That feeling of unexpected liberation and joy is at the heart of our story today, drawn from Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy.
The verse we're exploring is Deuteronomy 19:8, "When [the Lord your God] will expand [your border]." But to truly understand it, we need to look through the lens of Psalm 31:8-9: "I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction. You have known my soul’s distress, and You did not deliver me into the hand of the enemy; You set my feet in open space."
Who is speaking in this psalm? Well, the Rabbis offer two powerful interpretations.
First, they suggest it’s Joseph, the son of Jacob who was sold into slavery in Egypt. Imagine his situation: betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, imprisoned and forgotten. He was truly in a tight spot. According to this reading in Devarim Rabbah, Joseph reflects: "Master of the universe, 'I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness' that You performed with me. Had You exacted revenge on my behalf from Potifera’s wife, and had not given me the kingship, I would have rejoiced and been happy. Now that I have the kingship, 'I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness….'"
Joseph acknowledges God's kindness in his ascent to power. He recalls his past suffering, the affliction described in Psalm 105:17-18: "They tortured his legs with chains; his body was placed in irons." Yet, God didn't leave him in the clutches of his "enemy," Potiphar, but instead, as Devarim Rabbah says, "You set my feet in open space – You made me ruler over the entire land of Egypt." This is clear from Genesis 42:6-7: "Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the provider of grain to all the people of the land."
But that's not the only way to understand these verses. The Rabbis offer another compelling reading, this time focusing on the entire nation of Israel.
Think about the Israelites in Egypt. Enslaved, oppressed, their lives made bitter. As Deuteronomy 26:6-7 recounts, "The Egyptians mistreated us, and afflicted us, and imposed upon us hard labor. We cried out to the Lord, God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice, and He saw our affliction…" Exodus 1:14 echoes this, stating, "They embittered their lives."
And who was their enemy? None other than the wicked Pharaoh, who, as Exodus 15:9 says, proclaimed, "I will pursue."
Yet, God redeemed them, leading them out of slavery and into freedom. "You set my feet in open space," Israel declares, "as you expanded my border," echoing the original verse from Deuteronomy 19:8, "When [the Lord your God] will expand [your border]." But it wasn't just about freedom; it was also about receiving the wealth of the Egyptians. This is why Israel says, according to Devarim Rabbah: ‘Master of the universe, “I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness” that You performed with us. Had You exacted revenge against the Egyptians and not given us their wealth, we would have rejoiced. We have joy and happiness because You gave us their wealth.’
So, what can we take away from these interpretations? Perhaps it's this: that even in the darkest of times, when we feel most confined and oppressed, there is the potential for expansion, for liberation, for joy. Whether we see ourselves in Joseph's individual journey or in the collective experience of the Israelites, the message is clear: God sees our affliction, knows our distress, and can lead us to a place of spaciousness and freedom. Maybe, just maybe, the narrow places we find ourselves in now are simply preparing us for the wide-open spaces that await.