Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 22/ספרי דברים כ״ב
א(דברים א כד) וַיִּפְנוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ הָהָרָה, מַגִּיד שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ מְרַגְּלִים לַעֲלוֹת בָּהָר. וְכֵן רָחָב אוֹמֶרֶת לִשְׁלוּחֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (יהושע ב טז): ״הָהָרָה לֵּכוּ פֶּן יִפְגְּעוּ בָכֶם הָרוֹדְפִים״, מַגִּיד שֶׁשָּׁרַת עָלֶיהָ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא שָׁרַת עָלֶיהָ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מֵאַיִן הָיְתָה יוֹדַעַת שֶׁעֲתִידִים לַחֲזֹר לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשָּׁרַת עָלֶיהָ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
1Pisqa’ 221531. “They turned and ascended to the hills” (Dt. 1:24)—this indicates thatthe way of scouts is to ascend to the hills.And so does Rahab say to Joshua’s scouts:“Head for the hills, lest the pursuers snatch you!” (Josh. 2:16).This indicates thatthe Spirit of the Holy One154 Normally understood as the spirit of Prophecy. rested upon her.For had the Spirit of the Holy One not rested upon her,how would she have known thatthe scouts were destined to return after three days?Indeed, this explains that the Spirit of the Holy One rested upon her.
בוַיָּבֹאוּ עַד נַחַל אֶשְׁכֹּל, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם סוֹפוֹ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (שמות ג א): ״וַיָּבֹא אֶל הַר הָאֱלֹהִים חֹרֵבָה״, מַגִּיד שֶׁנִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם סוֹפוֹ.
22. “And they arrived at the Wadi of the Grape Cluster”( Dt. 1:24).This teaches thatthe place was named in view of its future significance[as the site of enormous grape clusters (Nu. 13:23-24)].And, similarly, you say:“And they arrived at the mountain of God, Horeb” (Ex. 3:1).This indicates thatit was named in view of its future significance[as the mountain from which the Torah would be given].
גוַיְרַגְּלוּ אֹתָהּ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָלְכוּ בָהּ אַרְבָּעָה אוֹמָנִים שְׁתִי וָעֵרֶב.
3“And they scouted it all by foot” (Dt. 1:24).This teaches thatthey walked it four times over in a skillful patternof warp and woof [that covered all its terrain].