ב"ה

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

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First Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 19

1God spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,		אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
2“This is the rule of the Torah, which God has commanded you to say to the people: Speak to the Israelites and have them take for you a totally red-haired, unblemished cow, upon which no yoke was laid.		בזֹ֚את חֻקַּ֣ת הַתּוֹרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר דַּבֵּ֣ר \| אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֣וּ אֵלֶ֩יךָ֩ פָרָ֨ה אֲדֻמָּ֜ה תְּמִימָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ מ֔וּם אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־עָלָ֥ה עָלֶ֖יהָ עֹֽל:
זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה - This is the rule of the Torah. Because Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel, saying: “What is this commandment and what meaning does it have for you?” it is referred to as a חֻקָּה “rule,” i.e., it is a decree issued by Me and you have no permission to doubt its relevance.		זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה. לְפִי שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מוֹנִין אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לוֹמַר מַה הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת וּמַה טַּעַם יֵשׁ בָּהּ? לְפִיכָךְ כָּתַב בָּהּ חֻקָּה — גְּזֵרָה הִיא מִלְּפָנַי, אֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת לְהַרְהֵר אַחֲרֶיהָ (יומא ס"ז):
וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ - And have them take for you - i.e., it will always be called by your name: the cow that Moses prepared in the desert.		וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ. לְעוֹלָם הִיא נִקְרֵאת עַל שִׁמְךָ — פָּרָה שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה בַּמִּדְבָּר:
אֲדֻמָּה תְּמִימָה - (lit.) A perfect red [cow] - means it should be perfect in its redness, meaning that if it has even two black hairs, it is invalid.		אֲדֻמָּה תְּמִימָה. שֶׁתְּהֵא תְמִימָה בְּאַדְמִימוּת, שֶׁאִם הָיוּ בָהּ שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת שְׁחֹרוֹת פְּסוּלָה (פרה פ"ב):
3You must give it to Eleazar the priest, and he must take it outside the camp, and someone must slaughter it in his presence.		גוּנְתַתֶּ֣ם אֹתָ֔הּ אֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהוֹצִ֤יא אֹתָהּ֙ אֶל־מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְשָׁחַ֥ט אֹתָ֖הּ לְפָנָֽיו:
אֶלְעָזָר - Eleazar. Although in the future this rite will be performed by the high priest, in this case, the rite must be performed by Eleazar, the assistant high priest.		אֶלְעָזָר. מִצְוָתָהּ בַּסְּגָן (ספרי):
אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה - Outside the camp - i.e., outside the three camps.		אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה. חוּץ לְשָׁלוֹשׁ מַחֲנוֹת:
וְשָׁחַט אֹתָהּ לְפָנָֽיו - And someone must slaughter it in his presence - i.e., a layperson slaughters while Eleazar looks on.		וְשָׁחַט אֹתָהּ לְפָנָֽיו. זָר שׁוֹחֵט וְאֶלְעָזָר רוֹאֶה (שם; יומא מ"ב):
4Eleazar the priest must take some of its blood with his finger and dash it toward the front of the Tent of Meeting seven times.		דוְלָקַ֞ח אֶלְעָזָ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן מִדָּמָ֖הּ בְּאֶצְבָּע֑וֹ וְהִזָּ֞ה אֶל־נֹ֨כַח פְּנֵ֧י אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֛ד מִדָּמָ֖הּ שֶׁ֥בַע פְּעָמִֽים:
אֶל־נֹכַח פְּנֵי אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵד - Toward the front of the Tent of Meeting - i.e., after the Temple will be built, he stands east of Jerusalem and looks directly toward the entrance of the Sanctuary while dashing the blood.		אֶל־נֹכַח פְּנֵי אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵד. עוֹמֵד בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וּמִתְכַּוֵּן וְרוֹאֶה פִתְחוֹ שֶׁל הֵיכָל בִּשְׁעַת הַזָּאַת הַדָּם (ספרי; זבחים ק"ה):
5Someone must then burn the cow in his presence; he must burn its hide, its flesh, and its blood, along with its dung.		הוְשָׂרַ֥ף אֶת־הַפָּרָ֖ה לְעֵינָ֑יו אֶת־עֹרָ֤הּ וְאֶת־בְּשָׂרָהּ֙ וְאֶת־דָּמָ֔הּ עַל־פִּרְשָׁ֖הּ יִשְׂרֹֽף:
6The priest must take cedar wood, hyssop, and wool dyed scarlet with the extract of the tola’at worm, and cast them into the burning cow.		ווְלָקַ֣ח הַכֹּהֵ֗ן עֵ֥ץ אֶ֛רֶז וְאֵז֖וֹב וּשְׁנִ֣י תוֹלָ֑עַת וְהִשְׁלִ֕יךְ אֶל־תּ֖וֹךְ שְׂרֵפַ֥ת הַפָּרָֽה:
7The priest must immerse his garments and immerse his flesh in water and then he may enter the camp; the priest will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.		זוְכִבֶּ֨ס בְּגָדָ֜יו הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְרָחַ֤ץ בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ בַּמַּ֔יִם וְאַחַ֖ר יָבֹ֣א אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה וְטָמֵ֥א הַכֹּהֵ֖ן עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה - The camp - i.e., to the camp of the Divine Presence (the Tabernacle precincts), for no ritually defiled person is banished from two camps except for someone with an abnormal or normal seminal discharge or a metzora.		אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה. לְמַחֲנֵה שְׁכִינָה, שֶׁאֵין טָמֵא מְשֻׁלָּח חוּץ לִשְׁתֵּי מַחֲנוֹת אֶלָּא זָב וּבַעַל קֶרִי וּמְצֹרָע (עי' פסחים ס"ז):
וְטָמֵא הַכֹּהֵן עַד־הָעָֽרֶב - The priest will remain defiled until nightfall. Reorganize the order of the wording of the verse and thus explain it: “He will remain ritually defiled until nightfall, and after that he may enter the camp.”		וְטָמֵא הַכֹּהֵן עַד־הָעָֽרֶב. סָרְסֵהוּ וְדָרְשֵׁהוּ — וְטָמֵא עַד הָעֶרֶב וְאַחַר יָבֹא אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה:
8The one who burns it must immerse his garments in water and immerse his body in water; he will remain ritually defiled until nightfall.		חוְהַשֹּׂרֵ֣ף אֹתָ֔הּ יְכַבֵּ֤ס בְּגָדָיו֙ בַּמַּ֔יִם וְרָחַ֥ץ בְּשָׂר֖וֹ בַּמָּ֑יִם וְטָמֵ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
9A ritually undefiled person must gather the cow’s ashes and place them outside the camp in a ritually undefiled place. It will remain for the community of the Israelites as a keepsake of these ashes that are mixed with dashing-water used for ritual purification.		טוְאָסַ֣ף \| אִ֣ישׁ טָה֗וֹר אֵ֚ת אֵ֣פֶר הַפָּרָ֔ה וְהִנִּ֛יחַ מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה בְּמָק֣וֹם טָה֑וֹר וְ֠הָֽיְתָ֠ה לַֽעֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל לְמִשְׁמֶ֛רֶת לְמֵ֥י נִדָּ֖ה חַטָּ֥את הִֽוא:
וְהִנִּיחַ מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה - And place them outside the camp. It was divided into three parts: after the Temple was built, one part was placed on the Mount of Olives, one was divided among all the priestly groups, and one was placed in the cheil (the space surrounding the Courtyard). The one for the priestly groups was situated outside the Courtyard for the townspeople and anyone else who needed to be purified to take from it; the one on the Mount of Olives was used by future high priests to sanctify themselves in order to prepare other red cows; and the one in the cheil was not generally used, but kept for safekeeping by Divine decree, as it says here: “It will remain for the community of the Israelites as a keepsake.”		וְהִנִּיחַ מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה. לִשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָקִים מְחַלְּקָהּ, אֶחָד נָתַן בְּהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה, וְאֶחָד מִתְחַלֵּק לְכָל הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת, וְאֶחָד נָתַן בַּחֵיל (ספרי; פרה פ"ג), זֶה שֶׁל מִשְׁמָרוֹת הָיָה חוּץ לָעֲזָרָה, לִטֹּל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּנֵי הָעֲיָרוֹת וְכָל הַצְּרִיכִין לִטָּהֵר, וְזֶה שֶׁבְּהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה כֹּהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים לְפָרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת מְקַדְּשִׁין הֵימֶנָּה, וְזֶה שֶׁבַּחֵיל נָתוּן לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת מִגְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר והיתה לעדת בני ישראל למשמרת:
לְמֵי נִדָּה - means “dashing-water,” similar to: “they cast (וַיַּדּוּ) a stone at me,” 1 and “to hurl down (לְיַדּוֹת) the horns of the nations,” 2 which denote throwing.		לְמֵי נִדָּה. לְמֵי הַזָּיָה, כְּמוֹ "וַיַּדּוּ אֶבֶן בִּי" (איכה ג'), "לְיַדּוֹת אֶת קַרְנוֹת הַגּוֹיִם" (זכריה ב'), לְשׁוֹן זְרִיקָה:
חַטָּאת הִֽוא - According to its contextual meaning, this denotes purification; and from the aspect of its laws, Scripture calls it חַטָּאת “a sin-offering” in order to indicate that it is like sacred items, in that it is forbidden to derive benefit from it.		חַטָּאת הִֽוא. לְשׁוֹן חִטּוּי, כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, וּלְפִי הִלְכוֹתָיו קְרָאָהּ הַכָּתוּב חַטָּאת, לוֹמַר שֶׁהִיא כְּקָדָשִׁים לֵאָסֵר בַּהֲנָאָה (עי' ספרי; מנחות נ"א):
10The one who gathers the cow’s ashes must immerse his garments in purifying water, and he will remain ritually defiled until nightfall. The following will be an everlasting rule for the Israelites and for the convert who resides among them:		יוְכִבֶּ֠ס הָֽאֹסֵ֨ף אֶת־אֵ֤פֶר הַפָּרָה֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב וְהָֽיְתָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְלַגֵּ֛ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכָ֖ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם:
11Anyone who touches the corpse of a human being will become ritually defiled for seven days.		יאהַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בְּמֵ֖ת לְכָל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם וְטָמֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
12On the third and seventh days, he must purify himself with it, and then be rid of ritual defilement. But if he is not dashed with it on the third and seventh days, he will not become rid of ritual defilement.		יבה֣וּא יִתְחַטָּא־ב֞וֹ בַּיּ֧וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֛י וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י יִטְהָ֑ר וְאִם־לֹ֨א יִתְחַטָּ֜א בַּיּ֧וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֛י וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י לֹ֥א יִטְהָֽר:
הוּא יִתְחַטָּא־בוֹ - He must purify himself with it - i.e., with this ash.		הוּא יִתְחַטָּא־בוֹ. בָּאֵפֶר הַזֶּה:
13Whoever touches the corpse of a human being who had died and does not purify himself has defiled the Tabernacle of God. That soul will be cut off from Israel, for the dashing-water was not dashed on him, so he remains ritually defiled; his ritual defilement remains upon him.		יגכָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֡עַ בְּמֵ֣ת בְּנֶ֩פֶשׁ֩ הָֽאָדָ֨ם אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֜וּת וְלֹ֣א יִתְחַטָּ֗א אֶת־מִשְׁכַּ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ טִמֵּ֔א וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּי֩ מֵ֨י נִדָּ֜ה לֹֽא־זֹרַ֤ק עָלָיו֙ טָמֵ֣א יִֽהְיֶ֔ה ע֖וֹד טֻמְאָת֥וֹ בֽוֹ:
בְּמֵת בְּנֶפֶשׁ - (lit.) The corpse, the soul. Which corpse is meant? That of “a human being,” excluding that of an animal, as one ritually defiled by it need not be dashed with these ashes. Another explanation: בְּנֶפֶשׁ refers to a quarter-log of blood.		בְּמֵת בְּנֶפֶשׁ. וְאֵי זֶה מֵת? שֶׁל נֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם, לְהוֹצִיא נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֵין טֻמְאָתָהּ צְרִיכָה הַזָּאָה; דָּבָר אַחֵר, בנפש זוֹ רְבִיעִית דָּם (חולין ע"ב):
אֶת־מִשְׁכַּן ה' טִמֵּא - Has defiled the Tabernacle of God - if he enters the Courtyard, even after immersion, but without having been dashed upon on the third and seventh day.		אֶת־מִשְׁכַּן ה' טִמֵּא. אִם נִכְנַס לָעֲזָרָה אֲפִלּוּ בִטְבִילָה בְּלֹא הַזָּאַת שְׁלִישִׁי וּשְׁבִיעִי:
עוֹד טֻמְאָתוֹ בֽוֹ - His defilement remains upon him - even though he has immersed himself.		עוֹד טֻמְאָתוֹ בֽוֹ. , אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁטָּבַל:
14This is the law: if a person dies in a tent, anyone entering the tent and anything present in the tent will be ritually defiled for seven days.		ידזֹ֚את הַתּוֹרָ֔ה אָדָ֖ם כִּֽי־יָמ֣וּת בְּאֹ֑הֶל כָּל־הַבָּ֤א אֶל־הָאֹ֨הֶל֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּאֹ֔הֶל יִטְמָ֖א שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
כָּל־הַבָּא אֶל־הָאֹהֶל - Anyone entering the tent - while the corpse is still there.		כָּל־הַבָּא אֶל־הָאֹהֶל. בְּעוֹד שֶׁהַמֵּת בְּתוֹכוֹ:
15Any open earthenware vessel that has no seal fastened around it becomes ritually defiled.		טווְכֹל֙ כְּלִ֣י פָת֔וּחַ אֲשֶׁ֛ר אֵֽין־צָמִ֥יד פָּתִ֖יל עָלָ֑יו טָמֵ֖א הֽוּא:
וְכֹל כְּלִי פָתוּחַ - Any open vessel. The verse is speaking of an earthenware vessel, which does not become ritually defiled through outside contact but only from the presence of ritual defilement in its interior. Therefore, if the closing that seals it is not properly and closely fastened over it, it becomes ritually defiled. From this, we infer that if it does have a tight cover, it remains ritually undefiled.		וְכֹל כְּלִי פָתוּחַ. בִּכְלִי חֶרֶס הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁאֵין מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה מִגַּבּוֹ אֶלָּא מִתּוֹכוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ אִם אֵין מְגוּפַת צְמִידָתוֹ פְּתוּלָה עָלָיו יָפֶה בְּחִבּוּר, טָמֵא הוּא, הָא אִם יֵשׁ צָמִיד פָּתִיל עָלָיו טָהוֹר (שם כ"ה):
פָּתִיל - means “attached” in Hebrew. And so we find: נַפְתּוּלֵי אֱלֹהִים נִפְתַּלְתִּי, 3 meaning “with bonds of God I have become attached to my sister.”		פָּתִיל. לְשׁוֹן מְחֻבָּר בִּלְשׁוֹן עִבְרִי, וְכֵן (בראשית ל') "נַפְתּוּלֵי אֱלֹהִים נִפְתַּלְתִּי" — נִתְחַבַּרְתִּי עִם אֲחוֹתִי:
16In an open field, anyone who touches a person slain by the sword, a corpse, a human bone, or a grave, will be ritually defiled for at least seven days.		טזוְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּ֜ע עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה בַּֽחֲלַל־חֶ֨רֶב֙ א֣וֹ בְמֵ֔ת אֽוֹ־בְעֶ֥צֶם אָדָ֖ם א֣וֹ בְקָ֑בֶר יִטְמָ֖א שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים:
עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה - In an open field. Our rabbis 4 expounded this phrase to include the top and side-boards of a coffin. However, its contextual meaning is: “in an open field” – where there is no tent – the corpse causes ritual defilement only by direct contact.		עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ לְרַבּוֹת גּוֹלֵל וְדוֹפֵק (ספרי; חולין ע"ב). וּפְשׁוּטוֹ — עַל פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה, שֶׁאֵין שָׁם אֹהֶל, מְטַמֵּא הַמֵּת שָׁם בִּנְגִיעָה:
17They must take for that defiled person some of the ashes of the burnt cow used for purification, and he must mix them with spring water in a vessel.		יזוְלָֽקְחוּ֙ לַטָּמֵ֔א מֵֽעֲפַ֖ר שְׂרֵפַ֣ת הַֽחַטָּ֑את וְנָתַ֥ן עָלָ֛יו מַ֥יִם חַיִּ֖ים אֶל־כֶּֽלִי:

Footnotes

Lamentations 3:53.

Zechariah 2:4.

Genesis 30:8.

Chulin 72a.

Second Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 19

18A ritually undefiled person must take some hyssop and dip it into the water and dash it on the tent, on all the vessels, and on the people who were in it, and on anyone who touched the bone, the slain person, the corpse, or the grave.		יחוְלָקַ֨ח אֵז֜וֹב וְטָבַ֣ל בַּמַּ֘יִם֘ אִ֣ישׁ טָהוֹר֒ וְהִזָּ֤ה עַל־הָאֹ֨הֶל֙ וְעַל־כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֔ים וְעַל־הַנְּפָשׁ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָֽיוּ־שָׁ֑ם וְעַל־הַנֹּגֵ֗עַ בַּעֶ֨צֶם֙ א֣וֹ בֶֽחָלָ֔ל א֥וֹ בַמֵּ֖ת א֥וֹ בַקָּֽבֶר:
19The ritually undefiled person must dash some of the solution on the defiled person on the third and seventh days, and he will purify him on the seventh day. He must immerse his garments and immerse himself in purifying water, and he will become ritually undefiled at nightfall.		יטוְהִזָּ֤ה הַטָּהֹר֙ עַל־הַטָּמֵ֔א בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖י וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֑י וְחִטְּאוֹ֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וְכִבֶּ֧ס בְּגָדָ֛יו וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֖יִם וְטָהֵ֥ר בָּעָֽרֶב:
וְחִטְּאוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי - He will purify him on the seventh day. This means that his purification process ends then.		וְחִטְּאוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי. הוּא גְמַר טָהֳרָתוֹ (עי' ספרי):
20If a person becomes ritually defiled and does not purify himself, that soul will be cut off from the assembly, for he has defiled the Sanctuary of God. Since the dashing-water was not dashed upon him, he is ritually defiled.		כוְאִ֤ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִטְמָא֙ וְלֹ֣א יִתְחַטָּ֔א וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַקָּהָ֑ל כִּי֩ אֶת־מִקְדַּ֨שׁ יְהֹוָ֜ה טִמֵּ֗א מֵ֥י נִדָּ֛ה לֹֽא־זֹרַ֥ק עָלָ֖יו טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא:
וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִטְמָא וגו' - If a person becomes defiled… If the punishment of excision is stated regarding the Temple, why is it also stated 1 regarding the Tabernacle… – as stated in Shevuot. 2		וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִטְמָא וגו'. אִם נֶאֱמַר מִקְדָּשׁ לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר מִשְׁכָּן? כו' כִּדְאִיתָא בִשְׁבוּעוֹת (דף ט"ז):
21This will be for them as a perpetual rule: anyone who dashes the dashing-water must immerse his garments. A person who touches the dashing-water remains ritually defiled until nightfall.		כאוְהָֽיְתָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לְחֻקַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם וּמַזֵּ֤ה מֵֽי־הַנִּדָּה֙ יְכַבֵּ֣ס בְּגָדָ֔יו וְהַנֹּגֵ֨עַ֙ בְּמֵ֣י הַנִּדָּ֔ה יִטְמָ֖א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וּמַזֵּה מֵֽי־הַנִּדָּה - Anyone who dashes the dashing-water - Our rabbis 3 said that the one who dashes remains ritually undefiled, and this statement teaches us that the one who carries the purification water becomes ritually defiled to a greater extent, in that the clothes that he is wearing also become ritually defiled – which is not the case regarding one who merely touches it. And the reason one who carries the water is referred to as “one who dashes” is to tell you that the water does not render him ritually defiled unless it is enough to dash with.		וּמַזֵּה מֵֽי־הַנִּדָּה. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ שֶׁהַמַּזֶּה טָהוֹר, וְזֶה בָא לְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַנּוֹשֵׂא מֵי חַטָּאת טָמֵא טֻמְאָה חֲמוּרָה לְטַמֵּא בְגָדִים שֶׁעָלָיו, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בַּנּוֹגֵעַ, וְזֶה שֶׁהוֹצִיא בִּלְשׁוֹן "מַזֶּה", לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁאֵינָן מְטַמְּאִין עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהֶן שִׁעוּר הַזָּאָה (נדה ט'):
וְהַנֹּגֵעַ יִטְמָא - A person who touches…remains defiled. but does not need to immerse his garments.		וְהַנֹּגֵעַ יִטְמָא. וְאֵין טָעוּן כִּבּוּס בְּגָדִים:
22Whatever the defiled person touches will become ritually defiled, and anyone touching such a person will become ritually defiled until nightfall.”		כבוְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּ֥וֹ הַטָּמֵ֖א יִטְמָ֑א וְהַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַנֹּגַ֖עַת תִּטְמָ֥א עַד־הָעָֽרֶב:
וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּוֹ הַטָּמֵא - Whatever [he] touches - i.e., this ritually defiled person who became ritually defiled through a corpse – “will become ritually defiled.”		וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִגַּע־בּוֹ הַטָּמֵא. הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּמֵת, יטמא:
וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַנֹּגַעַת - And anyone touching - this same person, i.e., one ritually defiled through a corpse.		וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַנֹּגַעַת. בּוֹ: בִּטְמֵא מֵת:
תִּטְמָא עַד־הָעָֽרֶב - will become defiled until nightfall- From here we learn that a corpse is a supreme primary level of ritual defilement, and one who touches it becomes a regular primary level of ritual defilement, which can render another person ritually defiled (people cannot contract ritual defilement from secondary sources). This is the explanation of this passage according to its plain meaning and its laws. I have also copied an aggadic explanation from the work of Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan, as follows:		תִּטְמָא עַד־הָעָֽרֶב. כָּאן לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַמֵּת אֲבִי אֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה, וְנוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ אַב הַטֻּמְאָה וּמְטַמֵּא אָדָם; זֶה פֵרוּשָׁהּ לְפִי מַשְׁמָעָהּ וְהִלְכוֹתֶיהָ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה הֶעְתַּקְתִּי מִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן וְזֶהוּ:
וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ - Have them take for you. from their own money. Just as they removed their own gold earrings to make the Golden Calf, so must they bring this animal from their own funds in order to atone for it.		וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ. מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵם פֵּרְקוּ נִזְמֵי הַזָּהָב לָעֵגֶל מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, כָּךְ יָבִיאוּ זוֹ לְכַפָּרָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה - A red cow. This is similar to the case of a bondservant’s son that dirtied the king’s palace. They said: Let his mother come and clean up his mess. Similarly, let the cow come and atone for the calf.		פָרָה אֲדֻמָּה. מָשָׁל לְבֶן שִׁפְחָה שֶׁטִּנֵּף פָּלָטִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, אָמְרוּ תָּבֹא אִמּוֹ וּתְקַנֵּחַ הַצּוֹאָה, כָּךְ תָּבֹא פָרָה וּתְכַפֵּר עַל הָעֵגֶל (תנחומא): [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
אֲדֻמָּה - Red. On account of the verse: “if your sins prove to be as red as scarlet dye,” 4 for sin is termed “red.”		אֲדֻמָּה. עַל שֵׁם "אִם יַאְדִּימוּ כַתּוֹלָע" (ישעיהו א'), שֶׁהַחֵטְא קָרוּי אָדֹם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
תְּמִימָה - (lit.) Perfect - Because the Israelites had previously been perfect but had become blemished through the sin, let this cow come and atone for them so that they return to their state of perfection.		תְּמִימָה. עַל שֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ תְמִימִים, וְנַעֲשׂוּ בוֹ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין, תָּבֹא זוֹ וּתְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם וְיַחְזְרוּ לְתַמּוּתָם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
לֹֽא־עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עֹֽל - Upon which no yoke was laid - just as they had cast off the yoke of heaven.		לֹֽא־עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עֹֽל. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁפָּרְקוּ מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עֹל שָׁמַיִם: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן - To Eleazar the priest - just as they had gathered around Aaron, who was a priest, to make the calf. But because Aaron made the calf, this ritual was not performed by him, as an accuser cannot become a defender.		אֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּקְהֲלוּ עַל אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁהוּא כֹּהֵן, לַעֲשׂוֹת הָעֵגֶל; וּלְפִי שֶׁאַהֲרֹן עָשָׂה אֶת הָעֵגֶל לֹא נִתְּנָה לוֹ עֲבוֹדָה זוֹ עַל יָדוֹ, שֶׁאֵין קַטֵּיגוֹר נַעֲשֶׂה סַנֵּיגוֹר: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
וְשָׂרַף אֶת־הַפָּרָה - Someone must then burn the cow. just as the calf was burned.		וְשָׂרַף אֶת־הַפָּרָה. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּשְׂרַף הָעֵגֶל: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תוֹלָעַת - Cedar wood, hyssop, and wool dyed scarlet with…tola’at worm - These three materials correspond to the 3000 men who fell for worshiping the calf. The cedar is the tallest of all trees, and the hyssop the lowest of all – this is an allusion that a haughty person who becomes proud and sins should humble himself like a hyssop and a worm in order to achieve atonement.		עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תוֹלָעַת. שְׁלֹשָׁה מִינִין הַלָּלוּ כְּנֶגֶד שְׁלֹשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ שֶׁנָּפְלוּ בָעֵגֶל, וְאֶרֶז הוּא הַגָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל הָאִילָנוֹת וְאֵזוֹב נָמוּךְ מִכֻּלָּם, סִימָן שֶׁהַגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁנִּתְגָּאָה וְחָטָא יַשְׁפִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאֵזוֹב וְתוֹלַעַת וְיִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ: [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]
לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת - As a keepsake. just as the sin of the Golden Calf is kept for all generations as a punishment, for there is no trouble that does not contain part of the punishment for the Golden Calf, as it says: “on the day of My reckoning, I will bring them to account for their sin.” 5 And just as the Golden Calf defiled all those involved with it, so does the cow ritually defile all those involved with preparing it. And just as they were purified by its ashes, as it says: “He scattered it over the water and made the Israelites drink it,” 6 so too here, it says: “They must take for that defiled person some of the ashes of the burnt cow used for purification….”		לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת. כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֶּשַׁע הָעֵגֶל שָׁמוּר לְדוֹרוֹת לְפֻרְעָנוּת, וְאֵין לְךָ פְּקֻדָּה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ מִפְּקֻדַּת הָעֵגֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְיוֹם פָּקְדִי וּפָקַדְתִּי" וְגוֹ' (שמות ל"ב), וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהָעֵגֶל מְטַמֵּא כָּל הָעוֹסְקִים בּוֹ, כָּךְ פָּרָה תְטַמֵּא כָּל הָעוֹסְקִין בּוֹ, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁנִּטְהֲרוּ בְּאֶפְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּזֶר עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם" וְגוֹ' (שם), כָּךְ "וְלָקְחוּ לַטָּמֵא מֵעֲפַר שְׂרֵפַת הַחַטָּאת" וְגוֹ": [רש"י בשם ר' משה הדרשן]

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 20

1The entire community of the Israelites arrived at the desert of Tzin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.		אוַיָּבֹ֣אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל כָּל־הָ֨עֵדָ֤ה מִדְבַּר־צִן֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב הָעָ֖ם בְּקָדֵ֑שׁ וַתָּ֤מָת שָׁם֙ מִרְיָ֔ם וַתִּקָּבֵ֖ר שָֽׁם:
כָּל־הָעֵדָה - The entire community - i.e., the complete community, for those who were to die in the desert had already died, and these moved on to life.		כָּל־הָעֵדָה. עֵדָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה, שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ מֵתֵי מִדְבָּר וְאֵלּוּ פֵרְשׁוּ לַחַיִּים:
וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם - Miriam died there. Why is the death of Miriam stated next to the passage regarding the red cow? To tell you that just as sacrifices provide atonement, so does the death of the righteous atone.		וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם. לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת מִיתַת מִרְיָם לְפָרָשַׁת פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה? לוֹמַר לְךָ, מַה קָּרְבָּנוֹת מְכַפְּרִין, אַף מִיתַת צַדִּיקִים מְכַפֶּרֶת (מועד קטן כ"ח):
וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם - Miriam died there. She also died with a Divine kiss, as did Moses and Aaron. Why, then, does it not state about her עַל פִּי ה׳ “by the mouth of God”? Because such an expression here is not respectful toward the One Above. However, regarding Aaron it does say עַל פִּי ה׳ in parashat Eleh Mas’ei. 7		וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם. אַף הִיא בִנְשִׁיקָה מֵתָה, וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּהּ "עַל פִּי ה'"? שֶׁאֵינוֹ דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד שֶׁל מַעְלָה, וּבְאַהֲרֹן נֶאֱמַר "עַל פִּי ה'" בְּאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי (במדבר ל"ג):
2The community had no water, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.		בוְלֹא־הָ֥יָה מַ֖יִם לָֽעֵדָ֑ה וַיִּקָּ֣הֲל֔וּ עַל־משֶׁ֖ה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹֽן:
וְלֹא־הָיָה מַיִם לָֽעֵדָה - The community had no water. From here we derive that for the entire 40 years until now, they had had the well in the merit of Miriam, which is why it disappeared specifically at this point.		וְלֹא־הָיָה מַיִם לָֽעֵדָה. מִכָּאן שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָיָה לָהֶם הַבְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם (תענית ט'):
3The people argued with Moses, and said, “If only we had expired the way our brothers expired before God.		גוַיָּ֥רֶב הָעָ֖ם עִם־משֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ לֵאמֹ֔ר וְל֥וּ גָוַ֛עְנוּ בִּגְוַ֥ע אַחֵ֖ינוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וְלוּ גָוַעְנוּ - means: if only we had died.		וְלוּ גָוַעְנוּ. הַלְוַאי שֶׁגָּוַעְנוּ:
בִּגְוַע אַחֵינוּ - means: by the same death as our brothers - i.e., by a plague. This teaches us that death by thirst is more degrading than it.		בִּגְוַע אַחֵינוּ. בְּמִיתַת אַחֵינוּ בַּדֶּבֶר, לִמֵּד שֶׁמִּיתַת צָמָא מְגֻנָּה מִמֶּנָּה:
בִּגְוַע - is a noun, equivalent to בְּמִיתַת אַחֵינוּ “by the death of our brothers.” It is impossible to explain it as a verb meaning: “when our brethren died,” for if so, it ought to have been vocalized בִּגְוֹעַ, with a cholam.		בִּגְוַע. שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, כְּמוֹ בְּמִיתַת אַחֵינוּ, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרְשׁוֹ כְּשֶׁמֵּתוּ אַחֵינוּ, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִנָּקֵד בִּגְוֹעַ:
4Why have you brought the assembly of God to this desert so that we and our animals should die there?		דוְלָמָ֤ה הֲבֵאתֶם֙ אֶת־קְהַ֣ל יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לָמ֣וּת שָׁ֔ם אֲנַ֖חְנוּ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ:
5Why have you taken us out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place that can be planted with seeds, nor a place of fig trees, grapevines, or pomegranate trees; and there is no water to drink.”		הוְלָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֨נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה לֹ֣א \| מְק֣וֹם זֶ֗רַע וּתְאֵנָ֤ה וְגֶ֨פֶן֙ וְרִמּ֔וֹן וּמַ֥יִם אַ֖יִן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת:
6Moses and Aaron moved away from the assembly, into the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and they fell on their faces. The glory of God appeared to them.		ווַיָּבֹא֩ משֶׁ֨ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֜ן מִפְּנֵ֣י הַקָּהָ֗ל אֶל־פֶּ֨תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲלֵיהֶֽם:

Footnotes

Numbers 19:13.

Shevuot 16b.

Yoma 14a.

Third Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 20

7God spoke to Moses, saying:		זוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
8“Take the staff and assemble the community, you and your brother Aaron, and speak in their presence to the rock, so that it give forth its water. You will bring forth water for them from the rock and give the community and their animals to drink.”		חקַ֣ח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֗ה וְהַקְהֵ֤ל אֶת־הָֽעֵדָה֙ אַתָּה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו וְהֽוֹצֵאתָ֙ לָהֶ֥ם מַ֨יִם֙ מִן־הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם:
וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם - And their animals. From here we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, is concerned for the Israelites’ belongings.		וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם. מִכָּאן שֶׁחָס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל מָמוֹנָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
9Moses took the staff from before God, as He had commanded him.		טוַיִּקַּ֥ח משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֖ה מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּֽהוּ:
10Moses and Aaron assembled the assembly in front of the rock, and said to them, “Now listen, you rebels, can we draw water for you from this rock?”		יוַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ משֶׁ֧ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם:
וַיַּקְהִלוּ וגו' - They assembled… This is one of the instances where a small area held many people.		וַיַּקְהִלוּ וגו'. זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהֶחֱזִיק מוּעָט אֶת הַמְרֻבֶּה (בראשית רבה ה'):
הֲמִן־הַסָּלַע הַזֶּה נוֹצִיא - Can we draw…from this rock?. They said this because they did not recognize it, since the original rock had moved away when the well ceased, coming to rest among the other rocks, and the Israelites said to them: What difference does it make from which rock you draw water for us? He therefore called them הַמֹּרִים, having the connotation of “disobedient ones,” “fools” in Greek, and “those aspiring to teach (מוֹרִים) their own teachers,” continuing: “Do you think we can draw water for you from this rock, about which we were not commanded?”		הֲמִן־הַסָּלַע הַזֶּה נוֹצִיא. לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָלַךְ הַסֶּלַע וְיָשַׁב לוֹ בֵּין הַסְּלָעִים כְּשֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הַבְּאֵר, וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם מַה לָּכֶם מֵאֵי זֶה סֶלַע תּוֹצִיאוּ לָנוּ מַיִם? לְכָךְ אָמַר לָהֶם המרים — סַרְבָנִים, לְשׁוֹן יְוָנִי שׁוֹטִים, מוֹרִים אֶת מוֹרֵיהֶם, הֲמִן הַסֶּלַע הַזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוִּינוּ עָלָיו נוֹצִיא לָכֶם מַיִם? (תנחומא):
11Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and an abundance of water gushed forth, and the community and their animals drank.		יאוַיָּ֨רֶם משֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּֽעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָֽעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם:
פַּֽעֲמָיִם - Twice - for after the first time it only gave forth a few drops, because the Omnipresent had not commanded Moses to strike it, but only to “speak to the rock.” They had spoken to a different rock, but of course it did not give forth water. They said: “Maybe we need to strike it like the first one, as it says: ‘You must strike the rock.’” 1 They then happened to come upon the correct rock, and he struck it.		פַּֽעֲמָיִם. לְפִי שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא הוֹצִיא אֶלָּא טִפִּין, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא צִוָּה הַמָּקוֹם לְהַכּוֹתוֹ, אֶלָּא "וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע", וְהֵמָּה דִּבְּרוּ אֶל סֶלַע אַחֵר וְלֹא הוֹצִיא, אָמְרוּ, שֶׁמָּא צָרִיךְ לְהַכּוֹתוֹ כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר" (שמות י"ז), וְנִזְדַּמֵּן לָהֶם אוֹתוֹ סֶלַע וְהִכָּהוּ (תנחומא):
12God said to Moses and Aaron, “Since you did not have enough faith in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Israelites, you therefore will not bring this assembly to the land that I have given them.”		יבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֨יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם:
יַעַן לֹא־הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי - Since you did not have enough faith in Me. Scripture reveals that were it not for this one sin, they would have entered the land, so that it not be said about them that the sin of Moses and Aaron was the same sin as that of the rest of the generation of the desert, for which it was decreed that they would not enter the land. Now, was not Moses’ saying: “If a flock and a herd were slaughtered…” 2 a more severe blasphemy than this? It is only because that sin took place in private that Scripture protected him and he was not punished, whereas here, where it was done in the presence of all Israel, Scripture did not protect him, because of failure to sanctify God’s Name.		יַעַן לֹא־הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי. גִּלָּה הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי חֵטְא זֶה בִּלְבַד הָיוּ נִכְנָסִין לָאָרֶץ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כַּעֲוֹן דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר שֶׁנִּגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ, כָּךְ הָיָה עֲוֹן מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן; וַהֲלֹא "הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר יִשָּׁחֵט" (במדבר יא, כב) קָשָׁה מִזּוֹ? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁבַּסֵּתֶר, חִסֵּךְ עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב, וְכָאן שֶׁבְּמַעֲמַד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא חִסֵּךְ עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב מִפְּנֵי קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם:
לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי - To sanctify Me - for had you spoken to the rock and it had given forth water, I would have been sanctified in the eyes of the community, as they would have said: “If even this rock – which can neither speak nor hear, and does not require any sustenance – carries out the Omnipresent’s word, all the more so should we.”		לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי. שֶׁאִלּוּ דִּבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע וְהוֹצִיא, הָיִיתִי מְקֻדָּשׁ לְעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה, וְאוֹמְרִים מַה סֶּלַע זֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְפַרְנָסָה מְקַיֵּם דִּבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, קַל וָחֹמֶר אָנוּ:
לָכֵן לֹא־תָבִיאוּ - You therefore will not bring. This was stated as an oath, as indicated by the similar wording: “Therefore (לָכֵן) I have sworn concerning the house of Eli.” 3 God made the oath promptly, so that they not pray at length for it to be rescinded.		לָכֵן לֹא־תָבִיאוּ. בִּשְׁבוּעָה, כְּמוֹ "וְלָכֵן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְבֵית עֵלִי" (שמואל א ג'), נִשְׁבַּע בִּקְפִיצָה שֶׁלֹּא יַרְבּוּ בִתְפִלָּה עַל כָּךְ:
13This water became known as “the water of contention,” because the Israelites contended with God and He was sanctified through it.		יגהֵ֚מָּה מֵ֣י מְרִיבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־רָב֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּקָּדֵ֖שׁ בָּֽם:
הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה - (lit.) This is the “water of contention” - i.e., this is the same water mentioned elsewhere: It is this that was seen by Pharaoh’s astrologers, who foretold that the Israelites’ savior would be stricken through water, and for this reason they decreed: “You must cast every boy who is born into the Nile.” 4		הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה. הֵם הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר; אֶת אֵלּוּ רָאוּ אִצְטַגְנִינֵי פַרְעֹה, שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיעָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹקֶה בַמַּיִם, לְכָךְ גָּזְרוּ (שמות א') "כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ" (סנהדרין ק"א):
וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּֽם - And He was sanctified through it - in that Moses and Aaron died on account of this water, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, executes judgment upon His holy ones, He becomes feared and sanctified among the creatures, and so it says: “You are feared, God, from Your Sanctuary,” 5 expounded as meaning “from Your holy ones,” and so too it says: “I will be sanctified through those nearest to Me.” 6		וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּֽם. שֶׁמֵּתוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל יָדָם; כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה דִּין בִּמְקֻדָּשָׁיו הוּא יָראוּי וּמִתְקַדֵּשׁ עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "נוֹרָא אֱלֹהִים מִמִּקְדָּשֶׁיךָ" (תהילים ס"ח), וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "בִּקְרֹבַי אֶקָּדֵשׁ" (ויקרא י'):

Footnotes

1 Samuel 3:14.

Fourth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 20

14Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, “So says Israel, your brother: You know of all the hardship that has befallen us.		ידוַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח משֶׁ֧ה מַלְאָכִ֛ים מִקָּדֵ֖שׁ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֑וֹם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אָחִ֣יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְצָאָֽתְנוּ:
אָחִיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל - Israel, your brother. Why did he see fit to mention their brotherhood here? Only because he was telling him: “We are brothers, descendants of Abraham, to whom it was said: ‘your descendants will be foreigners,’ 1 and the obligation to pay this debt was on both of us.”		אָחִיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מָה רָאָה לְהַזְכִּיר כָּאן אַחֲוָה? אֶלָּא אָמַר לוֹ אַחִים אֲנַחְנוּ, בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לוֹ "כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ" (בראשית ט"ו), וְעַל שְׁנֵינוּ הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הַחוֹב לְפָרְעוֹ (תנחומא):
אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה - You know of all the hardship - for this reason your father moved away from our father, as it says: “he moved to another region, away from his brother Jacob,” 2 i.e., because of this “bill of debt” incumbent on them, freeing himself of its responsibility and leaving it imposed upon Jacob alone.		אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה. לְפִיכָךְ פֵּרֵשׁ אֲבִיכֶם מֵעַל אָבִינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל אֶרֶץ מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו" (בראשית ל״ו:ו׳) — מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁטָר חוֹב הַמֻּטָּל עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהִטִּילוֹ עַל יַעֲקֹב:
15Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we sojourned in Egypt for a long time. And the Egyptians mistreated us and our forefathers.		טווַיֵּֽרְד֤וּ אֲבֹתֵ֨ינוּ֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַנֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיָּרֵ֥עוּ לָ֛נוּ מִצְרַ֖יִם וְלַֽאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ:
וַיָּרֵעוּ לָנוּ - Mistreated us - i.e., we underwent many troubles.		וַיָּרֵעוּ לָנוּ. סָבַלְנוּ צָרוֹת רַבּוֹת:
וְלַֽאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ - And our forefathers. From here we derive that the patriarchs suffer in the grave when misfortune comes upon Israel.		וְלַֽאֲבֹתֵֽינוּ. מִכָּאן שֶׁהָאָבוֹת מִצְטַעֲרִים בַּקֶּבֶר כְּשֶׁפֻּרְעָנוּת בָּאָה עַל יִשְֹרָאֵל (עי' תנחומא):
16We cried out to God and He heard our voice. He sent an emissary, and he took us out of Egypt. Now we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border.		טזוַנִּצְעַ֤ק אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע קֹלֵ֔נוּ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאָ֔ךְ וַיֹּֽצִאֵ֖נוּ מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וְהִנֵּה֙ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ בְקָדֵ֔שׁ עִ֖יר קְצֵ֥ה גְבוּלֶֽךָ:
וַיִּשְׁמַע קֹלֵנוּ - And He heard our voice - through the blessing with which our ancestor Isaac blessed us: “The voice is the voice of Jacob,” 3 i.e., that when we cry out to God, we be answered.		וַיִּשְׁמַע קֹלֵנוּ. בַּבְּרָכָה שֶׁבֵּרְכָנוּ אָבִינוּ "הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב", שֶׁאָנוּ צוֹעֲקִים וְנַעֲנִים (תנחומא בשלח):
מַלְאָךְ - An emissary. This refers to Moses. From here we see that the prophets are called מַלְאָכִים; and similarly, it says: “they would mock the messengers of (מַלְאֲכֵי) God.” 4		מַלְאָךְ. זֶה מֹשֶׁה, מִכָּאן שֶׁהַנְּבִיאִים קְרוּאִים מַלְאָכִים, וְאוֹמֵר "וַיִּהְיוּ מַלְעִבִים בְּמַלְאֲכֵי הָאֱלֹהִים" (דברי הימים ב' ל"ו):
17Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink well-water. We will walk along the king’s road, and we will turn neither to the right nor to the left until we have passed through your territory.”		יזנַעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ לֹ֤א נַֽעֲבֹר֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה וּבְכֶ֔רֶם וְלֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר דֶּ֧רֶךְ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ נֵלֵ֗ךְ לֹ֤א נִטֶּה֙ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֔אול עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־נַֽעֲבֹ֖ר גְּבֻלֶֽךָ:
נַעְבְּרָה־נָּא בְאַרְצֶךָ - Please let us pass through your land. You cannot object to us claiming exclusive inheritance of the Land of Israel, for you did not settle your portion of the debt of exile. So give us a little assistance by allowing us to pass through your land.		נַעְבְּרָה־נָּא בְאַרְצֶךָ. אֵין לְךָ לְעוֹרֵר עַל הַיְרֻשָּׁה שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁלֹּא פָרַעְתָּ הַחוֹב, עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ עֵזֶר מְעַט לַעֲבֹר דֶּרֶךְ אַרְצְךָ:
וְלֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מֵי בְאֵר - (lit.) Nor will we drink water of a well. Surely, he should have said מֵי בוֹרוֹת “water of wells,” in the plural! The singular is used only because this is what Moses was saying: “Even though we have the manna to eat and a well from which to drink, we will not drink from it; rather, we will buy food and water from you, so that you benefit from our passage through your land.” From here we learn that one who lodges at an inn, even though he has food with him, should buy from the storekeeper in order that his host may benefit.		וְלֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מֵי בְאֵר. מֵי בוֹרוֹת הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדֵנוּ מָן לֶאֱכֹל וּבְאֵר לִשְׁתּוֹת, לֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ, אֶלָּא נִקְנֶה מִכֶּם אֹכֶל וּמַיִם לַהֲנָאַתְכֶם, מִכָּאן לְאַכְסְנַאי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ לֶאֱכֹל יִקְנֶה מִן הַחֶנְוָנִי, כְּדֵי לְהַנּוֹת אֶת אֻשְׁפִּיזוֹ (תנחומא):
דֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ נֵלֵךְ וגו' - We will walk along the king’s road… We will muzzle our animals so they not stray to either side to eat.		דֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ נֵלֵךְ וגו'. אָנוּ חוֹסְמִים אֶת בְּהֶמְתֵּנוּ וְלֹא יִטּוּ לְכָאן וּלְכָאן לֶאֱכֹל (שם):
18Edom replied to them, “You will not pass through my country, lest I go out to greet you with the sword!”		יחוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֱד֔וֹם לֹ֥א תַֽעֲבֹ֖ר בִּ֑י פֶּן־בַּחֶ֖רֶב אֵצֵ֥א לִקְרָאתֶֽךָ:
פֶּן־בַּחֶרֶב אֵצֵא לִקְרָאתֶֽךָ - Lest I go out to greet you with the sword. Just as you pride yourselves with the power of voice that your ancestor bequeathed to you, as you said: “We cried out to God and He heard our voice,” 5 I will come out against you with the power that my ancestor bequeathed to me: “You will live by your sword.” 6		פֶּן־בַּחֶרֶב אֵצֵא לִקְרָאתֶֽךָ. אַתֶּם מִתְגָּאִים בְּקוֹל שֶׁהוֹרִישְׁכֶם אֲבִיכֶם וְאוֹמְרִים "וַנִּצְעַק אֶל ה' וַיִּשְׁמַע קֹלֵנוּ", וַאֲנִי אֵצֵא עֲלֵיכֶם בְּמַה שֶּׁהוֹרִישֵׁנִי אָבִי "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז):
19The Israelites said to them, “We will keep to the highway, and if either we or our cattle drink your water, we will pay its price. There is really nothing to fear; we will pass through on foot.”		יטוַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֥יו בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ בַּֽמְסִלָּ֣ה נַֽעֲלֶה֒ וְאִם־מֵימֶ֤יךָ נִשְׁתֶּה֙ אֲנִ֣י וּמִקְנַ֔י וְנָֽתַתִּ֖י מִכְרָ֑ם רַ֥ק אֵין־דָּבָ֖ר בְּרַגְלַ֥י אֶֽעֱבֹֽרָה:
רַק אֵין־דָּבָר - (lit.) Only there is nothing - means: there is absolutely nothing that can harm you.		רַק אֵין־דָּבָר. אֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר מַזִּיקְךָ:
20But he said, “You will not pass through!” and Edom came out to greet them with a vast force and a strong hand.		כוַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַֽעֲבֹ֑ר וַיֵּצֵ֤א אֱדוֹם֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ בְּעַ֥ם כָּבֵ֖ד וּבְיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה:
וּבְיָד חֲזָקָֽה - And a strong hand - relying on our ancestor’s promise: “the hands are the hands of Esau.” 7		וּבְיָד חֲזָקָֽה. בְּהַבְטָחַת זְקֵנֵנוּ "וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו" (שם):
21Edom refused to allow Israel to cross through its territory. So Israel turned away from them.		כאוַיְמָאֵ֣ן \| אֱד֗וֹם נְתֹן֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֲבֹ֖ר בִּגְבֻל֑וֹ וַיֵּ֥ט יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵֽעָלָֽיו:

Footnotes

2 Chronicles 36:16.

Fifth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 20

22They set out from Kadesh, and the entire community of the Israelites arrived at Mount Hor.		כבוַיִּסְע֖וּ מִקָּדֵ֑שׁ וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל כָּל־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה הֹ֥ר הָהָֽר:
כָּל־הָֽעֵדָה - The entire community. They were all complete and poised to enter the land, for none of those upon whom it had been decreed not to enter remained among them, inasmuch as those who were to die in the desert had come to an end, and these remaining were those about whom it says: “All of you who are alive today are attached to God, your God.” 1		כָּל־הָֽעֵדָה. כֻּלָּם שְׁלֵמִים וְעוֹמְדִים לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָּהֶן אֶחָד מֵאוֹתָם שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְזֵרָה עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁכְּבָר כָּלוּ מֵתֵי מִדְבָּר וְאֵלּוּ מֵאוֹתָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן (דברים ד') "חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם" (תנחומא):
הֹר הָהָֽר - Mount Hor - i.e., a summit atop a larger mountain, like a small mound on top of a larger mound. Although the Cloud of Glory would go ahead of them and level the mountains, nevertheless three of them remained: Mount Sinai – for the giving of the Torah, Mount Nebo – for the burial of Moses, and Mount Hor – for the burial of Aaron.		הֹר הָהָֽר. הַר עַל גַּבֵּי הַר, כְּתַפּוּחַ קָטָן עַל גַּבֵּי תַפּוּחַ גָּדוֹל, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֶעָנָן הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם וּמַשְׁוֶה אֶת הֶהָרִים, שְׁלֹשָׁה נִשְׁאֲרוּ בָהֶן — הַר סִינַי לַתּוֹרָה וְהֹר הָהָר לִקְבוּרַת אַהֲרֹן וְהַר נְבוֹ לִקְבוּרַת מֹשֶׁה (תנחומא):
23God said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of Edom, saying,		כגוַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן בְּהֹ֣ר הָהָ֑ר עַל־גְּב֥וּל אֶֽרֶץ־אֱד֖וֹם לֵאמֹֽר:
עַל־גְּבוּל אֶֽרֶץ־אֱדוֹם - On the border of Edom. This tells us that because they associated and fraternized with the wicked Esau, the integrity of their conduct was breached, and on that account, they lost this righteous man. Similarly, the prophet told Yehoshafat: “Since you associated with Achazyah, God caused your actions to be breached.” 2		עַל־גְּבוּל אֶֽרֶץ־אֱדוֹם. מַגִּיד שֶׁמִּפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּתְחַבְּרוּ כָאן לְהִתְקָרֵב לְעֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע, נִפְרְצוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְחָסְרוּ הַצַּדִּיק הַזֶּה, וְכֵן הַנָּבִיא אוֹמֵר לִיהוֹשָׁפָט (דברי הימים ב' כ') "בְּהִתְחַבֶּרְךָ עִם אֲחַזְיָהוּ פָּרַץ ה' אֶת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ" (תנחומא):
24“Aaron will be gathered to his people, for he will not enter the land that I have given to the Israelites, because you defied My word at ‘the water of contention.’		כדיֵֽאָסֵ֤ף אַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־עַמָּ֔יו כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָבֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עַ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־מְרִיתֶ֥ם אֶת־פִּ֖י לְמֵ֥י מְרִיבָֽה:
25Take Aaron and his son Eleazar. Bring them up to Mount Hor.		כהקַ֚ח אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן וְאֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר בְּנ֑וֹ וְהַ֥עַל אֹתָ֖ם הֹ֥ר הָהָֽר:
קַח אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן - Take Aaron - with words of consolation. Say to him: “Fortunate are you that you see your crown given over to your son, something that I will not myself merit.”		קַח אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן. בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁל נִחוּמִים — אֱמֹר לוֹ, אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁתִּרְאֶה כִתְרְךָ נָתוּן לְבִנְךָ, מַה שֶּׁאֵין אֲנִי זַכַּאי לְכָךְ (שם):
26Strip Aaron of his garments, and dress his son Eleazar in them. Aaron will be gathered in to his ancestors and die there.”		כווְהַפְשֵׁ֤ט אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֖ם אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר בְּנ֑וֹ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֥ן יֵֽאָסֵ֖ף וּמֵ֥ת שָֽׁם:
אֶת־בְּגָדָיו - His garments - i.e., dress him in the garments of the high priesthood, and then remove them from him in order to put them on his son in his presence. Moses said to Aaron, “Enter the cave,” and he entered. He saw a bed that was made and a lit candle. He said to him, “Go up onto the bed,” and he went up; “stretch out your hands,” and he stretched them out; “close your mouth,” and he closed it; “close your eyes,” and he closed them. Moses immediately desired this gradual and serene death, and that is the meaning of what was said to him: “as your brother Aaron died,” 3 i.e., in the form of death that you desired.		אֶת־בְּגָדָיו. אֶת בִּגְדֵי כְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה הִלְבִּישָׁהוּ וְהִפְשִׁיטָם מֵעָלָיו, לְתִתָּם עַל בְּנוֹ בְּפָנָיו; אָמַר לוֹ הִכָּנֵס לַמְּעָרָה וְנִכְנַס, רָאָה מִטָּה מֻצַּעַת וְנֵר דָּלוּק, אָמַר לוֹ עֲלֵה לַמִּטָּה וְעָלָה, פְּשֹׁט יָדֶיךָ וּפָשַׁט, קְמֹץ פִּיךָ וְקָמַץ, עֲצֹם עֵינֶיךָ וְעָצַם, מִיָּד חָמַד מֹשֶׁה לְאוֹתָהּ מִיתָה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לוֹ (דברים ל"ב) "כַּאֲשֶׁר מֵת אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ" — מִיתָה שֶׁנִתְאַוִּיתָ לָהּ (ספרי שם):
27Moses did as God had commanded him. They ascended Mount Hor in the presence of the entire community.		כזוַיַּ֣עַשׂ משֶׁ֔ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּֽעֲלוּ֙ אֶל־הֹ֣ר הָהָ֔ר לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־הָֽעֵדָֽה:
וַיַּעַשׂ משֶׁה - Moses did. Although the matter was hard for him, he did not hesitate.		וַיַּעַשׂ משֶׁה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַדָּבָר קָשֶׁה לוֹ, לֹא עִכֵּב (תנחומא):
28Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, dressed his son Eleazar in them, and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Moses and Eleazar descended from the mountain.		כחוַיַּפְשֵׁט֩ משֶׁ֨ה אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־בְּגָדָ֗יו וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתָם֙ אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר בְּנ֔וֹ וַיָּ֧מָת אַֽהֲרֹ֛ן שָׁ֖ם בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַיֵּ֧רֶד משֶׁ֛ה וְאֶלְעָזָ֖ר מִן־הָהָֽר:
29The entire community saw that Aaron had expired. The entire house of Israel wept for Aaron for 30 days.		כטוַיִּרְאוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה כִּ֥י גָוַ֖ע אַֽהֲרֹ֑ן וַיִּבְכּ֤וּ אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ שְׁלשִׁ֣ים י֔וֹם כֹּ֖ל בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וַיִּרְאוּ כָּל־הָעֵדָה - The entire community saw… When they saw Moses and Eleazar descending, but that Aaron did not descend with them, they asked, “Where is Aaron?” Moses answered them, “He has died.” They asked him, “Is it possible that he who stood up to the Angel of Death and halted the plague can himself fall under the control of the Angel of Death?” Immediately Moses prayed for mercy, and the ministering angels showed them an image of Aaron lying on the bed; once they saw this, they believed.		וַיִּרְאוּ כָּל־הָעֵדָה. כְּשֶׁרָאוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר יוֹרְדִים וְאַהֲרֹן לֹא יָרַד, אָמְרוּ הֵיכָן הוּא אַהֲרֹן? אָמַר לָהֶם מֵת, אָמְרוּ אֶפְשָׁר מִי שֶׁעָמַד כְּנֶגֶד הַמַּלְאָךְ וְעָצַר אֶת הַמַּגֵּפָה יִשְׁלֹט בוֹ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת? מִיָּד בִּקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה רַחֲמִים וְהֶרְאוּהוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לָהֶם מֻטָּל בַּמִּטָּה, רָאוּ וְהֶאֱמִינוּ (שם):
כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - The entire house of Israel - i.e., both men and women, for Aaron would pursue peace and instill love between quarreling parties and between husband and wife.		כָּל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל. הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה אַהֲרֹן רוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם וּמַטִּיל אַהֲבָה בֵּין בַּעֲלֵי מְרִיבָה וּבֵין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ (אדר"נ י"ב):
כִּי גָוַע - That [Aaron] had expired. I am of the opinion that the one who translates this as דְּהָא מִית “because he had died” is mistaken, unless he translates וַיִּרְאוּ as וְאִתְחֲזִיאוּ “they were seen” – for our rabbis of blessed memory said that this כִּי is used in the sense of דְּהָא “because” only according to the Midrash that states that the Clouds of Glory disappeared, as Rabbi Abahu said: 4 Do not read וַיִּרְאוּ “they saw,” but rather וַיֵּרָאוּ “they were seen”; to this wording the sense of דְּהָא is applicable, as it supplies a reason for the above statement: Why were they now seen? Because Aaron had died. But to the translation וַחֲזוֹ כָּל כְּנִשְׁתָּא “the entire community saw” the sense of דְּהָא is not applicable; rather, the sense of אֲשֶׁר “that,” which is one of the usages of אִי (another of the senses of the word כִּי) is appropriate, for we find אִם used in the sense of אֲשֶׁר, as in: “and what reason is there that (וְאִם מַדּוּעַ) I not be short of breath?” 5 Many other passages are also explained in this sense, e.g., “Seeing that (אִם) his days are determined.” 6		כִּי גָוַע. אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהַמְתַּרְגֵּם דְּהָא מִית טוֹעֶה הוּא, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מְתַרְגֵּם וַיִּרְאוּ וְאִתְחֲזִיאוּ, שֶׁלֹּא אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ כִּי זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא אֶלָּא עַל מִדְרָשׁ שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי הַכָּבוֹד, וְכִדְאָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ (ראש השנה ג'), אַל תִּקְרֵי וַיִּרְאוּ, אֶלָּא וַיֵּרָאוּ, וְעַל לָשׁוֹן זֶה נוֹפֵל לְשׁוֹן דְּהָא, לְפִי שֶׁהִיא נְתִינַת טַעַם לְמַה שֶּׁלְּמַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ — לָמָּה וַיֵּרָאוּ? לְפִי שֶׁהֲרֵי מֵת אַהֲרֹן; אֲבָל עַל תַּרְגּוּם "וְחָזוּ כָל כְּנִשְׁתָּא" אֵין לְשׁוֹן דְּהָא נוֹפֵל אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, שֶׁהוּא מִגִּזְרַת שִׁמּוּשׁ אִי, שֶׁמָּצִינוּ אִם מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, כְּמוֹ "וְאִם מַדּוּעַ לֹא תִקְצַר רוּחִי" (איוב כ"א), וְהַרְבֵּה מְפֹרָשִׁים מִזֶּה הַלָּשׁוֹן — "אִם חֲרוּצִים יָמָיו" (שם י"ד):

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 21

1The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the south, heard that Israel had come by the route of the scouts. He waged war against Israel and took a captive from them.		אוַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֤י מֶֽלֶךְ־עֲרָד֙ ישֵׁ֣ב הַנֶּ֔גֶב כִּ֚י בָּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דֶּ֖רֶךְ הָֽאֲתָרִ֑ים וַיִּלָּ֨חֶם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּ֥שְׁבְּ \| מִמֶּ֖נּוּ שֶֽׁבִי:
וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי - The Canaanite…heard. He heard that Aaron had died and the Clouds of Glory had disappeared, etc., as stated in Rosh Hashanah. 7 Amalek is always the instrument that God uses to strike Israel, ready at all times to inflict Divine punishment upon them.		וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי. שָׁמַע שֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן וְנִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד כו', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה (דף ג'), וַעֲמָלֵק מֵעוֹלָם רְצוּעַת מַרְדּוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מְזֻמָּן בְּכָל עֵת לְפֻרְעָנוּת:
ישֵׁב הַנֶּגֶב - Who lived in the south. This is Amalek, as it says: “Amalek is living in the southern region.” 8 He disguised his language, speaking Canaanite, intending that the Israelites pray to the Holy One, blessed be He, to give the Canaanites into their hands, when in fact they were not Canaanites. Israel saw that their attire was like that of Amalekites yet their language was Canaanite, so they said: Let us pray without specifying a particular enemy, as it says: “If You deliver this people into my hand.”		ישֵׁב הַנֶּגֶב. זֶה עֲמָלֵק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב" (במדבר י"ג), וְשִׁנָּה אֶת לְשׁוֹנוֹ לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן כְּנַעַן, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְפַּלְּלִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָתֵת כְּנַעֲנִים בְּיָדָם, וְהֵם אֵינָן כְּנַעֲנִים, רָאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבוּשֵׁיהֶם כִּלְבוּשֵׁי עֲמָלֵקִים וּלְשׁוֹנָם לְשׁוֹן כְּנַעַן, אָמְרוּ נִתְפַּלֵּל סְתָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִם נָתֹן תִּתֵּן אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה בְּיָדִי" (עי' ילקוט שמעוני תשס"ד):
דֶּרֶךְ הָֽאֲתָרִים - The route of the scouts - i.e., this way of the south, where Amalek lived, was the same one that the spies had gone, as it says: “they went up through the south.” 9 Another explanation: the Israelites had not yet reached Amalekite territory, but “the route of the scouts” refers to the way of the great scout traveling ahead of them, as it says: “the Ark of God’s Covenant traveled at a distance of three days ahead of them to prepare for them a place to settle.” 10		דֶּרֶךְ הָֽאֲתָרִים. דֶּרֶךְ הַנֶּגֶב, שֶׁהָלְכוּ בּוֹ מְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב" (במדבר י"ג); דָּבָר אַחֵר: דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים, דֶּרֶךְ הַתַּיָּר הַגָּדוֹל הַנּוֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם י') "דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים לָתוּר לָהֶם מְנוּחָה" (תנחומא):
וַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶֽׁבִי - And took a captive from them. The use of the singular indicates that this captive was only one female slave, who had been previously captured by the Israelites.		וַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶֽׁבִי. אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא שִׁפְחָה אַחַת (ילקוט שמעוני שם):
2Israel made a vow to God and said, “If You deliver this people into my hand, I will dedicate the spoils of their cities to You.”		בוַיִּדַּ֨ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל נֶ֛דֶר לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־עָֽרֵיהֶֽם:
וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּי - means: I will dedicate their spoil to God on High.		וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּי. אַקְדִּישׁ שְׁלָלָם לְגָבוֹהַּ:
3God heard Israel’s voice and gave them the Canaanites. The Israelites destroyed all of them and dedicated the spoils of their cities to God. They called the place Chormah [“Destruction/Dedication”].		גוַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע יְהֹוָ֜ה בְּק֣וֹל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י וַיַּֽחֲרֵ֥ם אֶתְהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־עָֽרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א שֵׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם חָרְמָֽה:
וַיַּֽחֲרֵם אֶתְהֶם - [They] destroyed them - by killing.		וַיַּֽחֲרֵם אֶתְהֶם. בַּהֲרִיגָה:
וְאֶת־עָֽרֵיהֶם - And their cities - by dedication to God on High, both actions being implied in the verb חרם.		וְאֶת־עָֽרֵיהֶם. חֶרְמֵי גָבוֹהַּ:
4They journeyed from Mount Hor by way of the Sea of Reeds, to circle Edom. The people became disheartened because of the journey.		דוַיִּסְע֞וּ מֵהֹ֤ר הָהָר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יַם־ס֔וּף לִסְבֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם וַתִּקְצַ֥ר נֶֽפֶשׁ־הָעָ֖ם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ:
יַם־סוּף - By way of the Sea of Reeds. Since Aaron had died and this war had come upon them, they retreated by way of the Sea of Reeds, this being the way they had turned when the decree resulting from the report of the spies was decreed on them, as it says: “journey into the desert, toward the Sea of Reeds,” 11 and now they traveled back seven stations, as it says: “The Israelites journeyed from the wells of Benei Ya’akan to Moserah. There, Aaron died.” 12 Did he then die at Moserah? Did he not die on Mount Hor? Scripture says that he died at Moserah only because upon their return there, they mourned for him and eulogized him as if he had died now in front of them. Go and check the account of their journeys and you will find seven stops from Moserah to Mount Hor.		יַם־סוּף. כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן וּבָאת עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְחָמָה זוֹ, חָזְרוּ לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ יַם סוּף, הוּא הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁחָזְרוּ לָהֶם כְּשֶׁנִּגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם גְּזֵרַת מְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּסְעוּ הַמִּדְבָּרָה דֶּרֶךְ יַם סוּף" (דברים א'), וְכָאן חָזְרוּ לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם שֶׁבַע מַסָּעוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נָסְעוּ מִבְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן מוֹסֵרָה שָׁם מֵת אַהֲרֹן", וְכִי בְמוֹסֵרָה מֵת? וַהֲלֹא בְהֹר הָהָר מֵת? אֶלָּא שָׁם חָזְרוּ וְהִתְאַבְּלוּ עָלָיו וְהִסְפִּידוּהוּ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא בִפְנֵיהֶם; וְצֵא וּבְדֹק בַּמַּסָּעוֹת וְתִמְצְאֵם שֶׁבַע מַסָּעוֹת מִן מוֹסֵרָה עַד הֹר הָהָר (תנחומא):
לִסְבֹב אֶת־אֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם - To circle Edom - for he did not allow them to pass through his land.		לִסְבֹב אֶת־אֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם. שֶׁלֹּא נְתָנָם לַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצוֹ:
וַתִּקְצַר נֶֽפֶשׁ־הָעָם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ - The people became disheartened (lit.) in the journey- i.e., because of the exertion of the journey, which became too severe for them. They said: “We were now close to entering the land, and now we are turning back! Our fathers also turned back and spent 38 years in the desert until today!” Therefore, they became disheartened by the setbacks of the journey; in Old French: “encrut lor” (“it was too much for them”). It is not possible to say that וַתִּקְצַר נֶפֶשׁ הָעָם בַּדָּרֶךְ means: “the people became disheartened while they were on the journey,” without specifying from what they become disheartened, for wherever you find קִצּוּר נֶפֶשׁ “being disheartened” in Scripture, it is explained there from what they were disheartened, such as: וַתִּקְצַר נַפְשִׁי בָּהֶם “I was disheartened with them,” 13 and such as: וַתִּקְצַר נַפְשׁוֹ בַּעֲמַל יִשְׂרָאֵל “He was disheartened by Israel’s trouble.” 14 The term קִצּוּר נֶפֶשׁ (lit., “short of soul”) applies to anything too difficult for a person, like a person upon whom a burden comes and his mind is not broad enough to accept it, and he has no room in his heart for that pain to rest; for a bothersome entity is referred to as “large,” for it is too great and heavy for that person, as in: “their soul also swelled up within Me” 15 – i.e., was too much for Me, and “It is so great that You hunt me as if I were a lion.” 16 To sum up this explanation: anywhere the term קִצּוּר נֶפֶשׁ is used about a matter, it means that one cannot tolerate it, that the mind cannot bear it.		וַתִּקְצַר נֶֽפֶשׁ־הָעָם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ. בְּטֹרַח הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהֻקְשָׁה לָהֶם, אָמְרוּ עַכְשָׁו הָיִינוּ קְרוֹבִים לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ וְאָנוּ חוֹזְרִים לַאֲחוֹרֵינוּ, כָּךְ חָזְרוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְנִשְׁתָּהוּ שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנָה עַד הַיּוֹם, לְפִיכָךְ קָצְרָה נַפְשָׁם בְּעִנּוּי הַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְלַעַ"ז אנקרוט"לור; וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר וַתִּקְצַר נֶפֶשׁ הָעָם בַּדָּרֶךְ — בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ בּוֹ בַּמֶּה קָצְרָה, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁתִּמְצָא קִצּוּר נֶפֶש בַּמִּקְרָא מְפֹרָשׁ שָׁם בַּמֶּה קָצְרָה, כְּגוֹן "וַתִּקְצַר נַפְשִׁי בָּהֶם" (זכריה י"א), וּכְגוֹן "וַתִּקְצַר נַפְשׁוֹ בַּעֲמַל יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שופטים י'), וְכָל דָּבָר קָשֶׁה עַל אָדָם נוֹפֵל בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן קִצּוּר נֶפֶשׁ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁהַטֹּרַח בָּא עָלָיו וְאֵין דַּעְתּוֹ רְחָבָה לְקַבֵּל אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר וְאֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם בְּתוֹךְ לִבּוֹ לָגוּר שָׁם הַצַּעַר, וּבְדָבָר הַמַּטְרִיחַ נוֹפֵל לְשׁוֹן גֹּדֶל, שֶׁגָּדוֹל הוּא וְכָבֵד עַל הָאָדָם, כְּגוֹן "וְגַם נַפְשָׁם בָּחֲלָה בִי" (זכריה י"א) — גָּדְלָה עָלַי, "וְיִגְאֶה כַּשַּׁחַל תְּצוּדֵנִי" (איוב י'); כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל פֵּרוּשׁ, כָּל לְשׁוֹן קִצּוּר נֶפֶשׁ בְּדָבָר לָשׁוֹן שֶׁאֵין יָכוֹל לְסָבְלוֹ הוּא — שֶׁאֵין הַדַּעַת סוֹבַלְתּוֹ:
5The people spoke against God and against Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in this desert, for there is no bread and no water, and we are weary of this light manna-bread.”		הוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר הָעָ֗ם בֵּֽאלֹהִים֘ וּבְמשֶׁה֒ לָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֨נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לָמ֖וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין לֶ֨חֶם֙ וְאֵ֣ין מַ֔יִם וְנַפְשֵׁ֣נוּ קָ֔צָה בַּלֶּ֖חֶם הַקְּלֹקֵֽל:
בֵּֽאלֹהִים וּבְמשֶׁה - Against God and against Moses. They mistakenly equated the servant with his Master.		בֵּֽאלֹהִים וּבְמשֶׁה. הִשְׁווּ עֶבֶד לְקוֹנוֹ (תנחומא):
לָמָה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻנוּ - Why have you brought us up? - implying that they are both equal.		לָמָה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻנוּ. שְׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוִים:
וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה - And we are weary. This term also denotes disheartening and disgust.		וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה. אַף זֶה לְשׁוֹן קִצּוּר נֶפֶשׁ וּמִאוּס:
בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵֽל - Of this light bread. Because the manna was absorbed into their limbs, they called it “light,” saying, “This manna will eventually explode in our stomachs; can a human being ingest food and not expel any waste?”		בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵֽל. לְפִי שֶׁהַמָּן נִבְלָע בָּאֵבָרִים קְרָאוּהוּ קְלֹקֵל, אָמְרוּ, עָתִיד הַמָּן הַזֶּה שֶׁיִּתְפַּח בְּמֵעֵינוּ, כְּלוּם יֵשׁ יְלוּד אִשָּׁה שֶׁמַּכְנִיס וְאֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא? (יומא ע"ה):
6God sent the venomous snakes against the people, and they bit the people, and many Israelites died.		ווַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח יְהֹוָ֜ה בָּעָ֗ם אֵ֚ת הַנְּחָשִׁ֣ים הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וַיְנַשְּׁכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֥מָת עַם־רָ֖ב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל:
אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים - The venomous snakes - i.e., that burn (שׂוֹרְפִים) a person with the poison of their teeth.		אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים. שֶׁשּׂוֹרְפִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּאֶרֶס שִׁנֵּיהֶם:
וַיְנַשְּׁכוּ אֵת הָעָם - And they bit the people. Let the snake, who was punished for slander, come and exact punishment from these people who slander; let the snake, to whom all types of food taste the same, come and exact punishment from ungrateful people for whom one thing (the manna) can have several varying tastes.		וַיְנַשְּׁכוּ אֵת הָעָם. יָבֹא נָחָשׁ שֶׁלָּקָה עַל הוֹצָאַת דִּבָּה וְיִפָּרַע מִמּוֹצִיאֵי דִּבָּה, יָבֹא נָחָשׁ שֶׁכָּל הַמִּינִין נִטְעָמִין לוֹ טַעַם אֶחָד וְיִפָּרַע מִכְּפוּיֵי טוֹבָה שֶׁדָּבָר אֶחָד מִשְׁתַּנֶּה לָהֶם לְכַמָּה מַטְעַמִּים (תנחומא):
7The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against God and against you. Pray to God that He remove the snakes from us.” Moses prayed on behalf of the people.		זוַיָּבֹא֩ הָעָ֨ם אֶל־משֶׁ֜ה וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ חָטָ֗אנוּ כִּֽי־דִבַּ֤רְנוּ בַֽיהֹוָה֙ וָבָ֔ךְ הִתְפַּלֵּל֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיָסֵ֥ר מֵֽעָלֵ֖ינוּ אֶת־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל משֶׁ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד הָעָֽם:
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל משֶׁה - Moses prayed. From here we derive that someone from whom forgiveness is requested should not be too cruel to forgive.		וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל משֶׁה. מִכָּאן לְמִי שֶׁמְּבַקְשִׁים מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אַכְזָרִי מִלִּמְחֹל (עי' תנחומא):
8God said to Moses, “Make for yourself a viper and put it on a pole, and let whoever was bitten look at it and live.”		חוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ שָׂרָ֔ף וְשִׂ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ עַל־נֵ֑ס וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־הַנָּשׁ֔וּךְ וְרָאָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ וָחָֽי:
עַל־נֵס - means: On a pole, called “perche” in Old French. Similarly, it says: “and like a standard (וְכַנֵּס) upon the hill,” 17 “I will raise My standard (נִסִּי),” 18 and “raise a standard (נֵס).” 19 Because it is lofty, acting as a sign and a demonstration, it is called נֵס.		עַל־נֵס. עַל כְּלוֹנָס, שֶׁקּוֹרִין פירק"א בְּלַעַז, וְכֵן "וְכַנֵּס עַל הַגִּבְעָה" (ישעיהו ל'), "אָרִים נִסִּי" (שם מ"ט), "שְׂאוּ נֵס" (שם י"ג); וּלְפִי שֶׁהוּא גָּבוֹהַּ לְאוֹת וְלִרְאָיָה, קוֹרְאוֹ נֵס:
כָּל־הַנָּשׁוּךְ - Whoever was bitten - i.e., even if a dog or donkey bit him, he was harmed, growing steadily weaker before dying, but a snake bite was quicker to kill. Therefore, here it says: וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ “let him look at it” – a mere glance at the copper snake being sufficient to cure, but regarding the bite of a snake it says: וְהִבִּיט, a more intense type of looking. Commenting on that verse: וְהָיָה אִם נָשַׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ אֶת אִישׁ וְהִבִּיט וגו׳ “if a snake had bitten a person and he looked…,” which indicates that a person bitten by a snake was not quickly cured unless he gazed at it intently, our sages 20 stated regarding the nature of this intent: Can a snake kill or the copper snake preserve life on their own? It was only when Israel would look upward and submit their hearts to their Father in heaven would they be cured, but if not, they would waste away.		כָּל־הַנָּשׁוּךְ. אֲפִלּוּ כֶלֶב אוֹ חֲמוֹר נוֹשְׁכוֹ הָיָה נִזּוֹק וּמִתְנַוְּנֶה וְהוֹלֵךְ, אֶלָּא שֶׁנְּשִׁיכַת הַנָּחָשׁ מְמַהֶרֶת לְהָמִית, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר כָּאן וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ — רְאִיָּה בְעָלְמָא — וּבִנְשִׁיכַת הַנָּחָשׁ נֶאֱמַר "וְהִבִּיט" — וְהָיָה אִם נָשַׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ אֶת אִישׁ וְהִבִּיט וְגוֹ' — שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מְמַהֵר נֶשֶׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ לְהִתְרַפְּאוֹת אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מַבִּיט בּוֹ בְּכַוָּנָה; וְאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ וְכִי נָחָשׁ מֵמִית אוֹ מְחַיֶּה? אֶלָּא, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִסְתַּכְּלִין כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִין אֶת לִבָּם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם הָיוּ מִתְרַפְּאִים, וְאִם לָאו הָיוּ נִמּוֹקִים (ראש השנה כ"ט):
9Moses made a copper snake and put it on a pole. If a snake had bitten a person and he looked toward the copper snake, he lived.		טוַיַּ֤עַשׂ משֶׁה֙ נְחַ֣שׁ נְח֔שֶׁת וַיְשִׂמֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַנֵּ֑ס וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־נָשַׁ֤ךְ הַנָּחָשׁ֙ אֶת־אִ֔ישׁ וְהִבִּ֛יט אֶל־נְחַ֥שׁ הַנְּח֖שֶׁת וָחָֽי:
נְחַשׁ נְחשֶׁת - A copper snake. He was not told to make it from copper. However, Moses said: “The Holy One, blessed be He, calls it נָחָשׁ, and I will make it from copper (נְחֹשֶׁת), since they are similar words.”		נְחַשׁ נְחשֶׁת. לֹא נֶאֱמַר לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת, אֶלָּא אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קוֹרְאוֹ נָחָשׁ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂנּוּ שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת, לָשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל לָשׁוֹן (בראשית רבה ל"א):

Footnotes

Rosh Hashanah 3a.

Rosh Hashanah 3a.

Rosh Hashanah 29a.

Sixth Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 21

10The Israelites journeyed, and camped in Ovot.		יוַיִּסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּאֹבֹֽת:
11They journeyed from Ovot and camped by The Ruins of the Passes, in the desert east of Moab.		יאוַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵֽאֹבֹ֑ת וַיַּֽחֲנ֞וּ בְּעִיֵּ֣י הָֽעֲבָרִ֗ים בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב מִמִּזְרַ֖ח הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ:
בְּעִיֵּי הָֽעֲבָרִים - By the Ruins of the Passes. I do not know why the place is named for the ruins. The word עִי means a ruin, something swept away with a broom – the ע being its only root-letter – related to יָעִים “scoops,” 1 and וְיָעָה בָרָד “the hail will sweep away.” 2		בְּעִיֵּי הָֽעֲבָרִים. לֹא יָדַעְתִּי לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם עִיִּים, וְעִי לְשׁוֹן חָרְבָּה הִיא — דָּבָר הַטָּאוּט בְּמַטְאֲטֵא, וְהָעַיִ"ן בּוֹ יְסוֹד לְבַדָּהּ, וְהוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן "יָעִים" (שמות כ"ז), "וְיָעָה בָרָד" (ישעיהו כ"ח):
הָֽעֲבָרִים - means: the pass leading from Mount Nebo to Canaan, Mount Nebo dividing between Moab and the Amorites.		הָֽעֲבָרִים. דֶּרֶךְ מַעֲבַר הָעוֹבְרִים שָׁם אֶת הַר נְבוֹ אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, שֶׁהוּא מַפְסִיק בֵּין אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב לְאֶרֶץ אֱמוֹרִי:
עַל־פְּנֵי מוֹאָב מִמִּזְרַח הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ - (lit.) Facing Moab from the rising of the sun - means: on the eastern side of Moab.		עַל־פְּנֵי מוֹאָב מִמִּזְרַח הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ. בְּמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב:
12They journeyed from there, and camped in the valley of the Zered River.		יבמִשָּׁ֖ם נָסָ֑עוּ וַיַּֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּנַ֥חַל זָֽרֶד:
13They journeyed from there and camped on the side of the Arnon River that was in the desert and extended from the Amorite border, for the Arnon River was the Moabite border, between Moab and the Amorites.		יגמִשָּׁם֘ נָסָ֒עוּ֒ וַיַּֽחֲנ֞וּ מֵעֵ֤בֶר אַרְנוֹן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר הַיֹּצֵ֖א מִגְּבֻ֣ל הָֽאֱמֹרִ֑י כִּ֤י אַרְנוֹן֙ גְּב֣וּל מוֹאָ֔ב בֵּ֥ין מוֹאָ֖ב וּבֵ֥ין הָֽאֱמֹרִֽי:
מִגְּבֻל הָֽאֱמֹרִי - From the Amorite border - i.e., the boundary marking the end of their border, the same meaning applying to גְּבוּל מוֹאָב. גְּבוּל here is a term denoting edge or end.		מִגְּבֻל הָֽאֱמֹרִי. תְּחוּם סוֹף מֶצֶר שֶׁלָּהֶם, וְכֵן גְּבוּל מוֹאָב — לְשׁוֹן קָצֶה וָסוֹף:
מֵעֵבֶר אַרְנוֹן - On the side of the Arnon River - i.e., they traveled along the entire south and east border of Moab until they came to the other side of the Arnon River within Amorite territory, north of Moab.		מֵעֵבֶר אַרְנוֹן. הִקִּיפוּ אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב כָּל דְּרוֹמָהּ וּמִזְרָחָהּ עַד שֶׁבָּאוּ מֵעֵבֶר הַשֵּׁנִי לְאַרְנוֹן בְּתוֹךְ אֶרֶץ הָאֱמוֹרִי בִּצְפוֹנָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב:
הַיֹּצֵא מִגְּבֻל הָֽאֱמֹרִי - That extended from the Amorite border. A strip of land controlled by the Amorites extends from the Amorite border into Moabite territory as far as the Arnon River, which is the Moabite border. Israel encamped within this strip, not entering the border of Moab, “for Arnon is the border of Moab,” and they had not given them permission to pass through their land. And even though Moses did not state this explicitly, Yiftach did state it explicitly, as Yiftach said: “and he also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he did not want.” 3 Moses did, however, allude to it in the verse: “Just as the descendants of Esau – who dwell on Mount Se’ir – and the Moabites – who dwell in Ar – did for me,” 4 implying that just as Edom did not let them pass through their land and they therefore had to circle it, the same happened with Moab.		הַיֹּצֵא מִגְּבֻל הָֽאֱמֹרִי. רְצוּעָה יוֹצְאָה מִגְּבוּל הָאֱמוֹרִי וְהִיא שֶׁל אֱמוֹרִיִּים, וְנִכְנֶסֶת לִגְבוּל מוֹאָב עַד אַרְנוֹן שֶׁהוּא גְּבוּל מוֹאָב, וְשָׁם חָנוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל וְלֹא בָאוּ לִגְבוּל מוֹאָב, כי ארנון גבול מואב, וְהֵם לֹא נָתְנוּ לָהֶם רְשׁוּת לַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצָם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא פֵרְשָׁהּ מֹשֶׁה, פֵּרְשָׁהּ יִפְתָּח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר יִפְתָּח (שופטים י"א) "וְגַם אֶל מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב שָׁלַח וְלֹא אָבָה", וּמֹשֶׁה רְמָזָהּ (דברים ב'), "כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לִי בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּשֵׂעִיר וְהַמּוֹאָבִים הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּעָר" — מָה אֵלּוּ לֹא נְתָנוּם לַעֲבֹר בְּתוֹךְ אַרְצָם אֶלָּא הִקִּיפוּם סָבִיב, אַף מוֹאָב כֵּן:
14Concerning this it is said whenever people recount the wars of God, “What He gave at the Sea of Reeds, and the valleys of the Arnon River.		ידעַל־כֵּן֙ יֵֽאָמַ֔ר בְּסֵ֖פֶר מִלְחֲמֹ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה אֶת־וָהֵ֣ב בְּסוּפָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַנְּחָלִ֖ים אַרְנֽוֹן:
עַל־כֵּן יֵֽאָמַר - (lit.) About this – i.e., about this encampment and the miracles that occurred there - it is said whenever people recount the wars of God - i.e., when they relate the miracles performed for our ancestors, they will say: “What He gave….”		עַל־כֵּן יֵֽאָמַר. עַל חֲנִיָּה זוֹ וְנִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בָהּ יאמר בספר מלחמת ה' — כְּשֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים נִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ יְסַפְּרוּ אֶת וָהֵב וגו':
אֶת־וָהֵב - is the equivalent of אֶת יָהֵב (“What He gave”). Just as one says וָעֵד from the root יעד, so too one says וָהֵב from the root יהב, the ו being a root letter. In other words, it is saying: “That He gave them many miracles at the Sea of Reeds.”		אֶת־וָהֵב. כְּמוֹ אֶת יָהֵב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּאָמֵר מִן יעד וָעֵד, כֵּן יֵאָמֵר מִן יהב וָהֵב, וְהַוָּי"ו יְסוֹד הוּא, כְּלוֹמַר אֶת אֲשֶׁר יָהַב לָהֶם וְהִרְבָּה נִסִּים בְּיַם סוּף:
וְאֶת־הַנְּחָלִים אַרְנֽוֹן - And the valleys of the Arnon. Just as we relate the miracles at the Sea of Reeds, so should we relate the miracles at the valleys of the Arnon River, where great miracles were also performed. And what were these miracles?		וְאֶת־הַנְּחָלִים אַרְנֽוֹן. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים בְּנִסֵּי יַם סוּף, כָּךְ יֵשׁ לְסַפֵּר בְּנִסֵּי נַחֲלֵי אַרְנוֹן, שֶׁאַף כָּאן נַעֲשׂוּ נִסִּים גְּדוֹלִים, וּמָה הֵם הַנִּסִּים?
15The spillage of the valleys that moved toward the dwelling of Ar, and leaned toward the border of Moab.		טווְאֶ֨שֶׁד֙ הַנְּחָלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָטָ֖ה לְשֶׁ֣בֶת עָ֑ר וְנִשְׁעַ֖ן לִגְב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב:
וְאֶשֶׁד הַנְּחָלִים - The spillage of the valleys. The Aramaic translation of שֶׁפֶךְ is אֶשֶׁד. It thus means: The spilling at the valleys, for there the blood of the Amorites hiding there was spilled. Because the mountains were high and the valley below was deep and narrow, and the mountains were close to one another – a person standing on the mountain on one side could speak directly to his friend on the mountain on the other side – and the road passed through the valley, the Amorites said: “When Israel enters the valley to pass through, we will go out of the caves in the mountains above them and kill them with arrows and stone missiles.” These crevices were in the mountain on the Moabite side, and on the mountain on the Amorite side, opposite those crevices, projections like horns and breasts jutted out. When Israel came to pass through, the mountain of the land of Israel trembled like a maidservant going out to meet her mistress and moved toward the mountain of Moab, and the breast-like projections entered the crevices and killed the Amorites. This is the meaning of: “that moved toward the dwelling of Ar,” i.e., the mountain moved from its regular place and came over toward Moab and joined it, and this is the meaning of: “and leaned toward the border of Moab.”		וְאֶשֶׁד הַנְּחָלִים. תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל שֶׁפֶךְ "אֶשֶׁד" — שֶׁפֶךְ הַנְּחָלִים שֶׁנִּשְׁפַּךְ שָׁם דַּם אֱמוֹרִיִּים, שֶׁהָיוּ נֶחְבָּאִים שָׁם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ הֶהָרִים גְּבוֹהִים וְהַנַּחַל עָמֹק וְקָצָר וְהֶהָרִים סְמוּכִים זֶה לָזֶה — אָדָם עוֹמֵד עַל הָהָר מִזֶּה וּמְדַבֵּר עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בָּהָר הַזֶּה — וְהַדֶּרֶךְ עוֹבֵר בְּתוֹךְ הַנַּחַל, אָמְרוּ אֱמוֹרִיִּים, כְּשֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאָרֶץ לְתוֹךְ הַנַּחַל לַעֲבֹר, נֵצֵא מִן הַמְּעָרוֹת שֶׁבֶּהָרִים שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהֶם, וְנַהַרְגֵם בְּחִצִּים וְאַבְנֵי בָּלִיסְטְרָאוֹת, וְהָיוּ אוֹתָן הַנְּקָעִים בָּהָר שֶׁל צַד מוֹאָב, וּבָהָר שֶׁל צַד אֱמוֹרִיִּים הָיוּ כְּנֶגֶד אוֹתָן נְקָעִים כְּמִין קְרָנוֹת וְשָׁדַיִם בּוֹלְטִין לַחוּץ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲבֹר, נִזְדַּעְזַע הָהָר שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשִׁפְחָה הַיּוֹצֵאת לְהַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי גְבִרְתָּהּ, וְנִתְקָרֵב לְצַד הָהָר שֶׁל מוֹאָב וְנִכְנְסוּ אוֹתָן הַשָּׁדַיִם לְתוֹךְ אוֹתָן נְקָעִים וַהֲרָגוּם, וְזֶהוּ אֲשֶׁר נָטָה לְשֶׁבֶת עָר — שֶׁהָהָר נָטָה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְנִתְקָרֵב לְצַד מוֹאָב וְנִדְבַּק בּוֹ, וְזֶהוּ וְנִשְׁעַן לִגְבוּל מוֹאָב (תנחומא; ברכות נ"ד):
16From there, into the well; that is the well of which God said to Moses, ‘Gather the people, and I will give them water.’”		טזוּמִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֑רָה הִ֣וא הַבְּאֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לְמשֶׁ֔ה אֱסֹף֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם מָֽיִם:
וּמִשָּׁם בְּאֵרָה - From there, into the well - i.e., from there, this spillage came to the well. How so? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Who will inform My children of these miracles, for the parable states: If you have given bread to a child, inform his mother?” After they passed through, the mountains returned to their former place, and the well descended into the valley and drew up from there the blood of the slain, together with their muscular arms and other limbs, and carried them around the camp, so that Israel saw the miracle and recited this song in appreciation.		וּמִשָּׁם בְּאֵרָה. מִשָּׁם בָּא הָאֶשֶׁד אֶל הַבְּאֵר; כֵּיצַד? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִי מוֹדִיעַ לְבָנַי הַנִּסִּים הַלָּלוּ? הַמָּשָׁל אוֹמֵר "נָתַתָּ פַּת לְתִינוֹק הוֹדִיעַ לְאִמּוֹ". לְאַחַר שֶׁעָבְרוּ חָזְרוּ הֶהָרִים לִמְקוֹמָם, וְהַבְּאֵר יָרְדָה לְתוֹךְ הַנַּחַל וְהֶעֶלְתָה מִשָּׁם דַּם הַהֲרוּגִים וּזְרוֹעוֹת וְאֵבָרִים וּמוֹלַכְתָּן סָבִיב הַמַּחֲנֶה, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל רָאוּ וְאָמְרוּ שִׁירָה:
17Then Israel recited this poem: “Ascend, well! Recite this poem to it!		יזאָ֚ז יָשִׁ֣יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את עֲלִ֥י בְאֵ֖ר עֱנוּ־לָֽהּ:
עֲלִי בְאֵר - Ascend, well - from the valley, and bring up from it what you are bringing up. From where do we know that it was the well that informed them of these miracles? For it says: “From there, into the well.” 5 Did the well come from there? Surely it was with them from the beginning of the 40 years in the desert. Rather, it means that it descended into the valley to publicize the miracles. We also derive this from: “Then Israel recited”; this song was said at the end of 40 years, but the well was given to them at the beginning of the 40 years, so why was it written here? Rather, the subject should be expounded as a continuation of what is stated above.		עֲלִי בְאֵר. מִתּוֹךְ הַנַּחַל וְהַעֲלִי מַה שֶּׁאַתְּ מַעֲלָה; וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהַבְּאֵר הוֹדִיעָה לָהֶם? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּמִשָּׁם בְּאֵרָה", וְכִי מִשָּׁם הָיְתָה, וַהֲלֹא מִתְּחִלַּת אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָיְתָה עִמָּהֶם? אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּרְדָה לְפַרְסֵם אֶת הַנִּסִּים (תנחומא); וְכֵן אָז יָשִׁיר … הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת נֶאֶמְרָה בְּסוֹף אַרְבָּעִים וְהַבְּאֵר נִתְּנָה לָהֶם מִתְּחִלַּת אַרְבָּעִים, מָה רָאָה לִכָּתֵב כָּאן? אֶלָּא הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה נִדְרָשׁ לְמַעְלָה הֵימָנוּ:
18It is a well dug by princes, carved out by nobles of the people, through the lawgiver with their staffs, and from the desert it was a gift.		יחבְּאֵ֞ר חֲפָר֣וּהָ שָׂרִ֗ים כָּר֨וּהָ֙ נְדִיבֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם בִּמְחֹקֵ֖ק בְּמִשְׁעֲנֹתָ֑ם וּמִמִּדְבָּ֖ר מַתָּנָֽה:
בְּאֵר חֲפָרוּהָ - It is a well dug by [princes] - i.e., this is the well that the princes – Moses and Aaron – dug.		בְּאֵר חֲפָרוּהָ. זֹאת הִיא הַבְּאֵר אֲשֶׁר חֲפָרוּהָ שָׂרִים — מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן:
בְּמִשְׁעֲנֹתָם - means: with the staff.		בְּמִשְׁעֲנֹתָם. בַּמַּטֶּה:
וּמִמִּדְבָּר - And from the desert - it was given to them.		וּמִמִּדְבָּר. נִתְּנָה לָהֶם:
19After being a gift, it descended into the valleys; and from the valleys, it ascended to the heights.		יטוּמִמַּתָּנָ֖ה נַֽחֲלִיאֵ֑ל וּמִנַּֽחֲלִיאֵ֖ל בָּמֽוֹת:
וּמִמַּתָּנָה נַֽחֲלִיאֵל - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “And from when it was given to them, it would go down with them to the valleys, and from the valleys it would go up with them to the heights.”		וּמִמַּתָּנָה נַֽחֲלִיאֵל. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
20From the heights, it will descend to the valley in the field of Moab. The top of the peak can be seen over the wastelands.”		כוּמִבָּמ֗וֹת הַגַּיְא֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וְנִשְׁקָ֖פָה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַיְשִׁימֹֽן:
וּמִבָּמוֹת הַגַּיְא אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב - From the heights, to the valley in the field of Moab - for Moses died there, and there the well stopped flowing. Another explanation: “carved out by nobles of the people” – for whenever they encamped, each tribal prince would take his staff and draw a path to his banner and his division, and the water of the well flowed by way of that sign to each tribe’s location.		וּמִבָּמוֹת הַגַּיְא אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב. כִּי שָׁם מֵת מֹשֶׁה וְשָׁם בָּטְלָה הַבְּאֵר; דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּרוּהָ נְדִיבֵי הָעָם — כָּל נָשִׂיא וְנָשִׂיא כְּשֶׁהָיוּ חוֹנִים נוֹטֵל מַקְלוֹ וּמוֹשֵׁךְ אֵצֶל דִּגְלוֹ וּמַחֲנֵהוּ, וּמֵי הַבְּאֵר נִמְשָׁכִין דֶּרֶךְ אוֹתוֹ סִימָן וּבָאִין לִפְנֵי חֲנִיַּת כָּל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט (תנחומא):
בִּמְחֹקֵק - Through the lawgiver - i.e., through Moses, who was called מְחֹקֵק “the lawgiver,” as it says: “because there the burial site of the lawgiver (מְחֹקֵק) is hidden.” 6 And why is Moses not mentioned explicitly in this song? Because he was punished for striking the rock when attempting to restore the well. And since Moses’ name is not mentioned, the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is also not mentioned. This may be compared to a king who was invited to a banquet. He said: “If my friend is there I will be there, but if not, I will not go.”		בִּמְחֹקֵק. עַל פִּי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁנִּקְרָא מְחוֹקֵק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי שָׁם חֶלְקַת מְחֹקֵק סָפוּן" (דברים ל"ג); וְלָמָּה לֹא נִזְכַּר מֹשֶׁה בְּשִׁירָה זוֹ? לְפִי שֶׁלָּקָה עַל יְדֵי הַבְּאֵר, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁלֹּא נִזְכַּר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה לֹא נִזְכַּר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ מְזַמְּנִין אוֹתוֹ לִסְעוּדָה, אָמַר אִם אוֹהֲבִי שָׁם אֲנִי שָׁם, וְאִם לָאו אֵינִי הוֹלֵךְ (תנחומא):
רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: רֵישׁ רָמָתָא “the peak of the height”.		רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "רֵישׁ רָמָתָא":
פסגה - denotes height, similar to: פַּסְּגוּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ, 7 meaning “elevate its palaces.”		פסגה. לְשׁוֹן גֹּבַהּ, וְכֵן "פַּסְּגוּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ" (תהילים מ"ח) — הַגְבִּיהוּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ:
וְנִשְׁקָפָה - It can be seen - i.e., that height overlooks the place named יְשִׁימֹן, a term denoting a desert, which is desolate (שָׁמֵם). Another explanation: The well overlooks the wastelands, for the rock from which it flowed was concealed in the lake of Tiberias, and one standing in the wastelands can look and see something resembling a sieve in the lake, which previously was the well. So did Rabbi Tanchuma expound it.		וְנִשְׁקָפָה. אוֹתָהּ הַפִּסְגָּה עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ יְשִׁימוֹן, וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן מִדְבָּר שֶׁהוּא שָׁמֵם; דָּבָר אַחֵר וְנִשְׁקָפָה הַבְּאֵר עַל פְּנֵי הַיְשִׁימוֹן, שֶׁנִּגְנְזָה בְּיַמָּהּ שֶׁל טְבֶרְיָא, וְהָעוֹמֵד עַל הַיְשִׁימוֹן מַבִּיט וְרוֹאֶה כְּמִין כְּבָרָה בַּיָּם, וְהִיא הַבְּאֵר, כָּךְ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא:

Footnotes

Seventh Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 21

21Israel sent messengers to Sichon the king of the Amorites to say,		כאוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־סִיחֹ֥ן מֶֽלֶךְ־הָֽאֱמֹרִ֖י לֵאמֹֽר:
וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים - Israel sent messengers - but elsewhere, Scripture attributes the sending to Moses, as it says: “Following the example God set in the Sinai desert, I sent messengers to King Sichon of Cheshbon.” 1 Similarly, we find: “Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom,” 2 yet in Yiftach’s account of this it states: “Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom….” 3 These verses need one another to arrive at the accurate conclusion that both messengers were sent by Moses on behalf of all Israel: one “locks” and the other “opens” – that Moses is equivalent to Israel, and Israel is equivalent to Moses. This is thus telling you that the leader of the generation is like the entire generation, for the leader is the collective embodiment of everyone.		וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים. וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר תּוֹלֶה הַשְּׁלִיחוּת בְּמֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וָאֶשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים מִמִּדְבַּר קְדֵמוֹת" (דברים ב'), וְכֵן "וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה מַלְאָכִים מִקָּדֵשׁ אֶל מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם" (במדבר כ'), וּבְיִפְתָּח הוּא אוֹמֵר (שופטים י"א) "וַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם" וְגוֹ', הַכְּתוּבִים הַלָּלוּ צְרִיכִין זֶה לָזֶה, זֶה נוֹעֵל וְזֶה פוֹתֵחַ, שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה הוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם מֹשֶׁה, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁנְּשִׂיא הַדּוֹר הוּא כְּכָל הַדּוֹר, כִּי הַנָּשִׂיא הוּא הַכֹּל (תנחומא):
22“Let us pass through your land. We will not venture into fields or vineyards or drink well-water. We will walk along the king’s road until we have passed through your territory.”		כבאֶעְבְּרָ֣ה בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ לֹ֤א נִטֶּה֙ בְּשָׂדֶ֣ה וּבְכֶ֔רֶם לֹ֥א נִשְׁתֶּ֖ה מֵ֣י בְאֵ֑ר בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ נֵלֵ֔ךְ עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־נַֽעֲבֹ֖ר גְּבֻלֶֽךָ:
אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ - Let us pass through your land. Although they had not been commanded to begin by offering peace to them, they asked them to let them pass in peace.		אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוּוּ לִפְתֹּחַ לָהֶם בְּשָׁלוֹם בִּקְּשׁוּ מֵהֶם שָׁלוֹם (שם):
23Sichon did not permit Israel to pass through his territory. Sichon gathered all his people, and he went out to the desert toward Israel. He arrived at Yahatz and fought against Israel.		כגוְלֹֽא־נָתַ֨ן סִיחֹ֥ן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ עֲבֹ֣ר בִּגְבֻלוֹ֒ וַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֨ף סִיחֹ֜ן אֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֗וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֞א לִקְרַ֤את יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַמִּדְבָּ֔רָה וַיָּבֹ֖א יָ֑הְצָה וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְלֹֽא־נָתַן סִיחֹן וגו' - Sichon did not permit…. – since all the Canaanite kings were paying him tribute, as he was protecting them so no army invade them. Thus, when Israel said to him: “Let us pass through your land,” he answered them, “My entire purpose in dwelling here is to protect them from you, and you are saying this!”		וְלֹֽא־נָתַן סִיחֹן וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁכָּל מַלְכֵי כְנַעַן הָיוּ מַעֲלִין לוֹ מַס, שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹמְרָם שֶׁלֹּא יַעַבְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם גְּיָסוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ, אָ"לָ, כָּל עַצְמִי אֵינִי יוֹשֵׁב כָּאן אֶלָּא לְשָׁמְרָם מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וְאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים כָּךְ (תנחומא):
וַיֵּצֵא לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל - And he went out toward Israel. Even if Cheshbon were full of gnats, no creature could have conquered it, and even if Sichon were in a weak village, no one could have conquered him – all the more so that he was in Cheshbon. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Why should I have My children go to the trouble of laying siege to each individual city?” He therefore inspired all the Amorite soldiers to leave their cities, and they all gathered in one place and were defeated there. From there, Israel proceeded to the cities, where no one resisted them for there were none there but women and children.		וַיֵּצֵא לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אִלּוּ הָיְתָה חֶשְׁבּוֹן מְלֵאָה יַתּוּשִׁין אֵין כָּל בְּרִיָּה יְכוֹלָה לְכָבְשָׁהּ, וְאִם הָיָה סִיחוֹן בִּכְפָר חַלָּשׁ אֵין כָּל אָדָם יָכוֹל לְכָבְשׁוֹ, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהָיָה בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן; אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָה אֲנִי מַטְרִיחַ עַל בָּנַי כָּל זֹאת לָצוּר עַל כָּל עִיר וָעִיר? נָתַן בְּלֵב כָּל אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה לָצֵאת מִן הָעֲיָרוֹת, וְנִתְקַבְּצוּ כֻלָּם לְמָקוֹם אֶחָד וְשָׁם נָפְלוּ, וּמִשָּׁם הָלְכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הֶעָרִים וְאֵין עוֹמֵד לְנֶגְדָּם, כִּי אֵין שָׁם אֶלָּא נָשִׁים וָטָף (שם):
24Israel smote him with the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon River to the Yabok River, and as far east as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong.		כדוַיַּכֵּ֥הוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וַיִּירַ֨שׁ אֶת־אַרְצ֜וֹ מֵֽאַרְנֹ֗ן עַד־יַבֹּק֙ עַד־בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן כִּ֣י עַ֔ז גְּב֖וּל בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
כִּי עַז - For it was strong. And what was its strength? The warning of the Holy One, blessed be He, who said to them: “Do not distress them….” 4		כִּי עַז. וּמַהוּ חָזְקוֹ? הַתְרָאָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם אַל תְּצֻרֵם וְגוֹ' (דברים ב'):
25Israel took all these cities and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Cheshbon and all its villages.		כהוַיִּקַּח֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֥ת כָּל־הֶֽעָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּכָל־עָרֵ֣י הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן וּבְכָל־בְּנֹתֶֽיהָ:
בְּנֹתֶֽיהָ - means: its adjacent villages.		בְּנֹתֶֽיהָ. כְּפָרִים הַסְּמוּכִים לָהּ:
26For Cheshbon was the city of King Sichon of the Amorites, for he had fought against the first king of Moab, taking all his land as far as the Arnon River.		כוכִּ֣י חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן עִ֗יר סִיחֹ֛ן מֶ֥לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֖י הִ֑וא וְה֣וּא נִלְחַ֗ם בְּמֶ֤לֶךְ מוֹאָב֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־כָּל־אַרְצ֛וֹ מִיָּד֖וֹ עַד־אַרְנֹֽן:
וְהוּא נִלְחַם - For he had fought. Why did this need to be written? Since it says: “Do not distress the Moabites,” 5 and Cheshbon was originally part of Moab, it tells us that Sichon had taken it away from them, and thus through him it became permitted to Israel.		וְהוּא נִלְחַם. לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לִכָּתֵב? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "אַל תָּצַר אֶת מוֹאָב", וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן מִשֶּׁל מוֹאָב הָיְתָה, כָּתַב לָנוּ שֶׁסִּיחוֹן לְקָחָהּ מֵהֶם וְעַל יָדוֹ טָהֲרָה לְיִשְֹרָאֵל (חולין ס'; גיטין ל"ח):
מִיָּדוֹ - (lit.) From his hand - means from being in his possession.		מִיָּדוֹ. מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ (בבא מציעא נ"ו):
27Therefore, those who speak in parables said, “Come to Cheshbon. May it be built and established as the city of Sichon.		כזעַל־כֵּ֛ן יֹֽאמְר֥וּ הַמּֽשְׁלִ֖ים בֹּ֣אוּ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן תִּבָּנֶ֥ה וְתִכּוֹנֵ֖ן עִ֥יר סִיחֽוֹן:
עַל־כֵּן - (lit.) About this - i.e., concerning that war that Sichon fought against Moab.		עַל־כֵּן. עַל אוֹתָהּ מִלְחָמָה שֶׁנִּלְחַם סִיחוֹן בְּמוֹאָב:
יֹֽאמְרוּ הַמּֽשְׁלִים - Those who speak in parables said. This refers principally to Balaam, about whom it says: “He began to recite his parable (מְשָׁלוֹ).” 6		יֹֽאמְרוּ הַמּֽשְׁלִים. בִּלְעָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ "וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ" (במדבר כ"ג):
הַמּֽשְׁלִים - Those who speak in parables - i.e., Balaam and his father Be’or, and they said:		הַמּֽשְׁלִים. בִּלְעָם וּבְעוֹר, וְהֵם אָמְרוּ:
בֹּאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן - Come to Cheshbon - for Sichon was unable to conquer it, so he went and hired Balaam to curse it. And this is what Balak referred to when he said to him: “for I know that whomever you bless is blessed….” 7		בֹּאוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן. שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה סִיחוֹן יָכוֹל לְכָבְשָׁהּ וְהָלַךְ וְשָׂכַר אֶת בִּלְעָם לְקַלְּלוֹ (תנחומא); וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ בָּלָק "כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר תְּבָרֵךְ מְבֹרָךְ" וְגוֹ' (במדבר כ"ב):
תִּבָּנֶה וְתִכּוֹנֵן - May it be built and established. referring to Cheshbon – with the name of Sichon, to become his city.		תִּבָּנֶה וְתִכּוֹנֵן. חֶשְׁבּוֹן בְּשֵׁם סִיחוֹן לִהְיוֹת עִירוֹ:
28For a fire has gone forth from Cheshbon, a flame from the city of Sichon; it has consumed Ar of Moab, wherein reside the masters of the altars of the Arnon River.		כחכִּי־אֵשׁ֙ יָֽצְאָ֣ה מֵֽחֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן לֶֽהָבָ֖ה מִקִּרְיַ֣ת סִיחֹ֑ן אָֽכְלָה֙ עָ֣ר מוֹאָ֔ב בַּֽעֲלֵ֖י בָּמ֥וֹת אַרְנֹֽן:
כִּי־אֵשׁ יָֽצְאָה מֵֽחֶשְׁבּוֹן - For a fire has gone forth from Cheshbon - after Sichon conquered it.		כִּי־אֵשׁ יָֽצְאָה מֵֽחֶשְׁבּוֹן. מִשֶּׁכְּבָשָׁהּ סִיחוֹן:
אָֽכְלָה עָר מוֹאָב - It has consumed Ar of Moab. The name of that district is Ar in Hebrew and Lechayat in Aramaic. Thus:		אָֽכְלָה עָר מוֹאָב. שֵׁם אוֹתָהּ הַמְּדִינָה קָרוּי עָר בְּלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִי וּלְחָיַת בְּלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי:
עָר מוֹאָב - means the Ar district of Moab.		עָר מוֹאָב. עָר שֶׁל מוֹאָב:
29Woe to you, Moab; you are lost, people of Kemosh. He has given his sons over as refugees and his daughters into captivity, to Sichon, king of the Amorites.		כטאֽוֹי־לְךָ֣ מוֹאָ֔ב אָבַ֖דְתָּ עַם־כְּמ֑וֹשׁ נָתַ֨ן בָּנָ֤יו פְּלֵיטִם֙ וּבְנֹתָ֣יו בַּשְּׁבִ֔ית לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אֱמֹרִ֖י סִיחֽוֹן:
אֽוֹי־לְךָ מוֹאָב - Woe to you, Moab - for Balaam and Be’or cursed the Moabites to be handed over to Sichon.		אֽוֹי־לְךָ מוֹאָב. שֶׁקִּלְּלוּ אֶת מוֹאָב שֶׁיִּמָּסְרוּ בְיָדוֹ (תנחומא):
כְּמוֹשׁ - Kemosh - the name of Moab’s deity.		כְּמוֹשׁ. שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי מוֹאָב:
נָתַן - He has given - i.e., whoever gave, this being an elliptical phrase – the sons of Moab as –		נָתַן. הַנּוֹתֵן אֶת בָּנָיו שֶׁל מוֹאָב:
פְּלֵיטִם - Refugees - i.e., running to escape the sword, and given “his daughters into captivity….”		פְּלֵיטִם. — נָסִים וּפְלֵטִים מֵחֶרֶב וְאֶת בְּנוֹתָיו בַּשְּׁבִית וְגוֹ':
30Their sovereignty over Cheshbon is destroyed; it has departed from Divon. We laid them waste as far as Nofach, which reaches until Meideva.”		לוַנִּירָ֛ם אָבַ֥ד חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן עַד־דִּיבֹ֑ן וַנַּשִּׁ֣ים עַד־נֹ֔פַח אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַד־מֵֽידְבָֽא:
וַנִּירָם אָבַד - means: their sovereignty.		וַנִּירָם אָבַד. מַלְכוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם:
אָבַד חֶשְׁבּוֹן עַד־דִּיבֹן - means the sovereignty and authority Moab had over Cheshbon disappeared from there. The same meaning applies to עַד דִּיבֹן, for the Aramaic translation of סָר “depart” is עַד, i.e., their sovereignty departed from Divon. נִיר is a term denoting sovereignty and authority of human rule, as in: “so that there be sovereignty (נִיר) for My servant David.” 8		אָבַד חֶשְׁבּוֹן עַד־דִּיבֹן. — מַלְכוּת וְעֹל שֶׁהָיָה לְמוֹאָב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן אָבַד מִשָּׁם, וְכֵן עַד דִּיבֹן; תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל סָר "עַד", כְּלוֹמַר סָר נִיר מִדִּיבֹן; נִיר לְשׁוֹן מַלְכוּת וְעֹל מֶמְשֶׁלֶת אִישׁ, כְּמוֹ "לְמַעַן הֱיוֹת נִיר לְדָוִד עַבְדִּי" (מ"א י"א):
וַנַּשִּׁים - the ש has a dagesh, denoting desolation (שְׁמָמָה); i.e., this is what those speaking in parables said: וַנַּשִּׁים אוֹתָם – We laid them desolate – We laid them desolate as far as Nofach.		וַנַּשִּׁים. שִׁי"ן דְּגוּשָׁה, לְשׁוֹן שְׁמָמָה, כָּךְ יֹאמְרוּ הַמֹּשְׁלִים, "וַנַּשִּׁים אוֹתָם עַד נֹפַח" — הֲשִׁמּוֹנוּם עַד נֹפַח:
31Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.		לאוַיֵּ֨שֶׁב֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּאֶ֖רֶץ הָֽאֱמֹרִֽי:
32Moses sent men to spy out Ya’zer. They captured its villages, dispossessing the Amorites who lived there.		לבוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח משֶׁה֙ לְרַגֵּ֣ל אֶת־יַעְזֵ֔ר וַיִּלְכְּד֖וּ בְּנֹתֶ֑יהָ וַיּ֖וֹרֶשׁ (כתיב ויירש) אֶת־הָֽאֱמֹרִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־שָֽׁם:
וַיִּשְׁלַח משֶׁה לְרַגֵּל אֶת־יַעְזֵר - Moses sent [men] to spy out Ya’zer. The spies themselves captured it. They said: “We will not act like the first spies. We are confident in the power of Moses’ prayer to be able to fight.”		וַיִּשְׁלַח משֶׁה לְרַגֵּל אֶת־יַעְזֵר. הַמְרַגְּלִים לְכָדוּהָ, אָמְרוּ לֹא נַעֲשֶׂה כָּרִאשׁוֹנִים, בְּטוּחִים אָנוּ בְּכֹחַ תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה לְהִלָּחֵם (תנחומא):
33They turned and ascended toward Bashan. King Og of Bashan came out toward them with all his people to wage war at Edre’i.		לגוַיִּפְנוּ֙ וַיַּֽעֲל֔וּ דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וַיֵּצֵ֣א עוֹג֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֨ן לִקְרָאתָ֜ם ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אֶדְרֶֽעִי:
34God said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him, his people, and his land into your hand. You will do to him as you did to Sichon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Cheshbon.”		לדוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ אַל־תִּירָ֣א אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֣י בְיָֽדְךָ֞ נָתַ֧תִּי אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֗יתָ לְסִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּֽוֹן:
אֶל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ - Do not fear him. God said this to him for Moses was afraid to fight Og, thinking the merit of informing Abraham of Lot’s capture might stand up for him, as it says: “The survivor came and told Abram….” 9 This was Og, who alone survived of the Rephaim whom Kedorla’omer and his allies defeated at Ashterot-Karnayim, as it says: “For only King Og of Bashan was left from the remnant of the Rephaim.” 10		אֶל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ. שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה יָרֵא לְהִלָּחֵם, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲמֹד לוֹ זְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט" (בראשית י"ד) — הוּא עוֹג שֶׁפָּלַט מִן הָרְפָאִים שֶׁהִכּוּ כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר וַחֲבֵרָיו בְּעַשְׁתְּרוֹת קַרְנַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ג') "רַק עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן נִשְׁאַר מִיֶּתֶר הָרְפָאִים" (נדה ס"א):
35They smote him, his sons, and all his people, leaving no survivors, and they took possession of his land.		להוַיַּכּ֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֔וֹ עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ שָׂרִ֑יד וַיִּֽירְשׁ֖וּ אֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ:
וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ - They smote him - it was Moses himself who killed him, as stated in Tractate Berachot in chapter Haro’eh: 11 Og uprooted a mountain three parsah wide, the same width as the Israelite camp….		וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ. מֹשֶׁה הֲרָגוֹ, כִּדְאִיתָא בִבְרָכוֹת בְּהָרוֹאֶה (ברכות דף נ"ד), עֲקַר טוּרָא בַּר תְּלָתָא פַרְסֵי וְכוּ':

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 22

1The Israelites journeyed and camped in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho.

אוַיִּסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּֽחֲנוּ֙ בְּעַרְב֣וֹת מוֹאָ֔ב מֵעֵ֖בֶר לְיַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵחֽוֹ:

Footnotes

above 20:14.

1 Kings 11:36.

Berachot 54b.

Maftir Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 21

34God said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him, his people, and his land into your hand. You will do to him as you did to Sichon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Cheshbon.”		לדוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ אַל־תִּירָ֣א אֹת֔וֹ כִּ֣י בְיָֽדְךָ֞ נָתַ֧תִּי אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ לּ֔וֹ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֗יתָ לְסִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּֽוֹן:
אֶל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ - Do not fear him. God said this to him for Moses was afraid to fight Og, thinking the merit of informing Abraham of Lot’s capture might stand up for him, as it says: “The survivor came and told Abram….” 1 This was Og, who alone survived of the Rephaim whom Kedorla’omer and his allies defeated at Ashterot-Karnayim, as it says: “For only King Og of Bashan was left from the remnant of the Rephaim.” 2		אֶל־תִּירָא אֹתוֹ. שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה יָרֵא לְהִלָּחֵם, שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲמֹד לוֹ זְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט" (בראשית י"ד) — הוּא עוֹג שֶׁפָּלַט מִן הָרְפָאִים שֶׁהִכּוּ כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר וַחֲבֵרָיו בְּעַשְׁתְּרוֹת קַרְנַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ג') "רַק עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן נִשְׁאַר מִיֶּתֶר הָרְפָאִים" (נדה ס"א):
35They smote him, his sons, and all his people, leaving no survivors, and they took possession of his land.		להוַיַּכּ֨וּ אֹת֤וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֔וֹ עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ שָׂרִ֑יד וַיִּֽירְשׁ֖וּ אֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ:
וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ - They smote him - it was Moses himself who killed him, as stated in Tractate Berachot in chapter Haro’eh: 3 Og uprooted a mountain three parsah wide, the same width as the Israelite camp….		וַיַּכּוּ אֹתוֹ. מֹשֶׁה הֲרָגוֹ, כִּדְאִיתָא בִבְרָכוֹת בְּהָרוֹאֶה (ברכות דף נ"ד), עֲקַר טוּרָא בַּר תְּלָתָא פַרְסֵי וְכוּ':

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 22

1The Israelites journeyed and camped in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho.

אוַיִּסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּֽחֲנוּ֙ בְּעַרְב֣וֹת מוֹאָ֔ב מֵעֵ֖בֶר לְיַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵחֽוֹ:

Footnotes

Genesis 14:13.

Deuteronomy 3:11.

Berachot 54b.

Haftarah

Shoftim (Judges) Chapter 11

1Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a woman harlot, and Gilead begot Jephthah.		אוְיִפְתָּ֣ח הַגִּלְעָדִ֗י הָיָה֙ גִּבּ֣וֹר חַ֔יִל וְה֖וּא בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד גִּלְעָ֖ד אֶת־יִפְתָּֽח:
2And Gilead's wife bore him sons; and his wife's sons grew up and drove Jephthah out, and they said to him, "You shall not inherit in our father's house for you are the son of another woman."		בוַתֵּ֧לֶד אֵֽשֶׁת־גִּלְעָ֛ד ל֖וֹ בָּנִ֑ים וַיִּגְדְּל֨וּ בְֽנֵי־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה וַיְגָרְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־יִפְתָּ֗ח וַיֹּ֚אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ לֹֽא־תִנְחַ֣ל בְּבֵית־אָבִ֔ינוּ כִּ֛י בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֥ה אַחֶ֖רֶת אָֽתָּה:
3And Jephthah fled from his brothers and he dwelt in the land of Tob; and idle men were gathered to Jephthah, and they went out with him.		גוַיִּבְרַ֚ח יִפְתָּח֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י אֶחָ֔יו וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּאֶ֣רֶץ ט֑וֹב וַיִּֽתְלַקְּט֚וּ אֶל־יִפְתָּח֙ אֲנָשִׁ֣ים רֵיקִ֔ים וַיֵּצְא֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ:
4And it was after many days, and the children of Ammon made war with Israel.		דוַיְהִ֖י מִיָּמִ֑ים וַיִּלָּחֲמ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
and the children of Ammon made war. (The war) referred to above.		וילחמו בני עמון. היא האמורה למעלה (י ט):
5And it was, when the children of Ammon fought with Israel; and the elders of Gilead went to take Jephthah from the land of Tob.		הוַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁר־נִלְחֲמ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד לָקַ֥חַת אֶת־יִפְתָּ֖ח מֵאֶ֥רֶץ טֽוֹב:
6And they said to Jephthah, "Come and become our chief, and we will fight with the children of Ammon."		ווַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְיִפְתָּ֔ח לְכָ֕ה וְהָיִ֥יתָה לָּ֖נוּ לְקָצִ֑ין וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֖ה בִּבְנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
7And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me, and drive me from my father's house? So why have you come to me now when you are in distress?"		זוַיֹּ֚אמֶר יִפְתָּח֙ לְזִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד הֲלֹ֚א אַתֶּם֙ שְׁנֵאתֶ֣ם אוֹתִ֔י וַתְּגָרְשׁ֖וּנִי מִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וּמַדּ֜וּעַ בָּאתֶ֚ם אֵלַי֙ עַ֔תָּה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צַ֥ר לָכֶֽם:
8And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "Therefore we returned to you now, and you shall go with us, and you will fight with the children of Ammon, and you shall become our head, over all the inhabitants of Gilead."		חוַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ זִקְנֵ֨י גִלְעָ֜ד אֶל־יִפְתָּ֗ח לָכֵן֙ עַתָּה֙ שַׁ֣בְנוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ עִמָּ֔נוּ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖ בִּבְנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וְהָיִ֚יתָ לָּ֙נוּ֙ לְרֹ֔אשׁ לְכֹ֖ל ישְׁבֵ֥י גִלְעָֽד:
9And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me back to fight with the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them before me, I will become your head."		טוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִפְתָּ֜ח אֶל־זִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֗ד אִם־מְשִׁיבִ֨ים אַתֶּ֚ם אוֹתִי֙ לְהִלָּחֵם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וְנָתַ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה אוֹתָ֖ם לְפָנָ֑י אָנֹכִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לְרֹֽאשׁ:
10And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The Lord shall hear between us, if not according to your word so will we do."		יוַיֹּאמְר֥וּ זִקְנֵֽי־גִלְעָ֖ד אֶל־יִפְתָּ֑ח יְהֹוָ֗ה יִהְיֶ֚ה שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ בֵּֽינוֹתֵ֔ינוּ אִם־לֹ֥א כִדְבָרְךָ֖ כֵּ֥ן נַעֲשֶֹֽה:
11And Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people appointed him a head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.		יאוַיֵּ֚לֶךְ יִפְתָּח֙ עִם־זִקְנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד וַיָּשִֹ֨ימוּ הָעָ֥ם אוֹת֛וֹ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לְרֹ֣אשׁ וּלְקָצִ֑ין וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יִפְתָּ֧ח אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרָ֛יו לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּמִּצְפָּֽה:
all his words. The stipulation which was between them.		את כל דבריו. התנאי שביניהם:
before the Lord in Mizpah. At the place where they all gathered (above 10:17), since the Divine Presence resides amongst the multitudes of the congregation.		לפני ה' במצפה. למקום שנאספו כולם, שהשכינה שורה על רוב צבור:
12And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, "What is (between) me and you, that you have come to me to fight in my land?"		יבוַיִּשְׁלַ֚ח יִפְתָּח֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר מַה־לִּ֣י וָלָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־בָ֥אתָ אֵלַ֖י לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם בְּאַרְצִֽי:
13And the king of the children of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land, when they came out of Egypt, from Arnon and up to the Jabbok, and up to the Jordan; and now restore them peacefully."		יגוַיֹּאמֶר֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בְּנֵי־עַמּ֜וֹן אֶל־מַלְאֲכֵ֣י יִפְתָּ֗ח כִּֽי־לָקַ֨ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֚ל אֶת־אַרְצִי֙ בַּעֲלוֹת֣וֹ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם מֵאַרְנ֥וֹן וְעַד־הַיַּבֹּ֖ק וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְעַתָּ֕ה הָשִׁ֥יבָה אֶתְהֶ֖ן בְּשָׁלֽוֹם:
14And Jephthah continued, and sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon.		ידוַיּ֥וֹסֶף ע֖וֹד יִפְתָּ֑ח וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
15And he said to him, "So said Jephthah, Israel did not take the land of Moab and the land of the children of Ammon.		טווַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יִפְתָּ֑ח לֹֽא־לָקַ֚ח יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וְאֶת־אֶ֖רֶץ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
16Because when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness up to the Red Sea, and they came to Kadesh.		טזכִּ֖י בַּעֲלוֹתָ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֚ל בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ עַד־יַם־ס֔וּף וַיָּבֹ֖א קָדֵֽשָׁה:
up to the Red Sea. Located south of the land of Edom which is itself located to the south of the land of Canaan.		עד ים סוף. בדרומה של ארץ אדום, וארץ אדום בדרומה של ארץ כנען:
17And Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom saying, 'Let me pass now through your land,' and the king of Edom did not listen, and also to the king of Moab he sent, and he was unwilling; and Israel abode in Kadesh.		יזוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מַלְאָכִ֣ים \| אֶל־מֶלֶךְ֩ אֱד֨וֹם \| לֵאמֹ֜ר אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֣א בְאַרְצֶ֗ךָ וְלֹ֚א שָׁמַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֱד֔וֹם וְגַ֨ם אֶל־מֶ֧לֶךְ מוֹאָ֛ב שָׁלַ֖ח וְלֹ֣א אָבָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקָדֵֽשׁ:
Let me pass now through your land. From the South to the North to enter the land of Canaan.		אעברה נא בארצך. מדרום לצפון, ליכנס לארץ כנען:
and also to the king of Moab. Whose land was adjacent to the land of Edom along the east, and was to the south of the land of Israel.		וגם אל מלך מואב. שהיתה ארצו בסוף ארץ אדום, במזרחה של אדום ובדרומה של ארץ ישראל:
and he was unwilling. Moses hinted this in the Torah (Deut. 2: 29), “As was done to me by the children of Esau who dwell in Seir (Edom) and by the Moabites who dwell in Ar,” implying that just as Edom did not let them pass, similarly Moab did not let them pass.		ולא אבה. משה רמזה בתורה (דברים ב כט): כאשר עשו לי בני עשו היושבים בשעיר והמואבים היושבים בער, כשם שאדום לא נתנום לעבור, כך מואב לא נתנום לעבור:
18And they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and they came to the east of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon, and they did not come within the border of Moab, for (the) Arnon (was) the border of Moab.		יחוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וַיָּ֜סָב אֶת־אֶ֚רֶץ אֱדוֹם֙ וְאֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וַיָּבֹ֚א מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לְאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּן בְּעֵ֣בֶר אַרְנ֑וֹן וְלֹא־בָ֙אוּ֙ בִּגְב֣וּל מוֹאָ֔ב כִּ֥י אַרְנ֖וֹן גְּב֥וּל מוֹאָֽב:
And they went through the wilderness. From west to east along the southern border of Edom and Moab.		וילך במדבר. מן המערב למזרח, במיצר דרומי של אדום ומואב:
and went around the land of Edom. Its entire southern border.		ויסב את ארץ אדום. כל דרומה:
and the land of Moab. The entire southern border, and when they reached the southeastern corner they turned north to compass the eastern border.		ואת ארץ מואב. כל דרומה, וכשהגיע למקצוע דרומית מזרחית, פנה אל הצפון לסבוב את מיצר המזרחי:
and they came to the east of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon. To the end of the eastern border of the land of Moab whence began the land of Sichon and Og. They then conquered the side of the Jordan to the east of the land of Canaan (as the following verses indicate), and then crossed the Jordan, entering the land of Canaan from the east.		ויבא ממזרח שמש לארץ מואב ויחנון בעבר ארנון. לסוף מזרחה של ארץ מואב, ושם התחילה ארץ סיחון ועוג, וכבשו עבר הירדן במזרח ארץ כנען ועברו הירדן, ונכנסו לה לארץ כנען דרך המזרח:
19And Israel sent messengers to Sichon, king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, 'Please let us pass through your land up to my place.'		יטוַיִּשְׁלַ֚ח יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־סִיח֥וֹן מֶֽלֶך־הָאֱמֹרִ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן וַיֹּ֚אמֶר לוֹ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נַעְבְּרָה־נָּ֥א בְאַרְצְךָ֖ עַד־מְקוֹמִֽי:
20And Sichon did not trust Israel to pass through his border, and Sichon gathered all his people, and they encamped in Jahaz, and he fought with Israel.		כוְלֹא־הֶאֱמִ֨ין סִיח֚וֹן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֲבֹ֣ר בִּגְבֻל֔וֹ וַיֶּאֱסֹ֚ף סִיחוֹן֙ אֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֔וֹ וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּיָ֑הְצָה וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
21And the Lord, the God of Israel, delivered Sichon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them; and Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that land.		כאוַ֠יִּתֵּן יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־סִיח֧וֹן וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּ֛וֹ בְּיַ֥ד יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיַּכּ֑וּם וַיִּירַשׁ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הָאֱמֹרִ֔י יוֹשֵׁ֖ב הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִֽיא:
22And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon up to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness up to the Jordan.		כבוַיִּ֣ירְשׁ֔וּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־גְּב֣וּל הָאֱמֹרִ֑י מֵֽאַרְנוֹן֙ וְעַד־הַיַּבֹּ֔ק וּמִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר וְעַד־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן:
And they possessed… from the Arnon up to the Jabbok. That which you say was yours, (in reality) they (i.e., our forefathers) took it from Sichon.		ויירשו וגו' מארנון ועד היבק. שאתה אומר שהוא שלך (פסוק יג), הם מסיחון לקחו:
and from the wilderness up to the Jordan. There were deserts situated east of the Jordan.		ומן המדבר ועד הירדן. מדברות היו שם לפני הירדן:
23And now the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, and you want to possess it?		כגוְעַתָּ֞ה יְהֹוָ֣ה \| אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הוֹרִישׁ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י מִפְּנֵ֖י עַמּ֣וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּירָשֶֽׁנּוּ:
24Is it not that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess, that you may possess; and all that which the Lord our God has driven out from before us, that we shall possess.		כדהֲלֹ֞א אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר יוֹרִֽישְׁךָ֛ כְּמ֥וֹשׁ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אוֹת֥וֹ תִירָ֑שׁ וְאֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹרִ֜ישׁ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ אוֹת֥וֹ נִירָֽשׁ:
25And now, are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, (or) did he ever fight against them?		כהוְעַתָּ֗ה הֲט֥וֹב טוֹב֙ אַתָּ֔ה מִבָּלָ֥ק בֶּן־צִפּ֖וֹר מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֑ב הֲר֥וֹב רָב֙ עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִם־נִלְחֹ֥ם נִלְחַ֖ם בָּֽם:
26When Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along Arnon, three hundred years; why did you not recover them at that time?		כובְּשֶׁ֣בֶת יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל בְּחֶשְׁבּ֨וֹן וּבִבְנוֹתֶ֜יהָ וּבְעַרְע֣וֹר וּבִבְנוֹתֶ֗יהָ וּבְכָל־הֶֽעָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־יְדֵ֣י אַרְנ֔וֹן שְׁל֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וּמַדּ֥וּעַ לֹֽא־הִצַּלְתֶּ֖ם בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽיא:
עַל יְדֵי אַרְנוֹן. (Lit., on the hands of Arnon) I.e., along Arnon. These cities were from Moab, but they realized that they could not instigate war over them because Israel had conquered them from Sichon who had taken them from the king of Moab.		על ידי ארנון. אצל ארנון, שהיו ממואב, וידעו שלא היה להם לעבור עליהם, שהרי מסיחון כבשום (במדבר כא כד), שלקחם ממלך מואב (שם שם כו):
three hundred years. Since the land was conquered in the days of Joshua until Jephthah. From here we can derive if the periods of the judges that were mentioned up to this point include the years of oppression by the heathens or not. We have learned in Seder Olam (Ch. 12): Joshua led Israel twenty eight years, but I have no Scripture whence to derive it. Othniel led them forty years including the years of oppression by Cushan-rishathaim (above 3:11); after him was Ehud for eighty years (above 3:30) including the eighteen years of oppression by Eglon. This totals one hundred forty eight years. Deborah led them forty years (above 5:31) including the years of oppression by Jabin. This totals one hundred eighty eight years; afterwards were the seven years of oppression by Midian (above 6:1) and the forty years of Gideon (above 8: 28), then the three of Abimelech (above 9:22), thus totaling two hundred thirty eight years. Afterwards were the twenty three of Tola, and the twenty two of Jair (above 10:2,3), however one same year coincides for both of them; finally, adding the eighteen of Ammon prior to Jephthah’s introduction (above 10:8), this amounts to the three hundred years.		שלש מאות שנה. משכבשו את הארץ בימי יהושע עד יפתח מכאן יש ללמוד שנות השופטים הנזכרים עד הנה, אם שני השעבוד של כל אומה נמנים בתוך ימי השופט אם לאו. שנינו בסדר עולם (פרק יב): יהושע פרנס את ישראל עשרים ושמונה שנה, ואין לו מקרא ממי ללמוד. עתניאל (לעיל ג יא), ארבעים שנה, ושני שעבוד של כושן רשעתים (שם שם ח), בכללם אחריו אהוד (שם שם ל), שמונים שנה, שמונה עשרה שנים, שעבוד של עגלון (שם שם יד) בתוכם, הרי מאה ארבעים ושמונה שנה. דבורה (שם ה לא) ארבעים שנה, ושני שעבוד יבין (שם ד ג) בתוכם, הרי מאה שמונים ושמונה. אחריו, שבע שנים של שעבוד מדין (שם ו א), וארבעים של גדעון (שם ח כח), ושלש של אבימלך (שם ט כב), הרי מאתים שלשים ושמונה שנים. אחריו, עשרים ושלש של תולע (שם י ב), ועשרים ושתים של יאיר (שם י ג), אלא שעלתה שנה אחת לשניהם, ושמונה עשרה של בני עמון (שם שם ח) עד שלא בא יפתח, הרי שלש מאות:
27And I have not sinned against you, and you do wrong with me by fighting against me; may the Lord, the Judge, decide this day between the children of Israel and between the children of Ammon."		כזוְאָֽנֹכִי֙ לֹֽא־חָטָ֣אתִי לָ֔ךְ וְאַתָּ֞ה עֹשֶֹ֥ה אִתִּ֛י רָעָ֖ה לְהִלָּ֣חֶם בִּ֑י יִשְׁפֹּ֨ט יְהֹוָ֚ה הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ הַיּ֔וֹם בֵּ֚ין בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבֵ֖ין בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
28And the king of the children of Ammon did not listen to the words of Jephthah which he had sent him.		כחוְלֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔ע מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יִפְתָּ֔ח אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁלַ֖ח אֵלָֽיו:
29And a spirit of the Lord was upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Menasseh, and he passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over (to) the children of Ammon.		כטוַתְּהִ֚י עַל־יִפְתָּח֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר אֶת־הַגִּלְעָ֖ד וְאֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַֽיַּעֲבֹר֙ אֶת־מִצְפֵּ֣ה גִלְעָ֔ד וּמִמִּצְפֵּ֣ה גִלְעָ֔ד עָבַ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן:
עָבַר בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן. (Lit., he passed the children of Ammon) I.e., he passed over to the children of Ammon.		עבר בני עמון. אל בני עמון:
30And Jephthah vowed a vow to the Lord, and said, "If You will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,		לוַיִּדַּ֨ר יִפְתָּ֥ח נֶ֛דֶר לַיהֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָת֥וֹן תִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן בְּיָדִֽי:
31And it will be, whatever comes forth, that shall come forth from the doors of my house towards me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall be to the Lord, and I will offer him up for a burnt-offering."		לאוְהָיָ֣ה הַיּוֹצֵ֗א אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵצֵ֜א מִדַּלְתֵ֚י בֵיתִי֙ לִקְרָאתִ֔י בְּשׁוּבִ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם מִבְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וְהָיָה֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וְהַעֲלִיתִ֖הוּ עוֹלָֽה:
32And Jephthah passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hand.		לבוַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר יִפְתָּ֛ח אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן לְהִלָּ֣חֶם בָּ֑ם וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיָדֽוֹ:
33And he struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, twenty cities, and up to Abel Cheramim, a very great slaughter. And the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.		לגוַיַּכֵּ֡ם מֵעֲרוֹעֵר֩ וְעַד־בּוֹאֲךָ֙ מִנִּ֜ית עֶשְׂרִ֣ים עִ֗יר וְעַד֙ אָבֵ֣ל כְּרָמִ֔ים מַכָּ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
Abel Cheramim. The plain of vineyards [after Targum Jonathan].		אבל כרמים. (תרגום:) מישר כרמיא:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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