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Deuteronomy 1:27 - Doubting Divine love's purpose?

Deuteronomy 1:27 - דברים 1:27

Hebrew Text

וַתֵּרָגְנוּ בְאָהֳלֵיכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ בְּשִׂנְאַת יְהוָה אֹתָנוּ הוֹצִיאָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם לָתֵת אֹתָנוּ בְּיַד הָאֱמֹרִי לְהַשְׁמִידֵנוּ׃

English Translation

and you murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he has brought us forth out of the land of Miżrayim, to deliver us into the hand of the Emori, to destroy us.

Transliteration

Va'terag'nu ve'ohaleichem va'tom'ru besin'at Adonai otanu hotzi'anu me'eretz Mitzrayim latet otanu beyad ha'Emori lehashmideinu.

Hebrew Leining Text

וַתֵּרָגְנ֤וּ בְאׇהֳלֵיכֶם֙ וַתֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בְּשִׂנְאַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ אֹתָ֔נוּ הוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֥ת אֹתָ֛נוּ בְּיַ֥ד הָאֱמֹרִ֖י לְהַשְׁמִידֵֽנוּ׃
וַתֵּרָגְנ֤וּ בְאׇהֳלֵיכֶם֙ וַתֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ בְּשִׂנְאַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ אֹתָ֔נוּ הוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לָתֵ֥ת אֹתָ֛נוּ בְּיַ֥ד הָאֱמֹרִ֖י לְהַשְׁמִידֵֽנוּ׃

🎵 Listen to leining

Parasha Commentary

Context of the Verse

The verse (Devarim 1:27) recounts the complaints of Bnei Yisrael after hearing the negative report of the spies (Meraglim). This moment reflects a crisis of faith, where the people accuse Hashem of bringing them out of Mitzrayim out of hatred, intending to destroy them by the hands of the Emori.

Rashi's Explanation

Rashi (Devarim 1:27) emphasizes the severity of their accusation. He explains that the phrase "בְּשִׂנְאַת יְהוָה אֹתָנוּ" ("Because Hashem hated us") is a grave distortion of reality. Hashem demonstrated immense love for Israel by redeeming them from Egypt, yet they attributed His kindness to hatred. Rashi further notes that this complaint stemmed from a lack of trust in Hashem’s protection, despite witnessing His miracles.

Rambam on Bitachon (Trust in Hashem)

Rambam (Hilchot De'ot 2:3) teaches that proper trust in Hashem requires recognizing His constant providence. The sin of the spies and the subsequent complaints revealed a deficiency in bitachon, as the people feared human enemies more than they trusted in divine salvation. This lack of faith led to their tragic punishment of wandering in the desert for 40 years.

Midrashic Insights

  • Midrash Tanchuma (Shelach 7) compares Bnei Yisrael’s ingratitude to a child rescued from danger who later accuses their rescuer of ill intent. The Midrash underscores how their words were a rejection of Hashem’s kindness.
  • Sifrei Devarim (25) interprets their murmuring as a failure to internalize the Exodus’s purpose—to enter Eretz Yisrael and fulfill the covenant. Their fear of the Emori showed a disconnect from their divine mission.

Theological Implications

The verse serves as a warning against attributing suffering to divine malice rather than recognizing it as a test or consequence of human actions. The Talmud (Berachot 5a) teaches that hardships can be expressions of love, meant to inspire repentance. Here, Bnei Yisrael misinterpreted their challenges, leading to a spiral of distrust.

Practical Lesson

This episode teaches the importance of hakarat hatov (recognizing goodness) and avoiding rash accusations against Hashem. As the Netziv (Ha'amek Davar) notes, their words reflected a distorted perspective, ignoring the many miracles they had witnessed. True faith requires steadfast trust even in moments of uncertainty.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Arakhin 15a
The verse is referenced in a discussion about the gravity of slanderous speech, illustrating how the Israelites' complaints against God were considered a form of evil speech.
📖 Sotah 35a
The verse is cited in the context of discussing the sin of the spies and the Israelites' lack of faith, highlighting their wrongful accusation that God hated them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Deuteronomy 1:27 mean?
A: This verse describes how the Israelites complained in their tents, wrongly believing that Hashem took them out of Egypt because He 'hated' them and wanted to destroy them by handing them over to the Emorites. Rashi explains that this reflects their lack of faith and gratitude after witnessing Hashem's miracles in Egypt.
Q: Why is this complaint considered so severe?
A: The Talmud (Sotah 35a) teaches that this complaint was particularly offensive because it accused Hashem of acting out of hatred, when in truth He redeemed them with great love. The Rambam (Hilchot De'ot 2:3) notes that such ingratitude and distorted thinking leads to further sins.
Q: What lesson can we learn from this verse today?
A: This teaches us to avoid the mistake of attributing hardships to Hashem's 'hatred.' As the Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 1:29) explains, challenges are opportunities for growth, not punishment. We must strengthen our emunah (faith) especially during difficult times.