Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 26

52God spoke to Moses, saying,   נבוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
53“The land will be divided among these as an inheritance according to the number of names.   נגלָאֵ֗לֶּה תֵּֽחָלֵ֥ק הָאָ֛רֶץ בְּנַֽחֲלָ֖ה בְּמִסְפַּ֥ר שֵׁמֽוֹת:
לָאֵלֶּה תֵּֽחָלֵק הָאָרֶץ - The land will be divided among these - and not to those under 20 years old at this time, even though they reached the age of 20 before the division of the land – because they conquered the land for seven years and they divided it for another seven years. Despite this, only these 601,000 received a portion in the land, and if one of them had six sons under 20, they received only the portion of their father.   לָאֵלֶּה תֵּֽחָלֵק הָאָרֶץ.  וְלֹא לַפְּחוּתִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבָּאוּ לִכְלַל עֶשְׂרִים בְּטֶרֶם חִלּוּק הָאָרֶץ; שֶׁהֲרֵי שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים כָּבְשׁוּ וְשֶׁבַע חִלְּקוּ, לֹא נָטְלוּ חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וָאֶלֶף, וְאִם הָיוּ לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם שִׁשָּׁה בָנִים לֹא נָטְלוּ אֶלָּא חֵלֶק אֲבִיהֶם לְבַדּוֹ (בבא בתרא קי"ז):
54You must give a larger inheritance to the large tribe and you must give a smaller inheritance to a smaller tribe; each tribe must be given an inheritance according to its number.   נדלָרַ֗ב תַּרְבֶּה֙ נַֽחֲלָת֔וֹ וְלַֽמְעַ֕ט תַּמְעִ֖יט נַֽחֲלָת֑וֹ אִ֚ישׁ לְפִ֣י פְקֻדָ֔יו יֻתַּ֖ן נַֽחֲלָתֽוֹ:
לָרַב תַּרְבֶּה נַֽחֲלָתוֹ - You must give a larger inheritance to the large [tribe] - i.e., to a tribe that had a greater population, a large portion was given, and although the portions were not equal – since all the portions were divided according to the size of the tribe – it was nevertheless done only by means of a lot. The lottery took place by Divine inspiration, as explained in Bava Batra: 1 Eleazar the priest was dressed with the urim and tumim, and by Divine inspiration declared: “If such-and-such tribe comes up, such-and-such territory shall come up with it.” The names of the 12 tribes were inscribed on 12 tickets, and 12 regions on another 12 tickets. They were shuffled inside a box, and the prince of each tribe put his hand in and took out two slips, and miraculously, the ticket with the name of his tribe came up with the slip of the region specified for it, and the lot itself cried out and said: “I, the lot, have come up for such-and-such a region, for such-and-such a tribe,” as it says: עַל פִּי הַגּוֹרָל (lit.) “according to the word of the lot.” 2 The land was not divided solely by size, for some regions are of better quality than others, but by evaluation: e.g., a bad-quality area sown with a kor might be equivalent to a good-quality area sown with a se’ah (1/30 of its size), all according to the value of the land.   לָרַב תַּרְבֶּה נַֽחֲלָתוֹ.  לְשֵׁבֶט שֶׁהָיָה מְרֻבֶּה בְּאֻכְלוּסִין נָתְנוּ חֵלֶק רַב, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹא הָיוּ הַחֲלָקִים שָׁוִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַכֹּל לְפִי רִבּוּי הַשֵּׁבֶט חָלְקוּ הַחֲלָקִים, לֹא עָשׂוּ אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי גוֹרָל, וְהַגּוֹרָל הָיָה עַל פִּי רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּבָבָא בַתְרָא (דף קכ"ב): אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן הָיָה מְלֻבָּשׁ בְּאוּרִים וְתֻמִּים וְאוֹמֵר בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אִם שֵׁבֶט פְּלוֹנִי עוֹלֶה, תְּחוּם פְּלוֹנִי עוֹלֶה עִמּוֹ, וְהַשְּׁבָטִים הָיוּ כְתוּבִים בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר פְּתָקִין וְי"ב גְּבוּלִין בְּי"ב פְּתָקִין, וּבְלָלוּם בַּקַּלְפִּי, וְהַנָּשִׂיא מַכְנִיס יָדוֹ לְתוֹכוֹ וְנוֹטֵל שְׁנַיִם פְּתָקִין, עוֹלֶה בְיָדוֹ פֶּתֶק שֶׁל שֵׁם שִׁבְטוֹ וּפֶתֶק שֶׁל גְּבוּל הַמְפֹרָשׁ לוֹ, וְהַגּוֹרָל עַצְמוֹ הָיָה צוֹוֵחַ וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי הַגּוֹרָל עָלִיתִי לִגְבוּל פְּלוֹנִי לְשֵבֶט פְּלוֹנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "עַל פִּי הַגּוֹרָל", וְלֹא נִתְחַלְּקָה הָאָרֶץ בְּמִדָּה, לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ גְּבוּל מְשֻׁבָּח מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, אֶלָּא בְשׁוּמָא, בֵּית כֹּר רַע כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית סְאָה טוֹב, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַדָּמִים:
55Nonetheless, the land must be divided by lot; they will inherit according to the names of their fathers’ tribes.   נהאַךְ־בְּגוֹרָ֕ל יֵֽחָלֵ֖ק אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ לִשְׁמ֥וֹת מַטֽוֹת־אֲבֹתָ֖ם יִנְחָֽלוּ:
לִשְׁמוֹת מַטֽוֹת־אֲבֹתָם - According to the names of their fathers’ tribes. “Their fathers” refers to those who left Egypt. Scripture made this inheritance different from all other inheritances in the Torah, for regarding all other inheritances, the living inherit the dead, but here, the dead inherited the living. How so? Two brothers among those who left Egypt had sons among those entering the land: one had one son, and the other had three. The single son took one portion, and the three took three, as it says: “The land will be divided among these.” 3 Their inheritance then went back to their father’s father, and everything was divided equally. And that is what it says here: “they will inherit according to the names of their fathers’ tribes,” meaning that after the sons received their portions, it was divided according to the fathers who had left Egypt. Had it been divided originally according to the number of those who left Egypt, these four sons would only have received two portions, but now they received four portions.   לִשְׁמוֹת מַטֽוֹת־אֲבֹתָם.  אֵלּוּ יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם; שִׁנָּה הַכָּתוּב נַחֲלָה זוֹ מִכָּל הַנְּחָלוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁכָּל הַנְּחָלוֹת הַחַיִּים יוֹרְשִׁים אֶת הַמֵּתִים וְכָאן מֵתִים יוֹרְשִׁים אֶת הַחַיִּים, כֵּיצַד? שְׁנֵי אַחִים מִיּוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם שֶׁהָיוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים בְּבָאֵי הָאָרֶץ, לָזֶה אֶחָד וְלָזֶה שְׁלֹשָׁה, הָאֶחָד נָטַל חֵלֶק אֶחָד וְהַשְּׁלֹשָׁה נָטְלוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לָאֵלֶּה תֵּחָלֵק הָאָרֶץ, חָזְרָה נַחֲלָתָן אֵצֶל אֲבִי אֲבִיהֶן וְחָלְקוּ הַכֹּל בְּשָׁוֶה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לשמות מטות אבתם ינחלו — שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁנָּטְלוּ הַבָּנִים, חִלְּקוּהָ לְפִי הָאָבוֹת שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְאִלּוּ מִתְּחִלָּה חִלְּקוּהָ לְמִנְיַן יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם לֹא הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין אֵלּוּ הָאַרְבָּעָה אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, עַכְשָׁו נָטְלוּ אַרְבָּעָה חֲלָקִים (ספרי; בבא בתרא קי"ז):
אַךְ־בְּגוֹרָל - (lit.) Only by lot. The word אַךְ indicates that Joshua and Caleb are excluded from this lottery, and so it says: “They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken”; 4 and regarding Joshua it says: “By the word of God, they gave him the city that he requested.” 5   אַךְ־בְּגוֹרָל.  יָצְאוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַיִּתְּנוּ לְכָלֵב אֶת חֶבְרוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה" (שופטים א'), וְאוֹמֵר (יהושע י"ט) "עַל פִּי ה' נָתְנוּ לוֹ אֶת הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר שָׁאָל" (ספרי):
מַטֽוֹת־אֲבֹתָם - Their fathers’ tribes. This excludes converts and freed bondmen.   מַטֽוֹת־אֲבֹתָם.  יָצְאוּ גֵרִים וַעֲבָדִים:
56Its inheritance will be divided according to the lot, whether it be large or small.”   נועַל־פִּי֙ הַגּוֹרָ֔ל תֵּֽחָלֵ֖ק נַֽחֲלָת֑וֹ בֵּ֥ין רַ֖ב לִמְעָֽט:
עַל־פִּי הַגּוֹרָל - (lit.) According to the word of the lot - i.e., the lot itself spoke, as I explained above. This tells us that it was divided by Divine inspiration, and therefore it says: “By the word of God.”   עַל־פִּי הַגּוֹרָל.  הַגּוֹרָל הָיָה מְדַבֵּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי, מַגִּיד שֶׁנִּתְחַלְּקָה בְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ {לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (יהושע י"ט) "עַל פִּי ה'"}:
57These were the tallies of the Levites according to their families: from Gershon, the family of the clan of Gershon; from Kehat, the family of the clan of Kehat; from Merari, the family of the clan of Merari.   נזוְאֵ֨לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֣י הַלֵּוִי֘ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לְגֵֽרְשׁ֗וֹן מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת֙ הַגֵּ֣רְשֻׁנִּ֔י לִקְהָ֕ת מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַקְּהָתִ֑י לִמְרָרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַמְּרָרִֽי:
58These were the families of Levi: The family of the clan of Livni, the family of the clan of Chevron, the family of the clan of Machli, the family of the clan of Mushi, and the family of the clan of Korach. Kehat fathered Amram.   נחאֵ֣לֶּה | מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת לֵוִ֗י מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת הַלִּבְנִ֜י מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת הַֽחֶבְרֹנִי֙ מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת הַמַּחְלִי֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַמּוּשִׁ֔י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַקָּרְחִ֑י וּקְהָ֖ת הוֹלִ֥ד אֶת־עַמְרָֽם:
אֵלֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹת לֵוִי - These were the families of Levi. Missing here are the families of Shim’i and Uzi’el, and part of the family of Yitzhar.   אֵלֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹת לֵוִי.  חָסֵר כָּאן מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַשִּׁמְעִי וְהָעָזִּיאֵלִי וּקְצָת מִן הַיִּצְהָרִי:
59The name of Amram’s wife was Yocheved the daughter of Levi, whom she had borne to Levi in Egypt. She bore to Amram Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.   נטוְשֵׁ֣ם | אֵ֣שֶׁת עַמְרָ֗ם יוֹכֶ֨בֶד֙ בַּת־לֵוִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָֽלְדָ֥ה אֹתָ֛הּ לְלֵוִ֖י בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַתֵּ֣לֶד לְעַמְרָ֗ם אֶת־אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־משֶׁ֔ה וְאֵ֖ת מִרְיָ֥ם אֲחֹתָֽם:
אֲשֶׁר יָֽלְדָה אֹתָהּ לְלֵוִי בְּמִצְרָיִם - Whom she had borne to Levi - i.e., his wife had borne her in Egypt. Her birth was in Egypt, but her conception was not in Egypt, for only when they entered within its wall, she gave birth to her. She thus completed the count of 70 who came to Egypt, for when you enumerate them, you find only 69.   אֲשֶׁר יָֽלְדָה אֹתָהּ לְלֵוִי בְּמִצְרָיִם.  לֵדָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֵין הוֹרָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם, כְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לְתוֹךְ הַחוֹמָה יְלָדַתָּה, וְהִיא הִשְׁלִימָה מִנְיַן שִׁבְעִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי בִפְרָטָן אֵי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא שִׁשִּׁים וָתֵשַׁע:
60Born to Aaron were Nadav, Avihu, Eleazar, and Itamar.   סוַיִּוָּלֵ֣ד לְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֶת־נָדָ֖ב וְאֶת־אֲבִיה֑וּא אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר וְאֶת־אִֽיתָמָֽר:
61Nadav and Avihu died when they offered up an unauthorized fire before God.   סאוַיָּ֥מָת נָדָ֖ב וַֽאֲבִיה֑וּא בְּהַקְרִיבָ֥ם אֵשׁ־זָרָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
62Their tally was 23,000, which included every male one month old and over, for they were not counted among the Israelites, since no inheritance was given them among the Israelites.   סבוַיִּֽהְי֣וּ פְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֗ם שְׁלשָׁ֤ה וְעֶשְׂרִים֙ אֶ֔לֶף כָּל־זָכָ֖ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֣דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה כִּ֣י | לֹ֣א הָתְפָּֽקְד֗וּ בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֠י לֹֽא־נִתַּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ נַֽחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
כִּי לֹא הָתְפָּֽקְדוּ בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - For they were not counted among the Israelites - to be counted beginning from the age of 20 years. And why was this? –   כִּי לֹא הָתְפָּֽקְדוּ בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.  לִהְיוֹת נִמְנִין בְּנֵי עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, מַה טַּעַם?:
כִּי לֹֽא־נִתַּן לָהֶם נַֽחֲלָה - Since no inheritance was given them - and those who were counted from 20 years were those receiving inheritance, as it says: “each tribe must be given an inheritance according to its (lit.) counted ones.” 6   כִּי לֹֽא־נִתַּן לָהֶם נַֽחֲלָה.  וְהַנִּמְנִין מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה הָיוּ בְנֵי נַחֲלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִישׁ לְפִי פְקֻדָיו יֻתַּן נַחֲלָתוֹ":
63These were the tallies taken by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who counted the Israelites in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan River, opposite Jericho.   סגאֵ֚לֶּה פְּקוּדֵ֣י משֶׁ֔ה וְאֶלְעָזָ֖ר הַכֹּהֵ֑ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר פָּֽקְד֜וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּעַרְבֹ֣ת מוֹאָ֔ב עַ֖ל יַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵחֽוֹ:
64Among these there was no man who had been in the tally of Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Sinai desert.   סדוּבְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ לֹא־הָ֣יָה אִ֔ישׁ מִפְּקוּדֵ֣י משֶׁ֔ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּֽקְד֛וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי:
וּבְאֵלֶּה לֹא־הָיָה אִישׁ וגו' - Among these there was no man…. but the decree resulting from the sin of the spies was not decreed upon the women, because they held the land dear. The men said, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt,” 7 but the women said: “Give us an estate.” 8 Therefore the passage about the daughters of Tzelofchad is placed after this one.   וּבְאֵלֶּה לֹא־הָיָה אִישׁ וגו'.  אֲבָל עַל הַנָּשִׁים לֹא נִגְזְרָה גְזֵרַת הַמְרַגְּלִים, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן הָיוּ מְחַבְּבוֹת אֶת הָאָרֶץ, הָאֲנָשִׁים אוֹמְרִים נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרַיְמָה, וְהַנָּשִׁים אוֹמְרוֹת "תְּנָה לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה", לְכָךְ נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד לְכָאן (תנחומא):
65For God had said to them, “They will surely die in the desert,” and no one remained of them other than Caleb son of Yefuneh and Joshua son of Nun.   סהכִּֽי־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם מ֥וֹת יָמֻ֖תוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְלֹֽא־נוֹתַ֤ר מֵהֶם֙ אִ֔ישׁ כִּ֚י אִם־כָּלֵ֣ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּ֔ה וִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בִּן־נֽוּן:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 27

1The daughters of Tzelofchad son of Chefer son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh son of Joseph, came forward. His daughters’ names were Machlah, No’ah, Choglah, Milkah, and Tirtzah.   אוַתִּקְרַ֜בְנָה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלָפְחָ֗ד בֶּן־חֵ֤פֶר בֶּן־גִּלְעָד֙ בֶּן־מָכִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה בֶן־יוֹסֵ֑ף וְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֹתָ֔יו מַחְלָ֣ה נֹעָ֔ה וְחָגְלָ֥ה וּמִלְכָּ֖ה וְתִרְצָֽה:
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְנַשֶּׁה בֶּן־יוֹסֵף - Of the families of Manasseh son of Joseph. Why is this stated? Does it not already say: “son of Manasseh”? It is only to tell you that Joseph held the land dear – as it says: “you must take my bones up…” 9 – and his daughters likewise held the land dear, as it says: “Give us an estate.” 10 And it is stated also to teach you that they were all righteous, for anyone whose own deeds and those of his fathers are unspecified, and Scripture specifically traces his lineage to one of them in a praiseworthy context, this indicates that he is both righteous and descended from the righteous. But if it traces his lineage in a shameful context, such as: “Yishmael son of Netanyah son of Elishama came…and smote Gedaliah,” 11 it is certain that all those mentioned along with him were wicked.   לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְנַשֶּׁה בֶּן־יוֹסֵף.  לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר בן מנשה, אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ, יוֹסֵף חִבֵּב אֶת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַעֲלִתֶם אֶת עַצְמֹתַי" וְגוֹ' (בראשית נ') וּבְנוֹתָיו חִבְּבוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר תְּנָה לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה, וּלְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהָיוּ כֻלָּם צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו וּמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתָיו סְתוּמִים וּפֵרֵט לְךָ הַכָּתוּב בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם לְיַחֲסוֹ לְשֶׁבַח, הֲרֵי זֶה צַדִּיק בֶּן צַדִּיק, וְאִם יִחֲסוֹ לִגְנַאי, כְּגוֹן "בָּא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה בֶּן אֱלִישָׁמָע" (מלכים ב כ"ה), בְיָדוּעַ שֶׁכָּל הַנִּזְכָּרִים עִמּוֹ רְשָׁעִים הָיוּ (ספרי):
מַחְלָה נֹעָה וגו' - Machlah, No’ah…. Elsewhere it says: “Machlah, Tirtzah, Choglah, Milkah, and No’ah married….” 12 Scripture here tells us that they were all equal in wisdom, and therefore lists them out of birth order.   מַחְלָה נֹעָה וגו'.  וּלְהַלָּן (במדבר לו יא) הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַתִּהְיֶינָה מַחְלָה תִרְצָה", מַגִּיד שֶׁכֻּלָּן שְׁקוּלוֹת — זוֹ כְּזוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ שִׁנָּה אֶת סִדְרָן (שם):
2They stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and the entire community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, saying,   בוַתַּֽעֲמֹ֜דְנָה לִפְנֵ֣י משֶׁ֗ה וְלִפְנֵי֙ אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלִפְנֵ֥י הַנְּשִׂיאִ֖ם וְכָל־הָֽעֵדָ֑ה פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר:
לִפְנֵי משֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר - Before Moses and before Eleazar the priest - This tells us that although their father died earlier, they stood before them only in the fortieth year, after Aaron had died.   לִפְנֵי משֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר.  מַגִּיד שֶׁלֹּא עָמְדוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶלָּא בִשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים, אַחַר שֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן (שם):
לִפְנֵי משֶׁה - Before Moses - and only afterwards before Eleazar? Can it be that if Moses did not know, Eleazar knew? Rather, change the order of phrases in the verse and thus explain it. This is the opinion of Rabbi Yoshiyah. Aba Chanan in the name of Rabbi Elazar says: They were all sitting in the study hall, and they came and stood before all of them.   לִפְנֵי משֶׁה.  וְאַחַר כָּךְ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר? אֶפְשַׁר אִם מֹשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע אֶלְעָזָר יוֹדֵעַ? אֶלָּא סָרֵס הַמִּקְרָא וְדָרְשֵׁהוּ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה. אַבָּא חָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִים וְעָמְדוּ לִפְנֵי כֻלָּם (שם; בבא בתרא קי"ט):
3“Our father died in the desert. He was not part of the community that convened against God in Korach’s community; rather, he died on account of his own sin. He had no sons.   גאָבִ֘ינוּ֘ מֵ֣ת בַּמִּדְבָּר֒ וְה֨וּא לֹֽא־הָיָ֜ה בְּת֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֗ה הַנּֽוֹעָדִ֛ים עַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲדַת־קֹ֑רַח כִּֽי־בְחֶטְא֣וֹ מֵ֔ת וּבָנִ֖ים לֹא־הָ֥יוּ לֽוֹ:
וְהוּא לֹֽא־הָיָה וגו' - He was not… Since they were coming to say that he died for his sin, they needed to say that his sin was not the sin of those who complained after the spies’ report, nor was he in Korach’s community who incited the people against the Holy One, blessed be He, but he died only because of his own sin, without causing others to sin with him. Rabbi Akiva says: He was the one who gathered wood on the Sabbath, and Rabbi Shimon says: He was one of those who defiantly proceeded toward the Land of Israel after the incident of the spies.   וְהוּא לֹֽא־הָיָה וגו'.  לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בָאוֹת לוֹמַר בחטאו מת, נִזְקְקוּ לוֹמַר לֹא בְחֵטְא מִתְלוֹנְנִים וְלֹא בַעֲדַת קֹרַח שֶׁהִצּוּ עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיָה, אֶלָּא בְּחֶטְאוֹ לְבַדּוֹ מֵת, וְלֹא הֶחֱטִיא אֶת אֲחֵרִים עִמּוֹ (ספרי); רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים הָיָה וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר מִן הַמַּעְפִּילִים הָיָה (שבת צ"ו):
4Why should our father’s name be eliminated from his family because he had no son? Give us an estate along with our father’s brothers.”   דלָ֣מָּה יִגָּרַ֤ע שֵֽׁם־אָבִ֨ינוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ בֵּ֑ן תְּנָה־לָּ֣נוּ אֲחֻזָּ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֥י אָבִֽינוּ:
לָמָּה יִגָּרַע שֵֽׁם־אָבִינוּ - Why should our father’s name be eliminated. We stand in place of a son and should receive his inheritance; and if it be countered that females are not considered offspring in this respect, let us not be considered disqualifying offspring with respect to our mother’s eligibility for levirate marriage: Let our mother undergo levirate marriage with her brother-in-law, and he will then receive a portion of land in our father’s name.   לָמָּה יִגָּרַע שֵֽׁם־אָבִינוּ.  אָנוּ בִּמְקוֹם בֵּן עוֹמְדוֹת, וְאִם אֵין הַנְּקֵבוֹת חֲשׁוּבוֹת זֶרַע, תִּתְיַבֵּם אִמֵּנוּ לְיָבָם (בבא בתרא קיט):
כִּי אֵין לוֹ בֵּן - Because he had no son - these extra words indicate that if he had had any son, even one too young to inherit, they would not have demanded anything. This tells us that they were wise women.   כִּי אֵין לוֹ בֵּן.  הָא אִם הָיָה לוֹ בֵן, לֹא הָיוּ תוֹבְעוֹת כְּלוּם, מַגִּיד שֶׁחַכְמָנִיּוֹת הָיוּ (שם):
5Moses brought their case before God.   הוַיַּקְרֵ֥ב משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיַּקְרֵב משֶׁה אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטָן - Moses brought their (lit.) ruling - He forgot the law that had been taught to him earlier. Here he was punished for having assumed authority by self-assuredly saying: “Bring to me any case that is too difficult for you.” 13 Another explanation: This section was indeed fitting to have been written through Moses as well as communicated through him, but the daughters of Tzelofchad merited that it be written through them.   וַיַּקְרֵב משֶׁה אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטָן.  נִתְעַלְּמָה הֲלָכָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וְכָאן נִפְרַע עַל שֶׁנָּטַל עֲטָרָה לוֹמַר (דברים א') "וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי"; דָּבָר אַחֵר — רְאוּיָה הָיְתָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ לְהִכָּתֵב עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה, אֶלָּא שֶׁזָּכוּ בְנוֹת צְלָפְחָד וְנִכְתְּבָה עַל יָדָן (בבא בתרא קי"ט; סנהדרין ח'):