When Did the Ceremony on Mt. Eival Occur/2

When Was the Ceremony on Mt. Eival?

Exegetical Approaches

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Before the Conquest

The ceremony at Mt. Eival took place on the same day that the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and entered Israel.

Sources:Tosefta SotahSotah 8:6-7About the Tosefta, R. Yehuda and R. Eliezer in Yerushalmi SotahSotah 7:3About the Yerushalmi, Bavli SotahSotah 35bSotah 36aAbout the Bavli, RashiDevarim 27:2Yehoshua 4:3-9, 20Yehoshua 8:30-33About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef KaraYehoshua 8:30-33About R. Yosef Kara, RadakYehoshua 8:30-35About R. David Kimchi, R. BachyaDevarim 27:1-3About R. Bachya b. Asher, HaKetav VeHaKabbalahDevarim 27:2About R. Yaakov Mecklenburg, Rav Hirsch

Chronology of the chapters – These commentators all maintain that the event is not recorded in its chronological place (which would have been in Chapter 4) but do not explain the reason for the achronology.

"בַּיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר תַּעַבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן" – According to this approach, the word "בַּיּוֹם" is understood literally to refer to the very same day that the nation crossed the Jordan River.  It is this directive (and the statement that Yehoshua acted as commanded by Moshe) which motivates them to posit that Yehoshua must not have waited before setting up the ceremony.

How did they get to Mt. Eival? This position must explain how the entire nation (including children)¹ could have traveled all the way from Gilgal to Mt. Eival (and back) in one day, especially if this was in still unconquered territory.  The commentators offer two possible solutions:

• Miracle – Tosefta Sotah places Mt. Eival near Shekhem,² but asserts that Hashem miraculously brought the nation there.  It is also possible that the area had already been in Israel's hands from the Patriarchal period.³
• Different mountain – R. Eliezer,⁴ in contrast, maintains that the verses refers not to the Mt. Eival which is near Shekhem, but to two mountains that are close to the Jordan.⁵ As evidence he points to Torah's description of the site as being "מוּל הַגִּלְגָּל".‎⁶

Relationship between Devarim 8:1-3 and 8:4-8

How many stones?

Purpose of ceremony

Why now?

Why these mountians

Mid-Conquest

The nation went to Mt. Eival after defeating the Ai and gaining access to the vicinity.

Sources:Ralbag?, AbarbanelDevarim 27:1About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, ?shadal?

After the Conquest

The Israelites first performed the ceremony after the 14 years of conquest and inheritance.

Sources:JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 5:1:19About Josephus, R. Yishmael in Yerushalmi SotahSotah 7:3About the Yerushalmi

Two Stages

The nation fulfilled Moshe's command in two stages.  Though the first stage took place immediately after entry into Israel, the completed ceremony only occurred later.

¹ See Yehoshua 8:35, which speaks of the all inclusive nature of the ceremony (כׇּל קְהַל" "יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְהַגֵּר הַהֹלֵךְ בְּקִרְבָּם)

² This choice of site is supported by the description of the mountains being "אֵצֶל אֵלוֹנֵי מֹרֶה", which appears to be in the vicinity of Shekhem.  See Bereshit 12:6, "וַיַּעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ עַד מְקוֹם שְׁכֶם עַד אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה."  R. Yehudah in the Sifre explains the phrase, "דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ" to refer to where the sun rises, allowing for a western location.  Finally, the problematic marker "מוּל הַגִּלְגָּל" could be explained, as does Shadal , to refer not to the Gilgal of Yehoshua 4, but to a site of the same name in the central region of the land.

³ According to this possibility, the nation would still require miraculous assistance to have safely (and quickly) reach the vicinity, but could explain in a more natural way, why it was a safe place to hold the ceremony.

⁴ See his opinion in the Sifre and Yerushalmi Sotah 7:3.  See also R. Elazar in the Yerushalmi who similarly says, "שתי גבשושיות עשו וקראו זה הר גריזים וזה הר עיבל".

⁵ This position is likely motivated not only by textual concerns, but by polemical ones as well.  It attempts to rid all basis to the Samaritan's claims regarding the holiness of Mt. Gerzim in the area of Shekhem.  Not only was the altar built on Mt. Eival and not Mt. Gerzim, but the entire ceremony took place in a different geographical location.

⁶ As futher support, he points to the phrase, "בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן," explaining that the Torah is saying that the site is close to the Jordan.  In addition the term "דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ" suggests that is in an area in which the sun sets, some place in the east..