Pisqa’ 501
1
“Then HASHEM will disinherit” (Dt.11:23)—
HASHEM may disinherit,
but flesh and blood can not disinherit.
“All those nations” (Dt.11:23)—
shall I infer the obvious meaning?
The Teaching states:
“All those”—
I might infer that the verse refers only to those [nations ].
How do we know to include their henchmen?
The Teaching states:
“All those nations from before you”—
as you gradually increase,
they will gradually decrease.
And, similarly, He says:
“Little by little I will expel them from before you” (Ex.23:30).
And He says:
“I will not expel them from before you in a year,
lest the Land grow barren, and beasts of the field outnumber you” (Ex.23:29):
the words of R. Jacob.
R. Elazar b. Azariah said to him:
Or [perhaps, you might reason as follows]—
since Israel is [among the] Righteous,
why are they afraid of beasts?
Being [among the] Righteous,
they should not be afraid of beasts!
And, indeed, He says:
“The beasts of the field shall be at peace with you” (Job5:23).2
Do you wonder why Joshua
labored so hard to conquer the Land?
Only because Israel sinned!
Therefore, He decreed upon them:
“Little by little will I expel them from before you” (Ex.23:30).
2
“And you shall disinherit nations greater and mightier than you” (Dt.11:23)—
greater in stature and
mightier in strength!
Than you —
you, too, are great and mighty,
but they are even greater and mightier than you.
R. Eliezer b. Jacob says:
An analogy—
a person says:
So-and-so is valiant,
and this other guy is also valiant,
but, the former is still more valiant than he!
Another word:
“Than you” (Dt.11:23)—
again, why is this mentioned?
Isn’t it already stated:
“Seven nations, greater and mightier than you” (Dt.7:1)?
What does the Teaching add with than you?
It teaches that,
compared to all Israel,
[even] one of the seven [Canaanite] nations
was greater and harsher.
And, similarly, He says:
“I destroyed the Amorite from before you,
whose height was the height of cedars
and who was mighty as the oaks” (Am.2:9).