Sifrei Devarim Reader

(Devarim 1:16) "And I charged your judges at that time, saying": In the past, you were independent; now you are obligated to the congregation.

It once happened that R. Gamliel placed R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma at the head of the academy, and the disciples were unaware of their absence. Towards evening, they returned and sat with the disciples. Such was the trait of R. Gamliel: When he entered (the house of study) and said "Ask" (what is on your minds), it was known that there were no provocateurs there. When he entered and did not say "Ask," it was known that there were provocateurs there. When he entered and found R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma sitting among the disciples, he said to them: (By your behavior) you have made it known to the congregation that you do not wish to exercise authority over them — In the past, you were independent; from now on, you are obligated to the congregation (for their good and welfare). (Ibid.) "Hear among your brothers": He told them: Be deliberate in judgment. If a (similar) case comes before you one, two, or three times, do not say: I've already ruled on this several times, but be deliberate in (the) judgment (of each case). And thus did the men of the Great Assembly say. "Be deliberate in judgment, and set up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah."

"among your brothers": and not among Canaanites. And this was the way of R. Yishmael: When two came to him for judgment, one a Canaanite and one a Jew — If he could find for the Jew by Jewish law, he judged by Jewish law; and if by the laws of the gentiles, he judged by the laws of the gentiles, saying, Why should I not do so? Has the Torah not written "Hear among your brothers"?...

"and judge righteously": (one who may be) a tzaddik (a righteous one) in his righteousness and a claimant (against him) who brings proofs (for his claim); the first, cloaked in his talith; the second saying it is mine (and adducing proofs); the first plowing with his ox; the second saying it is mine; the first sitting in his house; the second saying it is mine; the first holding his fields; the second saying it is mine. This is the intent of "and judge righteously," (between) "the righteous one in his righteousness" and the claimant adducing his proofs, (the rule being: "The burden of the proof is upon him who would take something from his neighbor, who is holding it).

"between a man": to exclude a minor — whence they ruled: Orphans (who are minors) are not subject to adjudication.

"between a man and his brother": This tells me only of the foregoing. Whence do I derive (the same for) one woman vis-à-vis another, one tribe, one family? From "Hear among your brothers" (All Jews are "brothers.") "and between his ger":

One who "piles up" ("oger") claims against him, saying "You plowed in my land" — and he denies it; "your ox killed my servant" — and he denies it.

Variantly: "and between his ger" — his neighbor (one who lives ["gar"] near him.) Variantly: his groomsman. Variantly: his tenant.

(Devarim 1:17) "Do not play favorites in judgment": This is (addressed to) one who is appointed to seat judges. Lest you say: That man is comely; I will make him a judge — that man is strong; I will make him a judge — that man is my kinsman; I will make him a judge — that man lent me money; I will make him a judge — that man is multilingual; I will make him a judge — so that (in his innocence) he exonerates the guilty and incriminates the innocent — not because he is wicked, but because he does not know (the law), Scripture terms (appointing him as a judge) as "playing favorites in judgment."

Small and great equally shall you hear": Lest you say: Since this one is poor and the other rich it is a mitzvah to judge in his (the poor man's) behalf, so that he can feed himself honestly; it is, therefore, written "Small and great equally shall you hear."

Variantly: "Small and great equally shall you hear": Lest you say: How can I damage this man's reputation for a dinar? I will exonerate him, and when he leaves, I will tell him to give the poor man the money that he owes him. Thus, "Small and great equally shall you hear."

"Do not fear any man": If two come to be judged before you, before you hear what they have to say you may remain silent. If you have heard the case but you do not know how to rule for exoneration or incrimination, you may remain silent. Once the judgment is clear to you, you may not remain silent. The same applies to compromise.

If two come before you for judgment, before you have heard what they have to say, or after you have heard, but you do not know how to rule, you may tell them: Go out and compromise. Once you have heard their words and you know how to rule, you may not tell them to go out and compromise, as it is written (Proverbs 17:14) "As the letting loose of water is the beginning of contention, and before the (law of) the quarrel is revealed, leave it."

And the sages say: The compromiser is a sinner, and one who praises the compromiser is a sinner, as it is written (Psalms 10:3) "And the blesser of the compromiser rejects the L-rd," The praiser of (compromising) judges is thus found to reject his Creator. R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Compromise is raising the small and lowering the great. R. Yehoshua b. Karcha says: It is a mitzvah to compromise, as it is written (Zechariah 8:16) "These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth, one man to his neighbor. Truth and a judgment of peace shall you judge in your gates." Which is "a judgment of peace"? Compromise.

Variantly: "Do not fear any man": Lest you say: I am afraid of that man. He may kill my son, or burn my stacks, or cut down my plants; it is, therefore, written "Do not fear any man." "for the judgment is G-d's."

And thus is it written of Yehoshafat (II Chronicles 19:6) "and he said to the judges: Take heed what you do, for you judge not for the man, but for the L-rd who is with you in the judgment."

"And the thing that is too difficult for you, you shall bring near to me and I shall hear it": The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: You (say that) you are judging a difficult case? By your life, I shall apprise you that you are not judging a difficult case. For I will bring upon you a case that the women can hear (i.e., resolve), which you cannot hear. Which is that? The case of the daughters of Tzelafchad. And thus is it written (Bamidbar 27:5) "And Moses brought forth their judgment before the L-rd." Similarly (I Samuel 9:18-19) "And Saul approached Samuel within the gate and said to him: Tell me now, which is the house of the seer. And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the seer" — whereupon the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: You are the seer? By your life, I shall apprise you that you are not the seer. And when did He apprise him? When He said to him (16:1) "Fill your horn with oil and go and I will send you to Yishai of Bethlehem. For I have seen among his sons a king for Me." What is stated thereafter? (Ibid. 6) "And it was when they came that he (Samuel) saw Eliav and he said: Surely, before the L-rd is His anointed one." And the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: Did you not say "I am the seer"? (Ibid. 7) "Do not look at his appearance and at his tall stature, for I have rejected him. For it is not as a man sees. For a man sees to the (beauty of) the eyes, but the L-rd sees to the heart."

(Devarim 1:18-19) "And I charged you at that time with all the things that you shall do (i.e., regarding the ten differences between monetary and capital litigations).

And we journeyed from Chorev and we went through all that great and fearful desert.": They saw snakes as (large as) the beams of the olive press and scorpions as large as bows stretched out before them. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If I have subdued before them such unnatural things, how much more so, things which are within the province of nature, (like the seven nations)! Thus, "And we journeyed from Chorev, etc."

(Devarim 1:20) "And I said to you … as the L-rd … has spoken, etc.": Moses said to them: It is not of myself that I speak thus to you, but at the behest of the Holy One Blessed be He.

"You have come to the mountain of the Emori which the L-rd our G-d gives to us.": An analogy: A king entrusted his son to a pedagogue, who showed him around and said to him: All these vines are yours, and all these vineyards, and all these olive trees. When he tired of showing him, he said to him: Everything that you see is yours. Thus, Moses said to Israel (Ibid. 8:7) "For the L-rd your G-d is bringing you to a good land, a land of streams of water, fountains and depths, issuing forth in valleys and in mountains." Once they came to the land, he said to them: "You have come to the mountain of the Emori, which the L-rd our G-d gives to us."

And if you say the time has not yet arrived, (21) "See, the L-rd your G-d has set the land before you."

I am telling you not from approximation or from hearsay, but from what you see with your own eyes.

"Go up and possess it," immediately, "as the L-rd the G-d of your fathers has spoken to you." I am telling you this not of myself, but by the behest of the Holy One Blessed be He.

(Devarim 1:22) "And all of you drew near to me": promiscuously. And elsewhere it is written (Ibid. 5:26) "And you approached me (deferentially), all the heads of your tribes and your elders." The young honored the elders, and the elders honored the heads. And here it is written "And all of you drew near to me and you said" — promiscuously, the young pushing the elders, and the elders pushing the heads.

"and you said: Let us send out men before us and let them spy out the land for us": R. Shimon says: This was a great shame for Israel. When they said: "Let us send out men before us," the L-rd said to them: When you were in the land of deserts and pits, I fed and sustained you, how much more so when you come to a good and broad land! How shameful those men who thus asked for themselves!

"and let them return to us word": concerning which language they speak.

"the (straightest) way by which we should go up": There is no road without turnings; there is no road without traps; there is no road without branchings.

"and the cities to which we will come": so that we know by which city to come against them.

(Devarim 1:23) "And the thing was good in my eyes": but not in the eyes of the Holy One Blessed be He. But if it was good in his eyes, why is it included in his rebuke? An analogy: A man says to his neighbor: Will you sell me this ass? The other: Yes. The man: Will you let me try it out? The other: Yes, come and I will show you how much it can carry on the mountain and how much it can carry in the valley. When the man saw that the other impeded him in no way, he said: Take your money. This is the intent of "the thing was good in my eyes" (i.e., to "try out," etc. [but it was not good that they asked]).

"and I took of you twelve men": of the most select among you; of the finest among you.

"one man to a tribe": (If so) why need it be stated "and I took of you twelve men"? To indicate that the tribe of Levi was not among them, (for if it were, there would be thirteen.)

(Devarim 1:24) "And they turned and they went up to the mountain": We are hereby apprised that it is the way of spies to go up a mountain. And thus Rachav said to the spies of Joshua (Joshua 2:16) "Go up the mountain lest the pursuers catch you." We are hereby taught (Ibid. "Conceal yourselves there for three days until the pursuers turn back") that the holy spirit reposed upon her, for if not, how could she know that they would turn back in three days?

"and they came to the river-bed of Eshkol": so-called by reason of the cluster (eshkol) of grapes (that they were to take from there [viz. Bamidbar 13:24]) Similarly, (Shemoth 3:1) "and he came to the mountain of G-d to Chorev": so-called because of what would occur there in the future.

"and they spied it out": traversing its boundaries, length and width.

(Devarim 1:25) "And they took in their hand from the fruit of the land": R. Shimon said: Shameful are these men who took in their hand (such luxuriant fruits [to downgrade their worth]) as one would take in his hand an issar's worth of figs or grapes.

"and they brought it down to us" — whence it is seen that Eretz Yisrael is higher than all the (other) lands, as in (Bamidbar 13:30) "Let us go up and inherit it," and (Ibid. 21) "And they went up and spied out the land," and (Bereshith 45:25) "And they went up from Egypt and they came to the land of Canaan." (Devarim, Ibid.)

"And they returned word to us and they said: Good is the land that the L-rd our G-d gives us." Now did they speak good (of the land)? Did they not speak evil of it? — Who spoke good of it? Joshua and Calev — in spite of which (Ibid. 26) "And you did not desire to go up, and you opposed the word of the L-rd your G-d."...

(Devarim 1:27) "And you murmured in your tents": We are hereby taught they sat in their dwellings and spoke words as those of condolers, as it is written (Proverbs 26:22) "The words of the murmerers are like (those of) condolers" — but a knife descended from heaven and split their stomachs (viz. Bamidbar 14:29), as it is written (Proverbs, Ibid.) "and they (the words) descend to the chambers of the stomach."

Variantly: And you murmured in your tents": We are hereby taught that they sat in their dwellings and cried like mourners, taking their sons and saying to them: "Woe unto you, afflicted ones!" "Woe unto you, tortured ones!" "Tomorrow they will nail you to the stake!" And they would take their daughters and say to them: "Woe to you, afflicted ones!" "Woe to you, tortured ones!" "Tomorrow they will kill (numbers) of you and take captive (numbers) of you, and stand up (numbers) of you to shame!" (Devarim, Ibid.)

"in the L-rd's hatred of us": Is it possible that the Holy One Blessed be He hates Israel? Is it not written (Malachi 1:2) "I have loved you, said the L-rd"? It is, rather, they, who hate the Holy One Blessed be He (as per the folk saying: "As you are disposed to another you think him disposed to you.")

"to deliver us into the hands of the Emori to destroy us": as it is written (Joshua 7:9) "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth, etc."

(Devarim 1:28) "Whither are we going up? Our brothers have melted our hearts, saying, etc.": They said to him: Moses, our teacher, if we had heard such words from others, we would not believe them, but (we heard them) from those whose sons are our sons, and whose daughters are our daughters!

"cities great and fortified in heaven": R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: Scripture (here) speaks hyperbolically, as it does in (Ibid. 9:1) "Hear, O Israel, you are crossing over the Jordan this day." But when the Holy One Blessed be He says to our father Abraham (Bereshith 26:4) "And I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven," and (Ibid. 13:16) "I will make your seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, so will your seed be numbered" — this is not hyperbole. (Devarim, Ibid.)

"and also the sons of giants did we see there" — whence we are taught that they saw giants atop giants, as in (Psalms 73:6) "Therefore, pride bestrides them as a giant." (Devarim, Ibid. 20)

"And I said to you, etc.", (32) "and in this thing, etc.": I say this to you not of myself, but at the behest of the Holy One Blessed be He. (29) "Do not break and do not fear them":

Why? (30) "(For) the L-rd your G-d who goes before you, etc." He said to them: He who wrought miracles for you in Egypt, and all of these miracles is destined to perform miracles for you upon your entering the land.

"as all that He did with you in Egypt before your eyes": If you do not believe in the future, believe in the past.

(Devarim 3:23) "And I entreated the L-rd at that time, saying": This is as Scripture writes (Proverbs 18:23) "The poor man speaks imploringly and the rich one answers brazenly."

Two goodly leaders arose for Israel — Moses and David king of Israel. Moses said to the Holy One Blessed be He: L-rd of the universe, I have transgressed. Let it be written after me, so that men not say: It seems that Moses has fabricated the Torah or that he has written something which he was not commanded to write. An analogy: A king decreed that one who ate unripe figs shevi'ith of (the sabbatical year) be pilloried.

She: Please publicize my fault so that people not say: It must be that she was caught in niuf (illicit relations) or in witchcraft. When they see shevi'ith figs strung around my neck, they will know that it is because of this that I am being pilloried. Thus did our teacher Moses say before the Holy One Blessed be He: Let my transgression be written down after me. The Holy One: I will write that it was only because of your lapse at the waters (of Marah), viz. (Bamidbar 27:14) [This, your death, was decreed] "when you flouted My command in the desert of Tzin in the contention of the congregation, etc."

Variantly: An analogy: A king and his son are traveling by coach until they come to a narrow place, where his coach overturns on his son, whose eye is blinded, his foot severed, and his hand broken. When he comes to this place (in the future), he mentions two or three times: "Here my sons' eye was blinded, his foot was severed, and his hand broken." Here, too, the Holy One Blessed be He mentioned mei merivah (the waters of contention) three times (Bamidbar 20:13, Ibid. 24, Devarim 33:8), saying (as it were) "Here I killed Aaron, here I killed Moses." And thus is it written (Psalms 141:6) "Their judges (Moses and Aaron) have 'slipped' by (hitting) a rock." (viz. 11:20).

King David said before the Holy One Blessed be He. King David said before the Holy One Blessed be He: Let my transgression before You (with Bathsheva) not be written after me. The L-rd: Is it not sufficient for you that people not say: "Because he loved him, He forgave him"? An analogy: A man borrowed from the king twenty kor of wheat a year, and people said: Can this man possibly have met such a debt?

It must be that the king forgave him and wrote him a settlement. Once, the king sent (demanding payment), and he did not pay, at which the king entered his house and took his sons and daughters and put them up (for sale) at the auction block — whereupon everyone knew that he had nothing (i.e., that he had not been pardoned.) Here, therefore, all of the punishments that came upon David were publicized and doubled, viz. (II Samuel 12:6) "And he (David) must pay four for the ewe." R. Chananiah says: "arbatayim" — sixteen.

And when Nathan the Prophet came and rebuked David for that act, he said (Ibid. 13) "I have sinned to the L-rd," and (Psalms 51:3) "Be gracious (chaneini) to me, O G-d, according to Your lovingkindness … (6) To You alone have I sinned and what is evil in Your eyes have I done."

Two goodly leaders rose up for Israel — Moses and David king of Israel — and they could have asked for reward on the basis of their good deeds, but they asked of the Holy One Blessed be He only that he "grace" them, (this being the thrust of "chaneini" and of "va'etchanan"). Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If these, who could have asked for reward on the basis of their good deeds, asked of the Holy One Blessed be He only that He "grace" them, then we, who are not even a thousandth of the thousands and ten thousands of his disciples, how much more so should we ask of the L-rd only that He "grace" us!

Variantly: Prayer (tefillah) is called by ten names: ze'akah, shav'ah, ne'akah, rinah, pegiah, nipul, pilul, atirah, chilui, and chinun: ze'akah — (Shemoth 2:23) "And it was in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel moaned under the toil, and they cried out ("vayizaku"). "shav'ah" — (Ibid.) "and their outcry ("shavatham") ascended." "ne'akah" — (Ibid. 24) "And G-d heard their outcry ("na'akatham"). "rinah" — (Jeremiah 7:16) "and do not raise for them an outcry ("rinah"). "pegiah" — (Ibid.) "and do not entreat ("tifg'u") Me." "nipul" — (Devarim 9:18) "And I prostrated myself ("va'ethnapal") before the L-rd as at first." "pilul" — (Ibid. 26:) "And I prayed ("va'etpallel") to the L-rd." "atirah" — (Bereshith 25:21) "And Isaac entreated ("vaye'tar Yitzchak") the L-rd for his wife." "chilui" — (Shemoth 32:11) "And Moses prayed" ("Vayechal Mosheh.") "chinun" — (Devarim 3:23) "And I entreated ("va'ethchanan") the L-rd." (Ibid.)

"at that time": An analogy: The men of a province ask their king to make their province a colony (and exempt from taxes). Once, when two of his foes fell before it, they said: Now is the time to ask the king to grant our request. Similarly, Moses asks the Holy One Blessed be He to be allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael. When he sees Sichon and Og fallen before him, he says: This is the time to ask that my request be granted, and this is the intent of "at that time."

(Ibid.) "to say": This is one of the times when Moses says to the L-rd: Tell me whether or not You will grant my request. Similarly, (Shemoth 17:4) "And Moses cried out to the L-rd, to say: What can I do to this people?" What is the intent of "to say"? Apprise me of whether or not I will fall into their hand. Similarly (Ibid. 6:12) "And Moses spoke before the L-rd, to say": Apprise me whether or not You will redeem them. Similarly, (Bamidbar 12:13) "And Moses cried out to the L-rd to say": Apprise me whether or not You will heal her. Similarly, (Ibid. 27:15) "And Moses spoke to the L-rd, to say": Apprise me whether or not You will appoint leaders over them. Thus, here, "at that time, to say": Apprise me whether or not I will enter the land.

(Devarim 3:24) "O L-rd (Yod-keh-vav-keh), G-d (Elokim)": Wherever "Yod-keh-vav-keh" is written, the attribute of mercy is intended, viz. (Shemoth 34:6) "Yod-keh-vav-keh," the G-d who is merciful and gracious." Wherever "Elokim" is written, the attribute of justice is intended, viz. (Ibid. 22:8) "Unto the judges ('elohim') shall come the matter of both," and (Ibid. 27) "Elokim ([Both G-d and judges are intended]) you shall not curse."

(Devarim 3:24) "O L-rd, G-d, You 'hachilotha'": You absolved me of my vow. When You said to me (Shemoth 3:10) "Go … and take My people the children of Israel out of Egypt," I said to you: I cannot, for I swore to Yithro that I would not leave him, as it is written (Ibid. 2:21) "Vayoel Mosheh to remain with the men," "ho'alah" being nothing other than an oath, as in (I Samuel 14:24) "And Saul beswore (vayoel) the people."

Variantly: "You 'hachilotha'": You provided an opening for me to stand and pray before You for your children when they besmirched themselves with the golden calf, as it is written (Devarim 4:14) "Quit Me, and I shall destroy them." Now was Moses holding on to the Holy One Blessed be He (that He said "Quit Me")? This is what he said before Him (in "hachilotha"): L-rd of the universe, You provided an "opening" (thus, "hachilotha") to stand and pray for Your children (i.e., "Quit Me" implies that if you do not quit Me, but beseech Me), I will not destroy them) — whereupon I stood and prayed for them, and You heard my prayer and forgave their transgression.

I thought (now, in saying "hachilotha"): If I stood up for them in prayer, would they not pray for me (that I enter Eretz Yisrael)? And does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If the prayer of the one (Moses) for the many is thus heeded, how much more so the prayer of the many for the one!

(Devarim 3:24) "to show Your servant": There are those who call themselves "servants," whom the Holy One Blessed be He calls "servants." And there are those who call themselves "servants," whom the Holy One Blessed be He does not call "servants." And there are those who do not call themselves "servants," whom the Holy One Blessed be He calls "servants." Abraham called himself a "servant," viz. (Bereshith 12:3) "Do not now pass away from Your servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Ibid. 26:24) "for the sake of Abraham, My servant."

Jacob called himself a "servant," viz. (Ibid. 32:11) "I am too small for all of the lovingkindnesses and all of the truth that You have done with Your servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Isaiah 41:8) "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob, etc." Moses called himself a "servant, viz. "to show Your "servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Joshua 1:2) "Moses My servant is dead."

David called himself a "servant," viz. (Psalms 116:16) "Heed, O L-rd, for I am Your servant," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. ( II Kings 19:34) "for the sake of David, My servant." Isaiah called himself a "servant," viz. (Isaiah 49:5) "… who formed me from the womb to be a servant to Him," and the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Ibid. 20:3) "Isaiah, My servant."

Samuel called himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He did not call him a "servant." Shimshon called himself a "servant," viz. (Judges 15:18) "You have given unto the hand of Your servant, etc.", but the Holy One Blessed be He did not call him a servant. Solomon called himself a "servant," viz. (I Kings 3:9) "Give Your servant an understanding heart," and the Holy One Blessed be He did not call him a "servant," but wrought for his father's sake, viz. (I Kings 15:13) "for the sake of David, My servant."

Iyyov did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," (viz. Iyyov 2:3) "Have you given heart to My servant, Iyyov"? Joshua did not call himself a "servant," but Scripture called him a "servant," viz. (Joshua 24:29) "and Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the L-rd, died." Calev did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Bamidbar 14:24) "But My servant Calev, etc." Elyakim did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be he called him a "servant," viz. (Isaiah 22:20) "And I will call My servant Elyakim, etc." Zerubavel did not call himself a "servant," but the Holy One Blessed be He called him a "servant," viz. (Chaggai 2:23) "Zerubavel ben Shaltiel, My servant."

Daniel did not call himself a "servant," but Scripture called him a "servant," viz. (Daniel 6:21) "The king spoke and said to Daniel: Daniel, servant of the living G-d." Chananiah, Mishael, and Azaryah did not call themselves "servants," but the Holy One Blessed be He called them "servants," viz. (Daniel 6:23) "Shadrach, Meshach and Aved-nego, servants of the exalted G-d." The early prophets did not call themselves "servants," but the Holy One Blessed be He called them "servants," viz. (Amos 3:7) " … but He revealed His secret to His servants, the prophets."

(Devarim 3:24) "Your greatness (gadlecha)": His attribute of goodness, as in (Bamidbar 14:17) "And now, let the power (of goodness) of the L-rd be magnified ("yigdal") … as You have spoken (18) The L-rd withholds wrath and He is abundant in lovingkindness." This is the prototype for all "gadlecha" in the Torah. (Ibid.)

"and Your mighty hand": These are the ten plagues that the Holy One Blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt, viz. (Shemoth 8:1) "Stretch forth your hand, etc."

(Ibid.) "For who is Almighty in the heavens and in the earth": For not as the measure of flesh and blood is that of the Holy One Blessed be He: The measure of flesh and blood: A governor sits on his seat, fearing that his counselors will overrule him. But You, who have no counselors (to overrule You), why don't You pardon me! An officer sits at his station, fearing that his commander will overrule him. But You, who have no commander, why don't You pardon me!

(Ibid.) "who can do as Your deeds": in Egypt; "and as Your strength": at the Red Sea. Variantly: "as Your deeds": at the Red Sea; "and as Your strength": at the Jordan.

(Devarim 3:25) "Let me pass over and see": Is it possible that Moses would ask the L-rd to enter the land? Is it not written (Bamidbar 20:12) "You shall not bring this congregation to the land which I have given them"? An analogy (to resolve this): A king who had two servants decreed upon one of them not to drink wine for thirty days. The servant: What did he decree upon me? That I not drink wine for thirty days? I will not taste it even for a year! Even for two years! Why all this? To weaken the effect of his master's words. The king then decrees the same upon the second servant. His reaction: I cannot live without wine for even one hour! Why all this? To heighten the effect of his master's words. Thus, Moses, to heighten the effect of the L-rd's words besought Him to enter the land — "Let me pass over and see!"

"this good mountain and the Levanon." All called it (Jerusalem) "mountain." Abraham called it "mountain," viz. (Bereshith 22:14) "… of which it will be said: 'On this day, in the mountain, the L-rd shall appear.'" Isaiah called it mountain (Isaiah 2:2) "And it will be in the end of days that the mountain of the house of the L-rd will be established." Nations called it mountain, viz. (Ibid. 3) "And many nations will go, and they will say: 'Let us go and ascend to the mountain of the L-rd.'"

"and the Levanon": This is the Temple, viz. (Jeremiah 22:6) "You are Gilead to Me, the head of the Levanon, etc.", and (Isaiah 10:34) "And the Levanon by a mighty one will fall." And why is it called "Levanon"? Because it "whitens" (malbin) the sins of Israel, as it is written (Ibid. 1:18) "If your sins be like scarlet, they will be as white (yalbinu) as snow."

(Devarim 3:26) "And ("yithaber") the L-rd with me because of you (lema'anchem), and He would not hearken to me": R. Eliezer says: He was filled with wrath ("evrah" [like "yithaber"]). R. Yehoshua says: He (the L-rd) became like a woman who could not stoop because of her fetus ("ubar" [like "yithaber"]).

"lema'anchem": Because of you this was done to me. "and He would not hearken to me": He did not accept my prayer. "And the L-rd said to me: 'rav lach. Presume to speak to Me no more about this thing.'" An analogy: A man makes a vow. Does he not go to his master for absolution of his vow? If the master makes a vow (affecting his disciple), it is the disciple's part to heed the words of his master. You, too, heed the words of your master. (Thus, "rav lach" ["You have a Master!"])

Variantly: "And the L-rd said to me: 'rav lach'" (i.e., you are a "teacher" in this thing) — You are an example for judges to say: If the great sage, Moses, was not forgiven for saying (Bamidbar 20:10) "Hear, now, you rebels," but it was decreed that he not enter Eretz Yisrael, then those who delay judgment and those who pervert justice, how much more so! And if Moses who was told (Ibid. 12) "You shall not bring this congregation into the land," did not refrain from imploring the L-rd for mercy — how much more so (should this be the pattern for) other men, (who were not told such a thing!) And if Chezkiah, who was told (II Kings 20:1) "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live" did not refrain from imploring the L-rd for mercy, acting on the principle of "Even if a sharp sword is poised over a man's neck he should not refrain from imploring mercy," as it is written (Isaiah 38:2) "then Chizkiyahu turned his face to the wall and prayed to the L-rd" — how much more so other men!

Variantly: ("rav lach":) "harbeh lach" ("There is much owing you") in the world to come — as one would say to his neighbor "There is much owing you — you need not petition it." Variantly: "vayithaber": As one would say to his neighbor: "That man crossed (avar) that road again." (i.e., Moses exceeded his bounds.)

(Devarim, Ibid. 3:27) "Go up to the top of the height": R. Elazar b. Yaakov said: Better one hour of prayer than good deeds. For because all of the deeds of Moses it was not said to him "Go up, etc.", but here, (after he prayed,) it was said to him "Go up." "and lift your eyes, etc.": From here they ruled: Those who stand outside the land turn their faces to Eretz Yisrael and pray, as it is written (I Kings 8:48) "And they shall pray to You by way of their land." Those who stand in Eretz Yisrael turn their faces to Jerusalem and pray, as it is written (II Chronicles 5:34) "And they shall pray towards this city." Those who stand in Jerusalem turn their faces towards the Temple, as it is written (Ibid. 32) "and they shall pray towards this house." Those who stand in the Temple direct their hearts to the holy of holies and pray, as it is written (Ibid. 26) "and they shall pray towards this place" — whence it is found: those in the north face south; (those) in the south face north; (those) in the east face west; (those) in the west face east — whence it is found that all of Israel pray towards one place.

(Devarim, Ibid.) "for you shall not cross this Jordan." An analogy: A king decreed that his son not enter his bedchamber — whereupon he entered the palace entrance talking with him; he entered his reception room talking with him. When he came to enter his chamber, he said to him: "From here on, you are forbidden." Likewise, Moses said to the L-rd: "All of me is separated from Eretz Yisrael only by a fifty-ell string-length of this Jordan" — whereupon He said: "and see with your eyes, for you will not cross this Jordan."

(Ibid. 28) "And charge (tzav) Joshua": "charging" (tzivui) is prompting to zeal, as it is written (Ibid. 31:7) "And Moses called to Joshua and he said to him before the eyes of all of Israel: 'Be strong and firm'": "Be strong" in Torah, "and be firm" in good deeds.

(Devarim 3:28) "for he will pass over before this people": If he passes over before them, they will pass; if not, they will not.

"and he will cause them to inherit": If he causes them to inherit, they will inherit; if not, not. And thus do we find that when they went to do battle with Ai there fell of them some thirty-six righteous men, viz. (Joshua 7:5) "And the men of Ai smote of them some thirty-six righteous men … (6) and Joshua tore his clothing and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the L-rd until the evening … (7) and Joshua said: Ahah, L-rd, G-d, why did You bring this people across the Jordan … (8) Please, my L-rd, what shall I say now that Israel has turned its back … (10) And the L-rd said to Joshua: Arise! Why are you fallen on your face!'" Is this not what I said to Moses from the very beginning? If he passes over before them, they shall pass; if not, they shall not pass. If he causes them to inherit, they shall inherit; if not, they shall not inherit — and you sent them and did not pass over before them!