신명기 3:27의 Musar

והיה עקב תשמעון . In the previous paragraph (7,7) the Torah explained that G–d's love for the Jewish people is not based on our superior numbers, seeing that we are "small," numerically speaking. The Talmud Chulin 89a states in the name of Rabbi Eliezer that the meaning of this verse is that G–d likes the Jewish people because even when they are riding high (economically) they still humble themselves, i.e. they behave as if they were מעט מכל העמים, the least significant of all nations. Abraham, for instance, described himself as: אנכי עפר ואפר, "I am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18,27). Moses and Aaron (Exodus 16,7) said of themselves: ונחנו מה, "What do we amount to?" David described himself as: ואנכי תולעת ולא איש "I am only a worm, not a man" (Psalms 22,7). On the other hand, the "great" men among the Gentile nations did not react in this fashion to the greatness I (G–d) have bestowed upon them. I have given greatness to Nimrod; he responded by building a Tower in order to assert himself against Me. I gave greatness to Pharaoh; he responded by claiming "Who is the Lord that I should listen to Him?" (Exodus 5,2). I made Sancheriv a mighty ruler and he reacted by saying: "Who among the gods of all these lands has saved them from me that you should imagine that the Lord will save you from me?" (Kings II 18,35). Similar expressions of arrogance are recorded as having been used by Chirom the king of Tzor, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and others. Rava or Rabbi Yochanan are reported to have said that the continued existence of the universe would not have been permitted had it not been for Moses and Aaron and people of their caliber, all of whom said of themselves: "what do we amount to?" It is interesting that G–d is described in Job 26,7 as תולה ארץ על בלימה, "suspending earth over merely מה" (hardly something), a reference to Moses and Aaron who had described themselves as נחנו מה. Rabbi lla'i, also on folio 89 Chulin, suggests the meaning of the verse in Job to be that the earth will be allowed to survive for the sake of people who בולם את עצמם, "put the brakes on their ego" at times of strife. Rabbi Abahu, on the other hand, says that he who considers himself as if he did not exist is the "salt of the earth." He uses Deut. 3,27: ומתחת זרועות עולם, in the sense of "he who is trampled by the world is the real 'arms' supporting the universe." Rabbi Yitzchak derives this same message from Psalms 58,2: האמנם אלם צדק תדברון מישרים תשפטו בני אדם. He understands this verse to mean that maintaining a silent (אלם) profile and speaking out only in matters of צדק, i.e. Torah, is what keeps the world going.

עלה ראש הפסגה ושא עיניך ימה וצפונה ותימנה ומזרחה. In this verse (4,27) G–d begins to explain to Moses that he had erred when he thought that his being allowed to defeat Sichon and Og was proof that He had rescinded His decree against his leading the Jewish people in their conquest of the West bank of the Jordan. G–d wanted to show Moses with his own eyes that the lands of Sichon and Og were not part of the Holy land, i.e. the area of 400 by 400 Parsot that are traditionally considered the area of ארץ ישראל (Rashi Numbers 17,8). Moses could encompass a tremendous area with his eyes. This is why the Torah uses the extra word בעיניך. When someone is told to raise his eyes and see, it is clear that he is meant to use his eyes to see with. The Torah wanted us to know that Moses' eyes were special. Only he was able to see the whole extent of the land of Israel with his physical eyes, unassisted by something supernatural. He could convince himself that the 400 square Parsot made up the land west of the Jordan, without including any part of the lands formerly owned by Sichon and Og. The מלחמת מצוה, the "holy war" to conquer those 400 square Parsot across the river Jordan, was a task wholly reserved for Joshua. G–d's decree had not been rescinded. G–d added that He would actually have allowed Joshua also to lead in the conquest of the lands of Sichon and Og although they did not belong to ארץ ישראל proper, had it not been for the need to strengthen Joshua by visual example, as described in 4,28. Once Joshua had witnessed how Moses had successfully defeated the mighty kings Sichon and Og and conquered their lands he would be able to summon the courage to lead the people of Israel in their battles with the 31 kings on the West bank of the Jordan. This is why the Torah had mentioned at the end of the last פרשה, (3,21) that Moses had commanded Joshua not to be afraid since he had seen with his own eyes what the Lord had done to those two kings.