~ What are the categories of Jews in these verses?
~ How many categories are there?
~ Why is this important?
~ How does the story of Joshua above come to reevaluate the verses in Devarim? What could Joshua have done?
~ To what level does the Rambam elevate the woodcutters and water drawers? Why would he do that?
(Deut. 29:9:) “Your tribal leaders, [your elders, and your law officers].” Although I have appointed for you heads, judges, elders, and law officers, you shall all be equal before me, since it is stated (ibid., cont.), “every person in Israel.” Another interpretation (of Deut. 29:9): All of you are responsible for each other. Even though there is [only] one righteous person among you, you all shall survive (literally, stand) through his merit; and not only you, but the whole world in toto, as stated (in Prov. 10:25), “but a righteous person is the foundation for the world.”3A more common translation would be: BUT A RIGHTEOUS PERSON IS AN EVERLASTING FOUNDATION. However, when one sins, the whole generation is stricken, and so you find in the case of Achan (in Josh. 22:20), “Was it not Achan ben Zerah who committed [embezzlement] in the proscription (i.e., the herem of Jericho)?” If with the measure of punishment which is small, the [whole] generation was seized, how much the more [will the generation prosper], with the measure of [divine] favor which is great! It is therefore stated (in Deut. 29:9), “every person in Israel”; and not only the great ones who are among us, but (according to vs. 10) “Your infants, your wives, and your alien.” It is therefore stated (in Deut. 29:9), “every person.” Now flesh and blood shows more mercy over males than over females, but the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that. Rather (according to Ps. 145:9), “His mercy is upon all his works,” upon males and upon females, upon the righteous and upon the wicked, as stated (in Deut. 29:10, cont.), “from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water.” (Deut. 29:10, cont.), “From the one who chops your wood.” R. Isaac ben Tavlay said, “[This] teaches that, when the Gibeonites came to [Moses he did not accept them; but when they came to] Joshua, he did accept them.4According to Josh. 9:27, Joshua gave these menial tasks to the Gibeonites. Thus it is stated (in Josh. 9:4), ‘And they also acted with cunning.’ What is the meaning of ‘they also?’ [This] teaches that they had come to Moses, and he had not accepted them.”
~ How does the midrash understand the question of leadership?
~ How does it understand the question of a basic fairness?
~ How does it explain the woodcutters and the water drawers?
~ Is Joshua a better or a worse leader than Moshe?
"Your heads, your tribal leaders, your elders, and your officers, every person in Israel, your babies, your wives and the ger that is inside your camp, from your woodcutter to your water drawer" Behold it is stated here ten levels, five corresponding to five. And all are as one, included in Israel. "Your heads", that is, your wise ones, they correspond to "your babies," since taf (baby) comes from the word tipah (drop) that is, one can only find in them a little awareness, and therefore, if one mistake is induced in a person with little awareness that reaches also to the head [of the people], since even in the baby there is a little awareness that comes from the head. "Your tribal leaders", that is, the expansion of the self, since in the root of Yaakov our father, peace be upon him, all Israel is concealed, and they were then one soul, then when they separated into tribes then they expanded into different souls in different generations, and this corresponds to "your wives" since the expansion happen through birth, since when the child is concealed and included in the soul of the parents, there is no expansion possible, only once the child is born then s/he begins to expand. "Your elders" those are the ones who acquired wisdom, and this corresponds to "your ger" - since as many new understanding of the words of Torah that happen in Israel, as many gerim come and join themselves to the people of Israel, since as they join through words of Torah they will come to greater expansion, and so the holiness of Israel expands even in the soul of the other peoples, and they come into Israel. "Your officers" that is, those who have awe, and they correspond to "your woodcutters", since "cutter" comes from anger, and about this the Holy One of Blessing affirms that in every anger present in Israel there is awe. "Every person in Israel" symbolizes the trait of love, and this corresponds to "your water drawer", since water is a symbol of desire, as we know from many places, and all desire and love of Israel is towards the Holy One of Blessing.
~ How does the Mei Hashiloach understand our list?
