What are the connotations of "v'Oseh Chesed la'Alafim ... "?
Rashi: It means that Hashem rewards the Chesed that a person does 1 up to two thousand generations. 2
Seforno: Still with reference to the wicked idolater, Hashem sometimes waits as much as two thousand generations for his descendants to do Teshuvah, due to the merits of an earlier ancestor whom Hashem loved.
Bechor Shor: "La'Alafim" means without limit. Hashem's love increases when generation after generation serve him.
Refer to 20:6:3:2.
Which is why Rashi inserts the word "Notzer" (which the Torah uses in Shemos 34:7) instead of 'Oseh.'
Rashi (citing Tanchuma Beshalach): And we learn from here that Hashem's Midah of Goodness (reward) is five hundred times greater than His Midah of punishment. Refer to 20:5:4:2**** .
How will we reconcile the current Pasuk, "v'Oseh Chesed la'Alafim" with the Pasuk at the end of Va'eschanan, which states " ... l'Elef Dor"?
What is the difference between "Ohavai" and "Shomerei Mitzvosai"?
Rashi and Ramban (citing others - including the Rambam in Perush ha'Mishnayos): "Ohavai" refers to Tzadikim who serve Hashem out of love, and "Shomerei Mitzvosai," to Tzadikim who serve Him out of fear. 1
Ramban: "Ohavai" refers to Tzadikim who sacrifice their lives for Hashem, 2 and "Shomerei Mitzvosai," to other Tzadikim. 3
See also Ibn Ezra.
Ramban: As the Torah writes in the Shema, "v'Ahavta Es Hashem Elokecha ... bChol Nafshecha." For example, Avraham, whom Nimrod cast into the furnace when he refused to acknowledge his god, and whom Hashem describes "Avraham Ohavi" (Yeshayah 41:8).
See also Ramban DH 'u'Matzasi bi'Mechilta,' who elaborates further.
How will we reconcile this Pasuk with the Pasuk in Va'eschanan, (Devarim 7:9), which gives Hashem's time-period of reward as one thousand generations?
Rashi (in Va'eschanan): Because, whereas here it places the figure of two thousand next to "l'Ohavai," there it places it next to "Shomerei Mitzvosai," 1 a lower level of serving Hashem.
Rashbam: "La'Alafim" is a continuation of "Banim," "Shileishim" and "Ribe'im," 2 and means children of the thousandth generation, just as the Torah writes in Devarim.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that Hashem's Midah Tovah is five hundred times greater than His Midah of punishment. But Midah Tovah enables a hundred Yisre'elim to chase ten thousand enemies (Vayikra 26:8), whereas the Midah of punishment enables two enemies to chase ten thousand Yisre'elim (Devarim 32:30) - fifty times as much per person?
Moshav Zekenim, Rosh (Vayikra 26:8) and Tosfos (Sotah 11a DH ul'Olam): Midah Tovah enables each Yisrael to kill a hundred enemies. The Midah of punishment enables enemies to chase more Yisre'elim, but they cannot kill them.
