Devarim – Page 4 – Peninim on the Torah

ואשלח מלאכים ממדבר קדמות אל סיחון מלך חשבון דברי שלום לאמר

I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedmas To Sichon King of Cheshbon words of peace saying: (2:26)

Rashi quotes the thought that went through Moshe Rabbeinu’s mind. “Although Hashem did not command me to reach out to Sichon, I nonetheless derived a lesson from Hashem Himself when He prepared to give the Torah to Klal Yisrael.” He first approached Eisav and Yishmael and gave them the right of first refusal. Hashem was clear that they would not accept the Torah, but, for the sake of peace, He offered it to them. Thus, I did the same by offering Sichon a peaceful resolution to allow us through. Sichon, of course, acted in the manner that was expected of…

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ודי זהב

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Devarim

And Di Zahav. (1:1)

Sefer Devarim is the last will and testament of Moshe Rabbeinu to his beloved nation. Concerned lest they succumb to the blandishments of the pagan nations which inhabited Canaan, Moshe spoke words of rebuke to them, pointing out areas of deficiency in their natural/national character which must be rectified. Rather than mention these sins explicitly – due to his concern about a negative reaction – he alluded to them by employing names of places which did not actually exist. These names allude to a variety of indiscretions, and areas in which they mutinied against Hashem. Di Zahav refers to the…

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איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Devarim

“How can I carry by myself your contentiousness, your burdens and your quarrels?” (1:12)

The nation of Moshe Rabbeinu was not an easy people to lead. Apparently, they needed to be trained in the ways and means of peoplehood – with the first requisite lesson being respect for leadership. Rashi identifies Moshe’s three complaints. The first was contentiousness. The people were difficult to deal with, especially during litigation. If a litigant saw his rival prevailing, he insisted on a trial delay, with the claim that he has other witnesses to testify in his behalf ,or additional proof to support his position. Alternatively, he might have demanded his right to call for more judges on…

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הבו לכם אנשים חכמים ונבנים וידועים לשבטיכם ואשימם בראשיכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Devarim

“Designate for yourselves men who are wise, understanding and well-known to your tribes, and I shall appoint them as your leaders.” (1:13)

Rashi explains that the tribes among whom the leaders grew up and lived would know them better than Moshe Rabbeinu did. Moshe said, “If each of them were to come before me wrapped in his Tallis, I would not know who he is, from which tribe he has descended, and if he is worthy.” In other words, apparently Moshe had difficulty discerning the pedigree and true nature of each judicial candidate. This seems inconsistent with the pasuk in Sefer Shemos 18:21, in which Moshe is told to “seek out men of ability, G-d-fearing men of truth who hate improper gain.”…

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ותקרבון אלי כלכם ותאמרו נשלחה אנשים לפנינו ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Devarim

You approached me, all of you, and said, “Let us send men ahead of us and let them spy out the land.” (1:22)

Rashi describes the contrasting scenario in which the people came to Moshe Rabbeinu and “suggested” that spies be sent to reconnoiter Eretz Yisrael. “And you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders…” This was a reference to the decorum manifest by the people when they accepted the Torah. That approach was proper. The young honored the elders and sent them ahead of them. And the elders honored the heads of the tribes by allowing them to precede them. In this case, however, “You approached me, all of you as a rabble, with the young pushing the…

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לא תערצון ולא תיראון מהם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5775, Devarim

“Be not terrified nor frightened of them.” (1:29)

Klal Yisrael had witnessed the destruction of the mightiest armies. Egypt was like nothing in the hands of Hashem. Likewise, Amalek went down into the dung heap of history, putty in the hands of the Almighty. Why is it that the nation that had been sustained by Hashem through the travails of wilderness journey for forty years was in deathly fear of a handful of small, scattered Canaanite kingdoms? Indeed, as noted in an earlier pasuk (27), Klal Yisrael suggested that Hashem must hate them to put them in such a terrifying situation. The Bostoner Rebbe, zl, notes that fear…

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איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Devarim

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden and your arguments. (1:12)

Moshe Rabbeinu seems to be complaining about his difficult workload. Clearly, this cannot be the case. The word, “difficult,” was not in our quintessential leader’s lexicon. Rather, he was expressing his disappointment at the sorry state of affairs. When the people accepted a tiered system of justice, with the addition of many judges to assist Moshe, they did so because they perceived that they would receive personal benefit from the new approach to justice. Moshe was unimpeachable. He had always rendered the halachah in accordance with the law. Furthermore, he was the paradigm of integrity. Thus, whoever presented a case…

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ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Devarim

And let them spy out the Land. (1:22)

There are three words which can be used to make the same statement: “And let them spy out the Land”: v’yasuru; v’yeraglu; and v’yachperu. While it is true that, as synonyms, they all have a similar meaning, their connotations are different. In his Pi Ha’Be’er, Horav Lazer Brody, Shlita, draws upon the insights of Horav Nachman Breslover, zl. He explains that va’yachperu denotes a much more penetrating analysis of a given subject than va’yaturu and va’yeraglu. Va’yachperu means to dig deep, to search for something that, under normal circumstances, would be concealed. It can also mean looking for something for…

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ותשובו ותבכו לפני ד' ולא שמע ד' בקולכם ולא האזין אליכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Devarim

Then you retreated and wept before Hashem, but Hashem would not listen to your voice and He did not hearken to you. (1:45)

Moshe Rabbeinu lauds Klal Yisrael for acknowledging their sin and repenting. Nonetheless, their sin could not be expiated, because Hashem had already taken a vow to punish them. Some decrees can be rescinded. If, however, a vow has been taken, it may not be undermined. Hashem’s Name is mentioned twice in this pasuk: “They wept before Hashem, but Hashem would not listen.” Is there a reason for reiterating to them that Hashem would not listen? In Kol HaTzofeh, Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, zl, explains the reason for the apparent redundancy. He first quotes the well-known Chazal which posits that all…

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איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Devarim

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden, and your arguments? (1:12)

Rashi explains the three terms: tarchachem; masaachem; rivchem. Tarchachem means your trouble. Klal Yisrael was troublesome. If one individual would observe his adversary winning a case, he would say, “I have witnesses to bring; I have proofs to bring, I am adding judges to you.” In short, they caused trouble. Masaachem means your burden. The people were heretics. If Moshe Rabbeinu left his home early on his way to judge people, they would say, “What did the son of Amram see that led him to leave? Perhaps he is not calm in his house?” They were implying that there was…

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ואשלח מלאכים ממדבר קדמות אל סיחון מלך חשבון דברי שלום לאמר

I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedmas To Sichon King of Cheshbon words of peace saying: (2:26)

ודי זהב

And Di Zahav. (1:1)

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

“How can I carry by myself your contentiousness, your burdens and your quarrels?” (1:12)

הבו לכם אנשים חכמים ונבנים וידועים לשבטיכם ואשימם בראשיכם

“Designate for yourselves men who are wise, understanding and well-known to your tribes, and I shall appoint them as your leaders.” (1:13)

ותקרבון אלי כלכם ותאמרו נשלחה אנשים לפנינו ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

You approached me, all of you, and said, “Let us send men ahead of us and let them spy out the land.” (1:22)

לא תערצון ולא תיראון מהם

“Be not terrified nor frightened of them.” (1:29)

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden and your arguments. (1:12)

ויחפרו לנו את הארץ

And let them spy out the Land. (1:22)

ותשובו ותבכו לפני ד' ולא שמע ד' בקולכם ולא האזין אליכם

Then you retreated and wept before Hashem, but Hashem would not listen to your voice and He did not hearken to you. (1:45)

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

How can I bear myself your trouble, your burden, and your arguments? (1:12)

YEARS

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