What is the difference between "Eimasah" and "Pachad"?
Rashi: "Eimasah" is the fear that those who are far away feel; whereas "Pachad" is for those who are close. 1
Rashi: As in Yehoshua 2:10.
To whom was Moshe referring when he said, "Tipol Aleihem ... bi'Gedol Zero'acha"?
Ramban #1 (citing Ibn Ezra): Refer to 15:14:1:2* . He was referring to the Pelishtim, Edom and Moav, whom Yisrael would encounter before crossing the Yarden.
Ramban #2 and Seforno: He was referring to the Kena'anim whom Yisrael would encounter after crossing the Yarden 1 (and he was requesting that, out of fear, they should flee before Yisrael). 2
Ramban: Indeed, the Kena'anim did not take on Yisrael in battle until Yisrael attacked them. Those Kena'anim mentioned in Bamidbar 21:1 were not really Kena'anim, at all, as the Midrash points out (see Rashi there).
Seforno: Like the Egyptians tried to do. See 14:25.
What are the connotations of the Pasuk's continuation - "Yidemu ka'Aven; Ad Ya'avor Amecha, Hashem"?
Seforno: Moshe prayed that even when Yisrael will attack the Kena'anim in their towns, they would be so afraid that they will not rise against them in self-defense.
What is the significance of the doubled expression, "Ad Ya'avor"?
Rashi, Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: They refer to the crossing of the Rivers Arnon and Yarden, respectively.
Rashbam: The Pasuk repeats itself in the same way as it did above. 1
Sotah 37a: "Ad Ya'avor Amecha Hashem" refers to the first entry - when they crossed the Yarden to build the first Beis-Hamikdash; and "Ad Ya'avor Am Zu Kanisa," to the second crossing - when they returned from Bavel to build the second Beis-Hamikdash. This implies that when they entered the second time with Ezra, they were destined to experience similar miracles to those that they experienced when they entered the first time 2 - only their sins prevented it.
Targum Onkelos interprets our Pasuk as referring to the future miracles when crossing the Arnon River and the Jordan River. Why are these mentioned here? What is the connection to "Gedol Zero'acha"?
Maharal (Gevuros Hashem Ch. 47, p. 193): Keri'as Yam Suf was the beginning of a three-stage progression in Am Yisrael's stature. Each stage involved crossing water, and was accompanied by miracles and wonders; a. as we crossed the Yam Suf we emerged from slavery; b. crossing Nachal Arnon brought us to the land of Sichon and Og, which was part of our promised inheritance; c. when we crossed the Yarden, we inherited the sanctity of Eretz Yisrael proper. These attainments were not natural, but rather, by virtue of being "Your nation, Hashem." As such, these crossings were accompanied by miracles. Because there would be those who would oppose us, and argue against our receiving these gifts, we prayed that they be silenced - "Due to the greatness of Your Arm, may they be silent like stone!"
What does the Pasuk mean when it describes Yisrael as "Am Zu Kanisa - The nation that Hashem acquired"?
Rashi: It means the nation that Hashem endeared them, over and above all the other nations. 1
Targum Onkelos: It means the nation that Hashem redeemed.
Pirkei Avos (6:10): Yisrael is one of the five acquisitions 2 that Hashem acquired for Himself in this world. 3
Rashi: Like an object that one purchased for a lot of money, and which one therefore prizes.
The other four are Torah, Shamayim va'Aretz, Avraham and the Beis-Hamikdash.
Maharal (Derech Chayim to Avos 6:10): But isn't all of creation His? Furthermore, the Beraisa gives an additional Pasuk to support this idea - "To the holy ones, that they are in the land; and the mighty ones - all of my desire is upon them!" (Tehilim 16:3). That verse, however, doesn't even seem to mention Yisrael! For Maharal's commentary, see below, 15:17:6 and 15:17:7:1 .
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "Kanisa (lit., 'You have acquired') - [I.e.,] You have cherished, more so than the other nations - like an object acquired for an expensive price, which a person holds dear." But Rashi (to Bereishis 14:19, DH 'Koneh Shamayim va'Aretz') explains the term 'Kinyan' in that verse differently - "By creating heaven and earth, He acquired them, making them His" ?
Gur Aryeh: Each verse must be explained in its context. We cannot explain our verse as, 'the nation You have acquired, by virtue of Your having created them' - seeing as Hashem created all of the nations! Rashi therefore explains here that the expression "Kinyan" means cherishing and endearment. In Bereishis 14:19, on the other hand, "heaven and earth" are not being singled out as more precious than other creations; on the contrary, heaven and earth include everything else. That verse therefore means that Hashem created them, thereby acquiring them.
