Walking with God (?)

Deuteronomy 10:12-17

יב וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֹׁאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם־לְיִרְאָה אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו וּלְאַהֲבָה אֹתוֹ וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת־יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶׁךָ: יג לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־מִצְוֹת יְהוָֹה וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָיו אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְטוֹב לָךְ: יד הֵן לַיהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם הָאָרֶץ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ: טו רַק בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁק יְהוָֹה לְאַהֲבָה אוֹתָם וַיִּבְחַר בְּזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם בָּכֶם מִכָּל־הָעַמִּים כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה: טז וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם וְעָרְפְּכֶם לֹא תַקְשׁוּ עוֹד: יז כִּי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הוּא אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים הָאֵל הַגָּדֹל הַגִּבֹּר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִשָּׂא פָנִים וְלֹא יִקַּח שֹׁחַד

12. And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13. To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?
14. Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s your God, the earth also, with all that is in it.
15. Only the Lord took delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, you above all people, as it is this day.
16. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
17. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God,mighty and awesome, which favors no person, nor takes bribes;

Take your assigned role and analyze the text above.

Welcome to Israel! (Now don't make idols...)

As soon as the Israelites are given the אשרת הדברות and the שמע & ואהבת , they are told the following:

יב הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת־יְהוָֹה אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאֲךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים: יג אֶת־יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ: יד לֹא תֵלְכוּן אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים מֵאֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶם: טו כִּי אֵל קַנָּא יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּקִרְבֶּךָ פֶּן־יֶחֱרֶה אַף־יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּךְ וְהִשְׁמִידְךָ מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה:   ס   טז לֹא תְנַסּוּ אֶת־יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתֶם בַּמַּסָּה: יז שָׁמוֹר תִּשְׁמְרוּן אֶת־מִצְוֹת יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְעֵדֹתָיו וְחֻקָּיו אֲשֶׁר צִוָּךְ

 :

12. Then beware lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
13. You shall fear the Lord your God, and serve him, and shall swear by his name.
14. You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people who are round about you;
15. For the Lord your God is a jealous God among you, lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and destroy you from the face of the earth.
16. You shall not tempt the Lord your God, as you tempted him in Massah.
17. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 

Questions to consider: 

• Why is God so worried about being forgotten so soon after bringing the people to Israel? 
• Why so soon after repeating the אשרת הדיברות does God need to reiterate the commandment not to worship other Gods?
• What happened in Massah?
• What does it mean 'your God is a jealous God'?
• What are the commandments - מצוות , testimonies - עדות , and statues - חוקים ? What is the difference between them all?