Chasidut su Deuteronomio 2:78
Kedushat Levi
Deuteronomy 2,1. “it is eleven days (march) from Chorev to Kadesh Barnea.”
In order to understand the relevance of this line, it is helpful to understand a verse in Proverbs 27,9 where Solomon says that שמן וקטורת משמח לב, “oil (for anointing) and incense gladden the heart.”
When dealing with matters involving holiness, the basic number used is the number 10. Already in the most ancient Kabbalistic text, the sefer yetzirah, the number ten is mentioned repeatedly as a contrast to the number eleven. The ten emanations, ספירות, different levels of holiness, are “matched” by ten levels of spiritually negative levels, the difference between the two being that the גורמים, causes, of the ten levels of holiness and the resulting holiness are viewed as part of something integral, whereas a similar “integrity” of cause and effect is not presumed to exist when spiritually negative forces and their causes are concerned. When we read in the sefer yetzirah about “ten levels of emanations and not eleven,” the author wishes to make the point that the causes of the sefirot and the sefirot themselves are not viewed as separate entities. When Moses speaks of a “distance,” of eleven days [in a spiritual sense, as in: ‘49 levels of ritual pollution,’ Ed.], the word חורב, [as distinct from Sinai. Ed.], is to be understood as symbolizing the סטרא אחרא, the ten spiritually negative forces that are the counterweight of the ten spiritually positive forces. The Israelites (priests) used to offer twice daily an incense offering known as קטורת, consisting of 11 different categories of fragrances. When Moses elaborates by saying that the “11 days” he refers to were in the direction of Mount Seir, the region of the Kingdom of Edom, it becomes clear that he referred to something that took the Israelites away from the spiritually lofty atmosphere of Mount Sinai in the direction of the spiritually totally polluted domain of Esau/Seir. This is a fitting introduction to Moses rebuking the Israelites in this Book. In the parlance of our sages, the evil urge is often referred to as הר, mountain, i.e. representing an almost insurmountable obstacle. It is also called שעיר as we know from Sukkah 52. [None of the seven names mentioned in the Talmud there is שעיר, Ed.] The Talmud there does say that the evil urge appears like a tall mountain to the righteous, whereas it appears as insignificant as a thin hair to the wicked.
In order to understand the relevance of this line, it is helpful to understand a verse in Proverbs 27,9 where Solomon says that שמן וקטורת משמח לב, “oil (for anointing) and incense gladden the heart.”
When dealing with matters involving holiness, the basic number used is the number 10. Already in the most ancient Kabbalistic text, the sefer yetzirah, the number ten is mentioned repeatedly as a contrast to the number eleven. The ten emanations, ספירות, different levels of holiness, are “matched” by ten levels of spiritually negative levels, the difference between the two being that the גורמים, causes, of the ten levels of holiness and the resulting holiness are viewed as part of something integral, whereas a similar “integrity” of cause and effect is not presumed to exist when spiritually negative forces and their causes are concerned. When we read in the sefer yetzirah about “ten levels of emanations and not eleven,” the author wishes to make the point that the causes of the sefirot and the sefirot themselves are not viewed as separate entities. When Moses speaks of a “distance,” of eleven days [in a spiritual sense, as in: ‘49 levels of ritual pollution,’ Ed.], the word חורב, [as distinct from Sinai. Ed.], is to be understood as symbolizing the סטרא אחרא, the ten spiritually negative forces that are the counterweight of the ten spiritually positive forces. The Israelites (priests) used to offer twice daily an incense offering known as קטורת, consisting of 11 different categories of fragrances. When Moses elaborates by saying that the “11 days” he refers to were in the direction of Mount Seir, the region of the Kingdom of Edom, it becomes clear that he referred to something that took the Israelites away from the spiritually lofty atmosphere of Mount Sinai in the direction of the spiritually totally polluted domain of Esau/Seir. This is a fitting introduction to Moses rebuking the Israelites in this Book. In the parlance of our sages, the evil urge is often referred to as הר, mountain, i.e. representing an almost insurmountable obstacle. It is also called שעיר as we know from Sukkah 52. [None of the seven names mentioned in the Talmud there is שעיר, Ed.] The Talmud there does say that the evil urge appears like a tall mountain to the righteous, whereas it appears as insignificant as a thin hair to the wicked.
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Kedushat Levi
Having explained all this, the opening line of our portion, i.e. Balak’s fear of the Israelites, which had baffled many in light of G’d having forbidden the Israelites to harass the Moabites, much less attack them, becomes more understandable.
It is true that Nachmanides had addressed this problem and concluded that Balak’s fear was that the Moabites, on account of their love or their being related to the founder of the Jewish people, would voluntarily allow themselves to be conquered, as a result of which the prohibition to attack and conquer their territory would have become null and void, and the Israelites would conquer that land, just as they had done with the land owned by Sichon and Og, annex it. Nonetheless, this is not a very plausible explanation as there were no nations nearby other than the Canaanites, all of whom Israel had been commanded to wipe out completely, so that the Moabites would not gain by becoming their captives. [Since the author had introduced an even less likely scenario than the example I mentioned, examples that reflect Balak’s supposed fear of the Israelites through devious means trying to elevate the Moabites spiritually, level by level, I have omitted it. Ed.]
When commenting on Deut. 34,10, ולא קם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה, “and there never arose another prophet of the stature of Moses in Israel,” our sages in Sifrey Vezot Habrachah, draw our attention to the significance of the word בישראל, “in Israel,” in that verse, and suggest that it means that within other nations there did arise at least one prophet of a stature equal or superior to that of Moses. The statement is mind-boggling, and they therefore add that any comparison of Moses and Bileam is limited to certain aspects of their respective prophetic knowledge and power.
It is true that Nachmanides had addressed this problem and concluded that Balak’s fear was that the Moabites, on account of their love or their being related to the founder of the Jewish people, would voluntarily allow themselves to be conquered, as a result of which the prohibition to attack and conquer their territory would have become null and void, and the Israelites would conquer that land, just as they had done with the land owned by Sichon and Og, annex it. Nonetheless, this is not a very plausible explanation as there were no nations nearby other than the Canaanites, all of whom Israel had been commanded to wipe out completely, so that the Moabites would not gain by becoming their captives. [Since the author had introduced an even less likely scenario than the example I mentioned, examples that reflect Balak’s supposed fear of the Israelites through devious means trying to elevate the Moabites spiritually, level by level, I have omitted it. Ed.]
When commenting on Deut. 34,10, ולא קם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה, “and there never arose another prophet of the stature of Moses in Israel,” our sages in Sifrey Vezot Habrachah, draw our attention to the significance of the word בישראל, “in Israel,” in that verse, and suggest that it means that within other nations there did arise at least one prophet of a stature equal or superior to that of Moses. The statement is mind-boggling, and they therefore add that any comparison of Moses and Bileam is limited to certain aspects of their respective prophetic knowledge and power.
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Kedushat Levi
When we keep the above in mind the verse (Numbers, 21,27) תבנה ותכונן עיר סיחן, “let it be built (Cheshbon) as the city of Sichon, and let it be firmly established, becomes clear.” The city in question is one that Sichon had captured from Moab. It had therefore become permitted for the Israelites to be taken as if it were part of the Emorite (Canaanite) nation, whereas the Torah had warned the Israelites not to infringe on Moabite territory. (Deut. 2,9). The Talmud in Gittin 38, states, that Sichon, by conquering part of the territories of Ammon and Moab, “cleansed” i.e. made permissible, the subsequent conquest of these lands by the Israelites. Incidentally, this statement also shows that Jewish law recognizes capture of lands of one nation by another to be considered as legal after the event. If reference is made by the Torah to this event which might have occurred hundreds of years prior to the war between Israel and Sichon, it is only in order to prove the legality of Israel taking over these cities and rebuilding them. The Torah emphasizes that the city was legally Sichon’s by describing it as עיר סיחון, “Sichon’s city.”
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Sha'ar HaEmunah VeYesod HaChasidut
The idea that for the individual who has achieved spiritual wholeness, yet at times turns his mind away from God, the Divine providence will only be upon him when he concentrates on God, is also found written in the Zohar (Shemot, 17b): Once Rabbi Yossi was quietly musing over worldly matters [instead of studying Torah]. With him was Rabbi Aha, who was contemplating the Torah. Suddenly Rabbi Yossi saw a dangerous snake running after him.104Not a physical snake, but a spiritual force coming to punish him. As Rabbi Yossei possessed a high level of sanctity, God was more exacting with him for turning his mind away from the Torah. He said to Rabbi Aha, “Did you see that big snake that was running after me?” Rabbi Aha said, “I didn’t see it.” Rabbi Yossi bolted, the snake running after him. He fell, and when he got up blood was dripping from his nose. He heard that they were saying (Amos, 3:2), “Only you have I known among all the families of the earth, and therefore I will be exacting with you for your sins.” Rabbi Yossi said, “If I was punished in this way for because of one moment, imagine the punishment for those who give up completely!” Rabbi Yossi opened and with the verses, “For God has blessed you in all the work of your hands, He knows how you went into the great wilderness these forty years, God has been with you all the while, you have lacked nothing. (Devarim, 2:7)” “He leads you into the terrible wilderness, a place of venomous snakes and scorpions…” He explained, “Why does the verse say, ‘venomous snakes’? This was to exact punishment from Israel for any time that they separate from the Tree of Life, as it is written (Devarim, 30:20), ‘For (the Torah) is your very life and the length of your days.’ “
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