## Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy Chapter 1

###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:1)

**אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים וְגוֹ׳.** ״אֵלֶּה״ מִעֵט הַקּוֹדֵם, פֵּרוּשׁ, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה״ שֶׁהֵם דִּבְרֵי עַצְמוֹ, שֶׁכָּל הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹכָחוֹת הֵם וּמוּסָר מִמֹּשֶׁה לָעוֹבֵר פִּי ה׳, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה לא:) קְלָלוֹת שֶׁבְּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה מֹשֶׁה מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ אֲמָרָן, וַאֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶׁחָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ מַאַמְרֵי ה׳ הַקּוֹדְמִין לֹא נִצְטַוָּה עֲשׂוֹת כֵּן אֶלָּא מֵעַצְמוֹ חָזַר הַדְּבָרִים, וְחָשׁ הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר כִּי כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ דְּבָרִים כָּאֵלֶּה, כְּמוֹ כֵן בַּמַּאֲמָרִים הַקּוֹדְמִין אָמַר מֹשֶׁה מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה דָּבָר, לָזֶה אָמַר **אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים** פֵּרוּשׁ, אֵלֶּה לְבַד הֵם הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה דִּבְרֵי עַצְמוֹ, אֲבָל כָּל הַקּוֹדֵם בְּאַרְבַּעַת חוּמָּשִׁים לֹא אָמַר אֲפִלּוּ אוֹת אַחַת מֵעַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִפִּי הַמְּצַוֶּה כְּצוּרָתָן בְּלֹא שׁוּם שִׁנּוּי אֲפִלּוּ אוֹת אַחַת יְתֵרָה אוֹ חֲסֵרָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אלה הדברים, These are the words, etc.** The word אלה is restrictive, especially in regard to what has been written previously. Seeing Moses recorded in this Book only words which he had spoken on his own initiative, the Torah wishes to emphasise that only the words of admonition recorded in this Book were spoken by Moses on his own initiative. We are told in *Megillah* 31 that Moses personally composed the curses recorded in this Book, and that even legislation which Moses repeated in this Book he had not been commanded to repeat but did so of his own volition. The Torah was concerned that we might conclude that just as Moses had felt free to say things of his own volition in this Book he might have done so in the previous four Books. This is why this Book commences with the words אלה הדברים, "only these are the words Moses spoke of his own volition, none other."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:2)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה לְהַגִּיד הַכָּתוּב שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה רוֹעֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר, לֹא דִּבֵּר לָהֶם קָשׁוֹת זוּלַת אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים הוּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר קָשׁוֹת. וַהֲגַם שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם (במדבר כ:י) ״שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמּוֹרִים״, לֹא אָמַר דָּבָר זֶה לִכְלָלוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא לְחֵלֶק אֶחָד שֶׁהָיוּ מוֹרִים הוֹרָאָה, וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר. אֲבָל לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא דִּבֵּר קָשׁוֹת זוּלַת אֵלֶּה, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **אֶל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל**, פֵּרוּשׁ אֶל כֻּלָּם הוּא שֶׁלֹּא דִּבֵּר קָשׁוֹת אֶלָּא אֵלֶּה, אֲבָל לִקְצָתָן יִמָּצֵא שֶׁדִּבֵּר קָשׁוֹת חוּץ מֵאֵלֶּה:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The Torah also wanted to go on record that during the entire preceding 40 years when Moses had been the faithful shepherd of the people of Israel, he never spoke harshly to the children of Israel unless instructed to do so by G'd. Even though we find Moses reported as having addressed the Israelites with the words: "listen you rebellious people" in Numbers 20,10, he did not include the whole people in that description but only referred to those reluctant to accept authority. This view is supported by the *Zohar*. The only time Moses included the entire people in an address consisting primarily of words of admonition is in this Book. This is why the Torah here stresses: "to the whole of Israel."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:3)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה לִרְמֹז חֶשְׁבּוֹן יָמִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹכִיחַ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהֵם בְּמִסְפַּר ״אֵלֶּה״, וְכֵן מוֹכִיחִים הַכְּתוּבִים כִּי בְּאֶחָד לְחֹדֶשׁ שְׁבָט הִתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם, דִּכְתִיב ״בְּעַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ״, וְהוּא נִצְפַּן בְּשִׁבְעָה בַּאֲדָר (קידושין לח.), הֲרֵי ל״ו כְּמִסְפַּר ״אֵלֶּה״ שֶׁבָּהֶם דִּבֵּר הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁל הַתּוֹכָחוֹת הָאֲמוּרִים בָּעִנְיָן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Furthermore, the Torah wanted to provide the time frame during which Moses admonished the people with these words. He began to speak to them on the first day of Shevat as the Torah speaks of "the eleventh month on the first of the month." We know that Moses died on the seventh of Adar, (*Kidushin* 38) so that he allowed himself 36 days for these admonitions. These 36 days correspond to the numerical value of the word אלה.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:4
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:4)

**עוֹד** יִרְמֹז עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (יומא יט:): אָמַר רָבָא: ״וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם״ – וְלֹא בִּדְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים, עַד כָּאן, מִכָּאן שֶׁאָסוּר לְדַבֵּר זוּלַת בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְיִרְאָה. וְהוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב כִּי מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם אֵלֶּה הֵם הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר כָּל יָמָיו מֵעַצְמוֹ לְבַד הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֵה׳ לְדַבְּרָם, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁקִּיֵּם ״וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם״, וּדְבָרָיו אֵלֶּה כָּל רוֹאֶה יָעִיד כִּי כֻלָּן דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְחָכְמָה וּמוּסָר.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The word אלה is also an allusion to a statement by Rava in *Yuma* 19 that the words ודברת בם "and you shall speak about them" in Deut 6,7 mean that the only legitimate subjects of conversation are Torah learning and the instilling of fear of G'd in the minds of people, i.e. words of admonition. The Torah wishes to testify that throughout his life the only words which Moses permitted himself to speak unbidden were of a compelling nature; other than that he only spoke words which G'd had bidden him to speak. Anyone who peruses the words in this Book can see at once that they are either instructions in Torah or words designed to strengthen the people's faith in G'd.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:5
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:5)

**עוֹד** יִרְמֹז עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״אֵלֶּה״ – פָּסַל כָּל הַדְּבָרִים חוּץ מֵאֵלֶּה, שֶׁאֵין מַדְרֵגָה שָׁוָה לִדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ. וְנָתַן הַכָּתוּב טַעַם מַעֲלָתָם: א׳ – ״אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה״ – מִצַּד מַעֲלַת הַמְּדַבֵּר שֶׁאֵין כָּמוֹהוּ עֶלְיוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵעִיד ה׳ לִשְׁנֵי אֶחָיו, כַּכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה (במדבר יב:ח). ב׳ – ״אֶל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל״ – מִצַּד מַעֲלַת הַנִּדְבָּר אֵלָיו אוּמָּה שְׁלֵמָה. וְרָמַז עוֹד בְּאָמְרוֹ אֶל **כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל**, פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ נִמְצָאִים נִגְלִים שָׁם בַּדּוֹר הַהוּא לְבַד הָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים, אֶלָּא לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָיוּ וַאֲשֶׁר עֲתִידִין לִהְיוֹת, כִּי תּוֹרָה שָׂם מֹשֶׁה בִּדְבָרָיו עֶלְיוֹנִים אֵלּוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַיֵּם כָּל דָּבָר הַכָּתוּב בִּדְבָרִים אֵלֶּה. הֲרֵי שֶׁאֵין דְּבָרִים בָּעוֹלָם בְּמַדְרֵגָה שָׁוָה לִדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ, וְהוּא מַאֲמַר **אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים**, פֵּרוּשׁ, וְאֵין דּוֹמֶה לָהֶם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Still another meaning of the word אלה is based on the words of *Bereshit Rabbah* 12 which we quoted at the beginning of *Parshat Massey* that this word separates from what precedes it, the previous subject matter being regarded as something inferior by comparison to what is being introduced by the word אלה. The subject matter being introduced by the word אלה is considered as far greater in importance than what has preceded it. The Torah here explains that the reason for these words of Moses being superior to anything he is quoted as having said in the preceding four Books is 1) the fact that these words were his very own. No other human being could equal Moses in stature which made his words superior to those of any other human being. G'd had indicated this already in Numbers 12,8 when He admonished Moses' brother and sister. 2) He addressed these words to a group of people, i.e. the Jewish people, who also were a select group of human beings, collectively on an incomparably higher spiritual level than any other collection of human beings. In short then: אלה הדברים, "these are (the true) words of Moses, there are none to compare to it."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:6
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:6)

**אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְפִי שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁהוֹכִיחַ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל מַה שֶׁהִמְרוּ עַל יָם בְּיַם סוּף, וְיֹאמַר הָאוֹמֵר: וַהֲלֹא אוֹתָם שֶׁהִמְרוּ עַל יַם סוּף כְּבָר מֵתוּ וְנִשְׁלְמוּ בְּט״ו בְּאָב שֶׁל שְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים (איכה רבתי, פתיחתא) קוֹדֶם מַאֲמָר זֶה שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, וְאִם כֵּן אֵלֶּה הַצֹּאן מֶה עָשׂוּ שֶׁמּוֹכִיחָם? לָזֶה אָמַר **אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה**, פֵּרוּשׁ אִם הָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים מִפִּי ה׳ אֵין מָקוֹם לְדַבֵּר לָהֶם קָשׁוֹת, אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה הוּא הַמְּדַבֵּר וְיָכוֹל לְיַסֵּר גַּם אוֹתָם שֶׁהָיוּ אָז פָּחוֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שֶׁלֹּא נִגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה, כִּי בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה מַעֲנִישִׁין מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה, וּכְנֶגֶד אוֹתָן שֶׁהָיוּ בֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה בְּיַם סוּף הוּא שֶׁדִּבֵּר מֹשֶׁה קָשׁוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אשר דבר משה, which Moses spoke, etc.** Inasmuch as Moses commences with hinting at Israel's insubordination already at the sea of reeds, the present generation might well have countered that there was no point in dragging up sins committed by people who had long since died. After all, the last of the 600,000 men whose death had been decreed as a result of the sin of the spies had died on the 15th of Av previously (compare beginning of *Midrash Eycha Rabbati*). The Torah therefore says that if Moses had spoken in G'd's name such a complaint might have been justified. However, he personally, was not bound by such considerations and he considered it important to remind those who had been younger than twenty at the time of the Exodus to look back on a string of insubordinations the people had been guilty of already at that stage of the Exodus. While it was quite true that the Celestial Court sentences only people over and above the age of 20, the same is not true of courts administered by judges on earth who consider males over 13 years as fully liable for their actions. When Moses "dragged" up these ancient sins, he had in mind all those who had been at least 13 years old at the time.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:7
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:7)

**אֶל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ אֶל **כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל**, לְפִי שֶׁבְּדִבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה יֵשׁ שְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים: א׳ שֶׁהֶחְזִיר לָהֶם הַתּוֹרָה, ב׳ שֶׁהוֹכִיחָם עַל מַה שֶׁכְּבָר עָשׂוּ, וּלְכָל אֶחָד צְרִיכִין הַדְּבָרִים לִהְיוֹת לְכֻלָּן – לְעִנְיַן חֲזָרַת הַתּוֹרָה, כְּלוֹמַר טַעַם שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְהַחְזִיר לָהֶם הַדְּבָרִים מִשּׁוּם שֶׁחָשׁ לְאֵיזֶה אָדָם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁשָּׁכַח אֵיזוֹ מִצְוָה מִמִּצְווֹת ה׳ וְאֵין מְצִיאוּת לְהַשִּׂיג דַּעַת בַּעַל הַשִּׁגָּיוֹן מִי הוּא וְהַשִּׁגָּיוֹן מַה הוּא, לָזֶה קִבֵּץ כֻּלָּן וְהֶחְזִיר לָהֶם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּת כֵּן יִהְיֶה בְּיַד כָּל אֶחָד מַחְסוֹרוֹ; גַּם לְעִנְיַן הַתּוֹכָחָה אִם יוֹכִיחַ מִקְצָתָן יֵשׁ לָהֶם לְהִתְרַעֵם מַה נִשְׁתַּנּוּ אֵלּוּ מֵאֵלּוּ. עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁכָּלַל בְּמַאֲמַר **אֶל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל** גַּם לְאוֹתָן שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ, שֶׁבְּתוֹכְחוֹתָיו דִּבֵּר עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְעַל הָאַחֲרוֹנִים, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (ישעיה מג:כז) ״אָבִיךָ הָרִאשׁוֹן חָטָא״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אל כל ישראל, to all of Israel, etc.** The reason the Torah had to stress that Moses spoke to all of Israel was twofold. 1) Moses reviewed the Torah; 2) he admonished them concerning things they had been already guilty of. Both matters require that the entire people be in attendance. The reason for reviewing the Torah was to ensure that if someone had forgotten a certain commandment it would now be recalled. Seeing that it was quite impossible to single out who might have forgotten which commandment, Moses had to assemble the entire nation to make certain they would all hear the Torah once more. In this manner everyone could remind himself of anything which he had forgotten. The entire nation had to be assembled to listen to the words of admonition as the impression created if Moses had assembled only part of the people would have been counterproductive. Those who had been assembled would complain that only they had been singled out. The words אל כל ישראל may even include those who had already died. Moses addressed both the living and the dead. We find a parallel for this in Isaiah 43,27 "Your original father (Adam) has sinned, etc."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:8
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:8)

**בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן.** נִתְעַכֵּב מִלְּהוֹכִיחָם עַד שֶׁהָיוּ בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן, שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצָם שֶׁאָז יְקַבְּלוּ מוּסָרוֹ, וְלֹא מִקּוֹדֶם שֶׁהָיוּ מְרוּחֲקֵי הַתִּקְוָה וְנַפְשָׁם קְצָרָה וְלֹא יַטּוּ אָזְנָם לְהַשְׂכִּיל בְּתוֹכְחוֹתָיו.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**בעבר הירדן, on the far side of the Jordan, etc.** Moses held back with these words of admonition until the Israelites had reached the banks of the Jordan. Once they saw with their own eyes that they had come very close to their eventual destination they would be in a better frame of mind to accept admonitions. As long as they had been a long way from their objective they would not have been in a suitable frame of mind to listen to admonitions.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:9
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:9)

וְאָמְרוֹ **בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה** וְגוֹ׳, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה דָּרְשׁוּ (ספרי) שֶׁהוֹכִיחָם עַל מַה שֶׁעָשׂוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְגוֹ׳. וְאֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ כָּל הַכָּתוּב דֶּרֶךְ רֶמֶז בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר, וְהוּא כִּי בְּמִקְרָא מוּעָט לִמֵּד מֹשֶׁה כְּלָלוּת יִרְאַת ה׳ וּמִדּוֹת הַהֲגוּנוֹת הַצְּרִיכִין לַהוֹלְכִים בְּתוֹרַת ה׳ וְהֵם מִדּוֹת תִּשְׁעָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**במדבר בערבה, in the wilderness in the Aravah;** our sages in *Sifri* explain at this juncture that the words מדבר and ערבה [as well as the following names Ed.] are allusions to places where the Israelites had sinned; It is possible to explain the entire verse as a moral/ethical allusion of a slightly different nature. Moses tried to incorporate in a short verse all the principles of reverence for G'd and the various virtues which have to be practiced by all the people who adopt the teachings of Torah as their lifestyle. These comprise a total of nine מדות, virtues, characteristics.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:10
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:10)

**הָאַחַת)** שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹקֵחַ מִדָּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית יד:יג) ״לְאַבְרָם הָעִבְרִי״, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **בְּעֵבֶר.**

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
1) One has to adopt the virtue of Abraham of whom the Torah testified that he was העברי, (Genesis 14,13) "on the other side," in a moral class all by himself, he did not run with the pack. Moses alluded to this when he said בעבר.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:11
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:11)

**ב׳)** שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַרְדּוּת בְּלִבּוֹ תָּמִיד, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ז.) טוֹבָה מַרְדּוּת אַחַת בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מִמֵּאָה מַלְקִיּוֹת, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **הַיַּרְדֵּן.**

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
2) He should always be conscious of a sense of self-imposed humility as a response to rebelliousness. Our sages in *Berachot* 7 claim that it is better for a person to harbour a single such feeling of self-imposed humility rather than to endure 100 מלקיות, chastisements imposed upon him by others. Moses alluded to this idea when he said הירדן.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:12
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:12)

**ג׳)** מִדַּת הָעֲנָוָה, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עירובין נד.): לְעוֹלָם יָשִׂים אָדָם עַצְמוֹ כְּמִדְבָּר, וְעַיֵּן מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ בְּפָסוּק ״וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרְפִידִים״ (שמות יט:ב), וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **בַּמִּדְבָּר.**

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
3) The virtue of modesty, humility. Our sages in *Erchin* phrased this as follows: "Man should always view himself as if במדבר, in a wilderness." I have explained this concept in my comments on Exodus 19,2: ויסעו מרפידים." Here Moses alludes to this idea by saying במדבר.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:13
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:13)

**ד׳)** שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הָעֲנָוָה בְּדֶרֶךְ הַנָּאוֹת, לֹא בְּדֶרֶךְ הַפְּחִיתוּת הַנִּמְאָס, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ״ם בְּהִלְכוֹת דֵּעוֹת (פרק ה׳). עוֹד תְּנַאי הָעֲנָוָה שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהּ לְהַרְחִיק תּוֹכָחוֹת עַל עָוֹן אִם יִרְאֶה אִישׁ עוֹבֵר פִּי ה׳ וְיֹאמַר ״מִי אֲנִי וּמִי בֵיתִי לְהוֹכִיחַ אֲנָשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים״, אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ לְהוֹכִיחַ לְצַד חִיּוּב בְּעַרְבוּת. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **בָּעֲרָבָה**, כָּלַל שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים: א׳ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הָעֲנָוָה עֲרֵבָה עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (משלי ג:ד) ״וּמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב״ וְגוֹ׳, ב׳ חִיּוּב הָעַרְבוּת שֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ לְהוֹכִיחַ עַל עָוֹן לְקָטֹן וְגָדוֹל וְלֹא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּעֲנָוָה בְּעִנְיָן זֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
4) The humility we speak about should be of a positive nature; it should not consist of a person looking upon himself in a derogatory fashion. Maimonides explains this in chapter five of his treatise *Hilchot Deyot*. [I have not found it there but I have found something similar in chapter 6. Ed.] He writes as follows: "Another aspect of true humility is not to fail to admonish people whom one observes committing sins on the basis of one's thinking to oneself: 'who am I to admonish others who are of greater stature than I?' One has to carry out the commandment of calling people to order. This is what Moses had in mind when he said בערבה, an allusion to admonishing people based on our ערבות, mutual responsibility of one Jew for the other.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:14
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:14)

**ה׳)** מַאֲמַר הַתַּנָּא (אבות ג:א): הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים וְכוּ׳ וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ וְכוּ׳ וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד וְכוּ׳, וְכֵן אָמַר הַתַּנָּא (אבות פ״ב): שׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד וְכוּ׳, וּפֵרֵשׁ שָׁם שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה הִיא שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר תָּמִיד יוֹם מוֹתוֹ וְשֶׁכָּל יוֹם הוּא זְמַן גְּבוּל הַמִּיתָה, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **מוֹל סוּף** שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְמוּל עֵינָיו סוֹף אָדָם וְתַכְלִיתוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
5) We are told in *Avot* 3,1 that if one wants to restrain oneself from sinning one should look at three phenomena., i.e. one's lowly origin, one's ultimate destiny, i.e. dust and worms, and the fact that one will have to render an accounting for all one's deeds before the heavenly Tribunal. Another scholar admonishes us in chapter two of *Avot* to become a penitent a day before our death. The meaning is, of course, that one should be constantly aware of one's impending death. This is what Moses alluded to with the words מול סוף, i.e. that one ought to keep "one's end constantly before (opposite) one's mental eye."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:15
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:15)

**ו׳)** מַאֲמַר הַחֲסִידִים (חובת הלבבות, שער הפרישות – שער ט) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: הַפָּרוּשׁ צַהֲלָתוֹ בְּפָנָיו וְדַאֲגָתוֹ בְּלִבּוֹ. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **בֵּין פָּארָן וּבֵין תֹּפֶל**, כְּנֶגֶד צַהֲלָתוֹ בְּפָנָיו אָמַר **בֵּין פָּארָן** לְשׁוֹן פְּאֵר, הֵפֶךְ עִצָּבוֹן שֶׁהוּא פָּנִים רָעוֹת, וּכְנֶגֶד עִצְּבוֹן הַלֵּב אָמַר **וּבֵין תֹּפֶל** שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לִבּוֹ עָרֵב עָלָיו וְיִתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ מִפַּחַד שֶׁמָּא עָבַר אֶת פִּי ה׳ בְּלֹא יְדִיעָה בִּגְדוֹלוֹת אוֹ בִּקְטַנּוֹת, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא מִעֵט בָּעֲבוֹדָה מִמַּה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ עֲשׂוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
6) There is a quotation from chapter 4 in *Shaar Haprishut of Chovot Halevavot* according to which the mark of a פרוש, a self-denying, pious person is that צהלתו בפניו ואבלו בלבו, "he presents a happy face to all whom he greets, while at the same time he buries his true sorrow within his heart." Moses used the word בין פארן to allude to the manner in which such pious people greet others; the word פארן is connected to פאר everything outwardly illustrious, the reverse of sadness, whereas he said ובין תפל, when he described the true state of mind of someone who qualifies for the title פרוש; such a person must not be light-hearted. He should be in a constant state of concern lest he had become guilty of transgressing one of G'd's commandments inadvertently. Perhaps he had only been remiss in serving the Lord with less than all his faculties.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:16
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:16)

**ז׳)** שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ לֵב טָהוֹר וְנָקִי, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל דָּוִד (תהלים נא:יב) ״לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא לִי״ וְגוֹ׳, וְיַרְחִיק מִמֶּנּוּ שִׂנְאַת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וְהַקִּנְאָה וְתַחֲרוּת וְהַמַּשְׂטֵמָה, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **וְלָבָן** שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ לֵב טָהוֹר שֶׁיִּתְיַחֵס לְטַהֲרָה כִּנּוּי זֶה שֶׁל לָבָן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
7) The kind of person the Torah envisages is the one who has a pure heart as David prayed in Psalms 51,12 where he pleaded with G'd to fashion a pure heart for him. At the same time such a person must not hate other people, nor be jealous of them or feel himself to be in competition with them. Moses alluded to this quality in a Torah personality when he said ולבן, the expression "white" symbolising all that is pure.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:17
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:17)

**ח׳)** תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה בִּקְבִיעוּת כְּיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כה:כז) ״יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים״, לֹא לִלְמוֹד עֲרַאי, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַחֲצֵרוֹת** – הֵם חַצְרוֹת ה׳ שֶׁהֵם בָּתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
8) The ideal personality is engaged in Torah study on a permanent basis like our Patriarch Jacob whom the Torah (Genesis 25,27) describes as a ישב אהלים, a dweller of tents. The word ישב refers to a permanent presence. Moses alluded to this quality when he said וחצרות, and referred to the courtyards of the Lord as the study halls.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:18
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:1:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:1:18)

**ט׳)** שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָהוּט אַחַר דְּבָרִים הַנִּדְמִים לֶאֱהוֹב הוֹן עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁכָּל הַהוֹלֵךְ אַחַר תַּאֲוַת לִבּוֹ בָּטֵל הוּא מֵעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וְצָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִסְתַּפֵּק בַּהֶכְרֵחִי, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **וְדִי זָהָב** שֶׁיֹּאמַר לַזָּהָב דַּי. אוֹ יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ יִהְיֶה בְּעֵינָיו דָּבָר מַסְפִּיק כְּאִלּוּ יֵשׁ לוֹ כָּל זָהָב, וְהוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (אבות ד:א) אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, וּבָזֶה יִטֶּה לְבָבוֹ לָעֲבוֹדָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה הִיא עֲבוֹדַת ה׳ אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
9) The ideal personality should not be engaged in chasing after transient values, possessions of this world. Anyone who engages in the pursuit of these values thereby voids part of his service to the Lord. Man must learn to do with the essentials for survival in this life. Moses alluded to this virtue when he said ודי זהב, i.e. "enough of gold." Alternatively, man should learn to look at all his achievements in this material world as adequate; he should feel as if he owned all the gold in the world. This is equivalent to what the sages taught in *Avot* 4,1: "who is wealthy? He who enjoys what life has granted him."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:8:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:8:1)

**רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶם וְגוֹ׳.** אָמְרוֹ בִּתְחִלָּה **רְאֵה** לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד וְגָמַר אוֹמֶר לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, לְפִי שֶׁבְּגֶדֶר הָרְאִיָּה שָׁוִים הֵם כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד וְאֵין הַהִשְׁתַּנּוּת בֵּינֵיהֶם, אֲבָל בְּעֵרֶךְ מַה שֶׁהֵם אֵין גֶּדֶר כֻּלָּם שָׁוֶה, לָזֶה אָמַר ״לִפְנֵיכֶם״, וּכְמוֹ כֵן כָּל מַה שֶׁאָמַר בַּפָּסוּק אַחֲרֵי כֵן בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים ״בֹּאוּ וּרְשׁוּ״ וְגוֹ׳ אֵינוֹ בְּגֶדֶר הַהִשְׁתַּוּוּת כְּאֶחָד.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ראה נתתי לפניכם את הארץ, "Behold, I have set the land before you;"** The Torah switches from the singular ראה, to the plural לפניכם, "before you (pl), because when it comes to **looking** at the land they were all alike. However each individual Jew was different from his brethren in character, mentality, etc. Similarly, the nature of taking possession of the land and what it meant to each individual Israelite differed, so that the balance of the verse is in the plural.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:8:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:8:2)

**בֹּאוּ וּרְשׁוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לִכְפּוֹל זִכְרוֹן **הָאָרֶץ** וְלֹא אָמַר אוֹתָהּ וּמוּבָן שֶׁחוֹזֵר אֶל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר בְּסָמוּךְ, לְפִי שֶׁאֶרֶץ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר בְּסָמוּךְ שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁנָּתַן ה׳ הִיא אֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג שֶׁנָּתַן לִבְנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן, לָזֶה כְּשֶׁאָמַר ״בֹּאוּ וּרְשׁוּ״ הֻצְרַךְ לְהַזְכִּיר מַה שֶׁיִּרְשׁוּ וְאָמַר **הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה׳** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ כִּי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָטְלוּ בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן לֹא הָיְתָה בִּכְלַל הַשְּׁבוּעָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת מַטּוֹת (במדבר לב:ז) וְהוֹכַחְנוּ מִסִּפְרֵי.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**באו ורשו את הארץ, "Enter and take possession of the land, etc."** Why did the Torah have to repeat the words את הארץ, instead of merely saying אותה, "it?" The reason is that the land which had been mentioned previously was the land which used to belong to Sichon and Og which G'd had allocated to Reuven and Gad. Now that Moses gave instructions to take possession of the land he had to make plain that the land which G'd had sworn to the Patriarchs had not included the lands now inherited by Reuven and Gad. I have already explained this in connection with Numbers 32,7 and have proved the point from the *Sifri* there.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:9:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:9:1)

**לֵאמֹר לֹא אוּכַל וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם הַדְּבָרִים כִּכְתָבָן ״לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי״ וְגוֹ׳, אֶלָּא מַאֲמָר הַמּוּבָן מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁכַּוָּנָתוֹ לוֹמַר ״לֹא אוּכַל״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**לא אוכל לבדי שאת אתכם, "I am not able to bear you myself alone."** This does not mean that Moses said so **in these very words;** rather it means that Moses said something which was equivalent to these words.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:10:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:10:1)

**ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְגוֹ׳.** קָשֶׁה, הֲרֵי לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁנִּתְרַבּוּ מִמַּה שֶׁהָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם רִבּוּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ הֶכֵּר, כַּמּוּבָן מִמִּסְפַּר שֵׁנִי שֶׁל שָׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית, שֶׁעַל אוֹתוֹ זְמַן הוּא אוֹמֵר שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם ״בָּעֵת הַהִיא״ וְגוֹ׳. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּסִפְרֵי אָמְרוּ וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם״ – הִגְדִּיל אֶתְכֶם עַל דַּיָּנֵיכֶם וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. וְאוּלַי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן עוֹד עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר (חֵלֶק ג׳ רי״א:) שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַזְכָּרַת רִבּוּי טוֹבָה יַפְעִיל הַשְׁלָטַת כֹּחַ בַּמַּשְׂטִין לְהָרַע, וְאָמַר (שָׁם רי״ב.) שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁמַּזְכִּיר שֵׁם עֶלְיוֹן עָלָיו אֵין כֹּחַ בְּכֹחוֹת הָרַע לִשְׁלֹט בּוֹ, וּלְפִי שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה ״לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי״ וְגוֹ׳ הֲרֵי הוּא מַפְלִיג בְּרִבּוּיִים וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה חֲשָׁשׁ הָאָמוּר. לָזֶה הִזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וְאָמַר **ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם** שֶׁבָּזֶה אֵין מָקוֹם לַמֵּרֵעַ כָּאָמוּר שָׁם, וּלְפִי זֶה תִּתְפָּרֵשׁ תֵּבַת ״הִרְבָּה״ כִּפְשָׁטָהּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ה׳ אלוקיכם הרבה אתכם, "The Lord your G'd has multiplied you, etc."** This sounds peculiar as we have not read anywhere that the Jewish people had multiplied and become more numerous than the number of people who had participated in the Exodus. Neither did the Israelites increase since the census in the second year of their wanderings. Our sages in the *Sifri* understood the reference as meaning: "He has made you greater than your judges." Perhaps another thing which Moses had in mind with these words is something we have been taught in the *Zohar* volume 3 page 211 that when one mentions the abundance of good, its power is increased when it comes to warding off evil influences. The *Zohar* writes there that whenever one mentions G'd's name as the supreme G'd, the spiritually negative influences lose their power to exercise dominion. Seeing that Moses had first complained that he himself could not handle the Jewish people by himself, he felt it necessary to invoke this Name to counteract any negative influences he might have awakened by his comment.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:10:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:10:2)

**וְהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם.** דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **הַיּוֹם**, לְהָעִיר כִּי הַמַּאֲמָר נֶחְלָק לִשְׁנֵי זְמַנִּים: אֶחָד הוּא בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית כְּשֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם ״לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי״, וְעַל אוֹתוֹ זְמַן הוּא אוֹמֵר ״הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם״, וְהַשֵּׁנִי הוּא בַּזְּמַן שֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר עִמָּהֶם בִּשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר ״וְהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והנכם היום, "and here you are as of this day, etc."** Moses was very careful to say היום, "today," to alert us to the fact that the statement is to be divided into two separate time frames. The first time frame related to the period during the second year of their wanderings when he had told G'd that he was unable to bear the burden of leadership all by himself. Concerning **that period,** he had said "G'd has mutiplied you, etc." The second time frame concerned the present, i.e. the fortieth year of their wanderings as he pointed out "as of today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:10:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:10:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:10:3)

וּפֵרוּשׁ אָמְרוֹ **כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם**, נִתְכַּוֵּן עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (סנהדרין כו.) אֵין מִנְיָן לָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִסְפָּרָם רַב אֵין רִבּוּיָם רִבּוּי. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁמִּנְיַן הַצַּדִּיקִים יִתְיַחֵס אֵלָיו הָרִבּוּי הֲגַם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מוּעָטִים בְּמִסְפָּר, וְהוּא מַה שֶּׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר **וְהִנְּכֶם** וְגוֹ׳ **כְּכוֹכְבֵי**, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁהִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם עוֹד לָכֶם שֶׁהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם כְּכוֹכְבֵי וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, וְדָבָר זֶה הוּא גַּם כֵּן גֶּדֶר הָרִבּוּי שֶׁבִּהְיוֹתָם כְּכוֹכָבִים יִמָּנוּ לְרִבּוּי עָצוּם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ככוכבי השמים, "as the stars in the sky."** When Moses said these words he referred to something we have learned in *Sanhedrin* 26 that אין מנין לרשעים, "that the wicked do not really have a number." What the Talmud means is that though from a numerical point of view the wicked may appear to number a great many, their increase in number does not imply an increase in importance. The very reverse is true of the righteous. Though, numerically speaking, they may appear as insignificant, their influence is totally disproportionate to their actual number. This is precisely what Moses had in mind when he compared the "number" of the Israelites to the stars in the sky. Just as each of the stars is an important unit in its own right, so each one of the Israelites contributed to the importance represented by their collective רבוי, multiplicity.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:11:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:11:1)

**ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי וְגוֹ׳ כָּכֶם וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ צַדִּיקִים כָּכֶם אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים, וּכְנֶגֶד הָרִבּוּי אָמַר **וִיבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר** וְגוֹ׳. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ (ספרי): זוֹ מִשֶּׁלִּי וְכוּ׳, וְכַוָּנַת הַמַּאֲמָר כֻּלּוֹ הוּא לְהַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עֲלֵיהֶם גַּם כְּשֶׁהִזְכִּיר שִׁבְחָם בְּמִדָּה טוֹבָה הֱיוֹתָם צַדִּיקִים הַדּוֹמִים לַכּוֹכָבִים, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּמַאֲמַר ״ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם״, שֶׁהִזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עֲלֵיהֶם כְּשֶׁהִזְכִּיר רִבּוּיָם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ה׳ אלוקי אבותיכם יסף עליכם, "May the Lord G'd of your fathers add to your numbers, etc."** "May you number 1000 times as many righteous people as you are as of today." Concerning the multiplicity, Moses added: "and may He bless you as He has said." Our sages in the *Sifri* claim that the words: "may you number a thousand times as many righteous people as you are now," were Moses' own blessing, as distinct from the words "may He bless you as He has said." The thrust of the entire passage is to mention the name of the Lord in connection with the Israelites even at a time when Moses mentioned G'd's generosity to the Israelites in the greatest imaginable manner.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:12:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:12:1)

**אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא וְגוֹ׳.** הִיא גְּזֵרַת מַאֲמַר ״לֹא אוּכַל״, אֶלָּא שֶׁהִפְסִיק בָּעִנְיָן לְהָרִים מִכְשׁוֹל הַנִּמְשָׁךְ מִדִּבּוּר ״לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי״ וְגוֹ׳ כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי, וְחָזַר לְהַשְׁלִים הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁהִתְחִיל לוֹמַר וְאָמַר ״אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא״ וְגוֹ׳ ״הָבוּ לָכֶם״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**איכה אשא לבדי, "How can I bear alone, etc.?"** Moses now reverts to what he had said in verse 9: "I cannot bear you myself alone." He had interrupted this train of thought in order to counteract any negative results which would accrue to the people from a complaint about them by their leader. At this point he feels it is safe to carry on with what he had to say in verse 9.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:13:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:13:1)

**הָבוּ לָכֶם וְגוֹ׳.** אָמַר **לָכֶם** לְהַקְדִּים טַעַם מַאֲמַר ״לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶם״, כִּי זֶה מֵהַנָּאוֹת לָכֶם כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל שֵׁבֶט שׁוֹפְטָיו מִמֶּנּוּ. וְעַיֵּן מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת פִּנְחָס בְּפָסוּק ״יִפְקֹד ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחוֹת אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה״ וְגוֹ׳ (במדבר כז:טז), וְשָׁם תַּשְׂכִּיל אוֹפֶן הַנָּאוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״לָכֶם״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**הבו לכם אנשים חכמים, "get for yourselves wise and understanding men, etc."** He advisedly used the word "for yourselves" before mentioning that they should be from their respective tribes as the fact that the judges would be selected from within the respective tribes would result in many beneficial effects for the members of these tribes. Please compare what I have written in *Parshat Pinchas* on Numbers 27,16 "may the Lord of all spirits appoint a man over the congregation."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:13:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:13:2)

**וַאֲשִׂימֵם וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, הֲגַם שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹמֵר לָכֶם ״הָבוּ לָכֶם״ שֶׁאַתֶּם הֵם הַבּוֹחֲרִים אוֹתָם, לֹא יִהְיֶה תַּחַת מַאֲמַרְכֶם וְרִשְׁיוֹנְכֶם, אֲנִי אָשִׂים אוֹתָם לְרָאשִׁים עֲלֵיכֶם לִרְדּוֹתְכֶם בְּמַקֵּל וּבִרְצוּעָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואשימם בראשיכם, "and I will place them as heads over you."** Moses means that although he told the people that the appointment of these judges would be for their benefit, i.e. that they themselves would be allowed to select these judges, the fact remained that these judges would exert their authority over the people, if necessary backed up by means of enforcing same.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:14:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:14:1)

**וַתַּעֲנוּ אֹתִי וְגוֹ׳.** רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ (ספרי) שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם: ״הָיָה לָכֶם לוֹמַר רַבֵּינוּ מִמִּי נָאֶה לִלְמֹד וְכוּ׳ מִמְּךָ שֶׁנִּצְטַעַרְתָּ עָלֶיהָ וְכוּ׳ אֶלָּא שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ״ וְכוּ׳, עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְאֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב לְשֶׁבַח, שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִצְטַעֲרוּ עַל הַדָּבָר אֲבָל לַהֲנָאַת מֹשֶׁה מָחֲלוּ עַל עַצְמָם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **טוֹב הַדָּבָר** לְהָקֵל מֵעַל רַבֵּינוּ הֲגַם שֶׁהוּא קָשֶׁה אֶצְלֵנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ לִלְמֹד מִפִּי תַּלְמִידְךָ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ** דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים אֶצְלֵנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם. וַהֲגַם שֶׁהַמַּאֲמָר בָּא בִּכְלַל הַתּוֹכָחוֹת, אוּלַי שֶׁהִקְפִּיד גַּם עַל זֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ותענו אותי ותאמרו טוב הדבר, "you responded to me by saying that the matter was good, etc."** Our sages in the *Sifri* claim that Moses' answer implied that he was critical of the people having approved so readily of his proposal. He felt that they should have objected by saying that surely it was preferable to be instructed by the teacher himself to being instructed merely by the pupil or even by the pupil's pupil. I believe it is possible to explain this verse as a compliment for the Israelites. Actually, the Israelites were sorry not to be instructed forthwith by Moses personally. However, they were willing to put up with this realising that they were doing Moses a personal favour by relieving him of some of the constant pressure he was under. This is the meaning of the words טוב הדבר, "it is a good thing to relieve the pressure from our teacher Moses, even though it is difficult for us to start learning from your pupil instead of from you directly." The words אשר דברת, "which you have spoken," refer to the harsh words Moses had said to the Israelites concerning things which they would have to do. Even though this statement is encapsuled here within the general admonitions, it is possible that Moses was angry also concerning the response of the Israelites.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:14:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:14:2)

וְאֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר כִּי מֹשֶׁה נִתְחַכֵּם לְדַבֵּר דְּבָרִים הַנִּשְׁמָע מֵהֶם שְׁתֵּי דְּרָכִים: אַחַת לִגְנַאי כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי, וְאַחַת לְשֶׁבַח כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ. וְטַעְמוֹ כִּי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ שְׁנֵי סוּגִים: אֶחָד כַּת הַצַּדֶּקֶת וְאֶחָד כַּת הַקַּנְטְרָנִית, וְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם יוֹדֵעַ עַצְמוֹ. וּכְשֶׁאָמַר הַדְּבָרִים כָּל אֶחָד יָבִין אֶת אֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבוֹ: כַּת הַצַּדֶּקֶת דְּבָרָיו לָהֶם כְּדַרְכֵּנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי כִּי יוֹדְעִים בְּעַצְמָן מַה הָיְתָה כַּוָּנָתָם, וְכַת הַקַּנְטְרָנִית יַכְאִיבוּ אוֹתָם הַדְּבָרִים כְּפִי מַה שֶׁעָנוּ וְיָבִינוּ כְּפֵרוּשׁ סִפְרֵי.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
On the other hand, Moses was astute enough to formulate his words in such a way that they could be understood as a double-entendre. 1) They could be construed as a criticism as pointed out by *Sifri;* 2) they could also be interpreted positively as we have tried to explain. The reason Moses did so was because the Israelites could be divided into two categories. There was a category of righteous people; there was also, however, a category of cantankerous people, people who did not miss an opportunity to find fault. The righteous people accepted Moses' words as complimentary; the cantankerous people saw in Moses' words a criticism of the attitude they had revealed.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:1)

**בָּעֵת הַהִיא לֵאמֹר.** אָמְרוֹ **לֵאמֹר**, כְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי בְּהַרְבֵּה מְקוֹמוֹת כָּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר הַדְּבָרִים עַצְמָן כְּצוּרָתָן יֹאמַר ״לֵאמֹר״. כְּמוֹ כֵן בְּמַה שֶׁלְּפָנֵינוּ לֹא שֶׁצִּוָּה אוֹתָם בָּעֵת הַהִיא בְּלָשׁוֹן זֶה עַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא מְכֻוָּן הַצִּוּוּי הָיָה לֵאמֹר לָהֶם ״שָׁמֹעַ״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**בעת ההיא לאמוד, at that time, saying, etc.** The word לאמור, as in many instances, indicates that the words to be communicated were not intended to be literally these words and immediate. In this instance Moses did not command the judges to say specific things; he informed them that an essential part of the judicial process was to listen to the arguments of a litigant only when the opposing side was present.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:2)

וְאוּלַי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן גַּם כֵּן לִרְמוֹז מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (ירושלמי סנהדרין ג:ח:ז) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: רַב הוּנָא כַּד הֲוָה חֲזֵי זְכוּ לְבַר נָשׁ וְלָא הֲוָה יָדַע לֵיהּ, הֲוָה פָּתַח לֵיהּ מִשּׁוּם ״פְּתַח פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם״ (משלי לא:ט) עַד כָּאן. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּתֵיבַת **לֵאמֹר**, כִּי עָלָיו לֵאמֹר לְבַל תִּהְיֶה הָאֱמֶת נֶעְדֶּרֶת וְיִשְׁפּוֹט צֶדֶק.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Perhaps Moses also wanted to hint at something we have learned in *Talmud Jerushalmi Sanhedrin* 3,8. We are told there that when Rav Hunna watched litigation and observed that one of the defendants did not argue a point in his favour which he could have argued (out of ignorance) he interfered in the proceedings and drew the defendant's attention to an argument he should use. He based himself on Proverbs 31,9: "open your mouth, speak righteously." This is precisely what Moses may have alluded to when he said לאמור, "to say." No steps must be neglected if they help to establish true and fair judgment.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:3)

**עוֹד** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (סנהדרין ז:) וּפָסְקוֹ רַמְבַּ״ם בְּפֶרֶק כ״א מֵהִלְכוֹת סַנְהֶדְרִין, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: צָרִיךְ הַדַּיָּן לִשְׁמוֹעַ הַטְּעָנוֹת מִבַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין וְלִשְׁנוֹת טַעֲנוֹתֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ג:כג) ״וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת״ וְגוֹ׳. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן בְּמַאֲמַר **לֵאמֹר שָׁמֹעַ**, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הַשּׁוֹפֵט לוֹמַר בְּפִיו מַה שֶׁשָּׁמַע מִבַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Another meaning of the word לאמור may be related to something we learned in *Sanhedrin* there and which is reflected in a ruling by Maimonides in chapter 21 of his treatise *Hilchot Sanhedrin*. Here is what he writes: "The judge must listen to the arguments of both litigants and repeat them as it is written in Kings I 3,23: 'the king said this woman says: "my son is alive and your son is dead," whereas this woman says: "my son is alive and your son is dead."' [The verse proves that Solomon himself repeated the arguments of both litigants. Ed.] This is what Moses alluded to when he said לאמור, i.e. that the judges themselves have to repeat the arguments of the litigants. The words לאמור שמוע are to be read together and mean that the judge has to articulate what he has heard from the litigants.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:4
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:4)

**שָׁמֹעַ בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם וְגוֹ׳.** קָשֶׁה מַה צָרִיךְ לְצַוּוֹת לָזֶה, אִם לֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ עַל מַה יָדוּנוּ? עוֹד לָמָּה אָמַר בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה וְלֹא אָמַר ״שִׁמְעוּ״? אָכֵן הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַתְמִידִין לִשְׁמֹעַ וְלֹא יָקוּצוּ, וְדָבָר זֶה יִתְחַלֵּק לִשְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים: אֶחָד הוּא מִבַּעֲלֵי דִּינִים עַצְמָן, שֶׁאִם יֹאמְרוּ ״עוֹד יֵשׁ לָנוּ לִטְעוֹן, עוֹד יֵשׁ לָנוּ לְהוֹכִיחַ״ – לֹא יָקוּצוּ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם, וּמַה גַּם כְּשֶׁיַּרְבּוּ לְהָבִיא רְאָיוֹת אַחַר רְאָיוֹת וְלֹא הוֹעִילוּ, לֹא יֹאמַר הַדַּיָּן ״שׁוּב אֵין רְאָיָה וְאֵין טַעֲנָה״, אֶלָּא שָׁמוֹעַ בִּתְמִידוּת. וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁאִם הִטְרִיחוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין, לֹא יֹאמְרוּ ״הַרְבֵּה טוֹרַח טָרַחְנוּ הַיּוֹם וְאֵין לִשְׁמוֹעַ עוֹד טוֹעֵן וְנִטְעָן עַד אַחַר זְמַן״, אֶלָּא שָׁמוֹעַ בְּאֵין הֶפְסֵק, וְכָאן נִצְטַוּוּ עַל דִּקְדּוּק עִנּוּי הַדִּין.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**שמוע בין אחיכם ושפטתם צדק, "listen to your brethren so that you can judge fairly."** This whole verse is problematical. How could the judges arrive at a fair judgment unless they had first listened to the arguments of the litigants? Secondly, why did the Torah not simply write an imperative such as שמעו, instead of writing the word שמוע in the infinitive? Clearly, Moses' intention was to make the listening to the litigants' argument an ongoing rather than a one time process. The judges should not give way to the feeling that they had already listened to the litigant enough times so that they are sick and tired of hearing the same thing again and again. There are two aspects to the matter. 1) The judges should not display reluctance to hear renewed arguments by a litigant who claims that he has another point in his favour. 2) The judges should not postpone continuation of the hearing to another date as they are tired of hearing anymore on that particular day, but the proceedings should be wound up in one session if possible. Basically, the subject Moses instructs the judges on is what is called ענוי הדין, postponement of sentence.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:5
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:5)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה לְהַזְהִירָם לְהִתְחַכֵּם מִתּוֹךְ הַדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בֵּין הַטּוֹעֲנִים לְהַכִּיר אֲמִתּוּת הָעִנְיָן, וַהֲגַם שֶׁעַל פִּי הַטְּעָנוֹת יִזְכֶּה הַזַּכַּאי וְיִתְחַיֵּב הַחַיָּב, אִם נִכָּרִים מִתּוֹךְ סֵדֶר דִּבְרֵיהֶם וּמֵעֲקִימַת שִׂפְתֵיהֶם הֵפֶךְ מַה שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב הַדִּין – אֵין לַדַּיָּן אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁעֵינָיו רוֹאוֹת. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **שָׁמֹעַ** לְשׁוֹן הַשְׂכָּלָה, **בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם** פֵּרוּשׁ, מַה שֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם מֵהַדְּבָרִים וּמֵהַהִתְוַכְּחוּת, **וּשְׁפַטְתֶּם צֶדֶק** פֵּרוּשׁ, כְּפִי מַה שֶׁיִּתְבָּרֵר לָכֶם שֶׁהוּא צֶדֶק, הֲגַם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הֵפֶךְ מִשְׁפָּט הַסִּדּוּר, שֶׁהַמִּשְׁפָּט לֹא בָּא אֶלָּא לְדַיָּן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ בֵּרוּר לַדָּבָר – אֵין לַדַּיָּן אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁעֵינָיו רוֹאוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Moses also wanted to warn the judges to be astute enough to detect from between the lines of what the litigants had to say whether they spoke truthfully. It is true that the verdict must be based on what the litigants said (and not on what they did not say or how they said it). If it became clear during their testimony and from their demeanour that the truth appeared to be the reverse of what they actually said, then Moses instructed the judges שמוע בין אחיכם, to listen to what is the difference between what the litigants say and what is obviously a distortion. This would enable them to ושפטתם צדק, "to arrive at a fair verdict," i.e. what appears to the judges to be the true state of affairs. On occasion, such judgment may appear to contradict what is written in the lawbooks. A judge cannot rule fairly except if the verdict is in line with his perception of the truth. The word שמוע addresses itself not merely to the ears of the judge but also to his brain.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:6
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:6)

**עוֹד** נִתְכַּוֵּן עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם בְּמַסֶּכֶת מַכּוֹת מִשְׁנָה בְּסוֹף פֶּרֶק א׳ (מכות ו:) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: שֶׁלֹּא תְּהֵא סַנְהֶדְרִין שׁוֹמַעַת מִפִּי מְתוּרְגְּמָן וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **שָׁמֹעַ בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם** וְלֹא מֵהַמְּתוּרְגְּמָן:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Still another meaning of these words is based on what we learned in *Makkot* 6 that a court must not accept testimony from the mouth of an interpreter but that the judges must understand and be fluent in the language of the litigant who appears before them. This is implied in the words בין אחיכם, "directly between your brethren."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:7
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:7)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה הַשּׁוֹפֵט מַצְהִיל פָּנָיו וְנוֹשֵׂא עֵינָיו בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם וּמַשְׁפִּיל עֵינָיו מֵאֶחָד מֵהֶם, אֶלָּא שֶׁתִּהְיֶה דֶּרֶךְ הַשְּׁמִיעָה שָׁוָה בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **שָׁמֹעַ** פֵּרוּשׁ דֶּרֶךְ הַשְּׁמִיעָה תִּהְיֶה **בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם**, אִם אַתָּה תִּשָּׂא עֵינֶיךָ – תִּשָּׂא לִשְׁנֵיהֶם, וְאִם תַּשְׁפִּיל – תַּשְׁפִּיל לִשְׁנֵיהֶם. אוֹ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיְּצַו ה׳ שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׂא עֵינָיו כָּל עִקָּר בָּהֶם, כִּי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּטְעֶה אֶחָד מֵהֶם בְּמִין הָרְאִיָּה שֶׁהוּא עַיִן יָפָה יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנּוּ וְיִסְתַּתְּמוּ טַעֲנוֹתָיו. וְשָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּי חָכָם גָּדוֹל חָסִיד וְגָדוֹל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, חָבִיב עָלַי כְּרוּחִי, ה״ה הָרַב רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה בִּירְדוּגוֹ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁהָיָה מְדַקְדֵּק בִּשְׁעַת הַדִּין שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֵינָיו לְמַטָּה וְלֹא הָיָה נוֹשֵׂא עֵינָיו כָּל עִקָּר, וְשֶׁהָיָה מַרְגִּישׁ שֶׁאִם הָיָה נוֹשֵׂא עֵינָיו לְצַד הַהֶכְרֵחַ בְּאֵיזֶה אֶחָד מִבַּעֲלֵי הַדִּין הָיָה מִתְבַּלְבֵּל שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **שָׁמֹעַ בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם** שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּ אֶלָּא הַשְּׁמִיעָה וְהַדְּבָרִים בָּאִים מֵהַטּוֹעֲנִים לִפְנֵיהֶם בְּאֵין הִשְׁתַּנּוּת לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם, וּבָזֶה ״וּשְׁפַטְתֶּם צֶדֶק״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Yet another meaning of the words בין אחיכם is to warn the judge not to appear to pay more attention to one of the litigants, to appear to look at one litigant while avoiding looking at the second litigant, etc. The judges must project absolute neutrality in their demeanour vis-a-vis both parties. שמוע בין means that if a judge has occasion to raise his head, he must do so in the direction of both litigants. If, on the other hand, he has occasion to lower his head, he must also do so in equal measure vis-a-vis both litigants.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:8
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:8)

**בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין אָחִיו וְגוֹ׳.** נִתְכַּוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לְהַזְהִיר עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה דִּינִים הַסּוֹבְבוֹת מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק. הָאֶחָד עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁכָּתַב רַמְבַּ״ם בְּפֶרֶק כ״ב מֵהִלְכוֹת סַנְהֶדְרִין וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי וְכוּ׳ שֶׁמָּא יַהֲרֹג אֶת בְּנִי וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. כְּנֶגֶד זֶה אָמַר **בֵּין אִישׁ**, וּכְדֶרֶךְ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין ו.) בְּפָסוּק ״לֹא תָגוּרוּ מִפְּנֵי אִישׁ״. כְּשֶׁבָּאִים שְׁנֵי אַחִים לְמִשְׁפָּט תָּבֹא סְבָרַת הַדַּיָּן לוֹמַר אֵין לְדַקְדֵּק בְּמִשְׁפָּט זֶה כִּי אֲנָשִׁים אַחִים הֵם, לָזֶה אָמַר **וּבֵין אָחִיו.**

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**בין איש ובין אחיו, "between a man and his brother."** This expression refers to three separate aspects of fair judgment. 1) It refers to a statement by Maimonides in chapter 22 of his treatise *Hilchot Sanhedrin*. "A judge must not be influenced by fear that the litigant whom he will. declare guilty will revenge himself on members of his family." Concerning such a situation Moses said: בין איש. Our sages in *Sanhedrin* 6 referred to the words לא תגורו מפני איש (verse 17) as the basis for this ruling.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:9
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:9)

גַּם נִתְכַּוֵּן לְמַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּפֶרֶק שְׁבוּעַת הָעֵדוּת (שבועות לא.) וּפְסָקוֹ רַמְבַּ״ם פֶּרֶק כ״א מֵהִלְכוֹת סַנְהֶדְרִין ב׳: בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם מְלֻבָּשׁ בְּגָדִים וְכוּ׳, אוֹמֵר לַמְּכֻבָּד ״אוֹ הַלְבִּישֵׁהוּ כְּמוֹתְךָ עַד שֶׁתָּדוּן עִמּוֹ אוֹ לְבוֹשׁ כְּמוֹתוֹ״ וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן בְּאָמְרוֹ **וּבֵין אָחִיו** – שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אַחִים בְּהַדְרָגָה אַחַת, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה לֹא יֵצֵא מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב שָׁם רַמְבַּ״ם בִּתְחִלַּת הַפֶּרֶק.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
2) When two brothers appear before a judge in litigation the judge must not reason that he does not have to be so exact in his judgments seeing these men are brothers. The Torah writes ובין אחיו, "and between his brother," i.e. the same yardsticks which apply to litigants who are not related to one another also apply to brothers. These words also apply to what we have learned in *Shavuot* 31 and the ruling based on this by Maimonides in chapter 21 of his treatise *Hilchot Sanhedrin*. Maimonides rules that when two litigants appear before a judge, one of whom in fancy dress, the other in shabby garments, the judge is to tell the one dressed in finery to either provide similar finery for his opposite number or to change his own clothing to bring it into line with that of the poorer litigant. This is what Moses alluded to with the words ובין אחיו, the two litigants should give the appearance as if they were brothers, alike in dress.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:10
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:16:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:16:10)

ג׳ עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּפֶרֶק שְׁבוּעַת הָעֵדוּת (שבועות ל.) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, ״בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ״ (ויקרא יט:טו) – שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אֶחָד יוֹשֵׁב וְאֶחָד עוֹמֵד וְכוּ׳, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וּבֵין גֵּרוֹ**, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִתְגּוֹרֵר כְּמוֹתוֹ, אוֹ שְׁנֵיהֶם בִּישִׁיבָה אוֹ שְׁנֵיהֶם בַּעֲמִידָה, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה אֵין כָּאן מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Maimonides also writes at the beginning of chapter 3 in the above-mentioned treatise that the words בצדק תשפוט עמיתך, "you shall judge your colleague with righteousness" (Leviticus 19,15), mean that one of the litigants should not be seated while the other one is standing. Moses added ובין גרו, "and between his stranger," to allude to this distinction. Either both litigants are to remain seated or both are to stand in front of the judges. Unless all these conditions are observed there cannot be a judgment based on righteousness.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:23:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:23:1)

**וַיִּיטַב בְּעֵינַי הַדָּבָר.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְפִי טַעַם שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם ״וְיַחְפְּרוּ לָנוּ״, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ילקוט שמעוני שלח) שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה הִיא שֶׁיִּשְׁלְחוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים לִרְאוֹת הַחֲפִירוֹת שֶׁטּוֹמְנִים הַכְּנַעֲנִים מָמוֹנָם בָּהֶם. וְאָמְרוֹ **בְּעֵינַי**, פֵּרוּשׁ אֲנִי שֶׁעֵינֵי בָּשָׂר לִי, אֲבָל בְּעֵינֵי בּוֹחֵן לְבָבוֹת – לֹא. וְעַיֵּין מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁלַח לְךָ (במדבר יג:ב).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וייטב בעיני הדבר, "the matter was pleasing in my eyes."** Moses meant that the reason the people advanced for dispatching the spies, i.e. to spy out the country, seemed to be a valid reason in his eyes. *Yalkut Shimoni* on the relevant verse in *Parshat Shlach Lecha* explains that the spies wanted to find out where the Canaanites had hidden their valuables, etc. The word בעיני, "in my eyes," with the emphasis on the suffix "my," means that Moses meant to say: "inasmuch as I only have eyes of flesh and blood, I was deceived; anyone who viewed things objectively would have perceived your real intent." Please compare what I have written on this subject in connection with Numbers 13,2.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:24:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:24:1)

**וַיִּפְנוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ וְגוֹ׳.** אָמְרוֹ **וַיִּפְנוּ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁפָּנוּ מִדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ בָּהּ, כִּי קוֹדֶם שֶׁהִתְחִיל הַשְּׁלִיחוּת הָיוּ צַדִּיקִים כְּאָמְרוֹ ״כֻּלָּם אֲנָשִׁים״, וּמֵעֵת שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ לָלֶכֶת בִּשְׁלִיחוּת זֶה הִרְשִׁיעוּ וּפָנוּ מִדֶּרֶךְ הַשֵּׂכֶל. וְעַיֵּין מַה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּפָסוּק ״וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ״ (במדבר יג:כו).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויפנו ויעלו ההרה, They turned and ascended towards the mountain, etc.** Moses chose the expression ויפנו, "they turned," to indicate that they departed from the straight and narrow which they had pursued up until that time. Until the mission commenced, all these 12 men had been righteous;, they only turned from what reason dictated at that point. Please compare what I have written on Numbers 13,26.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:24:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:24:2)

**וַיְרַגְּלוּ אֹתָהּ.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֹשֶׁה ״וְיַחְפְּרוּ לָנוּ״, אֶלָּא רִגְּלוּ אוֹתָהּ לָדַעַת מַה הִיא וּמַה אֲנָשֶׁיהָ, וְלֹא בִּקְשׁוּ לָדַעַת חֲפִירוֹת הַמַּטְמוֹנִיּוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וירגלו אותה, "they spied it out."** This means that they did not act in accordance with what the Israelites had said to Moses when they explained the mission as ויחפרו **לנו** את הארץ, "that the spies will spy out the land **on our behalf,** etc.," but "they spied **it** out." They wanted to investigate the nature of the land, its people, not where they had hidden their valuables.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:25:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:25:1)

**וַיִּקְחוּ בְיָדָם וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת: א׳, לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **וַיִּקְחוּ בְיָדָם**, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא ״וַיּוֹרִידוּ אֵלֵינוּ מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ״. ב׳, לָמָּה אָמַר **וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֹתָנוּ דָבָר וַיֹּאמְרוּ** וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא ״וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֹתָנוּ טוֹבָה״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויקחו בידם מפרי הארץ, They took from the fruit of the land in their hands, etc.** Why did the Torah have to add the words בידם, "in their hands?" It would have sufficed for the Torah to write that the spies brought with them some of the fruit, etc. Besides, why did the Torah have to write: "they brought us back word, and they said?" It would have sufficed to write: "they brought us back something good."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:25:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:25:2)

אָכֵן הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמְּרַגְּלִים שְׁתֵּי הַדְרָגוֹת: אַחַת רָעָה, הִיא תְּשׁוּבַת עֲשָׂרָה מְרַגְּלִים, וְאַחַת טוֹבָה, הִיא תְּשׁוּבַת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב. וּבִדְבָרָיו כָּאן אָמַר שְׁתֵּי הַתְּשׁוּבוֹת. כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶׁהֵשִׁיבוּ עֲשָׂרָה הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרְשָׁעִים לְרָעָה אָמַר **וַיִּקְחוּ** וְגוֹ׳ **וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֹתָנוּ דָבָר**, פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא רָצָה מֹשֶׁה עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם לַחְזֹר הַדְּבָרִים הָרָעִים שֶׁלֹּא לְעוֹרֵר הַדִּין עַל שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ, וְאָמַר הָעִנְיָן סְתָם שֶׁהֵשִׁיבוּ דָבָר. וּלְהָעִירְךָ שֶׁעַל עֲשָׂרָה מְרַגְּלִים הוּא אוֹמֵר, אָמַר **וַיִּקְחוּ בְיָדָם**, פֵּרוּשׁ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה לד.) שְׁמוֹנָה מְרַגְּלִים נָטְלוּ אֶשְׁכּוֹל, אֶחָד נָטַל תְּאֵנָה, וְאֶחָד נָטַל רִמּוֹן, אֲבָל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב לֹא נָטְלוּ כְּלוּם כָּאָמוּר בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק בְּמַאֲמַר **וַיִּקְחוּ בְיָדָם** לוֹמַר שֶׁהֵם הָעֲשָׂרָה שֶׁלָּקְחוּ בְּיָדָם מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ, **וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אֹתָנוּ דָבָר** מַה שֶׁהֵשִׁיבוּ. גַּם אֶפְשָׁר לָדוּן גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה ״דָּבָר״ מִ״דָּבָר״ הָאָמוּר בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁלַח דִּכְתִיב (במדבר יג:כו) ״וַיָּשִׁיבוּ אוֹתָם דָּבָר״. וַהֲגַם שֶׁאֵין אָדָם דָּן גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן קִבְּלָהּ מֵרַבּוֹ, בְּכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה לְגַלּוֹת פְּשָׁטֵי הַכְּתוּבִים הוֹדִיעוּנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לְגַלּוֹת בִּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה כָּזוֹ, וְזֶה פָּשׁוּט לַהוֹלְכִים בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים. וּכְנֶגֶד יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב אָמַר ״וַיֹּאמְרוּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ״. וּכְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ טַעַם נָכוֹן לְכֶפֶל **וַיָּשִׁיבוּ** וְגוֹ׳ **וַיֹּאמְרוּ** וְגוֹ׳. גַּם נִתְיַשֵּׁב דִּבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁאָמַר דְּבָרָיו סְתוּמִים ״וַיֹּאמְרוּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ״ שֶׁמַּשְׁמָעוּת הַדְּבָרִים יַגִּיד עַל כֻּלָּן, וְלִדְבָרֵינוּ הֲרֵי חִלֵּק דִּבְרֵי הַמְּרַגְּלִים לִשְׁנַיִם, רָעִים וְטוֹבִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The reason Moses phrased it thus was to remind us that there were two categories of spies. The first category of spies were the evil ones, the ten who brought back a negative report. The second category consisted of Joshua and Calev. Moses referred to both their reports in what he said. Concerning the negative report brought back by the ten spies he said: "they took from the fruit of the land in their hands and brought us back word." Moses did not want to repeat the negative comments made by these 10 spies in order not to arouse the attribute of Justice. He made certain that we would appreciate that he referred to the ten spies by saying: "**they** took in their hands, etc." We have been taught in *Sotah* 34 that eight spies between them carried one cluster of grapes, one of them took a fig and a tenth one took a pomegranate. Joshua and Calev, on the other hand, did not take anything, as explained in the Talmud. Moses alluded to this by speaking separately of the spies who brought back fruit with them. He added: וישיבו אותנו דבר, "they brought back word to us, i.e. whatever word they brought back." It is also possible to interpret this exegetially by comparing the use of the word דבר in Numbers 13,26 and the use of the same word here. Just as the ten spies were described there as having brought back the negative report, so Moses used the word דבר here to hint that he was speaking of the same people. It is true that we have a rule that similar-sounding words may be used exegetically out of context only if there is a historic tradition for their having been understood in this way; the rabbis did permit the historically unsupported use of such exegesis if the objective is merely to establish the plain meaning of the verse [as opposed to a new religiously binding ruling, Ed.]. In our situation application of the גזרה שוה is quite unobjectionable. Concerning the report brought back by Joshua and Calev Moses said: "they said the land is good." One could also understand Moses' words: "the land is good" as referring to all of the spies without exception; however, according to our approach Moses made a distinction between the two categories of spies.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:26:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:26:1)

**וְלֹא אֲבִיתֶם וְגוֹ׳.** וַהֲגַם שֶׁעֲשָׂרָה אָמְרוּ עֵדוּת כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ ״אַחֵינוּ הֵמַסּוּ״ וְגוֹ׳, כְּבָר אָמַר לָהֶם ה׳ שֶׁאֵין הוֹרָשַׁת הָעִיר מִצַּד גְּבוּרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא בְּמַתָּנָה מֵה׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדִּיַּקְנוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁלַח (במדבר י״ג:ב׳) מִמַּאֲמַר ״אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן״ כִּי הוּא יוֹרִישׁ מִפְּנֵיהֶם יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר גַּם כֵּן בְּסָמוּךְ ״ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ הוּא יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם״, וְאֵין בְּמַאֲמָר זֶה סְתִירָה לְהַכְחִישׁ הַפְלָאַת תּוֹקֶף הָעִיר וַאֲנָשֶׁיהָ שֶׁאָמְרוּ הַמְּרַגְּלִים, וּבָזֶה לֹא קָשָׁה קֻשְׁיַת רַמְבַּ״ן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ולא אביתם לעלות, "and you did not want to ascend (to the land of Canaan)."** Even though ten spies testified, as will be mentioned shortly where Moses describes the ten as demoralising the whole people, conquest of the land of Canaan had never been made subject to the Israelites' prowess or otherwise. It was a gift from G'd as we explained in detail on Numbers 13,2 based on the words "which I (the Lord) am about to give to you." G'd Himself was going to dispossess the Canaanites as mentioned in verse 29, i.e. "He will wage war on your behalf." None of these words represent a contradiction to the report of the spies describing the cities of Canaan and their inhabitants as exceedingly powerful. Nachmanides' objections are quite unfounded, therefore. [The author assumes that we are all familiar with the commentary by Nachmanides who questioned how one could fault the people for believing 10 spies rather than 2 spies. Ed.]


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:32:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:32:1)

**וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת כַּוָּנַת אָמְרוֹ ״וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה״. וְרַשִׁ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה פֵּרֵשׁ עַל הַבְטָחַת בִּיאַת הָאָרֶץ הוּא מְדַבֵּר, וְאֵין נִרְאֶה כֵּן אֶלָּא כִּפְשַׁט הַכָּתוּב שֶׁעַל נִסֵּי מִדְבָּר הוּא אֲשֶׁר נְשָׂאָם ה׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ, שֶׁגַּם בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵינָם מַאֲמִינִים. וְזֶה לְךָ הָאוֹת, אָמְרוֹ (שמות יז:ז) ״הֲיֵשׁ ה׳ בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן״, וְכַמָּשָׁל שֶׁהֵבִיא בַּזֹּהַר (שמות רבה כו) עַל אָב שֶׁנָּשָׂא בְּנוֹ עַל כְּתֵפוֹ, פָּגְעוּ בְּאָדָם אֶחָד וְהָיָה הַבֵּן שׁוֹאֲלוֹ עַל אָבִיו וְכוּ׳, כְּמוֹ כֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם ה׳ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן בְּמַאֲמַר **וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה** וְגוֹ׳ **אֵינְכֶם מַאֲמִינִים בַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם** שֶׁהוּא הַנּוֹשֵׂא אֶתְכֶם וְגוֹ׳, וְאוֹמֵר **הַהֹלֵךְ** וְגוֹ׳ מוֹסִיף לְהַפְלִיא פְּרָטֵי הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּהֶם יִתְחַיְּבוּ לְהַכִּיר וּלְהַאֲמִין בַּה׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ובדבר הזה אינכם מאמינים, "In this matter you did not believe in G'd, etc."** Why did Moses have to say: "in this matter?" Rashi understands Moses' words as a reference to G'd's promise that the people would enter the land of Canaan. This does not appear acceptable. I believe the plain meaning of the verse is that Moses referred to the miracles G'd had demonstrated when He lifted the whole Jewish people out of Egypt just as a father carries his son. They did not even believe the miracles they themselves had experienced (Exodus 14,19 compare Rashi there) which Moses recalled in verse 31. Proof that the Israelites were lacking in faith at the time is provided by Exodus 17,7 "If the Lord is in our midst or not?" The *Zohar* on that verse provided us with the well known parable of the father who carried his son on his shoulder. When they met someone, the son asked the stranger if he had seen his father. Israel's question in the verse we referred to is compared to the effrontery of the child in the parable by the *Zohar*. This then is what Moses referred to with the words: "in this matter you did not have faith in the Lord your G'd." Moses added: "who is walking before you, etc," in order to underline that in view of the continued miracles performed constantly by G'd there was no excuse for this lack of faith.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:36:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:36:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:36:1)

**הוּא יִרְאֶנָּה וְלוֹ אֶתֵּן וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר ״יִרְאֶנָּה״ כֵּיוָן שֶׁמַּבְטִיחַ לְתִתָּהּ לוֹ, בִּכְלַל מָאתַיִם מָנֶה. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן ה׳ לוֹמַר שֶׁשְּׁתֵּי זְכֻיּוֹת הָיוּ בְּיַד כָּלֵב בְּעִנְיָן זֶה וּבִשְׁבִילָם זָכָה לִשְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים: א׳ – שֶׁפִּנָּה עַצְמוֹ מֵעֲצַת הַמְּרַגְּלִים וְלֹא אָמַר רַע, ב׳ – שֶׁאַדְרַבָּה הָיָה סוֹתֵר דִּבְרֵי הַמְּרַגְּלִים לְמַלֹּאת אַחֲרֵי ה׳, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר יג:ל) ״וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב״ וְגוֹ׳. וְיִעֵד לוֹ ה׳ שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים: כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶׁפִּנָּה עַצְמוֹ מֵעֲצַת הַמְּרַגְּלִים עָלָה בְּיָדוֹ זְכוּת שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּת בִּגְזֵרָתָם, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁסָּמַךְ לוֹמַר **בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה הוּא יִרְאֶנָּה**, פֵּרוּשׁ בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁפִּנָּה עַצְמוֹ מֵעֲצַת הַמְּרַגְּלִים יָצָא מִכְּלַל גְּזֵרַת ״אִם יִרְאֶה אִישׁ וְגוֹ׳ וְכָל מְנַאֲצַי לֹא יִרְאוּהָ״ (במדבר יד:כג). וּכְנֶגֶד שֶׁמִּלֵּא אַחֲרֵי ה׳ נָתַן לוֹ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״וְלוֹ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳ יַעַן אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אַחֲרֵי ה׳״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**הוא יראנה ולו אתן את הארץ, "he will see it and to him I will give the land, etc."** Why did Moses have to say that Calev would see the land seeing that he had been promised that G'd would give it to him? Surely just as 100 is part of 200, the land could not be given to Calev unless he was going to see it! I believe Moses wanted to recall two separate accomplishments of Calev in the matter of the spies and to show that he acquired two separate merits. 1) He separated himself from the advice of the ten spies and did not say a single negative word. 2) He was courageous enough to come out openly against the majority report asking the people to remain loyal to G'd, as we know from Numbers 13,30: "Calev silenced the people." As a compensation G'd granted Calev two good things. Concerning his initial silence G'd rewarded him by not letting him die as part of the decree which G'd decreed against the spies. This is alluded to in Moses saying: בן יפנה הוא יראנה, "the son of Yefuneh will see it." The meaning is that because he "turned away" פנה, he was granted the reward that he would see the land he had spied out. His peers had been specifically denied this, i.e. Numbers 14,23 where G'd said that the men of his generation would not get to see the land of Canaan. In reward for Calev having come out openly on behalf of G'd he was rewarded in that G'd gave him the land, i.e. he **personally** i.e. לו was allocated a share in the Holy Land.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:37:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:37:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:37:1)

**גַּם בִּי הִתְאַנַּף ה׳ בִּגְלַלְכֶם וְגוֹ׳.** קָשֶׁה, וַהֲלֹא לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁהִתְאַנַּף ה׳ עַל מֹשֶׁה בַּעֲוֹן הַמְּרַגְּלִים. וְרַמְבַּ״ן פֵּרֵשׁ וְאָמַר: וְעוֹד הוֹסַפְתֶּם לְהָרַע פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת עַד שֶׁגְּרַמְתֶּם לְהִתְאַנֵּף בִּי, עַד כָּאן, וְאֵין דְּבָרָיו נִרְאִים, כִּי רוֹאַנִי שֶׁעֲדַיִן הוּא מְדַבֵּר בְּעִנְיַן הַמְּרַגְּלִים, שֶׁכֵּן אָמַר הַכָּתוּב אַחַר זֶה ״וְטַפְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם״ וְגוֹ׳ עַד סוֹף הַפָּרָשָׁה, וְהוּא מְדַבֵּר בְּעִנְיַן הַמְּרַגְּלִים, וְלָמָּה הִפְסִיק בְּתוֹךְ הָעִנְיָן בְּשֶׁלֹּא כָּעִנְיָן? וּמַה שֶׁהֵלִיץ הָרַב שֶׁרָצָה לְהַזְכִּיר יַחַד הַנִּמְנָעִים מֵעֲבוֹר הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהֵם הָיוּ גְּרָמָא לָזֶה, לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מַה הֲנָאָה יֵשׁ בָּזֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**גם בי התאנף ה׳ בגללכם, "G'd was also angry at me on your account."** This is difficult as we have no independent evidence of G'd having become angry at Moses on account of the sin of the spies. Nachmanides explains these words of Moses to mean: "you have continued doing evil until the result was that G'd became angry at me." I do not find this comment acceptable as Moses continued to speak about the subject of the spies even after this verse as is clear from verse 39 "and your children whom you claimed would become booty, will come there, etc." The subject is continued right until the end of this chapter. Why then would Moses interrupt in the middle of one subject to speak about an unrelated subject? As to Nachmanides' justification that Moses wanted to lump together all the reasons why the generation of the Exodus did not get to the Holy Land, I do not see what would be accomplished by this.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:37:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:37:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:37:2)

**וְהַנָּכוֹן** הוּא עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תענית כט.) שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּפָסוּק (במדבר יד:א) ״וַיִּבְכּוּ הָעָם בַּלַּיְלָה״ וְגוֹ׳, קָבְעוּ בְּכִיָּה לְדוֹרוֹת כִּי לֵיל תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב הָיְתָה שֶׁבּוֹ נֶחְרַב הַבַּיִת, וְאָמְרוּ עוֹד (סוטה ט.) שֶׁאִם הָיָה נִכְנָס מֹשֶׁה לָאָרֶץ וְהָיָה בּוֹנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא הָיָה הַבַּיִת נֶחְרָב שֶׁאֵין אֻמָּה וְלָשׁוֹן נוֹגַעַת בּוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ עוֹד (מדרש תהלים עט) בְּפָסוּק ״מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֱלֹהִים בָּאוּ גוֹיִם״ וְגוֹ׳ וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: קִינָה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אֶלָּא עַל שֶׁהִשְׁלִיךְ חֲמָתוֹ עַל עֵצִים וַאֲבָנִים. מֵעַתָּה אִם הָיָה נִכְנָס מֹשֶׁה לָאָרֶץ וְהָיָה בּוֹנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּלְהַשְׁלִיךְ חֲמָתוֹ עָלָיו לֹא אֶפְשָׁר כַּנִּזְכָּר, וְיִחַר אַף ה׳ בְּשׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִהְיֶה כִּלְיוֹנָם בִּמְקוֹם חֻרְבַּן הַבַּיִת. לָזֶה גָּזַר ה׳ בִּגְזֵרַת הַמְּרַגְּלִים גַּם עַל מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיָּמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״גַּם בִּי הִתְאַנַּף ה׳ בִּגְלַלְכֶם״, פֵּרוּשׁ בְּגִלְגּוּל דְּבָרִים שֶׁלָּכֶם, כִּי אִם לֹא הָיָה עֲוֹן הַמְּרַגְּלִים וְהָיוּ נִכְנָסִים אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהָיָה נִכְנָס מֹשֶׁה עִמָּהֶם, וַהֲגַם שֶׁיִּבְנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ אֵין מֵחוּשׁ כִּי לֹא נִתְגַּבֵּר בְּחִינַת הָרַע וְהָיוּ עוֹמְדִים בְּצִדְקָם בָּאָרֶץ, אֶלָּא מֵאֶמְצָעוּת עֲוֹן מְרַגְּלִים גָּבְרָה יַד רִשְׁעָה וְיָדַע ה׳ כִּי לֹא יַעַמְדוּ בְּצֶדֶק, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִשִּׁירַת הַאֲזִינוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
I believe the correct meaning of these words must take into account what the Talmud in *Taanit* 29 said in connection with Numbers 14,1 that the people cried during that night. The Talmud says that because of their needless weeping on that night the Jewish people were condemned to weep on that date with good reason for many many years when they would mourn the destruction of both Temples which occurred on the anniversary of that fateful night. The Talmud *Sotah* 9 adds that if Moses had been allowed to enter the Holy Land the very first Temple would have been the final Temple, i.e. there **never** would have occurred a destruction of the Holy Temple. In this connection there is an interesting *Midrash Tehillim* on Psalm 79,1 where Assaph appears to have dedicated a hymn to the destruction of the Temple. The *Midrash* asks, predictably, that instead of dedicating a hymn to such an event Assaph should have written an elegy, a song of mourning! The answer is that Assaph composed the hymn in gratitude to G'd who had vented His wrath on buildings of wood and stone such as the Holy Temple and the city of Jersualem instead of on human beings. If we extrapolate on the reasoning of the *Midrash* and consider the fact that the Temple Moses would have built would have become indestructible, then every time the people sinned G'd would have had to pour out His wrath at the people themselves instead of at the Temple. In order to avoid such a thing from ever occurring, G'd decided to let Moses die on the East Bank of the Jordan. This is what Moses meant when he said that G'd's anger at him worked in Israel's favour, i.e. בגללכם, "for your sake." Had the sin of the spies not occurred, Moses would have entered the Holy land with the result we have just described. The word בגללכם is derived from גלגול, "revolving," or in the metaphysical sense "transmigration (of souls)." When G'd decreed death on Moses which would result in his ultimate reincarnation, He did the Israelites a great favour by venting His wrath at Moses at that time. Alternatively, the meaning of the words: "G'd was also angry at me on your account," may be that Moses implied that 'if you would not have become guilty of this sin and I would have been allowed to enter the Holy Land and to build the Holy Temple, there never would have arisen an occasion for G'd to become angry at you at all as you would have retained your level of righteousness permanently.' Had it not been for this sin, the power of evil would never have become as great. Now that this had happened, G'd realised that once the Israelites would enter the Holy land they would not be able to maintain their spiritual high. We can derive all this from a study of the song Moses composed in *Parshat Haazinu*.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:37:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:37:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:37:3)

וְאִם תֹּאמַר, וַהֲלֹא רוֹאַנִי שֶׁמִּיתַת מֹשֶׁה הָיְתָה עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה (במדבר כ:יג). כְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי שָׁם שֶׁאִם מֹשֶׁה הָיָה מְקַדֵּשׁ שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹזְרִים לְטַהֲרָתָם שֶׁהָיוּ בּוֹ קֹדֶם חֵטְא הַמְּרַגְּלִים בְּאֶמְצָעוּת קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם הַגָּדוֹל, וְהָיָה ה׳ מַתִּיר שְׁבוּעַת מֹשֶׁה, וְהָיָה נִכְנָס לָאָרֶץ וּבוֹנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתּוֹ עוֹלָמִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
You may counter that this may be fine homiletics, but that the fact remains that Moses' death in Transjordan was caused due to his failure to speak to the rock at the waters of Merivah (Numbers chapter 20) not to the sin of the spies. The answer which I have mentioned already on that occasion is that had Moses spoken to the rock at that time the Israelites could have recovered the spiritually high level they possessed prior to the sin of the spies by means of watching that great display of G'd's power. In that event G'd would have cancelled His oath not to let Moses enter the Holy Land seeing that he had become the instrument of sanctifying the name of G'd on such a scale. As a result, Moses would have entered the Holy Land, would have built the Temple, and the Jewish people would have lived there permanently, trouble free. Israel's sin at this stage then had prevented all these scenarios from occurring.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:43:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:43:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:43:1)

**וַתַּמְרוּ וְגוֹ׳ וַתָּזִידוּ.** פֵּרוּשׁ: הִמְרוּ פִּי ה׳ שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲלוֹת, וְעוֹד שֶׁהָיָה עִנְיָן שֶׁתַּחְשְׁשׁוּ בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁלֹּא לְהַמְרוֹת, כִּי הוּא הַגָּשַׁתְכֶם לִפְנֵי אוֹיְבֵיכֶם, וְזֶה יַגִּיד זְדוֹן לְבַבְכֶם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַתָּזִידוּ** וְגוֹ׳. עוֹד יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ הָעֲלִיָּה לָהָר לְעוֹצֶם הַהַבְטָחָה בַּה׳ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם תִּקּוּן לְמִיעוּט הַבְטָחָה וֶאֱמוּנָה שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם בַּה׳ עַד שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל חָס וְשָׁלוֹם לְהַצִּילָם וּלְהוֹרִישׁ הָעַמִּים, אֶלָּא בְּזָדוֹן עֲשִׂיתֶם הַדָּבָר בְּלֹא מַרְדּוּת וְהַכְנָעָה וּבַקָּשַׁת תִּקּוּן לִפְנֵי ה׳, לָזֶה ״וַיֵּצֵא הָאֱמוֹרִי״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ותמדו את פי השם, "you rebelled against G'd's command, etc."** Moses referred to the refusal of the Israelites to heed G'd's order not to ascend the mountain. Another element he referred to was that the fear of violating G'd's command should have been greater than the fear of their enemies. The fact that it was not demonstrated the true nature of their wickedness. This is why Moses added: ותזדו, "you sinned deliberately." Furthermore, Moses wanted to make the point that the belated display by the Israelites of faith in G'd's protective powers and their willingness to face the Canaanites was not what it appeared to be at the surface. They once more acted in a rebellious fashion, not because they were throwing themselves on G'd's mercy. They should have humbled themselves; instead they did the very reverse.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:45:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 1:45:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/1:45:1)

**וַתָּשׁוּבוּ וַתִּבְכּוּ וְגוֹ׳ וְלֹא שָׁמַע ה׳ וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב, אִם הַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה שֶׁשָּׁבוּ מֵהַמִּלְחָמָה וַיִּבְכּוּ עַל מַה שֶׁהִכּוּ מֵהֶם הָאֱמוֹרִיִּים, אֵין יָדוּעַ מְכֻוָּן הַסִּפּוּר בָּזֶה. גַּם אָמְרוֹ **וְלֹא שָׁמַע** וְגוֹ׳ **וְלֹא הֶאֱזִין** וְגוֹ׳ אִם הַבְּכִי הָיָה עַל צָרָה שֶׁעָבְרָה עֲלֵיהֶם, מַה מָקוֹם לְמַאֲמָר זֶה. אָכֵן נִרְאֶה שֶׁכַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הִיא שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁהִכּוּם הָאֱמוֹרִיִּים נִכְנְעוּ לִפְנֵי ה׳ וְשָׁבוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה גַּם בִּבְכִי עַל עָוֹן כְּמִשְׁפַּט הַשָּׁבִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן גָּדְלָה צַחֲנָתָם שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע ה׳ תְּשׁוּבָתָם וְלֹא הֶאֱזִין לִבְכִיָּתָם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ותשובו ותבכו לפני השם, "you returned and wept in the presence of the Lord."** We need to analyze the meaning of this verse. If the meaning is that these people returned from their ill-fated attempt to conquer the mountain and that they wept over their failure and the casualties they had suffered at the hands of the Emorites, this is certainly not made plain by the wording of the verse. Besides, if so, what is the meaning of such expressions as: "G'd did not hearken, and G'd did not give ear?" If the weeping concerned an event which had already occurred, such expressions are pointless! We must assume therefore that what Moses is telling us is that only after the defeat by the Emorites did the Israelites finally decide to humble themselves before the Lord, becoming penitents. They wept in recognition of their great guilt. Nonetheless, and in spite of their profession of humility, G'd did not listen to their prayers, i.e. He did not reverse the evil decree He had issued.