The Weekly Shtikle - Devarim

When Moshe Rabbeinu tells over the story of the war with Sichon, he states first (2:24) that HaShem told him, "Behold I have given over to you Sichon, king of Cheshbon, the Emorite and his land... wage war with him!" Only two pesukim later we are told that Moshe sent messengers to Sichon asking for permission to peacefully walk through his land. But this we already know from parshas Chukas. HaShem's charge for war, however, was not mentioned in Chukas. What is more puzzling, though, is Moshe's peaceful gesture to Sichon after he was explicitly instructed to wage war with him.

 

Indeed, Ramban makes this very point and insists that the pesukim are in fact out of order. The instruction from HaShem came after Moshe's request was fiercely denied as there is simply no other way to explain the sequence of the pesukim. The reason why this pasuk comes early, writes Ramban, is to convey the message that this was all in HaShem's plans from beforehand. HaShem's hardening of Sichon's heart, as mentioned six pesukim later, began before the episode ever took place so that these events should transpire.

 

Midrash Lekach Tov, however, suggests that these pesukim are actually in perfect order. Although Moshe Rabbeinu was told to go to war with Sichon, Moshe learned a lesson from HaShem's own actions with Paroah and the Egyptians. Although they were slated for complete destruction, HaShem gave Paroah ample chances to let B'nei Yisrael go peacefully and quietly. Moshe therefore inferred that although it was HaShem's will to wage war with Sichon, he had a responsibility to first offer a peaceful pass-through.

Have a good Shabbos and a meaningful fast.

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

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