Kommentar zu Dewarim 2:26

ממדבר קדמות [AND I SENT MESSENGERS] FROM THE WILDERNESS OF KEDEMOTH — Although the Omnipresent had not commanded me to proclaim peace unto Sihon I learnt to do so from what happened in the wilderness of Sinai, i.e. from an incident that relates to the Torah which pre-existed (קדמה) the world. For when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to give it (the Torah) to Israel, he took it round to Esau and Ishmael. It was manifest before Him that they would not accept it, but yet He opened unto them with peace. Similarly I first approached Sihon with words of peace. — Another explanation of ממדבר קדמות: Moses said to God, "I learnt this from what Thou didst say in the wilderness — from Thee Who wast in existence before (קדמת) the world. Thou couldst have sent one flash of lightning to bum up the Egyptians, but Thou didst send me from the wilderness to Pharaoh, to say gently, (Exodus 5:1) "Let my people go” (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 764:27).

Even though the Almighty did not command me, etc. Otherwise, what is the significance of קדמות (precedence)? Rashi comments: “Even though the Almighty did not command me, etc.” This implies that he holds that the verse, “When you near a city [to do battle against it] you are to offer it peace (below 20:10),” refers to an optional war.

ממדבר קדמות, “from the wilderness of K’demot.” This means that the region in question had been a barren desert before G–d had decided to produce water from the rock Moses had struck. Seeing that most of the territory ruled over by Sichon during Moses’ time used to belong previously to either Moav or Ammon, both nations whose territory was out of bounds for the Israelites, they offered to traverse it peacefully. The territory ruled over by Og, which previously was occupied by the Refaim, was not the subject of such an offer by the Israelites. No peace offering under any conditions other than the population relocating themselves was extended to any of the seven Canaanite tribes. They were also not eligible for conversion to Judaism. A different interpretation of the words: ממדבר קדמות. G–d had explained to Moses that legally speaking, instead of sending Moses and Aaron to warn Pharaoh to release His people, He was entitled on the basis of their record to kill the Egyptians without any warning at all. Nonetheless, He went out of His way to offer them a chance to rehabilitate themselves. (Exodus 8,15) The same was true at Mount Sinai, prior to G–d revealing Himself to the Israelites and giving them His Torah. He knew full well that the Ishmaelites or Edomites when offered the Torah would reject it out of hand; nevertheless, He went through the motions of offering it to them. (Compare Deuteronomy 33,2) Here too, Moses emulated what he had learned from G–d and dispatched messengers to ask for permission to traverse the land of Sichon, offering economic benefits to him such as offering to pay for water, although the Israelites had their own supply of water. According to our sages, Moses actually sent two letters to him. In one letter he offered peaceful relations. In the second letter he warned him that if that offer were to be turned down the Israelites would declare war upon him and his nation. According to Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, Moses did not waste two letters on Sichon, but in the first section of his letter he offered peaceful relations, whereas in the second half he spelled out that the alternative would be war. He based himself on Psalms 120,7: אני שלום וכי אדבר המה למלחמה, “when I offer peace, they are nonetheless bent on war.” Considering this, G–d told the Israelites that because these people were bent upon war against you I will let you inherit their land in peace, as we know from Psalms 37,11: וענוים יירשו ארץ והתענגו על רוב שלום, “but the lowly shall inherit the land and delight in abundant well-being”.

ממדבר קדמות, “from the desert of Kedemot.” The name of that desert is related to the well known expression קדמה מזרחה, “forward in an easterly direction.” In other words, the desert took its name from the fact that it was situated in the east, as opposed to the south, where most of the deserts in the region were located. Compare Judges 11,22: ויירשו את כל גבול האמורי מארנון עד היבוק ומן המדבר עד הירדן, “and they appropriated (as an inheritance) all the territory of the Ammonites from the Arnon river to the Yabbok river and from the wilderness to the Jordan.”

Another explanation of “From the wilderness of Kedeimos”: From You I learned, etc. According to the first explanation there is a difficulty: Why does it is written קדמות (precedence)? There are many things that preceded the creation of the world. The verse should have been more specific. Therefore, Rashi says: “Another explanation, etc.” Yet according to the second explanation there is also a difficulty: Why does it say ממדבר (from the wilderness). It fits well if “wilderness” is referring to the Torah, for it was given in the wilderness. But if it is referring to the Almighty, then why does it say “wilderness”? Therefore, both explanations are necessary.

דברי שלום, “with words of peace;” seeing that most of the territory possessed by Sichon had been conquered from the Moabites and the Ammonites, and not from the Canaanites, they were sincere in their offer of traversing these lands in apeaceful manner. Offering peace to the seven Canaanite nations is forbidden as we know from Deut. 20,16.