Pisqa’ 18140H:42; JN1:55. 1. “So I instructed you at that time, explaining all the things that you should do” (Dt.1:18). This refers to the ten distinctions between property disputes and capital cases.141//M. San.4:1.
2. “Then we traveled from Horeb, and crossed all that great and terrifying wasteland” (Dt.1:19). Regarding people who have seen serpents the size of beams, and scorpions like bows rotting and scattered before them, He says: “All that great and terrifying wasteland” (Dt.1:19).142Cf. Sifre Nu. 83. And doesn’t the matter follow logically? If I vanquished before them monstrous beings, all the more so would I vanquish ordinary people. Thus it is said: “All that great and terrifying wasteland” (Dt.1:18)— [as an expression of encouragement rather than horror].
(דברים א יח) וָאֲצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר אֶת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּן, אֵלּוּ עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים שֶׁבֵּין דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת לְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת.
Pisqa’ 18140H:42; JN1:55.
1. “So I instructed you at that time,
explaining all the things that you should do” (Dt.1:18).
This refers to the ten distinctions
between property disputes and capital cases.141//M. San.4:1.
(דברים א יט) וַנִּסַּע מֵחֹרֵב וַנֵּלֶךְ אֵת כָּל הַמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא הַהוּא, בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁרָאוּ נְחָשִׁים כְּקוֹרוֹת וְעַקְרַבִּים כִּקְשָׁתוֹת סְרוּחִים וּמֻשְׁלָכִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, עֲלֵיהֶם הוּא אוֹמֵר אֵת כָּל הַמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא הַהוּא? וַהֲלֹא דְבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר: וּמָה דְבָרִים שֶׁאֵינָם הִימִירִין – כְּבַשְׁתִּים לִפְנֵיהֶם, דְּבָרִים שֶׁהֵם הִימִירִין עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה! לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַנִּסַּע מֵחֹרֵב.
2. “Then we traveled from Horeb,
and crossed all that great and terrifying wasteland” (Dt.1:19).
Regarding people who have seen
serpents the size of beams,
and scorpions like bows
rotting and scattered before them,
He says:
“All that great and terrifying wasteland” (Dt.1:19).142Cf. Sifre Nu. 83.
And doesn’t the matter follow logically?
If I vanquished before them monstrous beings,
all the more so would I vanquish ordinary people.
Thus it is said:
“All that great and terrifying wasteland” (Dt.1:18)—
[as an expression of encouragement rather than horror].