grandparents/
我想能有这样的机会本身就是主的多重恩典，这不但需要活得长寿，还需要有子孙，也要有与孙子在一起交流的机会，以及能够教导和学习的恩赐。
**2024 Annotation:** Regarding teaching the Bible to grandchildren, this is also highly encouraged in Jewish tradition. See [Rabbi Sacks on Vayechi](https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/vayechi/grandparents/).
I believe having such an opportunity is itself a multifaceted blessing from the Lord. It requires not only longevity but also having children and grandchildren, the chance to communicate with them, and the gifts of teaching and learning.
4:41 Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 那 时 ， 摩 西 在 约 旦 河 东 ， 向 日 出 之 地 ， 分 定 三 座 城 ，
2024注释：这是将来用的逃城，是要等河西也有了逃城以后，才可以开始使用的。现在河西还没有被征服、还没有设立逃城，但摩西把已经在河东可以行的诫命先开始执行了。这个解释记载在Rashi解经
https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Deuteronomy.4.41.1?lang=bi
我们可以看到圣经教导了一个成功的秘诀，在事情暂时没法彻底完成的时候，与其什么都不做，不如先开始做一些已经可以做的。与此相关有一个“五分钟规则”：https://www.managinghappiness.com/productivity/the-five-minute-rule/
如果觉得一个需要做的事情太难完成，那也不要永远不敢开始，不如先试上5分钟。
比如说本周我的研究工作很忙，有一个论文要求在10天内修改好（正在申请延期），但与其完全中断圣经方面的侍奉，不如把一点点的读经感想记下来，算是献上自己的“小饼小鱼”，愿主使用。参见太14:17 “门 徒 说 ， 我 们 这 里 只 有 五 个 饼 ， 两 条 鱼 。” (这样的比喻我是从盛足风牧师的书上学到的。）
**2024 Annotation:** This refers to future use of the cities of refuge, which can only be utilized once there are also cities of refuge on the west side of the river. Currently, the west side has not yet been conquered, and cities of refuge have not been established there. However, Moses implemented the commandment that could be practiced on the east side of the river first. This explanation is documented in Rashi’s commentary (https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Deuteronomy.4.41.1?lang=bi).
We can see that the Bible teaches a secret of success: when things cannot be completely accomplished at the moment, it’s better to start with what can already be done instead of doing nothing. Related to this is the “Five-Minute Rule”: (https://www.managinghappiness.com/productivity/the-five-minute-rule/). If a task seems too difficult to complete, rather than never daring to start, it’s better to give it a try for five minutes first.
For example, this week my research work is very busy, and I have a paper that needs to be revised within ten days（we are requesting an extension). Instead of completely halting my service in the Bible, I decided to jot down a little bit of my reflections on scripture, as an offering of my “small loaves and fish,” hoping the Lord will use it. Refer to Matthew 14:17: “They said to him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.'”（I learned about this kind of analogy from one of Pastor Sheng Zufeng’s books.)
5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. 当 照 耶 和 华 你 神 所 吩 咐 的 守 安 息 日 为 圣 日 。
2024注释: 出埃及记20:8说“当 记 念 安 息 日…”，这里说“当…守 安 息 日 …”，用的动词不一样。我猜想这与犹太传统里遵守安息日的两个习惯可能有关，“记念”，可能对应于在非安息日的六日心里记着安息日，向往安息日的到来，遇见好吃的东西如果可以存放就先不吃，留到安息日享用。“守”，可能有保守的意思，如果安排飞机行程时尽量避免安息日之前到达的航班，以免突然航班取消时不得不在外地找旅馆过安息日。又比如安息日不能做的工作尽量在一周开始时尽早的做，争取在安息日开始前能告一段落，以免影响安心享受安息日。所以准备安息日，既要“记念”，又要“保守”。这些也预表今生为来世做准备的两个要点：既要“记念”向往美好的来世，在天上积财宝，又要有意地“保守”, 对付今生的老我，不让它捣乱干扰我们来世的份。
2024 Annotation: Exodus 20:8 says “Remember the Sabbath day…” while here it says “Keep the Sabbath day…,” using different verbs. I speculate that this might relate to two practices in Jewish tradition regarding the Sabbath. “Remember” may correspond to the six non-Sabbath days when one remembers the Sabbath in mind, looks forward to its arrival, and saves any good food that can be stored to enjoy on the Sabbath. “Keep” might imply safeguarding, such as when scheduling flights, avoiding those that arrive just before the Sabbath to prevent being stuck in an unfamiliar place should a flight be canceled. Another example is completing work that cannot be done on the Sabbath early in the week to ensure it doesn’t interfere with peacefully enjoying the Sabbath. Thus, preparing for the Sabbath involves both “remembering” and “keeping.” These also foreshadow two key points in preparing for the afterlife: “remembering” and longing for the goodness of the world to come by storing up treasures in heaven, and intentionally “keeping,” by dealing with the old self in this life so it doesn’t disrupt our portion in the world to come.
7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 因 为 他 必 使 你 儿 子 转 离 不 跟 从 主 ， 去 事 奉 别 神 ， 以 致 耶 和 华 的 怒 气 向 你 们 发 作 ， 就 速 速 地 将 你 们 灭 绝 。
2024 注释：“他 必 使 你 儿 子”， 这男性的“他”指的是外邦人的女婿，这“你儿子”指的是你的外孙。在犹太文化里，如果女儿是犹太人，那么她所生的你的外孙生来就是犹太人，就像你自己的儿子。而如果儿子是犹太人，他所生的你的孙子却不算“你儿子”，不一定生来就是犹太人。这个经文是一个来源，参见Rashi https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Deuteronomy.7.4
另外，关于暗示外孙的地位像儿子的经文，还有创世纪原文里对拉班外孙们的称呼(创31:43，55）。
**2024 Annotation:** “He(singular in Hebrew) will turn away thy son,” the male “he” refers to the Gentile son-in-law, and “thy son” refers to your grandson. In Jewish culture, if a daughter is Jewish, her children, your grandchildren, are born Jewish and are considered like your own children. However, if your son is Jewish, his children, your grandchildren, are not necessarily considered “thy son” and may not be born Jewish. This scripture is one source for this understanding, as noted in Rashi’s commentary (https://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_Deuteronomy.7.4).
Additionally, regarding the status of a daughter’s son being implied as similar to a son, there are references in the original Hebrew text of Genesis referring to Laban’s grandsons (Genesis 31:43, 55).