## Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy Chapter 34

###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:1:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:1:1)

**וַיַּרְאֵהוּ ה׳ אֶת כָּל וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ הִפְעִיל ה׳ בּוֹ רְאוּת, מַה שֶׁאֵין גְּבוּל בָּעַיִן לִרְאוֹת בְּאֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵי דְרָכִים: אוֹ יָאִיר עֵינָיו מֵאוֹר זָרוּעַ לַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא אוֹר שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית גָּנוּז לַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה יב.) שֶׁבּוֹ יַבִּיט הָאָדָם מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם; אוֹ הִקְרִיב הָאָרֶץ לְמוּל עֵינָיו וְהֶרְאָה אוֹתָהּ לוֹ לְפָנָיו:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויראהו ה׳ את כל הארץ; G'd showed him the entire country.** The Torah may mean that G'd enhanced Moses' natural eyesight so as to enable him to see the whole land in all its details. This could be achieved by one of two means. 1) To provide Moses with additional eyesight by enabling him to utilise the original light G'd created on the first day of creation which He withdrew from man as a result of Adam's sin. According to *Chagigah* 2, Adam had been able to see from one end of the earth to the other by means of that light. 2) Or, G'd brought the land closer to Moses so that he could see it in detail with his normal eyesight.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:4:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:4:1)

**לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה.** אָמְרוֹ ״לֵאמֹר״, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר נֹסַח זֶה שֶׁל ״לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה״ לִשְׁלָשְׁתָּם, לָזֶה אָמַר ״לֵאמֹר״, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁמְּכֻוָּן הַמַּאֲמָר הוּא זֶה ״לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה״. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות יח:) דָּרְשׁוּ שֶׁצִּוָּהוּ שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם לָאָבוֹת וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. וְאוּלַי כִּי רָצָה ה׳ שֶׁיֹּאמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה הַדְּבָרִים לְהַחְזִיק לוֹ הָאָבוֹת טוֹבַת חֵן וָחֶסֶד עַל אֲשֶׁר טָרַח וְיָגַע הוּא בַּעֲדָם עַד הֲבִיאָם אֶל הַמָּקוֹם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**לאמור לזרעך אתננה, to say: "to your descendants I will give it."** The reason the Torah had to write the word לאמור "to say" at this juncture, was that as of now G'd had not given this information to the patriarchs. [In connection with a statement that the dead communicate with one another, Ed.], our sages in *Berachot* 18 claim that G'd ordered Moses to tell the three patriarchs (after his death) that He had already discharged the oath He had sworn to them to give the land to their descendants. Perhaps the reason G'd wanted Moses to tell the patriarchs [instead of telling them Himself, Ed.] may have been so that Moses would make sure that the patriarchs would appreciate that G'd was able to keep His promise to them only after having overcome many difficulties and setbacks en route.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:4:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:4:2)

**וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תַעֲבֹר.** אוּלַי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָרֵךְ לַעֲבוֹר שָׁמָּה לַעֲלוֹת דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם מִשַּׁעַר הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁהוּא שָׁמָּה, וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זוהר ח״א פא.) שֶׁאֵין הַנְּפָשׁוֹת עוֹלוֹת אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם. וּמֹשֶׁה לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱסַף אֶל הַשְּׁכִינָה הִנֵּה מְקוֹמוֹ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא שָׁם. וְזֶה הוּא שִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב: וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תִצְטָרֵךְ לַעֲבוֹר אֶל מְקוֹמְךָ, וְסָמַךְ אוֹמֶר ״וַיָּמָת שָׁם וְגוֹ׳ עַל פִּי ה׳״, וְהָבֵן:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ושמה לא תעבור, "but you yourself will not cross there."** Perhaps the reason this is repeated at this point is that G'd wanted to tell Moses that he did **not need** to enter the gate to heaven by first having set foot in the land of Israel. The *Zohar* volume one page 81 says that all the souls ascend to heaven by way of ארץ ישראל. Seeing that Moses' soul was being gathered up by G'd personally, and that G'd immediately deposited it in the Celestial Regions, there was no need for his soul to travel via ארץ ישראל in order to achieve its objective. The words וימת שם משה mean that **where** Moses died his soul ascended to heaven immediately.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:5:1)

**וַיָּמָת שָׁם.** פֵּרוּשׁ, שָׁם לְבַד הוּא שֶׁמֵּת, אֲבָל הוּא חַי בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר קָדוֹשׁ וְעֶלְיוֹן עַל פִּי ה׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וימת שם משה, "Moses died there, etc."** The Torah emphasises that Moses only died **there,** whereas he lives on in more sacred regions.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:6:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:6:1)

**עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.** הֵם דִּבְרֵי ה׳, שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר וּמֹשֶׁה כּוֹתֵב, וּכְמוֹ כֵן מַאֲמָרִים הַקּוֹדְמִים לָזֶה, ״וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה״, ״וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**עד היום הזה, until this day.** These are G'd's words recorded by Moses. The same applies to the previous statement: "Moses died there."


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:6:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:6:2)

**וְרָאִיתִי** לְהָרַב רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם בֶּן עֶזְרָא שֶׁכָּתַב שֶׁיְּהוֹשֻׁעַ כָּתַב כֵּן. וְאֵין רָאוּי לִכְתֹּב כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בִּפְשָׁטֵי הַכְּתוּבִים, שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה לֹא הִשְׁלִים הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה שֶׁמָּסַר לַלְוִיִּם, שֶׁבְּאָזְנַי שָׁמַעְתִּי מִבְּנֵי עַמֵּנוּ מִסְתַּבְּכִים בְּדָבָר זֶה וּמְסַעֲפִים מִזֶּה כְּפִירָה בַּתּוֹרָה, וְזוֹ הִיא טַעֲנַת הַגּוֹיִם, שֶׁמִּבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּקְּנוּ הַמִּכְתָּב וְנִמְצָא בָּהּ מַה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה וְלֹא הָיָה מַה שֶׁהָיָה. וְיִשְׁתַּקַּע הַדְּבָרִים וְדוֹמֵיהֶם, הָסֵבִּי עֵינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדָּם. וְהָעִקָּר שֶׁכָּל הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה כְּתָבוֹ מֹשֶׁה, וּכְאָמְרָם (בבא בתרא טו.) הִשְׁלִימוֹ בְּדֶמַע.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
I have seen a comment by Rabbi Avraham ben Ezra according to which these lines were written by Joshua. It is not proper to write such things and present them as the plain meaning of the verses; this would give rise to the impression that Moses had not completed the written Torah himself when he handed it over to the Levites. I have heard a number of our people who are very confused about this section and who as a result may commit heresy in their attitude to the written Torah. Comments such as the one I have quoted in the name of Rabbi Avraham ben Ezra are typical of the Gentiles who claim that Israelites have tampered with the text of the holy Torah so that it contains things which were not there originally while it omits things which had been included originally. We must accept the statement in *Baba Batra* 15 that Moses wrote the entire Torah whereas he completed the writing of these last eight verses by using tears instead of ink [or by weeping while writing it. Ed.]. [This criticism of Ibn Ezra seems hard to accept as there is an opinion in the Talmud (Rabbi Yehudah) on the folio we have quoted that Joshua wrote these last eight verses. Surely our author does not include the Talmud in his accusation! Perhaps the author had a version of the Ibn Ezra in which the last eight verses are described as having been written by Joshua **at a later stage** of his life. Ed.]


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:7:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:7:1)

**בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה בְּמֹתוֹ.** פֵּרוּשׁ, עִם יְצִיאַת נַפְשׁוֹ נִגְמְרוּ הַמֵּאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה. עוֹד נִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַסְמִיךְ ״בְּמֹתוֹ״ לְמַאֲמַר ״לֹא כָהֲתָה עֵינוֹ״, לְהָעִיר שֶׁאַחַר מִיתָה הוּא אוֹמֵר ״לֹא כָהֲתָה״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**בן מאה ועשרים שנה במותו. he was 120 years old at his death.** This means that at the precise moment his soul left him Moses had completed 120 years. Another nuance the Torah may have in mind by writing the word "at his death" is that seeing the Torah reported only afterwards that neither Moses' eyesight nor his vigor had diminished that this statement was true up until the moment Moses died.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:8:1)

**וַיִּבְכּוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.** וּבְאַהֲרֹן אָמַר (במדבר כ:כט) ״כֹּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל״, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות דרבי נתן פרק יב) נָתְנוּ טַעַם לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְכוּ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויבכו בני ישראל, The Jewish people wept, etc.** When Aaron's death is reported in Numbers 20,29, the Torah wrote that "the whole house of Israel wept for thirty days." Our sages in *Avot de Rabbi Natan* 12 claim that Aaron's having been a lover of peace was the reason why he was mourned even more than Moses when he died.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:8:2)

**וְרַבִּי** אַבְרָהָם בֶּן עֶזְרָא כָּתַב שֶׁבָּכוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לִכְבוֹד מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה חַי, וְאֵין לְהַאֲמִין לְפֵרוּשׁוֹ, שֶׁאֵין לְהַטִּיל מוּם בַּמַּעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב שֶׁעָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּהוּ בִּשְׁבִיל מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה חַי, וּלְמֹשֶׁה עַצְמוֹ כְּשֶׁמֵּת הֶעֱלִימוּ מֵהַחֵם בְּהֶסְפֵּדוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Rabbi Avraham ben Ezra wrote that the line in Numbers refers to the whole house of Israel weeping **in honour of Moses** who remained alive. One must not accept his explanation as it is not permissible to change a verse which describes a virtue of the people and to downgrade this virtue by attributing it to a less noble consideration. By doing so Ibn Ezra suggests that when Moses himself died the people did not get unduly upset when he was being eulogised.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:8:3)

**וְאוּלַי** יֵשׁ לָתֵת טַעַם, כִּי אַהֲרֹן לֹא יָדְעוּ בְּמִיתָתוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁמֵּת, וְרָאוּ פִּתְאוֹם שֶׁמֵּת, וְדָבָר כָּזֶה יְעוֹרֵר כָּל לֵב לִפְתֹּחַ מְקוֹר דִּמְעַת עֵינוֹ, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן מֹשֶׁה שֶׁכְּבָר יָדְעוּ מִיתָתוֹ, וּבְכָל דְּבָרָיו וְתוֹכְחוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָיָה אוֹמֵר לָהֶם (דברים ד:כב) ״כִּי אָנֹכִי מֵת וְגוֹ׳ אֵינֶנִּי עֹבֵר״ וְגוֹ׳, וְלָזֶה לֹא הוּחַם הֶסְפֵּדוֹ כְּאַהֲרֹן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Perhaps we may understand the difference in the people's reaction to the two deaths as stemming from the fact that Aaron's death was unexpected whereas they had been informed well in advance that Moses was about to die. The sudden realisation that Aaron had died had a more profound effect on the people. Moses had told the people for six weeks running, during all his exhortations, that he was approaching his death (compare Deut. 4,22). No wonder that they did not react as profoundly at the time Moses was eulogised as at the time Aaron was eulogised.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:4
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:8:4)

**עוֹד** אֶפְשָׁר כִּי מִיתַת אַהֲרֹן הִרְגִּישָׁתָם בְּיוֹתֵר, לְפִי שֶׁתֵּכֶף נִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד וְהוּסַר מְסוּכָּתָם, וְזֶה סִבֵּב בִּיאַת הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְגוֹ׳ (במדבר כא:א), לָזֶה נִתְעוֹרְרוּ יַחַד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לִבְכּוֹת, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן בְּמִיתַת מֹשֶׁה, הֲגַם שֶׁנִּטְּלוּ עֲנָנִים וְכוּ׳, לֹא הֵעִירוּ עַל זֶה, גַּם נִטְרְדוּ בְּשִׂמְחַת בִּיאַת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Another possible reason for the difference in the reported reaction of the people was due to the immediate **visible** effects of Aaron's death such as the disappearance of the protective clouds which had hovered over the encampment of the Israelites ever since the Exodus. Their disappearance had been followed immediately with an attack by the Canaanite as explained in *Taanit* 3. These factors combined to stir the entire nation into weeping at Aaron's death. When Moses died they did not experience such a negative fallout; on the contrary, they knew the way was clear to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land of Canaan.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:5
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:8:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:8:5)

**עוֹד** אֶפְשָׁר, שֶׁבְּמִיתַת מֹשֶׁה תֵּכֶף רָאוּ דָּבָר חָדָשׁ, שֶׁשָּׁרְתָה שְׁכִינָה עַל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְלָקְחוּ נֶחָמָה. מָשָׁל לְמִי שֶׁנֶּאֶבְדָה לוֹ מַרְגָּלִית וּמָצָא אַחֶרֶת בִּמְקוֹמָהּ, לוּ יְהִי שֶׁאֵינָהּ דּוֹמָה אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יִתְנַחֵם בָּהּ, וְלָזֶה לֹא בָּכוּ כֻּלָּן, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁסָּמַךְ לְמַאֲמַר ״וַיִּבְכּוּ״ ״וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן״ וְגוֹ׳. מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן בְּמִיתַת אַהֲרֹן אִבְּדוּ מַרְגָּלִית וְלֹא מָצְאוּ בְּמַה יִתְנַחֲמוּ, וַהֲגַם שֶׁנִּתְמַנָּה אֶלְעָזָר תַּחְתָּיו לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא בּוֹכִים עַל חֶסְרוֹן כְּהוּנָה גְּדוֹלָה, אֶלָּא עַל חֶסְרוֹן תּוֹעֲלִיּוֹת שֶׁמֵּעַצְמוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לָהֶם תְּמוּרָתוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Still another possibility to explain this relatively muted reaction by the Jewish people to Moses' death was the fact that immediately after Moses died the *Shechinah* settled on Joshua. The people took comfort from this fact. This may be compared to someone who has lost a bag of precious stones, but has found some pearls instead. Although he mourns the loss of the stones, he does not do so with the same intensity as he would have done had he not found the pearls. This is why not all of the people wept at Moses' death. This is also the reason that the report of the people weeping for the death of Moses is followed immediately by the report that Joshua was filled with a spirit of wisdom, etc. When Aaron had died this was equivalent to the loss of diamonds which had not been replaced by other precious stones. Even though Eleazar was appointed as High Priest in his father's stead, they did not weep for the absence of a High Priest but for the loss of something which was irreplaceable, i.e. the benefits Aaron's presence had bestowed upon them.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:10:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:10:1)

**וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד.** פֵּרוּשׁ – וְלֹא קָם עַד עַתָּה. וְאָמְרוֹ ״עוֹד״, פֵּרוּשׁ – וְלֹא יָקוּם עוֹד כָּמוֹהוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ולא קם נביא עוד, and no other prophet arose, etc.** The past tense קם means that as of the time when these words were written no other comparable prophet had arisen. The addition of the word עוד means that no comparable prophet would arise in the future either.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:10:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:10:2)

וְאָמְרוֹ **בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל** – רָמַז שֶׁכָּל הַשָּׂגַת נְבוּאָתוֹ הָיְתָה בְּאֶמְצָעוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מֵהַשָּׁנִים שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נְזוּפִים לֹא נִדְבַּר עִמּוֹ ה׳. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה דָּרְשׁוּ (ספרי דברים לד:י) אֲבָל בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְכוּ׳:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**בישראל, "amongst the people of Israel."** This is a hint that the greatness of Moses as a prophet was due in large measure to the people of Israel. This is supported by the statement in the *Sifri* that during all the years when the Jewish people were in G'd's disfavour, G'd did not even communicate with Moses. Our sages claim that the word בישראל means that whereas no comparable prophet arose in Israel, there was a prophet of comparable stature amongst the Gentiles, i.e. Bileam.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:1
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:11:1)

וְאָמְרוֹ **לְכָל הָאֹתוֹת וְגוֹ׳** – נִמְשָׁךְ עִם מַה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה ״יְדָעוֹ ה׳ פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים״ לְכָל הָאוֹתוֹת, פֵּרוּשׁ לְצוֹרֶךְ הָאוֹתוֹת וְגוֹ׳, וְהַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁעַל כָּל אוֹת וּמוֹפֵת שֶׁשְּׁלָחוֹ ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת, הָיָה יוֹדְעוֹ פָּנִים בְּפָנִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**לכל האותות as evident by all the signs, etc.** This verse is part of the previous verse in which the relationship between Moses and G'd is described as one where they talked to each other face to face. The reason this was so was to enable Moses to perform all the miracles he had performed. In other words, G'd had informed Moses face to face when instructing him to perform the miracles.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:2
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:11:2)

**עוֹד** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבָּ״ם בְּהִלְכוֹת דֵּעוֹת שֶׁהַנָּבִיא שֶׁיָּקוּם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה מוֹפְתִים גְּדוֹלִים כְּאוֹתָם שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה, אֶלָּא כָּל שֶׁהוּא מֵהַמּוֹפְתִים שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה וְכוּ׳. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁבִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת אָמְרָה הַתּוֹרָה חוֹזֶק הָאֱמוּנָה בְּמֹשֶׁה: א׳, עַל הַיָּם דִּכְתִיב (שמות יד:לא) ״וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בַּה׳ וּבְמֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ״. ב׳, בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה דִּכְתִיב (שמות יט:ט) ״וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
We may also understand these words in light of what Maimonides wrote in chapter 10,1 of his *Hilchot Yesodey HaTorah* that when a prophet arises in Israel there is no need for him to legitimise himself through the performance of miracles such as the ones performed by Moses in which the laws of nature were changed. It suffices if he correctly predicts events which will take place in the future. You will find that the Torah wrote something reflecting the people's belief in Moses as a prophet on two separate occasions. One occasion is in Exodus 14,31 where the Torah reports that "the people believed in G'd and in Moses His servant." The second occasion is Exodus 19,9 where G'd promised Moses that the people would have faith in him on an ongoing basis.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:3
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:11:3)

**וְעַיֵּין** מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק ״דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה״ (שמות כ:טז), שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי וּנְקַבְּלָה, שֶׁכְּבָר הִצְדִּיקוּ נְבוּאָתוֹ בְּהַצְדָּקָה מוּרְגֶּשֶׁת וּגְלוּיָה לָהֶם, וְלָזֶה בָּא דְּבַר ה׳ וְאָמַר ״וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל״ וְגוֹ׳:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Please refer to what I have written on Exodus 20,16 in connection with the words: "speak with us and we will listen." I explained there that the meaning is that the Israelites expressed their willingness to **accept** whatever Moses would tell them in G'd's name. This proves that they had previously accepted him as a prophet.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:4
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:11:4)

**הַטַּעַם** כִּי מֹשֶׁה נָתַן כָּל הָאוֹתוֹת, מַה שֶׁאֵין נָבִיא אַחֵר עוֹשֶׂה כָּזֶה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר כֻּלָּן. וְעוֹד ״לְכֹל הַיָּד הַחֲזָקָה״ שֶׁהוּא קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף שֶׁבּוֹ הֶאֱמִינוּ, ״וּלְכֹל הַמּוֹרָא הַגָּדוֹל״ שֶׁהוּא בְּמַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי, שֶׁבּוֹ גָּמְרוּ לְהַאֲמִין לֹא יָקוּם עוֹד נָבִיא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה כָּזֶה:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
This is why the Torah writes here that no prophet like Moses arose again amongst the Israelites, i.e. no other prophet enjoyed the complete trust of the people as had Moses. **ולכל היד החזקה**. These words refer to the miracles of splitting the sea of reeds, which was one of the miracles that caused the people to believe in Moses; the words ולכל המוראה הגדול refer to the revelation at Mount Sinai and Moses' share in it. At that time the people realised there would never be another prophet who would be able to do this.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:5
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:11:5)

**וְגָמַר** אוֹמֶר ״לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל״, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁהֵם בְּעַצְמָן רָאוּ הַדְּבָרִים, וְלֹא לְצַד הָאֱמוּנָה כְּסֵדֶר שֶׁעוֹשִׂים בִּשְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים הַבָּאִים אַחֲרָיו, אֶלָּא בְּעֵינֵיהֶם רָאוּ כִּי מֹשֶׁה נְבִיא ה׳ אֱמֶת וְתוֹרָתוֹ תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהִים **חַיִּים** אֱמֶת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The Torah concludes with the words לעיני כל ישראל, before the eyes of the whole nation of Israel. This means these people all were eye witnesses to the miracles performed by Moses. They did not have to rely on reports by other later prophets who would tell them about this. They **knew** that Moses the prophet of G'd was true, that his Torah was true, and that the living G'd was a true fact.


###### Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:6
[Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 34:11:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Deuteronomy/r/34:11:6)

**חסלת פרשת וזאת הברכה**