For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: ‘Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?’ But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. (Deuteronomy 30:11–14)
כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם – לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ וְלֹא רְחֹקָה הִוא. לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא, לֵאמֹר: מִי יַעֲלֶה לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה. וְלֹא מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא, לֵאמֹר: מִי יַעֲבָר לָנוּ אֶל עֵבֶר הַיָּם וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה. כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד, בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ. (דברים ל׳, יא–יד)
The LORD’s commandment is neither in heaven nor beyond the sea: it is known and familiar, in the people’s mouth and heart. This is not because it is innate like natural morality, but because of Moses’ immense educational effort, ensuring the commandments would not be forgotten by their descendants, as he commanded:
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:6–7)
וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ, וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם: בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ, וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ. (דברים ו', ו-ז)
In some respects Moses failed as leader, as the spies’ sin (Deuteronomy 1:37) and Meribah’s waters (Numbers 20:12) show, so he was removed and did not bring Israel into the land. But “the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it” attests his great success: Torah and commandment became inseparable from Israel’s identity, engraved in their hearts and carried in their mouths from generation to generation.
Although he knew they would violate the covenant and suffer its written curses, he confidently knew they would ultimately return to the LORD and His commandments without forgetting:
And thou shalt return and hearken to the voice of the LORD, and do all His commandments which I command thee this day. … if thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. (Deuteronomy 30:8, 10 (with omissions))
וְאַתָּה תָשׁוּב, וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹל ה', וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת כׇּל מִצְוֺתָיו, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם ... כִּי תִשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֺתָיו וְחֻקֹּתָיו הַכְּתוּבָה בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה. כִּי תָשׁוּב אֶל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל נַפְשֶׁךָ (דברים ל׳, ח, י (בדילוג))
