Seeing as Edom marched against them with an army, why does the Torah need to add "va'Yema'en Edom ... "? Is it not obvious?
Oznayim la'Torah: The Torah is telling us that they did not march against Yisrael in order to fight them - in the way that Sichon did later in the Parshah, but only to threaten them. 1
Why did Yisrael veer away from Edom and not attack them?
Ramban: Because Hashem ordered them to do so, as the Torah specifically writes in Devarim, 2:4 & 5, because Har Se'ir is Esav's inheritance; it is not for Yisrael.
Targum Yonasan: Because the time to take revenge from Edom for all their evil deeds had not yet arrived.
The Torah says in Devarim 2:28 & 29 "E'ebrah ve'Raglai, ka'asher Asu li B'nei Eisav". But they did not let them pass through?
Riva: Surely they only passed by the border. "Kasher Asu li B'nei Esav" refers to selling food and water (mentioned earlier in verse 28), like Rashi explained there.
Da'as Zekenim and Hadar Zekenim (both on 21:22): Edom and Mo'av allowed Yisrael to pass by their borders. Similarly, we asked Sichon to let us pass by his border; we did not request to pass through his land itself. 1
Moshav Zekenim (on 21:22): Moshe lied [for the sake of Shalom], so he would consent to let Yisrael pass. 2
It says that Edom did not let us pass "biGevulo", just like it says about Sichon (20:21 & 21:23)! If so, why did Moshe say 'we will not veer to the right or left' (Devarim 2:27)? The left of the border is Mo'av; it is not of Sichon! They asked to pass "be'Artzecha? be'Derech ha'Melech"! A nation of six hundred thousand men, each with at least ninety donkeys (refer to Sh'mos 13:13:1:2*) needs a wide area to pass through. If they went single file, the camp would stretch over fifty thousand kilometers (more than the circumference of the world), and would take years to pass through! Normally, a border is narrow, and either side belongs to one of the countries it divides between! If they could pass via the border, why did they not pass through the border between Edom and Mo'av, who allowed them to pass on their borders? (PF)
The lie is evident! Had Edom let Yisrael pass through, they would have gone to Eretz Cana'an, and would not need to pass through Sichon! And now they were outside the border of Edom! (PF)
Rashi (on Devarim 2:29) writes that "Ka'asher Asu Li B'nei Eisav... " refers to selling food and water. But the Pasuk says also "veha'Mo'avim", about whom it says "Lo Kidmu Eschem ba'Lechem uva'Mayim" (23:5)?
Riva (on Devarim 2:28) #1, Moshav Zekenim (2:29, citing R. Tam): "Lo Kidmu?" refers only to Amon, Mo'av may not enter Kahal Hashem only due to the end of the verse "va'Asher Sachar Alecha Es Bil'am..." 1
Riva (on Devarim 2:28) #2: Only the Mo'avim in Ar brought food and water, but not those living elsewhere. In any case, all Mo'avim were forbidden to enter Kahal Hashem, because it is difficult to distinguish [Mo'avim whose ancestors lived in] one place from another.
Chizkuni (on Devarim 23:5): They should have given to us food for free.
Riva: R"M of Kutzi challenged this. It says in Yevamos (76b) that Rus ha'Mo'avis should be permitted, for it is normal for men to bring food and water, and not women! SMaG ? it means that just like it is not normal for women to bring? it is not normal for women to hire. Therefore, both for Amon and Mo'av, only men are forbidden.
