Intro to Yehoshua: Contextualizing

The first place we see mention of Yehoshua is in the middle of Shemot:

(ח) וַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם׃

Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.

(ט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי׃

Exodus 17:9

Moses said to Joshua, “Pick some men for us, and go out and do battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in my hand.”

שמות י״ז:י׳

(י) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמֹשֶׁה֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה׃

Exodus 17:10

Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

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Why does Moshe say to Yehoshua "Choose for us" and not "Choose for me" in this situation? (Read source below for answer)

רבנו בחיי, שמות י״ז:ט׳:א׳

(א) בחר לנו אנשים. ... ומה שאמר בחר לנו שהשוה אותו לעצמו ולא אמר בחר לי דרשו רז"ל מכאן יהי כבוד תלמידך חביב עליך כשלך.

Rabbeinu Bahya, Shemot 17:9:1

בחר לנו אנשים, “choose men for us!” ... When Moses said to Joshua “choose for us,” he compared Joshua to himself and did not say: “choose for me!” Mechilta Amalek section 1 uses this phrase to teach: “the honor of your student should be as dear to you as your own honor.”

We then see that Yehoshua was successful in the war:

שמות י״ז:י״ג

(יג) וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֥ק וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ (פ)

Exodus 17:13

(13) And Joshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek with the sword.

A little later in Shemot, we're showed how important Yehoshua is:

שמות כ״ד:י״ב

(יב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֛י הָהָ֖רָה וֶהְיֵה־שָׁ֑ם וְאֶתְּנָ֨ה לְךָ֜ אֶת־לֻחֹ֣ת הָאֶ֗בֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה֙ וְהַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתַ֖בְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָֽם׃

Exodus 24:12

(12) The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and wait there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the teachings and commandments which I have inscribed to instruct them.”

שמות כ״ד:י״ג

(יג) וַיָּ֣קָם מֹשֶׁ֔ה וִיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ מְשָׁרְת֑וֹ וַיַּ֥עַל מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

Exodus 24:13

(13) So Moses and his attendant Joshua arose, and Moses ascended the mountain of God.

שמות כ״ד:י״ד

(יד) וְאֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֤ים אָמַר֙ שְׁבוּ־לָ֣נוּ בָזֶ֔ה עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־נָשׁ֖וּב אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֨ה אַהֲרֹ֤ן וְחוּר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם מִי־בַ֥עַל דְּבָרִ֖ים יִגַּ֥שׁ אֲלֵהֶֽם׃

Exodus 24:14

(14) To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you; let anyone who has a legal matter approach them.”

At the end of Shemot, we see Yehoshua again referred to as Moshe's attendant:

שמות ל״ג:י״א

(יא) וְדִבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ נַ֔עַר לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֹֽהֶל׃ (ס)

Exodus 33:11

(11) The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp; but his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, a youth, would not stir out of the Tent.

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But why does it call him "A youth"?

Read source below for answer:

רבנו בחיי, שמות ל״ג:י״א:ה׳

(ה) ומשרתו יהושע בן נון נער. כל ימותיו של יהושע היו ק"י שנים, מ' שנה שהלכו במדבר, וי"ד שנה בארץ ז' שנים שכבשו ושבע שחלקו, א"כ בן נ"ו שנה היה ואיך יקראנו הכתוב נער אבל ענין נער משרת כי האדון נקרא איש והמשרת יקרא נער וכן יבאר הכתוב (אסתר ב) נערי המלך משרתיו כי מלת משרתיו באור לנערים.

Rabbeinu Bahya, Shemot 33:11:5

(5) ומשרתו יהושע בן נון נער, “and his personal disciple, Yehoshua son of Nun, a lad, etc.“ Joshua lived a total of 110 years (Joshua 24,29). If you deduct the 40 years the Israelites marched through the desert and the 14 years which Joshua spent in the land of Israel prior to his death (seven years of war and seven years of distributing the country and allocating it to the various tribes) you will note that at this time Joshua was 56 years old. How is it then that the Torah refers to him as a נער, “a lad?” The answer is that the word נער means “personal valet.” The master is known as איש, whereas the valet is known as נער by comparison. This is spelled out in greater detail in Esther 2,2 where the text speaks of נערי המלך משרתיו, “the lads of the king, i.e. his personal valets.” The word משרתיו in that verse is used to define who were the people called נערי המלך.

Next, please read the attached "Summary of the story of the spies"

Below, the gemara shows us that Moshe already favors Yehoshua, and knows that he is on the right path to become the next leader:

סוטה ל״ד ב:ז׳

(במדבר יג, כב) ויעלו בנגב ויבא עד חברון ויבאו מבעי ליה אמר רבא מלמד שפירש כלב מעצת מרגלים והלך ונשתטח על קברי אבות אמר להן אבותי בקשו עלי רחמים שאנצל מעצת מרגלים

Sotah 34b:7

It is also stated with regard to the spies: “And they went up into the south, and he came to Hebron” (Numbers 13:22). Why is the phrase “and he came” written in the singular form? The verse should have said: And they came. Rava says: This teaches that Caleb separated himself from the counsel of the other spies and went and prostrated himself on the graves of the forefathers in Hebron. He said to them: My forefathers, pray for mercy for me so that I will be saved from the counsel of the spies.

סוטה ל״ד ב:ח׳

יהושע כבר בקש משה עליו רחמים שנאמר (במדבר יג, טז) ויקרא משה להושע בן נון יהושע יה יושיעך מעצת מרגלים והיינו דכתיב (במדבר יד, כד) ועבדי כלב עקב היתה רוח אחרת עמו וגו'

Sotah 34b:8

The Gemara explains: Joshua did not go to the graves of the forefathers because Moses had already prayed for mercy for him, as it is stated: “And Moses called Hoshea son of Nun Joshua [Yehoshua]” (Numbers 13:16), meaning: God will save you [Ya yoshiakha] from the counsel of the spies. And this is the meaning of that which is written: “But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went” (Numbers 14:24), which implies that Caleb changed his mind over time. Joshua, however, was opposed to the intentions of the other spies from the outset.

In the middle of Bamidbar, after the scene with the spies, we see Yehoshua become appointed the next leader of Bnei Yisrael:

במדבר כ״ז:ט״ו

(טו) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

Numbers 27:15

(15) Moses spoke to the LORD, saying,

במדבר כ״ז:ט״ז

(טז) יִפְקֹ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר אִ֖ישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָֽה׃

Numbers 27:16

(16) “Let the LORD, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community

במדבר כ״ז:י״ז

(יז) אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֣א לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָבֹא֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹצִיאֵ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְבִיאֵ֑ם וְלֹ֤א תִהְיֶה֙ עֲדַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה כַּצֹּ֕אן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם רֹעֶֽה׃

Numbers 27:17

(17) who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that the LORD’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”

במדבר כ״ז:י״ח

(יח) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה קַח־לְךָ֙ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֔וּן אִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ר֣וּחַ בּ֑וֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ֥ אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו׃

Numbers 27:18

(18) And the LORD answered Moses, “Single out Joshua son of Nun, an inspired man, and lay your hand upon him.

What does "Ish Asher Ruach Bo" (loosely translated to "an inspired man") even mean?

רש"י על במדבר כ״ז:י״ח:ג׳

(ג) אשר רוח בו. כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתָּ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לַהֲלוֹךְ כְּנֶגֶד רוּחוֹ שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד (ספרי):

Rashi on Numbers 27:18:3

(3) אשר רוח בו [A MAN] IN WHOM THERE IS SPIRIT — As you requested; someone able to deal with the character of each one. (Sifrei Bamidbar 140:1).

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Rashi's answer:

ספורנו על במדבר כ״ז:י״ח:א׳

(א) איש אשר רוח בו מוכן לקבל אור פני מלך חיים כענין, ובלב כל חכם לב נתתי חכמה:

Sforno on Numbers 27:18:1

(1) איש אשר רוח בו; someone who is ready and worthy to be presented to the King of Kings. We have a similar expression in Exodus 31,6 ובלב כל חכם לב נתתי חכמה, where the Torah speaks about people equipped, endowed with the necessary amount of Holy Spirit to enable them to perform the tasks allocated to them.

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Sforno's Answer:

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Rabeinu Bachya gives a more general answer of why Yehoshua was fit to be the next leader: What is it? (See below)

רבנו בחיי, במדבר כ״ז:י״ח:א׳

(א) קח לך את יהושע בן נון. לשון לך את שבדוק לך ואתה מכירו, כדאי הוא שיטול שכר שמושו שלא מש מתוך האהל, זהו שאמר שלמה המלך ע"ה (משלי כז) נוצר תאנה יאכל פריה.

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bamidbar 27:18:1

(1) . קח לך את יהושע בן נון, “take for yourself Joshua son of Nun.” The word “for you” in this verse means: “the one whom you yourself have already examined minutely, the one whom you know thoroughly.” It is now appropriate that he reap the reward for having been your faithful disciple all these years, never departing from your immediate presence. This is what Solomon had in mind when he said in Proverbs 27,18: “he who stands guard over the fig tree will eventually enjoy its fruit.”

Finally, we come to the end of the Torah, where Yehoshua is officially handed over the leadership.

דברים ל״א:י״ד

(יד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הֵ֣ן קָרְב֣וּ יָמֶיךָ֮ לָמוּת֒ קְרָ֣א אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֛וּ בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד וַאֲצַוֶּ֑נּוּ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ מֹשֶׁה֙ וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

Deuteronomy 31:14

(14) The LORD said to Moses: The time is drawing near for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, that I may instruct him. Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting.

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.”

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Questions:

1) Now that you know the background of Yehoshua, what qualities do you think were the ones that made him deserving to fill Moshe's shoes as the leader of Bnei Yisrael?

2) What potential challenges do you foresee Yehoshua might face in leading Bnei Yisrael, and why?