And it seems Devarim Rabbah, in its own unique way, grapples with this very idea.

The passage starts with a verse from Deuteronomy: “Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today" (Deuteronomy 9:1). But it quickly veers into a fascinating discussion about divine knowledge and human action, drawing in verses from Psalms and Exodus.

The text then quotes, “God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us of the deeds You did in their days” (Psalms 44:2). What does it mean to "hear with our ears"? Rabbi Tanhuma offers a compelling interpretation: it's about what we heard God say to Moses at the burning bush.

According to Rabbi Tanhuma, God told Moses, "It is revealed and foreseen before Me that they are destined to anger Me; nevertheless, I will redeem them.” In other words, God knew the Israelites would mess up. He knew they would anger Him. He knew, even before the Exodus, about the future sin of the Golden Calf. But He still chose to redeem them.

How do we know God said this to Moses? Devarim Rabbah points us to Exodus 3:7: “I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt…[as I know its pain].” The text interprets "as I know its pain" as God saying, "I know what pain they are destined to cause [Me by saying, of the golden calf]: ‘This is your god, Israel’" (Exodus 32:4). Despite this pre-knowledge, God declares, "I have descended to rescue them from the land of Egypt" (Exodus 3:8).

The text emphasizes that these were the conditions God stipulated with Moses. Just as God stipulated with Moses, "we have heard with our ears." But what about "our fathers have told us?" The text equates this with Moses himself, who is considered the father of all the prophets.

Then, the passage turns to the practical implications of God's past actions. "[Moses] said to them: ‘From what He did to the two Emorite kings, who were great, you know what He will do to the thirty-one kings when you cross the Jordan.’" In other words, remember what God has already done! Remember the miracles, the victories! This gives context to the opening verse: “Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today.” It’s not just a geographical crossing; it’s a crossing into a new era, armed with the knowledge of God's past faithfulness and, perhaps, a pre-emptive understanding of human fallibility.

So what does this all mean? Well, it suggests a complex relationship between divine foreknowledge, human free will, and God's unwavering commitment to His people. God knows we're going to mess up, but He chooses to redeem us anyway. And our awareness of this history – the good and the bad – should inform our actions as we move forward, crossing our own metaphorical Jordans, trusting in the promise of redemption even when we know we're bound to stumble.