וצויתה אתו על ישראל דע שטרחנין הן סרבנין הן על מנת שתקבל עליך לשון רש"י (רש"י על במדבר כ״ז:י״ט) ואינו נכון בעיני בעבור שאמר לעיניהם כי יותר ראוי הענין הזה להאמר בינו לבינו כי בפניהם יגרום בהם התפקרות ומדרך המוסר שיזהיר להם בפני עצמן מהיותם עוד טרחנין וסרבנין אבל וצויתה אותו לעיניהם שיצונו במצות הנגיד והשופט כי בעבור היותו לראש יפקידם בידו ויזהירנו להשתדל מאד בענינם ולהיות נלחם מלחמות ה' ויהיה הוא המוציא והמביא אותם ולהזהר בדבר המשפט וזה ראוי להיות לעיניהם כדי שיבטחו בו וישמעו אליו כי ידעו כי ילך בענינם בדרכי האמת כי כן צוה אותו רבו וכן עשה משה שנאמר שם (דברים לא ז ח) ויקרא משה ליהושע ויאמר אליו לעיני כל ישראל חזק ואמץ וגו' עד לא תירא ולא תחת ובספרי צו את יהושע על דבר תלמוד וחזקהו ואמצהו מגיד שאין שני פרנסים לדור ואלו מצות הנגיד שיהיה תקיף ולא יירא את העם ולפי דעתי בפשט הכתוב טעם וצויתה אותו לעיניהם הוא המנוי שימנה אותו במעמדם להיות נגיד עליהם כלשון מיום אשר צוה אותי להיות וגו' (נחמיה ה יד) וכן ויצוהו ה' לנגיד על עמו (שמואל א יג יד) וכן למן היום אשר צויתי שופטים על עמי ישראל ( ז יא) מניתי: AND THOU SHALT COMMAND HIM [Joshua] — “concerning Israel, [saying to him]: ‘Know that they are troublesome, that they are stubborn. [Accept this position of leadership over them with full awareness of this and] on condition that you take upon yourself [all this].’” This is the language of Rashi. But it is not correct in my opinion, because it says [and thou shalt command him] before their eyes [and Moses would not have told Joshua to say such words in their presence], for this matter ought rather to have been told to him [Joshua] between the two of them [Moses and Joshua]; for if he would say it in their presence, it would [only] have caused them to break off all restraint. And it would have been more fitting that he [Moses] should chastise the people, warning them separately [and not in Joshua’s presence] not to be troublesome and stubborn any more [rather than to tell Joshua, in their presence, that they were a troublesome and stubborn people]! But [the meaning of] and thou shalt command him before their eyes is that you should instruct him in the duties of a prince and judge, since it was because he [Joshua] was to be their leader that he entrusted them to his care. [Therefore] he should [indeed] have warned him to exert himself exceedingly on their behalf, and to fight the battles of the Eternal, and that he should be the one to go out before them [in battle] and to bring them in,174Above, Verse 17. and that he should be careful in matters of judgment. These [instructions] indeed ought to be said in their presence, in order that they should trust him and listen to him, for they would then know that he will treat their affairs in a truthful manner, since his master had so commanded him. And this is what Moses [actually] did, as it is said there, And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel: ‘Be strong and of good courage etc. fear not, neither be dismayed.’172Deuteronomy 31:7-8. And in the Sifre [we find the following text]:175I have not found this exact text in our editions of Sifre. For the closest approximation, see my Hebrew commentary, p. 316, Note 93. “And command Joshua176Deuteronomy 3:28. — concerning instruction [learning and teaching Torah].177Moses is hereby told to transmit the Torah to Joshua, and to command him to teach it further to Israel. See Aboth 1:1 — “Moses received the Torah on Sinai, and handed it down to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, etc.” And encourage ‘him,’ and strengthen ‘him.’176Deuteronomy 3:28. This teaches us that there cannot be two leaders in one generation.” Now these are duties of the prince, to be firm and not to be afraid of the people.
In my opinion the plain meaning of Scripture is that the explanation of [the expression] ‘v’tzav’ (and thou shalt command) him before their eyes is [that it refers to] appointing [him officially as their leader], for Moses was to appoint Joshua in the presence of the people to be the ruler over them. This is similar to [the expression], from the time ‘tzivah othi’ (I was appointed) to be their governor etc.178Nehemiah 5:14. So also: ‘vayetzaveihu’ (and the Eternal hath appointed him) to be the prince over His people.179I Samuel 13:14. Similarly, Even from the day that ‘tzivithi’(‘I commanded’) judges to be over My people Israel,180II Samuel 7:11. which means “I appointed” [and likewise all these expressions of ‘tzav,’ which literally mean “command,” here mean “appoint”].
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