Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 12/ספרי דברים י״ב
א(דברים א יב) אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טָרְחֲכֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ טַרְחָנִים. הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם רוֹאֶה שֵׁנִי נוֹצֵחַ בַּדִּין, אוֹמֵר: יֵשׁ לִי עֵדִים לְהָבִיא, יֵשׁ לִי רְאָיוֹת לְהָבִיא, לְמָחָר אֲנִי דָן, מוֹסִיף אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם דַּיָּנִים. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר טָרְחֲכֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ טַרְחָנִים.
1Pisqa’ 121011. “How should I alone bear your trouble?” (Dt. 1:12)This teaches thatthey were troublesome.If one saw the other prevailing in a lawsuit, he would say:I have more witnesses to bring!I have more evidence to bring!I move to postpone the case until tomorrow!I move to add judges!Therefore it is said:“Your trouble” (Dt. 1:12)—indicating that they were troublesome.
בוּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים. הִקְדִּים מֹשֶׁה לָצֵאת – אָמְרוּ: מָה רָאָה בֶּן עַמְרָם לָצֵאת? שֶׁמָּא אֵינוֹ שָׁפוּי בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ? אִחֵר לָצֵאת – אָמְרוּ: מָה רָאָה בֶּן עַמְרָם שֶׁלֹּא לָצֵאת? מָה אַתֶּם סְבוּרִים? יוֹשֵׁב וְיוֹעֵץ עֲלֵיכֶם עֵצוֹת, וּמְחַשֵּׁב עֲלֵיכֶם מַחֲשָׁבוֹת קָשׁוֹת וַחֲמוּרוֹת מִשֶּׁל בֵּית אוֹן, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טז א): ״וְאוֹן בֶּן פֶּלֶת בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן״, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים.
22. “And your burden” (Dt. 1:12)—this teaches thatthey sowed cynicism102 literally, “disciples of Epicurus.” By extension, “skeptics,” especially in regards to the restoration of the dead to life. See M. San.10:1. Here, the usage is: “sowers of doubt in communal (rabbinic) authority.” [among the people].If Moses arose early, they would say:Why has the son of Amram seen fit to depart?Perhaps he’s got no peace at home!If Moses arose late, they would say:Why has the son of Amram seen fit not to leave?Do you think he’s deliberating on your behalf?Rather, he’s planning ways to impose upon youthe onerous rulings103 .The text is uncertain, with some texts replacing these words with qal qakhomer, “logical arguments.” See RH, Pardo and TA ad loc., and F:20,n.5. of the House of On.104 12, n.4 regards the House of On as symbolizing oppressive Egyptian justice. In which case, the next reference to “On b. Peleth” equates the rebellious Korahites with Egyptian injustice.And this is in line with what is said:“Along with Dathan and Abiram . . .and On b. Peleth, the sons of Reuben” (Nu. 16:1)—Therefore it is said:“And your burden”—this teaches thatthey sowed cynicism [among the people].
גוְרִיבְכֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹנְנִים. הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם מוֹצִיא מָנֶה בִּשְׁבִיל לִטּוֹל שְׁנַיִם, שְׁנַיִם בִּשְׁבִיל לִטּוֹל שְׁלֹשָׁה. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וְרִיבְכֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹנְנִים.
33. “And your quarrel” (Dt. 1:12)—this teaches that they were disputatious.One of them would offer a sel`a for an item worth two,two in order to get one worth three.Therefore it is said:“and your quarrel” (Dt. 1:12)—this teaches that they were disputatious.4105
דדָּבָר אַחֵר: טָרְחֲכֶם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם, אִם הִקְדִּים מֹשֶׁה לָצֵאת, אוֹמְרִים: מָה רָאָה בֶּן עַמְרָם שֶׁמִּהֵר לָצֵאת? וּבָנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ מְלַקְּטִים הַגַּס שֶׁבַּמָּן! אִחֵר לָצֵאת – אוֹמְרִים: אָכַל וְשָׁתָה וְיָשַׁן. הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה בָּאֶמְצַע – אוֹמְרִים: מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲמוֹד מִפָּנָיו. הָלַךְ לַצְּדָדִים – אוֹמְרִים: מִצְוָה הָיָה לָנוּ מֵעֲמִידַת זָקֵן, וְהוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לְעָקְרָהּ מִמֶּנּוּ. אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה: הָלַכְתִּי בָּאֶמְצַע – לֹא יָצָאתִי יְדֵיכֶם, הָלַכְתִּי לַצְּדָדִים – לֹא יָצָאתִי יְדֵיכֶם!
4Another word:“Your trouble, and your burden, and your quarrel” (Dt. 1:12).If Moses would arise early, they said:why has the son of Amram seen fit to leave so quickly,while his children and householdare picking the choicest manna?If Moses would leave late, they said:he has eaten, drunk wine, and is now napping!If Moses walked in the middle of the path, they said:he wants us to rise before him!If he walked to the sides, they said:it is our practice to rise before an elder,yet he wants to uproot it from us!Moses replied to them:I walked in the middle and failed to satisfy you;I walked to the sides and failed to satisfy you! 106