Sifrei Devarim Reader

And when Israel prospers, the nations dissimulate, presenting themselves as "brothers." As Esav said to Jacob (Bereshith 33:9) "My brother, let there be yours what is yours." And thus did Chiram say to Solomon (I Kings 9:13) "What are these cities that you have given me, my brother?" (Devarim, Ibid.) "Lest they say: 'Our hand is exalted, etc.'" as in (Amos 6:13) "Behold, with our strength we have taken power for ourselves."

(Devarim, Ibid. 28) "For it is a nation devoid of counsel": R. Yehoshua expounded it in connection with Israel; R. Nechemiah, in connection with the nations. R. Yehoshua — Israel has lost goodly counsel that was given to them, "counsel" being Torah, as in (Proverbs 8:14) "With me (Torah) is counsel and wisdom."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "and there is no understanding in them" — There is not one among them who reflects and says (viz. Ibid. 30) "Last night one of us pursued a thousand of the nations, and two, ten thousand; and now one of them pursues a thousand of us; and two of them, ten thousand of us! (This could not have happened) if their Rock had not delivered them."

R. Nechemiah — The nations have lost the seven mitzvoth that I gave them.

"and there is no understanding in them": There is not one among them who reflects and says "Now one of us pursues a thousand; and two, ten thousand. But in the days of the Messiah, one of Israel will pursue a thousand of us; and two, ten thousand." (This could not have happened) "if their Rock had not delivered them." And it once happened with the (Roman) army in Yehudah that a decurio (a commander of ten horsemen) rode after a Jew to kill him, but could not catch up with him — whereupon a serpent wound itself around his (the Jew's) ankle, (but did him no harm) — at which he (the Jew) said to a bystander: Tell that man one thing: Do not say to yourself "We are strong and they are weak." (But say to yourself: This [our subjugation of the Jews] could not have happened) "if their Rock had not sold them, and the L-rd had not delivered them" (into our hands).

(Devarim 32:29) "If they were wise, they would understand this": If Israel looked into the words of the Torah, no nation could dominate them. And what did I say to them: Take upon yourselves the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, and strengthen each other in fear of Heaven, and treat each other with lovingkindness.

"How could one pursue a thousand": If you did not observe the Torah, how could I observe My assurance to you? I would desire that one of you pursue a thousand; and two, ten thousand. But now, one of them will pursue a thousand of you; and two, ten thousand.

"if their Rock had not sold them, and the L-rd (had not) delivered them (into their hands)": I do not deliver you into their hands of Myself, but through others. (And it already happened that the flies delivered them in Yehudah [by revealing their whereabouts]). R. Yehudah of Tivim says: Not as one says to his neighbor: "I am selling you a slave to be delivered at a certain time." But I am not like that. I sell and deliver (at once), as the unclean into the hands of the clean. And whence is it derived that only the unclean are "delivered" ("masgirim")? From (Leviticus 13:4) "And the Cohein shall 'deliver' ('hisgir', lit., 'close off') the plague-spot.

"For not as our rock is their rock": Not as the authority you give us is the authority you give them. When you give authority to them, they treat us with cruelty: they kill us, burn us, and crucify us.

"and our foes are judges": You wrote in our Torah that a foe does not judge and does not testify, viz. (Bamidbar 35:23) "And one who is not his foe" (shall testify against him), "and one who does not seek his evil" (shall judge him). And You have placed over us foes as witnesses and judges!

(Devarim, Ibid. 32) "For of the wine of Sodom is their wine": R. Yehudah expounds this as referring to Israel; and R. Nechemiah, as referring to the nations.

R. Yehudah understands this as meaning: Are you of the vine of Sodom or the planting of Amorah! Are you not of a holy planting? But they turned into (the opposite). As it is written (Jeremiah 2:21) "I had planted you from a choice vine, entirely of the seed of truth. How, then, have you turned yourself into an alien vine before Me!"

(Devarim, Ibid.) "Their grapes are grapes of gall ('rosh')": You are sons of the first man ("rishon," as in "rosh"), who decreed death upon all his descendants who came after him, until the end of all the generations.

"Bitter clusters ('ashkeloth') are theirs": your great men, whose awe "hangs" over you as a cluster. ("eshkol" connotes "greatness," as in (Michah 7:21) "There is no eshkol to eat, no 'ripe one' that my soul desires. The saint is vanished from the land, etc."

(Devarim, Ibid. 33) "The venom of snakes is their wine": The saintly and upright among you — their venom (of retribution) is as that of snakes. "and the cruel gall ('rosh') of asps" (is their cup of retribution): Your heads ("roshim", as in "rosh") (will be "bitten" by the cruel foe).

Variantly: "the venom of snakes is their wine": Your "moderate" ones, the fearers of sin among you — their venom will be as that of snakes. "and the cruel gall ('rosh') of asps": Your heads (roshim) will be like cruel asps (to you).

R. Nechemiah expounded it as referring to the nations, viz.: Most certainly you are of the wine of Sodom and of the planting of Amorah, disciples of the primal serpent, who deceived Adam and Eve.

"Bitter clusters are theirs": Your (the nations') great ones — their fear hangs over them (the Jews) as (the venom of) a snake. ("eshkol" connotes "greatness," as in (Michah 7:1-2) "There is no eshkol to eat, etc."

[(Psalms 75:9) "For the (poisoned) cup is in the hand of the L-rd — strong wine, fully admixed (for all of the nations). And from this He poured. Only (the wicked) will drain its dregs. All the wicked of the earth will drink (of it.)"] (Devarim 32:34) "Is it (this cup of retribution) not laid up with Me?"

R. Yossi Haglili says: A cup that was "laid up" and lacking (its full strength) — I might think it "weakened" (in potency); it is, therefore, written "strong wine." I might think that only half of it remains; it is, therefore, written "fully admixed." I might think that it never lacked even one drop; it is, therefore, written "and from this He poured from this." From that drop there drank: the men of the generation of the flood, the men of the generation of the tower of Bavel, the men of Sodom and Amorah, Pharaoh and all his army, Sisra and all his host, Nevuchadnezzar and all his army, Sancheriv and all his ranks.

And from that drop there are destined to drink all the (wicked) comers to the world until the end of all the generations. And thus is it written (Isaiah 25:6) "And the L-rd of hosts will make — for all the peoples (who come to war) in this mountain (Mount Zion, who thought to have) a feast of oils (i.e., an easy victory) — a feast of lees. (He will convert an intended feast of) marrowed oils (into one of) drained dregs." (All this in the war of Gog and Magog).

I might think (that they would drink) lees which serve some purpose; it is, therefore, written "drained dregs" — lees which are nothing but empty froth. And thus is it written (Jeremiah 51:7) "A golden cup was Bavel in the hand of the L-rd." And (Ezekiel 23:32) "The cup of your sister will you drink, the deep and the wide. You will be (the object of) laughter and scorn, too much to contain (i.e., to bear)."

Just as with gold, after it breaks, it can be "healed," so, when punishment curses the nations, it is destined to return to them. But, with respect to Israel, what is written (Ibid. 34) "And you will drink it and drain it, and its shards will you crunch." Just as with earthenware, after it breaks, it cannot be healed, so, when punishment ceases from Israel, it is not destined to return to them.

(Devarim, Ibid.) "sealed in My stores": Just as a treasure chest is sealed and does not grow fruits, so, the deeds of the wicked do not grow fruits; for if they did, the world would be destroyed. And thus is it written (Isaiah 3:11) "Woe to the wicked one, (who does) evil; for the recompense of his hands (but not the fruits thereof) will be dealt to him." But the deeds of the righteous grow fruits, and fruits of fruits, viz. (Ibid. 10) "Tell the tzaddik that it (righteousness) is good, for the fruits of their deeds shall they eat." Variantly: "Is it not laid up with Me?" It lacks nothing. The wicked do not take aught of what is theirs in this world, viz. (see Psalms above) "fully admixed."

"sealed in My stores": Sealed and lacking nothing. The righteous take nothing of what is theirs in this world, viz. (Proverbs 8:21) "And I shall fill their ('My lovers') stores," and (Psalms 31:20) "How abundant is Your good that You have stored away for those who fear You." When do both take (what is due them)? "Tomorrow," at the redemption, viz. (Devarim, Ibid. 35) "Mine is revenge and payment!"

"Mine is revenge and payment!": I, Myself exact payment of them, and I do so not through an angel and not through a messenger. As it is written (Shemoth 3:10) "Go and I shall send you to Pharaoh, etc.," and (II Kings 19:35) "And an angel of the L-rd went out and smote in the camp of Ashur, etc."

It is not written "Mine is revenge and I shall pay," but "Mine is revenge and payment." I pay for their deeds and for the deeds of their fathers before Me, as it is written (Isaiah 65:6-7) "I will repay into their bosom, your sins and the sins of your fathers together … and I will mete out (payment for) their deeds first into their bosom."

"at the time their foot gives way": viz. (Isaiah 26:6) "The foot will tread it down, the foot of the poor one (the Messiah), the soles of the (heretofore) impoverished ones (Israel)." (Devarim, Ibid.) "For near is the day of their calamity": R. Yossi said: If of those of whom it is written "For near is the day of their calamity" — their punishment is being delayed, then of those of whom it is written (Isaiah 24:22) "and after many days they (their sins) will be remembered," how much more so!

(Devarim, Ibid.) "and what is destined (for them) shall quickly befall them": When the L-rd brings punishment upon the nations, He "quickens" it upon them viz. (Habakkuk 1:8) "They (the avengers) will fly like an eagle, hastening to eat," and (Isaiah 5:19) "… who say: Let Him hasten, 'quicken' His act, so that we may see it. Let it approach and come near, etc." But when He brings afflictions upon Israel, they come gradually. How so? He relegated them to four exiles of subjugation. And, (in this connection, Jeremiah 1:8) "Do not fear … for I am with you."

(Devarim 32:36) "For the L-rd will judge His people, and over His servants yithnecham": When the L-rd judges (i.e., punishes) the nations, it is "joy" to Him, viz. (Proverbs 11:10) "and in the destruction of the wicked is rejoicing." And when the L-rd judges the righteous, there is "bethinking" before Him, as it is written "and over His servants, yithnecham," "nechamah" connoting "bethinking," viz. (Genesis 6:7) "for I (the L-rd) have bethought Myself (nichamti) for having made them," and (I Samuel 15:11) "I have bethought myself (nichamti) for having made Saul king."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "when He sees the hand going": when He sees one's strength waning in the exile, as in (Daniel 12:7) "and at the climax of the breaking of the hand (i.e., the strength) of the holy people," (the exile will come to an end).

Variantly: when they despair of salvation, when a perutah (small coin) "ends" from the pocket.

Variantly: "when He sees the hand going": when He sees that there is no one who implores mercy for them as Moses had done, viz. (Psalms 106:23) "He would have destroyed them had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, etc."

Variantly: "when He sees": when He sees that there is no one who implores mercy for them as Aaron had done, viz. (Bamidbar 17:13) "and he stood between the dead and the living."

Variantly: when He sees that there is no one who implores mercy for them as Pinchas had done, viz. (Psalms 106:30) "And Pinchas arose and prayed, and the plague ceased."

"and there is no one who is restrained (from coming to harm) or strengthened, as in (II Kings 14:26) "For the L-rd saw the affliction of Israel … with none restrained and none strengthened, and no help for Israel," and (Isaiah 59:16) "And He saw that there was no man, and He was astonished that there was no intercessor."

(Devarim 32:37) "And he will say: Where is their god?" R. Yehudah expounds this ("he") as referring to Israel. R. Nechemiah expounds it as referring to the nations.

R. Yehudah says: Israel will say to the nations: Where are your consuls and your commanders?

"who ate the fat of their sacrifices": they gave them recruits, and officers, and taxes.

R. Nechemiah expounds this ("he") as referring to the nations, viz. "And he (Titus) will say." Titus, the son of the wife of Vespasian, went into the holy of holies, tore the curtain with a knife, and said "Where is their G-d? If he is G-d, let Him come and fight with me!"

"who ate the fat of their sacrifices." He said: These (Jews) were swindled by Moses, who said to them: Build an altar, sacrifice burnt-offerings upon it, and pour libations upon it, as it is written (Bamidbar 29:4) "The one lamb shall you make in the morning, etc." (all for his own delectation!)

"Let them arise and help you": It is not written "Let them arise veya'azru ethchem," but "Let them arise veya'azruchem" (implying that they cannot even help themselves!) For all (transgressions) the Holy One Blessed be He withholds His wrath, except for desecration of the Name, for which He exacts punishment immediately, as it is written (Devarim, Ibid. 39) "See, now, that I, I am He, and there is no god with Me!" This is the rebuttal for those who would say: There is no Authority in heaven!

"See, now, that I, I am He!": If one says there are two Authorities in heaven, he is rebutted — "and there is no god with Me!" — But perhaps He cannot bring to life or put to death or bring harm or benefit; it is, therefore, written "I put to death and I bring to life; I wound and I heal, etc." And it is written (Isaiah 44:6) "Thus has said the L-rd, King of Israel, and its Redeemer, the L-rd of hosts: I am the first and I am the last, and besides Me there is no G-d."

Variantly: "I put to death and I bring to life": I put to death those of whom it is written (Bamidbar 23:10) "Let my soul die the death of the just," and I bring to life, viz. (Devarim, Ibid. 33:6) "Reuven shall live and he shall not die," (Hoshea 6:2) "He will make us live from the two times, etc."

Variantly: "I put to death and I bring to life": I hear (i.e., I understand) death to one and life to another; it is, therefore, written "I wound and I heal." Just as the wounding and the healing is in one, so the death and the life is in one — a proof for the resurrection from the Torah.

"and there is no saving (from sin) from My hand": Fathers do not save sons. Abraham does not save Yishmael, and Israel does not save Esav. This tells me only that fathers do not save sons. Whence do I derive that brothers do not save brothers? From (Psalms 49:8) "A brother cannot redeem another": Isaac cannot redeem Yishmael, and Yaakov cannot redeem Esav. Even if he gives all the money in the world, he cannot ransom him, viz.: "A brother cannot redeem another … (9) Too costly is their souls' redemption and forever unattainable." How precious is this soul! When one sins, there is no payment for it!

(Devarim 32:40) "For I shall raise My hand (in oath) to heaven": When the Holy One Blessed be He created man, He did so by pronouncement (ma'amar) and not by oath. And who caused Him to swear? Those lacking in faith. As it is written (Psalms 106:26-27) "And He lifted up His hand to cast them down in the desert and to cast down their seed among the nations."

(see Bamidbar 14:21). "I said: I live forever": For not as the measure of the Holy One Blessed be He is the measure of man. The measure of man: A noble enters his province (to exact vengeance). If he can exact from the living, he does so; if not, he does not. But not so with Him who spoke and caused the world to come into being. If He does not exact it from the living, He exacts it from the dead. If He does not exact it in this world, He exacts it in the world to come.

(Devarim 32:41) "When I whet the flash of My sword": When punishment goes forth from before Me, it is light as a flash — in spite of which "My hand takes hold of justice."

"I shall return vengeance to My foes": These are the Cutheans, of whom it is written (Ezra 4:1) "And the foes of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a sanctuary, etc."

"And I shall repay those who hate Me," viz. (Psalms 139:21-22) "Your haters, O L-rd, do I hate, and I strive with those who rise up against You. To the ends of hatred do I hate them; they have become my foes!"

(Devarim 32:42) "I will make My arrows drunk with blood": How is it possible to make arrows drunk? (The meaning is) rather: I shall make others drunk with what My arrows do.

"and My sword shall eat flesh": How is it possible for a sword to eat flesh? (The meaning is) rather: I shall make others eat from what My sword does. As it is written (Ezekiel 39:17-20) "Son of man, thus says the L-rd G-d: Say to every winged bird and to every beast of the field: Assemble and come, gather together from all around for the feast that I slaughter for you... And you will eat flesh and you will drink blood.

You will eat the flesh of warriors, and you will drink the blood of the princes of the land … And you will eat fats to satiety and you will drink blood to drunkenness … and you will be sated at My table," and (Isaiah 34:6) "The sword of the L-rd is full of blood, greased with fats." Why? (Ibid.) "For there is a sacrifice for the L-rd in Batzrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "for the blood of the slain and its captivity": because of what they did with the slain of My people, as it is written (Jeremiah 8:23) "If only my head were water and my eyes a spring of tears, so that I could cry all day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!"

"and its captivity": for what they did with the captives of My people, viz. (Isaiah 14:2) "and they will be captors of their captors."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "from the beginning of the breaches of the foe": When the Holy One Blessed be He brings punishment upon the foe, He brings it not only for what they did, but for what they and their fathers did — from (the time of) Abraham on.

Variantly: "from the beginning of the breaches" ("peraoth," like "Pharaoh"): Why are all the punishments pinned on Pharaoh's head? Because Pharaoh was the first to subjugate Israel.

(Devarim 32:43) "The nations will praise His people": In the future, when the L-rd brings redemption to Israel, the nations will be wroth before Him, viz. (Psalms 99:1) "The L-rd has reigned; the peoples will be wroth." And this will not be the first time, for they were already wroth in the past, viz. (Shemoth 15:19) "The peoples heard (of the splitting of the sea); they were wroth."

But in the end, the peoples will praise Israel (for the fulfillment of their faith in the L-rd), viz.: "The nations will praise His people." And whence (do we derive the same for) heaven and earth? From (Isaiah 44:23) "Sing, O heavens, for the L-rd has wrought; shout (for joy), foundations of the earth!" And whence, mountains and hills? From (Ibid. 55:12) "The mountains and hills will break out in song before You, and all the trees of the field will clap hands." And whence, the (fore-) fathers and mothers? From (Ibid. 42:11) "The dwellers of the rock will sing; from the peaks of the mountains will they shout."

"For the blood of His servants shall He avenge, and vengeances will He return to His adversaries": two vengeances — one for the blood; one for the despoiling. And whence is it derived that every despoiling of Israel by the nations is accounted to them as having spilled innocent blood? From (Joel 4:2) "I will gather all of the nations, and I will bring them down to the valley of Yehoshafat and I will contend with them there for My people and My inheritance, which they scattered … (Ibid. 19) Egypt will become a desolation, and Edom a desolate desert, because of the despoiling of the children of Judah, their spilling of innocent blood in their land."

At that time (Ibid. 20-21) "And Yehudah will dwell (secure) forever … And cleanse their blood (i.e., to forgive this bloodshed by the nations) — I will not cleanse it."

(Devarim, Ibid.) "and His earth will atone for His people": Whence is it derived that the killing of Israel by the nations atones for them (Israel) in the world to come? From (Psalms 79:1) "A psalm of Asaf: O G-d, nations have entered Your inheritance … (3) They have shed their blood like water … (8) Do not remember against us (our) first sins, etc." R. Meir was wont to say: All who dwell in Eretz Yisrael are atoned for by the land, as it is written (Isaiah 33:24) "The people that dwell in it (Eretz Yisrael) nesu sin."

But I still would not know whether sin were removed from it or borne upon it, ("nesu" being susceptible of both meanings) — were it not written "and His earth shall atone for His people." And thus was R. Meir wont to say: "Whoever lives in Eretz Yisrael and recites the Shema morning and night, and speaks the holy tongue is a son of the world to come."

Great is "song," which obtains in the past, and obtains in the future, and obtains in time to come (the time of the Messiah) and obtains in the world to come.

(Devarim 32:44) "And Moses came": It is written here "And Moses came," and elsewhere, (Ibid. 31:1) "And Moses went." It cannot be said "And Moses came," for it is already said "And Moses went"; and it cannot be said "And Moses went," for it is already said "And Moses came." It must be understood, then, as: His time came to an end and his authority was given to another (Joshua).

"and he (Moses) spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people": We are hereby taught that he "inserted" the words in their ears.

"He and Hoshea the son of Nun": Is it not written (Numbers 13:16) "And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun 'Yehoshua'"? Why, then, is it written here "he and Hoshea the son of Nun"? To teach us the righteousness of Yehoshua. I might think that his head "swelled" with his new-found authority; it is, therefore, written "he and Hoshea the son of Nun" — in his righteousness (i.e., his humility). Even though he was appointed to be the leader of the congregation, he remained "Hoshea" in his righteousness. Similarly, (Shemoth 1:5) "And Yosef was in Egypt." Do we not know that Yosef was in Egypt? — The intent is to apprise us of Yosef's righteousness. (Bereshith 37:2) "Yosef … grazed the sheep with his brothers," and even though he became a king in Egypt, he remained in his (original) righteousness. Similarly, (I Samuel 17:14) "and David was the smallest (i.e., the youngest)." Do we not know that David was the youngest? — The intent is to apprise us of David's righteousness. (I Samuel 16:11) (David was) "tending the sheep" of his father, and even though he became the king of Israel, he remained "David" in his smallness.

(Devarim 32:46) "And he said to them: Put your hearts, etc.": We are hereby taught that one's eyes and heart and ears must be attuned to words of Torah. And thus is it written (Ezekiel 44:5) "And the L-rd said to me: Son of man, set your heart and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I am saying to you about all the laws of the Temple … and set your heart to the entrance of the Temple and to all the exits of the sanctuary." Now does this not follow a fortiori? If re the Temple, which can be seen by the eyes and measured by the hand, one must "attune" his eyes and his heart and his ears — how much more so re words of Torah, which are like mountains hanging on a hair!

"which you shall command your children to keep and to do — all the words of the Torah": Moses said to them: I must acknowledge my indebtedness to you for fulfilling the Torah after me. You, too, must acknowledge indebtedness to your children for fulfilling the Torah after you. Once, Rabbeinu came from Ludkia, and R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah and R. Elazar b. Yehudah came and sat before him. He said to them: Come closer, I must acknowledge my indebtedness to you for fulfilling the Torah after me. You, too, must acknowledge your indebtedness to your children for fulfilling the Torah after you. Moses was (undeniably) great, but if others did not come after him, his Torah would be valueless — we, how much more so! Thus, "which you shall command, etc."

(Devarim 32:47) "For it is not an empty thing for you; for it is your life, and by this thing you shall prolong days": There is nothing empty in the Torah, for which, if you fulfill it, you will not be rewarded in this world, with the principal remaining for the world to come. Know this to be so, for they said: Why is it written (Bereshith 36:22) "And the sister of Lotan was Timna," and (Ibid. 36:12) "And Timna was a concubine to Elifaz (the son of Esav)"?

Because she said: "I am not worthy of being his wife; (at least) let me be his concubine." Why all this? To apprise us of the greatness of our father Abraham, kings and sultans [(Timna was a daughter of royalty)] desiring to marry into his family. Now does this not follow a fortiori?

If Esav, who kept only one mitzvah, that of honoring his father — kings and sultans desired to marry into his family, how much more so would they run to do so with Jacob the tzaddik, who fulfilled all of the mitzvoth, viz. (Ibid. 25:27) "And Jacob was a whole man!"

(Devarim, Ibid.) "and by this thing (Torah study) you shall prolong days.": This is one of the things, which, by doing them, one eats their fruits in this world and "prolongs days" in the world to come, viz. "for it is your life, and by this thing you shall prolong days." Whence do we derive (the same for) honoring father and mother? From (Devarim 5:16) "Honor your father and mother so that your days be prolonged and so that it be good for you, etc." Whence do we derive (the same for) lovingkindness?

From (Proverbs 21:21) "He who pursues righteousness and lovingkindness will find life, righteousness, and honor." Whence do we derive (the same for) the conferring of peace (upon man and his neighbor)? From (Psalms 34:15) "Seek peace and pursue it," and (Isaiah 54:13) "and all of your children learned of the L-rd, and an abundance of peace (will be the lot of) your children."

(Devarim 32:48) "And the L-rd spoke to Moses on this very day": In three places it is written "on this very day": Noach — (Bereshith 7:13) "On this very day, Noach … entered the ark." Because the men of his generation said: If we see him (trying to leave on the ark), we won't let him. And, what is more, we will take axes and hatchets and break the ark, the L-rd said: I shall bring him into the ark in the middle of the day, and anyone who has the power to stop Me, let him come and do so!

Egypt — (Shemoth 12:17) "For on this very day, I have taken your hosts out of the land of Egypt." Because the Egyptians said: If we see them (trying to leave), we won't let them; and, what is more, we will take knives and swords and kill them, the L-rd said: I shall take them out in the middle of the day, and anyone who has the power to stop Me, let him come and do so! And here (in advance of Moses' death) — Because Israel said: If we see him (going to his death), we will not allow it — The man who took us out of Egypt, and split the sea for us, and brought down the Torah for us, and brought down the manna for us, and "flew in" the quail for us, and performed miracles and feats of might for us — we will not allow him (to go) — whereupon the L-rd said: I will bring him into the cave in the middle of the day, and anyone who has the power to stop Me, let him come and do so! Thus, (the intent here of) "on this very day, saying, etc."

(Devarim 32:49) "Go up to this Mount Avarim": It is an ascent for you and not a descent.

"Mount Avarim": It has four names: Mount Avarim, Mount Nevo, Hor Hahar, Rosh Hapisgah. And why is it called "Mount Avarim"? Because there are buried there three who died without transgression ("aveirah") — Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

"which is in the land of Moav, facing Jericho, and see": R. Eliezer said: (The angel) Metatron pointed out all of Eretz Yisrael to Moses with his finger: "Until here is the boundary of Ephraim"; "until here is the boundary of Menasheh." R. Yehoshua says Moses by himself saw it. How so? The L-rd placed power in Moses' eyes and he saw from one end of the world to the other.