Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Josue 24:1

ויהי בארבעים שנה בעשתי עשר חדש באחד לחדש AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE FORTIETH YEAR, IN THE ELEVENTH MONTH, ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH, [MOSES SPAKE] — This tells us that he reproved them only shortly before his death (Jewish tradition holds that Moses died on the seventh day of the twelfth month; cf. Megillah 13b). From whom did he learn this? From Jacob, who reproved his sons only shortly before his death. He said, “Reuben, my son, I will tell you why I have not reproved you for your unfitial conduct during all these years: it was in order that you should not leave me and go and join Esau, my wicked brother". — And on account of four things one should not reprove a person except shortly before one's death: that one should not reprove him and again have to reprove him; and that his fellow whom he reproves should not, when he afterwards happens to see him, feel ashamed before him, etc.; as it is set forth in Siphre. And similarly, Joshua reproved Israel only shortly before his death (cf. Joshua 24:1—29), and so, too, Samuel, as it is said, (I Samuel 12:3) “Behold, testify against me", and so, also, David reproved his son Solomon only shortly before his death (cf. 1 Kings 2:1—9).

ישב) יצב .אתם נצבים mit dem צ-Laut) bezeichnet nicht wie עמד nur die stehende Stellung, sondern es ist ein Stehen mit Festigkeit, Kraft und energievoller Ausdauer. Gedankenreich erläutert תנחומא z. St. die Wahl dieses Ausdrucks an dieser Stelle, statt des gewöhnlichen ja auch V. 14 gebrauchten עמד. All den geschilderten unsäglichen Leiden gegenüber seid ihr doch נצבים, seid ihr doch die Aufrecht- und Festbleibenden; sie können alle über eure Häupter hingehen, ihr überdauert sie alle, חצי אכלה בם (K. 32, 23) חצי כלין והן אינן כלין. Ja, die Leiden selbst sichern eure Dauer, weil sie eure Besserung sichern. הן מעמידות אתכם וכן הוא אומר למען ענתך לנסתך וגו׳ (K. 8, 2). Und auch: אתם נצבים, ihr seid die Bleibenden! Ich gehe hin, und auch Josua, dem ich euch übergebe, geht hin, und so auch die von Geschlecht zu Geschlecht nachfolgenden Führer, sie alle gehen hin, und die Eigenart der Führer wechselt, — nur ihr, die Nation ist das Unsterbliche, Ewige, das Bleibende, in ihr vererbt sich der Genius und der Geist, dem Gott die Fortdauer seines Werkes anvertraut und in dessen Dienst jeder Führer eintritt. Die Nation ist die מצבה, die ewige Säule seines Gesetzes. דבר אחר מפני מה עשאן משה מצבה מפני שמשתמשין מדעת לדעת מדעת משה לדעת יהושע מדעת יהושע לדעת הזקנים. ואף יהושע עשאן מצבה שנא׳ (יהושע כד א׳) ויאסוף יהושע את כל שבטי ישראל שכמה ויקרא לזקני ישראל וגו׳ ויתיצבו לפני האלקים. ואף שמואל שמשתמשין מדעתו לדעת מלכים עשאן מצבה שנאמר ועתה התיצבו ואשפטה אתכם לפני ד׳ (שמואל א׳ י׳׳ב ז׳)

לא יסור שבט מיהודה, the position of royalty which all his 12 brothers bestowed on him, i.e. that they all prostrate themselves before him, will not be removed from him until Shiloh. Yehudah, i.e. King Rechavam of Yehudah son of Solomon who wanted to confirm his ascendancy to the throne in Shilo, which is very close to Shechem. (Kings I 12) [In the event, his stupidity in listening to inexperienced irresponsible counselors lost him most of his kingdom so that he ruled only over Yehudah and Binyamin. Ed.]

היום THIS DAY — like the “day” which endures for ever, for though it becomes dark for a period it shines again, (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 1, Sanhedrin 110b); so has He made you shine (i.e. given you periods when you have had nought but happiness) and will again make you shine; and it is just the curses and the sufferings that give you permanence and stability (נצבים) before Him. — So, too, the section preceding this (1 ff. which follows immediately after the curses) consists of comforting words: “Ye have seen all the Lord did [before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, etc.]”. — Another explanation of אתם נצבים: Because the Israelites were now passing from one leader to another, from Moses to Joshua, therefore he (Moses) made them stand in ranks (מצבה) that he might address admonitions to them. Similarly did Joshua (cf. Joshua 24:1) and similarly did Samuel, who said, (I Samuel 12:7): “Now therefore take your stand (התיצבו) that I may reason with you before the Lord”, when they were leaving his hand (leadership) and were coming under the hand of Saul (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 1).

Which is in the Sanctuary of Adonoy.²⁰But the Sanctuary had not yet been built. Since the Ark was brought there [it is referred to as the Sanctuary] as it stated above,²¹Verse 1. ‘And they stood before God.

shall not come about For you already accepted upon yourselves of your own free will in the days of Joshua, as it is written (Josh. 24:1): “And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel,” and the entire episode.