דברים, פרק ב׳, פסוק כ״ח

Moses presents a diplomatic proposal to the neighboring nations, seeking peaceful passage through their lands. Rather than making forceful demands, he frames the request around fair trade and a respect for borders. The approach is designed to offer the local populations an opportunity for economic profit, accompanied by a firm promise that no harm will come to their environment, their people, or their livestock. The emphasis is entirely on conducting a standard commercial transaction, highlighting the act of purchasing rather than simply taking [אבי עזר, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This offer to purchase provisions raises a natural question, as the Israelites were already sustained by the heavenly manna and a miraculous well. The primary approach among commentators is that once the nation reached settled areas, these overt miracles ceased. In the desolate wilderness where sustenance is entirely unavailable, God provides it freely. However, upon entering inhabited regions where commerce is possible, God expects the people to acquire their needs through natural means [פענח רזא, ברכת אשר]. Conversely, other scholars suggest the Israelites had no actual need for provisions, as the manna fully satisfied them. The offer to pay full price was driven purely by a desire to provide financial benefit to their hosts [מלבי״ם]. Under this view, the Israelites were essentially stating that their basic needs were already met, and any purchases were merely a matter of guest etiquette or to satisfy a spontaneous craving [אבן עזרא, רבנו בחיי, שפתי כהן].

This diplomatic exchange also serves as a source for laws regarding the consumption of food prepared by non-Jews. By equating the procurement of food with that of water, a specific standard is established. Just as water is consumed in its natural state without being altered by fire, the food permitted for the Israelites to purchase at that time was strictly natural and uncooked [תורה תמימה]. Furthermore, the request for water is phrased as a plea for it to be provided rather than strictly sold, hinting that from a legal standpoint, acquiring water is not classified as a definitive mercantile transaction [צפנת פענח].

The core of the diplomatic mission is a simple plea for transit, declaring that the Israelites have no intention of taking anything by force and only seek the necessary permission to pass through [העמק דבר, ביאור שטיינזלץ, ביאור יש״ר]. Their assurance that they will travel strictly by their own physical means serves as a declaration of independence, clarifying that they do not require any assistance or transport from the locals [שד״ל]. A different perspective suggests that the description of their movement does not refer to literal walking, but rather serves as a reference to the military legions of Israel, echoing prophetic descriptions of God's armies [רבנו בחיי].

This peaceful exchange introduces a historical difficulty, as it implies the Moabites successfully sold food and water to the Israelites. This appears to contradict a later biblical prohibition against accepting Ammonites and Moabites into the congregation of God specifically because they failed to greet the Israelites with provisions. To resolve this discrepancy, some explain that only the residents of the Moabite border city of Ar actually came forward to sell food. Since the rest of the nation refused, and it was impossible to distinguish between the two groups, the prohibition was decreed upon the entire people. A more surprising resolution argues that the Moabites did, in fact, greet Israel with food and water exactly as proposed. According to this view, the accusation of withholding provisions was directed exclusively at Ammon. The sole sin for which Moab was excluded from the congregation was their hiring of Balaam to curse the Israelites [ריב״א].