Комментарий к Дварим 1:41

ותהינו — This is an expression derived from the word הננו in (Numbers 14:40) "Here we are (הננו) and we will go up to the place”. This is the expression which you uttered — the expression הן, "yes”. The word, therefore, means as much as: you expressed your readiness to go up into the mountain.

ANACHNU’ (WE) ‘NA’ALEH’ (WE WILL GO UP) AND FIGHT. The purport of the word ‘anachnu’ (we) [when it is already included in the word na’aleh which means “we will go up”] is that “we ourselves” will go up and we will fight, and we will not leave the matter to our children after us, as you [Moses] have said.

ותהינו, meaning הננו, “we are ready, prepared;” the people at that point were willing to ascend. (Numbers 14,40)

ותהינו, ”then you were ready.” The word is derived from הן. It is as if the people had said הננו ועלינו, “here we are ready to ascend” (Rashi). Onkelos renders the word as ושריתון למיסק לטורא, “you started to ascend the mountain.” If someone prepares himself to commence a project, an undertaking, he usually signals this by saying הנני, “I am all set to go.”

We have sinned to Hashem. You did not beg before Hashem or confess your sins before Him so that He would have compassion upon you. You thought that you could heal your sins easily, by speaking to me, saying “We have sinned to Hashem.” As if by saying those words you would already be cleansed from your sins, without any extra contrition or submission to Hashem, which is required by penitents.

As if to say, you made yourselves ready. Rashi has a difficulty with this verse: How is it plausible to use the word הן (“yes,” or, “here we are”) here? Certainly when a man tells his friend to do something for him, then a response of “yes “ or “here we are” is plausible. But here, Hashem and Moshe warned them not to go up [the mountain]. If so, a response of, “yes” is not plausible! Therefore, Rashi explains: “As if to say, you made yourselves ready.” You made yourselves ready to do this, as if you had explicitly said, “Here we are.”

V. 41. ותהינו. Die Wurzel von הן ist הנן, daher: הנך ,הנני usw. Die Wurzel von תהינו ist aber הין oder הון .הון heißt aber Vermögen, und zwar ein reichliches Vermögen, und הין daher das größte Flüssigkeitsmaß. Prov. 30, 15 u. 16 kommt הון geradezu als: "genug!" oder vielleicht: "mehr als genug!" vor, ארבע לא אמרו הון, אש לא אמרה הון. Wir glauben daher ותהינו also verstehen zu dürfen: Ihr gürtetet jeder seine Kriegswaffe um "und hieltet dies für genug", oder "mehr als genug", um das Gebirge zu ersteigen. Ihr ginget so von sträflichem Kleinmut zu sträflicher Vermessenheit über. Woran ihr eben es mit Gott ausführen zu können verzweifeltet, das glaubtet ihr jetzt ohne Gott vollbringen zu können. Euer Schwert dünkte euch mehr als hinreichend zur Eroberung des Landes.

ותהינו לעלות ההרה, what is the meaning of the word: ותהינו?, the word הין in Hebrew describes a liquid measure. The people used it in the sense of “making a mountain out of a molehill,” as if to say: “you believed then that ascending the mountains of Canaan would be mere child’s play.” You also thought that G–d’s punishment of them was grossly disproportionate to their sin.

'ותענו ותאמרו וגו, you answered and said to me: “we have sinned;” we have explained verses 41-49 already in Numbers 14,41-43.