Pisqa’ 672H:32; JN1:32-33 1. “Start out and make your way” (Dt.1:7)— this is by way of Arad and Hormah. “To the Amorite hills and to all their neighbors” (Dt.1:7)— to Amon, Moab and Mt. Seir. “In the steppes” (Dt.1:7)— to the plain of Tzoar. “to the hill country” (Dt.1:7)— to the king’s mountain. “to the lowlands” (Dt.1:7)— to the lowlands of Lud and the south.73According to M. Shev.9:2, Sabbatical Year produce from these regions is due to be removed from storage at the same time, since the produce is gone from the fields at a specific season prior to the festival of Passover. The Mishnah’s list is more detailed, but SD’s transmits the Mishnah in a midrashic framework. “and the Negeb, and the seacoast” (Dt.1:7)— to Gaza, Ashkelon, and Caesaria. “the land of the Canaanite” (Dt.1:7)— to the Canaanite border, for it is said: “And the Canaanite border was from Sidon.” (Gn.10:19). 74For discussion of toponyms, see H:393,n.2
2. “And the Lebanon” (Dt.1:7)— Moses said to them: when you enter the Land you must appoint for yourselves a king, and build for yourselves the Chosen Abode.75//T.San.4:5. “Chosen Abode” renders the Heb: beit habekhirah, one of the many epithets of the Jerusalem Temple. See below: beit hamiqdash; “the Holy Abode”. How do we know that “Lebanon” must refer to a king? For it is said: “He came upon the Lebanon and seized the heads of the cedars” (Ezek.17:3). And He says: “The thorn that is in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar in Lebanon” (2 Ki.14:9). But “Lebanon” actually refers to the Holy Abode, for it is said: “You are as Gilead to me, the summit of Lebanon” (Jer.22:6). And He says: “The Lebanon will fall to a mighty one” (Is.10:34).76Cf. Sifre Nu. 134, Mechilta Ishmael, amaleq 2, ARNA:4
Another word: Why do they call [the Holy Abode] “Lebanon (levanon)?” Because it whitens (malbyn)77The common root is l-b-n. Israel’s transgressions, as it says: “If your sins are like scarlet, they shall be whitened like snow” (Is.1:18).78See Pisqa’ 28.3
3. “Until the great river, the river Prat”79Namely, the Euphrates. (Dt.1:7). This teaches that most of its waters surge toward the Land of Israel. As a common adage has it: the slave of the king is like the king— get close to a boil and it boils you!
Another word: [Why is the river called the Prat?]80I have supplied the parenthetical question on the basis of context. For it branches off continuously until its waters dwindle into a pail.81The exegesis is based on the assonance of the name, prat, the verb, mafrid, and the noun, magrefah.. Another word: “The great river, the river Prat” (Dt.1:7)— because it expands and grows82The exegesis is based on the assonance of prat and poreh (“grows”). until they must cross it in ships.4. Look at what all the rivers say to the Prat: Why doesn’t your voice travel a distance, like ours? It replies: My deeds prove my value! A person sows seed in earth flooded by me, and reaps in three days. A person plants a tree in earth flooded by me, and reaps in thirty days! See how Scripture praises me: “Until the great river, the river Prat!” (Dt.1:7)
(דברים א ז) פְּנוּ וּסְעוּ לָכֶם וּבֹאוּ, זֶה דֶּרֶךְ עֲרָד וְחָרְמָה. הַר הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֶל כָּל שְׁכֵנָיו, זֶה עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב וְהַר שֵׂעִיר. בָּעֲרָבָה, זֶה מִישׁוֹר שֶׁל צוֹעַר. בָהָר, זֶה הַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. וּבַשְּׁפֵלָה, זֶה שְׁפֵלַת לוֹד וּשְׁפֵלַת דָּרוֹם. וּבַנֶּגֶב וּבְחוֹף הַיָּם, זֶה עַזָּה וְאַשְׁקְלוֹן וְקֵסָרִין. אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי, זֶה גְּבוּל הַכְּנַעֲנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית י יט): ״וַיְהִי גְּבוּל הַכְּנַעֲנִי מִצִּידוֹן״ וְגוֹ׳.
Pisqa’ 672H:32; JN1:32-33
1. “Start out and make your way” (Dt.1:7)—
this is by way of Arad and Hormah.
“To the Amorite hills and to all their neighbors” (Dt.1:7)—
to Amon, Moab and Mt. Seir.
“In the steppes” (Dt.1:7)—
to the plain of Tzoar.
“to the hill country” (Dt.1:7)—
to the king’s mountain.
“to the lowlands” (Dt.1:7)—
to the lowlands of Lud and the south.73According to M. Shev.9:2, Sabbatical Year produce from these regions is due to be removed from storage at the same time, since the produce is gone from the fields at a specific season prior to the festival of Passover. The Mishnah’s list is more detailed, but SD’s transmits the Mishnah in a midrashic framework.
“and the Negeb, and the seacoast” (Dt.1:7)—
to Gaza, Ashkelon, and Caesaria.
“the land of the Canaanite” (Dt.1:7)—
to the Canaanite border,
for it is said:
“And the Canaanite border was from Sidon.” (Gn.10:19). 74For discussion of toponyms, see H:393,n.2
וְהַלְּבָנוֹן, אָמַר לָהֶם: כְּשֶׁאַתֶּם נִכְנָסִים לָאָרֶץ צְרִיכִים אַתֶּם לְהַעֲמִיד לָכֶם מֶלֶךְ וְלִבְנוֹת לָכֶם בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה. מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין לְבָנוֹן אֶלָּא מֶלֶךְ? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל יז ג): ״בָּא אֶל הַלְּבָנוֹן וַיִּקַּח אֶת צַמֶּרֶת הָאָרֶז״, וְאוֹמֵר (מלכים ב יד ט): ״הַחוֹחַ אֲשֶׁר בַּלְּבָנוֹן״, וְאֵין לְבָנוֹן אֶלָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה כב ו): ״גִּלְעָד אַתָּה לִי רֹאשׁ הַלְּבָנוֹן״, וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה י לד): ״וְנִקַּף סִבְכֵי הַיַּעַר בַּבַּרְזֶל וְהַלְּבָנוֹן בְּאַדִּיר יִפּוֹל״.
2. “And the Lebanon” (Dt.1:7)—
Moses said to them:
when you enter the Land
you must appoint for yourselves a king,
and build for yourselves the Chosen Abode.75//T.San.4:5. “Chosen Abode” renders the Heb: beit habekhirah, one of the many epithets of the Jerusalem Temple. See below: beit hamiqdash; “the Holy Abode”.
How do we know that “Lebanon” must refer to a king?
For it is said:
“He came upon the Lebanon
and seized the heads of the cedars” (Ezek.17:3).
And He says:
“The thorn that is in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar in Lebanon” (2 Ki.14:9).
But “Lebanon” actually refers to the Holy Abode,
for it is said:
“You are as Gilead to me, the summit of Lebanon” (Jer.22:6).
And He says:
“The Lebanon will fall to a mighty one” (Is.10:34).76Cf. Sifre Nu. 134, Mechilta Ishmael, amaleq 2, ARNA:4
דָּבָר אַחֵר: לָמָּה קוֹרִים אוֹתוֹ לְבָנוֹן? שֶׁמַּלְבִּין עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה א יח): ״אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים – כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ״.
Another word:
Why do they call [the Holy Abode] “Lebanon (levanon)?”
Because it whitens (malbyn)77The common root is l-b-n. Israel’s transgressions,
as it says:
“If your sins are like scarlet, they shall be whitened like snow” (Is.1:18).78See Pisqa’ 28.3
עַד הַנָּהָר הַגָּדוֹל נְהַר פְּרָת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁרֻבּוֹ וְתָקְפּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מְשַׁל הֶדְיוֹט אוֹמֵר: עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ – מֶלֶךְ! הִדָּבֵק לִשְׁחִין – וְיִשְׁתָּחֵן לְךָ!
3. “Until the great river, the river Prat”79Namely, the Euphrates. (Dt.1:7).
This teaches that
most of its waters surge toward the Land of Israel.
As a common adage has it:
the slave of the king is like the king—
get close to a boil and it boils you!
דָּבָר אַחֵר: שֶׁמַּפְרִיד וְהוֹלֵךְ עַד שֶׁכָּלֶה בַּמַּגְרֵפָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר: נְהַר פְּרָת שֶׁפּוֹרֶה וְרָב עַד שֶׁעוֹבְרִים אוֹתוֹ בִּסְפִינוֹת. הֲרֵי כָּל הַנְּהָרוֹת אוֹמְרִים לִפְרָת: מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין אַתָּה מַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹלְךָ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁקּוֹלֵנוּ הוֹלֵךְ מֵרָחוֹק? אָמַר לָהֶם: מַעֲשַׂי מוֹכִיחִים עָלַי: אָדָם זוֹרֵעַ בִּי זְרִיעָה – עוֹלָה לִשְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים; נוֹטֵעַ בִּי נְטִיעָה – עוֹלָה לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם! הֲרֵי הַכָּתוּב מְשַׁבְּחֵנִי: עַד הַנָּהָר הַגָּדֹל נְהַר פְּרָת.
Another word:
[Why is the river called the Prat?]80I have supplied the parenthetical question on the basis of context.
For it branches off continuously
until its waters dwindle into a pail. 81The exegesis is based on the assonance of the name, prat, the verb, mafrid, and the noun, magrefah..
Another word:
“The great river, the river Prat” (Dt.1:7)—
because it expands and grows82The exegesis is based on the assonance of prat and poreh (“grows”).
until they must cross it in ships.4. Look at what all the rivers say to the Prat:
Why doesn’t your voice travel a distance, like ours?
It replies:
My deeds prove my value!
A person sows seed in earth flooded by me,
and reaps in three days.
A person plants a tree in earth flooded by me,
and reaps in thirty days!
See how Scripture praises me:
“Until the great river, the river Prat!” (Dt.1:7)