In this week’s parshat, the Judges‘ parshat, there is an order to the king:
“Only he will not multiply horses for him and he will not return the people from Egypt for the sake of multiplying horses, and God said to you that you shall not return this way again.” (Deuteronomy 17, 16)
Rashi explains: The end of the verse is the reason for its beginning: the reason the king did not multiply horses for him is so that he does not return the people from Egypt.
The Ramban wondered, because the prohibition they had already been told about returning to Egypt – was only if they were returning in order to breed. And if the king sends people to buy horses for him – it is a trade route, and is there no prohibition in that?
That is why the Ramban explains that there are two different parts in this verse. Part one is a prohibition on breeding horses – this itself is prohibited. And part two is another prohibition that will be renewed in this verse – that it is forbidden to send people to Egypt to buy horses.
And what is the point of the first part, the ban on breeding horses?
From the well of the Ramban:
“And it is possible that according to what is written because he warned that he would not breed horses for him even from his own country and from the country of a boy or on the permitted trade route Let him not trust his chariot because he is strong and his horsemen because he is very himself, but let him trust in the name of GodAnd so.”
Rabbi Hadar Margolin explains in his book “At the Foot of the Ramban” the words of the Ramban:
That is, the prohibition is that he should not put himself in a situation where he is not needed for confidence in God. Because when the situation on his part is ‘too good’, ‘too safe’, a person can live his life without trusting it.
And this is exactly what the scriptures wanted to prevent.
Later on in the verse, we state the instructions for those going into battle: “Because you will go out to battle against your enemy and you will see a horse and a charioteer of a people many of you, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, the Most High, from the land of Egypt.”
Rabbi Yona clarifies that this is a commandment that you shall not do: even though there are many of you – you shall not fear them, there is a prohibition against this fear.
And this is not only said to the soldiers, this is just an example: this is an instruction to every Jew who finds himself in difficult situations in life that seem hopeless – one must not despair. Not only from enemy soldiers in battle, but from anything that seems to threaten the war of life. And even a sharp sword is placed on a person’s neck – do not despair of mercy. This is a mitzvah for every Jew, regardless of who he is, to live in a manner of security: “Thou shalt not be afraid of them!”
Thus in the words of Rabbi Yonah (Shearei Tshuva 13, letter 31): “We were warned about this, that if a person sees that trouble is near, God’s salvation will be in his heart and he will trust in it.”
In conclusion, the commandment of security is not only for the king “you shall not multiply nor horses”, and not only for the soldiers “you shall not be afraid of them”.
This is a mitzvah for every Jew, throughout his life.
A mitzvah that has great power to improve a person’s life.
This is how a Jew lives.
Rabbi Zamir Cohen – What is the difference between faith and confidence? And how do you understand from creation that there is a creator for the world? Watch:
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Table of Contents
The Judges’ Parshah: Understanding the Commandment of Security
In this week’s parshah, also known as Devarim (parashah), we delve into Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22, which recounts the appointment of chiefs, the episode of the Twelve Spies, encounters with the Edomites and Ammonites [[2]]. Within this parshah, we find an intriguing commandment addressed to the king in Deuteronomy 17:16, “Only he will not multiply horses for him and he will not return the people from Egypt for the sake of multiplying horses, and God said to you that you shall not return this way again.”
Rashi explains that the king is prohibited from multiplying horses to prevent the people from returning to Egypt [[1]]. The Ramban, on the other hand, wonders why this prohibition is necessary, as the ban on returning to Egypt only applied when it was for breeding purposes. If the king sends people to buy horses, isn’t that just a trade route? The Ramban resolves this by dividing the verse into two parts: the prohibition on breeding horses and the prohibition on sending people to Egypt to buy horses [[1]].
The Ramban further explains that the ban on breeding horses is meant to prevent the king from relying solely on his own strength and wealth, rather than trusting in God. When the king’s situation is “too good” and “too safe,” he may become complacent and forget to rely on God’s providence [[1]]. This is exactly what the scriptures aim to prevent.
Later in the verse, we find instructions for those going into battle, “Because you will go out to battle against your enemy and you will see a horse and a charioteer of a people many of you, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, the Most High, from the land of Egypt” [[1]]. Rabbi Yona interprets this as a commandment not to fear, regardless of the odds. This is not only applicable to soldiers in battle but to every Jew facing difficult situations in life. It is a mitzvah (commandment) to live with security and trust in God’s salvation, even in the face of seemingly hopeless circumstances.
In essence, the commandment of security is not only for times of war but for daily life. It is a reminder to trust in God’s providence and not rely solely on our own strength and abilities. As Rabbi Yonah puts it, “We were warned about this, that if a person sees that trouble is near, God’s salvation will be in his heart and he will trust in it” [[1]].
this week’s parshah offers valuable insights into the importance of humility and trust in God’s providence. The commandment of security is a powerful reminder to strive for a life of faith, even in the face of adversity.
References:
The Judges’ Parshah: Understanding the Commandment of Security
In this week’s parshah, Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22), we delve into the appointment of chiefs, the episode of the Twelve Spies, encounters with the Ed
