| 23“I entreated God at that time, saying, |
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כגוָֽאֶתְחַנַּ֖ן אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖וא לֵאמֹֽר: |
| וָֽאֶתְחַנַּן - I entreated. Whenever the term חִנּוּן is used, it refers to the giving of a free gift. Although the righteous can rely on the merit of their good deeds, they request from the Omnipresent only a free gift. Since God had said to Moses: וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן “I will show favor when I choose to show favor,” he also spoke to Him with the expression וָאֶתְחַנַּן. Another explanation: This is one of the 10 expressions by which prayer is described, as stated in Sifrei. |
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וָֽאֶתְחַנַּן.
אֵין חִנּוּן בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מַתְּנַת חִנָּם – אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם לַצַּדִּיקִים לִתְלוֹת בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הַטּוֹבִים אֵין מְבַקְּשִׁים מֵאֵת הַמָּקוֹם אֶלָּא מַתְּנַת חִנָּם, (לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן אָמַר לוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן וָאֶתְחַנַּן); דָּבָר אַחֵר זֶה אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת תְּפִלָּה, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרֵי:
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| בָּעֵת הַהִוא - At that time - after I conquered the land of Sichon and Og, which I eventually apportioned to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, I imagined that the vow forbidding me to enter the Land of Israel might have been annulled. |
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בָּעֵת הַהִוא.
לְאַחַר שֶׁכָּבַשְׁתִּי אֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג דִּמִּיתִי שֶׁמָּא הֻתַּר הַנֶּדֶר:
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| לֵאמֹֽר - (lit.) To say. This is one of three places where Moses said before the Omnipresent, “I will not let You alone until You inform me whether or not You will fulfill my request.” |
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לֵאמֹֽר.
זֶה אֶחָד מִגּ' מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם אֵינִי מַנִּיחֲךָ עַד שֶׁתּוֹדִיעֵנִי אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה שְׁאֵלָתִי אִם לָאו (ספרי):
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| 24‘God, You took the initiative to show Your servant Your magnanimity and Your strong hand, for who is like You, God, in heaven or on earth, who can match Your deeds and Your might? |
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כדאֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה אַתָּ֤ה הַֽחִלּ֨וֹתָ֙ לְהַרְא֣וֹת אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ֔ אֶ֨ת־גָּדְלְךָ֔ וְאֶת־יָֽדְךָ֖ הַֽחֲזָקָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר מִי־אֵל֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם וּבָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה כְמַֽעֲשֶׂ֖יךָ וְכִגְבֽוּרֹתֶֽךָ: |
| ה' אלהים - (lit.) My lord, God - i.e., He who is merciful when meting out justice. |
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ה' אלהים.
רַחוּם בַּדִּין:
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| אַתָּה הַֽחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ - You took the initiative to show Your servant - an opening to stand and pray even when a decree has already been decreed. Moses said to God: I learned this from You, for You said to me after the people had sinned with the Golden Calf: “now, let Me be.” Was I holding on to You then, that I should let You be? Rather, You said this to provide an opening, indicating that it was up to me to pray on their behalf. I thought to do the same now, too. |
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אַתָּה הַֽחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ.
פֶּתַח, לִהְיוֹת עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה; אָמַר לוֹ מִמְּךָ לָמַדְתִּי, שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִי (שמות ל"ב) "וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִּי", וְכִי תוֹפֵס הָיִיתִי בְךָ? אֶלָּא לִפְתֹּחַ פֶּתַח, שֶׁבִּי הָיָה תָלוּי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ כֵן הָיִיתִי סָבוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת עַכְשָׁו (ספרי):
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| אֶת־גָּדְלְךָ - (lit.) Your greatness. This refers to Your attribute of goodness in pardoning sin, as it says: וְעַתָּה יִגְדַּל נָא כֹּחַ אֲדֹנָי “Therefore, please, let the strength of God be increased….” |
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אֶת־גָּדְלְךָ.
זוֹ מִדַּת טוּבְךָ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר י"ד) "וְעַתָּה יִגְדַּל נָא כֹּחַ ה'":
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| וְאֶת־יָֽדְךָ - And Your hand. This refers to Your right hand, which is outstretched to all creatures of the world to accept their repentance. |
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וְאֶת־יָֽדְךָ.
זוֹ יְמִינְךָ שֶׁהִיא פְּשׁוּטָה לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם:
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| הַֽחֲזָקָה - Strong. For You mightily suppress the trait of strict judgment with mercy. |
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הַֽחֲזָקָה.
שֶׁאַתָּה כוֹבֵשׁ בְּרַחֲמִים אֶת מִדַּת הַדִּין בְּחָזְקָה (ספרי):
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| אֲשֶׁר מִי־אֵל וגו' - For who is God… You are not like a king of flesh and blood, who has advisers and counselors who object when he wishes to act kindly and be forbearing. Regarding You, there is no one who can object if You would forgive me and annul Your decree. According to its straightforward meaning, it means: You have begun to show Your servant the conquest of the Land of Israel by letting me lead the war against Sichon and Og, as is written: רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי תֵּת לְפָנֶיךָ “Behold, I have begun to deliver before you,” so show me too the war against the 31 kings of Canaan! |
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אֲשֶׁר מִי־אֵל וגו'.
אֵינְךָ דוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ יוֹעֲצִין וְסַנְקַתֶּדְרִין הַמַמְּחִין בְּיָדוֹ כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת חֶסֶד וְלַעֲבֹר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו, אַתָּה אֵין מִי שֶׁיִּמְחֶה בְיָדְךָ אִם תִּמְחֹל לִי וּתְבַטֵּל גְּזֵרָתְךָ; וּלְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת עַבְדְּךָ מִלְחֶמֶת סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג, – כְּדִכְתִיב (דברים ב') "רְאֵה הַחִלֹּתִי תֵּת לְפָנֶיךָ", – הַרְאֵנִי מִלְחֶמֶת ל"א מְלָכִים:
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| 25Please let me cross over and see the good land that is on the west side of the Jordan River, including the good mountain and the Temple, which is called “the Lebanon.”’ |
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כהאֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֗א וְאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן הָהָ֥ר הַטּ֛וֹב הַזֶּ֖ה וְהַלְּבָנֹֽן: |
| אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּא - Please let me cross over. נָא is none other than an expression of request. |
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אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּא.
אֵין נָא אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה:
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| הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה - The good mountain. This refers to Jerusalem. |
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הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה.
זוֹ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם:
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| וְהַלְּבָנֹֽן - And the Lebanon. This refers to the Holy Temple. |
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וְהַלְּבָנֹֽן.
זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (ספרי):
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| 26But God became angry with me because of my improper response to you, and He did not heed me. God said to me, ‘This suffices for you. Speak to Me no more regarding this matter. |
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כווַיִּתְעַבֵּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֥ה בִּי֙ לְמַ֣עַנְכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֵלָ֑י וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ רַב־לָ֔ךְ אַל־תּ֗וֹסֶף דַּבֵּ֥ר אֵלַ֛י ע֖וֹד בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה: |
| וַיִּתְעַבֵּר ה' - God was angry - i.e., He became filled with anger. |
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וַיִּתְעַבֵּר ה'.
נִתְמַלֵּא חֵמָה:
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| לְמַעַנְכֶם - means here “because of you.” You caused this to happen to me, and so it says: “they angered God at the ‘water of contention,’ and He punished Moses on their account.” |
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לְמַעַנְכֶם.
אַתֶּם גְּרַמְתֶּם לִי, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים ק"ו) "וַיַּקְצִיפוּ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה וַיֵּרַע לְמֹשֶׁה בַּעֲבוּרָם":
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| רַב־לָךְ - This suffices for you – so that people not say, “How harsh is the Master, and how stubbornly persistent is the disciple!” Another explanation: רַב לָךְ - much more (רַב) than what you request is held in store for you, i.e., the great (רַב) goodness that is hidden away for you in the afterlife. |
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רַב־לָךְ.
שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ הָרַב כַּמָּה קָשֶׁה וְהַתַּלְמִיד כַּמָּה סַרְבָן וּמַפְצִיר (סוטה י"ג); דָּבָר אַחֵר — רב לך, הַרְבֵּה מִזֶּה שָׁמוּר לְךָ, רַב טוּב הַצָּפוּן לְךָ (ספרי):
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| 27Ascend to the peak of Mount Nebo and lift up your eyes westward, northward, southward, and eastward, and see it with your own eyes—for you will not cross this Jordan River. |
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כזעֲלֵ֣ה | רֹ֣אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֗ה וְשָׂ֥א עֵינֶ֛יךָ יָ֧מָּה וְצָפֹ֛נָה וְתֵימָ֥נָה וּמִזְרָ֖חָה וּרְאֵ֣ה בְעֵינֶ֑יךָ כִּי־לֹ֥א תַֽעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֥ן הַזֶּֽה: |
| וּרְאֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ - And see with your own eyes. You requested of Me, “let me see the good land.” I will show you all of it, as it says: “and God showed him all the land.” |
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וּרְאֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ.
בִּקַּשְׁתָּ מִמֶּנִּי וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה, אֲנִי מַרְאֶה לְךָ אֶת כֻּלָּהּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ל"ב) "וַיַּרְאֵהוּ ה' אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ":
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| 28Command Joshua not to be fazed by the people. Strengthen him and encourage him, for he will cross over the river before this people, and he will apportion to them the land that you will see.’ |
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כחוְצַ֥ו אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ וְחַזְּקֵ֣הוּ וְאַמְּצֵ֑הוּ כִּי־ה֣וּא יַֽעֲבֹ֗ר לִפְנֵי֙ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהוּא֙ יַנְחִ֣יל אוֹתָ֔ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְאֶֽה: |
| וְצַו אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - Command Joshua - regarding the troubles, the burdens, and the quarrels that he will have to bear. |
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וְצַו אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ.
עַל הַטְּרָחוֹת וְעַל הַמַּשָּׂאוֹת וְעַל הַמְּרִיבוֹת:
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| וְחַזְּקֵהוּ וְאַמְּצֵהוּ - Strengthen him and encourage him - with your words, so that he not become disheartened and say: “Just as my master was punished because of them, so will I eventually be punished because of them.” I therefore promise him that he will cross over, and he will apportion the land to them. |
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וְחַזְּקֵהוּ וְאַמְּצֵהוּ.
בִּדְבָרֶיךָ, שֶׁלֹּא יֵרַךְ לִבּוֹ לוֹמַר כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּעֱנַשׁ רַבִּי עֲלֵיהֶם, כָּךְ סוֹפִי לֵעָנֵשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם, מַבְטִיחוֹ אֲנִי כִּי הוּא יַעֲבֹר וְהוּא יַנְחִיל (ע' ספרי):
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| כִּי־הוּא יַֽעֲבֹר - For he will cross over – i.e., if he passes before them, they will possess the land, but if not, they will not possess the land. So you find when Joshua sent some of the people to conquer Ai while he stayed behind in the camp: “the men of Ai killed 36 men of them.” When Joshua then fell upon his face in prayer, God told him: קֻם לָךְ “Arise” – written קָם לָךְ, implying: You are the one who remains (קָם) in his place and sends My sons out to war - why do you fall upon your face? Did I not say to Moses, your teacher: ‘If Joshua passes before them, they will pass, but if not, they will not pass’?” |
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כִּי־הוּא יַֽעֲבֹר.
אִם יַעֲבֹר לִפְנֵיהֶם יִנְחֲלוּ, וְאִם לָאו לֹא יִנְחֲלוּ; וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא כְּשֶׁשָּׁלַח מִן הָעָם אֶל הָעַי וְהוּא יָשַׁב, "וַיַּכּוּ מֵהֶם אַנְשֵׁי הָעַי וְגוֹ'" (יהושע ז') וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנָּפַל עַל פָּנָיו אָמַר לוֹ "קֻם לָךְ" – קם לך כְּתִיב, אַתָּה הוּא הָעוֹמֵד בִּמְקוֹמְךָ וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת בָּנַי לַמִּלְחָמָה, לָמָּה זֶּה אַתָּה נֹפֵל עַל פָּנֶיךָ? לֹא כָךְ אָמַרְתִּי לְמֹשֶׁה רַבְּךָ אִם הוּא עוֹבֵר עוֹבְרִין וְאִם לָאו אֵין עוֹבְרִין (ספרי):
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| 29We remained in the valley opposite Beit Pe’or. |
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כטוַנֵּ֣שֶׁב בַּגָּ֔יְא מ֖וּל בֵּ֥ית פְּעֽוֹר: |
| וַנֵּשֶׁב בַּגָּיְא וגו' - We remained in the valley… And there you became attached to idolatry, but nevertheless the next verse continues: “So now, Israel, listen to the rules,” indicating that all is forgiven for you. I, however, did not merit that I be forgiven. |
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וַנֵּשֶׁב בַּגָּיְא וגו'.
וְנִצְמַדְתֶּם לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן ועתה ישראל שמע אל החקים, וְהַכֹּל מָחוּל לְךָ, וַאֲנִי לֹא זָכִיתִי לִמָּחֵל לִי:
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| 1So now, Israel, listen to the rules and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, in order that you may live and enter and take possession of the land that God, God of your forefathers, is giving you. |
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אוְעַתָּ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁמַ֤ע אֶל־הַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְאֶל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מְלַמֵּ֥ד אֶתְכֶ֖ם לַֽעֲשׂ֑וֹת לְמַ֣עַן תִּֽחְי֗וּ וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶֽם: |
| 2Do not add anything to what I command you, nor subtract from it, in order to observe the commandments of God, your God, that I am commanding you. |
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בלֹ֣א תֹסִ֗פוּ עַל־הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽנֹכִי֙ מְצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִגְרְע֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ לִשְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָֽנֹכִ֖י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶֽם: |
| לֹא תֹסִפוּ - Do not add - by, for instance, putting five passages into tefilin instead of four, taking five plant parts for the commandment of lulav instead of four, tying five tassels on a garment instead of four, and similarly: וְלֹא תִגְרְעוּ “nor subtract” by using fewer items in each case. |
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לֹא תֹסִפוּ.
כְּגוֹן חָמֵשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בַּתְּפִלִּין, חֲמֵשֶׁת מִינִין בַּלּוּלָב, וְחָמֵשׁ צִיצִיּוֹת, וְכֵן "לֹא תִגְרְעוּ" (ע' ספרי פ' ראה):
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| 3You have seen with your own eyes what God did in the incident of Ba’al Pe’or, how God, your God, exterminated from your midst every individual who followed Ba’al Pe’or. |
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געֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ הָֽרֹא֔וֹת אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּבַ֣עַל פְּע֑וֹר כִּ֣י כָל־הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָלַךְ֙ אַֽחֲרֵ֣י בַֽעַל־פְּע֔וֹר הִשְׁמִיד֛וֹ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ: |
| 4All of you who are alive today are attached to God, your God. |
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דוְאַתֶּם֙ הַדְּבֵקִ֔ים בַּֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם חַיִּ֥ים כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם: |
