“By (‘eitzel) the terebinths11Probably a grove of pistachios.of Moreh” (‘eilonei moreh;Dt.11:30)— now, elsewhere He states: “And Abram traversed the Land until the place called Shechem, until (`ad) the terebinth of Moreh” (‘alon moreh; Gn.12:6)— just as the terebinth of Moreh mentioned elsewhere (Gn.12:6) is called Shechem, so, too, the terebinths of Moreh mentioned here (Dt.11:30) must refer to Shechem.12// M. Sotah 7:2. 2. Said R. Elazar b. R. Yose: I said to the Samaritan scribes— you have corrupted [the text of] the Torah! Yet you gain nothing by copying that text (Dt.11:30) as follows: “By the terebinths of Moreh, that is, Shechem.” But we [disciples of sages], however, learn [from our own tradition13RH’s text names analogical reasoning (gezerah shawah) as the source of exegetical tradition.] that the verse puts Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal in Samaritan territory. For it is stated: “Are they not across the Jordan . . . by the terebinths of Moreh” (Dt.11:30). And elsewhere He states: “And Abram traversed the Land . . . until the place called Shechem, until the terebinth of Moreh” (Gn.12:6). Just as the terebinth of Moreh mentioned elsewhere (Gn.12:6) is called Shechem, so, too, the terebinths of Moreh mentioned here (Dt.11:30) must refer to Shechem.14// M. Sotah 7:2 and Pisqa’ 56:1. 3. R. Eliezer says: This does not refer to Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal, in Samaritan territory. For it is stated: “Are they not across the Jordan” (Dt.11:30)— that is, adjacent to trans-Jordan [on the east], [while Samaria is on the western side of the Jordan]. “Beyond the road that goes in the direction of the sun” (Dt.11:30)— that is, to the west, where the sun sets. “In the Land of the Canaanite” (Dt.11:30)— the reference must be to the Hivites [rather than the Samaritans]. “Who dwell in the Arabah” (Dt.11:30)— [while Samaritans] live in the midst of the hills. “Opposite Gilgal”15Gilgal is in the Jordan valley. (Dt.11:30)— and they cannot even see Gilgal [from the hills of Samaria]!
4. R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: this verse comes only to prepare them for the second entry [into the Land], as it had already done for the first [entry under Joshua (e.g., Nu.13:17)]. Thus: “Take the road” (Dt.11:30)— instructs Israel to avoid trampling the fields. “Who dwell” (Dt.11:30)— in settlements rather than in the desert. “In the Arabah”— through the plain, rather than the hills.
(דברים יא ל) הֲלֹא הֵמָּה בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן – מֵעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְאֵילָךְ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה.
Pisqa’ 5610H:113-114;JN1:181-182.
1. “Are they not across the Jordan” (Dt.11:30)—
across the Jordan and beyond:
words of R. Judah.
אַחֲרֵי דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ – מָקוֹם שֶׁחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת.
“Beyond the road that goes in the direction of the sun” (Dt.11:30)—
in the East, where the sun rises.
אֵצֶל אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית יב ו): ״וַיַּעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ עַד מְקוֹם שְׁכֶם עַד אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה״, מָה אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן – שְׁכֶם, אַף אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר כָּאן – שְׁכֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי: אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם לְסוֹפְרֵי כוּתִיִּים: זִיַּפְתֶּם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְלֹא הֶהֱנֵיתֶם בָּהּ כְּלוּם, שֶׁכְּתַבְתֶּם ״אֵצֶל אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה שְׁכֶם״; אַף אָנוּ לְמֵדִים שֶׁזֶּה הוּא הַר גְּרִזִּים וְהַר עֵיבָל שֶׁבֵּין הַכּוּתִיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֲלֹא הֵמָּה בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וְגוֹ׳ אֵצֶל אֵלוֹנֵי מוֹרֶה, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וַיַּעֲבֹר אַבְרָהָם בָּאָרֶץ״ מָה אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן – שְׁכֶם, אַף אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה הָאָמוּר כָּאן – שְׁכֶם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: לֹא זֶה הוּא הַר גְּרִזִּים וְהַר עֵיבָל שֶׁבֵּין הַכּוּתִיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֲלֹא הֵמָּה בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן – הַסְּמוּכִים לְעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן, אַחֲרֵי דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ – מְקוֹם שֶׁחַמָּה שׁוֹקַעַת, בְּאֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי – לֹא הָיָה אֶלָּא מִן הַחִוִּים, הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּעֲרָבָה – לֹא הָיָה אֶלָּא בֵּין הֶהָרִים, מוּל הַגִּלְגָּל – אֵין אֵלּוּ רוֹאִים אֶת הַגִּלְגָּל.
“By (‘eitzel) the terebinths11Probably a grove of pistachios. of Moreh” (‘eilonei moreh;Dt.11:30)—
now, elsewhere He states:
“And Abram traversed the Land
until the place called Shechem,
until (`ad) the terebinth of Moreh” (‘alon moreh; Gn.12:6)—
just as the terebinth of Moreh
mentioned elsewhere (Gn.12:6) is called Shechem,
so, too, the terebinths of Moreh
mentioned here (Dt.11:30)
must refer to Shechem.12// M. Sotah 7:2.
2. Said R. Elazar b. R. Yose:
I said to the Samaritan scribes—
you have corrupted [the text of] the Torah!
Yet you gain nothing by
copying that text (Dt.11:30) as follows:
“By the terebinths of Moreh, that is, Shechem.”
But we [disciples of sages], however,
learn [from our own tradition13RH’s text names analogical reasoning (gezerah shawah) as the source of exegetical tradition.] that the verse puts
Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal in Samaritan territory.
For it is stated:
“Are they not across the Jordan . . . by the terebinths of Moreh” (Dt.11:30).
And elsewhere He states:
“And Abram traversed the Land . . . until the place called Shechem,
until the terebinth of Moreh” (Gn.12:6).
Just as the terebinth of Moreh
mentioned elsewhere (Gn.12:6) is called Shechem,
so, too, the terebinths of Moreh
mentioned here (Dt.11:30)
must refer to Shechem.14// M. Sotah 7:2 and Pisqa’ 56:1.
3. R. Eliezer says:
This does not refer to
Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal, in Samaritan territory.
For it is stated:
“Are they not across the Jordan” (Dt.11:30)—
that is, adjacent to trans-Jordan [on the east],
[while Samaria is on the western side of the Jordan].
“Beyond the road that goes in the direction of the sun” (Dt.11:30)—
that is, to the west, where the sun sets.
“In the Land of the Canaanite” (Dt.11:30)—
the reference must be to the Hivites
[rather than the Samaritans].
“Who dwell in the Arabah” (Dt.11:30)—
[while Samaritans] live in the midst of the hills.
“Opposite Gilgal”15Gilgal is in the Jordan valley. (Dt.11:30)—
and they cannot even see Gilgal
[from the hills of Samaria]!
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: לֹא בָּא הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לְהַרְאוֹתָם דֶּרֶךְ בַּשְּׁנִיָּה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהֶרְאָם בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, בַּדֶּרֶךְ לְכוּ, אַל תֵּלְכוּ בַּשָּׂדוֹת! הַיֹּשֵׁב – בַּיִּשּׁוּב וְלֹא בַמִּדְבָּר! בָּעֲרָבָה – בַּמִּישׁוֹר וְלֹא בֶהָרִים!
4. R. Eliezer b. Jacob says:
this verse comes only to
prepare them for the second entry [into the Land],
as it had already done
for the first [entry under Joshua (e.g., Nu.13:17)].
Thus: “Take the road” (Dt.11:30)—
instructs Israel to avoid trampling the fields.
“Who dwell” (Dt.11:30)—
in settlements rather than in the desert.
“In the Arabah”—
through the plain, rather than the hills.