Chumashחומש

בהעלתך. לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת הַמְּנוֹרָה לְפָרָשַׁת הַנְּשִׂיאִים? לְפִי שֶׁכְּשָׁרָאָה אַהֲרֹן חֲנֻכַּת הַנְּשִׂיאִים חָלְשָׁה אָז דַּעְתּוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה עִמָּהֶם בַּחֲנֻכָּה לֹא הוּא וְלֹא שִׁבְטוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּבָּ"ה חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁלְּךָ גְדוֹלָה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁאַתָּה מַדְלִיק וּמֵטִיב אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת (עי' תנחומא):

בהעלתך WHEN THOU LIGHTEST [THE LAMPS] — Why is the section treating of the candelabrum put in juxtaposition with the section dealing with the offerings of the princes? Because when Aaron saw the dedication offerings of the princes, he felt distressed because neither he nor his tribe was with them in the dedication, whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life! Your part is of greater importance than theirs, for you will kindle and set in order the lamps” (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 5; see also Nachmanides).

בהעלתך. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַלַּהַב עוֹלֶה, כָּתוּב בְּהַדְלָקָתָן לְשׁוֹן עֲלִיָּה, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַדְלִיק עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא שַׁלְהֶבֶת עוֹלָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ (שבת כ"א), וְעוֹד דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁמַּעֲלָה הָיְתָה לִפְנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה, שֶׁעָלֶיהָ הַכֹּהֵן עוֹמֵד וּמֵטִיב (ספרי):

בהעלתך lit., WHEN THOU MAKEST [THE LIGHTS] RISE — Because the flame rises upwards (עולה), an expression denoting “ascending” is used of kindling them (the lights), implying that one must kindle them until the light ascends of itself (Shabbat 21a). — Furthermore our Rabbis derived from here (from the expression בהעלתך) that there was a step in front of the candelabrum upon which the priest stood while preparing the lights (Sifrei Bamidbar 59).

אל מול פני המנורה. אֶל מוּל נֵר הָאֶמְצָעִי, שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַקָּנִים אֶלָּא בְּגוּף שֶׁל מְנוֹרָה (עי' מנחות צ"ח):

אל מול פני המנורה OVER AGAINST THE CANDLESTICK — i.e. over against the central lamp which is not on one of the branches, like the others, but on the body (the central shaft) of the candelabrum itself (cf. Menachot 98b).

יאירו שבעת הנרות. שִׁשָּׁה שֶׁעַל שֵׁשֶׁת הַקָּנִים, שְׁלֹשָׁה הַמִּזְרָחִיִּים פּוֹנִים לְמוּל הָאֶמְצָעִי — הַפְּתִילוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן — וְכֵן שְׁלֹשָׁה הַמַּעֲרָבִיִּים רָאשֵׁי הַפְּתִילוֹת לְמוּל הָאֶמְצָעִי, וְלָמָּה? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, לְאוֹרָהּ הוּא צָרִיךְ (עי' תנחומא):

יאירו שבעת הנרות SHALL THE SEVEN LAMPS GIVE LIGHT — the seven lamps: this central lamp itself which naturally gave light over against the shaft (the פני המנורה) and the six lamps which were on the six branches, viz., the three on the east side of the central shaft should have their wicks turned towards the central one, and similarly the three on the west should have the ends of their wicks turned towards the central one (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 59). And why was this? In order that people should not say: He (God) is in need of its (the candlestick’s) light (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 5).

ויעש כן אהרן. לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹּא שִׁנָּה (ספרי):

ויעש כן אהרן AND AARON DID SO — This is stated in order to tell the praise of Aaron — that he did not deviate [from G-d's command] (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 60).

וזה מעשה המנרה. שֶׁהֶרְאָהוּ הַקָּבָּ"ה בְּאֶצְבַּע, לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְקַשָּׁה בָהּ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "וְזֶה":

וזה מעשה המנרה AND THIS IS THE WORK OF THE CANDLESTICK — “This” — we may gather that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed it to him (Moses) with His finger, because he was puzzled by it (how to construct it); and that is why it states, “this is [the construction of the candlestick]” (Sifrei Bamidbar 61; Menachot 29a).

מקשה. בטדי"ץ בְּלַעַז, לְשׁוֹן "דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן" (דניאל ה'), עֶשֶׁת שֶׁל כִּכַּר זָהָב הָיְתָה, וּמַקִּישׁ בְּקֻרְנָס, וְחוֹתֵךְ בְּכַשִּׁיל, לְפַשֵּׁט אֵבָרֶיהָ כְּתִקְנָן, וְלֹא נַעֲשֵׂית אֵבָרִים אֵבָרִים עַ"יְ חִבּוּר (עי' ספרא):

מקשה means batediz in O. F., — [English = beaten], an expression of the same meaning as in (Daniel 5:6) “[and his feet] knocked (נקשן) one against another”. There was a block weighing a talent of gold and he (who made the candlestick) beat it with the hammer, and cut away with a chisel in order that its branches might be made to spread out as they should do, and it was not formed of separate pieces made into a whole by joining them together.

עד ירכה. יְרֵכָהּ הִיא הַשִּׁדָּה שֶׁעַל הָרַגְלַיִם, חָלוּל, כְּדֶרֶךְ מְנוֹרוֹת כֶּסֶף שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַשָּׂרִים:

עד ירכה עד פרחה UNTO THE SHAFT THEREOF, UNTO THE FLOWERS THEREOF — Its ירך was the boxlike base which was above the feet (thus, the feet stood beneath this; cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:31), hollow, like the candlesticks of princely houses (lit., as the candlesticks standing before the princes).

עד ירכה עד פרחה. כְּלוֹמַר גּוּפָהּ שֶׁל מְנוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ וְכָל הַתָּלוּי בָּהּ:

עד ירכה עד פרחה — This phrase means as much as: the whole body of the candlestick and everything attached to it.

עד ירכה. שֶׁהוּא אֵבָר גָּדוֹל:

עד ירכה — FROM THE BASE which is a massive part.

עד פרחה. שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֶׂה דַק שֶׁבָּהּ, הַכֹּל מִקְשָׁה; וְדֶרֶךְ "עַד" לְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּלָשׁוֹן זֶה, כְּמוֹ "מִגָּדִישׁ וְעַד קָמָה וְעַד כֶּרֶם זָיִת" (שופטים ט"ו):

עד פרחה — UP TO ITS FLOWER, which was the most slender piece of work in it — all was beaten out of the lump. The double form of עד … עד) עד) is used in this sense (to include everything), as e.g., (Judges 15:5) “[and he (Samson) burnt up everything] from the shocks to (עד) the standing corn and to (ועד) the vineyard and the olives".

כמראה אשר הראה וגו'. כַּתַּבְנִית אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָהוּ בָהָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ"ה) — וּרְאֵה וַעֲשֵׂה בְתַבְנִיתָם וְגוֹ' (ספרי):

כמראה אשר הראה וגו׳ ACCORDING UNTO THE PATTERN WHICH [THE LORD] HAD SHOWED [MOSES] — i. e. according to the shape which he had shewn him on the mountain, as it is said, (Exodus 25:40) and see, that thou make them after their pattern [which was shewn thee in the mountain]".

כן עשה את המנרה. מִי שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ; וּמִ"אַ, עַל יְדֵי הַקָּבָּ"ה נַעֲשֵׂית מֵאֵלֶיהָ (תנחומא):

כן עשה את המנורה SO HE MADE THE CANDELABRUM — “he” means, the one who made it (not Moses, as might be assumed from the wording of the text; the subject is suppressed and it means no more than: so was the candlestick made). A Midrashic explanation is: By the instrumentality of the Holy One, blessed be He, it was made of itself (according to this the subject is “God” who is mentioned immediately before) (Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 3; cf. Rashi on Exodus 25:31).

קח את הלוים. קָחֵם בִּדְבָרִים — אַשְׁרֵיכֶם שֶׁתִּזְכּוּ לִהְיוֹת שַׁמָּשִׁים לַמָּקוֹם:

קח את הלוים means, win them over with fine words: “Happy are ye that ye are privileged to be servants of the Omnipresent!” (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 8:2.)

הזה עליהם מי חטאת. שֶׁל אֵפֶר הַפָּרָה מִפְּנֵי טְמֵאֵי מֵתִים שֶׁבָּהֶם:

הזה עליהם מי חטאת SPRINKLE UPON THEM WATER OF PURIFYING — water in which the ashes of the Red Heifer are mingled; on account of those among them who might have become unclean through contact with dead persons.

והעבירו תער. מָצָאתִי בְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ כַפָּרָה עַל הַבְּכוֹרוֹת שֶׁעָבְדוּ עֲ"זָ, וְהִיא קְרוּיָה זִבְחֵי מֵתִים, וְהַמְּצֹרָע קָרוּי מֵת, הִזְקִיקָם תִּגְלַחַת כִּמְצוֹרָעִים:

והעבירו תער AND LET THEM SHAVE [ALL THEIR FLESH] — I have found in the work of R. Moses the Preacher the following: Because they were made propitiatory substitutes for the firstborn who had worshipped the idol (the Golden Calf), and it (idolatry) is called (Psalms 106:28) “offerings to the dead”, and the leper is also called dead (cf. Numbers 12:12), it (Scripture) requires them to shave their body like lepers.

ולקחו פר בן בקר. וְהוּא עוֹלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב "וַעֲשֵֹה … וְאֶת הָאֶחָד עֹלָה", וְהוּא קָרְבַּן צִבּוּר בַּעֲ"זָ:

ולקחו פר בן בקר AND LET THEM TAKE A YOUNG BULLOCK, — and this was to be a burnt offering, as it is said, (v. 12) “and thou shalt offer the one [as a sin offering] and the other as a burnt offering”, and it (a bullock) was the communal offering prescribed (Numbers 15:24) in case of idol worship committed by the community (here the firstborn are regarded as a community).

ופר שני. מַה תַּ"ל שֵׁנִי? לוֹמַר לְךָ מָה עוֹלָה לֹא נֶאֱכֶלֶת, אַף חַטָּאת לֹא נֶאֱכֶלֶת. וּבְזוֹ יֵשׁ סֶמֶךְ לִדְבָרָיו בְּת"כֹּ; וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה הָיְתָה, שֶׁשָּׂעִיר הָיָה לָהֶם לְהָבִיא לְחַטַּאת עֲ"זָ עִם פַּר הָעוֹלָה:

ופר שני AND ANOTHER BULLOCK [THOU SHALT TAKE TO BE A SIN OFFERING] — What is the force of the word שני, the second? (There is no corresponding word אחד at the beginning of the sentence!). But it is used to suggest a comparison between the two sacrifices: How is it in the case of the burnt offering? It is not permitted to be eaten (for it is entirely burnt on the altar)! So, too, is this sin-offering not permitted to be eaten (in spite of being a חטאת חיצונה which as a rule may be eaten; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 9:11). And in this fact (that the חטאת prescribed was not eaten) there is some support in the statement of Torath Cohanim just quoted for his (R. Moses the Preacher’s) view (that the עולה which is paired with it was that enjoined for idolatry committed by the community) (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Chovah, Chapter 3 4). — I, however, say that it (the fact that this חטאת was not to be eaten) was an occasional (exceptional) decision (הוראת שעה) (contrary to the rule of a חטאת חיצונה, and not because it was intended as a חטאת לע"ז as asserted by R. Moses), for if his view were correct they would have had to offer a goat (as prescribed in Numbers 15:24 not a bullock) as a sin offering to expiate for idolatry together with a bullock for a burnt offering mentioned here.

והקהלת את כל עדת. לְפִי שֶׁהַלְוִיִּם נִתָּנִים קָרְבַּן כַּפָּרָה תַּחְתֵּיהֶם, יָבֹאוּ וְיַעַמְדוּ עַל קָרְבָּנָם וְיִסְמְכוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם עֲלֵיהֶם:

והקהלת את כל עדת AND THOU SHALT GATHER THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY [OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] TOGETHER — Because the Levites were made, so to speak, an expiatory offering in their stead, let them come and stand at their offering and put their hands upon them (the Levites) as is prescribed in the case of an offering (cf. Leviticus 1:4).

והניף אהרן את הלוים תנופה. כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲשַׁם מְצֹרָע טָעוּן תְּנוּפָה חַי; שָׁלֹשׁ תְּנוּפוֹת נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ: הָרִאשׁוֹנָה — לִבְנֵי קְהָת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בָּם "וְהָיוּ לַעֲבֹד אֶת עֲבֹדַת ה'", לְפִי שֶׁעֲבוֹדַת קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים עֲלֵיהֶם — הָאָרוֹן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן וְגוֹ'; הַשְּׁנִיָּה — לִבְנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בָּם "תְּנוּפָה לַה'", שֶׁאַף עֲלֵיהֶם הָיְתָה עֲבוֹדַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ — יְרִיעוֹת וּקְרָסִים הַנִּרְאוֹת בְּבֵית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית — לִבְנֵי מְרָרִי:

והניף אהרן את הלוים תנופה AND AARON SHALL MAKE A WAVING WITH THE LEVITES — just as the guilt offering of the leper (to whom the Levites are compared in some respect; cf. Rashi on v. 7) required waving whilst alive. — Three times is the command of waving the Levites mentioned in this section (vv. 11, 13, 15): the first refers to the sons of Kohath; therefore (because it is they who are referred to) Scripture adds with regard to them, “that they may execute the service of the Lord” — for it was upon them (the sons of Kohath) that the service of the most holy objects: the Ark, the table, etc., devolved. The second refers to the sons of Gershon, and therefore Scripture adds with regard to them, “a waving for the Lord”, for upon them devolved the service of the holy (though not the most holy) objects: the hangings and the catches which were visible in the Holy of Holies. The third refers to the sons of Merari.