Leaders and Hewers (Parshas Nitzavim 5775)

Who Are the Heads of the Tribes?

The Torah writes (Deuteronomy 29:9)

Ye are standing this day all of you before the LORD your God: your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel

Rashi (ibid) and Ibn Ezra learns they are the heads of the tribes:

"your heads, your tribes" - these are the heads of the tribes

The Ramban (ibid) writes:

But according to my understanding, the Torah generalizes and then gets more specific. The general is "the heads and all the tribes", and then it goes back and explains in detail - "your elders and your officers" - they are your heads for an elder and a leader is considered a head ... And they are the heads for the Jews but not all of them, and the Torah goes back and says "even all the men of Israel" - for those are the tribes...

The Sforno (ibid) explains that these are the princes:

ראשיכם שבטיכם זקניכם ושוטריכם, the people Moses describes as ראשיכם, are those who are heads of their tribes, elsewhere referred to as נשיאים, "princes". The term ראש always includes the people who wield authority. זקניכם, your judges. ושוטריכם, the law enforcers empowered by the judges to enforce their judgements.

Targum Jonathan (ibid) explains that these are heads of the Sanhedrin and their enforcers

Sefer Shaarei Aharon also cites the Vilna Gaon that explains that this refers to the leaders of thousands and hundreds.

(see also Josh Waxman's parshablog and Sefer Shaarei Aharon)

Who are the Hewers and Drawers?

The Torah continues (Deuteronomy 29:10):

your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in the midst of thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water;

Daas Zkenim says this refers to slaves (ibid):

 “from the hewers of your wood for kindling,” i.e. male slaves; “to the ones drawing your water, i.e. the female slaves.”

Rashi says these were Canaanites that came to convert (ibid):

This teaches us that in the days of Moses, Canaanites came to convert, just as the Gibeonites came in the days of Joshua. This is the meaning of the verse regarding the Gibeonites, “And they also acted cunningly…” (Josh. 9:4)

(see Midrash Tanchuma and the Talmud [Yebomot 79a), who says that these were the same Gibeonites who tried to deceive Joshua, see also Josh Waxman's post in the parshablog)
 
The Ramban (ibid) writes that these were Erev Rav:

And the hewers of wood and the drawers of the water were from the mixed multitudes (Erev Rav)

(see also Sefer Shaarei Aharon for explanation what is bothering the various opinions listed here)

Which Idols Does the Torah Refer To?

The Torah writes (Deutronomy 29:16):

and ye have seen their detestable things, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were with them

Rashi (ibid) writes:

You saw those made of wood and stone out in the open, because the owners did not fear that they would be stolen. However, those of “silver and gold,” they “were with them,” in their treasure chambers, because [their owners] were afraid that these might be stolen.

The Vilna Gaon (Sefer Aderes Eliyahu ibid) explains:

"detestable things" - that is the detestable thing of Amon; "and their idols" - that is the idol of Moab which is Baal Peor; "wood and stone" - those are the idols of Esau and Ishmael; "silver and gold" - those are the idols of Sihon and Og

[Published at parshapeople.blogspot.com]