R Tanchum's explanation of the pit, reik...ein bo mayim is that there were snakes and scorpions in the pit, explaining the superfluous words ein bo mayim. If the pit is empty, than that means even snakes and scorpions shouldn't be there! All the pasuk should have said was ein bo mayim, and we would automatically assume something else was in the pit. Therefore the real superfluous word is reik! Why include this word??
DANIEL ETTEDGUI, BOCA RATON, USA
That is a nice question, Daniel.
I would suggest the following. There are two items that are normally found in deserted pit: water and scorpions. Other items may be found in pits as well, but only if they are intentionally placed in the pits for storage.
Had the Torah just said "Rek", I would have thought it had nothing at all inside. Had it just said "Ein Bo Mayim", I would have thought that although it contained no water, it contained something else - perhaps something that was placed there intentionally. By juxtaposing "Rek" and "Ein Bo Mayim", the Torah intimates that the pit did not have water inside, but it did have something else inside that s similar to water (in the sense that it is normally found in deserted pits) - i.e. scorpions. That is why the Torah had to mention both phrases.
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf