Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 1

1The following are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel on the east side of the Jordan River, regarding the sins they committed in the desert, in the plain, opposite the Sea of Reeds, in the Paran Desert, for having maligned the white manna, regarding the sins they committed at Chatzerot, and with their abundance of gold.   אאֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר בָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַֽחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וְדִ֥י זָהָֽב:
אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים - The following are the words. Since these are words of reproof and Moses lists here all the places where they angered the Omnipresent, he did not explicitly mention the issues but merely alluded to them, out of respect for Israel.   אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים.  לְפִי שֶׁהֵן דִּבְרֵי תוֹכָחוֹת וּמָנָה כָאן כָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם בָּהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ סָתַם אֶת הַדְּבָרִים וְהִזְכִּירָם בְּרֶמֶז מִפְּנֵי כְבוֹדָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (עי' ספרי):
אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל - To all Israel. Had he reproved only some of them, those who were elsewhere could have said to those who were present: “You heard what the son of Amram said and you did not answer anything with this or that point. Had we been there, we would have answered him.” For this reason, he gathered them all together and said to them, “Since you are all here, anyone who has anything to say in response – let him respond!”   אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל.  אִלּוּ הוֹכִיחַ מִקְצָתָן, הָיוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁבַּשּׁוּק אוֹמְרִים אַתֶּם הֱיִיתֶם שׁוֹמְעִים מִבֶּן עַמְרָם וְלֹא הֲשִׁיבוֹתֶם דָּבָר מִכָּךְ וְכָךְ? אִלּוּ הָיִינוּ שָׁם הָיִינוּ מְשִׁיבִים אוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ כִּנְּסָם כֻּלָּם וְאָמַר לָהֶם הֲרֵי כֻּלְּכֶם כָּאן, כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ תְשׁוּבָה יָשִׁיב (ספרי):
בַּמִּדְבָּר - In the desert. They were not in the desert but in the plains of Moab, so what is the meaning of בַּמִּדְבָּר? It can only mean: Regarding their having angered God in the desert, in that they said: “If only we had died…in Egypt…. But You have taken us out to this desert to starve this entire assembly to death….” 1   בַּמִּדְבָּר.  לֹא בַמִּדְבָּר הָיוּ אֶלָּא בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב, וּמַהוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר? אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל מַה שֶּׁהִכְעִיסוּהוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שמות ט"ז) "מִי יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ וְגוֹ'":
בָּֽעֲרָבָה - In the plain - means: regarding what happened in the plain, i.e., that they sinned by worshiping Ba’al Pe’or at Shitim in the plains of Moab.   בָּֽעֲרָבָה.  בִּשְׁבִיל הָעֲרָבָה, שֶׁחָטְאוּ בְּבַעַל פְּעוֹר בְּשִּׁטִּים בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב:
מוֹל סוּף - Opposite [the Sea of] Reeds - i.e., regarding their having rebelled at the Sea of Reeds, when they came to the Sea of Reeds and said: “Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the desert?” 2 Similarly, they rebelled when they went out of the sea, as it says: “they rebelled at the sea, at the Sea of Reeds,” 3 as stated in Arachin. 4   מוֹל סוּף.  עַל מַה שֶּׁהִמְרוּ בְיַם סוּף בְּבוֹאָם לְיַם סוּף, שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שם י"ד) "הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם", וְכֵן בְּנָסְעָם מִתּוֹךְ הַיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים ק"ו) "וַיַּמְרוּ עַל יָם בְּיַם סוּף" כִּדְאִיתָא בַּעֲרָכִין (דף ט"ו):
בֵּֽין־פָּארָן וּבֵֽין־תֹּפֶל וְלָבָן - (lit.) Between Paran and Tofel and Lavan. Rabbi Yochanan said: We searched through all of Scripture and did not find any place named Tofel or Lavan. Rather, it means that he rebuked them for having maligned (שֶׁתָּפְלוּ) the manna, which is white (לָבָן), by saying: “and we are weary of this light bread!” 5 and also for what they did in the Paran Desert in the incident of the spies.   בֵּֽין־פָּארָן וּבֵֽין־תֹּפֶל וְלָבָן.  אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן חָזַרְנוּ עַל כָּל הַמִּקְרָא וְלֹא מָצִינוּ מָקוֹם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ תֹּפֶל וְלָבָן, אֶלָּא הוֹכִיחָן עַל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁתָּפְלוּ עַל הַמָּן, שֶׁהוּא לָבָן, שֶׁאָמְרוּ (במדבר כ"א) "וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל", וְעַל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ בְמִדְבַּר פָּארָן עַל יְדֵי הַמְרַגְּלִים:
וַֽחֲצֵרֹת - And Chatzerot - i.e., in Korach’s dispute. Another explanation: He said to them: “You should have taken a lesson from what I did to Miriam at Chatzerot for having spoken slander, yet you spoke against the Omnipresent.”   וַֽחֲצֵרֹת.  בְּמַחְלָקְתּוֹ שֶׁל קֹרַח; דָּבָר אַחֵר אָמַר לָהֶם הָיָה לָכֶם לִלְמֹד מִמַּה שֶּׁעָשִׂיתִי לְמִרְיָם בַּחֲצֵרוֹת בִּשְׁבִיל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְאַתֶּם נִדְבַּרְתֶּם בַּמָּקוֹם:
וְדִי זָהָֽב - And an abundance of gold. He rebuked them for the Golden Calf, which they made as a result of the abundance of gold that they had, as it says: “I gave them plenty of silver and gold, but they used it for the idol Ba’al.” 6   וְדִי זָהָֽב.  הוֹכִיחָן עַל הָעֵגֶל שֶׁעָשׂוּ בִּשְׁבִיל רֹב זָהָב שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ב') "וְכֶסֶף הִרְבֵּיתִי לָהּ וְזָהָב עָשׂוּ לַבָּעַל" (עי' ספרי; ברכות ל"ב):
2“It is an 11-day journey from Mount Horeb via the road to Mount Se’ir, to Kadesh Barnei’a.”   באַחַ֨ד עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ מֵֽחֹרֵ֔ב דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַר־שֵׂעִ֑יר עַ֖ד קָדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵֽעַ:
אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵֽחֹרֵב - It is [an] 11-day [journey] from Horeb. Moses said to them: Just see what you caused! There is no shorter route from Horeb to Kadesh Barne’a than via Mount Se’ir, and even that is usually an 11-day journey, yet you covered it in just three days; for on 20 Iyar they traveled from Horeb, as it says: “On the 20th of the second month of the second year…,” 7 and on 29 Sivan (the third month) they sent the spies from Kadesh Barne’a. 8 Deduct the 30 days they spent at Kivrot HaTa’avah, where they ate meat for a full month, and seven days they spent at Chatzerot, where Miriam was quarantined with tzaraat; it follows that they covered that entire distance in three days.The Divine Presence exerted itself on your behalf so much in order to bring you into the Land of Israel quickly, but because of your misdeeds, He had you circle Mount Se’ir for 40 years.   אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵֽחֹרֵב.  אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה רְאוּ מַה גְּרַמְתֶּם אֵין לָכֶם דֶּרֶךְ קְצָרָה מֵחוֹרֵב לְקָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ כְּדֶרֶךְ הַר שֵׂעִיר, וְאַף הוּא מַהֲלַךְ י"א יוֹם, וְאַתֶּם הֲלַכְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ בִּשְׁלֹוֹשָׁה יָמִים – שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּעֶשְׂרִים בְּאִיָּר נָסְעוּ מֵחוֹרֵב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר י') "וַיְהִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְּעֶשְׂרִים בַּחֹדֶשׁ וְגוֹ'", וּבְכ"ט בְּסִיוָן שָׁלְחוּ אֶת הַמְרַגְּלִים מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ (תענית כ"ט), צֵא מֵהֶם ל' יוֹם שֶׁעָשׂוּ בְּקִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה שֶׁאָכְלוּ הַבָּשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ יָמִים, וְשִׁבְעָה יָמִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ בַחֲצֵרוֹת לְהִסָּגֵר שָׁם מִרְיָם, נִמְצָא בִשְׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים הָלְכוּ כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ – וְכָל כָּךְ הָיְתָה הַשְּׁכִינָה מִתְלַבֶּטֶת בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם לְמַהֵר בִּיאַתְכֶם לָאָרֶץ, וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁקִּלְקַלְתֶּם הֵסֵב אֶתְכֶם סְבִיבוֹת הַר שֵׂעִיר אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה (ע' ספרי):
3It was on the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year that Moses spoke to the Israelites concerning all that God had commanded him regarding them,   גוַֽיְהִי֙ בְּאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר חֹ֖דֶשׁ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ דִּבֶּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ אֲלֵהֶֽם:
וַֽיְהִי בְּאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ - It was on the first day of the 11th month of the 40th year. This teaches us that Moses only reproved them close to his death. From whom did he learn this trait? From Jacob, who reproved his sons only close to his death. He said: “Reuben, my son, I will tell you why I did not reprove you all these years: So that you not leave me and associate with my wicked brother, Esau.”There are four reasons why one should not give reproof until one is close to death: So that he not have to repeatedly reprove that person; so that his reproved colleague not be embarrassed when he later sees him etc., as stated in Sifrei. 9 Similarly, Joshua reproved Israel only close to his death, 10 as did Samuel, as it says: “Here I am, testify against me…,” 11 and so David acted with his son Solomon. 12   וַֽיְהִי בְּאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ.  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הוֹכִיחָן אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה; מִמִּי לָמַד? מִיַּעֲקֹב, שֶׁלֹּא הוֹכִיחַ אֶת בָּנָיו אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה, אָמַר, רְאוּבֵן בְּנִי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא הוֹכַחְתִּיךָ כָּל הַשָּׁנִים הַלָּלוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תַנִּיחֵנִי וְתֵלֵךְ וְתִדְבַּק בְּעֵשָׂו אָחִי; וּמִפְּנֵי אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים אֵין מוֹכִיחִין אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא מוֹכִיחוֹ וְחוֹזֵר וּמוֹכִיחוֹ, וְשֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא חֲבֵרוֹ רוֹאֵהוּ וּמִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ, כוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרֵי. וְכֵן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לֹא הוֹכִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה, וְכֵן שְׁמוּאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א י"ב), "הִנְנִי עֲנוּ בִי", וְכֵן דָּוִד אֶת שְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ (מלכים א ב'):
4after he had smitten King Sichon of the Amorites, who dwelt in Cheshbon, and King Og of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashterot-Karnayim and in Edre’i.   דאַֽחֲרֵ֣י הַכֹּת֗וֹ אֵ֚ת סִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן וְאֵ֗ת ע֚וֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֔ן אֲשֶׁר־יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹ֖ת בְּאֶדְרֶֽעִי:
אַֽחֲרֵי הַכֹּתוֹ - After he had smitten. Moses said: If I reprove them before they enter even part of the Land of Israel, they will say, “What claim does he have on us? What good has he done for us? His only intention is to criticize us and to find an excuse, for he does not have the strength to bring us into the land.” Therefore, he waited until he had defeated Sichon and Og before their eyes and had given them possession of their land, and only after that did he reprove them.   אַֽחֲרֵי הַכֹּתוֹ.  אָמַר מֹשֶׁה אִם אֲנִי מוֹכִיחָם קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ, יֹאמְרוּ מַה לָּזֶה עָלֵינוּ? מַה הֵיטִיב לָנוּ? אֵינוֹ בָא אֶלָּא לְקַנְתֵּר וְלִמְצֹא עִלָּה, שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כֹחַ לְהַכְנִיסֵנוּ לָאָרֶץ, לְפִיכָךְ הִמְתִּין עַד שֶׁהִפִּיל סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהוֹרִישָׁם אֶת אַרְצָם וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוֹכִיחָן (ספרי):
סִיחֹן אֲשֶׁר יוֹשֵׁב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן - Sichon…who dwelt in Cheshbon. Had Sichon not been a hard king to defeat but was living in Cheshbon, he would have been hard to defeat, since the city was hard to conquer. And had it been a different city and Sichon was living there, it would have been hard to conquer, since the king was hard to defeat. All the more was it so when both the king and the city were hard to defeat.   סִיחֹן אֲשֶׁר יוֹשֵׁב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן.  אִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה סִיחוֹן קָשֶׁה וְהָיָה שָׁרוּי בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן, הָיָה קָשָׁה, שֶׁהַמְּדִינָה קָשָׁה, וְאִלּוּ הָיְתָה עִיר אַחֶרֶת וְסִיחוֹן שָׁרוּי בְּתוֹכָהּ, הָיְתָה קָשָׁה, שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ קָשֶׁה, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ קָשֶׁה וְהַמְּדִינָה קָשָׁה (שם):
אֲשֶׁר יוֹשֵׁב בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹת - Who dwelt in Ashtarot. Here, too, the king was hard to defeat and the city was hard to conquer.   אֲשֶׁר יוֹשֵׁב בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹת.  הַמֶּלֶךְ קָשֶׁה וְהַמְּדִינָה קָשָׁה:
עשתרת - Ashtarot - is a term denoting rocks or a hard substance, as in: עַשְׁתְּרֹת קַרְנַיִם (lit., “strength of horns”). 13 Ashtarot here is identical with Ashterot Karnayim, where the Rephaim giants whom Amrafel smote lived, as it says: “they defeated the Rephaim in Ashterot Karnayim.” 14 Og escaped from them, as it says: “The survivor came,” 15 and it says: “for only King Og of the Bashan remained from the remnant of the Rephaim.” 16   עשתרת.  הוּא לְשׁוֹן צוּקִין וְקֹשִׁי, כְּמוֹ "עַשְׁתְּרֹת קַרְנַיִם" (בראשית י"ד) וְעַשְׁתָּרוֹת זֶה הוּא עַשְׁתְּרֹת קַרְנַיִם, שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם רְפָאִים שֶׁהִכָּה אַמְרָפֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "וַיַּכּוּ אֶת רְפָאִים בְּעַשְׁתְּרֹת קַרְנַיִם". וְעוֹג נִמְלַט מֵהֶם, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט", וְאוֹמֵר (דברים ג') "כִּי רַק עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן נִשְׁאַר מִיֶּתֶר הָרְפָאִים":
בְּאֶדְרֶֽעִי - In Edre’i. This is the name of the kingdom.   בְּאֶדְרֶֽעִי.  שֵׁם הַמַּלְכוּת:
5On the east side of the Jordan River, in Moab, Moses began to explain this teaching, saying,   הבְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב הוֹאִ֣יל משֶׁ֔ה בֵּאֵ֛ר אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לֵאמֹֽר:
הוֹאִיל - means “began,” as in: הִנֵּה נָא הוֹאַלְתִּי “I have begun.” 17   הוֹאִיל.  הִתְחִיל, כְּמוֹ (בראשית י"ח) "הִנֵּה נָא הוֹאַלְתִּי" (ע' ספרי):
בֵּאֵר אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה - Explained this teaching. He explained the Torah to them in 70 languages.   בֵּאֵר אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה.  בְּשִׁבְעִים לָשׁוֹן פֵּרְשָׁהּ לָהֶם (תנחומא; ע' סוטה ל"ב):
6“God, our God, spoke to us at Mount Horeb, saying, ‘You have dwelt too long at this mountain.   ויְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֵ֖ינוּ בְּחֹרֵ֣ב לֵאמֹ֑ר רַב־לָכֶ֥ם שֶׁ֖בֶת בָּהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
רַב־לָכֶם שֶׁבֶת - (lit.) You have dwelt too much - It is to be understood according to its straightforward meaning. There is also an aggadic explanation: You have received much greatness (רַב) and reward for your stay (שֶׁבֶת) at this mountain: Here you made the Tabernacle, the Candelabrum, and other furnishings of the Tabernacle; you received the Torah; you appointed the Sanhedrin, officers of thousands, and officers of hundreds.   רַב־לָכֶם שֶׁבֶת.  כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ; וְיֵשׁ מִקְרָא אַחֵר, הִרְבָּה לָכֶם גְדֻלָּה וְשָׂכָר עַל יְשִׁיבַתְכֶם בָּהָר הַזֶּה – עֲשִׂיתֶם מִשְׁכָּן, מְנוֹרָה, וְכֵלִים, קִבַּלְתֶּם תּוֹרָה, מִנִּיתֶם לָכֶם סַנְהֶדְרִין, שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת (ע' ספרי):
7Turn and journey. Come to the mountain of the Amorites, and to all its neighboring places in the plain, the mountain, the lowland, the south, and the seashore; the land of the Canaanites and Lebanon, until the great river—the Euphrates River.   זפְּנ֣וּ | וּסְע֣וּ לָכֶ֗ם וּבֹ֨אוּ הַ֥ר הָֽאֱמֹרִי֘ וְאֶל־כָּל־שְׁכֵנָיו֒ בָּֽעֲרָבָ֥ה בָהָ֛ר וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֥ה וּבַנֶּ֖גֶב וּבְח֣וֹף הַיָּ֑ם אֶ֤רֶץ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַלְּבָנ֔וֹן עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת:
פְּנוּ וּסְעוּ לָכֶם - Turn and journey. This is the route via Arad and Chormah.   פְּנוּ וּסְעוּ לָכֶם.  זוֹ דֶּרֶךְ עֲרָד וְחָרְמָה:
וּבֹאוּ הַר הָֽאֱמֹרִי - Come to the mountain of the Amorites. Its meaning is as it literally implies.   וּבֹאוּ הַר הָֽאֱמֹרִי.  כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ:
וְאֶל־כָּל־שְׁכֵנָיו - And to all its neighboring places - i.e., Ammon, Moab, and Mount Se’ir.   וְאֶל־כָּל־שְׁכֵנָיו.  עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב וְהַר שֵׂעִיר:
בָּֽעֲרָבָה - The plain. This is the wooded plain.   בָּֽעֲרָבָה.  זֶה מִישׁוֹר שֶׁל יַעַר:
בָהָר - The mountain. This is Har Hamelech (“the King’s Mountain”).   בָהָר.  זֶה הַר הַמֶּלֶךְ:
וּבַשְּׁפֵלָה - The lowland. This is the lowland of the south.   וּבַשְּׁפֵלָה.  זוֹ שְׁפֵלַת דָּרוֹם:
וּבַנֶּגֶב וּבְחוֹף הַיָּם - The south and the seashore. Ashkelon, Gaza, and Caesarea etc., as listed in Sifrei.   וּבַנֶּגֶב וּבְחוֹף הַיָּם.  אַשְׁקְלוֹן וְעַזָּה וְקֵיסָרִי וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרֵי:
עַד־הַנָּהָר הַגָּדֹל - Until the great river. Since it is mentioned in connection with the Land of Israel, he calls it “great.” As the popular saying goes: A king’s servant is like a king; attach yourself to a ruler, and people will bow down to you; if you touch one anointed with oil, you, too, will become anointed.   עַד־הַנָּהָר הַגָּדֹל.  מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּזְכָּר עִם אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹרְאוֹ גָּדוֹל, מְשַׁל הֶדְיוֹט אוֹמֵר "עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ", "הִדַּבֵּק לַשַּׁחֲוָר וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ", ״קְרַב לְגַבֵּי דְהִינָא וְאִדַּהֵן" (שבועות מ"ז):
8See, I have set the land before you. Come and take possession of the land that God swore to your forefathers—to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob—to give them and their descendants after them.’   חרְאֵ֛ה נָתַ֥תִּי לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ בֹּ֚אוּ וּרְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֣ע יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה לַֽאֲבֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֔ם וּלְזַרְעָ֖ם אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם:
רְאֵה נָתַתִּי - See, I have set. With your own eyes you see that this is true. I am not telling you this out of conjecture or from hearsay.   רְאֵה נָתַתִּי.  בְּעֵינֵיכֶם אַתֶּם רוֹאִים, אֵינִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם מֵאֹמֶד וּמִשְּׁמוּעָה (ספרי):
בֹּאוּ וּרְשׁוּ - Come and take possession - i.e., there is nobody who disputes your rights, and you do not need to wage war. Had they not sent spies, they would not have needed even to display weapons.   בֹּאוּ וּרְשׁוּ.  אֵין מְעַרְעֵר בַּדָּבָר, וְאֵינְכֶם צְרִיכִים לְמִלְחָמָה, אִלּוּ לֹא שָׁלְחוּ מְרַגְּלִים לֹא הָיוּ צְרִיכִים לִכְלֵי זַיִן (ע' שם):
לַֽאֲבֹתֵיכֶם - To your forefathers. Why are their names – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – mentioned again separately? To tell you that Abraham’s merit alone would be enough, Isaac’s merit alone would be enough, and Jacob’s merit alone would be enough for you to receive the land.   לַֽאֲבֹתֵיכֶם.  לָמָּה הִזְכִּיר שׁוּב לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא אַבְרָהָם כְּדַאי לְעַצְמוֹ, יִצְחָק כְּדַאי לְעַצְמוֹ, יַעֲקֹב כְּדַאי לְעַצְמוֹ (שם):
9I addressed you at that time, saying, ‘I cannot bear you alone:   טוָֽאֹמַ֣ר אֲלֵכֶ֔ם בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖וא לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹֽא־אוּכַ֥ל לְבַדִּ֖י שְׂאֵ֥ת אֶתְכֶֽם:
וָֽאֹמַר אֲלֵכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר - I addressed you at that time, saying. What does “saying” signify? Moses in effect said to them: “I am not saying this on my own initiative, but on the instructions of the Holy One, blessed be He.”   וָֽאֹמַר אֲלֵכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר.  מַהוּ לֵאמֹר? אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לֹא מֵעַצְמִי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם, אֶלָּא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (שם):
לֹֽא־אוּכַל לְבַדִּי וגו' - I cannot [bear you] alone. Is it possible that Moses was unable to judge Israel alone? Could it be that the person who took them out of Egypt, who split the sea for them, who brought down the manna for them and who caused the quails to fly from the sea, was unable to judge them?! Rather, this is what he was saying to them: “God, your God, has made you great”. i.e., He has made you greater and higher than your judges, for when a judge misjudges you, He has taken away the incorrect punishment from you and administered it to the judges.So, too, King Solomon said: “for who is able to judge this difficult people of Yours?” 18 Is it possible that the person about whom it is written: “he became wiser than all humanity,” 19 could say, “Who is able to judge them”? Rather, this is what King Solomon was saying: The judges of this nation are unlike the judges of other nations, for if a judge of another nation passes judgment and wrongly has a person killed, beaten, or strangled, or he perverts judgment and thus steals, it is of no severe consequence. However, if I wrongly make a person pay money, I am censured as if it were a capital offense, as it says: “and He takes the life of one who steals from the poor.” 20   לֹֽא־אוּכַל לְבַדִּי וגו'.  אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מֹשֶׁה יָכוֹל לָדוּן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל? אָדָם שֶׁהוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְקָרַע לָהֶם אֶת הַיָּם, וְהוֹרִיד אֶת הַמָּן, וְהֵגִיז הַשְּׂלָו, לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְדוּנָם? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם, ה' אלהיכם הרבה אתכם – הִגְדִּיל וְהֵרִים אֶתְכֶם עַל דַּיָּנֵיכֶם, נָטַל אֶת הָעֹנֶשׁ מִכֶּם וּנְתָנוֹ עַל הַדַּיָּנִין; וְכֵן אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה (מלכים א ג') "כִּי מִי יוּכַל לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת עַמְּךָ הַכָּבֵד הַזֶּה"; אֶפְשָׁר מִי שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (שם ה') "וַיֶּחְכַּם מִכָּל הָאָדָם", אוֹמֵר מִי יוּכַל לִשְׁפֹּט? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, אֵין דַּיָּנֵי אֻמָּה זוֹ כְדַיָּנֵי שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁאִם דָּן וְהוֹרֵג וּמַכֶּה וְחוֹנֵק וּמַטֶּה אֶת דִּינוֹ וְגוֹזֵל אֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם, אֲנִי אִם חִיַּבְתִּי מָמוֹן שֶׁלֹּא כַדִּין, נְפָשׁוֹת אֲנִי נִתְבָּע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כ"ב) "וְקָבַע אֶת קֹבְעֵיהֶם נָפֶשׁ" (ספרי; סנהדרין ז'):
10God, your God, has made you great. Behold, you are today as numerous as the stars of heaven.   ייְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם הִרְבָּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְהִנְּכֶ֣ם הַיּ֔וֹם כְּכֽוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹֽב:
וְהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם כְּכֽוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם - Behold, you are today [as numerous] as the stars of heaven. Were they really as numerous as the stars of heaven on that day? Surely, they numbered only 600,000? If so, what does: “And here you are הַיּוֹם” mean? It means: Behold, you are compared to the day, existing forever, like the sun, the moon, and the stars.   וְהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם כְּכֽוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם.  וְכִי כְכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם הָיוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, וַהֲלֹא לֹא הָיוּ אֶלָּא שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, מַהוּ וְהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם? הִנְּכֶם מְשׁוּלִים כַּיּוֹם – קַיָּמִים לְעוֹלָם כַּחַמָּה וְכַלְּבָנָה וְכַכּוֹכָבִים (עי' ספרי):
11May God, God of your forefathers, add to you a thousand times as many as you are! May He bless you as He spoke concerning you.   יאיְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֽוֹתֵכֶ֗ם יֹסֵ֧ף עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם כָּכֶ֖ם אֶ֣לֶף פְּעָמִ֑ים וִֽיבָרֵ֣ךְ אֶתְכֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר לָכֶֽם:
יֹסֵף עֲלֵיכֶם כָּכֶם אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים - Add to you a thousand times as many as you are. What is then added by stating: “may He bless you as He spoke concerning you”? It only means that they said to him: Moses, why are you setting a limit to our blessing? The Holy One, blessed be He, already promised Abraham unbounded blessings: “if someone will be able to count the particles of dust in the world, your offspring, too, will be countable.” 21 Moses said to them: “This is my own personal blessing, but He will bless you as He already spoke concerning you.”   יֹסֵף עֲלֵיכֶם כָּכֶם אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים.  מַהוּ שׁוּב ויברך אתכם כאשר דבר לכם? אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ לוֹ, מֹשֶׁה אַתָּה נוֹתֵן קִצְבָּה לְבִרְכוֹתֵינוּ? כְּבָר הִבְטִיחַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אַבְרָהָם "אֲשֶׁר אִם יוּכַל אִישׁ לִמְנוֹת וְגוֹ'" (בראשית י"ג), אָמַר לָהֶם זוֹ מִשֶּׁלִּי הִיא, אֲבָל הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָכֶם (ספרי):