Rabbi Sholom Twerski
July 17, 2026
The opening pesukim of Sefer Devarim are mystifying and ambiguous.
אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף בֵּין־פָּארָן וּבֵין־תֹּפֶל וְלָבָן וַחֲצֵרֹת וְדִי זָהָב׃ אַחַד עָשָׂר יוֹם מֵחֹרֵב דֶּרֶךְ הַר־שֵׂעִיר עַד קָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ׃
These are the words that Moses addressed to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan.—Through the wilderness, in the Arabah near Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab, it is eleven days from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea by the Mount Seir route.
Rashi and other commentators struggle to understand this list of places, and what words are being discussed here. There doesn’t seem to be any obvious message and we don’t know what the significance of these places are.
Rashi famously understands that there are in fact NOT places but a reckoning of the sins they have committed and the various times that Klal Yisroel fell short. The words are veiled hints of rebuke.
The Seforna though, has an entirely different understanding. When Klal Yisroel sinned by the Meraglim, there was originally a decree that they all be killed. This was averted only by Moshe pleading that it would cause a Chillul Hashem. So, Hashem then said that the generation would have to die out. But that wasn’t all
כִּי כׇל־הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרֹאִים אֶת־כְּבֹדִי וְאֶת־אֹתֹתַי אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי בְמִצְרַיִם וּבַמִּדְבָּר וַיְנַסּוּ אֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי׃ אִם־יִרְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָם – וְכׇל־מְנַאֲצַי לֹא יִרְאוּהָ׃
Hashem concludes with the statement that all that anger Him will not see the Land. This means that even on the younger generation there was a Zero-tolerance policy and that they would be liable for the death penalty even though in other situations that would have been unduly harsh. As a result of that, we find many times that when Klal Yisroel complained in the desert, even if was understandable, they were dealt with, with severity.
In the course of their wandering in the desert, they did not always proceed forward. There were times when they traveled laterally and even regressed backwards. During these times, Klal Yisroel were despondent and more susceptible to complaining. They felt that they would never arrive at this Land. Instead of coming closer, they were being led away. Maybe Hashem doesn’t want to bring them into Eretz Yisroel at all.
Moshe, fearing the possibility that this would engender complaints and Divine retribution, would offer them words of encouragement to boost their morale. He would point out that the normal traveled roads leaving from Har Sinai to come to Kadesh Barneyah – a point right on the border of entering Eretz Yisroel- was a journey of eleven days. Hashem, though, in His eagerness to bring them into the land, took them on a shortcut that was never taken by any man before because of the many dangers that ordinally presented with snakes and scorpions. Hashem protected them and what would have been an eleven day journey was merely three days.
This was to point out that Hashem was more dedicated to bringing them into the Land than they could ever imagine. If they were being led on a circuitous route, it must be that it was necessary for them. They could rest assured that the moment they could enter Eretz Yisroel, Hashem would bring them in. This would pacify them and allay their fears.
In our life, too, we hit times when we feel that we aren’t progressing and can grow frustrated. It is at such times we must remember that Hashem has us in mind. He would love to bring us directly to our destination but each step in the journey is crucial to developing ourselves.
Have a wonderful Shabbos!