Chumashחומש

כן בנות צלפחד דברת. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, "יָאוּת" — כָּךְ כְּתוּבָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ לְפָנַי בַּמָּרוֹם, מַגִּיד שֶׁרָאֲתָה עֵינָן מַה שֶּׁלֹּא רָאֲתָה עֵינוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה (תנחומא):

כן בנות צלפחד דברת THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD SPEAK RIGHT — Understand the word כן as the Targum does: יאות rightly, properly. God said: Exactly so is this chapter written before me on High (The Law has long since been fixed) (Sifrei Bamidbar 134:1). This tells us that their eye saw what Moses’ eye did not see. (They had a finer perception of what was just in the law of inheritance than Moses had.) (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 8).

כן בנות צלפחד דברת. יָפֶה תָּבְעוּ, אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם שֶׁהַקָּבָּ"ה מוֹדֶה לִדְבָרָיו (ספרי):

כן בנות צלפחד דברת — “They have made a fair claim”. Happy is the person with whose words the Holy One, blessed be He, agrees (Sifrei Bamidbar 134:1).

נתן תתן. שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, חֵלֶק אֲבִיהֶן שֶׁהָיָה מִיּוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם, וְחֶלְקוֹ עִם אֶחָיו בְּנִכְסֵי חֵפֶר (בבא בתרא קי"ח):

נתן תתן lit., GIVING THOU SHALT GIVE [A POSSESSION OF AN INHERITANCE AMONGST THEIR FATHER’S BRETHREN] — This suggests: thou shalt give two portions, viz., the portion of their father (אחזת נחלה) who was one of those who came out of Egypt, and his portion that he should have had together with his brothers (נחלה בתוך אחי אביהם) in the property of his father Hefer (who also was one of those who left Egypt) (cf. Rashi on Numbers 26:55) (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 134:1; Bava Batra 118b).

והעברת. לְשׁוֹן עֶבְרָה הוּא בְּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחַ בֵּן לְיָרְשׁוֹ. דָּ"אַ — עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַבַּת מַעֲבֶרֶת נַחֲלָה מִשֵּׁבֶט לְשֵׁבֶט, שֶׁבְּנָהּ וּבַעְלָהּ יוֹרְשִׁין אוֹתָהּ — שֶׁ"לֹא תִסֹּב נַחֲלָה" (במדבר ל"ו) לֹא נִצְטַוָּה אֶלָּא לְאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר בִּלְבַד (בבא בתרא ק"כ) — וְכֵן וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם אֶת נַחֲלָתוֹ לְבִתּוֹ, בְּכֻלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וּנְתַתֶּם" וּבַבַּת הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם":

והעברת — This is an expression (also) denoting “wrath” and it is used here instead of a form of נתן found throughout the chapter to suggest that God’s wrath is directed against one who leaves no son to be his heir (Bava Batra 116a). Another explanation is that the form of העבר “causing to pass” is exceptionally used in the case of a daughter being her father’s heiress because a daughter as heiress ordinarily causes the inheritance to pass from one tribe to another tribe, since her son and her husband are her heirs (Sifrei Bamidbar 134:2; Bava Batra 147a), for it must be born in mind that the command (Numbers 36:7), “The inheritance shall not move from tribe to tribe” was laid only upon that generation (Bava Batra 120a). And so, for the same reason, we have this verb used in (v. 8): “Then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter”, for you see that in all of them (the other cases mentioned here) it says, ונתתם, “and ye shall give” (vv. 9, 10, 11), but in the case of a daughter it says, והעברתם, “and ye shall cause it to pass”.

לשארו הקרב אליו ממשפחתו. וְאֵין מִשְׁפָּחָה קְרוּיָה אֶלָּא מִצַּד הָאָב (שם ק"ט):

לשארו הקרוב אליו ממשפחתו TO HIS KIN THAT IS NEXT TO HIM OF HIS FAMILY — The term משפחה used in connection with inheritance denotes kinship only on the father’s side (Sifrei Bamidbar 134:3; Bava Batra 119b).

עלה אל הר העברים. לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה לְכָאן? כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה נָתֹן תִּתֵּן לָהֶם, אָמַר אוֹתִי צִוָּה הַמָּקוֹם לְהַנְחִיל, שֶׁמָּא הֻתְּרָה הַגְּזֵרָה וְאֶכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ? אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה גְּזֵרָתִי בִּמְקוֹמָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת. דָּ"אַ — כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנַס מֹשֶׁה לְנַחֲלַת בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן שָׂמַח וְאָמַר, כִּמְדֻמֶּה שֶׁהֻתַּר לִי נִדְרִי; מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁגָּזַר עַל בְּנוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס לְפֶתַח פָּלָטִין שֶׁלּוֹ, נִכְנַס לַשַּׁעַר וְהוּא אַחֲרָיו, לֶחָצֵר וְהוּא אַחֲרָיו, לַטְּרַקְלִין וְהוּא אַחֲרָיו, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא לִכָּנֵס לַקִּיטוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ בְּנִי מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ אַתָּה אָסוּר לִכָּנֵס (ספרי):

עלה אל הר העברים GO UP INTO [THIS] MOUNT ABARIM — Why does this follow immediately here? Because when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, (v. 7) “Thou shalt surely give them an inheritance in the land” he (Moses) said, “It is me that the Omnipresent has commanded to apportion the inheritance. Perhaps then the decree that I must die in the wilderness is annulled and I shall enter the Promised Land!” Whereupon God said to him, “My decree remains exactly as it was” (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 9). — Another explanation: As soon as Moses entered into the territory of the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben (the eastern side of the Jordan, which, having been assigned to these tribes, might be regarded as part of the Promised Land), he rejoiced, saying, “It seems to me that the vow regarding me has been annulled in my favour”. God, therefore, said to him, My decree remains exactly as it was. A parable! It may be compared to the case of a king who decreed against his son that he should not enter the door of his palace. He (the king) entered within the gate, and he (the son) went after him (without the father raising any objection); to the audience chamber, and he after him. But as soon as he was about to enter his sleeping-chamber (his private room) he said to him, “My son, from here and further on you may not go” (Sifrei Bamidbar 134:4).

כאשר נאסף אהרן אחיך. מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּתְאַוָּה מֹשֶׁה לְמִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן (שם); דָּ"אַ — אֵין אַתָּה טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ, "עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִדַּשְׁתֶּם" (דברים לב, נא), הָא אִם קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי עֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיעַ זְמַנְכֶם לְהִפָּטֵר (שם); בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתַב מִיתָתָם כָּתַב סֻרְחָנָם, לְפִי שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְזֵרָה עַל דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּעָוֹן שֶׁלֹּא הֶאֱמִינוּ, לְכָךְ בִּקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיִּכָּתֵב סֻרְחָנוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ אַף הוּא מִן הַמַּמְרִים הָיָה, מָשָׁל לִשְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים שֶׁלּוֹקוֹת בְּבֵית דִּין, אַחַת קִלְקְלָה וְאַחַת אָכְלָה פַגֵּי שְׁבִיעִית וְכוּ', אַף כָּאן בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִזְכִּיר מִיתָתָן הִזְכִּיר סֻרְחָנָן, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בָהֶם אֶלָּא זוֹ בִּלְבַד (יומא פ"ו):

כאשר נאסף אהרן אחיך [THOU SHALT BE GATHERED TO THY PEOPLE] AS AARON THY BROTHER WAS GATHERED — From this it is evident that Moses longed for a death similar to that of Aaron (cf. Rashi on Numbers 20:26). — Another explanation: you will die as he died (in the wilderness) because you are no better than he (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 9). — Such indeed is suggested by (Deuteronomy 32:50. 51): “[and die … as Aaron thy brother died …] because you sanctified me not”. Thus it follows, if ye (both of you) had sanctified me your time would not have yet come to depart this life and you would not have died in the wilderness (Sifrei Bamidbar 137:1). In every passage where it writes about their death you will find that it writes about their offence. Because a decree had been made against the generation of the wilderness (those who left Egypt) that they should die in the wilderness on account of the sin that they did not have faith in God, therefore Moses requested that the nature of his offence should be stated in the Torah, so that people might not say, “He, too, was one of those “rebels”. A parable: It may be compared to the case of two women who were punished by the Court; one was an immoral woman and one had merely eaten unripe figs of the sabbatical year’s growth. The latter, therefore, requested that the nature of her offence might be made public, and they did so by proclamation. So, too, here: wherever it mentions their death it mentions also their misdeed, in order to make it known that there was only this single sin in them (Tanchuma 4:6:10 on חקת; Yoma 86b; cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 137:2).

הם מי מריבת קדש. הֵם לְבַדָּם — אֵין בָּהֶם עָוֹן אַחֵר; דָּ"אַ — הֵם שֶׁהִמְרוּ בְמָרָה, הֵם הָיוּ שֶׁהִמְרוּ בְיַם סוּף, הֵם עַצְמָם שֶׁהִמְרוּ בְמִדְבַּר צִן:

המה מי מריבת קדש THEY, THE WATERS OF MERIBA IN KADESH — they alone were the cause of their death: there was no other sin in them. — Another explanation is: it was they (the waters) which were the cause of their rebellion at Marah (Exodus 16:23-24), it was they which made them rebel at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:11—12) and yet it was they which made them rebel here in the wilderness of Zin.

וידבר משה אל ה' וגו'. לְהוֹדִיעַ שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, כְּשֶׁנִּפְטָרִים מִן הָעוֹלָם מַנִּיחִים צָרְכָּן, וְעוֹסְקִין בְּצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר (ספרי):

'וידבר משה אל ה‎‎‎ וגו׳ AND AND MOSES SPAKE TO THE LORD, [LET THE LORD … SET A MAN OVER THE CONGREGATION] — This statement serves to show the praise of the righteous: when they are about to depart from the world, they abandon all thought of their own affairs and occupy themselves with the affairs of the community (Sifrei Bamidbar 138).

לאמר. אָמַר לוֹ, הֲשִׁיבֵנִי אִם אַתָּה מְמַנֶּה לָהֶם פַּרְנָס אִם לָאו (שם):

לאמר saying (more lit., to say, i.e., that God should say, or answer him) — He said to Him, “Answer me whether You will appoint a leader for them or not” (Sifrei Bamidbar 138).

יפקד ה'. כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע מֹשֶׁה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם תֵּן נַחֲלַת צְלָפְחָד לִבְנוֹתָיו, אָמַר הִגִּיעַ שָׁעָה שֶׁאֶתְבַּע צָרְכִּי — שֶׁיִּירְשׁוּ בָּנַי אֶת גְּדֻלָּתִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה לֹא כָךְ עָלְתָה בְמַחֲשָׁבָה לְפָנַי, כְּדַאי הוּא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לִטֹּל שְׂכַר שִׁמּוּשׁוֹ שֶׁלֹּא מָשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל (שמות ל״ג:י״א), וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה (משלי כ"ז) "נוֹצֵר תְּאֵנָה יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ" (תנחומא):

יפקד ה׳ LET THE LORD … SET [A MAN OVER THE CONGREGATION] — When Moses heard that the Omnipresent said to him, “Give the inheritance of Zelophehad to his daughters”, he said to himself, “The time has come that I should ask something that I want — that my sons should inherit my high position”. God replied to him, “Not thus has entered My mind; Joshua deserves to receive the reward of his ministrations, because “he has never departed from out the tent” (Exodus XXXIII 11). — This is what Solomon said, (Proverbs 27:18) ‘‘Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof, [and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured]” (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 11).

אלהי הרוחת. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? אָמַר לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, גָּלוּי לְפָנֶיךָ דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, וְאֵינָן דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה, מַנֵּה עֲלֵיהֶם מַנְהִיג שֶׁיְּהֵא סוֹבֵל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי דַעְתּוֹ (ילקוט שמעוני):

אלהי הרוחת GOD OF THE SPIRITS [OF ALL FLESH] — Why is this expression used? (i.e., why does it not state simply אלהי כל בשר?) He said to Him: “Lord of the Universe! the personality of each person is revealed to you, and no two are alike. Appoint over them a leader who will tolerate each person according to his individual character (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 10; cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 776).

אשר יצא לפניהם. לֹא כְדֶרֶךְ מַלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּבָתֵּיהֶם וּמְשַׁלְּחִין אֶת חַיָּלוֹתֵיהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי אֲנִי, שֶׁנִּלְחַמְתִּי בְסִיחוֹן וּבְעוֹג, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כ"א) "אַל תִּירָא אֹתוֹ", וּכְדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הֲלָנוּ אַתָּה" וְגוֹ' (יהושע ה'), וְכֵן בְּדָוִד הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמואל א י"ח) "כִּי הוּא יוֹצֵא וָבָא לִפְנֵיהֶם" — יוֹצֵא בָּרֹאשׁ וְנִכְנָס בָּרֹאשׁ (ספרי):

אשר יצא לפניהם ONE WHO MAY GO BEFORE THEM — not as is the way of the kings of the nations who sit at home and send their armies to battle, but as “I” have done — I who fought against Sihon and against Og, as it is said, (Numbers 21:34) “Do not fear him: “[for I have delivered him into thy hand … and thou shall do to him as thou didst unto Sihon, etc.]” and as is the way that Joshua followed, as it is said, (Joshua 5:3) “And Joshua went to him and said, Art thou for us [or for our adversaries]”. And so, too, in the case of David, it says, (I Samuel 18:16) “For he went out and came in before them” — went out at their head, and came in at their head (Sifrei Bamidbar 139:2).

ואשר יוציאם. בִּזְכֻיּוֹתָיו:

ואשר יוציאם AND WHO WILL LEAD THEM OUT, safely through his merits,

ואשר יביאם. בִּזְכֻיּוֹתָיו. דָּ"אַ — ואשר יביאם, שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לִּי, שֶׁאֵינִי מַכְנִיסָן לָאָרֶץ (ילקוט שמעוני):

ואשר יביאם AND WHO WILL BRING THEM IN, safely through his merits (Siphre). Another explanation: ואשר יביאם AND WHO WILL BRING THEM IN — I ask that You should not do to him, as You have done to me' for I may not bring them into the Land. (cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 776).

קח לך. קָחֶנּוּ בִּדְבָרִים — אַשְׁרֶךָ שֶׁזָּכִיתָ לְהַנְהִיג בָּנָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם:

קח לך TAKE TO THEE [JOSHUA] — take him through fine words, saying,“Fortunate are you that you have merited to lead the children of the Omnipresent!” (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 92 on 11:16).

לך. אֶת שֶׁבָּדוּק לְךָ, אֶת שֶׁאַתָּה מַכִּיר:

לך [TAKE] TO THEE — take one who has been examined by you, the one with whom you are familiar.

אשר רוח בו. כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתָּ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לַהֲלֹךְ כְּנֶגֶד רוּחוֹ שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד (ספרי):

אשר רוח בו [A MAN] IN WHOM THERE IS SPIRIT — As you requested; someone able to deal with the character of each one. (Sifrei Bamidbar 140:1).

וסמכת את ידך עליו. תֵּן לוֹ מְתֻרְגְּמָן שֶׁיִּדְרֹשׁ בְּחַיֶּיךָ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ עָלָיו, לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לְהָרִים רֹאשׁ בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה:

וסמכת את ידך עליו AND LAY THY HAND UPON HIM — Give him an interpreter, so that he will hold Halachic discourses during your life-time, — in order that people may not say about him if he does this only after your death: he dared not raise his head during Moses days but did so only at his death (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 140:1).

וצויתה אתו. עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, דַּע שֶׁטַּרְחָנִין הֵם, סַרְבָנִים הֵם, עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּקַבֵּל עָלֶיךָ (ספרי במדבר י"א):

וצויתה אתו AND GIVE HIM A CHARGE concerning Israel; say to him, “Know that they are troublesome, that they are refractory — accept your office having in mind that you will have to take upon yourself all this (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 92 on 11:16).

ונתתה מהודך עליו. זֶה קֵרוּן עוֹר פָּנִים:

ונתתה מהודך עליו AND THOU SHALT PUT SOME OF THY GLORY UPON HIM — This refers to the shining of the skin of his countenance (see Exodus 34:29—30).

מהודך. וְלֹא כָּל הוֹדְךָ, וּמָצִינוּ לְמֵדִין פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה כַּחַמָּה פְּנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כַּלְּבָנָה (ספרי; בבא בתרא ע"ה):

מהודך SOME OF THY GLORY, and not all thy glory; consequently we learn from this: Moses’ face beamed like the sun, Joshua's face only like the moon (Sifrei Bamidbar 140:2; Bava Batra 75a).

למען ישמעו כל עדת בני ישראל. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נוֹהֲגִין בּוֹ כָּבוֹד וְיִרְאָה, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין בְּךָ:

למען ישמעו כל עדת ישראל THAT ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHOULD BE OBEDIENT TO HIM — that they should comport themselves towards him with respect and reverence, in the same way as they comport themselves towards you (cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 776).

ולפני אלעזר הכהן יעמד. הֲרֵי שְׁאֵלָתְךָ שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ, שֶׁאֵין הַכָּבוֹד הַזֶּה זָז מִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, שֶׁאַף יְהוֹשֻׁעַ יְהֵא צָרִיךְ לְאֶלְעָזָר (תנחומא):

ולפני אלעזר הכהן יעמד AND HE SHALL STAND BEFORE ELEAZAR THE PRIEST — Here you have the request that you have made: that this honour should not depart from your father’s house, for Joshua, too, will need Eleazar (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 11).

ושאל לו. כְּשֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ לָצֵאת לַמִּלְחָמָה:

ושאל לו AND HE SHALL ASK OF HIM, whenever he finds it necessary to go forth to war (cf. Targum Jonathan on).

על פיו. שֶׁל אֶלְעָזָר:

על פיו AT HIS WORD [SHALL THEY GO FORTH] — at Eleazar’s.

וכל העדה. סַנְהֶדְרִין:

וכל העדה AND ALL THE CONGREGATION — the Sanhedrin (Sanhedrin 16a).

ויקח את יהושע. לְקָחוֹ בִדְבָרִים וְהוֹדִיעוֹ מַתַּן שְׂכַר פַּרְנְסֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא (ספרי):

ויקח את יהושע AND HE TOOK JOSHUA — he took him by fine words and told him the reward that will be given to Israel’s leaders in the world to come (Sifrei Bamidbar 141:2).

ויסמך את ידיו. בְּעַיִן יָפָה, יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּצְטַוָּה, שֶׁהַקָּבָּ"ה אָמַר לוֹ "וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת יָדְךָ", וְהוּא עָשָׂה בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו, וַעֲשָׂאוֹ כִכְלִי מָלֵא וְגָדוּשׁ, וּמִלְּאוֹ חָכְמָתוֹ בְּעַיִן יָפָה (שם):

ויסמך את ידיו AND HE LAID HIS HANDS [UPON HIM] — generously (in full measure), even more than he had been commanded, for the Holy One, blessed be He, had said, (v. 18) “Lay thy hand [upon him]”, but he did this with his two hands (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 960), and so made of him a full and heaped up vessel (Sifrei Bamidbar 141:3) and filled him generously with his own wisdom.

כאשר דבר ה'. אַף לְעִנְיַן הַהוֹד — נָתַן מֵהוֹדוֹ עָלָיו:

כאשר דבר ה׳ AS THE LORD SPAKE, in respect also of the glory: he put some of his glory upon him.