| 13Moses, Eleazar the kohen, and all princes of the community went out to meet them, outside the camp. |
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יגוַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּ משֶׁ֨ה וְאֶלְעָזָ֧ר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן וְכָל־נְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָֽעֵדָ֖ה לִקְרָאתָ֑ם אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה: |
| Moses, Eleazar the kohen… went out: because they saw the Israelite youths going out to grab the spoils. — [Sifrei Mattoth 42] |
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וַיֵּצְאוּ משֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן:
לְפִי שֶׁרָאוּ אֶת נַעֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹצְאִים לַחֲטֹף מִן הַבִּזָּה (ספרי):
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| 14Moses became angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had returned from the campaign of war. |
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ידוַיִּקְצֹ֣ף משֶׁ֔ה עַ֖ל פְּקוּדֵ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל שָׂרֵ֤י הָֽאֲלָפִים֙ וְשָׂרֵ֣י הַמֵּא֔וֹת הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצְּבָ֥א הַמִּלְחָמָֽה: |
| Moses became angry with the officers of the army: Those appointed over the army. [This comes] to teach you that when a generation is corrupt, the leaders are held responsible, for they have the power to protest. — [Sifrei Mattoth 43] |
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וַיִּקְצֹף משֶׁה עַל פְּקוּדֵי הֶחָיִל:
מְמֻנִּים עַל הַחַיִל, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל סִרְחוֹן הַדּוֹר תָּלוּי בַּגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ כֹּחַ בְּיָדָם לִמְחוֹת (שם):
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| 15Moses said to them, "Did you allow all the females to live? |
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טווַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם משֶׁ֑ה הַֽחִיִּיתֶ֖ם כָּל־נְקֵבָֽה: |
| 16They were the same ones who were involved with the children of Israel on Balaam's advice to betray the Lord over the incident of Peor, resulting in a plague among the congregation of the Lord. |
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טזהֵ֣ן הֵ֜נָּה הָי֨וּ לִבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר בִּלְעָ֔ם לִמְסָר־מַ֥עַל בַּֽיהֹוָ֖ה עַל־דְּבַ֣ר פְּע֑וֹר וַתְּהִ֥י הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה בַּֽעֲדַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה: |
| They were the same ones: This shows that they recognized them [saying,] "This is the one who led so-and-so astray. — [Sifrei Zuta, Yalkut Shimoni] |
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הֵן הֵנָּה:
מַגִּיד שֶׁהָיוּ מַכִּירִים אוֹתָן — זוֹ הִיא שֶׁנִּכְשַׁל פְּלוֹנִי בָהּ (ילקוט שמעוני תשפ"ה):
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| on Balaam’s advice: He said to them, "Even if you assemble all the multitudes of the world, you will not be able to overcome them. Are you more numerous than the Egyptians, who had six hundred chosen chariots? Come, and I will advise you. Their God hates immorality [thus, entice them to sin with your women…] as appears in [the chapter of] Cheilek (Sanh. 106a and in the Sifrei (Mattoth 43). |
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בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם:
אָמַר לָהֶם אֲפִלּוּ אַתֶּם מַכְנִיסִין כָּל הֲמוֹנוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אֵין אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִים לָהֶם, שֶׁמָּא מְרֻבִּים אַתֶּם מִן הַמִּצְרִיִּים שֶׁהָיוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בָּחוּר? בֹּאוּ וְאַשִּׂיאֲכֶם עֵצָה, אֱלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ שׂוֹנֵא זִמָּה הוּא וְכוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְחֵלֶק (דף ק"ו) וּבְסִפְרֵי:
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| 17So now kill every male child, and every woman who can lie intimately with a man you shall kill. |
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יזוְעַתָּ֕ה הִרְג֥וּ כָל־זָכָ֖ר בַּטָּ֑ף וְכָל־אִשָּׁ֗ה יֹדַ֥עַת אִ֛ישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּ֥ב זָכָ֖ר הֲרֹֽגוּ: |
| Every woman who can lie intimately with a man: Capable of sexual intercourse, even though she may never have experienced it. They passed them all in front of the showplate, and the faces of those capable of intercourse turned green. — [Yev. 60b] |
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וְכָל־אִשָּׁה יֹדַעַת אישׁ:
רְאוּיָה לִבָּעֵל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִבְעֲלָה, וְלִפְנֵי הַצִּיץ הֶעֱבִירוּם, וְהָרְאוּיָה לִבָּעֵל פָּנֶיהָ מוֹרִיקוֹת (יבמות ס'):
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| you shall kill: Why is this repeated? In order to make a pause in the text; so says R. Ishmael. For when I read, “kill every male child, and every woman who can lie intimately with a man… And all the young girls…” I would not know whether to kill them [the women of the first verse] with the males, or allow them to live along with the young [girls]. That is why it says [at the end of the verse] “you shall kill.” - [Sifrei Mattoth 45] |
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הִרְגוּ:
לָמָּה חָזַר וְאָמַר? לְהַפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, שֶׁאִם אֲנִי קוֹרֵא הִרְגוּ כָל זָכָר בַּטָּף וְכָל אִשָּׁה יֹדַעַת אִישׁ וְכֹל הַטַּף בַּנָּשִׁים וְגוֹ', אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם לַהֲרֹג עִם הַזְּכָרִים אוֹ לְהַחֲיוֹת עִם הַטַּף, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר הֲרֹגוּ:
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| 18And all the young girls who have no experience of intimate relations with a man, you may keep alive for yourselves. |
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יחוְכֹל֙ הַטַּ֣ף בַּנָּשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָֽדְע֖וּ מִשְׁכַּ֣ב זָכָ֑ר הַֽחֲי֖וּ לָכֶֽם: |
| 19And you, encamp outside the camp for seven days; whoever killed a person or who touched a corpse shall cleanse himself on the third and seventh day, both you and your captives. |
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יטוְאַתֶּ֗ם חֲנ֛וּ מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים כֹּל֩ הֹרֵ֨ג נֶ֜פֶשׁ וְכֹ֣ל | נֹגֵ֣עַ בֶּֽחָלָ֗ל תִּתְחַטְּא֞וּ בַּיּ֤וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י אַתֶּ֖ם וּשְׁבִיכֶֽם: |
| outside the camp: [This means] that they should not enter the courtyard [of the Mishkan]. |
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מִחוּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶה:
שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ לָעֲזָרָה:
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| anyone who killed a person: R. Meir says, Scripture speaks of one who killed with a weapon susceptible to contamination, and it teaches that a vessel defiles a person when it is in contact with a corpse, as if he were actually in contact with the corpse itself. Or, I might think that [he becomes contaminated] even if he shot an arrow and killed him. Scripture therefore teaches, “or who touched a corpse,” equating the one who kills with the one who touches. Just as one who touches is [contaminated] through contact, so is the one who kills [contaminated] through contact. — [Sifrei Chukkath 48] |
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כֹּל הֹרֵג נֶפֶשׁ:
רַ' מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר בְּהוֹרֵג בְּדָבָר הַמְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְלִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהַכְּלִי מְטַמֵּא אָדָם בְּחִבּוּרֵי הַמֵּת כְּאִלּוּ נוֹגֵעַ בַּמֵּת עַצְמוֹ, אוֹ יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ זָרַק בּוֹ חֵץ וַהֲרָגוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וכל נגע בחלל, הִקִּישׁ הוֹרֵג לְנוֹגֵעַ, מַה נּוֹגֵעַ עַל יְדֵי חִבּוּרוֹ, אַף הוֹרֵג עַל יְדֵי חִבּוּרוֹ (ספרי במדבר י"ט):
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| shall cleanse himself: with sprinkling water, as is the law with others who were defiled through contact with corpses. For even those who believe that gentile graves do not contaminate [an Israelite] if they are under the same roof-as it says, “You my sheep, the sheep of My pasture; you are men” (Ezek. 34:31) [and the Sages add,] only you are called “men” (Yev. 61a) - admit that gentiles contaminate through contact and carrying, for [the term] “men” is said only in reference to uncleanness caused by being in the same tent [namely, under one roof] as it says, “[This is the law for a man (אָדָם) who dies in a tent” (19:14). |
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תִּתְחַטְּאוּ:
בְּמֵי נִדָּה כְּדִין שְׁאָר טְמֵאֵי מֵתִים, שֶׁאַף לְדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמְרִים קִבְרֵי גוֹיִם אֵינָם מְטַמְּאִין בָּאֹהֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל ל"ד) "וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם" — אַתֶּם קְרוּיִם אָדָם — מוֹדֶה הוּא שֶׁהַגּוֹיִם מְטַמְּאִים בְּמַגַּע וּבְמַשָּׂא, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר אָדָם אֶלָּא אֵצֶל טֻמְאַת אָהֳלוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל" (במדבר י"ט):
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| you and your captives: Not that gentiles are susceptible to contamination and therefore require sprinkling, but just as you are members of the covenant, so too your captives, should they become contaminated after they enter the covenant [of God], they require sprinkling. — [Sifrei Mattoth 46] |
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אַתֶּם וּשְׁבִיכֶֽם:
לֹא שֶׁהַגּוֹיִם מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה וּצְרִיכִין הַזָּאָה, אֶלָּא מָה אַתֶּם בְּנֵי בְרִית, אַף שְׁבִיכֶם כְּשֶׁיָּבֹאוּ לַבְּרִית וְיִטָּמְאוּ, צְרִיכִין הַזָּאָה (ספרי):
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| 20All garments, leather articles, any goat product, and every wooden article shall undergo purification." |
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כוְכָל־בֶּ֧גֶד וְכָל־כְּלִי־ע֛וֹר וְכָל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ה עִזִּ֖ים וְכָל־כְּלִי־עֵ֑ץ תִּתְחַטָּֽאוּ: |
| and any goat product: This includes articles made from the horns, the hooves, and the bones. — [Chul. 25b] |
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וְכָל־מַֽעֲשֵׂה עִזִּים:
לְהָבִיא כְלֵי הַקַּרְנַיִם וְהַטְּלָפַיִם וְהָעֲצָמוֹת (חולין כ"ה):
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| 21Eleazar the kohen said to the soldiers returning from battle, "This is the statute that the Lord commanded Moses. |
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כאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַצָּבָ֔א הַבָּאִ֖ים לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה זֹ֚את חֻקַּ֣ת הַתּוֹרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה: |
| Eleazar the kohen…: Since Moses came to a state of anger, he came to err, for the laws of purging gentile vessels eluded him. A similar incident happened on the eighth day of the investitures [of the kohanim], as it says, “He [Moses] became angry with Eleazar and Ithamar” (Lev. 10:16); he came to a state of anger, so he came to err. Similarly, in the episode of “Now listen, you rebels… and struck the rock” (20:10-11); through anger, he came to err. — [Sifrei Mattoth 48] |
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וַיֹּאמֶר אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וגו':
לְפִי שֶׁבָּא מֹשֶׁה לִכְלַל כַּעַס בָּא לִכְלַל טָעוּת, שֶׁנִּתְעַלְּמוּ מִמֶּנּוּ הִלְכוֹת גִּעוּלֵי גּוֹיִם, וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בַשְּׁמִינִי לַמִּלּוּאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּקְצֹף עַל אֶלְעָזָר וְעַל אִיתָמָר" (ויקרא י') — בָּא לִכְלַל כַּעַס בָּא לִכְלַל טָעוּת, וְכֵן בְּשִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים (במדבר כ') "וַיַּךְ אֶת הַסֶּלַע" — עַל יְדֵי הַכַּעַס טָעָה (ספרי; פסחים ס"ו):
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| which the Lord commanded [Moses]: He ascribed the ruling to his mentor. — [Sifrei Mattoth 48] |
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אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה' וגו':
תָּלָה הַהוֹרָאָה בְּרַבּוֹ (עי' ספרי):
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| 22Only the gold, the silver, the copper, the iron, the tin, and the lead |
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כבאַ֥ךְ אֶת־הַזָּהָ֖ב וְאֶת־הַכָּ֑סֶף אֶת־הַנְּח֨שֶׁת֙ אֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֔ל אֶת־הַבְּדִ֖יל וְאֶת־הָֽעֹפָֽרֶת: |
| Only the gold etc.: Even though Moses warned you only about the laws of ritual uncleanness, you must further be warned of the laws concerning the purging [of contaminated vessels]. [The word] אַךְ “only” is an exclusive expression, that is to say, you are excluded from using vessels even after their purification from contamination by a corpse, until they have been purged from the absorption of the forbidden flesh of carrion. Our Rabbis said,“ Only the gold…” teaches you that one must remove its rust before one purges it. This is the meaning of אַךְ “only”-there should be no rust; “only” the metal itself in its original form. — [Targum Jonathan ben Uzziel, Yalkut Shimoni] |
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אַךְ אֶת־הַזָּהָב וגו':
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִזְהִיר לָכֶם מֹשֶׁה אֶלָּא עַל הִלְכוֹת טֻמְאָה, עוֹד יֵשׁ לְהַזְהִיר לָכֶם עַל הִלְכוֹת גִּעוּל, וְ"אַךְ" לְשׁוֹן מִעוּט, כְּלוֹמַר מְמֻעָטִין אַתֶּם מִלְּהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּכֵּלִים אֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר טָהֲרָתָן מִטֻּמְאַת הַמֵּת עַד שֶׁיִּטְהֲרוּ מִבְּלִיעַת אִסּוּר נְבֵלוֹת; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, אך את הזהב לוֹמַר, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַעֲבִיר חֲלוּדָה שֶׁלּוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגְעִילֶנּוּ, וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן אך, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא שָׁם חֲלוּדָה אַךְ הַמַּתֶּכֶת יִהְיֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא:
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| 23whatever is used in fire you shall pass through fire and then it will be clean; it must, however, [also] be cleansed with sprinkling water, and whatever is not used in fire you shall pass through water. |
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כגכָּל־דָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹ֣א בָאֵ֗שׁ תַּֽעֲבִ֤ירוּ בָאֵשׁ֙ וְטָהֵ֔ר אַ֕ךְ בְּמֵ֥י נִדָּ֖ה יִתְחַטָּ֑א וְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יָבֹ֛א בָּאֵ֖שׁ תַּֽעֲבִ֥ירוּ בַמָּֽיִם: |
| whatever is used in fire: For cooking anything. |
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כָּל־דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹא בָאֵשׁ:
לְבַשֵּׁל בּוֹ כְּלוּם:
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| shall pass through fire: It is purged in the manner it is used. If it is used in hot water, it must be purged in hot water, and if it is used for roasting, such as a spit or grill, it must be made to glow in fire. — [A.Z. 75b] |
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תַּֽעֲבִירוּ בָאֵשׁ:
כְּדֶרֶךְ תַּשְׁמִישׁוֹ הַגְעָלָתוֹ — מִי שֶׁתַּשְׁמִישׁוֹ עַל יְדֵי חַמִּין יַגְעִילֶנּוּ בְחַמִּין, וּמִי שֶׁתַּשְׁמִישׁוֹ עַל יְדֵי צְלִי, כְּגוֹן הַשְּׁפוּד וְהָאַסְכְּלָה, יְלַבְּנוֹ בָּאוּר (עבודה זרה ע"ד):
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| it must, however, [also] be cleansed with sprinkling water: According to its simple meaning, this sprinkling was to cleanse it from contamination by a corpse. He said to them,“The vessels require purging to cleanse them from the [absorption of] forbidden [food], and sprinkling to cleanse them of [spiritual] uncleanness [caused by a corpse].” Our Rabbis expounded from here that even to make them fit for use [after contamination] from forbidden food, ritual immersion was required for metal utensils. They expound מֵי נִדָּה written here to mean water fit for a menstruant [Heb. נִדָּה] to immerse herself in. How much is that? Forty 'seah.’- [A.Z. 75b] |
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אַךְ בְּמֵי נִדָּה יִתְחַטָּא:
לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ חִטּוּי זֶה לְטַהֲרוֹ מִטֻּמְאַת מֵת, אָמַר לָהֶם צְרִיכִין הַכֵּלִים גִּעוּל לְטַהֲרָם מִן הָאִסּוּר וְחִטּוּי לְטַהֲרָן מִן הַטֻּמְאָה; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁאַף לְהַכְשִׁירָן מִן הָאִסּוּר הִטְעִין טְבִילָה לִכְלֵי מַתָּכוֹת, וּמֵי נִדָּה הַכְּתוּבִין כָּאן דָּרְשׁוּ מַיִם הָרְאוּיִם לִטְבֹּל בָּהֶם נִדָּה, וְכַמָּה הֵם? אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה (שם ע"ה):
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| and whatever is not used in fire: Anything which is not used in fire such as ewers, cups, and jugs, all of which are used for cold [food] and did not absorb forbidden food. — [A.Z. 75b] |
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וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־לֹֽא־יָבֹא בָאֵשׁ:
כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין תַּשְׁמִישׁוֹ עַל יְדֵי הָאוּר, כְּגוֹן כּוֹסוֹת וּצְלוֹחִיּוֹת שֶׁתַּשְׁמִישָׁן בְּצוֹנֵן וְלֹא בָלְעוּ אִסּוּר:
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| shall be passed through water: He immerses them and that is sufficient. This refers only to metal utensils. — [A.Z. 75b, Sifrei Mattoth 50] |
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תַּֽעֲבִירוּ בַמָּֽיִם:
מַטְבִּילָן וְדַיּוֹ, וְדַוְקָא כְלֵי מַתָּכוֹת:
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| 24You shall wash your garments on the seventh day and become [ritually] clean; afterwards, you may enter the camp." |
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כדוְכִבַּסְתֶּ֧ם בִּגְדֵיכֶ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י וּטְהַרְתֶּ֑ם וְאַחַ֖ר תָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה: |
| the camp: The camp of the Shechinah, for one who is defiled by the dead is not banned from the Levite camp or the Israelite camp. — [Pes. 67a] |
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אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
לְמַחֲנֵה שְׁכִינָה, שֶׁאֵין טְמֵא מֵת טָעוּן שִׁלּוּחַ מִמַּחֲנֵה לְוִיָּה וּמִמַּחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל:
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