We can now explain how the “pshat” and the “drush” above go hand in hand. Chazal wanted to show us how Yisrael merited such an incredible miracle. They did not have to lift a hand at all; HKB”H crushed the Emorim between the two mountains for them. In fact, they were totally unaware initially of what had transpired. Hence, Chazal interpreted the passuk: "על כן יאמר בספר מלחמות ה' את והב בסופה"—as referring to the battles that ensue among talmidei-chachamim—to teach us that in the merit of those Torah-related battles, HKB”H fought and defeated the Emorim for them. So we see that the two explanations go hand in hand magnificently.
We can now embellish this thought. We learn in the Gemara (Berachos 64a) that Rabbah was called "עוקר הרים"—uprooter of mountains—on account of his keen power of “pilpul.” Elsewhere, the Gemara states (Sanhedrin 24a): "הרואה את ריש לקיש בבית המדרש, כאילו עוקר הרים וטוחנן זה בזה... הרואה את רבי מאיר בבית המדרש, כאילו עוקר הרי הרים וטוחנן זה בזה". When one saw Reish Lakish studying in the Beis Midrash, it appeared as if he was uprooting mountains and grinding them together . . . When one saw Rabbi Meir in the Beis Midrash, it appeared as if he was uprooting the greatest of mountains and grinding them together.
This explains fantastically the miracle of a mountain being uprooted and merged with another mountain to crush the Emorim to death. For, as the passuk indicates: "על כן יאמר בספר מלחמות ה'"—Yisrael engage in constant Torah-related battles. The art of “pilpul” employed in these battles is analogous to “uprooting mountains and grinding them together.” Thus, in this merit, the uprooted mountains converged to crush and grind the Emorim hiding in them.
Torah Scholars Promote Shalom in the World
With immense pleasure, we will now elaborate on this concept. We will begin by introducing an impeccable teaching from the Derashos of the Chasam Sofer, zy”a. Everything HKB”H created was solely for His kavod—to be used for matters of kedushah. If they are not used for kedushah, they fall into the hands of the forces of tumah, chas v’shalom, that oppose the forces of kedushah. This applies to the matter of wars, as well. A war of kedushah is fought in the halls of Torah—two scholars debating a point of halachah with each other, taking opposite sides, to clarify the truth of the matter based on the Torah. This is the meaning of the phrase: "תלמידי חכמים מרבים שלום בעולם"—Torah scholars increase shalom in the world. By fighting these Torah-related battles, they mitigate and abolish the forces of war of Yisrael’s foes.
Based on this concept, the Chasam Sofer explains what they expounded in the Midrash (B.R. 65, 20) on the passuk (Bereishis 27, 2): "הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשו, בזמן שקולו של יעקב מצוי בבתי כנסיות אין הידים ידי עשו, ואם לאו הידים ידי עשו". “The voice is Yaakov’s voice, but the hands are Eisav’s hands.” When Yaakov’s voice is present in the Batei Kenesses, the hands of Eisav are ineffective; if not, “the hands are Eisav’s hands”—i.e., they will prevail. In other words, when Jewish voices are engaged in debates of kedushah, they weaken the nations of the world, preventing them from waging actual wars against Yisrael. Thus, the hands of Eisav are rendered powerless.
This explains beautifully the relationship between the “pshat” and the “drush” regarding the passuk: "על כן יאמר בספר מלחמות ה' את והב בסופה". Because Yisrael were actively engaged in the study of Torah—the battle of Torah—the power of the Emorim was rendered ineffective. In the merit of Yisrael’s “pilpul”—analogous to “uprooting mountains and grinding them together”—the Emorim were crushed by the convergence of the two mountains.
