What is "Venishmartem Me'od le'Nafshoseichem" referring to?
Ramban: It is a warning not to go after the Voice that they heard on Har Sinai, but to ascribe to it to Hashem Himself. 1
RS"R Hirsch: Guard against influences to your soul (that will distance you from Hashem).
Ha'amek Davar: It refers to guarding one's body and one's soul.
Mesilas Yesharim (Perek 19): It refers to guarding oneself from [physical] matters that were created to punish Resha'im, thugh one should not add [excess] guarding on to guarding.
Erech Apayim 1: It refers exclusively to matters that concern mortal danger.
What are the connotations of "Venishmartem Me'od le'Nafshoseicham"?
Rambam (Hilchos Rotze'ach, 11:4): 'It is a Mitzvah to remove any obstacle that is dangerous and to guard oneself very, very carefully against all (physical) danger'. 1
See Torah Temimah on Pasuk 9, and note 16 and refer to 4:9:1:5:1 & 4:15:151:1.
What is the significance of the reason ("Ki Lo Re'isem Kol Temunah
Seforno: It negates the opinion of the astrologers, who believe that there is nothing in the entire universe that is superior to the celestial beings, and that they alone comprise the initial eternal existence and that they alone are eternal.
How will we reconcile this Pasuk with the fact that many Nevi'im (such as Yeshayaah and Yechezkel) saw visions of Hashem?
Oznayim la'Torah: Because, whereas the Nevi'im concerned were established prophets who were prepared to prophesy, 1 Yisrael by Matan Torah, who were granted prophecy on the spot, were not prepared to prophesy, and Hashem was concerned that, had they seen a Vision of Him, they would have made an image of Him which they would subsequenly have worshipped.
And there was no reason to suspect that they would make an image of what they saw.
Why does the Torah add the word "Me'od"?
Charedim (Lo Sa'aseh 4:25): Refer to 4:15:3:1. To teach us that danger is more stringent than Isur.
