## Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim

###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:3:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:3:1)

**רב לכם סב את ההר הזה.** מנעם מלהתגרות בבני עשו מפני שכבד את אביו ואין הקב"ה מקפח שכר כל בריה, וכדי שלא יהא לו פתחון פה לעולם הבא שכבר נטל שכרו בעולם הזה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
רב לכם סב את ההר הזה, “you have spent enough time being around this mountain.” G’d prevented the people from harassing the Edomites out of regard for the fact that their patriarch Esau had shown much honour to their mutual father Yitzchak. G’d does not shortchange a single creature of the reward due to it. The reason is so that such a creature would not have an argument in the world to come and G’d could say to it that it had already received all the reward due to it for the merits it had accumulated while on earth.


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:3:2
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:3:2)

**פנו לכם צפונה.** אמרו במדרש רבה, אם באתה שעתו של עשו הצפינו עצמכם מלפניו, שנאמר פנו לכם צפונה. דבר אחר פנו לכם צפונה, אמר הקב"ה מזבח אחד יש לי והוא עתיד לפגרו. דבר אחר פנו לכם צפונה, צפון אחד היה לי ביניכם זה בית המקדש שהייתי נצפן עמכם בו, והוא עתיד להחריבו שנאמר (יחזקאל ז׳:כ״ב) והסבותי פני מהם וחללו את צפוני.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
פנו לכם צפונה, “turn yourselves northward!” Devarim Rabbah 1,19 comments on this that when the time arrives for Esau to be supreme, it behooves Israel to move north. Another comment from the Midrash: G’d said: “I have only one Altar and he (Esau) is going to destroy it.” [It is seen as a concealed warning not to make common cause with the people who in the end will destroy the Temple. The Israelites (Hyrcan and Antipater) who called in the Romans for political reasons lived to suffer the consequences. The word צפון is understood as something hidden, exclusive; in other words: “do not share your exclusive and direct ‘hotline’ to G’d.” Ed.]


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:4:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:4:1)

**אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשו.** אע"פ שהם בני עשו, אחיכם הם. בגבול, מעלתו גבול יש לה ובאין הכל ומזדווגין לו שנאמר (עובדיה ז) עד הגבול שלחוך, מכאן ואילך השיאוך יכלו לך.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשו, “you are passing through the boundary of your brethren the descendants of Esau, etc.” G’d reminds the people that although these people are descended from Esau they are still to be considered as “your brethren.” 
 The word בגבול is an allusion to the fact that even Edom/Esau’s ascendancy (the Roman Empire) will have a limit גבול, although all the people of the earth are eager to join that Empire and they stream from all sides to join that culture. The Midrash uses a verse in Ovadiah 7 to prove this. The prophet writes: “all your allies turned you back at the frontier;” the second part of the verse reads: “they have duped you and overcome you.” The prophet describes how the one-time fair-weather friends of Rome have abandoned it and worse. The first half of the verse describes Edom/Esau’s ascent, the second half its decline.


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:4:2
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:4:2)

**וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד.** ומה היא השמירה, אל תתגרו בם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד, ”they will fear you; but you shall be very careful.” In what way can you be careful? By not harassing them and provoking them.”


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:4:3
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:4:3)

**ובמדרש** רבה וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד, אמר ר' אלעזר אוי לאזנים שכך שומעות, ומה אם בשעה שייראו מכם אמר ונשמרתם מאד, כשאנו יראים מהם על אחת כמה וכמה. ר' יהושע בשם ר' לוי אמר וייראו מכם ונשמרתם מאד, מבקשים אתם שייראו מכם, עסקו בתורה, כמה דתימר (דברים ד׳:י״ד-ט״ו) ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Rabbi Eleazar in Devarim Rabbah reflected on this verse by saying: “woe to the ears who have to listen to such instructions! If we have to be worried about the Edomites even while they are afraid of us, what is it going to be like under conditions when we are afraid of the Edomites seeing we are in exile, under their sovereignty!” Rabbi Joshua ben Levi preferred to read the words as the following message: “if you want them to be afraid of you, what can you do to ensure this? Be very careful with Torah observance, i.e. ונשמרתם מאד.” This expression has been used by the Torah also when warning us to protect our lives through maintaining our physical health (Deut. 4,15).


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:5:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:5:1)

**עד מדרך כף רגל.** אפילו דריכת הרגל בה איני נותן לכם רשות שלא ברצונם,

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
עד מדרוך כף רגל, “even the right to set foot.” G’d forbade the Israelites to set foot in the territory of the Edomites unless specific permission had been obtained.


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:5:2
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:5:2)

**ובמדרש**עד מדרך כף רגלם עד שיבא יום דריכת הרגל על הר הזיתים, שנאמר (זכריה יד) ועמדו רגליו ביום ההוא על הר הזיתים. ובמקום אחר דרשו, עד מדרך כף רגל עד (ישעיה סג) פורה דרכתי לבדי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
A Midrashic approach mentioned by Rashi: the word עד is understood as indicating a time in history, i.e. until the day comes when the Lord’s “feet” are described as standing on the Mount of Olives ushering in the redemption and the destruction of Edom and all it stands for (Zecharyah chapter 14). Another view expressed in Devarim Rabbah (Lieberman edition 24), also understanding the word עד as a reference to a certain point in time, links setting foot on Edom’s territory to Isaiah 63, a chapter in which the prophet deals with G’d returning from making war against Edom. In verse 3 of that chapter we read (G’d speaking) “I trod out a vintage alone...their life-blood bespattered My garments and all My clothing was stained.”


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:5:3
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:5:3)

**כי ירושה לעשו.** מאברהם, עשר עממין נתתי לו לאברהם, שבעה שלכם, וקיני וקנזי וקדמוני הן של עמון ומואב ושעיר, נתתי אחת מהן לעשו והשתים לבני לוט.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי ירושה לעשו, “for it is an inheritance for Esau.” This claim goes back to Avraham. G’d said that He had allocated the territory of 10 nations to the descendants of Avraham, seven to the Israelites, whereas the territories of the Keyni, the Kenizi, and the Kadmoni were given to Ammon, Moav and Se'ir. One of these territories was allocated to Esau, the other two to the descendants of Lot (Rashi).


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:6:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:6:1)

**אכל תשברו מאתם.** בתמיה, וכי צריכין אתם לקנות אוכל ומים מאתם והלא אינכם חסרים כלום, ולכך סמך לו כי ה' אלהיך ברכך בכל מעשה ידיך זה ארבעים שנה לא חסרת דבר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אכל תשברו מאתם, “You may purchase food from them;” Our author understands these words as a question: “Do you need to purchase food from them? Are you short of water?” In other words: “seeing that all your needs are taken care of why would you be interested to set foot on the soil of these people?” This is also why the Torah immediately continuous with: “for the Lord your G’d has blessed you in all your handiwork during all these forty years.”


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:8:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:8:1)

**ונעבור מאת אחינו בני עשו היושבים בשעיר מדרך הערבה מאילת ומעציון גבר.** עברנו מדרכים הערבים שבתורה ועל איילותיה של תורה, ומעציון גבר מה דעציון לגברא דעלמא דאמרי נעשה ונשמע ולא עבדין כן. כן אמרו במדרש רבה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ונעבור מאת אחינו בני עשו היושבים בשעיר מדרך הערבה מאילת ומעציון גבר, “we moved on away from our kinsmen the descendants of Esau, who dwell in Seir; from the way to the Aravah, from Eylat and from Etzyon-gever.” We turned away from (ערבה) from the paths of the Lord and Torah; this is why the Edomites were not given to us to conquer at this time (a Midrash found in Lieberman’s edition of Devarim Rabbah, not the standard printed text) [The implication of the words עציון גבר in this Midrash is that instead of honoring the נעשה ונשמע the Israelites had pledged at Sinai, they regressed to man-made counsel, the result being a reduced-size Eretz Yisrael. Ed.]


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:11:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:11:1)

**רפאים יחשבו אף הם כענקים.** פירש רש"י ז"ל סבורין אתם שזו ארץ רפאים שנתתי לאברהם לפי שהאימים שהם רפאים ישבו בה לפנים, אבל אינה זו, כי אותן רפאים הורשתי לבני לוט והושבתים תחתם. רפאים היו נחשבים אותן אימים כענקים הנקראים רפאים, על שם שכל הרואה אותן ידיו מתרפות. אימים על שם שאימתן מוטלת על הבריות. וכן ובשעיר ישבו החורים הם בני שעיר החורי ונתתיה לבני עשו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
רפאים יחשבו אף הם כענקים, “the Rephaim were also considered as similar to giants.” According to Rashi, Moses says to the Israelites: “you thought that this is the land of the Rephaim which I have allocated to Avraham, seeing that the Eymim who are identical with the Rephaim used to live there. However, this is not correct; the territory of those Rephaim I have allocated to the descendants of Lot and I have made the descendants of Lot settle there. The reason that these Rephaim were considered as identical with the Eymim, fear-inspiring like the giants was that although they themselves were not giants, they nonetheless succeeded in making everyone afraid of them as if they had been giants. We find a similar construction in verse 12: ובשעיר ישבו החורים, “and the Chorim who had lived in Seir.” This is a reference to the inhabitants of that land before Esau took over that territory allocated to him by G’d.


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:16:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:16:1)

**ויהי כאשר תמו כל אנשי המלחמה וגו' וידבר ה' אלי לאמר.** ע"ד הפשט כאשר נודע לישראל בבירור שתמו כל אנשי המלחמה למות מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה, אז נתיחד אלי הדבור וצוה הקב"ה אותנו שנעבור גבול מואב. ודעת רז"ל שלא נתיחד הדבור עם משה עד שכלו מתי מדבר, כי מעלתו של משה בשביל ישראל היתה, ישראל היו נזופין כל ל"ח שנה והיום שנודע להם זה ט"ו באב היה כשנתמלאה הלבנה כדאיתא במסכת תענית, והיה היום ההוא גדול אצל ישראל בשמחה גדולה שבו ידעו בבטול הגזרה, גם אצל האיש משה גדול מאד בחזרת הנבואה אליו שבו נתיחד לו הדבור. ומה שלא נתיחד עמו מיד כשכלתה הגזרה בעשירי, לפי שהיה מתאבל משה על הגזרה שבעה ימים מן הט' עד ט"ו, ואין הנבואה שורה מתוך עצבות אלא מתוך שמחה, ומטעם זה לא נתיחד עמו עד ט"ו, ומעתה יהיו הכל שמחים כאחד, משה ובני ישראל. ולכך לא מצינו לשון וידבר מששלח משה מרגלים עד כאן אלא לשון ויאמר, לפי שלא התנבא מתוך אספקלריא המאירה. ובכאן גלו לנו חכמי האמת מעלת לשון וידבר על לשון ויאמר, ומזה אמרו וידבר ה' אלי, אלי היה הדבור, כלומר עכשיו בדבור ולא קודם לכן אלא באמירה. ומזה תבין דבר ירמיה שאמר (ירמיהו א׳:ו׳-ז׳) ואומר אהה ה' אלהים הנה לא ידעתי דבר כי נער אנכי, יאמר שלא השיג מעלת הדבור שהוא אספקלריא המאירה אלא אספקלריא שאינה מאירה, ולכך הזכיר אחר שם אל"ף דל"ת, יו"ד ה"א אחריו, שהיא אספקלריא שאינה מאירה, מדת הדין שבה הרחמים, והיא השגת הנביאים כלן, ולכך סמך לו מיד (שם פסוק ז) ויאמר ה' אלי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויהי כאשר תמו כל אנשי המלחמה למות ...וידבר ה' אלי לאמור, “It was after all the arms-bearing men had finished dying, the Lord spoke to me, etc.” According to the plain meaning of text Moses is telling the people that as soon as the Israelites had become aware that all the men who had been 20 years old at the Exodus had died, G’d communicated once more with Moses and commanded the people to march past the territory of Moav.
 According to our sages in Taanit 30 G’d had not spoken (individually) with Moses since the time the spies had died and the generation of the adults who had been redeemed from Egypt had been condemned to die in the desert. This proved that Moses’ elevated position was entirely due to the people he represented. When these people were in disgrace, Moses was made to feel this. This condition remained static for 38 years until the 15th of Av of the fortieth year. This day became a day of great rejoicing as the fact that G’d commenced His dialogue with Moses indicated that the people were once again in a state of grace. It was also a special day for Moses personally as it signaled the return of his prophetic powers. The reason that the prophetic powers did not already return to Moses on the 10th of Av, i.e. precisely after the anniversary of the debacle with the spies, was because at that time, in the second year when the decree against the people had been promulgated, Moses observed 7 days of mourning for the decree, a period when he would not have been the recipient of prophetic insights, seeing that a state of joy is required for a person to possess such powers. Now, on the 15th of the month of Av, both Moses and the people could rejoice simultaneously.
 If you will peruse the text of the Torah starting with the debacle of the spies’ mission, you will not find that G’d addressed Moses, i.e. the words וידבר ה' אל משה. You will only find ויאמר ה' אל משה, i.e. a level of communication reserved for prophets of lesser stature, people who receive an “indistinct message,” the kind G’d referred to when He rebuked Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12,6 (compare Baba Batra 121). This will also help you understand Jeremiah 1,6 who had said to G’d: “here I am only a lad, and I do not know how to speak, דבר.” He did not mean that he had a speech impediment, but that due to his low level of prophetic insight he could not communicate his message with the appropriate degree of clarity. He alluded to this by adding the word אהה before saying א-ד-נ-י אלוקים, The fact that G’d communicated with Jeremiah on the lower level of prophecy is confirmed by verse 7 in that chapter, i.e. ויאמר ה' אלי. [Incidentally, seeing that in Korach, etc. we do find the formula of וידבר ה' אל משה, this may be proof that the uprising of Korach had occurred prior to the debacle with the spies. This editor has always felt that Korach’s bid for power made little sense seeing that all the people who joined him were bound to perish in the desert, ignominiously, so why risk your life for such positions? Ed.].


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:24:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:24:1)

**החל רש.** מלשון ירושה. ודרשו רז"ל החל רש, עשיתי ארצו חולין לפניך. והכוונה בזה כי עמון ומואב טיהרו בסיחון, ומעתה מותר להם לכבוש הארץ כי היא של סיחון.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
החל רש, “commence to take possession;” רש is derived from ירושה, meaning 'inheritance'. According to Jerusalem Talmud Sheviit 6,1 the word החל is derived from חולין, “profane, not sacred.” G’d told Moses that as far as the Israelites were concerned, He had made the land of the Emorites no longer “sacred” i.e. out of bounds to the Jewish people. It was permitted to conquer that land seeing that it belonged to an idolater, Sichon. [I suppose this means “as opposed to the Moabites who had owned most of it at one time and whose territory G’d had declared out of bounds to the Israelites.” Ed.].


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:25:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:25:1)

**אחל תת פחדך.** כאן רמז שעמדה לו חמה למשה במלחמת עוג כשם שעמדה ליהושע, וכן דרשו במסכת תענית שלשה נקדה להם חמה, משה יהושע נקדימון בן גוריון. נקדימון גמרא, יהושע דכתיב (יהושע י׳:י״ג) שמש בגבעון דום, וכתיב (שם) ויעמוד השמש בחצי השמים, משה מנלן אמר ר' אלעזר אתיא אחל אחל, כתיב הכא אחל תת פחדך וכתיב ביהושע (שם ג) אחל גדלך, רבי יוחנן אמר אתיא תת תת, כתיב הכא תת פחדך וכתיב התם (שם י) ביום תת ה' את האמורי, ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר אתיא מגופיה דקרא, דכתיב אחל תת פחדך ויראתך על פני העמים תחת כל השמים אשר ישמעון שמעך ורגזו וחלו מפניך, אמתי רגזו וחלו מפניך כל העמים אשר תחת כל השמים בזמן שעמדה לי חמה למשה, כלומר שנודע הדבר בכל הכיפה, ולכך הזכיר היום הזה, ואיך יתכן שינתן פחדו ויראתו על פני העמים שתחת כל השמים כי אם בעמידת חמה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אחל תת פחדך, “I shall begin to put the fear of you, etc.” This verse contains a hint that the sun stood still for Moses during the battle against Og just as it stood still in Joshua’s time. This is the opinion of the sages in Taanit 20 who say that there were three people on whose account the orbit of the sun was arrested. They were: Moses, Joshua, Nakdimon son of Gurion. The latter case is testified to by the Talmud. [The miracle was performed in order for Nakdimon not to have to pay a huge sum pledged to the Romans in exchange for water from their stores for the Jews in the event it would not rain by a certain date. Ed.]. We know that the sun was arrested in its orbit in response to a prayer by Joshua when he asked in Joshua 10,12: “let the sun remain still at Givon and the moon at Ajalon.” This is followed in verse 13 by: “the sun stood half way up in the sky.” How do we know that something similar occurred for Moses? Rabbi Eliezer points to the word אחל in our verse, and the same word in Joshua 3,7 where G’d promises Joshua to display his greatness to the people. G’d adds that “just as I was with Moses I will be with you.” The implication is that the performance of the miracle of the sun standing still for Joshua will prove that he, just as Moses for whom the sun had also stood still, is great.
 Rabbi Yochanan brings a different proof from the word תת. In our verse G’d says that He will begin to put the fear of Moses into the nations surrounding the Jewish people. In Joshua 10,12 that word תת also appears in connection with “silencing, or arresting” the sun. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni in Avodah Zarah 25 feels that the whole text of the verse is sufficient proof. Seeing that G’d promises to put the fear and dread of Moses into all the people under the sky, how was this to be accomplished simultaneously? By some manifestation of something supernatural in the sky, visible to all. What was it? The arrest of the orbit of the sun. This is the reason the Torah referred to היום הזה, i.e. all the nations of the world would become aware of this phenomenon on the same day.


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:25:2
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:25:2)

**והנה**זה נס גדול ופלא עצום בחדוש בריאת העולם, מפני שקיום העולם בתנועת הגלגל וסבובו, ואם יעמוד אפילו רגע יחרב העולם, וכאן עמד הגלגל מלסבב ונתקיים העולם, ולא כן היה הענין בחזקיה כי שם לא עמדה חמה אלא שחזרה לאחוריה כלפי השחר, ולא עמד הגלגל מלסבב או לפנים או לאחור ולא היה הנס גדול כל כך, ועל כן אמר שלשה ולא מנה חזקיהו עמהם, וכן יורה לשון נקדה שהוא מלשון נקודה, וכאלו אמר שלשה עמדה להן חמה בנקודתה שעמד הגלגל מלסבב כדרכו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Seeing that the continued existence of the terrestrial universe depends on the functioning of the orbits of the sun, this miracle was as great as the acts of creation described in Genesis. Even a brief interruption of the movements of the sun could lead to serious ecological damage to parts of the earth exposed at the time. The fact that both Joshua and Moses caused the sun’s orbit to be arrested (for several hours in the case of Joshua) without negative fallout for the inhabitants of the earth caused people to become overawed by the power of Moses and Joshua respectively.
 This miracle cannot be compared to that which occurred when King Chizkiyah of Yehudah asked that the hands of the sundial be reversed; this is why that King was not mentioned as in the same category as Moses, Joshua, and Nakdimon (compare Tossaphot Avodah Zarah 25). In that miracle the sun never stood still; it only traveled backwards for the appropriate amount of time, but it remained in motion. The word נקדה used by the Talmud in Taanit to described what happened to the sun for the sake of the three people mentioned is the same as the word נקודה, a stationary spot. That very word already makes it clear that what happened in those three instances was different from what happened at Chizkiyah’s request (compare Kings II 20,10-11).


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:25:3
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:25:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:25:3)

**ואמרו**במדרש כי מה שאמר לו יהושע דום ולא אמר עמוד, לפי שהשמש בהלוכו מקלס להקב"ה, ואם שתק אינו יכול להלוך, שנאמר (תהילים קי״ג:ג׳) ממזרח שמש עד מבואו מהלל שם ה', משעה שהוא זורח עד שעה שהוא שוקע מהלל שם ה', ולכך צוהו שישתוק כדי שיעמד ויתעכב בנקודתו. ודרשו עוד, אמר לו השמש ליהושע י׳:י״גש קטן אומר לגדול דום, ואני נבראתי ברביעי ואתה בששי, אמר לו יהושע בן חורין קטן אינו אומר לעבד גדול שתוק, מיד וידום השמש, ומששתק עמד, שנאמר (יהושע י) ויעמד השמש בחצי השמים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Tanchuma Acharey Mot 9 focuses on the word דום “be silent,” rather than עמוד, which appears in Joshua chapter 10. The sun is perceived as constantly praising the Almighty, i.e. its motion is the way in which it praises the Lord. If it stands still, this results in its temporarily ceasing to praise the Lord. It therefore cannot proceed when it remains silent. Its function is aptly described by David when he said in Psalms 113,3: “from the east (where it rises) until it sets the name of the Lord is praised by means of it.” Seeing that this is the sun’s function, i.e. to praise the Lord, Joshua commanded it to be silent, i.e. to cease to function. Arrest of its motion is simply a corollary. The Midrash there elaborates that the sun did not simply accept Joshua’s command but demanded to know how it could be that a “minor” could command a “major?” It meant that seeing it had been created before man, how could man presume to issue orders to the sun? Joshua replied to this argument: “why should not a free (willed) person, even though junior, be able to give orders to a senior who has no freedom of choice?” Upon hearing this, the sun was silent and as a result its orbit ceased. This is the meaning of: “the sun stood in mid-heaven” (Joshua 10,13).


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:28:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:28:1)

**אכל בכסף תשברני ואכלתי.** אם הוצרכתי. וכן אם רציתי **מים בכסף תתן לי ושתיתי, רק אעברה ברגלי,** בצבאותי. ומכאן אתה למד (זכריה י״ד:ד׳) ועמדו רגליו ביום ההוא על הר הזיתים, שכתוב בהקב"ה, שפירושו צבאותיו וחיילותיו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אכל בכסף תשברני, “sell me food in exchange for money!” The meaning is “in the event that I need to buy supplies.” Similarly, מים בכסף תתן לי ושתיתי, רק אעברה ברגלי, “water in exchange for money give me so that I may drink it,; only let me pass through on foot.” Moses referred to the armies marching though Sichon’s territory. From this verse you can deduce that when the prophet Zecharyah had depicted G’d as standing on the Mount of Olives (Zecharyah 14,4) this was a reference to the heavenly hosts and soldiers. (The author discussed this in detail on Genesis 6,6).


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:29:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:29:1)

**כאשר עשו לי בני עשו.** אי אפשר לפרש שיחזור לאוכל בכסף תשבירני הסמוך לו, שהרי הוא אומר והמואבים היושבים בער, וידוע כי המואבים לא עשו כן שהרי כתיב (דברים כ״ג:ד׳-ה׳) על דבר אשר לא קדמו אתכם בלחם ובמים, אבל יחזור אל בדרך, יאמר כאשר עשו לי בני עשו שנתנו לי דרך לעבור שסבבנו הר שעיר בדרך, כענין שכתוב אתם עוברים בגבול אחיכם בני עשו וגו', כי בני עשו רצו בדבר זה שיעברו דרך ארצם, גם המלך שלהם מלך אדום היה רוצה בכך אבל לא הניחם לעבור דרך מדינתו שהוא היה הדרך הקרוב לא"י, וזהו לשון המלך שאמר (במדבר כ׳:י״ח) לא תעבור בי, כלומר בדרך מדינתי, אבל בדרך ארצם לא היתה מניעה לא מצד המלך ולא מצד העם, ושם כתבתיו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כאשר עשו לי בני עשו, “as the children of Esau have done for me.” It is quite impossible to understand these words to mean that the Edomites had provided the Israelites with bread and water seeing that Moses includes the Moabites in his statement and we know for a fact that the Moabites had done no such thing. After all, one of the reasons that a Moabite may not become a proselyte is precisely because that nation had not offered bread and water to the passing Israelites when they were in need of it (Deut. 23,5). The words must refer to the request to be allowed to march through their lands without causing any damage. Verse 4 in our chapter means that the Edomites were quite amenable to the Israelites traversing the mountain of Seir at the border of their country. The king of Edom only refused the Israelites to travel through the built up area of his country, the fastest route to the land of Canaan. This is why he had said לא תעבור בי (Numbers 20,18) i.e. “not through my capital.” Neither he nor his people had any objection to the territory of their land being used as a passage for the Israelites. I explained it there.


###### Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:30:1
[Rabbeinu Bahya, Devarim 2:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rabbeinu%20Bahya/s/Devarim/r/2:30:1)

**כי הקשה ה' אלהיך את רוחו ואמץ את לבבו.** אין הלשון הזה נאמר בהקב"ה אלא על הרשעים הגמורים כפרעה וסיחון שכבר נתחייבו מצד רשעם למנוע מהן דרכי התשובה, וכיון שהם באים כנגד הש"י ומורדים בו, הקב"ה מחזק את לבם שאפילו ירצו לחזור בהם אין מספיקין בידם, ולא מצינו בתורה ויחזק ה' לב פרעה אלא עד שהזכיר ארבעה פעמים ויחזק לב פרעה ויכבד לבו, ויכבד לבו, ויכבד לב פרעה. וכענין זה מצינו באליהו שאמר (מלכים א י״ח:ל״ז) ואתה הסבות את לבם אחורנית.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
כי הקשה ה' אלו-היך את רוחו ואמץ את לבבו, “for the Lord your G’d hardened his spirit and made his heart stubborn.” This kind of language is employed only when the people concerned are wicked in the extreme and beyond redemption. Pharaoh was another example of such a person whom G’d deprived of his free will as a penalty for abusing it so grossly. (Compare Maimonides Hilchot Teshuvah 6,3). Seeing that these people’s sins were not outgrowths of an overpowering urge, but were based on a deliberate attempt to thwart G’d, they are denied the opportunity to repent at a certain stage in their lives. Even when they are emotionally ready to repent, G’d causes some event which make their minds resist such attempts. You will find that the Torah does not mention such an attempt by G’d to prevent Pharaoh from true repentance until after he had already failed to repent and his promise four times (compare Exodus 7,13; 8,11; 8,28; 9,7;). We find something similar in Kings I 18,37 where Elijah refers to G’d having caused the hearts of the people of Israel as turning away from Him as a punishment for their many and repeated sins (Maimonides Hilchot Teshuvah 6,3).