Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 5

1God spoke to Moses, saying:   אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2“Command the Israelites to banish from the camp all those afflicted with tzara’at, anyone with discharge, and all those ritually defiled through contact with the dead.   בצַ֚ו אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וִֽישַׁלְּחוּ֙ מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה כָּל־צָר֖וּעַ וְכָל־זָ֑ב וְכֹ֖ל טָמֵ֥א לָנָֽפֶשׁ:
צַו אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו' - Command the Israelites… This passage was said on the day when the Tabernacle was first erected. Eight passages were said on that day, as stated in Tractate Gitin, in Chapter HaNizakin. 1   צַו אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו'.  פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה בַּיּוֹם שֶׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וּשְׁמוֹנֶה פָרָשִׁיּוֹת נֶאֶמְרוּ בוֹ בַיּוֹם, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת גִּטִּין בְּפֶרֶק הַנִּזָּקִין (גיטין דף ס'):
וִֽישַׁלְּחוּ מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה - To banish from the camp. Whenever they camped, they were organized into three camps: within the nettings of the Courtyard was “the camp of the Divine Presence”; the encampment of the Levites around it, as detailed in parashat Bemidbar Sinai, was “the camp of the Levites”; and from there to the end of the encampment of the divisions in all four directions was “the camp of the Israelites.” A person afflicted with tzaraat is banished from all of them; one with a discharge is permitted to stay in the camp of the Israelites but is banished from the two inner camps; and one who is ritually defiled through contact with the dead is permitted even in the camp of the Levites and is only banished from the camp of the Divine Presence. All this our rabbis expounded, in Tractate Pesachim, 2 from Scriptural verses.   וִֽישַׁלְּחוּ מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה.  שָׁלֹשׁ מַחֲנוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם בִּשְׁעַת חֲנִיָּתָן, תּוֹךְ הַקְּלָעִים הִיא מַחֲנֵה שְׁכִינָה, חֲנִיַּת הַלְוִיִּם סָבִיב כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, הִיא מַחֲנֵה לְוִיָּה, וּמִשָּׁם וְעַד סוֹף מַחֲנֵה הַדְּגָלִים לְכָל אַרְבַּע הָרוּחוֹת הִיא מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל; הַצָּרוּעַ נִשְׁתַּלַּח חוּץ לְכֻלָּן, הַזָּב מֻתָּר בְּמַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמְשֻׁלָּח מִן הַשְּׁתַיִם, וְטָמֵא לָנֶפֶשׁ מֻתָּר אַף בְּשֶׁל לְוִיָּה, וְאֵינוֹ מְשֻׁלָּח אֶלָּא מִשֶּׁל שְׁכִינָה, וְכָל זֶה דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת בְּמַסֶּ' פְּסָחִים (דף ס"ז):
טָמֵא לָנָֽפֶשׁ - means, as Onkelos translates it: דִּמְסָאָב לִטְמֵי נַפְשָׁא דֶאֱנָשָׁא “who is ritually defiled through טְמֵי נַפְשָׁא דֶּאֱנָשָׁא.” I say that the above expression means “the bones of a person” in Aramaic, and the term טִמַּיָּא occurs several times in Bereshit Rabbah: אַדְרִיָּאנוּס שְׁחִיק טִמַּיָּא “Hadrian – may his bones be ground.”   טָמֵא לָנָֽפֶשׁ.  "דִּמְסָאָב לִטְמֵי נַפְשָׁא דֶאֱנָשָׁא", אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן עַצְמוֹת אָדָם בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי. וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה, "אַדְרִיאָנוּס שְׁחִיק טַמְיָא", שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת:
3You must banish both male and female; you must send them outside the camp so they not defile their camps in which I dwell among them.”   גמִזָּכָ֤ר עַד־נְקֵבָה֙ תְּשַׁלֵּ֔חוּ אֶל־מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה תְּשַׁלְּח֑וּם וְלֹ֤א יְטַמְּאוּ֙ אֶת־מַ֣חֲנֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֥ן בְּתוֹכָֽם:
4The Israelites did so: they sent them outside the camp; the Israelites did exactly as God had spoken to Moses.   דוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְשַׁלְּח֣וּ אוֹתָ֔ם אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר יְהוָֹה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
5God spoke to Moses, saying:   הוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
6“Tell the Israelites: When a man or woman commits any of the following sins of man, acting treacherously against God, and that person is guilty   ודַּבֵּר֘ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַֽעֲשׂוּ֙ מִכָּל־חַטֹּ֣את הָֽאָדָ֔ם לִמְעֹ֥ל מַ֖עַל בַּֽיהוָֹ֑ה וְאָֽשְׁמָ֖ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִֽוא:
לִמְעֹל מַעַל בה' - Acting treacherously against God. Scripture repeats here the passage regarding a thief who swears falsely in denial of a claim, which was stated in parashat Vayikra: 3If a person sins, acting unfaithfully to God by denying his fellow….” It is repeated here because of two new details that are added: The first is that it states: “and confesses,” 4 which teaches us that testimony of witnesses cannot make him liable to pay an additional fifth and bring a guilt-offering; he is liable for these only when he himself confesses the matter. The second is the law regarding an object stolen from a convert who then died without heirs, namely, that it is given to the priests.   לִמְעֹל מַעַל בה'.  הֲרֵי חָזַר וְכָתַב כָּאן פָּרָשַׁת גּוֹזֵל וְנִשְׁבָּע עַל שֶׁקֶר, הִיא הָאֲמוּרָה בְפָרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא "וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּה' וְכִחֵשׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ וְגוֹ'", וְנִשְׁנֵית כָּאן בִּשְׁבִיל שְׁנֵי דְבָרִים שֶׁנִּתְחַדְּשׁוּ בָהּ, הָאֶחָד שֶׁכָּתַב "וְהִתְוַדּוּ", לִמֵּד שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב חֹמֶשׁ וְאָשָׁם עַל פִּי עֵדִים עַד שֶׁיּוֹדֶה בַדָּבָר, וְהַשֵּׁנִי עַל גֶּזֶל הַגֵּר שֶׁהוּא נָתוּן לַכֹּהֲנִים (עי' ספרי):
7and confesses the sin he committed, he must make restitution for the principal amount of his guilt, add its fifth to it, and give it to the one against whom he was guilty.   זוְהִתְוַדּ֗וּ אֶת־חַטָּאתָם֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂוּ֒ וְהֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ֙ בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וַֽחֲמִֽישִׁת֖וֹ יֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֑יו וְנָתַ֕ן לַֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָשַׁ֥ם לֽוֹ:
אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ - (lit.) For his guilt by its head. This refers to the principal amount, about which he swore falsely.   אֶת־אֲשָׁמוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ.  הוּא הַקֶּרֶן שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּע עָלָיו (ב"ק ק"י):
לַֽאֲשֶׁר אָשַׁם לֽוֹ - Against whom he was guilty - means to whom he is liable.   לַֽאֲשֶׁר אָשַׁם לֽוֹ.  לְמִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב לוֹ (כתובות י"ט):
8But if the man has no kinsman to whom to make restitution, the debt that should be restored is to be given to God, to the priest, besides the atonement ram through which expiation is made for him.   חוְאִם־אֵ֨ין לָאִ֜ישׁ גֹּאֵ֗ל לְהָשִׁ֤יב הָֽאָשָׁם֙ אֵלָ֔יו הָֽאָשָׁ֛ם הַמּוּשָׁ֥ב לַֽיהוָֹ֖ה לַכֹּהֵ֑ן מִלְּבַ֗ד אֵ֚יל הַכִּפֻּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְכַפֶּר־בּ֖וֹ עָלָֽיו:
וְאִם־אֵין לָאִישׁ גֹּאֵל - But if the man has no kinsman - i.e., that the plaintiff who made him swear died and has no heirs .   וְאִם־אֵין לָאִישׁ גֹּאֵל.  שֶׁמֵּת הַתּוֹבֵעַ שֶׁהִשְׁבִּיעוֹ וְאֵין לוֹ יוֹרְשִׁים:
לְהָשִׁיב הָֽאָשָׁם אֵלָיו - “to whom to make restitution”. when the thief resolved to confess his sin. Our sages 5 ask: Is there a man among Israel who has no kinsman, whether a son, a brother, or any other closest relative from his father’s family going back to our forefather Jacob? This can only refer to a convert who died without any heirs, as he is no longer legally tied to any of his former kin.   לְהָשִׁיב הָֽאָשָׁם אֵלָיו.  כְּשֶׁנִּמְלַךְ זֶה לְהִתְוַדּוֹת עַל עֲוֹנוֹ; וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ וְכִי יֵשׁ לְךָ אָדָם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין לוֹ גּוֹאֲלִים, אוֹ בֵן, אוֹ אָח, אוֹ שְׁאֵר בָּשָׂר הַקָּרוֹב מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת אָבִיו לְמַעְלָה עַד יַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא זֶה הַגֵּר שֶׁמֵּת וְאֵין לוֹ יוֹרְשִׁים (סנהדרין ס"ח):
הָֽאָשָׁם הַמּוּשָׁב - (lit.) The guilt that should be restored - The extra word “that should be restored” indicates that this refers to both the principal and the fifth.   הָֽאָשָׁם הַמּוּשָׁב.  זֶה הַקֶּרֶן וְהַחֹמֶשׁ (בבא קמא ק"י):
לה' לַכֹּהֵן - To God, to the priest - i.e., God has acquired it and given it to the priest of the particular division serving in the Temple at that time.   לה' לַכֹּהֵן.  קְנָאוֹ הַשֵּׁם וּנְתָנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ מִשְׁמָר (ספרי):
מִלְּבַד אֵיל הַכִּפֻּרִים - Besides the atonement ram. stated in Vayikra 6 that he is required to bring.   מִלְּבַד אֵיל הַכִּפֻּרִים.  הָאָמוּר בְּוַיִּקְרָא שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא:
9Every raised-offering of all the Israelites’ holy things that they must bring to the priest, must belong to him.   טוְכָל־תְּרוּמָ֞ה לְכָל־קָדְשֵׁ֧י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֥יבוּ לַכֹּהֵ֖ן ל֥וֹ יִֽהְיֶֽה:
וְכָל־תְּרוּמָה וגו' - Every raised-offering… Rabbi Yishmael said: Does one bring terumah to the priest? Surely the priest must go to the granaries to collect it. Why then does Scripture state: “that they must bring to the priest”? It is because “raised-offering” here refers not to terumah but to the first fruits, about which it says: “You must bring the first-ripened fruits of your land to the House of God.” 7 But I still do not know what should be done with them there. Scripture therefore states: “to the priest, must belong to him” – Scripture teaches here that the first fruits must be given to the priest, not only brought to him.   וְכָל־תְּרוּמָה וגו'.  אָמַר רַ' יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְכִי תְרוּמָה מַקְרִיבִין לַכֹּהֵן? וַהֲלֹא הוּא הַמְחַזֵּר אַחֲרֶיהָ לְבֵית הַגְּרָנוֹת, וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר אֲשֶׁר יַקְרִיבוּ לַכֹּהֵן? אֵלּוּ הַבִּכּוּרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם (שמות כ"ג), "תָּבִיא בֵּית ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ", וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה בָהֶם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "לַכֹּהֵן לוֹ יִהְיֶה", בָּא הַכָּתוּב וְלִמֵּד עַל הַבִּכּוּרִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִתָּנִין לַכֹּהֵן (ספרי):
10A person’s holy things will belong to him; whatever a man gives to the priest will be his.”   יוְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־קֳדָשָׁ֖יו ל֣וֹ יִֽהְי֑וּ אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִתֵּ֥ן לַכֹּהֵ֖ן ל֥וֹ יִֽהְיֶֽה:
וְאִישׁ אֶת־קֳדָשָׁיו לוֹ יִֽהְיוּ - A person’s holy things will belong to him. Since the entitlements of the priests and the Levites are stated, I might think that they may come and take them by force. Scripture therefore states: “A person’s holy things will belong to him,” which tells us that the owners benefit by having the gratification of giving them away to whom they wish. Our sages also expounded many further teachings from this verse in Sifrei. But its aggadic explanation is: “A person’s holy things will belong to him” – one who withholds his tithes and does not give them will eventually possess only the tithes, i.e., his field will ultimately only produce one tenth of what it used to produce. According to this explanation, the end of the verse is interpreted as follows:   וְאִישׁ אֶת־קֳדָשָׁיו לוֹ יִֽהְיוּ.  לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ מַתְּנוֹת כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה, יָכוֹל יָבוֹאוּ וְיִטְּלוּם בִּזְרוֹעַ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וְאִישׁ אֶת קֳדָשָׁיו לוֹ יִהְיוּ", מַגִּיד שֶׁטּוֹבַת הֲנָאָתָן לַבְּעָלִים, וְעוֹד מִדְרָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה דָרְשׁוּ בוֹ בְּסִפְרֵי; וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה וְאִישׁ אֶת קֳדָשָׁיו לוֹ יִהְיוּ, מִי שֶׁמְּעַכֵּב מַעַשְׂרוֹתָיו וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתְנָן, לוֹ יִהְיוּ הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת — סוֹף שֶׁאֵין שָׂדֵהוּ עוֹשֶׂה אֶלָּא אֶחָד מֵעֲשָׂרָה שֶׁהָיְתָה לְמוּדָה לַעֲשׂוֹת (תנחומא ראה):
אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִתֵּן לַכֹּהֵן - Whatever a man gives to the priest - i.e., when a man gives the priest the entitlements due to him .   אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִתֵּן לַכֹּהֵן.  מַתָּנוֹת הָרְאוּיוֹת לוֹ:
לוֹ יִֽהְיֶֽה - will be his - i.e., that man will have much money.   לוֹ יִֽהְיֶֽה.  מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה (ברכות סג.):