{
"language": "en",
"title": "Rashi on Numbers",
"versionSource": "http://primo.nli.org.il/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=NLI&docId=NNL_ALEPH002691623",
"versionTitle": "Rashi Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009",
"status": "locked",
"priority": 1.0,
"license": "CC-BY",
"shortVersionTitle": "Metsudah Publications, 2009",
"actualLanguage": "en",
"isBaseText": false,
"heTitle": "רש\"י על במדבר",
"categories": [
"Tanakh",
"Rishonim on Tanakh",
"Rashi",
"Torah"
],
"text": [
[
[
"In the Sinai desert . . . on the first [day] of the [second] month, etc. Because they (the Israelites) are precious before Him (Hashem), He counts them all the time; when they went out of Egypt He counted them [Shemos, 12:37], and when they fell because of [the sin of] the golden calf He counted them to know the number of those who remained, when He came to cause His Presence to rest upon them He counted them. On the first day of Nisan the Mishkon was set up, and on the first day of Iyar He counted them. "
],
[
"According to their families. To know the number of each tribe",
"To the house of their fathers: Someone whose father is from one tribe and his mother from another tribe shall be maintained in his father’s tribe.",
"Individually Through the shekolim a half-shekel per head."
],
[
"All those eligible for the army. This teaches us that no one is eligible for the army below the age of twenty. \n"
],
[
"Along with you, there shall be. When you count them, there shall be with you the leader of each tribe. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"These are the ones called from the congregation. The ones who were invited to everything of importance in the congregation."
],
[
"These men. Those twelve leaders [mentioned above, 5–15]. ",
"Who were designated: To him (Moshe) here by [their] names."
],
[
"And they were registered by family ancestry. They brought their genealogical documents and witnesses who verified the status of their birth, this applied to each individual, to establish their kinship with the tribe. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"However, the tribe of Levi you shall not count. The King’s legion is worthy of being counted separately. Another interpretation; the Holy One, blessed is He, foresaw that a decree would arise against all those who were counted from the age of twenty and above to die in the desert. He [therefore] said, “Let these [Levites] not be included, for they are mine, since they did not sin with the [golden] calf.” "
],
[
"You shall appoint the Levites. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, “appoint.” The word denotes appointment to authority over the subject of one’s appointment, as, “and let the king appoint officials.” (Esther 2) \n"
],
[
"[They] shall take it down. As Targum (Onkelos) translates, “they shall dismantle.” When they were going to depart in the desert from journey to journey they would dismantle it (the Mishkon) from its upright position and carry it to the place where the cloud came to rest. They camped there and set it up. ",
"And the stranger who approaches: To [perform] this service of theirs.",
"Shall die: By the hand of heaven."
],
[
"And each man at his own banner. According to the way that the banners are arranged in this book (i.e., Bamidbar, 2:3–31), three tribes to each banner. "
],
[
"So that there will not be anger. If you fulfill My commandments there will not be anger, but if not — if strangers will enter into this service of theirs — there will be anger, as we find in the episode of Korach, “. . . for the anger had emerged . . .” [17:11] \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"With the insignia. Each banner shall have [as] its insignia a colored cloth hanging from it. Each one’s color was not like the other’s, each color corresponded with the hue of its gem set in the breastplate. Thusly, everyone could recognize his banner. Another interpretation [of] “with the insignia of their fathers’ houses”; By the sign their forefather Yaakov gave them when they carried him from Egypt [for burial in Canaan], as it is said, “And his sons did to him just as he had commanded them” [Bereishis, 50:12]. ‘Yehudah, Yissachar, and Zevulun shall carry him from the east, Reuven, Shimon, and Gad from the south; etc.,’ as stated by Tanchuma to this portion. \n",
"At a distance: At the distance of a mil (2,000 amos, approximately 4,000 feet.) as stated in the Book of Joshua [3:4], ‘However, there should be a distance between you and it (the sacred ark) of two thousand amos’, To enable them to come on Shabbos. Moshe and Aharon and his sons and the Levites camped near it (the Mishkon). "
],
[
"In the forefront. Toward the side called קֶדֶם, the front. Which is this? This is the eastern side whereas the west is called אָחוֹר, the rear. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"They travel first. When they see the cloud rise, the kohanim blow the trumpets and the camp of Yehudah departs first. When traveling, they move the way they camped; The Levites and the wagons at the center, the banner of Yehudah to the east, that of Reuven to the south, Ephraim's to the west, and Don’s to the north. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The Tent of Meeting shall travel. After those two banners.",
"Just as they camp, so shall they travel: As I explained, they traveled as they camped, each banner proceeding in its designated position. ",
"In his place [literally “his hand”] In his place. Yet, the literal meaning, “his hand” is not out of context. One’s nearby area is called “at hand,” [i.e.,] adjacent, within hand’s reach. en son aise, at hand, in Old French. "
],
[],
[],
[
"With him [literally “above him”]. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, “the one near him.” \n"
]
],
[
[
"These are the descendants of Aharon and Moshe. [Scripture] mentions only the sons of Aharon, yet they are called the descendants of Moshe — because he taught them Torah. This teaches us that one who teaches another’s son Torah is considered as having procreated him. ",
"On the day that Adonoy spoke to Moshe They became his descendants, since he taught them what he had learned from the mouth of the Almighty. "
],
[],
[],
[
"In the presence [literally “the face”] of Aharon. During his lifetime. \n"
],
[],
[
"And they shall serve him. What is the service? [The next passage explains —] ”They shall preserve his guardianship;” since he (Aharon) is obligated to guard the Sanctuary so that no stranger may approach, as it is said, “. . . you (Aharon), your sons, and your father’s house with you shall bear [responsibility for] the sin of [defiling] the Sanctuary . . .,” and these Levites aided them, this is the service. "
],
[
"They shall take care to preserve his guardianship. Any position to which a person is appointed which requires his active management is called a “watch” throughout Scripture, and in the Mishnaic idiom, as stated concerning Bigsan and Seresh, “But surely my watch is not similar to yours”? Similarly, the “watches” of the kohanim and Levites. \n"
],
[
"And the watch of Bnei Yisroel. They were all actually obligated to provide the needs of the Sanctuary; the Levites merely served in their place, as surrogates. This is why they (the Levites) accepted the tithes from them, in payment, as it is said, “. . . for it (the tithe) is your payment, in return for your service . . .” "
],
[
"They are presented to him. For assistance.",
"From [among] Bnei Yisroel This [מֵאֵת, “from”] is understood as מִתּוֹךְ, “from among” Bnei Yisroel, meaning from the rest of the entire congregation they (the Levites) were selected for this by Divine decree and He (God) gave them to him (Aharon), as it is said, “I (God) have given the Levites, given [them] . . .” \n"
],
[
"Appoint Aharon and his sons. The word connotes appointment, not counting. ",
"And they shall guard their priesthood. Referring to the blood [of the sacrificial offerings], sprinkling [it on the altar], burning [the sacrifices], [and other] services entrusted to the kohanim. "
],
[],
[
"Behold, I have taken [the Levites]. What is My right to them? From among Bnei Yisroel That the Israelites must hire them to serve Me? Through the [Israelites’] first born, I gained my right to them, having taken them (the Levites) in their place. Because the sacred service was [originally performed] by the firstborn, but when they sinned with the golden calf, they were disqualified. The Levites, who did not indulge in idolatry, were chosen instead. "
],
[],
[],
[
"From the age of one month and above. When he (the infant) can no longer be categorized as stillborn, he is listed among those entitled “guardian of the sacred watch.” R’ Yehudah B’rabi Shalom said, “This [Levite] tribe is regularly counted from the womb, as it is said, “. . . [Yocheved, Levi’s daughter] . . . whom she (Levi’s wife) bore to Levi in Egypt . . .” While entering the portals of Egypt, she bore her (Yocheved). yet she is counted among the seventy souls [who came down to Egypt]. for, when one tallies their total, one finds only sixty-nine and she completed the total. "
],
[
"According to the word of Adonoy. Moshe said before the Holy One, Blessed is He, ”How can I enter into their tents to determine the number of their nursing infants”? The Holy One, Blessed is He, replied, “Do yours, and I will do Mine”! Moshe proceeded, and stood at the door of the tent, whereupon the Divine Presence preceded him [and entered the tent]. A voice then echoed from the tent, announcing, “There are so many and so many nursing infants in this tent”! This is why it is said, “. . . according to the word of God . . .” \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Of Gershon, the family of Livni. Meaning, of Gershon, those who were counted [was] the family of Livni and the family of Shim’i — their numbers were so many and so many. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The Mishkon. The lower [ceiling] drapes.",
"And the Tent. The goats’ hair drapes, made [to serve] as the roof. ",
"Its Cover. Ram skins and tachash skins. \n",
"And the curtain for the entrance This is the drape."
],
[
"And its ropes. Of the Mishkon and the tent, but not the enclosure. "
],
[],
[],
[
"The families of the children of Kehos shall camp . . . on the south. Near them [was] the banner of Reuven, who camped to the south. Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbor! This is why [Reuven’s constituents] were punished — Doson, Avirom, and two hundred and fifty men — together with Korach and his assembly, because they (the Reuvenites) were drawn, with them, into the dispute. "
],
[],
[
"And the curtain. This is the Paroches, as it was also called “. . . the Paroches screen . . .” \n"
],
[
"The leader of the leaders of Levi. [He was] appointed over all of them. Over what was his leadership?",
"The appointment of the guardians to safeguard — They were all appointed by him. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Moshe, Aharon and his sons. Near them [was] the banner of the camp of Yehudah, and those who camped near him, Yissachar and Zevulun. Good fortune to the righteous, good fortune to his neighbor! Because they were neighbors of Moshe, who engaged in Torah [study], they became great Torah scholars, as it is said, “Yehudah my lawgiver”; “From the sons of Yissachar of sagacious knowledge, etc.” — [this refers to] two hundred heads of Sanhedrin; “and from Zevulun, came those that handle the scribe’s quill.” "
],
[
"Whom Moshe and Aharon counted. There are dots over [the word] וְאַהֲרֹן, to teach that he was not included in the counting of the Levites. ",
"Twenty two thousand. When counting them individually, however, one discovers three hundred extra: the sons of Gershon, seven thousand five hundred; the sons of Kehos, eight thousand six hundred; the sons of Merori, six thousand two hundred [hence, twenty two thousand three hundred]. Why aren’t they included among the rest to redeem the firstborn, thus exempting the two hundred seventy three overlapping firstborn from redemption? Our sages answered, in Maseches Bechoros, that the three hundred Levites were, themselves, firstborn. It was sufficient for them to release themselves from redemption. "
],
[
"Count every male firstborn . . . from the age of one month and above. When he (the infant) can no longer be categorized as stillborn. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"And the animals of the Levites . . .etc. The animals of the Levites did not redeem the firstlings of the Israelites’ clean (i.e., kosher) animals, but [they did redeem] the firstlings of their donkeys. And a single sheep belonging to a Levite released numerous of the Israelites’ donkey firstlings. The proof is that Scripture counts the extra men, but did not count the extra animals. "
],
[
"And the redemption of the [two hundred and seventy-]three. The firstborn who require redemption among them (the Israelites), these are the two hundred seventy-three extras among them, over and above the Levites. From them, take five shekolim per head. This was the sale price for Yoseif, twenty silver [pieces], who was Rochel’s firstborn. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"[Those whose numbers were] in excess of those who were redeemed through the Levites. Those redeemed by the very presence of the Levites."
],
[
"One thousand three hundred sixty five. This is the sum total, [at] five shekolim per head. For two hundred firstborn: one thousand shekolim. For seventy firstborn — three hundred and fifty shekolim. For three firstborn — fifteen shekolim. He (Moshe) said, “How shall I do this? Any firstborn whom I tell to pay five shekolim will say, ‘I am from those redeemed by the Levites”’! What did he do? He brought twenty-two thousand slips and wrote “Levite” on them, and two hundred and seventy three slips and wrote “five shekolim” on them. He mixed them together, and placed them in a container. [Then] he told them, “Come, choose your slips by lot.” \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"Take the count . . . etc. Count those among them suited for the service of carrying, the ones from thirty to fifty years of age. Someone younger than thirty, has not reached prime strength. From here they (the Rabbis) derive “[the age of] thirty for strength” and after fifty, one’s strength diminishes. \n"
],
[],
[
"The Holy of Holies. The Holiest of all; the Ark, the Table, the Menorah, the Altars, the Paroches, and the service vessels. "
],
[
"Aharon and his sons shall enter . . . etc. They shall place each vessel into the sheath specified for it in this chapter, so that the Levite sons of Kehos need do nothing but carry [them]. ",
"When the camp is about to travel. When the cloud rises, they know that they are to depart. \n"
],
[],
[
"Molds, spoons, rods, covering props. I have explained this in [the chapter dealing with] the work of the Mishkon. ",
"Covering. Covering, from the word מָסָךְ, cover, as it is written, “. . . by which they (the breads) shall be covered.” "
],
[],
[
"Its tongs. A type of pliers with which they pull the wick in any desired direction.",
"Its scoops. A type of small spoon with a flat, uncurved bottom, unwalled at the front — only at the sides, with which he rakes the ashes from the lamps when cleaning them. ",
"It lamps. Loces, lamps, in Old French, in which the oil and wicks are placed. \n"
],
[
"Into the covering of the tachash — hide. A type of sack."
],
[],
[
"All the service utensils with which they serve in the Sanctuary. Inside the Mishkon, which is Holy. These are the incense vessels, with which they serve on the inner altar. \n"
],
[
"They shall remove the ashes from the Altar. The copper altar.",
"They shall remove the ashes. They shall take the ashes away from it.",
"And spread upon it a cloth of purple [wool]. The fire which descended from heaven lay below the cloth like a lion when they traveled. It didn’t burn it (the cloth), because they arched a copper vessel over it. "
],
[
"Firepans. With these they raked the coals for the lifting of the ashes. This was made like a pan with only three sides, and the front was used to draw the coals. ",
"Forks. Copper hooks with which they prodded the limbs on the altar, turning them so that they would be completely consumed quickly. ",
"Scoops. These were scrapers, In Old French, Wadil, scoops. They were made of copper, and used to sweep the ashes from the Altar. "
],
[
"Covering of the Sanctuary. The Ark and the Altar.",
"And all of the holy utensils. The Menorah and the service vessels.",
"And they will [not] die. Since, if they touch, they will be subject to death by Heavenly decree. "
],
[
"Encharged to Elazar. He was assigned to carry them; oil, incense, and anointing oil. The continual [daily] meal-offering. His responsibility was to issue orders, to urge [the others], and to offer it [on the altar] when they camped. \n",
"The charge of the entire Mishkon. In addition, he was assigned to [oversee] the load of the sons of Kehos — to issue orders for everyone’s work and load. This is [what is meant by] “the Mishkon and all of its contents,” everything listed above in this chapter. But the load of the sons of Gershon and Merori, which did not consist of the holy of holies, was by order of Isamar, as is written in the portion of נָשׂא . \n"
],
[],
[
"Do not cut off. Do not cause them to die."
],
[],
[
"They shall not come in to see when the holy is being covered. [When placed] into its sheath, as specified above in this chapter, they shall spread over it a certain cloth, they shall cover it with a certain cover. Its “ בִּלּוּעַ “ refers to the covering of it. \n"
],
[],
[
"Take the count of the sons of Gershon, as well. Just as I commanded you conce ning the sons of Kehos, to determine how many have reached the working category. "
],
[],
[],
[
"The tapestries of the Mishkon. The ten lower ones.",
"And the Tent of Meeting. The goat-hair tapestries, made as a tent over it (the Mishkon). ",
"Its covering. The red dyed rams’ skins.",
"The screen for the entrance. The eastern curtain. \n"
],
[
"Which are over the Mishkon. As if it had said, “The curtains and screen of the courtyard enclosure which protect and guard over the Mishkon \nand the copper altar on all sides.” \n",
"And all that will be given [lit. made] to them. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, ”all that will be given to them” — to the sons of Gershon. "
],
[
"By instruction of Aharon and [one of] his sons. Which of his sons is appointed over them? Under the supervision of Isamar, son of Aharon, the kohein. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Their stakes and ropes. Of the pillars, since the the stakes and ropes of the curtains were in the load of the sons of Gershon. There were stakes and ropes at the bottom of the tapestries and curtains, so that the wind would not lift them; and there were stakes and ropes for the pillars, on all sides, from which to hang the curtains, by their upper border, with bars and rods, as is taught in [the Beraysa of] the work of the Mishkon. \n "
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The service of service. This refers to the song of the cymbals and the harps, which is service for [another] service. ",
"And the service of carrying. As the phrase indicates."
],
[],
[
"And they were counted, as Adonoy commanded Moshe. Those counted were, as commanded, from the ages of thirty to fifty. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"Command Bnei Yisroel. This parshah was said on the day the Mishkon was erected. Eight parshiyos were said on that day, as is stated in Tractate Gittin, perek Hanizakin. ",
"They must expel from the camp. There were three camps when they rested: Within the curtains was the camp of the Shechinah; the surrounding Levite encampment, as stated expressly in the parshah of Bemidbar Sinai, was the camp of the Levites; from there to the end of the encampment of the banners, in all the four directions, was the camp of the Israelites. The metzoro was sent out of all of them. The zav was permitted in the camp of the Israelites, but expelled from the [other] two. A person defiled by the dead was permitted even among the [encampment of] the Levites, being expelled only from the encampment of the Shechinah. All this, the Rabbis derive from Scriptural passages in Maseches Pesachim. ",
"Defiled by a [departed] soul. [Onkelos renders] דִּמְסָאָב לִטְמֵי נַפְשָׁא דֶאֱנָשָׁא, (“who were defiled by the bones of a human soul.”) In my opinion, the word means “human bones” in Aramaic. There are many [examples] in Bereishis Rabbah, “ טַמְיָא “ אַדְרִיאָנוּס שְׁחִיק — may [his] “bones” be crushed. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Acting treacherously against Adonoy. Scripture now reiterates the parshah of the thief who swears falsely, previously stated in the Portion of Vayikra, “[If a person sins] . . . and acts treacherously against God, lying to his fellow . . .” It is repeated here for the sake of two innovations. Firstly, Scripture writes “And they confess . . . [their sin],” teaching that he (the thief) is not required to pay the fifth and bring the asham (guilt-offering) when convicted by the testimony of witnesses, unless he confesses to the act. And secondly, [to teach] that property stolen from a proselyte must be given to the kohanim. "
],
[
"Principal amount of his guilt. This is the principal [payment] concerning which he took the oath.",
"To whom he is indebted. To the one to whom he is liable."
],
[
"But if the man has no redeemer. As the claimant died who put him (the thief) to the oath — without heirs.",
"To whom the debt may be returned. When he (the thief) recants and confesses to his crime. The Rabbis remark, ‘Is there anyone in Yisroel without redeemers, whether a son, brother, or paternal blood relation [branching] upward to [the patriarch] Yaakov? But [this refers to] a proselyte who died without heirs. ",
"The debt being returned. This is the principal and the fifth thereof.",
"To Adonoy, [then] to the kohein. God takes possession of it, then gives it to the kohein [serving] in that watch. ",
"Besides the ram of forgiveness. Mentioned in Vayikra, which he is required to bring. "
],
[
"Every terumah-gift, etc. R’ Yishmael said, “Is terumah-gift brought to the kohein? Does he not seek it, himself, in the granary? Then why does the Torah state, ‘ . . . which they bring to the kohein?’ These are the bikurim-gifts, about which it is stated, ‘[. . . the first fruits of your land] must be brought to the House of Adonoy, your God.’ But one does not know what must be done with them. The Torah therefore states, ‘ . . . to the kohein, it shall belong to him.’ Scripture teaches, concerning the bikurim-gifts, that they must be given to the kohein. "
],
[
"A man’s sacred objects shall be his. Since the priestly and Levite gifts are mandated, one might assume that they may confiscate them forcefully. The Torah therefore teaches that “A man’s sacred objects shall be his,” informing [us] that the executory benefits belong to the [original Israelite] owner. Many other homiletical interpretations are offered by Sifri. Midrash Aggadah [states], “A man’s sacred objects shall be his” [states]: If someone withholds his tithes, and refuses to give them, [then] “[they shall] be his” — the tithes. Ultimately, his land will yield only one tenth of its normal produce. \n",
"Whatever a man gives to the kohein [lit. A man who gives to the kohein]. The proper gifts. ",
"Shall be his. Great riches."
],
[],
[
"If any man’s wife goes astray. What is written [immediately] above this subject? “A man’s sacred objects shall be his.” (v. 10) [This implies that] If you withhold the kohein’s gifts, then by your life! You will find it necessary to visit him, to bring the sotah to him. ",
"Any man [lit. A man, a man]. This teaches that she is doubly treacherous; against the “man of warfare” on high, and her husband [lit. “man”] below. ",
"[If any man’s] wife goes astray. Our Rabbis teach: Adulterers do not commit adultery unless they are imbued with the spirit of foolishness, as it is written כִּי תִשְׂטֶה [lit. acts foolishly]. and it is written, “the adulterer lacks reason”: The simple explanation of the verse is, “[If any man’s wife] turns aside from the ways of modesty” and arouses his suspicion, as in “turn aside from him, and pass by,” “let your heart not turn to her ways. ",
"And acts treacherously toward him. What is the treachery? \n"
],
[
"And a man has lain. This excludes a minor and a non-human.",
"With her. Lying with her disqualifies her. but not laying with her sister (as in the incident of two sisters who resembled one another). \n",
"But it was hidden from her husband’s eyes. This excludes a blind man. Therefore, if he (the husband) saw [the adultery] and feigned ignorance, the [bitter] waters do not test her. ",
"She was concealed. Long enough to have been defiled by intercourse.",
"There is no witness against her. But if even one witness testified that she was defiled [by intercourse], she did not drink [the bitter waters]. ",
"There is no witness against her. To the defilement, but there are witnesses to the concealment. ",
"Seized forcibly. Ravished, as in, “. . . siezed her forcibly and laid with her.” "
],
[
"Comes upon him. Before the concealment.",
"A spirit of jealousy, and he is jealous. The Rabbis interpret this as “warning.” He warns her not to be alone with a certain man, ",
"And she was defiled. Or, comes upon him . . . etc. As if it had said, ‘he warned her and she ignored the warning, but it is not known whether or not she was defiled.’ "
],
[
"flour. But not of fine flour.",
"Barley. But not wheat. [Because] she acted like an animal, her offering consists of animal feed. ",
"He shall not pour oil over it. So that her offering may not be resplendent. for, [olive] oil is identified as light, while she acted in darkness. ",
"He shall not put frankincense on it. The matriarchs are called “frankincense,” as it is said, “. . . and to the hill of frankincense,” but she departed from their ways. ",
"For it is a meal-offering of jealousy. This meal. “Meal” is masculine.",
"A meal-offering of jealousy (wrath). She arouses a double wrath against her; the wrath of the Supreme Omnipresent Being, and the wrath of her husband. "
],
[],
[
"Sanctified waters. Sanctified in the wash basin. Because the wash basin was made from the copper of the “multitude mirrors,” while this [sotah] departed from their ways. They had relations with their husbands in Egypt beneath the apple tree, but this [sotah] corrupted herself with a stranger — let her be tested by it (the wash basin). ",
"In a clay utensil. She served the adulterer excellent wine in superb goblets — therefore, let her drink the bitter water in a wretched clay cup. "
],
[
"The kohein shall station . . . etc., Has it not already said, ‘ . .and station her before Adonoy’? (V. 16) But, they moved her from place to place to exhaust her, so that she might lose her composure and confess. ",
"Expose. He disentangles the plaits of her hair, to humiliate her. From this we derive that, for daughters of Yisroel, a bared head is debasing. ",
"Before Adonoy. At the Nikanor gate. This was the eastern gateway to the [Temple] courtyard, the route by which everyone entered. ",
"And place, on her palms. To exhaust her, [in the hope] that she might lose her composure and confess, so that the Sacred Name not be erased in the water. ",
"The bitter. Because of their aftermath, when they are bitter to her. ",
"Lethal. Which eliminate her from the world, like the phrase, “. . . lethal thornbush.” But it is inappropriate to translate “accursed waters,” as they are sacred [v.17]. And Scripture does not write אֲרוּרִים, but מְאָרְרִים — affecting others. Even Onkelos did not translate לִיטַיָּא, “accursed,” but מְלַטְטַיָּא, “curse causing” — they reveal the curse in the body of this [sotah]. "
],
[
"Shall place her under oath . . . etc. What is the oath? ‘If no [man] laid [with you], be absolved but if he laid [with you], may you choke’! A negative statement expresses, by implication, its positive converse, but we are commanded to open capital cases with the presumption of innocence. "
],
[
"If you have gone astray. כִּי is used in the sense of “if.”"
],
[
"With the oath of accursedness. The oath which contains the curse.",
"Adonoy shall make you a curse: Everyone will curse through you: ‘May [a curse] befall you the way it befell so-and-so.’",
"And an oath. Everyone will swear through you: ‘If [my oath is] not [true], may [disaster] happen to me the way it happened to so-and-so. Similarly, it says, “you will leave your names [to be used] as an oath by My chosen.” — the virtuous swear by the punishment of the wicked. Similarly, with regard to blessings, “and through you will be blessed . . . etc., “through you shall [the People of] Yisroel bless, saying. . .” ",
"Your thigh. In the curse, the thigh precedes the abdomen, because her transgression began there. ",
"Swell. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, “swollen.” \n"
],
[
"To swell the abdomen. [לַצְבּוֹת בֶּטֶן is] like לְהַצְבּוֹת בֶּטֶן, “to cause the abdomen to swell.” This is the function of the פַּתַּח when it vocalizes the ל' . Similarly, לַנְחוֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ, (“to lead them on the way,”) לַרְאוֹתְכֶם בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶר תֵּלְכוּ בָהּ (“to show you the way in which to go.”) Similarly, לַנְפִּל יָרֵך, לְהַנְפִּיל יָרֵךְ (“to cause the thigh to collapse”). The waters swell the abdomen and collapse the thigh. ",
"To swell the abdomen and collapse the thigh. The abdomen and thigh of the adulterer, or perhaps it refers only to the adulteress? When Scripture says, “. . . your thigh to collapse and abdomen to swell,” the [punishment of the] adulteress has been stated. ",
"Amein, Amein. [This is] The acceptance of the oath. Amein for the curse, Amein for the oath. Amein if [I strayed] from this husband, Amein if [I strayed] from a different husband. Amein that I did not stray [when] betrothed, married, levirately engaged or taken to his home. \n"
],
[],
[
"He shall have the woman drink. It was not done in this order, as he brought her offering first. But Scripture informs you that when he does give her the waters, they will penetrate her with bitterness. Since it [merely] says “abdomen” and “thigh,” how do we know the rest of the body [is affected]? The Torah states “and [the waters] shall enter her,” completely. If so, why does the Torah say “abdomen” and “thigh”? Since they began the transgression, the punishment began with them. ",
"To become bitter. They will be harmful and bitter for her. \n"
],
[
"And shall wave. He moves it forward, back, up, and down. She, too, waves with him, with her hand above the hand of the kohein. ",
"And bring it. This refers to placing it at the southwest corner of the altar before taking the handful, like the other minchah- offerings. "
],
[
"Its commemoration. This is the handful. Through its burning, the mincha-offering is remembered on high. (Sifri, 5:72.) "
],
[
"He shall make her drink the water. [This is written] to add that if she said, ”I will not drink” after the scroll was erased, we coerce her, forcing her to drink against her will, unless she says “I am defiled.” ",
"Her abdomen will swell. Although, in the curse, Scripture mentions the thigh first, the water tested her just the way it entered her. ",
"The woman will be a curse. As I explained, everyone will use her to curse. ",
"Among her people. There is a difference between a person disgraced among those who know her, and a person disgraced among those who do not know her. "
],
[
"But if the woman was not defiled. During this concealment.",
"And is pure. From any other place.",
"She will be cleansed. Of the lethal waters. Furthermore, “she will bear seed” — if she suffered during childbirth, her labor will now be painless. If she gave birth to swarthy [babies], they will now be light. "
],
[],
[
"If (lit., or) [he is] a man. As in, “If it was known.” As if it had said, “If he is a vengeful man, and, therefore, he shall have the woman stand.” \n"
],
[
"The man is cleansed of sin. If the water affected her, let him not be tormented saying: “I was responsible for her death.” He is cleansed from punishment. Another interpretation: After he (the kohein) causes her to drink, she is permitted to be with him (her husband), and he is cleansed of sin. For, the [untested] sotah is forbidden to [have intimate relations with] her husband. "
]
],
[
[],
[
"If . . . sets apart. Sets [himself] apart. Why is the chapter of the nazirite placed next to the chapter of the sotah? To tell you that whoever observes a sotah in her decadence should take the nazirite vow against wine, which leads to promiscuity. ",
"A nazirite vow. נְזִירָה always indicates abstinence. Here, too, he abstains from wine. ",
"To set [himself] apart for Adonoy. To separate himself from wine for the sake of heaven."
],
[
"From new or old [intoxicating] wine. As Targum [Onkelos] translates; “from new wine or old”: Wine intoxicates when aged.",
"Anything steeped in grapes. The word [מִשְׁרַת] denotes adding color to water, or any beverage. In the Mishnaic idiom, there are many [examples]: ‘One does not steep ink or dye’, ‘If a nazirite steeped his bread in wine’. "
],
[
"Seeds. These are the kernels.",
"Skin. These are the outer shells in which the seeds are [held] like the tongue of a bell. \n"
],
[
"He shall be sacred. His hair, for growing the growth of hair on his head. ",
"Long. This is vocalized with a small patach (segol), even though it is attached to “the hair of his head” — the growth of hair. The meaning of פֶּרַע is “growth of hair.” Similarly, “He (the kohein gadol) shall not permit the growth of hair on his head.” It is not considered a פֶּרַע (growth) [if uncut] less than thirty days. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"All the days of his separation, he is sacred. This refers to personal sanctity, from defilement [by contact] with the dead. "
],
[
"Suddenly. This refers to the unavoidable.",
"[Or] unexpectedly. This refers to the unintentional. Some say פֶּתַע פִּתְאוֹם is a single statement, [meaning] ”a sudden incident.” ",
"If someone died near him. In the tent where he was.",
"On the day of his purification. On the day when he is sprinkled. Or, perhaps only the eighth [day], when he is completely purified? The Torah therefore states, “on the seventh day.” If the seventh, perhaps even if he was not sprinkled? The Torah therefore states, “on the day of his purification.” "
],
[
"On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves. This excludes the seventh [day]. Or perhaps it is intended to exclude the ninth [day]? [Scripture] designated a time for the offerings, and designated a time for those who bring them. Just as the offerings are sanctioned on the eighth, and from the eighth and onward, so [are] those who bring them [sanctioned] on the eighth, and from the eighth and onward. "
],
[
"From his sin [of contact] with a [departed] soul. He was negligent about defilement with the dead. R’ Elazar Hakapar says, [the sin was] that he inflicted suffering on himself by abstaining from wine. ",
"He shall sanctify his head. By beginning, again, his nazirite counting. \n"
],
[
"He shall set apart, for Adonoy, his nazarite days. He shall repeat the count of his nazarite days as [counted] originally. ",
"The first days shall elapse. Be discounted."
],
[
"He shall bring himself [lit. him]. He shall bring himself. This is one of the three usages of אֶת, (literally, “him”), which R’ Yishmael explained this way. Similarly, “They will burden them with sin and guilt. — themselves.” Similarly, “He (Moshe) buried אוֹתוֹ (lit. him) in the valley.” He buried himself. "
],
[],
[
"And their meal-offerings and libations. Of the burnt-offering and the peace- offering. Because they were included in a group, but then distinguished innovatively, requiring bread, Scripture reinstates them into the group, [stating] that they require libations, following the rule of all burnt and peace-offerings. ",
"Matzoh loaves [mixed with oil] and matzoh wafers. Ten of each kind."
],
[],
[
"A peace-offering for Adonoy, along with the basket of matzos. He shall slaughter the peace-offering with the intent to sanctify the bread. ",
"His meal-offering and libation. The ram’s."
],
[
"The Nazir shall shave at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Perhaps he shaves in the courtyard? But this would be grossly disrepectful. Rather, the Nazir shall shave after the slaughter of the shelamim, concerning which is written “. . . and slaughter, it [the peace-offering] at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.” ",
"Which is under the peace-offering sacrifice. Underneath the pot in which he cooks it. Because the Nazir’s peace-offerings were cooked in the courtyard, since the kohein had to remove the foreleg after it was cooked and wave it before God. "
],
[
"The cooked foreleg. After it was cooked."
],
[
"It is consecrated to the kohein. The loaf, wafer, and foreleg are terumah-gifts to the kohein. ",
"Besides the breast of the wave-offering. Besides the breast and the shoulder that are due to him from all peace-offerings, there is added to the nazirite peace-offerings, this foreleg. Because the nazirite peace-offerings were included in a group, but then distinguished innovatively, for the consecration of the foreleg, Scripture must reinstate them into the group and deal, also, with the breast and shoulder. \n"
],
[
"Aside from what he can afford to bring. If he said, “I am hereby a Nazir with the stipulation to shave [my hair] relative to a hundred burnt-offerings and a hundred peace-offerings,” [his vow is effective]. According to his vow, that he vows, so shall he fulfill. Added . . . Beyond his nazirite laws. Beyond the nazirite laws. He may increase, but not reduce. If he said, “I am hereby a nazirite five times [consecutively], with the stipulation to shave [my hair] relative to these three animals,” I do not read, concerning him, “whatever he vows, so shall he do.” \n"
],
[],
[
"Saying. Like זָכוֹר, “remembering,” שָׁמוֹר, “keeping.” in Old French, “disant” — gerund. ",
"Saying to them. So that they all hear.",
"Saying. [אָמוֹר is] Full. Do not bless them with haste and rushing, but with concentration and a whole heart. "
],
[
"May . . . bless you. May your possessions be blessed.",
"And protect you. From thieves descending on you for your money. A person who presents a gift to his servant is unable to protect him from everybody, so if bandits descend on him and take it from him, what benefit does he have from the gift? But the Holy One, Blessed is He, is both giver and protector. There are many homiletic interpretations in Sifri. "
],
[
"May Adonoy cause His countenance to shine upon you. May he show you a joyous, radiant countenance. ",
"And favor you. May he grant you favor."
],
[
"May Adonoy lift his face to you. May he subdue his anger."
],
[
"They shall bestow My Name. They shall bless them with the explicit Name [of God]. \n",
"And I will bless them. The Israelites. I will concur with [the blessing of] the kohanim. Another interpretation [of] ”And I will bless them” — The kohanim."
]
],
[
[
"It came to pass, on the day Moshe finished. The text reads כַּלּוֹת . On the day that the Mishkon was erected, the Israelites were like a כַּלָּה — a bride entering the wedding canopy. ",
"Moshe finished. Bezalel, Aholiav, and all the wise — hearted men constructed the Mishkon, yet Scripture credits it to Moshe, because he utterly dedicated himself to it, observing the structural design of each object as shown to him on the mountain (Sinai) in order to instruct the artisans, without making a single error in design. We find a similarity with regard to [king] David, because he utterly dedicated himself to the construction of the Beis Ha Mikdash — as it is said: “Remember, Adonoy, unto David all his afflictions; how he swore to Adonoy . . . etc. it was, therefore, called by his name, as it is said: “Observe your House, David.” ",
"[On the day] Moshe finished erecting. It does not say, “On the day [Moshe] erected . . .” This teaches that throughout the seven days of installation Moshe erected and dismantled it, and on that day, he erected it without dismantling it. This is why it says, “On the day Moshe finished erecting” — that day his erecting ended. It was the first of the month of Nisan. On the second, the [red] cow was burned, on the third, they sprinkled with the first sprinkling, and on the seventh, [after having been sprinkled again] they were shaven. \n"
],
[
"They were the leaders of the tribes. They were officers over them in Egypt, and were beaten because of them, as it is said: “And the officers of the Israelites were beaten, etc.” ",
"They stood by during the counting. They stood with Moshe and Aharon when they counted [Bnei] Yisroel, as it is said, “with you [Moshe and Aharon], shall be. . .” "
],
[
"Six covered wagons. צָב can only mean “covered.” Similarly, “[They will bring your brothers from all the nations . . . with horses and chariots] וּבַצַּבִּים וּבַפְּרָדִים,” “in covered wagons and on mules . . .” Covered wagons are called צַבִּים . [Some interpret צָב in the sense of הַצְבִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, (“The finest in Israel.”) They (the wagons) were fine looking.] ",
"They placed them before the Mishkon. Because Moshe did not accept [the gift] from their hands until [so] instructed by the omnipresent [God.] R’ Noson said, “Why did the leaders see fit to contribute here at the outset, but for the materials of the Mishkon, they did not contribute at the outset? Because the leaders said as follows: “Let the community contribute as they wish, and any shortfall, we will furnish.” But when they saw that the community had supplied everything, as it is said, “the material was sufficient,” they said, “Now what can we do”? They brought the onyx stones, and the stones set into the ephod and breastplate. This is why they contributed here at the outset. "
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"According to their work. The load of the sons of Gershon was lighter than that of the sons of Merori, who carried the planks, pillars, and sockets. \n"
],
[],
[
"Because the sacred work was [incumbent] on them. The carrying of sacred objects — the ark, table, etc. Therefore, “they had to carry [them] on their shoulders.” "
],
[
"The leaders brought forward the [offerings for] the consecration of the altar. After they contributed the wagons and cattle to carry the Mishkon, they were ennobled to contribute the offerings for the altar to consecrate it. ",
"The leaders placed their offering before the altar. Because Moshe did not accept [the gift] from their hands until [so] instructed by the Almighty. \n"
],
[
"They shall bring forth their offering for the dedication of the altar. But Moshe still did not know how they were to bring the offerings — whether in order of their birth, or in order of the traveling — until the Holy One, Blessed is He, told him that they should bring the offerings according to the traveling, each in his day. "
],
[
"On the first day. That day took ten crowns; [it fell on] the first [day] of creation, first of the leaders, etc., as recorded in Seder Olam. ",
"Of the tribe of Yehudah. Scripture establishes his tribal kinship; but not that he solicited [payment] from his tribe and then brought [the offering]. But perhaps I should say לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה, “for the tribe of Yehudah,” [teaching] that he solicited payment from his tribe and then brought [the offering]? The Torah therefore teaches “this is Nachshon’s offering.” He brought his own. "
],
[
"Both were filled with fine flour. As a voluntary meal-offering."
],
[
"[Of] ten gold [shekolim]. As Targum [Onkelos] interprets, the weight of ten shekolim by the Sanctuary standard was in it. ",
"Filled with incense. We do not find incense [brought] by an individual, nor [brought] on the outer altar, except for this one alone. This was a temporary injunction. "
],
[
"One [young] bull. The best of its herd. \n"
],
[
"One he-goat as a sin-offering. To atone for [defilement by passing over] the grave of the abyss — [for] indefinite defilement."
],
[],
[
"Nesanel the son of Tzu’ar brought forward — he brought forward his offering. What does the Torah teach [by saying] “he brought forward” with respect to the tribe of Yissachar, without having said it with respect to all the [other] tribes? Because Reuven came with a complaint, saying ‘Enough that Yehudah preceded me! Let me bring my offering after him.’ Moshe said to him, By the Almighty ‘It was told to me that they should bring the offerings in the order of the journeys, according to their banners.’ This is why it says אֶת קָרְבָּנוֹ “ הִקְרִב,” without the “yud,” inferring הַקְרֵב, “you shall bring forward!” — the imperative usage, since Moshe was commanded by the Almighty, “ הַקְרֵב .” What is [the inference of] “[Nesanel] brought forward,” [“he brought forward”] twice? Because there were two reasons by which he merited bringing his offering second among the tribes. One, because of their (his tribe’s) knowledge of Torah, as it is said, “From the sons of Yissachar, of sagacious, timely knowledge.” And one, because they advised the leaders to donate these offerings. In R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s commentary I found: “R’ Pinchos ben Yair said: ‘Nesanel the son of Tzu'ar offered this advice.”’ "
],
[
"Silver tray. Its letters are numerically equivalent to 930, corresponding to the years of Adam. \n",
"Its weight was one hundred thirty [shekolim]. Alluding that when he (Adam) fathered progeny to sustain the world, he was one hundred thirty years old, as it is said: “Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and fathered . . . etc.” ",
"One silver bowl. The numerical value is 520, alluding to Noach, who fathered his progeny at the age of 500, and alluding to the 20 years by which the decree for the flood preceded his progeny, as I explained [the verse] “His days shall be a hundred and twenty years.” This is why it says מִזְרָק אֶחָד כֶּסֶף, but does not say מִזְרַק כֶּסֶף אֶחָד, as it says concerning the tray — to teach that the letters of אֶחָד are also included in the calculation. ",
"Seventy shekolim. Corresponding to the 70 nations which emerged from his (Noach’s) sons."
],
[
"One spoon (lit. hand). Corresponding to the Torah, which was given from the hand of the Holy One, Blessed is He. ",
"Ten gold [shekolim]. Corresponding to the ten commandments.",
"Filled with incense. The numerical value of קְטֹרֶת, is 613, corresponding to the 613 commandments — provided you convert the קו\"ף into a דל\"ת, by using א\"ת ב\"ש ג\"ר ד\"ק . \n"
],
[
"One [young] bull. Corresponding to Avraham, concerning whom it is said: “He took a young bull.” ",
"One ram. Corresponding to Yitzchok, “He took the ram.” ",
"One [yearling] sheep. Corresponding to Yaakov: “Yaakov separated the sheep.”"
],
[
"Goat. To atone for the sale of Yoseif, concerning whom it is said: “They slaughtered a goat.” "
],
[
"For the peace-offering sacrifice, two oxen. Corresponding to Moshe and Aharon, who made peace between the Israelites and their Father in heaven. ",
"Rams, goats, sheep. Three species, corresponding to kohanim, Levites and Israelites, and corresponding to the Torah, the Prophets, and the Sacred Scripture. Three fives, corresponding to the five chumashim [of the Torah], to the five commandments written on the one tablet, and five commandments written on the other. Until here, [my remarks are] from the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan. "
],
[
"On the third day, the leader etc. On the third day, the leader who brought the offering was from the sons of Zevulun, and so with all of them. But with Nesanel, concerning whom it is said, “Nesanel brought forth,” the proper succeeding words are “leader of Yissachar,” since it has already mentioned his name and that he brought. With the others, about whom it does not say “he brought,” the proper words are these: “the leader of the children of so-and-so,” that day, the leader who brought was from the tribe of so-and-so. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"On the day it was anointed. On the very day it was anointed, he (each leader) brought the offering. Then how do I justify “after it was anointed”? [To teach] That it was anointed first, and then he brought the offering. But, perhaps “after it was anointed” [means] after a time, and “on the day it was anointed” merely teaches that it was anointed by day? When it says “on the day they were anointed,” we learn that it was anointed by day. Then why does the Torah write “on the day it was anointed”? On the day it was anointed, he brought the offering. ",
"Twelve silver trays. These were the very ones that were donated, none were disqualified. "
],
[
"One hundred thirty [shekolim was the weight of] each tray. Why does the Torah say this? Because it said “one hundred thirty [shekolim was] its weight,” but does not explain by which shekel standard. Therefore, Scripture repeats it here, and includes everything — “all the silver of the vessels” — in the shekel of the sacred standard. ",
"All the silver vessels, etc. This teaches you that the Sanctuary vessels were weighed with precision. Whether weighed individually or collectively, there was neither excess nor shortfall. "
],
[
"Twelve golden spoons. Why is this said? Because it says, “one spoon of ten gold,” [meaning] it was golden, and it weighed ten silver shekolim. But perhaps [it means] one silver spoon, weighing ten golden shekolim — and the golden shekolim are not the same weight as the silver ones? — The Torah therefore writes “golden spoons” — they (the spoons) were gold. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"When Moshe would enter. When two passages conflict, a third decides between them. One passage says: “God spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting” — this was outside the paroches partition. And one passage says: “I will speak to you from above the cover [of the Ark].” This [passage] comes and decides between them. Moshe came to the Tent of Meeting. There he heard the Voice coming from above the cover. Between the two cherubs. The Voice emanated from heaven to the space between the two cherubs, and from there to the Tent of Meeting. \n",
"He would hear the Voice. Perhaps the Voice was low (of a lesser degree)? The Torah therefore writes אֶת הַקּוֹל, “the Voice” — the Voice spoken to him at Sinai. But when it reached the doorway, it ceased, and did not go out of the tent. ",
"Being spoken. As being spoken unto Itself. It is respectful to the One above to speak thusly. He was speaking to Himself, and Moshe was listening in. ",
"He spoke to him. This excludes Aharon from the communications. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"When you light. Why is the parshah of the Menorah adjacent to the parshah of the leaders? Because when Aharon saw the leaders’ dedication (offerings) he was humiliated, since he did not join them in the dedication, neither he nor his tribe. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, “By your life, yours is greater than theirs! For you will light and cleanse the lamps.” ",
"When you light (lit. cause to rise). Because the flame rises, igniting is described in terms of “rising.” He is required to ignite [the lamp] until the flame rises by itself. In addition, the Rabbis derive from here that there was a platform before the Menorah, upon which the kohein stood when he lit [the lamps]. ",
"Toward the face of the Menorah. Toward the middle lamp which was not on one of the branches, but on the Menorah itself. ",
"Shall the seven lamps cast [their] light. The six [lamps] that were on the six branches [and one on its stem]. The three eastern ones turned toward the middle [by] their wicks. Similarly, the three western ones — the heads of their wicks [were] towards the middle. Why? So that it whould not be said that He (God) needs the light. "
],
[
"Aharon did so. To indicate his [Aharon’s] virtue — he did not digress. \n"
],
[
"This is how the Menorah was made. The Holy One, Blessed is He, showed him (Moshe) by pointing [as one would point] with the finger, since he had difficulty with it. This is why it says וְזֶה (“This”). ",
"Beaten. Batedic (hammered) in Old French, meaning the same as דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן, (“they struck one another”). There was a lump of gold, [weighing] a kikar, [which] he beat with a hammer and cut with shears to extend its (the Menorah’s) limbs properly; but it was not made limb by limb and [then] connected. ",
"From its base until its flowers. Its base was the hollow box over the legs, hollowed like the silver candelabras before princes. ",
"From its base until its flowers. As if to say, ”The Menorah proper, in its entirety, and all its dependent parts.” ",
"From its base. Which was a large limb.",
"Until its flowers. Its most delicate work — it was all one piece. עַד (“until”), is customarily used in this sense, like “From the harvested crop, until the standing grain, and until the olive grove.” ",
"According to the vision which [Adonoy] showed . . . According to the form which He showed him on the mountain (Sinai), as it is said: “Observe and make them according to the form. . .etc.” ",
"So he made the Menorah. The one who made it. But Midrash Aggadah [states] by the Holy One, Blessed is He, it was made spontaneously. "
],
[],
[
"Take the Levites. Take them with words of persuasion, “you are fortunate to merit becoming servants of the Omnipresent.” \n"
],
[
"Sprinkle them with the sin-offering waters. Of the ashes of the red cow, for some of them were defiled by contact with the dead. ",
"And cause a razor to pass. I found in R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s remarks: “Because they were given in atonement for the firstborn who practiced idolatry, which is referred to as ‘sacrificing to the dead,’ and since the leper is considered dead, they required shaving like lepers.” "
],
[
"They should take a young bullock. This was a burnt-offering, as it is written, “he should make . . . one a burnt-offering.” This is the communal sacrifice for idolatry. ",
"And a second bullock. What does the Torah teach [by specifying] ‘a second’? To inform you that, just as the burnt-offering was not eaten, so was the sin-offering not eaten. This supports his remarks, from Toras Kohanim. Now I say that it was a temporary ruling, as they should have brought a goat as a sin-offering for idolatry with the burnt-offering bull. "
],
[
"And you shall gather the entire congregation Since the Levites are given as an atonement-offering in their place, let them come and stand near their offering and rest their hands on them. \n"
],
[],
[
"Aharon shall wave the Levites as a wave-offering Just as the leper’s guilt- offering requires waving when it is still alive. Three wavings were stated in this chapter: The first, of the sons of Kehos. Therefore it is stated of them: “They will be [entrusted] to do the worship of Adonoy,” since the work of the holiest is upon them — the Ark and the Table etc. The second, of the sons of Gershon. It is therefore stated of them: “A wave-offering to Adonoy,” for even they were entrusted with holy work — tapestries and the hooks which were seen in the Holy of Holies. And the third, of the sons of Merori. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"They are given; they are given. Given for carrying, given for singing. ",
" פִּטְרַת The opening of."
],
[
"For every first born is Mine. The first born were Mine by the rules of justice, since I protected them among the Egyptian firstborn. So I took them for Myself — until they strayed with the [golden] calf. Now I have taken the Levites. \n"
],
[],
[
"I have given the Levites, etc. Bnei Yisroel are mentioned five times, in this passage, to make their preciousness known. They are remembered repeatedly in a single passage to correspond with the number of the five books of the Torah. I saw this in Bereishis Rabbah. ",
"So that there will not be a plague among Bnei Yisroel. So that they will not need to approach the Holy, for if they approach, there will be a plague. "
],
[
"Moshe, Aharon, and the entire congregation did, etc. Moshe placed them, Aharon waved them, and the Israelites rested their hands. "
],
[],
[
"Just as Adonoy commanded, etc. so they did. This indicates the praiseworthiness of those who did, and those with whom it was done — no one objected. \n"
],
[],
[
"This concerns the Levites. Age disqualifies them, but physical deformity does not disqualify them. ",
"From the age of twenty-five. But elsewhere it says, “From the age of thirty.” How is this reconciled? From the age of twenty-five he begins to study of the laws of the service. He studies for five years, and serves at the age of thirty. From here [we derive] that a pupil who does not see favorable indications in his studies for five years will never see (them). "
],
[
"And shall no longer work. At the task of carrying on the shoulder, but he returns to lock the gates, to sing, and to load the wagons. This is [the meaning of] “But he shall serve his brethren,” ‘with his brethren’, as Targum [Onkelos] renders. "
],
[
"To keep the watch. To camp around the Tent, and erect and dismantle [it] during the journeys. \n"
]
],
[
[
"In the first month. The chapter at the beginning of this book was not said until Iyar. You learn, that there is no order of precedence or succession in the Torah. But why did He not begin with this [chapter]? Because it is to Yisroel’s discredit, that throughout the forty years that Yisroel was in the wilderness they offered no other Pesach-offering but this. "
],
[
"In its proper time. Even on Shabbos; even during ritual uncleanliness. \n"
],
[
"According to all its statutes. These are the commandments pertaining to its body [i.e., the animal itself] a lamb; unblemished; male; a yearling. ",
"And according to all its laws. These are commandments having a bearing on the animal but originate from another place (i.e., outside the animal) For example, the seven days of eating matzoh and of eliminating chometz. ([An alternate text:] The commandments pertaining to its body — a lamb; unblemished; male; a yearling. Having a bearing on the animal; roasted over fire, its head with its knees and its inner organs. Outside its body — matzoh and eliminating chometz.) "
],
[
"Moshe spoke, etc. What does the Torah teach? Does it not say, “Moshe spoke of God’s holidays”? Evidently, when he heard the parshah of the holidays at Sinai, he told it to them, and then he reviewed it and exhorted them at the time it was to be performed. "
],
[],
[
"Before Moshe and before Aharon. When both were seated in the study hall, they approached them and asked. But it is untenable to say [that they asked them] one after the other, for if Moshe did not know, how would Aharon [know]? \n"
],
[
"Why should we be excluded. He (Moshe) said to them: “The sacred offerings cannot be brought during ritual impurity.” They said to him: “[But] let the blood be sprinkled on us by ritually pure kohanim and the flesh eaten by those who are pure.” He said to them: “Wait, while I listen,” like a disciple assured of hearing from his master’s mouth. Fortunate is the mortal thus assured, for whenever he wished, he could speak with the Divine Presence. Now this chapter should appropriately have been said through Moshe, as is all the rest of the Torah. But these [people] gained the merit of having it said through them, because Providence brings about merit through the meritorious. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Or on a distant road. There is a dot over this, as if to say: Not that it was definitely distant, but that he was outside the threshold of the [Temple] courtyard thoughout the time for slaughtering [the Pesach]. [At] the second Pesach, matzoh and chometz may be with him at home; it is not considered ‘yom tov’; and chometz is not prohibited except while he eats [the korbon]. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"If a proselyte dwells among you, and brings the Pesach-offering. Perhaps everyone who converts must immediately bring the Pesach-offering? The Torah therefore teaches, “One statute, etc . . .” Rather, this is its meaning: “If a proselyte dwells among you, and he comes to bring the Pesach-offering with his fellows, according to the statutes of the Pesach-offering and its laws shall he do.” \n"
],
[
"The Mishkon [which served] as the Tent of Testimony. The Mishkon which was made to be a tent for the tablets of testimony.",
"There was over the Mishkon. Similar to, “would constantly be” over the Mishkon. Similarly, all the usages in the parshah. \n"
],
[],
[
"The Cloud was lifted. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, אִסְתַּלָּקוּת, (“was lifted”). Similarly, “the Cloud was lifted.” But it would be improper to write “According to when the Cloud rose,” “the Cloud rose,” because the connotation is not rising, but flowering and ascending, as in, “behold, a tiny cloud, like a man’s palm, rises from the sea.” "
],
[
"On the word of Adonoy did they travel. We learned in [the Beraysa describing] the work of the Mishkon; When the Israelites were departing the Cloud column would fold, and extend over the tribe of Yehudah like a type of beam. They sounded the tekiah, teruah, and tekiah. But it did not proceed until Moshe intoned, “Rise, Adonoy . . .” Then the banner of the camp of Yehudah departed. This is in Sifri. ",
"On the word of Adonoy did they camp. When the Israelites were camping, the Cloud column would mushroom upward and extend over the tribe of Yehudah like a type of protective covering. It did not separate until Moshe said, “Come to rest, Adonoy, among the myriads and thousands of Israel.” Thus you say, “on the order of Adonoy, through Moshe.” "
],
[],
[
"Sometimes (lit. there is). As if to say, “sometimes.” ",
"A number of days. “a few days.” \n"
],
[],
[
"Or a year. (lit. days). A year, as in “[יָמִים], a year shall be its redemption [period].” "
]
],
[
[],
[
"(Make for yourself. So that they they may sound the trumpet before you like a king, as it is said, “There was a king among the righteous.” ",
"Make for yourself. From your own resources.",
"Make for yourself. You shall make them and use them, but no one else.) ",
"To summon the congregation. When you want to speak with the Sanhedrin or the rest of the people, and you summon them to gather before you, summon them with the trumpets. ",
"And to initiate the departure of the camps. At the time of the camps’ departure, sound them as a signal. Consequently, you say that they departed on the basis of three [initiatives]. By the word of the Holy One, Blessed is He; by the word of Moshe; and by the trumpets. ",
"Beaten. From a [single] ingot you should make it, by beating [it] with a hammer. "
],
[
"When they will blow them. Both of them. This is the signal for summoning the community, as it is said, “The entire community shall present itself to you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.” "
],
[
"But if they blow one of them. This is the signal for summoning the leaders, as it is said, “The leaders shall present themselves to you.” They, too, meet at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. This is derived by Scriptural comparison in Sifri. "
],
[
"When you blow a teruah. The signal for the camps to depart; tekiah, teruah tekiah. This is how it is extrapolated by Sifri from the redundant passages. \n"
],
[],
[
"But when gathering the congregation, etc. Since it says, “they shall be used by you, to summon the congregation and to initiate departure of the camps” — [we derive that] just as, when summoning the community, the trumpeting is by two kohanim with both [trumpets], as it is said, “they shall trumpet with them, etc . . .” so, when initiating the camps’ departure, with both. Perhaps, just as, when initiating the camps’ departure, they sound the tekiah, teruah, and tekiah, so, too, when summoning the community, they sound the tekiah, teruah, and tekiah, thus leaving no differentiation between summoning the community and initiating the camps’ departure? The Torah therefore teaches, “But when gathering the congregation, etc. . .” to say that there is no teruah for gathering the community. The same rule applies for the leaders. Here is a synopsis for all three: summoning the community with two, that of the leaders with one. Each of these has no teruah. Initiating the camps’ departure with two, through the teruah and tekiah. "
],
[
"The sons of Aharon . . . shall sound. For those summonings and departures. \n"
],
[],
[
"For your burnt — offerings. Scripture speaks of the communal offerings. \n",
"I am Adonoy your God. From here we learn [that we combine Adonoy’s] Majesty, remembrance, and the shofar, as it is said, ”You shall blow” — hence the shofar, “as a remembrance” — this is remembrance, “I am Adonoy your God” — this is Majesty, etc. "
],
[
"In the second month. Thus you say that they spent twelve months minus ten days at Chorev, since on the first of the month of Sivan they encamped there and did not depart until the twentieth of Iyar the following year. "
],
[
"On their journeys. According to the rules specified for the journeying of their banners — who was first, and who last. ",
"In the desert of Paran. Kivros Hata’avoh was in the desert of Paran. That is where they camped after this journey. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The Mishkon was dismantled. When the banner of Yehudah was departing, Aharon and his sons entered, dismantled the paroches, and covered the Ark with it, as it says, “Aharon and his sons shall enter when the camp is about to travel.” The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merori dismantled the Mishkon and loaded it onto the wagons [and traveled]. The Ark and the sacred vessels carried by the sons of Kehos remain covered, placed on poles, until the banner of the camp of Reuven departed. Afterward, “The Kehos family traveled.” "
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Carriers of the sacred. Carriers of the sacred objects.",
"They erected the Mishkon. The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merori, who were preceded by the departure of two banners, would erect the Mishkon when the Cloud rested. The signal for making camp was observed by the banner of the camp of Yehudah. They camped while the sons of Kehos still traveled behind with the two final banners. The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merori would erect the Sanctuary, so that when the sons of Kehos arrived, they found it set in place, and brought in the Ark, Table, Menorah, and Altars. This is the sense of the passage: “They — the Mishkon’s erectors — erected it before the arrival of the sons of Kehos.” \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The gatherer for all the camps. Talmud Yerushalmi [teaches]: Because the tribe of Don was heavily populated, they traveled last. If anyone lost property, it would return it to them. There is an opinion that they traveled in the shape of a box, derived from, “Just as they camped, so they traveled.” Another opinion is that they traveled in the shape of a beam, derived from “The gatherer for all the camps.” "
],
[],
[],
[
"These are the journeys. This is the order of their journeys. \n",
"They journeyed. On that day, they journeyed. "
],
[
"Chovav. This was Yisro, as it is said, “Of the children of Chovav, the father-in-law of Moshe.” Then why does the Torah say, “They came to their father, Reuel”? This teaches that children call their grandfather “father.” He had many names. “Yisro” [lit. “additional”] because he added a chapter to the Torah; “Chovav” [lit. “one who cherishes”] because he cherished the Torah, etc . . . ",
"We are journeying to the place. Immediately. Within three days, we enter the [holy] land. Because at this first journey, they traveled with the intention of entering Eretz Yisroel, but they sinned with the complainers. But why did Moshe include himself with them? Because the decree was not yet issued against him, and he thought he would enter. "
],
[
"To my land and to my birthplace. Whether for the sake of my properties, or for the sake of my family. "
],
[
"Please do not forsake. נָא is a term indicating nothing but request, so that they will not say Yisro did not convert out of devotion. He thought that proselytes receive a portion of the land [but] now that he saw that they do not receive a portion, he left them and went on his way. ",
"For, because you know of our encampment in the desert. For it is appropriate for you to do this, because you know of our encampment in the desert, and you saw the miracles and mightiness done for us. ",
"For, because you know. Like עַל אֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ, “because” you know, as in כִּי עַל כֵּן, for, “because” I did not give her to my son Shelah, כִּי עַל כֵּן, for, “because” you passed by, כִּי עַל כֵּן, for, “because” they came, כִּי עַל כֵּן, for, “because” I saw your face. ",
"You will be our eyes. Past tense, as Targum [Onkelos] renders. Another interpretation: Future tense. [Should] anything [be] concealed from our eyes, you shall enlighten our eyes. Another interpretation: You shall be as precious to us as the pupils of our eyes, as it is said, “You shall love the proselyte.” "
],
[
"It shall be that the very good (lit. that good). What good did they bestow upon him? They said: “When the Israelites divided the land there was a fertile area of Yericho, five hundred amos by five hundred amos, which they left undivided.” They said: “The one in whose portion the Temple would be built would take it.” In the interim, they gave it to the children of Yisro, to Yonadav, the son of Rechav, as it is said, “The sons of Keini, Moshe’s father-in-law, went up from the city of the dates, etc . . .” \n"
],
[
"A journey of three days. Three days’ traveling distance, they traveled in one day, because the Holy One, Blessed is He, wanted to bring them into the land immediately. ",
"The Ark of the Covenant of Adonoy traveled in front of them a journey of three days. This was the Ark which went with them to war, in which the broken Tablets were placed. It preceded them by three days’ travel to prepare a camping place for them. "
],
[
"The Cloud of Adonoy was above them. Seven Clouds are recorded during their journeys; Four on four sides, one above, one below, and one preceding them, to lower the highlands, raise the lowlands, and to kill snakes and scorpions. ",
"From the camp. From their camping place."
],
[
"Whenever the Ark departed. Scripture placed symbols before and after this [chapter] to teach that this is not its place. Why, then, was it written here? In order to intervene between one punishment and the next . . . etc., as stated in “all the sacred scriptures.” ",
"Rise, Adonoy. Because He (Adonoy) preceded them by three days’ travel, Moshe would say, ‘Rise and wait for us, do not go further away.’ Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel. ",
"May Your enemies disperse. Those gathered together.",
"Those who hate You flee. These are the pursuers.",
"Those who hate You. These are the haters of Yisroel, since all those who hate Yisroel hate the One who spoke, and the world came into being, as it is said, “those who hate You have raised [their] heads” — who are they? — “Against Your people they counsel cunningly.” "
],
[
"Come to rest, Adonoy. Menachem interprets this as a term meaning rest. Similarly, “with rest and calm you will be saved.” ",
"[Among] the myriads and thousands of Israel. This informs us that the Divine Presence does not rest among the Israelites when there are fewer than twenty-two thousand."
]
],
[
[
"The people were like complainers. ”The people” refers only to the wicked. Similarly, it says, “what shall I do for this people,” and it says, “this evil people.” But when they are righteous, they are called “My people,” as it says, “send out My people,” “My people, what have I done to you” ",
"Like complainers. מִתְאֹנְנִים is strictly a term referring to a pretext. They seek a pretext in order to turn away from [following] after the Omnipresent. Similarly, it says about Shimshon, “for he seeks a pretext.” ",
"Wicked in the ears of Adonoy. A complaint which is wicked in the ears of God, for they intended it to reach His ears and anger Him. They said, “Woe to us, how we have toiled on this journey. Three days [have passed] that we have not rested from the fatigue of travel.” ",
"And His anger flared. I meant for your benefit, so that you would enter the land immediately. ",
"The outcasts of the camp. Those among them who were outcasts, of low status, they were the great mixture. R’ Shimon ben Menasya says, the distinguished among them, and the great ones. "
],
[
"The people cried out to Moshe. This is compared to a mortal king who was angry with his son. The son went to his father’s intimate friend, and said to him, ‘Go, ask [for forgiveness] for me from father.’ ",
"And the fire subsided. It subsided into its place, for if it had turned to any one direction, it would have gathered itself and proceeded in that entire direction. "
],
[],
[
"The collection [of nationalities]. These were [members of] the “great mixture” which gathered with them when they left Egypt.",
"And [Bnei Yisroel] turned. Bnei Yisroel, also, and wept with them. ",
"Who will feed us meat? Did they not have meat? Did it not say previously, “A great mixture also went up with them, with sheep and cattle, etc.”? Perhaps you will say they ate them, but does it not say, when they came into the land, “Much cattle belonged to the sons of Reuven, etc.” Evidently, they sought a pretext. "
],
[
"Which we ate in Egypt freely. Perhaps you will say that the Egyptians gave them fish freely. But did it not already say, “straw will not be given to you”? If they did not give them straw freely, would they have given them fish freely? Then what is meant by “freely”? Free of mitzvos. ",
"The cucumbers. R’ Shimon said: Why was the manna transformed into everything but these? Because they are harmful to nursing mothers. We tell a woman: “Do not eat garlic or onion for the baby’s sake.” This is compared to a king, etc., as stated by Sifri. ",
"The cucumbers. They are “cocombres” in Old French.",
"Melons. “Borekes” [in Old French].",
"The leeks. Leeks, “porels” [in Old French]. (Targum [Onkelos] renders “the leeks, etc.”) "
],
[
"The manna before our eyes. Manna in the morning, manna in the evening. "
],
[
"The manna is like coriander seed. The one who said this [verse] did not say the other. The Israelites said, ‘Nothing but the manna before our eyes.’ while the Holy One, Blessed is He, inscribed in the Torah, “But the manna was like coriander seed, etc.,” as if to say, ‘Look, those who walk the earth at the subject of My children’s complaint — the manna was precious for such and such a reason’. ",
"Like coriander seed. Round like coriander. “Aliendre” seed in Old French.",
"Crystal The name of a precious stone, “cristal” [in Old French]. "
],
[
"Strolled about. שִׁיוּט is interpreted strictly as strolling, “esbaneier” [in Old French], without exertion. ",
"They ground [it] with a millstone, etc. It never descended into the millstone, or the pot, or the mortar; rather, its taste changed to ground, crushed, or cooked [foods]. ",
" בַּפָּרוּר . Pot. \n",
" לְשַׁד הַשָׁמֶן . The moisture of oil. This is how Donash explained it. Similar to this, “ לְשַׁדִּי was overturned by the heat of summer.” The “lamed” is part of the root, “My moisture was overturned by the heat of summer.” The Rabbis, however, explain it as a term meaning שָׁדַיִם, “breasts.” But שָׁדַיִם have no relation to oil. One cannot say that לְשַׁד הַשָׁמֶן is translated like וַיִשְׁמַן יְשׁוּרוּן, “The righteous were fattened,” for, if so, the “ מ “ would be vocalized with a minor “kametz” (“tzeirei”) and the emphasis below, under the “ מ .” Now that the “ מ “ is vocalized with a minor “patach” (“segol”) and the emphasis is below the “ ש,” it is translated as “oil.” The “ ש “ is vocalized with a major “kametz” (”kametz”), but not with a minor “patach” (”segol”), because it closes the passge. Another interpretation: לְשַׁד is an acronym, [spelling] לִ'ישׁ, שֶׁ'מֶן, דְּ'בַשׁ, kneaded, oil, honey. [It was] like a loaf kneaded with oil and coated with honey. Onkelos’ translation, rendered “kneaded with oil,” leans toward Donash’s interpretation, since a loaf kneaded with oil contains the moisture of oil. "
],
[],
[
"Weep according to their families. Every family gathered together and wept, to publicize their complaints openly. The Rabbis remark that לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָיו means “concerning family matters” — concerning the intimate relations forbidden to them. "
],
[],
[
"That You say [lit. will say]. That You say to me, ‘carry it in your lap.’ Where did He say this to him? “Go, lead the people.” And it says, “He commanded them (Moshe and Aharon) to [lead] Bnei Yisroel” [even] on condition that they stone you and insult you. ",
"To the land which You swore to their forefathers. You tell me to carry them in my lap. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"If this is the way You treat me. Moshe’s strength weakened like a female’s when the Holy One, Blessed is He, showed him the punishment He would visit upon them for this. He said before Him: ‘If so, kill me first.’ ",
"So that I will not see my evil. It should have written “their evil,” but Scripture euphemizes. This is one of the “scribes’ adjustments” to the Torah, for the sake of euphemistic language adjustment. "
],
[
"Gather for Me. Here is the reply to your complaint when you said, “I am unable, alone . . .” But where were the original elders? Had they not sat with them even in Egypt, as it says: “Go, gather the elders of Israel”? Evidently, they died at the fire of “Tav’erah.” They deserved this at Sinai, as it is written, “they gazed at God.” Because they acted frivolously, like someone munching his loaf while speaking before the king. And this is [the meaning of] “They ate and drank.” But the Holy One, Blessed is He, did not want to cause grief during the giving of the Torah, so he punished them here. ",
"Whom you know to be, etc. Those whom you recognize, as they were appointed officers over them in Egypt for the body breaking labor. They took pity on them, and were beaten for their sake, as it says, “The Israelite officers were beaten.” Let them be appointed now, in their greatness, just as they suffered when they were oppressed. ",
"You shall take them. Take them verbally. “How fortunate you are to have been appointed as leaders over the Omnipresent’s children.”",
"And they shall stand there with you. So that the Israelites will see, and treat them as great men, reverently, saying: ‘How precious are those who entered with Moshe to hear the word from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed is He.’ "
],
[
"I will descend. This is one of the ten descents inscribed in the Torah.",
"And I will speak with you. But not with them.",
"I will make greater. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, וַאֲרַבֵּי, ”I will make greater,” like, “But to the great men of Bnei Yisroel.” ",
"And place it on them. To what was Moshe compared at that time? To a lamp set in a candelabra. Everyone lights from it, but none of its own brightness is diminished. ",
"They will bear, along with you. Stipulate with them, on condition that they accept upon themselves the toil of my children, as they are troublesome and recalcitrant. ",
"So that you need not bear it alone. Here is the reply to your statement, “I am unable, alone . . .” "
],
[
"Prepare yourselves. Prepare yourselves for punishment. Similarly, it says, “Prepare them for the day of killing.” \n"
],
[],
[
"For a month of days. This was with the [comparatively] virtuous ones, who fell ill in their beds and afterwards expired. But with the wicked ones it says, “the meat was still between their teeth.” This is how it is taught by Sifri. Mechilta, however, teaches the reverse. The wicked ones ate and suffered for thirty days, but with the decent ones — the meat was still between their teeth. ",
"Until it comes out of your nostrils. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, ”you are disgusted by it.” It will seem to you as if you gorged on it until it is expelled through the nose. ",
"It will be repulsive to you. You will cast it away more readily than you welcomed. In R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s commentary I saw that, in a certain language, the sword is called “zara.” ",
"Adonoy Who is among you. If I had not planted My Presence among you, you would not have had the arrogance to enter into all these affairs. "
],
[
"Six hundred thousand on foot. He was not concerned with counting in detail the remaining three thousand. R’ Moshe Hadarshan explains that only those who went out of Egypt, wept. "
],
[
"Will sheep and cattle be slaughtered. This is one of four instances expounded upon by R’ Akiva, which R’ Shimon did not expound as he did. R’ Akiva said, “Six hundred thousand on foot, etc. and You say ‘I will give them meat to eat for a month of days’? Will sheep and cattle . . . ?” Everything according to the straightforward interpretation, who will satisfy them? This is similar to what is said, “And he has sufficient means for its redemption.” Now which is worse, this, or, “listen, here, rebels!”? Yet, since he did not say it publicly, Scripture spared him and did not punish him; but the one during the dispute was public — Scripture, therefore, did not spare him. R’ Shimon said, Heaven forbid! Such a thought never occurred to that righteous man. Someone of whom it is written, “In all My houshold he is [most] faithful” would say, ‘The Omnipresent cannot satisfy us’? Rather, this is what he said: Six hundred thousand on foot, etc., and You said, ‘I will give them meat for a month,’ and then you will kill a nation as great as this? Will sheep and cattle be slaughered for them so that they should be killed, and this meal will [thus] satisfy them forever? Does this bring you praise, telling a donkey, ‘Eat a ton of barley and then we will chop your head off’? The Holy One, Blessed is He, answered him: But if I do not give it to them, they will say My power [lit. hand] is limited. Is it favorable, in your eyes, that God’s power be limited in their eyes? Let them, and a hundred like them, perish, but My power cannot seem limited to them even for a moment. "
],
[
"Now you will see if My words will occur. Raban Gamliel, son of R’ Yehudah Hanasi said: (Moshe said:) “It is impossible to maintain one’s position in [such] a dispute. Since they only seek a pretext, You cannot satisfy them, in the end they will judge You critically. If You give them beef, they will say ‘we wanted mutton,’ if You give them mutton, they will say ‘we wanted beef, we wanted wild game or fowl, we wanted fish or locusts.’ He (God) said to him: ‘If so, they will say My power is limited.’ He (Moshe) said before Him: ‘Here, I will go and appease them.’ He (God) said: ‘Now you will see if My word occurs — they will not listen to you.’ Moshe went to appease them. He said to them: ‘Is God’s power limited? Behold, He struck the rock and water flowed, etc., then He can also provide bread.’ They said: ‘This is a compromise — He does not have the power to fulfill our request.”’ This is what is meant when it says, “Moshe went out and spoke to the people.” When they didn’t listen to him — “He gathered seventy men, etc.” "
],
[],
[
"And did not cease. They did not prophesy, except for that day alone — this is clearly stated by Sifri. But Onkelos renders “and did not cease” — prophesy did not cease from them. "
],
[
"Two people remained. Of those chosen. They said, ‘We are not worthy of such greatness.’ ",
"They were among those inscribed. Among those chosen for the Sanhedrin. They were all inscribed specifically by names, and by drawing lots. Since the appropriate amount for twelve tribes was six for each tribe, except for two tribes, each of whom received only five, Moshe said: No tribe will listen to me to subtract one elder from its tribe. What did he do? He took seventy two notes, wrote “elder” on seventy and left two blank. He then chose six from each tribe, totaling seventy two. He told them, ‘Take your notes from the container.’ Whoever chose “elder” was sanctified; to those who chose the empty ones, he said, “The Omnipresent does not want you.” "
],
[
"The youth ran. Some say this was Gershom, the son of Moshe. "
],
[
"Destroy them. Burden them with communal responsibility, and they will destroy themselves. Another interpretation: Detain them in prison, because they prophesied that Moshe would die and Yehoshua would bring the Israelites into the land. "
],
[
"Are you vengeful for me? Are you my avenger? Do you take my vengeance for me? ",
"לִי meaning the same as בִּשְׁבִילִי, “for my sake.” קִנְאָה always denotes a person who takes something to heart, whether to avenge or to assist. “enprenment” in Old French, one who grasps the bulk of the burden. "
],
[
"Moshe entered From the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.",
"Into the camp. Everyone entered his [own] tent.",
"Entered. The connotation is to enter a house, as in, “Bring it into your house.” The source for this general connotation is, “He gathers, but does not know who will bring it in.” This teaches that he did not visit punishment upon them until each of the righteous had entered his tent. "
],
[
"And He caused to fly. Caused to fly. Similarly, “for it flies by quickly,” Also, “they flew by and passed through.” ",
"And spread them. It spread, as in, “Behold, they are spread over the face of all the land,” “I will spread you into the wilderness.” ",
"About two amos. They flew to a height which corresponded with a person’s heart, so that it would not be tedious to gather them, neither to rise nor to bend. \n"
],
[
"He who gathered the least. The one who gathered least of all — the lazy and the lame — gathered ten heaps.",
"They spread them. They spread them into numerous piles."
],
[
"Before it was finished. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, עַד לָא פְסַק, (before it was finished). Another interpretation: There was no opportunity to cut it with his teeth, when he expired. "
]
],
[
[
"[Miriam] spoke. דִּבּוּר always connotes harshness, as it says, “The man who rules the land spoke harshly with us.” But אֲמִירָה always connotes pleading, as it says, “He said, please, my brothers, do not be wicked,” “He said, please hear my words.” נָא always connotes a request. ",
"Miriam and Aharon spoke. She opened the discussion first, so Scripture gives her precedence. How did Miriam know that Moshe separated from his wife? R’ Noson says: Miriam was at Tziporah’s side when Moshe was told that Eldad and Meidad were prophesying in the camp. When Tziporah heard, she said, ‘Woe to their wives if they become attached to prophecy, because they will separate from their wives the way my husband separated from me.’ Miriam knew from there, and she told Aharon. Now if Miriam, who did not intend to slander him, was punished this way, certainly someone who relates slander about his fellow. ",
"The Cushite woman. This teaches that everyone agreed to her beauty, just as everyone agrees to the blackness of the Cushite. ",
"Cushite. [כּוּשִׁית is] numerically equivalent to יְפַת מַרְאֶה, (“beautiful in appearance.”) ",
"Concerning the woman. Concerning her divorce.",
"For, he married a Cushite woman. What does the Torah teach? You find a woman beautiful in appearance but not beautiful in deed; in deed, but not in appearance. But this one was beautiful in everything. ",
"The Cushite woman. Because of her beauty, she was called “Cushite,” like a man who calls his attractive son “Cushite” to ward off the power of the evil eye over him. ",
"For, he married a Cushite woman. And now divorced her. "
],
[
"Is it only. With him alone that God spoke.",
"Did He not also [speak] with us. Yet we did not abstain from marital relations."
],
[
"Humble. Bent low and forbearing."
],
[
"Suddenly. He revealed Himself to them suddenly, when they were ritually unclean because of marital relations, and they cried, ”Water! Water!” To inform them that Moshe acted properly in separating from his wife, since the Divine Presence revealed Itself to him constantly, with no designated time for the Word. ",
"Come out, all three of you. This teaches that all three were summoned with a single word, which is impossible for the mouth to say and the ear to hear. \n"
],
[
"In a pillar of cloud. He went alone, unlike the custom of mortals. When a mortal king goes to war, he goes out with a large retinue, when he goes in peace, he goes with only a few. But the custom of the Holy One, Blessed is He, is to go to war alone, as it is said, “[God is] a warrior,” and goes in peace with a large retinue, as is said, “God rides with twenty two thousand angels.” ",
"He called [to] Aharon and Miriam. So that they would be drawn away and leave the courtyard towards the Word.",
"Both of them went out. Why did He draw them away and separate them from Moshe? Because we recite some of a person’s qualities in his presence, and all of them when he is not present. We find this about Noach. When he was not present it is said, “A righteous man, flawless,” but in his presence it is said, “For I have seen that you are righteous before Me.” Another interpretation: So that he should not hear Aharon’s rebuke. "
],
[
"Please listen to my words. נָא is interpreted strictly as a request.",
"If there will be your prophet. If you will have prophets.",
"[I,] Adonoy will make Myself known to him in a vision. The Divine Presence of My Name will not be revealed to him in the illuminated reflection, but in a dream and vision. \n"
],
[],
[
"Mouth to mouth. I told him to separate from his wife. Where did I tell him? At Sinai, “Go tell them ‘Return to your tents,’ but you remain with Me here.” ",
"In a vision, and not in riddles. “In a vision” — this is the vision of the word, for I explain My word to him in the clearest form, I do not conceal it in riddles the way it was said to Yechezkel, “Present a riddle, etc.” Perhaps [this refers to] the vision of the Divine Presence? The Torah teaches, “you cannot see My Presence.” ",
"He gazes at the likeness of Adonoy. This is the vision of the back, according to what is said, “But you may see what is behind Me.” \n",
"About My servant, about Moshe. It does not say, ‘about My servant Moshe,’ but ‘about My servant, about Moshe’ — about My servant, even if he were not Moshe, about Moshe, even if he were not My servant, It would have been appropriate for you to have been in awe of him. Certainly since he is My servant, and the king’s servant is [as] the king. You should have said, ‘The king does not love him gratuitously.’ And if you say that I am not aware of his actions, then this (statement) is worse than the first! "
],
[
"Adonoy’s anger flared against them and He left. After He informed them of their reprehensible behavior, He decreed excommunication against them. Certainly a mortal, then, should not be angry with his fellow until he informs him of his reprehensible behavior. "
],
[
"The cloud departed. Afterward, “Behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow.” This is compared to a king who said to a pedagogue, ‘Punish my son, but do not punish him until I leave, as I pity him.’ "
],
[
"We have foolishly done. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, from the word אֱוִיל, “fool.” "
],
[
"Please, let her not be, this our sister. ",
"Like the dead. Since the leper is considered dead. Just as the dead cause ritual defilement when entering [a room], so does the leper cause ritual defilement when entering. ",
"That, since he came from his mother’s womb. “Our mother” should have been said, but Scripture euphemises. Similarly, “half his flesh” — “half our flesh” should have been said, but Scripture euphemises. That, since she came from our mother’s womb, [what] she [suffers] is ours, as if half our flesh were eaten away. This is similar to what is said, “for he is our brother, our flesh.” The simple interpretation also appears the same. It is unconscionable for a brother to allow his sister to remain as if dead. ",
"That, since he came. Since he [also] came from the mother’s womb of this one who has the power to help but does not, then half his own flesh is eaten away, as his brother, is his flesh. Another interpretation [of] “Please, let her not be like the dead.” If you do not heal her through prayer, who will confine her, and who will purify her? I can not possibly examine her, as I am related, and a relative cannot examine the symptoms of leprosy. And there is no other kohein in the world. This is [what is meant by] “that, since he came from his mother’s womb.” "
],
[
"Please, God, please heal her. Scripture comes to teach proper behavior — that one who requests something from his fellow must say two or three words of supplication, then, afterward, make his requests. ",
"Saying. What does the Torah teach? He (Moshe) said to Him, ‘Answer me, [as to] whether or not You will cure her’ — until He did answer, “If her father were to spit, etc.” R’ Elazar son of Azariah said, in four places, Moshe asked the Holy One, Blessed is He, that He answer him [as to] whether or not He would grant his requests. Similarly, “Moshe spoke before God, saying, etc.” What does the Torah teach by writing “saying”? ‘Answer me [as to] whether or not You will redeem them’ — until He did answer him, “Now you will see, etc.” Similarly, “Moshe spoke to God, saying, ‘let God, the God of the spirit of all flesh, appoint’.” He answered: “Take for you.” Similarly, “I pleaded with God at that time, saying.” He answered him, “Enough, for you.” ",
"Please heal her. Why did not Moshe pray at length? So that the Israelites should not say, “His sister is suffering, and he stands and prolongs his prayer.” (Another interpretation: So that the Israelites should not say, For his sister he prays at length, but for us he does not pray at length). "
],
[
"If (lit. “and”) her father were to spit in her face. If her father were to display, to her, an angry face, would she not be humiliated for seven days? Certainly, then, in the case of the Divine Presence, [she should be humiliated] for fourteen days. However, it is sufficient that the derivative equal the source of its derivation. Therefore, even with My rebuke, let her be confined for seven days. ",
"And after that, she may join again. I say that all אֲסִיפוֹת mentioned regarding lepers are related to his expulsion from the camp. When he is cured, he is brought into the camp. Thus, אֲסִיפָה is written concerning him, meaning bringing in. \n"
],
[
"The people did not depart. This honor was accorded her by the Omnipresent for the one hour she remained with Moshe when he was cast into the river, as it is said, “his sister stood from afar, etc. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"Send, for yourself. Why is the chapter of the spies adjacent to the chapter of Miriam? Because she was punished over the matter of her slanderous conversation about her brother, and those wicked men saw, but did not accept reproof. ",
"Send, for yourself. According to your opinion I do not command you. If you wish, send. Because the Israelites came and said, ‘let us send men before us,’ as it is said, “all of you approached me, etc.” Moshe conferred with the Shechinah. He (Hashem) said, ‘I told them that it is good, as it is said, “I will bring you up from the suffering of Egypt, etc.” By their lives! I’ll give them an opportunity for error with the report of the spies, so that they will not inherit it. "
],
[
"By the word of Adonoy. With His permission — He did not stop him. \n",
"All of them [were] men of distinction. אֲנָשִׁים in Scripture always refers to distinction. At that time they were righteous."
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Moshe called Hosheiah, etc. He prayed for him, ‘may Hashem save you from [joining] the counsel of the spies.” \n"
],
[
"Go up this [way], to the south. This was the worst of Eretz Yisroel. This is the method of merchants, first they display the worst, and then they display the best. "
],
[
"What the land is. Some countries nurture strong men, some countries nurture weaklings, some grow large populations, some diminish the populace. ",
"Are they strong or weak. He gave them a sign. If they live in open cities, they are strong, since they are confident of their strength. But if they live in fortified cities, they are weak. "
],
[
"Are they open. Targum [Onkelos] translates, הַבְּפַצְחִין (“whether in open cities”), cities that are exposed and open, for lack of a wall. ",
"Is it good. With excellent, prolific wells and deep water shelves. \n"
],
[
"Does it have trees. Whether there is, among them, a righteous man to protect them with his merit. ",
"The first ripening of the grapes. Days when the grapes were first ripening."
],
[
"From the desert of Tzin until Rechov, at the entrance of Chamas. They went along the length and width of its borders, like the form of the [Greek] gamma [G] They proceeded along the direction of the southern border from the eastern to the western corner as Moshe had commanded, “go up this way, to the south” by way of the southeastern border until the sea, as the sea is the western border. From there, they turned and proceeded along the entire western border by the seashore, until the entrance of Chamas, which is near Hor Hahar, at the northwestern corner, as the boundaries of the land are explicitly stated in the portion of “These are the journeys.” "
],
[
"And [he] came to Chevron: Caleiv went there alone and prostrated himself [in prayer] at the grave of the patriarchs, so that he would not be enticed by his companions to join in their design. Accordingly, it says, “I will give him (Caleiv) the land on which he walked,” and it is written, “they gave to Caleiv, Chevron.” ",
"Was built seven years. Is it possible that Cham built Chevron, for his youngest son Canaan, before he built Tzo’an, for his eldest son Mitzrayim? Rather, it was built up with everything good, seven times more than Tzoan. This informs you of the praiseworthiness of Eretz Yisroel, for nothing in Eretz Yisroel is more barren than Chevron that is why it was set aside as a cemetery. Nothing is as excellent, among all the countries, as Mitzrayim, as it is said, “Like Hashem’s garden, like the land of Mitzrayim.” And Tzoan was the most excellent in the land of Mitzrayim, for the seat of royalty was there, as it is said, “for his ministers were in Tzoan.” Yet, Chevron was seven times better. "
],
[
"A branch. A branch of the grapevine with a cluster of grapes hanging from it.",
"They carried it between two on a pole. From the plain meaning of the statement “they carried it on a pole,” do I not know that it was with two [carriers]? What does the Torah teach by saying “between two”? With two poles. How was this? Eight took the cluster, one took the fig, one the pomegranate. Yehoshuah and Caleiv did not take anything, since the sole purpose of the others was to deliver a slanderous report — ‘Just as its fruit is strange, so are its people strange.’ If you want to know how much one of them weighed, go and learn from the stones they set up in Gilgal. Each man carried one stone from the Yardein on his shoulder, and set it up in Gilgal. The Rabbis determined that each weighed forty se’in, and tradition teaches that the load a man can carry on his shoulder is only a third of the load he can carry when others assist him. "
],
[],
[
"They returned from spying the land, at the end of forty days. But is not [the land] four hundred by four hundred parsa’os, and the average person’s traveling distance is ten parsa’os a day, and then there was a traveling distance of forty days from east to west, and they traversed its length and breadth? But as it was revealed before the Holy One, Blessed is He, that He would sentence them with a day for a year, he shortened the way before them. \n"
],
[
"They went and came. What is [meant by] “they went”? To compare their going with their coming. Just as their coming was with an evil design, so was their going, with an evil design. ",
"They brought word back to them. To Moshe and Aharon. \n"
],
[
"Flowing with milk and honey. A falsehood in which some truth is not stated at the beginning, cannot be maintained in the end. "
],
[
"Fortified. The word connotes strength. Targum [Onkelos] renders it כְּרִיכַן, meaning circular fortresses. In Aramaic, כְּרִיךְ means “circular.” "
],
[
"Amalek dwells, etc. Because they had already been burnt by Amalek, the spies mentioned them, to frighten them. ",
"And next to the Yardein. יַד, like its plain meaning, next to the Yardein, and you will be unable to cross. "
],
[
"Caleiv silenced. He silenced them all.",
"To [hear about] Moshe. To hear what he would say about Moshe. He cried out, saying: ‘Is it only this that the son of Amram did to us’? The listener thought that he intended to slander him. Since they were resentful towards Moshe because of the spies’ report, they were all silent, in order to hear the slander about him. He said: ‘But did he not split the sea for us, and bring down the manna for us, and cause the quail to be blown to us’? ",
"We can surely go up. Even to heaven, and even if he tells us to build ladders and go up there, we will succeed at whatever he says! ",
"[He] silenced. The meaning is “silence.” Similarly, “silence, all flesh”! “silence, for it is not to be mentioned.” This is a person’s way. Someone who wants to quiet a group of people says, “sh-sh”! "
],
[
"They are more powerful than we. As if it were possible, they said this about the One above. \n"
],
[
"Which consumes its inhabitants. Wherever we passed we found them burying the dead. But the Holy One, Blessed is He, did this for their benefit, so that they would be preoccupied with their grief and pay no attention to them. ",
"Men of dimensions. Big and tall, who need to be measured, like Golias, “Whose height was six amos and a zeres.” Similarly, “ אִישׁ מָדוֹן,” a man of dimensions. "
],
[
"The giants. Giants, children of Shamchazai and Azael, who fell from heaven in the days of Enosh. ",
"And so we appeared in their eyes. We heard them say to each other, ‘There are ants in the vineyard like people.’ ",
"The giant. Who make the sun a necklace by their height."
]
],
[
[
"The entire community The Sanhedrin members. \n"
],
[
"Would we had died. Would that we had died."
],
[],
[
"Let us appoint (lit. place) a head. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, “Let us appoint a head,” ‘Let us appoint a king over us.’ The Rabbis, of blessed memory, interpret this as referring to idolatry. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Do not rebel. Consequently, “and you do not be afraid, etc.",
"For they are [as] our bread. We will consume them like bread. ",
"Their protection (lit. shade) is removed from them. Their shield and strength. The righteous among them have died — Iyov, who shielded them with his merit. (Another interpretation: The Omnipresent’s shield has been removed from them.) "
],
[
"They should be stoned. Yehoshua and Caleiv.",
"When the glory of Adonoy. The Cloud descended there. \n"
],
[
"Until where. To what degree.",
"Will . . . provoke me. [יְנַאֲצוּנִי means] will they anger me.",
"Despite all the signs. Because of all the miracles I performed for them, they should have believed that I am capable of fulfilling my promise. "
],
[
"And [I will] annihilate them. As Targum [Onkelos] renders it, meaning annihilation. Perhaps you will ask, ‘what will I do about the oath to the patriarchs’? \n",
"I shall make you into a greater nation. As you are descended from them."
],
[
"But Egypt will hear. They will hear that You killed them.",
"That You . . . brought up. כִּי is used to denote “that.” And they saw that You brought them up, with Your great power, from among them. When they hear that You killed them, they will not say that they sinned against You. Rather, they will say that, against them, You were able to wage war, but against the inhabitants of the land, You were not able to wage war. This is [the meaning of the following]: \n"
],
[
"They will say, concerning (lit. to) the inhabitants of this land. Like עַל, “concerning” the inhabitants of this land. What will they say about them? What is said at the end of the subject, because of Hashem’s inability. Since they have heard that You, God, dwell in their midst, and You, Hashem, are revealed to them before their eyes, all in a loving way, and they are not aware that Your love for them was removed from them, until now. \n"
],
[
"If You kill this nation like a single man. Suddenly. As a result, the nations who have heard etc. "
],
[
"Because of [Adonoy’s] inability. Because the inhabitants of the land are strong and valorous, and Pharaoh is not the same as thirty-one kings. This is what they will say about the inhabitants of this land. Because of inability. Since He was not able to bring them, He slaughtered them. ",
"[In]ability. This is an abstract noun."
],
[
"Let my Master’s power be enhanced. By fulfilling Your word.",
"As You spoke, saying: What is the statement? "
],
[
"Adonoy, slow to anger. At the righteous and at the wicked. When Moshe ascended on high, he found the Holy One, Blessed is He, sitting and writing, “Hashem is slow to anger.” He (Moshe) said to Him, ‘to the righteous’? The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, ‘even to the wicked’! He (Moshe) said to Him, ‘let the wicked perish’! He said to him ‘by your life, you will need this thing.’ When the Israelites sinned with the [golden] calf and the spies, Moshe prayed before Him with “slow to anger.” The Holy One, Blessed is He, said: “But you said to Me ‘to the righteous”’? He (Moshe) said to Him: “But You said to me, ‘Even to the wicked’.” ",
"Acquit. Those who repent.",
"[He] does not acquit. Those who do not repent."
],
[],
[
"As you spoke. Because of your statement, ”lest they say, ‘because of Hashem’s inability’.” "
],
[
"However. Like, ‘However, I will do the following to them.",
"As I Live. This denotes an oath. Just as I live and My glory will fill all the earth, so shall I fulfill to them, “for, all the people who see, etc. . . . If they will see the land.” \n"
],
[
"Have tested Me. Like its plain meaning.",
"These ten times. Twice at the [splitting of the] sea, twice with the manna, twice with the quail, etc., as stated in Maseches Arachin. "
],
[
"If they will see. They will not see. (If they will see the land. This passage should be rearranged [as follows]: As I live, for all the men, if they will see the land and yet My glory will fill all the earth, so that My Name will not be desecrated through this plague [by those] saying ‘Because of Hashem’s inability to bring them.’ for, I will not kill them suddenly, like a single man, but over forty years, little by little.) ",
"[They] will not see it. They will not see the land."
],
[
"A different spirit. Two spirits, one verbal, and one in his heart. To the spies he said, ‘I am with you in your plan,’ but in his heart he intended to tell the truth. Because of this, he was able to silence them, as it is said, “Caleiv silenced [the people],” since they thought he would speak as they did. Thus it is said in the book of Yehoshua, “I (Caleiv) brought back word to him (Moshe) according to what was in my heart — but not according to what was in my mouth. ",
"And followed Me fully. He followed Me full-heartedly. This is a shortened passage.",
"To which he came. Chevron will be given to m.",
"Will cast out [the inhabitants] from it. As Targum [Onkelos] renders it, “they will cast out from it.” They will cast out the giants and the people who are in it. But it should not be translated “will inherit it,” unless the text reads יִירָשֶׁנָּה . "
],
[
"The Amaleki, etc. If you go there they will kill you, since I am not with you. ",
"Tomorrow, turn. Back and travel, etc. "
],
[],
[
"Wicked congregation, etc. These are the spies. From here [we derive] that a congregation is ten. ",
"Those who provoke. The Israelites against me.",
"The complaints of Bnei Yisroel which they, the spies provoked them into complaining against me, I have heard. \n"
],
[
"As I live. This denotes an oath. ‘If [I do] not, etc., so I shall do, if it were possible to say, I do not live. ",
"As you have spoken. You requested from Me, “Or would that we had died in this desert.” "
],
[
"All of you who were counted according to your numbers. All those counted in every census in which you were counted. For example, going and coming with the army, and contributing the shekolim. Everyone counted in all those tallies will die. They are the following: From the age of twenty, etc. This excludes the tribe of Levi, who were not counted from the age of twenty. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Your corpses — yours. As Targum [Onkelos] renders [(דִי לְכוֹן) “yours”]. Since He discussed bringing the children into the land, and He now wants to say ‘but you will die,’ it is appropriate, here, to say “yours.” \n"
],
[
"Forty years. Not one of them died before the age of sixty. This is why the decree was for forty [years], so that those who were twenty years old would reach the age of sixty. The first year was included, although it preceded the sending of the spies, because, from the time that they made the golden calf, the plan for this decree was formulated, But He waited until their measure was filled. This is [the meaning of] what is said, “on my day of reckoning — with the spies — I will take their sin into account.” Here, too, it is said, “you must bear your sins,” [plural] two sins, that of the calf, and that of the complaint. In calculating their ages, He considered part of the year as the whole, so that when they entered their sixtieth year, those who had been twenty years old died. ",
"They will bear [the burden of] your dissoluteness. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, “they will receive [punishment for] your sins.” "
],
[
"My displeasure. You diverted your hearts from following Me. תְּנוּאָה denotes turning away, like, “for her father restrained her [from her vow].” "
],
[],
[
"Who returned and provoked [the] complaints against him. When they returned from spying on the land, they incited the entire congregation against him by issuing a derogatory report — those men died. הוֹצָאַת דִּבָּה always denotes directed speech, where the tongue is plied to report about someone, like, “causing the lips of sleepers to murmur.” It may be either good or bad. This is why it says here “who spread evil slander against the land,” since דִּבָּה may be good. \n",
"Slander. Parlerie in Old French."
],
[
"In a plague, before Adonoy. By the particular death suited to them, measure for measure. They sinned with the tongue, so their tongues were distended until their navel, and maggots came from their tongues and entered their navel. This is why it says, בַּמַּגֵּפָה, and not בְּמַּגֵּפָה . And this is [the meaning of] “before Hashem” — as particularly suited to them, according to the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed is He, Who metes out measure for measure. "
],
[
"Yehoshua . . . and Caleiv . . . lived, etc. What does the Torah teach by saying, “lived, from among those men”? It teaches that they took the spies’ portion in the land, replacing them in life. \n"
],
[],
[
"To the peak of the mountain. This was the route going up to Eretz Yisroel.",
"We are ready to go up to the place. To Eretz Yisroel.",
"Of which Adonoy spoke. To give to us — let us go up there.",
"For we have sinned. Since we said, “Is it not better for us to return to Egypt.” "
],
[
"It will not succeed. Your actions will not succeed."
],
[],
[
"For, you turned. As if to say, ‘for this will befall you because you turned, etc.’ \n"
],
[
"They defiantly. The word [וַיַעְפִּלוּ] denotes strength. Similarly, “behold, [the wicked] are towering.” Engres, in Old French, denoting willfulness. Similarly, “the fortress of the daughter of Zion,” “fortress and stronghold.” But Midrash Tanchuma explains it as denoting darkness — they went in darkness, without permission. "
],
[
"And crushed them. Like, “I crushed it, grinding it [well].” Blow after blow. ",
"Until Chormah. The place was named to commemorate this incident."
]
],
[
[],
[
"(When you arrive. He informed them that they would enter the land.)"
],
[
"When you make a fire-offering. This does not denote a command. Rather, when you come there, and it occurs to you to make a fire-offering. ",
"A pleasing fragrance. Satisfying to Me.",
"By verbalizing as a pledge or as a donation. Or, that you make the fire-offering in order to fulfill the holiday obligation which I have required you to perform during the holiday. "
],
[
"The one bringing [his offering] should present. You should present libations and a meal-offering for each animal. The meal- offering is to be completely consumed, with the oil absorbed in it, and the wine [is poured] into the bowls, as we learned in Maseches Sukkah. "
],
[
"For the one sheep. This relates to everything stated above — the meal- offering, the oil, and the wine. "
],
[
"If (lit. or) for a ram. If it is a ram. The Rabbis extrapolate, ‘ אוֹ ’ includes the “palgas” in the libations of the ram. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"A fire-offering [of pleasing] fragrance. This refers only to the meal-offering and the oil, but the wine is not a fire-offering, as it is not placed on the fire. "
],
[
"Or for the sheep, etc. Whether of sheep or of goats. כֶּבֶשׂ and שֶׂה are so entitled during their first year; אַיִל from the age of thirteen months and one day. "
],
[
"According to the number which you offer. According to the number of animals which you offer as sacrifices, so shall you make the libations for each of them. According to the number of animals, the number of libations. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Just as it is for yourselves, so shall it be for the proselyte. Like you, so is the proselyte. This is the Hebrew style, “Like Hashem”’s garden, like the land of Egypt” — so is the land of Egypt. ”Like me, like you, like my people, like your people.” \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"At your coming to the land. This “coming” is different from all the “comings” in the Torah. With all of them it says, “when you come,” “when all of you come.” Therefore, all are learned from each other. Since Scripture specified with one of them that it is only after inheriting and settling, all of them are the same. But with this, it is said, “at your coming.” As soon as they entered it (the land) and ate its bread, they were obligated with the mitzvah of challah. \n"
],
[],
[
"[From] the first portion of your doughs. When you knead the amount of dough that you generally knead in the desert — how much is that? “They measured it with an omer,” “An omer per person” (the amount is forty-three and one-fifth eggs) — you shall separate [the terumah-gift] from its first portion. As if to say, ‘before you eat the first portion from it, separate one loaf as a terumah-gift for the sake of Hashem”.’ ",
"A loaf. Tortel in Old French.",
"Like the terumah-gift of the granary. For which no specific amount is required, but not like like the terumah-offering from the tithe, for which a specific amount is required. However, the sages required a specific amount: For the home maker, one twenty-fourth, for the commercial baker, one forty-eighth. "
],
[
"Of the first portion of your doughs. Why is this said? Because it says, “The first portion of your dough,” I would understand this as the first of the loaves. The Torah therefore teaches, “of the first portion” — part of it, but not all of it. ",
"You shall give to Adonoy, as a terumah- offering. As we have not heard of a specific amount for the challah-offering, it says, “you shall give” — it should consist of an amount sufficient for “giving.” "
],
[
"If you should err and not fulfill. this refers to idol worship. which was categorized within all the commandments for which the community brings an ox, but Scripture here removes it from the category, to indicate that it requires an ox as a burnt-offering, and a goat as a sin-offering. ",
"If you err, etc. Scripture speaks here of idol worship. But perhaps it refers to one of all the [other] commandments? The Torah therefore teaches, “all of these commandments” — a single commandment which is equivalent to all the commandments. Just as someone who transgresses all the commandments casts off the yoke, breaks the covenant, and brazenly defies [the Torah], so with [someone who transgresses] this commandment, he casts off the yoke, breaks the covenant, and brazenly defies [the Torah]. Which is this? Idol worship. ",
"Which Adonoy said to Moshe. “I am . . .,” and “you must not have . . .” we heard from the mouth of the Omnipotent, as it is written, “Hashem” spoke once, but I heard two.” "
],
[
"All that [Adonoy] commanded. This teaches that if one admits to idolatry, it is as if he had denied the entire Torah, and all that the prophets prophesied, as it is said, “from the day that Hashem” commanded and onward.” "
],
[
"If, it was obscured from the eyes of the congregation, having been done in error. If, because of the seers of the community, this transgression was committed through error. [For example,] they erred, and ruled that one of the forms of service is permitted for idol worship. ",
" לְחַטָּת, as a sin-offering. The ‘ א ’ is missing, because this is not like the other sin-offerings. All of the sin-offerings in the Torah which are brought with an olah-offering, the sin-offering precedes the olah, as it is said, “he shall make the second one an olah.” But with this, the olah precedes the sin-offering. \n"
],
[
"They have brought their offering as a fire-offering to Adonoy. This refers to that which is stated in our parshah, namely the ox as the olah-offering, as it is said, “a fire-offering to Adonoy.” ",
"And their sin-offering. This refers to the goat. \n"
],
[],
[
"Will sin erroneously. Through idolatry.",
"A yearling she-goat. For other transgressions, the individual brings a sheep or goat, but for this, a goat is designated. "
],
[],
[],
[
"High handedly. Intentionally.",
"Blasphemes. Reviles, like, “despised and reviled,” “which the servants of the king of Ashur reviled.” In addition, the Rabbis derive from here that someone who curses Hashem” is subject to “koreis.” "
],
[
"The word of Adonoy. The prohibition against idol worship was by the word of the Omnipotent, the rest by the word of Moshe. \n",
"Its iniquity is upon it. During the time his sin is within him — if he has not repented."
],
[
"[Bnei Yisroel] were in the desert and they found. Scripture speaks disparagingly of the Israelites. They kept only the first Shabbos, then this person came and desecrated the second. \n"
],
[
"Those who found him gathering. They warned him, but he did not desist from gathering, even after they found and warned him. "
],
[
"Since it was not specified, what was to be done with him. [They did not know] how to execute him, but they knew that someone who desecrates the Shabbos must be put to death. "
],
[
"Shall stone. Constantly do. Fisant in Old French. Similarly, הָלוֹךְ, alant. Similarly, “constantly remember,” and “constantly keep.” "
],
[
"Brought him outside. From here [we derive] that the stoning platform was outside, far from the courthouse. "
],
[],
[
"To make for themselves, tzitzis-fringes. So named because of the fringes hanging from it, like, “He took me by the fringes of my head.” Another interpretation: “tzizis” because of “when you see it,” like “watching from the openings.” ",
"Blue [wool]. The blue dye of the chilazon-fish."
],
[
"You will remember all of Adonoy’s commandments. As the numerical value of צִיצִית is 600, and the eight threads and five knots equal 613. ",
"And you will not search after [the desire of] your hearts. This is similar to “from spying the land.” The heart and eye are the body’s spies, bringing it sins. The eye sees, the heart lusts, and the body sins. "
],
[],
[
"I am Adonoy. Faithful in rewarding. \n",
"Your God. Faithful in exacting punishment.",
"Who brought you out. I redeemed you on condition that you accept my decrees.",
"I am Adonoy your God. Why is this said again? So that the Israelites should not say: “Why did the Omnipresent command? Was it not so that we should perform [the commandments] and be rewarded? Let us not perform, and not be rewarded”! Even against your will, I am your king. Similarly, it says, “[As I live . . .] if I shall not, with a mighty hand . . . rule over you.” Another interpretation. Why is the exodus from Egypt mentioned? It was I who distinguished, in Egypt, between the [reproductive] drop which was the firstborn, and that which was not the firstborn. It is I who will distinguish, and punish those who attach [fringes dyed with] indigo dye on their garments, and claim that it is the “techeiles” dye. From R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s commentary I transcribed: Why is the chapter of the “gatherer” adjacent to the chapter of idolatry? To teach that the Shabbos desecrator is like an idolator, since it (Shabbos), too, is equated with the entire Torah. This is stated in Ezra: “You descended on mount Sinai and gave Your nation the Torah and the commandments, etc., and You made Your sacred Shabbos known to them.” The portion of tzitzis, also for this reason, is adjacent to these [portions] — since it, too, is equivalent to all the commandments, as it is said, “you will perform all the commandments.” ",
"On the corners of their garments. This corresponds with, “I carried you on the wings of eagles.” On the four corners — but not on a garment with three, or with five [corners]. This corresponds with the four expressions of redemption which were stated in Egypt — “I will bring [you] out,” “I will save [you],” “I will redeem [you],” “I will take [you].” ",
"A thread of blue. [תְּכֵלֶת] so named because of the [Egyptians’] loss of their firstborn. The targum — translation of שִׁכּוּל, “loss of a child,” is תִּכְלָא . And they were struck down at night. The color of “ techeiles” is similar to the sky which darkens during evening. Its eight threads correspond with the eight days the Israelites waited, from the time they left Egypt, until they sang at the [Reed] Sea. \n"
]
],
[
[
"Korach took. This passage is beautifully expounded by Midrash R’ Tanchuma.",
"Korach took. He took himself to a different side, to be disassociated from the community and to cast aspersion on the kehunah. This is why Onkelos translates וְאִתְפְּלֵג, he separated himself from the rest of the community in order to maintain the dispute. Similarly, “why does your heart take you?”— (i.e.,) it takes you to separate you from other people. Another interpretation [of] “Korach took”: He won over the heads of the Sanhedrin among them, with flattering words, as it is said, “take Aharon,” “take words with you.” \n",
"The son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehos, the son of Levi. But Scripture does not mention, “the son of Yaakov,” since he [Yaakov] implored [God] for compassion on himself that his name be omitted from their dispute, as it is said, “let my honor not be identified with their assembly.” Where is his (Yaakov’s) name mentioned with Korach? At the genealogical identification [of the Levites] at the platform, in Divrei Hayamim, as it is said, “the son of Evyasaf, the son of Korach, the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehos, the son of Levi, the son of Yisroel.” ",
"And Dasan and Aviram. Because the tribe of Reuven made their camp at the south, neighboring Kehos and his sons, who camped at the south, they joined Korach in his dispute. ”Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbor”! Why did Korach see fit to dispute Moshe? He envied Elitzafan the son of Uziel for his leadership. Moshe appointed him leader over the sons of Kehos, by the word of God. Korach said, ‘Father had four brothers, as it is said: “The sons of Kehos, etc.” Amram was the firstborn. His two sons assumed great distinction — one (Moshe) is the monarch, the other (Aharon) the Kohein Gadol. Who should appropriately assume the second [position], if not I, the son of Yitzhar, second to Amram? Yet he appointed, as leader, the son of the youngest of all of his (Amram’s) brothers. I will oppose him, and nullify everything he said.’ What did he do? He rose up and gathered two hundred fifty heads of Sanhedrin, mostly from the neighboring tribe of Reuven — they were Elitzur the son of Shdeiur, and his companions, and the like, as it is said, “leaders of the congregation, who were called to meetings,” and it says above, ”those called from the congregation (leaders of their ancestral tribes).” He clothed them in garments made completely of techeiles. They came and stood before Moshe and said to him: “Does a garment made completely of techeiles require tzitzis, or not?’ He said to them: “It is required.” They began scoffing at him. “How is it possible that a garment made of other material is absolved by a single thread of techeiles, yet one made completely of techeiles cannot absolve itself?” ",
"The sons of Reuvein. Dasan and Aviram, and On the son of Peles. "
],
[],
[
"You have [taken] too much for yourselves. You have taken much more distinction for yourselves [than is appropriate].",
"Are all holy. They all heard the Word, at Sinai, from the mouth of the Almighty. \n",
"Why do you raise yourselves. If you took the monarchy, you should not have chosen the kehunah for your brother. You were not alone in hearing, at Sinai, “I am God your God”— the entire community heard. "
],
[
"He fell upon his face. Because of the dispute, as this was, already, their fourth despicable act. They sinned with the golden calf — “Moshe implored . . . “ With the complainers — “Moshe prayed . . .” With the spies — “Moshe said to God, If Egypt should hear. . .” At Korach’s dispute, his hands were weakened. This is compared to a prince who acted despicably against his father. His intimate friend placated him the first, second, and third times, but at the fourth despicable act, the friend’s hands were weakened. He said: “How long can I impose upon the king? Perhaps he will no longer receive me.” "
],
[
"[In the] morning, [Adonoy] will make known. This is a time when we are intoxicated, and it would be improper [for us] to appear in His Presence. His intention was to delay, so that they might repent. \n",
"[In the] morning, Adonoy will make known who is [qualified to be] His. For the Levite services. ",
"And who is holy. For the kehunah.",
"He will bring. Them close to Him. Targum [Onkelos] demonstrates this: “He will bring into His presence.” “He will bring into His service.” According to the Midrashic interpretation of “morning”: Moshe said to them, ‘God marked His universe with boundaries. Can you possibly transform morning into evening? that is how possible it is for you to nullify this, as it is said, “it became evening and it became morning, and He separated” Similarly, “Aharon was separated to be consecrated etc.” "
],
[
"Do this: Take, for yourselves, fire pans. Why did he see fit to tell them this? He said to them, “the gentile way is to have a variety of rituals, with many priests, [not all] gathered in one Temple. We have only one God, one Ark, one Torah, one Altar, and one Kohein Gadol. Yet you — two hundred and fifty men — seek the kehunah Gedolah! I, too, will acquiesce. Here you have the most precious service, the incense, more precious than all the sacrifices. But a deadly poison is placed in it, which consumed Nadav and Avihu.” He, therefore, warned them, “The man who will be chosen by Adonoy, he is the holy one.” He was already holy. Do we not know that the chosen one is holy? Rather, Moshe said to them, “I tell you this so that you will not be found guilty. The chosen one will survive, but all of you will be lost.” ",
"Fire pans. Utensils for stoking coals, with a handle. \n"
],
[
"You have taken [too] much upon yourselves, sons of Levi. [I told you many things which are acceptable to the heart (i.e., reasonable). Another interpretation:] What I have said to you is a matter of great significance. Were they not fools, for he warned them, and yet they undertook to bring the offering? They sinned with their souls, as it is said, “the firepans of these sinners with their souls.” But Korach who was astute, why did he see fit to engage in this foolishness? His vision deceived him. He saw a great dynasty descending from him — Shmuel, who was equal to Moshe and Aharon. He said, “for his sake, I will be spared.” And twenty four watches arising from his descendants, all prophesying by Divine inspiration, as it is said, “all of these were the sons of Heiman.” He said, “is it possible that all this greatness is destined to arise from me, and I shall remain silent”? This is why he participated, for, he had heard from Moshe’s mouth, that they would all be lost, but one would be spared: “The one whom God will choose, he is holy.” He mistakenly attributed this to himself, but his vision was flawed, as his sons repented. But Moshe saw. ",
"Too much upon yourselves You have undertaken a great task for yourselves to dispute the Holy One, Blessed is He. \n"
],
[
"Moshe said to Korach, “Please listen, sons of Levi.” He began speaking gently to him, but when he saw that he was stiff necked, he said, “before the other tribes join and are lost with him, I had better speak with all of them, too.” He began exhorting them, “please listen, sons of Levi.” "
],
[
"And to stand before the congregation. To sing on the platform."
],
[
"He brought you near. To the service from which he distanced the rest of the community of Yisroel."
],
[
"Therefore, Because of this, you, and your entire congregation who are gathered with you, have assembled against God, for I have acted as His representative in awarding the kehunah to Aharon. This quarrel is not with us. "
],
[
"Moshe sent, etc. From here [we derive] that one should not maintain a dispute, for Moshe sought them out in order to come to terms with them through a peaceful dialogue. ",
"We will not go up. Their own words caused them to stumble — they will have nothing but a downfall. \n"
],
[],
[
"And [not] given us. The statement relates to Gא (“not”), mentioned above, as if to say, “you have not brought us, and you have not given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. You told us, ‘I will bring you up out of the suffering of Egypt to a good land . . . [flowing with milk and honey].’ You brought us out of there, but not to a land flowing with milk and honey did you bring us. Rather, you decreed, against us, that we die in the wilderness, as you said to us, ‘Your corpses will fall in this wilderness’.” \n",
"If you put those people’s eyes out, etc. Even if you send agents to put our eyes out unless we go up to you, we will not go up. ",
"Those people. Like a man who attributes his own curse to someone else."
],
[
"Moshe was extremely distressed. And Moshe was very grieved.",
"Do not turn to their offering. According to the plain interpretation, [through] the incense which they will offer before you tomorrow, do not turn to them. According to the Midrash, he said, “I know that they have a portion in the continual communal sacrifices. Let their portion not be received by you favorably. Let the fire allow it to remain without consuming it.” ",
"Not a donkey did I sequester from any one of them. I did not take a donkey from any one of them. Even when I went from Midyan to Egypt and set my wife and sons on a donkey, when I could have justifiably taken that donkey from them, I took only of my own. Onkelos translates שְׁחָרִית, “sequestered.” In Aramaic, the king’s service is called שַׁחְוַור . \n"
],
[
"And they. Your congregation."
],
[
"And you will offer before Adonoy each man his firepan. The two hundred fifty men among you."
],
[],
[
"Korach congregated against them. With mockery. All that night he went to the tribes and enticed them. — “Do you think I am indignant for my sake alone? I am indignant only for the sake of all of you! They came and took all the great offices, the monarchy for himself, and the kehunah for his brother. . .,” until they were all convinced. ",
"The glory of Adonoy appeared. He came in the pillar of cloud. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Almighty, the God of the spirits. Knower of thoughts. Your attributes are not like mortal attributes. A mortal king, against whom some of his kingdom acted scurrilously, does not know who the sinner is. Therefore, when he is angry, he punishes them all. But You — to You, all thoughts are revealed, and You know who the sinner is. \n",
"If one man. Has sinned, will You be angry with the entire congregation? The Holy One, Blessed is He, said: “You have spoken well. I know, and will make known, who sinned and who did not sin.” \n"
],
[],
[
"Depart (lit. go up). As Targum [Onkelos] renders, (אִסְתַּלָּקוּ), ”depart,” from around Korach’s dwelling. "
],
[
"Moshe rose up. He thought they would treat him with regard, but they did not. \n"
],
[],
[
"Went out and stood. With a haughty bearing, to revile and blaspheme, as “he stood disdainfully for forty days” [at the incident] of Golias. ",
"With their wives, children and infants. Come, see how inexorably destructive disputes are, for earthly tribunals do not mete out punishment until two pubic hairs have appeared, and the heavenly tribunal until twenty years, but here, even nursing infants perished. "
],
[
"To perform all these deeds. Which I have done by the word of God; conferring the kehunah Gedolah on Aharon, [appointing] his sons as assistants, and Elitzafan as leader of the Kehosites. \n"
],
[
"Adonoy has not sent me. Rather, I did everything independently, and he (Korach) is justified in opposing me. "
],
[
"But if Adonoy will create a new creation. ",
" To kill them with a death no one has ever experienced until now. What is this creation? “The earth will open its mouth and swallow them.” Then, you will know that they angered God, and I spoke according to the word of the Almighty. The Rabbis interpret, ‘if the mouth of the earth was created during the six days of creation, fine, but if not, let God it create [now]!’ "
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Fled from their uproar. Because of the sound of the earth swallowing them up."
]
],
[
[],
[
"And the fire. In the firepans.",
"Scatter yonder. To the ground, from the firepans. ",
"For, they were sanctified. The firepans, and may not be used for personal benefit, since they designated them as sacred service utensils. "
],
[
"These sinners with their souls. They became willful sinners with their souls by disputing the Holy One, Blessed is He. ",
"Hammered. Beaten.",
"Sheets. Hammered sheets. Tendes, “sheets,” in Old French. ",
"To overlay the altar. The copper altar.",
"They shall be for a sign. A reminder, so that they will say, “These belonged to the ones who disputed the kehunah, and were burned.” "
],
[
"And hammered them. Atendirent, “hammered” in Old French. "
],
[
"So as not to be like Korach. In order not to be like Korach.",
"As Adonoy spoke to him, through Moshe. Like עָלָיו, “about him.” About Aharon, He spoke to Moshe, [saying] that he and his sons shall be kohanim. Therefore, a stranger should not approach who is not a descendant of Aharon, etc. Similarly, every לִי, לוֹ and לָהֶם next to דִּבּוּר, “speech,” is interpreted as עַל, “about.” According to Midrash, about Korach, what is [the meaning of] בְּיַד משֶׁה, [literally “in the hand of Moshe,”] [why did] Scripture not write “to Moshe”? This alludes that those who dispute the kehunah are stricken with tzora'as, as Moshe was stricken in his hand, as it is said, “when he withdrew it, his hand was stricken with tzora’as — white as snow.” This is why Uziyah was stricken with tzora’as. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"And atone for them. This was the secret, the angel of death conveyed to him when he [Moshe] ascended to heaven, that incense holds back the plague, as stated in Maseches Shabbos. \n"
],
[],
[
"He stood between the dead etc. He grasped the angel and held him against his will. The angel said to him, “Permit me to perform my duty.” He said to him, “Moshe ordered me to stop you.” He said to him, “I represent God, while you represent Moshe.” He said to him, “Moshe says nothing of his own volition, only from the mouth of the Almighty. If you don’t believe me — why the Holy One, Blessed is He, and Moshe are at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Come with me and ask.” This is [the meaning of] what is said — Aharon returned to Moshe. Another interpretation: Why with incense? Because the Israelites were grumbling, and vilifying the incense, saying that it was a deadly poison — because of it, Nadav and Avihu died, because of it, two hundred and fifty men were consumed. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, ‘You will see that it [incense] halts the plague — it is sinfulness, that kills.’ \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"For, [there is] one staff. Although I divided them into two family groups, the kehunah family separately, and the Levite separately, still, they are a single tribe. \n"
],
[],
[
"And I will abate. Like “the waters abated,” “the king’s rage abated.” "
],
[
"Among their staffs. He placed it in the middle, so that they would not claim that, because he placed it near the Divine Presence, it flowered. "
],
[],
[
"Blossomed. Like the plain interpretation.",
"Buds. This refers to the budding of the fruit, when the blossoms drop. ",
"And bore ripe almonds. When the fruit was discernible, it was recognized as almonds, as in “the child grew and was weaned.” This term is generally used for fruit of the tree, as in “its buds will become ripening fruit.” Why almonds? This is the fruit which blossoms more quickly than all fruits. One who callenges the kehunah as well, will be punished quickly, as we find with Uzyah, “the tzora’as emanated from his forehead.” Targum [Onkelos] renders, “it clustered almonds” — a sort of almond cluster, bunched together with each other. \n"
],
[],
[
"To be preserved as symbol. Of remembrance that I chose Aharon to serve as kohein, so that they will never again dispute the kehunah. ",
"So that their complaint will end. Like וּתְכַלֶּה תְלוּנּוֹתָם, ‘their’ complaint will end. This term is a singular, feminine verbal noun, like תְּלוּנָּתָם . murmur-diz, “complaint” in Old French. There is a distinction between תְּלוּנּוֹתָם and תְּלוּנָּתָם . תְּלוּנָּתָם, a single complaint. תְּלוּנּוֹתָם, a singular noun, even when there are many complaints. "
],
[],
[],
[
"Anyone approaching who comes close, etc. We cannot take precautions against this. We are all permitted to enter the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. And anyone who advances further than his fellows, and enters into the Tent of Meeting, will die. ",
"Have we been consigned to death? Perhaps we have been abandoned to die?"
]
],
[
[
"Adonoy said to Aharon. He told Moshe to say to Aharon, To exhort him concerning [precautions] for the benefit of the Israelites, so that they do not enter the Sanctuary. ",
"You, your sons, and your father’s house. The children of Kehos, Amram’s father. ",
"Will bear the sin of the Sanctuary. I am casting, upon you, the punishment of the unauthorized persons who sin by their involvement with the sacred objects placed in your charge — the Tent, Ark, Table, and sacred vessels. You must station yourselves and warn every unauthorized person who attempts contact. ",
"And you and your sons. The kohanim.",
"Will bear the sin of your kehunah. Since it is not a charge given to the Levites, you must warn the erring Levites not to come in contact with you during your service. "
],
[
"Also, your brothers. The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merori. ",
"They shall join you. They shall unite with you in also warning the unauthorized persons not to approach them.",
"And serve you. By guarding the gateways, and through the appointment, from them, of custodians and administrators. "
],
[],
[
"A commonor should not approach you. I admonish you about this."
],
[
"So that there will be no more wrath. As there already was, as it is said, “for the wrath has surfaced.” "
],
[
"Given to you as a gift. Perhaps for your personal, secular service? The Torah, therefore, teaches, “for God,” as specified above, to attend to the mandate — custodians and administrators. "
],
[
"The service as a gift. I have given it to you as a gift."
],
[
"Behold, I have given you. With joy. This term denotes joy, as in, “behold, he is going out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart.” This is compared to a king who gave a property to his intimate friend, but did not write and sign a deed, or register it with the authorities. Someone came and claimed the property. The king said to him: “Whoever wishes will come and claim against you. Behold, I will write and sign a deed to you, and register it with the authorites.” Here, too, because Korach came and claimed the kehunah from Aharon, Scripture presents him with twenty-four kehunah gifts, with the eternal covenant of salt. This is why this chapter was placed here. ",
"The guarding of my terumah-gifts. Which you must guard in ritual purity.",
"For consecration. For greatness."
],
[
"From the fire. After the burning of the fire.",
"[Of] all their sacrifices. For example, the communal shelamim-offerings. ",
"Their minchah-offerings, their sin-offerings, and their guilt-offerings. As the plain meaning indicates. ",
"Which they return to Me. This refers to the proselyte’s stolen property."
],
[
"You shall eat it in the supremely holy. This teaches that the supremely holy offerings may be eaten only in the Sanctuary courtyard, and by the male kohanim. \n"
],
[
"Their terumah-gift. Which was set aside from the thanksgiving-offering, the peace- offering, and the ram of the nazarite. ",
"Of all of the wave-offerings. Since these require waving.",
"All those ritually pure. But not those ritually defiled. Another interpretation of “all those ritually pure” — to include his wife."
],
[
"Their terumah-gift. This refers to the major terumah-gift. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Like the breast which is waved and like the right thigh. Of the peace-offering, which are eaten by the kohanim, and their wives, children, and servants, for two days and one night. The firstborn [animal], also, is eaten for two days and one night. ",
"It shall be yours. R’ Akiva came, and expounded: Scripture adds an additional “being,” so that you should not say, “like the breast and thigh of the thanksgiving-offering, which is only eaten for a day and a night.” "
],
[
"All of the sacred terumah-gifts. Because this parashah is precious, it is generalized at the beginning, generalized at the end, and detailed in between. ",
"An eternal covenant of salt. He made a covenant with Aharon with a robust, enduring object which invigorates others. ",
"A covenant of salt. Like the covenant made with salt, which never spoils. \n"
],
[
"And you will not have a share among them. Even in the spoils. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"They. The Levites will bear the sins of the Israelites, since it is incumbent upon them to warn unauthorized persons against approaching them. "
],
[
"Which they must set aside to Adonoy as a terumah-gift. Scripture calls it “a terumah-gift” until he separates the terumah of the tithe from it."
],
[],
[],
[
"Your terumah-gift will be considered the same as grain from the granary. The terumah of your tithe is prohibited to unauthorized persons and to the ritually unclean, and they are liable to the death penalty, and to the additional fifth, like the major terumah- gift, which is called the first portion of grain from the granary. ",
"And [wine and oil of] fully ripened fruit from the cistern. The terumah-gift of wine and oil taken from the cisterns.",
"Fully ripened fruit (lit. full). The term denotes ripeness. Full produce.",
"Cistern. This refers to the pit before the press, wherein the wine flows. The word יֶקֶב always denotes an excavation of earth. Similarly, “the king’s cisterns,” referring to the sea of Okiyanus, an excavation dug by the King of the universe. "
],
[
"So must you, too, set aside. Just as the Israelites set aside from their granaries and cisterns, so must you, too, from your tithe, since that is your inheritance. "
],
[
"From all of your gifts you must set aside all of the terumah-gifts of Adonoy. Scripture speaks of major terumah, [teaching] that if the Levite pre-empted the kohein at the storage bin, and received his tithes before the kohein took the major terumah from the storage bin, the Levite must first set aside one fiftieth of the tithe as major terumah, and then return and set aside the terumah of the tithe. "
],
[
"When you set aside the finest part of it. After you set aside the terumah of the tithe from it.",
"It will be considered. What remains for the Levites [will be considered] completely secular.",
"Like the produce of the granary. To the Israelite. So that you should not say, since the Torah calls it “terumah,” as it is said, “for the Israelites’ tithe which they set aside for God as a terumah-gift,” perhaps it is completely forbidden. The Torah therefore teaches, “It will be considered, for the Levites, like the produce of the granary.” Just as that of the Israelite is secular, so is that of the Levite secular. \n"
],
[
"Anywhere. Even in the cemetery."
],
[
"You will not bear a sin because of it, etc. Hence, if you do not set aside, you will bear a sin. ",
"And you will not die. Hence, if you profane, you will die. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"This is the statute of the Torah. Because Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel, saying, “What is this commandment? What is the reason for it”? Therefore, the Torah referred to it as חֻקָּה, a statute. I have decreed it, and you are not permitted to question it. \n",
"They shall take to you. It will always be called by your name: ”The cow which Moshe prepared in the wilderness.”",
"Red, perfect. It must be perfectly red. If it had two black hairs, it was disqualified. "
],
[
"Elozor. The mitzvah was [performed] by the assistant [kohein gadol].",
"Outside the camp. Outside the three camps.",
"[He] shall slaughter it in his presence. The commoner slaughters while Elozor observes."
],
[
"Directly facing the Tent of Meeting. He stands east of Jerusalem, and focuses his gaze on the entrance to the Sanctuary when sprinkling the blood. "
],
[],
[],
[
"[To] the camp. To the camp of the Shechinah, as no one ritually unclean was sent out of two camps except for the zav, the ba’al keri, and the metzorah. ",
"The kohein shall be impure until the evening. Rearrange this and extrapolate: “He shall be impure until the evening, and afterwards, he may enter the camp.” "
],
[],
[
"And place [it] outside the camp. He divided it into three parts. One was placed on the Mount of Olives, and one was placed in the “cheil” partition. That of the watches was outside the Temple courtyard, to supply the outlying city dwellers and all those who needed to be purified. That of the Mount of Olives, for the high priests to consecrate other cows. That of the “cheil” partition, placed as a keepsake by Scriptural decree, as it is said, ”It shall remain with the community of Israel as a keepsake.”",
"For sprinkling water. For water of sprinkling, similar to, “they cast a stone at me,” “to cast away the horns of the nations,” meaning to throw. ",
"For purification. The word denotes cleansing, like its plain meaning. In its halachic sense, however, Scripture entitles it חַטָּאת, “sin-offering,” to teach that it is like a sacred object, and thus prohibited from personal benefit. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"He shall cleanse himself with it. With [these] ashes [of the cow]."
],
[
"A corpse of a [human] soul. Which corpse? That of a human soul. This excludes that of an animal, whose ritual uncleanliness does not require sprinkling Another interpretation: “Of a [human] soul” refers to a quarter of blood. ",
"Defiles the Mishkan of Adonoy. If he enters the Mishkan courtyard, even after ritual immersion, without having been sprinkled on the third and seventh [days]. His impurity remains. Even if he immersed ritually."
],
[
"Anyone who enters the tent. While the corpse is inside. \n"
],
[
"Any open utensil. Scripture refers to an earthen utensil, which does not admit ritual contamination from its outside, but from its inside. Thus, if its seal is not properly and securely fastened, it is defiled, but if there is a seal fastened to it, it is pure. ",
"Fastened. The word denotes attachment in Arabic. Similarly, “I have been joined by Godly bonds”— I have been joined to my sister. "
],
[
"In an open field. The Rabbis extrapolate, this includes the “gollel” and “dofek.” Its plain meaning is that in the open field, where there is no tent, the corpse conveys defilement through touching. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"He shall purify him on the seventh day. This completes the purification."
],
[
"A person who became ritually unclean, etc. If “Mikdash” was said, why was “Mishkon” said?. . .etc., as stated in tractate Shevuos. \n"
],
[
"One who sprinkles the sprinkling waters. The Rabbis say that the sprinkler is actually pure, and that this teaches that one who carries the purifying water becomes extremely defiled, so as to contaminate the garments he wears, unlike one who touches [the water]. The reason it is expressed as “the sprinkler” is to teach that they (the waters) do not defile unless they contain a sufficient amount for sprinkling. \n",
"One who touches, etc. shall remain unclean. But his garments do not require ritual washing. "
],
[
"Anything which the unclean person touches. [Which] this person who was defiled by a corpse [touches], shall become unclean. ",
"And anyone touching. Him, the one defiled by the corpse. ",
"Shall be ritually unclean until evening. Here we learn that a corpse is a “forefather” of defilement, and whoever touches it is the “father” of defilement, and defiles another person. This is the explanation according to its plain meaning and its halachic ramifications. Now I have transcribed the Midrash Aggadah from R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s basic commentary, as follows: ",
"They shall take to you. From their own. Just as they removed the golden rings, for the [golden] calf, from their own, so shall they bring this from their own as atonement. ",
"A red cow. This is compared to the child of a maidservant who sullied the king’s palace. They said, “let the child’s mother come and wipe away the filth.” Similarly, let the cow come and atone for the calf. ",
"Red. To correspond with “If they [your sins] are as red as crimson. . .” Sin is described as red.",
"Perfect. To correspond with the Israelites, who were perfect, but then were blemished by it. This [offering] shall come and atone for them, and they will return to their perfection. ",
"Upon which no yoke was laid. Just as they discarded the yoke of Heaven.",
"To Elozor the kohein. Just as they gathered against Aharon, the kohein, [and forced him] to construct the calf. And since Aharon constructed the calf, this service was not performed by him, for, the accuser cannot serve as the defender. ",
"[He] shall burn the cow. Just as the calf was burned.",
"Cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson wool. These three species correspond with the three thousand men who perished because of the calf. The cedar is the loftiest of all trees, the hyssop the lowest of all, signifying that someone haughty who sinned with arrogance must humble himself like the hyssop and the worm to gain atonement. ",
"A keepsake. Just as the transgression of the calf, which is preserved throughout the generations for punishment, as there is no reckoning which does not include an accounting for the calf, as it is said, “on the day of my reckoning, I will take into account . . . [the sin of the calf], And just as the calf defiled everyone involved with it, so does the parah defile everyone involved with it. Just as they were purified with its ashes, as it is said, “he scattered it on the water, etc.” so “they shall take, for the one defiled, from the dust of the burnt sin-offering, [and place, upon it, spring water.] "
]
],
[
[
"The entire community. The entire, perfect community. Those who were to die in the desert had already perished, and these were set apart to live. \n",
"Miriam died there. Why is the portion concerning Miriam’s death adjacent to the portion of the parah adumah? To teach you that, just as the sacrifices bring atonement, so do the deaths of the righteous bring atonement. ",
"Miriam died there. She, too, died by the Divine kiss. Why, then, is it not said, concerning her, “by the mouth of God”? Because this would be lacking in reverence toward the Supreme Being. Concerning Aharon, however, it is said, “by the mouth of God,” in “these are the journeys.” "
],
[
"The community had no water. From here [we derive] that all forty years they had the well in Miriam’s merit. \n"
],
[
"Would that we had died. We wish that we had died.",
"By our brothers’ death. By our brothers’ death from the plague, as death from thirst is more dreadful. ",
"By . . . death. This is a noun, like בְּמִיתַת אַחֵינוּ, “by our brother’s death.” But it is incorrect to interpret this as “when our brothers died,” for, if so, the vocalization should have been בִּגְוֹעַ . \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"And their livestock. From here [we derive] that the Holy One, Blessed is He, is solicitous of the Israelites’ property. \n"
],
[],
[
"Assembled, etc. This is one of the places where a small area held a large multitude. \n",
"Can we extract from this rock? Because they did not recognize it, as the rock settled itself among the other rocks when the well departed. The Israelites were telling them, “What [difference] is it to you, from which rock you extract water for us”? This is why he addressed them as “rebels “—”insolents,” “fools” in Greek. Those who instruct their instructors. Can we extract water from this rock for which we were not commanded? "
],
[
"Twice. Because at first, it only produced drops, since the Omnipresent had not commanded to strike it, but “speak to the rock.” They spoke to a different rock, but it did not produce. They said, “perhaps it must be struck, like the first one,” as it is said, “strike the rock.” Then they happened upon that rock and he struck it. "
],
[
"Because you did not believe in Me. Scripture reveals that if it had not been for this single sin, they would have entered the land, so that it would not be said of them: ”Like the transgressions of the rest of the generation of the desert, against whom it was decreed not to enter the land— so was the transgression of Moshe and Aharon.” But was not [the transgression implied in the verse] “will sheep and cattle be slaughtered”? worse than this? Still, because it was said in private, Scripture was compassionate with him, but here, where it was in the presence of all of Israel, Scripture was not compassionate with him, because of the sanctification of the Name. ",
"To sanctify me. For, if you had spoken to the rock and it had brought forth water, I would have been sanctified in the eyes of the community. They would have said: “Now this rock, which can neither speak nor hear, and does not require sustenance, fulfills the word of the Omnipresent. How much more should we do so.” ",
"Therefore, you will not bring. This was said as an oath, like “Therefore, I swore to the house of Eili.” He swore precipituously, so that they would not engage in lengthy prayer. "
],
[
"They are the waters of dispute. They are the ones mentioned elsewhere. Pharaoh’s astrologers saw them, [seeing] that the saviour of Israel would be smitten through water. Therefore, they decreed that “every boy who is born must be thrown into the river.” ",
"He was sanctified through them. Since Moshe and Aharon died because of them. When the Holy One, Blessed is He, administers judgment against His holy ones, He is feared and sanctified by mankind. Similarly, it says, “You are awesome, God, from Your sanctuaries.” Similarly, it says, “I am sanctified by those close to Me.” "
],
[
"Your brother Yisroel. Why did Moshe see fit to mention brotherhood here? But he said to him, “We are brothers, children of Avrohom, to whom it was said, ‘[Know] . . . that your descendants will be strangers [in a land that is not theirs]’, and we were both responsible for fulfilling that obligation.” ",
"You know of all the hardship. Therefore, your father parted from our father, as it is said, “he went to a land because of his brother Yaakov” — because of the bill of debt incumbent upon them, he placed the burden on Yaakov. \n"
],
[
"[The Egyptians] mistreated us. We endured much suffering.",
"And our forefathers. From here we derive that the forefathers suffer in the grave when punishment is visited on Israel."
],
[
"And He heard our voice. Through the blessing bestowed by our forefather [Yitzchak], “the voice is the voice of Yaakov.” For, we cry out, and are answered. ",
"An emissary. This refers to Moshe. From here we derive that the prophets are called “emissaries” It also says, “they would insult the emissaries of God.” "
],
[
"Please let us to pass through your land. You should not challenge the inheritance of the land of Israel, as you did not pay the debt. Do, for us, the small favor of passing through your land. ",
"We will not drink well water. It should have said, “cistern water.” But this is what Moshe said: ”Although we have in our possession manna to eat and the well [water] to drink, we will not drink from it, but we will buy food and drink from you, for your benefit.” From here [we derive] that, although a guest has provisions in his possession, he should buy from the shopkeeper, in order to benefit his host. ",
"We will travel by the king’s road. We will muzzle our animals, so that they will not turn every which way to eat. "
],
[
"Lest I go out against you with the sword. You pride yourselves with the voice you inherited from your forefather, saying, “we cried out to God, and he heard our voice.” Well, I will go out against you with my forefather’s legacy, “you shall live by your sword.” \n"
],
[
"It is just nothing. Nothing at all will harm you."
],
[
"And a strong hand. With our grandfather’s assurance, “but the hands are the hands of Eisav.” "
],
[],
[
"The entire community. All of them, perfect, ready to enter the land. Not one of them was among those included in the decree, for those who were to die in the wilderness, had perished. These were among those of whom Scripture states, “You are all living this day.” ",
"Mount Hor (lit. the mountain of the mountain). A mountain on top of a mountain, like a small apple on top of a large apple. Although the cloud went before them to flatten the mountains, three mountains remained; Mount Sinai for the Torah, Mount Hor for Aharon’s burial, and Mount Nevo for Moshe’s burial, "
],
[
"At the border of the land of Edom. This teaches, that because they joined here in associating with the evil Eisav, a breach was made in their activities, and they lost this righteous man. Similarly, the prophet says to Yehoshafat, “when you joined with Achazyahu, God caused a breach in your activities.” \n"
],
[],
[
"Take Aharon. With comforting words. Say to him, “How fortunate you are to see your crown handed over to your son— something which I do not merit.” "
],
[
"[His] vestments. In the vestments of the kehunah Gedolah, he dressed him, and then removed them from him, in order to place them on his son in his presence. He said to him, “Enter the cave.” He entered. He saw a bed made ready and a candle burning. He said, “Go up on the bed.” He went up. “Extend your hands.” He extended them. “Close your mouth.” He closed it. “Shut your eyes.” He shut them. Moshe at once desired to die such a death. This is why it was said to him, “The way your brother Aharon died”— The death which you desired. "
],
[
"Moshe did. Although the matter was difficult for him, he did not hesitate. "
],
[],
[
"The entire community saw. When they saw Moshe and Elozor descending, and Aharon did not desend, they said,”Where is Aharon”? He said to them, “He died.” They said, “Can it be that someone who stood up to the angel and stopped the plague is under the dominion of the angel of death”? Moshe immediately begged for mercy, and the ministering angels showed him to them, lying in the bed. They saw, and believed. ",
"The entire house of Yisroel. Men and women, because Aharon pursued peace, and instilled affection between antagonists, and between husband and wife. ",
"That [Aharon] died. I say that anyone who translates [כִּי גָוַע as] דְּהָא מִית (“because [Aharon] died”), is mistaken, unless he also translates וַיִּרְאוּ as וְאִתְחֲזִיאוּ ([The community] “was exposed”). Since the Rabbis’ comment, that כִּי here is understood as “because,” is valid only according to the Midrashic comment that the clouds of glory departed, as R’ Abohu said, “do not read וַיִּרְאוּ (‘they [the community] saw,’), but וַיֵּרָאוּ, (‘they [the community] were exposed’).” According to this interpretation, דְּהָא (“because”), is the proper usage, since it clarifies what precedes it. Why were they exposed? Because Aharon died. However, according to Targum [Onkelos who translates] “the entire community saw,” “because” is not the proper usage, but “that,” from the אִי meaning, as we find אִם meaning “that.” As in, “that [I ask], why shouldn’t I be distressed”?Sf? and many clear usages in this sense, [like] “that his days are designated.” "
]
],
[
[
"The Canaanite heard. He heard that Aharon died, and the clouds of glory departed, etc. as stated in Rosh Hashanah. Amelek was always a whip for disciplining Israel, prepared, at all times, to mete out punishment. \n",
"Who lived in the south. This was Amalek, as it is said, “Amelek dwells in the southern part of the land.” They changed their language, and spoke in the Canaanite tongue, so that the Israelites would pray to the Holy One, Blessed is He, to deliver the Canaanites into their hands —but they were not Canaanites. The Israelites saw that they were dressed in Amalekite clothing, but spoke the Canaanite tongue. They said, “let us pray in a general way,” as it is said, “if you will deliver this people into my hand.” ",
"By the route of the spies. The negev route traveled by the spies, as it is said, “they went up to the negev.” Another interpretation of דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים ; the route of the great pathfinder which traveled before them, as it is said, “[the Ark of the covenant of God traveled before them] three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them.” ",
"He took from them a captive. It was only one maidservant."
],
[
"I shall consecrate. I shall consecrate the spoils to heaven. \n"
],
[
"And he destroyed them. By execution.",
"And [consecrated] their cities. He consecrated them to heaven."
],
[
"By the Reed Sea route. Since Aharon had died, and this war fell upon them, they turned back to the Reed Sea route This was the route by which they had turned back when the decree of the spies was issued against them, as it is said, “travel into the desert, by the Reed Sea route.” Here, they turned back seven journeys, as it is said, “Bnei Yisroel journeyed from Be’eiros Bnei Yaakan to Moseirah. There, Aharon died.” Was it in Moseirah that Aharon died? Did he not die at Mount Hor? But they returned there, and mourned and eulogized him as if he were in their presence. Go, examine the journeys, and you will find seven journeys from Moseirah to Mount Hor. ",
"To circle around the land of Edom. Since they did not permit them to pass through their land.",
"Traveling was insufferable to the people (lit. “the people’s souls did not have the capacity for traveling”). Because of the rigors of travel, which were overly difficult for them. They said, “We were just close to entering the land, and we are turning back. This was how our fathers turned back, and they remained for thirty-eight years, until this day.” Therefore, the distress of traveling was insufferable. “Encrot lor” [“repulsive to them”, in old French]. But it would be improper to translate “the people experienced insufferability בַּדֶּרֶךְ, while traveling,” without specification of the cause of the insufferability; since, wherever one finds insufferability in Scripture, the cause is specified. For example, “they were insufferable to me.” And, for example, “Israel’s distress was insufferable to him.” Anything overly difficult for a person is depicted as קִצּוּר נֶפֶשׁ (lit. the incapacity of the soul), like a person beset by travail, who lacks the breadth of mind to accept that, and who does not have a place in his heart where the distress might reside. Now, the thing causing distress is depicted as looming large, since it is seems large and weighs heavily on the person. For example, “their souls loomed over me” —seemed large to me. [And, for example,] “Trapping me like a lion looms large.” The synopsis of the interpretation: Every statement expressing the soul’s incapacity for a thing means that it cannot tolerate it, for the mind cannot tolerate it. "
],
[
"Against God and Moshe. They equated the servant with his master.",
"Why did you bring us up. Both of them, equally. ",
"We (our souls) are disgusted. This, too, denotes insufferability and disgust. ",
"With this rotten bread. Because the manna was absorbed into the limbs, they called it rotten. They said, “the manna will eventually swell in our stomachs. Can anyone born of a woman take in [food] without excreting? "
],
[
"The consuming (lit. burning) snakes. That consume a man with the venom in their fangs.",
"And they bit the people. Let the snake, who was smitten for speaking wickedly, come and punish those who spoke wickedly. Let the snake, for whom every type [of food] tastes the same, come and punish the ingrates, for whom one thing changed to numerous tastes. \n"
],
[
"Moshe prayed. From here we derive that someone from whom forgiveness is asked should not be mercilessly unpardoning."
],
[
"Upon a banner. On a pole, called “perche” in old French. Similarly, “like a banner on the hill,” “I shall lift my banner,” “raise the banner.” Because it is held high as a signal and as verification, it is called נֵס . ",
"Anyone bitten. Even if a dog or donkey bit him, he would sicken and deteriorate steadily, except that the snakebite killed quickly. This is why it says here “. . . who saw it” — at a glance. But regarding the snakebite, it says “. . . he gazed,” “. . . if a snake bit a man, he gazed, etc.,” as the snakebite was not quick to heal unless he gazed at it with concentration. The Rabbis said, ”Can a snake bring death or life? Rather, when the Israelites gazed heavenward and subjugated their hearts to their Father in heaven, they would heal, but if not, they would waste away.” "
],
[
"A copper snake. He was not told to make it of copper, but Moshe said: “The Holy One, Blessed is He, called it “ נָחָשׁ “ (“snake,”) so I shall make it of “ נְחֹשֶׁת “ (“copper”). The terminology is well matched. "
],
[],
[
"In the wasteland passes. I do not know why they were called עִיִּים (“wasteland”). עִי denotes desolation, [like] something swept clean with a broom. Only the עַיִ''ן is the root. It has the same meaning as יָעִים (“scoops”), and as וְיָעָה בָרָד (“hail shall sweep away”). ",
"Passes. This was the passage route for those crossing Mount Nevo into the land of Canaan. It (Mount Nevo) separated the territory of Moav from the land of the Emorites.",
"Facing Moav, eastward of the sun. East of the land of Moav. "
],
[],
[
"From the Emorite border. The boundary, the edge of their border. Similarly, “the border of Moav”, meaning the edge, the end. ",
"Opposite Arnon. They circled the entire southern and eastern territory of Moav, until they reached the other side, at Arnon, inside Emorite territory, north of Moav. ",
"Extending from the Emorite border. A strip extends from the Emorite border, and it belongs to the Emorites, but penetrates the boundary of Moav until Arnon, the Moavite border. The Israelites camped there without entering the border of Moav, Arnon being the Moav border, and they did not grant them permission to pass through their land. Although Moshe did not state this clearly, Yiftach did, as was said by Yiftach, “he (Moshe) also sent [a request] to the king of Moav, but he was unwilling.” Moshe alluded to this: “Just as they did to me, the children of Eisav, who dwell in Seir, and the Moavites, who dwell in Ar,” Just as these [children of Eisav] did not permit them to pass through their land, but they circled around them, so it was with Moav. "
],
[
"Concerning this will be told. Concerning this encampment, and the miracles performed in it. Will be told in the Book of Wars of Adonoy. When they recount the miracles performed for our forefathers, they will recount that “He gave, etc.” ",
"He gave. Like אֶת יָהֵב . Just as we transpose יָעֹד into וָעֹד, we also transpose וָהֵב into יָהֵב, the וָי\"ו being basic. As if to say, “that He gave them, and wrought many miracles at the Reed Sea.” ",
"And the valleys of Arnon. Just as we recount the miracles of the Reed Sea, so should we recount the miracles of the valleys of Arnon, since here, too, great miracles were wrought. What are the miracles? \n"
],
[
"The spillage in the valleys. The Targum of שֶׁפֶךְ (“spillage,”) is אֶשֶׁד . The spillage in the valleys [was as follows]— the blood of the Emorites spilled there, as they were hidden there. Because there were high cliffs, with a deep, narrow valley. The cliffs were near each other— a man could stand on one of them, and converse with a friend on the other— and the road went through the valley. The Emorites said, “When the Israelites enter the valley to pass through, let us go out of the caves in the cliffs above them, and kill them with arrows and stone projectiles.” Now those cavities were in the mountain on the Moavite side, and in the mountain on the side of the Emorites, opposite the cavities, were horn-like projections, resembling breasts. When the Israelites came to pass through, the Eretz Yisroel mountain was set in tremor like a maidservant going forth to receive her mistress, and moved next to the mountain on the Moavite side. The breasts entered the cavities and killed them. this is [the meaning of] “when it turned to dwell at Ar,” as the mountain leaned away from its place, and moved next to the side of the Moavite border, and attached itself to it. And this is [the meaning of] “and then leaned on the border of Moav.” "
],
[
"From there, to the well. From there, the spillage came to the well. How was this? The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, “Who will inform My children of these miracles?” The parable says, ‘if you gave the baby bread, tell his mother.’ After they passed, the mountains returned to their places, and the well descended to the valley, and brought up, from there, the blood of those who were killed, and their arms and limbs, and carried them around the camp. The Israelites saw, and sang. "
],
[
"Arise, O well. From within the valley, and lift what you are to bring up. How do we know that the well informed them? As it is said, “from there to the well.” Was it from there? Was it not with them at the beginning of the forty years? But, it descended to make the miracles known. Similarly, “then, Yisroel sang this song” was said at the end of forty years, but the well was given to them at the beginning of the forty years. Why was it seen fit to have been written here? Only because this subject is expounded in relation to the above text. "
],
[
"The well dug [by princes]. This is the well dug by the princes, Moshe and Aharon. ",
"With their staffs. With the rod.",
"From the wilderness. It was given to them."
],
[
"After it was given, it became a legacy. As rendered by Targum [Onkelos]. \n"
],
[
"From the heights to the valley in the field of Moav. As there Moshe died, and there the well was discontinued. Another interpretation of “The nobles of the nation excavated”: Each tribal leader, when they encamped, took his staff and drew it to his banner and camp. The well water followed the path made by that mark, and reached each the camp of each tribe. ",
"Through the lawgiver. Through Moshe, who was called the lawgiver, as it is said, “for there, the portion of the lawgiver is reserved.” Why is Moshe not mentioned in this song? Because he was afflicted through the well. And since Moshe’s name is not mentioned, the Name of the God, is not mentioned. This is compared to a king who was invited to a banquet. he said, ‘If my intimate friend is there, I will be there, but if not, I will not go.’ ",
"At the top of the peak. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, “the top of the height.” ",
"The peak. This denotes a high point. Similarly, פַּסְּגוּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ —”raise its castles.” \n",
"That overlooks. That peak, facing the place called Yeshimon. The word [Yeshimon] denotes a wilderness, a desolate place. Another interpretation: The well may be seen on the face of the desolate place. It (the well) was hidden in the sea of Teveriah, and someone standing on the desolate place may look intently and observe a type of sieve in the sea— this is the well. This was expounded by R’ Tanchuma. "
],
[
"Yisroel sent emissaries. But elsewhere, the communication is attributed to Moshe, as it is said, “I sent emissaries from the eastern wilderness.” Similarly, “Moshe sent emissaries from Kadesh to the king of Edom”, but about Yiftach it says, “Israel sent emissaries to the king of Edom, etc.” These passages are mutually instructive, one closes, while the other opens. Moshe is Yisroel, Yisroel is Moshe, to teach you that the leader of the generation is like the entire generation. The leader is everything. "
],
[
"Let me pass through your land. Although they were not commanded to offer a peace overture, they made a peaceful proposal. "
],
[
"Sichon did not allow, etc. Since all the Canaanite kings delivered tribute to him, for he protected them from armies passing through against them. When Yisroel said to him, “Let me pass through your land,” he said, “My very presence here is to protect them from you, and you say this”? ",
"And [he] went out against Israel. If Cheshbon had been filled with gnats, no creature could have conquered it. And if Sichon had been in a feeble village, no man could have conquered him, And certainly, since he was in Cheshbon. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, ”Why should I incovenience My children with all this besieging of every single city”? He prompted all the warriors into deciding to leave the cities, and they all gathered in one place, where they were slain. From there, the Israelites went to the cities without opposition, since no one was there, except the women and children. "
],
[
"Because [the border] was impregnable. What was its strength? The admonishment by The Holy one, Blessed is He, who said to them, “do not oppress them, etc.” "
],
[
"Its daughters. The villages nearby. \n"
],
[
"He had waged war. Why was it necessary for this to have been written? Because it is said, “do not oppress Moav,” and Cheshbon belonged to Moav. Scripture [therefore] writes, for us, that Sichon confiscated it from them, and it was purified for Israel through him. ",
"From his hand. From his possesion."
],
[
"Concerning this. Concerning this war fought by Sichon against Moav.",
"The parable tellers say. Bil’am, of whom it is said, “he set forth his parable.”",
"The parable tellers. Bil’am and Beor. They said:",
"Come to Cheshbon. Since Sichon was unable to conquer it, he hired Bil’am to curse it. This is why Balak said to him, “for I know that what you bless is blessed, etc.” ",
"May it be built and established. Cheshbon, under Sichon’s name, to be his city. "
],
[
"For, a fire went forth from Cheshbon. After Sichon conquered it. ",
"It consumed Ar, of Moav. The name of that country is called “Ar” in the Hebrew language, and “Lechayas” in the Aramaic language. ",
"Ar, of Moav. Ar, belonging to Moav. "
],
[
"Woe to you, O Moav. They cursed Moav that he be delivered into his hands. \n",
"Kemosh. The name of the Moavite deity.",
"He rendered. Whoever rendered, “his sons”—Moav’s. ",
"Refugees. Who fled and escaped the sword, and his daughters into captivity, etc. "
],
[
"Their kingdom was uprooted. [וַנִּירָם is translated as] their kingdom.",
"Was uprooted from Cheshbon, as far as Divon. The kingdom and authority Moav had in Cheshbon, was uprooted from there. Similarly, ”as far as Divon.” The Targum of סָר, “was removed,” is עַד . As if to say, the kingdom was removed from Divon. נִיר denotes monarchy, authority, a man’s power, Similarly, “so that the monarchy shall remain with My servant David.” ",
"We made them desolate. The שִׁ\"ין is punctuated, denoting desolation. This is what the parable tellers said: וַנַּשִּׁים אוֹתָם עַד נֹפַח, “We made them desolate until Nofach.” \n"
],
[],
[
"Moshe sent [men] to spy on Ya’zer. The spies captured it. They said, we will not act like the first ones; We have [enough] faith, in the power of Moshe’s prayer, to do battle. "
],
[],
[
"Do not be afraid of him. Moshe was afraid to do battle, for perhaps, the merit of Avrohom, would stand for him [Og] as it is said, “the one who had escaped came.” This was Og, who escaped, of the Rephaim whom Kedorlaomer and his cohorts smote in Ashteros Karnayim, as it is said, “for only Og, king of Bashan, was left of the remaining Rephaim.” "
],
[
"They killed him. Moshe killed him, as stated in Berachos, in [the chapter of] Haroeh. He uprooted a mountain three parsaos long, etc. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"Balak saw . . . all that Yisroel had done to the Emorite. He said, “Those two kings whom we relied on could not withstand them, certainly we can not.” Therefore, “Moav became terrified.” "
],
[
"[Moav] became terrified. The word denotes fear, as in “fear for yourselves.” \n",
"Moav detested. They detested their lives, similar to “I am disgusted with my life.” This is a shortened sentence. "
],
[
"To the elders of Midian. But were they not ancient enemies, as it is said, “who attacked Midian in the field of Moav,” when Midian went to war against Moav? Still, because of their fear of Yisroel, they made peace. But why did Moav see fit to accept advice from Midian? When they saw the supernatural victories of Yisroel, they said, “Their leader was raised in Midian. Let us ask them what his character is.” They told them: “He has no power, except with the mouth.” They said, “We, too, will confront them with a man whose power is with his mouth.” ",
"Just as the ox laps up. Whatever an ox laps up is no longer marked by blessing.",
"At that time. He was unsuited for royalty. He was one of the chieftains of Midian, and when Sichon died, he was appointed over them temporarily. "
],
[
"To Pesor. Like the money changer, to whom everyone dispatches money. Similarly, \nall the monarchs dispatched their correspondence to him. According to the plain meaning of the passage, this was the name of the place. ",
"The land of his people. Balak’s — he came from there. This person (Bil’am) prophesied, and said to him, “You are destined to be a king.” Should you ask, why did the Holy One, Blessed is He, visit His Divine Presence on an evil gentile? So that the nations might not extenuate themselves by saying, “If we had prophets, we would have repented.” He established prophets for them, and they breached a universal barrier; they had originally refrained from promiscuity, but this person (Bil’am) advised them to indulge freely in promiscuity. ",
"To call him. The invitation was his, for his benefit, as he offered him a large sum of money. \n",
"A nation came out of Egypt. You may ask, “Why is this harmful to you”? ",
"Behold, they have covered the face of the earth. Sichon and Og, who were our guardians, were killed by them. ",
"And is located across from me. This is written incompletely. They are nearby, to cut me down, as in, “I cut them down.” \n"
],
[
"[Enable] us to strike at him. My people and I will strike at them. Another interpretation: This term is found in the Mishnah, “He reduces the price for him” — to diminish them a little. ",
"For I know, etc. Through the war of Sichon, whom you assisted in striking down Moav. \n"
],
[
"With magic chas in their hands. All types of magic charms, so that he could not say, “My tools are not with me.” Another interpretation. The elders of Midian took up this mystical omen: They said, “If he comes with us this time, there is something to him; but if he rebuffs us, it is useless.” This is why, when he said to them, “Spend the night here,” they said, “It is hopeless.” They left him there and departed, as it is said, “the Moavite chieftains stayed with Bil’am,” but the elders of Midian departed. "
],
[
"Spend this night here. The Sacred spirit visits him only at night. It is the same with all of the gentile prophets, and it was the same with Lavan — in a dream at night, as it is said, “God appeared to Lavan the Aramean in a dream that night,” like a man who visits his concubine secretly. ",
"According to what Adonoy tells me. If He advises me to go with people like you, I will go with you. Perhaps it is beneath His dignity to allow me to go, unless it is with higher ranking officials than you. ",
"Remained (lit. sat) The word denotes remaining. \n"
],
[
"Who are these men with you? He gave him the opportunity for error. He (Bil’am) said, “At times, not everything is revealed to Him. He is not omniscient. So I shall divine a time when I can curse without his understanding.” "
],
[
"Balak son of Tzipor, etc. Although I am not distinguished in Your eyes, I am distinguished in the eyes of kings. "
],
[
"Curse for me. This [קָבָה לִּי] is harsher than אָרָה לִּי, as it is specific and clear. ",
"And banish him. From the world. Balak only said, “I will banish them from the land,” I seek only to get them away from me. Bil’am hated them more than Balak. "
],
[
"Do not go with them. He (Bil’am) said to Him, “if so, I will curse them here.” He (God) said to him, “You shall not curse the people.” He (Bil’am) said to Him, “If so, I will bless them.” He (God) said to him, “They do not need your blessing.” For they are blessed. [This follows] the proverb: One says to the wasp, “Neither your honey nor your sting.” "
],
[
"To go with you. But with higher ranking officials than you. We learn that he was arrogant, and was unwilling to reveal that he was under God’s domination, except in insolent terms. Therefore, “Balak persisted. . .” \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"I will honor you greatly. More than you have received in the past, I will give you. "
],
[
"Silver and gold enough to fill his house. We learn that he was avaricious, and he coveted the money of others. He said, “He should rightfully give me all his gold and silver, since he would have to hire great armies, which may or may not succeed, whereas I will certainly succeed.” \n",
"I cannot transgress. He was forced to reveal that he was dominated by others. And he prophesied here that he would be unable to nullify the blesings which the patriarchs received by word of the Divine Presence."
],
[
"You also. His mouth ensnared him. You, too, will, in the end, leave in frustration, like the first ones. ",
"What more will [Adonoy tell me]. He will not alter his word from a blessing to a curse. Would that he does not add a blessing. Here, he prophesied that He (God) would bless them further through him (Bil’am). \n"
],
[
"If [the men have come] to call you. If the invitation is for you, any you expect remuneration, then rise and go with them. ",
"However. In spite of you, whatever I will say to you, you will do. Nevertheless, “Bil’am went.” He said, “perhaps I can convince him to agree.” \n"
],
[
"[He] saddled his donkey. From here [we derive] that hatred breeds impropriety — he saddled it himself. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, “Evil one, their patriarch Avrohom has already preceded you”! as it is said: “Avrohom rose early and saddled his donkey.” ",
"With the Moavite dignitaries. His heart (intent) was exactly the same as theirs."
],
[
"Because he went. He saw that the thing was evil in the Omnipresent’s eyes, and yet he craved to go. ",
"To thwart him. He was an angel of mercy, who wanted to prevent him from sinning, so that he would not sin and perish. ",
"Accompanied by his two attendants. From here we derive that when a distinguished person embarks on a journey, he should bring along two people to attend him, who will, in turn, attend to one another. "
],
[
"The donkey saw. But he [Bilam] did not see, for the Holy One, Blessed is He, granted an animal greater perception than a man, who, because of his intelligence, would become deranged from the perception of destructive spirits. \n",
"With his sword drawn in his hand. He said, ”This evil one abandoned the tools of his trade, for the weapon of the gentile nations is the sword, whereas he accosted them with his mouth, which is their calling. So I will take hold of his [tool], and accost him with his calling. This, too, is the way he came to his end — “and Bil’am the son of B’or, they killed with the sword.” "
],
[
"In a narrow path. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, בִּשְׁבִיל, “in the path.” Similarly, “If the dust of Shomron is sufficient for the paths . . .,” the dust which attaches itself to the soles of the feet when walking. Similarly, “Who measured the waters with his step”? with his feet, when walking. ",
"With a barrier at either side. Unless specified otherwise, גָּדֵר, refers to a barrier of stone. "
],
[
"She was pressed. She (the donkey), herself. \n",
"And pressed. Others — Bil’am’s foot."
],
[
"Adonoy’s angel passed further ahead. Passing further before him, proceeding to place himself before him in a different place, as in, “he passed before them.” There is a Midrash Aggadah in Tanchuma: Why did he see fit to stop in three places? He showed him the signs of the patriarchs. \n"
],
[],
[
"These three times (lit. legs). He hinted to him: “You seek to uproot a people which celebrates three pilgrimages a year?” \n"
],
[
"You ridiculed. This follows Targum [Onkelos]. The word denotes insult and humiliation.",
"Would that I had a sword in my hand. This matter was extremely disparaging for him in the eyes of the dignitaries. This man is en route to kill an entire nation verbally, yet, for this donkey, he requires weapons of war! "
],
[
"Was it ever my habit. This follows Targum [Onkelos]. Similarly, “does man benefit God by learning”? The Rabbis extrapolate this passage in the Talmud: They (the dignitaries) said to him, “Why are you not riding a horse”? He (Bil’am) said to them, ”I sent it out to pasture,” etc., as stated in Maseches Avodah Zarah. \n"
],
[],
[
"Because your way is contrary to me. Our Rabbis, the sages of the Mishnah, expound this as an acronym: “She was afraid [of me], she saw [me], and she turned, because the course is against me,” as if to say, “to arouse my vengefulness, and to anger me.” According to the plain interpretation, “because the course hurried against me.” The word [יָרַט] denotes hurrying. Because I saw that the traveler along the course (Bil’am) hastened and hurried on the course to anger and defy me. This is a shortened passage, similar to “Dovid longed.” Another interpretation: יָרַט denotes desire. Similarly, “through the wicked, He strives for my good will,” He attempts to appease and comfort me through the wicked, who only anger me. "
],
[
"Had she not turned aside. Like לוּלֵא, “if not.” Sometimes אוּלַי, (lit. “perhaps”) is used to connote לוּלֵא, “if not.” ",
"I would surely have killed you. This verse should be rearranged, to read “I would also have killed you.” As if to say, ”Not only would you have been restrained by me, but you also would have been killed.” ",
"And she, I would let live. But now, because she spoke and admonished you, and you were unable to withstand her admonishment as it is written, “He said, ‘No”’ — I killed her, so that it should not be said, “this is the one that drove away Bil’am with her admonishment, and he was unable to reply.” For the Omnipresent is solicitous with human dignity. Similarly, “you shall kill the woman and the animal.” Similarly, “kill the animal.” "
],
[
"Because I did not know. This, too, was disparaging, but he was forced to concede. He had boasted that he could divine the thoughts of Heaven, but his own mouth bore witness, “I did not know.” ",
"If it is wicked in your eyes, I shall return. This reply was an attack against the Omnipresent. He (Bil’am) said to him, “He Himself commanded me to go, yet you, an angel, are nullifying His words. This is customary with Him — He says something, and an angel withdraws it. He said to Avrohom, ‘please take your son, etc.’ then nullified His words through an angel. I, too, if it is wicked in your eyes, must return.” "
],
[
"Go with the men. A man is led along the path he wishes to follow.",
"Go with the men. Since your portion is with them — in the end you will perish from the earth. ",
"But. In spite of your wishes, “the word that I will speak.” ",
"With Balak’s dignitaries. He reveled in cursing them as much as they."
],
[
"Balak heard. He dispatched emissaries to inform him.",
"To the city of Moav. To his metropolis, his most prominent city, as if to say, “Look at what they are trying to uproot”! \n"
],
[
"Am I really incapable of honoring you? He prophesied that he would, in the end, depart from him in disgrace. \n"
],
[],
[
"Kiryas Chutzos The city filled with market places, with men, women, and children in its outer areas. As if to say, “observe, and take pity, so that they will not be uprooted.” "
],
[
"Cattle and sheep. A small amount — only one of the cattle, and one sheep. \n"
],
[
"Bamos Ba’al. As Targum [Onklos] renders, “To the heights of his deity.” [Ba’al is] the name of an idol. "
]
],
[
[],
[],
[
"Perhaps, Adonoy will appear to me. He does not usually speak with me by day. ",
"He went away alone. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, “alone.” The word denotes placidity and quiet, as nothing but silence accompanied him. "
],
[
"Chanced to appear. The word denotes a casual occurrence; it denotes disgrace; it denotes the uncleanness of seminal emission. As if to say, “reluctantly and in humiliation.” He appeared to him by day only in order to display the preciousness of Bnei Yisroel.’ ",
"The seven altars. “I have arranged seven altars” is not written here, but אֶת־שִׁבְעַת הַמִּזְבְּחֹת . He (Bil’am) said before Him: “Their patriarchs built seven altars before you, so I arranged [altars] to correspond with all of them. Avrohom built four: “He built an altar there to God, who had appeared to him.” “From there, he moved to the mountain, etc.,” “Avraham pitched his tent, etc.,” and one on Mount Moriah. Yitzchak built one: “He built an altar there, etc.” Ya’akov built two: One in Shechem, and one in Beis El. ",
"And I offered an ox and a ram on the altar. But Avraham only offered up a single ram. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Curse Yaakov for me; Go, invoke wrath against Yisroel. He instructed him to curse them with both names, in case one of them was not the principal one. "
],
[
"How can I curse, when God has not cursed. When they deserved to have been cursed, they were not cursed. When their father mentioned their sin, “For they killed a man in their rage,” he cursed only their rage, as it is said, “Cursed is their rage.” When their father entered deceitfully to his father, he deserved to have been cursed. What is said there? “Let him also be blessed.” Of those who were to declare blessings it is said, “these [tribes] shall stand to bless the people.” Of those who were to declare curses, is not said, “these shall stand to curse the people,” but “these shall stand at the curse” — He did not want to invoke the word “curse” against them. ",
"If Adonoy has not been angry. I have no power, except that I know how to pinpoint the moment when the Holy One, Blessed is He, is angry. But He was not angry during all those days that I came to you. This is why it is said, “My people, remember, now, what [Balak] advised, etc., and what Bil’am replied to him, etc., so that you may know God’s righteousness.” "
],
[
"For I view it from the mountain peaks (lit. head of the mountains). I gaze at their origins, the beginnings of their roots, and I perceive that they are well founded and powerful, like the mountains and the hills, because of the patriarchs and the matriarchs. ",
"Behold! A people which shall dwell alone. This was acquired for them by their forefathers — to dwell alone, as rendered by Targum [Onkelos]. ",
"And will not be reckoned among the nations. As Targum [Onkelos] explains, they will not be annihilated with the other nations, as it is said, “for I shall annihilate all the nations, etc.” They will not be reckoned with the rest. Another interpretation: When they rejoice, no nation rejoices with them, as it is said, “God shall give them repose alone.” But when the nations prosper, they partake with each of them, without debiting the balance of their account. This is [the meaning of] “and will not be reckoned among the nations.” "
],
[
"Who can count the dust of Yaakov. As Targum [Onkelos] interprets, “the children of the house of Yaakov, etc., . . . of the four camps” — of the four banners. Another interpretation [of] the dust of Yaakov, One cannot reckon the commandments which they perform with dust. “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey,” “do not plant kilayim,” the dust of the [red] cow, the dust of the sotah, and similar ones. ",
"Or count the seed of Yisroel. The seed which emanates during their intercourse.",
"May my soul die the death of the righteous. Among them."
],
[],
[],
[
"Curse them for me. The word denotes a command: “Curse them for me.”"
],
[
"Field of Tzofim. This was an elevated area where a lookout was stationed to watch for forces which might approach the city.",
"To the peak of the mountain. Bil’am was not as great a sorcerer as Balak. Balak divined that Bnei Yisroel would suffer a severe breach there, for Moshe died there. He thought that the curse would descend upon them from there, that this is the breach that I divine. \n"
],
[
"I will be called here by chance. By the Holy One, blessed is He. I will be called by chance. This denotes the reflexive usage."
],
[
"And placed the word in his mouth. What is this placing, and what would Scripture have been lacking if it had said, “return to Balak and say the following”? But when he heard that he was not permitted to curse, he said, “Why should I return to Balak merely to bring him grief”? So the Holy One, Blessed is He, placed a rein and a bit in his mouth, like a man who equips his animal with a bit to lead it wherever he wishes. He said to him, “You will be forced to return to Balak.” \n"
],
[
"Accompanied by the Moavite dignitaries. Above it states “and all the Moavite dignitaries.” When they saw that it was hopeless, some departed, leaving only some others. ",
"What did Adonoy say? This denotes derision, as if to say, “you are not your own master.” "
],
[
"Arise, Balak. When he saw that he was ridiculing him, he intended to irritate him. “Stand on your feet! You are not permitted to remain seated while I serve as the Omnipresent’s emissary to you.” ",
"Son of (lit. his son) Tzipor. This is a Scriptural usage, like “beasts (lit. his beasts) of the forest,” “beasts (lit. his beasts) of the earth,” “into a spring (lit. his spring) of water.” "
],
[
"God is not like man, etc. He has already sworn to them to bring them and give them possession of the land of the seven nations, and you think that you can kill them in the wilderness? ",
"Would He say, etc. The word denotes a question. Targum [Onkelos] translates “who retract and reconsider” — they retract, then reconsider whether to change their minds. "
],
[
"Behold I was commanded to bless. You ask me, “what has God said”? I have received [instructions] from Him to bless them. [Bless. Similar “to bless.”]",
"[When] He has blessed, I cannot reverse it. He has blessed them, and I will not reverse his blessing. ",
"He has blessed. As if it were וּבִרֵךְ . This is how the letter ר is conjugated, like אוֹיֵב חֵרֵף, as if it were חִרֵף . Similarly, וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ One who lauds and blesses the thief, saying “have no fear, you will not be punished, you will be at peace,” angers the Holy One, Blessed is He. But one cannot say that בֵּרֵךְ is a noun, for if so, it would be vocalized with a minor patach [segol, בֶּרֶךְ], with the accent above. However, because it connotes action, it is vocalized with a minor komatz [tzayreh, בֵּרֵךְ], with the accent below. "
],
[
"One does not see evildoers in Yaakov. As Targum [Onkelos] renders. Another interpretation: By following its plain meaning, it may be expounded beautifully. The Holy One, Blessed is He, does not look at the evil in Yaakov. When they transgress His commandments, He does not pursue them exactingly by reflecting on the wickedness and wrongdoing of their violation of His doctrines. ",
"",
"Transgression. The word [עמל, (lit. tediousness)] denotes sin, as in “sin conceives,” “for you observe sinful and infuriating behaviour.” Because sinfulness is tedious before the Omnipresent. ",
"Adonoy, his God, is with him. Even when they anger Him and are rebellious, He does not leave them. ",
"He has the King’s friendship. The word denotes affection and friendship, like “David’s comrade” — one who loves David, “and he gave it to his fellow.” Similarly, Onkelos renders “the King’s Presence is among them.” "
],
[
"God Who has brought them out of Egypt. You said, “behold, a nation came out of Egypt” — they did not leave by themselves, God delivered them. ",
"Has shown His great strength to them. Like the power of His loftiness and elevation. Similarly, “and silver [shall be your] strength.” It denotes strength. Now I say that the word [תּוֹעֲפֹת] is from וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף. (“and let birds fly,”) someone who flies to a lofty elevation — this is a great application of power. וְתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם, lofty flight. Another interpretation [of] תוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם, “the power of the re’emim.” The Rabbis explain that this refers to the demons and evil spirits. "
],
[
"For there is no sorcery in Yaakov. For they deserve to be blessed, since there are no sorcerers or magicians among them. \n",
"In due time, it will be said to Yaakov, etc. There is destined to be another time such as this, when their preciousness will be revealed before everyone’s eyes, for they will be seated before Him studying the Torah from His mouth, and their partition will be further within, than the administering angels, who will ask them, “What has God done”? This is [the meaning of] what is said, “your eyes shall behold your master.” Another interpretation: יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב does not refer to the future, but to the present. They have no need for magicians and sorcerers, for at any time when it is necessary that Yaakov and Yisroel be told what the Holy One, Blessed is He, has done, and what He has decreed on high, they do not perform magic or sorcery. Rather, they are told through their prophets what the Omnipresent’s decree is, or, the Urim and Tummim informs them. Onkelos, however, does not interpret this way. \n"
],
[
"Behold, a people that rises like a young lion, etc. When they rise from their slumber in the morning, they are as vigorous as the young lion and the lion, to snatch the mitzvos wearing a Tallis, reading the Shema, and putting on the Tefillin. ",
"He does not lie down. At night on his bed until he consumes and destroys every harmful spirit which comes to attack him. How is this? He reads the bedtime Shema, and entrusts his soul in the hand of the Omnipresent. If a corps or army comes to attack them, the Holy One, Blessed is He, protects them — and fights their battles, and strikes them (the attackers) dead. Another interpretation of “behold, a people rises like a lion, etc.,” is as Targum [Onkelos] renders. ",
"And drinks the blood of its kill. He prophesied that Moshe would not die until he would strike the Midianite kings dead, and he (Bil’am) would be killed with them, as it is said, “and Bil’am the son of Beor, the sorcerer, the Bnei Yisroel killed by the sword, with the others whom they killed.” "
],
[
"Also do not curse them. The first “also” is added to the second “also,” and the second “also” to the first “also.” Similarly, “also to me, also to you, let him not be.” Similarly, “also the youth, also the virgin.” \n"
],
[],
[
"And you will curse them for me. This is not a command, like “curse them,” but the future tense. “Perhaps it will be proper in His eyes, and you will curse them for me, from there.” “Malduras lui” (you will curse them), in Old French. "
],
[
"To the peak of Pe’or. Balak was a great sorcerer, and he saw that they were destined to be smitten through Pe’or, but he didn’t know in what way. He said, “Perhaps the curse will descend on them from there.” It is similar with all the star gazers — they see, but do not know what they see. \n"
]
],
[
[
"Bil’am saw that it was favorable, etc. He said, “it is no longer necessary for me to test the Holy One, Blessed is He, for He will never want to curse them. ",
"He did not approach, as at each time. As he had done twice. ",
"Towards sorcery. To divine whether God would perhaps chance to appear to him as he wished. He said, “Whether or not He wants to curse them, I will mention their sins, so that the curse will descend with the mention of their sins.” ",
"He set his face toward the wilderness. As Targum [Onkelos] renders. \n"
],
[
"Bil’am raised his eyes. He strove to induce the evil eye in them. Here you have his three characteristics, the evil eye, false vanity, and greed, as stated above. ",
"Encamped according to its tribes. He saw each tribe dwelling by itself, without mingling. He saw that their entrances did not face each other, so that one should not look into his neighbor’s tent. ",
"And the spirit of God rested upon him. It occurred to him not to curse them. \n"
],
[
"The son of (lit. his son was) Be’or. Like לְמַעְיְנוֹ מָיִם, “into a spring of water.” According to Midrash Aggadah: Both were greater than their forefathers; “Balak, his son Tzipor” — his father was his son in royalty, and Bil’am was greater than his father in prophecy, he was a coin, the son of half a coin. ",
"Of the open-socketed eye. His eye had been put out and removed, and its socket appeared open. The word [שְׁתֻם] is in the Mishnah; ”enough for it to have been opened, sealed, and dried.” The Rabbis remark, because he said, “He counts the seed of Yisroel” — that the Holy One, Blessed is He, sits and counts the seed of the Israelites, awaiting the drop from which a saint will be born, he thought, “the One who is Holy, and whose ministering angels are holy, looks at these things”? For this, Bil’am’s eye was blinded. However, some interpret שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן as “of the open eye,” as Targum [Onkelos] renders. And since he said “of the open eye,” but did not say “of the open eyes,” we learn that he was blind in one of his eyes. "
],
[
"Fallen, with opened eyes. The plain interpretation is like Targum [Onkelos], that He (God) did not reveal Himself to him except at night, when he was lying down. According to Midrash, when He revealed Himself to him, he did not have the strength to stand on his feet, but fell to his face, because he was uncircumcised, and it was disgusting to be revealed to him when he stood upright before Him. "
],
[
"How goodly are your tents. Because he saw that their entrances were not facing each other.",
"Your dwelling places. Your camps, as Targum [Onkelos] renders. Another interpretation of how goodly are your tents: How goodly is the tent of Shiloh and the Eternal Temple when they are inhabited, for sacrifices are offered in them to bring you forgiveness. ",
"Your dwelling places. Even when they are desolate, since they are held as security for you, and their desolation brings atonement for your souls, as it is said, “Adonoy expended his fury” — and how did He expend it? “He ignited a fire in Tziyon.” "
],
[
"They stretch forth like streams. Which extend and flow, stretching across the distance. The Rabbis remark, ‘from that wicked one’s blessings, we learn how he intended to curse them, when he decided to set his face towards the wilderness. When the Omnipresent overturned [the words of] his mouth, his blessings corresponded with his intended curses, etc.,’ as stated in “Chelek.” ",
"Like the aloe trees. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, meaning the same as “myrrh and aloes.” ",
"That Adonoy has planted. In the garden of Eden. Another interpretation of כַּאֲהָלִים נָטַע ה', like the heavens stretched taut like a tent [as it is said, “He stretched them taut like a tent to be dwelt in”]. ",
"That Adonoy has planted, The expression נְטִיעָה is found with relation to tents, as it is said, “he stretched taut his palatial tents.” \n"
],
[
"From his buckets. From his wells. The explanation is as Targum [Onkelos] interprets.",
"And his seed will have an abundant flow. This denotes success, like a seed planted near water. ",
"His king will be greater than Agag. Their first king shall conquer Agag, king of Amalek. ",
"And his monarchy shall be uplifted. Yaakov’s [monarchy] more and more, as he (Shaul) shall be followed by Dovid and Shlomo. "
],
[
"God Who has brought him out of Egypt. Who gave them this eminence? God, who delivered them from Egypt with his power and exaltedness, shall consume the nations who oppress him. ",
"Their bones. Of the oppressors.",
"He shall crush. Menachem interprets this as denoting breaking. Similarly, “[wolves in the evening] who did not break any bones in the morning.” Similarly, “you shall crush its earthen vessels.” I say that the meaning is “bone.” He strips the surrounding flesh with his teeth, and the marrow from inside, leaving the bone exposed. ",
"And dip His arrows [in their blood]. Onkelos interprets “the oppressors’ half,” their portion, like בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים, [translated as] מָרֵי פַלְגּוּתָא (meaning portion, or half), יִמְחָץ is similar, meaning the same as “she split [his skull], passing through his forehead” — they shall apportion their land. Also, this may be interpreted as actually denoting arrows. The arrows of the Holy One, Blessed is He, will יִמְחַץ in the blood of the oppressors, He shall dip and stain with their blood, as in, “that your foot may wade through blood” This is not a departure from the connotation of “wound,” as in “I have wounded,” since someone stained with blood appears to have been injured and wounded. \n"
],
[
"He crouches and lies like a lion. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, they will settle in their land with strength and power. "
],
[
"[He] clapped his hands. He struck one against the other."
],
[],
[],
[
"Transgress the word of Adonoy. Here “my” God is not stated, as it was originally, for he knew that he was loathed by the Holy One, Blessed is He, and that he had been repudiated. \n"
],
[
"Am returning to my people. I am now like the rest of my people — the Holy One, Blessed is He, had forsaken him. ",
"Come, I will advise you. Concerning the action you should take. What was the advice? The God of these people hates promiscuity, etc., as stated in “Chelek.” The proof that Bil’am instigated his advice so that they would be ensnared into immorality is from Scripture’s declaration, “they were involved with the Israelites through Bil’am’s advice.” ",
"What this people will do to your people. This is a shortened passage; I will advise you about ensnaring them, and I will tell you how they are destined to destroy Moav at the end of days — “and smash the great men of Moav.” Targum [Onkelos] explains where the Hebrew falls short. "
],
[],
[
"And knows the thoughts of the Most Exalted. To pinpoint the moment of His anger."
],
[
"I see it. I see the praise and greatness of Yaakov. Not, however, now, but at a later time. ",
"A star has gone forth. As Targum [Onkelos] interprets. דָּרַךְ means the same as דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ, “He hurled with His bow,” as a star travels like an arrow. In Old French, “destente” (“hurl”). As if to say, “a constellation shall rise.” ",
"A staff has arisen. A king who subdues and rules.",
"Smash the corners of Moav. This refers to David, of whom it is said, “he laid them on the ground and measured two strings to kill, etc.” ",
"And impale. The meaning is to penetrate, like, “I have excavated,” “the pit ax which quarried you” “let the ravens of the river gouge it.” “Forjier” (“pierce”), in Old French. ",
"All of the sons of Sheis. All the nations, since they were all descended from Sheis, the son of Adam. "
],
[
"Seir shall become the possession of his enemies. His enemies, the Bnei Yisroel. "
],
[
"A ruler shall come from Yaakov. Yet another ruler shall come from Yaakov.",
"Who will annihilate the survivors of the city. Of the most prominent city of Edom, Rome. He said this concerning King Mashiach, of whom it is said, “he shall rule from sea to sea,” “there will be no survivors of the house of Eisav.” "
],
[
"[Bil’am] Saw Amalek. He gazed at Amalek’s punishment.",
"Amalek was the first among nations. He preceded them all in waging war against Israel. This, too, is Targum’s [Onkelos] interpretation. And his end. Will be to perish by their hand, as it is said, “you shall obliterate the memory of Amalek.” "
],
[
"He saw the Keinite. Because the Keinite was encamped near Amalek, as in the incident of which it is said, “Shaul said to the Keinite, etc.,” he mentioned him after Amalek. He gazed at the greatness of Yisro’s descendants, of whom it is said, ”Tirasites, Shimasites, Sochasites.” ",
"How powerful is your dwelling place. I wonder how you merited this. Were you not with me in counseling “come, let us deal shrewdly with them”? Yet now you have settled yourself in the power and strength of Israel. "
],
[
"For, if Kayin is to be uprooted, etc. How fortunate you are to be encamped in this stronghold, so that you will no longer be driven from the world. For, even if you are destined to be exiled with the ten tribes, and will be uprooted from the place where you settled, what of it? ",
"Until where (lit. what) will Ashur take you captive. Until where will he exile you? Perhaps to Chalach and Chavor? This is not considered being driven from the world, but being shifted from place to place, and you shall return with the other exiles. "
],
[
"He set forth his parable, etc. Since he mentioned the captivity by Ashur, he said: Alas! who can survive from God’s devastation Who is capable of self-survival against His putting these — so that He shall not put them [into effect] against him — He who decrees (God) — these? Sancheriv shall arise and commingle all the nations. Furthermore, Warships will come from Kittim — Kitites, meaning Romans, shall go forth in great ships against Ashur. "
],
[
"",
"And cause suffering to those at the other side. Shall cause suffering for those at the other side of the river.",
"They, too, shall be lost for eternity. Similarly, Doniel explains, “until the animal was killed, and its body destroyed.” ",
"Warships. Great ships, as it is written, וְצִי אַדִּיר, rendered by Targum as “great ships.” "
]
],
[
[
"In Shittim. This was its name. \n",
"Acting promiscuously with the daughters of Moav. As a result of Bil’am’s advice, as stated in “Chelek.” "
],
[
"And prostrated themselves before their gods. When he was overcome by lust, and asked her to submit to him, she drew a statue of Pe’or from her bosom toward him and said, ‘Prostrate yourself before this’! "
],
[
"Pe’or. Because they bared, their buttocks before it and relieved themselves — this is the way it was worshipped. \n",
"The rage of Adonoy flared against Yisroel. He sent a plague on them."
],
[
"Take all the leaders of the people. To pass judgement on those who worshipped Pe’or.",
"And hang them. The worshippers.",
" וְהוֹקַע . This refers to hanging, as we find concerning the sons of Shaul, “and let us hang them for [the sake of] God.” and there, hanging is specified, idolatry is [punished] with stoning, and all those stoned are hung. ",
"Facing the sun. In full public view. Midrash Aggadah: The sun identifies the sinners. The cloud rolls back from the area above him, and the sun shines on him. "
],
[
"Each of you must execute his men. Each of the Israelite judges executed two men, and there were eighty eight thousand Israelite judges, as stated in Sanhedrin. "
],
[
"Behold, a man came from among Bnei Yisroel. The tribe of Shimon gathered around Zimri, who was their leader, and said to him, “We are being sentenced to death, and you sit by, etc.,” as stated in “Eilu Hein Hanisrafin.” ",
"The Midianite woman. Kozbi, daughter of Tzur. ",
"Before the eyes of Moshe. They said to him, “Moshe, is she forbidden or permitted? If you say ‘forbidden,’ who permitted the daughter of Yisro to you? etc.” as stated there. ",
"Who were weeping. The halachah was concealed from him [that anyone having relations with a gentile woman is to be executed by the zealous], so they all burst into tears. At the golden calf, Moshe stood against six hundred thousand, as it is said, “he ground it into powder, etc.,” yet here he was enfeebled? But this was in order that Pinchas might come and take what was appropriately his. "
],
[
"Pinchas. . .saw. He saw the incident and remembered the halachah. He said to Moshe, “I received from you [the teaching] that anyone having relations with a gentile woman is to be executed by the zealous.” He replied to him, “Let the one who reads the correspondence serve as its executor.” Instantly, “he took a spear in his hand, etc.” "
],
[
" אֶל הַקֻבָּה . Into the tent.",
"Through her belly. As in “the jaws and the uterus.” He struck precisely at Zimri’s male organ and her female organ, so everyone saw that he did not kill them needlessly. Many miracles were performed for him, etc., as stated there. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Pinchas the son of Elozor, the son of Aharon the kohein. Because the tri es disparaged him, [saying] ‘Have you seen that son of “Puti,” whose mother’s father fattened calves for idol worship, and who murdered the chieftain of a tribe of Israel?’ Therefore, Scripture traces his lineage to Aharon. \n",
"By his vengeance for Me. By avenging My vengeance — by his rage where I should have been enraged. קִנְאָה always denotes someone enflamed to avenge something. Enportment, “flaming anger,” in Old French. "
],
[
"My covenant [of] peace. To be a covenant of peace for him like a man who harbors gratitude and favor towards someone who benefitted him. Here, too, the Holy One, Blessed is He, expressed to him His peace. \n"
],
[
"It shall be. To him — this covenant of Mine.",
"A covenant of eternal kehunah. Although the kehunah had already been given to Aharon’s descendants, it was given solely to Aharon and his sons who were annointed with him, and to their generations who would be borne after their annointment. Pinchas, however, who was born before, and was not annointed, was not included in the kehunah until here. Similarly, we learned in Zevachim, ‘Pinchas was not rendered a kohein until he killed Zimri.’ ",
"For his God. For the sake of his God, like הַמְקַנֵּא אַתָּה לִי, “are you zealous ‘for’ me?” and קִנֵּאתִי לְצִיּוֹן, “for the sake of Tzion.” \n"
],
[
"The name of the Israelite man, etc. Where he mentions the relationship of the saint for praise he mentions the relationship of the wicked for shame. ",
"Leader of a paternal house of Shimon. Of one of the five paternal houses of the tribe of Shimon. Another interpretation: To proclaim the merit of Pinchas. Although this one was a leader, he did not refrain from avenging the desecration of the Name [of God]. This is why Scripture informs you of the identity of the one who was killed. \n"
],
[
"The name of the slain woman, etc. To inform you of the hatred of the Midianites, who abandoned a princess to promiscuous behavior in order to entice the Israelites into sinning. \n",
"The national leader. One of the five kings of Midian, “Evi, Rekem, Tzur, etc.” He was the most prominent of all of them, as it is said, “the national leader,” but because he debased himself by abandoning his daughter, he is counted third. ",
"Of a paternal house. There were five paternal houses in Midian, Eiphah, Eipher, Chanoch, Avidah, and Eldoah. This one was the king of one them. "
],
[],
[
"Antagonize. Like זָכוֹר, “remember,” שָׁמוֹר,”keep,” meaning ongoing action. It is incumbent upon you to act with hostility toward them. "
],
[
"For they antagonized you, etc., in the matter of Pe’or. Since they abandoned their daughters to promiscuity in order to cause you to stray after Pe’or. However, He did not order the destruction of Moav, Because of Rus [Ruth], who was destined to emanate from them, as we state in Bava Kama. \n"
]
],
[
[
"It was after the plague, etc. This is compared to a shepherd whose flock was infiltrated by wolves, who killed some of them. He counted them, to ascertain the number of those remaining. Another interpretation: When they left Egypt and were entrusted to Moshe, they were given to him with a reckoning; now that he neared death, and the return of his sheep, he returned them with a reckoning. \n"
],
[
"According to their paternal house. Their relationship follows the paternal tribe, rather than the maternal. "
],
[
"Moshe and Elozor the kohein spoke with them. They spoke with them concerning this — that the Omnipresent had commanded to count them.",
"Saying. They said to them, ”You must be counted.” "
],
[
"[Count those] twenty years of age and above, as [Adonoy] commanded, etc. That they be counted from the age of twenty and above, as it is said, “everyone passing by to be counted, etc.” \n"
],
[
"The Chanochite family. Because the gentiles disparaged them, saying, ‘what, they trace their lineage to their tribes? They think that the Egyptians had no control over their mothers? If they ruled over their bodies, then certainly over their wives!’ Therefore, the Holy One, Blessed is He, attached His Name to them, the ה' on one side, and the י' on the other, to say, ‘I bear witness, concerning them, that they are the sons of their fathers.’ This is stated clearly by Dovid, “the tribes of God as a testimony to Israel.” This Name testifies for them concerning their tribes. Therefore, Scripture states, with all of them, הַחֲנוֹכִי, “the Chanochite,” הַפַּלּוּאִי, “the Paluite.” But with יִמְנָה, it was unnecessary to say מִשְׁפַּחַת הַיִּמְנִי, “the Yimnite family,” since the Name is fixed in it, the י' at the beginning and the ה' at the end. "
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Who incited Israel against Moshe.",
"When they incited. The people against God.",
"Incited. They misled the Israelites into quarreling with Moshe. This is the causative form."
],
[
"They became a symbol. A symbol and a reminder, so that no outsider would ever again come forward to dispute the kehunah. "
],
[
"But the sons of Korach did not die. They were involved in the conspiracy at first, but during the dispute, they repented in their hearts. Therefore, an elevated area was secured for them in gehinom, where they remained. "
],
[],
[
"From Zerach. This was Tzochar, meaning the same as “Tzohar,” illumination. However, the family of Ohad became extinct. Also, five [families] of the tribe of Binyamin, as he had descended to Egypt with ten sons, yet here only five are counted. Also, Etzbon, of Gad — so there are seven families. I found, in the Talmud Yerushalmi, that when Aharon died the clouds of glory departed, and the Canaanites came to wage war against Israel. They (Bnei Yisroel) resolved to return to Egypt, and went back eight journeys, from Mount Hor to Moserah, as it is said, “Bnei Yisroel journeyed from Be’eros Bnei Yaakon to Moserah, where Aharon died.” Now did he not die at Mount Hor? And from Moserah to Mount Hor there are eight journeys going back. But, they returned, and the Levites pursued them to bring them back, killing seven of their families. And four Levite families fell; The families of Shim’i and Uzieli. Of the sons of Yitzhar, none are counted here, except for the Korachite family. I do not know the identity of the fourth. R’ Tanchuma expounded, that they died in the plague at the affair of Bil’am — however, according to the loss suffered by the tribe of Shimon in this counting, as compared with the first counting at the Sinai desert, it appears that all twenty four thousand fell from the tribe of Shimon. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"From Ozni. I say that this was the family of Etzbon, but I do not know why his family was not called by his name. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"From Yashuv. This is Yov, mentioned among those who went down to Egypt, as all of the families were called by the names of those who went down to Egypt. As for those who were born afterward, none of the families were called by their names, except for the families of Efrayim and Menashe, all of whom were born in Egypt, and Ard and Na’aman, the sons of Bela, the son of Binyamin. I found, in the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan, that their mother went down to Egypt when she was pregnant with them, and they were, therefore, divided into separate families, like Chetzron and Chamul, who were Yehudah’s grandsons, and Chever and Malkiel, who were Asher’s grandsons. If this is from the Aggadah, fine, but if not, then I say that Bela had a great many grandchildren, and from those two, Ard and Na’aman, respectively, large families emanated. The descendants of the other children were called by Bela’s name, while the descendants of those two were called by their names. I say the same about the sons of Machir, who were divided into two families, one called by his name, and one called by the name of his son, Gil’ad. Five families are missing from the sons of Binyamin. Here, his mother’s prophecy was partially fulfilled — she called him בֶּן אוֹנִי, “son of my sorrow.” With the concubine of Givah, it was completely fulfilled. I found this in the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"These are the sons of Shuselach, etc. The descendants of the other sons of Shuselach were called by the name Shuselach, but from Eiran a large family emanated, so it was called by his name. Thus, the sons of Shuselach were considered two families. Go and calculate, and you will discover, in this chapter, fifty seven families, and eight from the sons of Levi — hence, sixty five. This is [the meaning of] what is said, כִּי אַתֶּם \"הַמְעַט\" וְגוֹ', “for you are the least, etc. “ הֵ\"א מְעַט, “five less.” You are five less than all the gentile families, as they are seventy. This, too, I understood from the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan, but I had to subtract and add to his words. \n"
],
[],
[
"From Achiram. This is Eichi, who went down to Egypt. Because he was named to commemorate Yoseif, who was his brother and was exalted over him, he was called Achiram. "
],
[
"From Shfufam. This is Mupim, to commemorate Yosef’s being humbled among the nations. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"From Shucham. This is Chushim."
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The name of Asher’s daughter was Serach. Because she remained alive, he counted her here. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The land shall be apportioned among these. But not among those below the age of twenty, even if they reach twenty before the apportioning of the land. Indeed, the conquest lasted seven years, and the apportioning seven, yet no one received a portion in the land except for these six hundred and one thousand. If one of them had six sons, they received nothing but their father’s portion. "
],
[
"To the large [tribe], increase their inheritance. To the tribe with the greater populace, they gave a larger portion. Although the portions were unequal, as everything was assigned according to the size of the tribe, they implemented the apportioning solely by lots, and the lottery was inspired by the Sacred Spirit, as stated explicitly in Bava Basra. Elozor the kohein was clothed in the Urim veTumim, and said, with the Sacred Spirit, “If tribe so-and-so is drawn, then border so-and-so will be drawn with it.” The [names of the] tribes were written on twelve notes, and the twelve boundaries on twelve notes. They were mixed into a container, and the leader placed his hand into it and removed two notes. There appeared, in his hand, the note with the name of his tribe, and the note with the boundary specified for it. The lot itself would cry out, exclaiming, “I am the lot drawn for the so-and-so boundary, belonging to tribe so-and-so,” as it is said, “by word of the lottery.” The land was not apportioned dimensionally, since some boundaries were superior to others, but by assessed value. A poor Kor area was equivalent to a superior Seah area, all according to the value [of the soil.] \n"
],
[
"According to the names of their fathers’ tribes. This refers to those who left Egypt. Scripture deviates, with this inheritance, from all the others in the Torah. With every inheritance, the living inherit the dead, but here, the dead inherit the living. How is this? Two brothers among those who left Egypt had sons who entered the land, one had one son, the other, three. The single son received one portion, the three, three portions, as it is said, “the land shall be apportioned to these.” Their inheritance reverted to their grandfather, and they then shared everything equally. This is [the meaning of] what is said, “according to the names of their fathers’ tribes, they shall inherit” — after the sons received it, they reapportioned it according to the fathers who left Egypt. But if they had apportioned it originally among those numbered in the exodus from Egypt, the four would have received only two portions, whereas they now received four portions. ",
"Only by lot. This excludes Yehoshua and Kalev. And similarly it says, “they presented Kalev with Chevron, as Moshe had said.” And it says, “by the word of God they gave him the city which he requested.” ",
"Of their fathers’ tribes. This excludes proselytes and [gentile] slaves."
],
[
"By word of the lottery. The lots spoke, as I explained above. This informs us that it was apportioned by the inspiration of the Sacred Spirit. This is why it is said, “By the word of God.” "
],
[],
[
"These are the families of Levi. There are missing, here, the families of Shim’i and Ozieili, and part of Yitzhari. \n"
],
[
"Whom [her mother] bore to Levi in Egypt. Her birth was in Egypt, but she was not conceived in Egypt. As they were entering the wall, she bore her, and she completed the total of seventy. For, in enumeration, you will only find sixty-nine. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"They were not counted among Bnei Yisroel. To have been counted from the age of twenty. What’s the reason? Since no inheritance was given to them. Whereas those who were counted from the age of twenty were qualified to receive the inheritance, as it is said, “each person, according to his number, shall be given his inheritance.” \n"
],
[],
[
"Among this [census] there was no man, etc. However, against the women, the decree of the spies was not issued, since they cherished the land. The men said, “let us appoint a leader and we will return to Egypt”! while the women said, “give us possession”! This is why the chapter of the daughters of Tzelofchad is adjacent here. \n"
]
],
[
[
"Of the families of Menashe the son of Yoseif. Why is this said? Has it not already said “the son of Menashe”? But it teaches you: Yoseif cherished the land, as it is said: “You must carry up my bones up, etc.,” and his daughters cherished the land, as it is said: “Give us possession,”! And to teach you, that they were all righteous. For where someone’s deeds, and the deeds of his forefathers, are not defined, and Scripture specifically relates one of them to a virtuous ancestor, then this is a righteous person, the son of a righteous person. If he is related disparagingly, as, for example, “Yishmael, the son of Nesanyah, the son of Elishama,” then it is known that everyone mentioned with him was villainous. ",
"Machlah, No’ah, etc. Below it says, “Machlah and Sirtzah were. . .” This teaches that they were all equal — the order was, therefore, changed. "
],
[
"Before Moshe and before Elozor. This teaches that they only stood before them in the fortieth year, after Aharon had died. ",
"Before Moshe. And afterward before Elozor? Is it possible that Moshe did not know and that Elozor did know? But, rearrange the passage and expound upon it. This is R’ Yoshiyah’s interpretation. Aba Chanan said in the name of R’ Elozor: “They were seated in the study hall, and they stood before all of them.” "
],
[
"But he was not, etc. Since they were going to say that he died because of his sin, they needed to say, ‘not the sin of the complainers, nor with Korach's assembly, who incited [the people] against the Holy One, Blessed is He — was he. Rather, he died by his sin alone, without provoking others to sin with him.’ R’ Akiva said, ”He was the wood gatherer,” R’ Shimon said, “He was among those who ascended defiantly.” "
],
[
"Why should the name of our father be omitted. We are substitutes for a son. And if females are not considered issue, then let our mother perform levirate marriage with her brother-in-law. ",
"Because he did not have a son. But if he had a son, they would not have entered a claim. This teaches that they were learned. "
],
[
"Moshe brought their case. The halachah was concealed from him. Here he was punished for assuming the crown by saying, “Matters too difficult for you, you may bring before me.” Another interpretation: It was fitting that this chapter be written through Moshe, but the daughters of Tzelofchad were meritorious, and it was written through them. \n"
],
[],
[
"Tzelofchad’s daughters speak justly. As Targum renders, יָאוּת, “correctly.” This chapter is just so inscribed before Me on high. This teaches that their eye discerned what Moshe’s did not. ",
"Tzelofchad’s daughters speak justly. Their claim was proper. Fortunate is the person with whom the Holy One, Blessed is He, concurs with his words. ",
"Give [lit. Give, you shall give]. Two portions. The portion of their father, who was among those who left Egypt, and his portion with his brothers, in the property of Cheifer. ",
"Transfer. The word הַעֲבַרְתָּ denotes transference (anger), when someone does not leave a son to inherit him. Another interpretation: Because a daughter transfers the inheritance from tribe to tribe, as her son or husband inherit her. The prohibition against transferring an inheritance was placed only on that generation. Similarly, “his hereditary property shall be transferred to his daughter.” With all of them, it says “give,” but with the daughter, it says “transfer.” "
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The the relative closest to him in his family. Nothing constitutes family except from the father’s side. \n"
],
[
"Go up this Avarim Mountain. Why is this placed here? When the Holy One, Blessed is He, said [to Moshe], “give them. . .,” he said, ‘God commanded me to give them the hereditary property. Perhaps the decree was abrogated, and I may enter the land.’ The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, “My decree remains in place.” Another interpretation: When Moshe entered the inheritance given to the sons of Gad and Reuven, he rejoiced, and said, ‘It seems that the vow regarding me was abrogated.’ This is comparable to a king who decreed that his son could not enter the doorway to his palace. He [the King] entered the gateway, and he [the son] followed, [he entered] the courtyard, and he followed, [he entered] the anteroom, and he followed. When he was about to enter the chamber, he [the king] said to him, ‘My son, from here and onward, you are forbidden to enter.’ \n"
],
[
"As your brother Aharon was gathered. From here we derive that Moshe yearned for a death such as Aharon’s. Another interpretation: You are no better than he. “Because you did not sanctify. . .” But if you had sanctified Me, your time would not yet have arrived, for passing from the world. Wherever their death is mentioned, their iniquity is mentioned, because it was decreed that the generation of the wilderness would die in the wilderness, for their sin of not having faith. Moshe, therefore, requested that his iniquity be mentioned, so that it would not be said that he, too, was among those who rebelled. This is comparable to two women who were punished by the court, one for degenerate behavior, the other for eating unripened Shmittah produce, etc. Here, too, wherever their death is mentioned, their iniquity is mentioned, to make it known that there was nothing [sinful] about them but this. "
],
[
"Those were the waters of dispute at Kadeish. Those alone — they had no other sins. Another interpretation: Those of the rebellion at Marah were the same as those of the rebellion at the Reed Sea, and the very same as those of the rebellion at the desert of Tzin. \n"
],
[
"Moshe spoke to Adonoy, etc. To make the virtue of the righteous known — when they pass from the world, they ignore their own needs, and concern themselves with the needs of the community. ",
"Saying. He said to Him, ‘answer me. Will You appoint a leader over them or not.’ "
],
[
"Let Adonoy . . . appoint. When Moshe heard the Omnipresent say to him, ‘give Tzelofchad’s inheritance to his daughters,’ he said, ‘The time has come for me to ask for a personal request — that my sons may inherit my position of leadership.’ The Holy One, Blessed is He said to him, ‘That is not My intention. Yehoshua is worthy of being rewarded for his service, as he never moved from the tent. This is [the meaning of] Shlomo’s statement, “he who keeps watch over the fig tree shall eat its fruit.” ",
"God of the spirits. Why was this said? He said before Him: “Master of the universe, the thought of every individual is known before you, each dissimilar to the other’s. Appoint a leader over them who will exercise forbearance with each of them according to his intellect.” "
],
[
"Who will go forth before them. Unlike the approach of the gentile kings, who stay at home and dispatch their armies to war. Rather, as I did, when I battled Sichon and Og, as it is said, “do not fear him,” and the way Yehoshua acted, as it is said, “Yehoshua went to him and said to him, ‘are you ours, etc.”’ Similarly, with David, it says, “for he goes forth and comes before them.” He goes forth at their head, and enters at their head. ",
"Who will lead them out. With his merit.",
"And bring them in. With his merit. Another interpretation of “and bring them in”: That You will not treat him the way You treat me — for I will not bring them into the land."
],
[
"Take to yourself. Take him with words of persuasion — you are fortunate to merit leading the children of the Omnipresent.",
"Yourself. Someone scrutinized by you, one whom you recognize. \n",
"In whom there is spirit. As you requested, capable of accommodating everyone’s spirit. ",
"And lay your hand on him. Provide a public announcer for him in order that he might preach during your lifetime, so that it should not be said of him that he was unable to lift his head in Moshe’s day. \n"
],
[
"And command him. Concerning the Bnei Yisroel. Know that they are tedious and recalcitrant — [your appointment is] on condition that you accept this."
],
[
"Bestow some of your radiance on him. This refers to radiance of the facial skin.",
"Some of your radiance. But not all your radiance. Hence we learn that the face of Moshe was like the sun, the face of Yehoshua like the moon. ",
"So that the entire community of Bnei Yisroel will hear. They will treat him with reverence and awe, the way they treat you. \n"
],
[
"He shall stand before Elozor the kohein. Here is [the reply to] your request — this glory will not be removed from your father’s house, as Yehoshua, too, will depend on the affirmation of Elozor. ",
"And ask, of him. When he needs to go to war. ",
"By his word. [the word] of Elozor.",
"And the entire community. The Sanhedrin."
],
[
"He took Yehoshua. He persuaded him, verbally, informing him of the reward for the leaders of Klal Yisroel in the World to Come. \n"
],
[
"He laid his hands. Generously, over and above what he had been commanded. For the Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, “lay your hand,” but he used both hands. He fashioned him like a vessel filled to overflowing, filling him generously with his wisdom. ",
"As Adonoy had commanded. also regarding the radiance — He bestowed some of his radiance on him."
]
],
[
[],
[
"Command Bnei Yisroel. What is stated above? ”May God command. . .” The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, ‘Before you command Me concerning My children, command My children concerning Me.’ This is comparable to a princess who was passing from the world. She instructed her husband concerning her children, etc., as is stated in Sifri. ",
"My offering. This refers to the blood.",
"My bread. This refers to the “emurin” parts, as it is said, “The kohein shall burn them on the altar, bread of the fire.” ",
"Of My fires. to be placed on the fires of My altar.",
"You shall be vigilant. The kohanim, Levites and Bnei Yisroel shall stand over it. They learned from here, and instituted the “ma’amados” units. ",
"At its prescribed time. Every day is the time prescribed for the constant-offerings."
],
[
"Say to them. This is an admonishment to the Bais Din.",
"Two each day. Like the plain interpretation, but essentially, it teaches that they should be slaughtered towards the sun, the constant morning sacrifice to the west, and that of the afternoon to the east of the rings. "
],
[
"One lamb. Although it is already stated in the parasha of “You shall command” — “this is what you shall offer,” — those instructions were for the days of inauguration, whereas here, the commandment is for all the generations. "
],
[
"Fine flour as a meal-offering. The libation minchah."
],
[
"As offered on Mount Sinai. Like those which were done during the days of inauguration. Another interpretation [of] which was done at Mount Sinai: The constant burnt-offering is compared to the burnt-offering at Mount Sinai — the one brought before the giving of the Torah — of which Scripture states “. . .and [he] placed it in the basins.” This teaches that it (the constant-offering) requires a vessel."
],
[
"Its libation. Wine.",
"In the Holy [Sanctuary], you shall pour. They shall be poured on the altar. ",
"An intoxicating libation. Intoxicating wine. This excludes wine, fresh from the wine press. "
],
[
"A pleasing aroma. It pleases Me that I spoke and My wish was fulfilled."
],
[],
[
"This is the burnt-offering on its Shabbos. But not one Shabbos burnt-offering on another Shabbos. Suppose it was not offered on this Shabbos, I might think that two should be offered on the following Shabbos. The Torah therefore teaches “on its Shabbos.” This informs us that once its day has passed, the offering expires. ",
"In addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering. This refers to the musaf sacrifices, aside from the two constant burnt-offering lambs. This teaches that they (the musaf sacrifices) may be brought only between the two constant-offerings. Similarly, concerning all the musaf sacrifices it is said, “in addition to the constant burnt-offering,” for this teaching. \n"
],
[],
[
"Three tenths [of an eiphah]. As specified for the libations of a bull, designated as such in the chapter of the libations. "
],
[],
[
"This is the burnt-offering of each [Rosh] Chodesh, at its renewal. But once its designated day has passed, the offering expires, with no provision for restitution. \n"
],
[
"And one he-goat, etc. All the musaf goats came in atonement for the ritual defilement of the Sanctuary and its sacred objects, everything as explained in Tractate Shevuos. There is a distinction with the New Moon goat, for it is said, concerning it, “. . .to God.” This teaches you that it atones for someone who was not cognizant either at the beginning or the end, as no one recognizes the transgression save for the Holy One, Blessed is He, alone. The other goats are derived from this one. This is also expounded aggadically [as follows]: The Holy One, Blessed is He, said: ‘Bring atonement for Me, because I diminished the moon.’ ",
"In addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering, it shall be done. This entire offering. \n",
"And its libation. ”Its libation” does not relate to the goat, as a sin-offering has no libation. "
],
[],
[],
[
"Any work of consequence. Even work necessary for you, for example, to prevent a loss, which is permitted during the intermediary holiday, is prohibited during the festival. "
],
[
"Bulls. Corresponding with Avraham, as it is said, “Avraham ran to the cattle.” ",
"Ram. Corresponding with the ram of Yitzchok.",
"Sheep. Corresponding with Yaakov, as it is said, “Yaakov separated the lambs.” I saw this in R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s commentary. "
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Like these, yoshall make daily. They should not be progressively decreasing like the oxen of the [Succos] festival. "
],
[],
[
"On the day of the first fruits. The Shavuos festival is called “[The festival of] the first fruits of the wheat harvest,” because of the offering of the two loaves, which are the first of the wheat minchah-offerings to come from the new crop. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"[The sacrifices] shall be without blemish — and their libations. The libations must also be unblemished. The Rabbis derive from this that wine in which floury decay globules have surfaced is disqualified for libations. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Aside from the [Rosh] Chodesh burnt- offering. The [Rosh] Chodesh Musaf- offerings, as it (the new moon) corresponds with the new year. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Aside from the atonement sin-offering. The goat offered in the inner chamber, mentioned in “Acharei Mos.” It, too, was a sin- offering. ",
"And the constant (daily) burnt- offering And aside from the constant burnt- offering, you shall offer these burnt-offerings. ",
"And their libations. This relates to the musaf-offerings stated above, and to “you shall offer.” It denotes a command: ‘Aside from the constant burnt-offering and its minchah, you shall offer these and their libations.’ It is the same with every “their libations” said at all the festivals, except those concerning the [Succos] holiday sacrifices. Every “and its libation,” “and their libations,” “and its libations” among them refer to the constant sacrifice, and are not commands, since the musaf libations are written separately for each day. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Their meal-offerings and their libations for the bulls. There were seventy festival bulls, representing the seventy nations, which were progressively diminishing, symbolizing their destruction. During the time of the Sanctuary, [however,] These sacrifices shielded them from suffering. ",
"And the lambs. Representing Israel, which is called “the dispersed lamb.” Their numbers are constant, and they total ninety eight, to nullify the ninety eight curses in Mishneh Torah. On the second day, וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם, “and their libations,” is said, in relation to the day’s two constant-offerings. The change in language was intended for exposition, as the Rabbis, of blessed memory, remarked: On the second day, וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם, “and their libations,” is said, on the sixth, וּנְסָכֶיהָ, “and her libations,” on the seventh, כְּמִשְׁפָּטָם, “according to ‘their’ requirement.” מ\"ם, יו\"ד, מ\"ם . which spells מַּיִם, “water,” and is an allusion that the water libation, during the Festival is Scriptural. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Shall be a [day of] restraint for you. Restraint from doing work. Another interpetation [of] restraint, restrain yourselves from leaving. This teaches that they were required to remain overnight. According to the Aggadic Midrash, because, throughout the entire holiday, they brought offerings which represented the seventy nations. When they were going to leave, the Omnipresent said to them, ‘I request of you, make a small repast for me, so that I may enjoy your company.’ \n"
],
[
"One young bull, one ram. These represent Yisroel [which is singular to the Holy One, Blessed is He] — ‘Remain with Me a little longer’. This denotes affection, as when children take leave of their father, and he says to them, ‘Your departure distresses me, remain yet another day’. This is compared to a king who made a repast, etc., as stated in tractate Succah. Midrash R’ Tanchumah interprets: The Torah teaches proper conduct. Someone who entertains a guest should, on the first day, feed him fattened fowl, the next day fish, the next beef, the next day he should feed him grains, and the next, vegetables. Progressive diminishment, like the festival bulls. "
],
[],
[],
[
"These you shall make to Adonoy on your festivals. Those things designated as obligations.",
"Aside from your vows. If you should decide to vow offerings during the holiday, this will be credited to you as a commendable act. Or, the vows and gifts which you pledged throughout the year, bring during the holiday, as it may be difficult for you to make the return pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer up your pledges, and you may thus ultimately violate the prohibition of “. . .do not delay [fulfilling your pledge].” "
]
],
[
[
"Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisroel. This concludes the subject, comments R’ Yishmael. Because, up until this point, we have the words of the Omnipresent, and the chapter of vows begins with the words of Moshe, it is necessary to conclude the subject by saying that Moshe reviewed this parshah with the Israelites. Otherwise, the implication would be that he (Moshe) did not tell them this, but began his discourse with the chapter of vows. \n"
],
[
"The tribal leaders. He bestowed honor on the leaders by teaching them first, and afterward, all of Bnei Yisroel. How do we know that the other discourses were so? The Torah therefore teaches, “. . . they returned to him— Aharon and all the leaders of the congregation— and Moshe spoke to them. Afterward, all of Bnei Yisroel approached.” Why, then, did he see fit to say this here? He taught that vows may be nullified by a single expert. When there is no single expert, nullification is by three laymen. But perhaps Moshe recited this chapter only to the leaders? “This is the word” is said here, and it is said concerning slaughtering outside [the Temple], “this is the word.” Just as that was said to Aharon and his sons, and all of Bnei Yisroel, as it is said, “speak to Aharon, etc.,” so was this, said to all of them. ",
"This is the word. Moshe prophesied with “this is what Adonoy has said, about the time of midnight. . .,” and the [other] prophets prophesied with “this is what Adonoy has said:” Moshe surpassed them, as he prophesied with the phrase “this is the word.” Another interpretation: “This is the word” is exclusionary, teaching that the Sage [annuls] with the term “release,” and the husband with the term “nullification,” following the Scriptural language here. If they reverse the terminology, there is neither release nor nullification. "
],
[
"A vow. By saying, ‘Let it be as a konam to me, that I will not eat, or I may not do a certain thing.’ But perhaps, even if he swears to eat the meat of an animal that was not ritually slaughtered, I read, concerning him, “all that he has verbalized, he must fulfill”? The Torah, therefore, teaches, “. . .to initiate a prohibition”— to prohibit what is permitted, but not to permit what is prohibited. ",
"He may not profane his word. Like Gא יְחַלֵּל דְבָרוֹ, he may not secularize his word. "
],
[
"In her father’s home. Under her father’s jurisdiction, even if she is not actually in his home. ",
"While still in her youth. But not a minor, or a “bogeres,” as a minor’s vows are invalid, and a bogeres is no longer under her father’s jurisdiction for nullification of vows. When is she considered a minor? Our Rabbis say, at the age of eleven and a day, her vows should be examined. If she recognizes in Who’s Name she took the vow, or in Who’s Name she made the sanctification, then her vow is valid. At the age of twelve and a day, examination is no longer required. "
],
[],
[
"But if her father restrained her. He restrained her from the vow, in other words, he nullified it. I would not know what this הֲנָאָה means, but when it says, “but if, on the day her husband hears about it, יָנִיא אוֹתָהּ וְהֵפֵר, he restrains her and nullifies,” you may conclude that הֲנָאָה means nullification. Its plain meaning is to restrain and turn aside. Similarly, “why do you turn [the people’s hearts] away,” and “let the oil on my head not turn my head,” and “you will know My turning aside” [i.e. the punishment] for turning away from Me.” \n",
"Adonoy will forgive her. To whom does Scripture refer? To a woman who took the Nazirite vow. Her husband heard and nullified it, but she was not aware. She then violated her vow by drinking wine and defiling herself by contact with a corpse. She is in need of forgiveness, although it was nullified. Now, if those who[se vows] have been nullified require forgiveness, certainly those who[se vows] have not been nullified. \n"
],
[
"If she is [married] to a man. This refers to an “arusah.” But perhaps to a “nesuah?” When it says, “and if she took the vow in her husband’s home,” a “nesuah” is mentioned, so this must mean an “arusah.” It is intended to distinguish her, in that her father and her husband annul her vow. If the father annulled, but not the husband, or the husband, but not the father, there is no annulment, and it goes without saying, if one of them endorsed it. ",
"And her vows were upon herself. She took the vows in her father’s home, but her father did not hear them — they were neither annulled nor endorsed. "
],
[
"And her husband heard, etc. Here you have [the ruling] that if the husband endorses, it stands. "
],
[
"He then annuls her vow which was upon her. Perhaps even if the father did not annul? The Torah therefore teaches, “in her youth, while in her father’s house” — all through her youth, she is under her father’s jurisdiction. "
],
[
"Everything she prohibited for herself shall remain incumbent upon her. Since she is neither under the jurisdiction of the father, nor the jurisdiction of the husband. Scripture refers here to a widow after “nisuin,” but a widow after “erusin,” when the husband dies, his jurisdiction transfers to the father. "
],
[
"But if she took the vow in her husband’s home. Scripture refers to a “nesuah.”"
],
[],
[],
[
"Every vow, and every oath of self-denial, etc. Since it was said that the husband may annul, perhaps all vows are included; the Torah therefore teaches, “of self-denial.” He may only annul vows which are of self-denial They are defined in tractate Nedarim. "
],
[
"From one day to the next. So that you should not say [he may annul] for twenty four hours — this is why “from day to day” is said, to teach that he may only annul until nightfall. "
],
[
"After having heard. After he heard and endorsed, saying, “I approve,” he recanted and annuled it, even during the same day. ",
"He must bear her transgression. He must take her place. We learn from here that one who causes another’s downfall, must bear full punishment in his place. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"Against the Midianites. But not against the Moavites, for the Moavites entered the matter out of fear. They were afraid of them, [fearing] that they would plunder them, as it only says, “do not provoke them with warfare.” The Midianites, however, were enraged over a dispute which was not theirs. Another interpretation: for the sake of two virtuous doves whom I must extract from them — Rus the Moavite, and Na’amah the Ammonite. \n "
],
[
"Moshe spoke, etc. Although he heard that his demise depended on the matter, he joyfully implemented it, without delay. ",
"Arm. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, meaning the same as חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא, “armed.” ",
"Men. Righteous men. Similarly, “choose men for us,” and, “men who are wise and renowned.” ",
"Revenge of Adonoy. For, when anyone stands against Yisroel, it is as if he stands against the Holy One, Blessed is He. "
],
[
"For all of the tribes of Yisroel. This includes the tribe of Levi."
],
[
"They were handed over. This informs you of the praiseworthiness of the shepherds of Yisroel, of how cherished they are by Yisroel. Before they heard about his death, what did he say? “a while more and they will stone me”! Yet, when they heard that the death of Moshe depended on the vengeance against Midian, they refused to go until they were handed over, against their wishes. "
],
[
"Them, and Pinchas. This teaches that Pinchas was equivalent to all of them. But why did Pinchas go, while Elozor did not? The Holy One, Blessed is He, said, “The one who began the mitzvah by executing Kozbi, the daughter of Tzur, should complete it.” Another interpretation: He sought to avenge Yoseif, his maternal forefather, as it is said, “the Midianites sold him. . .” How is it derived that the mother of Pinchas was [descended] from Yoseif? Since it is said, “of the daughters of Putiel (פּוּטִיאֵל).” Of the children of Yisro, who fattened (פִּיטֵם) calves for idol worship, and of the children of Yoseif, who scorned (פִּטְפֵּט) his evil inclination. Another interpretation: He was annointed for warfare. ",
"With the sacred vessels. This refers to the Ark and the Golden Headplate. Because Bil’am accompanied them, and caused the Midianite kings to fly through sorcery, he himself flying with them, he [Pinchas] displayed the Golden Headplate to them, in which the Divine Name was engraved, and they fell. This is why it is said, “. . .on those they had slain,” concerning the Midianite kings — they fell from the air on the slain ones. Similarly, concerning Bil’am, it is written, “. . .upon those they had slain” in the book of Yehoshua. ",
"In his hand. In his possession. Similarly, “he took his entire country מִיָדוֹ, from his possession.” \n"
],
[],
[
"[The] five kings of Midian. Can I not see that Scripture enumerates five? Why, then, is it necessary to say “five”? Evidently, to teach that they all conspired equally, and they were all punished equally. Bil’am went there to receive the reward for the twenty-four thousand whom he felled from Yisroel, through his advice. He went from Midian to the Bnei Yisroel, and offered them evil advice. he said to them, “If when you were six hundred thousand you could not overcome them, and now you intend to fight them with twelve thousand?’ They gave him his reward, in full without stinting. ",
"With the sword. He set upon Yisroel, exchanging his craft for theirs. For they are only victorious through verbal expression, through prayer and supplication. He came and took up their craft, to curse them verbally. So they confronted him as well by exchanging their craft for that of the gentiles, who come with the sword, as it is said, “you shall live by your sword.” "
],
[],
[
"Their palaces. The place of their guardians. The word (טִירֹתָם) denoting dwelling places for monks proficient in their laws. Another interpretation: The word denotes dwelling places for their ministers, as Targum renders “the P’lishtite ministers,” טוּרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתָּאֵי . "
],
[
"They took all the booty, etc. This teaches that they were conscientious and righteous, beyond suspicion of theft through confiscating the booty without permission, as it is said, all the booty, etc. Concerning them, Scriptural tradition states explicitly, “your teeth are like a flock of sheep, etc.” — even the warriors among you are all righteous. ",
"Booty. This refers to moveable property consisting of clothing and ornaments.",
"Plunder. [Refers to] plunder of moveable property, that is non-ornamental. ",
"All that had been seized. Men and beasts. When “captives” is written next to “spoils,” then “captives” refers to men, and “spoils” to beasts. \n"
],
[],
[
"Moshe and Elozor the kohein went out. Because they saw the Israelite youths going out to seize some of the plunder."
],
[
"Moshe was angry with the commanders of the army. Who were appointed over the army. This teaches that the entire corruption of the generation is attributed to the great men, since they have the power to rebuke. "
],
[],
[
"They were the very same ones. This informs us that they recognized them — “this is the one through which so-and-so had his downfall.”",
"On Bil’am’s advice. He said to them, “Even if you gather together all the multitudes of the world, you will be unable to conquer them. Perhaps you are more numerous than the Egyptians, who had six hundred choice chariots? Come, I shall advise you. Their god despises promiscuity, etc.,’ as stated in “Chelek,” and in Sifri. "
],
[
"And every woman with intimate knowledge of a man. Capable of intimate relations, even if she never actually had relations. They brought them before the Golden Headplate — and those capable of relations — their faces turned sickly green. ",
"You shall execute. Why is this repeated? To separate the matter— these are R’ Yishmael’s remarks. For, when I read, “execute every male among the children, and every woman with intimate knowledge of a man, and all the children among the females, etc.,” I do not know [concerning every woman with intimate knowledge of a man] whether to execute [them] with the males, or allow them to live with the children. This is why “[you must] execute” is said. "
],
[],
[
"Outside the camp. So that they would not enter the Sanctuary courtyard.",
"Whoever has killed a person. R’ Meir said, “Scripture refers to a person who kills with an object capable of receiving contamination, and Scripture teaches that a utensil defiles a person when it is in contact with a corpse as if he had touched the corpse itself. Or, perhaps even if he shot an arrow at him and killed him? The Torah, therefore, teaches, “and whoever touched a corpse.” It compares one who kills with one who touches. Just as the one who touches (receives contamination) through contact, so does the one who kills (receives contamination) through contact.” ",
"Purify yourselves. With sprinkling water, as prescribed for others who were defiled by contact with the dead. For, even those who rule that Gentile graves do not convey contamination in a tent, — as it is said, “you, my sheep, my pastoral sheep, you are man”; you are entitled “man,” he admits that gentiles convey contamination through touching and carrying. Since “man” was only said in the context of tent contamination, as it is said, “a person who dies in a tent.” ",
"You and your captives. Not that the gentiles receive contamination and require sprinkling. Rather, just as you are members of the convenant, so with your captives, when they enter the covenant — should they become contaminated, they will require sprinkling. "
],
[
"Everything made of goat products. This includes utensils made from the horns, hoofs, and bones. "
],
[
"Elozor the kohein said, etc. Because Moshe fell into a state of anger, he fell into a state of error, so concealed from him, were the laws concerning purging the utensils of gentiles. You find a similarity on the eighth day of inauguration, as it is said, “he was angry with Elozor and with Isamar”— he fell into a state of anger, [and] he fell into a state or error. Similarly with “listen, now, rebels”! “he struck the rock.” Because of anger, he erred. \n",
"Which Adonoy commanded, etc. He credited the teaching to his master. "
],
[
"Only the gold, etc. Although Moshe did not warn you except for the laws of ritual uncleanliness, you must be warned further, concerning the laws of purging. “Only” denotes exclusion, as if to say, ‘you are excluded from using the utensils, even after their purification from contamination by the dead, until they are purified from the absorption of forbidden “neveilah” meat.’ Our Rabbis remark that “only the gold, etc.” teaches that one must remove its rust before purging it. This is the connotation of the word “only” — there should be no rust there, only the metal, exactly as it is. "
],
[
"Anything placed on a fire. In which to cook something.",
"You must pass through fire. It must be purged the way it was used. Something used with heated water, one purges with heated water; something used for roasting, like a spit or a grill, one brings to white heat with fire. ",
"However, it must be purified with sprinkling water. According to the plain interpretation, this purification is to cleanse it from the contamination of the dead. He said to them, ‘The utensils require purging to purify them from prohibited food, and purification, to cleanse them from ritual contamination.’ And the Rabbis extrapolate here, that even for purification from prohibited [food contamination], metal utensils require immersion, and מֵי נִדָּה written here they expound as referring to water suitable for the immersion of the “niddah.” How much is this? Forty seah. ",
"But anything that was not placed on a fire. Anything not used with fire, such as cups [and jugs], and flasks, which are used for cold food, and, therefore, did not absorb prohibited [food]. ",
"You may pass through water. Immerse them, and it is sufficient. This is only with metal utensils. "
],
[
"Into the camp. To the camp of the Shechinah [only], for someone contaminated by the dead need not be banished from the camp of the Levites and the camp of the Israelites. "
],
[],
[
"Take count (lit. count the heads). Make an accounting."
],
[
"Divide in half the spoils seized among those who took the war in hand, etc. Half for these, and half for these. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The spoil was — in addition to the booty. Because they were not commanded to contribute the tax from the moveable property, but from the spoil, the phrase was written this way. ‘the spoil, which would be included in the distribution and included in the tax, which remained after the plunder of personal property that the warriors plundered for themselves without distributing — [that spoil] was; the number of sheep, etc.’ \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"From the half [designated] for Bnei Yisroel that Moshe divided. For the community, by appropriating it for them from the military men. "
],
[
"The community’s half consisted of. So much and so much."
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Moshe took, etc."
],
[
"The officers. Those who were appointed."
],
[
" וְלֹא־נִפְקַד . Not [a man is] missing. Targum [Onkelos] renders לֹא שְׁגָא . This (שְׁגָא), too, denotes, in Aramaic, “missing,” like “I [will suffer] its loss,” rendered by Targum, דַּהֲוָת שָׁגְיָא מִמִּנְיָנָא, “whatever is missing from the tally.” Similarly, “for your seat will be missing” — your seating place will be missing, the one who usually sits there. Similarly, “ וַיִפָּקֵד מְקוֹם דָּוִד,” his place was missing — and no one was sitting there. \n"
],
[
"Anklet. This refers to leg bands.",
"Bracelet. On the arm.",
"Ring. Ear rings.",
"Clasp. Shaped around the crotch, to atone for their sinful thoughts concerning the daughters of Midian. "
]
],
[
[],
[],
[
"Ataros, Divon, etc. They were part of the land of Sichon and Og. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Should your brothers. This denotes a question."
],
[
"Why do you dishearten. Turn aside and restrain their hearts from crossing, for they will think that you are afraid to cross because of the war, and the strength of the cities and the people. \n"
],
[
"From Kadeish Barnei’a. This was its name. There were two places named Kadeish."
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"The Kenizite. He was Kaleiv’s stepfather, to whom Kaleiv’s mother bore Osniel. "
],
[
"He made them wander. He moved them about, as in “a wanderer and vagrant” "
],
[
"To add. As in “add a year to a year,” “add your burnt-offerings, etc.” The word denotes addition. \n"
],
[],
[
"We will build [enclosures] for our flocks here. They were more concerned over their property than [over] their sons and daughters, for they gave precedence to their flocks over their children. Moshe said to them, ‘not so! Treat what is of major importance as such, and what is secondary as such. First build yourselves cities for your children, and afterward pens for your flocks.’ "
],
[
"We will then arm ourselves rapidly. We will arm ourselves quickly, as in “quicken the spoil, hasten the plunder,” “let him hurry, hasten [his actions].” ",
"Before Bnei Yisroel. At the head of the armies, since they were great warriors, as it is said concerning Gad, “he shall tear arms, skulls as well.” Moshe, too, reiterated specifically to them, in “These are the words”: “I commanded you at that time, etc., go forth armed before your brothers, Bnei Yisroel, all [you] great warriors.” And at Yericho it is written, “the armed force went before them” — they were [the sons of] Reuven and Gad, who fulfilled their condition. ",
"Our children will dwell. When we are with our brothers.",
"In fortified cities. Which we shall build now."
],
[],
[
"Across the Yardein and beyond. On the western bank.",
"For, our inheritance came to us. We have already received it, on the eastern bank. "
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"For your sheep. This word is conjugated from 'צֹנֶה', “all the sheep and cattle.” It does not have the “ אָלֶ\"ף “ intervening between the “ נוּ\"ן “ and “ צָדִ\"י “ and the “ אָלֶ\"ף “ which appears here after the “ נּוּ\"ן “ is instead of the “ הֵ\"א “ of צֹנֶה . I learned this from R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s commentary. ",
"But what you have expressed verbally, you must fulfill. For the sake of Heaven, as you pledged to cross and do battle until the conquest and apportionment [of the land]. Moshe had only requested of them, “the land will be conquered, etc. and after you may return” but they pledged “until [Bnei Yisroel] have inherited” — so they added that they would remain for the seven years of apportionment, and they did so. "
],
[
"The tribe of Gad said. All of them as one man. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"[Moshe] commanded, to them. Like עֲלֵיהֶם, concerning them and their stipulation, he appointed Elozor and Yehoshua, as in “God will fight for you.” \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"And we shall [then] have our permanent inheritance. As if to say, ‘in our hands, in our possession, will be our hereditary territory on this side.’ \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Fortified cities and sheep pens. The end of this passage is related to the begning ofhe subject — “the sons of Gad built” these cities, to serve as fortified cities and sheep pens. "
],
[],
[
"Nevo, Ba’al Me’on, their names having been changed. Nevo and Ba’al Meon were names of idols. The Emorites would name their cities after their idols, so the sons of Reuven changed their names in favor of other names. This is the meaning of “their names having been changed” — Nevo and Ba’al Me’on were turned aside in favor of a different name. ",
"And Sivmah. They built Sivmah. This is Sevam mentioned above."
],
[
"And drove out. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, וְתָרִיךְ, “and ousted,” for the word יָרֹשׁ may be used in two ways, to denote inheritance, or to denote ousting, meaning driving out, expelling. "
],
[],
[
"Villages. כַּפְרְנֵיהוֹן, their villages. ",
"And [he] called them Chavos Yair. Because he had no children, he called them by his name, as a memorial. "
],
[
"And [he] called it Novach. לָה does not have a dot in its ה . I saw in R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s commentary: Because this name did not endure, it is therefore silent, implying that it is to be expounded as לָא, “not” [Novach]. But I wonder how he (R’ Moshe) would expound two similar words, וַיֹאמֶר 'לָה' בֹעַז, “Boaz said to her,” לִבְנוֹת לָה בַיִת, “to build her a house.” \n"
]
],
[
[
"These are the journeys. Why were these journeys recorded? To make the Omnipresent’s benevolence known. For, although He decreed to move them about and cause them to wander in the wilderness, do not say that they wandered and were moved about from journey to journey all forty years, and had no rest — for there are only forty two journeys here. Subtract fourteen, all of which took place during the first year, before the decree, from their journey from Ra’meses until they reached Rismah, from where the spies were dispatched, as it is said, “after, the people journeyed from Chatzeros, etc. Send, for yourself, men, etc.,” and here it says, “they journeyed from Chatzeros and camped at Rismah,” you learn that it was in the desert of Paran. Exclude, further, from there, eight journeys which took place after Aharon’s death, from Mount Hor to the plains of Moav, during the fortieth year, it is found that throughout the thirty eight years, they took only twenty journeys. This is from R’ Moshe [Hadarshan]’s commentary. R’ Tanchuma expounds the matter differently: This is compared to a king whose son was ill, and he brought him to a distant place for treatment. When they returned, the father began enumerating all the journeys. He said to him, ”Here, we slept; here, we were chilled; here, your head ached, etc.’ \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Egypt was burying. They were preoccupied with their grief. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"And camped in Rismoh. So named after the spies’ slander, as it is said, “what will He (God) give you, and what more will He add for you, O deceitful tongue? Sharpened warrior’s arrows, with smoldering coals.” \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"By the word [lit. mouth] of Adonoy. This teaches that he died by the Divine kiss."
],
[],
[
"The Cannanite heard. This teaches you that the death of Aharon was the news he heard that the clouds of glory had departed, and he (the Canaanite) thought that it was permissible to wage war against the Israelites. This is why Scripture repeats it. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"At the ruins of Avarim. The word [עִיֵּי] denotes desolation and waste, as in, “. . . into a desolate field,” “they have turned Yerushalayim into desolation.” "
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"From Beis Yeshimos until Aveil Hasheetim. Here it teaches you the measure of the Israelite camp [was] twelve mils, for Rava, the son of Bar Chana, said, “I have seen that place, etc.” ",
"Aveil Hasheetim. The plain of Sheetim was entitled “Aveil.” \n"
],
[],
[
"When you cross the Yardein, etc. You must drive out, etc. Were they not admonished several times concerning this? But this is what Moshe said to them: “When you cross the Yardein on dry land, you must cross on this condition, and if you do not, the waters will come and inundate you.” We find that Yehoshua spoke to them similarly while they were still in the Yardein. "
],
[
"You must drive out. You shall oust. \n",
"Their carved stones. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, בֵּית סִגְדַּתְהוֹן, “their houses of worship,” so named because they would overlay the ground with a marblestone floor on which to prostrate themselves with arms and legs extended, as it is written, “overlaid stones you shall not place, in your land, on which to prostrate yourselves.” ",
"Their cast. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, מַתְּכַתְהוֹן, “their molten.” \n"
],
[
"Drive out [the inhabitants of] the land. Make it vacant of its inhabitants, and then “you shall dwell in it” — you shall be able to endure there, but if not, you shall be unable to endure there. \n"
],
[
"To whomever the lottery [system] ordains. This is a shortened passage, [meaning] “whichever ‘plot’ the lot indicates, shall belong to him’.” ",
"According to your paternal tribes. Taking into account those who came out of Egypt. Another interpretation: With twelve border demarcations, following the number of tribes. \n"
],
[
"Those whom you will leave over. Shall be evil to you.",
"As spikes in your eyes. As spikes which will gouge your eyes out. Targum [Onkelos] renders “spikes” שִׂיכַּיָא .",
"And thorns. The linguists construe this as denoting a barrier of thorns, which will enclose you, locking and confining you without exit or entrance. ",
"And they will persecute you. As Targum [Onkelos] renders. \n"
]
],
[
[],
[
"This is the land which will fall to you, etc. Since many commandments apply in the land, but do not apply outside the land, it was necessary to record the outer reaches of the borders of its perimeter, to inform you that within those borders, the commandments apply. ",
"Will fall to you. Because it was apportioned by lot, the apportionment is described in terms of falling. Midrash Aggadah remarks, because the Holy One, Blessed is He, caused the fall of the [celestial] ministers of the seven nations from heaven, and prostrated them before Moshe, and said to him, “observe, they no longer have any power.” "
],
[
"Your southern flank shall be. The southern side, from east to west. ",
"From the Tzin wilderness. Which adjoining Edom, begins the southeastern corner of the land of the nine tribes. How is this? Three countries lie south of Eretz Yisroel, each adjoining the next; part of the land of Egypt, all of the land of Edom, and all of the land of Moav. The land of Egypt is at the southwestern corner, as it is said in this Parshah, “[the border turns] from Atzmon to the Egyptian Estuary and its outskirts shall reach the sea.” The Egyptian Estuary’s path faced the entire land of Egypt, as it is said, ”from the [river] Shichor, facing Egypt,” and separates the land of Egypt from Eretz Yisroel. The land of Edom adjoined it eastward, with the land of Moav adjoining the land of Edom at the eastern end of the southern border. When the Bnei Yisroel left Egypt, had the Omnipresent desired to hasten their entry into the land, He would have brought them northward across the Nile, and they would have entered Eretz Yisroel — but He did not do so. This is the meaning of what is said, “God did not lead them along the route of the land of the P’lishtim,” who dwelt by the sea, on the western border of the land of Canaan, as is said concerning the P’lishtim, “those who dwell on the territory by the sea, the Kereisite nation.” He did not lead them along that route, but diverted them, bringing them out by the southern route, into the wilderness — the Yechezkel called “the wilderness of nations,” because several nations dwelt alongside it. He then led them in the south from west to east, continuously, until they reached south of the land of Edom. They requested that the king of Edom permit them to enter his land, traverse its width, and enter the land, but he refused, so they had to travel around the entire southern side of Edom, until they reached south of the land of Moav, as it is said, “he also sent emissaries to the king of Moav, but he refused.” They traveled along the entire southern side of Moav, to the end. From there they turned their faces to the north, until they traveled around its entire eastern border along its width. When they completed its eastern side, they came upon the territory of Sichon and Og, who dwelt east of the land of Canaan, with the Yardein interposing between them. This is the meaning of what was said by Yiftach, “they traveled in the wilderness, proceeded around the land of Edom and the land of Moav, and came to [the end of] the eastern border of the land of Moav.” They conquered the territory of Sichon and Og, which was north of the land of Moav, and came abreast of the Yardein, opposite the northwest corner of the land of Moav. Thus, the land of Canaan across the Yardein to the west had its sourtheastern corner adjacent to Moav. \n"
],
[
"The border then turns south of Maaleh Akrabim. Wherever it says “turns” or “extends,” it teaches that the border was not even, but swerved away. The border swerves, bending towards the north and angling west, so that the border passes south of Maaleh Akrabim — thus, Maaleh Akrabim was within the border. ",
"Passing toward Tzin. צִנָה, ”to Tzin,” like מִצְרַיְמָה, “to Egypt.” ",
"Its outskirts shall be. Its ending, south of Kadeish Barne’a. ",
"It shall extend to Chatzar Adar. The border spreads, broadening towards the north and angling further west, until it reaches Chatzar Adar, from there to Atzmon, and from there to the Egyptian Estuary. The term “turns” is used here, because it wrote “it shall extend to Chatzar Adar.” It began broadening after crossing Kadesh Barne’a, and the breadth of the strip which protruded northward reached from Kadesh Barne’a to Atzmon. From there and onward the border receded, turning toward the south until reaching the Egyptian Estuary, and from there west to the Mediterranean, which serves as the western border for all of Eretz Yisroel. Thus, the Egyptian Estuary is situated at the southwestern corner. "
],
[
"Its outskirts shall reach the sea. Until the western border. The southern border no longer extends towards the west, past there. "
],
[
"As for the western border. What is the western border?",
"It shall be the Great (Mediterranean) Sea. As a border.",
"And its border. The islands at sea are also part of the border. These islands are called “isles” in Old French."
],
[
"The northern border. The northern border.",
"From the Great (Mediterranean) Sea, turn yourselves to Hor Hahar. Which is at the northwestern corner. Its peak slopes and enters the sea, with some of the expanse of the sea inward, and some outward. ",
"Turn. Tilt yourselves to turn from west to north, to Mount Hor. ",
"Turn. The term denotes turning, as in “to the runners’ annex,” “the annexes of the gateway.” The annex, called “apendiz” in Old French, turns and slopes. "
],
[
"From Hor Hahar. Turn and proceed along the northern border to the east, and you will encounter Levo Chamas — this is Antioch. ",
"The outskirts of the border. The end of the border. Wherever “the outskirts of the border” is said, either the border ends there completely without continuing further at all; or it digresses from there, broadens, and extends in another direction, proceeding further at an angle to the original expanse. It is in relation to the breadth of the original dimension that it is called “extremity,” for that dimension ends there. "
],
[
"Its outskirts shall be at Chatzar Einan. This was the end of the northern border. Thus, Chatzar Einan was situated at the northeastern corner. From there, “turn yourselves to the eastern border.” \n"
],
[
"Turn. The word [וְהִתְאַוִּיתֶם] denotes turning and tilting, like תְּתָאוּ . ",
"To Shefam. On the eastern border, and from there to Rivlah. "
],
[
"East of Ayin. The name of a place. The border passes to its east, so that Ayin is situated within the border, and is part of Eretz Yisroel. ",
"The border shall descend. As the border proceeds from north to south, it continually descends. ",
"And contact the bank of the eastern shore of the Kineres Sea. So that Lake Kineres was within the border, to the west. The border is east of Lake Kineres, and descends from there to the Yardein. The Yardein flows diagonally, from north to south, angling towards the east, moves towards the land of Canaan at Lake Kineres and continues along the eastern side of Eretz Yisroel opposite Lake Kineres, until emptying into the Dead Sea. From there, the border closes with its extremity reaching the Dead Sea, from which the southeastern corner of the border began, thus surrounding it on all four sides. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"To the east, toward the sunrise. To the forefront of the world, which is east, as the eastern direction is called the forefront, and the western, the rear. Therefore, south is to the right, and north to the left. \n"
],
[],
[
"Who shall inherit for you. For your sake. Each tribal leader was the guardian for his tribe, and he apportioned the tribal inheritance to the families and individuals. He chose a suitable portion for each individual, and their actions were binding, as if they had been designated as agents. But it would be improper to explain this לָכֶם [lit. “to you”] like every לָכֶם in Scripture, for, if so, it should have written יַנְחִילוּ לָכֶם, “they shall cause the inheritance to belong to you.” [לָכֶם] יִנְחֲלוּ means that they shall inherit for you, for your sake, in your place, like ה' יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם, “God will wage war for your sake.” \n"
],
[
"To inherit the land. He is to inherit, take the portion of the land as your surrogate. "
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"To apportion the inheritance to Bnei Yisroel. They are to give the inheritance to you according to its portions."
]
],
[
[],
[
"And open space. Open space, an empty area surrounding the city, to beautify the city. One is not permitted to build a house there, or plant a vineyard, or sow seeds. \n"
],
[
"And all of their necessities to live. For all their vital needs."
],
[
"A thousand amos all around. But afterward it says, “two thousand amos.” How is this? He gave them two thousand (amos) all around the city. Of those, the inner thousand are for parkland, and the outer (thousand) are for fields and vineyards. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"You shall provide. הַקְרָיָיה means [nothing but] providing. Similarly, it says, “because the Adonoy your God provided for me.” "
],
[
"From the avenger. Against the blood redeemer, who is the kinsman of the murder victim. \n"
],
[
"Six refuge cities. This teaches that although Moshe designated three cities across the Yardein, during his lifetime, they did not absorb, until the selection of the three that Yehoshua placed in the land of Canaan. "
],
[
"Three cities, etc. Although there were, in the land of Canaan, nine tribes, and here only two and one half, the number of their cities of refuge was the same. Because Gil’ad was rife \nwith murderers, as it is written, “Gil’ad, city of evildoers, bloody ambush.” "
],
[],
[
"But if he struck him with an iron instrument. This does not refer to the inadvertent killing discussed in the preceding context, but, rather, to premeditated murder. It teaches that all implements of murder must be sizable enough to kill, for it is said, concerning all of them, “which can kill,” rendered by Targum [Onkelos], ”of a size capable of killing” — except for iron. For it is clearly evident to The Holy One, Blessed is He, that iron of any size can kill, even a needle. The Torah, therefore, did not specify a size by saying “which can kill.” Still, you may ask, “perhaps our passage refers to one who killed inadvertently?” But it states, below, “or, with a stone which can kill, without seeing, etc.” This teaches that, in its statements above, Scripture refers to premeditated murder. "
],
[
"With a stone that can be held in the hand. Large enough to fill the hand.",
"Which can kill. Large enough to kill, as rendered by Targum [Onkelos]. Since it is said, “if a man strikes his fellow with a stone” without specifying its size, perhaps any size? It is said, therefore, “which can kill.” \n"
],
[
"Or with a wooden implement [that can be held] in the hand. Since it is said, “if a man strikes his slave or his maidservant with a rod,” perhaps any size? It is said, concerning wood, therefore, “which can cause death” — it must be sizable enough to kill. "
],
[
"Wherever he meets him. Even inside the cities of refuge. \n"
],
[
"Deliberately. As Targum [Onkelos] renders, בְּכַמְנָא, “from ambush.” "
],
[],
[
"Suddenly. Accidentally. Targum [Onkelos] renders בִּתְכֵיף, “suddenly.” He was nearby, and there was no time for him to take heed. "
],
[
"Or with a stone which can kill. He struck him.",
"Without seeing. He did not see him. \n",
"He threw it down on him. From here they (the Rabbis) said, “someone who kills while descending, is exiled; [but if he kills] while ascending, is not exiled.” "
],
[],
[
"Until the death of the Kohein gadol. As he causes the Divine Presence to reside in Israel, and lengthens their lives, while the murderer causes the Divine Presence to leave Israel, and shortens their lives, he (the murderer) is unworthy of being in the presence of the Kohein Gadol. Another interpretation: Because the Kohein Gadol should have prayed that this pitfall not occur in Israel during his lifetime. ",
"Who was anointed with the sacred oil. According to its plain meaning, this is one of the shortened passages, as it does not explain who anointed him, but, rather, as if to say, “whom, whoever anointed him with the sacred oil.” Our sages expound this, in Maseches Makos, as verification of a teaching, to teach that, if before his case was decided, the Kohein Gadol died and another was appointed in his place, and his case was then decided, he is released from exile at the death of the second, as it is said, “whom he anointed.” Was it he who anointed him as a kohein, or a kohein who anointed him? Therefore, this is meant to include one who was anointed in his days — that he is released from exile at his death. "
],
[],
[
"lit. He has no blood. It is as if he had murdered a lifeless man, as his blood is forfeit. \n"
],
[],
[
"In all your dwelling places. This teaches that the lower Sanhedrin court functions outside the land so long as it functions in Eretz Yisroel."
],
[
"If anyone lls a person, etc. The one who endeavors to kill him because he had killed a person. . . ",
"Upon the testimony of witnesses shall [the murderer] be killed. Who testify that the murderer acted intentionally, and was forwarned. "
],
[
"And do not accept atonement compensation. He cannot absolve himself with money"
],
[
"And, do not accept atonement compensation for one who has fled to his refuge city. For, someone who fled to a refuge city because he killed inadvertently, is not absolved from exile with money, by paying atonement compensation so that he may return and dwell in the land before the kohein dies. ",
" לָנוּס . Like לְנָס, as in שׁוּבֵי מִלְחָמָה, “who returned from battle.” Similarly, נוּגֵי מִמּוֹעֵד, “who were excluded from the festivals.” Similarly, כִּי מֻלִים הָיוּ, “for they were circumcised.” Just as one says שׁוּב concerning someone who has already returned, and מוּל concerning someone who was already circumcised, so does one say לָנוּס concerning someone who has already fled. He is called נוּס as if to say מֻבְרָח, “has fled.” But perhaps you might interpret לָנוּס as לִבְרוֹחַ,”to flee,” and explain “do not accept atonement compensation” “for someone who must flee,” and absolve him from exile? Then I do not know how it could say “so that he may return and dwell in the land,” when he did not yet flee — from where shall he return? "
],
[
"Do not pollute (lit. falsely flatter). Do not bring evil, as Targum [Onkelos] renders, וְלָא תְחַיְּבוּן, “do not bring guilt.” \n"
],
[
"Wherein I reside. Do not cause Me to reside in its defilement.",
"For I, Adonoy, dwell among Bnei Yisroel. Even when they are defiled, the Divine Presence rests among them. "
]
],
[
[],
[],
[
"And it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe. Since her son is her heir, and the son’s tribal kinship follows his father’s. \n"
],
[
"And if the yoveil occurs. From here R’ Yehudah said that yoveil is destined to discontinue.",
"And if the yoveil occurs. As if to say, this is not a sale, which reverts on yoveil, for an inheritance does not revert on yoveil. So even if yoveil occurs, the inheritance will not revert to its tribe, and will thus be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry. \n"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"Every daughter who inherits property. When her father had no son. \n"
],
[],
[],
[
"Machlah, Sirtzah, etc. Here they are counted by seniority, and they were married in order of their birth. Throughout Scripture, they are counted according to their wisdom. This teaches that they were all equal[ly esteemed.] \n"
]
]
],
"sectionNames": [
"Chapter",
"Verse",
"Comment"
]
}