Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L
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Travels
Moshe now relates how G-d told him that it was time to go northward up the eastern side of the mountain. According to the Mizrachi this was the eastern side of Moav (Moav was located right to the east of Edom and since Edom didn't let them pass through there, they had to go along Moav instead). According to the Gur Areyeh they did walk along the eastern side of Edom since Edom extended further south than Moav.
G-d bestowed 10 nations upon Avraham's children to conquer - 7 for Israel and the remaining three for: 1) Esav (Kenite nation - which was the land of Seir), 2)Ammon (Kenizite nation) and 3)Moav (Kadmonite nation - which was the land of Ar). Ammon and Moav were Lot's children. They were granted the status of Avraham's "sons" as a reward for following Avraham into Egypt and staying silent regarding Sara being Avraham's wife (and not sister as he was pretending).
G-d told Moshe to relate to the Israelites that they should not incite or try to conquer these other three lands as they were not given to them as an inheritance.
The Chorites used to live there but G-d granted the strength to Esav to gradually drive them out which they did.
Regarding Moav, they were allowed to scare them, by portraying themselves armed to them, however not towards the second land of Lot's children - Ammon. This is because Moav was given to Lot's older daughter who brazenly publicized that her progeny came from her father (Moav means "from father"). Ammon by contrast came from Lot's younger daughter who was more modest about this in that she called her son Ben Ami ("son of my nation"), and this was the forefather of the Ammonites. She was rewarded for her modesty by having the Israelite not be allowed to scare that nation.
Within the land of Moav, there dwelled very mighty and tall people, called Emmim (related to the word Eima which means "dread" as they would cause people to feel a sense of dread). These were considered Rephaim (coming from the root "Rapha" which means "to be weak" alluding to how anyone who observed them would become weak in the hands out of fear). These Emmin were like the Rephaim as they were like giants. Chumash mentions this fact because the land of Rephaim was given to the Israelites to conquer however they should not mistaken the land of Moav as being conquerable because of these Emim that lived there. For these Emim were not true Rephaim and although they lived there originally, they were driven out by Lot's children. The Ammonites called these Rephaim Zamzummim.
Although throughout their 40 years of travel in the desert, the Israelites did not lack food or water due to the manna, G-d encouraged them to offer to buy food and water from the Edomites so as to appear rich.
So the Israelites passed through the Moabite desert from Elath and Ezrion Gever from the way of the Arabah.
And then for 38 years they traveled from Kadesh Barnea until the valley of Zered, within which time all of the men who had been 20 years old or older at the time of the sin of the spies died, as G-d had said would happen.
After these 38 years. G-d rushed them through the last two years so that they wouldn't be further delayed, which is why he killed off the previous generation so that they wouldn't delay this next one.
During this 38 year period, Chumash refers to G-d speaking to Moshe in the manner of "VaYomer" which is a more distant form of speech (meaning "to say") and then after the 38 years had passed He began speaking to Moshe in the form of "VeYedaBer" which is a closer "to speak". This teaches us that the Divine Presence only rests upon a prophet if the nation merits it.
They crossed the Valley of Zered and then the border of Moav (Ar).
They reached the Avvim who lived in open cities and then arrived at Gaza.
The Avvim were one of the 5 Philistine nations listed in Yehoshua 13:3 (Gazites. Ashtodites, Ashkelonites, Gittites, Ekorintes and Avvites). Avraham had swore an oath with Avimelech that he would not take away land from these people, however since then, the Caphtorite people conquered this Avvite land so now the Israelites were allowed to conquer it.
They were then to go up and cross the vally of Amon and see how G-d gave Sichon the king of Cheshbon the Amorite and his land.
During the war against Sichon, G-d made the sun stand for Moshe, causing all of the nations to fear Israel's reputation.
Moshe sent messengers to peacefully request from Sichon the king of Chesbon if they could pass through their land and buy food and water from them. Sichon refused as G-d hardened his spirit and made his heart stubborn. Moshe learned this type of peaceful gesture from the Torah. Before the creation of the world, G-d offered the Torah to the nations of Esav and Ishmael, knowing full well that they would refuse it but offered it anyhow as a gesture of peace. This was the similar type of peace gesture Moshe did towards Sichon. Alternatively, Moshe learned the peaceful approach to Sichon from G-d sending Moshe to ask Pharoah politely to let the Israelites go when He could have just burnt up all of the Egyptians with a lightning bolt.
