Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 20

7God spoke to Moses, saying:   זוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
8“Take the staff and assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron, and speak in their presence to the rock, so that it give forth its water. You will bring forth water for them from the rock and give the community and their animals to drink.”   חקַ֣ח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֗ה וְהַקְהֵ֤ל אֶת־הָֽעֵדָה֙ אַתָּה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו וְהֽוֹצֵאתָ֙ לָהֶ֥ם מַ֨יִם֙ מִן־הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם:
וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם - And their animals. From here we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, is concerned for the Israelites’ belongings.   וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם.  מִכָּאן שֶׁחָס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל מָמוֹנָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
9Moses took the staff from before God, as He had commanded him.   טוַיִּקַּ֥ח משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֖ה מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּֽהוּ:
10Moses and Aaron assembled the assembly in front of the rock, and said to them, “Now listen, you rebels, can we draw water for you from this rock?”   יוַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ משֶׁ֧ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם:
וַיַּקְהִלוּ וגו' - They assembled… This is one of the instances where a small area held many people.   וַיַּקְהִלוּ וגו'.  זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהֶחֱזִיק מוּעָט אֶת הַמְרֻבֶּה (בראשית רבה ה'):
הֲמִן־הַסָּלַע הַזֶּה נוֹצִיא - Can we draw…from this rock?. They said this because they did not recognize it, since the original rock had moved away when the well ceased, coming to rest among the other rocks, and the Israelites said to them: What difference does it make from which rock you draw water for us? He therefore called them הַמֹּרִים, having the connotation of “disobedient ones,” “fools” in Greek, and “those aspiring to teach (מוֹרִים) their own teachers,” continuing: “Do you think we can draw water for you from this rock, about which we were not commanded?”   הֲמִן־הַסָּלַע הַזֶּה נוֹצִיא.  לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָלַךְ הַסֶּלַע וְיָשַׁב לוֹ בֵּין הַסְּלָעִים כְּשֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר, וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם מַה לָּכֶם מֵאֵי זֶה סֶלַע תּוֹצִיאוּ לָנוּ מַיִם? לְכָךְ אָמַר לָהֶם המרים — סַרְבָנִים, לְשׁוֹן יְוָנִי שׁוֹטִים, מוֹרִים אֶת מוֹרֵיהֶם, הֲמִן הַסֶּלַע הַזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוִּינוּ עָלָיו נוֹצִיא לָכֶם מַיִם? (תנחומא):
11Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and an abundance of water gushed forth, and the community and their animals drank.   יאוַיָּ֨רֶם משֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּֽעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָֽעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם:
פַּֽעֲמָיִם - Twice - for after the first time it only gave forth a few drops, because the Omnipresent had not commanded Moses to strike it, but only to “speak to the rock.” They had spoken to a different rock, but of course it did not give forth water. They said: “Maybe we need to strike it like the first one, as it says: ‘You must strike the rock.’” 1 They then happened to come upon the correct rock, and he struck it.   פַּֽעֲמָיִם.  לְפִי שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא הוֹצִיא אֶלָּא טִפִּין, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא צִוָּה הַמָּקוֹם לְהַכּוֹתוֹ, אֶלָּא "וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע", וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ אֶל סֶלַע אַחֵר וְלֹא הוֹצִיא, אָמְרוּ, שֶׁמָּא צָרִיךְ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר" (שמות י"ז), וְנִזְדַּמֵּן לָהֶם אוֹתוֹ סֶלַע וְהִכָּהוּ (תנחומא):
12God said to Moses and Aaron, “Since you did not have enough faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Israelites, you therefore will not bring this assembly to the land that I have given them.”   יבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֨יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם:
יַעַן לֹא־הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי - Since you did not have enough faith in Me. Scripture reveals that were it not for this one sin, they would have entered the land, so that it not be said about them that the sin of Moses and Aaron was the same sin as that of the rest of the generation of the desert, for which it was decreed that they would not enter the land. Now, was not Moses’ saying: “If a flock and a herd were slaughtered…” 2 a more severe blasphemy than this? It is only because that sin took place in private that Scripture protected him and he was not punished, whereas here, where it was done in the presence of all Israel, Scripture did not protect him, because of failure to sanctify God’s Name.   יַעַן לֹא־הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי.  גִּלָּה הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי חֵטְא זֶה בִּלְבַד הָיוּ נִכְנָסִין לָאָרֶץ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כַּעֲוֹן דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר שֶׁנִּגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ, כָּךְ הָיָה עֲוֹן מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן; וַהֲלֹא "הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר יִשָּׁחֵט" (במדבר יא, כב) קָשָׁה מִזּוֹ? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁבַּסֵּתֶר, חִסֵּךְ עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב, וְכָאן שֶׁבְּמַעֲמַד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא חִסֵּךְ עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב מִפְּנֵי קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם:
לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי - To sanctify Me - for had you spoken to the rock and it had given forth water, I would have been sanctified in the eyes of the community, as they would have said: “If even this rock – which can neither speak nor hear, and does not require any sustenance – carries out the Omnipresent’s word, all the more so should we.”   לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי.  שֶׁאִלּוּ דִּבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע וְהוֹצִיא, הָיִיתִי מְקֻדָּשׁ לְעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה, וְאוֹמְרִים מַה סֶּלַע זֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְפַרְנָסָה מְקַיֵּם דִּבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, קַל וָחֹמֶר אָנוּ:
לָכֵן לֹא־תָבִיאוּ - You therefore will not bring. This was stated as an oath, as indicated by the similar wording: “Therefore (לָכֵן) I have sworn concerning the house of Eli.” 3 God made the oath promptly, so that they not pray at length for it to be rescinded.   לָכֵן לֹא־תָבִיאוּ.  בִּשְׁבוּעָה, כְּמוֹ "וְלָכֵן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְבֵית עֵלִי" (שמואל א ג'), נִשְׁבַּע בִּקְפִיצָה שֶׁלֹּא יַרְבּוּ בִתְפִלָּה עַל כָּךְ:
13This water became known as “the water of contention,” because the Israelites contended with God and He was sanctified through it.   יגהֵ֚מָּה מֵ֣י מְרִיבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־רָב֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּקָּדֵ֖שׁ בָּֽם:
הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה - (lit.) This is the “water of contention” - i.e., this is the same water mentioned elsewhere: It is this that was seen by Pharaoh’s astrologers, who foretold that the Israelites’ savior would be stricken through water, and for this reason they decreed: “You must cast every boy who is born into the Nile.” 4   הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה.  הֵם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר; אֶת אֵלּוּ רָאוּ אִצְטַגְנִינֵי פַרְעֹה, שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיעָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹקֶה בַמַּיִם, לְכָךְ גָּזְרוּ (שמות א') "כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ" (סנהדרין ק"א):
וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּֽם - And He was sanctified through it - in that Moses and Aaron died on account of this water, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, executes judgment upon His holy ones, He becomes feared and sanctified among the creatures, and so it says: “You are feared, God, from Your Sanctuary,” 5 expounded as meaning “from Your holy ones,” and so too it says: “I will be sanctified through those nearest to Me.” 6   וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּֽם.  שֶׁמֵּתוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל יָדָם; כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה דִּין בִּמְקֻדָּשָׁיו הוּא יָראוּי וּמִתְקַדֵּשׁ עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "נוֹרָא אֱלֹהִים מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ" (תהילים ס"ח), וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "בִּקְרֹבַי אֶקָּדֵשׁ" (ויקרא י'):
14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, “So says Israel, your brother: You know of all the hardship that has befallen us.   ידוַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח משֶׁ֧ה מַלְאָכִ֛ים מִקָּדֵ֖שׁ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֑וֹם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אָחִ֣יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְצָאָֽתְנוּ:
אָחִיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל - Israel, your brother. Why did he see fit to mention their brotherhood here? Only because he was telling him: “We are brothers, descendants of Abraham, to whom it was said: ‘your descendants will be foreigners,’ 7 and the obligation to pay this debt was on both of us.”   אָחִיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.  מָה רָאָה לְהַזְכִּיר כָּאן אַחֲוָה? אֶלָּא אָמַר לוֹ אַחִים אֲנַחְנוּ, בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לוֹ "כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ" (בראשית ט"ו), וְעַל שְׁנֵינוּ הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הַחוֹב לְפָרְעוֹ (תנחומא):
אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה - You know of all the hardship - for this reason your father moved away from our father, as it says: “he moved to another region, away from his brother Jacob,” 8 i.e., because of this “bill of debt” incumbent on them, freeing himself of its responsibility and leaving it imposed upon Jacob alone.   אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה.  לְפִיכָךְ פֵּרֵשׁ אֲבִיכֶם מֵעַל אָבִינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל אֶרֶץ מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו" (בראשית ל״ו:ו׳) — מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁטָר חוֹב הַמֻּטָּל עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהִטִּילוֹ עַל יַעֲקֹב:
15Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we sojourned in Egypt for a long time. And the Egyptians mistreated us and our forefathers.   טווַיֵּֽרְד֤וּ אֲבֹתֵ֨ינוּ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַנֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיָּרֵ֥עוּ לָ֛נוּ מִצְרַ֖יִם וְלַֽאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ:
וַיָּרֵעוּ לָנוּ - Mistreated us - i.e., we underwent many troubles.   וַיָּרֵעוּ לָנוּ.  סָבַלְנוּ צָרוֹת רַבּוֹת:
וְלַֽאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ - And our forefathers. From here we derive that the patriarchs suffer in the grave when misfortune comes upon Israel.   וְלַֽאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ.  מִכָּאן שֶׁהָאָבוֹת מִצְטַעֲרִים בַּקֶּבֶר כְּשֶׁפֻּרְעָנוּת בָּאָה עַל יִשְֹרָאֵל (עי' תנחומא):
16We cried out to God and He heard our voice. He sent an emissary, and he took us out of Egypt. Now we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border.   טזוַנִּצְעַ֤ק אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאָ֔ךְ וַיֹּֽצִאֵ֖נוּ מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וְהִנֵּה֙ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ בְקָדֵ֔שׁ עִ֖יר קְצֵ֥ה גְבוּלֶֽךָ:
וַיִּשְׁמַע קֹלֵנוּ - And He heard our voice - through the blessing with which our ancestor Isaac blessed us: “The voice is the voice of Jacob,” 9 i.e., that when we cry out to God, we be answered.   וַיִּשְׁמַע קֹלֵנוּ.  בַּבְּרָכָה שֶׁבֵּרְכָנוּ אָבִינוּ "הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב", שֶׁאָנוּ צוֹעֲקִים וְנַעֲנִים (תנחומא בשלח):
מַלְאָךְ - An emissary. This refers to Moses. From here we see that the prophets are called מַלְאָכִים; and similarly, it says: “they would mock the messengers of (מַלְאֲכֵי) God.” 10   מַלְאָךְ.  זֶה מֹשֶׁה, מִכָּאן שֶׁהַנְּבִיאִים קְרוּאִים מַלְאָכִים, וְאוֹמֵר "וַיִּהְיוּ מַלְעִבִים בְּמַלְאֲכֵי הָאֱלֹהִים" (דברי הימים ב' ל"ו):
17Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink well-water. We will walk along the king’s road, and we will turn neither to the right nor to the left until we have passed through your territory.”   יזנַעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ לֹ֤א נַֽעֲבֹר֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה וּבְכֶ֔רֶם וְלֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר דֶּ֧רֶךְ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ נֵלֵ֗ךְ לֹ֤א נִטֶּה֙ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֔אול עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־נַֽעֲבֹ֖ר גְּבֻלֶֽךָ:
נַעְבְּרָה־נָּא בְאַרְצֶךָ - Please let us pass through your land. You cannot object to us claiming exclusive inheritance of the Land of Israel, for you did not settle your portion of the debt of exile. So give us a little assistance by allowing us to pass through your land.   נַעְבְּרָה־נָּא בְאַרְצֶךָ.  אֵין לְךָ לְעוֹרֵר עַל הַיְרֻשָּׁה שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁלֹּא פָרַעְתָּ הַחוֹב, עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ עֵזֶר מְעַט לַעֲבֹר דֶּרֶךְ אַרְצְךָ:
וְלֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מֵי בְאֵר - (lit.) Nor will we drink water of a well. Surely, he should have said מֵי בוֹרוֹת “water of wells,” in the plural! The singular is used only because this is what Moses was saying: “Even though we have the manna to eat and a well from which to drink, we will not drink from it; rather, we will buy food and water from you, so that you benefit from our passage through your land.” From here we learn that one who lodges at an inn, even though he has food with him, should buy from the storekeeper in order that his host may benefit.   וְלֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מֵי בְאֵר.  מֵי בוֹרוֹת הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדֵנוּ מָן לֶאֱכֹל וּבְאֵר לִשְׁתּוֹת, לֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ, אֶלָּא נִקְנֶה מִכֶּם אֹכֶל וּמַיִם לַהֲנָאַתְכֶם, מִכָּאן לְאַכְסְנַאי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לֶאֱכֹל יִקְנֶה מִן הַחֶנְוָנִי, כְּדֵי לְהַנּוֹת אֶת אֻשְׁפִּיזוֹ (תנחומא):
דֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ נֵלֵךְ וגו' - We will walk along the king’s road… We will muzzle our animals so they not stray to either side to eat.   דֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ נֵלֵךְ וגו'.  אָנוּ חוֹסְמִים אֶת בְּהֶמְתֵּנוּ וְלֹא יִטּוּ לְכָאן וּלְכָאן לֶאֱכֹל (שם):
18Edom replied to them, “You will not pass through my country, lest I go out to greet you with the sword!”   יחוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֱד֔וֹם לֹ֥א תַֽעֲבֹ֖ר בִּ֑י פֶּן־בַּחֶ֖רֶב אֵצֵ֥א לִקְרָאתֶֽךָ:
פֶּן־בַּחֶרֶב אֵצֵא לִקְרָאתֶֽךָ - Lest I go out to greet you with the sword. Just as you pride yourselves with the power of voice that your ancestor bequeathed to you, as you said: “We cried out to God and He heard our voice,” 11 I will come out against you with the power that my ancestor bequeathed to me: “You will live by your sword.” 12   פֶּן־בַּחֶרֶב אֵצֵא לִקְרָאתֶֽךָ.  אַתֶּם מִתְגָּאִים בְּקוֹל שֶׁהוֹרִישְׁכֶם אֲבִיכֶם וְאוֹמְרִים "וַנִּצְעַק אֶל ה' וַיִּשְׁמַע קֹלֵנוּ", וַאֲנִי אֵצֵא עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמַה שֶּׁהוֹרִישֵׁנִי אָבִי "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז):
19The Israelites said to them, “We will keep to the highway, and if either we or our cattle drink your water, we will pay its price. There is really nothing to fear; we will pass through on foot.”   יטוַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֥יו בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ בַּֽמְסִלָּ֣ה נַֽעֲלֶה֒ וְאִם־מֵימֶ֤יךָ נִשְׁתֶּה֙ אֲנִ֣י וּמִקְנַ֔י וְנָֽתַתִּ֖י מִכְרָ֑ם רַ֥ק אֵין־דָּבָ֖ר בְּרַגְלַ֥י אֶֽעֱבֹֽרָה:
רַק אֵין־דָּבָר - (lit.) Only there is nothing - means: there is absolutely nothing that can harm you.   רַק אֵין־דָּבָר.  אֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר מַזִּיקְךָ:
20But he said, “You will not pass through!” and Edom came out to greet them with a vast force and a strong hand.   כוַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַֽעֲבֹ֑ר וַיֵּצֵ֤א אֱדוֹם֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ בְּעַ֥ם כָּבֵ֖ד וּבְיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה:
וּבְיָד חֲזָקָֽה - And a strong hand - relying on our ancestor’s promise: “the hands are the hands of Esau.” 13   וּבְיָד חֲזָקָֽה.  בְּהַבְטָחַת זְקֵנֵנוּ "וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו" (שם):
21Edom refused to allow Israel to cross through its territory. So Israel turned away from them.   כאוַיְמָאֵ֣ן | אֱד֗וֹם נְתֹן֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֲבֹ֖ר בִּגְבֻל֑וֹ וַיֵּ֥ט יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵֽעָלָֽיו: