Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 9

1God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert—in the first month of the second year since their exodus from Egypt—saying:   אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֣ה אֶל־משֶׁ֣ה בְמִדְבַּר־סִ֠ינַ֠י בַּשָּׁנָ֨ה הַשֵּׁנִ֜ית לְצֵאתָ֨ם מֵאֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֛יִם בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹֽר:
בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁוֹן - In the first month. The passage at the beginning of this book was not said until Iyar, the second month. From here you learn that there is no set chronological order in the Torah. And why did the Book of Numbers not begin with this subject? Because it involves a matter embarrassing to the Israelites, namely, that during all 40 years the Israelites were in the desert, they only offered up this one Passover sacrifice.   בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁוֹן.  פָּרָשָׁה שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ הַסֵּפֶר לֹא נֶאֶמְרָה עַד אִיָּר, לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאֵין סֵדֶר מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה, וְלָמָּה לֹא פָתַח בְּזוֹ? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא גְנוּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִדְבָּר לֹא הִקְרִיבוּ אֶלָּא פֶּסַח זוֹ בִּלְבָד (ספרי; תוספתא קידושין ל"ח):
2“The Israelites must offer up the Passover sacrifice in its appointed time.   בוְיַֽעֲשׂ֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־הַפָּ֖סַח בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ:
בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ - In its appointed time - even on the Sabbath; “in its appointed time” – even if most or all of the community are defiled at that time due to contact with a corpse.   בְּמֽוֹעֲדֽוֹ.  אַף בְּשַׁבָּת, בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ — אַף בְּטֻמְאָה (ספרי):
3On the afternoon of the 14th of this month, you must offer it up in its appointed time; you must offer it up in accordance with all its rules and all its ordinances.”   גבְּאַרְבָּעָ֣ה עָשָֽׂר־י֠וֹם בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַזֶּ֜ה בֵּ֧ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֛יִם תַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּמֹֽעֲד֑וֹ כְּכָל־חֻקֹּתָ֥יו וּכְכָל־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו תַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹתֽוֹ:
כְּכָל־חֻקֹּתָיו - In accordance with all its rules. These are the commandments that apply to the Passover sacrifice itself, i.e., that it be an unblemished male lamb or kid in its first year.   כְּכָל־חֻקֹּתָיו.  אֵלּוּ מִצְוֹת שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ — שֶֹה תָמִים זָכָר בֶּן שָׁנָה:
וּכְכָל־מִשְׁפָּטָיו - And in accordance with all its ordinances. These are the commandments that apply to the Passover sacrifice extrinsically, such as that for seven days one must eat matzos, and that one must remove any leaven before slaughtering it.   וּכְכָל־מִשְׁפָּטָיו.  אֵלּוּ מִצְוֹת שֶׁעַל גּוּפוֹ מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, כְּגוֹן שִׁבְעַת יָמִים לְמַצָּה וּלְבִעוּר חָמֵץ (מִצְוֹת שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ — שֶׂה תָמִים זָכָר בֶּן שָׁנָה; שֶׁעַל גּוּפוֹ — צְלִי אֵשׁ רֹאשׁוֹ עַל כְּרָעָיו וְעַל קִרְבּוֹ; שֶׁחוּץ לְגוּפוֹ — מַצָּה וּבִעוּר חָמֵץ):
4Moses told the Israelites to offer up the Passover sacrifice.   דוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַֽעֲשׂ֥ת הַפָּֽסַח:
וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה וגו' - Moses told… Why does Scripture state this? Does it not already say: “Moses told the Israelites the laws of God’s appointed holy days”? 1 It is only said in order to tell us that when he heard the passage regarding the festivals at Sinai he told it to them, and he repeated the instructions for each festival when it was time to perform its laws.   וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה וגו'.  מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר? וַהֲלֹא נֶאֱמַר "וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶת מֹעֲדֵי ה'", אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁשָּׁמַע פָּרָשַׁת מוֹעֲדִים מִסִּינַי אָמַר לָהֶם, וְחָזַר וְהִזְהִירָם בִּשְׁעַת מַעֲשֶׂה (ספרי):
5They offered up the Passover sacrifice on the afternoon of the 14th day of the first month, in the Sinai Desert; the Israelites did according to all that God had commanded Moses.   הוַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הַפֶּ֡סַח בָּֽרִאשׁ֡וֹן בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֥וֹם לַחֹ֛דֶשׁ בֵּ֥ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֖יִם בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר סִינָ֑י כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־משֶׁ֔ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
6But there were men who had become ritually defiled because of contact with a corpse; they could not offer up the Passover sacrifice on that day. So they approached Moses and Aaron on that day.   ווַיְהִ֣י אֲנָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ טְמֵאִים֙ לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֔ם וְלֹא־יָֽכְל֥וּ לַֽעֲשֽׂת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּקְרְב֞וּ לִפְנֵ֥י משֶׁ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא:
לִפְנֵי משֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן - Moses and Aaron - i.e., when they were both sitting in the house of study, they came and asked them. It is not possible to say that they came to one after the other, for if Moses did not know, from where would Aaron know?   לִפְנֵי משֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן.  כְּשֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶן יוֹשְׁבִין בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ בָּאוּ וּשְׁאָלוּם, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר זֶה אַחַר זֶה, שֶׁאִם מֹשֶׁה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ אַהֲרֹן מִנַּיִן לוֹ (ספרי; בבא בתרא קי"ט):
7Those men said to him, “We are ritually defiled due to contact with a corpse. Why should we be excluded from offering up God’s sacrifice in its appointed time, along with the rest of the Israelites?”   זוַיֹּֽאמְר֠וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָהֵ֨מָּה֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֲנַ֥חְנוּ טְמֵאִ֖ים לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה נִגָּרַ֗ע לְבִלְתִּ֨י הַקְרִ֜יב אֶת־קָרְבַּ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
לָמָּה נִגָּרַע - Why should we be excluded. He told them: “Sacrifices may not be brought by people who are defiled.” They said to him: “Let the blood be dashed on the Altar by undefiled priests on our behalf, and the flesh be eaten by other undefiled people in our stead.” He answered them: “Wait, and I will hear…,” like a student who is assured of hearing from his teacher. Fortunate is one born of a woman who is thus assured, for whenever he wished he could speak with the Divine Presence. This passage was fitting to have been said by Moses, just like all the rest of the Torah, but these individuals merited that it be said as a result of their request, for “merit is brought about through the worthy.”   לָמָּה נִגָּרַע.  אָמַר לָהֶם אֵין קָדָשִׁים קְרֵבִים בְּטֻמְאָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ יִזָּרֵק הַדָּם עָלֵינוּ בְכֹהֲנִים טְהוֹרִים וְיֵאָכֵל הַבָּשָֹר לִטְהוֹרִים, אָמַר לָהֶם "עִמְדוּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָה" — כְּתַלְמִיד הַמֻּבְטָח לִשְׁמֹעַ מִפִּי רַבּוֹ; אַשְׁרֵי יְלוּד אִשָּׁה שֶׁכָּךְ מֻבְטָח, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה רוֹצֶה הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִם הַשְּׁכִינָה; וּרְאוּיָה הָיְתָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ לֵאָמֵר עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּה, אֶלָּא שֶׁזָּכוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁתֵּאָמֵר עַל יְדֵיהֶן, שֶׁמְּגַלְגְּלִין זְכוּת עַל יְדֵי זַכַּאי (שם):
8Moses said to them, “Wait, and I will hear what God instructs me concerning you.”   חוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם משֶׁ֑ה עִמְד֣וּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָ֔ה מַה־יְּצַוֶּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לָכֶֽם:
9God spoke to Moses, saying:   טוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
10“Speak to the Israelites saying, ‘Any person who becomes ritually defiled from contact with a corpse, or is distant, whether among you or among your posterity, he may make a Passover sacrifice for God.   ידַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ אִ֣ישׁ כִּי־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה טָמֵ֣א | לָנֶ֡פֶשׁ אוֹ֩ בְדֶ֨רֶךְ רְחֹקָ֜ה֗ לָכֶ֗ם א֚וֹ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעָ֥שָׂה פֶ֖סַח לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
אוֹ בְדֶרֶךְ רְחֹקָה - Or on (lit.) a distant way. There is a dot on the ה of רְחֹקָה in order to tell us that it does not have to be so distant that it absolutely prevents him from offering the Passover sacrifice; rather, it means that he was outside the threshold of the Courtyard during the entire time of slaughtering. When bringing the Second Passover, one may have both matzah and leaven with him in his house, as it is not a festival per se, and leaven is only prohibited to eat together with eating the Passover sacrifice itself, as it must be eaten with matzos.   אוֹ בְדֶרֶךְ רְחֹקָה.  נָקוּד עָלָיו, לוֹמַר, לֹא שֶׁרְחוֹקָה וַדַּאי, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה חוּץ לְאַסְקֻפַּת הָעֲזָרָה כָּל זְמַן שְׁחִיטָה (פסח' צ"ג); פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי מַצָּה וְחָמֵץ עִמּוֹ בַּבַּיִת, וְאֵין שָׁם יוֹם טוֹב, וְאֵין אִסּוּר חָמֵץ אֶלָא עִמּוֹ בַאֲכִילָתוֹ (שם צ"ה):
11He must offer it up in the afternoon of the 14th day of the second month. He must eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.   יאבַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֜י בְּאַרְבָּעָ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר י֛וֹם בֵּ֥ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֖יִם יַֽעֲשׂ֣וּ אֹת֑וֹ עַל־מַצּ֥וֹת וּמְרֹרִ֖ים יֹֽאכְלֻֽהוּ:
12He must not leave any of it over until morning, and he must not break any of its bones. He must offer it up in accordance with all the rules connected with the regular Passover sacrifice.   יבלֹֽא־יַשְׁאִ֤ירוּ מִמֶּ֨נּוּ֙ עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וְעֶ֖צֶם לֹ֣א יִשְׁבְּרוּ־ב֑וֹ כְּכָל־חֻקַּ֥ת הַפֶּ֖סַח יַֽעֲשׂ֥וּ אֹתֽוֹ:
13But if a man who is ritually undefiled and is not on a journey neglects to offer up the Passover sacrifice, his soul will be cut off from his people, for he did not bring God’s offering in its appointed time; that person will bear his sin.   יגוְהָאִישׁ֩ אֲשֶׁר־ה֨וּא טָה֜וֹר וּבְדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹֽא־הָיָ֗ה וְחָדַל֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַפֶּ֔סַח וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵֽעַמֶּ֑יהָ כִּ֣י | קָרְבַּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹ֤א הִקְרִיב֙ בְּמֹ֣עֲד֔וֹ חֶטְא֥וֹ יִשָּׂ֖א הָאִ֥ישׁ הַהֽוּא:
14If a convert dwells with you, and he becomes obligated to offer up the Passover sacrifice to God, he must offer it up according to the rules of the Passover sacrifice and its ordinances. One rule will apply to all of you, to the convert and to the native citizen.’”   ידוְכִֽי־יָג֨וּר אִתְּכֶ֜ם גֵּ֗ר וְעָ֤שָׂה פֶ֨סַח֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כְּחֻקַּ֥ת הַפֶּ֛סַח וּכְמִשְׁפָּט֖וֹ כֵּ֣ן יַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה חֻקָּ֤ה אַחַת֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְלַגֵּ֖ר וּלְאֶזְרַ֥ח הָאָֽרֶץ:
וְכִֽי־יָגוּר אִתְּכֶם גֵּר וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח - (lit.) If a convert dwells with you, and he must offer up the Passover sacrifice. From these words alone I might think that whoever converts must offer a Passover sacrifice immediately upon converting. Scripture therefore states: “one rule will apply to all of you….” Rather than what one would have otherwise supposed, this is the meaning of this phrase: if a convert dwells with you and the time comes to offer up the Passover sacrifice with his fellow Jews, he must offer it up according to its rules and ordinances.   וְכִֽי־יָגוּר אִתְּכֶם גֵּר וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח.  יָכוֹל כָּל הַמִּתְגַּיֵּר יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסַח מִיָּד, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "חֻקָּה אַחַת" וְגוֹ', אֶלָּא כָּךְ מַשְׁמָעוֹ — "וְכִי יָגוּר אִתְּכֶם גֵּר" וּבָא לַעֲשׂוֹת פֶּסַח עִם חֲבֵרָיו, "כְּחֻקַּת הַפֶּסַח וּכְמִשְׁפָּטוֹ יַעֲשֶׂה" (ספרי):