(Devarim 33:4) "Torah was commanded lanu by Moses": This command is only "lanu," only for our sake. Similarly, (I Kings 8:20) "And I have built the house for the name of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel" — What is the purpose of this house? (Ibid. 21) "And I have built there a place for the ark" — This command is only lanu, only for our sake.
Variantly: "Torah was commanded to us by Moses": It is not from Moses alone that we hold the Torah; for our fathers, too, acquired it, viz. (Devarim, Ibid.) "the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." This tells me (only) of an inheritance for the sons of kings. Whence do I derive the same for the sons of non-kings? From (Devarim. 29:9) "You are standing this day, all of you, etc." Variantly: Do not read it "morashah" ("inheritance"), but me'orasah" ("betrothed"), the Torah being betrothed to Israel, and (it is forbidden) to the gentiiles as (is) a married woman. Similarly, (Mishlei 6:27-29) "Will a man draw forth fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned? Will a man walk on coals and his feet not be scorched? So, he who comes to his friend's wife. No one who touches her shall go clean." Thus "the betrothed of the congregation of Jacob."
(דברים לג ד) תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה, צִוּוּי זֶה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לָנוּ, אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בַּעֲבוּרֵנוּ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (מ״א ח כ): ״וָאֶבְנֶה הַבַּיִת לְשֵׁם ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, בַּיִת זֶה לָמָּה? לָאָרוֹן. וְאוֹמֵר (שם כא): ״וָאָשִׂם שָׁם מָקוֹם לָאָרוֹן״. הֱוֵי, צִוּוּי זֶה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לָנוּ, אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בַּעֲבוּרֵנוּ.
(Devarim 33:4) "Torah was commanded lanu by Moses": This command is only "lanu," only for our sake. Similarly, (I Kings 8:20) "And I have built the house for the name of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel" — What is the purpose of this house? (Ibid. 21) "And I have built there a place for the ark" — This command is only lanu, only for our sake.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה, וְכִי מִמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ אָנוּ אוֹחֲזִים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה? וַהֲלֹא אֲבוֹתֵינוּ זָכוּ בָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב. שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי יְרֻשָּׁה לִבְנֵי מְלָכִים, יְרֻשָּׁה לִבְנֵי קְטַנִּים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים כט ט): ״אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם״. דָּבָר אַחֵר: [מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב] אַל תְּהִי קוֹרֵא מוֹרָשָׁה אֶלָּא מְאוֹרָסָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה מְאוֹרָסָה הִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי ו כז-כט): ״הֲיַחְתֶּה אִישׁ אֵשׁ בְּחֵיקוֹ וּבְגָדָיו לֹא תִשָּׂרַפְנָה? אִם יְהַלֵּךְ אִישׁ עַל הַגֶּחָלִים וְרַגְלָיו לֹא תִכָּוֶינָה? כֵּן הַבָּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ לֹא יִנָּקֶה כָּל הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהּ״.
Variantly: "Torah was commanded to us by Moses": It is not from Moses alone that we hold the Torah; for our fathers, too, acquired it, viz. (Devarim, Ibid.) "the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." This tells me (only) of an inheritance for the sons of kings. Whence do I derive the same for the sons of non-kings? From (Devarim. 29:9) "You are standing this day, all of you, etc." Variantly: Do not read it "morashah" ("inheritance"), but me'orasah" ("betrothed"), the Torah being betrothed to Israel, and (it is forbidden) to the gentiiles as (is) a married woman. Similarly, (Mishlei 6:27-29) "Will a man draw forth fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned? Will a man walk on coals and his feet not be scorched? So, he who comes to his friend's wife. No one who touches her shall go clean." Thus "the betrothed of the congregation of Jacob."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: אַל תְּהִי קוֹרֵא מְאֹרָשָׂה אֶלָּא מוֹרָשָׁה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה מוֹרָשָׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְבֶן מְלָכִים שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּה כְּשֶׁהוּא קָטָן לִמְדִינַת הַיָּם, אִם מְבַקֵּשׁ לַחֲזֹר אֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר מֵאָה שָׁנָה אֵינוֹ בוֹשׁ לַחֲזֹר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: לִירֻשָּׁתִי אֲנִי חוֹזֵר. כָּךְ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְהָלַךְ לוֹ לִדְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים, אִם מְבַקֵּשׁ לַחֲזֹר אֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר מֵאָה שָׁנָה אֵינוֹ בוֹשׁ לַחֲזֹר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: לִירֻשָּׁתִי אֲנִי חוֹזֵר. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב.