Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

44Moses came and spoke all the words of this poem so the people could hear it, together with Hoshea son of Nun.   מדוַיָּבֹ֣א משֶׁ֗ה וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַשִּׁירָֽה־הַזֹּ֖את בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם ה֖וּא וְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן:
הוּא וְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן־נֽוּן - He and Hoshea son of Nun. This was a Sabbath in which a pair of leaders addressed the people; i.e., authority was taken from one and given to the other. Moses appointed a spokesman for Joshua in order that he deliver a discourse during Moses’ lifetime in the same manner that he himself did. He did this in order that the Israelites not later say to Joshua, “During your teacher’s lifetime, you were unable to ‘raise your head,i.e., lead us, so by what right do you presume to do so now?” And why is he called Hoshea here? To tell us that he did not become arrogant, for despite having been given the leadership, he behaved as humbly as when he began serving Moses, when he was known as Hoshea.   הוּא וְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן־נֽוּן.  שַׁבָּת שֶׁל דְּיוֹזְגִי הָיְתָה, נִטְּלָה רְשׁוּת מִזֶּה וְנִתְּנָה לָזֶה, הֶעֱמִיד לוֹ מֹשֶׁה מְתֻרְגְּמָן לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁיְּהֵא דוֹרֵשׁ בְּחַיָּיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחַיֵּי רַבְּךָ לֹא הָיָה לְךָ לְהָרִים רֹאשׁ; וְלָמָּה קוֹרְאֵהוּ כָּאן הוֹשֵׁעַ? לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא זָחָה דַעְתּוֹ עָלָיו שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לוֹ גְּדֻלָּה הִשְׁפִּיל עַצְמוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר מִתְּחִלָּתוֹ (עי' ספרי):
45Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel   מהוַיְכַ֣ל משֶׁ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
46and said to them, “Pay close attention to all the words with which I am warning you this day, in order that you be inspired to command your children to safeguard the Torahs teachings by studying them diligently, in order to properly do all that is contained in the words of this Torah.   מווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שִׂ֣ימוּ לְבַבְכֶ֔ם לְכָ֨ל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י מֵעִ֥יד בָּכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר תְּצַוֻּם֙ אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֣ר לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת:
שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם - (lit.) Place your hearts. A person’s eyes, heart, and ears must be focused on the words of the Torah. Similarly, it says regarding the plan of the third Holy Temple: “Son of man! Look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention.” 1 We can thus infer a fortiori that if, regarding the form of the Temple, which is visible to the eye and measurable with a stick, it is necessary for a person’s eyes, ears, and heart to be focused in order to understand, all the more is this so for the words of the Torah, which contain teachings as great in significance as mountains are in size, suspended on (i.e., dependent upon) details as subtle as a hair.   שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם.  צָרִיךְ אָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ וְאָזְנָיו מְכֻוָּנִים לְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "בֶּן אָדָם רְאֵה בְעֵינֶיךָ וּבְאָזְנֶיךָ שְׁמַע וְשִׂים לִבְּךָ" (יחזקאל מ'); וַהֲרֵי דְבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר וּמַה תַּבְנִית הַבַּיִת שֶׁהוּא נִרְאֶה לָעֵינַיִם וְנִמְדָד בְּקָנֶה צָרִיךְ אָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֵינָיו וְאָזְנָיו וְלִבּוֹ מְכֻוָּנִין, לְהָבִין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה שֶׁהֵן כַּהֲרָרִין תְּלוּיִין בִּשְׂעָרָה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (ספרי):
47For it is not an unrewarding pursuit for you; rather, it is your very life, and by means of this thing, you will lengthen your days upon the land into which you are crossing over the Jordan River to possess.”   מזכִּי לֹֽא־דָבָ֨ר רֵ֥ק הוּא֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּי־ה֖וּא חַיֵּיכֶ֑ם וּבַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה תַּֽאֲרִ֤יכוּ יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹֽבְרִ֧ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
כִּי לֹֽא־דָבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם - For it is not an unrewarding pursuit for you - i.e., it is not for nothing that you toil in understanding it, for there is much reward involved in studying it, “for it is your life.” Another explanation: There is nothing “empty” (i.e., insignificant) in the Torah, i.e., that does not provide reward for you expounding it. Know that this is so, for our sages said: The Torah tells us that “Lotan’s sister was Timna,” 2 and “Timna became a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz,” 3 because she said, “I am unworthy of becoming his wife; if only I could become his concubine!” And why did Scripture state all this? To let us know the praise of Abraham, that chieftains and kings desired to attach themselves to his descendants.   כִּי לֹֽא־דָבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם.  לֹא לְחִנָּם אַתֶּם יְגֵעִים בָּהּ, כִּי הַרְבֵּה שָׂכָר תָּלוּי בָּהּ, כי הוא חייכם; דָּבָר אַחֵר — אֵין לְךָ דָבָר רֵיקָן בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁאִם תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַתַּן שָׂכָר, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁכֵּן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים "וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע" (בראשית ל"ו) "וְתִמְנַע הָיְתָה פִילֶגֶשׁ וְגוֹ'", לְפִי שֶׁאָמְרָה אֵינִי כְדַאי לִהְיוֹת לוֹ אִשָּׁה הַלְוַאי וְאֶהְיֶה פִילַגְשׁוֹ, וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה? לְהוֹדִיעַ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם שֶׁהָיוּ שִׁלְטוֹנִים וּמְלָכִים מִתְאַוִּים לִדַּבֵּק בְּזַרְעוֹ (ספרי):
48God spoke to Moses on that very day, saying,   מחוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בְּעֶ֛צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר:
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - God spoke to Moses on that very day. In three places it says בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. It says regarding Noah: “Noah entered the ark בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה,” 4 i.e., in broad daylight, for the people of his generation were saying: “We swear by this and that, that if we sense him doing so, we will not let him enter the ark; furthermore, we will take axes and hatchets and break the ark.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have him enter the ark in the middle of the day, and whoever is strong enough to object, let him come and object!” Regarding Egypt, it says: “It was בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה that God took the Israelites out,” 5 for the Egyptians were saying: “We swear by this and that, if we sense them departing, we will not let them leave; furthermore, we will take swords and other weapons and kill them.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have them depart in broad daylight, and whoever is strong enough to object, let him come and object!” Here, too, at Moses’ death, it says: בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, for the Israelites were saying: “We swear by this and that, that if we sense Moses leaving us, we will not let him go! The man who took us out of Egypt, split the Sea for us, brought down the manna for us, swept up the quails for us, brought up the well for us, and gave us the Torah – we will not let him ascend the mountain, and thus God’s decree will be averted!” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will have him enter the cave in broad daylight….”   וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל־משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.  בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת נֶאֱמַר בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, נֶאֱמַר בְּנֹחַ "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּא נֹחַ וְגוֹ'" (בראשית ז') — בְּמַרְאִית אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בְנֵי דוֹרוֹ אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בּוֹ, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ לִכָּנֵס בַּתֵּבָה, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אָנוּ נוֹטְלִין כַּשִּׁילִין וְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת וּמְבַקְּעִין אֶת הַתֵּבָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מַכְנִיסוֹ בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ כֹחַ לִמְחוֹת יָבֹא וְיִמְחֶה; בְּמִצְרַיִם נֶאֱמַר "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הוֹצִיא ה'" (שמות י"ב), לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מִצְרִיִּים אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בָּהֶם, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָם לָצֵאת, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אָנוּ נוֹטְלִין סְיָפוֹת וּכְלֵי זַיִן וְהוֹרְגִין בָּהֶם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מוֹצִיאָן בַּחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ כֹחַ לִמְחוֹת יָבֹא וְיִמְחֶה; אַף כָּאן בְּמִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה נֶאֱמַר "בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה", לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים בְּכָךְ וְכָךְ אִם אָנוּ מַרְגִּישִׁין בּוֹ — אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ, אָדָם שֶׁהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְקָרַע לָנוּ אֶת הַיָּם וְהוֹרִיד לָנוּ אֶת הַמָּן וְהֵגִיז לָנוּ אֶת הַשְּׂלָו וְהֶעֱלָה לָנוּ אֶת הַבְּאֵר וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, אֵין אָנוּ מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי מַכְנִיסוֹ בַחֲצִי הַיּוֹם וְכוּ' (ספרי):
49“Ascend this Mountain of the Passes, Mount Nebo, which is in Moab facing Jericho, and behold Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites as a possession,   מטעֲלֵ֡ה אֶל־הַר֩ הָֽעֲבָרִ֨ים הַזֶּ֜ה הַר־נְב֗וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֛ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַֽאֲחֻזָּֽה:
50and die on the mountain that you are climbing and be gathered to your people, exactly as your brother Aaron died and was gathered to his people on Mount Hor,   נוּמֻ֗ת בָּהָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עֹלֶ֣ה שָׁ֔מָּה וְהֵֽאָסֵ֖ף אֶל־עַמֶּ֑יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵ֞ת אַֽהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֨יךָ֙ בְּהֹ֣ר הָהָ֔ר וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו:
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵת אַֽהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ - Exactly as your brother Aaron died - i.e., by the same form of death that Aaron died, which you saw and desired. When it was time for Aaron to die, Moses had Aaron don the vestments of the high priest. Moses then removed the first garment from Aaron and dressed Eleazar in it, and similarly with the second and third garment etc., and thus Aaron saw his son inherit his glory. Moses said to him, “Aaron, my brother, go up onto the bed,” and he went up; “stretch out your hands,” and he stretched them out; “stretch out your feet,” and he stretched them out; “close your eyes,” and he closed them; “close your mouth,” and he closed it, and he then passed away. Moses said, “Fortunate is one who dies by this form of death.”   כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵת אַֽהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ.  בְּאוֹתָהּ מִיתָה שֶׁרָאִיתָ וְחָמַדְתָּ אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁהִפְשִׁיט מֹשֶׁה אֶת אַהֲרֹן בֶּגֶד רִאשׁוֹן וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ לְאֶלְעָזָר וְכֵן שֵׁנִי וְכֵן שְׁלִישִׁי וְרָאָה בְּנוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה, אַהֲרֹן אָחִי עֲלֵה לַמִּטָּה וְעָלָה, פְּשֹׁט יָדְךָ וּפָשַׁט, פְּשֹׁט רַגְלְךָ וּפָשַׁט, עֲצֹם עֵינֶיךָ וְעָצַם, קְמֹץ פִּיךָ וְקָמַץ, וְהָלַךְ לוֹ. אָמַר מֹשֶׁה — אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁמֵּת בְּמִיתָה זוֹ (ספרי):
51because you led the people to betray Me in the midst of all the Israelitesin the incident of ‘the water of contention’ in Kadesh, in the desert of Tzin, because you did not sanctify Me in the midst of the Israelites.   נאעַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְעַלְתֶּ֜ם בִּ֗י בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּמֵֽי־מְרִיבַ֥ת קָדֵ֖שׁ מִדְבַּר־צִ֑ן עַ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם֙ אוֹתִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי - Because you (lit.) betrayed Me - means here: you caused the people to betray Me.   עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי.  גְּרַמְתֶּם לִמְעֹל בִּי:
עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי - Because you did not sanctify Me - means here: you caused Me not to be sanctified; for I told you, “speak to the rock,” but instead, they struck it, and indeed needed to strike it twice. Had they spoken to it and it had given forth its water without needing to be struck, the Heavenly Name would have been sanctified, for the Israelites would then have said: “If this rock, which is not subject to reward or punishment – if it does good it is given no reward, and if it sins it is not punished – fulfills its Creator’s command in this way, all the more so should we!”   עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי.  גְּרַמְתֶּם לִי שֶׁלֹּא אֶתְקַדֵּשׁ, אָמַרְתִּי לָכֶם "וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע" (במדבר כ') וְהֵם הִכּוּהוּ וְהֻצְרְכוּ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ פַעֲמַיִם, וְאִלּוּ דִּבְּרוּ עִמּוֹ וְנָתַן מֵימָיו בְּלֹא הַכָּאָה, הָיָה מִתְקַדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים וּמַה הַסֶּלַע שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְשָׂכָר וְלֹא לְפֻרְעָנוּת, אִם זָכָה אֵין לוֹ מַתַּן שָׂכָר וְאִם חָטָא אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, כָּךְ מְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת בּוֹרְאוֹ, אָנוּ לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן:
52Look at the land, for I will allow you only to see the land from afar. You will not enter there—to the land I am giving the Israelites.”   נבכִּ֥י מִנֶּ֖גֶד תִּרְאֶ֣ה אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁ֨מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תָב֔וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
כִּי מִנֶּגֶד - (lit.) From opposite - i.e., from afar.   כִּי מִנֶּגֶד.  מֵרָחוֹק:
תִּרְאֶה וגו' - You will see…. for if you do not see it now, you will not see it again in your lifetime.   תִּרְאֶה וגו'.  אִם לֹא תִרְאֶנָּה עַכְשָׁו, לֹא תִרְאֶנָּה עוֹד בְּחַיֶּיךָ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ עֲלֵה וּרְאֵה:
וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא - You will not enter there - and I know that it is dear to you. Therefore I say to you: Ascend and see it. End of parashat Haazinu   וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא.  וְיָדַעְתִּי כִּי חֲבִיבָה הִיא לְךָ, עַל כֵּן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ עֲלֵה וּרְאֵה: