דברים, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ד׳

The entry into the Land of Israel is marked by a profound physical and spiritual act designed to transform the local landscape into an eternal witness to the covenant between the nation and God. The Israelites are instructed to erect massive stones inscribed with the Torah, linking the inheritance of the land with the acceptance of the Commandments and their inherent responsibilities. Because the designated location lies deep on the western side of the Jordan River, this event takes place after the crossing [רלב״ג]. Commentators present a fascinating debate regarding the timeline and geography of this moment. One perspective describes a massive miracle occurring that very day, where the Israelites crossed the river and immediately marched over sixty miles to reach the actual site to set up the stones [הדר זקנים, שפתי כהן]. Conversely, another viewpoint suggests that the nation did not travel such a vast distance in a single day. Instead, they constructed two mounds of earth near the Jordan, symbolically named them after the designated mountains, and fulfilled the command there [הדר זקנים].

The instruction to establish these stones is the culmination of earlier preparations, defining exactly where they must be carried and set permanently for generations [שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר, חזקוני, מלבי״ם]. Setting up these monuments serves as a spiritual counterbalance to idolatry. While erecting pillars for idols is strictly forbidden, God explicitly commands the establishment of these stones for the sake of holiness and the Torah [בעל הטורים]. Tradition relates that a double miracle occurred with these massive stones: as the tribes carried them on their shoulders, the stones miraculously shrank to lighten the burden, and once set down, they expanded to provide enough surface area to write the entire Torah in seventy languages [שפתי כהן].

The specific choice of location—a mountain famously associated with curses—raises natural questions, prompting several layers of interpretation. On a primary level, it serves as a direct warning. The Torah is placed directly before those designated to pronounce the curses, vividly illustrating the severe consequences of violating the covenant [בכור שור, רלב״ג]. From a historical perspective, writing the Torah in seventy languages on the mountain of curses foreshadows a future where the Israelites might be exiled and scattered among the nations due to their sins [העמק דבר]. Yet, this location also carries a profound message of comfort. Establishing the stones, building an altar, and offering sacrifices specifically in this spot was intended to reassure the tribes standing on the mountain of curses. It demonstrated to them that even in a place characterized by strict judgment and warning, God's Presence and the Torah remain fully with them [חזקוני, בכור שור].

The stones were to be coated in a white, opaque plaster, a process carrying both practical and symbolic significance. Practically, the plaster may have been used to smooth the rough surface of the stones to allow for clear writing [שד״ל], or alternatively, it was applied over the inscribed text to preserve and protect it from the elements [מלבי״ם]. The text was written in seventy languages so that all nations of the world could read it. By making the Torah's laws and justice openly accessible, the nations could never claim they were treated unfairly if they were eventually punished [שפתי כהן]. Symbolically, the plaster imparts an educational lesson for anyone who studies the Torah: a student must be like a well-plastered cistern that does not lose a single drop, carefully retaining all their knowledge [חתם סופר, שפתי כהן]. Furthermore, if the plaster indeed covered and hid the writing, it suggests that the true reward for observing the Torah is not plainly visible in this world, but remains hidden and reserved for the future [שפתי כהן]. Finally, this plaster was also utilized in the construction of the altar itself, mirroring the practices later used in the Temple [העמק דבר].