Commento su Deuteronomio 31:14

ואצונו means, THAT I MAY EXHORT HIM.

THAT I MAY GIVE HIM [Joshua] A CHARGE. “This means that I may exhort him.” This is Rashi’s language. But there is no need for this, because G-d’s statement [to Joshua] for thou shalt bring [the children of Israel into the Land]¹⁶Further, Verse 23. is a command, and, if he were to be indolent and not do so, he would be liable to the death-penalty. It is possible that the meaning of that I may give him a charge is that I will appoint him a prince and commander¹⁷Isaiah 55:4. over Israel, and thou shalt give him a charge in their sight.¹⁸Numbers 27:19.

הן קרבו ימיך למות, "Behold, your days are drawing near to die, etc." The reason for the word הן here is to justify Moses' having said that he had reached his 120th birthday on that day. Our sages in Rosh Hashanah 11 mention that by the word היום in verse 2 Moses meant that he reached the age allotted to him. As a result, G'd's word came to him saying: הן, "you are correct," the time has come for you to die. The reason G'd said קרבו ימיך (pl.) instead of saying קרב יומך, "your day has arrived (sing.)" may be understood in the same vein as Genesis 47,29 where we have explained this wording.

Look! Your time is approaching to die. Just as the moon only shines when the sun is about to set, similarly, Yehoshua was unable able to shine while Moshe’s light was still shining strongly… Once Moshe’s light began to set, Yehoshua’s light began to shine. This is what the verse means, “Your time is approaching to die,” and therefore it is the right time for you to place your spirit onto Yehoshua.

ואצונו, “and I shall instruct him.” Rashi under-stands the word as “I will urge him to act promptly.” Nachmanides writes that there is no need to change the meaning of the word from what it means ordinarily, seeing that when G’d told Joshua ”you will bring,“ this is by itself a commandment. (Numbers 27,19) If Joshua had been deliberately slow in carrying out that command he would have been guilty of a capital offence. It is possible that the word ואצונו means: “I will inaugurate him as the leader of the Jewish nation.”

הן קרבו ימיך למות, “here your days to die are drawing near.” According to the plain meaning of the text this verse teaches that the period man has to live has been predetermined, every single human being having a time allocated to him at birth. G’d sees to it that every person lives out the time thus allocated to him at birth. This would correspond to Exodus 23,26: “I will ensure that you complete the number of your days (years).” The expression קריבה, “approach,” mentioned here is one which is specifically reserved for the approach of death of righteous people as we know already from Genesis 47,29 when the Torah speaks about the approaching death of Israel our patriarch. Similarly, Kings I 2,1: “the time for David to die approached.” These verses prove that such times had been determined by G’d already at birth, and that G’d’s השגחה, “benevolent supervision of history,” ensures that the individuals in question get to live out their allotted time, that their lives are not cut short by acts of violence or natural disasters. Alternatively, G’d lengthens the allotted life span of these people as a reward for merits which they have accumulated during their lives. At the same time, their allotted life span may be reduced due to demerits they have become guilty of. The important thing is that no one dies unless G’d has so determined.
According to our information that G’d has empowered planetary forces, stars and their constellations, to exercise their influence on the lives of people on terrestrial earth, and the orbits of these forces are of constructive or destructive influence on these lives so that their lives appear to depend on mazal,” i.e. such influences (Targum Kohelet 9,2), we find that our sages did not deny the impact of such mazal; we therefore seem to be faced with a dilemma here. Our sages said specifically that phenomena such as economic success, (duration of) life on earth itself, as well as the ability to have children, do not depend on one’s merit but on one’s mazal (Moed Katan 28). If that is so, where is there room for G’d’s השגחה in the matter? Further details of our sages’ view is found in their statement that though both Rabbah and Rav Chisdah were righteous individuals (seeing that when they prayed for rain it materialised), one lived only to the age of 40 whereas the other lived to the age of 92. Rabbah’s 40 years on earth were filled with painful experiences. Rav Chisdah was blessed to marry off 60 children, whereas Rabbah buried 60 family members. The latter could not always afford to eat even bread made from barley, whereas the former fed his dogs with white bread. These statements are proof positive that the sages acknowledged the influence of mazal in our lives, i.e. that there is substance to the discipline we call astrology.
It is true that these planetary phenomena have been equipped with initial power to influence our fates. However, they are not supreme. Their influence need not be final. They are subservient to the Lord Almighty, to the attribute Hashem. If people born under adverse mazal turn to the supreme G’d, to Hashem, and appeal to Him to neutralize their apparently negative mazal, G’d will respond to such prayer if it is warranted. In fact, we may go further and posit that G’d instituted mazal partly in order to encourage us to pray to Him to change adverse mazal in His benevolent way. We know that G’d can lengthen our lives from the very verse in Exodus 23,26: “I will make full the number of your days,” i.e. “I will add to them if the situation warrants.”
King Chizkiyah had 15 years added to his life expectancy although the prophet Isaiah had been sent to him to prepare his last will and testament as he was not going to recover from his sickness. G’d responded to his prayer and revoked the decree he had been subject to (Isaiah 38,5). We also know that when the occasion warrants it G’d reduces the number of years allocated to a person at birth, from Achazyah King of Israel son of Achav. The reason he had his life span shortened was that when he fell ill, instead of turning to G’d or to an accredited prophet, he turned to idols to inquire about his chances of a recovery (compare Kings II 1,16). He was told clearly that he would die now because he had turned to Baal Zevuv, the god of Akron, ignoring the presence of accredited prophets in Israel. The verse we just quoted makes it plain that Achazya’s death at that time was due to his having turned to idols at that time. Had death already have been decreed upon him previously, what point was there in the prophet telling him about it now? The above examples teach us that G’d reserves the right to lengthen or shorten the life span decreed for man at birth. G’d remains a free agent; this is why He is known as שדי. The word, derived from שדד, means that He is in charge of the laws of nature, changing them at will if He so desires. (Compare author’s comments on Genesis 17,1) These adjustments in life span, etc., occur with a view to reward and punishment. It follows that the statement that “life (expectancy), children (ability to have them), and economic success, do not depend on merit but on mazal,” which we quoted from Moed Katan, means that the power of prayer is so great that it can override predetermined fates set according to mazal. The astrologers themselves admit that the general rules are set by G’d, whereas the planetary systems only supplement details pertaining to the lives of the subjects under their influence. Clearly, He who sets the general rules is able to set aside mere details, i.e. the subordinate powers assigned to the horoscopes. It follows that it is within man’s power to create the conditions for setting aside such details if his actions merit it and he appeals to the Lord to use His powers on his behalf. On occasion, G’d fulfills man’s desire without waiting for man to appeal to Him. What the statement in Moed Katan, regarding the three cardinal parts of man’s fate does mean is that in these matters G’d does not interfere with the predetermined fates of these individuals unless asked, unless appealed to. This is the meaning of Psalms 145,19 ואת שועתם ישמע ויושיעים, “and their cry He hears and He delivers them.” On the other hand, the same psalmist says in the first half of this verse: “He does the will of those who fear Him;” this refers to the unspoken requests by these people. We have proof positive from the Torah and the Books of Prophets that the three critical values of man, 1) children, 2) life, and 3) economic success, פרנסה, are all subject to prayer. Rachel, who had been unable to conceive and had prayed was granted children (Genesis 30,22): “G’d listened to her and opened her womb.” King Chizkiyah provided proof for the fact that G’d changes even decrees of death announced by one of His prophets at His command. Elijah and Elisha both experienced that the supply of food was dramatically increased through their prayerful intervention in the fates of starving individuals (Kings I 17,13-15 and Kings II 5,42-44). These individuals were saved from famine, although clearly that had been their assigned fate.
This is the reason why our sages singled out these three aspects of life which are normally dependent on mazal to inform us that even these matters are subject to change by means of prayer by the intended victims.

I shall enthuse them. For one cannot say it means literally a command, as there is no command written afterwards.

V. 14. ויאמר וגו׳. Während Mosche seine Wirksamkeit als geschlossen betrachtet und bereits Abschiedsworte an das Volk und an Josua als seinen von Gott bereits (Bamidbar 27, 18) delegierten Nachfolger gerichtet und auch die Toraschrift bereits den Priestern und Ältesten überliefert hatte, sollte Josuas von Gott ausgegangene Einsetzung zur Nachfolge Mosche noch erst in einer dem ganzen Volke sichtbaren Weise beglaubigt, und Mosche zugleich noch die Sendung werden, bei seinem Scheiden dem Volke eine שירה, ein "die Geschichtsereignisse aus Gott und Gott in den Ereignissen der Geschichte schauendes Lied" zu hinterlassen, das, der Gesetzesschrift angefügt und dem Munde des Volkes überliefert, Israel das es immer wieder zu Gott und zu seinem Berufe zurückführende Bewusstsein von seiner Stellung und Sendung im menschengeschichtlichen Kreise und seiner dadurch bedingten Geschickeseigentümlichkeit unverlierbar sichern sollte.

הן קרבו ימיך למות, “the time is approaching when you must die;” Moses had said to G–d that he had employed the word הן when praising Him, as is recorded in Deut. 10,14: הן לה' אלוקיך השמים ושמי השמים הארץ וכל אשר בם, “Mark, the heavens to their uppermost reaches belong to the Lord your G–d, the earth and all that is in it.” Why do You decree death upon me by using the same introductory word? G–d reminded Moses that he had used the same word also when challenging G–d’s judgment in Exodus 6,12 when he complained that since had commenced his mission the suffering of his people had become more severe. He felt that he was not being dealt with fairly. G–d explained to him that he erred and that what He had decreed was for his own good. How so? We read in Proverbs 11,31: הן בארץ ישלם אף כי רשע וחוטא, ‘”if the righteous will be recompensed on earth, how much more so the wicked and the sinner!” G–d assured Moses that in the world to come he would occupy a throne made of precious stones and would be seated on a loftier platform than 550000 righteous people. An alternate interpretation of the word הן, there is no other word in the Hebrew language which is a match for the word הן. What is meant by this? The word אחד 1 when matched with the word תשעה, 9 makes ten. The word שנים 2 when matched with the word שמונה, 8, makes ten. The word (number) 5, as well as the word 50 have no partners. Moses, i.e. his name, has no partners, as the Torah testifies that no other human being emerged who could match Moses. (Midrash Devarim Rabbah 9,6 as well as 11,9) Therefore, Moses being unique had to be matched with G–d Who is unique.

A Midrashic approach (based on Devarim Rabbah 9,4). The words: “here the days of your death are approaching,” reflect a conversation between Moses and G’d. Moses had said to G’d: ”I have praised You using the word הן (Deut. 10,14), and You are using the same word introducing the decree that I am to die.”
We may understand this by means of a parable. A king had an outstanding minister, one of whom he was exceedingly fond. One day this minister came across a sword, which was exceptionally beautiful, the like of which he had never seen. He immediately determined that this sword was appropriate for his employer, the king. What did he do? He bought it and presented it to the king as a gift. The king said: “may they cut off his head with it.” This is what Moses had in mind when he said to G’d: “are You going to use my gift to turn it against me?”
Another thought which is contained in the words הן קרבו ימיך למות, is that G’d meant: “the time has come for your sun to set and for the moon to shine.” This was a reference to the statement of our sages we have already quoted in which the face of Moses was compared to that of the sun whereas that of Joshua, his successor, was compared to that of the moon. When G’d said to Moses: “here you are going to lie with your ancestors, and this nation will arise and serve idols, etc.,” (verse 16 in our chapter), He meant that “your power, that of the exceptional level of prophecy granted to you, will continue to illuminate the moon (inspire Joshua) although you are already in your grave, just as the sun even after it has set shines upon the surface of the moon to enable it to reflect its light.” The word וקם may be read together with the words הנך שוכב עם אבותיך וקם, “although you are lying with your fathers it will rise.” Just as the sun supplies light to the moon even after it has set, you Moses will inspire Joshua even after you have joined your fathers. This is also the meaning of the word ואצונו, i.e. “I will impress My power on the moon.”

Another intention of the Torah for using the expression הן קרבו, may be as follows: "The days which are yours have approached; these days are the ones on which parts of your soul are approaching." This is the mystical dimension of Psalms 104,29: תוסף רוחם יגועון, "when You take away their breath they will perish." In my commentary of the Ari Zal on this verse on page 391 of my commentary on Jacob's impending death, I have explained all this in detail. The approach of the different parts of the soul making up the composite of one's soul, spell the imminence of physical death. The verse in Psalms then has to be translated as: "when all the parts of their spirit come together their bodies will die."

הן: Du hast in ganz richtigem Gefühle gehandelt, deine Zeit zu scheiden ist da; jedoch rufe noch erst Josua, והתיצבו: stellt euch beide meiner gewärtig. Vergl. Schmot 33, 21 u. 34, 2; Bamidbar 11, 16; Schmot 2, 4 und sonst. ואצונו, diese Bestellung erfolgt erst im V. 23. Alles Vorangehende ist eine in Josuas Gegenwart an Mosche gerichtete Gottesrede. Vergl. diesen ganzen Vorgang mit der ähnlichen Einsetzung der Ältesten zu Gehilfen Mosche. Bamidbar 11, 16 u. 17 insbesondere: וירדתי ודברתי עמך שם ואצלתי מן הרוח אשר עליך ושמתי עליהם (siehe daselbst). — באהל מועד: dort, wo das Gesetz und unsere Hingebung an das Gesetz und die durch beides bedingte schützende und segnende Gottesgegenwart in unserem Kreise, somit alles das seinen Ausdruck hatte, dem bis jetzt Mosche Sendung geweiht war und das nun der Weiterfürsorge seines Nachfolgers übergeben werden sollte.

וילך משה ויהושע, “Moses and Joshua went; from the camp of Israel to the camp of the Shechinah.

והתיצבו באהל מועד, "and stand both of you in the Tent of Meeting, etc." This is the first instance where G'd commands Joshua to display a symbol of his new authority in Moses' presence. G'd did this by giving both Moses and Joshua simultaneous instructions using the plural התיצבו. We have explained this word as meaning "being appointed" in connection with Deut. 29,12. The word has a similar meaning in Samuel I 13,14 where Samuel tells King Saul ויצוהו ה׳ לנגיד על עמו, that in His heart G'd had already appointed someone else as leader of His people. This was some time before G'd ordered Samuel to anoint one of Yishai's sons as king. G'd's words to Joshua "for you will bring the children of Israel to the land, etc." (verse 22) are interpreted in Sanhedrin 8 as another such appointment of Joshua to a position of authority.