2. “These heights of Abarim”215Abarim (ha`avarim) will be read as “four” (`arba’) in order to ground in midrashic assonance the claim that Abarim has four names. (Dt.32:49)— The place had four names: The heights of Abarim, Mount Nebo, Mount Hor, and pinnacle of Pisgah. Now why do they call it Mount Nebo (nevo)? Because it is the burial site of three Prophets (nevi’im) who died without falling into the hands of transgression. And they are: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
“Which is in the land of Moab” (Dt.32:49)— This teaches that He showed him the dynastic kings who were destined to arise from Ruth, the Moabite. “Which faces Jericho” (Dt.32:49)— This teaches that He showed him the series of Prophets who were destined to arise from Rekhab, the whore [of Jericho].3. “And behold the entire land of Canaan” (Dt.32:49). R. Eliezer says: The finger of the Blessed Holy One served Moses like [an angelic] guide (metatron).216In many rabbinic discussions of the angelic community, Metatron appears as the arch-angel next to the throne of God, whose particular role is to disclose hidden knowledge (e.g., 3 Enoch 9-11, B. Hagigah 15a). In the present case, the reference is to an anonymous guide, rather than to the personified figure of Metatron. He showed him all the habitations of the Land of Israel: Until here is the territory of Ephraim; until there is the territory of Menassah. R. Joshua says: Moses saw them on his own. How so? [He]217It is unclear whether the subject of the sentence is Metatron or God. empowered Moses’ eyes to see from one end of the world to the other.
(דברים לב מט) עֲלֵה אֶל הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה, עֲלִיָּה הִיא לְךָ וְאֵינָהּ יְרִידָה.
Pisqa’ 338214H:346-347; JN2:392.
1. “Ascend these heights of Abarim” (Dt.32:49)—
[Death is] an ascent for you, not a descent!
הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה, שֶׁנִּקְרָא אַרְבָּעָה שֵׁמוֹת: הַר הָעֲבָרִים, הַר נְבוֹ, הֹר הָהָר, רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה. וְלָמָּה קוֹרִים אוֹתוֹ הַר נְבוֹ? שֶׁנִּקְבְּרוּ בוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה נְבִיאִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁמֵּתוּ שֶׁלֹּא מִידֵי עֲבֵרָה, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם: מֹשֶׁה, אַהֲרֹן, וּמִרְיָם.
2. “These heights of Abarim”215Abarim (ha`avarim) will be read as “four” (`arba’) in order to ground in midrashic assonance the claim that Abarim has four names. (Dt.32:49)—
The place had four names:
The heights of Abarim, Mount Nebo,
Mount Hor, and pinnacle of Pisgah.
Now why do they call it Mount Nebo (nevo)?
Because it is the burial site of three Prophets (nevi’im)
who died without falling into the hands of transgression.
And they are:
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת הַמְּלָכִים שֶׁעֲתִידִים לַעֲמֹד מֵרוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה. אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי יְרִיחוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת הַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁעֲתִידִים לַעֲמֹד מֵרָחָב הַזּוֹנָה. וּרְאֵה אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: אֶצְבָּעוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִיא הָיְתָה לוֹ מְטַטְרוֹן לְמֹשֶׁה, וְהֶרְאָהוּ כָּל קִרְיֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל: עַד כָּאן תְּחוּמוֹ שֶׁל אֶפְרַיִם, עַד כָּאן תְּחוּמוֹ שֶׁל מְנַשֶּׁה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: מֹשֶׁה בְּעַצְמוֹ רָאָה אוֹתָהּ. הָא כֵּיצַד? נָתַן כֹּחַ בְּעֵינָיו שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה וְרָאָה מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ.
“Which is in the land of Moab” (Dt.32:49)—
This teaches that
He showed him the dynastic kings who were
destined to arise
from Ruth, the Moabite.
“Which faces Jericho” (Dt.32:49)—
This teaches that
He showed him the series of Prophets who were
destined to arise
from Rekhab, the whore [of Jericho].3. “And behold the entire land of Canaan” (Dt.32:49).
R. Eliezer says:
The finger of the Blessed Holy One
served Moses like [an angelic] guide (metatron).216In many rabbinic discussions of the angelic community, Metatron appears as the arch-angel next to the throne of God, whose particular role is to disclose hidden knowledge (e.g., 3 Enoch 9-11, B. Hagigah 15a). In the present case, the reference is to an anonymous guide, rather than to the personified figure of Metatron.
He showed him all the habitations of the Land of Israel:
Until here is the territory of Ephraim;
until there is the territory of Menassah.
R. Joshua says:
Moses saw them on his own.
How so?
[He]217It is unclear whether the subject of the sentence is Metatron or God. empowered Moses’ eyes to see
from one end of the world to the other.