Chapter 34

1And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, [to the] top of the summit facing Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the Land: The Gilead until Dan,   אוַיַּ֨עַל משֶׁ֜ה מֵֽעַרְבֹ֤ת מוֹאָב֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר נְב֔וֹ רֹ֚אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ וַיַּרְאֵ֨הוּ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֶת־הַגִּלְעָ֖ד עַד־דָּֽן:
from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo. There were many levels [leading up from the plain to the summit], but Moses covered them with one step. — [Sotah 13b]   מֵֽעַרְבֹת מוֹאָב אֶל־הַר נְבוֹ.  כַּמָּה מַעֲלוֹת הָיוּ וּפְסָעָן מֹשֶׁה בִּפְסִיעָה אַחַת (סוטה י"ג):
all the Land. He showed him the entire Land of Israel in its tranquility, and the oppressors who were destined to oppress it. — [Sifrei 33:30]   אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ.  הֶרְאָהוּ אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ, וְהַמְּצִּיקִין הָעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת מְצִיקִין לָהּ:
until Dan. He showed him the children of Dan practicing idolatry, as Scripture states, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image” (Jud. 18:30), and He showed him Samson, who was destined to issue from him [Dan] as a savior [for Israel]. — [ibid.]   עַד־דָּֽן.  הֶרְאָהוּ בְנֵי דָן עוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדַה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים י"ח) "וַיָּקִימוּ לָהֶם בְּנֵי דָן אֶת הַפֶּסֶל", וְהֶרְאָהוּ שִׁמְשׁוֹן שֶׁעָתִיד לָצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ לְמוֹשִׁיעַ:
2and all [the land of] Naftali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, until the western sea,   בוְאֵת֙ כָּל־נַפְתָּלִ֔י וְאֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וְאֵת֙ כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיָּ֥ם הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן:
And all [the land of] Naftali. He showed him his land in its tranquility and in its destruction, and He showed him Deborah and Barak of Kedesh-Naftali, waging war against Sisera and his troops. — [Sifrei 33:31]   וְאֵת כָּל־נַפְתָּלִי.  הֶרְאָהוּ אַרְצוֹ בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וְחֻרְבָּנָהּ, וְהֶרְאָהוּ דְּבוֹרָה וּבָרָק מִקֶּדֶשׁ נַפְתָּלִי נִלְחָמִים עִם סִיסְרָא וַחֲיָלוֹתָיו:
and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh. He showed him their land in its tranquility and in its destruction; and He showed him Joshua, who was descended from Ephraim, waging war against the kings of Canaan, and Gideon, who was descended from Manasseh, waging war against Midian and Amalek. — [Sifrei 33:31]   וְאֵת אֶרֶץ אֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה.  הֶרְאָהוּ אַרְצָם בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וּבְחֻרְבָּנָהּ, וְהֶרְאָהוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ נִלְחָם עִם מַלְכֵי כְנַעַן שֶׁבָּא מֵאֶפְרַיִם, וְגִדְעוֹן שֶׁבָּא מִמְּנַשֶּׁה נִלְחָם עִם מִדְיָן וַעֲמָלֵק:
and all the land of Judah. in its tranquility and in its destruction, and He showed him the kingdom of the house of David and their victories. — [Sifrei 33:31]   וְאֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה.  בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וּבְחֻרְבָּנָהּ, וְהֶרְאָהוּ מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד וְנִצְחוֹנָם:
until the western sea. Heb. עַד הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן, the land in the west [of Israel], in its tranquillity and in its destruction. [Here, the sea referred to is the Mediterranean Sea, which represents the westernmost flank of the Land of Israel.] Another explanation: Do not understand the verse as stating הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן, but read it as though it had said הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן, “until the very last day,” meaning that the Holy One, blessed is He, showed him all the incidents that were destined to happen to Israel [until “the last day,” namely,] until the time that the dead would return to life. — [Sifrei 33:31]   עַד הַיָּם הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן.  אֶרֶץ הַמַּעֲרָב בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וּבְחֻרְבָּנָהּ; דָּבָר אַחֵר — אַל תִּקְרֵי הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן אֶלָּא הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן, הֶרְאָהוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּל הַמְּאֹרָעוֹת שֶׁעֲתִידִין לֵאָרַע לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁיִּחְיוּ הַמֵּתִים (ספרי):
3and the south, and the plain, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, until Zoar.   גוְאֶת־הַנֶּ֗גֶב וְאֶת־הַכִּכָּ֞ר בִּקְעַ֧ת יְרֵח֛וֹ עִ֥יר הַתְּמָרִ֖ים עַד־צֹֽעַר:
and the south. Heb. הַנֶּגֶב, the southland [of the Land of Israel]. Another explanation: the Machpelah Cave [which is in Hebron, in the south of Israel], as Scripture states, “And they went up to the south בַנֶּגֶב, and they came to Hebron” (Num. 13:22). - [Sifrei 33:32]   וְאֶת־הַנֶּגֶב.  אֶרֶץ הַדָּרוֹם. דָּבָר אַחֵר — מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָּבֹא עַד חֶבְרוֹן" (במדבר י"ג):
and the plain. He showed him Solomon molding the vessels of the Holy Temple, as Scripture states, “In the plain (כִּכָּר) of the Jordan, the king molded them in thick clay” (I Kings 7:46). - [Sifrei 33:31]   וְאֶת־הַכִּכָּר.  הֶרְאָהוּ שְׁלֹמֹה יוֹצֵק כְּלֵי בֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ז') "בְּכִכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן יְצָקָם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּמַעֲבֵה הָאֲדָמָה" (ספרי):
4And the Lord said to him, "This is the Land I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your offspring.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there."   דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו זֹ֤את הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֠שְׁבַּ֠עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה הֶרְאִיתִ֣יךָ בְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁ֖מָּה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲבֹֽר:
saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring,’ I have let you see it. so that you [Moses] can go and say to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, “The oath that the Holy One, blessed is He, swore to you-He has fulfilled it!” This is what is meant by the word “saying” [i.e., Moses should say this to them] (Ber. 18b).“For this reason,” [God says to Moses,] “I have shown it to you. However, a decree has been made before Me, that you shall not cross over there, for otherwise, I would keep you alive until you would see Israel implanted and settled in the Land, and then you would go and tell them [the forefathers].”   לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה הֶרְאִיתִיךָ.  כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּלֵךְ וְתֹאמַר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב, שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לָכֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קִיְּמָהּ. וְזֶהוּ לאמר, לְכָךְ הֶרְאִיתִיהָ לְךָ, אֲבָל גְּזֵרָה הִיא מִלְּפָנַי שֶׁשָּׁמָּה לא תעבר, שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי כָךְ הָיִיתִי מְקַיֶּמְךָ עַד שֶׁתִּרְאֶה אוֹתָם נְטוּעִים וּקְבוּעִים בָהּ וְתֵלֵךְ וְתַגִּיד לָהֶם:
5And Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there, in the land of Moab, by the mouth of the Lord.   הוַיָּ֨מָת שָׁ֜ם משֶׁ֧ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹאָ֖ב עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
And Moses… died there. Is it possible that Moses died, and [then] wrote, “And Moses… died there”? But [the answer is:] Moses wrote up to that juncture, and Joshua wrote from then on. Says Rabbi Meir: But is it possible that the Torah Scroll would be lacking anything at all, and yet Scripture states (Deut. 31:26),“Take this Torah Scroll” [and Moses commanded this to the Levites; so, according to the above opinion, is it possible that the Torah Scroll referred to there was an incomplete one, up to the juncture of Moses’s death? This cannot be!] Rather, [continues Rabbi Meir, we must say that] The Holy One, blessed is He, dictated this [i.e., the verse “And Moses… died there”], and Moses wrote it in tears. — [B.B. 15a, Sifrei 33:34]   וַיָּמָת שָׁם משֶׁה.  אֶפְשָׁר מֹשֶׁה מֵת וְכָתַב וימת שם משה? אֶלָּא עַד כָּאן כָּתַב מֹשֶׁה, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ כָּתַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר אֶפְשָׁר סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה חָסֵר כְּלוּם וְהוּא אוֹמֵר (לא, כו) "לָקֹחַ אֵת סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה"? אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר וּמֹשֶׁה כוֹתֵב בְּדֶמַע (ספרי; ב"ב ט"ו, מנחות ל'):
by the mouth of the Lord. [i.e., Moses died] by a Divine kiss. — [B.B. 17a]   עַל־פִּי ה'.  בִּנְשִׁיקָה:
6And He buried him in the valley, in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Pe'or. And no person knows the place of his burial, unto this day.   ווַיִּקְבֹּ֨ר אֹת֤וֹ בַגַּי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב מ֖וּל בֵּ֣ית פְּע֑וֹר וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע אִישׁ֙ אֶת־קְבֻ֣רָת֔וֹ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
And He buried him. i.e., The Holy One, blessed is He, Himself, in His very glory [buried Moses]. — [Sotah 14a] Rabbi Ishmael, however, says that [the words “And he buried him” mean that] Moses buried himself. And this אֶת in the phrase here וַיִּקְבֹּר אוֹתוֹ is one of the three instances of the אֶת in Scripture which Rabbi Ishmael expounded on in this way [i.e., where the suffix attached אֶת is understood to be reflexive, meaning “to himself”, “to themselves”, and so on]. And similar to this case [are the following two instances]: “On the day when his Nazirite vow is completed, he must bring him (אֹתוֹ)” (Num. 6:13), which means, “he shall bring himself” [i.e., present himself]. And likewise, “And they cause them (אוֹתָם) to bear the sin of their guilt” (Lev. 22:16). Surely does this refer to others causing them to bear that sin? Rather, the verse must mean that they cause themselves to bear the sin. — [Sifrei Nasso 32:124]   וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ.  הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר הוּא קָבַר אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וְזֶהוּ אֶחָד מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה אֶתִין שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל דּוֹרֵשׁ כֵּן. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ "בְּיוֹם מְלֹאת יְמֵי נִזְרוֹ יָבִיא אֹתוֹ" (במדבר ו') — הוּא מֵבִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ "וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אוֹתָם עֲוֹן אַשְׁמָה" (ויקרא כ"ב) וְכִי אֲחֵרִים מַשִּׂיאִין אוֹתָם? אֶלָּא הֵם מַשִּׂיאִים אֶת עַצְמָם:
opposite Beth Pe’or. His burial site was ready there [at Beth Pe’or], since the six days of Creation, to atone for the [sinful] act of Pe’or. — [see Num. 25:1-8; Sotah 14a] This [Moses’s burial site] was one of the things created at twilight, on the eve of [the first] Sabbath. — [Avoth 5:6]   מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר.  קִבְרוֹ הָיָה מוּכָן שָׁם מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית לְכַפֵּר עַל מַעֲשֵׂה פְעוֹר, וְזֶה אֶחָד מִן הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת (אבות פ"ד; פסחים נ"ד):
7Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye had not dimmed, nor had he lost his [natural] freshness.   זוּמשֶׁ֗ה בֶּן־מֵאָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּמֹת֑וֹ לֹא־כָֽהֲתָ֥ה עֵינ֖וֹ וְלֹא־נָ֥ס לֵחֹֽה:
His eye had not dimmed. Even after he died. — [see Sifrei 33:36]   לֹא־כָֽהֲתָה עֵינוֹ.  אַף מִשֶּׁמֵּת:
nor had he lost his [natural] freshness. [The word לֵחֹה refers to his [body’s] moisture. [Thus, the phrase means:] “[Even after his death,] decomposition did not take over his body, nor did the appearance of his face change.”   לֹא־נָס לֵחֹֽה.  לַחְלוּחִית שֶׁבּוֹ, לֹא שָׁלַט בּוֹ רִקָּבוֹן וְלֹא נֶהְפַּךְ תֹּאַר פָּנָיו:
8And the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days, and the days of weeping over the mourning for Moses came to an end.   חוַיִּבְכּוּ֩ בְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל אֶת־משֶׁ֛ה בְּעַרְבֹ֥ת מוֹאָ֖ב שְׁלשִׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וַיִּתְּמ֔וּ יְמֵ֥י בְכִ֖י אֵ֥בֶל משֶֽׁה:
The sons of Israel. [ordinarily meaning the children of Israel, male and female. But here, it refers only to] the males [who wept for Moses]. However, concerning [the passing of] Aaron, since he used to pursue peace and bring peace between a man and his fellow and between a woman and her husband, it is said [at Aaron’s passing], “The whole house of Israel [wept for him]” (Num. 20:29), meaning both males and females. — [Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer 17]   בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  הַזְּכָרִים, אֲבָל בְּאַהֲרֹן מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהָיָה רוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם וְנוֹתֵן שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וּבֵין אִשָּׁה לְבַעְלָהּ נֶאֱמַר (במדבר כ, כט) "כֹּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל" — זְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת (פרדר"א פי"ז):
9And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands upon him. And the children of Israel obeyed him, and they did as the Lord had commanded Moses.   טוִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן מָלֵא֙ ר֣וּחַ חָכְמָ֔ה כִּֽי־סָמַ֥ךְ משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־יָדָ֖יו עָלָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁמְע֨וּ אֵלָ֤יו בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֔וּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
10And there was no other prophet who arose in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,   יוְלֹא־קָ֨ם נָבִ֥יא ע֛וֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כְּמשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְדָע֣וֹ יְהֹוָ֔ה פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים:
whom the Lord knew face to face. For he was quite familiar with Him, speaking with Him at any time he wished, as it is said, “So now I will go up to the Lord” (Exod. 32:30), and, “You stand still, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you” (Num. 9:8).   אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ ה' פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים.  שֶׁהָיָה לִבּוֹ גַּס בּוֹ וּמְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁרוֹצֶה, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעַתָּה אֶעֱלֶה אֶל ה'" (שמות ל"ב), "עִמְדוּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָה מַה יְּצַוֶּה לָכֶם" (במדבר ט'):
11as manifested by all the signs and wonders, which the Lord had sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and all his servants, and to all his land,   יאלְכָל־הָֽ֨אֹתֹ֜ת וְהַמּֽוֹפְתִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר שְׁלָחוֹ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה לַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְפַרְעֹ֥ה וּלְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו וּלְכָל־אַרְצֽוֹ:
12and all the strong hand, and all the great awe, which Moses performed before the eyes of all Israel.   יבוּלְכֹל֙ הַיָּ֣ד הַֽחֲזָקָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל הַמּוֹרָ֣א הַגָּד֑וֹל אֲשֶׁר֙ עָשָׂ֣ה משֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
and all the strong hand. [This refers to] his receiving the Torah on the Tablets with his hands.   וּלְכֹל הַיָּד הַֽחֲזָקָה.  שֶׁקִּבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה בַּלּוּחוֹת בְּיָדָיו:
And all the great awe. [This refers to the] miracles and mighty deeds [that were performed for Israel] in the great and awesome wilderness. — [Sifrei 33:41]   וּלְכֹל הַמּוֹרָא הַגָּדוֹל.  נִסִּים וּגְבוּרוֹת שֶׁבַּמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא (עי' ספרי):
before the eyes of all Israel. [This expression alludes to the incident where] his heart stirred him up to smash the tablets before their eyes, as it is said, “and I shattered them before your eyes” (Deut. 9:17). - [Sifrei 33:41] And [regarding Moses shattering the Tablets,] the Holy One Blessed is He gave His approval, as Scripture states, “[the first Tablets] which you shattered” (Exod. 34:1); [God said to Moses:] “Well done for shattering them!” - [Shab. 87a]   לְעֵינֵי כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל.  שֶׁנְּשָׂאוֹ לִבּוֹ לִשְׁבֹּר הַלּוּחוֹת לְעֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וָאֲשַׁבְּרֵם לְעֵינֵיכֶם" (דברים ט') וְהִסְכִּימָה דַעַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְדַעְתּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲשֶׁר שִׁבַּרְתָּ" (שמות ל"ד) — יִישַׁר כֹּחֲךָ שֶׁשִּׁבַּרְתָּ: