Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 6

14These [following] are the heads of the fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn: Enoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Karmi, these are the families of Reuben.   ידאֵ֖לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֣י בֵֽית־אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּנֵ֨י רְאוּבֵ֜ן בְּכֹ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל חֲנ֤וֹךְ וּפַלּוּא֙ חֶצְרֹ֣ן וְכַרְמִ֔י אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת רְאוּבֵֽן:
These [following] are the heads of the fathers’ houses Since [Scripture] had to trace the lineage of the tribe of Levi as far as Moses and Aaron-because of Moses and Aaron-it commenced to trace their [the Israelites’] lineage in the order of their births, starting with Reuben. (In the Great Pesikta [Rabbathi] (7:7) I saw [the following statement]: Because Jacob rebuked [the progenitors of] these three tribes at the time of his death (Gen. 49:4-7), Scripture again traces their lineage here by themselves, to infer that [even though Jacob rebuked them] they are of high esteem.)   אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵֽית־אֲבֹתָם  מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהֻזְקַק לְיַחֵס שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי עַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בִּשְׁבִיל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, הִתְחִיל לְיַחֲסָם דֶּרֶךְ תּוֹלְדוֹתָם מֵרְאוּבֵן. וּבְפְסִיקְתָּא רַבָּתִי רָאִיתִי, לְפִי שֶׁקִּנְטְרָם יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לִשְׁלוֹשָׁה שְׁבָטִים הַלָּלוּ בִּשְׁעַת מוֹתוֹ, חָזַר הַכָּתוּב וְיִחֲסָם כָּאן לְבַדָּם, לוֹמַר שֶׁחֲשׁוּבִים הֵם:
15And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Saul, the son of the Canaanitess, these are the families of Simeon.   טווּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֗וֹן יְמוּאֵ֨ל וְיָמִ֤ין וְאֹ֨הַד֙ וְיָכִ֣ין וְצֹ֔חַר וְשָׁא֖וּל בֶּן־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֑ית אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת שִׁמְעֽוֹן:
16And these are the names of Levi's sons after their generations: Gershon, Kehath, and Merari, and the years of Levi's life were one hundred thirty seven years.   טזוְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־לֵוִי֙ לְתֹ֣לְדֹתָ֔ם גֵּֽרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִ֑י וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י לֵוִ֔י שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה:
and the years of Levi’s life Why were Levi’s years counted? To let us know how many were the years of bondage. For as long as one of the tribes was alive, there was no bondage, as it is said: “Now Joseph died, as well as all his brothers,” and afterwards, “A new king arose” (Exod. 1:6, 8), and Levi outlived them all. — [from Seder Olam, ch. 3]   וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי לֵוִי וגו'  לָמָּה נִמְנוּ שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל לֵוִי? לְהוֹדִיעַ כַּמָּה יְמֵי הַשִּׁעְבּוּד; שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֶחָד מִן הַשְּׁבָטִים קַיָּם לֹא הָיָה שִׁעְבּוּד (שמות רבה א'), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף וְכָל אֶחָיו" (שמות א), וְאַחַר כָּךְ "וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ", וְלֵוִי הֶאֱרִיךְ יָמִים עַל כֻּלָּם:
17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei to their families.   יזבְּנֵ֥י גֵֽרְשׁ֛וֹן לִבְנִ֥י וְשִׁמְעִ֖י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם:
18And the sons of Kehath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, and the years of Kehath's life were one hundred thirty three years.   יחוּבְנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֑ל וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י קְהָ֔ת שָׁל֧שׁ וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה:
And the years of Kehath's life and the years of Amram's life etc From this calculation we learn that the 400 year sojourn of the B'nei Yisrael which Scriptures talks about, it was not [spent] in Egypt alone but, rather [was calculated] from the day Yitzchok was born. [This can be calculated thus:] For Kehath was among those who went down to Egypt, [Now] calculate all his years and the years of Amram, [his son] and the eighty years of Moshe, you will find that they do not total 400 years, and many of the [sons'] years are included in the fathers' years.   וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי קְהָת וּשְׁנֵי חַיֵּי עַמְרָם וגו'  מֵחֶשְׁבּוֹן זֶה אָנוּ לְמֵדִים עַל מוֹשַׁב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (בראשית ט״ו:י״ג), שֶׁלֹּא בְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְבַדָּהּ הָיוּ, אֶלָּא מִיּוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק; שֶׁהֲרֵי קְהָת מִיּוֹרְדֵי מִצְרַיִם הָיָה, חֲשֹׁב כָּל שְׁנוֹתָיו וּשְׁנוֹת עַמְרָם וּשְׁמוֹנִים שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, לֹא תִמְצָאֵם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, וְהַרְבֵּה שָׁנִים נִבְלָעִים לַבָּנִים בִּשְׁנֵי הָאָבוֹת:
19And the sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi; these are the families of the Levites according to their generations.   יטוּבְנֵ֥י מְרָרִ֖י מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְתֹֽלְדֹתָֽם:
20Amram took Jochebed, his aunt, as his wife, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, and the years of Amram's life were one hundred thirty seven years.   כוַיִּקַּ֨ח עַמְרָ֜ם אֶת־יוֹכֶ֤בֶד דֹּֽדָתוֹ֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֔וֹ אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וְאֶת־משֶׁ֑ה וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י עַמְרָ֔ם שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה:
Jochebed, his aunt Heb. דֹדָתוֹ [Onkelos renders:] his father’s sister, the daughter of Levi, the sister of Kehath.   יוֹכֶבֶד דודתו  אַחַת אֲבוּהִי, בַּת לֵוִי אֲחוֹת קְהָת:
21And the sons of Izhar were Korah and Nepheg and Zichri.   כאוּבְנֵ֖י יִצְהָ֑ר קֹ֥רַח וָנֶ֖פֶג וְזִכְרִֽי:
22And the sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.   כבוּבְנֵ֖י עֻזִּיאֵ֑ל מִֽישָׁאֵ֥ל וְאֶלְצָפָ֖ן וְסִתְרִֽי:
23Aaron took to himself for a wife, Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.   כגוַיִּקַּ֨ח אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־אֱלִישֶׁ֧בַע בַּת־עַמִּֽינָדָ֛ב אֲח֥וֹת נַחְשׁ֖וֹן ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֗וֹ אֶת־נָדָב֙ וְאֶת־אֲבִיה֔וּא אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר וְאֶת־אִֽיתָמָֽר:
the sister of Nahshon From here we learn that one who contemplates taking a wife must [first] investigate her brothers. — [from B.B. 110a, Exod. Rabbah 7:5]   אֲחוֹת נַחְשׁוֹן  מִכָּאן לָמְדוּ, הַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה צָרִיךְ לִבְדֹק בְאַחֶיהָ (בבא בתרא ק"י):
24And the sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.   כדוּבְנֵ֣י קֹ֔רַח אַסִּ֥יר וְאֶלְקָנָ֖ה וַֽאֲבִֽיאָסָ֑ף אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַקָּרְחִֽי:
25Eleazar, the son of Aaron, took himself [one] of the daughters of Putiel to himself as a wife, and she bore him Phinehas; these are the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the Levites according to their families.   כהוְאֶלְעָזָ֨ר בֶּן־אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן לָֽקַח־ל֨וֹ מִבְּנ֤וֹת פּֽוּטִיאֵל֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד ל֖וֹ אֶת־פִּֽינְחָ֑ס אֵ֗לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַֽלְוִיִּ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם:
[one] of the daughters of Putiel- Of the seed of Jethro, who fattened (פִּטֵּ ם) calves for idolatry (see Rashi on Exod. 2:16) and [who was also] of the seed of Joseph, who defied and fought (פִּטְפֵּט) against his passion [when he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife]. — [from B.B. 109b]   מִבְּנוֹת פּֽוּטִיאֵל  מִזֶּרַע יִתְרוֹ שֶׁפִּטֵּם עֲגָלִים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וּמִזֶּרַע יוֹסֵף שֶׁפִּטְפֵּט בְּיִצְרוֹ (סוטה מ"ג):
26That is Aaron and Moses, to whom the Lord said, "Take the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions."   כוה֥וּא אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וּמשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֜יאוּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם:
That is Aaron and Moses Who are mentioned above [verse 20], whom Jochebed bore to Amram, [these two] are [the same] Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, etc. In some places, [Scripture] places Aaron before Moses, and in other places it places Moses before Aaron, to tell us that they were equal. — [from Mechilta, 7:1]   הוּא אַֽהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה  אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֻזְכְּרוּ לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁיָּלְדָה יוֹכֶבֶד לְעַמְרָם. הוא אהרן ומשה. יֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמַּקְדִּים אַהֲרֹן לְמֹשֶׁה וְיֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁמַּקְדִּים מֹשֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁשְּׁקוּלִין כְּאֶחָד:
with their legions Heb. עַל-צִבְאֹתָם [equivalent to בְּצִבְאֹתָם], with their legions. [I.e.,] all their legions according to their tribes. There are [examples] of עַל when it is used instead of one letter, [e.g.,] “you shall live by your sword (עַל-חַרְבְּךָ) ” (Gen. 27:40), [which is] the same as בְּחַרְבְּךָ [by your own sword]; You stood by your sword (עַל-חַרְבְּכֶם) (Ezek. 33:26), [which is the same as] בְּחַרְבְּכֶם   עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם  בְּצִבְאוֹתָם, כָּל צְבָאָם לְשִׁבְטֵיהֶם; יֵשׁ עַל שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בִמְקוֹם אוֹת אַחַת, "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז), כְּמוֹ בְּחַרְבְּךָ, "עֲמַדְתֶּם עַל חַרְבְּכֶם" (יחזקאל ל"ג) – בְּחַרְבְּכֶם:
27They are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the children of Israel out of Egypt; they are Moses and Aaron.   כזהֵ֗ם הַֽמְדַבְּרִים֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם ה֥וּא משֶׁ֖ה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן:
They are the ones who spoke, etc [It was] they [who] are the ones who were commanded, and they are the ones who fulfilled [what they had been commanded to do, i.e., speak to Pharaoh].   הֵם הַֽמְדַבְּרִים וגו'  הֵם שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ, הֵם שֶׁקִּיְּמוּ:
they are Moses and Aaron They remained in their mission and in their righteousness from beginning to end. — [from Meg. 11a]   הוּא משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹֽן  הֵם בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָם וּבְצִדְקָתָם מִתְּחִלָּה וְעַד סוֹף (מגילה י"א):
28Now it came to pass on the day that the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,   כחוַיְהִ֗י בְּי֨וֹם דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־משֶׁ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
Now it came to pass on the day that the Lord spoke, etc. [This is] connected with the following verse: [“That the Lord spoke to Moses”].   וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר וגו'  מְחֻבָּר לַמִּקְרָא שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו: