The entire Jewish nation assembled to enter into a covenant with G-d. Moshe addressed them, explaining that this covenant was not only with the Jews of that generation who were all present, but also “with those standing here with us today before Hashem our G-d, and with those who are not here with us this day.” Meaning, in the words of Rashi, “Even with future generations.”
Various commentaries discuss how the covenant could be binding upon people who were not yet born (and even future converts to Judaism).
Some explain that the souls of the future generations were present when the covenant was made, even though their bodies were not. Others explain that since a child is the continuation of his parents, the future generations were contained within those present at that covenant, and thereby automatically included.
Rashi, however, offers neither of these explanations, nor any other, implying that these rationalizations are unnecessary. Ostensibly, Rashi is of the opinion that since G-d is not bound by the natural limits of time, He can enter a covenant with people of the future directly, just as He can with people of the present.
Support for this is found in the words of the verse: “...those standing with us here today... and with those who are not here with us.” Having stated earlier (29:11) that everyone present was entering the covenant, why was it necessary to repeat that the covenant encompassed “those standing with us here today”? Evidently, the Torah wishes to equate G-d’s covenant with the Jews of future generations (“who are not here with us”) and His covenant with those present (“those standing with us here today”), emphasizing that they are identical.
Rashi therefore insists that the Jews of future generations enter this covenant not merely by virtue of their ancestors’ presence, nor is the covenant merely with their souls (in contrast with those who were physically present at the time, whose bodies, too, entered in the covenant). Rather, every Jew for all eternity, body and soul, born Jew and convert alike, is a direct and equal partner in this covenant with G-d.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 19, pp. 266–271
