Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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The King of Edom Says No to the Israelites Passing through His Land

Moshe sends messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom asking if they can pass through his land.

The messengers are to tell Kadesh that his people are the Israelites' brothers, in having also descended from Avraham (through Esav). Thus they were also supposed to suffer the exile and hardships in Egypt but only the Israelites did. The text mentions that the patriarchs suffered as well from their exile from which Rashi derives that the patriarchs suffer in their grave whenever the Israelites are punished.

Moshe said that it was their prayers, which they inherited from their forefathers which G-d heard and through which He rescued them.

Since only the Israelites paid the debt they were due, since Esav separated from Yaakov, the Edomites should understand that the Israelites are the rightful heirs to the Land of Israel and thus help them by letting them pass through their land to get there.

Moshe did not hope to appeal to Kadesh's brotherly feelings in bringing this up but rather to his sense of justice. He brought up the inheritance of the land as well in order to try to intimidate Kadesh.

Moshe says that although they have their own manna and well for water, they will purchase all of their food and water from the Edomites so the Edomites can benefit from their passing. He says that they will muzzle their animals so they don't veer to the right or to the left as they pass through.

The king of Edom says that he will not let them pass and just as they pride themselves with what they inherited from their forefathers, namely prayer, he prides himself on what his forefathers gave to him, i.e "By the sword shall you live" (Breishis 27:40) and will attack the Israelites if they pass through with a strong and large army.

So the Israelites turn away from them.