Комментарий о цитате к Дварим 3:11

Scripture says eleven days to tell us that Moshe spoke these words during those eleven days wherein they traveled from Ḥorev to Qadesh Barnea. I shall later inform you that the spies started out from Qadesh Barnea [comment on: 3] [see also Numbers 32: 8]; after God swore that they would not enter the land, no new commandments were given until the fortieth year — for so it is written [Bava Batra 121a–121b] [Ta‘anit 30b] [cf. 2: 16–17]. Conclusive evidence is found in the phrase “to expound this Torah” [: 5]: He explained the Torah that he had already spoken between Paran and Tofel. Note that most of the Commandments are repeated in this book. Accordingly, the upcoming phrase “all that God had commanded him concerning them” [: 3] is properly modified by the preceding phrases “across the Jordan” [: 1] and “in the desert wilderness” [: 1]. If you can grasp the mystery behind the following problematic passages: 1) The final twelve verses of this book 2) “Moshe wrote…” [31: 22] 3) “At that time, the Canaanites dwelt in the land” [Genesis 12: 6] 4) “…In the mountain of God , He will appear” [Genesis 22: 14] 5) “behold, his bed is a bed of iron…” [3: 11] you will then understand the truth. There are those who say that the reason for mentioning It is eleven day’s journey from Ḥorev, by way of Mount S̀eir, to Qadesh Barnea is to stress that they wandered in the wilderness for forty years — hence, the contrasting phrase

on his sickbed Heb. ערש, lit in French, as (in Deut. 3:11): “Behold his bed is an iron bed.” When he too takes ill, He will support him. What is the meaning of “on his sickbed”? This is the seventh day of the sickness, when he is very ill. In this manner, it is explained in Aggadath Tehillim (Mid. Ps. 41:5).

עשתרת — This is an expression denoting rocks and anything hard, just as (Genesis 14:5) “Ashtaroth Karnaim”, (i.e. the hard rocks of Karnaim) (Sifrei Devarim 3:5)). And indeed this Ashtaroth is identical with Ashtaroth Karnaim where the Rephaim (the giants) were, whom Amraphel smote, as it is said, (Genesis 14:5) “And they smote the Rephaim in Ashtaroth Karnaim". Og, alone, escaped of them, and that is the meaning of what is stated, (Genesis 14:13; cf. Rashi) "And the one who escaped (הפליט) came", for it further states, (Deuteronomy 3:11) "For only Og, king of Bashan, remained of the remnant of the Rephaim",

ויבא הפליט AND THERE CAME THE ONE WHO ESCAPED — According to the real meaning this was Og who had escaped from the battle with the Rephaim (see Genesis 5:5) and it is to this that the text refers (Deuteronomy 3:11) “For only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim”, and this is what is meant by נשאר “left”, for Amraphel and his allies did not kill him when they smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim. So is the statement in the Tanchuma 4:6:25 (Chukat). But according to the Midrash Genesis Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah 42:8) it refers to Og in allusion to him as the only one of the generation of the Flood who escaped that catastrophe, and this is what is meant (Deuteronomy 3:11) “of the remnant of the Rephaim”, for it is said. (Genesis 6:4) “The Nephilim (= Rephaim cf. Genesis Rabbah 26) were in the earth etc.” His intention in telling Abraham that his nephew was captured was that Abraham should wage war against the kings and that he should be killed so that he, himself, might marry Sarah.

אל תירא אתו FEAR HIM NOT — God said this concerning Og but not about Sihon (cf v. 23), because Moses feared to wage battle, perhaps the merit of Abraham with whom Og had been associated would stand up (i.e., be an advocate) for him, as it is said, (Genesis 14:13) “And the one who escaped came [and told it to Abraham]” — this was Og who had escaped from the Rephaim whom Chedoladmar and his allies had smitten in Ashoreth Karnaim (Genesis 14:5), as it is said, (Deuteronomy 3:11). "For only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim" (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 25, Niddah 61a).