Chasidut · Izhbitz
Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Deuteronomy, Devarim/מי השלוח·
אאֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים. אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ [שוחר טוב פרק ל"ט] לֹא נִיתַּן לָהֶם תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַעַסְקוּ בִּדְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים. וְזֶה פֵּירוּשׁ (תהלים נ"ח,ב') "הַאֻמְנָם אֵלֶם צֶדֶק תְּדַבֵּרוּן", כִּי לְכָל הַכֹּחוֹת שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בָּאָדָם נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִצְוָה שֶׁיּוּכַל הָאָדָם לַעֲבוֹד בּוֹ הַש"י, וְהָאָדָם נִבְרָא בְּכֹחַ הַדִּבּוּר וְנִיתַּן לוֹ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה לַעֲסוֹק בָּהֶם.
1“These are the words .…” (Devarim, 1:1)It is written in the Midrash (Sochar Tov, 39), “The Torah was only given to Israel so they would not occupy themselves with idle words.” This is the meaning of (Tehilim, 58:2), “will indeed the mute speak righteousness?” For all the powers that were created in man, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave a commandment with which to serve God. Man was created with the power of speech, and he was given words of Torah with which to occupy himself.
בבָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף. הָעִנְיָן מַה שֶּׁמְּכַנֶּה אֶת חֶטְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל שְׁמוֹת הַמְּקוֹמוֹת וְלֹא עַל שֵׁם הַזְּמַן, רָמַז בָּזֶה שֶׁלֹּא יַחְשׁוֹב הָאָדָם כִּי חֶטְאָם הָיָה נֶגֶד בְּחִירָתָם, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם בְּחִירָה לִפְרוֹשׁ מֵהַחֵטְא, עַל זֶה מְרַמֵּז עִנְיַן הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָּאֶפְשָׁרוּת לְהִשָּׁמֵר מֵחֲטָאִים וְלָזוּז לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
2“… in the plain over against Suf .…” (Devarim, 1:1)Why were the sins of Israel discreetly mentioned through the names of the places where the sins occurred rather than by mentioning the time when they occurred? (See Rashi on this verse, who teaches of the merits of Moshe that he mentioned the names of the places where the children of Israel sinned, but not the sins themselves. He did not say, “at the Aravah you sinned with the Baal Peor, at at Shittim with the Moabites, etc.” This was so as to honor them and not be overly harsh in his reproof. The Author takes this further, with a simple question. Why not mention the times instead of the places?) This is in order that man does not think that they sinned according to their power of choice, and that they had the choice to remove themselves from the sin. Place hints at this, for it was not possible for them to guard themselves from the sin and move to a different place (where they might not have sinned.)* Moharan II 1:14, and in Torat Moseh ‘Masei’[Haghahot Peretz]. So as not to erroneously think that this is Antinomian, the Isbitzer Hassid needs to remember that “Isbitz is for after the sin” [R. Moshe Lainer, Rebbe of Radzin shlita]
גאַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחֹרֵב. כִּי בְּקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה עוֹד לֹא נִזְדַּכֵּךְ לֵב יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִמָּשֵׁךְ אַחַר רְצוֹן הַש"י בִּשְׁלֵימוּת, וְרַק בְּשִׂכְלָם הֵבִינוּ כִּי טוֹב לִפְנֵיהֶם לְקַיֵּים רְצוֹן הַש"י וְלִבָּם לֹא הָיָה מְזוּכָּךְ, אַךְ בְּבִיאַת אֶרֶץ אָז נִזְדַּכֵּךְ לִבָּם, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם "אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחוֹרֵב", הַיְינוּ כְּשֶׁהֱיִיתֶם בְּחוֹרֵב וְקִבַּלְתֶּם הַתּוֹרָה הָיָה בְּדַעְתְּכֶם כִּי כְּבָר נִזְדַּכֵּךְ לִבְּכֶם, כִּי הֲלַכְתֶּם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵן כִּי יֵשׁ מֶרְחָק אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם, וְלֹא קְנִיתֶם דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁיִּקָּבְעוּ בְּלִבְּכֶם, רַק אַחַר הָאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַל יְדֵי הַמִּכְשׁוֹלוֹת וְהַנִּסְיוֹנוֹת עַל יְדֵי זֶה נִזְדַּכֵּךְ לִבְּכֶם, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם עוֹמֵד עַל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נִכְשַׁל בָּהֶם (גיטין מ"ג.), וְעַל זֶה אָמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם (תהלים קכ"ז,ב') "שָׁוְא לָכֶם מַשְׁכִּימֵי קוּם כוּ' אֹכְלֵי לֶחֶם הָעֲצָבִים כֵּן יִתֵּן לִידִידוֹ שֵׁנָא", כִּי קוֹדֶם שֶׁלֵּב הָאָדָם נִזְדַּכֵּךְ צָרִיךְ לִיגִיעָה וְעֶצֶב קוֹדֶם שֶׁיְּקַיֵּים רְצוֹן הַש"י, אַךְ אַחַר שֶׁנִּקְבַּע דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בְּלִבּוֹ אָז מַשְׁפִּיעַ לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה אַף בְּלִי יְגִיעָה וְאַף בְּעֵת שֵׁינָה וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לְיַגֵּעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ כָּל כָּךְ.
3“Eleven days from Horev .…” (Devarim, 1:2)Upon receiving the Torah the heart of Israel was not yet refined so as to be completely drawn after God’s will. They understood in their intellect that it was good to fulfill God’s will, yet their heart was not yet purified. Only once they had entered the land was their heart refined. This is as Moshe Rabeynu said to them, “eleven days from Horev.” After you received the Torah at Horev and then you reached Kadesh Barnea in only three days, you thought that his was a sign thatyour hearts were already purified.1 was trying to hasten their entrance into the land. Yet it is not so, for (the distance from Horev to Kadesh) is actually eleven days (meaning it is a longer journey, a greater effort), and (in this Moshe was telling them,) “You have not yet acquired words of Torah that they may be fixed in your heart. It is only after forty years, by means of failures and trials, that your hearts became refined,” for “one cannot uphold the Torah unless he has failed in it [Gittin, 43a].”Concerning this King David said (Tehilim, 127:2), “It is vain for you to get up early [to think that in only three days you have sufficiently refined your hearts] … by eating the bread of sorrows, thus He gives His beloved sleep.” Before the heart is refined one must undergo toil and strife in order to fulfill God’s will. Yet after words of Torah are fixed in his heart, then the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows words of Torah upon him without any struggle, even while sleeping, and one does not need to undergo great efforts.
דלֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי שְׂאֵת אֶתְכֶם. כִּי עִיקַר חֵלֶק מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם הָיָה קַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה, וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה חֵלֶק יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמַר "רַב לָכֶם שֶׁבֶת כוּ' פְּנוּ לָכֶם", הַיְינוּ הַתְחָלוֹת כְּנִיסַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אָז נֶחֱלַשׁ דַּעְתּוֹ.
4“… I alone cannot bear you .…” (Devarim, 1:9)The principle of the portion of Moshe Rabeynu was the reception of the Torah, and the land of Israel was the portion of Yehoshua. So when it was said to them (verses 6 and 7), “It is enough of your dwelling on this mountain. You shall turn and go,” this signified the beginning of their entrance into the land. Then his strength waned.
הוָאוֹמַר אֲלֵכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִיא לֵאמֹר לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי כוּ' הָבוּ לָכֶם אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וּנְבוֹנִים וִידֻעִים. כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיוּ קְרוֹבִים לִכָּנֵס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִרְגִּישׁ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם כִּי רְצוֹן הַש"י הוּא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יִכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ, וְהוּא הָיָה רוֹצֶה שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה' שֶׁאֵינָם רוֹצִים בְּמַנְהִיג אַחֵר, וְזֶה שֶׁרָמַז לָהֶם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ "לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי" כוּ' אַף שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁאַחַר כָּךְ בִּקֵּשׁ מֵה' שֶׁהוּא יַכְנִיסֵם, וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבִינוּ שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִתְפִלָּתָם כָּעֵת, וְזֶה הַפָּסוּק הוּא פָּסוּק תְּשִׁיעִי מֵהַתְחָלַת הַסִּדְרָה וּבְכָל מָקוֹם בַּפָּסוּק הַתְּשִׁיעִי נִמְצָא עוֹמֶק שֶׁלֹּא כְּפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמְּבוֹאָר בְּפָרָשַׁת בָּלָק [ד"ה ויאמר בלעם], וְהֵם לֹא הֵבִינוּ וְאָמְרוּ "טוֹב הַדָּבָר", וְעַל כֵּן אָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ "וָאֶקַּח מֵאִתְּכֶם אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וִידֻעִים" כוּ' וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (נדרים כ':) מַה שֶּׁלֹּא הוּזְכַּר נְבוֹנִים כִּי נְבוֹנִים לֹא מָצָא וְז"ש וּנְבוֹנִים לֹא מָצָאתִי רוֹמֵז כִּי לֹא מָצָא מִי שֶׁיָּבִין כַּוָּנָתוֹ, כִּי בְּאִם הֵבַנְתֶּם אֶת כַּוָּנָתִי וְהִתְפַּלַּלְתֶּם אוּלַי הֱיִיתֶם מוֹעִילִים בִּתְפִלַּתְכֶם.
5“And I said to them at that time, saying, ‘I alone cannot bear you … bring men of wisdom.…’ ” (Devarim, 1:9, 13)When they were close to entering the land of Israel, Moshe Rabeynu felt that it was God’s will that Yehoshua would be the one to bring them in. But still he wanted Israel to pray to God saying that they did not want another leader (than Moshe, in effect to change God’s will). This is hinted in the way he said, “I alone cannot bear you.” (Not alone, but if all of Israel prays, then perhaps.) Even though we find later (at the beginning of the next Parsha) that he asks God to be the one to bring them in, he says it to them here in order for them to understand that he needs their prayers now. This verse is the ninth verse from the beginning of the Parsha, and each time the ninth verse contains a depth much deeper than the plain meaning, as is explained above in Parshat Balak.2 [the sefirah of] Yesod–foundation, and there is something hidden within it. This is as it says in the Holy Zohar [Bereshit, 3a], “[because nine is the Hebrew letter tet, the first letter in tov or good] letter tet, your good is closed within you and hidden within you.” However, they didn’t understand (Moshe’s hidden meaning, wanting them to pray that he should be the one to bring them in), and they said, “it is good to do what you have said [to choose other leaders]” (Devarim, 1:14). Therefore it is said, “Take men of wisdom, of deep understanding, and known (among your tribes),”* (verse 13) and after, “so I took wise men, and known…” (verse 15). On this our sages say (Nedarim, 20b), “the second time it does not say, ‘of deep understanding,’ because he didn’t find anyone of deep understanding.” This means that (because they answered him in verse 14, “it is good to choose new leaders”) he didn’t find anyone with an understanding of his hidden intention (as if to say), “for if you had understood my intention and prayed, maybe your prayer would have been successful.”
וה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם וְהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לָרֹב. אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (דברים רבה פרשה א',י"ד) אָמַר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָמָּה לֹא מָשַׁלְתָּ אוֹתָם בְּחַמָּה וּלְבָנָה שֶׁהֵם גְּדוֹלִים מִכּוֹכָבִים, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה יֵשׁ לָהֶם בּוּשָׁה לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כ"ד,כ"ג) "וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה" אֲבָל הַכּוֹכָבִים אֵין לָהֶם בּוּשָׁה מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יואל ב',כ"ז) "כִּי בְּקֶרֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל אָנִי וַאֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וְאֵין עוֹד", כִּי חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה נִקְרָא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם מַעֲשָׂיו עַל פִּי חָכְמָתוֹ וּבִינָתוֹ, וְכָל מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָדָם עַל פִּי חָכְמָתוֹ יִהְיוּ בְּטֵלִין, וְכוֹכָבִים נִקְרָא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָאִיר עֵינֵי הָאָדָם וְיֵלֵךְ עַל פִּי הֶאָרוֹת אוֹר הַש"י וְזֹאת יָקוּם לְעוֹלְמֵי עַד.
6“Hashem your God has increased you, and behold, you are today like the stars of the heavens for a multitude.” (Devarim, 1:10)It is said in the Midrash (Devarim Rabba, 1:14), “Moshe Rabeynu said before the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘why did you not compare them to the sun and the moon, which are greater than the stars?’ The Holy One, blessed be He, answered him, ‘in the future, shame will come from the sun and the moon, as it is said [Yesahya, 24:23], “then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun shall be ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign on mount Zion and Jerusalem.’”3 And God continued, ‘yet no shame shall come from the stars, as it is said (Yoel, 2:27), ‘For I am in the midst of Israel, and I am the Lord your God, and there is no other, and you shall no longer be ashamed.’” The sun and the moon represent a time when one acts according to his own human wisdom and understanding, for (in the time to come) all the thoughts of man according to human wisdom will be nullified. On the other hand, the stars represent the place where the Holy One, blessed be He, illuminates the eyes of man, and he goes according to the illumination of the light of God. This will endure forever and ever.
זוַיְהִי בְּאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּעַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה כוּ'. הָעִנְיָן שֶׁנִּתְפָּרֵשׁ כָּאן בְּאֵיזֶה חֹדֶשׁ, כִּי חֹדֶשׁ שְׁבָט מוֹרֶה עַל שֵׁבֶט וְתוֹכַחַת מוּסָר וְכָתוּב (משלי כ"ט,ט"ו) "שֵׁבֶט וְתוֹכַחַת יִתֵּן חָכְמָה", וְנָתַן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם עֵצָה שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ אֶת עַצְמָם בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְתִפְדֶּה אוֹתָם מִכָּל רַע כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים קי"א,ט') "פְּדוּת שָׁלַח לְעַמּוֹ צִוָּה לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ", וּבְרִית הוּא הַתּוֹרָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ירמיה ל"ג,כ"ה) "אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי" כוּ', וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ט"ו,ל"ג) "יִרְאַת ה' מוּסַר חָכְמָה", כִּי יֵשׁ מוּסָר עַל פִּי יִסּוּרִין חַס וְשָׁלוֹם וְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה גַּם כֵּן נִקְרָאִים מוּסָר כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ח',י') "קְחוּ מוּסָרִי", כִּי מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה יוּכַל גַּם כֵּן הָאָדָם לְהִתְיַסֵּר "וְאַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָּהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ", וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים קי"א,י') "רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת ה' שֵׂכֶל טוֹב לְכָל עֹשֵׂיהֶם", פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁזֶּה חָכְמָה וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב לָאָדָם שֶׁיַּכְנִיס אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְעַל יָדָהּ יִנָּצֵל מִכָּל רַע.
7“And it was, in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, Moshe spoke .…” (Devarim, 1:3)The reason why he specifies here the exact month is because the month of Shevat (the eleventh month) teaches of the rod [Shevet in Hebrew] and ethical reproof, as it is written (Mishlei, 29:15), “the rod and reproof will bring wisdom.” Here Moshe Rabeynu advised them to enter into the Torah, and God would redeem them from all evil, as it is written (Tehilim, 111:9), “He sent redemption to his people, He commanded eternally His covenant.” The covenant [brit in Hebrew] is the Torah, as it is written (Yirmiya, 33:25), “If My covenant did not last day and night.” This is as it is said (Mishlei, 15:33), “the fear of God instructs wisdom,” for there is ethical instruction by means of suffering, God forbid, and the study of Torah is also called ethical instruction, as it is said (Mishlei, 8:10), “take My instruction.” From the Torah one may also come to the kind of suffering (bringing ethical understanding), for “fortunate is the man whom God punishes, and learns from His Torah [Tehilim, 94:12].” This is as it says (Tehilim, 111:10), “the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, a good understanding to all who do them,” meaning that this is wisdom and good understanding to the man who enters himself into the Torah. By means of this he is saved from all evil.
חהִנֵּה עַרְשׂוֹ עֶרֶשׂ בַּרְזֶל הֲלֹה הִוא בְּרַבַּת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן. מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם נִתְיָרֵא מֵעוֹג לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ אוֹת בְּרִית אֲשֶׁר שָׂם בּוֹ אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם כִּדְאִיתָא בַּזוה"ק (במדבר קפ"ד.), כִּי עוֹג הָיָה אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם, כַּיָּדוּעַ, וְהָיָה יָרֵא פֶּן חַס וְשָׁלוֹם ה' עִמּוֹ. וְזֶה שֶׁנִּכְתַּב "תֵּשַׁע אַמּוֹת אָרְכּוֹ וְאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת רָחְבּוֹ", כִּי ט' וְד' הֵם הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַקּוֹדֶמֶת לְשֵׁם י"ה, כִּי מֵאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁנֵי אוֹתִיּוֹת יוֹצְאִים כָּל הַהַשְׁפָּעוֹת לָאָדָם, כִּי אוֹתִיּוֹת ו"ה מֵהַשֵּׁם הֵם מִצַּד תְּפִיסַת הָאָדָם כַּיָּדוּעַ, וְזֶה שֶׁיָּרֵא מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם כִּי שֶׁמָּא שׁוֹרֶה עָלָיו הַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה, וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ הַש"י כִּי אֵינוֹ כֵן אַף כִּי נִדְמֶה עַל הַגָּוֶן כִּי מַעֲשָׂיו הֵם טוֹבִים אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין תּוֹכוֹ נָקִי, וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו "הֲלֹה הִוא בְּרַבַּת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן", כִּי עַמּוֹן הוּא קְלִיפַּת תַּאֲוָה וְנִיאוּף כַּיָּדוּעַ וּכְמַאֲמַר זוה"ק [שם] דְּפָגִים בְּהַהוּא אוֹת בְּרִית, וְזֶה שֶׁהִבְטִיחַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה "הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה אָחֵל תֵּת פַּחְדְּךָ עַל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמָיִם", כִּי הַשָּׁמַיִם נִקְרָא הַגָּוֶן הַנִּרְאֶה לְמַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם לְכֹחַ וְסִיַּעְתָּא מֵה' וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ הַש"י כִּי בְּתוֹךְ הָאֻמּוֹת אֵין בָּזֶה שׁוּם מַמָּשׁ, וְזֶה שֶׁשִּׁנָּה בַּלָּשׁוֹן, כִּי מֵהַצֹּרֶךְ הָיָה לִכְתֹּב תֵּת פַּחְדְּךָ עַל כָּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר תַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְרָמַז בָּזֶה כִּי כָּל הַגְּוָונִין שֶׁנִּרְאִים טוֹבִים בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת אֵין בָּהֶם שׁוּם מַמָּשׁ.
8“For only Og king of Bashan remains … Behold! His bed is a bed of iron, is it not in Rabat of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits its length and four cubits its width .…” (Devarim, 3:11)Moshe Rabeynu feared Og, because he had the sign of the brit (covenant) given to him by our father Avraham, as it is written in the Zohar (Bamidbar, 184a), “for Og was Eliezar the servant of Avraham,” as is known. Moshe then feared that maybe God was with him, God forbid. This is why it is written, “nine cubits its length and four cubits its width,” for four, the letter dalet, and nine, the letter tet, are the letters preceding the first two letters of the name of God, Yud Hei. All the Divine influences to man come from these letters, for the last two letters in God’s name, Vav Hei, come from the side of human apprehension, as is known. Moshe feared that perhaps the name Yud Hei rested on Og, so God showed him that it is not so. Even though it seemed that on the surface his actions were good, still his insides were not clean. This is why it says “is it not in Rabat of the children of Ammon.” Ammon is the klipah (evil force) of desire and promiscuity, as is known from the Zohar (ibid.), “that [Ammon] contaminated his sign of the brit.”Concerning this the Holy One, blessed be He, promised Moshe Rabeynu (Devarim, 2:25), “On this day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the face of the nations which are under all the heavens.” “Heavens” teaches of something that seems to all on the surface to receive power and assistance from God, and God showed him that among the nations there is none of this in reality. This is why the phrasing seems to be changed. It would seem that it should have been, “to put the fear of you on all the nations which are under the heavens.” This hints that all the surface appearances that seem good among the nations really have no substance within them.4