Pisqa’ 56¹

1

“Are they not across the Jordan” (Dt.11:30)—

across the Jordan and beyond:

words of R. Judah.

“Beyond the road that goes in the direction of the sun” (Dt.11:30)—

   in the East, where the sun rises.

“By (‘eitzel) the terebinths² 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.³

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 tradition⁴] 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.⁵

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”⁶ (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.

1. H:113-114;JN1:181-182.
2. Probably a grove of pistachios.
3. // M. Sotah 7:2.
4. RH’s text names analogical reasoning (gezerah shawah) as the source of exegetical tradition.
5. // M. Sotah 7:2 and Pisqa’ 56:1.
6. Gilgal is in the Jordan valley.