Seeing as "ve'es Mitzvosai Tishm'ru" refers to the fulfillment of Mitzvos, what are the connotatons of "Im Bechukosai Teilechu"?
Rashi: It means 'If You will study My Torah diligently'. 1
Seforno, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: 'Chukos' 2 are royal edicts that one keeps as one goes about one daily life. 3
Avodah Zarah, 5a: "Im" is a Lashon of request - If only Yisrael would follow the path of Torah ... . 4
See also Ba'al ha'Turim. See Torah Temimah, note 12, who explains the words "be'Chukosai" according to this explanation.
It is synonymous with 'Chukim'.
Seforno: Hence the Torah uses the word "Teilechu" - as in 18:4 and in Yechezkel, 33:15.
Avodah Zarah, Ibid.: As the Pasuk indicates in Tehilim, 81:15 and in Yeshayah, 48:18.
What is the sequence of the three phrases in the current Pasuk?
Rashi: 'If you will study the Torah diligently with the intention of fulfilling its Mitzvos, and you will then go on to actually fulfill them'.
Seforno: 'If you will go in Hashem's statutes, and delve into His Mitzvos 1 to observe them with great care, you will succeed in fulfilling them to perfection, willingly, out of love, 2 and not like someone who is commanded and who does it out of fear'. 3
Seforno: As the Chachamim commented on the Pasuk in Re'ei Devarim, 12:28 "Sh'mor Veshamamta" - "Sh'mor", 'Zu Mishnah'.
Seforno: As the Mishnah says in Avos, 2:4 'Make His will like your will!'
See Seforno.
Why does the Torah insert this Pasuk after Shabbos and idolatry?
Moshav Zekenim: Because Shabbos and idolatry are equal to all the Mitzvos. 1 When people went to collect Manna on Shabbos, it says "Me'antem Lishmor Mitzvosai" (Sh'mos 16:28). It says about idolatry "Sishgu ve'Lo Sa'asu es Kol ha'Mitzvos" (Bamidbar 15:22).
Moshav Zekenim: As we find when people went to collect Manna on Shabbos in Beshalach Sh'mos, 16:28. and the Torah writes "Me'antem Lishmor Mitzvosai"; and in Sh'lach-L'cha Bamidbar, 15:22, in conection with idolatry, the Torah writes "ve'Chi Sishgu ve'Lo Sa'asu es Kol ha'Mitzvos".
