Chazak V'Amatz

(א) וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵ֛י מ֥וֹת מֹשֶׁ֖ה עֶ֣בֶד ה' וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֔וּן מְשָׁרֵ֥ת מֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) מֹשֶׁ֥ה עַבְדִּ֖י מֵ֑ת וְעַתָּה֩ ק֨וּם עֲבֹ֜ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן הַזֶּ֗ה אַתָּה֙ וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ג) כָּל־מָק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּדְרֹ֧ךְ כַּֽף־רַגְלְכֶ֛ם בּ֖וֹ לָכֶ֣ם נְתַתִּ֑יו כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (ד) מֵהַמִּדְבָּר֩ וְהַלְּבָנ֨וֹן הַזֶּ֜ה וְֽעַד־הַנָּהָ֧ר הַגָּד֣וֹל נְהַר־פְּרָ֗ת כֹּ֚ל אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחִתִּ֔ים וְעַד־הַיָּ֥ם הַגָּד֖וֹל מְב֣וֹא הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶ֖ה גְּבוּלְכֶֽם׃ (ה) לֹֽא־יִתְיַצֵּ֥ב אִישׁ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּ֑יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיִ֤יתִי עִם־מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א אַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א אֶעֶזְבֶֽךָּ׃

Joshua 1:1-10

(1) After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ attendant: (2) “My servant Moses is dead. Prepare to cross the Jordan, together with all this people, into the land that I am giving to the Israelites. (3) Every spot on which your foot treads I give to you, as I promised Moses. (4) Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and the Lebanon to the Great River, the River Euphrates [on the east]—the whole Hittite country—and up to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. (5) No one shall be able to resist you as long as you live. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

יהושע א׳:ו׳-ט׳

(ו) חֲזַ֖ק וֶאֱמָ֑ץ כִּ֣י אַתָּ֗ה תַּנְחִיל֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶת־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי לַאֲבוֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם׃ (ז) רַק֩ חֲזַ֨ק וֶֽאֱמַ֜ץ מְאֹ֗ד לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ כְּכָל־הַתּוֹרָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוְּךָ֙ מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדִּ֔י אַל־תָּס֥וּר מִמֶּ֖נּוּ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לְמַ֣עַן תַּשְׂכִּ֔יל בְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תֵּלֵֽךְ׃ (ח) לֹֽא־יָמ֡וּשׁ סֵפֶר֩ הַתּוֹרָ֨ה הַזֶּ֜ה מִפִּ֗יךָ וְהָגִ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה לְמַ֙עַן֙ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכָל־הַכָּת֖וּב בּ֑וֹ כִּי־אָ֛ז תַּצְלִ֥יחַ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֖ךָ וְאָ֥ז תַּשְׂכִּֽיל׃ (ט) הֲל֤וֹא צִוִּיתִ֙יךָ֙ חֲזַ֣ק וֶאֱמָ֔ץ אַֽל־תַּעֲרֹ֖ץ וְאַל־תֵּחָ֑ת כִּ֤י עִמְּךָ֙ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תֵּלֵֽךְ׃ (פ)

Joshua 1:6-9

(6) “Be strong and resolute, for you shall apportion to this people the land that I swore to their fathers to assign to them. (7) But you must be very strong and resolute to observe faithfully all the Teaching that My servant Moses enjoined upon you. Do not deviate from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (8) Let not this Book of the Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful. (9) “I charge you: Be strong and resolute; do not be terrified or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

1. How many times does Hashem use the phrase, "חזק ואמץ"? Highlight them.
2. Why do you think there is so much repetition?

רש"י על יהושע א׳:ו׳:א׳-ז׳:א׳

(ו) חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, כְּמָה שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: כִּי אַתָּה תַּנְחִיל.

(ז) רַק חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ מְאֹד בְּתּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה.

Rashi on Joshua 1:6:1-7:1

(1) Be strong and courageous. In the physical sense, as He states: “For you will lead this people to inherit the land.” (1) Just be very strong and courageous. This was said in reference to the Torah, as He states: ‘To preserve, to act in accordance with all the laws of the Torah.’

רש"י על יהושע א׳:ט׳:א׳

(א) הֲלוֹא צִוִּיתִיךָ חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ בְּמִלְחָמָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אַל תַּעֲרֹץ וְאַל תֵּחָת. וְהֵיכָן צִוָּהוּ בִּימֵי משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לא כג): וַיְצַו אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן וְגוֹ'.

Rashi on Joshua 1:9:1

(1) I have already commanded you to be stong and courageous. This was said in reference to actual war, as it is said: ‘Have no fear or trepidation.’ Where was he commanded this? He was so commanded in the time of Moshe, as it is said: ‘and command Yehoshua son of Nun etc.’¹⁸Devorim 31:23.

דברים ל״א:א׳-ו׳

(א) וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם בֶּן־מֵאָה֩ וְעֶשְׂרִ֨ים שָׁנָ֤ה אָנֹכִי֙ הַיּ֔וֹם לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל ע֖וֹד לָצֵ֣את וְלָב֑וֹא וַֽה' אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י לֹ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֥ן הַזֶּֽה׃ (ג) ה' אֱלֹקֶ֜יךָ ה֣וּא ׀ עֹבֵ֣ר לְפָנֶ֗יךָ הֽוּא־יַשְׁמִ֞יד אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֛לֶּה מִלְּפָנֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ ה֚וּא עֹבֵ֣ר לְפָנֶ֔יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה'׃ (ד) וְעָשָׂ֤ה ה' לָהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֗ה לְסִיח֥וֹן וּלְע֛וֹג מַלְכֵ֥י הָאֱמֹרִ֖י וּלְאַרְצָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁמִ֖יד אֹתָֽם׃ (ה) וּנְתָנָ֥ם ה' לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם לָהֶ֔ם כְּכָל־הַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתִי אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (ו) חִזְק֣וּ וְאִמְצ֔וּ אַל־תִּֽירְא֥וּ וְאַל־תַּעַרְצ֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֣י ׀ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֗יךָ ה֚וּא הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ׃ (פ)

Deuteronomy 31:1-6

(1) Moses went and spoke these things to all Israel. (2) He said to them: I am now one hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer be active. Moreover, the LORD has said to me, “You shall not go across yonder Jordan.” (3) The LORD your God Himself will cross over before you; and He Himself will wipe out those nations from your path and you shall dispossess them.—Joshua is the one who shall cross before you, as the LORD has spoken.— (4) The LORD will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and to their countries, when He wiped them out. (5) The LORD will deliver them up to you, and you shall deal with them in full accordance with the Instruction that I have enjoined upon you. (6) Be strong and resolute, be not in fear or in dread of them; for the LORD your God Himself marches with you: He will not fail you or forsake you.

2. חזקו ואמצו - Based on Rashi's definitions above, what is Moshe telling B'nei Yisrael? Support your answer (context and words in the passuk).

דברים ל״א:ז׳-ח׳

(ז) וַיִּקְרָ֨א מֹשֶׁ֜ה לִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו לְעֵינֵ֣י כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל חֲזַ֣ק וֶאֱמָץ֒ כִּ֣י אַתָּ֗ה תָּבוֹא֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע ה' לַאֲבֹתָ֖ם לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם וְאַתָּ֖ה תַּנְחִילֶ֥נָּה אוֹתָֽם׃ (ח) וַֽה' ה֣וּא ׀ הַהֹלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֗יךָ ה֚וּא יִהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א יַרְפְּךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א יַֽעַזְבֶ֑ךָּ לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א וְלֹ֥א תֵחָֽת׃

Deuteronomy 31:7-8

(7) Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: “Be strong and resolute, for it is you who shall go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and it is you who shall apportion it to them. (8) And the LORD Himself will go before you. He will be with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Fear not and be not dismayed!”

רש"י על דברים ל״א:ז׳:א׳

(א) כי אתה תבוא את העם הזה. "אֲרֵי אַתְּ תֵּעוּל עִם עַמָּא הָדֵין": מֹשֶׁה אָמַר לוֹ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ זְקֵנִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר יִהְיוּ עִמְּךָ, הַכֹּל לְפִי דַעְתָּן וַעֲצָתָן, אֲבָל הַקָּבָּ"ה אָמַר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ "כִּי אַתָּה תָּבִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם" — תָּבִיא עַל כָּרְחָם, הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּךָ, טֹל מַקֵּל וְהַךְ עַל קָדְקֳדָן, דַּבָּר אֶחָד לְדוֹר וְלֹא שְׁנֵי דַבָּרִים לְדוֹר (סנהדרין ח'):

Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:7:1

(1) כי אתה תבוא את העם הזה — Translate this as the Targum does: ארי אתה תעול עם עמא הדין, THOU SHALT GO WITH THIS PEOPLE. Moses, by the statement “Thou shall go with this people” (as one of them) said in effect to Joshua: The elders of the generation will be with thee: everything has to be done according to their opinion and their advice. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, said to Joshua, (v. 23) “For thou shalt bring (תביא) the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them” — thou shalt bring them even against their will; everything depends on you alone: if necessary take a stick and beat them over the head: there can be but one leader for a generation, and not two leaders for a generation (Sanhedrin 8a).

דברים ל״א:כ״ג

(כג) וַיְצַ֞ו אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וַיֹּאמֶר֮ חֲזַ֣ק וֶֽאֱמָץ֒ כִּ֣י אַתָּ֗ה תָּבִיא֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי לָהֶ֑ם וְאָנֹכִ֖י אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמָּֽךְ׃

Deuteronomy 31:23

(23) And He charged Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and resolute: for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them on oath, and I will be with you.”

סנהדרין ח׳ א:ז׳

כתיב (דברים לא, ז) כי אתה תבוא וכתיב (דברים לא, כג) כי אתה תביא אמר רבי יוחנן אמר לו משה ליהושע אתה והזקנים שבדור עמהם אמר לו הקב"ה טול מקל והך על קדקדם דבר אחד לדור ואין שני דברין לדור

Sanhedrin 8a:7

Similarly, a distinction is drawn between two verses where Moses commanded Joshua concerning his impending leadership: It is written: “For you shall go with these people into the land” (Deuteronomy 31:7), and it is written: “For you shall bring the children of Israel into the land” (Deuteronomy 31:23). Rabbi Yoḥanan reconciled the difference between these two charges and said: Moses said to Joshua, in the first verse: You and the elders of the generation will enter into Eretz Yisrael together with the people, i.e., the elders will assist you in the leadership. Subsequently, in the second verse, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Joshua: You yourself must bring the people: Take a rod and strike the people upon their skulls. There must be one clear and authoritative leader for the generation, and there may not be two or more leaders for the generation.

דברים י״ב:כ״ג

(כג) רַ֣ק חֲזַ֗ק לְבִלְתִּי֙ אֲכֹ֣ל הַדָּ֔ם כִּ֥י הַדָּ֖ם ה֣וּא הַנָּ֑פֶשׁ וְלֹא־תֹאכַ֥ל הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ עִם־הַבָּשָֽׂר׃

Deuteronomy 12:23

(23) But make sure that you do not partake of the blood; for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the life with the flesh.

רש"י על דברים י״ב:כ״ג:א׳

(א) רק חזק לבלתי אכל הדם. מִמַּה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר חֲזַק אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּפִים בַּדָּם לְאָכְלוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר חֲזַק דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, רַ' שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן עֲזַאי אוֹמֵר לֹא בָא הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לְהַזְהִירְךָ וּלְלַמֶּדְךָ עַד כַּמָּה אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהִתְחַזֵּק בַּמִּצְווֹת, אִם הַדָּם שֶׁהוּא קַל לְהִשָּׁמֵר מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מִתְאַוֶּה לוֹ, הֻצְרַךְ לְחַזֶּקְךָ בְאַזְהָרָתוֹ, קַ"וָ לִשְׁאָר מִצְווֹת (עי' ספרי):

Rashi on Deuteronomy 12:23:1

(1) רק חזק לבלתי אכל הדם ONLY BE STRONG THAT THOU EAT NOT THE BLOOD — From the fact that it states, “Be strong” (make a special effort), you may learn that they had a prediliction to blood — to the eating of it; it was therefore necessary to state, “be strong”. This is the view of R. Judah. R. Simeon, the son of Azzai, however, says: Scripture merely intends to caution you and to teach you to what great an extent you must strive to fulfil the divine commandments in general. If, as regards blood from which one can easily keep aloof since one does not long for it, it felt it necessary to insist on a strong effort on your part when forbidding it to you, how much the more is it necessary for you to make great efforts in keeping other commands [the fulfillment of which requires much moral strength] (cf. Sifrei Devarim 76:3).