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: