Sifrei on Deuteronomy Sifrei Devarim 1

English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 1:1) "These are the words which Moses spoke, etc.": Now did Moses prophesy only these? Did he not write the entire Torah, viz. (Ibid. 31:9) "And Moses wrote this Torah"? What, then, is the intent of "These are the words"? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 32:15) "And Yeshurun grew fat and it kicked, etc."

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Similarly, (Amos 3:1) "Hear this prophecy which the L-rd spoke, etc." Now did Amos prophesy only these? Is it not written (Amos 1:1) "The words of Amos, one of the herders of Tekoa, who saw visions concerning Israel"? The intent (of "this prophecy") is that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 4;1) "Hear this thing, you cows of Bashan on Mount Shomron, etc." The "cows of Bashan" are their (corrupt) judges.

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Similarly, (Jeremiah 7:1) "The word that came to Jeremiah, etc.", (Ibid. 40:4) "And these are the words that the L-rd spoke, etc." Now did Jeremiah prophesy only these? Did he not write the entire book, viz. (Ibid. 51:64) "Until here, the words of Jeremiah"? What, then, is the intent of "And these are the words"? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 30:5-7) "A sound of terror have we heard, of fear and not peace. Ask now and see if a male has ever given birth. Why, then, do I see that every man puts his hands upon his loins like a woman in childbirth, and all faces turn pale? Woe! For that day is great. There is none like it. It is a time of trouble for Jacob. But from it he will be saved."

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Similarly, (II Samuel 23:1) "And these are the last words of David': Now did he prophesy only these alone? Is it not written (Ibid. 2) "The spirit of the L-rd spoke in me and His word was on my tongue"? What, then, is the intent of "And these are the last words of David"? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 6) "And (the men of) Belial shall as thorns be all of them cast away."

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Similarly, (Koheleth 1:1) "The words of Koheleth son of David, king in Jerusalem": Now did Solomon prophesy only these alone? Did he not write three books? We are hereby taught that they were words of rebuke, viz. (Ibid. 4-7) "A generation goes and a generation comes … and the sun shines and the sun sets … It goes to the south and it turns to the north. Round and round (east and west) goes the wind … All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full." The wicked are spoken of as sun, earth, and sea, which have no reward.

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(Devarim, Ibid.) "to all of Israel": If he rebuked (only) some of them, those who were not present would have contended: "This is what you heard from the son of Amram and you did not object thus and thus? Had we been there, we would have objected four or five times for every thing that he said!"

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Therefore, Moses assembled all of them great and small, and said to them: Anyone who has any objection let him come and state it!"

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Variantly: "to all of Israel": They all could stand up under rebuke. R. Tarfon said: I swear if (i.e., that there is not) anyone in this generation who is capable of receiving rebuke. R. Akiva said: I swear if (i.e., that there is not) anyone in this generation who is capable of giving rebuke. R. Yochanan b. Nuri said: I testify by heaven and earth that more than five times R. Akiva was rebuked on my account before R. Gamliel and I know that he loved me even more (for it), in fulfillment of (Proverbs 9:8) "Reprove not a scorner lest he hate you. Reprove a wise man and he will love you." For reproof leads to peace. And thus do you find with Abraham, viz. (Bereshith 21:25) "And Abraham reproved Avimelech because of the well, etc." And what is written (of this)? (Ibid. 28) "And the two of them made a covenant." And thus with Israel, viz. (Ibid. 26:27) "And Isaac said to them: Why did you come to me when you hate me and you sent me away from you!" And (Ibid. 31) "And they departed from him in peace."

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English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim, Ibid.) "across the Jordan": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did across the Jordan.

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"in the desert": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did in the desert. They took their small sons and daughters and threw them into Moses' lap and said to him? What provisions did you make for these? What livelihood did you provide for them? R. Yehudah says: This ("in the desert") refers to (Shemoth 16:3) "And the children of Israel said to them (Moses and Aaron): Would that we had died by the hand of the L-rd in the land of Egypt!"

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English · Shraga Silverstein

Variantly: "in the desert" comprises all that they did in the desert.

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English · Shraga Silverstein

"in the plain": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did in the plains of Moav, viz. (Bamidbar 25:1)

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"against Suf": We are hereby taught that he rebuked them for what they did at the Red Sea (viz. Shemoth 14:11). R. Yehudah says: They rebelled in the midst of the sea, and they rebelled upon ascending from the sea, turning their backs upon Moses and traveling three journeys, viz. (Psalms 106:7) "And they rebelled at the sea, in the sea of Suf": — "at the Sea," upon ascending from it; — "in the sea," in its very midst. I might think that he rebuked them only at the beginning of a journey. Whence do I derive (that he also did so) between journey and journey? From "between Paran" and "between Tofel." "tofel and lavan (white)": They spoke vain words ("divrei tifluth" [as in "tofel"]) against the manna, saying that it was "white" (i.e. insubstantial), viz. (Bamidbar 21:5) "and our soul loathes this 'light' bread" — whereupon he said to them: "Fools, the very essence of kings is that they are fed only 'light' bread, so they not be seized with diarrhea — but you have grumbled at the good that I have given you, following the precedent of your father (Adam). I told him that I would make a helpmate for him (Bereshith 2:18), and for this good that I granted him he grumbled against Me, (Ibid. 3:12) 'The woman that You gave to me — she gave me from the tree and I ate.'"

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(Devarim, Ibid.) "and Chatzeroth": He said to them: Should you not have learned from what I did to Miriam in Chatzeroth? (viz. Bamidbar 12). If I did not show favoritism in judgment to Miriam the righteous, how much more so (would I not do so) to others!

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English · Shraga Silverstein

Variantly: If Miriam, who spoke only against her younger brother, was thus punished, how much more so one who speaks against another greater than he!

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English · Shraga Silverstein

Variantly: If (in the instance of) Miriam, who spoke thus only in the hearing of the L-rd alone — (viz. Ibid. 12:2 - "And the L-rd heard") — was thus punished, how much more so, one who demeans his neighbor in public!

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(Devarim, Ibid.) "and an abundance of gold" (an allusion to the golden calf): He said to them: This thing outweighs all that you have done. The golden calf weighs upon Me more than all! Rebbi was wont to say: An analogy: One caused his neighbor many troubles. In the end, he added an additional trouble, and the other said: This outweighs everything you have done to me. This weighs upon me more than all! Thus did the Holy One Blessed be He say to Israel: This outweighs everything that you have done! Variantly: "and an abundance of gold": R. Shimon b. Yochai says: An analogy: One received sages and disciples, and all praised him. Then Canaanites came, and he received them! — at which they said: This is the man's nature — to receive all! Thus did Moses say to Israel: (You gave) "an abundance of gold" for the mishkan (the tabernacle) — (You gave) "an abundance of gold" for the golden calf! R. B'na'ah says: Israel served idolatry, for which they are liable to extinction — Let the gold of the mishkan atone for the gold of the calf!

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R. Yossi berebbi Chanina says: It is written "in the desert, in the plain": This alludes to the ten trials wherewith our fathers tried the Holy One Blessed be He in the desert: two at the (Red) sea, (in the descent [Shemoth 14:11] and in the ascent [Psalms 106:7]), two, with water, (at Marah [Shemoth 15:23] and at Refidim [Shemoth 17]), two with manna, ("Let no man go out of his place" [Shemoth 17:29] and "Let no man leave of it" [Shemoth 16:19]), two with the quail, (the first [16:3] and the second [Bamidbar 11:4]), one with the golden calf (Shemoth 32), and one with the spies (Bamidbar 13). R. Yossi b. Dormaskith said to him: Yehudah berebbi, why do you distort the verses for us (by assigning allegorical interpretations to what are really place names)? I testify by heaven and earth that we have reviewed all of the sources and (we have found that) they are all place names. It is just that they were thus named (as aforementioned) because of an event (that transpired there). Similarly, (Bereshith 26:20) "And he called the name of the well 'Esek' because they strove ('hitasku') with him." And it is written (Ibid. 33) "And he called it 'shivah,' etc."

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English · Shraga Silverstein

Similarly, R. Yehudah expounded (Zechariah 9:1) "A burden (of prophecy) in the land of chadrach and Damascus is its resting place.": This ("chadrach") refers to the Messiah who will be "chad" ("sharp") to the Canaanites, and "rach" ("soft") to Israel" — whereupon R. Yossi b. Dormaskith said to him: Yehudah berebbi, why do you distort the verses for us? I testify by heaven and earth that I am from Damascus and there is a place called Chadrach there. And how do I understand "and Damascus is (its) resting place"? (As meaning) that Jerusalem is destined to extend until Damascus; "(its) resting place" is Jerusalem, as it is written (Psalms 132:19) "This (Jerusalem) is My resting place forever." R. Yehudah: How do you understand (Jeremiah 30:18) "And the city will be built on its foundation"? R. Yossi: (As meaning) that (though) Jerusalem is not destined to move from its place (i.e., from its foundation), it will expand from its sides). How do I understand (Ezekiel 91:7) "And there was an enlarging and a winding about upwards, etc."? Eretz Yisrael is destined to broaden and rise from all of her sides like a fig, which is narrow below and broad above, and the gates of Jerusalem are destined to reach until Damascus. And thus is it written (Song of Songs 7:5) "Your nose is like the tower of Levanon, which looks towards Damascus." And the exiles will come and rest therein, as it is written "and Damascus is His resting place," and (Isaiah 2:2-3) "And it will be in the end of days the mountain of the L-rd's house will be established in the top of the mountains and will be exalted above the hills, and all the nations will flow unto it. And many peoples will go and say: Come, let us go up to the house of the L-rd, to the house of the G-d of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths. For from Zion will go forth Torah, and the words of the L-rd from Jerusalem."

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English · Shraga Silverstein

Similarly, R. Yehudah expounded (Bereshith 41:43) "And he (Pharaoh) had him ride in the chariot next to his, and they called before him "Avrech.": This is Joseph, who was a father ("av") in wisdom and young ("rach") in years — whereupon R. Yossi b. Dormaskith said to him: Yehudah berebbi, why do you distort the verses for us? I testify by heaven and earth that "avrech" signifies (bending of) the knees ("birkayim"). (Ibid.) "and he set him over all the land of Egypt": that all enter and leave by his command.

Sifrei Devarim 1

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