Комментарий к Бамидбар 21:21

“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD…” (Shemot 15:1) There are ten songs. The first was said in Egypt, as it says “For you, there shall be singing As on a night when a festival is hallowed…” (Isaiah 30:29) The second was ‘Then Moses sang…’ Third was on the well “Then Israel sang this song…” (Bamidbar 21:17) The fourth was the song ‘Listen now…’ (Devarim 32:1) The fifth was “Joshua addressed the LORD…” (Yehoshua 10:12) The sixth “On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang…” (Shoftim 5:1) The seventh “David addressed the words of this song to the LORD…” (Shmuel II 22:1) The eight was “A song for the dedication of the House.” (Psalms 30:1) The ninth was Yehoshefat, as it is written “he stationed singers to the LORD extolling the One majestic in holiness as they went forth ahead of the vanguard, saying, “Praise the LORD, for His steadfast love is eternal.”” (Chronicles II 20:21) The tenth is in the time to come, as it says “Sing to the LORD a new song…” (Isaiah 42:10) This song is different, as it is named in the masculine form (shir chadash and not shirah chadasha). All the other songs are named in the feminine form because just as a female gives birth so all of these salvations had after them another subjugation; but in the time to come will be a salvation which is not followed by any subjugation, as it says “But Israel has won through the LORD Triumph everlasting…” (Isaiah 45:17) Thus it is written ‘a new song’ in the masculine (shir chadash), just as a male does not give birth. So it says “Ask and see: Surely males do not bear young!” (Jeremiah 30:6)

וישלח ישראל מלאכים AND ISRAEL SENT MESSENGERS — But in another passage it attributes this embassy to Moses, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 2:26), “And ‘I’ sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth [to Sihon king of Heshbon]”! And so, too, it states, (Numbers 20:14), “And Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom”; whilst in the story of Jephtha, it says, (Judges 11:17) “And Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, etc.”. Each of these pairs of verses is necessary one to the other (i.e., they supplement each other): one keeps back information and the other discloses it, (more lit., one locks up and the other opens) — you may gather from them that Moses is Israel and Israel is Moses, thus telling you that the prince of any generation is the equal of the whole generation, for the prince is the whole (Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 23).

AND ISRAEL SENT MESSENGERS UNTO SIHON, KING OF THE AMORITES, SAYING: 22. ‘LET ME PASS THROUGH THY LAND.’ “Although they had not been commanded to send them [a message of] peace, they nonetheless took the initiative in [offering them] peace.” This is Rashi’s language. I will yet explain, with the help of G-d, in its [proper] place,²⁸⁰See Ramban on Deuteronomy 20:10; 23:7, and 2:24, that Ammon and Moab were excluded from terms of peace. that [unlike Rashi’s explanation] they were commanded to offer peace [terms before beginning to fight] all the nations, except for Ammon and Moab. But in truth [we must say] that when Moses said to Sihon, Let me pass through your land, he did this of his own accord by way of conciliation, for the land of Sihon and Og was [part of the] inheritance of Israel, since it had originally belonged to the Amorite, [and was included in the territory promised to Israel]. Thus had Sihon and Og responded peaceably, and opened [their cities] to them, they would have been entitled [to take] all the people that are found therein tributary unto them, and they would serve them.²⁸¹Deuteronomy 20:11. But Moses [who only requested of Sihon, Let me pass through your land, and thus leave him untouched altogether] knew that Israel would not conquer now all ten nations,²⁸²Genesis 15:18-21. and he wanted all their conquests to be on the other side of the Jordan, and forward²⁸³Further, 32:19. [i.e., in Canaan proper, on the western side of the Jordan] so that they should all dwell [concentrated] together, and [also because] it was the good Land²⁸⁴Deuteronomy 8:7. which is flowing with milk and honey.²⁸⁵Above, 13:27. Thus you see, had not the children of Gad and the children of Reuben requested it [the land captured east of the Jordan] from him [Moses] he would not have left anyone [to live] there, but [would have allowed it] to be a wasteland! And similarly the Rabbis have taught in the Sifre:²⁸⁶Sifre, Ki Thavo 229. “To give thee [their land]²⁸⁷Deuteronomy 4:38. In our Sifre this explanation is given on the verse ibid., 26:3, and is the source of the law that the first-fruits are not brought from the land east of the Jordan. — this excludes [the land] beyond the Jordan [eastward], which you took for yourself.” Our Rabbis have furthermore said in connection with the ten [degrees of] holiness,²⁸⁸Keilim 1:6-9. The text quoted by Ramban in connection with the land on the east of the Jordan is in Bamidbar Rabbah 7:8. that the [land on the east] side of the Jordan is not suitable for [building therein] the Sanctuary and for the dwelling therein of the Divine Glory. And so it seems [also] from Scripture, for it says, If, however, the land of your possession [on the eastern side of the Jordan] be unclean etc.²⁸⁹Joshua 22:19. The question there, was the building of an altar by the two and a half tribes on the east side of the Jordan near the river, which the tribes on the western side totally rejected because it was an act of rebellion against G-d. In presenting their arguments against the altar, they said, If, however, the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the Land of the possession of the Eternal, wherein the Eternal’s Tabernacle dwelleth. From this it is clear that the land on the east side of the Jordan is not suitable for the building of the Sanctuary etc. Now they did not send to Og a message [offering] peace, because when he saw that the Israelites had defeated Sihon, he [immediately] went forth into battle against them [the Israelites].

וישלח ישראל מלאכים, “Israel sent messengers;” in a different report in Deuteronomy 2,26 we are told that Moses sent messengers. Our sages conclude from this that two letters were sent to Sichon, one by Moses asserting Israel’s peaceful intentions when traversing his territory, the other by Israel, threatening war. (no source quoted). The second certainly sounds very peaceful. Ed.]