Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 15

27But if an individual sins inadvertently, he must offer up a she-goat in its first year as a sin-offering.   כזוְאִם־נֶ֥פֶשׁ אַחַ֖ת תֶּֽחֱטָ֣א בִשְׁגָגָ֑ה וְהִקְרִ֛יבָה עֵ֥ז בַּת־שְׁנָתָ֖הּ לְחַטָּֽאת:
תֶּֽחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה - Sins inadvertently - by committing idolatry.   תֶּֽחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה.  בְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
עֵז בַּת־שְׁנָתָהּ - A she-goat in its first year. For other sins, an individual brings either a she-lamb or a she-goat as a sin-offering, but in this case Scripture specifically required a she-goat.   עֵז בַּת־שְׁנָתָהּ.  שְׁאָר עֲבֵרוֹת יָחִיד מֵבִיא כִשְׂבָּה אוֹ שְׂעִירָה, וּבְזוֹ קָבַע לָהּ שְׂעִירָה (שם):
28And the priest must atone for the erring person who sinned inadvertently before God, so as to atone on his behalf, and he will be forgiven.   כחוְכִפֶּ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן עַל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ הַשֹּׁגֶ֛גֶת בְּחֶטְאָ֥ה בִשְׁגָגָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָ֖יו וְנִסְלַ֥ח לֽוֹ:
29One law must apply to anyone who sins inadvertently, both to the native Israelite and to the convert who resides among them.   כטהָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֣ר בְּתוֹכָ֑ם תּוֹרָ֤ה אַחַת֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם לָֽעֹשֶׂ֖ה בִּשְׁגָגָֽה:
30But should a person act highhandedly, whether he is a native Israelite or a convert, he is blaspheming God, and that person will be cut off from among his people,   לוְהַנֶּ֜פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה | בְּיָ֣ד רָמָ֗ה מִן־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ וּמִן־הַגֵּ֔ר אֶת־יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֣וּא מְגַדֵּ֑ף וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽהּ:
בְּיָד רָמָה - Highhandedly - i.e., intentionally.   בְּיָד רָמָה.  בְמֵזִיד:
מְגַדֵּף - is synonymous with מְחָרֵף – he disgraces, as in: “it will be a disgrace and an insult (וּגְדוּפָה),” 1 and “which the youths of the king of Assyria insulted (גִּדְּפוּ).” 2 Our rabbis 3 further derived from here that one who blasphemes the Divine Name incurs excision.   מְגַדֵּף.  מְחָרֵף, כְּמוֹ "וְהָיְתָה חֶרְפָּה וּגְדוּפָה" (יחזקאל ה'), "אֲשֶׁר גִּדְּפוּ נַעֲרֵי מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר" (ישעיהו ל"ז), וְעוֹד דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִכָּאן לַמְּבָרֵךְ אֶת הַשֵּׁם שֶׁהוּא בְכָרֵת (כריתות ז'):
31for he has scorned the word of God and violated His commandment not to serve idols; that person will be utterly cut off; his iniquity is in him.’”   לאכִּ֤י דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ בָּזָ֔ה וְאֶת־מִצְוָת֖וֹ הֵפַ֑ר הִכָּרֵ֧ת | תִּכָּרֵ֛ת הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא עֲו‍ֹנָ֥ה בָֽהּ:
דְבַר־ה' - The word of God. The injunction against idolatry is so called because it was heard directly from the Almighty, but the remaining commandments were heard from the mouth of Moses.   דְבַר־ה'.  אַזְהָרַת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה וְהַשְּׁאָר מִפִּי מֹשֶׁה (סנהדרין צ"ט):
עונה בָֽהּ - His iniquity is in him - i.e., as long as his sin remains with him, meaning that he has not repented.   עונה בָֽהּ.  בִּזְמַן שֶׁעֲוֹנָהּ בָּהּ — שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה תְשׁוּבָה:
32When the Israelites were in the desert, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.   לבוַֽיִּהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיִּמְצְא֗וּ אִ֛ישׁ מְקשֵׁ֥שׁ עֵצִ֖ים בְּי֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת:
וַֽיִּהְיוּ … בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּמְצְאוּ - When the Israelites were in the desert, they found. Through this description, Scripture relates the Israelites’ disgrace, namely, that they kept only the first Sabbath after its details were given, but on the second, this person came and desecrated it.   וַֽיִּהְיוּ … בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּמְצְאוּ.  בִּגְנוּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁלֹא שָׁמְרוּ אֶלָּא שַׁבָּת רִאשׁוֹנָה, וּבַשְּׁנִיָּה בָא זֶה וְחִלְּלָהּ (ספרי):
33Those who found him gathering wood presented him before Moses and Aaron and before the entire community.   לגוַיַּקְרִ֣יבוּ אֹת֔וֹ הַמֹּֽצְאִ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ מְקשֵׁ֣שׁ עֵצִ֑ים אֶל־משֶׁה֙ וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הָֽעֵדָֽה:
הַמֹּֽצְאִים אֹתוֹ מְקשֵׁשׁ - Who found him gathering. This indicates that they warned him, yet he did not cease gathering sticks even after they found him and warned him.   הַמֹּֽצְאִים אֹתוֹ מְקשֵׁשׁ.  שֶׁהִתְרוּ בוֹ וְלֹא הִנִּיחַ מִלְּקוֹשֵׁשׁ, אַף מִשֶׁמְּצָאוּהוּ וְהִתְרוּ בוֹ (שם; סנהדרין מ"א):
34They put him under guard, because it had not been specified what was to be done to him.   לדוַיַּנִּ֥יחוּ אֹת֖וֹ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר כִּ֚י לֹ֣א פֹרַ֔שׁ מַה־יֵּֽעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ:
כִּי לֹא פֹרַשׁ מַה־יֵּֽעָשֶׂה לֽוֹ - Because it had not been specified what was to be done to him. They did not know by what means of death he should be executed, but they did know that one who desecrates the Sabbath incurs the death penalty.   כִּי לֹא פֹרַשׁ מַה־יֵּֽעָשֶׂה לֽוֹ.  בְּאֵיזוֹ מִיתָה יָמוּת, אֲבָל יוֹדְעִים הָיוּ שֶׁמְּחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת בְּמִיתָה (שם ע"ח):
35God said to Moses, “The man must be put to death: the entire community must pelt him with stones outside the camp.”   להוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָאִ֑ישׁ רָג֨וֹם אֹת֤וֹ בָֽאֲבָנִים֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה מִח֖וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
רָגוֹם - is an infinitive form denoting continuous action, like עָשֹׂה, which means “fainant” in Old French (“doing”). Similarly, הָלוֹךְ 4 means “aslant” in Old French (“going”); and similarly, זָכוֹר 5 and שָׁמוֹר, 6 which denote continuous “remembering” and “observing.”   רָגוֹם.  עָשֹׂה, פשנ"ט, וְכֵן הָלוֹךְ אלנ"ט, וְכֵן "זָכוֹר" (שמות כ, ח) וְ"שָׁמוֹר" (דברים ה, יב):
36So the entire community took him outside the camp, and they pelted him to death with stones, as God had commanded Moses.   לווַיֹּצִ֨יאוּ אֹת֜וֹ כָּל־הָֽעֵדָ֗ה אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וַיִּרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ בָּֽאֲבָנִ֖ים וַיָּמֹ֑ת כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
וַיֹּצִיאוּ אֹתוֹ - Took him outside. From here we learn that the area of stoning must be outside and at a distance from the court.   וַיֹּצִיאוּ אֹתוֹ.  מִכָּאן שֶׁבֵּית הַסְּקִילָה חוּץ וְרָחוֹק מִבֵּית דִּין (ספרי):
37God spoke to Moses, saying:   לזוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
38“Speak to the Israelites and say to them that they must make for themselves a tassel on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and they must affix a wool thread dyed turquoise onto the tassel of each corner.   לחדַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֥ם צִיצִ֛ת עַל־כַּנְפֵ֥י בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם לְדֹֽרֹתָ֑ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־צִיצִ֥ת הַכָּנָ֖ף פְּתִ֥יל תְּכֵֽלֶת:
וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת - They must make for themselves a tassel. It is called צִיצִת on account of the strings hanging from it, as in: “He took me by the locks (בְּצִיצִת) of my head.” 7 Another explanation   וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת.  עַל שֵׁם הַפְּתִילִים הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ, כְּמוֹ (יחזקאל ח'), "וַיִּקָּחֵנִי בְּצִיצִת רֹאשִׁי" (מנחות מ"ב). דָּבָר אַחֵר:
צִיצִת - It is called צִיצִת: on account of the commandment: “you must look at it,” 8 as in: “peering (מֵצִיץ) through the cracks.” 9   צִיצִת.  עַל שֵׁם וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ, כְּמוֹ "מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים" (שיר השירים ב'):
תְּכֵֽלֶת - is the greenish-blue dye derived from an animal known as the chilazon.   תְּכֵֽלֶת.  צֶבַע יָרֹק שֶׁל חִלָּזוֹן:
39This tassel will be for you. You must look at it and recall all the commandments of God, to perform them, and you will not wander after your hearts and after your eyes, after which you go astray.   לטוְהָיָ֣ה לָכֶם֘ לְצִיצִת֒ וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם אֹת֗וֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָת֜וּרוּ אַֽחֲרֵ֤י לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַֽחֲרֵ֣י עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽם:
וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹת ה' - And recall all the commandments of God - for the numerical value of צִיצִית is 600, and there are eight threads and five knots on each corner – totaling 613.   וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֹת ה'.  שֶׁמִּנְיַן גִּימַטְרִיָּא שֶׁל צִיצִית שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, וּשְׁמוֹנָה חוּטִין וַחֲמִשָּׁה קְשָׁרִים הֲרֵי תרי"ג (תנחומא):
וְלֹֽא־תָתוּרוּ אַֽחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם - And you will not wander after your hearts. The word תָתוּרוּ is similar to מִתּוּר הָאָרֶץ “from scouting the land.” 10 The heart and the eyes are “spies” for the body, procuring sins for it: the eye sees, the heart desires, and the body commits the sins.   וְלֹֽא־תָתוּרוּ אַֽחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם.  כְּמוֹ "מִתּוּר הָאָרֶץ" (במדבר י"ג); הַלֵּב וְהָעֵינַיִם הֵם מְרַגְּלִים לַגּוּף, מְסַרְסְרִים לוֹ אֶת הָעֲבֵרוֹת, הָעַיִן רוֹאָה וְהַלֵּב חוֹמֵד וְהַגּוּף עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הָעֲבֵרָה (תנחומא):
40Do this in order that you recall and perform all My commandments, and be holy to your God.   מלְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכְּר֔וּ וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְו‍ֹתָ֑י וִֽהְיִיתֶ֥ם קְדשִׁ֖ים לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
41I am God, your God, who took you out of Egypt to be your God. I am God, your God.”   מאאֲנִ֞י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֤אתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִֽהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
אֲנִי ה' - I am God - faithful to pay reward.   אֲנִי ה'.  נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר:
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם - Your God - faithful to exact punishment.   אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם.  נֶאֱמָן לִפָּרַע:
אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם - Who took you out - i.e., I redeemed you on this condition, namely, that you accept My decrees upon yourselves.   אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם.  עַל מְנָת כֵּן פָּדִיתִי אֶתְכֶם שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיכֶם גְּזֵרוֹתַי:
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם - I am God, your God. 

Why is this stated again? So that Israel not say: “For what purpose did the Omnipresent say that we should observe His commandments? Was the intention not that we do it and receive reward? Let us instead not perform the commandments and not receive reward!” In order to preclude this reasoning, God said, “I am God…,” implying: “I am your King, even against your will.” Similarly, it says: “I swear that with a mighty hand…I will rule over you.” 11 Another explanation: Why is the Exodus from Egypt mentioned? To imply: Just as I distinguished in Egypt between the seed of a firstborn and that of one who is not a firstborn, so will I discern in future, punishing one who hangs a thread dyed with indigo on his garment, claiming that it is the required turquoise dye.

To explain the relevance of this commandment to the Exodus, I have copied the following from the work of Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan: Why is the passage regarding the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath written next to the passage regarding idolatry? To teach that one who desecrates the Sabbath is like one who serves idols, because this too is tantamount to transgressing all the commandments. And so it says in Ezra: 12 “You descended on Mount Sinai…gave Your nation the Torah and commandments…and informed them of Your holy Sabbath.” And the passage regarding tzitzit is also stated near these passages for the same reason, because it, too, is equivalent to all the commandments, as it says: “and perform all My commandments.” 13

  אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם.  עוֹד לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּנֵי מָה אָמַר הַמָּקוֹם? לֹא שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה וְנִטֹּל שָֹכָר? אָנוּ לֹא עוֹשִׂים וְלֹא נוֹטְלִים שָׂכָר עַל כָּרְחֲכֶם אֲנִי מַלְכְּכֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל כ'), "אִם לֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה … אֶמְלוֹךְ עֲלֵיכֶם" (ספרי). דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם? אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁהִבְחַנְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם בֵּין טִפָּה שֶׁל בְּכוֹר לְשֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל בְּכוֹר, אֲנִי הוּא עָתִיד לְהַבְחִין וְלִפָּרַע מִן הַתּוֹלֶה קָלָא אִילָן בְּבִגְדּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר תְּכֵלֶת הִיא. וּמִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן הֶעְתַּקְתִּי: לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ לְפָרָשַׁת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? לוֹמַר שֶׁהַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת כְּעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁאַף הִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּכָל הַמִּצְוֹת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּעֶזְרָא (נחמיה ט׳:י״ד) "וְעַל הַר סִינַי יָרַדְתָּ וַתִּתֵּן לְעַמְּךָ תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת וְאֶת שַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ הוֹדַעְתָ לָהֶם"; וְאַף פָּרָשַׁת צִיצִית לְכָךְ נִסְמְכָה לָאֵלּוּ לְפִי שֶׁאַף הִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְנֶגֶד כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי:
על כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם - On the corners of their garments. This alludes to what is stated regarding the Exodus from Egypt: “I carried you on wings (כַּנְפֵי) of eagles.” 14 The tzitzit are to be placed on a garment with four corners, and not on one with three corners or with five, alluding to the four expressions of redemption stated regarding the Exodus from Egypt: “I will free”; “I will rescue”; “I will redeem”; “I will take.” 15   על כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם.  כְּנֶגֶד "וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים" (שמות יט, ד) ; עַל אַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת, וְלֹא בַעֲלַת שָׁלֹשׁ וְלֹא בַעֲלַת חָמֵשׁ, כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל גְּאֻלָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמִצְרַיִם "וְהוֹצֵאתִי וְהִצַּלְתִּי וְגָאַלְתִּי וְלָקַחְתִּי" (שמות ו'):
פְּתִיל תְּכֵֽלֶת - A thread dyed turquoise. This alludes to the loss of the Egyptian firstborn, as the translation of שִׁכּוּל (“bereavement”) is תִּכְלָא. They were stricken at night, and similarly, the turquoise dye resembles the color of the sky darkening towards evening, when they slaughtered the Passover sacrifice and this decree was pronounced above. The eight strings on each corner represent the eight days the Israelites spent from this initial stage of their leaving Egypt until its completion when they sang the Song at the Sea.   פְּתִיל תְּכֵֽלֶת.  עַל שֵׁם שִׁכּוּל בְּכוֹרוֹת — תַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל שִׁכּוּל תִּכְלָא — וּמַכָּתָם הָיְתָה בַלַּיְלָה, וְכֵן צֶבַע הַתְּכֵלֶת דּוֹמֶה לָרָקִיעַ הַמַּשְׁחִיר לְעֵת עֶרֶב; וּשְׁמוֹנָה חוּטִין שֶׁבָּהּ כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים שֶׁשָּׁהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשֶּׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עַד שֶׁאָמְרוּ שִׁירָה עַל הַיָּם: