ב"ה

Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Bamidbar - Numbers Behaalotecha Texts & Summaries

Torah Reading for Behaalotecha

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First Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 8

1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:		אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2Speak to Aaron and say to him: "When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall cast their light toward the face of the menorah."		בדַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֖ אֵלָ֑יו בְּהַֽעֲלֹֽתְךָ֙ אֶת־הַנֵּרֹ֔ת אֶל־מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה יָאִ֖ירוּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת הַנֵּרֽוֹת:
When you light Why is the portion dealing with the menorah juxtaposed to the portion dealing with the chieftains? For when Aaron saw the dedication [offerings] of the chieftains, he felt distressed over not joining them in this dedication-neither he nor his tribe. So God said to him, “By your life, yours is greater than theirs, for you will light and prepare the lamps.” - [Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 3]		בְּהַֽעֲלֹֽתְךָ לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת הַמְּנוֹרָה לְפָרָשַׁת הַנְּשִׂיאִים? לְפִי שֶׁכְּשָׁרָאָה אַהֲרֹן חֲנֻכַּת הַנְּשִׂיאִים חָלְשָׁה אָז דַּעְתּוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה עִמָּהֶם בַּחֲנֻכָּה לֹא הוּא וְלֹא שִׁבְטוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁלְּךָ גְדוֹלָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁאַתָּה מַדְלִיק וּמֵטִיב אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת (עי' תנחומא):
When you light Heb. בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ, lit., when you cause to ascend. Since the flame rises, Scripture describes kindling in terms of ascending. He is required to kindle the lamp until the flame rises by itself (Shab. 21a). Our Sages further expounded from here that there was a step in front of the menorah, on which the kohen stood to prepare [the lamps]. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 3]		בְּהַֽעֲלֹֽתְךָ עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַלַּהַב עוֹלֶה, כָּתוּב בְּהַדְלָקָתָן לְשׁוֹן עֲלִיָּה, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַדְלִיק עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא שַׁלְהֶבֶת עוֹלָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ (שבת כ"א), וְעוֹד דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁמַּעֲלָה הָיְתָה לִפְנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה, שֶׁעָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן עוֹמֵד וּמֵטִיב (ספרי):
toward the face of the menorah Toward the middle lamp, which is not on [one of] the branches, but on the menorah itself. — [Men. 98b]		אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה אֶל מוּל נֵר הָאֶמְצָעִי, שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַקָּנִים אֶלָּא בְּגוּף שֶׁל מְנוֹרָה (עי' מנחות צ"ח):
shall cast their light The six on the six branches; the three eastern ones-that is their wicks-facing towards the center one, and likewise, the three western ones, the tops of their wicks facing toward the center one. Why [were the wicks facing inwards, thus giving off so little light]? So that [people] should not say that He [God] needs the light. — [Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 5]		יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרֽוֹת שִׁשָּׁה שֶׁעַל שֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים, שְׁלֹשָׁה הַמִּזְרָחִיִּים פּוֹנִים לְמוּל הָאֶמְצָעִי — הַפְּתִילוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן — וְכֵן שְׁלֹשָׁה הַמַּעֲרָבִיִּים רָאשֵׁי הַפְּתִילוֹת לְמוּל הָאֶמְצָעִי, וְלָמָּה? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, לְאוֹרָהּ הוּא צָרִיךְ (עי' תנחומא):
3Aaron did so; he lit the lamps toward the face of the menorah, as the Lord had commanded Moses.		גוַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה הֶֽעֱלָ֖ה נֵֽרֹתֶ֑יהָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה:
Aaron did so This shows Aaron’s virtue that he did not deviate [from God’s command]. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:5]		וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן אַֽהֲרֹן לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנָּה (ספרי):
4This was the form of the menorah: hammered work of gold, from its base to its flower it was hammered work; according to the form that the Lord had shown Moses, so did he construct the menorah.		דוְזֶ֨ה מַֽעֲשֵׂ֤ה הַמְּנֹרָה֙ מִקְשָׁ֣ה זָהָ֔ב עַד־יְרֵכָ֥הּ עַד־פִּרְחָ֖הּ מִקְשָׁ֣ה הִ֑וא כַּמַּרְאֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶרְאָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־משֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָֽה:
This was the form of the menorah As God had shown him with His finger, for he had difficulty with [constructing] it. That is why it says, “This is….” - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 7]		וְזֶה מַֽעֲשֵׂה הַמְּנֹרָה שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאֶצְבַּע, לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְקַשָּׁה בָהּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וְזֶה":
hammered work In old French, batediz, beaten, an expression similar to,“[and his knees] knocked (נָקְשָׁן) one against the other” (Dan. 5:6). There was a block of gold weighing a talent. He pounded it with a hammer, and cut it with a chisel to extend its limbs in the prescribed manner, and it was not made limb by limb and then connected together. — [Baraitha Melecheth HaMishkan]		מִקְשָׁה בטדי"ץ בְּלַעַז, לְשׁוֹן "דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן" (דניאל ה'), עֶשֶׁת שֶׁל כִּכַּר זָהָב הָיְתָה, וּמַקִּישׁ בְּקֻרְנָס, וְחוֹתֵךְ בְּכַשִּׁיל, לְפַשֵּׁט אֵבָרֶיהָ כְּתִקְנָן, וְלֹא נַעֲשֵׂית אֵבָרִים אֵבָרִים עַל יְדֵי חִבּוּר (עי' ספרא):
from its base to its flower Its base was the hollow box above the legs, like the silver candelabra that stand before nobles.		עַד־יְרֵכָהּ יְרֵכָהּ הִיא הַשִּׁדָּה שֶׁעַל הָרַגְלַיִם, חָלוּל, כְּדֶרֶךְ מְנוֹרוֹת כֶּסֶף שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַשָּׂרִים:
from its base to its flower That is to say, the menorah itself and everything attached to it.		עַד־יְרֵכָהּ עַד־פִּרְחָהּ כְּלוֹמַר גּוּפָהּ שֶׁל מְנוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ וְכָל הַתָּלוּי בָּהּ:
from its base Which was a large unit.		עַד־יְרֵכָהּ שֶׁהוּא אֵבָר גָּדוֹל:
to its flower Which was its finest work-it was all hammered work. It is customary to use the word עַד in this sense [to include everything], as in,“from the stacks to the (עַד) standing grain to the (עַד) olive groves” (Judges 15:5).		עַד־פִּרְחָהּ שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֶׂה דַק שֶׁבָּהּ, הַכֹּל מִקְשָׁה; וְדֶרֶךְ "עַד" לְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּלָשׁוֹן זֶה, כְּמוֹ "מִגָּדִישׁ וְעַד קָמָה וְעַד כֶּרֶם זָיִת" (שופטים ט"ו):
according to the form which the Lord had shown… According to the design He had shown him on the mount [Sinai], as it says, “Now see and make, according to their pattern [which you are shown on the mountain]” (Exod. 25:40).		כַּמַּרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה וגו' כַּתַּבְנִית אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָהוּ בָהָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ"ה) — וּרְאֵה וַעֲשֵׂה בְתַבְנִיתָם וְגוֹ' (ספרי):
so did he construct the menorah I.e., the one who made it [namely, Bezalel]. The Aggadic Midrash [Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 3] states that it was made by itself through the Holy One, Blessed is He.		כֵּן עָשָׂה אֶת־הַמְּנֹרָה מִי שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ; וּמִדְרָשׁ אַגָּדָה, עַל יְדֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נַעֲשֵׂית מֵאֵלֶיהָ (תנחומא):
5The Lord spoke to Moses saying:		הוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
6Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them.		וקַ֚ח אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם מִתּ֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְטִֽהַרְתָּ֖ אֹתָֽם:
Take the Levites Take them with words: You are fortunate in that you have merited to become attendants of the Omnipresent. — [Torath Kohanim 8:165, Midrash Aggadah]		קַח אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּם קָחֵם בִּדְבָרִים — אַשְׁרֵיכֶם שֶׁתִּזְכּוּ לִהְיוֹת שַׁמָּשִׁים לַמָּקוֹם:
7This is what you shall do to them so as to cleanse them: sprinkle them with cleansing water and pass a razor over all their flesh; then they shall wash their garments and cleanse themselves.		זוְכֹה־תַֽעֲשֶׂ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לְטַֽהֲרָ֔ם הַזֵּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֵ֣י חַטָּ֑את וְהֶֽעֱבִ֤ירוּ תַ֨עַר֙ עַל־כָּל־בְּשָׂרָ֔ם וְכִבְּס֥וּ בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְהִטֶּהָֽרוּ:
Sprinkle them with cleansing water from the ashes of the red cow, so as to cleanse them from contamination by those who were in contact with the dead.		הַזֵּה עֲלֵיהֶם מֵי חַטָּאת שֶׁל אֵפֶר הַפָּרָה מִפְּנֵי טְמֵאֵי מֵתִים שֶׁבָּהֶם:
and pass a razor over all their flesh I found in the writings of R. Moses Hadarshan (the preacher): Since they [the Levites] were submitted in atonement for the firstborn who had practiced idolatry [when they worshipped the golden calf], which is called sacrifices to the dead-and one afflicted with tzara’ath is considered dead-they required shaving like those afflicted with tzara’ath.		וְהֶֽעֱבִירוּ תַעַר מָצָאתִי בְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ כַפָּרָה עַל הַבְּכוֹרוֹת שֶׁעָבְדוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְהִיא קְרוּיָה זִבְחֵי מֵתִים, וְהַמְּצֹרָע קָרוּי מֵת, הִזְקִיקָם תִּגְלַחַת כִּמְצוֹרָעִים:
8Then they shall take a young bull with its meal offering of fine flour mingled with oil. And you shall take a second young bull as a sin offering.		חוְלָֽקְחוּ֙ פַּ֣ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֔ר וּמִ֨נְחָת֔וֹ סֹ֖לֶת בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשָּׁ֑מֶן וּפַר־שֵׁנִ֥י בֶן־בָּקָ֖ר תִּקַּ֥ח לְחַטָּֽאת:
Then they shall take a young bull That is a burnt offering, as it is written, “and designate…and one as a burnt offering” (verse 12); this is the communal offering [to atone] for idolatry.		וְלָֽקְחוּ פַּר בֶּן־בָּקָר וְהוּא עוֹלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב "וַעֲשֵֹה … וְאֶת הָאֶחָד עֹלָה", וְהוּא קָרְבַּן צִבּוּר בְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
and a second young bull What does it mean by “a second” ? It teaches that just as a burnt offering is not eaten, so is [this] sin-offering not eaten. There is a support for his [R. Moses’] comments in Torath Kohanim (Obligatory sacrifices 3:4) [which states that this sin-offering was burnt up]. I, however, believe that this was a temporary injunction [not to atone for idolatry], since they should have brought a goat as a sin-offering for idolatry, with the bull for a burnt offering.		וּפַר־שֵׁנִי מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר שֵׁנִי? לוֹמַר לְךָ מָה עוֹלָה לֹא נֶאֱכֶלֶת, אַף חַטָּאת לֹא נֶאֱכֶלֶת. וּבְזוֹ יֵשׁ סֶמֶךְ לִדְבָרָיו בְּתּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים; וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה הָיְתָה, שֶׁשָּׂעִיר הָיָה לָהֶם לְהָבִיא לְחַטַּאת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עִם פַּר הָעוֹלָה:
9You shall bring the Levites in front of the Tent of Meeting, and you shall gather the entire congregation of the children of Israel.		טוְהִקְרַבְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהִ֨קְהַלְתָּ֔ אֶת־כָּל־עֲדַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
And you shall gather the entire congregation Since the Levites were submitted as an atonement offering instead of them, let them [the Israelites] come and stand with their offerings [namely the Levites] and rest their hands upon them. — [Midrash Aggadah] 11		וְהִקְהַלְתָּ אֶת־כָּל־עֲדַת לְפִי שֶׁהַלְוִיִּם נִתָּנִים קָרְבַּן כַּפָּרָה תַּחְתֵּיהֶם, יָבֹאוּ וְיַעַמְדוּ עַל קָרְבָּנָם וְיִסְמְכוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם עֲלֵיהֶם:
10You shall bring the Levites before the Lord, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites.		יוְהִקְרַבְתָּ֥ אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְסָֽמְכ֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־הַֽלְוִיִּֽם:
11Then Aaron shall lift up the Levites as a waving before the Lord on behalf of the children of Israel, that they may serve in the Lord's service.		יאוְהֵנִיף֩ אַֽהֲרֹ֨ן אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֤ם תְּנוּפָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה מֵאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָי֕וּ לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה:
Then Aaron shall lift up the Levites as a waving in the same way that the guilt-offering of one afflicted with tzara’ath requires waving [the animal] while it is alive. Three wavings are mentioned in this section: the first (verse 11) refers to the sons of Kohath, and for this reason it states with regard to them, “that they may serve in the Lord’s service,” since they were responsible for the work involving the most holy objects-the ark, the table, etc. The second (verse 13) refers to the sons of Gershon. Therefore, it is stated with regard to them,“a waving before the Lord” (verse 13), for even they were assigned holy work-the curtains and the clasps, which could be seen in the Holy of Holies. The third [waving] was for the sons of Merari (verse 15). - [Midrash Aggadah 16]		וְהֵנִיף אַֽהֲרֹן אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּם תְּנוּפָה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲשַׁם מְצֹרָע טָעוּן תְּנוּפָה חַי; שָׁלֹשׁ תְּנוּפוֹת נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ: הָרִאשׁוֹנָה — לִבְנֵי קְהָת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בָּם "וְהָיוּ לַעֲבֹד אֶת עֲבֹדַת ה'", לְפִי שֶׁעֲבוֹדַת קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים עֲלֵיהֶם — הָאָרוֹן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן וְגוֹ'; הַשְּׁנִיָּה — לִבְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בָּם "תְּנוּפָה לַה'", שֶׁאַף עֲלֵיהֶם הָיְתָה עֲבוֹדַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ — יְרִיעוֹת וּקְרָסִים הַנִּרְאוֹת בְּבֵית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית — לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי:
12The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and make one as a sin offering and one as a burnt offering to the Lord, to atone for the Levites.		יבוְהַֽלְוִיִּם֙ יִסְמְכ֣וּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הַפָּרִ֑ים וַֽעֲשֵׂ֠ה אֶת־הָֽאֶחָ֨ד חַטָּ֜את וְאֶת־הָֽאֶחָ֤ד עֹלָה֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־הַֽלְוִיִּֽם:
13You shall present the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and lift them as a waving before the Lord.		יגוְהַֽעֲמַדְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וְלִפְנֵ֣י בָנָ֑יו וְהֵֽנַפְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
14Thus shall you set apart the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, and the Levites shall become Mine.		ידוְהִבְדַּלְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם מִתּ֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָ֥יוּ לִ֖י הַֽלְוִיִּֽם:

Second Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 8

15Following this, the Levites shall come to serve in the Tent of Meeting. You shall cleanse them and lift them as a waving.		טווְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ יָבֹ֣אוּ הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְטִֽהַרְתָּ֣ אֹתָ֔ם וְהֵֽנַפְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם תְּנוּפָֽה:
16For they are wholly given over to Me from among the children of Israel; instead of those that open the womb all the firstborn of Israel I have taken them for Myself.		טזכִּי֩ נְתֻנִ֨ים נְתֻנִ֥ים הֵ֨מָּה֙ לִ֔י מִתּ֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תַּ֩חַת֩ פִּטְרַ֨ת כָּל־רֶ֜חֶם בְּכ֥וֹר כֹּל֙ מִבְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לָקַ֥חְתִּי אֹתָ֖ם לִֽי:
wholly given over Hebrew נְתֻנִים נְתֻנִים, [the double expression denoting] given over for [the service of] carrying and given over for the singing [in the Temple]. - [Midrash Aggadah]		נְתֻנִים נְתֻנִים נְתוּנִים לְמַשָּׂא, נְתוּנִים לָשִׁיר:
that open פִּטְרַת, the opening of.		פִּטְרַת פְּתִיחַת:
17For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine whether man or beast since the day I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt; I have sanctified them for Myself.		יזכִּ֣י לִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה בְּי֗וֹם הַכֹּתִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם הִקְדַּ֥שְׁתִּי אֹתָ֖ם לִֽי:
For all the firstborn… are Mine The firstborn are Mine by right, for I protected them among the Egyptian firstborn, and I took them for Myself-until they erred through the golden calf; so now “ I have taken the Levites” (verse 18).		כִּי לִי כָל־בְּכוֹר שֶׁלִּי הָיוּ הַבְּכוֹרוֹת בְּקַו הַדִּין, שֶׁהֲגִנֹּתִי עֲלֵיהֶם בֵּין בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם וְלָקַחְתִּי אוֹתָם לִי — עַד שֶׁטָּעוּ בָעֵגֶל, וְעַכְשָׁו "וָאֶקַּח אֶת הַלְוִיִּם":
18And I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel.		יחוָֽאֶקַּ֖ח אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֑ם תַּ֥חַת כָּל־בְּכ֖וֹר בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
19I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to perform the service for the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting and to atone on behalf of the children of Israel, so that the children of Israel will not be inflicted with plague when they approach the Sanctuary.		יטוָֽאֶתְּנָ֨ה אֶת־הַֽלְוִיִּ֜ם נְתֻנִ֣ים \| לְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֗יו מִתּוֹךְ֘ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לַֽעֲבֹ֞ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וּלְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֨א יִֽהְיֶ֜ה בִּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נֶ֔גֶף בְּגֶ֥שֶׁת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ:
I have given… “The children of Israel” is mentioned five times in this verse, thus declaring the affection [God has] for them, for their mention is repeated in one verse as many times as the five books of the Torah. I saw this in Gen. Rabbah [3:5]. [Note that this is not found in Gen. Rabbah, but in Lev. Rabbah 2:4]		וָֽאֶתְּנָה וגו' חֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִקְרָא זֶה, לְהוֹדִיעַ חִבָּתָן, שֶׁנִּכְפַּל אַזְכְּרוֹתֵיהֶן בְּמִקְרָא אֶחָד כְּמִנְיַן חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה, וְכָךְ רָאִיתִי בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
so that the children of Israel will not be inflicted with plague So that there will be no need for them to approach the holy [Sanctuary], for if they do approach, there will be a plague.		וְלֹא יִֽהְיֶה בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶף שֶׁלֹא יִצְטָרְכוּ לָגֶשֶׁת אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁאִם יִגְּשׁוּ יִהְיֶה נֶגֶף:
20So Moses, Aaron, and the entire congregation of Israel did [this] to the Levites; the children of Israel did [in accordance with] all that the Lord had instructed Moses regarding the Levites.		כוַיַּ֨עַשׂ משֶׁ֧ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֛ן וְכָל־עֲדַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַֽלְוִיִּ֑ם כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶת־משֶׁה֙ לַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם כֵּן־עָשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
So Moses, Aaron and all the congregation Moses presented them, Aaron lifted them up, and the Israelites rested their hands [on them].		וַיַּעַשׂ משֶׁה וְאַֽהֲרֹן וְכָל־עֲדַת וגו' מֹשֶׁה הֶעֱמִידָן וְאַהֲרֹן הֱנִיפָן, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל סָמְכוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם:
21The Levites cleansed themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aaron lifted them as a waving before the Lord, and Aaron atoned for them to cleanse them.		כאוַיִּתְחַטְּא֣וּ הַֽלְוִיִּ֗ם וַיְכַבְּסוּ֙ בִּגְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיָּ֨נֶף אַֽהֲרֹ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיְכַפֵּ֧ר עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לְטַֽהֲרָֽם:
22After that, the Levites came to perform the service in the Tent of Meeting before Aaron and before his sons; they did to them just as the Lord had commanded Moses regarding the Levites.		כבוְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן בָּ֣אוּ הַֽלְוִיִּ֗ם לַֽעֲבֹ֤ד אֶת־עֲבֹֽדָתָם֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד לִפְנֵ֥י אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן וְלִפְנֵ֣י בָנָ֑יו כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֩ צִוָּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶת־משֶׁה֙ עַל־הַֽלְוִיִּ֔ם כֵּ֖ן עָשׂ֥וּ לָהֶֽם:
they did to them just as the Lord commanded Moses [This is written] to extol those who performed [this rite] and those upon whom it was performed, [for] none of them objected.		כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' … כֵן עָשׂוּ לְהַגִּיד שֶׁבַח הָעוֹשִׂין וְהַנַּעֲשֶׂה בָהֶן, שֶׁאֶחָד מֵהֶם לֹא עִכֵּב:
23The Lord spoke to Moses saying:		כגוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
24This is [the rule] concerning the Levites: From the age of twenty five years and upwards, he shall enter the service to work in the Tent of Meeting.		כדזֹ֖את אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַֽלְוִיִּ֑ם מִבֶּן֩ חָמֵ֨שׁ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה יָבוֹא֙ לִצְבֹ֣א צָבָ֔א בַּֽעֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
This is the rule concerning the Levites Age disqualifies them, but physical blemishes do not disqualify them. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:10, Chul. 24a]		זֹאת אֲשֶׁר לַֽלְוִיִּם שָׁנִים פּוֹסְלִים וְאֵין הַמּוּמִין פּוֹסְלִים בָּהֶם (ספרי; חולין כ"ד):
From the age of twenty-five years Elsewhere (4:3) it says, “From the age of thirty.” How can this be reconciled? However, from the age of twenty-five they came to study the laws of the service; they would study for five years, and at the age of thirty they would [begin] work. From here we learn that a student who does not experience success in his learning for five years, will never experience it. — [Chul. 24a]		מִבֶּן חָמֵשׁ וְעֶשְׂרִים וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר אוֹמֵר "מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה" (במדבר ד'), הָא כֵיצַד? מִבֶּן כ"ה בָּא לִלְמֹד הִלְכוֹת עֲבוֹדָה וְלוֹמֵד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים וּבֶן שְׁלֹשִׁים עוֹבֵד, מִכָּאן לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה סִימָן יָפֶה בְּמִשְׁנָתוֹ בְּחָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים שׁוּב אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה (ספרי; חולין כ"ד):
25From the age of fifty he shall retire from the work legion, and do no more work.		כהוּמִבֶּן֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה יָשׁ֖וּב מִצְּבָ֣א הָֽעֲבֹדָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יַֽעֲבֹ֖ד עֽוֹד:
and do no more work [I.e.,] the work of carrying on the shoulders; however, he can return to [the work of] locking the gates, singing, and loading the wagons. This is the meaning of “He shall minister with his brethren (אֶת אֶחָיו)” [in the next verse]-with his brethren, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders (עִם אֲחוֹהִי).		וְלֹא יַֽעֲבֹד עֽוֹד עֲבוֹדַת מַשָּׂא בַּכָּתֵף, אֲבָל חוֹזֵר הוּא לִנְעִילַת שְׁעָרִים וְלָשִׁיר וְלִטְעֹן עֲגָלוֹת, וְזֶהוּ וְשֵׁרֵת אֶת אֶחָיו — עִם אֲחוֹהִי, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
26He shall minister with his brethren in the Tent of Meeting to keep the charge, but he shall not perform the service; thus shall you do for the Levites regarding their charge.		כווְשֵׁרֵ֨ת אֶת־אֶחָ֜יו בְּאֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַֽעֲבֹ֑ד כָּ֛כָה תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַֽלְוִיִּ֖ם בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָֽם:
to keep the charge To camp around the Tent and to assemble and dismantle [it] at the time of the travels.		לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁמֶרֶת לַחֲנוֹת סָבִיב לָאֹהֶל וּלְהָקִים וּלְהוֹרִיד בִּשְׁעַת הַמַּסָּעוֹת:

Third Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 9

1The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert, in the second year of their exodus from the land of Egypt, in the first month, saying:		אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה בְמִדְבַּר־סִ֠ינַ֠י בַּשָּׁנָ֨ה הַשֵּׁנִ֜ית לְצֵאתָ֨ם מֵאֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֛יִם בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹֽר:
In the first month The portion at the beginning of the Book [of Numbers] was not said until Iyar. [From this], you learn that there is no chronological order in the Torah. But why did Scripture not begin with this [chapter]? For it is a disgrace to Israel that throughout the forty years the children of Israel were in the desert, they brought only this Passover sacrifice alone. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:18]		בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁוֹן פָּרָשָׁה שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ הַסֵּפֶר לֹא נֶאֶמְרָה עַד אִיָּר, לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאֵין סֵדֶר מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה, וְלָמָּה לֹא פָתַח בְּזוֹ? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא גְנוּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִדְבָּר לֹא הִקְרִיבוּ אֶלָּא פֶּסַח זוֹ בִּלְבָד (ספרי; תוספתא קידושין ל"ח):
2The children of Israel shall make the Passover sacrifice in its appointed time.		בוְיַֽעֲשׂ֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־הַפָּ֖סַח בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ:
in its appointed time Even [if it were to fall] on Sabbath; “in its appointed time” [also implies,] even [if the majority of the people were] in a state of ritual uncleanness. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:14, 15]		בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ אַף בְּשַׁבָּת, בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ — אַף בְּטֻמְאָה (ספרי):
3On the afternoon of the fourteenth of this month, you shall make it in its appointed time; in accordance with all its statutes and all its ordinances you shall make it.		גבְּאַרְבָּעָ֣ה עָשָֽׂר־י֠וֹם בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֜ה בֵּ֧ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֛יִם תַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּמֹֽעֲד֑וֹ כְּכָל־חֻקֹּתָ֥יו וּכְכָל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו תַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹתֽוֹ:
in accordance with all its statutes These are the commandments directly relating to its body-an unblemished male lamb in its first year. — [Pes. 95a]		כְּכָל־חֻקֹּתָיו אֵלּוּ מִצְוֹת שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ — שֶֹה תָמִים זָכָר בֶּן שָׁנָה:
and all its ordinances These are the commandments that relate to its body from elsewhere, such as the seven days for [eating] unleavened bread and for disposing of leaven. (Another version: The commandments relating to its body-an unblemished male lamb in its first year; those which relate to its body from elsewhere- [it must be] roasted over fire, its head with its legs and its innards. And those which have no relation to its body-unleavened bread and disposing of leaven. — [Rashi on Pes. 95a]		וּכְכָל־מִשְׁפָּטָיו אֵלּוּ מִצְוֹת שֶׁעַל גּוּפוֹ מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, כְּגוֹן שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לְמַצָּה וּלְבִעוּר חָמֵץ (מִצְוֹת שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ — שֶׂה תָמִים זָכָר בֶּן שָׁנָה; שֶׁעַל גּוּפוֹ — צְלִי אֵשׁ רֹאשׁוֹ עַל כְּרָעָיו וְעַל קִרְבּוֹ; שֶׁחוּץ לְגוּפוֹ — מַצָּה וּבִעוּר חָמֵץ):
4Moses spoke to the children of Israel [instructing them] to make the Passover sacrifice.		דוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַֽעֲשׂ֥ת הַפָּֽסַח:
Moses spoke What does this teach us? Has not Scripture already said, “And Moses told… of the Lord’s appointed [holy days].” (Lev. 23:44) ? However, when he heard the portion dealing with the festivals at Sinai, he related it to them, and then he exhorted them again when the time came to perform them. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:17]		וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה וגו' מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר? וַהֲלֹא נֶאֱמַר "וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶת מֹעֲדֵי ה'", אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁשָּׁמַע פָּרָשַׁת מוֹעֲדִים מִסִּינַי אָמַר לָהֶם, וְחָזַר וְהִזְהִירָם בִּשְׁעַת מַעֲשֶׂה (ספרי):
5So they made the Passover sacrifice in the first month, on the afternoon of the fourteenth day of the month in the Sinai Desert; according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel do.		הוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הַפֶּ֡סַח בָּֽרִאשׁ֡וֹן בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֥וֹם לַחֹ֛דֶשׁ בֵּ֥ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֖יִם בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר סִינָ֑י כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־משֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
6There were men who were ritually unclean [because of contact with] a dead person, and therefore could not make the Passover sacrifice on that day. So they approached Moses and Aaron on that day.		ווַיְהִ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ טְמֵאִים֙ לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֔ם וְלֹא־יָֽכְל֥וּ לַֽעֲשֽׂת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּקְרְב֞וּ לִפְנֵ֥י משֶׁ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא:
approached Moses and Aaron While the two were sitting in the study hall, they came and asked them. It is [however] inconceivable that they approached them one after the other [in this order], for if Moses did not know, how should Aaron know?- [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:20]		לִפְנֵי משֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן כְּשֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶן יוֹשְׁבִין בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ בָּאוּ וּשְׁאָלוּם, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר זֶה אַחַר זֶה, שֶׁאִם מֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ אַהֲרֹן מִנַּיִן לוֹ (ספרי; בבא בתרא קי"ט):
7Those men said to him, "We are ritually unclean [because of contact] with a dead person; [but] why should we be excluded so as not to bring the offering of the Lord in its appointed time, with all the children of Israel?		זוַיֹּֽאמְר֠וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָהֵ֨מָּה֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֲנַ֥חְנוּ טְמֵאִ֖ים לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה נִגָּרַ֗ע לְבִלְתִּ֨י הַקְרִ֜יב אֶת־קָרְבַּ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Why should we be excluded He [Moses] told them, “Sacrifices cannot be offered in a state of ritual uncleanness.” They replied, “Let ritually clean kohanim sprinkle the blood for us, and let ritually clean people eat the flesh.” He said to them, “Wait, and I will hear… ” like a disciple who is confident of hearing from his teacher’s mouth. Fortunate is the mortal who is so confident, for whenever he wished, he could speak with the Shechinah. This portion should really have been said through Moses, like the rest of the Torah, but these people merited that it be said through them, for merit is brought about through the meritorious. - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1: 22]		לָמָּה נִגָּרַע אָמַר לָהֶם אֵין קָדָשִׁים קְרֵבִים בְּטֻמְאָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ יִזָּרֵק הַדָּם עָלֵינוּ בְכֹהֲנִים טְהוֹרִים וְיֵאָכֵל הַבָּשָֹר לִטְהוֹרִים, אָמַר לָהֶם "עִמְדוּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָה" — כְּתַלְמִיד הַמֻּבְטָח לִשְׁמֹעַ מִפִּי רַבּוֹ; אַשְׁרֵי יְלוּד אִשָּׁה שֶׁכָּךְ מֻבְטָח, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה רוֹצֶה הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִם הַשְּׁכִינָה; וּרְאוּיָה הָיְתָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ לֵאָמֵר עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּה, אֶלָּא שֶׁזָּכוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁתֵּאָמֵר עַל יְדֵיהֶן, שֶׁמְּגַלְגְּלִין זְכוּת עַל יְדֵי זַכַּאי (שם):
8Moses said to them, "Wait, and I will hear what the Lord instructs concerning you."		חוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם משֶׁ֑ה עִמְד֣וּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָ֔ה מַה־יְּצַוֶּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לָכֶֽם:
9The Lord spoke to Moses saying:		טוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
10Speak to the children of Israel saying, Any person who becomes unclean from [contact with] the dead, or is on a distant journey, whether among you or in future generations, he shall make a Passover sacrifice for the Lord.		ידַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ אִ֣ישׁ כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה טָמֵ֣א \| לָנֶ֡פֶשׁ אוֹ֩ בְדֶ֨רֶךְ רְחֹקָ֜ה֗ לָכֶ֗ם א֚וֹ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעָ֥שָׂה פֶ֖סַח לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
On a distant journey Heb. רְחֹקָה. There is a dot over the word, to teach us that he does not really have to be far away, but even if he was merely outside the threshold of the Temple courtyard throughout the time allowed for the slaughtering [of the Passover sacrifice] (Pes. 93, Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:24). On the second Passover, one may keep both leavened bread and unleavened food in the home, and there is no festival. The consumption of leaven is not forbidden except while he eats it [the sacrifice]. — [Pes. 95a]		אוֹ בְדֶרֶךְ רְחֹקָה נָקוּד עָלָיו, לוֹמַר, לֹא שֶׁרְחוֹקָה וַדַּאי, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה חוּץ לְאַסְקֻפַּת הָעֲזָרָה כָּל זְמַן שְׁחִיטָה (פסח' צ"ג); פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי מַצָּה וְחָמֵץ עִמּוֹ בַּבַּיִת, וְאֵין שָׁם יוֹם טוֹב, וְאֵין אִסּוּר חָמֵץ אֶלָא עִמּוֹ בַאֲכִילָתוֹ (שם צ"ה):
11In the second month, on the fourteenth day, in the afternoon, they shall make it; they shall eat it with unleavened cakes and bitter herbs.		יאבַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֜י בְּאַרְבָּעָ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר י֛וֹם בֵּ֥ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֖יִם יַֽעֲשׂ֣וּ אֹת֑וֹ עַל־מַצּ֥וֹת וּמְרֹרִ֖ים יֹֽאכְלֻֽהוּ:
12They shall not leave over anything from it until the next morning, and they shall not break any of its bones. They shall make it in accordance with all the statutes connected with the Passover sacrifice.		יבלֹֽא־יַשְׁאִ֤ירוּ מִמֶּ֨נּוּ֙ עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וְעֶ֖צֶם לֹ֣א יִשְׁבְּרוּ־ב֑וֹ כְּכָל־חֻקַּ֥ת הַפֶּ֖סַח יַֽעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹתֽוֹ:
13But the man who was ritually clean and was not on a journey, yet refrained from making the Passover sacrifice, his soul shall be cut off from his people, for he did not bring the offering of the Lord in its appointed time; that person shall bear his sin.		יגוְהָאִישׁ֩ אֲשֶׁר־ה֨וּא טָה֜וֹר וּבְדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹֽא־הָיָ֗ה וְחָדַל֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַפֶּ֔סַח וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵֽעַמֶּ֑יהָ כִּ֣י \| קָרְבַּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹ֤א הִקְרִיב֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ חֶטְא֥וֹ יִשָּׂ֖א הָאִ֥ישׁ הַהֽוּא:
14If a proselyte dwells with you, and he makes a Passover sacrifice to the Lord, according to the statutes of the Passover sacrifice and its ordinances he shall make it. One statute shall apply to you, to the proselyte and to the native-born citizen.		ידוְכִֽי־יָג֨וּר אִתְּכֶ֜ם גֵּ֗ר וְעָ֤שָׂה פֶ֨סַח֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כְּחֻקַּ֥ת הַפֶּ֛סַח וּכְמִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ כֵּ֣ן יַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה חֻקָּ֤ה אַחַת֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְלַגֵּ֖ר וּלְאֶזְרַ֥ח הָאָֽרֶץ:
If a proselyte dwells with you, and he makes a Passover sacrifice I might think that anyone who converts should immediately make a Passover sacrifice. Therefore, Scripture teaches us, “One statute [shall apply to you, to the proselyte and to the native-born citizen].” And this is its meaning: If a proselyte dwells with you, and he comes (Reggio ed. - and the time comes) to make a Passover sacrifice with his friends, “according to the statutes of the Passover sacrifice and its ordinances he shall make it.” - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:30]		וְכִֽי־יָגוּר אִתְּכֶם גֵּר וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח יָכוֹל כָּל הַמִּתְגַּיֵּר יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסַח מִיָּד, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "חֻקָּה אַחַת" וְגוֹ', אֶלָּא כָּךְ מַשְׁמָעוֹ — "וְכִי יָגוּר אִתְּכֶם גֵּר" וּבָא לַעֲשׂוֹת פֶּסַח עִם חֲבֵרָיו, "כְּחֻקַּת הַפֶּסַח וּכְמִשְׁפָּטוֹ יַעֲשֶׂה" (ספרי):

Fourth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 9

15On the day the Mishkan was erected, the cloud covered the Mishkan, which was a tent for the Testimony, and at evening, there was over the Mishkan like an appearance of fire, [which remained] until morning.		טווּבְיוֹם֙ הָקִ֣ים אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן כִּסָּ֤ה הֶֽעָנָן֙ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן לְאֹ֖הֶל הָֽעֵדֻ֑ת וּבָעֶ֜רֶב יִֽהְיֶ֧ה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֖שׁ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר:
the Mishkan which was a tent for the Testimony The Mishkan served as a tent over the tablets of the Testimony.		הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל הָֽעֵדֻת הַמִּשְׁכָּן הֶעָשׂוּי לִהְיוֹת אֹהֶל לְלוּחוֹת הָעֵדוּת:
there was over the Mishkan Heb. יִהְיֶה. In the sense of being continuously over the Mishkan. Such [is the meaning of] the expression in the entire passage.		יִֽהְיֶה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּמוֹ הֹוֶה עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְכֵן לְשׁוֹן כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה:
16So it was always, the cloud covered it and there was an appearance of fire at night.		טזכֵּ֚ן יִֽהְיֶ֣ה תָמִ֔יד הֶֽעָנָ֖ן יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֖שׁ לָֽיְלָה:
17and according to the cloud's departure from over the Tent, and afterwards, the children of Israel would travel, and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would encamp.		יזוּלְפִ֞י הֵֽעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְאַ֣חֲרֵי כֵ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבִמְק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכָּן־שָׁם֙ הֶֽעָנָ֔ן שָׁ֥ם יַֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
the cloud’s departure הֵעָלוֹת. As the Targum renders, אִסְתַּלְּקוּת, departure. Similarly,“the cloud departed” (verse 21). It would have been incorrect to write, וּלְפִי עֲלוֹת הֶעָנָן [and in verse 21] וְעָלָה הֶעָנָן, for that would not be an expression denoting ‘departure’ but sprouting forth or ascending, as in, “Behold a cloud, small as a man’s palm, rising (עֹלָה) from the sea” (I Kings 18:44).		הֵֽעָלוֹת הֶֽעָנָן כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ אִסְתַּלָּקוּת, וְכֵן "וְנַעֲלָה הֶעָנָן", וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לִכְתֹּב וּלְפִי עֲלוֹת הֶעָנָן, וְעָלָה הֶעָנָן, שֶׁאֵין זֶה לְשׁוֹן סִלּוּק אֶלָּא צִמּוּחַ וַעֲלִיָּה, כְּמוֹ "הִנֵּה עָב קְטַנָּה כְּכַף אִישׁ עֹלָה מִיָּם" (מלכים א י"ח):
18At the bidding of the Lord, the children of Israel traveled, and at the bidding of the Lord, they encamped. As long as the cloud hovered above the Mishkan, they encamped.		יחעַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה יִסְעוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יַֽחֲנ֑וּ כָּל־יְמֵ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכֹּ֧ן הֶֽעָנָ֛ן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יַֽחֲנֽוּ:
At the bidding of the Lord…traveled We learned in the [Baraitha] Melecheth HaMishkan [ch. 13]: When the Israelites traveled, the cloud would fold and spread itself over the tribe of Judah like a beam. They blew a tekiah (long blast), a teruah (series of short blasts), and another tekiah , but it did not move on until Moses declared, “Rise up, O Lord” (10:35), and then the banner of the camp of Judah would travel. This [appears] in the Sifrei. [35]		עַל־פִּי ה' יִסְעוּ שָׁנִינוּ בִּמְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹסְעִים, הָיָה עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן מִתְקַפֵּל וְנִמְשָׁךְ עַל גַּבֵּי בְנֵי יְהוּדָה כְּמִין קוֹרָה, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקְעוּ, לֹא הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ עַד שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה אוֹמֵר קוּמָה ה' — זוֹ בְּסִפְרֵי — וְנָסַע דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה יְהוּדָה:
and at the bidding of the Lord they encamped As soon as the Israelites encamped, the pillar of cloud would mushroom upward and spread itself over the tribe of Judah like a canopy. It would not depart until Moses declared, “Return O Lord, to the myriads of Israel’s thousands” (10:36). This is what is meant by, “according to the Lord’s word, through Moses” (verse 23). - [Melecheth HaMishkan ch. 13]		וְעַל־פִּי ה' יַֽחֲנוּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה יִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹנִים עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן הָיָה מִתַּמֵּר וְעוֹלֶה וְנִמְשָׁךְ עַל גַּבֵּי בְנֵי יְהוּדָה כְּמִין סֻכָּה, וְלֹא הָיָה נִפְרָשׂ עַד שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה אוֹמֵר "שׁוּבָה ה' רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר "עַל פִּי ה' וּבְיַד מֹשֶׁה" (ברייתא דמל"ה פי"ג):
19When the cloud lingered over the Mishkan for many days, the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not travel.		יטוּבְהַֽאֲרִ֧יךְ הֶֽעָנָ֛ן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְשָֽׁמְר֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת יְהֹוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יִסָּֽעוּ:
20Sometimes, the cloud remained for several days above the Mishkan; at the Lord's bidding they encamped and at the Lord's bidding they traveled.		כוְיֵ֞שׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֧ה הֶֽעָנָ֛ן יָמִ֥ים מִסְפָּ֖ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עַל־פִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ יַֽחֲנ֔וּ וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יִסָּֽעוּ:
Sometimes Heb. וְיֵשׁ, lit., [and there is used in the sense of וּפְעָמִים]“and sometimes.”		וְיֵשׁ כְּלוֹמַר, וּפְעָמִים:
several days Heb. יָמִים מִסְפָּר, lit., days of number, a few days.		יָמִים מִסְפָּר יָמִים מוּעָטִים:
21Sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, and when the cloud departed in the morning, they traveled. Or, the cloud remained for a day and a night, and when the cloud departed, they traveled.		כאוְיֵ֞שׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֤ה הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעֶ֣רֶב עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וְנַֽעֲלָ֧ה הֶֽעָנָ֛ן בַּבֹּ֖קֶר וְנָסָ֑עוּ א֚וֹ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה וְנַֽעֲלָ֥ה הֶֽעָנָ֖ן וְנָסָֽעוּ:
22Whether it was for two days, a month or a year, that the cloud lingered to hover over the Mishkan, the children of Israel would encamp and not travel, and when it departed, they traveled.		כבאֽוֹ־יֹמַ֜יִם אוֹ־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֽוֹ־יָמִ֗ים בְּהַֽאֲרִ֨יךְ הֶֽעָנָ֤ן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ לִשְׁכֹּ֣ן עָלָ֔יו יַֽחֲנ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְלֹ֣א יִסָּ֑עוּ וּבְהֵעָֽלֹת֖וֹ יִסָּֽעוּ:
or a year Heb. יָמִים, a year, as in “Its [period of] redemption shall be a full year (יָמִים)” (Lev. 25:29).		אֽוֹ־יָמִים שָׁנָה, כְּמוֹ "יָמִים תִּהְיֶה גְּאֻלָּתוֹ" (ויקרא כ"ה):
23At the Lord's bidding they would encamp, and at the Lord's bidding they would travel; they kept the charge of the Lord by the word of the Lord through Moses.		כגעַל־פִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ יַֽחֲנ֔וּ וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יִסָּ֑עוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת יְהֹוָה֙ שָׁמָ֔רוּ עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 10

1The Lord spoke to Moses saying:		אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2Make yourself two silver trumpets; you shall make them [from a] beaten [form]; they shall be used by you to summon the congregation and to announce the departure of the camps.		בעֲשֵׂ֣ה לְךָ֗ שְׁתֵּי֙ חֲצֽוֹצְרֹ֣ת כֶּ֔סֶף מִקְשָׁ֖ה תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֑ם וְהָי֤וּ לְךָ֙ לְמִקְרָ֣א הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וּלְמַסַּ֖ע אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֽוֹת:
Make yourself So they should blow before you like a king, as it says, “There was a king in Jerushun” [Deut. 33:5].		עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ תוֹקְעִין לְפָנֶיךָ כְּמֶלֶךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ":
Make yourself From your own resources.		עֲשֵׂה לְךָ מִשֶּׁלְּךָ:
Make yourself You make them and use them, but no one else. - [from Midrash Rabbah]		עֲשֵׂה לְךָ אַתָּה עֲשֵׂה וּמִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם וְלֹא אַחֵר:
To summon the congregation When you wish to speak with the members of the Sanhedrin court and the rest of the people, and you summon them to gather before you, convene them with the trumpets.		לְמִקְרָא הָֽעֵדָה כְּשֶׁתִּרְצֶה לְדַבֵּר עִם סַנְהֶדְרִין וּשְׁאָר הָעָם וְתִקְרָאֵם לֶאֱסֹף אֵלֶיךָ, תִּקְרָאֵם עַל יְדֵי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת:
And to announce the departure of the camps At the time the camps are due to depart, blow on them as a signal. It follows that they traveled at the behest of three-at God’s bidding, by the word of Moses and by the call of the trumpets.		וּלְמַסַּע אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֽוֹת בִּשְׁעַת סִלּוּק מַסָּעוֹת תִּתְקְעוּ בָהֶם לְסִימָן, נִמְצֵאתָ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר עַל פִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה הָיוּ נוֹסְעִים — עַל פִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְעַל פִּי מֹשֶׁה וְעַל פִּי הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת (ברייתא דמל"ה פי"ג):
Beaten It should be made out of a single block, by banging it with a hammer.		מִקְשָׁה מִן הָעֶשֶׁת תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּהַקָּשַׁת הַקֻּרְנָס:
3When they blow on them, the entire congregation shall assemble to you, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.		גוְתָֽקְע֖וּ בָּהֵ֑ן וְנֽוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
When they blow on them With both of them; it is a signal for the congregation to assemble, as it says, “the entire congregation shall assemble to you, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”		וְתָֽקְעוּ בָּהֵן בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן, וְהוּא סִימָן לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ כָּל הָעֵדָה אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד":
4If they blow one of them, the princes, the leaders of Israel's thousands, shall convene to you.		דוְאִם־בְּאַחַ֖ת יִתְקָ֑עוּ וְנֽוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ הַנְּשִׂיאִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֖י אַלְפֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
If they blow one of them It is a signal for the princes to assemble, as it says, “the princes…shall assemble to you.” Their meeting point was also at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. This is derived by the Sifrei from the rule of inference.		וְאִם־בְּאַחַת יִתְקָעוּ הוּא סִימָן לְמִקְרָא הַנְּשִׂיאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַנְּשִׂיאִים", וְאַף הֵן יְעִידָתָן אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, וּמִגְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה הוּא בָא בְּסִפְרֵי:
5When you blow a teruah [a series of short blasts], the camps which are encamped to the east shall travel.		הוּתְקַעְתֶּ֖ם תְּרוּעָ֑ה וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַמַּֽחֲנ֔וֹת הַֽחֹנִ֖ים קֵֽדְמָה:
When you blow a teruah [a series of short blasts] The signal for the camps to travel was a tekiah, a teruah and a tekiah. The Sifrei derives this from redundant verses.		וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה סִימָן מַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת תְּקִיעָה תְּרוּעָה וּתְקִיעָה, כָּךְ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת הַיְתֵרִים:
6When you blow a second teruah, the camps encamped to the south shall travel; they shall blow a teruah for traveling.		ווּתְקַעְתֶּ֤ם תְּרוּעָה֙ שֵׁנִ֔ית וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַמַּֽחֲנ֔וֹת הַֽחֹנִ֖ים תֵּימָ֑נָה תְּרוּעָ֥ה יִתְקְע֖וּ לְמַסְעֵיהֶֽם:
7But when assembling the congregation, you shall blow a tekiah [long blast] but not a teruah.		זוּבְהַקְהִ֖יל אֶת־הַקָּהָ֑ל תִּתְקְע֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תָרִֽיעוּ:
But when assembling the congregation Because it says, “they shall be used by you to summon the congregation and to announce the departure of the camps” (verse 2). Just as summoning the congregation is done by two priests, and with both trumpets as it says, “they shall blow with them”-so the traveling of the camps was with both of them. I might think that just as [with] the departure of the camps he blows a tekiah, teruah, tekiah, so when summoning the congregation he blows a tekiah, teruah, tekiah, and now there would be no difference between [the signal for] summoning the congregation and [the signal for initiating] the departure of the camps. Scripture therefore teaches, “But when assembling the congregation…” indicating that no teruah is blown to summon the congregation, and the same applies for [convening] the leaders. So there is a signal for all three: Summoning the congregation was with two, and [convening] the princes with one and neither of them included a teruah. Initiating the camps departure was with both-with a teruah and a tekiah.		וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת־הַקָּהָל וגו' לְפִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהָיוּ לְךָ לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה וּלְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת", מַה מִּקְרָא הָעֵדָה תּוֹקֵעַ בְּב' כֹּהֲנִים וּבִשְׁתֵּיהֶם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְתָקְעוּ בָהֵן" וְגוֹ' — אַף מַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶם, יָכוֹל מַה מַּסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת תּוֹקֵעַ וּמֵרִיעַ וְתוֹקֵעַ, אַף מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה תּוֹקֵעַ וּמֵרִיעַ וְתוֹקֵעַ — וּמֵעַתָּה אֵין חִלּוּק בֵּין מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה לְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת הַקָּהָל" וְגוֹ', לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין תְּרוּעָה לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה, וְהוּא הַדִּין לַנְּשִׂיאִים, הֲרֵי סִימָן לִשְׁלָשְׁתָּם, מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה בִּשְׁתַּיִם וְשֶׁל נְשִֹיאִים בְּאַחַת — וְזוֹ וָזוֹ אֵין בָּהֶם תְּרוּעָה — וּמַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת בִּשְׁתַּיִם עַל יְדֵי תְרוּעָה וּתְקִיעָה (ספרי):
8The descendants of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be an eternal statute for your generations.		חוּבְנֵ֤י אַֽהֲרֹן֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים יִתְקְע֖וּ בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְר֑וֹת וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
The descendants of Aaron…shall blow For these summonings and journeyings.		וּבְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן … יִתְקְעוּ בַּמִּקְרָאוֹת וּבַמַּסָּעוֹת הַלָּלוּ:
9If you go to war in your land against an adversary that oppresses you, you shall blow a teruah with the trumpets and be remembered before the Lord your God, and thus be saved from your enemies.		טוְכִֽי־תָבֹ֨אוּ מִלְחָמָ֜ה בְּאַרְצְכֶ֗ם עַל־הַצַּר֙ הַצֹּרֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֔ם וַֽהֲרֵֽעֹתֶ֖ם בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֑ת וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְנֽוֹשַׁעְתֶּ֖ם מֵאֹֽיְבֵיכֶֽם:
10On the days of your rejoicing, on your festivals and on your new-moon celebrations, you shall blow on the trumpets for your ascent-offerings and your peace sacrifices, and it shall be a remembrance before your God; I am the Lord your God.		יוּבְי֨וֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶ֣ם וּבְמֽוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֘ וּבְרָאשֵׁ֣י חָדְשֵׁכֶם֒ וּתְקַעְתֶּ֣ם בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֗ת עַ֚ל עֹלֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל זִבְחֵ֣י שַׁלְמֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
For your ascent-offerings The verse speaks of communal offerings. - [from Sifrei]		עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם בְּקָרְבַּן צִבּוּר הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר (ערכין י"א):
I am the Lord your God From here we learn that [on the New Year Festival (Rosh HaShanah)] the verses proclaiming God’s kingship (מַלְכִיוֹת) [are recited] with [verses of] remembrances (זִכְרוֹנוֹת) and [verses] relating to the shofar (שׁוֹפְרוֹת), for it says, “You shall blow”-this refers to the שׁוֹפְרוֹת; “a remembrance”-this refers to זִכְרוֹנוֹת; “I am the Lord your God”-this refers to מַלְכִיוֹת. - [from Sifrei]		אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם מִכָּאן לָמַדְנוּ מַלְכִיּוֹת עִם זִכְרוֹנוֹת וְשׁוֹפָרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּתְקַעְתֶּם" —זוֹ שׁוֹפָרוֹת, "לְזִכָּרוֹן" — זוֹ זִכְרוֹנוֹת, "אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" — זוֹ מַלְכִיּוֹת וְכוּ' (ספרי):

Fifth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 10

11On the twentieth of the second month in the second year, the cloud rose up from over the Tabernacle of the Testimony.		יאוַיְהִ֞י בַּשָּׁנָ֧ה הַשֵּׁנִ֛ית בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֖י בְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים בַּחֹ֑דֶשׁ נַֽעֲלָה֙ הֶֽעָנָ֔ן מֵעַ֖ל מִשְׁכַּ֥ן הָֽעֵדֻֽת:
Of the second month Hence, you say that they spent twelve months minus ten days at Horeb, for on the first day of [the month of] Sivan, they encamped there, and did not travel until the twentieth of Iyar of the following year.		בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי נִמְצֵאתָ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ חָסֵר עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים עָשׂוּ בְחוֹרֵב, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ סִיוָן חָנוּ שָׁם וְלֹא נָסְעוּ עַד עֶשְׂרִים בְּאִיָּר לַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה:
12The children of Israel traveled on their journeys from the Sinai desert, and the cloud settled in the desert of Paran.		יבוַיִּסְע֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם מִמִּדְבַּ֣ר סִינָ֑י וַיִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן הֶֽעָנָ֖ן בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָֽן:
On their journeys In accordance with the regulations set down for the traveling of their banners which should be first and which should be last.]		לְמַסְעֵיהֶם כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הַמְפֹרָשׁ לְמַסַּע דִּגְלֵיהֶם, מִי רִאשׁוֹן וּמִי אַחֲרוֹן:
In the desert of Paran Kivroth HaTa’avah was in the desert of Paran, and that is where they camped after this journey.		בְּמִדְבַּר פָּארָֽן קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה בְּמִדְבַּר פָּארָן הָיָה, וְשָׁם חָנוּ מִמַּסָּע זֶה:
13This was the first journey at God's bidding through Moses.		יגוַיִּסְע֖וּ בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה:
14The banner of the camp of Judah's children traveled first according to their legions. Heading the legion was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.		ידוַיִּסַּ֞ע דֶּ֣גֶל מַֽחֲנֵ֧ה בְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֛ה בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֖ה לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְעַ֨ל־צְבָא֔וֹ נַחְשׁ֖וֹן בֶּן־עַמִּֽינָדָֽב:
15Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.		טווְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֔א מַטֵּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר נְתַנְאֵ֖ל בֶּן־צוּעָֽר:
16Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.		טזוְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֔א מַטֵּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י זְבוּלֻ֑ן אֱלִיאָ֖ב בֶּן־חֵלֹֽן:
17The Tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon set out, [together] with the sons of Merari who carried the Tabernacle.		יזוְהוּרַ֖ד הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן וְנָֽסְע֤וּ בְנֵי־גֵֽרְשׁוֹן֙ וּבְנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֔י נֹֽשְׂאֵ֖י הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן:
The Tabernacle was dismantled Once the banner of Judah had set out, Aaron and his sons went in, took down the parocheth curtain and covered the Ark with it, as it says, “When the camp is about to travel, Aaron and his sons shall come” (4:5). The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari dismantled the Tabernacle and loaded it on wagons. The Ark and the holy utensils, which were carried by the sons of Kohath, stood covered and were placed on poles, until the banner of the camp of Reuben set out. Following this,“the Kohathites… set out” (verse 21).		וְהוּרַד הַמִּשְׁכָּן כֵּיוָן שֶׁנּוֹסֵעַ דֶּגֶל יְהוּדָה, נִכְנְסוּ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו וּפָרְקוּ אֶת הַפָּרֹכֶת וְכִסּוּ בָהּ אֶת הָאָרוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבָא אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו בִּנְסֹעַ הַמַּחֲנֶה" (במדבר ד'), וּבְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן וּבְנֵי מְרָרִי פוֹרְקִין הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְטוֹעֲנִין אוֹתוֹ בָּעֲגָלוֹת, וְהָאָרוֹן וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁל מַשָּׂא בְנֵי קְהָת עוֹמְדִים מְכֻסִּין וּנְתוּנִין עַל הַמּוֹטוֹת עַד שֶׁנָּסַע דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה רְאוּבֵן, וְאֲחַר כַּךְ "וְנָסְעוּ הַקְּהָתִים" (עי' תנחומא):
18Then the banner of the camp of Reuben set out according to their legions. Heading its legion was Elitzur the son of Shdeur.		יחוְנָסַ֗ע דֶּ֛גֶל מַֽחֲנֵ֥ה רְאוּבֵ֖ן לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְעַ֨ל־צְבָא֔וֹ אֱלִיצ֖וּר בֶּן־שְׁדֵיאֽוּר:
19Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.		יטוְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֔א מַטֵּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֑וֹן שְׁלֻֽמִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־צוּרִֽישַׁדָּֽי:
20Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.		כוְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֖א מַטֵּ֣ה בְנֵי־גָ֑ד אֶלְיָסָ֖ף בֶּן־דְּעוּאֵֽל:
21The Kohathithes, who carried the holy [equipment] set out, and they had erected the Tabernacle before they had arrived.		כאוְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַקְּהָתִ֔ים נֹֽשְׂאֵ֖י הַמִּקְדָּ֑שׁ וְהֵקִ֥ימוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן עַד־בֹּאָֽם:
Carried the holy They carried the sacred equipment.		נֹֽשְׂאֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נוֹשְׂאֵי דְבָרִים הַמְקֻדָּשִׁים:
And they had erected the Tabernacle The sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who had preceded them [the Kohathites] by the departure of two banners [their own and Reuben’s], erected the Tabernacle as soon as the cloud settled. The signal for camping was seen in the camp of Judah, and when they encamped, the sons of Kohath were still traveling behind them, with the last two banners [Ephraim and Dan]. The sons of Gershon and Merari erected the Tabernacle so that when the sons of Kohath arrived, they found it set up. They brought in the Ark, the Table, the Candelabrum and the altars. This is the meaning of the verse: Those who erected the Tabernacle erected it עַד, [that is,] before the arrival of the Kohathites.		וְהֵקִימוּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן וּבְנֵי מְרָרִי שֶׁהָיוּ קוֹדְמִים לָהֶם מַסַּע שְׁנֵי דְגָלִים, הָיוּ מְקִימִין אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּשֶׁהָיָה הֶעָנָן שׁוֹכֵן, וְסִימַן הַחֲנִיָּה נִרְאֶה בְּדֶגֶל מַחֲנֵה יְהוּדָה, וְהֵם חוֹנִים וַעֲדַיִן בְּנֵי קְהָת בָּאִים מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם עִם שְׁנֵי דְגָלִים הָאַחֲרוֹנִים, הָיוּ בְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן וּבְנֵי מְרָרִי מְקִימִין אֶת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ; וּכְשֶׁבָּאִים בְּנֵי קְהָת מוֹצְאִים אוֹתוֹ עַל מְכוֹנוֹ, וּמַכְנִיסִין בּוֹ הָאָרוֹן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן וְהַמְּנוֹרָה וְהַמִּזְבְּחוֹת, וְזֶהוּ מַשְׁמָעוּת הַמִּקְרָא — וְהֵקִימוּ מְקִימֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן אוֹתוֹ עד טֶרֶם באם שֶׁל בְּנֵי קְהָת:
22Then the banner of the camp of Ephraim set out, according to its legions. Heading its legion was Elishama the son of Amihud.		כבוְנָסַ֗ע דֶּ֛גֶל מַֽחֲנֵ֥ה בְנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֖יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְעַ֨ל־צְבָא֔וֹ אֱלִֽישָׁמָ֖ע בֶּן־עַמִּיהֽוּד:
23Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Menasseh was Gamliel the son of Pedahzur.		כגוְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֔א מַטֵּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה גַּמְלִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־פְּדָהצֽוּר:
24Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gidoni.		כדוְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֔א מַטֵּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן אֲבִידָ֖ן בֶּן־גִּדְעוֹנִֽי:
25Then the banner of the camp of Dan set out, the collector for all the other camps, according to its legions. Heading its legion was Achiezer the son of Amishaddai.		כהוְנָסַ֗ע דֶּ֚גֶל מַֽחֲנֵ֣ה בְנֵי־דָ֔ן מְאַסֵּ֥ף לְכָל־הַמַּֽחֲנֹ֖ת לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וְעַל־צְבָא֔וֹ אֲחִיעֶ֖זֶר בֶּן־עַמִּֽישַׁדָּֽי:
The collector for all the other camps The Jerusalem Talmud [states]: Because the tribe of Dan was numerous they traveled last, and if anyone had lost anything, they would [find it and] return it to him. There is an opinion that they traveled in box-like formation, and he derives this from [the words], “Just as they camp so shall they travel” (2:17). Another opinion is that they traveled in the form of a beam, and he derives this from [the words], “collector for all the camps.”		מְאַסֵּף לְכָל־הַמַּֽחֲנֹת תַּלְמוּד יְרוּשַׁלְמִי: לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל דָּן מְרֻבֶּה בְּאֻכְלוֹסִים, הָיָה נוֹסֵעַ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה, וְכָל מִי שֶׁהָיָה מְאַבֵּד דָּבָר הָיָה מַחֲזִירוֹ לוֹ; אִית מַאן דַּאֲמַר כְּתֵבָה הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין, וּמַפִּיק לָהּ מִן "כַּאֲשֶׁר יַחֲנוּ כֵּן יִסָּעוּ", וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי כְּקוֹרָה הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין, וּמַפִּיק לָהּ מִן "מְאַסֵּף לְכָל הַמַּחֲנֹת" (תלמוד ירושלמי ערובין ה'):
26Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.		כווְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֔א מַטֵּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֑ר פַּגְעִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־עָכְרָֽן:
27Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enon.		כזוְעַ֨ל־צְבָ֔א מַטֵּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י נַפְתָּלִ֑י אֲחִירַ֖ע בֶּן־עֵינָֽן:
28These are the travels of the children of Israel according to their legions, and then they traveled.		כחאֵ֛לֶּה מַסְעֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם וַיִּסָּֽעוּ:
These are the travels This is the order in which they traveled.		אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי זֶה סֵדֶר מַסְעֵיהֶם:
And then they traveled On that day they set out.		וַיִּסָּֽעוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נָסְעוּ:
29Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses's father-in-law, We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will be good to you, for the Lord has spoken of good fortune for Israel.		כטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה לְ֠חֹבָ֠ב בֶּן־רְעוּאֵ֣ל הַמִּדְיָנִי֘ חֹתֵ֣ן משֶׁה֒ נֹֽסְעִ֣ים \| אֲנַ֗חְנוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֹת֖וֹ אֶתֵּ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם לְכָ֤ה אִתָּ֨נוּ֙ וְהֵטַ֣בְנוּ לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה דִּבֶּר־ט֖וֹב עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Hobab This is Jethro, as it says, “Of the children of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses” (Jud. 4:11). So what does Scripture mean by saying, “They [the daughters of Jethro] came to their father Reuel” (Exod. 2:18)? It teaches that children call their grandfather, ‘father.’ He had many names: 'Jethro’-because through him a portion was added (יֶתֶר) to the Torah; 'Hobab’-because he loved (חֹבָב) the Torah, etc…. [see commentary to Exodus 18:1].		חבב הוּא יִתְרוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִבְּנֵי חֹבָב חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה" (שופטים ד'), וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וַתָּבֹאנָה אֶל רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן"? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַתִּינוֹקוֹת קוֹרִין לַאֲבִי אֲבִיהֶן אַבָּא; וְשֵׁמוֹת הַרְבֵּה הָיוּ לוֹ, "יִתְרוֹ" עַל שֵׁם שֶׁיִּתֵּר פָּרָשָׁה אַחַת בַּתּוֹרָה, "חוֹבָב" עַל שֶׁחִבֵּב אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְכוּ' (ספרי):
We are traveling to the place Immediately, within three days, we will enter the Land. For on this first journey they traveled with the intention of entering the Land of Israel, but [because] they sinned at the episode of the complainers [they were punished and did not enter the Land until much later]. Why did Moses include himself with them [if he wasn’t going to enter the Land]? Because the decree against him [entering the Land] had not yet been issued, and [at that time] he thought he would enter.		נֹֽסְעִים אֲנַחְנוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם מִיָּד — עַד שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים אָנוּ נִכְנָסִין לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁבְּמַסָּע זֶה הָרִאשׁוֹן נָסְעוּ עַל מְנָת לִכָּנֵס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא שֶׁחָטְאוּ בְּמִתְאוֹנְנִים; וּמִפְּנֵי מָה שִׁתֵּף מֹשֶׁה עַצְמוֹ עִמָּהֶם? שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נִגְזְרָה גְזֵרָה עָלָיו וּכְסָבוּר שֶׁהוּא נִכְנָס (עי' שם):
30He said to him, I won't go, for I will go to my land and my birthplace.		לוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו לֹ֣א אֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּ֧י אִם־אֶל־אַרְצִ֛י וְאֶל־מֽוֹלַדְתִּ֖י אֵלֵֽךְ:
To my land and my birthplace Whether for the sake of my possessions or for the sake of my family.		אֶל־אַרְצִי וְאֶל־מֽוֹלַדְתִּי אִם בִּשְׁבִיל נְכָסַי, אִם בִּשְׁבִיל מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי:
31He said, Please don't leave us, for because you are familiar with our encampments in the desert and you will be our guide.		לאוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַל־נָ֖א תַּֽעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י \| עַל־כֵּ֣ן יָדַ֗עְתָּ חֲנֹתֵ֨נוּ֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְהָיִ֥יתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְעֵינָֽיִם:
Please don’t leave us The word נָא is an expression denoting a request. [He made] this [request] as he didn’t want people to say: “Jethro did not convert out of commitment [for Judaism]; rather, he [thought that proselytes have a portion in the Land. Now that he realizes that they have no portion, he has forsaken them and gone his own way.” - [from Sifrei]		אַל־נָא תַּֽעֲזֹב אֵין נָא אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ לֹא נִתְגַּיֵּר יִתְרוֹ מֵחִבָּה, סָבוּר הָיָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַגֵּרִים חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק, הִנִּיחָם וְהָלַךְ לוֹ (שם):
For because you are familiar with our encampments in the desert It is fitting for you to do this [i.e., remain with us] since you are familiar with the places in which we will camp in the desert and you saw the miracles and wonders done for us.		כִּי עַל־כֵּן יָדַעְתָּ חֲנֹתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּי נָאֶה לְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת, עַל אֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ חֲנוֹתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְרָאִיתָ נִסִּים וּגְבוּרוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לָנוּ:
For because you are familiar… [The expression…כִּי עַל כֵּן] has the meaning of עַל אֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ, [because you know], as in, “because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) I did not give her to my son Shelah” (Gen. 38:26); “for because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) you passed by” (ibid. 18:5); “for because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) they came [under the shade of my roof]” (ibid. 19: 8); “for because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) I have seen your face” (ibid. 33:10).		כִּי עַל־כֵּן יָדַעְתָּ כְּמוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ, כְּמוֹ "כִּי עַל כֵּן לֹא נְתַתִּיהָ לְשֵׁלָה בְנִי" (בראשית ל"ח), "כִּי עַד כָּאן בָּאוּ" (שם י"ט), "כִּי עַל כֵּן רָאִיתִי פָנֶיךָ" (שם ל"ג):
You will be our guide The verse has the past tense, [and] as the Targum renders, [it means: all the wonders wrought for us, you have seen with your eyes.] Another explanation: [It is in] the future tense-If anything should be hidden from our eyes, you shall enlighten us [with your guidance]. A further interpretation: You shall be as beloved to us as the pupils of our eyes, as it says, “You shall love the proselyte” (Deut. 10:9).		וְהָיִיתָ לָּנוּ לְעֵינָֽיִם לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר: לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד — כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר שֶׁיִּתְעַלֵּם מֵעֵינֵינוּ, תִּהְיֶה מֵאִיר עֵינֵינוּ; דָּבָר אַחֵר: שֶׁתְּהֵא חָבִיב עָלֵינוּ כְּגַלְגַּל עֵינֵינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י') "וַאֲהַבְתֶּם אֶת הַגֵּר" (ספרי):
32And if you go with us, then we will bestow on you the good which God grants us.		לבוְהָיָ֖ה כִּֽי־תֵלֵ֣ךְ עִמָּ֑נוּ וְהָיָ֣ה \| הַטּ֣וֹב הַה֗וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵיטִ֧יב יְהֹוָ֛ה עִמָּ֖נוּ וְהֵטַ֥בְנוּ לָֽךְ:
Then we will bestow on you the good What good did they actually bestow upon him? They said, when Israel apportioned the Land, there was a fertile area of Jericho measuring five hundred by five hundred cubits, and they refrained from allocating it. They said, the one in whose portion the Temple will be built shall take it. Meanwhile, they gave it to the descendants of Jethro, to Jonadab the son of Rehab, as it says, “The sons of Keini, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of dates [namely, Jericho]” (Jud. 1:16). - [from Sifrei]		וְהָיָה הַטּוֹב הַהוּא מַה טּוֹבָה הֵטִיבוּ לוֹ? אָמְרוּ, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְחַלְּקִין אֶת הָאָרֶץ, הָיָה דֻּשְׁנָהּ שֶׁל יְרִיחוֹ ת"ק אַמָּה עַל ת"ק אַמָּה וְהִנִּיחוּהוּ מִלַּחֲלֹק, אָמְרוּ מִי שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּחֶלְקוֹ הוּא יִטְּלֶנּוּ, וּבֵין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ נְתָנוּהוּ לִבְנֵי יִתְרוֹ לְיוֹנָדָב בֶּן רֵכָב שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְנֵי קֵינִי חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה עָלוּ מֵעִיר הַתְּמָרִים" וְגוֹ' (שופטים א'):
33They traveled a distance of three days from the mountain of the Lord, and the Ark of the Lord's covenant traveled three days ahead of them to seek for them a place to settle.		לגוַיִּסְעוּ֙ מֵהַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה דֶּ֖רֶךְ שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וַֽאֲר֨וֹן בְּרִֽית־יְהֹוָ֜ה נֹסֵ֣עַ לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם דֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים לָת֥וּר לָהֶ֖ם מְנוּחָֽה:
A distance of three days They completed a distance of three days travel in one day, for the Holy One wanted to bring them to the Land immediately. - [from Sifrei]		דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים הָלְכוּ בְיוֹם אֶחָד, שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפֵץ לְהַכְנִיסָם לָאָרֶץ מִיָּד (ספרי):
The Ark of the Lord’s covenant traveled three days ahead of them This was the Ark that accompanied them in battle. The broken pieces of the [first set of] Tablets lay in them. It preceded them by three days of travel to prepare for them a place to encamp. - [from Sifrei]		וַֽאֲרוֹן בְּרִֽית־ה' נֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים זֶה הָאָרוֹן הַיּוֹצֵא עִמָּהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה וּבוֹ שִׁבְרֵי לוּחוֹת מוּנָחִים, וּמַקְדִּים לִפְנֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, לְתַקֵּן לָהֶם מְקוֹם חֲנִיָּה (שם; תלמוד ירושלמי שקלים ו'):
34The cloud of the Lord was above them by day, when they traveled from the camp.		לדוַֽעֲנַ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יוֹמָ֑ם בְּנָסְעָ֖ם מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
The cloud of the Lord was above them Seven clouds are recorded in the account of their travels: four from the four sides, one above, one below, and one in front of them which would flatten the high land, raise the hollows and destroy snakes and scorpions - [from Sifrei].		וַֽעֲנַן ה' עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹמָם שִׁבְעָה עֲנָנִים כְּתוּבִים בְּמַסְעֵיהֶם, אַרְבָּעָה מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, וְאֶחָד לְמַעְלָה, וְאֶחָד לְמַטָּה, וְאֶחָד לִפְנֵיהֶם מַנְמִיךְ אֶת הַגָּבוֹהַּ וּמַגְבִּיהַּ אֶת הַנָּמוּךְ וְהוֹרֵג נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים (ספרי; מכילתא שמות י"ג):
From the camp From the place where they encamped.		מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה מִמְּקוֹם חֲנִיָּתָן:

Sixth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 10

35So it was, whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, Arise, O Lord, may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You.		להוַיְהִ֛י בִּנְסֹ֥עַ הָֽאָרֹ֖ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֑ה קוּמָ֣ה \| יְהֹוָ֗ה וְיָפֻ֨צוּ֙ אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ וְיָנֻ֥סוּ מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ:
So it was, whenever the ark set out He made marks for it [this passage], before it and after it, as if to indicate that this is not its proper place [in Scripture]. So why was it written here? To make a break between one punishment and the next… as it is stated in [chapter 16 of Talmud Shabbath, commencing with the words] “All the Sacred Scriptures.”		וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָֽאָרֹן עָשָֹה לוֹ סִימָנִיּוֹת מִלְּפָנָיו וּמִלְּאַחֲרָיו לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין זֶה מְקוֹמוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִכְתַּב כָּאן? כְּדֵי לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין פֻּרְעָנוּת לְפֻרְעָנוּת וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּכָל כִּתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ (שבת קט"ו):
Rise, O Lord Because He had preceded them by a distance of three days travel, Moses says, Stop and wait for us do not move on any further. [I found this] in the Midrash Tanchuma, Vayyakhel.		קוּמָה ה' לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה מַקְדִּים לִפְנֵיהֶם מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים, הָיָה מֹשֶׁה אוֹמֵר עֲמֹד וְהַמְתֵּן לָנוּ וְאַל תִּתְרַחֵק יוֹתֵר. תַּנְחוּמָא בְּוַיַּקְהֵל:
May Your enemies be scattered Those [enemies] who are assembled [for battle]. - [from Sifrei]		וְיָפֻצוּ אֹֽיְבֶיךָ הַמְכֻנָּסִין:
Those who hate You flee Those who pursue		וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ אֵלּוּ הָרוֹדְפִים:
Those who hate You Those who hate Israel, for anyone who hates Israel hates the One Who spoke and the world came into being, as it says, “Those who hate you have raised their heads” (Ps. 83:3). Who are they? Those who “plot deviously against Your nation” (ibid. 4). - [from Sifrei]		מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ אֵלּוּ שׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאל, שֶׁכָּל הַשּׂוֹנֵא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שׂוֹנֵא אֶת מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּמְשַׂנְאֶיךָ נָשְׂאוּ רֹאשׁ" (תהלים פ"ג), וּמִי הֵם? "עַל עַמְּךָ יַעֲרִימוּ סוֹד":
36And when it came to rest he would say, Repose O Lord, among the myriads of thousands of Israel.		לווּבְנֻחֹ֖ה יֹאמַ֑ר שׁוּבָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה רִבֲב֖וֹת אַלְפֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Repose, O Lord Menachem renders [the word שׁוּבָה] as an expression of rest. Similarly, “In rest (בְשׁוּבָה) and tranquility you shall be saved” (Isa. 30:15).		שׁוּבָה ה' מְנַחֵם תִּרְגְּמוֹ לְשׁוֹן מַרְגּוֹעַ, וְכֵן "בְּשׁוּבָה וָנַחַת תִּוָּשֵׁעוּן" (ישעיהו ל'):
The myriads of thousands of Israel This teaches us that the Divine Presence does not rest on Israel if they number fewer than twenty-two thousand.		רִבֲבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל מַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין הַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל פְּחוּתִים מִשְּׁנֵי אֲלָפִים וּשְׁתֵּי רְבָבוֹת (יבמות ס"ד):

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 11

1The people were looking to complain, and it was evil in the ears of the Lord. The Lord heard and His anger flared, and a fire from the Lord burned among them, consuming the extremes of the camp.		אוַיְהִ֤י הָעָם֙ כְּמִתְאֹ֣נְנִ֔ים רַ֖ע בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהֹוָה֙ וַיִּ֣חַר אַפּ֔וֹ וַתִּבְעַר־בָּם֙ אֵ֣שׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתֹּ֖אכַל בִּקְצֵ֥ה הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
The people were looking to complain Heb. הָעָם. [The word] הָעָם, the people, is used only in reference to the wicked. Similarly it says, “What shall I do about this people (הָעָם)?” (Exod. 17:4), and it says,“this evil people (הָעָם)” (Jer. 13:10). But when they are virtuous, they are called עַמִּי, My people, as it says, “Send forth My people (עַמִּי)” (Exod. 8:16); “My people (עַמִּי), what have I done to you?” (Mic. 6: 3). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:1]		וַיְהִי הָעָם כְּמִתְאֹנְנִים אֵין הָעָם אֶלָּא רְשָׁעִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה" (שמות י"ז), וְאוֹמֵר "הָעָם הַזֶּה הָרָע" (ירמיהו י"ג); וּכְשֶׁהֵם כְּשֵׁרִים קְרוּאִים "עַמִּי", שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שַׁלַּח עַמִּי" (שמות ח׳:ט״ז), "עַמִּי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ" (מיכה ו'):
were looking to complain [The term] מִתְאוֹנְנִים denotes a pretext. They were seeking a pretext to turn away from the Omnipresent. Similarly, it says regarding Samson, “that he sought a pretext (תֹאֲנָה)” (Jud. 14:4)		כְּמִתְאֹנְנִים אֵין מִתְאוֹנְנִים אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן עֲלִילָה — מְבַקְּשִׁים עֲלִילָה הֵיאַךְ לִפְרֹשׁ מֵאַחֲרֵי הַמָּקוֹם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן (שופטים י"ד), "כִּי תֹאֲנָה הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ" (ספרי):
evil in the ears of the Lord A pretext that was evil in God’s ears, for they intended that it should reach His ears and provoke Him (Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:1). They said, Woe is to us! How weary we have become on this journey! For three days we have not rested from the fatigue of walking. — [Midrash Aggadah]		רַע בְּאָזְנֵי ה' תּוֹאֲנָה שֶׁהִיא רָעָה בְּאָזְנֵי ה', שֶׁמִּתְכַּוְּנִים שֶׁתָּבֹא בְּאָזְנָיו וְיַקְנִיט, אָמְרוּ: אוֹי לָנוּ, כַּמָּה לֻבַּטְנוּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים שֶׁלֹּא נַחְנוּ מֵעִנּוּי הַדֶּרֶךְ:
His anger flared [He said,] I meant it for your own good-that you should be able to enter the Land immediately. — [Midrash Aggadah]		וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ אֲנִי הָיִיתִי מִתְכַּוֵּן לְטוֹבַתְכֶם — שֶׁתִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ מִיָּד:
the extremes of the camp Heb. בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה. Those untouchable because of their baseness-these were the mixed multitude (See Exod. 12:36). R. Simeon ben Menassia says, The most distinguished (קְצִינִים) among them and the prominent ones. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:1]		בִּקְצֵה הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה בְּמֻּקְצִין שֶׁבָּהֶם לְשִׁפְלוּת, אֵלּוּ עֵרֶב רַב, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אוֹמֵר, בַּקְּצִינִים שֶׁבָּהֶם וּבַגְּדוֹלִים (עי' ספרי):
2The people cried out to Moses; Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down.		בוַיִּצְעַ֥ק הָעָ֖ם אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל משֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתִּשְׁקַ֖ע הָאֵֽשׁ:
The people cried out to Moses This can be compared to a mortal king who became angry with his son. That son went to his father’s close friend and said to him, "Go and ask [forgiveness] on my behalf from Father." — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:2]		וַיִּצְעַק הָעָם אֶל־משֶׁה מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁכָּעַס עַל בְּנוֹ, וְהָלַךְ הַבֵּן אֵצֶל אוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו וְאָמַר לוֹ צֵא וּבַקֵּשׁ עָלַי מֵאַבָּא:
and the fire died down It sank in its place into the earth, for had it turned along one of the sides [of the camp], it would have gradually rolled along that entire side [and caused more destruction]. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:2]		וַתִּשְׁקַע הָאֵֽשׁ שָׁקְעָה בִּמְקוֹמָהּ, שֶׁאִלּוּ חָזְרָה לְאַחַת הָרוּחוֹת הָיְתָה מְקַפֶּלֶת וְהוֹלֶכֶת כָּל אוֹתוֹ הָרוּחַ (ספרי):
3He named that place Tab'erah, for the fire of the Lord had burned among them there.		גוַיִּקְרָ֛א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא תַּבְעֵרָ֑ה כִּי־בָֽעֲרָ֥ה בָ֖ם אֵ֥שׁ יְהֹוָֽה:
4But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, "Who will feed us meat?		דוְהָֽאסַפְסֻף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ הִתְאַוּ֖וּ תַּֽאֲוָ֑ה וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ וַיִּבְכּ֗וּ גַּ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֥י יַֽאֲכִלֵ֖נוּ בָּשָֽׂר:
But the multitude Heb. וְהָאסַפְסֻף, lit., the gathering. These were the mixed multitude, which had attached themselves to Israel when they left Egypt (see Exod. 12:36). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:4, Midrash Aggadah]		וְהָֽאסַפְסֻף אֵלּוּ עֵרֶב רַב שֶׁנֶּאֶסְפוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּצֵאתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם:
[The children of Israel] once again… The children of Israel also wept again together with them. — [Midrash Aggadah]		וַיָּשֻׁבוּ גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבְכּוּ עִמָּהֶם:
Who will feed us meat? Did they not have meat? Does it not say, “Also a great mixed multitude went up with them, and flocks and cattle” (Exod. 12:38)? You might argue that they had already eaten them. But when they were about to enter the Land, is it not written that, “the children of Reuben had much cattle” (Num. 32:1)? The answer is that they were seeking a pretext. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:4]		מִי יַֽאֲכִלֵנוּ בָּשָֽׂר וְכִי לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם בָּשָׂר? וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר "וְגַם עֵרֶב רַב עָלָה אִתָּם וְצֹאן וּבָקָר" וְגוֹ' (שמות י"ב), וְאִם תֹּאמַר אֲכָלוּם, וַהֲלֹא בִּכְנִיסָתָן לָאָרֶץ נֶאֱמַר "וּמִקְנֶה רַב הָיָה לִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן" וְגוֹ' (במדבר ל"ב)? אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּבַקְשִׁים עֲלִילָה (ספרי):
5We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt free of charge, the cucumbers, the watermelons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.		הזָכַ֨רְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נֹאכַ֥ל בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם חִנָּ֑ם אֵ֣ת הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔ים וְאֶת־הֶֽחָצִ֥יר וְאֶת־הַבְּצָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַשּׁוּמִֽים:
which we ate in Egypt free of charge If you say that the Egyptians gave them fish free of charge, does it not already say, “Straw shall not be given to you” (Exod. 5:18)? Now if straw was not given free of charge, was fish given to them free of charge? So what does “free of charge” mean? Free from [the burden of] precepts. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:5]		אֲשֶׁר־נֹאכַל בְּמִצְרַיִם חִנָּם אִם תֹּאמַר שֶׁמִּצְרִיִּים נוֹתְנִים לָהֶם דָּגִים חִנָּם, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר "וְתֶבֶן לֹא יִנָּתֵן לָכֶם" (שמות ה'), אִם תֶּבֶן לֹא הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין לָהֶם חִנָּם, דָּגִים הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין לָהֶם חִנָּם? וּמַהוּ אוֹמֵר חִנָּם, חִנָּם מִן הַמִּצְוֹת (ספרי):
the cucumbers R. Simeon says: Why did the manna change into everything except these? Because they are harmful for nursing mothers. We tell a [nursing] woman, “Do not eat any garlic or onion, for the baby’s sake. This can be compared to a king [who gave his son over to a teacher. He sat down and ordered him and said to him, ”See that he does not eat any harmful food and does not drink any harmful drink. Because of this, the son complained about his father, saying, “Not because he loves me, but because he does not want me to eat,”] as it is written in the Sifrei (Beha’alothecha 1:42:5).		אֶת־הַקִּשֻּׁאִים אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִפְּנֵי מָה הַמָּן מִשְׁתַּנֶּה לְכָל דָּבָר חוּץ מֵאֵלּוּ? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן קָשִׁים לַמְּנִיקוֹת, אוֹמְרִים לְאִשָּׁה אַל תֹּאכְלִי שׁוּם וּבָצָל מִפְּנֵי הַתִּינוֹק, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרֵי:
the cucumbers Heb. הַקִּשֻׁאִים. In old French, cocombres.		הַקִּשֻּׁאִים הֵם קוקומבר"שׂ בְּלַעַז:
watermelons Heb. אֲבַטִּחִים. In old French, bodekes.		אבטיחים בודיק"ש:
leeks Heb. הֶחָצִיר, leeks, [In old French], porels. Targum [Onkelos] renders, “the cucumbers etc.”		הֶֽחָצִיר כְּרֵישִׁין, פוריל"ש (תַּרְגּוּמוֹ יָת בּוֹצִינַיָּא וְכוּ'):
6But now, our bodies are dried out, for there is nothing at all; we have nothing but manna to look at."		ווְעַתָּ֛ה נַפְשֵׁ֥נוּ יְבֵשָׁ֖ה אֵ֣ין כֹּ֑ל בִּלְתִּ֖י אֶל־הַמָּ֥ן עֵינֵֽינוּ:
we have nothing but manna to look at Manna in the morning, manna in the evening. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:5]		אֶל־הַמָּן עֵינֵֽינוּ מָן בַּשַּׁחַר, מָן בָּעֶרֶב:
7Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance was like the appearance of crystal.		זוְהַמָּ֕ן כִּזְרַע־גַּ֖ד ה֑וּא וְעֵינ֖וֹ כְּעֵ֥ין הַבְּדֹֽלַח:
Now the manna was like coriander seed The one who said this [verse] did not say that. The Israelites said, “We have nothing but manna to look at,” whereas the Holy One, blessed is He, inscribed in the Torah, “the manna was like coriander seed…” as if to say, “See, all you who inhabit the world, what my children are complaining about-the manna is excellent in so many ways!” - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:1]		וְהַמָּן כִּזְרַע־גַּד מִי שֶׁאָמַר זֶה לֹא אָמַר זֶה, יִשְֹרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים "בִּלְתִּי אֶל הַמָּן עֵינֵינוּ" וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִכְתִּיב בַּתּוֹרָה "וְהַמָּן כִּזְרַע גַּד" וְגוֹ', כְּלוֹמַר רְאוּ בָּאֵי עוֹלָם עַל מָה מִתְלוֹנְנִים בָּנַי, וְהַמָּן כָּךְ וְכָךְ הוּא חָשׁוּב:
like coriander seed Heb. כִּזְרַע גַּד הוּא, round like coriander, seed of coliandre [in French]. — [Yoma 75a]		כִּזְרַע־גַּד עָגֹל כְּגִידָּא — זֶרַע קוליינדר"ו:
crystal Heb. בְּדֹלַח, the name of a precious stone, [in French,] cristal.		הַבְּדֹֽלַח שֵׁם אֶבֶן טוֹבָה קריסט"ל:
8The people walked about and gathered it. Then they ground it in a mill or crushed it in a mortar, cooked it in a pot and made it into cakes. It had a taste like the taste of oil cake.		חשָׁ֩טוּ֩ הָעָ֨ם וְלָֽקְט֜וּ וְטָֽחֲנ֣וּ בָֽרֵחַ֗יִם א֤וֹ דָכוּ֙ בַּמְּדֹכָ֔ה וּבִשְּׁלוּ֙ בַּפָּר֔וּר וְעָשׂ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ עֻג֑וֹת וְהָיָ֣ה טַעְמ֔וֹ כְּטַ֖עַם לְשַׁ֥ד הַשָּֽׁמֶן:
walked about [The expression] שַׁיִט denotes nothing but taking a stroll; [in old French,] esbaneyr, [walking] without exertion.		שָׁטוּ אֵין שִׁיּוּט אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן טִיּוּל, אישבנ"ייר — בְּלֹא עָמָל:
ground it in a mill [The manna] did not actually enter the mill, the pot, or the mortar, but its taste changed to [that of] ground, crushed, or cooked food. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8]		וְטָֽחֲנוּ בָֽרֵחַיִם וגו' לֹא יָרַד בָּרֵחַיִם וְלֹא בַקְּדֵרָה וְלֹא בַמְּדוֹכָה, אֶלָּא מִשְׁתַּנֶּה הָיָה טַעֲמוֹ לַנִּטְחָנִין וְלַנְּדוֹכִין וְלַמְבֻשָּׁלִין (ספרי):
in a pot Heb. בַּפָּרוּר, a pot.		בַּפָּרוּר קְדֵרָה:
oil cakes Heb. לְשֶׁד הַשָּׁמֶן, the moisture of oil. This is how Donash (Teshuvoth Donash p. 14) explains it. Similar to this is: “My freshness (לְשַׁדִּי) was transformed as in the droughts of summer” (Ps. 32: 4), in which the “lamed” [of לְשַׁדִּי] is part of the root, [meaning] “My freshness (לְשַׁדִּי) was transformed as in the droughts of summer.” [First edition of Rashi reads: and he (Donash) compares to this… (See Yosef Hallel).] Our Sages (Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:8), however, explained it as a term meaning “breasts” (שָׁדַיִם), but what have breasts to do with oil? It is impossible to say that לְשֶׁד הַשָּׁמֶן is related to the expression וַיִשְׁמַן יְשֻׁרוּן, “Jeshurun grew fat” (Deut. 32:15) [and thus, the meaning would be “the taste of a fat breast”], for if that were the case, the “mem” [in the word הַשָּׁמֶן] would be vowelized with a minor “kamatz” [known as “tzeireh”], and the accent would be at the end of the word, under the “mem,” [reading הַשָּׁמֶן]. Now, however, that the “mem” is vowelized with a minor “pathach” [known as “segol”] and the accent is under the “shin,” it means “oil.” The “shin” is vowelized with a major “kamatz” הַשָּׁמֶן and not with a minor “pathach” הַשֶּׁמֶן because it is the last word in a verse. Another interpretation: לְשַׁד is an acronym standing for לִישׁ שֶׁמֶן דְּבַשׁ, kneaded with oil and honey, like a dough kneaded with oil and coated with honey. The rendering of Onkelos who renders: דְּלִישׁ בְּמִשְׁחָא, kneaded with oil , which leans toward the interpretation offered by Donash, since dough kneaded with oil contains the moisture of oil.		לְשַׁד הַשָּֽׁמֶן לִחְלוּחַ שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן, כָּךְ פֵּרְשׁוֹ דּוּנָשׁ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ "נֶהְפַּךְ לְשַׁדִּי בְּחַרְבֹנֵי קַיִץ" (תהילים ל"ב), וְהַלָּמֶ"ד יְסוֹד, — נֶהְפַּךְ לִחְלוּחִי בְּחַרְבוֹנֵי קַיִץ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵרְשׁוּהוּ לְשׁוֹן שָׁדַיִם, אַךְ אֵין עִנְיַן שָׁדַיִם אֵצֶל שֶׁמֶן; וְאִאֶ"ל לְשַׁד הַשָּׁמֶן לְשׁוֹן "וַיִּשְׁמַן יְשֻׁרוּן" (דברים ל"ב), שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה הַמֵּ"ם נָקוּד קָמָץ וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַטָּה תַּחַת הַמֵּ"ם, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁהַמֵּ"ם נָקוּד פַּתָּח קָטָן וְהַטַּעַם תַּחַת הַשִּׁי"ן, לְשׁוֹן שֶׁמֶן הוּא, וְהַשִּׁ"ין הַנְּקוּדָה בְּקָמָץ גָּדוֹל וְאֵינָהּ נְקוּדָה בְּפַתָּח קָטָן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא סוֹף פָּסוּק. דָּבָר אַחֵר: לְשַׁד לְשׁוֹן נוֹטָרִיקוֹן — לִישׁ שֶׁמֶן דְּבַשׁ, כְּעִסָּה הַנִּלּוֹשָׁה בְּשֶׁמֶן וּקְטוּפָה בִדְבַשׁ. וְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס דִּמְתַרְגֵּם "דְּלִישׁ בְּמִשְׁחָא" נוֹטֶה לְפִתְרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל דּוּנָשׁ, שֶׁהָעִסָּה הַנִּלּוֹשָׁה בְשֶׁמֶן לַחְלוּחִית שֶׁמֶן יֵשׁ בָּהּ:
9When the dew descended on the camp at night, the manna would descend upon it.		טוּבְרֶ֧דֶת הַטַּ֛ל עַל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה לָ֑יְלָה יֵרֵ֥ד הַמָּ֖ן עָלָֽיו:
10Moses heard the people weeping with their families, each one at the entrance to his tent. The Lord became very angry, and Moses considered it evil.		יוַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע משֶׁ֜ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם בֹּכֶה֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔יו אִ֖ישׁ לְפֶ֣תַח אָֽהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ מְאֹ֔ד וּבְעֵינֵ֥י משֶׁ֖ה רָֽע:
weeping with their families Families gathered in groups weeping so as to publicize their grievance. Our Sages say that the meaning is: “concerning family matters,” that is, because intermarriage among family members was forbidden to them. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:10, Yoma 75a]		בֹּכֶה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו מִשְׁפָּחוֹת מִשְׁפָּחוֹת נֶאֱסָפִים וּבוֹכִים לְפַרְסֵם תַּרְעֻמְתָּן בְּגָלוּי. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (יומא ע"ה) לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו, עַל עִסְקֵי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת —עַל עֲרָיוֹת הַנֶּאֱסָרוֹת לָהֶם:
11Moses said to the Lord, "Why have You treated Your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in Your eyes that You place the burden of this entire people upon me?		יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֗ה לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֨תָ֙ לְעַבְדֶּ֔ךָ וְלָ֛מָּה לֹֽא־מָצָ֥תִי (חסר א') חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶי֑ךָ לָשׂ֗וּם אֶת־מַשָּׂ֛א כָּל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה עָלָֽי:
12Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that You say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as the nurse carries the suckling,' to the Land You promised their forefathers?		יבהֶאָֽנֹכִ֣י הָרִ֗יתִי אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אִם־אָֽנֹכִ֖י יְלִדְתִּ֑יהוּ כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר אֵלַ֜י שָׂאֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקֶ֗ךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשָּׂ֤א הָֽאֹמֵן֙ אֶת־הַיֹּנֵ֔ק עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתָּ לַֽאֲבֹתָֽיו:
that You say to me Heb. כִּי תֹאמַר אֵלַי, that You say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom.’ When did He tell him this? “Go, lead the people” (Exod. 32:34), and it says, “He commanded them concerning the children of Israel” (ibid. 6:13)-even if they stone you or insult you. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:10]		כִּֽי־תֹאמַר אֵלַי שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר אֵלַי שָׂאֵהוּ בְחֵיקֶךָ; וְהֵיכָן אָמַר לוֹ כֵן? "לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת הָעָם" (שמות ל"ב), וְאוֹמֵר "וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שם ו') — עַל מְנָת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סוֹקְלִים אֶתְכֶם וּמְחָרְפִים אֶתְכֶם (ספרי):
to the Land You promised their forefathers You tell me to carry them in my bosom. [This phrase is connected to that clause, not to “as the nurse carries the suckling,” which immediately precedes this phrase.]		עַל הָֽאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַֽאֲבֹתָֽיו אַתָּה אוֹמֵר לִי לְשֵׂאתָם בְּחֵיקִי:
13Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are crying on me, saying, 'Give us meat to eat.'		יגמֵאַ֤יִן לִי֙ בָּשָׂ֔ר לָתֵ֖ת לְכָל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־יִבְכּ֤וּ עָלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָה־לָּ֥נוּ בָשָׂ֖ר וְנֹאכֵֽלָה:
14Alone I cannot carry this entire people for it is too hard for me.		ידלֹֽא־אוּכַ֤ל אָֽנֹכִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י לָשֵׂ֖את אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֥י כָבֵ֖ד מִמֶּֽנִּי:
15If this is the way You treat me, please kill me if I have found favor in Your eyes, so that I not see my misfortune."		טווְאִם־כָּ֣כָה \| אַתְּ־עֹ֣שֶׂה לִּ֗י הָרְגֵ֤נִי נָא֙ הָרֹ֔ג אִם־מָצָ֥אתִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶי֑ךָ וְאַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּרָֽעָתִֽי:
If this is the way You treat me Moses’ strength became weak like a woman’s when God showed him the punishment He was going to bring upon them. Because of this, he said to Him, “Kill me first….” - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:14]		וְאִם־כָּכָה אַתְּ־עושה לִּי תָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה כִּנְקֵבָה כְּשֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם עַל זֹאת, אָמַר לְפָנָיו, אִם כֵּן, הָרְגֵנִי תְּחִלָּה:
so that I not see my misfortune Scripture should have written, “their misfortune,” [or “Your misfortune,” according to Divrei David] but it euphemizes. This is one of the scribal emendations in the Torah, [such as writers make] for the purpose of modifying and adjusting the text. — [Midrash Tanchuma Beshallach 16; Mechilta Beshallach, parashah 6]		וְאַל־אֶרְאֶה בְּרָֽעָתִֽי בְּרָעָתָם הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב, אֶלָּא שֶׁכִּנָּה הַכָּתוּב, וְזֶה אֶחָד מִתִּקּוּנֵי סוֹפְרִים בַּתּוֹרָה לְכִנּוּי וּלְתִקּוּן לָשׁוֹן:
16Then the Lord said to Moses, "Assemble for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the people's elders and officers, and you shall take them to the Tent of Meeting, and they shall stand there with you.		טזוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה אֶסְפָה־לִּ֞י שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִישׁ֘ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּי־הֵ֛ם זִקְנֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם וְשֹֽׁטְרָ֑יו וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֤ אֹתָם֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהִתְיַצְּב֥וּ שָׁ֖ם עִמָּֽךְ:
Assemble for Me This is a response to your complaint, that you said, “Alone I cannot….” Where were the first group of elders? Had they not sat with them [with Moses and Aaron] even in Egypt, as it says, “Go and gather the elders of Israel” (Exod. 3:16) ? But they died in the fire at Tab’erah (verses 1-3). They deserved this already at Sinai, as it is written, “They perceived God” (Exod. 24:11), behaving irreverently, like someone munching his bread while speaking to the king, and this is the meaning of “they ate and drank” (ibid.). However, God did not want to give cause for mourning at the giving of the Torah, so he punished them here. — [Midrash Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 16]		אֶסְפָה־לִּי הֲרֵי תְשׁוּבָה לִתְלוּנָתְךָ שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לֹא אוּכַל אָנֹכִי לְבַדִּי; וְהַזְּקֵנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הֵיכָן הָיוּ? וַהֲלֹא אַף בְּמִצְרַיִם יָשְׁבוּ עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג') "לֵךְ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"? אֶלָּא בְּאֵשׁ תַּבְעֵרָה מֵתוּ; וּרְאוּיִים הָיוּ לְכָךְ מִסִּינַי, דִּכְתִיב "וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים" (שם כ"ד) — שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ קַלּוּת רֹאשׁ כְּנוֹשֵׁךְ פִּתּוֹ וּמְדַבֵּר בִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְזֶהוּ "וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ", וְלֹא רָצָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִתֵּן אֲבֵלוּת בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה וּפָרַע לָהֶם כָּאן (תנחומא):
whom you know to be… Those whom you know, that they were appointed as officers over them in Egypt [to oversee] the rigorous labor, and they had mercy on them, and were beaten on their account, as it says, “the officers of the children of Israel were beaten” (Exod. 5:14). Now they shall be chosen in their greatness, just as they had suffered in their [Israel’s] distress. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42: 16]		אֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ כִּי־הֵם וגו' אוֹתָן שֶׁאַתָּה מַכִּיר שֶׁנִּתְמַנּוּ עֲלֵיהֶם שׁוֹטְרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם בַּעֲבוֹדַת פֶּרֶךְ וְהָיוּ מְרַחֲמִים עֲלֵיהֶם וּמֻכִּים עַל יָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֻּכּוּ שֹׁטְרֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות ה'), עַתָּה יִתְמַנּוּ בִגְדֻלָּתָן כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁנִּצְטַעֲרוּ בְּצָרָתָן (עי' ספרי):
and you shall take them Take them with words: “How fortunate you are that you have been appointed leaders over the children of the Omnipresent!” - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:16]		וְלָֽקַחְתָּ אֹתָם קָחֵם בִּדְבָרִים, "אַשְׁרֵיכֶם שֶׁנִּתְמַנִּיתֶם פַּרְנָסִים עַל בָּנָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם":
and they shall stand there with you so that the Israelites should see and treat them with esteem and honor, saying, "How beloved are these who have entered with Moses to hear the speech from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed is He. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:16]		וְהִתְיַצְּבוּ שָׁם עִמָּֽךְ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִנְהֲגוּ בָהֶם גְּדֻלָּה וְכָבוֹד, וְיֹאמְרוּ חֲבִיבִין אֵלּוּ שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ עִם מֹשֶׁה לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבּוּר מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (שם):
17I will come down and speak with you there, and I will increase the spirit that is upon you and bestow it upon them. Then they will bear the burden of the people with you so that you need not bear it alone.		יזוְיָֽרַדְתִּ֗י וְדִבַּרְתִּ֣י עִמְּךָ֘ שָׁם֒ וְאָֽצַלְתִּ֗י מִן־הָר֛וּחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלֶ֖יךָ וְשַׂמְתִּ֣י עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָֽשְׂא֤וּ אִתְּךָ֙ בְּמַשָּׂ֣א הָעָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־תִשָּׂ֥א אַתָּ֖ה לְבַדֶּֽךָ:
I will come down This is one of the ten descents [of the Shechinah] recorded in the Torah. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:17]		וְיָֽרַדְתִּי זוֹ אַחַת מֵעֶשֶׂר יְרִידוֹת הַכְּתוּבוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה (שם):
and speak with you But not with them. - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:17]		וְדִבַּרְתִּי עִמְּךָ וְלֹא עִמָּהֶם (שם):
and I will increase Heb. וְאָצַלְתִּי, as the Targum renders it: וַאִרַבֵּי, and I will increase, as in “But against the nobles of (אֲצִילֵי) the children of Israel” (Exod. 24:11).		וְאָֽצַלְתִּי כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וַאֲרַבֵּי", כְּמוֹ "וְאֶל אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל" (שמות כ"ד):
and bestow it upon them What did Moses resemble at that time? A candle placed upon a candelabrum; everyone lights from it, yet its brightness is not diminished. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:17, Midrash Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 12]		וְשַׂמְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם לְמָה מֹשֶׁה דוֹמֶה בְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה? לְנֵר שֶׁמּוּנַח עַל גַּבֵּי מְנוֹרָה וְהַכֹּל מַדְלִיקִין הֵימֶנּוּ וְאֵין אוֹרוֹ חָסֵר כְּלוּם (ספרי):
Then they will bear… with you Stipulate with them that they take upon themselves the burden of My children, who are troublesome and recalcitrant. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:16]		וְנָֽשְׂאוּ אִתְּךָ הַתְנֵה עִמָּהֶם עַל מְנָת שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם טֹרַח בָּנַי, שֶׁהֵם טַרְחָנִים וְסַרְבָנִים (שם):
so that you need not bear it alone This is an answer to what you said, “Alone I cannot carry…” (verse 14). - [See Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:17]		וְלֹֽא־תִשָּׂא אַתָּה לְבַדֶּֽךָ הֲרֵי תְשׁוּבָה לְמַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ לֹא אוּכַל אָנֹכִי לְבַדִּי:
18And to the people, you shall say, 'Prepare yourselves for tomorrow and you shall eat meat, because you have cried in the ears of the Lord saying, "Who will feed us meat, for we had it better in Egypt." [Therefore,] the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat.		יחוְאֶל־הָעָ֨ם תֹּאמַ֜ר הִתְקַדְּשׁ֣וּ לְמָחָר֘ וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּ֣ם בָּשָׂר֒ כִּ֡י בְּכִיתֶם֩ בְּאָזְנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֤י יַֽאֲכִלֵ֨נוּ֙ בָּשָׂ֔ר כִּי־ט֥וֹב לָ֖נוּ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְנָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֧ה לָכֶ֛ם בָּשָׂ֖ר וַֽאֲכַלְתֶּֽם:
Prepare yourselves Heb. הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ, prepare yourselves for punishment. Similarly, it says, “and prepare them for the day of slaughter” (Jer. 12:3). - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:18]		הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ הַזְמִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם לְפֻרְעָנוּת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ירמיהו י"ב) "וְהַקְדִּשֵׁם לְיוֹם הֲרֵגָה" (ספרי):
19You shall eat it not one day, not two days, not five days, not ten days, and not twenty days.		יטלֹ֣א י֥וֹם אֶחָ֛ד תֹּֽאכְל֖וּן וְלֹ֣א יוֹמָ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א \| חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה יָמִ֗ים וְלֹא֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה יָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֖א עֶשְׂרִ֥ים יֽוֹם:
20But even for a full month until it comes out your nose and nauseates you. Because you have despised the Lord Who is among you, and you cried before Him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"		כעַ֣ד \| חֹ֣דֶשׁ יָמִ֗ים עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא֙ מֵֽאַפְּכֶ֔ם וְהָיָ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לְזָרָ֑א יַ֗עַן כִּֽי־מְאַסְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֔ם וַתִּבְכּ֤וּ לְפָנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה יָצָ֥אנוּ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם:
But even for a full month This [concerned] the [comparatively] virtuous ones, who languish on their beds and later their soul departs. But concerning the wicked ones it says, “the meat was still between their teeth [… when the anger of the Lord flared…]” (verse 33). This is how it is taught in the Sifrei (Beha’alothecha 1:42:20), but in the Mechilta (Beshallach, Vayassa 3:13) the opposite is taught: the wicked ate and suffered [as a result] for thirty days, whereas [concerning] the virtuous-“the meat was still between their teeth” [thus, they did not suffer prolonged agony].		עַד חֹדֶשׁ יָמִים זוֹ בַכְּשֵׁרִים, שֶׁמִּתְמַצִּין עַל מִטּוֹתֵיהֶן וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִשְׁמָתָן יוֹצְאָה, וּבָרְשָׁעִים הוּא אוֹמֵר "הַבָּשָׂר עוֹדֶנּוּ בֵּין שִׁנֵּיהֶם" (פסוק ל"ג), כָּךְ הִיא שְׁנוּיָה בְסִפְרֵי, אֲבָל בִּמְכִילְתָּא שְׁנוּיָה חִלּוּף, הָרְשָׁעִים אוֹכְלִים וּמִצְטַעֲרִין שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, וְהַכְּשֵׁרִים הַבָּשָׂר עוֹדֶנּוּ בֵּין שִׁנֵּיהֶם (עי' יומא ע"ה):
until it comes out of your nose As Targum renders: “You will be sickened by it”; it will seem to you as if you gorged on it until it is discharged by way of the nose.		עַד אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא מֵֽאַפְּכֶם כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "דִי תְקוֹצוּן בֵּיהּ", יְהֵא דוֹמֶה לָכֶם כְּאִלּוּ אֲכַלְתֶּם מִמֶּנּוּ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי עַד שֶׁיּוֹצֵא וְנִגְעָל לַחוּץ דֶּרֶךְ הָאָף:
and nauseates you Heb. וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְזָרָא You will cast it away from you more readily than you welcomed it [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:20]. In the words of R. Moshe Hadarshan (the preacher) I noted that there is a language in which a sword is called זָרָא, [meaning that this meat will be the cause of their death].		וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְזָרָא שֶׁתִּהְיוּ מְרַחֲקִין אוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁקֵּרַבְתֶּם, וּבְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן רָאִיתִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָשׁוֹן שֶׁקּוֹרִין לַחֶרֶב זָרָא:
the Lord Who is among you Had I not established My Presence among you, you would not have had the arrogance to engage in all these matters. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:20]		אֶת־ה' אֲשֶׁר־בְּקִרְבְּכֶם אִם לֹא שֶׁנָּטַעְתִּי שְׁכִינָתִי בֵינֵיכֶם, לֹא גָבַהּ לְבַבְכֶם לִכָּנֵס לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ (ספרי):
21Moses said, "Six hundred thousand people on foot are the people in whose midst I am, and You say, 'I will give them meat, and they will eat it for a full month'?		כאוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ משֶׁה֒ שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֨לֶף֙ רַגְלִ֔י הָעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָֽנֹכִ֖י בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְאַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֗רְתָּ בָּשָׂר֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם וְאָֽכְל֖וּ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים:
Six hundred thousand people on foot He was not concerned with mentioning the additional three thousand (above 1:46). R. Moshe Hadarshan, however, explains that only those [six hundred thousand] who left Egypt wept.		שֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי לֹא חָשׁ לִמְנוֹת אֶת הַפְּרָט שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים הַיְתֵרִים; וְרַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן פֵּרֵשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא בָכוּ אֶלָּא אוֹתָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם:
22If sheep and cattle were slaughtered for them, would it suffice for them? If all the fish of the sea were gathered for them, would it suffice for them?"		כבהֲצֹ֧אן וּבָקָ֛ר יִשָּׁחֵ֥ט לָהֶ֖ם וּמָצָ֣א לָהֶ֑ם אִ֣ם אֶת־כָּל־דְּגֵ֥י הַיָּ֛ם יֵֽאָסֵ֥ף לָהֶ֖ם וּמָצָ֥א לָהֶֽם:
If sheep and cattle were slaughtered This is one of the four cases in which R. Akiva expounded, and R. Simeon expounded differently. R. Akiva says, “Six hundred thousand people on foot, and You have said that I will give them meat, and they will eat it for a full month?” The entire verse is expounded literally. The clause, וּמָצָא לָהֶם means, “Would it suffice for them?” This is similar to [the clause,] “and he has sufficient means (וּמָצָא) for redeeming it” (Lev. 25:26). Which [case] is worse? This one, or [when Moses said] “Listen now, you rebels” (20:10)? [Obviously, this one.] However, since [in this case] he [Moses] did not say it in public, Scripture spares him, and refrains from punishing him. But that of Meribah was in public, so Scripture does not spare him. R. Simeon says, God forbid! This never entered the mind of that righteous man. Would the one about whom it says, “he is trusted throughout My house” (12:7) suggest that the Omnipresent cannot provide for us sufficiently? Rather, this is what he meant: “Six hundred thousand… on foot… and You say, 'I will give them meat for a full month’? Then You will kill such a great nation? Will sheep and cattle be slaughtered for them so that they should then be killed, and this meal will satisfy for them forever [i.e., it will be their last]? Is this a credit for you? Do we tell a donkey, 'Eat this measure of barley, and then we will cut off your head’?” God answered him, “If I do not give them, they will say that My power is limited. Would the fact that God’s power appears limited to them please you? Let them and a hundred like them perish, as long as My power is not limited before them for even one moment! ”- [Tosefta Sotah 6:4]		הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר יִשָּׁחֵט זֶה אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא דּוֹרֵשׁ וְאֵין רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דּוֹרֵשׁ כְּמוֹתוֹ, רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר שש מאות אלף רגלי ואתה אמרת בשר אתן להם ואכלו חדש ימים הצאן ובקר, הַכֹּל כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, מִי מַסְפִּיק לָהֶם? כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ"ה) "וּמָצָא כְּדֵי גְאֻלָּתוֹ". וְאֵיזוֹ קָשָׁה, זוֹ אוֹ שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר בָּרַבִּים, חִסֵּךְ לוֹ הַכָּתוּב וְלֹא נִפְרַע מִמֶּנּוּ, וְזוֹ שֶׁל מְרִיבָה הָיְתָה בְּגָלוּי, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא חִסֵּךְ לוֹ הַכָּתוּב; רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לֹא עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ צַדִיק כָּךְ, מִי שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ "בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא" (במדבר י"ב) יֹאמַר אֵין הַמָּקוֹם מַסְפִּיק לָנוּ? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר, שש מאות אלף רגלי וגו' ואתה אמרת בשר אתן לְחֹדֶשׁ יָמִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ תַּהֲרֹג אֻמָּה גְדוֹלָה כָּזוֹ, הצאן ובקר ישחט להם כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּהָרְגוּ וּתְהִי אֲכִילָה זוֹ מַסְפַּקְתָּן עַד עוֹלָם? וְכִי שִׁבְחֲךָ הוּא זֶה? אוֹמְרִים לוֹ לַחֲמוֹר טֹל כֹּר שְׂעוֹרִים וְנַחְתֹּךְ רֹאשְׁךָ? הֱשִׁיבוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאִם לֹא אֶתֵּן יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁקָּצְרָה יָדִי, הֲטוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ שֶׁיַּד ה' תִּקְצַר בְּעֵינֵיהֶם? יֹאבְדוּ הֵם וּמֵאָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם וְאַל תְּהִי יָדִי קְצָרָה לִפְנֵיהֶם אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת:
23Then the Lord said to Moses, "Is My power limited? Now you will see if My word comes true for you or not!"		כגוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה הֲיַ֥ד יְהֹוָ֖ה תִּקְצָ֑ר עַתָּ֥ה תִרְאֶ֛ה הֲיִקְרְךָ֥ דְבָרִ֖י אִם־לֹֽא:
Now you will see if my word comes true for you or not Rabban Gamliel, the son of R. Judah the prince, says: [Moses said,] It is impossible to settle their argument. Since they seek only a pretext, you cannot satisfy them, and in the end, they will find fault with you. If you give them beef they will say, “We asked for mutton.” And if you give them mutton, they will say, “We asked for beef,” [or,] “We asked for venison or fowl,” [or,] “We asked for fish and locusts.” He [God] replied to him, “If so, they will claim that My power is limited.” He [Moses] said to him, “I will go and appease them.” He said to him, “Now you will see if My word comes true for you”-that they will not listen to you. Moses went to appease them. He said to them, “Is there a limit to God’s power? Behold, He struck the rock and water flowed; surely, He can provide bread!” (Ps. 78:20) They said, "This is [an attempt at] compromise-He Has no power to fulfill our wishes." This is the meaning of, “Moses went out and told the people.” Since they did not listen to him, “he assembled seventy men…” - [Tosefta Sotah 6:4 and Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:21]		עַתָּה תִרְאֶה הֲיִקְרְךָ דְבָרִי רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא אוֹמֵר, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲמֹד עַל הַטָּפֵל, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינָן מְבַקְשִׁים אֶלָּא עֲלִילָה, לֹא תַסְפִּיק לָהֶם, סוֹפָן לָדוּן אַחֲרֶיךָ: אִם אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם בְּשַׂר בְּהֵמָה גַסָּה, יֹאמְרוּ דַּקָּה בִקַּשְׁנוּ, וְאִם אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם דַּקָּה, יֹאמְרוּ גַּסָּה בִקַּשְׁנוּ, חַיָּה וָעוֹף בִּקַּשְׁנוּ, דָּגִים וַחֲגָבִים בִּקַּשְׁנוּ, אָמַר לוֹ, אִם כֵּן יֹאמְרוּ שֶׁקָּצְרָה יָדִי, אָמַר לְפָנָיו, הֲרֵינִי הוֹלֵךְ וּמְפַיְּסָן, אָמַר לוֹ עתה תראה היקרך דברי — שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמְעוּ לְךָ. הָלַךְ מֹשֶׁה לְפַיְּסָן, אָמַר לָהֶם היד ה' תקצר, "הֵן הִכָּה צוּר וַיָּזוּבוּ מַיִם וְגוֹ' הֲגַם לֶחֶם יוּכַל תֵּת" (תהלים ע"ח), אָמְרוּ, פְּשָׁרָה הִיא זוֹ, אֵין בּוֹ כֹּחַ לְמַלֹּאות שְׁאֵלָתֵנוּ; וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ויצא משה וידבר אל העם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמְעוּ לוֹ, ויאסף שבעים איש וגו' (עי' ספרי):
24Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said, and he assembled seventy men of the elders of the people, and stood them around the Tent.		כדוַיֵּצֵ֣א משֶׁ֗ה וַיְדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֞ף שִׁבְעִ֥ים אִישׁ֙ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲמֵ֥ד אֹתָ֖ם סְבִיבֹ֥ת הָאֹֽהֶל:
25The Lord descended in a cloud and spoke to him, and He increased some of the spirit that was on him and bestowed it on the seventy elders. And when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did not continue.		כהוַיֵּ֨רֶד יְהֹוָ֣ה \| בֶּֽעָנָן֘ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָיו֒ וַיָּ֗אצֶל מִן־הָר֨וּחַ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו וַיִּתֵּ֕ן עַל־שִׁבְעִ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ הַזְּקֵנִ֑ים וַיְהִ֗י כְּנ֤וֹחַ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ הָר֔וּחַ וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ וְלֹ֥א יָסָֽפוּ:
but they did not continue They prophesied on that day only-Thus it is stated in Sifrei (Beha’alothecha 1:42:21). The Targum renders “and they did not cease” [meaning] that their prophetic powers remained.		וְלֹא יָסָֽפוּ לֹא נִתְנַבְּאוּ אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם לְבַדּוֹ, כָּךְ מְפֹרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי, וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "וְלָא פָסְקִין", שֶׁלֹּא פָסְקָה נְבוּאָה מֵהֶם:
26Now two men remained in the camp; the name of one was Eldad and the name of the second was Medad, and the spirit rested upon them. They were among those written, but they did not go out to the tent, but prophesied in the camp.		כווַיִּשָּֽׁאֲר֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֣ים \| בַּמַּֽחֲנֶ֡ה שֵׁ֣ם הָֽאֶחָ֣ד \| אֶלְדָּ֡ד וְשֵׁם֩ הַשֵּׁנִ֨י מֵידָ֜ד וַתָּ֧נַח עֲלֵהֶ֣ם הָר֗וּחַ וְהֵ֨מָּה֙ בַּכְּתֻבִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יָֽצְא֖וּ הָאֹ֑הֱלָה וַיִּתְנַבְּא֖וּ בַּמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
Now two men remained From the ones who were chosen. They said, “We are unworthy of this greatness.” - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:21]		וַיִּשָּֽׁאֲרוּ שְׁנֵֽי־אֲנָשִׁים מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁנִּבְחֲרוּ, אָמְרוּ אֵין אָנוּ כְּדַאי לִגְדֻלָּה זוֹ (עי' סנהדרין י"ז):
They were among those written Among those chosen for the Sanhedrin. All of them were written down, mentioned specifically by name, but [the number was chosen] by lot, because the number [of elders] for twelve tribes came to six for each tribe, except for two tribes who would receive only five each. Moses said, “No tribe will listen to me to deduct one elder from its tribe.” What did he do? He took seventy-two slips and wrote on seventy [of them, the word] ‘elder’ and two of them he left blank. He then chose six men from each tribe, totaling seventy-two. He said to them, “Draw your slips from the urn. Whoever picked [one inscribed with] ‘elder’ was [already] sanctified. Whoever picked a blank slip, he said to him,”The Omnipresent does not want you." - [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:21, Sanh. 17a]		וְהֵמָּה בַּכְּתֻבִים בַּמְבֹרָרִים שֶׁבָּהֶם לְסַנְהֶדְרִין, וְנִכְתְּבוּ כֻלָּם נְקוּבִים בְּשֵׁמוֹת וְעַל יְדֵי גּוֹרָל, לְפִי שֶׁהַחֶשְׁבּוֹן עוֹלֶה לְי"ב שְׁבָטִים שִׁשָּׁה שִׁשָּׁה לְכָל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט, חוּץ מִשְּׁנֵי שְׁבָטִים שֶׁאֵין מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם אֶלָּא חֲמִשָּׁה חֲמִשָּׁה, אָמַר מֹשֶׁה אֵין שֵׁבֶט שׁוֹמֵעַ לִי לִפְחוֹת מִשִּׁבְטוֹ זָקֵן אֶחָד, מֶה עָשָׂה, נָטַל ע"ב פְתָקִין וְכָתַב עַל שִׁבְעִים "זָקֵן" וְעַל שְׁנַיִם חָלָק וּבֵרֵר מִכָּל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט שִׁשָּה, וְהָיוּ ע"ב, אָמַר לָהֶם, טְלוּ פִתְקֵיכֶם מִתּוֹךְ קַלְפִּי, מִי שֶׁעָלָה בְיָדוֹ "זָקֵן" נִתְקַדֵּשׁ, מִי שֶׁעָלָה בְיָדוֹ חָלָק אָמַר לוֹ, הַמָּקוֹם לֹא חָפֵץ בָּךְ (ספרי; סנהדרין י"ז):
27The lad ran and told Moses, saying, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!"		כזוַיָּ֣רָץ הַנַּ֔עַר וַיַּגֵּ֥ד לְמשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֶלְדָּ֣ד וּמֵידָ֔ד מִתְנַבְּאִ֖ים בַּמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
The lad ran Some say this was Moses’ son, Gershom. — [Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 12]		וַיָּרָץ הַנַּעַר יֵ"א גֵּרְשׁוֹם בֶּן מֹשֶׁה הָיָה (עי' ילקוט):
28Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant from his youth, answered and said, Moses, my master, imprison them!"		כחוַיַּ֜עַן יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן מְשָׁרֵ֥ת משֶׁ֛ה מִבְּחֻרָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנִ֥י משֶׁ֖ה כְּלָאֵֽם:
imprison them Heb. כְּלָאֵם. Impose upon them communal responsibilities and they will be finished (כָּלִים) [as prophets] by themselves (Sanh. 17a). Another interpretation: Imprison them (בֵּית הַכֶּלֶא) (Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:21, Targum Onkelos), for they were prophesying that Moses would die and Joshua would take them into the Land of Israel. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:21, Sanh. 17a]		כְּלָאֵֽם הַטֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם צָרְכֵי צִבּוּר וְהֵם כָּלִים מֵאֲלֵיהֶם; דָּבָר אַחֵר, תְּנֵם אֶל בֵּית הַכֶּלֶא, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְנַבְּאִים מֹשֶׁה מֵת וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ מַכְנִיס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ (עי' ספרי):
29Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? If only all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would bestow His spirit upon them!"		כטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ משֶׁ֔ה הַֽמְקַנֵּ֥א אַתָּ֖ה לִ֑י וּמִ֨י יִתֵּ֜ן כָּל־עַ֤ם יְהֹוָה֙ נְבִיאִ֔ים כִּֽי־יִתֵּ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־רוּח֖וֹ עֲלֵיהֶֽם:
Are you zealous for my sake? Are you a zealous for me? Are you being zealous for what I should be zealous?		הַֽמְקַנֵּא אַתָּה לִי הֲקִנְאָתִי אַתָּה מְקַנֵּא:
for my sake The word לִי means בִּשְׁבִילִי,“for my sake.” The term קִנְאָה is used to denote a person who takes a matter to heart, whether to avenge or to help; in old French, enportement; holding the bulk of the burden.		לִי כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁבִילִי; כָּל לְשׁוֹן קִנְאָה אָדָם הַנּוֹתֵן לֵב עַל הַדָּבָר, אוֹ לִנְקֹם, אוֹ לַעֲזֹר, אנפר"מנט בְּלַעַז, אוֹחֵז בְּעֹבִי הַמַּשָּׂא:

Seventh Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 11

30Then Moses entered the camp; he and the elders of Israel.		לוַיֵּֽאָסֵ֥ף משֶׁ֖ה אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה ה֖וּא וְזִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Moses entered From the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.		וַיֵּֽאָסֵף משֶׁה מִפֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד:
the camp Each one to his tent.		אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה נִכְנְסוּ אִישׁ לְאָהֳלוֹ:
entered Heb. וַיֵאָסֵף, an expression denoting entering a house, as in, “You shall gather it (וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ) into your house” (Deut. 22:2). The origin for all these terms is, “he amasses, but knows not who will gather them in (אֹסְפָם)” (Ps. 39:7). This teaches that He [God] did not bring punishment upon them before the righteous men had retired to their tents. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:30]		וַיֵּֽאָסֵף לְשׁוֹן כְּנִיסָה אֶל הַבַּיִת, כְּמוֹ "וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ אֶל תּוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ" (דברים כב, ב), וְאָב לְכֻלָּם "יִצְבֹּר וְלֹא יֵדַע מִי אֹסְפָם" (תהלים לט, ז), מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹא הֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם פֻּרְעָנוּת עַד שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים אִישׁ לְאָהֳלוֹ (ספרי):
31A wind went forth from the Lord and swept quails from the sea and spread them over the camp about one day's journey this way and one day's journey that way, around the camp, about two cubits above the ground.		לאוְר֜וּחַ נָסַ֣ע \| מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיָּ֣גָז שַׂלְוִים֘ מִן־הַיָּם֒ וַיִּטּ֨שׁ עַל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֜ה כְּדֶ֧רֶךְ י֣וֹם כֹּ֗ה וּכְדֶ֤רֶךְ יוֹם֙ כֹּ֔ה סְבִיב֖וֹת הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה וּכְאַמָּתַ֖יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ:
and swept Heb. וַיָּגָז, caused to fly; similarly, “for it passes (גָז) quickly” (Ps. 90:10), “and likewise, they have crossed (נָגוֹזוּ) and passed away” (Nah. 1:12).		וַיָּגָז וַיַּפְרִיחַ, וְכֵן "כִּי גָז חִישׁ" (תהילים צ'), וְכֵן "נָגוֹזּוּ וְעָבָר" (נחום א'):
and spread them Heb. וַיִּטֹּשׁ, and strew them, as in, “Behold, they were spread out (נְטֻשִׁים) over the face of the land” (I Sam. 30:16); “I will spread you out (וּנְטַשְׁתִּיךָ‏) in the desert” (Ezek. 29:5).		וַיִּטּשׁ וַיַּפְשֵׁט, כְּמוֹ "וְהִנֵּה נְטֻשִׁים עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ" (שמואל א ל'), "וּנְטַשְׁתִּיךָ הַמִּדְבָּרָה" (יחזקאל כ"ט):
about two cubits They flew at a height that they reached a person’s heart, so that it would not be difficult for them to gather them, so that they need neither rise up nor bend down. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:31]		וּכְאַמָּתַיִם פּוֹרְחוֹת בַּגֹּבַהּ, עַד שֶׁהֵן כְּנֶגֶד לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא טוֹרֵחַ בַּאֲסִיפָתָן לֹא לְהַגְבִּיהַּ וְלֹא לִשְׁחוֹת (ספרי):
32The people rose up all that day and all night and the next day and gathered the quails. [Even] the one who gathered the least collected ten heaps. They spread them around the camp in piles.		לבוַיָּ֣קָם הָעָ֡ם כָּל־הַיּוֹם֩ הַה֨וּא וְכָל־הַלַּ֜יְלָה וְכֹ֣ל \| י֣וֹם הַמָּֽחֳרָ֗ת וַיַּֽאַסְפוּ֙ אֶת־הַשְּׂלָ֔יו (כתיב השלו) הַמַּמְעִ֕יט אָסַ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֣ה חֳמָרִ֑ים וַיִּשְׁטְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ שָׁט֔וֹחַ סְבִיב֖וֹת הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
[Even] the one who gathered the least The one who gathered the least of all, the lazy and the disabled, gathered ten heaps. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:32]		הַמַּמְעִיט מִי שֶׁאוֹסֵף פָּחוֹת מִכֻּלָּם, הָעֲצֵלִים וְהַחִגְּרִים, אסף עשרה חמרים (שם):
they spread them They spread them out in numerous heaps. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:32]		וַיִּשְׁטְחוּ עָשׂוּ אוֹתָן מַשְׁטִיחִין מַשְׁטִיחִין (שם):
33The meat was still between their teeth; it was not yet finished, and the anger of the Lord flared against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very mighty blow.		לגהַבָּשָׂ֗ר עוֹדֶ֨נּוּ֙ בֵּ֣ין שִׁנֵּיהֶ֔ם טֶ֖רֶם יִכָּרֵ֑ת וְאַ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ חָרָ֣ה בָעָ֔ם וַיַּ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ בָּעָ֔ם מַכָּ֖ה רַבָּ֥ה מְאֹֽד:
it was not yet finished טֶרֶם יִכָּרֵת. As the Targum renders: it was not yet finished. [I.e., the quails had not yet finished coming (Be’er Basadeh). They had not yet finished eating (Gur Aryeh). All the quails had not yet been removed from the field (Be’er Mayim Chayim).] Another interpretation: He did not have the chance to chew it [lit., cut it] with his teeth before his soul departed. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:33]		טֶרֶם יִכָּרֵת כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "עַד לָא פְסַק"; דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵינוֹ מַסְפִּיק לְפָסְקוֹ בְּשִׁנָּיו עַד שֶׁנִּשְׁמָתוֹ יוֹצְאָה:
34He named that place Kivroth Hata'avah [Graves of Craving], for there they buried the people who craved.		לדוַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא קִבְר֣וֹת הַתַּֽאֲוָ֑ה כִּי־שָׁם֙ קָֽבְר֔וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם הַמִּתְאַוִּֽים:
35From Kivroth Hata'avah the people traveled to Hazeroth, and they stayed in Hazeroth.		להמִקִּבְר֧וֹת הַתַּֽאֲוָ֛ה נָֽסְע֥וּ הָעָ֖ם חֲצֵר֑וֹת וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ בַּֽחֲצֵרֽוֹת:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 12

1Miriam and Aaron spoke to one another against Moses regarding how he had divorced the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.		אוַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַֽהֲרֹן֙ בְּמשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָֽאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח:
וַתְּדַבֵּר - Spoke. Wherever the term דִּבּוּר is used, it denotes harsh speech, and so it says: “The man who is the lord of the land spoke (דִּבֶּר) to us harshly”; 1 and wherever the term אֲמִירָה is used, it denotes gentle speech, and so it says: וַיֹּאמַר אַל נָא אַחַי תָּרֵעוּ “He said, ‘I beg you, my brothers, do not commit such a wrong,’” 2 and וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְעוּ נָא דְבָרָי “He said, ‘Please listen to My words’” 3 – as every instance of נָא expresses a request.		וַתְּדַבֵּר אֵין דִּבּוּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא לָשׁוֹן קָשָׁה, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "דִּבֶּר הָאִישׁ אֲדֹנֵי הָאָרֶץ אִתָּנוּ קָשׁוֹת" (בראשית מ"ב), וְאֵין אֲמִירָה בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַיֹּאמַר אַל נָא אַחַי תָּרֵעוּ" (בראשית י"ט), "וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְעוּ נָא דְבָרָי" (פסוק ו), כָּל נָא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה (ספרי):
וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַֽהֲרֹן - Miriam and Aaron spoke. She began the talking, so Scripture mentions her first. And from where did Miriam know that Moses had separated from his wife? Rabbi Natan says: Miriam was at Zipporah’s side when Moses was told: “Eldad and Meidad are prophesying in the camp!” 4 When Zipporah heard this, she said, “Woe to the wives of these men if they are to be occupied with prophecy, for they will separate themselves from their wives just as my husband has separated from me.” From this, Miriam knew, and she told it to Aaron. Now, if Miriam, whose intention was not to denigrate Moses, was punished so severely, all the more is punishment due to one who speaks ill about his fellow.		וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַֽהֲרֹן הִיא פָתְחָה בְדִּבּוּר תְּחִלָּה, לְפִיכָךְ הִקְדִּימָהּ הַכָּתוּב, וּמִנַּיִן הָיְתָה יוֹדַעַת מִרְיָם שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מֹשֶׁה מִן הָאִשָּׁה? רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר מִרְיָם הָיְתָה בְצַד צִפּוֹרָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְמֹשֶׁה אֶלְדָּד וּמֵידָד מִתְנַבְּאִים בַּמַּחֲנֶה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמְעָה צִפּוֹרָה, אָמְרָה אוֹי לְנְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל אֵלּוּ אִם הֵם נִזְקָקִים לִנְבוּאָה, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ פוֹרְשִׁין מִנְּשׁוֹתֵיהֶן כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ בַּעְלִי מִמֶּנִּי, וּמִשָּׁם יָדְעָה מִרְיָם וְהִגִּידָה לְאַהֲרֹן; וּמַה מִּרְיָם שֶׁלֹּא נִתְכַּוְּנָה לִגְנוּתוֹ כָּךְ נֶעֶנְשָׁה, קַל וָחֹמֶר לִמְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ (ספרי):
הָֽאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית - The Cushite woman. This tells us that all could acknowledge her beauty in the same way as all can acknowledge that a Cushite is black.		הָֽאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית מַגִּיד שֶׁהַכֹּל מוֹדִים בְּיָפְיָהּ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַכֹּל מוֹדִים בְּשַׁחֲרוּתוֹ שֶׁל כּוּשִׁי (שם):
כושית - has the same numerical value (736) as יְפַת מַרְאֶה (“of beautiful appearance”).		כושית בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא יְפַת מַרְאֶה:
עַל־אֹדוֹת הָֽאִשָּׁה - Regarding the [Cushite] woman - i.e., regarding the fact that she had now been divorced.		עַל־אֹדוֹת הָֽאִשָּׁה עַל אוֹדוֹת גֵּרוּשֶׁיהָ:
כִּֽי־אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית לָקָח - For he had married a Cushite woman. Why does Scripture state this? Only because there may be a woman who possesses pleasing physical beauty but not pleasing conduct, or one of pleasing conduct but without physical beauty – but this woman was pleasing in every respect.		כִּֽי־אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית לָקָח מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר? אֶלָּא יֵשׁ לְךְ אִשָּׁה נָאָה בְּיָפְיָהּ וְאֵין נָאָה בְמַעֲשֶׂיהָ, בְּמַעֲשֶׂיהָ וְלֹא בְיָפְיָהּ, אֲבָל זֹאת נָאָה בַכֹּל:
הָֽאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית - (lit.) The Cushite woman. She was called Cushite as a euphemism on account of her beauty, like a man calls his handsome son a Cushite so that no evil eye have an effect on him.		הָֽאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית עַל שֵׁם נוֹיָהּ נִקְרֵאת כּוּשִׁית, כְּאָדָם הַקּוֹרֵא אֶת בְּנוֹ נָאֶה כּוּשִׁי, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁלֹט בּוֹ עַיִן רָעָה:
כִּֽי־אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית לָקָח - For he had married a Cushite woman - and had now divorced her.		כִּֽי־אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית לָקָח וְעַתָּה גֵּרְשָׁהּ:
2They said, “Has God spoken only to Moses? Has He not spoken to us, too?” And God heard this.		בוַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ הֲרַ֤ק אַךְ־בְּמשֶׁה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲלֹ֖א גַּם־בָּ֣נוּ דִבֵּ֑ר וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יְהֹוָֽה:
הֲרַק אַךְ־ - (lit.) Was it only - with him alone that God has spoken?		הֲרַק אַךְ־ עִמּוֹ לְבַדּוֹ דִּבֶּר ה':
הֲלֹא גַּם־בָּנוּ - Has He not spoken with us too? - and yet we did not abstain from marital relations.		הֲלֹא גַּם־בָּנוּ וְלֹא פֵרַשְׁנוּ מִדֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ (ספרי):
3Now, this man Moses was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on earth.		גוְהָאִ֥ישׁ משֶׁ֖ה עָנָ֣יו (כתיב ענו) מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
ענו - means: humble and forbearing.		ענו שָׁפָל וְסַבְלָן:
4God suddenly said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting!” And all three went out.		דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה פִּתְאֹ֗ם אֶל־משֶׁ֤ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶל־מִרְיָ֔ם צְא֥וּ שְׁלָשְׁתְּכֶ֖ם אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיֵּֽצְא֖וּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּֽם:
פִּתְאֹם - Suddenly. He appeared to them suddenly when Aaron and Miriam were ritually defiled due to carnal relations, and they had to hastily purify themselves, crying out, “Water! Water!” This was to demonstrate to them that Moses had acted well in separating from his wife, since the Divine Presence appeared to him regularly and there was no fixed time for God to speak with him.		פִּתְאֹם נִגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם פִּתְאֹם וְהֵם טְמֵאִין בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, וְהָיוּ צוֹעֲקִים "מַיִם מַיִם" לְהוֹדִיעָם שֶׁיָּפֶה עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מִן הָאִשָּׁה, מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּגְלֵית עָלָיו שְׁכִינָה תָּדִיר וְאֵין עֵת קְבוּעָה לַדִּבּוּר (עי' ילקוט):
צְאוּ שְׁלָשְׁתְּכֶם - Come out, all three of you. This tells us that the three of them were called simultaneously in a single utterance, which is impossible for the human mouth to say and for the human ear to hear.		צְאוּ שְׁלָשְׁתְּכֶם מַגִּיד שֶׁשְּׁלָשְׁתָּן נִקְרְאוּ בְדִבּוּר אֶחָד מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַפֶּה לוֹמַר וְלָאֹזֶן לִשְׁמֹעַ (ספרי):
5God descended in a pillar of cloud and it stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He called Aaron and Miriam, and they both went out.		הוַיֵּ֤רֶד יְהֹוָה֙ בְּעַמּ֣וּד עָנָ֔ן וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וַיִּקְרָא֙ אַֽהֲרֹ֣ן וּמִרְיָ֔ם וַיֵּֽצְא֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם:
בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן - In a pillar of cloud. He came out alone, unlike the manner of human beings: When a human king goes out to war, he goes with a large entourage, and when he goes out for peace, he goes with a small entourage; but the manner of the Holy One, blessed be He, is that He goes out to war alone, as it says: “God is the Master of war,” 5 and He goes out for peace with an entourage, as it says: “The chariot of God is myriads and thousands of angels.” 6		בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן יָצָא יְחִידִי שֶׁלֹּא כְמִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה יוֹצֵא בְּאֻכְלוּסִים וּכְשֶׁיּוֹצֵא לְשָׁלוֹם יוֹצֵא בְמוּעָטִין, וּמִדַּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה יְחִידִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה" (שמות ט"ו), וְיוֹצֵא לְשָׁלוֹם בְּאֻכְלוּסִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים ס"ח) "רֶכֶב אֱלֹהִים רִבֹּתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן" (ספרי):
וַיִּקְרָא אַֽהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם - He called Aaron and Miriam - so that they move outside the Courtyard and proceed toward the place of communication.		וַיִּקְרָא אַֽהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִמְשָׁכִין וְיוֹצְאִין מִן הֶחָצֵר לִקְרַאת הַדִּבּוּר:
וַיֵּֽצְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם - And they both went out. And why did He draw them away from Moses? Because the rule is that one mentions only part of a person’s praises in his presence, but all of them only in his absence. And so we find regarding Noah: In his absence it says: “Noah was a righteous man, faultless,” 7 but in his presence it says: “for it is you that I have seen to be righteous before Me,” 8 and it does not say “faultless.” Another explanation: In order that Moses not hear Aaron being rebuked.		וַיֵּֽצְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם וּמִפְּנֵי מָה מְשָׁכָן וְהִפְרִישָן מִמֹּשֶׁה? לְפִי שֶׁאוֹמְרִים מִקְצָת שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּפָנָיו וְכֻלּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו, וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּנֹחַ, שֶׁלֹא בְּפָנָיו נֶאֱמַר "אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים" (בראשית ו'), וּבְפָנָיו נֶאֱמַר "כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי" (שם ז'); דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע בִּנְזִיפָתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן (ספרי):
6He said, “Please listen to My words. If there be a prophet among you, I, God, will make Myself known to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.		ווַיֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א דְבָרָ֑י אִם־יִֽהְיֶה֙ נְבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם יְהֹוָ֗ה בַּמַּרְאָה֙ אֵלָ֣יו אֶתְוַדָּ֔ע בַּֽחֲל֖וֹם אֲדַבֶּר־בּֽוֹ:
שִׁמְעוּ־נָא דְבָרָי - Please listen to My words. נָא here is nothing other than an expression of request.		שִׁמְעוּ־נָא דְבָרָי אֵין נָא אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה (שם):
אִם־יִֽהְיֶה נְבִיאֲכֶם - (lit.) If he will be your prophet - means: If you will have prophets.		אִם־יִֽהְיֶה נְבִיאֲכֶם אִם יִהְיוּ לָכֶם נְבִיאִים:
ה' בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע - I, God, will make Myself known to him in a vision - i.e., the Divine Presence of My Name is not revealed to him with a clear direct revelation, but in a dream or vision.		ה' בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע שְׁכִינַת שְׁמִי אֵין נִגְלֵית עָלָיו בְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה אֶלָּא בַּחֲלוֹם וְחִזָּיוֹן:
7This is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful throughout My household.		זלֹא־כֵ֖ן עַבְדִּ֣י משֶׁ֑ה בְּכָל־בֵּיתִ֖י נֶֽאֱמָ֥ן הֽוּא:
8With him I speak mouth to mouth; unambiguously, without riddles, so he can behold the image of God. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?”		חפֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה יַבִּ֑יט וּמַדּ֨וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א יְרֵאתֶ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֖ר בְּעַבְדִּ֥י בְמשֶֽׁה:
פֶּה אֶל־פֶּה - Mouth to mouth. I told him explicitly to separate from his wife. And where did I say this to him? At Sinai, when I said to him, “Go say to them, ‘Return to your tents,’ but as for you, remain here with Me.” 9		פֶּה אֶל־פֶּה אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ לִפְרֹשׁ מִן הָאִשָּׁה (שם), וְהֵיכָן אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ? בְּסִינַי — "לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָהֶם שׁוּבוּ לָכֶם לְאָהֳלֵיכֶם וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹד עִמָּדִי" (דברים ה'):
וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בחדת - Unambiguously, without riddles - וּמַרְאֶה (lit.) “appearance” refers to clarity of communication, i.e., I express My word to him in the clearest form possible and do not obscure it in riddles, as for example was said to Ezekiel: “Propound a riddle….” 10 Or maybe it refers to the appearance of the Divine Presence? Scripture therefore states elsewhere: “You will not be able to behold My face.” 11		וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בחדת מַרְאֶה זֶה מַרְאֵה דִבּוּר, שֶׁאֲנִי מְפָרֵשׁ לוֹ דִּבּוּרִי בְּמַרְאִית פָּנִים שֶׁבּוֹ, וְאֵינִי סוֹתְמוֹ לוֹ בְחִידוֹת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לִיחֶזְקֵאל (יחזקאל י"ז), "חוּד חִידָה" וְגוֹ'; יָכוֹל מַרְאֵה שְׁכִינָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר (שמות ל"ג), "לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאֹת אֶת פָּנָי" (ספרי):
וּתְמֻנַת ה' יַבִּיט - So he can behold the image of God. This refers to seeing the “back,” as it says: “you will see My back.” 12		וּתְמֻנַת ה' יַבִּיט זֶה מַרְאֵה אֲחוֹרַיִם, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל"ג), "וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחֹרָי" (ספרי):
בְּעַבְדִּי בְמשֶֽׁה - Against My servant, against Moses. It does not say: בְּעַבְדִּי מֹשֶׁה “against My servant, Moses,” but rather: בְּעַבְדִּי בְמֹשֶׁה “against My servant, against Moses.” This signifies: “against My servant” even if he were not as exalted as Moses, and “against Moses” even if he were not My servant – in either case you ought to have had fear of him, and all the more so when he is My servant, and the servant of a king is like a king! You should have reasoned that the King does not love him without cause. And should you assume that I love him because I am unaware of his deeds, such an assumption is worse than the first!		בְּעַבְדִּי בְמשֶֽׁה אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר בְּעַבְדִּי מֹשֶׁה, אֶלָּא בְּעַבְדִּי בְמֹשֶׁה — בְּעַבְדִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֹשֶׁה, בְּמֹשֶׁה אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ עַבְדִּי כְּדַאי הֱיִיתֶם לִירוֹא מִפָּנָיו, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהוּא עַבְדִּי, וְעֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ, וְהָיָה לָכֶם לוֹמַר אֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹהֲבוֹ חִנָּם, וְאִם תֹּאמְרוּ אֵינִי מַכִּיר בְּמַעֲשָׂיו — זוֹ קָשָׁה מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנָה (שם):
9God displayed anger toward them, and He left.		טוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֧ף יְהֹוָ֛ה בָּ֖ם וַיֵּלַֽךְ:
וַיִּֽחַר־אַף ה' בָּם וַיֵּלַֽךְ - God displayed anger toward them and He left. Once he had informed them of their failing, he decreed excommunication upon them. We may derive a fortiori regarding humans, that one should not display anger toward his fellow until he has informed him how he has done wrong.		וַיִּֽחַר־אַף ה' בָּם וַיֵּלַֽךְ מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוֹדִיעָם סִרְחוֹנָם גָּזַר עֲלֵיהֶם נִדּוּי, קַל וָחֹמֶר לְבָשָׂר וָדָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִכְעֹס עַל חֲבֵרוֹ עַד שֶׁיּוֹדִיעֶנּוּ סִרְחוֹנוֹ (ספרי):
10The cloud departed from above the Tent, and behold, Miriam was afflicted with tzara’at, white as snow. Aaron turned to Miriam and behold, she was afflicted with tzara’at.		יוְהֶֽעָנָ֗ן סָ֚ר מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִרְיָ֖ם מְצֹרַ֣עַת כַּשָּׁ֑לֶג וַיִּ֧פֶן אַֽהֲרֹ֛ן אֶל־מִרְיָ֖ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מְצֹרָֽעַת:
וְהֶֽעָנָן סָר - The cloud departed - and after that – “and behold, Miriam was afflicted with tzara’at, white as snow.” This can be compared to a king who said to a teacher: “Discipline my son, but do not discipline him until I have left you, because I have pity on him.”		וְהֶֽעָנָן סָר וְאֲחַר כַּךְ והנה מרים מצרעת כשלג, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר לְפֵדָגוֹג, רְדֵה אֶת בְּנִי, אֲבָל לֹא תִרְדֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁאֵלֵךְ מֵאֶצְלְךָ, שֶׁרַחֲמַי עָלָיו (שם):
11Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my master, do not hold us accountable for our sin, for we acted foolishly and sinned.		יאוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י אַל־נָ֨א תָשֵׁ֤ת עָלֵ֨ינוּ֙ חַטָּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֥ר נוֹאַ֖לְנוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽאנוּ:
נוֹאַלְנוּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: דְּאִטְּפַשְׁנָא “that we became foolish,” related to אֱוִיל “fool.”		נוֹאַלְנוּ כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן אֱוִיל:
12Let her not remain like a dead person, for since she also came out of our mother’s womb, it is as if half of our flesh is consumed!”		יבאַל־נָ֥א תְהִ֖י כַּמֵּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּצֵאתוֹ֙ מֵרֶ֣חֶם אִמּ֔וֹ וַיֵּֽאָכֵ֖ל חֲצִ֥י בְשָׂרֽוֹ:
אַל־נָא תְהִי - Let her not remain - i.e., this sister of ours.		אַל־נָא תְהִי אֲחוֹתֵנוּ זוֹ:
כַּמֵּת - Like a dead person - for a metzora is considered like a dead person; just as when a dead person is brought into a building it ritually defiles all who are inside, so too, when a metzora enters a building, he ritually defiles all who are inside.		כַּמֵּת שֶׁהַמְּצֹרָע חָשׁוּב כַּמֵּת, מַה מֵּת מְטַמֵּא בְּבִיאָה אַף מְצֹרָע מְטַמֵּא בְּבִיאָה (שם):
אֲשֶׁר בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵרֶחֶם אִמּוֹ - For since she also came out of (lit.) his mother’s womb. It should have said אִמֵּנוּ “our mother,” but Scripture used a euphemism. Similarly, instead of חֲצִי בְשָׂרוֹ “half of (lit.) his flesh,” it should have said חֲצִי בְשָׂרֵנוּ “half of our flesh,” but Scripture used a euphemism. The meaning is: Since she came out of our mother’s womb, in her state of tzara’at she is to us as if half of our flesh was consumed. It is a similar idea to that which it says: “for he is our brother, our own flesh.” 13 And this intent appears correct even according to the literal meaning: It is not proper for a brother to let his sister remain like a dead person.		אֲשֶׁר בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵרֶחֶם אִמּוֹ אִמֵּנוּ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁכִּנָּה הַכָּתוּב, וְכֵן חֲצִי בְשָׂרוֹ, חֲצִי בְשָׂרֵנוּ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁכִּנָּה הַכָּתוּב, מֵאַחַר שֶׁיָּצְתָה מֵרֶחֶם אִמֵּנוּ, הִיא לָנוּ כְּאִלּוּ נֶאֱכַל חֲצִי בְשָׂרֵנוּ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי אָחִינוּ בְשָׂרֵנוּ הוּא" (בראשית ל"ז), וּלְפִי מַשְׁמָעוֹ, אַף הוּא נִרְאֶה כֵן, אֵין רָאוּי לְאָח לְהַנִּיחַ אֶת אֲחוֹתוֹ לִהְיוֹת כַּמֵּת:
אֲשֶׁר בְּצֵאתוֹ - meaning: since one came out of the same mother’s womb as did the other – who has the ability to help him but does not do so – it is as if half his own flesh was destroyed, for his sibling is his own flesh. Another explanation: “Do not let our sister remain like a dead person” – for if you do not heal her through prayer, who will quarantine her and who will declare her purified? I cannot possibly examine her, for I am a relative, and a relative may not examine tzara’at lesions, and there is no other priest in the world who is not a relative. This, then, is the meaning of: אֲשֶׁר בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵרֶחֶם אִמּוֹ “for since she also came out of her brother’s mother’s womb,” she is his relative and a relative of his sons.		אֲשֶׁר בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵאַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא זֶה מֵרֶחֶם אִמּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ כֹּחַ בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲזֹר וְאֵינוֹ עוֹזְרוֹ — הֲרֵי נֶאֱכָל חצי בשרו, שֶׁאָחִיו בְּשָׂרוֹ הוּא; דָּבָר אַחֵר, אל נא תהי כמת — אִם אֵינְךָ רוֹפְאָהּ בִּתְפִלָּה, מִי מַסְגִּירָהּ, מִי מְטַהֲרָהּ? אֲנִי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִרְאוֹתָהּ, שֶׁאֲנִי קָרוֹב וְאֵין קָרוֹב רוֹאֶה אֶת הַנְּגָעִים, וְכֹהֵן אַחֵר אֵין בָּעוֹלָם, וְזֶהוּ אשר בצאתו מרחם אמו:
13Moses cried out to God, saying, “Please, God, please heal her!”		יגוַיִּצְעַ֣ק משֶׁ֔ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֵ֕ל נָ֛א רְפָ֥א נָ֖א לָֽהּ:
אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָֽהּ - Please, God, please heal her! Scripture is teaching you here correct behavior, namely, that one who asks something from his fellow must first say two or three words of supplication and then make his requests.		אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָֽהּ בָּא הַכָּתוּב לְלַמֶּדְךָ דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁהַשּׁוֹאֵל דָּבָר מֵחֲבֵרוֹ צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה דִבְרֵי תַחֲנוּנִים וְאֲחַר כַּךְ יְבַקֵּשׁ שְׁאֵלוֹתָיו (ספרי):
לֵאמֹר - Saying. Why does Scripture state this? It means “to say,” i.e., Moses said to Him: “Answer me if You are going to heal her or not” – until He answered him: “If her father were to spit….” Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah said: In four places Moses asked of the Holy One, blessed be He, to answer him whether He would fulfill his request or not. Similarly we find: “Moses spoke before God, saying (לֵאמֹר)….” 14 Why does Scripture state לֵאמֹר? It means: “Answer me if You are going to redeem them or not” – until He answered him: “Now you will see….” 15 Similarly: “Moses spoke to God, saying (לֵאמֹר), ‘Let God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint….’” 16 He answered him: “Take Joshua….” 17 Similarly: “I entreated God at that time, saying (לֵאמֹר)….” 18 He answered him: “This suffices for you.” 19		לֵאמֹר מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר ? אָמַר לוֹ הֲשִׁיבֵנִי אִם אַתָּה מְרַפֵּא אוֹתָהּ אִם לָאו עַד שֶׁהֱשִׁיבוֹ וְאָבִיהָ יָרֹק יָרַק וְגוֹ'; רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר בְּאַרְבָּעָה מְקוֹמוֹת בִּקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה מִלִּפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ אִם יַעֲשֶׂה שְׁאֵלוֹתָיו אִם לָאו: כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, "וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה' לֵאמֹר" וְגוֹ' (שמות ו'), מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "לֵאמֹר"? הֲשִׁיבֵנִי אִם גּוֹאֲלָם אַתָּה אִם לָאו עַד שֶׁהֱשִׁיבוֹ "עַתָּה תִרְאֶה" וְגוֹ', כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, "וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה' לֵאמֹר יִפְקֹד ה' אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר" (במדבר כ"ז), הֱשִׁיבוֹ "קַח לְךָ", כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ "וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה' בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר" (דברים ג'), הֱשִׁיבוֹ "רַב לָךְ" (ספרי):
רְפָא נָא לָֽהּ - Please heal her! Why did Moses not pray at length? In order that the Israelites not say: “His sister is in trouble, and he spends so much time in prayer!” Another explanation: in order that the Israelites not say: “For his sister he prays at length, but for us he does not!”		רְפָא נָא לָֽהּ מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא הֶאֱרִיךְ מֹשֶׁה בִּתְפִלָּה? שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים, אֲחוֹתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת בְּצָרָה וְהוּא עוֹמֵד וּמַרְבֶּה בִתְפִלָּה (ספרי) (דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּשְׁבִיל אֲחוֹתוֹ הוּא מַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּה אֲבָל בִּשְׁבִילֵנוּ אֵינוֹ מַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּה):
14God replied to Moses, “If her father were to spit in her face, would she not be humiliated for seven days? She should be confined for seven days outside the camp, and afterwards she may be readmitted to the camp.”		ידוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה וְאָבִ֨יהָ֙ יָרֹ֤ק יָרַק֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ הֲלֹ֥א תִכָּלֵ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים תִּסָּגֵ֞ר שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְאַחַ֖ר תֵּֽאָסֵֽף:
וְאָבִיהָ יָרֹק יָרַק בְּפָנֶיהָ - If her father were to spit in her face - i.e., if her father were to display irritation toward her, “would she not be humiliated for seven days?” All the more when the Divine Presence is upset with her, she should be humiliated for 14 days! Nonetheless, something derived a fortiori need only be as stringent as the case it is derived from. Therefore, even after My indignation, she need be confined only for seven days.		וְאָבִיהָ יָרֹק יָרַק בְּפָנֶיהָ וְאִם אָבִיהָ הֶרְאָה לָהּ פָּנִים זוֹעֲפוֹת, הלא תכלם שבעת ימים? קַל וָחֹמֶר לִשְׁכִינָה י"ד יוֹם, אֶלָּא דַּיּוֹ לַבָּא מִן הַדִּין לִהְיוֹת כַּנִּדּוֹן, לְפִיכָךְ אַף בִּנְזִיפָתִי תסגר שבעת ימים (שם; בבא קמא כ"ה):
וְאַחַר תֵּֽאָסֵֽף - And afterwards she may be recalled. I say that all forms of אסף stated in connection with those afflicted with tzara’at are used because they are sent out of the camp, and when they are cured they are readmitted into the camp. Therefore, the term אסף is used, in the sense of bringing in.		וְאַחַר תֵּֽאָסֵֽף אוֹמֵר אֲנִי, כָּל הָאֲסִיפוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בִּמְצֹרָעִים עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מְשֻׁלָּח מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה, וּכְשֶׁהוּא נִרְפָּא נֶאֱסָף אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה, לְכָךְ כָּתוּב בּוֹ אֲסִיפָה, לְשׁוֹן הַכְנָסָה:
15So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days. The people did not travel until Miriam had been readmitted to the camp.		טווַתִּסָּגֵ֥ר מִרְיָ֛ם מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְהָעָם֙ לֹ֣א נָסַ֔ע עַד־הֵֽאָסֵ֖ף מִרְיָֽם:
וְהָעָם לֹא נָסַע - The people did not travel. The Omnipresent showed her this honor because of the short while she waited for Moses when he was cast into the Nile river, as it says: “His sister stationed herself at a distance to see what would become of him.” 20 End of Parashat Beha’alotecha		וְהָעָם לֹא נָסַע זֶה הַכָּבוֹד חָלַק לָהּ הַמָּקוֹם בִּשְׁבִיל שָׁעָה אַחַת שֶׁנִּתְעַכְּבָה לְמֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁהֻשְׁלַךְ לַיְאוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב') "וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק" וְגוֹ' (סוטה ט'):
16Thereafter, the people departed from Chatzerot, and they camped in the Paran desert.		טזוְאַחַ֛ר נָֽסְע֥וּ הָעָ֖ם מֵֽחֲצֵר֑וֹת וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָֽן:

Footnotes

Numbers 27:15-16.

Maftir Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 12

14God replied to Moses, “If her father were to spit in her face, would she not be humiliated for seven days? She should be confined for seven days outside the camp, and afterwards she may be readmitted to the camp.”		ידוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה וְאָבִ֨יהָ֙ יָרֹ֤ק יָרַק֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ הֲלֹ֥א תִכָּלֵ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים תִּסָּגֵ֞ר שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְאַחַ֖ר תֵּֽאָסֵֽף:
וְאָבִיהָ יָרֹק יָרַק בְּפָנֶיהָ - If her father were to spit in her face - i.e., if her father were to display irritation toward her, “would she not be humiliated for seven days?” All the more when the Divine Presence is upset with her, she should be humiliated for 14 days! Nonetheless, something derived a fortiori need only be as stringent as the case it is derived from. Therefore, even after My indignation, she need be confined only for seven days.		וְאָבִיהָ יָרֹק יָרַק בְּפָנֶיהָ וְאִם אָבִיהָ הֶרְאָה לָהּ פָּנִים זוֹעֲפוֹת, הלא תכלם שבעת ימים? קַל וָחֹמֶר לִשְׁכִינָה י"ד יוֹם, אֶלָּא דַּיּוֹ לַבָּא מִן הַדִּין לִהְיוֹת כַּנִּדּוֹן, לְפִיכָךְ אַף בִּנְזִיפָתִי תסגר שבעת ימים (שם; בבא קמא כ"ה):
וְאַחַר תֵּֽאָסֵֽף - And afterwards she may be recalled. I say that all forms of אסף stated in connection with those afflicted with tzara’at are used because they are sent out of the camp, and when they are cured they are readmitted into the camp. Therefore, the term אסף is used, in the sense of bringing in.		וְאַחַר תֵּֽאָסֵֽף אוֹמֵר אֲנִי, כָּל הָאֲסִיפוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בִּמְצֹרָעִים עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מְשֻׁלָּח מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה, וּכְשֶׁהוּא נִרְפָּא נֶאֱסָף אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה, לְכָךְ כָּתוּב בּוֹ אֲסִיפָה, לְשׁוֹן הַכְנָסָה:
15So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days. The people did not travel until Miriam had been readmitted to the camp.		טווַתִּסָּגֵ֥ר מִרְיָ֛ם מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְהָעָם֙ לֹ֣א נָסַ֔ע עַד־הֵֽאָסֵ֖ף מִרְיָֽם:
וְהָעָם לֹא נָסַע - The people did not travel. The Omnipresent showed her this honor because of the short while she waited for Moses when he was cast into the Nile river, as it says: “His sister stationed herself at a distance to see what would become of him.” 1 End of Parashat Beha’alotecha		וְהָעָם לֹא נָסַע זֶה הַכָּבוֹד חָלַק לָהּ הַמָּקוֹם בִּשְׁבִיל שָׁעָה אַחַת שֶׁנִּתְעַכְּבָה לְמֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁהֻשְׁלַךְ לַיְאוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב') "וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק" וְגוֹ' (סוטה ט'):
16Thereafter, the people departed from Chatzerot, and they camped in the Paran desert.		טזוְאַחַ֛ר נָֽסְע֥וּ הָעָ֖ם מֵֽחֲצֵר֑וֹת וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר פָּארָֽן:

Footnotes

Exodus 2:4.

Haftarah

Zechariah Chapter 2

14Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for, behold! I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord.		ידרָנִּ֥י וְשִׂמְחִ֖י בַּת־צִיּ֑וֹן כִּ֧י הִֽנְנִי־בָ֛א וְשָֽׁכַנְתִּ֥י בְתוֹכֵ֖ךְ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה:
15And many nations shall join the Lord on that day, and they shall be My people; and I will dwell in your midst and you shall know that the Lord of Hosts sent me to you.		טווְנִלְווּ֩ גוֹיִ֨ם רַבִּ֚ים אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְהָ֥יוּ לִ֖י לְעָ֑ם וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֣י בְתוֹכֵ֔ךְ וְיָדַ֕עַתְּ כִּי־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֵלָֽיִךְ:
And many nations shall join shall join.		ונלוו ונתחברו:
16And the Lord shall inherit Judah as His share on the Holy Land, and He shall again choose Jerusalem.		טזוְנָחַ֨ל יְהֹוָ֚ה אֶת־יְהוּדָה֙ חֶלְק֔וֹ עַ֖ל אַדְמַ֣ת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּבָחַ֥ר ע֖וֹד בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם:
And the Lord shall inherit Judah as His inheritance and His share.		ונחל ה' את יהודה לנחלתו ולחלקו:
17Silence all flesh from before the Lord, for He is aroused out of His holy habitation.		יזהַ֥ס כָּל בָּשָׂ֖ר מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֥י נֵע֖וֹר מִמְּע֥וֹן קָדְשֽׁוֹ:
Silence all flesh All the rest of the nations.		הס כל בשר כל שאר העכו"ם:
for He is aroused An expression [denoting] arousal and awakening.		כי נעור ל' הערה והקצה:

Zechariah Chapter 3

1And He showed me Joshua, the High Priest, standing before the angel of the Lord. And Satan was standing on his right, to accuse him.		אוַיַּרְאֵ֗נִי אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל עֹמֵ֕ד לִפְנֵ֖י מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְהַשָּׂטָ֛ן עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־יְמִינ֖וֹ לְשִׂטְנֽוֹ:
to accuse him To accuse him because his sons were married to gentile women, as it is written in the Book of Ezra (10:18): “And it was found of the sons of the priests who had taken foreign wives, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, etc.”		לשטנו להשטינו על שהיו בניו נשואים נשים נכריות כמו שכ' בספר עזרא וימצא מבני הכהנים אשר הושיבו נשים נכריות מבני יהושע בן יהוצדק:
2And the Lord said to Satan: The Lord shall rebuke you, O Satan; and the Lord shall rebuke you, He who chose Jerusalem. Is this one not a brand plucked from fire?		בוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֗ן יִגְעַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֚ה בְּךָ֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן וְיִגְעַ֚ר יְהֹוָה֙ בְּךָ֔ הַבֹּחֵ֖ר בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הֲל֧וֹא זֶ֥ה֥ א֖וּד מֻצָּ֥ל מֵאֵֽשׁ:
The Lord shall rebuke you, O Satan The Holy One, blessed be He, shall rebuke you, O you Satan (and then he repeated and said: The Lord shall rebuke you, He who chose Jerusalem Moharaz Margolioth); and He Who rebukes you is the One Who chose Jerusalem, that you shall not enter before Him to accuse this righteous man. Is he not fit, and has he not merited this? For he was saved from the consuming fire.		יגער ה' בך השטן יגער הקב"ה בך אתה השטן וחוזר ואומר ויגער ה' בך הוא הבוחר בירושלים שלא תכנס לפניו לקטרג על הצדיק הזה הלא ראוי הוא וזכה לכך שהוצל מאש השריפה:
Is this one not a brand plucked from fire? It is related in the Aggadah of [chapter] Helek Helek (Sanh. 93a) that he [Joshua] was cast into the fire with Ahab son of Kolaiah and his colleague.		הלא זה אוד מוצל מאש מפורש באגדת חלק (דף צג) שהושלך עם אחאב בן קוליה וחבירו לאור:
3Now Joshua was wearing filthy garments and standing before the angel.		גוִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֕עַ הָיָ֥ה לָב֖וּשׁ בְּגָדִ֣ים צוֹאִ֑ים וְעֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י הַמַּלְאָֽךְ:
was wearing filthy garments This is to be explained according to the Targum: He had sons who had married women who were unfit [to marry into] the priesthood, and he was punished because he did not interfere with the [sons’ marriages].		לבוש בנדים צואים כתרגומו הוו ליה בנין דנסבין להון נשין דלא כשרין לכהונתא והיה נענש הוא על שלא מיחה בידם:
4And he [the angel] raised his voice and said to those standing before him, saying, "Take the filthy garments off him." And he said to him, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I have clad you with clean garments."		דוַיַּ֣עַן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־הָעֹֽמְדִ֚ים לְפָנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הָסִ֛ירוּ הַבְּגָדִ֥ים הַצֹּאִ֖ים מֵעָלָ֑יו וַ֣יֹּאמֶר אֵלָ֗יו רְאֵ֨ה הֶֽעֱבַ֚רְתִּי מֵֽעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ עֲו‍ֹנֶ֔ךָ וְהַלְבֵּ֥שׁ אֹֽתְךָ֖ מַֽחֲלָצֽוֹת:
“Take the filthy garments off him.” Let his sons separate from their wives, and he will be forgiven.		הסירו הבגדים הצואים מעליו יבדילו בניו את נשותיהם וימחול לו:
clean garments A change of beautiful garments; i.e., merits. Since he compared the iniquity to filthy garments, he compares the merit to clean garments; beautiful, white garments.		מחלצות חליפות בגדים נאי' כלומר זכיות אבל לפי שדימה העון לבגדים צואים דימה הזכיות למחלצות בגדים נאים ולבנים:
5And I said, "Let them put a pure miter on his head," and they put the pure miter on his head. And they had clothed him with garments while the angel of the Lord was standing.		הוָֽאֹמַ֕ר יָשִׂ֛ימוּ צָנִ֥יף טָה֖וֹר עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיָּשִׂימוּ֩ הַצָּנִ֨יף הַטָּה֜וֹר עַל־רֹאשׁ֗וֹ וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁ֙הוּ֙ בְּגָדִ֔ים וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהֹוָ֖ה עֹמֵֽד:
And I said I, Zechariah.		ואומר אני זכריה:
“Let them put a pure miter, etc.” I begged mercy for him.		ישימו צניף טהור וגו' בקשתי רחמים עליו:
6And the angel of the Lord warned Joshua, saying,		ווַיָּ֙עַד֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה בִּֽיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ לֵאמֹֽר:
warned an expression of warning, as in (Deut. 31:28): “And I will warn them before the heaven and the earth.”		ויעד לשון התראה כמו (דברים ל״א:כ״ח) ואעידה בם את השמים וגו':
7So said the Lord of Hosts: If you walk in My ways, and if you keep My charge, you, too, shall judge My house, and you, too, shall guard My courtyards, and I will give you free access among these who stand by.		זכֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת אִם־בִּדְרָכַ֚י תֵּלֵךְ֙ וְאִ֣ם אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֔ר וְגַם־אַתָּה֙ תָּדִ֣ין אֶת־בֵּיתִ֔י וְגַ֖ם תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר אֶת־חֲצֵרָ֑י וְנָתַתִּ֚י לְךָ֙ מַהְלְכִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָעֹֽמְדִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
If you walk in My ways, etc. Then I, too, will do this for you.		אם בדרכי תלך וגם אני זאת אעשה לך:
you, too, shall judge My house You shall judge and be the officer over My Temple.		אתה תדין את ביתי תשפוט ותהיה פקיד על בית מקדשי:
and I will give you free access According to the Targum: and when the dead will be resurrected, I will resurrect you; and I will give you walkers who walk among these seraphim. According to its simple meaning, he brings him tidings that his sons will be meritorious in the future.		ונתתי לך מהלכים כתרגומו ובאחיות מיתיא אחיינך ואתן לך רגלין דמהלכין בין שרפיא האלין ולפי פשוט מבשרו על בניו שיזכו לעתיד:
who stand by Seraphim and ministering angels, who never sit.		העומדים שרפים ומלאכי השרת שאין להם ישיבה:
8Hearken, now, O Joshua the High Priest-you and your companions who sit before you, for they are men worthy of a miracle-for, behold! I bring My servant, the Shoot.		חשְֽׁמַע־נָ֞א יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ \| הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֗וֹל אַתָּה֙ וְרֵעֶ֙יךָ֙ הַיֹּֽשְׁבִ֣ים לְפָנֶ֔יךָ כִּֽי־אַנְשֵׁ֥י מוֹפֵ֖ת הֵ֑מָּה כִּֽי־הִנְנִ֥י מֵבִ֛יא אֶת־עַבְדִּ֖י צֶֽמַח:
you and your companions They were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.		אתה ורעיך חנניה מישאל ועזריה היו:
for they are men worthy of a miracle [Jonathan renders:] Men worthy to have miracles performed for them, for a miracle was performed for them, too.		אנשי מופת גברין כשרין למיעבד להון ניסין שאף להם נעשה נס:
for, behold! I bring My servant, the Shoot For now Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, is insignificant in the king’s court, but I will make his greatness burgeon. I will also give him favor in the eyes of the king, so that he will grant [Zerubbabel’s] request for the building of the Temple and the city, as explained in Nehemiah (1:1): “The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah.” Nehemiah was identical with Zerubbabel, as we say in Sanhedrin (38a).		כי הנני מביא את עבדי צמח כי עתה זרובבל פחת יהודה קטן בחצר המלך אני מצמיח לו גדולה ושם נתתיו לחן בעיני המלך למלאות שאלתו בבנין הבית והעיר כמו שמפורש בעזרא דברי נחמיה בן חכליה והוא זרובבל כדאמרינן בסנהד':
9For, behold the stone that I have placed before Joshua. Seven eyes are directed to one stone. Behold! I untie its knots, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.		טכִּ֣י \| הִנֵּ֣ה הָאֶ֗בֶן אֲשֶׁ֚ר נָתַ֙תִּי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ עַל־אֶ֥בֶן אַחַ֖ת שִׁבְעָ֣ה עֵינָ֑יִם הִֽנְנִ֧י מְפַתֵּ֣חַ פִּתֻּחָ֗הּ נְאֻם֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּמַשְׁתִּ֛י אֶת־עֲו‍ֹ֥ן הָאָֽרֶץ־הַהִ֖יא בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד:
For, behold the stone The foundation of the house that you laid in the days of Cyrus - they stopped you, and that foundation and the thickness of the wall appeared little in your sight, as explained in Ezra (3:12f.) and in the prophecy of Haggai (2:2f.).		כי הנה האבן יסוד הבית אשר יסדתם בימי כורש ובטלו על ידיכם ואותו היסוד ועובי החומה היה מעט בעיניכם כמו שמפורש בעזרא ובנבואת חגי:
Seven eyes are directed to one stone It will eventually be widened seven times as much. And so did Jonathan render: On one stone, seven eyes see it. The expression of עֵינַיִם is an expression of appearances. It appears to me that the seven eyes are because of the eyes of the Holy One, blessed be He in Whose eyes and heart it is [planned] to add seven times as much because of the prophecy similar to this one (4:10): “And they shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel these seven times; the eyes of the Lord they are roving to and fro throughout the land.” This is but to say that He directed His eyes to increase the glory of the Temple in its building.		על אבן אחת שבעה עינים סופו להרחיב על א' שבעה וכן ת"י על אבנא חדא שבעא עינין חזיין לה ולשון עינים ל' מראו' ולי נראה שבעה עינים על שם עיני הקב"ה שבעיניו ולבו להוסיף עליו על אחד שבעה לפי שדוגמתו בנבואה זו וראו את האבן הבדיל ביד זרובבל שבעה אלה עיני ה' המה משוטטים אלא לימד שנתן עיניו להרבות כבוד הבית בבניינו:
Behold! I untie its knots I untie its knots I thwart the plot of the enemies who wrote an accusation to stop the work.		הנני מפתח פתוחה מתיר קישוריה מפיר עצת האויבים אשר כתבו שטנה לבטל המלאכה:
and I will remove Heb. ומשתי.		ומשתי והסירותי:
in one day I do not know what day.		ביום אחד לא ידעתי איזה יום, (תו' ביום אשר התחילו להוסיף על הבנין ימיש עון הארץ ותהי' ברכה בפירותיו כי עכשיו מאיר' כמו שנ' בנבואת חגי):
10On that day, says the Lord of Hosts, you shall call-each man to his neighbor-to come under his vine and under his fig tree.		יבַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נְאֻם֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת תִּקְרְא֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ אֶל־תַּ֥חַת גֶּ֖פֶן וְאֶל־תַּ֥חַת תְּאֵנָֽה:

Zechariah Chapter 4

1And the angel who spoke with me returned, and he awakened me as a man who wakes up from his sleep.		אוַיָּ֕שָׁב הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ הַדֹּבֵ֣ר בִּ֑י וַיְעִירֵ֕נִי כְּאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יֵע֥וֹר מִשְּׁנָתֽוֹ:
2And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I saw, and behold [there was] a candelabrum all of gold, with its oil-bowl on top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; seven tubes each to the lamps that were on top of it.		בוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י מָ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה רֹאֶ֑ה וָֽאֹמַ֡ר (כתיב וָיאֹמַ֡ר) רָאִ֣יתִי וְהִנֵּֽה־מְנוֹרַת֩ זָהָ֨ב כֻּלָּ֜הּ וְגֻלָּ֣הּ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֗הּ וְשִׁבְעָ֚ה נֵרֹֽתֶ֙יהָ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעָ֚ה וְשִׁבְעָה֙ מֽוּצָק֔וֹת לַנֵּר֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ:
with its oil - bowl on top of it as in (Josh. 15:19): “The upper springs.” This is an expression for a spring, [hence] a sort of large round bowl.		וגולה על ראשה כמו (יהושע טז) גולות עלית לשון מעיין כמין ספל גדול עגול:
and its seven lamps A type of vessel into which oil and wicks are inserted.		ושבעה נרותיה כמין בזיכין שנותנין השמן והפתילה לתוכה:
seven tubes each Seven small tubes come to every lamp, for the oil flows from the bowl through those tubes into each lamp.		שבעה ושבעה מוצקות לכל נר ונר באין שבעה צנורות קטנים שהשמן זב מן הגולה דרך אותן מוצקות לכל נר ונר:
3And [there were] two olive trees near it; one on the right of the bowl, and one on its left.		גוּשְׁנַ֥יִם זֵיתִ֖ים עָלֶ֑יהָ אֶחָד֙ מִימִ֣ין הַגֻּלָּ֔ה וְאֶחָ֖ד עַל־שְׂמֹאלָֽהּ:
And [there were] two olive trees near it Beside it were two trees upon which olives were growing.		ושנים זתים עליה אצלה שני אילנות שהזיתים גדילים בהם:
one on the right of the bowl, one on its left, etc. Here [the prophet] does not explain about the two golden vats mentioned below in the chapter, which are the sorts of bowls or vats of the oil press. [These vats] stand beside the olive trees. The olives beat themselves into the vats and are heated there as [if] in a vat or pit where olives are generally packed. There they are pressed in the oil press, and the oil falls into the vats, and from the vats into the bowl, and from the bowl into the tubes, and from the tubes into the lamps. The tubes and the lamps number forty-nine, an allusion to the light, for in the future the light of the sun will be sevenfold the light of the seven days forty-nine times the light of a day of Creation.		אחד מימין הגולה ואחד משמאלה וגו' וכאן לא פירש על שני צנתרות זהב האמורות למטה בפרשה והם כמין עריבות ועדשים של בית הבד שהם עומדים אצל הזיתים והזיתים נחבטים מאיליהם לתוך הצנתרות ומתחממות שם כבמעטן ונעצרים שם בבית הבד והשמן נופל לתוך הצנתרות ומהצנתרות לתוך הגולה ומהגולה אל המוצקות ומהמוצקות אל הנרות והמוצקות והנרות ארבעים ותשע היו רמז לאור שלעתיד לבא אור החמה יהיה שבעתים כאור של שבעת ימים ארבעים ותשע על אור של יום בראשית:
4So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?"		דוָאַ֙עַן֙ וָֽאֹמַ֔ר אֶל הַמַּלְאָ֛ךְ הַדֹּבֵ֥ר בִּ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר מָ֥ה אֵ֖לֶּה אֲדֹנִֽי:
“What are these, my Lord?” What is this, that the olive trees are picked by themselves, and the oil comes into the lamps by itself?		מה אלה אדוני מה זה שהזיתים נמסקים מאליהם והשמן בא אל הנרות מאליו:
5And the angel who spoke with me answered, and he said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."		הוַ֠יַּעַן הַמַּלְאָ֞ךְ הַדֹּבֵ֥ר בִּי֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י הֲל֥וֹא יָדַ֖עְתָּ מָה הֵ֣מָּה אֵ֑לֶּה וָֽאֹמַ֖ר לֹ֥א אֲדֹנִֽי:
6And he answered and spoke to me, saying, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.		ווַיַּ֜עַן וַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֵלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶה דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֚א בְחַ֙יִל֙ וְלֹ֣א בְכֹ֔חַ כִּ֣י אִם־בְּרוּחִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת:
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel” This is a sign for you to promise Zerubbabel that just as the olives and this oil are finished by themselves in all respects, so will you not build My house with your [own] power or with your [own] strength.		זה דבר ה' אל זרובבל זה סימן לך להבטיח את זרובבל כשם שהזתים והשמן הזה נגמר מאליו לכל דבריו כך לא בחיל ולא בכח שבכם תעשו את בנין ביתי:
but by My spirit I will place My spirit upon Darius, and he will command you to build and to pay all the building expenses from his [treasury]; and [he will] help you with wheat, wine, oil, and wood, as is explained in Ezra (6, 7): They required no aid from any man.		כי אם ברוחי אני אתן רוחי על דריוש ויניח לכם (ס"א ויצוה לכם) לבנות ולעשות כל צרכי יציאת הבנין משלו ולעזור אתכם בחטין ויין ושמן ועצים כמו שמפורש בעזרא ולא תצטרכו לעזרת אדם:
7Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you sink to a plain! He will bring out the stone of the main architect, with shouts of grace, grace to it."		זמִֽי־אַתָּ֧ה הַֽר־הַגָּד֛וֹל לִפְנֵ֥י זְרֻבָּבֶ֖ל לְמִישֹׁ֑ר וְהוֹצִיא֙ אֶת־הָאֶ֣בֶן הָֽרֹאשָׁ֔ה תְּשֻׁא֕וֹת חֵ֥ן חֵ֖ן לָֽהּ:
Who are you, O great mountain? You, the princes of the other side of the river Tattenai, the governor of the other side of the river; Shethar Bozenai, and their companions (Ezra 6:6), who have stopped the work until now - from now on you shall be before Zerubbabel as a plain; you have no more ruling power or superiority over him.		מי אתה הר הגדול שרי עבר הנהר תתני פחת עבר נהרא ושתר בוזני וכנותהון שבטלתם המלאכה עד כה מעתה תהיה לפני זרובבל מישור אין לכם שררה וגדולה עוד עליו:
He will bring out the stone of the main architect The main architect will take the plummet in his hand to be the main architect at the head of the builders, and they will build everything according to his words [everything] that he will order concerning a beautiful and glorious building.		והוציא את האבן הראשה האדריכל יקח את אבן הבדיל בידו להיות אדריכל בראש הבונים והם יבנו הכל כפי דבריו אשר יצוה בבנין נאה ומפואר:
with shouts of grace, grace to it To that stone, for everyone will say, “How beautiful is this building that was made with this plummet.” [The expression] “shouts of grace” is as (Job 39:7) “the shouts of a driver,” and (Isa. 66:6) “a sound of stirring” both of which are expressions of making a voice heard.		תשואות חן חן יהיה לה לאותה האבן שהכל יאמרו מה נאה בנין זה העשוי על ידי אבן המשקולת הזאת, תשואות חן כמו תשואות נוי כמו תשואות מליאה עיר הומיה (ישעיהו כ״ב:ב׳) קול שאון (שם סו) כולם לשון השמעת קול הם: