Dvarim: This land

Dvarim: This land

From my children, I have learned the concept of narrative.  I understand this to mean how one side of a conflict justifies its position, how one side views history.  The idea of narrative testifies to the subjectivity of history. 

Dvarim is a narrative. It is:... the words that Moshe spoke to all Israel... It is Moshe's version of history and it reflects his worldview.  Note that we are also told the place of this communication and given information about the circumstances. The narrative changes with the place and the circumstances.  The narrative is influenced by its purpose. 

The parsha talks about Israel, bent on conquest, respecting the borders of the lands of Esau and Lot. In that context, it talks about how theses peoples acquired their lands from their predecessors: the Enim  were dispossessed by the Lotean Moabites, the Chori were driven out by Esau's descendants, the Amori ( the other Lot tribe) replaced the aboriginal Zumzums.  Displacement of one people by another is part of this world order.  The Israelites moving in,  with their conquest of Sichon and Og,  is merely another step in this process. 

The Torah makes the the innocent Jewish narrative difficult.  Conquest and genocide are mitzvoth.  These ideas are tempered by time.  We just don't do that . Even Joshua could not bring himself to do that. So why aren't they erased? Perhaps, so that we never think ourselves too kind.