Devarim - 5th Portion

Join me as we learn Chumash for Thursday, Parshas Devorim, which is going to be chapter 2, verse 2. Yesterday we learned about the rebuke that Moshe gave the Jewish people about the scouts. Today we continue as Moshe reviews with the Jewish people their journeys through the desert and the promise that God gives them to enter the promised land and how God's assistant was with them as they had to encounter the different enemies along the way. Vayomer Hashem elai leimor, and God spoke to me saying, Rav lachem sav es hahar, you have circled now the area enough. Haser es ha'aretz penu lachem tzafonah, it's time now to turn northward and journey to Kadesh. Rashi, penu lachem tzafonah, sovu lachem, meaning turn around, turn the different way. U'ruach mizrachah is facing east of Mount Seir, min hadarom el hatzafon going from south to north, u'fneihem el hatzafon facing north, nimtza holchin el hatzafon mizrachah, meaning that they're going to go along the eastern border. K'zeh o she'ne'emar, that's why it says when Yiftach tells the people of Ammon, "Va'yavo mi'mizrach shemesh le'eretz Moav, we came from the east or going towards the east to the land of Moav." Verse 4, va'e'et ha'am tziviti leimor, and at the same time I commanded the people saying, Atem overim bigvul acheichem you're about to cross over the boundary of your brothers benei Eisav, the people of Eisav hayoshvim be'Seir, that are settled in the in in Seir. V'yiru mikem v'nishmartem me'od, and they will be afraid of you, nevertheless, you must take care of that. As he's about to continue, v'nishmartem me'od, what do you have to take care of? Ma o shmirah, which is the further verse, al tisgaru bam, do not start with them. As we see verse 5 continues of what he tells them they should be careful about. Altis Gerboam, do not Altis Goravam, do not start with them cuz I will not give you from their land because you will not be getting from their Ad Midbar Kaph Regel. You to to the amount that you will not you cannot cross their boundary. Ki Yerushalayim because I gave to the descendants of Esau the land of Seir for them to dwell on it. Ad Midbar Kaph Regel, what does that mean? A filo midbar Kaph Regel, even if it means just to walk or go across their boundary. Claimer filo drisas regel, even just walking there just to be able to get to the other side. Any marshal love you by some shoes, I do not give you permission to go in their area and their territory without permission. That's the simple interpretation. Medrash Agada, the Medrash explained actually over in drisas Kaph Regel that this means this is referring to the time of the coming of Yishak. The now you're not able to go in their land, but Ad Midbar Kaph Regel until they will come the time that they themselves will come to Mount Olives and they will then come and proclaim and realize they recognize the greatness of God. Yerushalayim Esau where did Esau get this as an inheritance? May have run from Abraham his grandfather. I gave Abraham 10 nations. Shiva seven of them Lakhem are given to you and three of them which is Canaanite, Kenizzite, Kadmonite, which is Ammon, Moab, and Seir and Nimrod and Esau was given to Esau and two of them were given to the children of Lot. Why did they get these lands? Because Lot got two properties because since they went to Egypt when Abraham came to Egypt and told Pharaoh or the king of Egypt at the time of Abimelech that Sarah is his sister and Lot was there and he was able to say she's not his sister and he was quiet because of that he got the reward as well. So if not, God made the plot to be like Avram's son that he should be able to inherit the portion in the land of Israel. Verse six. Food you may spy from them by castle with money. May eat them by castle with some and so to water you will buy from them with money and then only then may you drink. The word Tishru Rashi explains is Lashon Mikach to buy. The Kena Shikorisi will be also found a similar in the book of Genesis when God when Yakov said when Avram when Yakov says the place that I have purchased from Esau that I and there you should bury me. Cities around big cities on the other side of the sea on the other side of the ocean they use the terminology for selling Kera. Verse seven. Because God blessed you whenever you do and he knows and he's aware of your needs while your trek through the desert. For the past 40 years God has been with you there was nothing that you were missing. Rashi The God blessed you and gave you whatever you need with money and you have everything you need to be able to pay for the food so therefore don't be an ingrate and recognize the blessing that God has given you and don't make believe as if you're poor people begging for bread. Don't let her to Show off the wealth that you have that God has given you and you will be blessed with that as well. Verse eight. And therefore we went away we departed from our brothers our kinsmen the children of Esau that had settled in Seir from the from the way of the plain from from Elath and from Ezion-geber and therefore we turned away towards the Moab desert. As he continues in the next verse, by Naif and Vinover, Vinover continuing verse eight, Vinover Mesa um Vinover Vinover and we turned and we went towards the way of Moab. Rashi, let's out so from towards the north the fat north the fat upon them all of us and therefore we turned around and we face towards east of the land of Moab. What verse nine? By Yamer Shamalion with God as we get to closer to the Moabite land God comes and tells me as well, I'll toss our as Moab. Do not distress the Moabites what is going on with them and do not provoke them to war. Till we have to look at America because I'm not giving you from his land you will have an inheritance because of the nail like the society because I've given to the descendants of Lot I've given them the area of or as an inheritance to them. I'll toss garbage I also love him all his God is the way of the world I will be with him all you I'm the only one all you I am the needy one because I am the only one I am meaning the only prohibition that God gave to the Jewish people not to start up with the people of Moab mean don't start don't provoke them to war. However, you can get them scared and think that we are about to approach to war and therefore they should put on arms and so on and therefore the Jewish people were the figure therefore it says by Yager my even play on therefore it says that the Jewish people were afraid of the Jewish people. The the people of Moab were afraid of the Jewish people. I will be near him and never about to scare him should get rid of this guy's news even if it's about the vehicle here is the color of the Moab. The difference of here we have two nations that the Jewish people were commanded that they should not provoke war. There was the people of Moab and the people of Ammon and we'll notice the difference of how the Torah tells us about how their approach has to be to the people of Moab. When it came to the people of Moab, Moab was afraid of the Jewish people and the very fact that they would go and bring and take um and take their um and take the food and drink whatever they needed and they were able to secure that. However, when it came to the people of Ammon over there the Torah says don't even provoke them and it doesn't mention this concept of war not even but there shouldn't be any type of provoking even to scare them they were not allowed to and the difference is because Moab and Ammon were two daughters of Lot. Moab was more promiscuous the very fact that she was not embarrassed of what she did with the incense with her father that she called Moab is from my father. However, because Ammon was more modest about it and did not show off this type of promiscuous behavior or the incest type of behavior, therefore they Jewish people were told that they should not start any type of war not even not start a war but also not scare them as well. Or Sham Amadin was the name of a place. Verse 10. Ha Eemim Lifanim Yoshvuva the Eemim formerly dwelt there. Am Godol V'Rav V'Ram Kanokim they were people as great as numerous and tall like the giants. Rashi Ha Eemim At the Service of Edrei Safoyim The over here the Torah is telling us that you shouldn't think that the land of Moab is some other land and therefore he says this is a place this Moab land was a land of giants which we mentioned before that was given to Avram. L'fi Sha Eemim Sha Eemim Refaim Yoshvu Lifanim the Eemim who are also known as giants lived there before and Aval Lo Ezo Hi This is not the actual land of the giants that was given to Abraham. Ki Oyson Refaim those giants that were in Moab they're a completely different nation They're a different nation I got rid of them because of the children of Lot and therefore I put them instead of those nations meaning that the people here are not the same giants who initially was given to the land. These are the people of Moab, and therefore you should not start provoke a war with them. Verse 11, "Refaim even though the Ammon were not technically part of the Refaim that we mentioned, but they were nevertheless called Refaim as giants because whoever saw them they were considered I don't know I'm kind of they were also considered as giants. Now Moabim and the Moabites used to call these former inhabitants of their land Yikru Amim would call them Amim meaning of terror, they were scary. Rashi, Refaim I don't know that means this is what they would call them, this is what they would nickname them as. I don't know those people that were terrified from those giants. And also those giants those giants that were called Refaim by people I don't know cuz whoever would see them why would they call them Refaim they would get scared they would melt away from the petrified of these individuals. Amim means of all scare I don't know cuz they would be scary to people. I don't know I don't know we find and say are the people of when the Satan I gave them to the people of Esau even they were not from the seven nations, but he's talking about the transition of the different nations as they were as we're soon going to see as well. Verse 12 I don't know and in Seir that means the status of the land of Moab was similar to the ones of Seir because in Seir you had the who are called the Horites who formerly were the ones living in Seir. I don't know lived there before the people of Seir and then the children of Esau came and they gradually got rid of them. I don't know I don't know I don't know they destroyed them before them and they settled there instead of them. Like God did to the land of your inheritance that I don't know is going to give you so too he like he gave the territory to the so you may no longer conquer that one as well. The Rashi meaning constant, meaning now until the future. The children of Esau I gave them the power that they should be able to conquer and they should be able to live there and they should be able to go on and continue to also the other places that the should not have the ability to conquer the land of Seir from them and the people of Esau should be able to live there. Verse 13. Now is your opportunity to arise and cross the Zered Brook. And now we just crossed the Zered Brook. Verse 15 and verse 14. And the days that we went from Kadesh-barnea until we actually crossed over the the the Zered Brook. 38 years. Why did it take so long? Until all the people of that generation that were eligible to go to war died. They died from within the camp and they were removed like God has sworn to them. Verse 15. And so too God intervened directly with them. To get rid of them, to wipe them out prematurely from the camp. Until they were completely finished dying. Rashi. What does it mean that God was there? To make it quick, to be able to get that they should all die but within the 40 years. God didn't want that the Jewish people should wander in the desert longer than 40 years. So therefore that whole generation God made that they should die quickly or prematurely. Those So that generation should not be able to enter the land of Israel. Verse 16. It was when all the people have finished dying from amongst the people that were eligible to go to war died from amongst the people. Verse 17. God spoke to me. And over here Rashi says Tamu. What does it mean? Only once they finished God speak to me. I've only been mad. What does it tell us until here? What is he saying? Only once they finished dying did God speak to me. Meaning that from the time when the scouts were sent to the land of Israel that we mentioned previously in verse 22 until now it does not say anywhere the word but it says the word and he said. Meaning to teach us that for the 38 years that the Jewish people were so to speak banned from God It was never a time that God spoke to Moshe in a pleasant way. Meaning face to face and in a settled calm way. Let me to teach you. The only reason why the divine presence comes to the prophet is in the merit of the Jews. And if the Jews in this case did not deserve it. Meaning that they were so to speak banned by God. Therefore Moshe himself was not able to have that prophecy in its full as manner as he would usually have. Why does he call them the people of war? Doesn't mean that they went to war but people that were eligible to go to war. From 20 years old that they would go to war. Verse 18. You are today crossing the Arnon River which is the northern boundary of Moab. The capital district of it is Ar. Rashi. This teaches us that the Arnon are to the north side of Moab. The good after moving Ammon now you're going to now approach the opposite of the Ammonites. Don't distress them and don't provoke them into war. I will not give you any part of their land as an inheritance. It was given to the children of Lot as an inheritance. Verse 20. Ammon was also considered a land of Rephaim because the Rephaim used to live there beforehand, before it was given to the people of Lot. And the Ammonites would call the people who formally dwelt there Zamzummim. Rashi, the same way Moab used to call its land the land of the giants. But this is not the land that I've given to Abraham at the time of the covenant because the land of Rephaim that's mentioned here is the area of Og and the other places as well. Verse 22. I am sorry, verse 21. Ammon was from Ammon was from It is a people a great nation and numerous from and tall kind of giants. Eradicated them, destroyed them before you. And he and the and thus the Ammonites were able to dispose them and get settled there instead of them. Verse 22. Also just like God did for the people of Esau that were sitting in Seir. I said he got rid of the he destroyed the people of Hori the Horites before them. And they allowed the Seir the people of Esau to settle in that land and live there instead of them until today. Verse 23. And the Avim who were the dwellers of the open cities throughout that area, ad as they go all the way until Gaza. The Caphtorites, who come from Caphtor, God destroyed them. And now with that time and settle the Ammonites there instead of them. Sorry, and they and and the Avim are there instead of the Caphtorites. Rashi, 23. The Avim who are the Avim? They came from Philistim. They're from the Philistines. They're included amongst them in the true book of Yeshua. When it mentions Yeshua, the five different kings, the Avim are one of them. Why did God get rid of them before? There was an oath Avram made that for the because Avimelech was the king of the Philistines and it was a promise and oath that Avram said that they will make sure that they will not harm each other's children and descendants. So therefore, the Jewish people couldn't get rid of them from their land. So therefore, what did God do? He brought a different nation, the nation called the Caphtorites. And that nation, they got rid of the Avim. They took the place of the Avim. Now that the Avim are no longer there, that means they're no longer descendants of the original Philistines. You can now take it from the Caphtorites because they are not the original, they're they're not the indigenous owners of that land. They are not the ones who there was the initial promise and oath that was made with Avram. And therefore, the Jewish people will now be able to conquer that land as well. Verse 24. Get up and now go across the the brook of Arnon. It's not Arnon. Look, behold, I have given to you I've delivered to you and provoke with him a war. Verse 25, I am a goddess back to open the arm and today I will begin to place the dread of you on the fear on the nations of the around you. And they will tremble and be in trepidation because of you. Verse 26, a messenger from Midbar Kedemoth from the Kedemoth desert and the king of Heshbon divrei shalom labor words of peace saying. Rashi even though God didn't tell me I should first ask them if they want peace. I learned I learned this from the Sinai desert when I tell you to when the Torah that was even before the world came into being. Because when the Torah when God came to give the Jewish people the Torah God went to all the different nations of the world and asked them even though God knew that they weren't going to accept it still and all offered to them in peace. Therefore, I also prefaced and offered leave to the people of Sihon. I offered them peace. Another explanation, what does it mean from the desert of Kedemoth? I learned from God I learned from God who God prefaced pre-existed before the world came to be that when God sent messengers to Egypt, he could have taken out the Jewish people from Egypt without asking Pharaoh permission. God could have sent one lightning and then destroy all the Egyptians and the Jewish people would have came out. But God didn't do that. God took Moses and told him to go from the desert and go to Pharaoh and ask him to let the Jewish people go. Let them let the Jewish people go. Let them let the Jewish people go in peace. That means in a common and nice way. So therefore I learned from God himself that when it comes to waging war, the first step is not war for first see if you can work it out diplomatically. If that doesn't work, then you do the war approach. Verse 27. Allow us to pass through land and we will not go we will I will keep to the highway and will not turn either to the right or to the left. Food we will buy. We will eat. Because of Italy and water will do we will give you money and that's how you're going to give it Drink. Just allow us to pass through on foot. Verse 29. Just like the people who just like the descendants of Esau did who dwell in Mount Seir. The Moabites who are in Or. Until we are able to cross the Jordan River to the land that God will give to us. Just like the descendants of Esau. What does it mean like the people of Esau did who were sitting in Seir and the Moabites who are in Or. What does it mean they didn't let the Jewish people pass in their land? So what was he saying just like they let them pass in the land? But that's not what Moses was referring to. He was referring to the fact that selling them food and selling them water, that's what they did. However, they also did not allow them to pass in their land. But when we were next to the land, they They sell us food and water. I had a every Muslim every martyr it's going back to what he said before. They in fact let us go through your land. Why do we want to pass through your land? We only want to pass through so we can get through to the Jordans and get to the land that God promised to give us. However, the king of Sihon did not want to allow us to go past his land. Cuz God hardened his heart the immense of Slovenia and made him stubborn that he should not allow us a cuz God caused the spirit to be hearted and his heart to be to be stubborn. So that he can give him into your hand at this day. This concludes the Torah reading of Thursday Parshas Devarim.