Parashat HaShavua 5784: Devarim

(12) Similarly, Seir was formerly inhabited by the Horites; but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them, wiping them out and settling in their place, just as Israel did in the land they were to possess, which the LORD had given to them.

(14) You shall not move your neighbor’s landmark, which they of old times have set in your inheritance, which you will inherit in the land the the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

(1) (Devarim 19:14) "You shall not move back (into his own land, thus broadening your own), the boundary marker of your neighbor." Is it not already written (Vayikra 19:13) "You shall not rob"? What, then, is the intent of the above? We are hereby taught that one who removes his neighbor's boundary marker transgresses two negative commandments.
(2) I might think (that the same holds true) also outside of Eretz Yisrael; it is, therefore, written "in your inheritance that you shall inherit in the land." In Eretz Yisrael one transgresses two negative commandments. Outside of it he transgresses only one.
(3) Whence is it derived that if one removes the bounds of the tribes he transgresses a negative commandment? From (Proverbs 22:28) "Do not remove the long-standing boundary marker (which your forefathers have established.") Whence is it derived that if one confuses the words of R. Eliezer with those of R. Yehoshua, and vice versa, pronouncing clean, unclean, or unclean, clean — that he transgresses a negative commandment? From "You shall not move back the boundary marker of your neighbor." Whence is it derived that one who sells the burial plot of his fathers transgresses a negative commandment? From "You shall not move back the boundary marker of your neighbor." I might think that this were so even if no one were ever buried there; it is, therefore, written "in your inheritance that you shall inherit"

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You shall not cross your neighbor’s border, which they of the old times have set” (Deuteronomy 19:14)? It means that you shall not cross the border that the early generations set. What is the meaning of the phrase: The early generations set? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: What is the meaning of that which was written: “These are the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabit the land” (Genesis 36:20)? And is everyone else inhabitants of the heavens? Rather, it means that they were experts in the settlement of the land, as they would say: This tract of land that is the full length of a rod is fit for olive trees; this full length of a rod is fit for grapes, this full length of a rod is fit for figs. And the members of this tribe were called Horites [ḥori] since they smelled [heriḥu] the earth to determine what is fit to be grown there. And the early inhabitants of Seir were called Hivites [ḥivi] (see Genesis 36:2), Rav Pappa said: Because they would taste the earth like a snake [ḥivya] and determine what should be grown there according to the taste. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said that they were called Horites [ḥori] because they became free [benei ḥorin] of their possessions when the children of Esau drove them from their lands.

(2) Esau took his wives from among the Canaanite women—Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah daughter of Zibeon the Hivite — (3) and also Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth.

(6) Esau took his wives, his sons and daughters, and all the members of his household, his cattle and all his livestock, and all the property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land because of his brother Jacob. (7) For their possessions were too many for them to dwell together, and the land where they sojourned could not support them because of their livestock. (8) So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir—Esau being Edom.

(20) These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who were settled in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, (21) Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. Those are the clans of the Horites, the descendants of Seir, in the land of Edom. (22) The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna.

(10) These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah; Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. (11) The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. (12) Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. Those were the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.

Manassehsaid: But did Moses need to write only insignificant matters that teach nothing, for example: “And Lotan’s sister was Timna” (Genesis 36:22), or: “And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, son of Esau” (Genesis 36:12), or: “And Reuben went in the days of the wheat harvest and found duda’im in the field” (Genesis 30:14)? A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: “You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and should I have kept silence, you would imagine that I was like you, but I will reprove you, and set the matter before your eyes” (Psalms 50:20–21).

(14)“Timna was a concubine of Elifaz son of Esau, and she bore Amalek to Elifaz. These are the sons of Ada wife of Esau” (Genesis 36:12). “Timna was a concubine of Elifaz son of Esau” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: Why do I [need for the verse] to expound and say: “Timna was a concubine of Elifaz son of Esau”? It is to inform us of the praiseworthiness of the household of Abraham our patriarch, to what extent the kingdoms and realms wished to cleave to him. Who was Lotan? He was one of the rulers, as it is stated: “The chieftain of Lotan” (Genesis 36:29), and it is written: “Lotan’s sister was Timna” (Genesis 36:22). “Timna was a concubine…” She said: ‘Since I am not worthy to marry him as a wife, I will be his maidservant.’ The matters can be inferred a fortiori: If the wicked Esau, who had to his credit only one mitzva, because he honored his father, kingdoms and realms wish to cleave to him, all the more so that they would wish to cleave to the righteous Jacob, our patriarch, who fulfilled the Torah in its entirety.

Timnasought to convert. She came before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they did not accept her. She went and became a concubine of Eliphaz, son of Esau, and said: It is preferable that she will be a maidservant for this nation, and she will not be a noblewoman for another nation.Amalek emerged from her, and that tribe afflicted the Jewish people. What is the reason? They should not have rejected her.