(Devarim 32:7) "Remember the days of yore": Remember what I did with the first generations: what I did with the men of the generation of the flood; what I did with the men of the generation of hapalagah (the tower of Bavel); what I did with the men of the generation of Sodom and Amorah.
"Reflect upon the years of generation upon generation": There is no generation where there are no men like those of the generations of the men of the flood; where there are no men like those of the generation of hapalagah and the men of Sodom — but each is judged according to his acts.
"Ask your father and he will tell you": These are the prophets, viz. (II Kings 2:12) "And Elisha saw (Eliyahu the prophet) and cried 'My father! My father!'"
Variantly: "Remember the days of the world": He said to them: Whenever the L-rd brings afflictions upon you, remember how many benefactions and consolations He is destined to accord you in the world to come.
"Reflect upon the years of generation upon generation": This is the generation of the Messiah, which contains three generations, viz. (Psalms 72:5) "They (Israel, in the days of the Messiah) will fear You before the sun and the moon, generation (1) generations (2)."
"Ask your Father and He will tell you": In the future, Israel are destined to see and hear from the mouth of the Holy One Blessed be He, viz. (Isaiah 30:21) "And your ears will hear a word from behind you ([in context: from the mouth of the L-rd]), saying, etc." And (Isaiah, Ibid. 20) "And your Teacher will no longer be hidden behind His garment, and your eyes will see your Teacher."
"your elders, and they shall say it to you": what I showed the elders in the mountain," (Sinai, at the giving of the Torah), viz. (Shemoth 24:1) "And to Moses He said: Go up to the L-rd, you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy from the elders of Israel… (Ibid. 10) And they saw the G-d of Israel" (and so, in time to come.)
(דברים לב ז) זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם, אָמַר לָהֶם: הִזָּכְרוּ מַה שֶּׁעָשִׂיתִי לַדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, מַה שֶּׁעָשִׂיתִי לְאַנְשֵׁי דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, וּמַה שֶּׁעָשִׂיתִי לְאַנְשֵׁי דוֹר הַפַּלַּגָה, וּמָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי לְאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם.
(Devarim 32:7) "Remember the days of yore": Remember what I did with the first generations: what I did with the men of the generation of the flood; what I did with the men of the generation of hapalagah (the tower of Bavel); what I did with the men of the generation of Sodom and Amorah.
בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר, אֵין לְךָ דוֹר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כְּאַנְשֵׁי דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, וְאֵין לְךָ דוֹר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כְּאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּדּוֹן כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו.
"Reflect upon the years of generation upon generation": There is no generation where there are no men like those of the generations of the men of the flood; where there are no men like those of the generation of hapalagah and the men of Sodom — but each is judged according to his acts.
שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ, אֵלּוּ נְבִיאִים, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מ״ב ב יב): ״וֶאֱלִישָׁע רֹאֶה וְהוּא מְצַעֵק אָבִי אָבִי״.
"Ask your father and he will tell you": These are the prophets, viz. (II Kings 2:12) "And Elisha saw (Eliyahu the prophet) and cried 'My father! My father!'"
זְקֵנֶיךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ, אֵלּוּ זְקֵנִים, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יא טז): ״אֶסְפָה לִּי שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״.
"your elders and they will tell you": These are the elders, viz. (Bamidbar 11:16) "Gather unto Me seventy men from the elders of Israel."
דָּבָר אַחֵר זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם, אָמַר לָהֶם, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם יִסּוּרִים, הִזָּכְרוּ כַּמָּה טוֹבוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת עָתִיד לִתֵּן לָכֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Variantly: "Remember the days of the world": He said to them: Whenever the L-rd brings afflictions upon you, remember how many benefactions and consolations He is destined to accord you in the world to come.
בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר, זֶה דּוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה דוֹרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עב ה): ״יִירָאוּךָ עִם שָׁמֶשׁ וְלִפְנֵי יָרֵחַ דּוֹר דּוֹרִים״.
"Reflect upon the years of generation upon generation": This is the generation of the Messiah, which contains three generations, viz. (Psalms 72:5) "They (Israel, in the days of the Messiah) will fear You before the sun and the moon, generation (1) generations (2)."
שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ, לְמָחָר עֲתִידִים יִשְׂרָאֵל לִהְיוֹת רוֹאִים וְשׁוֹמְעִים כְּשׁוֹמְעִים מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ל כא): ״וְאָזְנֶיךָ תִּשְׁמַעְנָה דָבָר מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ לֵאמֹר״, וְאוֹמֵר (שם ל כ): ״לֹא יִכָּנֵף עוֹד מוֹרֶיךָ וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ״.
"Ask your Father and He will tell you": In the future, Israel are destined to see and hear from the mouth of the Holy One Blessed be He, viz. (Isaiah 30:21) "And your ears will hear a word from behind you ([in context: from the mouth of the L-rd]), saying, etc." And (Isaiah, Ibid. 20) "And your Teacher will no longer be hidden behind His garment, and your eyes will see your Teacher."
זְקֵנֶיךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ, מַה שֶּׁהֶרְאֵיתִי לַזְּקֵנִים בָּהָר, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד א): ״וְאֶל מֹשֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל ה׳״.
"your elders, and they shall say it to you": what I showed the elders in the mountain," (Sinai, at the giving of the Torah), viz. (Shemoth 24:1) "And to Moses He said: Go up to the L-rd, you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy from the elders of Israel… (Ibid. 10) And they saw the G-d of Israel" (and so, in time to come.)