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Parshat Matot/Masei

Parshat Matot/Masei

Parshat /

A free excerpt from the Kehot Publication Society's Chumash / with commentary based on the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, produced by Chabad of California. The full volume is available for purchase at www.kehot.com. For personal use only. All rights reserved. The right to reproduce this book or portions thereof, in any form, requires permission in writing from Chabad of California, Inc. The - Chumash Bemidbar With an Interpolated English Translation and Commentary Based on the Works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

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The Book of Numbers

Parshat Matot/Masei

5769/2009 ISBN 978-0-8266-0191-9

This book contains the Hebrew Text of the Torah, and therefore opens and is read

GENESIS Bereishit Lech Lecha Chayei Toldot Vayeitzei Vayeishev Mikeitz Vayechi EXODUS Vaeira Tisa Vayakheil LEVITICUS NUMBERS Bemidbar Beha’alotecha Shelach Pinchas מטות Matot 42 Masei DEUTERONOMY Va’etchanan Re’eh Shoftim Teitzei Tavo Netzavim Vayeilech Ha’azinu Vezot Habrachah מַ ּט וֹ ת 42Matot Overview

arashat Matot covers three main subjects: the laws of vows and oaths, the war against , and the settlement of the tribes of and . The second and third of these three fit well into the historical flow of the Torah.P The war against Midian is the third and final act in the drama of ’s confrontation with the -Midian alliance whose story began in parashat Balak. The settlement of the two tribes of Reuben and Gad is the next phase of the conquest of the , begun at the end of parashat Chukat and continuing through the Book of and beyond. What, then, of the laws of vows and oaths? Like the other legal passages of the Torah, we would expect to find these laws in Exodus or Leviticus. So why are they in fact here? It must be that these laws have a particular relevance to the subject of conquering and settling the Land of Israel. This will be clear when we review the events that preceded this parashah and which lead into it, as follows. As we explained previously, the Jewish people’s slide into the idolatry of Pe’or and their harlotry with the Moabite-Midianite women actually began as a misunderstanding of the way they were meant to be involved in the physical world. They knew that their parents’ generation had been sentenced to live in the desert for forty years (after the incident of the spies) because they had shunned the challenges of such involvement. Standing at the threshold of the , they were poised to accept this challenge and had resolved not to repeat their parents’ errors; they were ready to attack the materiality of the physical world and infuse it with God-consciousness. However, their impetuous enthusiasm led them to err, and they overlooked the need to be cautious. As Eve had done with the fruit of the tree of knowledge, they fell into the trap of overestimating their holiness and thinking that their sublime spiritual consciousness and zeal made them invincible and immune to the machinations of evil. They knew that the purpose of life is to make all of reality into a home for God, and they had learned from ’s conversion and ’s prophecies that in order for this to happen, even the lowest, most anti-holy elements of reality must be elevated into holiness. Thus, they reasoned that they, too, must experience these dangerous but powerful energies of lust and unholy spirituality—in order, of course, to elevate them back to their source in holiness. But of course, they were wrong. If one is to throw caution to the wind and risk everything, it should be in the opposite direction, to combat evil, as Pinchas graphically demonstrated.

186 Overview of MATOT

Although we should not shun the challenge of engaging the materiality of this world directly, we must be duly aware of its potential to divert us and corrupt our intentions. Hence the pertinence of the laws of vows and oaths: through these laws a person can set up boundaries for himself where he feels they are needed, as we will explain further on. The next subject of this parashah, the war with Midian, can now be seen as a logical follow-through from the laws of vows and oaths. Those laws are the spiritual correction of the error of Pe’or, and the battle with Midian is the effort to uproot the source of this error. The settlement of the tribes of Reuben and Gad is also a development of the same theme. These tribes wished to settle in the territory that had conquered from Sichon and Og, on the east side of the River. God did not intend the to settle this land at this point in history. These tribes reasoned, however, that the holiness of the Land of Israel proper was greater than the land outside its boundaries; therefore, it was crucial to elevate the unholy land as well. Their argument was therefore a variation on the same theme as before. As we shall see, however, this time they were partially right, and their understanding is an important lesson for us regarding our relationship to the physical world. All three subjects of parashat Matot, then, are relevant to the impending entry into the Land of Israel. On the personal level as well, they are relevant to each of us individually in our encounter with the material world and to our generation collectively, standing as we are on the threshold of the messianic Redemption. This explains how the name of the parashah, Matot, can be justifiably used as the name for the entire parashah. The word itself means “tribes,” but there are two words used in the Torah for “tribe,” the other one being shevet. Interestingly, both synonyms for “tribe” are also synonyms for “tree branch.” Just as branches stem from a tree trunk, a “tribe” is a branch or division of the people rooted in its common ancestor (in this case, ). The difference between the two synonyms is that whileshevet refers to a soft, pliable twig, mateh (the singular of matot) refers to a hard stick. The shevet owes its pliability to the fact that it is freshly cut from the tree (or even still connected to it), in contrast to the mateh, which has long been severed from the tree and has therefore lost its elasticity. Thus, shevet refers to the Jewish tribe (or individual ) when it is consciously connected to its source, whereas mateh refers to the same tribe (or individual Jew) when it is not so consciously connected. Spiritually, shevet can be considered to refer to the soul before it descended into the body, when it was fully conscious of Divinity and its own connection to its source. Mateh would then refer to the soul as it has entered the body and lost this conscious connection—at least temporarily—and been charged with elevating the body and the portion of reality under its purview. In such a state, we must evince the inflexibility of a hardened stick in our devotion to principles and resistance to evil. If successful, we can face the challenges of life confidently and proceed to fulfill our purpose on earth and make reality into the home for God it was intended to be.1

1. Based on Reshimot 51 and Likutei Sichot, vol. 18, p. 382, vol. 28, p. 281, etc.

187 First Reading מטות 2 וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֤ר מׁשֶ ה֙ אֶל־רָ אׁשֵ ֣י הַּמַּט֔ ֹות לִבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵ֖ ל לֵאמֹ֑ ר  ONKELOS  30:2 וּמַלֵּ יל מֹשׁ ֶ ה עִ ם רֵישׁ ֵ י זֶ ֣ה הַּדָ בָ֔ ראֲׁשֶ֖ר צִ ּוָ ֥ה יְהוָֹֽה: 3 אִ יׁשּ֩כִֽ י־יִּדֹ֨ר רנֶ֜דֶ לַֽיהוָֹ ֗ה שׁ ִ בְטַ יָּא לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל לְמֵימָ ר דֵּ ין פִּתְ גָּמָ א דִּ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ: 3 גְּבַ ר אֲרֵ י יִדַּ ר אֹֽו־הִּׁשָ ֤בַ ע ׁשְ בֻעָה֙ לֶאְסֹ֤ראִּסָ ר֙עַ ל־נַפְׁש֔ ֹו ֹל֥ א ל יַחֵ֖ ּדְ בָר֑ ֹו נְדַ ר קֳדָ ם יְיָ אוֹ יְקַ יֵּם קְ יָם לְמֵיסַ ר אִסָּ ר עַ ל נַפְשׁ ֵהּ לָ א יְבַטֵּ ל פִּתְ גָּמֵהּ ּכְ כָל־הַּיֹצֵ ֥א מִּפִ֖ יו יַֽעֲׂשֶֽ ה: כְּכָל דְּ יִפּ וֹק מִפֻּמֵּהּ יַעְבֵּ ד:   2 רָאשׁ ֵ י הַמַּ ּטוֹ ת. חָ לַק כָּבוֹ ד לַנְּשִׂיאִ ים לְלַמְּדָ ם תְּחִ ּלָה, ּהַלַיְלָה"3, וְהַ נְּבִיאִ ים נִתְ נַבְּ אוּ בְּ "כֹה אָמַ ר ה'", מוּסָ ף וְאַחַ ר כָּ ְך לְכָ ל בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל. וּמְ נַיִן שׁ ֶאַ ף שׁ ְאָ ר הַדִּ בְּרוֹ ת כֵּ ן? עֲ לֵיהֶ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה שׁ ֶ נִּתְ נַבֵּ א בִּ לְשׁ וֹ ן "זֶה הַדָּ בָ ר". דָּ בָ ר אַ חֵ ר: תַּ לְ מוּד לוֹמַ ר: "וַ ּיָשׁ ֻ בוּ אֵ לָיו אַ הֲ רֹן וְכָ ל הַ נְּשִׂאִ ים בָּעֵדָ ה "זֶה הַדָּ בָ ר", מִ עוּט הוּא, לוֹמַ ר שׁ ֶהֶחָכָ ם בִּ לְשׁ וֹ ן "הַתָּרָ ה" וַיְדַ בֵּ ר מֹשׁ ֶ ה אֲ לֵיהֶ ם, וְאַ חֲרֵ י כֵ ן נִ ּגְשׁ וּ כָּ ל בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל"1. וּבַעַ ל בִּ לְשׁ וֹ ן "הֲפָרָ ה" כִּלְשׁ וֹ ן הַכָּ תוּב כָּ אן, וְאִ ם חִ ְּ לפוּ וּמָ ה רָ אָ ה לְאָמְרָ הּ כָּ אן? לִמֵּ ד שׁ ֶ הֲפָרַ ת נְדָרִ ים בְּ יָחִ יד — אֵ ין מֻתָּ ר וְאֵ ין מוּפָ ר: 3 נֶדֶ ר. הָאוֹמֵ ר: הֲרֵ י עָ לַי קוֹ נָם מֻמְ חֶ ה, וְאִ ם אֵ ין יָחִ יד מֻמְ חֶ ה — מֵ פֵ ר בִּשׁ ְלֹשׁ ָ ה הֶדְ יוֹטוֹ ת. שׁ ֶ ּלֹא אוֹכַ ל אוֹ שׁ ֶ ּלֹא אֶעֱ שֶׂ ה דָּ בָ ר פְּלוֹנִ י. יָכוֹ ל, אֲפִ ּלוּ אוֹ יָכוֹ ל, שׁ ֶ ּלֹא אָמַ ר מֹשׁ ֶ ה פּ ָרָשׁ ָ ה זוֹ אֶ ּלָא לַנְּשִׂיאִ ים נִשׁ ְבַּ ע שׁ ֶ ּיֹאכַ ל נְבֵלוֹ ת, אֲנִ י קוֹרֵ א עָ לָיו: "כְּכָ ל הַ ּיוֹ צֵ א בִּ לְבָ ד? נֶאֱמַ ר כָּ אן: "זֶה הַדָּ בָ ר", וְ נֶאֱמַ ר בִּשׁ ְ חוּטֵ י חוּץ2: מִפִּ יו יַעֲ שֶׂ ה"? תַּ לְ מוּד לוֹמַ ר: "לֶאְ סֹר אִסָּ ר" — לֶאֱ סֹר אֶ ת "זֶה הַדָּ בָ ר"; מַ ה ּלְהַ ּלָן נֶאֶמְרָ ה לְאַ הֲ רֹן וּלְבָ נָיו וּלְכָ ל בְּ נֵי הַמּ ֻתָּ ר, וְ לֹא לְהַתִּ יר אֶ ת הָאָ סוּר: לֹא יַחֵ ל דְּ בָרוֹ . כְּמוֹ "לֹא יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "דַּ בֵּ ר אֶ ל אַ הֲ רֹן וְגוֹ '", אַ ף זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָ ה יְחַ ּלֵל דְּ בָרוֹ " — לֹא יַעֲ שֶׂה דְ בָרָ יו חֻ ִּ לין: ּלְכֻלָן: זֶה הַדָּ בָ ר. מֹשׁ ֶ ה נִתְ נַבֵּ א בְּ "כֹה אָמַ ר ה' כַּחֲצֹת

1. שמות לד, לא ־לב. 2. ויקרא יז, ב. 3. שמות יא, ד.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  But when a person sees that a particular indulgence This further explains why the laws of vows and affects him negatively, he should at least temporar- oaths were taught now, as the Jewish people were ily renounce it. If he feels incapable of resisting the preparing to enter the Land of Israel. The purpose urge to overindulge, he can make a formal vow, of their entry, we know, was to make the physical which forbids the indulgence to him just as if it had world a home for God. This they were to do by been forbidden by the Torah. Thus, the sages say, engaging in the physical work of occupying and “vows foster abstinence.”10 If, on the other hand, he working the land and, in general, earning a living feels that he is capable of controlling himself, it is and sustaining themselves from the earth’s raw ma- better to abstain from the indulgence without the terials—all for holy purposes and with holy inten- formality of a vow. Regarding this, the sages say, tions. Thus, although a person’s involvement with “sanctify yourself with that which is permitted to physicality may on occasion require him to swear you.”11 In either case, every individual must be off some aspect of it, he must always remember that honest with himself about which aspects of life he the purpose of his life is ideally accomplished by is ready to elevate and which he is not, and what annulling such vows and partaking of life’s boun- lengths he must go to in order to curb his appe- ties in holiness.14 12 tites. By guarding himself from things that would If a man makes a vow: If a person consecrates fruit be detrimental to his Divine consciousness, a person as a sacrifice for the Temple, even though fruit can- both weakens materialism’s power over him and in- not be used for such a purpose, it becomes holy and creases the power of holiness within him. This, too, it is forbidden to eat it. This is because he can in- 13 gives him more power to resist evil. deed sanctify an animal for sacrificial purposes and 15 Nonetheless, the Torah states that there are specific cause it to be forbidden for other mundane uses. individuals who can annul vows that others make. The power to consecrate extends beyond the realm This means, in effect, that such individuals are able of its fundamental sphere of influence. to grant someone who, on his own, might not be This teaches us the magnificent power of speech. ready to tackle a certain aspect of reality, the ability We are empowered to transform the mundane into to do so. Certainly, this is the preferred approach, the holy, to elevate a simple beast into a sacrifice inasmuch as it both elevates the spiritual stature of simply by stating such an intention. Certainly, we the individual and enables him to elevate the spiri- must then be careful to use this gift only for the tual level of a greater part of his environment. loftiest and most desirable ends.16

10. Avot 3:13. 11. Yevamot 20a; Sifrei, Reeh 14:21 (104); see Tanya, ch. 30 (39a) and 27 (34b), where it is stated that this injunction is rooted in the written Torah; on Leviticus 19:2. 12. Likutei Torah 3:83b, 84b; Reshimot 51; Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, pp. 186 ff. 13. Likutei Sichot, vol. 4, p. 1077. 14. Likutei Sichot, vol. 13, pp. 108-109, vol. 33, p. 197. 15. , Nedarim 1:7. 16. Address of Matot-Masei, 5748. 188 Numbers 30:2-3 Matot Vows and Oaths 30:2 Having mentioned vows in the preceding laws1—those of the additional fes- tival offerings—Moses now elaborates on the laws of vows.2 As has been seen,3 when Moses taught the people a lesson in the Torah, he taught it first to , then to Aaron’s sons, then to the princes, then to the rest of the people, and so on. In the following section—the laws of vows and oaths and the laws of their annul- ment—the Torah highlights the princes’ distinction over the rest of the people in order to imply that when it is necessary to release an individual from a vow he has taken, it should preferably be done by a single person of distinction, i.e., an expert sage, and only when this is not possible should release be carried out by three non- experts.4 Moses spoke to the princes, the heads of the tribes of the , as a unit, in the course of teaching the rest of the people, saying, “This is the thing God has commanded: 3 A minor’s vows are not legally binding. If an adult man, over 12 years old,5 makes a vow to God or makes an oath to prohibit himself from doing something otherwise permitted to him, he shall not profane his word; rather, he shall fulfill whatever he said.6 A vow is a declaration of intent with regard to a specific object, whereas an oath is a declaration of intent with regard to oneself. In either case, a person may not break his vows or oaths. However, if an expert sage or a tribunal of three non-experts deems it necessary, he or they can declare the vow to be retro- actively void;7 this is called releasing the vow.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  3 If a man makes a vow: By taking a vow, a person ence and thereby lose his Divine orientation. forbids himself from some activity that the Torah On a collective scale, the ability of the Jewish people otherwise permits. In a sense, then, these laws can to elevate certain aspects of this neutral ground has be seen as a continuation of the lesson of Pinchas: fluctuated throughout history. When the Temple that there are times and exigencies that dictate go- stood, for example, the revelation of the Divine ing beyond the prescriptions and proscriptions of presence in its precincts imbued even the common the Torah. What are these circumstances? folk with a certain amount of holiness that was lack- In general, the Torah divides all we can do in this ing in subsequent eras. This is the reason behind the world into three categories: what we must do, what various rabbinic decrees and prohibitions that have we may do, and what we must not do. The things we been added to Jewish observance over time. Most of must do are essential for our fulfillment of our role these originated after the loss of the holy Temple. as bearers of God’s message on earth. The things we Similarly, every individual goes through periods may do are not essential but can, if used properly, in his life when he is more or less fit to indulge in enhance our spiritual lives and the fulfillment of our this or that material pleasure. In general, if a per- purpose. The things we must not do are detrimen- son can indulge in a pleasure that God has put in tal to our purposes. Under normal circumstances, this world for our enjoyment without compromis- these aspects of reality cannot be elevated to Divine ing his Divine consciousness, he is encouraged to consciousness by our efforts. do so. “In the future, every person will be called The middle ground is obviously the most fluid. As to account for the pleasures that he encountered mentioned, things that fall into this category can but did not partake of,”8 the sages said. And of a become positive forces in life if we use them with person who took too many vows, they said, “Is the proper intentions. To do so, however, a person that which the Torah has forbidden not enough for has to possess sufficient spiritual fortitude not to be you, that you must seek to prohibit yourself from sucked into the sensuality of the material experi- other things as well?!”9

1. Above, 29:39. 2. Rashi on 30:1; on 30:2. 3. Exodus 34:31 ff. 4. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, p. 191. 5. Normally, men become legal adults at the age of 13 and women at the age of 12. With respect to vows and oaths, however, the year before this point (after a man’s 12th birthday and a woman’s 11th) is an intermediary period between minority and majority: if they understand the concept of God enough to know to whom they are vowing or swearing, their words are legally binding, and if not, not. 6. Likutei Sichot, vol. 13, p. 105, note 6. 7. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, p. 189. 8. Y. Kidushin 4:12. 9. Y. Nedarim 9:5.

188 First Reading מטות 4 וְאִּׁשָ֕ הּכִֽי־תִּד֥ ֹר רנֶ֖דֶ לַֽיהֹוָ ֑ה וְאָֽסְרָ ה ֥ ֛ראִּסָ ּבְבֵ ֥ית אָבִ֖יהָ  ONKELOS  4 וְאִתְּתָ א אֲרֵ י תִדַּ ר נְדַ ר קֳדָ ם ּבִ נְעֻרֶֽיהָ : 5 וְׁשָמַ֨ עאָבִ֜יהָ אֶ ת־נִדְ רָ֗ ּה וֶֽאֱסָרָ ּה֙אֲׁשֶ ֣ר אָֽסְרָ ֣ ה יְיָ וְתֵיסַ ר אִסָּ ר בְּ בֵ ית אֲבוּהָ א בְּרַבְ יוּתָהָ א: 5 וְיִשׁ ְ מַ ע אֲבוּהָ א יָת נִדְרַהּ וֶאֱסָרַהּ דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ עַ ל־נַפְׁשָ֔ ּה ֥ וְהֶֽחֱרִ יׁש לָּ֖ה אָבִ ֑יהָ וְקָ֨ מּו֙ ּכָל־נְדָרֶ֔יהָ וְכָל־אִּסָ ֛ר וְיִשׁ ְתּ וֹק לַהּ אֲבוּהָ א וִיקוּמוּן כָּ ל נִדְרָהָ א וְכָ ל אֱסָרֵ י דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל אֲׁשֶר־אָֽסְרָ ה֥ עַ ּהל־נַפְׁשָ֖ יָקֽ ּום: 6 וְאִ ם־הֵנִ֨יא אָבִ ֣יהָ אֹתָ ּה֘ נַפְשׁ ַהּ יְקוּמוּן: 6 וְאִ ם אַעְדִּ י אָ בוּהָ א יָתַהּ בְּ יוֹמָ א דִשׁ ְ מַ ע כָּ ל נִדְרָהָ א ּבְיֹ֣ום ׁשָמְ עֹוּ֒כָל־נְדָרֶ֗יהָ וֶֽאֱסָרֶ ֛יהָ אֲׁשֶר־אָֽסְרָ ה ֥ עַ ל־נַפְׁשָ֖ ּה וֶאֱסָרָהָ א דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ לָ א יְקוּמוּן וּמִ ן קֳדָ ם יְיָ יִשׁ ְתְּ בֵ ק לַהּ אֲרֵ י ֹל֣א יָק֑ ּום וַֽיהֹוָה֙יִֽסְ לַח־לָּ֔הּכִֽי־הֵנִ ֥יא אָבִ֖יהָאֹתָֽ ּה: אַעְדִּ י אֲבוּהָ א יָתַהּ :

 RASHI  4 בְּ בֵ ית אָבִיהָ . בִּרְשׁ וּת אָבִיהָ , וַאֲפִ ּלוּ אֵ ינָהּ בְּ בֵיתוֹ : אִישׁ ָהּ יָנִ יא אוֹתָהּ וְהֵפֵ ר", הֱוֵ י אוֹמֵ ר: "הֲנָאָ ה" זוֹ הֲפָרָ ה. ִבּ נְ עֻ רֶ י הָ . וְ לֹא קְטַ נָּה וְ לֹא בוֹ גֶרֶ ת, שׁ ֶהַקְּטַ נָּה אֵ ין נִדְרָ הּ וּפְשׁ וּטוֹ: לְשׁ וֹן מְ נִיעָה וַהֲסָרָ ה, וְכֵן: "וְ לָמָּה תְ נִיאוּן"5, וְכֵ ן: נֶדֶ ר, וְהַבּוֹ גֶרֶ ת אֵ ינָהּ בִּרְשׁ וּתוֹ שׁ ֶ ל אָבִיהָ לְהָ פֵ ר נְדָרֶ יהָ . "שׁ ֶמֶ ן רֹאשׁ אַ ל יָנִ י רֹאשׁ ִ י"6, וְכֵ ן: "וִידַ עְתֶּ ם אֶ ת תְּ נוּאָתִ י"7 וְאֵ י זוֹ הִ יא קְטַ נָּה? אָמְ רוּ רַ בּוֹתֵ ינוּ 4: בַּ ת אֶחָ ד עֶ שְׂרֵ ה שׁ ָ נָה — אֶ ת אֲשׁ ֶ ר סַרְ תֶּ ם מֵעָ לַי: וַ ה' יִסְ לַח לָהּ . בַּמֶּ ה הַכָּ תוּב וְיוֹ ם אֶחָ ד נְדָרֶ יהָ נִבְדָּ קִ ין, אִ ם יָדְ עָ ה לְשׁ ֵ ם מִ י נָדְרָ ה וּלְשׁ ֵ ם מְדַ בֵּ ר? בְּאִשּׁ ָ ה שׁ ֶ נָּדְרָ ה בְּ נָזִ יר וְשׁ ָמַ ע בַּעְ לָהּ וְהֵפֵ ר לָהּ , מִ י הִקְדִּישׁ ָ ה — נִדְרָ הּ נֶדֶ ר. בַּ ת שׁ ְתֵּ ים עֶ שְׂרֵ ה שׁ ָ נָה וְיוֹ ם וְהִ יא לֹא יָדְ עָ ה וְעוֹבֶרֶ ת עַ ל נִדְרָ הּ וְשׁ וֹתָ ה יַיִן וּמִטַּמְּאָ ה אֶחָ ד, אֵ ינָהּ צְרִ יכָ ה לְהִבָּדֵ ק: 6 וְאִ ם הֵנִ יא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ . לַמֵּתִ ים, זוֹ הִ יא שׁ ֶ ּצְרִ יכָ ה סְ לִיחָ ה, וְאַ ף עַ ל פִּ י שׁ ֶ הוּא אִ ם מָ נַע אוֹתָהּ מִ ן הַ נֶּדֶ ר, כְּלוֹמַ ר שׁ ֶהֵפֵ ר לָהּ . "הֲנָאָ ה" מוּפָ ר. וְאִ ם הַמּ וּפָרִ ים צְרִ יכִ ים סְ לִיחָ ה, קַ ל וָ חֹמֶ ר לִשׁ ְאֵ ינָן זוֹ אֵ ינִ י יוֹדֵ עַ מַ ה הִ יא, כְּשׁ ֶ הוּא אוֹמֵ ר: "וְאִ ם בְּיוֹ ם שׁ ְ מֹעַ מוּפָרִ ים:

4. נדה מה, ב. 5. במדבר לב, ז. 6. תהלים קמא, ה. 7. במדבר יד, לד.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  can annul vows his wife makes afterher . A order to do this. He is thus protected from falling fiancé, since he acts together with the father, can an- into the trap of self-reliance and egocentricity. Simi- nul vows his fiancée made before her betrothal, i.e., larly, one who knows that he has not yet consum- even before he established any connection with her. mately united with God knows that he still needs Thus, in this sense, a man possesses greater power His help in elevating the world’s materiality. He is over his wife’s vows when he is only her fiancé than spared the feeling of self-reliance that endangers he will when he becomes her husband. someone who has achieved full Divine conscious- Allegorically, the relationship between God and ness. the Jewish people is analogous to that of a married Furthermore, thanks to his reliance on the father, the couple. Exile is similar to the state of betrothal: the fiancé can annul vows made prior to the betrothal. relationship has been established, but it will only Allegorically, this means that when a Jew relies on be consummated with marriage, the Redemption. and elicits God (the Father)’s help, he can overcome This idea applies to each Jew’s own personal rela- his relationship with materialism, his connection to tionship with God. When his consciousness of God the world before his “betrothal.” Since materialism is full and consummate, he is in a state of redemp- is ingrained into the reality of our world and we are tion, and is “married.” When his Divine conscious- naturally entrenched in it, it is virtually impossible ness is suspended or latent, he is in exile, and is for an individual to free himself of its shackles on only “betrothed.” Since he is “betrothed” to God, his own. he has indeed renounced all other “relationships,” The ideal then, is to preserve the feeling of being and the world’s various diversions have no sway only “betrothed” to God even after having become over him. But he can produce no “offspring”—truly “married.” This is made possible by remembering good deeds, which increase Divine consciousness that since God is infinite, there are infinite levels of in reality—until he is “married.” relationship to be attained with Him, and therefore, Still, there is an advantage to the state of “betroth- every consummation of consciousness becomes a al.” A fiancé knows that he cannot annul his fiancé’s state of “betrothal” relative to the higher state of vows on his own; he needs the help of the father in consummation to come.21

21. Likutei Sichot, vol. 2, pp. 612 ff.

189 Numbers 30:4-6 Matot

4 If a woman makes a vow to God or imposes a prohibition upon herself by means of an oath when she is under 11 years old, she is a minor and her vows are not legally binding. If she makes a vow or oath when she is over twelve-and-a-half years old17 and also unmarried, she is a free agent and her vows are legally bind- ing the same as any other adult’s. However, if she is both in her father’s house, i.e., she is still unmarried and therefore under his sole jurisdiction, and she is also in her youth, that is, between the ages of eleven5 and twelve-and-a-half, then these special laws apply to her: 5 If her father heard her vow or her prohibition that she imposed upon herself by taking an oath, and yet her father remains silent and thus confirms her vow or oath, all her vows in such cases shall be binding, and also any prohibition that she has imposed upon herself in such cases shall be binding. 6 But if her father hinders her on the day he hears this vow or oath by annul- ling it, declaring it null and void, all her vows and her prohibitions that she has imposed upon herself and he has so annulled shall not be binding. God will forgive her if, before becoming aware that her father annulled her vow or oath, she transgressed it, because her father already hindered her, preventing the vow or oath from taking force.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  He shall not violate his word: The word for “vio- determine whether he would have made the vow late” in Hebrew (yachel) comes from the word for had he known it would lead to the present conse- “profane” or “unholy” (chol). The inner meaning quences. If the answer is “no,” it is established that of this verse is therefore that a person should not the vow was made under false pretenses and is make his word “profane”; even our most mundane therefore retroactively void. matters should also be imbued with holy intentions The annulment of the father/fiancé/ husband is and be consistent with the greater purpose of Cre- analogous to the case in which a person has made 18 ation, making a home for God in this world. a formal vow but is ready to progress to the point 4 If a woman makes a vow : The following indi- where he no longer needs it, since he can restrain viduals can annul a woman’s vows: himself on his own. Such an individual still needs • A father can annul his daughter’s vows as long as to abstain from worldly pleasures in some way, but she is not married; he is ready—with the proper inspiration—to do so without the legal crutch of the vow. • a betrothed woman’s fiancé and father can to- gether annul her vows; and The invalidation of the vow by the sage or court is analogous to the case in which a person is suc- • a husband can annul his wife’s vows. cessfully restraining himself on his own but is now The man in question can annul his daughter’s/fian- ready to ascend to the maturity of consciousness cé’s/wife’s vows if they are in some way detrimental in which the material world poses no threat to his to her (or in the case of the fiancé/husband, detri- Divine orientation. He can partake of the world’s mental to their relationship), and his annulment pleasures in a Godly way. The sage or court, in this actually contravenes the force of her vow, thereby case, simply has to reveal the latent, inner Divin- canceling it. ity of the individual’s soul; this releases him from In addition, a sage or rabbinical court can invalidate his need for abstinence. In fact, it becomes retroac- any individual’s vows if his vow is proving more of tively evident that, had he manifested this level of a hindrance than a help in his life and/or relation- consciousness all along, there would have been no ship with God. In this case, however, the sage or need for abstinence to begin with.20 court do not have the legal authority to annul the If a woman makes a vow: A father can annul vows 19 vow; they rather interrogate the individual and his daughter makes before her marriage. A husband

17. Although a woman normally becomes a legal adult at the age of 12, in some cases (such as this) she is considered to be in an intermediate stage of maturity between the ages of twelve and twelve-and-a-half. This stage is called “youth” (na’arut). 18. Likutei Sichot, vol. 13, p. 108. 19. The Torah text itself does imply that the sage and the court possess such authority, but according to the legal tradition given with the text, they do not (Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, p. 189). 20. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, pp. 191-192.

189 First Reading מטות 7 וְאִ ם־הָ יֹ֤ותִֽהְ יֶה֙ לְאִ֔ יׁש ּונְדָרֶ֖יהָ עָלֶ ֑יהָ ֚ ֹוא ֣אמִבְטָ ׂשְפָתֶ֔יהָ  ONKELOS  7 וְאִ ם מֶ הֱ וָה תֶ הֱ וֵי לִ גְבַ ר וְנִדְרָהָ א אֲׁשֶ ֥ר ה אָֽסְרָ֖ עַ ל־נַפְׁשָֽ ּה: 8 וְׁשָמַ ֥ע אִיׁשָ ּ֛ה ּבְ יֹ֥ום ׁשָמְ עֹ֖ו עֲלַהּ אוֹ פֵּרוּשׁ סִפְ וָתָהָ א דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ : 8 וְיִשׁ ְ מַ ע בַּעְ לַהּ בְּ יוֹמָ א ֣ וְהֶֽחֱרִ יׁש לָ ּ֑ה ֣ וְקָ מּו נְדָרֶ֗יהָ וֶֽאֱסָרֶ ֛הָ אֲׁשֶר־אָֽסְרָ ֥ ה עַ ל־ דִשׁ ְ מַ ע וְיִשׁ ְתּ וֹק לַהּ וִיקוּמוּן נִדְרָהָ א וֶאֱסָרָהָ א דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ ּהנַפְׁשָ֖ יָקֻֽ מּו: 9 ֠וְ אִ֠ם ּבְ יֹ֨וםׁשְמֹ֣עַֽ אִיׁשָּה֘ יָנִ ֣יא אֹותָ ּה֒ וְהֵפֵ֗ ר יְקוּמוּן: 9 וְאִ ם בְּ יוֹמָ א דִשׁ ְ מַ ע בַּעְ לַהּ אֶ ת־נִדְ רָ ּה֙ אֲׁשֶ ֣רעָלֶ֔יהָ וְאֵ ת֙ מִבְטָ ֣א ׂשְפָתֶ֔יהָ אֲׁשֶ ֥ר אָֽסְרָ֖ ה אַעְדִּ י יָתַהּ וּבַטֵּ ל יָת נִדְרָהָ א דִּ י עֲלַהּ וְיָת פֵּרוּשׁ סִפְ וָתָהָ א דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל־נַפְׁשָ ּ֑ה וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה יִֽסְלַֽח־לָּֽה: 10 וְנֵ �֥דֶר אַלְמָ נָ֖ה ֑הּוגְרּוׁשָ ּכֹ֛ ל עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ וּמִ ן קֳדָ ם יְיָ יִשׁ ְתְּ בֵ ק לַהּ : 10 וּנְדַ ר אַרְמְ לָ א וּמְתָרְכָ א כּ ֹל אֲׁשֶר־אָֽסְרָ ה֥ עַ ּהל־נַפְׁשָ֖ יָק֥ ּום עָלֶֽיהָ : 11 וְאִם־ּבֵ ֥ית אִיׁשָ֖ ּה דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ יְקוּם עֲלַהּ : 11 וְאִ ם בֵּ ית בַּעְ לַהּ נְדָרַ ת אוֹ נָדָ ה֑רָ אֹו־אָֽסְרָ ֥ האִּסָ ֛ר עַ ל־נַפְׁשָ֖ ּה ּבִׁשְ בֻעָֽה: 12 וְׁשָמַ ֤ע אֲסָרַ ת אִסָּ ר עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ בְּקִ יּוּם: 12 וּשׁ ְ מַ ע בַּעְ לַהּ וּשׁ ְ תֵ יק לַהּ לָ א אִיׁשָ ּה֙ וְהֶֽחֱרִ ׁש֣ לָ֔ ּה ֹל֥ א הֵנִ֖יא אֹתָ ּ֑ה וְקָ֨ מּו֙ ּכָל־נְדָרֶ֔יהָ וְכָ ל־ אַעְדִּ י יָתַהּ וִיקוּמוּן כָּ ל נִדְרָהָ א וְכָ ל אִּסָ ֛ראֲׁשֶר־אָֽסְרָ ה֥ עַ ל־נַפְׁשָ֖ ּה יָקֽ ּום: 13 וְאִ ם־הָפֵ ר֩ יָפֵ֨ ר אֱסָ ר דִּ י אֲסָרַ ת עַ ל נַפְשׁ ַהּ יְקוּמוּן: 13 וְאִ ם בַּטָּלָ א יְבַטֵּ ל יַתְ הוֹן בַּעְ לַהּ אֹתָ ֥ם | אִיׁשָּה֘ ּבְ יֹ֣וםׁשָמְ עֹו֒ אּכָל־מֹוצָ֨ ׂשְפָתֶ ֧יהָ לִנְדָרֶ ֛יהָ בְּ יוֹמָ א דִשׁ ְ מַ ע כָּ ל אַפָּקוּת סִפְ וָתָהָ א לְ נִדְרָהָ א וּלְאִסַּ ר נַפְשׁ ַהּ לָ א יְקוּמוּן ּולְאִּסַ֥ר נַפְׁשָ֖ ּה א ֹל֣ יָק֑ ּום אִיׁשָ ּ֣ה ם הֲפֵרָ֔ וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה יִֽסְלַֽח־לָּֽה: בַּעְ לַהּ בַּטֵּלִ נּוּן וּמִ ן קֳדָ ם יְיָ יִשׁ ְתְּ בֵ ק לַהּ : 14 כָּ ל נְדַ ר וְכָ ל קִ יּוּמַ ת אִסָּ ר 14 ּכָל־נֵ �֛דֶר וְכָל־ׁשְ בֻעַ ֥ת אִּסָ֖ ר לְעַּנֹ֣ תנָ ֑פֶ ׁש אִיׁשָ ּ֥ה יְקִ ימֶ֖ ּנּו לְסַגָּפָ א נְפָשׁ בַּעְ לַהּ יְקַ יְּמִ נּוּן וּבַעְ לַהּ 15 יְבַטְּלִ נּוּן: 15 וְאִ ם מִשׁ ְתַּ ק יִשׁ ְתּ וֹק וְאִיׁשָ ּ֥ה יְפֵרֶֽ ּנּו: וְאִם־הַֽחֲרֵ ׁש֩ ֨ יַֽחֲרִ יׁש לָ ּ֥ה אִיׁשָּה֘ מִ ּיֹ֣ום לַהּ בַּעְ לַהּ מִ יּוֹם לְ יוֹם וִיקַ יֵּם יָת כָּ ל אֶ ל־יֹום֒ וְהֵקִ ים֙אֶת־ּכָל־נְדָרֶ֔יהָ א֥ ֹו אֶת־ּכָל־אֱסָרֶ֖יהָ אֲׁשֶ ֣ר נִדְרָהָ א אוֹ יָת כָּ ל אֱסָרָהָ א דִּ י עֲלַהּ קַ יֵּם יַתְ הוֹן אֲרֵ י שׁ ְ תֵ יק לַהּ בְּ יוֹמָ א עָלֶ֑יהָ הֵקִ ֣יםאֹתָ֔ם ּכִי־הֶֽחֱרִ ׁ֥ש לָּ֖ה ּבְ יֹ֥ום ׁשָמְעֽ ֹו: דִשׁ ְ מָ ע:

 RASHI  7 וְאִ ם הָיוֹ תִ הְ יֶה לְאִישׁ . זוֹ אֲ רוּסָ ה. אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶ ּלָא עַ ל נַפְשׁ ָהּ יָקוּם עָ לֶיהָ . לְפִ י שׁ ֶאֵ ינָהּ לֹא בִּרְשׁ וּת אָ ב וְ לֹא נְשׂוּאָ ה? כְּשׁ ֶ הוּא אוֹמֵ ר: "וְאִ ם בֵּ ית אִישׁ ָהּ נָדָרָ ה", הֲרֵ י בִּרְשׁ וּת בַּעַ ל. וּבְאַ לְמָ נָה מִ ן הַ נִּשּ ׂוּאִ ין הַכָּ תוּב מְדַ בֵּ ר, נְשׂוּאָ ה אָ מוּר, וְכָ אן בַּאֲ רוּסָ ה. וּבָ א לַחֲלֹק בָּהּ — שׁ ֶאָבִיהָ אֲבָ ל אַ לְמָ נָה מִ ן הָאֵ רוּסִ ין — מֵ ת הַבַּעַ ל, נִתְ רוֹקְ נָה וּבַעְ לָהּ מְ פִירִ ין נְדָרֶ יהָ , הֵפֵ ר הָאָ ב וְ לֹא הֵפֵ ר הַבַּעַ ל, אוֹ וְחָזְרָ ה לִרְשׁ וּת הָאָ ב: 11 וְאִ ם בֵּ ית אִישׁ ָהּ נָדָרָ ה. ִבּ נְ ׂ ש ּ ו אָ ה הֵפֵ ר הַבַּעַ ל וְ לֹא הֵפֵ ר הָאָ ב, הֲרֵ י זֶה אֵינוֹ מוּפָ ר, וְאֵ ין הַכָּ תוּב מְדַ בֵּ ר: 14 כָּ ל נֵדֶ ר וְכָ ל שׁ ְ בֻעַ ת אִסָּ ר וְגוֹ '. לְ פִ י צָרִ ְיך לוֹמַ ר, אִ ם קִ ּיֵם אֶחָ ד מֵהֶ ם: וּנְדָרֶ יהָ עָ לֶיהָ . שׁ ֶ ָּ נ ְ ד ָ ר ה שׁ ֶאָמַ ר שׁ ֶהַבַּעַ ל מֵ פֵ ר, יָכוֹ ל כָּ ל נְדָרִ ים בְּמַשׁ ְמָ ע? תַּ לְ מוּד בְּ בֵ ית אָבִיהָ , וְ לֹא שׁ ָמַ ע בָּהֶ ן אָבִיהָ , וְ לֹא הוּפְ רוּ וְ לֹא לוֹמַ ר: "לְעַ נֹּת נָפֶשׁ " — אֵינוֹ מֵ פֵ ר אֶ ּלָא נִדְרֵ י עִ נּוּי נֶפֶשׁ הוּקְ מוּ: 8 וְשׁ ָמַ ע אִישׁ ָהּ וְגוֹ '. הֲרֵ י לְ ָך שׁ ֶאִ ם קִ ּיֵם הַבַּעַ ל, בִּ לְבָ ד. וְהֵ ם מְ פֹרָשׁ ִ ים בְּמַסֶּכֶ ת נְדָרִ ים8: 15 מִ יּוֹ ם אֶ ל יוֹ ם. שׁ ֶ הוּא קַ ּיָם: 9 וְהֵפֵ ר אֶ ת נִדְרָ הּ אֲשׁ ֶ ר עָ לֶיהָ . יָכוֹ ל אֲפִ ּלוּ שׁ ֶ ּלֹא תֹאמַ ר מֵעֵ ת לְעֵ ת, לְכָ ְך "מִ ּיוֹ ם אֶ ל יוֹ ם" — לְלַמֶּדְ ָך לֹא הֵפֵ ר הָאָ ב? תַּ לְ מוּד לוֹמַ ר: "בִּ נְעֻרֶ יהָ בֵּ ית אָבִיהָ " — שׁ ֶאֵין מֵ פֵר אֶ ּלָא עַד שׁ ֶתֶּחְשׁ ַ ְך: כָּ ל שׁ ֶבִּ נְעוּרֶ יהָ בִּרְשׁ וּת אָבִיהָ הִ יא: 10 כּ ֹל אֲשׁ ֶ ר אָסְרָ ה

8. עט, א. their relationship. 15 Regarding the period in which the husband may annul such vows or oaths, if her husband remains silent from the time he heard about them on one day until the beginning of the next day, that is, until nightfall after he heard about them, he has by virtue of remaining silent upheld all the vows and prohibitions she has assumed; he has upheld them since he remained silent on the day he heard it.

190 Numbers 30:7-15 Matot

7 If, between the ages of eleven and twelve-and-a-half, she becomes betrothed to a man while her vows are in force, or the oaths she made by an utterance of her lips and that she thereby imposed upon herself are in force, her father having neither annulled them nor confirmed them, 8 and her fiancé hears about them but remains silent on the day he hears about them, her vows shall remain binding and her prohibition that she has imposed upon herself by taking an oath shall remain binding. By remaining silent, her fiancé has confirmed them. 9 But if her fiancé, together with her father, hinders her on the day he hears it, he thereby annuls the vow she had taken upon herself and the utterance that she had imposed upon herself by taking an oath, and God will forgive her if she transgresses it unaware that it has been annulled. 10 If the engagement is broken off while the woman is still in this age range, she returns to the jurisdiction of her father and the laws governing a single girl of this age apply to her. But as for the vow or oath of a woman who did marry her fiancé but became a widow or a divorcé while still in this age range, whatever she pro- hibited upon herself will remain binding upon her. Once she has been fully mar- ried, her father no longer has any jurisdiction over her, even if she subsequently becomes widowed or divorced. 11 If the woman married her fiancé and she vowed in her husband’s house, that is, while under his jurisdiction, regardless of her age, or imposed a prohibition upon herself with an oath, 12 and her husband heard and remained silent, and did not hinder her, all her vows shall be binding and every prohibition she imposed upon herself shall be binding. By remaining silent, he has implicitly confirmed her vow or oath. 13 If, on the other hand, her husband annuls them on the day he hears them, anything issuing from her lips regarding her vows or self-imposed prohibitions shall not be binding: her husband has annulled them and God shall forgive her if, unaware that he has annulled them, she transgresses them. 14 Her husband does not have control over all her vows and oaths; he can either uphold or annul only any vow or any binding oath of self-affliction that affects

š A CLOSER LOOK › [7] If she becomes betrothed: The terms “be- undergo a halachic divorce.23 In ancient times, it was customary for couples to become betrothed ,ארוס/ה] ”(eirusin] and “fiancé(e ,אירוסין] ”trothed arus(ah)] as used here indicate a precise and and then married several months (often twelve) binding legal status between the man and wom- later, in order to give the families time to prepare an, contracted by specific legal procedures. In for the wedding.24 Nowadays, this practice has Jewish law, “betrothal” is an intermediate state been largely discontinued, and halachic betroth- between singlehood and marriage, in which al takes place as the first part of the marriage the couple are legally husband and wife but are ceremony. Thus, when couples today decide to not yet allowed to live together or cohabit.22 Be- get married, they should never be referred to trothal cannot be dissolved simply by consent; if as being “betrothed” [arusim], but only as being the betrothed couple wish to separate they must “engaged” [mishtadchim, etc.].25

22. Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 55:1. 23. Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 26:3. 24. See, for example, Genesis 24:55. 25. Igrot Kodesh, vol. 26, p. 140; Sichot Kodesh 5741, vol. 2, pp. 512-513.

190 Second Reading מטות 16 וְאִ ם־הָפֵ ֥ר יָפֵ ֛ראֹתָ֖ םאַֽ חֲרֵ ֣י ׁשָמְ עֹ֑ווְ נָׂשָ֖ א אֶ ת־עֲוֹנָּֽה:  ONKELOS  16 וְאִ ם בַּטָּלָ א יְבַטֵּ ל יַתְ הוֹן 17 אֵּ֣לֶה הַֽחֻּקִ֗ יםאֲׁשֶ֨ רצִ ּוָ ֤ה יְהוָֹה֙אֶ הת־מֹׁשֶ֔ ּבֵ ֥ין אִ֖ יׁש בָּתַ ר דִּשׁ ְ מָ ע וִיקַבֵּ ל יָת חוֹבַהּ : 17 אִלֵּ ין קְ יָמַ יָּא דִּ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ יָת לְאִׁשְּתֹ֑וּבֵין־אָ ֣ב לְבִּתֹ֔וּבִ נְעֻרֶ֖יהָּבֵ ֥ית אָבִֽיהָ : פ מֹשׁ ֶ ה בֵּ ין גְּבַ ר לְאִתְּ תֵהּ בֵּ ין אַבָּ א לִבְרַתֵּהּ בְּרַבְ יוּתָהָ א בֵּ ית אֲבוּהָ א:  שני 31:1 וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֥ריְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ֥הל־מֹׁשֶ ּלֵאמֽ ֹ ר: 2 נְקֹ֗ ם נִקְמַ תּ֙בְ נֵ ֣י 31:1 וּמַלֵּ יל יְיָ עִ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְמֵימָ ר: 2 אִתְפְּרַ ע פֻּרְ עֲנוּת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל יִׂשְרָ לאֵ֔ תמֵאֵ֖ הַּמִדְ יָנִ ֑ים אַחַ֖ רּתֵֽאָסֵ ֥ף אֶ ל־עַּמֶֽ יָך: 3 וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֤ר מִ ן מִדְ יָנָאֵ י בָּתַ ר כֵּ ן תִּתְכְּ נֵשׁ לְעַמָּךְ : 3 וּמַלֵּ יל מֹשׁ ֶ ה עִ ם עַמָּ א לְמֵימַ ר מׁשֶ ה֙ אֶל־הָעָ ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ ר הֵחָֽלְצ֧ ּו מֵֽאִּתְ כֶ ֛ם אֲנָׁשִ֖ ים לַּצָבָ ֑א זָרִ יזוּ מִ נְּ כוֹן גֻּבְרִ ין לְחֵילָ א וִיהוֹן עַ ל מִדְ יָן לְמֵיהַ ב פֻּרְ עֲנוּת דִּ ין עַמָּ א דַ ייָ וְיִֽהְ יּו֙ עַל־מִדְ יָ֔ןלָתֵ ֥ת נִקְמַ ת־יְהוָֹ֖ה ּבְמִדְ יָֽן: בְּמִדְ יָן:  RASHI  16 אַ חֲרֵ י שׁ ָמְ עוֹ . אַ חֲרֵ י שׁ ֶשּׁ ָמַ ע וְקִ ּיֵם, שׁ ֶאָמַ ר: אֶפְשׁ ִ י בוֹ , לֹא לָהֶ ם. דָּ בָ ר אַ חֵ ר: מִפְּ נֵי שׁ ְתֵּ י פְרִ ידוֹ ת טוֹבוֹ ת שׁ ֶ ּיֵשׁ לִ י וְ חָ זַ ר וְ הֵ פֵ ר לָהּ אֲ פִ ּלוּ בּ וֹ בַ ּיוֹ ם: וְנָשָׂא אֶת עֲוֹנָהּ. הוּ א נִ כְ נָ ס לְהוֹצִ יא מֵהֶ ם: רוּת הַמּ וֹאָבִ ּיָה וְ נַעֲמָ ה הָעַמּ וֹנִ ית: 3 וַיְדַבֵּר תַּחְתֶּ יהָ . לָמַדְ נוּ מִכָּ אן, שׁ ֶהַ ּגוֹרֵ ם תַּקָּ לָה לַחֲבֵ רוֹ , הוּא מֹשׁ ֶ ה וְגוֹ '. אַ ף עַ ל פִּ י שׁ ֶשּׁ ָמַ ע שׁ ֶמִּיתָתוֹ תְּ לוּיָה בַדָּ בָ ר — נִכְ נָס תַּחְתָּ יו לְכָ ל עֳ נָשׁ ִ ין: 2 מֵאֵ ת הַמִּדְ יָנִ ים. וְ לֹא מֵאֵ ת עָ שָׂ ה בְ שִׂמְ חָ ה וְ לֹא אֵחַ ר: הֵ חָ לְ צ ּו . כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ , לְשׁ וֹ ן חֲלוּצֵ י הַמּ וֹאָבִ ים, שׁ ֶהַמּ וֹאָבִ ים נִכְ נְסוּ לַדָּ בָ ר מֵ חֲמַ ת יִרְ אָ ה, שׁ ֶהָ יוּ צָבָ א מְ ּזֻיָנִ ים: אֲ נָשׁ ִ ים. צַדִּ יקִ ים, וְכֵ ן: "בְּחַ ר לָנוּ אֲ נָשׁ ִ ים"10, יְרֵאִ ים מֵהֶ ם שׁ ֶ ּיִהְ יוּ שׁ וֹלְלִ ים אוֹתָ ם, שׁ ֶ ּלֹא נֶאֱמַ ר אֶ ּלָא: וְכֵ ן: "אֲ נָשׁ ִ ים חֲכָמִ ים וִידֻעִ ים":11 נִקְמַ ת ה'. שׁ ֶ ָ ה ע ֹ ו ֵ מ ד "וְאַ ל תִּתְ ּגָר בָּ ם מִ לְחָמָ ה"9, אֲבָ ל מִדְ יָנִ ים נִתְ עַבְּ רוּ עַ ל רִ יב כְּ נֶגֶד יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל, כְּאִ ּלוּ עוֹמֵ ד כְּ נֶגֶד הַקָּ דוֹשׁ בָּ ְרוּך הוּא:

9. דברים ב, ט. 10. שמות יז, ט. 11. דברים א, יג.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  3 The revenge of God against Midian: The word Temple and this is what brought about the Temple’s “Midian” in Hebrew is derived from the word for destruction and the present exile.30 29 “strife” or “argument” (madon). The root of baseless hatred is ego. An egocentric This evil of baseless hatred had to be eliminated be- person feels threatened by anyone who opposes (or fore we entered the Land of Israel, since baseless seems to oppose) his inflated sense of self. Any pos- hatred is obviously at odds with the harmonious itive quality evinced by the other person diminishes functioning of society that is the prerequisite for his own importance, so the egocentric person will attaining any national goals, let alone that of pro- desperately seek to delegitimize the other person. mulgating Divinity in the world. Indeed, the Jews Although he may not seek to actively harm him, succumbed to this evil during the era of the second he will be secretly pleased when the other person

š INNER DIMENSIONS › [3] The revenge of God against Midian: The ing of the forces God uses to continuously create Name of God used in this verse is the Name Ha- the world. vayah, indicating that the evil embodied by Mid- This is an additional reason why this war had ian opposes specifically this Name of God. to be led by Moses. The only way for there to The Name Havayah (which means “the One who be cooperation and peace between people in this brings into being”) alludes to the various forces world is when they submit to the higher author- of God’s energy He used and uses to create the ity of the Torah. Firstly, without this submission, world. These creative forces are different and who is to say whose authority is more legitimate? even opposing, but they function harmoniously Secondly, the Torah itself fosters peace, as it is because they exhibit no self-assertion; they exist said, “its ways are the ways of pleasantness, and only to actualize God’s creative will. Thus, the all its paths are peace.” Since Moses was both the Midianite egocentrism that spawns contention channel through whom God gave the Torah and and strife undermines the harmonious function- the personification of selflessness, he had to lead the war against Midian.31

29. See 2:68a; Likutei Torah (Arizal). 30. Yoma 9a. 31. Likutei Torah 3:85d ff,Sefer HaMa’amarim 5659, p. 53 ff;Sefer HaMa’amarim 5747, p. 183 ff. 191 Numbers 30:16-31:3 Matot

16 But if he then changes his mind and annuls them, after having heardthem and confirmed them by remaining silent until the end of the day or by saying ‘I ap- prove,’ this shall not be a valid annulment; therefore, he shall bear her iniquity if she transgresses her vow or oath, thinking he has annulled it. 17 These are the rules which God commanded Moses concerning a man and his wife and a father and his daughter, in her youth, while in her father’s house. The sage (or tribunal) can release the vow, while the father, husband, or fiancé canannul the vow, but not vice versa.” The Attack on Midian  Second Reading 31:1 The Torah now returns to the historical narrative, continuing with the aftermath of the incident at Shitim and the preparations for Moses’ death. As was seen above,26 God told Moses to distress the Midianites and that soon he would have to attack them directly. God now spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Take revenge for the Israelites against the Midianites. Afterwards, you will die and be gathered to your people.” 3 Even though Moses understood that he would die soon after this battle, he nev- ertheless did not delay to do God’s bidding. Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm from among you righteous men for the army, that they can do battle against Midian, and carry out the revenge of God against Midian.” God had just de- scribed this battle as “the revenge of the Israelites,” but since whoever is an enemy of the Jewish people is an enemy of God, the two concepts are equivalent.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  2 Take revenge for the Israelites: In the battles tunately, the misconstruction of this appreciation against Sichon and Og, Moses played an active role. for the lowest rungs of spirituality led to the error Here, however, he merely prepared the people for of Pe’or. In order to wipe out the source of this error, war while Pinchas actually led them in battle. Moses’ inspiration and example was necessary.

This is because God commanded the Jewish people This theoretical groundwork, which destroys the to take vengeance against Midian because they en- philosophy of Pe’or’s mental stranglehold, is suffi- 27 ticed them into the idolatry of Pe’or. No Midianite cient to prevent a person from falling into the trap territory was captured or annexed to the Land of in the future. But to “avenge” the evil, i.e., to repair Israel. As we mentioned previously, the idolatry of the damage already done and root out any trace of Pe’or is essentially hedonism: the indulgence in sen- its effect that might surface sometime in the future, sual pleasure as an end in itself rather than for the more is required than the detached arguments of higher purpose of experiencing Divinity or infus- a philosophical theoretician. The battle itself was ing Divinity into reality. This attitude toward life is therefore led by Pinchas, because Pinchas embodied the antithesis of the lifework of Moses. Hedonism the ethic and zeal of self-sacrifice. The inspired zeal implies that physical pleasures are either too “low” that makes a person incensed enough to go beyond and vulgar to serve Divine purposes or are some- the letter of the law—and even risk his life—reveals how off-limits for the holy life. Moses, the channel a higher, purer level of motive and consciousness through whom God gave the Torah, championed than normal. the truth that Godliness can and must pervade all of reality; it must even dictate our approach to physi- Similarly, in our personal confrontation with the cal pleasures. In fact, if anything, Moses’ lifework deception of Pe’or, we need to emulate both Moses proclaimed that it is specifically in the lowest end of and Pinchas. From Moses we learn to cultivate the creation that the potential for Divinity is the great- proper, Jewish attitude toward materialism and its est. He used this argument to wrest the Torah from sensuality; from Pinchas we learn to attack its ef- the angels and expose the error of the spies. Unfor- fects on us with righteous indignation.28

26. Above, on 25:16-18. 27. Numbers 25:17-18. 28. Reshimot 51.

191 Second Reading מטות 4 ֚אֶ לֶף לַּמַּטֶ֔ ה אֶ֖לֶף לַּמַּטֶ ֑ה לְכֹ ל֙ מַּט֣ ֹות יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ לּתִׁשְלְח֖ ּו  ONKELOS  4 אַלְ פָ א לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א אַלְ פָ א לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א לַּצָבָֽ א: 5 וַּיִּמָֽסְ רּו֙ מֵֽאַלְפֵ ֣י יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ לאֶ֖לֶף ֑הלַּמַּטֶ ׁשְ נֵים־ לְ כֹל שׁ ִ בְטַ יָּא דְ יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל תִּשׁ ְ לְ חוּן לְחֵילָ א: 5 וְאִתְבְּחָ רוּ מֵאַלְ פַ יָּא 6 דְ יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל אַלְ פָ א לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א תְּ רֵ י עֲשַׂ ר עָׂשָ ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף חֲלּוצֵ ֥י צָבָֽ א: וַּיִׁשְ חלַ֨ אֹתָ ֥ם מֹׁשֶ ֛ה אֶ ֥לֶף אַלְפִ ין מְ זָרְ זֵי חֵילָ א: 6 וּשׁ ְ לַ ח יַתְ הוֹן מֹשׁ ֶ ה אַלְ פָ א לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א לְחֵילָ א הלַּמַּטֶ֖ לַּצָבָ ֑אאֹ֠ םתָ֠ וְאֶת־ּפִ֨ ינְחָ֜ סּבֶן־אֶלְעָזָ ֤ר הַּכֹהֵ ן֙לַּצָבָ֔ א יַתְ הוֹן וְיָת פִּ ינְחָ ס בַּ ר אֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא לְחֵילָ א וּמָ נֵי דְ קֻדְשׁ ָ א וַחֲ צוֹצְ רַ ת ּוכְלֵ ֣י הַּקֹ֔דֶ ׁשוַֽחֲצֽ ֹצְר֥ ֹות הַּתְ רּועָ֖ה ּבְ יָדֽ ֹו: 7 וַּֽיִצְּבְ אּו֙ עַל־מִדְ יָ֔ן יַבֶּבְתָּ א בִּידֵהּ : 7 וְאִתְ חַ יָּלוּ עַ ל מִדְ יָן כְּמָ א דִ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ יָת מֹשׁ ֶ ה וּקְטָ לוּ כָּ ל ּכַֽאֲׁשֶ ֛ר צִ ּוָ ֥היְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ת־מֹׁשֶ ֑הוַּיַֽהַרְ גּ֖ו ּכָ ל־זָכָֽר: דְּ כוּרָ א:

 RASHI  4 לְ כֹל מַ ּטוֹ ת יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל. לְרַ בּוֹ ת שׁ ֵבֶ ט לֵוִ י: וַ יִּמָּסְ רוּ. פִּ ינְחָ ס מִשּׁ ֶ ל יוֹסֵ ף? שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "מִ בְּנוֹ ת פּ וּטִיאֵ ל"14 — מִ ּזֶרַ ע לְהוֹדִ יעֲ ָך שׁ ִבְחָ ן שׁ ֶ ל רוֹעֵ י יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל, כַּמָּ ה הֵ ם חֲבִיבִ ים עַ ל יִתְ רוֹ שׁ ֶפִּטֵּ ם עֲ גָלִ ים לַעֲבוֹדָ ה זָרָ ה, וּמִ ּזֶרַ ע יוֹסֵ ף שׁ ֶפִּטְפּ ֵ ט יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל: עַ ד שׁ ֶ ּלֹא שׁ ָמְ עוּ בְּמִיתָתוֹ , מַ ה הוּא אוֹמֵ ר: "עוֹ ד בְּ יִצְרוֹ . דָּ בָ ר אַ חֵ ר: שׁ ֶהָ יָה מְשׁ וּחַ מִ לְחָמָ ה: ּו כְ לֵ י הַ קּ ֹ דֶ שׁ . מְ עַ ט וּסְקָ לֻנִ י"12, וּמִשּׁ ֶשּׁ ָמְ עוּ שׁ ֶמִּיתַ ת מֹשׁ ֶ ה תְּ לוּיָה בְּ נִקְמַ ת זֶה הָאָרוֹ ן וְהַ ִ ּציץ. שׁ ֶהָ יָה בִ לְעָ ם עִמָּהֶ ם, וּמַפְרִ יחַ מַ לְכֵ י מִדְ יָן, לֹא רָ צוּ לָלֶכֶ ת עַ ד שׁ ֶ נִּמְסְ רוּ עַ ל כָּרְ חָ ן: 6 ֹ א תָ ם מִדְ יָן בִּכְשׁ ָפִ ים וְ הוּא עַצְמוֹ פּ וֹרֵ חַ עִמָּהֶ ם, הֶרְ אָ ה לָהֶ ם וְאֶ ת פִּ ינְחָ ס. מַ ִ ּגיד שׁ ֶהָ יָה פִ ינְחָ ס שׁ ָ קוּל כְּ נֶגֶד כּ ֻּלָם. וּמִפְּ נֵי אֶ ת הַ ִ ּציץ שׁ ֶהַשּׁ ֵ ם חָ קוּק בּוֹ וְהֵ ם נוֹפְלִ ים, לְכָ ְך נֶאֱמַ ר: "עַ ל מָ ה הָ ְלַך פִּ ינְחָ ס וְ לֹא הָ ְלַך אֶ לְעָ זָר? אָמַ ר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּ ְרוּך חַלְ לֵיהֶ ם" בְּמַ לְכֵ י מִדְ יָן, שׁ ֶ נּוֹפְלִ ים עַ ל הַ חֲלָלִ ים מִ ן הָאֲוִ יר, הוּא: "מִ י שׁ ֶהִתְחִ יל בַּמִּ צְוָ ה — שׁ ֶהָרַ ג כָּזְבִ י בַ ת צוּר — וְכֵ ן בְּבִ לְעָ ם כְּתִ יב: "אֶ ל חַלְ לֵיהֶ ם" בְּסֵפֶ ר יְהוֹשׁ ֻעַ 15: בְּ יָדוֹ . יִגְ מֹר". דָּ בָ ר אַ חֵ ר: שׁ ֶהָ ְלַך לִנְ קֹם נִקְמַ ת יוֹסֵ ף אֲבִ י אִמּ וֹ , בִּרְשׁ וּתוֹ, וְכֵן: "וַ ּיִקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְ צוֹ מִ ּיָדוֹ "16: שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְהַמְּדָ נִ ים מָכְ רוּ אֹתוֹ "13. וּמִ נַּ יִ ן שׁ ֶ הָ יְתָ ה אִ מּ וֹ שׁ ֶ ל

12. שמות יז, ד. 13. בראשית לז, לו. 14. שמות ו, כה. 15. יג, כב. 16. במדבר כא, כו.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  more comprehensive perceptions of truth. His lack took a portion of the booty. This is because the pur- of concern for his own image will also enable him pose of this war, as we said, was to uproot the idola- to bare his shortcomings to another person and seek try of Pe’or, the misuse and abuse of gross materiali- his guidance, thereby allowing him to solve his ty. The , consecrated from birth to the service problems and progress in his self-refinement.40 of God, are always in danger of thinking that the Whoever is an enemy of the Jewish people is an proper response to the dangers of materiality is to enemy of God: This idea is expressed specifically renounce it altogether. Therefore, it was necessary in the context of the war with Midian because the to engage them in this war in order that they learn Midianites in fact attacked both God and the Jewish to fully appreciate the value of the elements of cre- people. They sought to physically destroy the Jews, ation on the lower rungs of spirituality. and the means they used to try to do this was to The lesson for us here is that the extent to which entice them into sin, thus attacking God.41 we dedicate ourselves to spiritual pursuits should Whoever is an enemy of the Jewish people is an not cause us to disparage those “beneath” us. As enemy of God: The vengeance God sought against the sages have instructed us, “Be humble before all Midian was in response to the death of thousands men.”43 Everything and everyone has some posi- of Jews that resulted from the encounter with Mid- tive aspect for us to value and learn from, no matter ian. These Jews died because the Midianite women how holy we may be or have become.44 enticed them into idol worship and moral trans- The Torah goes into great detail about the booty of gressions. We see here how much God loves His Midian and its purification in preparation for Jew- people: He considers someone who opposes and ish use and is quite terse about the details of the attacks even transgressors such as these as if he had battle itself. This, again, is because the purpose of 42 attacked God Himself. the war with Midian was not to conquer them or 4 From all the tribes of Israel: Unlike other wars, their land but to illustrate the proper attitude to- the Levites were conscripted to fight in this one and ward materiality.45

40. Likutei Torah 3:85d ff;Sefer HaMa’amarim 5659, p. 53 ff;Sefer HaMa’amarim 5747, p. 183 ff. 41. Likutei Sichot, vol. 18, pp. 361-362. 42. Sichot Kodesh 5734, vol. 2, p. 323. 43. Avot 4:10. 44. Reshimot 51. 45. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, pp. 197-198.

192 :4-7 Matot

4 Moses continued, “You shall send a thousand of these men from each tribe from all the tribes of Israel—including the tribe of , which normally is exempt from military service—into the army.” 5 From the thousands of Israelites, a thousand men were given over for each tribe against their will, because they understood that fighting this battle would hasten Moses’ death. Even though the Jews harassed Moses continually since , they really valued him and tried to forestall losing him. Nonetheless, they reluctantly submitted to God’s will, and there were thus12,000 armed for battle. 6 Moses sent them—the thousand from each tribe—to the army. Because the ex- cessive plunder from the battles with Sichon and Og had left the Israelites mor- ally lax and susceptible to Balaam’s plot, Moses told them not to take any booty by themselves from this battle.32 In order to in- crease their spiritual merits, he sent them to the army along with Pinchas the son of the priest, for his merit equaled that of the rest of the army. Although Eleazar was the high priest, it was Pinchas who accompanied the army be- cause (a) he had begun the attack on the Midi- anites when he slew their princess, Kozbi,33 so it was fitting that he oversee its completion; (b) this was an opportunity for him to take revenge on the Midianites for buying his ancestor,34 ,35 as a slave; and (c) he was the priest appointed to exhort the people before battle.36 Pinchas went out with the sacred utensils—the ark that always accompanied the Israelites into battle37 and the high priest’s garments, which the priest appointed to exhort the people before battle wore38—and the trumpets for sounding during battle39 in his possession. 7 They mounted an attack against Midian, as God had commanded Moses, and they killed Figure 1: The Battle with Midian every male (See Figure 1).

 CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  suffers, or at least not be troubled. Furthermore, him, since he will judge them favorably and find no egocentricity blinds a person to other people’s good justification for their suffering. If he does find some qualities; since he is not sincere in his relationship fault with someone else, he will admonish him in with God and the world, he cannot believe that oth- accordance with the Torah’s guidelines for doing so, ers are, either. but he will not hate him. In contrast, someone who is not plagued with ego- Similarly, rather than viewing differences of opin- centricity will focus only on other people’s good ion as an affront to his selfhood, the selfless person qualities. Their suffering will genuinely trouble will view them as opportunities to arrive at higher,

32. Likutei Sichot, vol. 18, pp. 357 ff. 33. Above, 25:6 ff. 34. As was stated above, on 25:10. 35. Genesis 37:36. 36. Deuteronomy 20:1-4. 37. See Exodus 40:21. 38. Yoma 73a. 39. Above, 10:9.

192 Third (Second) Reading מטות 8 יוְאֶת־מַלְכֵ֨ מִדְ יָ֜ן הָֽרְ גּ֣ו עַל־חַלְ לֵיהֶ֗ ם אֶ ת־אֱוִ ֤י וְאֶת־רֶ֨קֶ ם֙  ONKELOS  8 וְיָת מַלְ כֵ י מִדְ יָן קְטָ לוּ עַ ל וְאֶת־צ֤ ּור וְאֶ ת־חּור֙ עוְאֶת־רֶ֔בַ חֲמֵׁ֖שֶ ת מַלְכֵ ֣י מִדְ יָ �֑ן וְאֵ ת֙ קְטִ ילֵ יהוֹן יָת אֱוִי וְיָת רֶקֶ ם וְיָת צוּר וְיָת חוּר וְיָת רֶבַ ע חַמְשׁ ָ א מַלְ כֵ י מִדְ יָן ּבִלְעָ ֣םּבֶן־ּבְע֔ ֹור הָֽרְ גּ֖ו ּבֶחָֽרֶ ב: 9 וַּיִׁשְּב֧ ּו בְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָאֵ ֛ל אֶ ת־ וְיָת בִּלְעָ ם בַּ ר בְּ עוֹר קְטָ לוּ בְּחַרְבָּ א: נְׁשֵ֥י מִדְ יָ֖ןוְאֶת־טַּפָ ֑םוְאֵ֨ תּכָל־ּבְ ֧םהֶמְּתָ וְאֶת־ּכָל־מִקְ נֵהֶ ֛ם 9 וּשׁ ְ בוֹ בְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל יָת נְשׁ ֵ י מִדְ יָן וְיָת טַפְלְ הוֹן וְיָת כָּ ל בְּעִירְ הוֹן וְיָת וְאֶת־ּכָל־חֵילָ֖ם ּבָ זָֽזּו: 10 וְאֵ ֤ת ּכָל־עָֽרֵ יהֶםּ֙בְמֹ֣וׁשְ בֹתָ֔ ם וְאֵ֖ ת כָּ ל גֵּיתֵ יהוֹן וְיָת כָּ ל נִכְסֵ יהוֹן בְּ זוֹ: 10 וְיָת כָּ ל קִרְ וֵיהוֹן בְּ מוֹתְ בָ נֵיהוֹן ּכָל־טִֽ ירֹתָ ֑ם ׂשָֽרְ פ֖ ּוּבָאֵֽ ׁש: 11 וַּיִקְ חּו֙ אֶת־ּכָל־הַּׁשָ לָ֔ ל וְאֵ֖ ת וְיָת כָּ ל בֵּ ית סִ גְדַתְ הוֹן אוֹקִ ידוּ בְּ נוּרָ א: 11 וּשׁ ְ בוֹ יָת כָּ ל עֲדָאָ ה 12 ּכָל־הַּמַלְקֹ֑וחַ ם ּבָֽאָדָ֖ ּובַּבְ הֵמָֽ ה: וַּיָבִ֡ אּו אֶל־מׁשֶ ה֩ וְאֶ ל־ וְיָת כָּ ל דְּבַרְתָּ א בֶּאֱ נָשׁ ָ א וּבִבְעִ ירָ א: אֶלְעָ זָ֨ר ןהַּכֹהֵ֜ וְאֶ ל־עֲדַ ֣תּבְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָ לאֵ֗ אֶת־הַּׁשְבִ ֧י וְאֶ ת־ 12 וְאַ יְתִ יוּ לְ וַת מֹשׁ ֶ ה וּלְ וַת אֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא וּלְ וַת כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א דִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל הַּמַלְקֹ֛וחַ וְאֶת־הַּׁשָלָ֖לאֶל־הַּֽמַֽחֲנֶ ֑ה אֶל־עַֽרְ ת בֹ֣ מֹואָ֔ ב יָת שׁ ִ בְ יָא וְיָת דְּבַרְתָּ א וְיָת עֲדָאָ ה לְמַשׁ ְ רִיתָ א לְמֵישׁ ְ רַ יָּא דְ מוֹאָ ב דִּ י אֲׁשֶ֖רעַ ל־יַרְ ֥ןּדֵ יְרֵחֽ ֹו: ס עַ ל יַרְדְּ נָא דִ ירֵ חוֹ: 13 וּנְפָקוּ מֹשׁ ֶ ה  שלישי )שני במחוברין( 13 וַּיֵ֨צְא֜ ּו המֹׁשֶ֨ וְאֶלְעָזָ ֧ר הַּכֹהֵ ֛ן וְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא וְכָ ל רַבְרְ בֵ י כְ נִשׁ ְתָּ א לְקַדָּ מוּתְ הוֹן לְמִבָּרָ א לְמַשׁ ְ רִיתָ א: וְכָל־נְׂשִיאֵ ֥יהָֽעֵדָ֖ הלִקְרָאתָ ֑םאֶל־מִח֖ ּוץ לַּֽמַֽחֲנֶֽה: 14 וּרְ גֵיז מֹשׁ ֶ ה עַ ל דִּמְמַ נָּן עַ ל חֵילָ א רַבָּ נֵי אַלְפִ ין וְרַבָּ נֵי מָ אוָתָ א 14 וַּיִקְ צֹ֣ף מֹׁשֶ֔ העַ֖ל ּפְקּודֵ ֣י הֶחָ ֑יִל ֤יׂשָרֵ הָֽאֲלָפִ ים֙וְׂשָרֵ ֣י דַּאֲ תוֹ מֵחֵ יל קְרָבָ א: 15 וַאֲמַ ר לְ הוֹן 15 מֹשׁ ֶ ה הֲקַ יֶּמְתּ וּן כָּ ל נוּקְבָ א: 16 הָ א הַּמֵא֔ ֹות הַּבָאִ֖ ים מִּצְבָ ֥א הַּמִלְחָמָֽ ה: וַּיֹ֥אמֶ ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם אִ נִּ ין הֲ וָאָ ה לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל בַּעֲצַ ת מֹׁשֶ ֑ה הַֽחִ ּיִיתֶ֖ ם ּכָל־נְקֵבָֽ ה: 16 הֵ ֣ןהֵ֜ ּנָההָ יּ֨ו לִבְ נֵ ֤י יִׂשְרָ אֵ ל֙ בִּלְעָ ם לְשׁ ַקָּרָ א שׁ ְ קָ ר קֳדָ ם יְיָ עַ ל עֵסַ ק פְּ עוֹר וַהֲ וַת מוֹתָ נָא בִּכְ נִשׁ ְתָּ א ּבִדְבַ֣ר ּבִלְעָ֔ ם לִמְסָר־מַ ֥עַ לּבַֽיהֹוָ֖ה עַל־ּדְ בַ ֣רּפְ עֹ֑ור וַּתְהִ ֥י דַ ייָ: הַּמַ ּגֵפָ֖ה ּבַֽ ֥תעֲדַ יְהוָֹֽה:  RASHI  8 חֲמֵשׁ ֶ ת מַ לְכֵ י מִדְ יָן. וְכִ י אֵ ינִ י רוֹאֶ ה שׁ ֶ חֲמִשּׁ ָ ה מָ נָה וְ לֹא נֶחְשׁ ְ דוּ עַ ל הַ ּגָזֵל לִשׁ ְ לֹחַ יָד בַּבִּ ּזָה שׁ ֶ ּלֹא בִרְשׁ וּת, הַכָּ תוּב, לָמָ ה הֻזְקַ ק לוֹמַ ר "חֲמֵשׁ ֶ ת"? אֶ ּלָא לְלַמֶּדְ ָך שׁ ֶשּׁ ָ ווּ שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "אֶ ת כָּ ל הַשּׁ ָ לָל וְגוֹ '". וַעֲ לֵיהֶ ם מְ פֹרָשׁ בַּקַּבָּ לָה: ּכֻלָם בָּעֵצָ ה, וְהֻשׁ ְ ווּ ּכֻלָם בַּפּ ֻרְ עָ נוּת. בִּ לְעָ ם הָ ְלַך שׁ ָ ם לִטּ ֹל "שׁ ִ ְנַּיִך כְּעֵדֶ ר הָרְ חֵלִ ים וְגוֹ '"19 — אַ ף אַ נְשׁ ֵ י הַמִּ לְחָמָ ה שׁ ֶבָּ ְך שְׂ כַ ר עֶ שְׂרִ ים וְאַרְ בָּעָ ה אֶ לֶף שׁ ֶהִפִּ יל מִ ּיִשְׂרָ אֵ ל בַּעֲצָתוֹ . כּ ֻּלָם צַדִּ יקִ ים: שׁ ָ ָ ל ל . הֵ ן מִטַּ לְטְ לִ ין שׁ ֶ ל מַ לְבּ וּשׁ וְתַכְשׁ ִיטִ ין: וְ יָצָ א מִמִּדְ יָן לִקְרַ את יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל, וּמַשּׁ ִיאָ ן עֵצָ ה רָ עָ ה. אָמַ ר בַּ ז . הוּא בִּ ּזַת מִטַּ לְטְ לִ ין שׁ ֶאֵ ינָם תַּכְשׁ ִיטִ ין: מַ לְ ק וֹ חַ . אָ דָ ם לָהֶ ם: "אִ ם כְּשׁ ֶ הֱיִיתֶ ם שׁ ִשּׁ ִ ים רִ בּוֹ א לֹא יְכָלְתֶּ ם לָהֶ ם, וּבְהֵמָ ה. וּבְמָקוֹ ם שׁ ֶכָּ תוּב "שׁ ְבִ י" אֵ צֶ ל "מַ לְקוֹחַ ", "שׁ ְבִ י" וְעַכְשׁ ָ ו בִּשׁ ְ נֵים עָ שָׂ ר אֶ לֶף אַתֶּ ם בָּאִ ים לְהִ ּלָחֵ ם"? נָתְ נוּ לוֹ בָּאָדָ ם, וּ"מַ לְקוֹחַ " בַּבְּהֵמָ ה: 13 וַ יֵּצְ אוּ מֹשׁ ֶ ה וְאֶ לְעָ זָר שְׂ כָרוֹ מִשׁ ּ ָ לֵם וְ לֹא קִפְּ חוּהוּ: בֶּחָרֶ ב. הוּא בָ א עַ ל יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל הַ כּ ֹ הֵ ן . לְפִ י שׁ ֶרָ אוּ אֶ ת נַעֲרֵ י יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל יוֹצְאִ ים לַחֲטֹף מִ ן וְהֶ חֱלִ יף אֻמָּ נוּתוֹ בְּאֻמָּ נוּתָ ם, שׁ ֶאֵ ין נוֹשׁ ָעִ ים אֶ ּלָא בְּפִיהֶ ם הַבִּ ּזָה: 14 וַ יִּקְ צֹף מֹשׁ ֶ ה עַ ל פְּ קוּדֵ י הֶחָיִל. מְ מֻנִּ ים עַ ל עַ ל יְדֵ י תְּ פִ ּלָה וּבַקָּשׁ ָ ה, וּבָ א הוּא וְתָ פַ שׂ אֻמָּ נוּתָ ם לְקַ ּלְלָם הַחַ יִל. לְלַמֶּדְ ָך שׁ ֶכָּ ל סִרְ חוֹ ן הַדּוֹ ר תָּ לוּי בַּ ּגְדוֹלִ ים, שׁ ֶ ּיֵשׁ בְּפִ יו, אַ ף הֵ ם בָּ אוּ עָ לָיו וְהֶ חֱלִ יפוּ אֻמָּ נוּתָ ם בְּאֻמָּ נוּת כּ ֹחַ בְּ יָדָ ם לִמְ חוֹ ת: 16 הֵ ן הֵ נָּה. מַ ִ ּגיד, שׁ ֶהָ יוּ מַכִּירִ ין אוֹתָ ן, הָאֻמּ וֹ ת, שׁ ֶבָּאִ ין בַּחֶרֶ ב, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְעַ ל חַרְ בְּ ָך תִחְ יֶה"17: "זוֹ הִ יא שׁ ֶ נִּכְשׁ ַ ל פְּלוֹנִ י בָּהּ ": בִּדְ בַ ר בִּלְעָ ם. אָמַ ר לָהֶ ם: 10 טִ ירֹתָ ם. מְ קוֹ ם פּ ַלְטְרִ ין שׁ ֶ ּלָהֶ ם, שׁ ֶ הוּא לְשׁ וֹ ן מוֹשׁ ַ ב "אֲפִ ּלוּ אַתֶּ ם מַכְ נִיסִ ים כָּ ל הֲמוֹנוֹ ת שׁ ֶבָּעוֹ לָם, אֵ ין אַתֶּ ם כְּמָרִ ים יוֹדְ עֵ י חֻקֵּיהֶ ם. דָּ בָ ר אַ חֵ ר: לְשׁ וֹ ן מוֹשׁ ַ ב שָׂרֵ יהֶ ם, יְכוֹלִ ים לָהֶ ם, שׁ ֶמֶּ א מְרֻ בִּ ים אַתֶּ ם מִ ן הַמִּ צְרִ ים שׁ ֶהָ יוּ שׁ ֵשׁ כְּמוֹ שׁ ֶמְּ תֻרְ ּגָם "סַרְ נֵי פְלִשׁ ְתִּ ים"18 — "טוּרְ נֵי פְלִשׁ ְתָּאֵ י": מֵאוֹ ת רֶ כֶ ב בָּ חוּר? בּוֹ אוּ וְאַשּ ִׂ יאֲכֶ ם עֵצָ ה: אֱלֹהֵיהֶ ם שׁ ֶ ל 11 וַ יִּקְ חוּ אֶ ת כָּל הַשּׁ ָ לָל וְגוֹ '. מַ ּגִיד שׁ ֶהָ יוּ כְּשׁ ֵרִ ים וְצַדִּ יקִ ים, אֵ ּלוּ שׂוֹ נֵא זִמָּ ה הוּא וְ כוּ'", כִּדְ אִיתָא בְּ"חֵ לֶק"20 וּבְסִפְרֵ י:

17. בראשית כז, מ. 18. יהושע יג, ג. 19. שיר השירים ו, ו. 20. סנהדרין קו, א.

193 Numbers 31:8-16 Matot

8 As it happened, Balaam was in Midian at the time, for he had come to collect his fee for having caused the death of thousands of Israelites by advising Moab and Midian to entice them into the sins of idolatry and lechery.46 When the Israelites at- tacked, he used his magical powers to make himself and the five kings of the Midi- anite confederation fly in the air, but Pinchas held up the high priest’s headband to them, and the Divine Name engraved on it nullified the power of Balaam’s magic. In this way, they killed the Midianite kings, making them fall from the air upon their own slain. Evi, Rekem, Tzur, Chur, and Reva were the five kings of Midian. They were equally guilty of scheming against the Israelites, and therefore all died the same way. Balaam, in the meantime, left the Midianite camp and approached the Israelite army, attempting to argue that it was useless to try to subdue Midian. “If,” he argued, “when you were 600,000 strong, you could not resist the tempta- tion to sin with the Midianite girls, what makes you think you can now resist the same temptation when you are only 12,000 strong?” The Israelites thereupon slew Balaam the son of with the sword. This was poetic justice: Balaam had tried to usurp the Jews’ weapon, their power of prayer, by battling them with his curses; the Jews in turn killed him by usurping the non-Jewish weapon, the sword.47 9 The Israelites took the Midianite women and their small children captive, and they plundered all their beasts, livestock, and all their possessions. 10 They set fire to all their residential cities and also to their castles, in which their political and religious leaders lived. 11 They took all the movable booty and all the living plunder of man and beast 12 and brought it all—the captives, the plundered animals, and the movable boo- ty—to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the entire community of Israel in the camp, in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite . They did not appropriate any of it for themselves, just as Moses had told them.  Third Reading (Second when combined) 13 Although the soldiers’ behavior was impeccable, some of the young people started looting the booty when the army re- turned. To stop them, Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all princes of the community went out to meet them, outside the camp. 14 When he saw the Midianite women, Moses 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. 15 Moses said to them, “Did you let all the females live? 16 We can recognize them individually: they are the same ones who were in- volved with the Israelites on Balaam’s advice to betray God in the incident of , resulting in a plague among the congregation of God.

46. Above, on 24:14. 47. Compare above, on 21:18.

193 Third (Second) Reading מטות 17 וְעַּתָ֕ ההִרְ גּ֥וכָ ל־זָכָ֖ר ּבַּטָ ֑ף הוְכָל־אִּׁשָ֗ יֹדַ ת֥עַ ֛ אִ יׁש  ONKELOS  17 וּכְעַ ן קְ טוּלוּ כָ ל דְּ כוּרָ א בְּטַפְלָ א ֥בלְמִׁשְּכַ זָכָ֖ר הֲרֽ ֹגּו: 18 וְכֹל֙ הַּטַ ֣ף ּבַ ּנָׁשִ֔ יםאֲׁשֶ ֥ר ֹלא־יָֽדְ עּ֖ו וְכָ ל אִתְּתָ א דִּידַעַ ת גְּבַ ר לְמִשׁ ְ כְּ בֵ י דְ כוּרָ א קְ טוּלוּ: 18 וְכֹל טַפְלָ א מִׁשְּכַ ֣ב ֑רזָכָ הַֽחֲיּ֖ו לָכֶֽם: 19 וְאַּתֶ֗ ם חֲנּ֛ומִח֥ ּוץ לַּֽמַֽחֲנֶ֖ה בִ נְשׁ ַ יָּא דִּ י לָ א יְדָעָ א מִשׁ ְ כְּ בֵ י דְ כוּרָ א ׁשִבְעַ ֣ת ֑יָמִ ים ּכֹל֩ ג הֹרֵ֨ נֶ֜פֶ ׁש וְכֹ֣ ל | נֹגֵ ֣עַ ּבֶֽחָ לָ֗ לּתִֽתְ חַּטְא֞ ּו קַ יִּימוּ לְ כוֹן: 19 וְאַתּ וּן שׁ ְ רוֹ מִבָּרָ א לְמַשׁ ְ רִיתָ א שׁ ַבְעָ א יוֹמִ ין כּ ֹל דִּקְטַ ל ּבַּיֹ֤ום הַּׁשְלִיׁשִ יּ֙ובַ ּיֹ֣ום הַּׁשְבִיעִ֔ י ם אַּתֶ֖ ּוׁשְבִיכֶֽם: 20 וְכָ ל־ נַפְשׁ ָ א וְכֹל דִּקְ רֵ ב בִּקְטִ ילָ א תַּדּ וּן עֲ לוֹהִ י בְּ יוֹמָ א תְלִיתָאָ ה וּבְ יוֹמָ א ּבֶ֧גֶד וְכָל־ּכְלִי־עֹ֛ור וְכָל־מַֽ עֲׂשֵ ֥העִּזִ֖ים וְכָל־ּכְלִי־עֵ ֑ץ שׁ ְ בִיעָאָ ה אַתּ וּן וּשׁ ְ בִ יכוֹן: 20 וְכָ ל לְ בוּשׁ וְכָ ל מָ ן דִּמְשׁ ַךְ וְכָ ל עוֹבַ ד ּתִתְ חַּטָֽ אּו: ס מְ עַ זֵּי וְכָ ל מָ ן דְּאָ ע תַּדּ וּן עֲ לוֹהִ י: 21 רוַּיֹ֨אמֶ אֶלְעָזָ ֤רהַּכֹהֵ ן֙ אֶל־אַ נְׁשֵ ֣י אהַּצָבָ֔ הַּבָאִ֖ ים 21 וַאֲמַ ר אֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא לְ גַבְ רֵ י חֵילָ א דַּאֲ תוֹ לִקְרָבָ א דָּ א גְּ זֵרַ ת לַּמִלְחָמָ ֑ה זֹ֚אתחֻּקַ ֣ת הַּתֹורָ֔ ה אֲׁשֶר־צִ ּוָ ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ת־מֹׁשֶֽ ה: אוֹרַ יְתָא דִּ י פַקֵּיד יְיָ יָת מֹשׁ ֶ ה:

 RASHI  17 וְכָ ל אִשּׁ ָ ה יֹדַ עַ ת אִישׁ . רְ אוּיָה לְהִבָּעֵ ל אַ ף עַ ל פִּ י שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְאַתֵּ ן צֹאנִ י צֹאן מַרְ עִיתִ י, אָדָ ם אַתֶּ ם"22 — שׁ ֶ ּלֹא נִבְעֲ לָה. וְלִפְ נֵי הַ ִ ּציץ הֶעֱבִ ירוּם, וְהָרְ אוּיָה לְהִבָּעֵ ל אַתֶּ ם קְ רוּיִים "אָדָ ם" וְאֵ ין אֻמּ וֹ ת הָעוֹ לָם קְ רוּיִין "אָדָ ם", פּ ָ נֶיהָ מוֹרִ יקוֹ ת: הֲ רֹגוּ . לָמָּ ה חָ זַר וְאָמַ ר? לְהַפְסִ יק הָעִ נְ יָן, מוֹדֶ ה הוּא שׁ ֶהַ ּגוֹ יִם מְטַמְּאִ ים בְּמַ ּגַע וּבְמַשּ ָׂ א, שׁ ֶ ּלֹא נֶאֱמַ ר דִּ בְרֵ י רַ בִּ י יִשׁ ְמָעֵ אל, שׁ ֶאִ ם אֲנִ י קוֹרֵ א: "הִרְ גוּ כָ ל זָכָ ר בַּטָּ ף "אָדָ ם" אֶ ּלָא אֵ צֶ ל טֻמְאַ ת אֹהָלוֹ ת, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "אָדָ ם כִּ י וְכָ ל אִשּׁ ָ ה יֹדַ עַ ת אִישׁ וְ כֹל הַטַּ ף בַּ נָּשׁ ִ ים וְגוֹ '", אֵ ינִ י יוֹדֵ עַ יָמוּת בְּ אֹהֶ ל"23: אַתֶּ ם וּשׁ ְ בִ יכֶ ם. לֹא שׁ ֶהַ ּגוֹ יִם מְ קַבְּ לִ ין אִ ם לַהֲ רֹג עִ ם הַ ּזְכָרִ ים, אוֹ לְהַ חֲיוֹ ת עִ ם הַטָּ ף, לְכָ ְך נֶאֱמַ ר טֻמְאָ ה וּצְרִ יכִ ין הַ ּזָאָ ה, אֶ ּלָא מָ ה אַתֶּ ם בְּ נֵי בְרִ ית, אַ ף "הֲ רֹגוּ": 19 מִ חוּץ לַמַּ חֲנֶה. שׁ ֶ ּלֹא יִכָּנְסוּ לָעֲ זָרָ ה: ּ ֹכ ל ֹה רֵ ג שׁ ְבִ יכֶ ם, כְּשׁ ֶ ּיָבוֹ אוּ לַבְּרִ ית וְ יִטַּמְּ אוּ, צְרִ יכִ ין הַ ּזָאָ ה: 20 וְ כָ ל ֶ נ ֶ פ שׁ . רַ בִּ י מֵאִ יר אוֹמֵ ר: בְּהוֹרֵ ג בְּדָ בָ ר הַמְ קַבֵּ ל טֻמְאָ ה מַ עֲ שֵׂ ה עִ ִ ּזים. לְהָבִ יא כְּ לֵי הַקַּרְ נַיִם וְהַטְּ לָפַיִם וְהָעֲצָמוֹ ת: הַכָּ תוּב מְדַ בֵּ ר. וְלִמֶּדְ ָך הַכָּ תוּב שׁ ֶהַכְּלִ י מְטַמֵּ א אָדָ ם 21 וַ יֹּאמֶ ר אֶ לְעָ זָר הַכּ ֹהֵ ן וְגוֹ '. לְ פִ י שׁ ֶ בָּ א מֹשׁ ֶ ה לִ כְ לַ ל כּ ַ עַ ס, בְּחִבּ וּרֵ י הַמֵּ ת, כְּאִ ּלוּ נוֹ גֵעַ בַּמֵּ ת עַצְמוֹ . אוֹ יָכוֹ ל אֲפִ ּלוּ בָּ א לִכְ לָל טָ עוּת, שׁ ֶ נִּתְ עַ ְּ למוּ מִמֶּ נּוּ הִ לְכוֹ ת ִ ּגעוּלֵי נָכְרִ ים. זָרַ ק בּוֹ חֵ ץ וַהֲרָ גוֹ ? תַּ לְ מוּד לוֹמַ ר: "וְ כֹל נֹגֵעַ בֶּחָ לָל" — וְכֵ ן אַתָּ ה מוֹ צֵ א בַּשּׁ ְמִ ינִ י לַמִּ ּלוּאִ ים, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וַ ּיִקְ צֹף עַ ל הֵקִישׁ הוֹרֵ ג לְנוֹ גֵעַ , מַ ה נּוֹ גֵעַ עַ ל יְדֵ י חִבּ וּרוֹ , אַ ף הוֹרֵ ג עַ ל אֶ לְעָ זָר וְעַ ל אִיתָמָ ר"24 — בָּ א לִכְ לַל כַּעַ ס, בָּ א לִכְ לַל יְדֵ י חִבּ וּרוֹ : ּתִּתְחַטְאוּ. בְּמֵ י נִדָּ ה, כְּדִ ין שׁ ְאָ ר טְ מֵאֵ י מֵתִ ים, טָ עוּת, וְכֵ ן בְּ"שׁ ִמְ עוּ נָא הַמּ ֹרִ ים" — "וַ ּי ְַך אֶ ת הַסֶּ לַע"25 , עַ ל שׁ ֶאַ ף לְדִ בְרֵ י הָאוֹמֵ ר21 קִבְרֵ י גוֹ יִם אֵ ינָן מְטַמְּאִ ין בְּ אֹהֶ ל, יְדֵ י הַכַּעַ ס טָעָ ה: אֲשׁ ֶ ר צִ וָּ ה ה' וְגוֹ '. תָּ לָ ה הַ ה וֹ רָ אָ ה ְבּ רַ בּ וֹ :

21. רשב"י ביבמות ס, ב. 22. יחזקאל לד, לא. 23. במדבר יט, יד. 24. ויקרא י, טז. 25. במדבר כ, י ־יא.

š INNER DIMENSIONS › [continued...] or heated until white-hot in order to ter originating from a specified source can some- make it physically release the forbidden food it how affect it. has absorbed, while a vessel that has been de- Ritual defilement by contact with a corpse is filed needs only to be immersed in a mikveh— even more abstract than regular ritual defile- whose waters merely surround the vessel from ment, so the means used to purify it—sprinkling without and do not physically affect the walls of a few drops of a specially prepared solution on the vessel in any way. the outside of the affected person or vessel—are Inasmuch as our sense of logic is tied largely to even more “spiritual” and counter logic even our physical senses, the process used to make more. a vessel give up the forbidden food it has ab- This explains how Moses erred regarding the sorbed seems more logical than the process used power of the solution of the ashes of the red cow: to purify a vessel from ritual defilement. It goes Moses was the “escort of the King” (God), and somewhat against the grain of logic to say that looked at reality from the higher, Divine per- immersing a vessel in a specified volume of wa- spective. Accordingly, he felt that the potency of

194 Numbers 31:17-21 Matot

17 So now kill every male child, and you shall also kill every woman who is old enough to have carnal intercourse with a man, even if she is still a virgin. 18 But you may keep alive all the young girls who are not old enough to have carnal intercourse with a man, for yourselves. We will determine which ones are in which category by having all the women pass in front of the high priest’s head- band; the faces of those mature enough for carnal relations will turn green. 19 And those of you who have been defiled through contact with a corpse dur- ing the war or will kill the captives now must encamp outside the camp, that is, not enter the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting for at least seven days; specifically, whoever either came in contact with a corpse indirectly through having killed a person with a sword or some other instrument that transmits defilement or who touched a corpse directly shall purify himself on the third and seventh day after he begins counting, with the solution made of the ashes of the red cow.48 This ap- plies to both you and to any of your captives who have converted. 20 Similarly, all garments, leather articles, any goat product, including those made of its hair, horns, claws, and bones, and every wooden and metal article that came in contact with a corpse shall undergo the same purification rites.” 21 In his anger at the army over their having left the Midianite women alive, Moses mistakenly assumed that purifying the plundered eating utensils from the defile- ment of having come in contact with a corpse would also purify these same uten- sils from the forbidden food they had absorbed and from the impurity they pos- sessed by virtue of belonging to a non-Jew.49 So Moses’ nephew, Eleazar the priest, said to the soldiers returning from battle, “This—the laws of purification from defilement through contact with a corpse that Moses just reviewed for you—is the statute that God commanded Moses, and you must do as he said.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  17 You shall kill every woman who can have car- ous influence that could not be allowed to seep into nal intercourse with a man: The Midianite women the society of holiness and corrupt it. But why was who had seduced the Israelite men clearly deserved it necessary to kill the Midianite women who were the death penalty, for they were guilty of causing merely old enough for carnal relations, even if they them to sin and had thus proven themselves to be were still virgins? either outright malicious or incapable of standing Presumably, they had to be killed because the up to mass evil. Those who did not participate in very fact that they had reached puberty and were Balaam’s scheme (if there were such) but were sim- therefore ready at any time to join the ranks of the ply non-virgins had to be killed because their atti- carnally active women meant that they already tudes toward carnality and femininity had already considered themselves part of the depraved Midi- been spoiled by the relations they had engaged in anite culture and had absorbed its values. This put as part of the corrupt Midianite society. Their atti- them in the same category as their experienced tudes and jadedness rendered them not only unfit compatriots.50 to join the ranks of the Jewish people but a danger-

š INNER DIMENSIONS › [21] The fundamental difference between ritual while the former resides spiritually around the defilement (tumah) and absorption of forbidden vessel. Thus, a vessel that has absorbed forbid- food is that the latter penetrates into the vessel, den food needs to be immersed in boiling water

48. Above, 19:1-22. 49. Likutei Sichot, vol. 8, pp. 182-184. 50. Likutei Sichot, vol. 18, p. 368.

194 Fourth (Second) Reading מטות 22 אְַ֥ך אֶת־הַ ּזָהָ֖ב וְאֶת־הַּכָ ֑סֶ ף אֶֽת־הַּנְחׁ֨שֶת֙אֶת־הַּבַרְ זֶ֔ל  ONKELOS  22 בְּרַ ם יָת דַּהֲבָ א וְיָת כַּסְפָּ א יָת אֶֽת־הַּבְדִ֖ יל וְאֶת־הָֽעֹפָֽרֶ ת: 23 ּכָל־ּדָ רבָ֞ אֲׁשֶ ר־יָבֹ֣ א בָאֵ֗ ׁש נְחֻשׁ ְתָּ א יָת פַּרְ זְלָ א יָת אֲבָצָ א וְיָת אֲבָרָ א: 23 כָּ ל מִדַּעַ ם דְּמִתַּעַ ל ּתַֽעֲבִ ֤ירּובָאֵ ׁש֙וְטָהֵ֔ ראַ֕ ְך ּבְמֵ ֥י ה נִּדָ֖ יִתְ ֑אחַּטָ וְכֹ֨ ל אֲׁשֶ ֧ר בְּ נוּרָ א תַּעַבְ רֻנֵּהּ בְּ נוּרָ א וְיִדְכֵּ י ֹלֽ א־יָבֹ֛ א ּבָאֵ֖ ׁש ּתַֽ עֲבִ ֥ירּו בַּמָֽיִם: 24 וְכִּבַסְּתֶ ֧ם ּבִ גְדֵ יכֶ ֛ם בְּרַ ם בְּמֵ י אַדָּ יוּתָ א יִתַּדִּ י וְכֹל דִּ י לָ א מִתַּעַ ל בְּ נוּרָ א תַּעַבְ רֻנֵּהּ ּבַּיֹ֥ום הַּׁשְבִיעִ֖יּוטְ הַרְ ּתֶ ֑ם וְאַחַ֖רּתָבֹ֥אּו אֶל־הַּֽמַֽחֲנֶֽה: ס בְּמַ יָּא: 24 וּתְ חַ וְּרוּן לְ בוּשׁ ֵ יכוֹן בְּ יוֹמָ א שׁ ְ בִיעָאָ ה וְתִדְכּ וּן וּבָתַ ר  רביעי 25 רוַּיֹ֥אמֶ יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ל־מֹׁשֶ ֥ה ּלֵאמֽ ֹ ר: 26 ׂשָ֗ א אֵ ֣ת כֵּ ן תֵּ עֲלוּן לְמַשׁ ְ רִיתָ א: 25 וַאֲמַ ר יְיָ לְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְמֵימָ ר: 26 קַבֵּ ל יָת רֹ֤אׁש מַלְקֹ֨וחַ֙הַּׁשְבִ֔ י םּבָֽאָדָ֖ ּובַּבְ הֵמָ ֑ה אַּתָ ה֙ וְאֶלְעָזָ ֣ר חֻשׁ ְ בַּ ן דַּבְרַ ת שׁ ִ בְ יָא בֶּאֱ נָשׁ ָ א הַּכֹהֵ֔ ןוְרָ אׁשֵ֖י אֲב֥ ֹות הָֽעֵדָֽ ה: 27 וְחָצִ֨יתָ֙אֶת־הַּמַלְקֹ֔וחַ וּבִבְעִ ירָ א אַתְּ וְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא וְרֵישׁ ֵ י אֲבָהַ ת כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א: 27 וּתְ פַלֵּ יג ֚ ֵיןּתֽ ּבֹפְׂשֵ ֣י ההַּמִלְחָמָ֔ הַ ּיֹֽצְאִ֖ ים לַּצָבָ ֑א ּובֵ֖ין ּכָל־הָֽעֵדָֽ ה: יָת דְּבַרְתָּ א בֵּ ין גַּבְ רֵ י מְ גִיחֵ י קְרָבָ א דִּ נְפָקוּ לְחֵילָ א וּבֵ ין כָּ ל כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א: 28 וַֽהֲרֵֽ מֹתָ֨ מֶ֜ כֶ סלַֽיהוָֹ ֗ה תמֵאֵ֞ אַ נְׁשֵ ֤י הַּמִלְחָמָ ה֙הַ ּיֹֽצְאִ ֣ ים 28 וְתַפְרֵשׁ נְסִ יבָ א קֳדָ ם יְיָ מִ ן גַּבְ רֵ י לַּצָבָ֔ אאֶחָ ֣ד נֶ֔פֶ ׁשמֵֽחֲמֵ֖ ׁש הַּמֵא֑ ֹות מִן־הָֽאָדָ ם֙ ּומִ ן־הַּבָקָ֔ ר מְ גִיחֵ י קְרָבָ א דִּ נְפָקוּ לְחֵילָ א חַ ד נַפְשׁ ָ א מֵ חֲמֵשׁ מְאָ ה מִ ן אֱ נָשׁ ָ א וּמִ ן ּומִן־הַֽחֲמֹרִ֖ים ּומִ ן־הַּצֽ ֹאן: תּ וֹרֵי וּמִ ן חֲמָרֵי וּמִ ן עָ נָא:

 RASHI  22 אַ ְך אֶ ת הַ ּזָהָ ב וְגוֹ '. אַ ף עַ ל פִּ י שׁ ֶ ּלֹא הִ זְהִ יר לָכֶ ם זֶה לְטַ הֲרוֹ מִטֻּמְאַ ת מֵ ת. אָמַ ר לָהֶ ם: צְרִ יכִ ין הַכֵּלִ ים ּגִעוּל מֹשׁ ֶ ה אֶ ּלָא עַ ל הִ לְכוֹ ת טֻמְאָ ה, עוֹ ד יֵשׁ לְהַ זְהִ יר לָכֶ ם עַ ל לְטַ הֲרָ ם מִ ן הָאִסּ וּר, וְחִטּ וּי לְטַ הֲרָ ן מִ ן הַטֻּמְאָ ה. וְרַ בּוֹתֵ ינוּ הִ לְכוֹ ת ּגִעוּל. וְ"אַ ְך" לְשׁ וֹ ן מִ עוּט, כְּלוֹמַ ר מְ מֻעָטִ ין אַתֶּ ם דָּרְשׁ וּ מִכָּ אן27, שׁ ֶאַ ף לְהַכְשׁ ִירָ ן מִ ן הָאִסּ וּר, הִטְעִ ין טְבִ ילָה מִ ּלְהִשׁ ְתַּמֵּשׁ בַּכֵּלִ ים, אֲפִ ּלוּ לְאַחַ ר טָ הֳרָ תָ ן מִטֻּמְאַ ת הַמֵּ ת, לִכְ לֵי מַתָּכוֹ ת. וּ"מֵ י נִדָּ ה" הַכְּ תוּבִ ין כָּ אן, דָּרְשׁ וּ: מַ יִם עַ ד שׁ ֶ ּיִטַּ הֲרוּ מִ בְּ לִיעַ ת אִסּ וּר נְבֵלוֹ ת. וְרַ בּוֹתֵ ינוּ אָמְ רוּ 26: הָרְ אוּיִם לִטְבּ ֹל בָּהֶ ם נִדָּ ה, וְכַמָּ ה הֵ ם? אַרְ בָּעִ ים סְאָ ה: "אַ ְך אֶ ת הַ ּזָהָ ב", לוֹמַ ר, שׁ ֶ ּצָרִ ְיך לְהַעֲבִ יר חֲלֻדָּ ה שׁ ֶ ּלוֹ קֹדֶ ם וְ כֹל אֲשׁ ֶ ר לֹא יָבֹא בָּאֵשׁ . כָּ ל דָּ בָ ר שׁ ֶאֵ ין תַּשׁ ְמִישׁ וֹ עַ ל שׁ ֶ ּיַגְעִ ילֶנּוּ, וְ זֶהוּ לְשׁ וֹ ן "אַ ְך" — שׁ ֶ ּלֹא יְהֵ א שׁ ָ ם חֲלֻדָּ ה, יְדֵ י הָ אוּר, כְּגוֹ ן: כּוֹסוֹ ת וּצְלוֹחִ ּיוֹ ת, שׁ ֶתַּשׁ ְמִישׁ ָ ן בְּצוֹ נֵן וְ לֹא אַ ְך הַמַּתֶּ כֶ ת יִהְ יֶה כְּמוֹ ת שׁ ֶ הוּא: 23 כָּ ל דָּ בָ ר אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָבֹא בָלְ עוּ אִסּ וּר: תַּ עֲבִ ירוּ בַמָּ יִם. מַטְבִּ ילָן וְדַ ּיוֹ . וְדַ וְקָ א כְּ לֵי ָ ב ֵ א שׁ . לְבַשּׁ ֵ ל בּוֹ כְּ לוּם: תַּ עֲבִ ירוּ בָאֵשׁ . ְּ כ ֶ ד ֶ ר ְך ַּ ת שׁ ְ ִ מ י שׁ ֹ ו מַתָּכוֹ ת: 24 אֶ ל הַמַּ חֲנֶה. לְמַ חֲנֵה שׁ ְ כִ ינָה, שׁ ֶאֵ ין טְמֵ א — הַ גְעָ לָתוֹ : מַ ה שּׁ ֶתַּשׁ ְמִישׁ וֹ עַ ל יְדֵ י חַמִּ ין יַגְעִ ילֶנּוּ בְּחַמִּ ין, מֵ ת טָ עוּן שׁ ִ ּלוּחַ מִמַּ חֲנֵה לְוִ ּיָה וּמִמַּ חֲנֵה יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל: 26 שָׂ א וּמַ ה שּׁ ֶתַּשׁ ְמִישׁ וֹ עַ ל יְדֵ י צָלִ י, כְּגוֹ ן הַשּׁ ַפּ וּד וְהָאַסְכָּלָה, אֵ ת רֹאשׁ . קַ ח אֶ ת הַחֶשׁ ְבּוֹ ן: 27 וְחָצִיתָ אֶ ת הַמַּ לְקוֹחַ בֵּ ין יְלַבְּ נֶנּוּ בָּ אוּר: אַ ְך בְּמֵ י נִדָּ ה יִתְ חַ ָּ טא. לְפִ י פְשׁ וּטוֹ "חִטּ וּי" תּ ֹפְ שֵׂי הַמִּ לְחָמָה וְגוֹ '. חֶצְיוֹ לְאֵ ּלוּ וְחֶצְיוֹ לְאֵ ּלוּ:

26. ילקוט שמעוני תשפ"ה. 27. עבודה זרה עה, ב.

š INNER DIMENSIONS › [continued...] the solution of the ashes of the red Eleazar, however, was the priest, the “escort of cow should be sufficient to penetrate the inner- the Queen” (the people). He looked at reality most aspects of the person or vessel: an overall from the earthly perspective, and therefore knew change in a person’s attitude should by right that sweeping, overall changes are not enough; affect all aspects of his or her life, down to the the individual must work on his or her inner self minutest details. directly, as well.54

54. Likutei Sichot, vol. 8, pp. 184-185.

195 Numbers 31:22-28 Matot

22 But even after you have purified the captured utensils from defilement caused by contact with a corpse, you must also purify these utensils from the forbidden food they absorbed and from the impurity of belonging to a non-Jew, through a different process. Metal vessels—the , the , the copper, the iron, the tin, and the lead 23 —in fact, whatever is used in fire, you shall pass through fire the same way it is used, and then it will be purified.If it is a cooking vessel used with boiling water, you must immerse it in boiling water. If it is used directly over the fire, you must heat it until it turns white-hot. This is how a metal utensil releases the forbidden food it has absorbed. You must, however, remove any rust from it first, so nothing interposes between the metal and the cleansing medium. (In contrast to metal ves- sels, earthenware vessels used in fire never release the forbidden food they have absorbed, so such vessels cannot be purified.)” Although the people knew the prin- ciples involved in removing forbidden food from vessels51 (and therefore Moses did not need to mention these laws after the battles with Sichon and Og), Eleazar had to repeat them here because (a) Moses had implied that they were not appli- cable; (b) Moses had not overseen this battle, so extra care was necessary to ensure that the soldiers followed all the applicable laws properly, and (c) the Midianites had rusty vessels, so the law applicable to such a case had to be articulated now.52 “But before you purify a metal vessel from the forbidden food it has absorbed, it must be purified with sprinkling water, that is, the solution made with the ashes of the red cow, to purify it from the defilement caused by contact with a corpse, and even if the vessel is brand new, it must be immersed in the purifying water of a mikveh, the ocean, or a flowing river or stream to purify it from the defilement caused by non-Jewish ownership. Whatever vessel is not used in firedoes not ab- sorb any forbidden food; therefore, you need only immerse it in purifying water after purifying it from contact with a corpse. 24 In order to complete the process of purification from defilement by a corpse, mentioned by Moses, you shall immerse yourselves and your garments in purify- ing water on the seventh day after you began counting, and thus become ritually pure;53 only afterwards, you and your garments may enter the camp, that is, the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.”  Fourth Reading 25 God spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Take a count of the plunder of the captive people and animals, you, together with Eleazar the priest and the heads of the paternal houses of the community. 27 And you shall divide this plunder equally between the warriors who went out to battle and therest of the entire congregation. The soldiers may keep what- ever moveable property they captured, however, all for themselves. 28 And you shall levy a tax for God from the half you gave to the soldiers who went out to battle: one out of every 500 of the people, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep.

51. Leviticus 6:21. 52. Likutei Sichot, vol. 18, p. 369, note 43. 53. Above, on 19:12.

195 Fifth (Second) Reading מטות 29 מִּֽמַֽחֲצִיתָ֖ םּתִּקָ ֑ חּווְנָֽתַּתָ ֛הלְאֶלְעָזָ ֥רהַּכֹהֵ֖ן ּתְרּומַ ֥ת  ONKELOS  29 מִפַּלְ גוּתְ הוֹן תִּסְּ בוּן וְתֵיהַ ב יְהוָֹֽה: 30 ּומִּמַֽחֲצִ֨ תּבְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָ לאֵ֜ ּתִּקַ ֣ ח | אֶחָ ֣ד | אָחֻ ֣ז מִ ן־ לְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא אַפְרָשׁ וּתָ א קֳדָ ם יְיָ: 30 וּמִפַּלְ גוּת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל תִּסַּ ב הַֽחֲמִּׁשִ֗ יםמִן־הָֽאָדָ ם֧ מִ ן־הַּבָקָ ר ֛ מִן־הַֽחֲמֹרִ ים֥ ּומִ ן־הַּצֹ֖אן חַ ד דְּאִתַּחַ ד מִ ן חַמְשׁ ִ ין מִ ן אֱ נָשׁ ָ א מִ ּכָל־הַּבְ הֵמָ ֑הוְנָֽתַּתָ ֤ה אֹתָ ם֙ לַֽלְוִּיִ֔םׁשֽ י ֹמְרֵ֕ מִׁשְמֶ֖רֶ ת מִ ן תּ וֹרֵ י מִ ן חֲמָרֵ י וּמִ ן עָ נָא מִכָּ ל בְּעִ ירָ א וְתֵיהַ ב יַתְ הוֹן לְ לֵ וָאֵ י נָטְ רֵ י ֥ןמִׁשְּכַ יְהוָֹֽה: 31 וַּיַ ֣עַ ׂש המֹׁשֶ֔ וְאֶלְעָזָ֖ר הַּכֹהֵ ֑ן ֛רּכַֽאֲׁשֶ צִ ּוָ ֥ה מַטְּ רַ ת מַשׁ ְ כְּ נָא דַ ייָ: 31 וַעֲבַ ד מֹשׁ ֶ ה יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ת־מֹׁשֶֽ ה: 32 י֙וַֽיְהִ הַּמַלְקֹ֔וחַ ריֶ֣תֶ הַּבָ֔ זאֲׁשֶ ֥ר ּבָֽ זֲזּ֖ו וְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא כְּמָ א דִ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ יָת מֹשׁ ֶ ה: 32 וַהֲ וָה דְּבַרְתָּ א שׁ ְ אָ ר עַ֣ם הַּצָבָ ֑אצֹ֗אן ׁשֵׁש־מֵא֥ ֹות אֶ ֛לֶףוְׁשִבְעִ ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף וַֽחֲמֵ ׁ֥שֶ ת בִּ זָּא דִּ י בְ זוֹ עַמָּ א דִ נְפָקוּ לְחֵילָ א עָ נָא שׁ ִ ית מְאָ ה וְשׁ ַבְעִ ין וְחַמְשׁ ָ א 34 33 אֲלָפִֽ ים: ר ּובָקָ֕ ׁשְ נַ �֥ יִם וְׁשִבְעִ֖ ים אָֽ לֶף: וַֽחֲמֹרִ ֕ ים אַלְפִ ין: 33 וְתוֹרֵ י שׁ ַבְעִ ין וּתְ רֵ ין אֶחָ ֥דוְׁשִּׁשִ֖ ים אָֽ לֶף: 35 וְנֶ ֣פֶ ׁש םאָדָ֔ מִ֨ן־הַ יםּנָׁשִ֔ אֲׁשֶ ֥ר אַלְפִ ין: 34 וַחֲמָרֵ י שׁ ִתִּ ין וְחַ ד אַלְפִ ין: 35 וְנַפְשׁ ָ א דֶאֱ נָשׁ ָ א מִ ן ֹלא־יָֽדְ עּ֖ו מִׁשְּכַ ֣בזָכָ ֑רּכָ ל־נֶ֕פֶ ׁש ׁשְ נַ �֥יִם ּוׁשְלׁשִ֖ ים אָֽ לֶף: נְשׁ ַ יָּא דִּ י לָ א יְדָעָ א מִשׁ ְ כְּ בֵ י דְ כוּרָ א 36 וַּתְהִ י֙הַּֽמֶֽחֱצָ֔ ה חֵ֕ לֶק הַ ּיֹֽצְאִ֖ ים ּבַּצָבָ ֑אמִסְּפַ ֣ר הַּצֹ֗אן כָּ ל נַפְשׁ ָתָ א תְּ לָתִ ין וּתְ רֵ ין אַלְפִ ין: 36 וַהֲ וַת פַּלְ גּוּתָ א חֳלַ ק גֻּבְרַ יָּא ׁשְלׁש־מֵא֥ ֹות אֶ֨ לֶףּ֙וׁשְלׁשִ ֣ים אֶ֔ לֶף ֥תוְׁשִבְעַ אֲלָפִ֖ ים וַֽחֲמֵ ׁ֥ש דִּ נְפָקוּ לְחֵילָ א מִ נְ יַן עָ נָא תְּ לַ ת מְאָ ה מֵאֽ ֹות: 37 וַיְהִ ֛י הַּמֶ ֥כֶ סלַֽיהֹוָ֖ה מִ ן־הַּצֹ֑אן ׁשֵ ׁ֥ש מֵא֖ ֹות חָמֵ ׁ֥ש וּתְ לָתִ ין וּשׁ ְ בַ ע אַלְפִ ין וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָ ה: 37 וַהֲ וָה נְסִ יבָ א קֳדָ ם יְיָ מִ ן עָ נָא וְׁשִבְעִֽ ים: 38 רוְהַּ֨בָקָ֔ ׁשִּׁשָ ֥ה יםּוׁשְלׁשִ֖ אָ ֑לֶף ֥םּומִכְסָ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה שׁ ִ ית מְאָ ה שׁ ַבְעִ ין וְחָמֵשׁ : 38 וְתוֹרֵ י תְּ לָתִ ין וְשׁ ִתָּ א אַלְפִ ין וּנְסִיבְ הוֹן קֳדָ ם ׁשְ נַ �֥יִם וְׁשִבְעִֽ ים: 39 ֕ וַֽחֲמֹרִ ים ׁשְלׁשִ ֥ים אֶ֖לֶףוַֽחֲמֵ ׁ֣ש מֵא֑ ֹות יְיָ שׁ ַבְעִ ין וּתְ רֵ ין: 39 וַחֲמָרֵ י תְּ לָתִ ין ּומִכְסָ ֥ם לַֽיהֹוָ֖האֶחָ ֥דוְׁשִּׁשִֽ ים: 40 וְנֶ ֣פֶ ׁש םאָדָ֔ ֥הׁשִּׁשָ עָׂשָ֖ ר אַלְפִ ין וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָ ה וּנְסִיבְ הוֹן קֳדָ ם יְיָ שׁ ִתִּ ין וְחָ ד: 40 וְנַפְשׁ ָ א דֶאֱ נָשׁ ָ א אָ ֑לֶף ּומִכְסָ ם֙ לַֽיהוָֹ ֔ה ׁשְ נַ �֥יִם ּוׁשְלׁשִ֖ ים נָֽפֶ ׁש: 41 ֣ןוַּיִּתֵ מֹׁשֶ֗ ה שׁ ִתָּ א עֲשַׂ ר אַלְפִ ין וּנְסִיבְ הוֹן קֳדָ ם אֶת־מֶ֨ כֶס֙ ּתְרּומַ ֣ת יְהוָֹ ֔ה לְאֶלְעָזָ֖רהַּכֹהֵ ֑ן ּכַֽאֲׁשֶ ֛ר צִ ּוָ ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה יְיָ תְּ לָתִ ין וּתְ רֵ ין נַפְשׁ ִ ין: 41 וִיהַ ב מֹשׁ ֶ ה יָת נְסִ יב אַפְרָשׁ וּתָ א קֳדָ ם יְיָ אֶ ת־מֹׁשֶֽ ה: לְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא כְּמָא דִ י פַקֵּיד יְיָ יָת מֹשׁ ֶ ה: 42 וּמִפַּלְ גוּת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל דִּ י  חמישי 42 ּומִּֽמַֽחֲצִ֖ ית ּבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָאֵ ֑ל אֲׁשֶ ר֙ ֣החָצָ מֹׁשֶ֔ ה מִ ן־ פְּלַ ג מֹשׁ ֶ ה מִ ן גֻּבְרַ יָּא דִּ נְפָקוּ לְחֵילָ א: יםהָֽאֲנָׁשִ֖ הַּצֽ ֹבְאִֽ ים: 43 וַּתְהִ ֛י מֶֽחֱצַ ֥ת הָֽעֵדָ֖ ה מִ ן־הַּצֹ֑אן 43 וַהֲ וַת פַּלְ גוּת כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א מִ ן עָ נָא תְּ לַ ת מְאָ ה וּתְ לָתִ ין וְשׁ ַבְעָ א אַלְפִ ין ׁשְלׁש־מֵא֥ ֹות אֶ֨ לֶףּ֙וׁשְלׁשִ ֣ים אֶ֔ לֶף ֥תׁשִבְעַ אֲלָפִ֖ ים וַֽחֲמֵ ׁ֥ש וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָ ה: 44 וְתוֹרֵ י תְּ לָתִ ין מֵאֽ ֹות: 44 ּובָקָ֕ ר ׁשִּׁשָ ֥הּוׁשְלׁשִ֖ ים אָֽ לֶף: 45 וַֽחֲמֹרִ ֕ ים וְשׁ ִתָּ א אַלְפִ ין: 45 וַחֲמָרֵ י תְּ לָתִ ין אַלְפִ ין וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָ ה: 46 וְנַפְשׁ ָ א ׁשְלׁשִ ֥ים אֶ֖לֶףוַֽחֲמֵ ׁ֥ש מֵאֽ ֹות: 46 וְנֶ ֣פֶ ׁש םאָדָ֔ ֥הׁשִּׁשָ עָׂשָ֖ ר דֶאֱ נָשׁ ָא שׁ ִתָּ א עֲשַׂר אַלְפִ ין: אָֽ לֶף:

 RASHI  32 וַיְהִ י הַמַּ לְקוֹחַ יֶתֶ ר הַבָּ ז. לְפִ י שׁ ֶ ּלֹא נִצְטַ וּוּ לְהָרִ ים מֶ כֶ ס וְ לֹא בָ א לִכְ לַל חֲלֻקָּ ה, "מִסְפּ ַ ר הַ ּצֹאן וְגוֹ '": 42 וּמִמַּ חֲצִ ית מִ ן הַמִּטַּ לְטְ לִ ין אֶ ּלָא מִ ן הַמַּ לְקוֹחַ , כָּתַ ב אֶ ת הַ ּלָשׁ וֹ ן הַ ּזֶה: בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל אֲשׁ ֶ ר חָצָ ה מֹשׁ ֶ ה. לָעֵדָ ה, וְהוֹצִיאָהּ לָהֶ ם "מִ ן "וַיְהִ י הַמַּ לְקוֹחַ ", שׁ ֶבָּ א לִכְ לַל חֲלֻקָּ ה וְלִכְ לַל מֶ כֶ ס, שׁ ֶהָ יָה הָאֲ נָשׁ ִ ים הַ ּצֹבְאִ ים": 43 וַתְּ הִ י מֶ חֱצַ ת הָעֵדָ ה. כָּ ְך וְ כָ ְך , עוֹדֵ ף עַ ל בַּ ז הַמִּטַּ לְטְ לִ ין "אֲשׁ ֶ ר בָּזְזוּ עַ ם הַ ּצָבָ א" אִישׁ לוֹ "וַ ּיִקַּ ח מֹשׁ ֶה וְגוֹ '":

196 Numbers 31:29-46 Matot

29 Take this tax from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a gift to odG . 30 From the half belonging to the rest of the Israelites, you shall take one fiftieth of the people, the cattle, the donkeys, the sheep, and all animals as a tax, and you shall give them to the Levites, the keepers of the charge of the community, as their representatives, in the of God.” 31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did as God had commanded Moses. 32 The plunder, which was in addition to the moveable spoils that the army had pillaged, consisted of 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 and 61,000 donkeys. 35 As for the people, that is, the women who were not old enough to have carnal intercourse with a man, they were 32,000. Miraculously, the tallies were all such that their halves were divisible by 50 and by 500, so God’s instructions could be carried out precisely and so the tax could be actually levied from the entire tally. This would not have been possible if the total had not been divisible by these numbers.55 36 Regarding the half that was the portion of those who went out to battle: the number of sheep was 337,500 37 and the tax to God from the sheep—one five hundredth—was 675; 38 there were 36,000 cattle, of which the tax to God was 72; 39 there were 30,500 donkeys, of which the tax to God was 61; 40 and there were 16,000 people, of which the tax to God was 32 people. 41 Moses gave the tax, which was a gift to God, to Eleazar the priest, as God had commanded Moses.  Fifth Reading 42 As he was commanded, Moses then took a tax from the half al- lotted to the Israelites, which Moses had divided for them from the total spoils brought back by the men who had gone into the army. 43 Although it had taken time to divide all the plunder in half and levy the tax from the soldiers’ half, none of the captives or animals died, nor were any new ones born, in the interim.56 Thus, the community’s half also totaled the same as the soldiers’: 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys, 46 and 16,000 people. Thus, the two halves of the spoils were exactly equal, and the proportions levied from them were precise.

55. Likutei Sichot, vol. 13, pp. 110-113. 56. Ibid.

196 Sixth (Third) Reading מטות 47 חוַּיִּקַ֨ מֹׁשֶ֜ המִּמַֽחֲצִ ֣ת ּבְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָ אֵ֗ ל אֶת־הָֽאָ חֻז֙ אֶחָ ֣ד  ONKELOS  47 וּנְסֵיב מֹשׁ ֶ ה מִפַּלְ גוּת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל מִן־הַֽחֲמִּׁשִ֔ יםמִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ ם ּומִ ן־הַּבְ הֵמָ ֑הוַּיִּתֵ֨ ן אֹתָ֜ ם לַֽלְוִּיִ֗ם יָת דְּאִתַּחַ ד חַ ד מִ ן חַמְשׁ ִ ין מִ ן אֱ נָשׁ ָ א ׁשֹֽמְרֵי֙ מִׁשְמֶ֨רֶ ת֙מִׁשְּכַ ֣ן יְהוָֹ ֔הּכַֽאֲׁשֶ ֛ר צִ ּוָ ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ת־מֹׁשֶֽ ה: וּמִ ן בְּעִ ירָ א וִיהַ ב יַתְ הוֹן לְ לֵ וָאֵ י נָטְ רֵ י מַטְּ רַ ת מַשׁ ְ כְּ נָא דַ ייָ כְּמָ א דִ י 48 וַּֽיִקְרְ בּו֙ אֶ הל־מֹׁשֶ֔ ֕ הַּפְקֻדִ ים אֲׁשֶ֖ר לְאַלְפֵ ֣י ֑אהַּצָבָ ׂשָרֵ ֥י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ יָת מֹשׁ ֶ ה: 48 וּקְרִ יבוּ לְ וַת מֹשׁ ֶ ה דִּמְמַ נָּן עַ ל אַלְ פֵ י חֵילָ א רַבָּ נֵי 49 הָֽאֲלָפִ֖ ים וְׂשָרֵ ֥י הַּמֵאֽ ֹות: וַּיֹֽאמְ רּו֙ אֶ הל־מֹׁשֶ֔ עֲבָדֶ ֣יָך אַלְפִ ין וְרַבָּ נֵי מָ אוָתָ א: 49 וַאֲמָ רוּ ּנָֽׂשְאּ֔ו אֶת־ר֛ ֹאׁש אַ נְׁשֵ ֥י הַּמִלְחָמָ֖ האֲׁשֶ ֣רּבְ ֑יָדֵ נּו וְֹלֽ א־ לְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה עַבְדָּיךְ קַבִּ ילוּ יָת חֻשׁ ְ בַּ ן גַּבְ רֵ י מְ גִיחֵ י קְרָבָ א דִּ י עִמָּ נָא וְלָ א נִפְקַ ד֥ מִּמֶ֖ ּנּו אִֽ יׁש: 50 בוַּנַקְרֵ֞ אֶת־קָרְ ּבַ ֣ן יְהוָֹ ֗ה אִ יׁש֩ אֲׁשֶ֨ ר שׁ ְ גָא מִ נָּנָא אֱ נָשׁ : 50 וְקָרֵיבְ נָא מָצָ ֤אכְלִֽ י־זָהָב֙אֶצְ עָדָ ֣הוְצָמִ֔ יד טַּבַ֖עַ תעָגִ ֣יל ֑זוְכּומָ לְכַּפֵ ֥ר יָת קֻרְבָּ נָא דַ ייָ גְּבַ ר דְּאַשׁ ְ כַּ ח מָ ן דִּדְהַ ב שׁ ֵירִ ין וְשׁ ִ בְּכִ ין עִ זְקָ ן קַדָּשׁ ִ ין עַ ל־נַפְ ׁשֹתֵ֖ ינּו לִפְ נֵ ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: 51 ח וַּיִּקַ֨ המֹׁשֶ֜ וְאֶלְעָזָ ֧ר הַּכֹהֵ ֛ן וּמָ חוֹךְ לְכַפָּרָ א עַ ל נַפְשׁ ָתָ נָא קֳדָ ם אֶת־הַ ּזָהָ֖ב מֵֽאִּתָ ֑ם ל ּכֹ֖ ֥יּכְלִ מַֽ עֲׂשֶֽ ה: 52 וַיְהִ ֣י | ּכָ ל־זְהַ ֣ב יְיָ: 51 וּנְסֵ יב מֹשׁ ֶ ה וְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא יָת דַּהֲבָ א מִ נְּ הוֹן כּ ֹל מָ ן דְּ עוֹבָדָ א: הַּתְ הרּומָ֗ אֲׁשֶ ֤ר הֵרִ ֨ ימּו֙ לַֽיהוָֹ ֔ה הׁשִּׁשָ֨ ֥רעָׂשָ אֶ ֛לֶף ׁשְבַ ע־ 52 וַהֲ וָה כָּ ל דְּהַ ב אַפְרָשׁ וּתָ א דִּ י אַפְרִישׁ וּ קֳדָ ם יְיָ שׁ ִתָּ א עֲשַׂ ר אַלְפִ ין מֵאֹ֥ות וַֽחֲמִּׁשִ֖ ים ׁשָ ֑קֶ ל מֵאֵ תׂ֙שָרֵ ֣י יםהָֽאֲלָפִ֔ ּומֵאֵ֖ ת ׂשָרֵ ֥י שׁ ְ בַ ע מְאָ ה וְחַמְשׁ ִ ין סִלְעִ ין מִ ן רַבָּ נֵי הַּמֵאֽ ֹות: 53 אַ נְׁשֵ י֙ אהַּצָבָ֔ ּבָֽ זֲזּ֖ואִ ֥ יׁש לֽ ֹו: 54 וַּיִּקַ֨ ח מֹׁשֶ֜ ה אַלְפִ ין וּמִ ן רַבָּ נֵי מָ אוָתָ א: 53 גַּבְ רֵ י דְּחֵילָ א בַּ זּוּ גְּבַ ר לְ נַפְשׁ ֵהּ : 54 וּנְסֵ יב וְאֶלְעָזָ ֤רהַּכֹהֵ ן֙ אֶת־הַ ּזָהָ֔ במֵאֵ ֛תׂשָרֵ ֥י יםהָֽאֲלָפִ֖ וְהַּמֵא֑ ֹות מֹשׁ ֶ ה וְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא יָת דַּהֲבָ א מִ ן וַּיָבִ ֤אּו אֹ תֹו֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶ ל מֹועֵ֔ ד זִּכָר֥ ֹון לִבְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָאֵ֖ ל לִפְ נֵ ֥י רַבָּ נֵי אַלְפִ ין וּמָ אוָתָ א וְאַ יְתִ יוּ יָתֵהּ לְמַשׁ ְ כַּ ן זִמְ נָא דּ וּכְרָ נָא לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל יְהוָֹֽה: פ קֳדָ ם יְיָ: 32:1 וּבְעִ יר סַגִּ י הֲ וָה לִבְ נֵי  שישי )שלישי במחוברין 32:1 ּומִקְ נֶ֣ה | רַ֗ ב הָ יָ֞ה לִבְ נֵ ֧י רְ אּובֵ ֛ן רְ אוּבֵ ן וְלִבְ נֵי גָד תַּקִּ יף לַחֲדָ א וַחֲ זוֹ יָת אֲרַ ע יַעְ זֵר וְיָת אֲרַ ע גִּלְעָ ד וְהָ א וְלִבְ נֵי־גָ֖דעָצ֣ ּום ד מְאֹ֑ וַּיִרְ א֞ ּו אֶת־אֶ ֤רֶ ץ יַעְ זֵר֙ וְאֶת־אֶ ֣רֶ ץ אַתְ רָא אֲתַר כָּשׁ ַר לְ בֵית בְּעִ יר: ּגִלְעָ֔דוְהִ ּנֵ ֥ההַּמָקֹ֖ום מְקֹ֥ום מִקְ נֶֽה:  RASHI  48 הַפְּ ֻקדִ ים. הַמְּ מֻנִּ ים: 49 וְ לֹא נִפְקַ ד. וְ לֹא נֶחְסַ ר. הָרָ גִ יל לֵישׁ ֵ ב שׁ ָ ם. וְכֵ ן: "וַ ּיִפּ ָקֵ ד מְ קוֹ ם דָּ וִ ד"30 — נֶחְסַ ר וְתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ : "וְ לָא שׁ ְ גָא", אַ ף הוּא בִּ לְשׁ וֹ ן אֲרַמִּ י "חִסָּרוֹ ן", מְ קוֹמוֹ , וְאֵ ין אִישׁ יוֹשׁ ֵ ב שׁ ָ ם: 50 אֶ צְ עָ דָ ה . אֵ ּלוּ צְמִידִ ים כְּמוֹ : "אָ נֹכִ י אֲחַטֶּ נָּה"28, תַּרְ ּגוּמוֹ : "דַּ הֲוַ ת שׁ ָ גְ יָא מִמִּ נְ יָנָא". שׁ ֶ ל רֶ גֶל: וְצָמִ יד. שׁ ֶ ל יָד: עָגִ יל. נִזְמֵ י אֹזֶן: וְ כוּמָ ז. דְּ פוּס וְכֵ ן: "כִּ י יִפּ ָקֵ ד מוֹשׁ ָ בֶ ָך"29 — יֶחְסַ ר מְ קוֹ ם מוֹשׁ ָ בֶ ָך, אִישׁ שׁ ֶל בֵּית הָרֶ חֶם, לְכַפּ ֵר עַל הִרְ הוּר הַ ּלֵב שׁ ֶל בְּנוֹת מִדְ יָן:

28. בראשית לא, לט. 29. שמואל־א כ, יח. 30. שם, כג.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  reality betrayed a certain escapism. The fact that the Moses was initially opposed to their proposal, since Levites had been conscripted into the war against he felt that if the people would enter the Land of Midian had showed them that even those dedi- Israel and capitalize on its inherent superior spiri- cated to the most sublime forms of Divine service tuality, the spiritual energy generated would be so can and must work to elevate reality. They therefore great that it would draw into it the spiritual poten- preferred to be shepherds, since this occupation is tials of the rest of the world. This would make it conducive to a meditative lifestyle and distances unnecessary to actively seek out the spiritual po- a person from the bustle of city life. They felt that tentials outside the holy land. Indeed, something of it was possible to accomplish God’s ends while re- this nature actually occurred much later, in the era moved from the realities of civilization. of King . His Divine was so great

197 Numbers 31:47-32:1 Matot

47 Moses took one-fiftieth of the half of the Israelites, the people and the ani- mals, and gave them as a tax to the Levites, the keepers of the charge of the community, as their representatives, in the Tabernacle of God, as God had com- manded Moses. 48 After this, the officers appointed over the army’s thousands, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, approached Moses. 49 They said to Moses, “Your servants counted the soldiers who were in our charge, and not one man is missing from us. 50 We therefore wish to bring an offering for God—any man who found a gold article of women’s jewelry, be it an anklet, a bracelet, a ring, an earring, or a chas- tity belt—to atone for our souls before God for any lustful thoughts we may have had toward the Midianite women.” 51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took all the gold articles from them. 52 The total of the gift of gold which they dedicated to God amounted to 16,750 ; this was from the commanders of the thousands and the commanders of the hundreds, 53 while, as mentioned previously, the soldiers had seized moveable spoils for themselves and kept them. 54 Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the commanders of the thou- sands and hundreds and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, as a remembrance for the Israelites before God. The Request of Reuben and Gad  Sixth Reading (Third when combined) 32:1 The Israelites had camped in Sichon’s territory, southern , ever since conquering it in Elul, 2487.57 They had also conquered the Ya’zer district, in Sichon’s territory,58 and Og’s territory, even further north.59 Of all the tribes, the descendants of Reuben and Gad had most appreci- ated the unique spiritual benefits of the , and were careful to eat it as much as possible. Since, for this reason, they had slaughtered very little of their cattle for food,60 they had an abundance of livestock, very numerous, and they saw the land of Ya’zer and the land of southern Gilead,61 and behold, the place was a place uniquely suitable for livestock.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  1 The descendants of Reuben and Gad had an For this same reason, they mentioned their cattle abundance of livestock: As was explained above,62 before their children; animals are a “lower” form the war with Midian demonstrated that the proper of life than people, and therefore the tribes of Re- attitude toward the lower elements of creation is uven and Gad appreciated the challenge they rep- not to shun them but to elevate them: to reveal their resented more. Divine dimension and thereby harness them for Thus, their mistake was the opposite of the mistake promoting holiness in the world. The tribes of Re- of the spies and their generation. The spies dis- uven and Gad, seeing that this is the case, reasoned dained becoming involved with materiality, while that the territory outside of the holy Land of Israel the tribes of Reuven and Gad overemphasized its was of a lower spirituality and therefore settling it importance. and utilizing it for holy purposes would accomplish more than settling the Land of Israel. At the same time, their approach to the elevation of

57. Above, 21:21. 58. Above, 21:32. 59. Above, on 21:33 ff. 60. Sefer HaSichot 5750, vol. 2, p. 548, note 80, quoting Tiferet Yehonatan on this verse. 61. Manasseh’s grandson was named Gilead (above, 26:29). Perhaps the Torah refers to this area by the name it would be given later, when the Israelites conquered it, or perhaps Manasseh’s son Machir named his son Gilead after the area he sensed prophetically that he would one day possess. 62. On 31:2, 4. 197 Sixth (Third) Reading מטות 2 וַּיָבֹ֥ אּו בְ נֵי־גָ֖ד ּובְ נֵ ֣ירְ אּובֵ ֑ן וַּיֹֽאמְר֤ ּו אֶל־מׁשֶ ה֙ וְאֶ ל־  ONKELOS  2 וַאֲ תוֹ בְ נֵי גָד וּבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן וַאֲמָ רוּ אֶלְעָזָ ֣ר ןהַּכֹהֵ֔ וְאֶ ל־נְׂשִיאֵ ֥י הָֽעֵדָ֖ ה לֵאמֽ ֹ ר: 3 עֲטָר֤ ֹות וְדִ יבֹ ן֙ לְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה וּלְאֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא וּלְ רַבְרְ בֵ י כְ נִשׁ ְתָּ א לְמֵימָ ר: 3 מַכְ לֶלְתָּ א וְיַעְזֵ ֣ר הוְנִמְרָ֔ וְחֶׁשְּב֖ ֹוןוְאֶלְעָלֵ ֑הּוׂשְבָ ֥םּונְב֖ ֹו ּובְעֹֽן: 4 הָאָ֗רֶ ץ וּמַלְבֶּשׁ ְתָּ א וְכוּמְרִ ין וּבֵית נִמְרִ ין וּבֵ ית חֻשׁ ְ בָּ נָא וּבַעֲלֵ י דְבָבָ א וְסִימָ א וּבֵ ית ראֲׁשֶ֨ הִּכָ ֤היְהוָֹה֙ לִפְ נֵי֙ עֲדַ ֣ת יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ ל אֶ ֥רֶ ץ מִקְ נֶ֖ה הִ ֑ וא קְ בֻרְתָּ א דְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה וּבְ עוֹן: 4 אַרְעָ א דִּ י מְ חָ א יְיָ יָת יַתְ בָהָ א קֳדָ ם כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֖יָך מִקְ נֶֽה: ס דְ יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל אֲרַ ע כָּשׁ ְ רָ א לְ בֵ ית בְּעִ יר 5 הִ יא וּלְעַבְדָּיךְ אִ ית בְּעִ יר: 5 וַאֲמָ רוּ ּווַּיֹֽאמְר֗ אִם־מָצָ ֤אנּוחֵ ן֙ ּבְ עֵינֶ֔יָך יֻּתַ֞ ן אֶת־הָאָ ץ֧רֶ הַּזֹ֛ את אִ ם אַשׁ ְ כַּחְ נָא רַחֲמִ ין בְּעֵ ינָיךְ לַֽעֲבָדֶ֖ יָך לַֽאֲחֻּזָ ֑ה אַל־ּתַֽ עֲבִרֵ֖ נּו אֶת־הַ ּיַרְ ּדֵֽ ן: 6 וַּיֹ֣אמֶ ר תִּתְ יְהִ יב יָת אַרְעָ א הָדָ א לְעַבְדָיךְ לְאַ חֲסָ נָא לָ א תַעְבְּרִ נָּנָא יָת יַרְדְּ נָא: המֹׁשֶ֔ לִבְ נֵי־גָ֖ד וְלִבְ נֵ ֣י רְ אּובֵ ֑ן םהַאַֽחֵיכֶ֗ יָבֹ֨אּו֙ לַּמִלְחָמָ֔ ה 6 וַאֲמַ ר מֹשׁ ֶ ה לִבְ נֵי גָד וְלִבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן הַאֲחֵ יכוֹן יֵעֲלוּן לִקְרָבָ א וְאַּתֶ֖ םּתֵ ׁ֥שְ בּו פֽ ֹ ה: 7 וְלָ ּ֣מָ ה תנואון }תְ נִיא֔ ּון {אֶת־לֵ֖ב ּבְ נֵ ֣י וְאַתּ וּן תֵּיתְ בוּן הָכָ א: 7 וּלְמָ א תוֹנוּן יָת לִבָּ א דִּבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל מִלְּמֶעְבַּ ר יִׂשְרָאֵ ֑למֵֽ עֲבֹר֙אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶ ץ אֲׁשֶ ר־נָתַ ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יְהוָֹֽה: 8 ּכֹ֥ ה לְאַרְעָ א דִּיהַ ב לְ הוֹן יְיָ: 8 כְּ דֵ ין עֲבָדוּ אֲבָהַתְ כוֹן כַּ ד שׁ ְ לָחִ ית יַתְ הוֹן עָׂשּ֖ו אֲבֽ ֹתֵיכֶ ֑םּבְׁשָלְחִ ֥י אֹתָ ֛ם מִּקָדֵ ׁ֥ש ּבַרְ נֵ֖עַ לִרְ א֥ ֹות אֶ ת־ מֵרְקַ ם גֵּיאָ ה לְמֶ חֱ זֵי יָת אַרְעָ א: 9 וּסְלִ יקוּ עַ ד נַחֲלָ א דְאַתְכָּלָ א הָאָֽרֶ ץ: 9 ּווַּֽיַֽעֲל֞ עַד־נַ ל֣חַ אֶׁשְּכ֗ ֹולוַּיִרְ אּו֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶ ץוַּיָנִ֕יאּו וַחֲ זוֹ יָת אַרְעָ א וְאוֹנִיוּ יָת לִבָּ א דִּבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל בְּדִ יל דְּלָ א לְמֵיעַ ל לְאַרְעָ א אֶת־לֵ֖ב ּבְ נֵ ֣י יִׂשְרָאֵ ֑ללְבִלְּתִ י־בֹא֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶ ץ אֲׁשֶ ר־נָתַ ֥ן דִּיהַ ב לְ הוֹן יְיָ: 10 וּתְ קֵ ף רֻגְ זָא דַ ייָ לָהֶ֖ם יְהוָֹֽה: 10 ֥ףוַּיִֽחַר־אַ יְהוָֹ֖ה ּבַ ּיֹ֣ום הַה֑ ּואוַּיִּׁשָבַ֖ע לֵאמֽ ֹ ר: בְּ יוֹמָ א הַ הוּא וְקַ יִּים לְמֵימָ ר: 11 אִ ם יֶחֱזוּן גֻּבְרַ יָּא דִּסְלִ יקוּ מִמִּצְ רַ יִם מִבַּ ר 11 אִם־יִרְ א֨ ּוהָֽאֲנָׁשִ֜ ים הָֽעֹלִ ֣ים מִּמִצְרַ֗ יִם מִ ןּבֶ֨ ֤ עֶׂשְרִ ים ׁשָ נָה֙ עֶשְׂ רִ ין שׁ ְ נִ ין וּלְעֵלָּ א יָת אַרְעָ א דִּ י קַ יֵּמִ ית לְאַבְרָהָ ם לְ יִצְחָ ק וּלְ יַעֲ קֹב וָמַ֔עְ לָה ֚אֵ ת הָֽאֲדָ המָ֔ אֲׁשֶ ֥רנִׁשְּבַ ֛עְּתִ י לְאַבְרָ הָ ֥ם לְ יִצְחָ֖ ק אֲרֵי לָא אַשׁ ְ לִ ימוּ בָּתַר דַּחַלְתִּ י: ּוֽלְ יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב ּכִ ֥י ֹלֽא־מִלְאּ֖ו אַֽ חֲרָֽ י:

 RASHI  3 עֲטָרוֹ ת וְדִ יבֹן וְגוֹ '. מֵאֶרֶ ץ סִיחוֹ ן וָעוֹ ג הָ יוּ: 6 הַאַ חֵיכֶ ם. הַמִּ לְחָמָ ה וְ חֹזֶק הֶעָרִ ים וְהָעָ ם: 8 ִ מ ָ ּ ק ֵ ד שׁ ַּ ב ְ ר ֵ נ ַ ע . כָּ ְך שׁ ְ מָהּ , לְשׁ וֹ ן תְּמִ יהָ ה הוּא: 7 וְ לָמָּ ה תְ נִ יאוּן. תָּסִ ירוּ וְתַמְ נִיעוּ וּשׁ ְ נֵי קָדֵשׁ הָ יוּ: לִבָּ ם מֵעֲ בֹר, שׁ ֶ ּיִהְ יוּ סְ בוּרִ ים שׁ ֶאַתֶּ ם יְרֵאִ ים לַעֲ בֹר מִפְּ נֵי  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  and manifested so much Divinity that it awoke the equipped to retain the force of idealism required slumbering spiritual potentials of the outlying lands when descending to elevate the lower levels of real- and drew them toward their center of gravity. This ity. will be the case in the messianic future, as well. Moreover, Moses stipulated that the tribes of Reu- But when the tribes of Reuben and Gad pointed out ben and Gad be the leaders of the conquest of Isra- to Moses that Divine providence indicated that this el.68 By leading the conquest and thereby cultivating land was meant for them—“[it is] a land [fit] for selfsacrifice, they would become sufficiently strong livestock, and your servants possess livestock”— in their commitment to God’s purposes to be able to he agreed that God was, in effect, offering them the successfully pass the test of living outside the holy challenge of elevating this region and it was proper land. At the same time, they would gain the expe- for them to accept it. Nonetheless, he stipulated that rience of having lived for years in a non-pastoral they first enter the holy land together with their context and learned to appreciate it. This would en- brethren, in order to experience firsthand the pu- sure that when they returned to their shepherding rity of life in it. This way they would be properly it would not be an escape from reality.69

68. Rashi on Numbers 32:17, quoting Deuteronomy 3:18. 69. Reshimot 51; Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, p. 198.

198 Numbers 32:2-11 Matot

2 Like the spies that conquered Ya’zer63 and the rest of the people, they were de- termined not to repeat the previous generation’s mistake of spurning the Land of Israel, and wanted to rectify this mistake, as well. They knew that God had prom- ised that his descendants, the Jewish people, would eventually inherit not only but afterwards also the original territories of , Moab, and , to the east of the .64 They also knew that although God had forbidden the Israelites to wage war with these peoples, parts of Moab and Am- mon had become permitted when Sichon wrested them from their original inhabit- ants. Thus, they felt that settling these lands now would hasten the time when the Israelites would inherit them in their entirety. Also, they felt that if Moses would have at least some involvement in possessing the land, it would solidify the Isra- elites’ physical and spiritual control over it considerably. By choosing not to enter Canaan for these positive reasons, they hoped to rectify the sin of the spies’ gen- eration, who chose not to enter Canaan for negative reasons. They took the fact that they had abundant cattle and that these territories were particularly suitable for cattle as a Divine sign that they should try to realize their vision.65 The descen- dants of Gad, who took the lead in this matter, and the descendants of Reuben, who followed them, came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the princes of the community when they were all studying together, saying, 3 “The cities of Atarot, Divon, Ya’zer, and Nimrah, Cheshbon, Elaleh, Sevam, , and Beon, and their surrounding areas, 4 in the land that God struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land uniquely suitable for livestock, and your servants possess much livestock.” 5 They said to Moses, “If it pleases you, let this land be given to your servants as a heritage; do not take us across the Jordan. Even though the whole nation conquered this land, and it is therefore the property of all the tribes, we ask that it be given to us in exchange for the land we would have taken on the west side of the Jordan.”66 6 Because of their lofty intentions, Moses agreed to their idea in principle, but he had one major misgiving: Moses said to the descendants of Gad and the descen- dants of Reuben, “Shall your brethren go to war while you stay here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over to the land which God has given them? They will think you are afraid of fighting the inhabitants of the land, and will become afraid, also. 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Ritmah, near Barnea, to explore the land.67 9 They went up to the Valley of Eshkol and saw the land, and they discouraged the Israelites from coming into the land which God has given them. 10 God became angry that day, and He swore, saying, 11 ‘None of the men 20 years old and over who came out of will see the land that I swore to Abraham, to , and to Jacob, for they did not follow Me wholeheartedly,

63. Above, 21:32. 64. Genesis 15:18-21. 65. Sefer HaSichot 5750, pp. 545 ff. 66. Likutei Sichot, vol. 23, p. 182, notes 7-8. 67. Above, chapter 13.

198 Seventh (Fourth) Reading מטות 12 ּבִלְּתִ֞י ּכָלֵ ֤בּבֶן־יְפֻּנֶה֙ הַּקְ נִּזִ֔י וִֽיהֹוׁשֻ֖עַ ּבִ ן־נּ֑ון ֥יּכִ מִלְא֖ ּו  ONKELOS  12 אֱלָהֵ ין כָּלֵ ב בַּ ר יְפֻנֶּה קְ נִזָּאָ ה אַֽ ֥יחֲרֵ יְהוָֹֽה: 13 וַּיִֽחַר־אַ ֤ף יְהוָֹה֙ ּבְ יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ ל וַיְנִעֵםּ֙בַּמִדְ ּבָ֔ ר וִיהוֹשׁ ֻעַ בַּ ר נוּן אֲרֵ י אַשׁ ְ לִ ימוּ בָּתַ ר דַּחַלְתָּ א דַ ייָ: 13 וּתְ קֵ ף רֻגְ זָא אַרְּבָעִ֖ ים ׁשָנָ ֑ה עַד־ּתֹםּ֙כָל־הַּד֔ ֹורהָֽעֹׂשֶ ֥ה ע הָרָ֖ ּבְ עֵינֵ ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: דַ ייָ בְּ יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל וּטְ רָדִ נּוּן בְּמַדְבְּרָ א 14 וְהִ ּנֵ ֣ה קַמְּתֶ֗ ם ַ֚חַת ּתאֲבֹ֣תֵ םיכֶ֔ ּתַרְ ּב֖ ּות אֲנָׁשִ ֣ים חַּטָאִ ֑ ים אַרְבְּעִ ין שׁ ְ נִ ין עַ ד דְּסָ ף כָּ ל דָּרָ א דַּעֲבַ ד דְּבִישׁ קֳדָ ם יְיָ: 14 וְהָ א לִסְּפ֣ ֹותע֗ ֹוד עַ ֛לחֲר֥ ֹון אַ ף־יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ל־יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: 15 ּכִ ֤י תְ ׁשּובֻן֙ קַמְתּ וּן חֲלַ ף אֲבָהַתְ כוֹן תַּלְמִ ידֵ י גֻבְרַ יָּא חַ יָּבַ יָּא לְ אוֹסָפָ א עוֹד עַ ל מֵאַ ֣חֲרָ֔ יו וְ יָסַ ֣ף ע֔ ֹוד לְהַּנִיח֖ ֹוּבַּמִדְ ּבָ ֑ר וְׁשִֽחַּתֶ֖ ם לְכָל־הָעָ ֥ם תְּ קוֹף רֻגְ זָא דַ ייָ לְ יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל: 15 אֲרֵ י הַ ּזֶֽה: ס תְ תוּבוּן מִבָּתַ ר דַּחַלְתֵּהּ וְיוֹסֵ ף עוֹד לְאַ חֲרוּתְ הוֹן בְּמַדְבְּרָ א וּתְ חַבְּ לוּן 16 וַּיִּגְׁש֤ ּואֵ לָיו֙וַּיֹ֣אמְר֔ ּוּגִדְ ר֥ ֹתצֹ֛אן נִבְ נֶ ֥הלְמִקְ נֵ֖נּו ּפֹ֑ ה לְכָ ל עַמָּ א הָדֵ ין: 16 וּקְרִ יבוּ לְ וָתֵהּ וַאֲמָ רוּ חַטְרִ ין דְּעָ ן נִבְ נֵי לִבְעִ ירָ נָא יםוְעָרִ֖ לְטַּפֵֽ נּו: 17 וַֽאֲנַ֜חְ נּונֵֽחָלֵ ֣ץ יםחֻׁשִ֗ לִפְ נֵי֙ ּבְ נֵ ֣י יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ ל הָכָ א וְקִרְ וִין לְטַפְלָ נָא: 17 וַאֲ נַחְ נָא עַ֛ד אֲׁשֶ ֥ר אִ ם־הֲבִֽ יאֹ נֻ֖םאֶל־מְקֹומָ ֑ם וְ יָׁשַ ֤בטַּפֵ֨ נּו֙ ּבְ עָרֵ ֣י נִזְדָּרֵ ז מַבְּעִ ין קֳדָ ם בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל עַ ד דִּ י נָעֵילִ נּוּן לְאַתְ רֵ יהוֹן וְיֵיתְ בוּן טַפְלָ נָא רהַּמִבְצָ֔ מִּפְ נֵ֖י יֽׁשְבֵ ֥י הָאָֽרֶ ץ: 18 ֹל֥א נָׁש֖ ּובאֶל־ּבָּתֵ ֑ינּו עַ֗ ד בְּקִרְ וִין כְּרִיכָ ן מִ ן קֳדָ ם יָתְ בֵ י אַרְעָ א: 18 לָ א נְתוּב לְ בָתָּ נָא עַ ד דְּ יַחְסְ נוּן הִתְ נַחֵ ל֙ ּבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָ לאֵ֔ אִ֖ יׁש נַֽחֲלָתֽ ֹו: 19 ּכִ ֣י אֹל֤ נִנְחַ ל֙ אִּתָ֔ ם בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל גְּבַ ר אַ חֲסַנְתֵּהּ : 19 אֲרֵ י מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַּיַרְ ןּדֵ֖ וָהָ ֑לְאָ ה ּכִ ֣י בָ ֤אָ ה ּנַֽחֲלָתֵ֨ נּו֙ אֵ לֵ֔ ינּו מֵעֵ ֥בֶ ר לָ א נַחְ סֵ ין עִמְּ הוֹן מֵעִבְרָ א לְ יַרְדְּ נָא וּלְהַלָּ א אֲרֵ י קַבֵּילְ נָא אַ חֲסַנְתָּ נָא הַ ּיַרְ ּדֵ֖ן מִ זְרָֽחָ ה: פ לָ נָא מֵעִבְרָ א לְ יַרְדְּ נָא מַדִּ נְחָ א: 20 וַאֲמַ ר לְ הוֹן מֹשׁ ֶ ה אִ ם תַּעְבְּ דוּן  שביעי )רביעי במחוברין( 20 וַּיֹ֤אמֶ ר אֲלֵיהֶם֙מֹׁשֶ֔ ה יָת פִּתְ גָּמָ א הָדֵ ין אִ ם תִּ זְדָּרְ זוּן קֳדָ ם עַמָּ א דַ ייָ לִקְרָבָ א: 21 וְיֶעְבַּ ר לְ כוֹן אִם־ּתַֽ עֲׂש֖ ּון אֶת־הַּדָ בָ ֣רהַ ּזֶ ֑ה אִם־ּתֵחָֽלְצ֛ ּולִפְ נֵ ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה כָּ ל דִּמְ זָרַ ז יָת יַרְדְּ נָא קֳדָ ם עַמָּ א דַ ייָ לַּמִלְחָמָֽ ה: 21 רוְעָבַ֨ לָכֶ ֧ם ּכָל־חָ ל֛ ּוץאֶת־הַ ּיַרְ ּדֵ֖ ן לִפְ נֵ ֣י עַ ד דִּיתָ רֵךְ יָת בַּעֲלֵ י דְבָ בוֹהִ י מִ ן קֳדָ מוֹהִ י: 22 וְתִתְכְּ בֵשׁ אַרְעָ א קֳדָ ם יְהוָֹ ֑ה עַ ֧ד הֹֽורִ יׁש֛ ֹו אֶת־אֽ ֹיְבָ֖יו מִּפָנָֽיו: 22 וְנִכְּבְׁשָ֨ ה הָאָ֜רֶ ץ עַמָּ א דַ ייָ וּבָתַ ר כֵּ ן תְּ תוּבוּן וּתְ הוֹן זַכָּאִ ין מִ ן קֳדָ ם יְיָ וּמִ יִּשְׂ רָאֵ ל וּתְ הֵ י לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָֹה֙ וְאַחַ ֣רּתָ ׁשֻ֔ בּו וִֽהְ יִיתֶ ֧םנְקִ ּיִ ֛םמֵֽיהֹוָ֖ה ּומִ ּיִׂשְרָאֵ ֑ל אַרְעָ א הָדָ א לְ כוֹן לְאַ חֲסָ נָא קֳדָ ם יְיָ: ֠וְהָֽיְתָ֠ ההָאָ֨רֶ ץ אתהַּזֹ֥ לָכֶ ֛ם לַֽאֲחֻּזָ֖ה לִפְ נֵ ֥י יְהוָֹֽה: 23 וְאִ ם־ 23 וְאִ ם לָ א תַעְבְּ דוּן כֵּ ן הָ א חַבְתּ וּן קֳדָ ם יְיָ וּדְ עוּ חוֹבַתְ כוֹן דִּ י תַשׁ ְ כַּ ח ֹל֤אתַֽ עֲׂשּון֙ ּכֵ֔ ן הִ ּנֵ ֥ה םחֲטָאתֶ֖ ֑הלַֽיהֹוָ ּודְ עּו֙ חַּטַאתְ םכֶ֔ אֲׁשֶ ֥ר יַתְ כוֹן: ּתִמְצָ֖א אֶתְ כֶֽם:  RASHI  12 הַקְּ נִ ִ ּזי. חוֹרְ גוֹ שׁ ֶ ל קְ נַז הָ יָה, וְ יָלְדָ ה לוֹ אִמּ וֹ שׁ ֶ ל כָּ לֵב אֶ ת לִפְ נֵי בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל. בְּרָאשׁ ֵ י גְ יָסוֹ ת, מִתּ וֹ ְך שׁ ֶ ּגִבּוֹרִ ים הָ יוּ, עָתְ נִיאֵ ל: 13 וַיְנִעֵ ם. וַיְטַ לְטְ לֵם, מִ ן "נָע וָנָד"31 וַ יִּקַּ ח מֹשׁ ֶ ה שׁ ֶכֵּ ן נֶאֱמַ ר בְּ גָד: "וְטָרַ ף זְרוֹעַ אַ ף קָדְ קֹד"36. וְאַ ף מֹשׁ ֶ ה וְ ג וֹ ' 14 לִסְפּוֹ ת. כְּמוֹ : "סְ פוּ שׁ ָ נָה עַ ל שׁ ָ נָה"32, "עֹלוֹתֵ יכֶ ם חָ זַר וּפֵרַשׁ לָהֶ ם בְּ"אֵ ּלֶה הַדְּ בָרִ ים": "וָאֲצַ ו אֶתְ כֶ ם בָּעֵ ת סְ פוּ וְגוֹ '"33, לְשׁ וֹ ן תּ וֹסֶפֶ ת: 16 נִבְ נֶה לְמִקְ נֵנוּ פּ ֹה. חָסִ ים הָ יוּ הַהִ וא וְגוֹ ' חֲלוּצִ ים תַּעַבְ רוּ לִפְ נֵי אֲחֵיכֶ ם בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל כָּ ל עַ ל מָמוֹ נָם יוֹתֵ ר מִ בְּ נֵיהֶ ם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶ ם, שׁ ֶהִקְדִּ ימוּ מִקְ נֵיהֶ ם בְּ נֵי חָ יִל"37. וּבִירִ יחוֹ כְּתִ יב: "וְהֶחָ לוּץ ְהֹלֵך לִפְ נֵיהֶ ם"38, לְטַפּ ָ ם. אָמַ ר לָהֶ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה: "לֹא כֵ ן, עֲ שׂוּ הָעִקָּ ר — עִקָּ ר, זֶה רְ אוּבֵ ן וְ גָד שׁ ֶקִּ ּיְמוּ תְ נָאָ ם: וְ יָשׁ ַ ב טַפֵּ נוּ. בְּעוֹדֵ נוּ אֵ צֶ ל וְהַטָּ פֵ ל — טָ פֵ ל: בְּ נוּ לָכֶ ם תְּחִ ּלָה עָרִ ים לְטַפְּכֶ ם וְאַחַ ר אַ חֵ ינוּ: בְּעָרֵ י הַמִּ בְ צָ ר. שׁ ֶ נִּבְ נֶה עַכְשׁ ָ ו: 19 מֵעֵבֶ ר לַיַּרְ דֵּ ן כָּ ְך ּגְדֵ רוֹ ת לְ צֹאנְכֶ ם": 17 וַאֲ נַחְ נוּ נֵחָ לֵץ חֻשׁ ִ ים. ִ נ ְ ז ָ ּ ד רֵ ז וְגוֹ '. בָּעֵבֶ ר הַמַּעֲרָ בִ י: כִּ י בָאָ ה נַחֲלָתֵ נוּ. כְּבָ ר קִבַּלְ נוּהָ מְהִירִ ים, כְּמוֹ : "לְמַהֵ ר שׁ ָ לָל חָשׁ בַּ ז"34, "יְמַהֵ ר יָחִישׁ ָ ה"35: בָּעֵבֶר הַמִּ זְרָ חִ י:

31. בראשית ד, יב. 32. ישעיה כט, א. 33. ירמיה ז, כא. 34. ישעיה ח, א. 35. ישעיה ה, יט. 36. דברים לג, כ. 37. דברים ג, יח. 38. יהושע ו, יג.

199 Numbers 32:12-23 Matot

12 except for the son of Yefuneh, the Kenizite—Caleb’s father, Yefunah, had died, and his mother married Kenaz, so Caleb was Kenaz’s stepson70—and Joshua the son of Nun, for they followed God wholeheartedly.’ 13 God became angry with Israel, and He made them wander in the desert for 40 years, until the entire generation who had done evil in the eyes of God had died out. 14 And behold, you have now risen in place of your fathers as a society of sinful people, to add to the wrathful anger of God against Israel. 15 If you turn away from following Him, He will leave Israel in the desert again, and you will destroy this entire people.” 16 They approached him and said, “We will build sheepfolds and similar enclo- sures for our livestock here and cities for our wives and children.” They men- tioned sheepfolds before cities because they were more concerned for their live- stock than they were for their families. 17 “We will then arm ourselves quickly and go before the Israelites, leading the troops, for we are valiant, and we also rely on Jacob’s promise that the descendants of Gad will be successful warriors.71 We will not leave them until we have brought them safely to their place. In the meantime, our wives and children will reside in the fortified cities we will now build, on account of the inhabitants of the land. 18 Not only will we help our brethren conquer the land, we shall not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has taken possession of his inheritance.” In fact, it took them seven years to conquer it and another seven to divide it up, and the warriors of Reuben and Gad did not return to the eastern side of the Jordan until the end of these 14 years.72 19 “For we will not inherit with them on the other, west side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us here, on the east bank of the Jordan.”  Seventh Reading (Fourth when combined) 20 Moses said to them, “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves for battle and go before your brothers, God’s people, 21 and all your armed men cross the Jordan to do battle before your brothers, God’s people,73 until He has driven out His enemies before Him, 22 and the land will be conquered before God, then, as far as I am concerned, this is enough, and afterwards you may return, and you shall be freedof your obliga- tion from God and from Israel, and this land will become your heritage before God. You then do not have to stay any longer. 23 But, if you do not do so, behold, you will have sinned against God, and be aware that there is a punishment for your sin, which will find you.

70. See Joshua 15:17. 71. Genesis 49:19. 72. See Joshua, chapter 22. 73. See Likutei Sichot, vol. 9, p. 7, note 36.

199 Seventh (Fourth) Reading מטות 24 ּבְ נּֽו־לָכֶ ֤ם עָרִ ים֙לְטַּפְ כֶ֔ םּוגְדֵר֖ ֹת לְ צֹנַֽאֲכֶ ֑ם וְהַּיֹצֵ ֥א  ONKELOS  24 בְּ נוּ לְ כוֹן קִרְ וִין לְטַפְלְ כוֹן וְחַטְרִ ין מִּפִיכֶ֖םּתַֽ עֲׂשֽ ּו: 25 רוַּיֹ֤אמֶ ּבְ נֵי־גָד֙ ּובְ נֵ ֣י רְ ןאּובֵ֔ אֶ ל־מֹׁשֶ֖ה לְעָ נְ כוֹן וּדְ יִפּ וֹק מִפֻּמְּ כוֹן תַּעְבְּ דוּן: 25 וַאֲמָ רוּ בְ נֵי גָד וּבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן לֵאמֹ֑ר עֲבָדֶ ֣יָךּיַֽעֲׂש֔ ּו ֥רּכַֽאֲׁשֶ אֲדֹנִ֖י מְצַ ּוֶֽה: 26 טַּפֵ ֣נּו נָׁשֵ֔ ינּו לְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְמֵימָ ר עַבְדָּיךְ יַעְבְּ דוּן כְּמָ א דִ י רִבּ וֹנִ י מְ פַקֵּ ד: 26 טַפְלָ נָא מִקְ נֵ֖נּו וְכָל־ּבְ הֶמְּתֵ ֑נּויִֽהְ ם יּו־ׁשָ֖ ּבְ ֥יעָרֵ הַּגִלְעָֽד: 27 וַֽעֲבָדֶ֨ יָך נְשׁ ָ נָא גֵּיתָ נָא וְכָ ל בְּעִ ירָ נָא יְהוֹן תַּמָּ ן בְּקִרְ וֵי גִלְעָ ד: 27 וְעַבְדָּיךְ ּוּיַֽעַבְר֜ ּכָל־חֲל֥ ּוץ צָבָ ֛א לִפְ נֵ ֥י יְהוָֹ֖הלַּמִלְחָמָ ֑ה ּכַֽאֲׁשֶ ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י יַעְבְּ רוּן כָּ ל מְ זָרַ ז חֵילָ א קֳדָ ם עַמָּ א 28 דַ ייָ לִקְרָבָ א כְּמָ א דִ י רִבּ וֹנִ י מְמַלֵּ ל: ּדֹבֵֽר: וַיְצַ ֤ו לָהֶם֙ המֹׁשֶ֔ אֵ ת אֶלְעָזָ ֣ר ןהַּכֹהֵ֔ ת וְאֵ֖ יְהֹוׁשֻ ֣עַ 28 וּפַקֵּ יד לְ הוֹן מֹשׁ ֶ ה יָת אֶלְעָ זָר ּבִ ן־נּ֑ון וְאֶת־רָ אׁשֵ ֛יאֲב֥ ֹות הַּמַּט֖ ֹות לִבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: 29 וַּיֹ֨אמֶ ר כַּהֲנָא וְיָת יְהוֹשׁ ֻעַ בַּ ר נוּן וְיָת רֵישׁ ֵ י אֲבָהַ ת שׁ ִ בְטַ יָּא לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל: מֹׁשֶ֜ האֲלֵהֶ֗ םאִ ם־יַֽעַבְר֣ ּובְ נֵי־גָ ֣ד ּובְ נֵֽי־רְ אּובֵ ֣ן | אִ֠ ּתְ כֶ֠ ם אֶ ת־ 29 וַאֲמַ ר מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְ הוֹן אִ ם יַעְבְּ רוּן בְּ נֵי גָד וּבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן עִמְּ כוֹן יָת יַרְדְּ נָא הַּיַרְ ּדֵ֞ ןּכָל־חָ ל֤ ּוץלַּמִלְחָמָ ה֙ לִפְ נֵ ֣י יְהוָֹ ֔ה וְנִכְּבְׁשָ ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶ ץ כָּ ל דִּמְ זָרַ ז לִקְרָבָ א קֳדָ ם עַמָּ א דַ ייָ וְתִתְכְּ בֵשׁ אַרְעָ א קֳדָמֵ יכוֹן וְתִתְּ נוּן לִפְ נֵיכֶ ֑ם ּונְתַּתֶ ֥םלָהֶ ֛םאֶת־אֶ ֥רֶ ץהַּגִלְעָ֖ד לַֽאֲחֻּזָֽה: 30 וְאִ ם־ לְ הוֹן יָת אַרְעָ א דְ גִלְעָ ד לְאַ חֲסָ נָא: 30 וְאִ ם לָ א יַעְבְּ רוּן מְ זָרְ זִין עִמְּ כוֹן ֹל֧א יַֽעַבְר֛ ּוחֲלּוצִ֖ יםאִּתְ כֶ ֑ם וְנֹֽאחֲזּ֥ובְתֽ ֹכֲכֶ֖ם ּבְאֶ ץ֥רֶ ּכְ נָֽעַ ן: וְיַחְסְ נוּן בֵּ ינֵיכוֹן בְּאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן: 31 וַאֲתִ יבוּ בְ נֵי גָד וּבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן 31 וַּיַֽעֲנּ֧ו בְ נֵי־גָ ֛ד ּובְ נֵ ֥ירְ אּובֵ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ ר אֵ ת֩ אֲׁשֶ֨ רּדִ ֧רּבֶ יְהוָֹ ֛ה לְמֵימָ ר יָת דִּ י מַלֵּ יל יְיָ לְעַבְדָּיךְ 32 כֵּ ן נַעְבֵּ ד: 32 נַחְ נָא נֶעְבַּ ר מְ זָרְ זִין אֶ ל־עֲבָדֶ֖ יָך ּכֵ ֥ן נַֽעֲׂשֶֽ ה: נַ ֣חְ נּו ר נַֽעֲבֹ֧ חֲלּוצִ ֛ים לִפְ נֵ ֥י יְהוָֹ֖ה קֳדָ ם עַמָּ א דַ ייָ לְאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן אֶ֣רֶץ ּכְ נָ ן֑עַ וְאִּתָ֨ נּו֨ אֲחֻּזַ ֣תנַֽחֲלָתֵ֔ נּו מֵעֵ֖בֶ רלַּיַרְ ּדֵֽ ן: 33 וַּיִּתֵ ֣ן וְעִמָּ נָא אֲחוּדַ ת אַ חֲסַנְתָּ נָא מֵעִבְרָ א לְ יַרְדְּ נָא: 33 וִיהַ ב לְ הוֹן מֹשׁ ֶ ה לִבְ נֵי לָהֶ ֣ם | המֹׁשֶ֡ לִבְ נֵי־גָד֩ וְלִבְ נֵ֨י רְ אּובֵ֜ ן וְלַֽחֲצִ ֣י | ׁשֵ ֣בֶ ט | מְ נַּׁשֶ ֣ה גָד וְלִבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן וּלְ פַלְ גּוּת שׁ ִ בְטָ א דִמְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה בַ ר יוֹסֵ ף יָת מַלְכְּ וַת סִ יחוֹן בֶ ףן־יֹוסֵ֗ אֶת־מַמְ לֶ֨כֶת֙סִ יחֹן֙מֶ ֣לְֶך הָֽאֱמֹרִ ֔ י וְאֶ֨ת־מַמְ לֶ֔כֶ ת מַלְכָּ א דֶאֱ מוֹרָאָ ה וְיָת מַלְכְּ וַת עוֹג מַלְכָּ א דְמַתְ נָן אַרְעָ א לְקִרְ וָהָ א עֹ֖וג מֶ ֣לְֶך הַּבָׁשָ ֑ן הָאָ֗רֶ ץ לְעָרֶ֨יהָּ֙בִ גְבֹֻל֔ ת עָרֵ ֥י הָאָ֖רֶ ץ סָבִֽ יב: בִּתְ חוּמִין קִרְ וֵי אַרְעָא סְ חוֹר סְ חוֹר:  RASHI  24 לְ ֹצ נַ אֲ כֶ ם . תֵּ בָ ה זוֹ מִ ּגִזְרַ ת "צֹנֶה וַאֲ לָפִ ים כּ ֻּלָם"39, וְהֵ ם קִבְּ לוּ עֲ לֵיהֶ ם "עַ ד הִתְ נַחֵ ל"41, הֲרֵ י הוֹסִ יפוּ לְהִתְ עַכֵּ ב שׁ ֶאֵ ין בּוֹ אָ לֶ"ף מַפְסִ יק בֵּ ין נוּ"ן לְצָדִ "י. וְאָ לֶ"ף שׁ ֶבָּ א כָּ אן שׁ ֶבַ ע שׁ ֶחִ ְּ לקוּ, וְכֵ ן עָ שׂוּ: 25 וַ יֹּאמֶ ר בְּ נֵי גָד. כּ ֻ ּ ָ לם כְּ אִ ישׁ אַחַ ר הַ נּוּ"ן בִּמְ קוֹ ם הֵ "א שׁ ֶ ל "צֹנֶה" הוּא. מִ יסוֹדוֹ שׁ ֶ ל רַ בִּ י אֶחָ ד: 28 וַיְצַ ו לָהֶ ם. כְּמוֹ "עֲ לֵיהֶ ם", וְעַ ל תְּ נָאָ ם מִ נָּה מֹשׁ ֶ ה הַדַּרְשׁ ָ ן לָמַדְ תִּ י כֵּ ן: וְהַ יֹּצֵא מִפִּ יכֶ ם תַּ עֲ שׂוּ. לְ גָבוֹהַּ , אֶ לְעָ זָר וִיהוֹשׁ ֻעַ , כְּמוֹ : "ה' ּיִלָחֵ ם לָכֶ ם"42: 32 וְאִתָּ נוּ ּאֲחֻזַת שׁ ֶקִּבַּלְתֶּ ם עֲ לֵיכֶ ם לַעֲ בֹר לַמִּ לְחָמָ ה עַ ד כִּבּ וּשׁ וְחִ ּלוּק. נַחֲלָתֵ נוּ. כְּלוֹמַ ר, בְּ יָדֵ ינוּ וּבִרְשׁ וּתֵ נוּ תְּהִ י אֲחֻ ּזַת נַחֲלָתֵ נוּ שׁ ֶמּ ֹשׁ ֶ ה לֹא בִקֵּשׁ מֵהֶ ם אֶ ּלָא "וְנִכְבְּשׁ ָ ה וְאַחַ ר תָּשׁ ֻ בוּ"40, מֵעֵבֶר הַ ּזֶה:

39. תהלים ח, ח. 40. לעיל כב. 41. לעיל יח. 42. שמות יד, יד.

and aspiration to inherit the land in full. By dividing the tribe in two and giving half an inheritance on the west side of the Jordan and half an inheritance on the east side, Moses demonstrated that this tribe did not receive its portion on the east bank of the Jordan because it did not want to live in the land proper. Indeed, the majority of the tribe crossed the Jordan and settled on its west bank.79 Moses gave these two-and-a-half tribes all the land mentioned together with the cities within its borders, the cities of the surrounding territory.

79. Likutei Sichot, vol. 28, pp. 210-215.

200 Numbers 32:24-33 Matot

24 So build yourselves cities for your wives and children and sheepfolds for your sheep and appropriate pens for your other animals—but not in the order you men- tioned them, sheepfolds and then cities, for your families are more important than your livestock. And, since you have vowed to remain on the western side of the Jordan until your brethren inherit their land, you must do as you have promised.” 25 The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben spoke to Moses as one man, unanimously, saying, “Your servants will do as you, our master, commands. 26 Our children and our wives, our livestock and our cattle will remain there, in the cities of Gilead. 27 But your servants will cross over, all who are armed for combat before God, for the battle, as our master has spoken.” 28 Since he knew he would not live to supervise the arrangement with these tribes himself, Moses commanded Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and all the paternal heads of the tribes of the Israelites concerning them. 29 Moses said to Eleazar and Joshua, “If the descendants of Gad and Reuben cross the Jordan with you, all who are armed for combat before God, and the land is conquered before you, you may give them Gilead as a heritage. 30 But if they do not cross over with you armed for battle, they shall receive a possession among you in Canaan.” 31 The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben answered, saying, “We shall do as God has spoken to your servants. 32 We shall cross over in an armed force before God to Canaan, and then we shall have the estate of our inheritance on this side of the Jordan.” 33 So Moses gave the land on the east side of the Jordan to the descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben and half, that is, part of the tribe of Ma- nasseh the son of Joseph. Specifically, Moses gave the former kingdom of Sichon, king of the Amorites, to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the former kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, to two of the eight clans of the .74 The tribe of Manasseh had not requested any land on the east side of the Jordan, but Moses realized that the tribes of Reuben and Gad were correct in assuming that if he were involved in possessing the land it would strengthen the people’s control over it. He took their reasoning one step further and reasoned that his involvement (and its positive effect) would be even more pronounced if he planted some other part of the Jewish people in their land on his own initiative. He had given the former kingdom of Sichon to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, but the former kingdom of Og lay unclaimed. This area was the land of the Rephaim,75 part of the land that God had promised to give to Abraham’s descendants when they first conquered the land,76 not in the messianic future. (True, Moses had originally assumed that the land on the west side of the Jordan should be conquered first, but that plan had already been aborted.77) The tribe of Manasseh was famous for its devotion to the Land of Israel,78 so Moses specifically chose them to express the people’s hope

74. Deuteronomy 3:12-13; see Joshua 17:1-2, where six of the eight clans of Manasseh (as given above, 26:29-32) are stated to have inherited on the west side of the Jordan. The clan of Machir is recorded explicitly as inheriting to the east of the Jordan (below, v. 39; Deuteronomy 3:13). The clan of Gilead is not mentioned explicitly, but it is not included in the list (in Joshua 17:2) of the six that inherited on the west side, and it is logical to assume that it inherited in the area that was eventually named after it. 75. Deu- teronomy. 3:13. 76. Genesis 15:18-21. 77. Above, on 21:23. 78. See above, on 27:1.

200 Seventh (Fourth) Reading מטות 34 וַּיִבְ נּ֣ובְ דנֵי־גָ֔ אֶת־ּדִ יבֹ֖ ן וְאֶ ת־עֲטָר֑ ֹת וְאֵ֖ ת עֲרֹעֵֽר:  ONKELOS  34 וּבְ נוֹ בְ נֵי גָד יָת דִּ יבוֹן וְיָת 35 וְאֶ ת־עַטְר֥ ֹתׁשֹופָ ֛ן וְאֶ ת־יַעְ זֵ֖ר וְ יָגְּבְהָֽ ה: 36 וְאֶת־ּבֵ ֥ית עֲטָ רוֹת וְיָת עֲ רוֹעֵ ר: 35 וְיָת עַטְ רוֹת שׁ וֹפָ ן וְיָת יַעְ זֵר וְרָמָתָ א: 36 וְיָת בֵּ ית נִמְרָ֖ ה וְאֶת־ּבֵ ֣ית הָרָ ֑ ן עָרֵ ֥י מִבְצָ֖ר וְגִדְ ר֥ ֹת צֽ ֹאן: 37 ּובְ נֵ ֤י נִמְ רָ ה וְיָת בֵּ ית הָרָ ן קִרְ וִין כְּרִיכָ ן רְאּובֵ ן֙ ּבָנּ֔ו אֶת־חֶׁשְּב֖ ֹון וְאֶת־אֶלְעָלֵ ֑א וְאֵ֖ ת קִרְ יָתָֽ יִם: וְחַטְרִ ין דְּעָ ן: 37 וּבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן בְּ נוֹ יָת חֶשׁ ְ בּ וֹן וְיָת אֶלְעָלֵ א וְיָת קִרְ יָתָ יִם: 38 וְאֶ ת־נְב֞ ֹווְאֶת־ּבַ ֧עַ ל מְ עֹ֛וןמֽ ּוסַּבֹ֥ תׁשֵ֖ם וְאֶת־ׂשִֽבְמָ ֑ה 38 וְיָת נְ בוֹ וְיָת בַּעַ ל מְ עוֹן מַקְּ פַ ן שׁ ְ מָהָ ן וְיָת שִׂ בְמָ ה וּקְ רוֹ בִשׁ ְ מָהָ ן יָת וַּיִקְרְ אּ֣ו בְׁשֵמֹ֔ת אֶת־ׁשְמֹ֥ותהֶֽעָרִ֖ ים אֲׁשֶ ֥ר ּבָנֽ ּו: שׁ ְ מָהַ ת קִרְ וַיָּא דִּ י בְ נוֹ: 39 וַאֲ זָלוּ בְּ נֵי  מפטיר 39 וַּיֵ֨לְכ֜ ּוּבְ נֵ֨י מָכִ ֧ירּבֶן־מְ נַּׁשֶ ֛הּגִלְעָ֖דָ הוַּיִלְּכְדֻ ֑הָ מָכִ יר בַּ ר מְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה לְ גִלְעָ ד וְכַבְשׁ וּהָ וְתָ רֵךְ יָת אֱ מוֹרָאָ ה דִ י בַהּ : 40 וִיהַ ב וַּיֹ֖ורֶ ׁש ֥ אֶת־הָֽאֱמֹרִ יאֲׁשֶר־ּבָֽ ּה: 40 וַּיִּתֵ ֤ן מׁשֶ ה֙אֶת־הַּגִלְעָ֔ ד מֹשׁ ֶ ה יָת גִּלְעָ ד לְמָכִ יר בַּ ר מְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה וִיתֵ יב בַּהּ : 41 וְיָאִ יר בַּ ר מְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה לְמָכִ֖ יר ּבֶן־מְ נַּׁשֶ ֑ה וַּיֵׁ֖שֶ בּבָֽ ּה: 41 וְ ֤ יָאִ יר ּבֶן־מְ נַּׁשֶ ה֙הָלַ֔ ְך אֲ זַל וּכְבַשׁ יָת כַּפְרָ נֵיהוֹן וּקְרָ א דוַּיִלְּכֹ֖ אֶת־חַּוֹֽתֵיהֶ ֑ם ֥אוַּיִקְרָ אֶתְהֶ֖ן חַ ּוֹ֥ ת יָאִֽ יר: 42 וְנֹ֣בַ ח יַתְ הֵ ן כַּפְרָ נֵי יָאִ יר: 42 וְנֹבַ ח אֲ זַל וּכְבַשׁ יָת קְ נָת וְיָת כַּפְרָ נָהָ א וּקְרָ א הָלַ֔ ְךוַּיִלְּכֹ֥ דאֶת־קְ נָ֖ת וְאֶת־ּבְ נֹתֶ ֑יהָ וַּיִקְרָ ֧א לָ ֥ �֥ה נֹ֖בַ ח לַהּ נֹבַח בִּשׁ ְ מֵהּ : ּבִׁשְמֽ ֹו:

קי"ב פסוקים. בק"י סימן. יק"ב סימן. עיב"ל סימן.

 RASHI  36 עָרֵ י מִ בְ צָ ר וְגִדְ רֹת צֹאן. זֶה סוֹ ף הַפּ ָ סוּק מוּסָ ב עַ ל מְשׁ ַמֶּשׁ ֶ ת שׁ ְתֵּ י חֲלֻקּוֹ ת — לְשׁ וֹ ן יְרֻשּׁ ָ ה, וּלְשׁ וֹ ן הוֹרָשׁ ָ ה תְּחִ ּלַת הָעִ נְ יָן: "וַ ּיִבְ נוּ בְ נֵי גָד אֶ ת הֶעָרִ ים הַ ּלָלוּ לִהְיוֹ ת שׁ ֶ הוּא טֵ רוּד וְתֵ ְרוּך: 41 חַ וֹּתֵ יהֶ ם. כַּפְרָ נֵיהוֹ ן: וַ יִּקְרָ א אֶתְ הֶ ן עָרֵ י מִבְ צָ ר וְגִדְ רוֹ ת צֹאן": 38 וְאֶ ת נְבוֹ וְאֶ ת בַּעַ ל מְ עוֹ ן חַ וֹּ ת יָאִ יר. לְפִ י שׁ ֶ ּלֹא הָ יוּ לוֹ בָּנִ ים, קְרָ אָ ם בִּשׁ ְ מוֹ לְזִכָּרוֹ ן: מוּסַבּ ֹת שׁ ֵ ם. נְבוֹ וּבַעַ ל מְ עוֹ ן — שׁ ְ מוֹ ת עֲבוֹדָ ה זָרָ ה הֵ ם, 42 וַ יִּקְרָ א לָה נֹבַ ח. "לָה" אֵינוֹ מַפִּ יק הֵ "א. וְרָ אִיתִ י בִּיסוֹדוֹ וְהָ יוּ הָאֱמוֹרִ ּיִים קוֹרִ ים עָרֵ יהֶ ם עַ ל שׁ ֵ ם עֲבוֹדָ ה זָרָ ה שׁ ֶ ל רַ בִּ י מֹשׁ ֶ ה הַדַּרְשׁ ָ ן, לְפִ י שׁ ֶ ּלֹא נִתְ קַ ּיֵם לָהּ שׁ ֵ ם זֶה, שׁ ֶ ּלָהֶ ם, וּבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן הֵסֵבּ וּ אֶ ת שׁ ְמָ ם לְשׁ ֵמוֹ ת אֲחֵרִ ים, לְפִיכָ ְך הוּא רָ פֶ ה, שׁ ֶמַּשׁ ְמַ ע מִדְרָשׁ וֹ כְּמוֹ "לָא". וּתְ מֵהַ נִ י וְ זֶהוּ: "מוּסַבּ ֹת שׁ ֵ ם" — נְבוֹ וּבַעַ ל מְ עוֹ ן מוּסַבּוֹ ת לְשׁ ֵ ם מַ ה ּיִדְ רֹשׁ בִּשׁ ְתֵּ י תֵבוֹ ת הַדּוֹמוֹ ת לָהּ : "וַ ּיֹאמֶ ר לָה בֹעַ ז"44, אַ חֵ ר: וְאֶ ת שִׂ בְמָ ה. בָּ נוּ שִׂבְמָ ה, וְהִ יא "שְׂ בָ ם" הָאֲ מוּרָ ה "לִבְנוֹ ת לָה בַ יִת"45: לְ מַ עְ ָל ה43: 39 ַ ו ּי ֹ ו ֶ ר שׁ . כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ : "וְתָרֵ ְך", שׁ ֶתֵּבַ ת "רֵישׁ " חסלת פרשת מטות

43. פסוק ג. 44. רות ב, יד. 45. זכריה ה, יא.

š INNER DIMENSIONS › [41] “The villages of Yair”: When he renamed Furthermore, the word Yair means “will shine,” the villages, Yair called them chavot (instead of so Chavot Yair means “Locales of life where Di- one of the more usual terms, banot or kefarim). vine light will shine.” The basic reason for this is because the word The deeper reason why Yair renamed only the chavot is related to the word for “life” (chai), in- villages this way is because the culture of the vil- dicating that he intended them to be a memorial lage is less sophisticated than that of the city and to his life. thus represents a more raw, unrefined level of On a deeper level, however, this term expressed Divine consciousness. (We are contrasting the the spiritual transformation Yair intended for village with a well-run and enlightened city, not these villages to undergo. Idolatry, the antithesis the degenerate hotbed of vice the term “city” has of Divine consciousness, is equivalent to spiri- unfortunately come to connote in modern times.) tual death: the idolater severs himself from God, Transforming the village into a Godly setting the source of life. By including these villages in thus captures the essence of our Divine mission the Jewish national homeland, Yair was trans- in this world—to transform even the aspects of forming them from domains of death to gardens reality that are furthest removed from Divinity 91 of life. into God’s home on earth.

201 Numbers 32:34-42 Matot

34 The descendants of Gad built up Divon, Atarot, , 35 Atrot Shofan, Ya’zer, Yogbehah, 36 Beit Nimrah, and Beit Haran, making them into fortified cities and sheepfolds. 37 The descendants of Reuben built Cheshbon, Elaleh, Kiryataim, 38 Nebo, Ba’al Meon—the names of the latter two having been changed by the since they were originally named after idols—and Sivmah, which is the same as Sevam, mentioned above,80 for they changed the names of the cities they built in order to emphasize the fact that they had now come into Jewish possession.81 Additional Conquests  Maftir Inspired by the idea of expanding the borders of the Land of Israel in anticipation of the future, the descendants of Machir the son of Manasseh82 went to the northern part of Gilead, that was beyond Og’s territory, and conquered it, driving out the Amorites who were there. 40 Moses gave this part of Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it.83 41 Yair, the great grandson of Manasseh,84 also went and conquered some of the Amorites’ ter- ritory in northern Gilead, which included cities and villages.85 He called the villages surround- ing the cities “the villages of Yair” after himself to perpetuate his name, since he was childless.86 But he only named the villages after himself and not the cities because villages are like the “off- spring” of the cities.87 42 Similarly, another descendant of Manasseh,88 Figure 2: The Land Granted to the Tribes of Novach, went and conquered the city of Kenat, Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh and its surrounding villages, but he called the city itself—not just the villages— Novach, after his name. But this name did not persist (See Figure 2).89

The for the First Sabbath of the Three may be found on p. 253.

 CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  37 The descendants of Reuben built: The original sense, the tribe of Reuben was continuing the task names of these cities were associated with the idol- begun with the war against Midian and Moses’ stip- atries their original inhabitants practiced in them. ulation that they cross the Jordan with their broth- Changing their names was an act of conquest, of ers: that of elevating the lowest ends of the spiritual taking something formerly associated with idola- continuum to holiness.90 try and appropriating it for holy purposes. In this

80. v. 3. 81. Sefer HaSichot 5750, vol. 2, p. 546, note 68. 82. Above, 26:29. 83. Deuteronomy 3:15. 84. :22. 85. Deu- teronomy 3:4-14. 86. Deuteronomy 3:14. 87. Likutei Sichot, vol. 38, pp. 117 ff. 88. Chizkuni. 89. As can be seen from 1 Chronicles 2:23. 90. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, p. 198. 91. Likutei Sichot, vol. 38, pp. 120-121. 201

GENESIS Bereishit Noach Lech Lecha Vayeira Toldot Vayeitzei Vayishlach Vayeishev Mikeitz Vayigash Vayechi EXODUS Shemot Vaeira Bo Beshalach Yitro Mishpatim Terumah Tetzaveh Tisa Vayakheil Pekudei LEVITICUS Vayikra Tzav Shemini Tazria Metzora Acharei Mot Kedoshim Emor Behar Bechukotai NUMBERS Bemidbar Naso Beha’alotecha Shelach Korach Chukat Balak Pinchas Matot מסעי Masei 43 DEUTERONOMY Devarim Va’etchanan Eikev Re’eh Shoftim Teitzei Tavo Netzavim Vayeilech Ha’azinu Vezot Habrachah

מַ סְ עֵ י 43Masei Overview

t the end of parashat Chukat, the Israelites arrived at the threshold of the Promised Land, “by the Jordan opposite Jericho.” The ensuing three parashiot—Balak, Pinchas, and Matot—describe the events that took place while the Israelites were encampedA at their final stop, most prominently the encounter with Moab and Midian. This parashah, Masei, the last of the Book of Numbers, opens with a recapitulation of the Israelite’s entire trek from Egypt until their final camp, and it takes its name (which means “the journeys of”) from the opening words of this recapitulation. This summary would seem to be a fitting way to close the book. But the fact that the text continues after this review—and indeed, that the entire is yet to come—indicates that it serves rather as the demarcation between the story of the sojourn in the desert and the preparations for entering the Land of Israel. After looking back at what was, we look forward to what is about to be. And indeed, the remainder of Masei deals with specific instructions pertaining to the conquest of the land: driving out its idolatrous inhabitants, delineating its borders, designating who will divide it up, specifying where the Levites will live and the special role their cities will play, and detailing additional laws of inheritance. So it would seem that the opening subject of the parashah is entirely different from the rest of its contents. If the opening review of the Israelites’ itinerary is the end of the story of the desert, perhaps it should have been placed at the end of the previous parashah. The present parashah would then be entirely devoted to the life the people would lead after crossing the Jordan. The fact that, despite what we might think, the itinerary is part of the look ahead, and actually introduces it, implies that it is at least as relevant to what is to come as it is to what was.

he distinguishing feature of human life is change. True, lower life forms also grow, learn, and adapt, but once they reach maturity, they remain what they T are. Even the forms of life above us—the angels—are static: every angel is the eternal, unchanging personification of a specific level of Divine consciousness or emotion. Only human beings are capable of changing their way of looking at life, of progressing to

205 Overview of MASEI higher, more Divinely conscious levels of living based on their expanded understanding of reality. If this spiritual growth is the unique property of human existence, it follows that in order for us to remain human and avoid becoming fossilized as a stagnant animal (or even angel!), this process must go on continuously. We must always strive to expand our spiritual horizons and seek higher levels of living. The secret of life, then, is to keep moving, to keep journeying upward: never to look at progress only as a phenomenon of the past, but to see it primarily as an integral part of the future.

s we have seen, the archetype of constricted consciousness is the Land of Egypt. The Hebrew name for Egypt (Mitzraim) means “limits” and “boundaries” (meitzarim). A The Exodus from Egypt is thus the archetype for transcending limits in the spiritual life. But here we find an instructive nuance in the way the Israelites’ itinerary is introduced: “These are the journeys of the Israelites who left the Land of Egypt.” This phrase seems to imply that all the journeys were from the Land of Egypt, while technically only the first journey was from Egypt. By introducing the entire itinerary this way, the Torah teaches us that whenever we go out of Egypt, whenever we transcend one level of life, we should consider our new, expanded level of consciousness a new “Egypt,” a level of constricted awareness relative to where we want to go next. In this way, we are constantly going out of Egypt. Furthermore, rather than simply listing the stops on the journey, the account is phrased in a way that emphasizes how the Israelites left every place they stopped at: “[They] journeyed from Rameses and camped at Sukot. They journeyed from Sukot and camped at Eitam.... They journeyed from Eitam....”1 This implies that every progression from level to level must be a quantum leap. It is not enough to just enhance or ascend at our present level; each leg of the journey should be a complete departure from the previous way we conceived of God, of life, and of ourselves.2 In this context, it is particularly instructive to realize that not everything that happened along this journey from Egypt to the threshold of the Promised Land was altogether positive. At quite a few stops, the Israelites fell backwards, even retreated, and learned the lessons of Divine living the hard way. Nonetheless, they are all called “journeys”; in the long run they all contributed to the final arrival. This teaches us that in order to progress in life, we must learn how to see every regression as a lesson in how to progress further, and thereby turn every failure into a success. This is possible because, despite the imperative to progress continually, there are certain things that should not change. This is the lesson we learned in the previous parashah, Matot.3 These basic constants—our fundamental beliefs and our resistance to evil—are the bedrock of our spiritual lives, and give us the stability on which we can base our continuous ascent. In particular, we can survive our falls when we realize that they are all orchestrated by Divine providence: we fall specifically in those areas of life where God sees weneed to ascend; the rest of our life remains intact, providing the framework we need to put ourselves back together.

1. Numbers 33:5-7. 2. To borrow a metaphor from physics, constant velocity is also a constant: there must be acceleration, as well. And the rate of acceleration must also increase, or it, too, becomes a constant. And so on. 3. This is one of the inner reasons why, in most years, these two parashiot are read together.

206 Overview of MASEI

hese lessons were particularly pertinent when the Jews were about to enter the Promised Land. The safe and sequestered life of the desert, of seclusion in a T totally spiritual environment, naturally encourages spiritual growth. Of course, it is possible to stagnate in a spiritual environment as well, but the main challenge to remaining spiritually alive is in the settled land of mundane, material living. It is therefore fitting to make this point just as our sights become focused on working the land across the Jordan River, so that we remember throughout our mundane lives to strive and progress constantly toward ever higher levels of Divine consciousness. By ascending the ladder of spiritual growth ourselves and helping others make the same climb, we actualize the lessons we learned in the desert and successfully meet the great challenge of making the world into God’s home.4

4. Likutei Torah 3:88c; Sichot Kodesh 5732, vol. 2, pp. 431-434; Sichot Kodesh 5740, vol. 3, pp. 626-627; Sichot Kodesh 5741, vol. 4, pp. 268-272; Hitva’aduyot 5742, vol. 4, p. 1908; Likutei Sichot, vol. 18, pp. 382-383, vol. 23, pp. 224-228. vol. 28, pp. 282-284, etc.

207 First (Fourth) Reading מסעי 33:1 אֵ֜ ּלֶהמַסְ עֵ ֣י בְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָ לאֵ֗ ֥ראֲׁשֶ יָֽצְא֛ ּו מֵאֶ ֥רֶ ץ מִצְרַ֖ יִם  ONKELOS  33:1 אִלֵּ ין מַטְּ לָ נֵי בְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל דִּ י לְצִבְ אֹתָ ֑ם ּבְ יַד־מֹׁשֶ֖ה וְאַֽ הֲרֹֽ ן: 2 ב וַּיִכְּתֹ֨ מֹׁשֶ֜ ה אֶ ת־ נְפָקוּ מֵאַרְעָ א דְמִצְ רַ יִם לְחֵילֵ יהוֹן בִּידָ א דְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה וְאַ הֲ רֹן: 2 וּכְתַ ב מֹוצָֽאֵיהֶ ֛םלְמַסְ עֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־ּפִ ֣י יְהוָֹ ֑ה וְאֵ ּ֥לֶה מַסְ עֵיהֶ֖ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה יָת מַפְּקָ נֵיהוֹן לְמַטְּ לָ נֵיהוֹן עַ ל מֵימְ רָ א דַ ייָ וְאִלֵּ ין מַטְּ לָ נֵיהוֹן לְמֹוצָֽאֵיהֶֽ ם: לְמַפְּקָ נֵיהוֹן:

 RASHI  1 אֵ ּלֶה מַסְ עֵ י. לָמָּ ה נִכְתְּ בוּ הַמַּסָּעוֹ ת הַ ּלָלוּ? לְהוֹדִ יעַ וַ ּיַחֲנוּ בְּרִ תְ מָ ה", לָמַדְ תָּ , שׁ ֶהִ יא בְּמִדְ בַּ ר פּ ָארָ ן. וְעוֹ ד הוֹ צֵ א חֲסָדָ יו שׁ ֶ ל מָקוֹ ם, שׁ ֶאַ ף עַ ל פִּ י שׁ ֶ ּגָזַר עֲ לֵיהֶ ם לְטַ לְטְ לָם מִשּׁ ָ ם שׁ ְ מוֹ נָה מַסָּעוֹ ת שׁ ֶהָ יוּ לְאַחַ ר מִיתַ ת אַ הֲ רֹן — מֵ הֹר וְ לַהֲנִיעָ ם בַּמִּדְ בָּ ר, לֹא תֹאמַ ר שׁ ֶהָ יוּ נָעִ ים וּמְ טֻלְטָ לִ ים הָהָ ר עַ ד עַרְ בוֹ ת מוֹאָ ב בִּשׁ ְ נַת הָאַרְ בָּעִ ים, נִמְ צָ א, שׁ ֶכָּ ל מִמַּסָּ ע לְמַסָּ ע כָּ ל אַרְ בָּעִ ים שׁ ָ נָה וְ לֹא הָ יְתָ ה לָהֶ ם מְ נוּחָ ה, שׁ ְ מוֹ נֶה וּשׁ ְלֹשׁ ִ ים שׁ ָ נָה לֹא נָסְ עוּ אֶ ּלָא עֶ שְׂרִ ים מַסָּעוֹ ת. שׁ ֶ הֲרֵ י אֵ ין כָּ אן אֶ ּלָא אַרְ בָּעִ ים וּשׁ ְתַּ יִם מַסָּעוֹ ת; צֵ א מֵהֶ ם זֶה מִ יסוֹדוֹ שׁ ֶ ל רַ בִּ י מֹשׁ ֶ ה הַדַּרְשׁ ָ ן. וְרַ בִּ י תַ נְחוּמָ א דָּרַשׁ אַרְ בָּעָ ה עָ שָׂ ר, שׁ ֶכּ ֻּלָם הָ יוּ בְּשׁ ָ נָה רִאשׁ וֹ נָה קֹדֶ ם ְ ּגזֵרָ ה, בּוֹ דְּרָשׁ ָ ה אַ חֶרֶ ת: מָשׁ ָ ל לְמֶ ְלֶך שׁ ֶהָ יָה בְנוֹ חוֹ לֶה וְהוֹלִיכוֹ מִשּׁ ֶ נָּסְ עוּ מֵרַ עְמְ סֵ ס עַ ד שׁ ֶבָּ אוּ לְרִ תְ מָ ה, שׁ ֶמִּשּׁ ָ ם נִשׁ ְתַּ ְּ לחוּ לְמָקוֹ ם רָ חוֹ ק לְרַ פְּאוֹתוֹ , כֵּיוָ ן שׁ ֶהָ יוּ חוֹ זְרִ ין, הִתְחִ יל אָבִ יו הַמְרַ ּגְלִ ים, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְאַחַ ר נָסְ עוּ הָעָ ם מֵ חֲצֵרוֹ ת וְגוֹ ' מוֹ נֶה כָּ ל הַמַּסָּעוֹ ת. אָמַ ר לוֹ : "כָּ אן יָשׁ ַ נְנוּ, כָּ אן הוּקַרְ נוּ, שׁ ְ לַח לְ ָך אֲ נָשׁ ִ ים וְגוֹ '"1, וְכָ אן הוּא אוֹמֵ ר: "וַ ּיִסְ עוּ מֵ חֲצֵ רֹת כָּאן חָשׁ ַשׁ ְתָּ אֶ ת רֹאשׁ ֶ ָך וְ כוּ'":

1. במדבר יב, טז – יג, ב.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  1 These are the journeys: The Ba’al Tov 2 This is the land which shall fall to you as an taught that these forty-two journeys are also the inheritance: Allegorically, the Land of Israel repre- forty-two spiritual journeys we make throughout sents the physical world in general; the fact that we our life. We begin from birth, and the nation’s exo- are obligated to perform certain commandments dus from Egypt is both its own birth as a nation and only within its borders alludes to the fact that we an allegory for every individual birth, the liberation can only perform God’s commandments and el- of the fetus from the confines of the womb into the evate material reality while our souls are in this freedom of the outside world where it can develop world, that is, during our physical lifetime. This op- and become independent. The final journey is to the portunity does not exist before the soul descends spiritual Promised Land, the afterlife that awaits us into the body and after it leaves it, even though the after death. soul is alive before birth and lives on after death. Although some of the intervening journeys in the By delineating the boundaries of the Land of Israel— Israelite’s trek through the desert were accompa- allegorically, demarcating the sphere within which nied by setbacks, in their spiritual origin and in the we can perform God’s commandments and elevate way they are meant to be reflected in our lives they the material world—the Torah underscores the val- are all holy and positive. If we choose properly be- ue we should attach to this opportunity, which we tween good and evil, we will live out these phases are granted only during our lives on earth. of life in the way God intended; if, like the genera- Relative to the beatific existence the soul enjoys tion of the desert, we make some wrong choices, in its celestial abode before birth, the difficult and 3 they will have to be expressed as setbacks. challenging life it must lead in this world seems Even though we can always transform the setbacks indeed to be a “fall” from a former height. But by we have suffered in our lives into positive, growth utilizing all our powers to capitalize on the unique experiences, it is still better not to have to fall back opportunity that is ours only in this world, we not on this. With regard to our future journeys, let us only help God achieve His purpose in creation and try to always choose to live them out in positive, fulfill the purpose of our existence, but also vastly holy ways.4 enhance our ability to absorb the Divine revelations that await us in the afterlife.5

3. See above, on 11:34; Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Masei (80a) citing Brit Menuchah; Sichot Kodesh 5719, p. 208; Or HaTorah, Masei, p. 1352; Sefer HaSichot 5749, vol. 2, p. 528. 4. Likutei Sichot, vol. 4, p. 1083. 5. Likutei Sichot, vol. 13, pp. 126-127; Tanya, chapter 37 (48b), Likutei Torah 3:42b, etc.

208 Numbers 33:1-2 Masei Synopsis of the Exodus 33:1 The Torah continues to chronicle the preparations for the people’s entry into the Land of Israel. Now that the people have reached their final stop on their trek through the desert and are poised to enter the Promised Land, the narrative sum- marizes this chapter of their history by briefly reviewing the 42 stations on the journey. These are the journeys of the Israelites who left Egypt, organized by tribal troops,1 under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2 Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of God, and these were their journeys with their starting points (See Figure 1).2

Figure 1: The Forty-Nine Journeys

1. Exodus 12:51. 2. There are 41 starting points; the 42nd location being the final destination, the plains of Moab.

208 Second (Fourth) Reading מסעי 3 וַּיִסְעּ֤ו מֵֽרַ עְמְ ס֙סֵ ּבַחֹ֣דֶ ׁש הָֽרִ אׁש֔ ֹוןּבַֽחֲמִּׁשָ ֥העָׂשָ ֛ר יֹ֖ום  ONKELOS  3 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵרַעְמְ סֵ ס בְּ יַרְחָ א קַדְמָאָ ה לַחֹ֣דֶ ׁשהָֽרִ אׁש֑ ֹון מִּמָֽחֳרַ ת֣ חהַּפֶ֗סַ יָֽצְא֤ ּובְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָ אֵ ל֙ ּבְ יָ ֣ד בְּחַמְשׁ ָ א עַשְׂ רָ א יוֹמָ א לְ יַרְחָ א קַדְמָאָ ה מִבָּתַ ר פִּסְחָ א נְפָקוּ בְ נֵי רָ המָ֔ לְעֵינֵ֖י ּכָל־מִצְרָֽ יִם: 4 ּומִצְרַ ֣יִם ֗ מְקַּבְרִ ים אֵ ת֩ אֲׁשֶ֨ ר יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל בְּ רֵישׁ גְּלֵ י לְעֵ ינֵי כָּ ל הִּכָ֧ה יְהוָֹ ֛ה ּבָהֶ֖ם ּכָל־ּבְכ֑ ֹור ּובֵאֹל֣הֵיהֶ֔ םעָׂשָ ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה מִצְ רָאֵ י: 4 וּמִצְ רָאֵ י מְ קַבְּרִ ין יָת דִּ י קְטַ ל יְיָ בְּ הוֹן כָּ ל בֻּכְרָ א וּבְטַ עֲ וַתְ הוֹן ׁשְפָטִֽ ים: 5 וַּיִסְ עּ֥ו בְ לנֵֽי־יִׂשְרָאֵ֖ מֵֽרַ עְמְסֵ ֑ס וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְ סֻּכֹֽ ת: עֲבַ ד יְיָ דִּ ינִ ין: 5 וּנְטָ לוּ בְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל מֵרַעְמְ סֵ ס וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ סֻכּ ֹת: 6 וּנְטָ לוּ 6 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִ תּסֻּכֹ֑ וַּיַֽחֲנּ֣ו םבְאֵתָ֔ אֲׁשֶ֖רּבִקְצֵ ֥ה הַּמִדְ ּבָֽ ר: מִסֻּכּ ֹת וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְאֵתָ ם דִּ י בִּסְטַ ר 7 וַּיִסְ עּו֙ ם מֵֽאֵתָ֔ וַּיָׁ֨שָ ב֙עַל־ּפִ ֣י הַֽחִירֹ֔תאֲׁשֶ ֥ר עַל־ּפְ נֵ֖י ּבַ ֣עַ ל מַדְבְּרָ א: 7 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵאֵתָ ם וְתָ ב עַ ל פּ וּם חִ ירָתָ א דִּ י קֳדָ ם בְּעֵ ל צְ פוֹן צְפ֑ ֹוןוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו לִפְ נֵ ֥י מִ גְּדֽ ֹל: 8 וַּיִסְ עּו֙ מִּפְ נֵ ֣י הַֽחִירֹ֔ת וַּיַֽעַבְר֥ ּו וּשׁ ְ רוֹ קֳדָ ם מִ גְדּ ֹל: 8 וּנְטָ לוּ מִ ן פּ וּם חִ ירָתָ א וַעֲבָרוּ בְ גוֹ יַמָּ א לְמַדְבְּרָ א בְתֹוְך־הַ ּיָ֖ם הַּמִדְ ּבָ ה֑רָ וַּיֵ֨לְכ֜ ּו ּדֶ ֣רֶ ְךׁשְ לׁ֤שֶ תיָמִ ים֙ ּבְמִדְ ּבַ ֣ר וַאֲ זָלוּ מַ הֲלַךְ תְּ לָתָ א יוֹמִ ין בְּמַדְבְּרָ א םאֵתָ֔ וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְמָרָֽ ה: 9 וַּיִסְ עּו֙ ה מִּמָרָ֔ וַּיָבֹ֖ אּו אֵילִ ֑מָ ה דְאֵתָ ם וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּמָרָ ה: 9 וּנְטָ לוּ מִמָּרָ ה וַאֲ תוֹ לְאֵילִ ם וּבְאֵילִ ם תְּ רֵ י עֲשַׂ ר םּו֠בְאֵילִ֠ ׁשְּתֵ֨ ים העֶׂשְרֵ֜ עֵינֹ֥ת מַ ֛יִם וְׁשִבְעִ ֥ים ּתְ יםמָרִ֖ וַּֽיַֽחֲנּו־ מַבּ וּעִ ין דְּמַ יִּין וְשׁ ַבְעִ ין דִּקְלִ ין וּשׁ ְ רוֹ תַמָּ ן: 10 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵאֵילִ ם וּשׁ ְ רוֹ עַ ל 10 ׁשָֽ ם: וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מֵֽאֵילִ ֑םוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו עַ ל־יַם־סֽ ּוף: יַמָּ א דְ סוּף: 11 וּנְטָ לוּ מִ יַּמָּ א דְ סוּף  שני 11 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִ ּיַם־ס֑ ּוף וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְמִדְ ּבַר־סִֽ ין: 12 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּמַדְבְּרָ א דְסִ ין: 12 וּנְטָ לוּ מִמַּדְבְּרָ א דְסִ ין וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּדָפְקָ ה: מִּמִדְ ּבַר־סִ ֑ין וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְדָ פְקָֽ ה: 13 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּדָפְקָ ה ֑ וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו 13 וּנְטָ לוּ מִדָּפְקָ ה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּאָ לוּשׁ : וּנְטָ לוּ מֵאָ לוּשׁ וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בִּרְפִידִ ים 14 14 ּבְאָלֽ ּוׁש: וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומֵאָ ל֑ ּוׁש וַּֽיַֽחֲנּו֙ ּבִרְ פִידִ ם ֔ וְֹלא־הָ֨ יָה ׁשָ ֥ם וְלָ א הֲ וָה תַמָּ ן מַ יָּא לְעַמָּ א לְמִשׁ ְתֵּ י: מַ ֛יִם לָעָ֖םלִׁשְּתֽ ֹות: 15 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומֵֽרְ ֑ פִידִ ם וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְמִדְ ּבַ ֥ר סִ ינָֽי: 15 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵרְפִידִ ם וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּמַדְבְּרָ א דְסִ ינָי: 16 וּנְטָ לוּ מִמַּדְבְּרָ א דְסִ ינָי 16 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִּמִדְ ּבַ ֣ר סִ ינָ ֑י וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ֹתּבְקִבְר֥ הַּֽתַֽ אֲוָֽה: 17 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּקִבְ רֵ י דִמְשׁ ַ אֲלֵ י: 17 וּנְטָ לוּ מִּקִבְר֣ ֹת הַּֽתַֽ אֲוָ ֑הוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבַֽחֲצֵרֽ ֹת: 18 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומֵֽחֲצֵר֑ ֹת וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו מִקִּבְ רֵ י דִמְשׁ ַ אֲלֵ י וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בַּחֲצֵ רֹת: 18 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵ חֲצֵ רֹת וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּרִתְמָ ה: ּבְרִ תְמָֽ ה: 19 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מֵֽרִ תְמָ ֑הוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְרִ ּמֹ֥ ן ּפָֽרֶ ץ: 20 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו 19 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵרִתְמָ ה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּרִמּ ֹן פָּרֶ ץ: 20 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵרִמּ ֹן פָּרֶ ץ וּשׁ ְ רוֹ מֵרִ ּמֹ֣ ןּפָ ֑רֶ ץ וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְלִבְ נָֽה: 21 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּלִבְ נָ ֑ה וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְרִ ּסָֽ ה: בְּלִבְ נָה: 21 וּנְטָ לוּ מִלִּבְ נָה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ 22 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומֵֽרִ ּסָ ֑הוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבִקְ הֵלָֽתָ ה: 23 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּקְ הֵלָ ֑תָ ה בְּרִסָּ ה: 22 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵרִסָּ ה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בִּקְהֵלָתָ ה: 23 וּנְטָ לוּ מִקְּהֵלָתָ ה וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְהַר־ׁשָֽפֶ ר: 24 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מֵֽהַר־ׁשָ ֑פֶ ר וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבַֽחֲרָדָֽ ה: וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ טוּרָ א דְשׁ ָ פֶ ר: 24 וּנְטָ לוּ מִטּ וּרָ א דְשׁ ָ פֶ ר וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בַּחֲרָדָ ה: 25 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומֵֽחֲרָדָ ה֑ וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְמַקְ הֵֹלֽ ת: 26 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִּמַקְ הֵֹל֑ ת 25 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵ חֲרָדָ ה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּמַקְהֵ לֹת: וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְתָֽחַ ת: 26 וּנְטָ לוּ מִמַּקְהֵ לֹת וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּתָחַ ת:

 RASHI  4 וּמִ צְרַ יִם מְ קַבְּרִ ים. טְ רוּדִ ים בְּאֶבְ לָם: 18 וַ יַּחֲנוּ בְּרִ תְ מָ ה. וּמַ ה ּיֹסִ יף ְלָך, לָשׁ וֹ ן רְ מִ ּיָה, חִ ֵּ צי גִבּוֹ ר שׁ ְ נוּנִ ים עִ ם ּגַחֲלֵי עַ ל שׁ ֵ ם לָשׁ וֹ ן הָרָ ע שׁ ֶ ל מְרַ ּגְלִ ים, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "מַ ה ּיִתֵּ ן לְ ָך רְ תָמִ ים"2:

2. תהלים קכ, ג־ד.

209 Numbers 33:3-26 Masei

3 They journeyed from Raamses6 in Nisan, the first month, specifically, on the 15th day of the first month; on the day following the Passover sacrifice, the Isra- elites left triumphantly7 in full view of all the Egyptians. 4 And the Egyptians were busy burying their dead, because God had struck down their ,8 and He also destroyed their deities.9 5 The Israelites journeyed from Raamses and camped at Sukot.10 6 They journeyed from Sukot and camped at Eitam, at the edge of the desert.11 7 They journeyed from Eitam and returned to Pi Hachirot, which faces Ba’al Tzefon, and camped before Migdol.12 8 They journeyed from Penei Hachirot (an alternative name for Pi Hachirot) and crossed in the midst of the sea to the desert.13 They walked for three days in the desert of Eitam and camped at .14 9 They journeyed from Marah and arrived at , and at Elim there were 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees, and they camped there.15 10 They journeyed from Elim and camped by the Sea of Reeds.16  Second Reading 11 They journeyed from the Sea of Reeds and camped in the Sin desert.17 12 They journeyed from the Sin desert and camped at Dafkah.18 13 They journeyed from Dafkah and camped at .19 14 They journeyed from Alush and camped at Refidim, but there was no water for the people to drink there.20 15 They journeyed from Refidim and camped in the Sinai desert.21 16 They journeyed from the Sinai desert22 and camped at Kivrot Hata’avah.23 17 They journeyed from Kivrot Hata’avah and camped at Chatzerot.24 18 They journeyed from Chatzerot and camped at Ritmah.25 The word ritmah means “slander”; this place was so named because it was here that the spies slan- dered the Land of Israel. 19 They journeyed from Ritmah and camped at Rimon Peretz.26 20 They journeyed from Rimon Peretz and camped at Livnah. 21 They journeyed from Livnah and camped at Risah. 22 They journeyed from Risah and camped at Kehelatah. 23 They journeyed from Kehelatah and camped at Mount Shefer. 24 They journeyed from Mount Shefer and camped at Charadah. 25 They journeyed from Charadah and camped at Makhelot. 26 They journeyed from Makhelot and camped at Tachat.

6. Exodus 12:37. 7. Ibid. 14:8. 8. Ibid. 12:29. 9. Ibid. 12:12. 10. Ibid. 12:37. 11. Ibid. 13:20. 12. Ibid. 14:2. 13. Ibid. 14:22. 14. Ibid. 15:22-23. 15. Ibid. 15:27. 16. This station is not mentioned in Exodus. 17. Exodus 16:1. 18. This station is not mentioned in Exo- dus. 19. This station is not mentioned by name in Exodus, but the events chronicled in Exodus 16 occurred there. 20. Exodus 17:1. 21. Ibid. 19:1-2. 22. Above, 10:33. 23. Above, 11:1-34; the name is not given until v. 34. 24. Above, 11:35. 25. Above, 12:16. This station is not mentioned by name but referred to as a locale in the Paran desert. 26. This and the following 16 stations are not mentioned explicitly in the historical chronicle (see above, on 20:1).

209 Second (Fourth) Reading מסעי 27 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִּתָ ֑חַ ת וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְתָֽרַ ח: 28 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּתָ ֑רַ חוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו  ONKELOS  27 וּנְטָ לוּ מִתָּחַ ת וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּתָרַ ח: ּבְמִתְקָֽ ה: 29 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּמִתְקָ ה֑ וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְחַׁשְ מֹנָֽה: 30 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו 28 וּנְטָ לוּ מִתָּרַ ח וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּמִתְ קָ ה: 29 וּנְטָ לוּ מִמִּתְ קָ ה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּחַשׁ ְ מֹנָה: מֵֽחַׁשְ מֹנָ ֑ה וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְמֽ ֹסֵרֽ ֹות: 31 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּמֽ ֹסֵר֑ ֹותוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבִבְ נֵ ֥י 30 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵחַשׁ ְ מֹנָה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ מֹסֵ רוֹת: 31 וּנְטָ לוּ מִמּ ֹסֵ רוֹת וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בִּבְ נֵי יַֽעֲקָֽ ן: 32 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּבְ נֵ ֣ייַֽעֲקָ ֑ ןוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְחֹ֥ר הַּגִדְ ּגָֽד: 33 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו יַעֲקָ ן: 32 וּנְטָ לוּ מִבְּ נֵי יַעֲקָ ן וּשׁ ְ רוֹ מֵחֹ֣רהַּגִדְ ּגָ ֑דוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְ יָטְבָֽתָ ה: 34 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִ ּיָטְבָ ֑תָ הוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו בְּ חֹר הַגִּדְ גָּד: 33 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵ חֹר הַגִּדְ גָּד וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ יָטְ בָתָ ה: 34 וּנְטָ לוּ מִ יָּטְ בָתָ ה ּבְ עַבְ רֹנָֽה: 35 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומֵֽעַבְ רֹנָ ֑ה וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְ עֶצְ יֹ֥ן ּגָֽבֶ ר: 36 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּעַבְ רֹנָה: 35 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵעַבְ רֹנָה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּעֶצְ יֹן גָּבֶ ר: 36 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵעֶצְ יֹן מֵֽעֶצְ יֹ֣ןּגָ ר֑בֶ וַּיַֽחֲנּ֥ובְמִדְ ּבַר־צִ֖ ן הִ ֥וא קָדֵֽ ׁש: 37 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִּקָדֵ ׁ֑ש גָּבֶ ר וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְמַדְבְּרָ א דְצִ ן הִ יא רְקָ ם: 37 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵרְקָ ם וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ הֹר טוּרָ א וַּֽיַֽחֲנּו֙ ּבְהֹ֣ר רהָהָ֔ ּבִקְצֵ֖ה אֶ ץ֥רֶ אֱדֽ ֹום: 38 וַּיַ֩עַל֩ אַֽ הֲרֹ֨ן הַּכֹהֵ֜ ן בִּסְ יָפֵ י אַרְעָ א דֶאֱ דוֹם: 38 וּסְ לֵ ק אַ הֲ רֹן כַּהֲנָא לְ הֹר טוּרָ א עַ ל מֵימְ רָ א אֶל־הֹ֥ר הָהָ ֛ר עַל־ּפִ ֥י יְהוָֹ֖הוַּיָ֣מָ תׁשָ ֑םּבִׁשְ נַ ֣ת הָֽאַרְ ּבָעִ֗ ים דַ ייָ וּמִ ית תַּמָּ ן בִּשׁ ְ נַת אַרְבְּעִ ין לְמִפַּ ק לְצֵ ֤אתּבְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָ אֵ ל֙ מֵאֶ ץ ֣רֶ מִצְרַ֔ יִם ּבַחֹ֥דֶ ׁש הַֽחֲמִיׁשִ֖ י בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל מֵאַרְעָ א דְמִצְ רַ יִם בְּ יַרְחָ א חֲמִישׁ ָאָ ה בְּחַ ד לְ יַרְחָ א: ֥דּבְאֶחָ לַחֽ ֹדֶ ׁש: 39 וְאַֽ הֲרֹ֔ן ּבֶן־ׁשָל֧ ׁש וְעֶׂשְרִ ים֛ ּומְאַ֖ ת ׁשָנָ ֑ה 39 וְאַ הֲ רֹן בַּ ר מְאָ ה וְעֶשְׂ רִ ין וּתְ לַ ת שׁ ְ נִ ין כַּ ד מִ ית בְּ הֹר טוּרָ א: ּבְ מֹתֹ֖ו ּבְהֹ֥ר הָהָֽ ר: ס 40 וּשׁ ְ מַ ע כְּ נַעֲנָאָ ה מַלְכָּ א דַעֲרָ ד 40 וַּיִׁשְמַ֗ עהַּֽכְ נַֽעֲנִי֙מֶ ֣לְֶך עֲרָ֔ ד וְהּֽוא־יׁשֵ ֥ב ּבַּנֶ֖גֶבּבְאֶ ץ֣רֶ ּכְ נָ ֑עַ ן וְהוּא יָתֵ ב בְּדָ רוֹמָ א בְּאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן בְּמֵיתֵ י בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל: 41 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵ הֹר א ּבְבֹ֖ ּבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: 41 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מֵהֹ֣רהָהָ ֑רוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו ּבְצַלְמֹנָֽה: טוּרָ א וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּצַלְ מֹנָה: 42 וּנְטָ לוּ מִצַּלְ מֹנָה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ פוּנֹן: 43 וּנְטָ לוּ 42 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּצַלְמֹנָ ֑ה וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְ פּונֹֽן: 43 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומִ ּפּונֹ֑ןוַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖ו מִפּ וּנֹן וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ אֹבֹת: 44 וּנְטָ לוּ מֵ אֹבֹת וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בִּמְ גִזַּת עֲבָרָאֵ י בִּתְ חוּם 44 ּבְ אֹבֽ ֹ ת: וַּיִסְ עּ֖ומֵֽאֹבֹ֑ ת וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֛וּבְעִ ּיֵ ֥י הָֽ יםעֲבָרִ֖ ּבִ גְב֥ ּול מוֹאָ ב: 45 וּנְטָ לוּ מִמְּ גִזָּתָ א וּשׁ ְ רוֹ מֹואָֽ ב: 45 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מֵֽעִּיִ ֑ים וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְדִ יבֹ֥ ן ּגָֽד: 46 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מִּדִ יבֹ֣ ן בְּדִ יבֹן גָּד: 46 וּנְטָ לוּ מִדִּ יבֹן גָּד וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּעַלְ מֹן דִּבְלָתָ יְמָ ה: 47 וּנְטָ לוּ ּגָ ֑ד וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֖וּבְ עַלְמֹ֥ ן ּדִ בְ לָתָֽ יְמָ ה: 47 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מֵֽעַלְמֹ֣ ן ּדִ בְ לָתָ ֑יְמָ ה מֵעַלְ מֹן דִּבְלָתָ יְמָ ה וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּ טוּרֵ י דַעֲבָרָאֵ י דִּ קֳדָ ם נְ בוֹ: 48 וּנְטָ לוּ וַּֽיַֽחֲנּ֛ו ֥יּבְהָרֵ הָֽ עֲבָרִ֖ ים לִפְ נֵ ֥י נְבֽ ֹו: 48 וַּיִסְ עּ֖ו מֵֽהָרֵ ֣י הָֽ עֲבָרִ ֑ ים מִטּ וּרֵ י דַעֲבָרָאֵ י וּשׁ ְ רוֹ בְּמֵישׁ ְ רַ יָּא וַּֽיַֽחֲנּו֙ ּבְעַֽרְ בֹ֣ ת ב מֹואָ֔ עַ֖ל יַרְ ֥ןּדֵ יְרֵחֽ ֹו: 49 וַּיַֽחֲנּ֤ו עַל־הַ ּיַרְ ּדֵ ן֙ דְ מוֹאָ ב עַ ל יַרְדְּ נָא דִ ירֵ חוֹ: 49 וּשׁ ְ רוֹ עַ ל יַרְדְּ נָא מִבֵּ ית יְשׁ ִ ימוֹת עַ ד מֵישׁ ַ ר מִּבֵ ֣ית הַ יְׁשִמֹ֔ת עַ֖ד אָבֵ ֣להַּׁשִּטִ ֑ים ּבְעַֽרְ בֹ֖ת מֹואָֽ ב: ס שׁ ִ טִּין בְּמֵישׁ ְ רַ יָּא דְ מוֹאָ ב:  RASHI  38 עַ ל פִּ י ה'. מְ לַמֵּ ד שׁ ֶמֵּ ת בִּ נְשׁ ִ יקָ ה: 40 וַ י ִּשׁ ְ מַ ע הַ ְכּ נַ עֲ נִ י . 49 מִ בֵּ ית הַ יְשׁ ִ מֹת עַ ד אָ בֵ ל הַשּׁ ִ ִ ּטים. כָּ אן לִמֶּדְ ָך שׁ ִ עוּר כָּ אן לִמֶּדְ ָך שׁ ֶמִּיתַ ת אַ הֲ רֹן הִ יא הַשּׁ ְ מוּעָ ה, שׁ ֶ נִּסְתַּ ְּ לקוּ מַ חֲנֵה יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל שׁ ְ נֵים עָ שָׂ ר מִ יל, דְּ אָמַ ר רַ בָּ ה בַּ ר בַּ ר חָ נָה5: עַ נְ נֵי כָבוֹ ד וְכַסָּ בוּר שׁ ֶ נִּתְּ נָה רְשׁ וּת לְהִ ּלָחֵ ם בְּ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל, לְדִידִ י חֲזִ י לִ י הַ הוּא אַתְרָ א וְ כוּ': אָ בֵ ל הַשּׁ ִ ִ ּטים. מִישׁ וֹ ר לְפִיכָ ְך חָ זַר וּכְתָ בָהּ : 44 בְּעִ יֵּי הָעֲבָרִ ים. לְשׁ וֹ ן חֳרָ בוֹ ת שׁ ֶל שׁ ִטִּים "אָ בֵל" שׁ ְ מוֹ : וְ ִּ גַלים, כְּמוֹ : "לְעִ י הַשּ ָׂדֶ ה"3, "שָׂ מוּ אֶ ת יְרוּשׁ ָ לַיִם לְעִ ּיִים"4:

3. מיכה א, ו. 4. תהלים עט, א. 5. עירובין נה, ב.

2449 to 2468),41 so, in the remaining 19 years (between 2469 and 2487), they camped at only 20 stations. They thus spent an average of a year at each of these stations.

41. Above, on 19:1, from Rashi on Deuteronomy 1:46.

210 Numbers 33:27-49 Masei

27 They journeyed from Tachat and camped at Tarach. 28 They journeyed from Tarach and camped at Mitkah. 29 They journeyed from Mitkah and camped at Chashmonah. 30 They journeyed from Chashmonah and camped at Moserot. 31 They journeyed from Moserot and camped at Benei Yaakan. 32 They journeyed from Benei Yaakan and camped at Chor Hagidgad. 33 They journeyed from Chor Hagidgad and camped at Yotvatah. 34 They journeyed from Yotvatah and camped at Avronah. 35 They journeyed from Avronah and camped at Etzion Gever. 36 They journeyed from Etzion Gever and camped in the desert of Tzin, at the city of Kadesh.27 37 They journeyed from Kadesh and camped at ,28 at the edge of Edom. 38 Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at God’s bidding and died there “by God’s kiss,”29 on the first day of Av, the fifth month, in the 40th year of the Israel- ites’ exodus from Egypt.30 39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died at Mount Hor. 40 After Aaron died, the Amalekite king of Arad, disguised as a Canaanite, who dwelt in the south of Canaan, heard that Aaron died when the Israelites came to Mount Hor, and therefore attacked them.31 41 They journeyed from Mount Hor and camped at Tzalmonah.32 42 They journeyed from Tzalmonah and camped at Punon.33 43 They journeyed from Punon and camped at Ovot.34 44 They journeyed from Ovot and camped by the ruins of the passes,35 on the Moabite boundary. 45 They journeyed from the ruins of the passes and camped at Divon Gad.36 46 They journeyed from Divon Gad and camped at Almon Divlataimah.37 47 They journeyed from Almon Divlataimah and camped at The Mountains of the Passes, in front of Nebo.38 48 They journeyed from The Mountains of the Passes and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.39 49 They camped along the Jordan; their encampment extended from Beit Yeshimot to Avel, the plain of Shitim,40 in the plains of Moab, a distance of 24,000 . From this chronicle, it is clear that God did not exhaust the people by making them wan- der continuously during the 38 years between the sin of the spies and the entry into the land. Of the 42 stations, 14 occurred between the Exodus (the 15th of Nisan, 2448) and the decree (the 9th of Av, 2449), and 8 between Kadesh (the 1st of Nisan, 2487) and the plains of Moab (after Tishrei, 2488). The people spent 19 years at Ritmah (from

27. Above, 20:1. 28. Above, 20:22. 29. Above, on 20:26. 30. Above, 20:23-29. 31. See above, 21:1-3. 32. Above, 21:4; it is not men- tioned there by name. 33. This is where the incident of the snakes occurred (above, 21:4-9), although it is not mentioned by name in the chronicle of the incident. 34. Above, 21:10. 35. Above, 21:11. 36. Above, 21:12; it is not mentioned there by name. 37. Above, 21:13; it is not mentioned there by name. 38. Above, 21:32; it is not mentioned there by name. 39. Above, 22:1, 27:12. 40. Above, 25:1.

210 Third (Fifth) Reading מסעי

   שלישי )חמישי במחוברין( 50 וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֧ר יְהוָֹ ֛ה אֶ ל־מֹׁשֶ֖ה ONKELOS 50 וּמַלֵּ יל יְיָ עִ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה בְּמֵישׁ ְ רַ יָּא ּבְעַֽרְ בֹ֣ תמֹואָ ֑ב עַ ל־יַרְ ּדֵ ֥ן יְרֵ ח֖ ֹו לֵאמֽ ֹ ר: 51 ּדַ ּבֵ ר֙אֶל־ּבְ נֵ ֣י דְ מוֹאָ ב עַ ל יַרְדְּ נָא דִ ירֵ חוֹ לְמֵימָ ר: 51 מַלֵּ ל עִ ם בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל וְתֵימַ ר יִׂשְרָ לאֵ֔ וְאָֽמַרְ ּתָ֖ אֲלֵהֶ ֑םּכִ ֥י אַּתֶ ֛ם ֥ עֹֽבְרִ ים אֶת־הַ ּיַרְ ּדֵ֖ ן אֶ ל־ לְ הוֹן אֲרֵ י אַתּ וּן עָבְרִ ין יָת יַרְדְּ נָא 52 לְאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן: 52 וּתְתָרְ כוּן אֶ ץ֥רֶ ּכְ נָֽעַ ן: וְהֹ֨ורַׁשְּתֶ֜ ם ֤יאֶת־ּכָל־יֽׁשְבֵ הָאָ֨רֶ ץ֙מִּפְ נֵיכֶ֔ ם יָת כָּ ל יָתְ בֵ י אַרְעָ א מִ ן קֳדָמֵ יכוֹן וְאִּ֨בַדְ ּתֶ֔ ם ת אֵ֖ ּכָל־מַׂשְּכִ ּיֹתָ ֑םוְאֵ֨ תּכָל־צַלְמֵ ֤י מַּסֵֽכֹתָ ם֙ וּתְאַבְּ דוּן יָת כָּ ל בֵּ ית סִ גְדַּתְ הוֹן וְיָת כָּ ל צַלְמֵ י מַתְּ כַתְ הוֹן תְּאַבְּ דוּן וְיָת ּתְאַּבֵ֔ דּו וְאֵ ֥ת ּכָל־ּבָֽמֹותָ֖ םּתַׁשְמִֽ ידּו: 53 וְהֹֽורַׁשְּתֶ ֥ם אֶ ת־ כָּ ל בָּמַתְ הוֹן תְּשׁ ֵ יצוּן: 53 וּתְתָרְ כוּן יָת יָתְ בֵ י אַרְעָ א וְתֵיתְ בוּן בַּהּ אֲרֵ י הָאָ֖רֶץ וִֽיׁשַבְּתֶם־ּבָ ּ֑ה ּכִ ֥ילָכֶ ֛ם נָתַ יּ֥תִ ץאֶת־הָאָ֖רֶ לָרֶ ׁ֥שֶ ת לְ כוֹן יְהָבִ ית יָת אַרְעָ א לְמֵירַ ת אֹתָֽ ּה: 54 וְהִתְ נַֽחַלְּתֶ ם֩ ץ אֶת־הָאָ֨רֶ ל ּבְגֹורָ֜ לְמִׁשְּפְחֽ ֹתֵ יכֶ֗ ם יָתַהּ : 54 וְתַחְסְ נוּן יָת אַרְעָ א בְעַדְבָ א לְ זַרְ עֲ יַתְ כוֹן לְסַגִּיאֵ י תַּסְ גּוּן לָרַ֞ב ּתַרְ ּב֤ ּואֶ ת־נַֽחֲלָתֹו֙ וְלַמְ עַט֙ ּתַמְעִ ֣יט אֶ ת־נַֽחֲלָת֔ ֹו אֶל֩ יָת אַ חֲסַנְתְּ הוֹן וְלִ זְעִ ירֵ י תַּ זְעֲרוּן יָת אַ חֲסַנְתְּ הוֹן לִדְ יִפּ וֹק לֵהּ תַּמָּ ן אֲׁשֶר־יֵ֨צֵ אל֥ ֹוׁשָ ּ֛מָ ה הַּגֹורָ֖ ל ל֣ ֹויִֽהְ יֶ֑ה לְמַּט֥ ֹות אֲבֽ ֹתֵיכֶ֖ם עַדְבָ א דִּילֵהּ יְהֵ י לְשׁ ִ בְטֵ י אֲבָהַתְ כוֹן תַּחְסְ נוּן: 55 וְאִ ם לָ א תְתָרְ כוּן יָת ּתִתְ נֶחָֽ לּו: 55 אוְאִם־ֹל֨ תֹורִ ֜ יׁשּו אֶ ֣ית־יֽׁשְבֵ הָאָ֘רֶ ץ֘ מִּפְ נֵיכֶ ם֒ יָתְ בֵ י אַרְעָ א מִ ן קֳדָמֵ יכוֹן וִיהֵ י דִּ י וְהָיָה֙ אֲׁשֶ ֣רּתֹותִ ֣ ירּו מֵהֶ֔ םלְׂשִּכִ יםּ֙בְעֵ ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ ם וְלִצְ נִינִ֖ם תַשׁ ְ אֲרוּן מִ נְּ הוֹן לְסִיעָ ן נָטְ לָ ן זֵין לְקִבְלֵ יכוֹן וּלְמַשּׁ ִ רְ יָן מַקְּ פָ נֵיכוֹן ּבְצִּדֵ יכֶ ֑ם וְצָֽרֲר֣ ּו אֶתְ כֶ֔ םעַל־הָאָ֕רֶ ץאֲׁשֶ ֥ר אַּתֶ֖ םיֽׁשְבִ ֥ים ּבָֽ ּה: וִיעִ יקוּן לְ כוֹן עַ ל אַרְעָ א דִּ י אַתּ וּן יָתְבִ ין בַּהּ : 56 וִיהֵ י כְּמָ א דִ י 56 וְהָ יָ֗הּכַֽאֲׁשֶ ֥רּדִ ּמִ ֛יתִ י לַֽעֲׂשֹ֥ות לָהֶ֖ם אֶֽ עֱׂשֶ ֥ה לָכֶֽם: פ חֲשׁ ָבִ ית לְמֶעְבַּ ד לְ הוֹן אֶ עֱבֵ יד לְ כוֹן: 34:1 2 34:1 וּמַלֵּ יל יְיָ עִ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְמֵימָ ר: וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֥ריְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ֥הל־מֹׁשֶ ּלֵאמֽ ֹ ר: וצַ֞ אֶת־ּבְ נֵ ֤י יִׂשְרָ אֵ ל֙ 2 פַּקֵּ ד יָת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל וְתֵימַ ר לְ הוֹן וְאָֽמַרְ ּתָ ֣ םאֲלֵהֶ֔ ּכִֽי־אַּתֶ ֥ם ּבָאִ֖ ים אֶל־הָאָ ץ֣רֶ ּכְ נָ ֑עַ ן זֹ֣את אֲרֵ י אַתּ וּן עָלִ ין לְאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן דָּ א אַרְעָ א דִּ י תִתְפְּלֵ ג לְ כוֹן בְּאַ חֲסָ נָא הָאָ֗רֶ ץאֲׁשֶ֨ר ּתִ ּפֹ֤ל לָכֶם֙ ּבְ נַֽחֲלָ֔האֶ ֥רֶץּכְ נַ֖עַן לִגְבֹֻֽלתֶֽיהָ : אַרְעָא דִכְ נַעַן לִתְ חוּמָהָ א:  RASHI  51 כִּ י אַתֶּ ם עֹבְרִ ים אֶ ת הַ יַּרְ דֵּ ן וְגוֹ ' וְהוֹרַשׁ ְתֶּ ם וְגוֹ '. עָ שָׂ ר ּגְבוּלִ ין, כְּמִ נְיַן הַשּׁ ְ בָטִ ים: 55 וְהָ יָה אֲשׁ ֶ ר תּ וֹתִ ירוּ וַהֲ לֹא כַּמָּ ה פְעָמִ ים הֻזְהֲרוּ עַ ל כָּ ְך? אֶ ּלָא כָּ ְך אָמַ ר לָהֶ ם מֵ הֶ ם . יִהְ יֶה לָכֶ ם לְרָ עָ ה: לְשִׂ כִּ ים בְּעֵ ינֵיכֶ ם. לִיתֵדוֹ ת מֹשׁ ֶ ה: "כְּשׁ ֶאַתֶּ ם עוֹבְרִ ים בַּ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן בַּ ּיַבָּשׁ ָ ה, עַ ל מְ נָת כֵּ ן הַמְ נַקְּרוֹ ת עֵ ינֵיכֶ ם, תַּרְ ּגוּם שׁ ֶ ל "יְתֵדוֹ ת"7 — "שִׂכַּ ּיָא": תַּעַבְ רוּ, וְאִ ם לָאו — מַ יִם בָּאִ ין וְשׁ וֹטְ פִ ין אֶתְ כֶ ם". וְכֵ ן וְ לִ צְ נִ י נִ ם . פּ וֹתְרִ ים בּוֹ הַפּ וֹתְרִ ים לְשׁ וֹ ן מְ סוּכַ ת קוֹצִ ים, מָצִ ינוּ שׁ ֶאָמַ ר לָהֶ ם יְהוֹשׁ ֻעַ בְּעוֹדָ ם בַּ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן: 52 וְהוֹרַשׁ ְתֶּ ם. הַסּ וֹכֶכֶ ת אֶתְ כֶ ם לִסְ ּגֹר וְלִכְ לֹא אֶתְ כֶ ם מֵאֵ ין יוֹ צֵ א וָבָ א: וְ גֵרַשׁ ְתֶּ ם: מַ שְׂ כִּ יֹּתָ ם. כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ : "בֵּ ית סִ גְדַּתְ הוֹ ן", עַ ל שׁ ֵ ם וְצָרְ רוּ אֶתְ כֶ ם. כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ : 2 זֹאת הָאָרֶ ץ אֲשׁ ֶ ר תִּפּ ֹל לָכֶ ם שׁ ֶהָ יוּ מְ סַכְּכִ ין אֶ ת הַקַּרְ קַ ע בְּרִ צְפּ ַ ת אֲבָנִ ים שׁ ֶ ל שׁ ַ יִשׁ וְגוֹ '. לְפִ י שׁ ֶהַרְ בֵּ ה מִ צְוֹ ת נוֹ הֲגוֹ ת בָּאָרֶ ץ וְאֵ ין נוֹ הֲגוֹ ת לְהִשׁ ְתַּ חֲווֹ ת עֲ לֵיהֶ ם בְּפִשּׁ וּט יָדַ יִם וְרַ גְלַיִם, כְּדִ כְתִ יב: בְּ חוּצָ ה לָאָרֶ ץ, הֻצְרַ ְך לִכְתּ ֹב מֶצְרָ נֵי ּגְבוּלֵי רוּחוֹתֶיהָ "וְאֶ בֶ ן מַ שְׂכִּ ית לֹא תִתְּ נוּ בְּאַרְ צְכֶ ם לְהִשׁ ְתַּ חֲוֹ ת עָ לֶיהָ "6: סָבִ יב, לוֹמַ ר לְ ָך: מִ ן הַ ּגְבוּלִ ים הַ ּלָלוּ וְלִפְ נִ ים, הַמִּ צְוֹ ת מַ סּ ֵ ֹכ תָ ם . כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ : "מַתְּ כַתְ הוֹ ן": 53 וְהוֹרַשׁ ְתֶּ ם אֶ ת נוֹ הֲגוֹ ת: תִּפּ ֹל לָכֶ ם. עַ ל שׁ ֵ ם שׁ ֶ נִּתְ חַ ּלְקָ ה בְּגוֹרָ ל, נִקְרֵ את ָ ה אָ רֶ ץ . וְהוֹרַשׁ ְתֶּ ם אוֹתָהּ מִ ּיוֹשׁ ְ בֶיהָ , וְאָ ז "וִישׁ ַבְתֶּ ם בָּהּ " חֲלֻקָּ ה לְשׁ וֹ ן "נְפִ ילָה". וּמִדְרַשׁ אַ ּגָדָ ה אוֹמֵ ר8: עַ ל יְדֵ י — תּ וּכְ לוּ לְהִתְ קַ ּיֶם בָּהּ , וְאִ ם לָאו — לֹא תוּכְ לוּ לְהִתְ קַ ּיֶם שׁ ֶהִפִּ יל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּ ְרוּך הוּא שָׂרֵ יהֶ ם שׁ ֶ ל שׁ ִבְעָ ה אֻמּ וֹ ת מִ ן בָּהּ : 54 אֶ ל אֲשׁ ֶ ר יֵצֵא לוֹ שׁ ָמָּ ה. מִקְרָ א קָ צֵ ר הוּא זֶה — הַשּׁ ָמַ יִם וּכְפָתָ ן לִפְ נֵי מֹשׁ ֶ ה, אָמַ ר לוֹ : "רְ אֵ ה, אֵ ין בָּהֶ ם אֶ ל מָקוֹ ם אֲשׁ ֶ ר יֵצֵ א לוֹ שׁ ָמָּ ה הַ ּגוֹרָ ל, לוֹ יִהְ יֶה: לְ מַ ּט וֹ ת עוֹד כּ ֹחַ ": אֲ בֹתֵ יכֶ ם. לְפִ י חֶשׁ ְבּוֹ ן יוֹצְאֵ י מִ צְרַ יִם. דָּ בָ ר אַ חֵ ר: בִּשׁ ְ נֵים

6. ויקרא כו, א. 7. שמות לח, כ. 8. תנחומא ד.

211 Numbers 33:50-34:2 Masei Occupying the Land  Third Reading (Fifth when combined) 50 God spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying: 51 “Although you have already told the people that they will have to expel the present population from Canaan,42 speak to the Israelites now and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 you shall do so with the express intention to drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, or else the waters of the Jordan will engulf you and kill you. You must destroy all their marble-floored temples, destroy their molten idols, and demolish their altars. 53 If you indeed clear out the land of its present inhabitants, you will successfully settle it, for I have given you the land to occupy it. 54 You shall be privileged to give the land as an inheritance to your families by , as I have told you:43 you shall give a larger inheritance to the large tribe and you shall give a smaller inheritance to the small tribe; wherever the lot falls for a person, that shall be his inheritance; you shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers who came out of Egypt, and furthermore, you shall inherit the land in 12 districts, according to the tribes of your fathers. 55 But if you do not completely drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you leave over will become as vexing as spikes in your eyes and will cage you in like a hedge of thorns on all your sides, and they will harass you in those areas of the land in which you settle. 56 And it will be that what I had intended to do to them, I will do to you.’ ”

The Boundaries of the Land 34:1 God spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Command the Israelites and say to them, ‘When you arrive in Canaan, this is the land which shall fall to you by lot as an inheritance, Canaan according to its borders. As you know, there are certain commandments that you are obligated to fulfill only within your land but not outside of it. It is specifically within the fol- lowing borders that you are obligated to fulfill those commandments. It will fall easily to you, for I have incapacitated the guardian angels of the seven nations that occupy it.

42. Exodus 23:27-33, 34:11 ff. 43. Above 26:52-56.

211 Third (Fifth) Reading מסעי 3 וְהָ יָ֨ה לָכֶ ֧ם ּפְאַ ת־נֶ �֛גֶב מִּמִדְ ּבַר־צִ֖ ן ֣יעַל־יְדֵ אֱד֑ ֹום וְהָ יָ ֤ה  ONKELOS  3 וִיהֵ י לְ כוֹן רוּחַ דָּ רוֹמָ א מִמַּדְבְּרָ א לָכֶםּ֙גְב֣ ּול נֶ֔גֶבמִקְצֵ ֥ה יָם־הַּמֶ֖לַח קֵֽדְ מָ ה: 4 וְ נָסַ ֣ב לָכֶ ם֩ דְצִ ן עַ ל תְּ חוּמֵ י אֱ דוֹם וִיהֵ י לְ כוֹן תְּ חוּם דָּ רוֹמָ א מִסְּ יָפֵ י יַמָּ א דְמִלְחָ א הַּגְב֨ ּול מִ ּנֶ֜ גֶבלְמַֽ עֲלֵ ֤ה עַקְרַּבִ ים֙ וְעָ ֣בַ ר צִ֔ נָה והיה } הָוְ י ּו֙ { קִדּ וּמָ א: 4 וְיַסְחַ ר לְ כוֹן תְּ חוּמָ א מִדָּ רוֹמָ א לְמַסְּקָ נָא דְעַקְרַבִּ ים וְיֶעְבַּ ר ּתֹֽוצְ אֹתָ֔ יו מִ ּנֶ֖גֶב לְקָדֵ ׁ֣שּבַרְ נֵ ֑עַ וְ יָצָ ֥א חֲצַר־אַּדָ֖ ר וְעָבַ ֥ר לְצִ ן וִיהוֹן מַפְּקָ נוֹהִ י מִדָּ רוֹמָ א לִרְקַ ם גֵּיאָ ה וְיִפּ וֹק לַחֲצַ ר אַדָּ ר וְיֶעְבַּ ר עַצְמֽ ֹ נָה: 5 וְנָסַ ֧ב הַּגְב֛ ּול מֵֽעַצְמ֖ ֹון נַ ֣חְ לָהמִצְרָ ֑יִם וְהָ יּ֥ו לְעַצְ מוֹן: 5 וְיַסְחַ ר תְּ חוּמָ א מֵעַצְ מוֹן לְ נַחֲלָ א דְמִצְ רָ יִם וִיהוֹן מַפְּקָ נוֹהִ י תֹֽוצְ יואֹתָ֖ הַ ּיָּֽמָ ה: 6 ּוגְב֣ ּול יָ֔ם וְהָ יָ ֥ה לָכֶ ֛םהַ ּיָ ֥ם הַ ּגָד֖ ֹול ּוגְב֑ ּול לְ יַמָּ א: 6 וּתְ חוּם מַעַרְבָ א וִיהֵ י לְ כוֹן יַמָּ א רַבָּ א וּתְ חוּמֵהּ דֵּ ין יְהֵ י לְ כוֹן זֶה־ּיִֽהְ יֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם ּגְב֥ ּול יָֽם: 7 וְזֶה־ּיִֽהְ יֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖םּגְב֣ ּול צָפ֑ ֹון מִ ן־ תְּ חוּם מַעַרְבָ א: 7 וְדֵ ין יְהֵ י לְ כוֹן תְּ חוּם צִפּ וּנָא מִ ן יַמָּ א רַבָּ א תְּ כַ וְּנוּן הַ ּיָם֙הַ ּגָדֹ֔ל ּתְתָא֥ ּו לָכֶ֖ם הֹ֥ר הָהָֽ ר: 8 מֵהֹ֣ר רהָהָ֔ ּתְתָא֖ ּו לְ כוֹן לְ הֹר טוּרָ א: 8 מֵ הֹר טוּרָ א תְּ כַ וְּנוּן לִמְ טֵ י חֲמָ ת וִיהוֹן מַפְּקָ נוֹהִ י אלְבֹ֣ חֲמָ ֑ת וְהָ יּ֛ו ּתֹֽוצְאֹ֥ ת הַּגְבֻ֖ל צְדָֽדָ ה: 9 וְ ֤איָצָ הַּגְבֻל֙ דִתְ חוּמָ א לִצְ דָ ד: 9 וְיִפּ וֹק תְּ חוּמָ א לְ זִפְ רוֹן וִיהוֹן מַפְּקָ נוֹהִ י לַחֲצַ ר זִפְרֹ֔נָהוְהָ יּ֥ו תֹֽוצְ אֹתָ֖ יו חֲצַ ֣ר עֵינָ �֑ן זֶה־ּיִֽהְ יֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖םּגְב֥ ּול צָפֽ ֹון: עֵ ינָן דֵּ ין יְהֵ י לְ כוֹן תְּ חוּם צִפּ וּנָא: 10 וּתְ כַ וְּנוּן לְ כוֹן לִתְ חוּם קִדּ וּמָ א 10 וְהִתְאַּוִיתֶ ֥ם לָכֶ֖ם לִגְבּ֣ול קֵ ֑דְ מָה ֥רמֵֽחֲצַ עֵינָ֖ן ׁשְפָֽמָ ה: מֵ חֲצַר עֵ ינָן לִשׁ ְ פָ ם:

 RASHI  3 וְהָ יָה לָכֶ ם פְּאַ ת נֶגֶב. רוּחַ דְּ רוֹמִ ית אֲשׁ ֶ ר מִ ן הַמִּ זְרָ ח שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ מוֹאָ ב, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְ גַם אֶ ל מֶ ְלֶך מוֹאָ ב שׁ ָ לַח וְ לֹא לַמַּעֲרָ ב: מִמִּדְ בַּ ר צִ ן. אֲשׁ ֶ ר אֵ צֶ ל אֱדוֹ ם, מַתְ חֶ לֶת מִקְצוֹעַ אָ בָ ה "13. וְהָלְ כוּ כָּ ל דְּ רוֹמָהּ שׁ ֶ ל מוֹאָ ב עַ ד סוֹפָהּ וּמִשּׁ ָ ם דְּ רוֹמִ ית מִ זְרָ חִ ית שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ תִּשׁ ְ עַ ת הַמַּטּ וֹ ת. כֵּיצַ ד? שׁ ָלֹשׁ הָפְ כוּ פְּ נֵיהֶ ם ּלַצָפוֹ ן, עַ ד שׁ ֶסָּבְ בוּ כָּ ל מֶ צֶ ר מִ זְרָ חִ י שׁ ֶ ּלָהּ אֲרָ צוֹ ת יוֹשׁ ְ בוֹ ת בִּדְ רוֹמָהּ שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל זוֹ אֵ צֶ ל זוֹ : לְרָ חְבָּהּ ; וּכְשׁ ֶכִּ ּלוּ אֶ ת מִ זְרָ חָהּ , מָצְ אוּ אֶ ת אֶרֶ ץ סִיחוֹ ן וָעוֹ ג, קְ צָ ת אֶרֶ ץ מִ צְרַ יִם, וְאֶרֶ ץ אֱדוֹ ם כּ ֻּלָהּ , וְאֶרֶ ץ מוֹאָ ב כּ ֻּלָהּ שׁ ֶהָ יוּ יוֹשׁ ְבִ ין בְּמִ זְרָ חָהּ שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ כְּ נַעַ ן וְהַ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן מַפְסִ יק — אֶרֶ ץ מִ צְרַ יִם בְּמִקְצוֹעַ דְּ רוֹמִ ית מַעֲרָ בִ ית, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר בֵּ ינֵיהֶ ם, וְ זֶהוּ שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר בְּ יִפְתָּ ח: "וַ ּי ְֵלֶך בַּמִּדְ בָּ ר וַ ּיָסָ ב אֶ ת בְּ פָרָשׁ ָ ה זוֹ : "מֵעַצְמוֹ ן נַחְ לָה מִ צְרָ יִם, וְהָ יוּ תוֹצְ אֹתָ יו אֶרֶ ץ אֱדוֹ ם וְאֶ ת אֶרֶ ץ מוֹאָ ב, וַ ּיָבֹא מִמִּ זְרַ ח שׁ ֶמֶשׁ לְאֶרֶ ץ הַ ּיָמָּ ה". וְ נַחַ ל מִ צְרַ יִם הָ יָה מְ הַ ּל ְֵך עַ ל פְּ נֵי כָּ ל אֶרֶ ץ מוֹאָ ב"14. וְכָבְשׁ וּ אֶ ת אֶרֶ ץ סִיחוֹ ן וָעוֹ ג, שׁ ֶהָ יְתָ ה בִּצְפוֹ נָהּ מִ צְרַ יִם, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "מִ ן הַשּׁ ִ יחוֹ ר אֲשׁ ֶ ר עַ ל פְּ נֵי מִ צְרַ יִם"9, שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ מוֹאָ ב. וְקָרְ בוּ עַ ד הַ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן, וְ הוּא כְּ נֶגֶד מִקְצוֹעַ וּמַפְסִ יק בֵּ ין אֶרֶ ץ מִ צְרַ יִם לְאֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל. וְאֶרֶ ץ אֱדוֹ ם צְפוֹנִ ית מַעֲרָ בִ ית שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ מוֹאָ ב. נִמְ צָ א, שׁ ֶאֶרֶ ץ כְּ נַעַ ן אֶצְ לָהּ לְצַ ד הַמִּ זְרָ ח, וְאֶרֶ ץ מוֹאָ ב אֵ צֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ אֱדוֹ ם בְּסוֹ ף שׁ ֶבְּעֵבֶ ר הַ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן לְמַעֲרָ ב — הָ יָה מִקְצוֹעַ דְּ רוֹמִ ית מִ זְרָ חִ ית הַדָּ רוֹ ם לַמִּ זְרָ ח. וּכְשׁ ֶ ּיָצְ אוּ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל מִמִּ צְרַ יִם, אִ ם רָ צָ ה שׁ ֶ ּלָהּ אֵ צֶ ל אֱדוֹ ם: 4 וְ נָסַ ב לָכֶ ם הַ ְ ּגבוּל מִ נֶּגֶב לְמַ עֲ לֵה הַמָּקוֹ ם לְקָרֵ ב אֶ ת כְּ נִיסָתָ ם לָאָרֶ ץ, הָ יָה מַעֲבִירָ ם אֶ ת עַקְרַ בִּ ים. כָּ ל מָקוֹ ם שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר "וְ נָסַ ב" אוֹ "וְ יָצָ א" מְ לַמֵּ ד הַ נִּילוּס לְצַ ד צָפוֹ ן וּבָאִ ין לְאֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל, וְ לֹא עָ שָׂ ה כֵ ן. שׁ ֶ ּלֹא הָ יָה הַמֶּ צֶ ר שׁ ָ וֶ ה אֶ ּלָא הוֹ ְלֵך וְיוֹ צֵ א לַחוּץ — יוֹ צֵ א וְ זֶהוּ שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְ לֹא נָחָ ם אֱלֹהִ ים דֶּרֶ ְך אֶרֶ ץ פְּלִשׁ ְתִּ ים"10, הַמֶּ צֶ ר וְעוֹקֵ ם לְצַ ד צְפוֹנוֹ שׁ ֶ ל עוֹ לָם בַּאֲ לַכְסוֹ ן לְמַעֲרָ ב שׁ ֶהֵ ם יוֹשׁ ְבִ ים עַ ל הַ ּיָם בְּמַעֲרָ בָהּ שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ כְּ נַעַ ן — כָּעִ נְ יָן וְעוֹבֵ ר הַמֶּ צֶ ר בִּדְ רוֹמָהּ שׁ ֶ ל מַעֲ לֵה עַקְרַ בִּ ים. נִמְ צָ א שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר בַּפְּלִשׁ ְתִּ ים: "יֹשׁ ְ בֵ י חֶבֶ ל הַ ּיָם ּגוֹ י כְּרֵתִ ים"11 — וְ לֹא מַעֲ לֵה עַקְרַ בִּ ים לִפְ נִ ים מִ ן הַמֶּ צֶ ר: וְ עָ בַ ר צִ נָ ה . אֶ ל צִ ן, כְּמוֹ נָחָ ם אוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶ ְך, אֶ ּלָא הֱסִבָּ ן וְהוֹצִיאָ ם דֶּרֶ ְך דָּ רוֹמָ ה אֶ ל "מִ צְרַ יְמָ ה": וְהָ יֻה תּ וֹצְ אֹתָ יו. קְצוֹתָ יו. בִּדְ רוֹמָהּ שׁ ֶ ל קָדֵשׁ הַמִּדְ בָּ ר, וְ הוּא שׁ ֶקְּרָ אוֹ יְחֶזְקֵ אל: "מִדְ בַּ ר הָעַמִּ ים"12, לְפִ י בַּרְ נֵעַ : וְ יָצָ א חֲצַ ר אַ דָּ ר. מִתְפּ ַשּׁ ֵ ט הַמֶּ צֶ ר וּמַרְ חִ יב לְצַ ד שׁ ֶהָ יוּ כַּמָּ ה אֻמּ וֹ ת יוֹשׁ ְ בוֹ ת בְּצִדּוֹ , וְהוֹלְכִ ין אֵ צֶ ל דְּ רוֹמָהּ צָפוֹ ן שׁ ֶ ל עוֹ לָם, וְנִמְשׁ ָ ְך עוֹ ד בַּאֲ לַכְסוֹ ן לְמַעֲרָ ב וּבָ א לוֹ מִ ן מַעֲרָ ב כְּ לַפּ ֵ י מִ זְרָ ח תָּמִ יד, עַ ד שׁ ֶבָּ אוּ לִדְ רוֹמָהּ שׁ ֶ ל לַחֲצַ ר אַדָּ ר, וּמִשּׁ ָ ם לְעַצְמוֹ ן וּמִשּׁ ָ ם לְנַחַ ל מִ צְרַ יִם. וּלְשׁ וֹ ן אֶרֶ ץ אֱדוֹ ם, וּבִקְשׁ וּ מִמֶּ ְלֶך אֱדוֹ ם שׁ ֶ ּיַנִּיחֵ ם לְהִכָּ נֵס בְּאַרְ צוֹ "וְ נָסַ ב" הָאָ מוּר כָּ אן, לְפִ י שׁ ֶכָּתַ ב "וְ יָצָ א חֲצַ ר אַדָּ ר" — וְ לַעֲ בֹר דֶּרֶ ְך רָ חְבָּהּ וּלְהִכָּ נֵס לָאָרֶ ץ, וְ לֹא רָ צָ ה. וְהֻצְרְ כוּ שׁ ֶהִתְחִ יל לְהַרְ חִ יב מִשּׁ ֶעָבַ ר אֶ ת קָדֵשׁ בַּרְ נֵעַ , וְ רֹחַ ב אוֹתָהּ לִסְבּ ֹב אֶ ת כָּ ל דְּ רוֹמָהּ שׁ ֶ ל אֱדוֹ ם, עַ ד שׁ ֶבָּ אוּ לִדְ רוֹמָהּ רְ צוּעָ ה שׁ ֶבָּלְטָ ה לְצַד צָפוֹ ן הָ יְתָ ה מִ קָּדֵשׁ בַּרְ נֵעַ עַ ד עַצְמוֹ ן,

9. יהושע יג, ג. 10. שמות יג, יז. 11. צפניה ב, ה. 12. יחזקאל כ, לה. 13. שופטים יא, יז. 14. שם, יח.

212 Numbers 34:3-10 Masei

3 Your land’s southernmost side shall be from the desert of Tzin, which is along- side Edom, westward, as follows: The southern border shall begin from the south- ernmost edge of the Salt Sea, i.e., the , to the east, i.e., on the southeast shore of the Dead Sea. 4 The border will then turn southward and pass to the south of Ma’aleh Akrabim and pass toward Tzin. Its southernmost extension shall be to the south of Kadesh Barnea, because it shall extend to Chatzar Adar and from there pass toward Atzmon. 5 The border will then turn northwest from Atzmon and continue to the stream of Egypt, i.e., the Nile,44 following it, and its end shall be where the stream of Egypt flows into the . 6 Your land’s western border shall be the Great Sea—the Mediterranean—and the islands close to the shore will also be within this border. This shall be your western border. 7 This shall be your northern border: From the Mediterranean Sea draw a slant- ing line from the seaward extension of Mount Hor45—where the northwest border begins—to Mount Hor itself. 8 From Mount Hor draw a slanting line eastward until the entrance of Chamat, which is , and the end of this leg of the northern border shall extend to Tzedad. 9 From there, an additional leg of the northern border shall extend to Zifron, and its end shall be Chatzar Einan; this shall be your northern border. 10 You shall then draw a slanting line for the eastern border, from Chatzar Einan to Shefam.

 RASHI  וּמִשּׁ ָ ם וָהָלְאָ ה נִתְ קַ ֵּ צר הַמֶּ צֶ ר וְ נָסַ ב לְצַ ד הַדָּ רוֹ ם וּבָ א לוֹ הַ ּיָצִיעַ , שׁ ֶקּוֹרִ ין אפינדי"ץ, שׁ ֶ הוּא מוּסָ ב וּמְשׁ ֻפּ ָ ע: 8 מֵ ֹה ר לְנַחַ ל מִ צְרַ יִם, וּמִשּׁ ָ ם לְצַ ד הַמַּעֲרָ ב אֶ ל הַ ּיָם, שׁ ֶ הוּא מִ ַ ּצד הָ הָ ר . תָּ סֹבּ וּ וְתֵ לְ כוּ אֶ ל מֶ צֶ ר הַ ּצָפוֹ ן לְצַ ד הַמִּ זְרָ ח, וְתִ פְ ּגְעוּ מַעֲרָ בָהּ שׁ ֶ ל כָּ ל אֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל. נִמְ צָ א, שׁ ֶ נַּחַ ל מִ צְרַ יִם בִּ לְ בֹא חֲמָ ת, זוֹ אַ נְטוֹכְ יָא: תּ וֹצְ אֹת הַ ּגְבֻל. סוֹפֵ י הַ ּגְבוּל. בְּמִקְצוֹעַ מַעֲרָ בִ ית דְּ רוֹמִ ית: 5 וְהָ יוּ תוֹצְ אֹתָ יו הַ יָּמָּ ה. אֶ ל כָּ ל מָקוֹ ם שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "תּ וֹצְאוֹ ת הַ ּגְבוּל" — אוֹ הַמֶּ צֶ ר כָּ לֶה מֶ צֶר הַמַּעֲרָב, שׁ ֶאֵין עוֹ ד ּגְבוּל נֶגֶב מַ אֲרִ ְיך לְצַד הַמַּעֲרָ ב שׁ ָ ם לְגַמְרֵ י וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵ ר לְהַ ּלָן כְּ לָל, אוֹ מִשּׁ ָ ם מִתְפּ ַשּׁ ֵ ט מִשּׁ ָ ם וָהָלְאָ ה: 6 וּגְ בוּל יָם. וּמֶ צֶ ר מַעֲרָ בִ י מַ הוּ?: וְ הָ יָ ה לָ כֶ ם וּמַרְ חִ יב וְיוֹ צֵ א לַאֲחוֹרָ יו לְהִמָּשׁ ֵ ְך לְהַ ּלָן בַּאֲ לַכְסוֹ ן יוֹתֵ ר הַ יָּם הַ ּגָדוֹ ל. לְמֶ צֶ ר: וּגְ בוּל. הַ נִּסִּ ין שׁ ֶבְּתוֹ ְך הַ ּיָם, אַ ף הֵ ם מִ ן הָ רֹחַ ב הָרִאשׁ וֹ ן. וּלְעִ נְיַן רֹחַ ב הַמִּ דָּ ה הָרִאשׁ וֹ ן קְרָ אוֹ מִ ן הַ ּגְבוּל, וְהֵ ם אִ ּיִים שׁ ֶקּוֹרִ ין אישלי"ש: 7 ְ ּגבוּל צָפוֹ ן. "תּ וֹצָאוֹ ת", שׁ ֶשּׁ ָ ם כָּלְתָ ה אוֹתָהּ מִ דָּ ה: 9 וְהָ יוּ תוֹצְ אֹתָ יו מֶ צֶ ר צָפוֹ ן: מִ ן הַ יָּם הַ ּגָדֹל תְּתָ אוּ לָכֶ ם הֹר הָהָ ר. שׁ ֶ הוּא חֲצַ ר עֵ ינָן. הוּא הָ יָה סוֹ ף הַמֶּ צֶ ר הַ ּצְפוֹנִ י, וְנִמְ צֵ את חֲצַ ר בְּמִקְצוֹעַ צְפוֹנִ ית מַעֲרָ בִ ית. וְ רֹאשׁ וֹ מַשׁ ְפִּיעַ וְנִכְ נָס לְתוֹ ְך עֵ ינָן בְּמִקְצוֹעַ צְפוֹנִ ית מִ זְרָ חִ ית. וּמִשּׁ ָ ם — "וְהִתְאַ וִּיתֶ ם הַ ּיָם, וְ יֵשׁ מֵ רֹחַ ב הַ ּיָם לִפְ נִ ים הֵימֶ נּוּ וְ חוּצָ ה הֵימֶ נּוּ: תְּתָ אוּ. לָכֶ ם" אֶ ל מֶ צֶ ר הַמִּ זְרָ חִ י: 10 וְהִתְאַ וִּיתֶ ם. לְשׁ וֹ ן הֲסִבָּ ה תְּשׁ ַפְּ עוּ לָכֶ ם לִנְ טֹת מִמַּעֲרָ ב ּלַצָפוֹ ן אֶ ל הֹר הָהָ ר: תְּתָ אוּ. וּנְטִ ּיָה, כְּמוֹ "תְּתָ אוּ": שׁ ְ פָמָ ה. בַּמֶּ צֶ ר הַמִּ זְרָ חִ י, וּמִשּׁ ָ ם לְשׁ וֹ ן הֲסִבָּ ה, כְּמוֹ : "אֶ ל תָּ א הָרָ צִ ים"15, "וְתָאֵ י הַשּׁ ַעַ ר"16 — הָרִ בְ לָה:

15. דבה"ב יב, יא. 16. יחזקאל מ, י.

44. Rashi on Joshua 13:3. 45. This is not the same Mount Hor where Aaron died (above, 20:22).

212 Fourth (Sixth) Reading מסעי 11 וְ יָרַ֨ דהַּגְבֻ ֧ל מִּׁשְפָ ֛ם הָֽרִ בְלָ֖ה מִּקֶ ם֣דֶ לָעָ ֑יִן וְ ֣ דיָרַ הַּגְבֻ֗ ל  ONKELOS  11 וְיֵחוֹת תְּ חוּמָ א מִשּׁ ְ פָ ם לְרִבְלָ ה ּומָחָ ֛ה עַל־ּכֶ֥תֶ ףיָם־ּכִ ּנֶ֖רֶ ת קֵֽדְ מָ ה: 12 וְ יָרַ ד ֤ הַּגְבּול֙ מִמַּדְ נַח לָעָ יִן וְיֵחוֹת תְּ חוּמָ א וְיִמְ טֵ י עַ ל כֵּ יף יַם גִּנּ וֹסַ ר קִדּ וּמָ א: הַּיַרְ ּדֵ֔ נָה וְהָ יּ֥ו תֹֽוצְ אֹתָ֖ יויָ ֣םהַּמֶ ֑לַח זֹאת֩ ּתִהְ יֶ֨ה לָכֶ ֥ם 12 וְיֵחוֹת תְּ חוּמָ א לְ יַרְדְּ נָא וִיהוֹן הָאָ ץ֛רֶ לִגְבֹֻֽלתֶ֖יהָ סָבִֽ יב: 13 וַיְצַ ֣ו המֹׁשֶ֔ אֶת־ּבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵ֖ ל מַפְּקָ נוֹהִ י לְ יַמָּ א דְמִלְחָ א דָּ א תְ הֵ י לְ כוֹן אַרְעָ א לִתְ חוּמָהָ א סְ חוֹר סְ חוֹר: לֵאמֹ֑ר זֹ֣את הָאָ֗רֶ ץ ראֲׁשֶ֨ ּתִתְ נַֽחֲל֤ ּו אֹתָ ּה֙ ל ּבְגֹורָ֔ אֲׁשֶ ר֙ 13 וּפַקֵּ יד מֹשׁ ֶ ה יָת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל לְמֵימָ ר דָּ א אַרְעָ א דִּ י תִתְ חַסְּ נוּן יָתַהּ צִּוָ֣ה יְהוָֹ ֔ה לָתֵ ֛ת לְתִׁשְעַ ֥ת הַּמַּט֖ ֹות וַֽחֲצִ ֥י הַּמַּטֶֽ ה: 14 ּכִ ֣י בְּעַדְבָ א דִּ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ לְמִתַּ ן לְתִשׁ ְ עַ ת שׁ ִ בְטִ ין וּפַלְ גּוּת שׁ ִ בְטָ א: 14 אֲרֵ י ּולָֽקְח֞ המַּטֵ֨ בְ נֵ ֤י הָרֽ אּובֵנִי֙לְבֵ ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ ם ֥הּומַּטֵ בְ נֵֽי־הַ ּגָדִ֖ י קַבִּ ילוּ שׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי רְ אוּבֵ ן לְ בֵ ית לְבֵ ֣ית אֲבֹתָ ֑םוַֽחֲצִ י֙מַּטֵ ֣ה מְ הנַּׁשֶ֔ לָֽקְח֖ ּו נַֽחֲלָתָֽ ם: 15 ׁשְ נֵ ֥י אֲבָהַתְ הוֹן וְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי גָד לְ בֵ ית אֲבָהַתְ הוֹן וּפַלְ גּוּת שׁ ִ בְטָ א דִמְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה הַּמַּט֖ ֹותוַֽחֲצִ ֣יהַּמַּטֶ ֑הלָֽקְח֣ ּו ם נַֽחֲלָתָ֗ מֵעֵ ֛בֶ רלְ יַרְ ֥ןּדֵ יְרֵ ח֖ ֹו קַבִּ ילוּ אַחְ סַנְתְּ הוֹן: 15 תְּ רֵ ין שׁ ִ בְטִ ין וּפַלְ גּוּת שׁ ִ בְטָ א קַבִּ ילוּ אַ חֲסַנְתְּ הוֹן קֵ ֥דְ מָה מִ זְרָֽחָ ה: פ מֵעִבְרָ א לְ יַרְדְּ נָא דִ ירֵ חוֹ קִדּ וּמָ א  רביעי )שישי במחוברין( 16 וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֥ריְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ֥הל־מֹׁשֶ ּלֵאמֽ ֹ ר: מַדִּ נְחָ א: 16 וּמַלֵּ יל יְיָ עִ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְמֵימָ ר: 17 אִלֵּ ין שׁ ְ מָהַ ת גֻּבְרַ יָּא 17 ֚אֵ ּלֶה ׁשְמ֣ ֹות יםהָֽאֲנָׁשִ֔ אֲׁשֶ ר־יִנְחֲל֥ ּו לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָאָ ֑רֶ ץ דִּ י יַחְסְ נוּן לְ כוֹן יָת אַרְעָ א אֶלְעָ זָר כַּהֲנָא וִיהוֹשׁ ֻעַ בַּ ר נוּן: 18 וְרַבָּ א חַ ד אֶלְעָ זָר֙ ןהַּכֹהֵ֔ וִֽיהֹוׁשֻ֖עַ ּבִ ן־נֽ ּון: 18 וְ נָׂשִ ֥יא אֶחָ ֛ד נָׂשִ ֥יא רַבָּ א חַ ד מִשּׁ ִ בְטָ א תִּסְּ בוּן לְאַ חֲסָ נָא דאֶחָ֖ מִּמַּטֶ ֑ה ּתִקְח֖ ּו לִנְחֹ֥ל אֶת־הָאָֽרֶ ץ: 19 וְאֵּ֖לֶהׁשְמ֣ ֹות יָת אַרְעָ א: 19 וְאִלֵּ ין שׁ ְ מָהַ ת גֻּבְרַ יָּא לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִ יהוּדָ ה כָּלֵ ב בַּ ר יְפֻנֶּה: הָֽאֲנָׁשִ ֑יםלְמַּטֵ ֣היְהּודָ֔ הּכָלֵ֖ב ּבֶן־יְפֻּנֶֽה: 20 ּולְמַּטֵ֖ ה ּבְ נֵ ֣י 20 וּלְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִּבְ נֵי שׁ ִמְ עוֹן שׁ ְ מוּאֵ ל בַּ ר עַמִּ יהוּד: 21 לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דְבִ נְ יָמִ ן ׁשִמְ עֹ֑ון ׁשְמּואֵ֖ לּבֶן־עַּמִיהֽ ּוד: 21 ֣הלְמַּטֵ בִ נְיָמִ֔ ן אֱלִידָ֖ ד ּבֶ ן־ אֱלִידָ ד בַּ ר כִּסְ לוֹן: 22 וּלְשׁ ִ בְטָ א ּכִסְלֽ ֹון: 22 ּולְמַּטֵ ֥הבְ נֵי־דָ֖ ן נָׂשִ ֑יא ּבֻּקִ֖ י ּבֶ ן־יָגְלִֽ י: 23 לִבְ נֵ ֣י דִבְ נֵי דָ ן רַבָּ א בֻּקִּ י בַּ ר יָגְלִ י: 23 לִבְ נֵי יוֹסֵ ף לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי מְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה רַבָּ א יֹוסֵ֔ף לְמַּטֵ ֥ה בְ נֵֽי־מְ נַּׁשֶ֖ה נָׂשִ ֑יא חַ ּנִיאֵ֖ל ּבֶן־אֵפֽ ֹ ד: חַ נִּיאֵל בַּר אֵ פֹד:

 RASHI  11 מִ קֶּדֶ ם לָעָיִן. שׁ ֵ ם מָקוֹ ם, וְהַמֶּ צֶ ר הוֹ ְלֵך בְּמִ זְרָ חוֹ . נִמְ צָ א מִ ְ ז רָ ָ ח ה . אֶ ל פְּ נֵי הָעוֹ לָם, שׁ ֶהֵ ם בַּמִּ זְרָ ח, שׁ ֶ רוּחַ מִ זְרָ חִ ית הָעַ יִן לִפְ נִ ים מִ ן הַמֶּ צֶ ר, וּמֵאֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל הוּא: וְיָרַ ד הַ ּגְבֻל. קְ רוּיָה "פּ ָנִ ים" וּמַעֲרָ בִ ית "אָחוֹ ר", לְפִיכָ ְך דָּ רוֹ ם לְ יָמִ ין, כָּ ל שׁ ֶהַ ּגְבוּל הוֹ ְלֵך מִ ּצָפוֹ ן לְדָ רוֹ ם הוּא יוֹרֵ ד וְהוֹ ְלֵך: ּו מָ חָ ה וְצָפוֹ ן לִ שְׂ מֹאל: 17 אֲשׁ ֶ ר יִנְחֲלוּ לָכֶ ם. בִּשׁ ְבִ ילְכֶ ם. כָּ ל עַ ל כֶּתֶ ף. אֶ ל עֵבֶ ר: יָם כִּ נֶּרֶ ת קֵדְ מָ ה. שׁ ֶ ּיְהֵ א יָם כִּ נֶּרֶ ת תּ וֹ ְך נָשִׂ יא וְ נָשִׂ יא אַפּ וֹטְ רוֹפּ וֹ ס לְשׁ ִבְטוֹ , וּמְ חַ ּלֵק נַחֲלַת הַשּׁ ֵבֶ ט ּלַגְבוּל בַּמַּעֲרָ ב, וְהַ ּגְבוּל בְּמִ זְרַ ח יָם כִּ נֶּרֶ ת, וּמִשּׁ ָ ם יוֹרֵ ד אֶ ל לְמִשׁ ְפּ ָחוֹ ת וְלִגְבָרִ ים, וּבוֹרֵ ר לְכָ ל אֶחָ ד וְאֶחָ ד חֵ לֶק הָ גוּן, הַ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן, וְהַ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן מוֹשׁ ֵ ְך וּבָ א מִ ן הַ ּצָפוֹ ן לַדָּ רוֹ ם בַּאֲ לַכְסוֹ ן, וּמַ ה שּׁ ֶהֵ ם עוֹ שִׂ ין יִהְ יֶה עָ שׂוּי כְּאִ ּלוּ עֲ שָׂ אוּם שׁ ְ לוּחִ ים. וְ לֹא נוֹטֶ ה לְצַ ד מִ זְרָ ח וּמִתְ קָרֵ ב לְצַ ד אֶרֶ ץ כְּ נַעַ ן כְּ נֶגֶד יָם כִּ נֶּרֶ ת יִתָּ כֵ ן לְפָרֵשׁ "לָכֶ ם" זֶה כְּכָ ל "לָכֶ ם" שׁ ֶבַּמִּקְרָ א, שׁ ֶאִ ם כֵּ ן וּמוֹשׁ ֵ ְך לְצַ ד מִ זְרָ חָהּ שׁ ֶ ל אֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל כְּ נֶגֶד יָם כִּ נֶּרֶ ת הָ יָה לוֹ לִכְתּ ֹב "יַנְחִ ילוּ לָכֶ ם". "יִנְחֲלוּ" — מַשׁ ְמָ ע, שׁ ֶהֵ ם עַ ד שׁ ֶ נּוֹפֵ ל בְּ יָם הַמֶּ לַח, וּמִשּׁ ָ ם כָּ לֶה הַ ּגְבוּל בְּתוֹצְאוֹתָ יו נוֹ חֲלִ ים לָכֶ ם בִּשׁ ְבִ ילְכֶ ם וּבִמְ קוֹמְ כֶ ם, כְּמוֹ : "ה' ּיִלָחֵ ם אֶ ל יָם הַמֶּ לַח, שׁ ֶמִּמֶּ נּוּ הַתְ חָ לַת מֶ צֶ ר מִקְצוֹעַ דְּ רוֹמִ ית לָ כֶ ם "17: 18 לִנְ חֹל אֶ ת הָאָרֶ ץ. שׁ ֶ ּיְהֵ א נוֹחֵ ל וְחוֹ לֵק אוֹתָהּ מִ זְרָ חִ ית, הֲרֵ י סוֹבֶבֶ ת אוֹתָהּ לְאַרְ בַּ ע רוּחוֹתֶיהָ : 15 ֵ ק דְ מָ ה בִּמְ קוֹמְ כֶ ם:

17. שמות יד, יד.

23 For the descendants of Joseph: the prince for the tribe of the descendants of Manasseh, Chaniel the son of Eifod

213 Numbers 34:11-23 Masei

11 The border will descend southward from Shefam toward Rivlah, passing to the east of Ayin. Then the border will descend further southward and hit the east- ern shore of Lake Kineret. 12 The border will descend further southward along the Jordan River, and its end will be the Salt Sea, i.e., the Dead Sea; this shall be your land according to its borders all around (See Figure 2).’ ” 13 Moses commanded the Is- raelites saying, “This is the land which you are to appor- tion for inheritance through lot, which God has com- manded to give to nine and a half of the 12 tribes. 14 For the tribe of Reuben’s descendants, according to their fathers’ house, and the ’s descendants, according to their fathers’ house, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already re- ceived their inheritance. 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheri- Figure 2: The Borders of the Land of Israel tance on the east side of the Jordan, opposite Jericho.”  Fourth Reading (Sixth when combined) 16 God spoke to Moses, telling him to say to the people: 17 “These are the names of the men who shall inherit the land on your behalf and then divide it among you, under the leadership of Eleazar the priest and Josh- ua the son of Nun: 18 You shall take one prince from each tribe to acquire the land and then divide it among you. 19 These are the names of the men: for the tribe of : Caleb the son of Yefuneh. 20 For the tribe of the descendants of : Shmuel the son of Amihud. 21 For the tribe of : Elidad the son of Kislon. 22 The prince for the tribe of the descendants of : Buki the son of Yogli.

213 Fifth (Sixth) Reading מסעי 24 ּולְמַּטֵ ֥ה בְ נֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֖ יִם נָׂשִ ֑יא ל קְמּואֵ֖ ּבֶן־ׁשִפְטָֽ ן:  ONKELOS  24 וּלְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי אֶפְרַ יִם רַבָּ א 25 ּולְמַּטֵ ֥הבְ נֵֽי־זְבּולֻ֖ן נָׂשִ ֑יא אֱלִֽיצָפָ֖ןּבֶן־ּפַרְ נְָֽך: 26 ּולְמַּטֵ ֥ה קְ מוּאֵ ל בַּ ר שׁ ִ פְטָ ן: 25 וּלְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי זְבוּלֻ ן רַבָּ א אֱלִיצָפָ ן בַּ ר פַּרְ נָךְ : בְ נֵֽי־יִּׂשָשכָ֖ר נָׂשִ ֑יא ל ּפַלְטִיאֵ֖ ּבֶן־עַּזָֽן: 27 ֥הּולְמַּטֵ בְ נֵֽי־אָׁשֵ֖ר 26 וּלְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי יִשָּׂ שכָ ר רַבָּ א נָׂשִ ֑יאאֲחִיה֖ ּודּבֶן־ׁשְֹלמִֽ י: 28 ּולְמַּטֵ ֥ה בְ י נֵֽי־נַפְּתָלִ֖ נָׂשִ ֑יא פַּלְטִיאֵ ל בַּ ר עַ זָּן: 27 וּלְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי אָשׁ ֵ ר רַבָּ א אֲחִ יהוּד בַּ ר שׁ ְ לֹמִ י: ּפְדַ הְאֵ֖ לּבֶן־עַּמִיהֽ ּוד: 29 אֵ֕ ּלֶהאֲׁשֶ֖ר צִ ּוָ ֣ה יְהוָֹ ֑ה לְ נַחֵ ֥ל 28 וּלְשׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי נַפְתָּלִ י רַבָּ א פְּדַהְאֵ ל בַּ ר עַמִּ יהוּד: 29 אִלֵּ ין דִּ י אֶת־ּבְ נֵֽי־יִׂשְרָאֵ֖ל ּבְאֶ ֥רֶץ ּכְ נָֽעַ ן: פ פַקֵּ יד יְיָ לְאַ חֲסָ נָא יָת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל בְּאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן: 35:1 וּמַלֵּ יל יְיָ 35:1  חמישי וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֧ריְהוָֹ ֛ה אֶ ל־מֹׁשֶ֖ה ּבְעַֽרְ בֹ֣ ת מֹואָ ֑ב עַ ל־ עִ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה בְּמֵישׁ ְ רַ יָּא דְ מוֹאָ ב עַ ל יַרְ ּדֵ ֥ן יְרֵ ח֖ ֹו לֵאמֹֽ ר: 2 צַו֘ אֶת־ּבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָ אֵל֒ וְנָֽתְ נּ֣ו לַֽלְוִּיִ֗ם יַרְדְּ נָא דִ ירֵ חוֹ לְמֵימָ ר: 2 פַּקֵּ יד יָת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל וְיִתְּ נוּן לְ לֵ וָאֵ י מִֽ ּנַֽחֲלַ ֛ת אֲחֻּזָתָ֖ ם ֣ עָרִ ים לָׁשָ ֑בֶ תּומִ גְרָ֗ ׁש לֶֽעָרִ ים֙ סְבִ יבֹ֣תֵ יהֶ֔ ם מֵאַ חֲסָ נַת אֲחוּדַתְ הוֹן קִרְ וִין לְמִתָּ ב וְרֶ וַח לְקִרְ וַיָּא סַחֲרָ נֵיהוֹן תִּתְּ נוּן ּתִּתְ נּ֖ו לַֽלְוִּיִֽם: 3 וְהָ יּ֧ו ֛ הֶֽעָרִ ים לָהֶ֖םלָׁשָ ֑בֶ תּומִ גְרְ ׁשֵיהֶ֗ ם לְ לֵ וָאֵ י: 3 וִיהוֹן קִרְ וַיָּא לְ הוֹן לְמִתָּ ב יִהְ יּ֤ולִבְ הֶמְּתָ ם֙וְלִרְ םכֻׁשָ֔ ּולְכֹ֖ ל חַ ּיָתָֽ ם: 4 ּומִ גְרְ ׁשֵ י֙ הֶֽעָרִ ֔ ים וְרַוְחֵ יהוֹן יְהוֹן לִבְעִירְ הוֹן וּלְקִ נְ יָנֵיהוֹן וּלְ כֹל חֵ יוַתְ הוֹן: 4 וּרְ וָחֵ י קִרְ וַיָּא דִּ י אֲׁשֶ֥ר ּתִּתְ נּ֖ולַֽלְוִּיִ ֑םמִּקִ ֤ ירהָעִ יר֙וָחּ֔וצָ האֶ ֥לֶף אַּמָ֖ ה תִתְּ נוּן לְ לֵ וָאֵ י מִכּ ֹתֶ ל קַרְתָּ א וּלְ בָרָ א אֲלַ ף אַמִּ ין סְ חוֹר סְ חוֹר: 5 וְתִמְשׁ ְ חוּן סָבִֽ יב: 5 ּומַ ּדֹתֶ֞ םמִח֣ ּוץ ירלָעִ֗ אֶת־ּפְאַת־קֵ ֣דְ המָ אַלְּפַ ֪יִם מִבָּרָ א לְקַרְתָּ א יָת רוּחַ קִדּ וּמָ א תְּ רֵ ין אַלְפִ ין אַמִּ ין וְיָת רוּחַ דָּ רוֹמָ א תְּ רֵ ין ּבָ אַֽ ּ֠מָ < >֩ה HSוְאֶת־ּפְאַ ת־נֶ֩גֶב֩ אַלְּפַ֨ יִם הּבָֽאַּמָ֜ וְאֶת־ּפְאַ ת־ אַלְפִ ין אַמִּ ין וְיָת רוּחַ מַעַרְבָ א תְּ רֵ ין יָ ֣ם | אַלְּפַ ֣יִםּבָֽאַּמָ֗ הוְאֵ֨ תּפְאַ ֥ת צָפ֛ ֹוןאַלְּפַ ֥יִםּבָֽאַּמָ֖ ה וְהָעִ ֣יר אַלְפִ ין אַמִּ ין וְיָת רוּחַ צִפּ וּנָא תְּ רֵ ין אַלְפִ ין אַמִּ ין וְקַרְתָּ א בִמְצִיעָ א דֵּ ין ּבַּתָ ֑וְֶך ֚זֶה יִהְ יֶ֣ה םלָהֶ֔ מִ גְרְ ׁשֵ֖י הֶֽעָרִֽ ים: 6 ֣תוְאֵ ֗ הֶֽעָרִ ים אֲׁשֶ ֤ר יְהֵ י לְ הוֹן רְ וָחֵ י קִרְ וַיָּא: 6 וְיָת קִרְ וַיָּא דִּ י תִתְּ נוּן לְ לֵ וָאֵ י יָת שׁ ִ ית קִרְ וֵי ּתִּתְ נּו֙ לַֽלְוִּיִ֔ם ֚אֵ ת ׁשֵׁש־עָרֵ ֣יהַּמִקְ טלָ֔ אֲׁשֶ ֣רּתִּתְ נּ֔ו לָנֻ ֥ס שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתָ א דִּ י תִתְּ נוּן לְמֶ עֱרַ ק לְתַמָּ ן ׁשָּ֖מָה הָֽרֹצֵ ֑חַ וַֽעֲלֵיהֶ ֣םּתִּתְ נּ֔ואַרְ ּבָעִ ֥ים ּוׁשְּתַ֖ יִם עִֽ יר: 7 ּכָ ל־ קָ טוֹלָ א וַעֲלֵ יהוֹן תִּתְּ נוּן אַרְבְּעִ ין וְתַרְתֵּ ין קִרְ וִין: 7 כָּ ל קִרְ וַיָּא דִּ י הֶֽעָרִ֗ יםאֲׁשֶ ֤ר ּתִּתְ נּו֙ לַֽלְוִּיִ֔םאַרְ ּבָעִ ֥ים ּוׁשְ מֹנֶ֖ה עִ ֑יר אֶתְהֶ֖ן תִתְּ נוּן לְ לֵ וָאֵ י אַרְבְּעִ ין וְתַמְ נֵי קִרְ וִין יַתְ הֵ ן וְיָת רַוְחֵיהֵ ן: 8 וְקִרְ וַיָּא דִּ י וְאֶת־מִ גְרְ ׁשֵיהֶֽ ן: 8 וְהֶֽעָרִ֗ ים ֤ראֲׁשֶ ּתִּתְ נּו֙ מֵֽאֲחֻּזַ ֣ת ּבְ נֵֽי־ תִתְּ נוּן מֵאֲחוּדַ ת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל מִ ן סַגִּיאֵ י תַּסְ גּוּן וּמִ ן זְעִ ירֵ י תַּ זְעֲרוּן יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ למֵאֵ ֤ת הָרַ ב֙ ּתַרְ ּב֔ ּוּומֵאֵ ֥ת הַמְעַ֖טּתַמְעִ ֑יטּו אִ֗ יׁש גְּבַ ר כְּ פוּם אַ חֲסַנְתֵּהּ דִּ י יַחְסְ נוּן יִתֵּ ן ּכְפִ ֤י נַֽחֲלָתֹו֙אֲׁשֶ ֣ריִנְחָ֔ לּו ֥ןיִּתֵ מֵֽעָרָ֖ יו לַֽלְוִּיִֽם: פ מִקִּרְ ווֹהִי לְ לֵ וָאֵ י:

 RASHI  29 לְ נַחֵ ל אֶ ת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל. שׁ ֶהֵ ם יַנְחִ ילוּ אוֹתָהּ לָכֶ ם צָרְ כֵיהֶ ם: 4 אֶ לֶף אַמָּ ה סָבִ יב. וְאַ חֲרָ יו הוּא אוֹמֵ ר: "אַ לְפּ ַיִם לְמַחְ לְקוֹתֶיהָ : 2 ּ ו ִ מ ְ ג ָ ר שׁ . רֶ וַ ח, מָקוֹ ם חָ לָק חוּץ לָעִ יר בָּאַמָּ ה", הָ א כֵיצַ ד? אַ לְפּ ַיִם הוּא נוֹתֵ ן לָהֶ ם סָבִ יב, וּמֵהֶ ם סָבִ יב לִהְיוֹ ת לְנוֹ י לָעִ יר, וְאֵ ין רַשּׁ ָאִ ין לִבְנוֹ ת שׁ ָ ם בַּ יִת אֶ לֶף הַפְּ נִימִ ים לְמִ גְרָשׁ , וְהַחִיצוֹנִים לְ שָׂדוֹ ת וּכְרָ מִ ים: וְ לֹא לִנְ טֹעַ כֶּרֶ ם וְ לֹא לִזְ רֹעַ זְרִ יעָ ה: 3 וּלְ כֹל חַ יָּתָ ם. לְ כָ ל

8 And as for the cities that you shall give the Levites from the lands of the Israel- ites, you shall take more from a tribe with a larger land inheritance and you shall take less from a tribe with a smaller one. Each one, according to the relative size of the inheritance allotted to him, shall give of his cities to the Levites.’ ”

214 Numbers 34:24-35:8 Masei

24 and the prince for the tribe of the descendants of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiftan. 25 The prince for the tribe of the descendants of : Elitzafan the son of Parnach. 26 The prince for the tribe of the descendants of : Paltiel the son of Azan. 27 The prince for the tribe of the descendants of : Achihud the son of Shelomi. 28 The prince of the tribe of the descendants of , Pedahel the son of Amihud. 29 These are the ones whom God commanded to apportion the inheritance to the Israelites in Canaan.” Cities  Fifth Reading 35:1 God spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan, op- posite Jericho saying, 2 “Since the will receive no portion of the land, command the rest of the Israelites that they shall give the Levites cities in which to dwell from their he- reditary estates, and tell them also: ‘You shall give the Levites open spaces around the cities, which are not to be used for residential or agricultural purposes. 3 These cities shall be theirs for dwelling in, and their open spaces shall be for their cattle, their property, and for all their other needs. 4 The areas of open space for the cities that you shall give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward, one thousand cubits all around. In addition, you shall give them another thousand cubits in each direction for agricultural purposes. 5 Thus, you shall measure from out- side the city, 2000 cubits on the east- ern side, 2000 cubits on the southern side, 2000 cubits on the western side, and 2000 cubits on the northern side, with the city in the middle; this shall be their cities’ extended open spaces (See Figure 3). 6 The cities you shall give to the Lev- ites shall include the six cities of ref- uge whose function will be described presently, which you shall provide as places to which a murderer can flee. Figure 3: A Levite City In addition to them, you shall provide the Levites with 42 other cities. 7 Thus, all the cities you shall give to the Levites shall number 48 cities; give them to them together with their open spaces.

214 Sixth (Seventh) Reading מסעי

   שישי )שביעי במחוברין( 9 וַיְדַ ּבֵ ֥ריְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ֥הל־מֹׁשֶ ּלֵאמֽ ֹ ר: ONKELOS 9 וּמַלֵּ יל יְיָ עִ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְמֵימָ ר: 10 ּדַּבֵ ר֙ אֶל־ּבְ נֵ ֣י יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ לוְאָֽמַרְ ּתָ֖ אֲלֵהֶ ֑ם ֥יּכִ אַּתֶ ֛ם עֹֽבְרִ ֥ ים 10 מַלֵּ ל עִ ם בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל וְתֵימַ ר לְ הוֹן אֲרֵ י אַתּ וּן עָבְרִ ין יָת יַרְדְּ נָא אֶת־הַ ּיַרְ ּדֵ֖ ן אַ ֥רְ הצָ ּכְ נָֽעַ ן: 11 וְהִקְרִ יתֶ ֤ם לָכֶם֙ עָרִ ֔ ים עָרֵ ֥י לְאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן: 11 וּתְ זַמְּ נוּן לְ כוֹן קִרְ וִין קִרְ וֵי שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתָ א יֶהֶ וְיַן לְ כוֹן מִקְ לָ֖ט ּתִהְ יֶ֣ינָה לָכֶ ֑ם וְנָ ֥ס הׁ֙שָּ֨מָ רֹצֵ֔חַ מַּכֵה־נֶ֖פֶ ׁשּבִׁשְ גָגָֽה: וְיֶעֱ רוֹק לְתַמָּ ן קָ טוֹלָ א דְּ יִקְ טוֹל 12 וְהָ יּ֨ולָכֶ ֧ם הֶֽעָרִ ֛ יםלְמִקְ לָ֖ט מִ ּגֹאֵ ֑לוְֹל֤ א יָמּות֙ הָֽרֹצֵ֔חַ נַפְשׁ ָ א בְּשׁ ָ לוּ: 12 וִיהוֹן לְ כוֹן קִרְ וַיָּא לְשׁ ֵ יזָבָ א מִ גָּאֵ ל דְּמָ א וְלָ א יְמוּת עַד־עָמְד֛ ֹו לִפְ נֵ ֥יהָֽעֵדָ֖ הלַּמִׁשְּפָֽ ט: 13 וְהֶֽעָרִ֖ יםאֲׁשֶ ֣רּתִּתֵ ֑נּו קָ טוֹלָ א עַ ד דִּ יקוּם קֳדָ ם כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א לְדִ ינָא: 13 וְקִרְ וַיָּא דִּ י תִתְּ נוּן ֥יׁשֵׁש־עָרֵ מִקְ לָ֖ט ּתִהְ יֶ֥ינָה לָכֶֽם: 14 אֵ ֣ת | ׁשְ ל֣ ׁש הֶֽעָרִ ֗ ים שׁ ִ ית קִרְ וֵי שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתָ א יֶהֶ וְיַן לְ כוֹן: 14 יָת תְּ לַ ת קִרְ וַיָּא תִּתְּ נוּן מֵעִבְרָ א ּתִּתְנּו֙ מֵעֵ ר֣בֶ לַּיַרְ ּדֵ֔ ןוְאֵ ת֙ ׁשְ ל֣ ׁש הֶֽעָרִ ֔ ים ּתִּתְ נּ֖וּבְאֶ ץ֣רֶ ּכְ נָ ֑עַ ן לְ יַרְדְּ נָא וְיָת תְּ לַ ת קִרְ וַיָּא תִּתְּ נוּן עָרֵ ֥י מִקְ לָ֖ט ּתִֽהְ יֶֽינָה: 15 לִבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָ לאֵ֗ וְלַּגֵ ֤רוְלַּתֹוׁשָ ב֙ בְּאַרְעָ א דִכְ נָעַ ן קִרְ וֵי שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתָ א יֶהֶ וְיָן: 15 לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל וּלְ גִיּוֹרָ א ּבְתֹוכָ֔ ם ּתִֽהְ יֶ֛ינָהׁשֵׁש־הֶֽעָרִ ֥ יםהָאֵּ֖לֶה לְמִקְ לָ ֑טלָנּ֣וס ׁשָּ֔מָ ה וּלְ תוֹתָבָ א דְּ בֵ ינֵיהוֹן יֶהֶ וְיַן שׁ ִ ית קִרְ וַיָּא הָאִלֵּ ין לְשׁ ֵ יזָבָ א לְמֶ עֱרַ ק ּכָל־מַּכֵה־נֶ֖פֶׁשּבִׁשְ גָגָֽה: לְתַמָּן כָּל דְּ יִקְ טוֹל נַפְשׁ ָא בְּשׁ ָ לוּ:  RASHI  11 וְהִקְרִ יתֶ ם. אֵ ין "הַקְרָ יָה" אֶ ּלָא לְשׁ וֹ ן הַ זְמָ נָה, וְכֵ ן הוּא יְהוֹשׁ ֻעַ בְּאֶרֶ ץ כְּ נַעַ ן: 14 אֵ ת שׁ ְלֹשׁ הֶעָרִ ים וְגוֹ '. אַ ף עַ ל אוֹמֵ ר: "כִּ י הִקְרָ ה ה' אֱלֹהֶ ָיך לְפָ נָי"18: 12 מִ ּ ֹ גאֵ ל . מִ פּ ְ ֵ נ י פִּ י שׁ ֶבְּאֶרֶ ץ כְּ נַעַ ן תִּשׁ ְ עָ ה שׁ ְ בָטִ ים וְכָ אן אֵ ינָן אֶ ּלָא שׁ ְ נַיִם ּגוֹאֵ ל הַדָּ ם, שׁ ֶ הוּא קָרוֹ ב לַנִּרְ צָ ח: 13 שׁ ֵ שׁ ָ ע ֵ ר י ִ מ ְ ק ָ ל ט . וָחֵצִ י, הִשׁ ְ וָ ה מִ נְיַן עָרֵ י מִקְ לָט שׁ ֶ ּלָהֶ ם, מִשּׁ וּם דִּ בְ גִלְעָ ד מַ ִ ּגיד שׁ ֶאַ ף עַ ל פִּ י שׁ ֶהִבְדִּ יל מֹשׁ ֶ ה בְּחַ ּיָיו שׁ ָלֹשׁ עָרִ ים נְפִישׁ ֵ י רוֹצְחִ ים, דִּ כְתִ יב: ּ"גִלְעָ ד קִרְ יַת פּ ֹעֲ לֵי אָ וֶ ן עֲ ֻקבָּ ה בְּעֵבֶ ר הַ ּיַרְ דֵּ ן, לֹא הָ יוּ קוֹלְטוֹ ת עַ ד שׁ ֶ נִּבְ חֲרוּ שׁ ָלֹשׁ שׁ ֶ נָּתַ ן מִ דָּ ם"19:

18. בראשית כז, כ. 19. הושע ו, ח.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  mate “signposts,” helping only those who come to Again, the results of our efforts in this regard might us in search of the right way; we should be living not always be immediately evident, but they will be signposts, reaching out to our fellows and, if neces- eventually, for the effects of doing good are cumula- sary, awakening them to the fact that there is such a tive and eternal.51 thing as a holy, Divine life that they should pursue.

š INNER DIMENSIONS › [11] : The Torah is called a “city its message is absorbed within us, refining and of refuge” for two reasons: In order for a city to edifying us. be halachically considered a city, it must have at Thus, the Torah acts as a “city of refuge” when we least ten people who do nothing all day other immerse ourselves in it fully, with all ten powers 52 than learn Torah. Mystically, this alludes to the of our soul, and internalize its message.53 ten sefirot of Atzilut, the level of reality in which A murderer who killed a person shall flee there: there is no consciousness of anything other than Allegorically, any sin is an act of murder, since God’s existence. The ten sefirot are the spiritual by sinning we prevent, to a certain extent, Divine origin of our ten intellectual, emotional, and be- life-force from entering ourselves and reality at havioral faculties. large. By cutting the world off from its true life- The Hebrew word for “refuge” (miklat) actually blood, we are “killing” it. This is why the penalty means “absorption.” This alludes to the fact of the primordial, archetypal sin—eating of the that we must learn the Torah in such a way that fruit of the Tree of Knowledge—was death.54

51. Likutei Sichot, vol. 2, pp. 363 ff. 52. Megilah 3b. 53. Sefer HaMa’amarim 5717-5719, p. 230. 54. Sefer HaMa’amarim 5711-5713, p. 261.

215 Numbers 35:9-15 Masei Intentional and Unintentional Murder  Sixth Reading (Seventh when combined) 9 God now gave Moses the laws of the cities of refuge.46 He spoke to Moses, saying: 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan, into Canaan, 11 you shall designate six cities for yourselves that shall act as cities of refuge for you: a murderer who killed a person unintentionally but nonetheless is guilty of negligence shall flee there from the close relative of the murdered person, who, in such a case, is allowed to avenge his death, as will be explained presently. 12 These cities shall serve you as a refuge for the unintentional murderer from this avenger, so that the unintentional murderer shall not die until he stands in judgment before the congregation’s judges. 13 The cities that you provide shall function as cities of refuge only when all six cities of refuge have been designated for you.’ ” Thus, even though Moses later47 designated three cities in as cities of refuge, they did not function as refuge cities until the three in Canaan were also designated. 14 God foresaw that there would be a similar number of incidences of uninten- tional murder on both sides of the Jordan River, even though only two and a half of the 12 tribes settled on the east side, so He told Moses to tell the people, You“ shall provide three of the cities in Transjordan and three of the cities in Canaan; they shall be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be a refuge for both the Israelites and for the convert and resident among them, so that anyone who unintentionally kills a person can flee there.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  11 You shall designate…cities of refuge: Allegori- lifestyle open, accessible, and clear for all of us. We cally, the Torah itself is the “city of refuge,” for when all have free choice, but God also shows us the way we are immersed in its study and internalize the and in many ways helps us find the right direction Divine consciousness it gives us, we are protected in life. 48 from the machinations of the evil inclination. Fur- In order to hear God’s voice more clearly, however, thermore, Torah study also protects us from the ill we should help others find the right direction in effects of wrongdoing, because it purifies us, inspir- their lives. We should all consider ourselves “sign- ing us to regret our past failings and make amends posts,” whose job it is to point others in the direc- for them. And when we repent properly, our sins tion of life and goodness. When God sees that we are transformed into merits. are showing others the way, He will show us our This is true even if we are guilty of intentional sins, way more clearly. We therefore need not be afraid just as the cities of refuge also provided asylum for of standing at “crossroads,” at places where there is intentional murderers (at least until their case could an opportunity to take a wrong turn. 49 be brought to court). Even if we are not sure that anyone is looking at The roads leading to the cities of refuge had to be what we are doing, at the “sign” we are posting at kept wide and clear, so that anyone who needed to this “crossroad,” the fact that we are doing our part use them could do so easily. There also had to be in disseminating Divine consciousness throughout signs posted at every crossroads, so the way to the reality will earn us God’s increased guidance in our city of refuge would be clearly marked.50 own lives. Similarly, God keeps the way to the Torah and its Ideally, though, we should try not to just be inani-

46. See Exodus 21:13. 47. Deuteronomy 4:41. 48. Makot 10a. 49. Ibid. 9b. 50. 100b; Mishneh Torah, Rotzeach uShemirat HaNefesh 8:5.

215 Sixth (Seventh) Reading מסעי 16 וְאִם־ּבִכְלִ֨ י בַרְ זֶ ֧ל | הִּכָ ֛הּווַּיָמֹ֖ תרֹצֵ ֣חַֽ ה֑ ּוא מ֥ ֹות  ONKELOS  16 וְאִ ם בְּמָ ן דְּ פַרְ זְלָ א מְ חָהִ י יּומַ֖ ת הָֽרֹצֵֽחַ : 17 וְאִ֡ם ּבְאֶ ֣בֶ ן יָד֩אֲׁשֶ ר־יָמ֨ ּותּבָ ּ֥ה הִּכָ ֛הּו וְקַטְ לֵהּ קָ טוֹלָ א הוּא אִתְקְטָלָ א יִתְקְטֵ ל קָ טוֹלָ א: 17 וְאִ ם בְּאַבְ נָא 18 דְּמִתְ נַסְ בָ א בִידָ א דְּהִ יא כְמִסַּ ת דִּ י תוַּיָמֹ֖ רֹצֵ ֣חַֽ ה֑ ּוא מ֥ ֹות יּומַ֖ ת הָֽרֹצֵֽחַ : א֡ ֹו ּבִכְלִ ֣י עֵץ־ יְמוּת בַּהּ מְ חָהִ י וְקַטְ לֵהּ קָ טוֹלָ א הוּא אִתְקְטָלָ א יִתְקְטֵ ל קָ טוֹלָ א: יָד֩אֲׁשֶ ר־יָמ֨ ּות ּב֥ ֹוהִּכָ ֛הּו תוַּיָמֹ֖ רֹצֵ ֣חַֽ ה֑ ּוא מ֥ ֹות יּומַ֖ ת 18 אוֹ בְּמָ ן דְּאָ ע דְּמִתְ נְסֵ ב בִּידָ א דְּ הוּא כְמִסַּ ת דִּ י יְמוּת בֵּהּ מְ חָהִ י הָֽרֹצֵֽחַ : 19 ּגֹאֵ ֣ל םהַּדָ֔ ה֥ ּואיָמִ֖ ית אֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ ֑חַ ּבְפִ גְעֹו־ב֖ ֹו וְקַטְ לֵהּ קָ טוֹלָ א הוּא אִתְקְטָלָ א יִתְקְטֵ ל קָ טוֹלָ א: 19 גָּאֵ ל דְּמָ א הוּא ה֥ ּוא יְמִתֶֽ ּנּו: 20 וְאִם־ּבְׂשִ הנְאָ֖ יֶהְ ּדֳפֶ ּ֑נּו אֹֽו־הִׁשְלִ ֥יְך עָלָ ֛יו יִקְ טוֹל יָת קָ טוֹלָ א כַּ ד אִתְ חַ יַּב לֵהּ מִ ן דִּ ינָא הוּא יִקְטְלִ נֵּהּ : 20 וְאִ ם ּבִצְדִ ּיָ֖ה וַּיָמֽ ֹ ת: 21 אֹ֣ו בְאֵ היבָ֞ הִּכָ ֤הּו בְ יָדֹו֙ ת וַּיָמֹ֔ מֹות־יּומַ ֥ת בְּסִ נְאָ ה דְּחָהִ י אוֹ רְמָ א עֲ לוֹהִ י בְּכַמְ נָא וְקַטְ לֵהּ : 21 אוֹ בִדְבָבוּ הַּמַּכֶ֖ה רֹצֵ ֣חַֽ ה֑ ּוא ּגֹאֵ ֣ל הַּדָ֗ םיָמִ ֛ית אֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ֖חַ ּבְפִ גְעֹו־בֽ ֹו: מְ חָהִ י בִידֵהּ וְקַטְ לֵהּ אִתְקְטָלָ א יִתְקְטֵ ל מָ חֲ יָא קָ טוֹלָ א הוּא גָּאֵ ל 22 וְאִם־ּבְפֶ ֥תַ ע ּבְֹלֽא־אֵ יבָ֖ההֲדָ פ֑ ֹואֹֽו־הִׁשְלִ ֥יְך עָלָ ֛יו ּכָ ל־ דְּמָ א יִקְ טוֹל יָת קָ טוֹלָ א כַּ ד אִתְ חַ יַּב לֵהּ מִ ן דִּ ינָא: 22 וְאִ ם בִּתְ כֵ ף בְּלָ א ּכְלִ֖ י אּבְֹל֥ צְדִ ּיָֽה: 23 אֹ֣ו בְכָל־אֶ֜בֶ ן אֲׁשֶ ר־יָמ֥ ּותּבָ ּה֙ ּבְֹל֣ א דְבָבוּ דְּחָהִ י אוֹ רְמָ א עֲ לוֹהִ י כָּ ל מָ ן בְּלָ א כְמַ ן לֵהּ : 23 אוֹ בְכָ ל אַבְ נָא רְאֹ֔ות וַּיַּפֵ ֥ל עָלָ֖יו וַּיָמֹ֑ ת וְהּוא֙ ֹלֽ א־אֹויֵ֣ב ל֔ ֹו וְֹל֥ אמְבַּקֵ֖ ׁש דְּהִ יא כְמִסַּ ת דִּ י יְמוּת בַּהּ בְּלָ א חָ זֵי וּרְמָ א עֲ לוֹהִ י וְקַטְ לֵהּ וְהוּא לָ א סָ נֵי רָֽ עָתֽ ֹו: 24 וְׁשָֽפְ טּו֙ הָֽעֵדָ֔ ה ֚ ֵין ּבהַּמַּכֶ֔ הּובֵ֖ין ֣לּגֹאֵ הַּדָ ֑ ם עַ ֥ל לֵהּ וְלָ א תָבַ ע בִּישׁ ְתֵּהּ : 24 וִידֻנּוּן כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א בֵּ ין מָ חֲ יָא וּבֵ ין גָּאֵ ל דְּמָ א הַּמִׁשְּפָטִ֖ים הָאֵֽ ּלֶה: עַל דִּ ינַיָּא הָאִלֵּ ין:  RASHI  16 וְאִ ם בִּכְלִ י בַרְ זֶל הִכָּ הוּ. אֵ ין זֶה מְדַ בֵּ ר בְּהוֹרֵ ג בְּשׁ וֹ גֵג שׁ ֶ ּיֵשׁ בָּהּ שׁ ִ עוּר לְהָמִ ית, כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ . לְפִ י שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְהִכָּ ה הַסָּ ְמוּך לוֹ , אֶ ּלָא בְּהוֹרֵ ג בְּמֵ זִ יד. וּבָ א לְלַמֵּ ד שׁ ֶהַהוֹרֵ ג בְּ כָ ל אִישׁ אֶ ת רֵ עֵ הוּ בְּאֶ בֶ ן"21 וְ לֹא נָתַ ן בָּהּ שׁ ִ עוּר, יָכוֹ ל כָּ ל דָּ בָ ר צָרִ ְיך שׁ ֶ ּיְהֵ א בּוֹ שׁ ִ עוּר כְּדֵ י לְהָמִ ית, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר בְּ ּכֻלָם: שׁ ֶ הוּא? לְכָ ְך נֶאֱמַ ר: "אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָמוּת בָּהּ ": 18 אוֹ בִּכְלִ י עֵ ץ "אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָמוּת בּוֹ ", דִּ מְתַרְ ּגְמִ ינָן: "דְּ הוּא כְמִסַּ ת דִּ ימוּת בֵּהּ ". יָ ד. לְפִ י שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: "וְכִ י יַכֶּ ה אִישׁ אֶ ת עַבְדּוֹ אוֹ אֶ ת אֲמָתוֹ חוּץ מִ ן הַבַּרְ זֶל, שׁ ֶ ּגָלוּי וְ יָדוּעַ לִפְ נֵי הַקָּ דוֹשׁ בָּ ְרוּך הוּא ַּ ב ׁ שּ ֵ ֶ ב ט "22, יָכוֹ ל כָּ ל שׁ ֶ הוּא? לְכָ ְך נֶאֱמַ ר בָּעֵ ץ: "אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָמוּת שׁ ֶהַבַּרְ זֶל מֵמִ ית בְּ כָ ל שׁ ֶ הוּא, אֲפִ ּלוּ מַחַ ט, לְפִ יכָ ְך לֹא בּוֹ ", שׁ ֶ ּיְהֵ א בוֹ כְּדֵ י לְהָמִ ית: 19 ְבּ פִ גְ ע וֹ ב וֹ . ּאֲפִלוּ ְבְּתוֹך נָתְ נָה בוֹ תּ וֹרָ ה שׁ ִ עוּר לִכְתּ ֹב בּוֹ : "אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָמוּת בּוֹ ". וְאִ ם עָרֵ י מִקְ לָט: 20 ִ ּ ב ְ צ דִ ָ ּי ה . כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ : "בְּכַמְ נָא" — בְּמַ אֲרָ ב: תּ ֹאמַ ר: בְּהוֹרֵ ג בְּשׁ וֹ גֵג הַכָּ תוּב מְדַ בֵּ ר, הֲרֵ י הוּא אוֹמֵ ר 22 ְבּ ֶ פ תַ ע . בְּ אֹנֶס. וְתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ "בִּתְ כֵ ף", שׁ ֶהָ יָה סָ ְמוּך לוֹ וְ לֹא לְמַטָּ ה: "אוֹ בְ כָ ל אֶ בֶ ן אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָמוּת בָּהּ בְּ לֹא רְ אוֹ ת וְ גוֹ '"20, הָ יָה לוֹ שׁ ָ הוּת לְהִ ּזָהֵ ר עָ לָיו: 23 אוֹ בְ כָ ל אֶ בֶ ן אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָמוּת לִמֵּ ד עַ ל הָאֲ מוּרִ ים לְמַעְ לָה, שׁ ֶבְּהוֹרֵ ג בְּמֵ זִ יד הַכָּ תוּב בָּ הּ . הִ כּ ָ ה ּ ו : בְּ לֹא רְ אוֹ ת. שׁ ֶ ּלֹא רָ אָ הוּ: וַ יַּפֵּ ל עָ לָיו. מִ כּ ָ א ן מְדַ בֵּ ר: 17 בְּאֶ בֶ ן יָד. שׁ ֶ ּיֶשׁ בָּהּ מְ לֹא יָד: אֲשׁ ֶ ר יָמוּת בָּהּ . אָ מְ ר ּו 23: הַהוֹרֵ ג דֶּרֶ ְך יְרִ ידָ ה ּגוֹ לֶה, דֶּרֶ ְך עֲלִ ּיָה אֵינוֹ גוֹ לֶה:

20. פסוק כג. 21. שמות כא, יח. 22. שמות כא, כ. 23. מכות ז, ב.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  “life” continues in the afterlife.) In order for this to prompt him to repent and confess. This will allow work, however, the guilty person must repent and the sentence to atone for his sin and permit him to confess his sin. In other words, his inner desire to progress to the next stage of his existence. do good must surface, so that it can serve as a seed But when not even a single member of the high from which his new direction in life can grow. court—the seventy-one wisest, most discerning If at least some of the judges can see a reason to people in the generation—can see any redeeming judge the defendant favorably, it means that his exoneration in him, it means that his inner core of inner core of goodness is at least slightly apparent goodness has receded so deeply within his outer and active. Therefore, the court can judge such a shell of misbehavior that it is totally submerged, person. Even if they eventually sentence him, their and there is no hope that this court can arouse it arguments in his favor, emphasizing his virtue and and thereby accomplish the defendant’s atonement innocence, will draw out his inner goodness and by their sentence. [continues...]

216 Numbers 35:16-24 Masei

16 Now, these cities do not offer asylum for an intentional murderer: If the assail- ant struck the victim intentionally with an iron instrument of any size and he died, he is a bona fidemurderer; the murderer shall be put to death.55 17 If he struck him with a fist-sized stone, which is large enough to be deadly, and he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.56 18 Or if he struck him with a fist-sized wooden instrument, which islarge enough to be deadly, and he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.57 (If, however, the stone or wooden instrument was not big enough to cause death normally, but the victim died of the blow anyway, the assailant is not guilty of in- tentional murder.) 19 Once the intentional murderer has been tried and found guilty, the blood avenger—the close relative of the victim—shall be allowed kill the murderer; he may kill him wherever he meets him, even inside a city of refuge. 20 Similarly, if, out of hatred, the assailant pushed the victim, or threw something at him in ambush, and he died, 21 or if he maliciously struck him with his hand and he died, the assailant shall be put to death; he is a murderer, and the blood avenger may kill the murderer wherever he meets him, even inside a city of refuge. 22 The law is different, however, in the case of unintentional murder. If the assail- ant pushed the victim down accidentally, without malice, or threw an object in a downward motion at him and not in ambush, 23 or he killed him with any stone that is large enough to be deadly, that is, with- out seeing his victim he threw it down at him and it killed him, but, in all these cases, he was not his enemy and bore him no malice, 24 then the congregation’s judges shall judge between the assailant and the blood avenger, on the basis of these judgments: If the murder happened as just described, the assailant is considered guilty of negligence and may be killed by the blood avenger unless the assailant has fled to a city of refuge. However, if the assailant killed the victim by throwing something up at him, or by means of any other upward movement, this is considered unnatural, so the assailant is not con- sidered guilty of negligence, the victim’s close relatives may not avenge his blood, and the assailant does not have to flee.59  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  24-25 The congregation shall judge between the sue and, if there remains a majority against him, assailant and the blood avenger…the congrega- sentence him to death.58 tion shall protect the murderer: From the juxta- The reason for this is that the purpose of all pun- position of these two imperatives—to judge and to ishments—even the death penalty—is to achieve rescue—the sages derive the law that when a high atonement for the guilty person’s crime, cleansing court initially votes in a criminal case unanimously him of his sin and thereby allowing him to proceed to indict the accused, he is immediately acquitted. with his life. (When the punishment is not death, Only when there are some judges who initially vote his life continues in this life; when it is death, his in his favor can the court proceed to debate the is-

55. Exodus 21:12. 56. Ibid. 21:18. 57. Ibid. 21:20. 58. Rashi on v. 23. 59. 17a; Mishneh Torah, Sanhedrin 9:1.

216 Sixth (Seventh) Reading מסעי 25 וְהִּצִ֨ ילּוהָֽעֵדָ֜ האֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ֗חַ מִ ּיַד֘ ּגֹאֵ ֣להַּדָ ם֒ וְהֵׁשִ ֤יבּו  ONKELOS  25 וִישׁ ֵ יזְבוּן כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א יָת קָ טוֹלָ א אֹתֹו֙ הָֽעֵדָ֔ האֶל־עִ ֥יר מִקְ לָט֖ ֹואֲׁשֶר־נָ ֣ס ׁשָ ּ֑מָ ה וְיָ ׁ֣שַ בּבָ֗ ּה מִ יַּד גָּאֵ ל דְּמָ א וִיתִ יבוּן יָתֵהּ כְּ נִשׁ ְתָּ א לְקִרְ יַת שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתֵהּ דִּ י עֲרַ ק לְתַמָּ ן עַד־מֹות֙ הַּכֹהֵ ֣ן הַ ּגָדֹ֔ל אֲׁשֶר־מָׁשַ ֥ח אֹת֖ ֹוּבְׁשֶ ֥מֶ ןהַּקֽ ֹדֶ ׁש: וְיִתֵּ יב בַּהּ עַ ד דִּ ימוּת כַּהֲנָא רַבָּ א דִּ י רַבִּ י יָתֵהּ בִּמְשׁ ַ ח קֻדְשׁ ָ א: 26 וְאִ ם 26 וְאִ ם־יָצֹ֥א יֵצֵ֖אהָֽרֹצֵ ֑חַ אֶ ת־ּגְבּול֙ עִ ֣יר מִקְ לָט֔ ֹו אֲׁשֶ ֥ר מִפַּ ק יִפּ וֹק קָ טוֹלָ א יָת תְּ חוּם קִרְ יַת שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתֵהּ דִּ י עֲרַ ק לְתַמָּ ן: 27 וְיַשׁ ְ כַּ ח יָנּ֖וס ׁשָּֽמָ ה: 27 ּומָצָ ֤אאֹ תֹוּ֙גֹאֵ ֣ל ם הַּדָ֔ מִח֕ ּוץ לִגְב֖ ּול עִ ֣יר יָתֵהּ גָּאֵ ל דְּמָ א מִבָּרָ א לִתְ חוּם 28 קִרְ יַת שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתֵהּ וְיִקְ טוֹל גָּאֵ ל דְּמָ א מִקְ לָט֑ ֹווְרָ צַ֞ חּגֹאֵ ֤ל הַּדָ ם֙אֶת־הָ ֣רֹצֵ֔חַ אֵ ֥ין ל֖ ֹו ּדָֽ ם: ּכִ ֣י יָת קָ טוֹלָ א לֵ ית לֵהּ דְּמָ א: 28 אֲרֵ י בְעִ֤יר מִקְ לָטֹו֙ יֵׁשֵ֔ בעַד־מ֖ ֹות הַּכֹהֵ ֣ן הַ ּגָד֑ ֹל וְאַֽ חֲרֵ י־מֹות֙ בְקִרְ יַת שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתֵהּ יִתֵּ ב עַ ד דִּ ימוּת כַּהֲנָא רַבָּ א וּבָתַ ר דִּ ימוּת כַּהֲנָא הַּכֹהֵ ֣ןהַ ּגָדֹ֔ל יָׁשּוב֙ הָֽרֹצֵ֔חַ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶ ץאֲחֻּזָתֽ ֹו: 29 וְהָ יּ֨ו אֵ ּ֧לֶה רַבָּ א יְתוּב קָ טוֹלָ א לַאֲרַ ע אַ חֲסַנְתֵּהּ : 29 וִיהוֹן אִלֵּ ין לְ כוֹן לִ גְ זֵרַ ת דִּ ין לָכֶ֛ם לְחֻּקַ ֥ת מִׁשְּפָ֖ט לְ דֹרֽ ֹתֵיכֶ֑םּבְכֹ֖ל מֹֽוׁשְבֽ ֹתֵיכֶֽם: לְדָרֵ יכוֹן בְּ כֹל מוֹתְ בָ נֵיכוֹן:

 RASHI  25 עַ ד מוֹ ת הַכּ ֹהֵ ן הַ ּגָדֹל. שׁ ֶ הוּא בָ א לְהַשׁ ְ רוֹ ת שׁ ְ כִ ינָה בְּמַסֶּכֶ ת מַכּוֹ ת24 לִרְ אָ יַת דָּ בָ ר, לְלַמֵּ ד שׁ ֶאִ ם עַ ד שׁ ֶ ּלֹא בְּ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל וּלְהַאֲרִ ְיך יְמֵיהֶ ם, וְהָרוֹ צֵחַ בָּ א לְסַ ּלֵק אֶ ת נִגְמַ ר דִּ ינוֹ , מֵ ת הַכּ ֹהֵ ן הַ ּגָדוֹ ל וּמִ נּוּ אַ חֵ ר תַּחְתָּ יו, וּלְאַחַ ר הַשּׁ ְ כִ ינָה מִ ּיִשְׂרָ אֵ ל וּמְ קַ ֵּ צר אֶ ת יְמֵ י הַחַ ּיִים, אֵינוֹ כְדַ אי מִכָּ אן נִגְמַ ר דִּ ינוֹ — חוֹ זֵר בְּמִיתָתוֹ שׁ ֶ ל שׁ ֵ נִ י, שׁ ֶ נֶּאֱמַ ר: שׁ ֶ ּיְהֵ א לִפְ נֵי כּ ֹהֵ ן ּגָדוֹ ל. דָּ בָ ר אַ חֵ ר: לְפִ י שׁ ֶהָ יָה לוֹ לְ כֹהֵ ן "אֲשׁ ֶ ר מָשׁ ַ ח אוֹתוֹ ", וְכִ י הוּא מְשׁ ָחוֹ לְ כֹהֵ ן, אוֹ הַכּ ֹהֵ ן ּגָדוֹ ל לְהִתְפּ ַ ּלֵל שׁ ֶ ּלֹא תֶ אֱרַ ע תַּקָּ לָה זוֹ לְיִשְׂרָ אֵ ל בְּחַ ּיָיו: מָשׁ ַ ח אוֹתוֹ ? אֶ ּלָא לְהָבִ יא אֶ ת הַ נִּמְשׁ ָ ח בְּ יָמָ יו, שׁ ֶמַּ חֲזִירוֹ אֲשׁ ֶ ר מָשׁ ַ ח אֹתוֹ בְּשׁ ֶמֶ ן הַקּ ֹדֶשׁ . לְפִ י פְשׁ וּטוֹ מִ ן הַמִּקְרָ אוֹ ת בְּמִיתָתוֹ : 27 אֵ ין לוֹ דָּ ם. הֲרֵ י הוּא כְּהוֹרֵ ג אֶ ת הַמֵּ ת שׁ ֶאֵ ין הַקְּ צָרִ ים הוּא, שׁ ֶ ּלֹא פֵרַשׁ מִ י מְשׁ ָחוֹ , אֶ ּלָא כְּמוֹ : "אֲשׁ ֶ ר לוֹ דָּ ם: 29 בְּ כֹל מוֹשׁ ְ בֹתֵ יכֶ ם. לִמֵּ ד שׁ ֶתְּ הֵ א סַ נְהֶדְרִ ין קְטַ נָּה מְשׁ ָחוֹ הַמּ וֹשׁ ֵחַ אוֹתוֹ בְּשׁ ֶמֶ ן הַקּ ֹדֶשׁ ". וְרַ בּוֹתֵ ינוּ דְרָשׁ וּהוּ נוֹהֶ גֶת בְּ חוּצָה לָאָרֶ ץ כָּל זְמַן שׁ ֶ נּוֹהֶ גֶת בְּאֶרֶ ץ יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל:

24. יא, ב.  CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  our job is to see the good in everyone, to draw out ness and purity to which anyone can aspire. that good, and to thereby help the person out of his Yet the Torah says here that the inadvertent killer present depravity and back onto the path of good- is linked specifically to the high priest: he must re- 62 ness and life. main in exile as long as the high priest is alive, and He shall remain there until the high priest…dies: the high priest must make it his business to pray On the ladder of morality, the inadvertent killer that no one in his nation become an inadvertent kill- is on the lowest rung. True, he is not a deliberate er. We see here that the Torah has effectively adopt- criminal, but even so, his hands are stained with the ed the attitude of the first high priest, Aaron—who blood of another human being. The only criminal loved all creatures and drew them to the Torah— than can be considered lower than him is the de- and institutionalized it as a integral aspect of the liberate murderer. But since the murderer is liable high priesthood. to the death penalty, he is considered dead already This fact teaches us a great lesson in brotherly love and thus not counted. This leaves the inadvertent and Jewish unity: no matter what heights we have killer as the lowest element of society, his unique reached on the ladder of spiritual or social status, status attested to by the fact that of all those guilty we must remain concerned with all elements of of transgressing the Torah’s prohibitions, only he society, even the lowest. And even if we think we suffers the punishment of forced exile. exist on the lower echelons of humanity, we must In contrast, the high priest is the most exalted per- remember that we are still connected with those on sonality in the nation, the highest example of holi- the highest echelons, for we are all one people.63

62. Likutei Sichot, vol. 29, pp. 113-121. 63. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, pp. 211-212.

217 Numbers 35:25-29 Masei

25 If the assailant must be removed from the city of refuge in order to stand trial, the congregation shall protect the murderer from the hand of the blood avenger, and—if he is judged guilty of unintentional murder by negligence—the congrega- tion shall return him safely to the city of refuge to which he had fled. He shall remain there even after the victim’s close relatives have calmed down and no lon- ger seek to avenge his blood. For even then, the victim’s close relatives are required to kill the assailant if he leaves the city of refuge. This obligation devolves upon them until the high priest, who was anointed with the sacred oil, dies. There are two reasons why the obligation ceases with the death of the high priest: First, the high priest, by serving in the Temple—particularly by performing the Yom Kippur rites that atone for the people’s sins—enables God’s presence to dwell among the people and lengthens their lives. In contrast, a murderer, by killing a person, ban- ishes God’s presence from the world and shortens lives. It is therefore not fitting that the murderer should be free as long as the high priest who was in office when the crime was committed is alive. Secondly, we have seen that the death of the righteous atones for the sins of their generation.60 In this case, the death of the high priest (presumably a righteous person) will atone for the assailant’s inadvertent sin. It is specifically the high priest’s death that atones for this sin (rather than that of any other righteous person) because he had the power to pray on Yom Kippur that such a misfortune not occur; since in fact it did occur, he is held partly respon- sible.61 Nonetheless, if the high priest who was alive when the incident occurred died while the assailant was standing trial, and a new high priest was appointed before the trial was concluded, the murderer goes free only when the second high priest dies. 26 But if the murderer goes beyond the border of the city of refuge to which he had fled, 27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, the blood avenger must slay the murderer, for it is as if he is dead already and has no blood. 28 Rather, the unintentional murderer must remain in his city of refuge until the high priest dies, and only after the high priest has died may the murderer return to the land which is his estate. 29 These laws shall be a statute of justice for you, for all your generations, in all your dwelling places, even outside the Land of Israel: a minor court (of 23 judges) may try capital cases as long as the Sanhedrin (of 71 judges) is functioning in the Land of Israel.

 CHASIDIC INSIGHTS  From this law we therefore see how insistent the and unanimously agrees that a person is absolutely Torah is that there is an inner, indestructible good- culpable, the Torah says that this is impossible. No ness within every person: even when the highest, one is wholly bad, and if we cannot see this truth most distinguished court of the land immediately it is because our vision is faulty. On the contrary,

60. Above, before 19:1. 61. Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, pp. 206-211.

217 Seventh Reading מסעי 30 ּכָ֨ל־מַּכֵ ה־נֶ֔פֶ ׁש לְפִ ֣י עֵדִ ֔ ים יִרְ צַ֖ח אֶת־הָֽרֹצֵ ֑חַ וְעֵ ֣ד אֶחָ֔ ד  ONKELOS  30 כָּ ל דְּ יִקְ טוֹל נַפְשׁ ָ א לְ פוּם סַהֲדִ ין ֹלא־יַֽעֲנֶ ֥ה בְ נֶ֖פֶ ׁש לָמֽ ּות: 31 וְֹלֽא־תִקְח֥ ּו כֹ֨פֶ ר֙לְנֶ ֣פֶ ׁש רֹצֵ֔חַ יִקְ טוֹל יָת קָ טוֹלָ א וְסָהִ יד חַ ד לָ א יַסְהֵ ד בֶּאֱ נָשׁ לְמִקְטָ ל: 31 וְלָ א אֲׁשֶר־ה֥ ּוארָ ׁשָ֖ ע לָמ֑ ּותּכִי־מ֖ ֹות יּומָֽ ת: 32 וְֹלֽא־תִקְח֣ ּו תְ קַבְּ לוּן מָ מוֹן עַ ל אֱ נַשׁ קָ טוֹל דִּ י הוּא חַ יָּב לִמְמָ ת אֲרֵ י אִתְקְטָלָ א כֹ֔פֶר לָנּ֖וס אֶל־עִ ֣יר מִקְ לָט֑ ֹולָׁשּוב֙ לָׁשֶ ת֣בֶ ּבָאָ֔רֶ ץ עַ ד־ יִתְקְטֵ ל: 32 וְלָ א תְ קַבְּ לוּן מָ מוֹן מ֖ ֹות הַּכֹהֵֽ ן: 33 וְֹלא־תַֽ חֲנִ ֣יפּו ץ אֶת־הָאָ֗רֶ אֲׁשֶ ֤ראַּתֶ ם֙ ּבָ֔ ּה לְמֶ עֱרַ ק לְקִרְ יַת שׁ ֵ יזָבוּתֵהּ לִמְ תוּב לְמִתַּ ב בְּאַרְעָ א עַ ד דִּ ימוּת כַּהֲנָא: ּכִ֣י םהַּדָ֔ ה֥ ּואיַֽחֲנִ֖יף אֶת־הָאָ ֑רֶ ץ וְלָאָ ֣רֶ ץ ֹלֽ רא־יְכֻּפַ֗ לַּדָ ם֙ 33 וְלָ א תְ חַ יְּבוּן יָת אַרְעָ א דִּ י אַתּ וּן בַּהּ אֲרֵ י דְמָ א הוּא מְ חַ יֵּב יָת אַרְעָ א אֲׁשֶ֣ר ׁשֻּפְַך־ּבָ֔ ּה ּכִי־אִ֖ םּבְדַ ם ֥ ׁשֽ ֹפְכֽ ֹו: 34 אוְֹל֧ תְ טַּמֵ ֣א אֶ ת־ וּלְאַרְעָ א לָ א מִתְכַּפַּ ר עַ ל דַּ ם זַכַּ אי דְּאִתָּשׁ ַ ד בַּהּ אֱלָהֵ ין בְּדַ ם אָשׁ ְ דֵהּ : הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲׁשֶ ֤ראַּתֶ ם֙ יֽׁשְבִ ֣ים ּבָ֔ ּה אֲׁשֶ ֥ר אֲנִ֖י ׁשֹכֵ ֣ןּבְתֹוכָ ּ֑ה ִ֚ ּכי 34 וְלָ א תְ סָאֲבוּן יָת אַרְעָ א דִּ י אַתּ וּן יָתְבִ ין בַּהּ דִּ י שׁ ְ כִ ינְתִּ י שׁ ָרְ יָא אֲנִ֣י יְהוָֹ ֔ה ׁשֹכֵ֕ןּבְתֹ֖וְך ּבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: פ בְ גַוַּהּ אֲרֵ י אֲ נָא יְיָ דִּשׁ ְ כִ ינְתִּ י שׁ ָרְ יָא  שביעי 36:1 וַּֽיִקְרְ ב֞ ּורָ אׁשֵ ֣י הָֽאָב֗ ֹות לְמִׁשְּפַ ֤חַ ת ּבְ נֵֽי־ בְּ גוֹ בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל: 36:1 וּקְרִ יבוּ רֵישׁ ֵ י אֲבָהָתָ א לְ זַרְעִ ית בְּ נֵי גִלְעָ ד בַּר מָכִ יר גִלְעָד֙ ּבֶן־מָכִ ֣יר ּבֶן־מְ נַּׁשֶ֔ ה מִּֽמִׁשְּפְחֹ֖תּבְ נֵ ֣י יֹוסֵ ֑ף וַֽיְדַ ּבְר֞ ּו בַּ ר מְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה מִ זַּרְ עֲ יַת בְּ נֵי יוֹסֵ ף וּמַלִּ ילוּ קֳדָ ם מֹשׁ ֶ ה וּקְדָ ם רַבְרְבַ יָּא רֵישׁ ֵ י לִפְנֵ ֤י מׁשֶ ה֙ וְלִפְ נֵ ֣יהַּנְׂשִאִ֔ ים רָ אׁשֵ ֥י אָב֖ ֹות לִבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: אֲבָהָתָ א לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל: 2 וַאֲמָ רוּ יָת רִבּ וֹנִ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ לְמִתַּ ן יָת אַרְעָ א 2 וַּיֹֽאמְר֗ ּו אֶ ת־אֲדֹנִי֙צִ ּוָ ֣ה יְהוָֹ ֔ה תלָתֵ֨ אֶת־הָאָ ץ֧רֶ ּבְ נַֽחֲלָ ֛ה בְּאַ חֲסָ נָא בְּעַדְבָ א לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל ּבְגֹורָ֖ ללִבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָאֵ ֑ל וַֽאדֹנִי֙ צֻּוָ ֣ה בַֽ יהוָֹ ֔ה לָתֵ֗ ת אֶֽת־נַֽחֲלַ ֛ת וְרִבּ וֹנִ י אִתְפַּקַּ ד בְּמֵימְ רָ א דַ ייָ לְמִתַּ ן יָת אַ חֲסָ נַת צְ לָפְחָ ד אֲחוּנָא לִבְ נָתֵהּ : צְ ֥דלָפְחָ אָחִ֖ ינּו לִבְ נֹתָֽ יו: 3 ֠וְהָ יּ֠ו דלְאֶחָ֞ מִּבְ נֵ֨י ׁשִבְטֵ ֥י בְ נֵֽי־ 3 וְיֶהֶ וְיַן לְחַ ד מִבְּ נֵי שׁ ִ בְטַ יָּא דִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל לִ נְשׁ ִ ין וְתִתְמְ נַע אַ חֲסַנְתְּ הֵ ן יִׂשְרָ אֵל֘ לְ נָׁשִ ים֒ וְנִגְרְ עָ ֤הנַֽחֲלָתָ ן֙מִ ּנַֽחֲלַ ֣ת אֲבֹתֵ֔ ינּו וְנֹוסַ֕ ף ֚עַ ל מֵאַ חֲסָ נַת אֲבָהָתָ נָא וְתִתּ וֹסַ ף עַ ל אַ חֲסָ נַת שׁ ִ בְטָ א דִּ י יֶהֶ וְיַן לְ הוֹן נַֽחֲלַ֣ת הַּמַּטֶ֔ ה ֥ראֲׁשֶ ּתִֽהְ יֶ֖ינָהלָהֶ ֑םּומִ ּגֹרַ ֥ל נַֽחֲלָתֵ֖נּו יִּגָרֵֽ עַ : וּמֵ עֲדַב אַ חֲסַנְתָּ נָא יִתְמְ נָע:

 RASHI  30 כָּ ל מַ כֵּ ה נֶפֶשׁ וְגוֹ '. הַבָּ א לְהָרְ גוֹ עַ ל שׁ ֶהִכָּ ה אֶ ת הַ נֶּפֶשׁ : "לָנוּס" עַ ל מִ ן שׁ ֶ נָּס כְּבָ ר. וְקוֹרֵ הוּ "נוּס", כְּלוֹמַ ר מֻבְרָ ח. לְפִ י עֵדִ ים יִרְ צַ ח. שׁ ֶ ּיָעִ ידוּ שׁ ֶבְּמֵ זִ יד וּבְהַתְרָ אָ ה הֲרָ גוֹ : וְאִ ם תּ ֹאמַ ר "לָנוּס" — לִבְ רֹחַ , וּתְ פָרְשׁ ֵ הוּ: לֹא תִקְ חוּ כֹפֶ ר 31 וְ לֹא תִקְ חוּ כֹפֶ ר. לֹא יִפּ ָטֵ ר בְּמָמוֹ ן: 32 וְ לֹא תִקְ חוּ לְמִי שׁ ֶ ּיֶשׁ לוֹ לִבְ רֹחַ, לְפָטְ רוֹ מִ ן הַ ּגָלוּת, לֹא יָדַ עְתִּ י הֵיאַ ְך כֹפֶ ר לָנוּס אֶ ל עִ יר מִקְ לָטוֹ . לְמִ י שׁ ֶ נָּס אֶ ל עִ יר מִקְ לָטוֹ , יֹאמַ ר: "לָשׁ וּב לָשׁ ֶבֶ ת בָּאָרֶ ץ"; הֲרֵ י עֲדַ יִן לֹא נָס, וּמֵהֵיכָ ן שׁ ֶהָרַ ג בְּשׁ וֹ גֵג, אֵינוֹ נִפְטָ ר מִ ּגָלוּת בְּמָמוֹ ן לִתֵּ ן כּ ֹפֶ ר לָשׁ וּב יָשׁ וּב?: 33 וְ לֹא תַ חֲנִ יפוּ. וְ לֹא תַרְשׁ ִ יעוּ, כְּתַרְ ּגוּמוֹ : "וְ לָא לָשׁ ֶבֶ ת בָּאָרֶ ץ בְּטֶרֶ ם יָמוּת הַכּ ֹהֵ ן: לָנוּס. כְּמוֹ לְ נָס, כְּמוֹ : תְ חַ ּיְבוּן": 34 אֲשׁ ֶ ר אֲנִ י שׁ ֹכֵ ן בְּתוֹכָהּ . שׁ ֶ ּלֹא תַשׁ ְכִּ ינוּ אוֹתִ י "שׁ וּבֵ י מִ לְחָמָ ה"25 — שׁ ֶשּׁ ָ בוּ מִ ן הַמִּ לְחָמָ ה. וְכֵ ן "נוּגֵי בְּטֻמְאָתָהּ : כִּ י אֲנִ י ה' שׁ ֹכֵ ן בְּתוֹ ְך בְּ נֵי יִשְׂרָ אֵ ל. אַ ף בִּ זְמַ ן מִ מּ ֹ ו ֵ ע ד "26, וְכֵ ן "כִּ י מֻלִ ים הָ יוּ"27. כַּאֲשׁ ֶ ר תּ ֹאמַ ר "שׁ וּב" שׁ ֶהֵ ם טְמֵאִ ים, שׁ ְ כִ ינָה שׁ ְ רוּיָה בֵ ינֵיהֶ ם: 3 וְנוֹסַ ף עַ ל נַחֲלַת עַ ל מִ י שׁ ֶשּׁ ָ ב כְּבָ ר, וּ"מוּל" עַ ל מִ י שׁ ֶמָּ ל כְּבָ ר, כֵּ ן תּ ֹאמַ ר הַ מַּ ּ ֶ טה . שׁ ֶ הֲרֵ י בְּ נָהּ יוֹרְשׁ ָהּ, וְהַבֵּן מִתְ יַחֵס עַל שׁ ֵבֶט אָבִ יו:

25. מיכה ב, ח. 26. צפניה ג, יח. 27. יהושע ה, ה.

218 Numbers 35:30-36:3 Masei

30 Although the victim’s close relatives are allowed (and required) to kill the mur- derer if he leaves the city of refuge, and no further trial is necessary, this is not the case with an intentional murder: Whoever, as a blood avenger, wants to kill a person for having intentionally killed his close relative, shall be allowed to slay the murderer only on the testimony of at least two witnesses that the accused was warned and acted intentionally. A single witness may not testify against a person so that he should die. 31 You shall not accept monetary ransom for the life of a murderer who has killed inadvertently and is guilty of death if found outside the city of refuge by the blood avenger, for he must be put to death. 32 Similarly, you shall not accept ransom for one who has killed inadvertently and fled to his city of refuge, to allow him to return to livefreely in the land be- fore the high priest has died. 33 You must not, by trying to circumvent these laws, corrupt the land in which you live, for the blood of the murdered corrupts the land, and the blood that is shed in the land through murder cannot be atoned for except through the blood of the one who shed it or the death of the high priest, as stated previously. 34 You must not defile the land where you reside, in which I dwell, for this will cause Me to dwell in defilement, inasmuch as I am God, who continues to dwell among the Israelites even if they are defiled.” The Laws of Inheritance, continued  Seventh Reading 36:1 The paternal heads of the family of the sons of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasseh, one of the families of the sons of Joseph, approached and spoke before Moses and before the princes, the paternal heads of the Israelites, when they were all assembled for study. They asked Moses about the law and addressed the princes as litigants.64 2 They said through one of them who spoke for them all, “God commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance through lot to the Israelites, and my lord was commanded by God to give the inheritance of Tzelofechad our brother to his daughters.65 3 Now, if they marry a member of another tribe of the Israelites, their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, for their sons will inherit them, and they will be part of their fathers’ tribes. Thus, their inheritance will be taken away from the lot of our inheritance.

64. Likutei Sichot, vol. 23, p. 182, note 7. 65. Above, 27:7.

218 Seventh Reading מסעי 4 וְאִ ם־יִֽהְ יֶ֣ההַּיֹבֵל֘ לִבְ נֵ ֣י יִׂשְרָ אֵל֒ וְנֹֽוסְפָ ה֙ נַֽחֲלָתָ֔ ן ֚עַ ל  ONKELOS  4 וְאִ ם יְהֵ י יוֹבֵלָ א לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל נַֽחֲלַ֣ת הַּמַּטֶ֔ ה ֥ראֲׁשֶ ּתִֽהְ יֶ֖ינָהלָהֶ ֑םּומִֽ ּנַֽחֲלַת֙מַּטֵ ֣ה אֲבֹתֵ֔ינּו וְתִתּ וֹסַ ף אַ חֲסַנְתְּ הֵ ן עַ ל אַ חֲסָ נַת שׁ ִ בְטָ א דִּ י יֶהֶ וְיַן לְ הוֹן וּמֵאַ חֲסָ נַת יִּגָרַ֖ ע נַֽחֲלָתָֽ ן: 5 וַיְצַ ֤ו מׁשֶ ה֙ אֶת־ּבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָ לאֵ֔ ֥יעַל־ּפִ יְהוָֹ֖ה שׁ ִ בְטָ א דַאֲבָהָתָ נָא יִתְמְ נַע אַ חֲסַנְתְּ הֵ ן: 5 וּפַקֵּ יד מֹשׁ ֶ ה יָת בְּ נֵי רלֵאמֹ֑ ּכֵ ֛ןמַּטֵ ֥ה בְ נֵֽי־יֹוסֵ֖ף ּדֽ ֹבְרִֽ ים: 6 זֶ ֣ההַּדָ רבָ֞ אֲׁשֶ ר־ יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל עַ ל מֵימְ רָ א דַ ייָ לְמֵימָ ר צִּוָ֣ה יְהוָֹ ֗הלִבְ נֹ֤ותצְ לָפְחָ ד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ ר לַּט֥ ֹוב ּבְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם ּתִהְ יֶ֣ינָה יָאוּת שׁ ִ בְטָ א דִבְ נֵי יוֹסֵ ף מְמַלְּלִ ין: 6 דֵּ ין פִּתְ גָּמָ א דִּ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ לִבְ נַת לְנָׁשִ ֑ים ְךאַ֗ לְמִׁשְּפַ ת֛חַ מַּטֵ ֥ה אֲבִיהֶ֖םּתִהְ יֶ֥ינָה לְ נָׁשִֽ ים: צְ לָפְחָ ד לְמֵימַ ר לִדְתַקִּ ין בְּעֵ ינֵיהֵ ן יְהֶ וְיַן לִ נְשׁ ִ ין בְּרַ ם לְ זַרְעִ ית שׁ ִ בְטָ א 7 וְֹלֽא־תִ ּסֹ֤ב נַֽחֲלָה֙לִבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָ לאֵ֔ ה מִּמַּטֶ֖ ֑האֶל־מַּטֶ ּכִ ֣י דַאֲבוּהֵ ן יְהֶ וְיַן לִ נְשׁ ִ ין: 7 וְלָ א תַסְחַ ר אַ חֲסָ נָא לִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל מִשּׁ ִ בְטָ א אִ֗יׁש ּבְ נַֽחֲלַת֙מַּטֵ ֣ה אֲבֹתָ֔ יויִדְ ּבְק֖ ּוּבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: 8 וְכָ ל־ לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א אֲרֵ י גְבַ ר בְּאַ חֲסָ נַת שׁ ִ בְטָ א ּבַ֞תיֹרֶ ׁ֣שֶ ת נַֽחֲלָ֗ ה מִּמַּטֹות֘ ּבְ נֵ ֣י יִׂשְרָ אֵל֒ לְאֶחָ֗ דמִּמִׁשְּפַ ֛חַ ת דַאֲבָהָ תוֹהִ י יִדְבְּ קוּן בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל: 8 וְכָ ל בְּרַתָּ א יָרְתַ ת אַ חֲסָ נָא מַּטֵ֥ה אָבִ֖יהָ ּתִהְ יֶ֣הלְאִּׁשָ ֑הלְמַ֗ עַ ןיִֽירְ ׁשּו֙ ּבְ נֵ ֣י יִׂשְרָ לאֵ֔ אִ֖ יׁש מִשּׁ ִ בְטַ יָּא דִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל לְחַ ד מִ זַּרְעִ ית שׁ ִ בְטָ א דַאֲבוּהָ א תְּ הֵ י נַֽחֲלַ ֥ת אֲבֹתָֽ יו: 9 וְֹלֽא־תִ ּסֹ֧בנַֽחֲלָ ֛המִּמַּטֶ֖ ה לְמַּטֵ ֣ה אַחֵ ֑ר לְאִ נְתּ וּ בְּדִ יל דְּ יֵירְ תוּן בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל גְּבַ ר אַ חֲסָ נַת אֲבָהָ תוֹהִ י: 9 וְלָ א ּכִי־אִיׁש֙ ּבְ נַ ֣חֲלָת֔ ֹויִדְ ּבְק֕ ּומַּט֖ ֹות ּבְ נֵ ֥י יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: 10 ּכַֽאֲׁשֶ ֛ר תַסְחַ ר אַ חֲסָ נָא מִשּׁ ִ בְטָ א לְשׁ ִ בְטָ א אָ חֳרָ נָא אֲרֵ י גְבַ ר בְּאַ חֲסַנְתֵּהּ צִּוָ֥ה יְהוָֹ֖ה אֶ ת־מֹׁשֶ ֑הּכֵ֥ן עָׂשּ֖וּבְ נֹ֥ות צְ לָפְחָֽ ד: יִדְבְּ קוּן שׁ ִ בְטַ יָּא דִבְ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל:  מפטיר 11 וַּתִֽהְ יֶ֜ינָהמַחְ לָ ֣ה תִרְ הצָ֗ וְחָ גְלָ ֧ה ּומִלְּכָ ֛ה וְנֹעָ֖ה 10 כְּמָ א דִ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ יָת מֹשׁ ֶ ה כֵּ ן עֲבָדוּ בְּ נַת צְ לָפְחָ ד: 11 וַהֲ וָאָ ה ּבְ נֹ֣ות צְ ֑דלָפְחָ לִבְ נֵ ֥י דֽ ֹדֵ יהֶ֖ן לְ נָׁשִֽ ים: 12 מִּֽמִׁשְּפְחֹ֛ת ּבְ נֵֽי־ מַחְ לָ ה תִרְצָ ה וְחָגְלָ ה וּמִלְכָּ ה וְנֹעָ ה בְּ נַת צְ לָפְחָ ד לִבְ נֵי אֲחֵ י אֲבוּהֵ ן מְנַּׁשֶ ֥הבֶ ן־יֹוסֵ֖ף הָ יּ֣ולְ נָׁשִ ֑ים וַּתְהִ י֙ ן נַֽחֲלָתָ֔ עַל־מַּטֵ֖ ה לִ נְשׁ ִ ין: 12 מִ זַּרְ עֲ יַת בְּ נֵי מְ נַשּׁ ֶ ה בַ ר יוֹסֵ ף הֲ וָאָ ה לִ נְשׁ ִ ין וַהֲ וַת אַחְ סַנְתְּ הֵ ן מִׁשְּפַ ֥חַ ת אֲבִיהֶֽ ן: 13 אֵ ּ֣לֶה הַּמִצְ וֹ֞ת יםוְהַּמִׁשְּפָטִ֗ אֲׁשֶ֨ ר עַ ל שׁ ֵ בַ ט זַרְעִ ית אֲבוּהֵ ן: 13 אִלֵּ ין צִּוָ֧ה יְהוָֹ ֛ה ּבְ יַד־מֹׁשֶ֖האֶל־ּבְ נֵ ֣ייִׂשְרָאֵ ֑ל ּבְעַֽרְ בֹ֣ ת מֹואָ֔ ב עַ֖ל פִּקּ וֹדַ יָּא וְדִ ינַיָּא דִּ י פַקֵּ יד יְיָ בִּידָ א דְ מֹשׁ ֶ ה לְ וַת בְּ נֵי יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל בְּמֵישׁ ְ רַ יָּא יַרְ ֥ןּדֵ יְרֵחֽ ֹו: דְ מוֹאָב עַ ל יַרְדְּ נָא דִ ירֵ חוֹ:

קל"ב פסוקים. מחל"ה חול"ה סימן. סכום פסוקי דספר במדבר א'רפ"ח. אפר"ח סימן. וחציו והי"ה האי"ש אש"ר אבח"ר ב"ו מטה"ו יפר"ח. ופרשיותיו י'. ה' בד"ד ינחנו סימן. וסדריו ל"ב. ל"ב טהור ברא לי אלהים סימן. ופרקיו ל"ו. ל"ו חכמו ישכילו זאת סימן. מנין הפתוחות צ"ב והסתומות ס"ו. סך הכל קנ"ח פרשיות. אני חלק"ך ונחלתך סימן.

 RASHI  4 וְאִ ם יִהְ יֶה הַ יֹּבֵ ל. מִכָּ אן הָ יָה רַ בִּ י יְהוּדָ ה אוֹמֵ ר28: עָתִ יד שׁ ֶ ּלֹא הָ יָה בֵּ ן לְאָבִיהָ : 11 מַחְ לָה תִרְ צָ ה וְגוֹ '. כָּ אן מְ נָאָ ן הַ ּיוֹבֵ ל שׁ ֶ ּיִפְ סֹק: וְאִ ם יִהְ יֶה הַ יֹּבֵ ל. כְּלוֹמַ ר, אֵ ין זוֹ מְ כִירָ ה לְפִ י גְדֻ ּלָתָ ן זוֹ מִ ּזוֹ בְּשׁ ָ נִ ים, וְנִשּ ְׂ אוּ כְּסֵדֶ ר תּ וֹלְדוֹתָ ן. וּבְ כָ ל שׁ ֶחוֹ זֶרֶ ת בַּ ּיוֹבֵ ל, שׁ ֶהַ יְרֻשּׁ ָ ה אֵ ינָהּ חוֹ זֶרֶ ת, וַאֲפִ ּלוּ אִ ם יִהְ יֶה הַמִּקְרָ א מְ נָאָ ן לְפִי חָכְמָתָ ן. וּמַ ּגִיד, שׁ ֶשּׁ ְ קוּלוֹת זוֹ כְזוֹ : הַ ּיוֹבֵ ל, לֹא תַּ חֲזֹר הַ נַּחֲלָה לְשׁ ִבְטוֹ , וְנִמְ צָ א שׁ ֶ נּוֹסְ פָ ה עַ ל חסלת פרשת מסעי נַחֲלַת הַמַּטֶּ ה אֲשׁ ֶ ר תִּהְ יֶינָה לָהֶ ם: 8 וְכָ ל בַּ ת יֹרֶשׁ ֶ ת נַחֲלָה.

28. תורת כהנים ויקרא ג, א.

219 Numbers 36:4-13 Masei

4 Even if the Israelites will observe a year after they die66—in which land returns to its original owner—their inheritance will still remain in their sons’ pos- session and be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, for only sold land returns to its original owner in the Jubilee year, not inherited land. And in any case, the Jubilee is observed only when the majority of the Jewish people are living in the Land of Israel,67 and this may not always be the case. Thus, their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers’ tribe.” 5 Moses commanded the Israelites according to the word of God, saying, “The ’s descendants speak justly. 6 This is the word that God has commanded regarding Tzelofechad’s daughters: Let them marry whomever they please, but they shall marry only someone from the family of their father’s tribe. 7 Thus, the inheritance of the Israelites will not be transferred from tribe to tribe, for each person from the Israelites will remain attached to the inheritance of his fathers’ tribe. (The only exception to this is the fact that Joshua and Caleb’s children were given the land inheritances of the other spies’ children.68) 8 Every daughter from the tribes of the Israelites who inherits property because her father had no sons must marry a member of a family of her father’s tribe, so every Israelite shall inherit the property of his forefathers 9 and no inheritance will be transferred from one tribe to another tribe, for each person of the tribes of the Israelites shall remain attached to his own inheri- tance.” 10 Tzelofechad’s daughters did as God had commanded Moses.  Maftir 11 Machlah, Tirtzah, Choglah, Milkah, and —in this order, the order of their birth—married their cousins. 12 They married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained with the tribe of their father’s family.69 13 These are the commandments and the ordinances that God commanded the Israelites through Moses in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan, opposite Jericho.

The Haftarah for the Second Sabbath of the Three Weeks may be found on p. 256.

66. Leviticus 25:8-13. 67. Mishneh Torah, Shemitah v’Yovel 10:8, from Leviticus 25:10. 68. See above, 14:38 and on 26:55. Likutei Si- chot, vol. 8, p. 175, note 28. 69. Their husbands were apparently not from the clans of Machir or Gilead, who received inheritances on the east side of the Jordan. See above, on 32:33, Joshua 17:4, and Likutei Sichot, vol. 33, p. 189, note 45.

219

Matot-Masei Haftarah for the Second Sabbath of the Three Weeks

When the Sabbath of parashat Pinchas falls before the 17th of Tamuz, the following haftarah is read after the combinedparashiot of Matot and Masei. When the Sabbath of parashat Pinchas falls after the 17th of Tamuz, the following haftarah is read after parashat Masei. 2:4-28; 4:1-2

This is the second haftarah of prophetic chastisement for the sins that brought about the destruction of the Temple and delay is restoration (see introduction to he haftarah for the First Sabbath of the Three Weeks). 2:4 ׁשִמְ עּ֥ודְ בַ ר־יְהוָֹ֖ה ּבֵ ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֑ ב וְכָֽל־ -God tells Jeremiah to prophesy as fol 2:4 lows to the inhabitants of : “Hear- מִׁשְּפְח֖ ֹות ּבֵ ֥ית יִׂשְרָאֵֽ ל: 5 ּכֹ֣ ה | ֣ראָמַ יְהוָֹ ֗ה ,ken to the word of God, O house of Jacob מַה־ּמָֽצְ אּו֙ אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ ֥םּבִ י֙ עָ֔ וֶל ֥יּכִ רָֽ חֲק֖ ּו -and all the families of the house of Isra el. 5 So says God: ‘What wrong did your ֑ימֵֽעָלָ וַּיֵֽלְכ֛ ּו אַֽ חֲרֵ ֥יהַהֶ֖בֶ ל וַּיֶהְּבָֽ לּו: 6 וְֹל֣ א forefathers find in Me, that they distanced ּואָֽמְר֔ אַ ּיֵ ֣ה יְהוָֹ ֔ה הַּמַֽ עֲלֶ ֥ה אֹתָ֖ נּו מֵאֶ ֣רֶ ץ themselves from Me, and they went after futility and themselves became futile? מִצְרָ ֑יִם הַּמֹולִ֨ יְך אֹתָ֜ נּוּבַּמִדְ רּבָ֗ ּבְאֶ֨רֶ ץ ,They did not say, as they should have 6 עֲרָבָ ֤ה וְׁשּוחָ הּ֙בְאֶ֨רֶ ץ֙ צִ ּיָ ֣ה וְצַלְמָ֔ וֶת ּבְאֶ֗רֶ ץ Where is God, who brought us up from“ ֹלא־עָ ֤בַ ר ּבָ ּה֙ אִ֔ יׁש וְֹלֽ ֥בא־יָׁשַ אָדָ֖ ם ׁשָֽ ם: -the Land of Egypt, who led us in the des ert, in a land of plains and pits, in a land 7 וָֽאָבִ ֤יא אֶתְ כֶם֙אֶל־אֶ ץ֣רֶ הַּכַרְ מֶ֔ ל לֶֽאֱכֹ֥ ל of waste and darkness, in a land where no ּפִרְ יָּ֖הוְטּובָ ּ֑ה וַּתָבֹ֨אּו֙ וַּתְ טַּמְא֣ ּו אֶת־אַרְ צִ֔ י man had passed and where no man had dwelt?” 7 I brought you to a forested land, ֥ וְנַֽחֲלָתִ יׂשַמְּתֶ֖ ם לְתֽ ֹועֵבָֽ ה: 8 הַּכֹֽהֲנִ֗ים ֹל֤ א to eat of its produce and its goodness, but אָֽמְ רּו֙ אַ ּיֵ ֣היְהוָֹ ֔ה וְתֽ ֹפְׂשֵ ֤יהַּתֹורָ הֹ֙ל֣ א you came and contaminated My land, and made My heritage an abomination. 8 The יְדָ עּ֔ונִיוְהָֽרֹעִ֖ יםּפָ ׁ֣שְ עּו בִ ֑ י וְהַּנְבִיאִ ים֙ נִּבְא֣ ּו priests did not say, “Where is God?” The בַּבַ֔ עַ לוְאַֽ חֲרֵ ֥יֹלֽ א־יֹועִ֖ לּו הָלָֽכּו: 9 לָכֵ֗ ן עֹ֛ד Sanhedrin, who hold onto the Torah, did ֥ אָרִ יב אִּתְ כֶ֖ם נְאֻֽם־יְהוָֹ ֑ה וְאֶת־ּבְ נֵ ֥י בְ נֵיכֶ֖ם -not know Me. The rulers, the kings, re belled against Me. The proph- אָרִֽ יב: 10 ּכִ֣י עִבְר֞ ּו אִ ּיֵ ֤י כִּתִ ּיִים֙ ּורְ א֔ ּו וְקֵדָ ֛ר esied in the name of and followed ׁשִלְח֥ ּו וְהִתְּבֽ ֹונְנּ֖ו ד מְאֹ֑ ּורְ א֕ ּו הֵ ֥ן הָֽיְתָ֖ ה ,that which does not avail. 9 Therefore before I punish you, I will still argue with ּכָזֹֽאת: 11 הַֽהֵ ימִ ֥יר ּגֹוי֙ יםאֱֹלהִ֔ הוְהֵּ֖מָ ֹל֣ א you, says God, and I will argue with your אֱֹלהִ֑ יםוְעַּמִ ֛י הֵמִ ֥ירּכְבֹוד֖ ֹו ּבְ ל֥ ֹוא יֹועִֽ יל: children’s children, as follows. 10 Pass through to the isles of the Kittites and see, and send to Kedar and contemplate intensely, and see whether there ever was such a thing, 11 whether a nation exchanged a god, although they are not real gods. Yet My na- tion exchanged their glory for an idol that does not avail them. The Kittites and Kedarites are wandering tent dwellers and cattle herders, who carry their idols with them, whereas I carried you from Egypt to the Promised Land. Moreover, the Kitties worship water and the Kedarites worship fire, yet, even though they know that water puts out fire and fire evapo- rates water, they remain loyal to their gods. Yet I am omnipotent, but you still forsook Me.

256 Haftarah for THE SECOND SABBATH OF THE THREE WEEKS

12 ׁשֹּ֥מּו ׁשָמַ֖יִם עַ ל־זֹ֑אתוְׂשַֽ עֲר֛ ּו חָרְ ב֥ ּו ;O heavens, be astonished about this 12 storm over this and become very desolate מְאֹ֖ד נְאֻֽם־יְהוָֹֽה: 13 ּכִֽי־ׁשְּתַ ֥יִםרָ עֹ֖ות עָׂשָ ֣ה -over the impending destruction of the Tem עַּמִ י ֑ י אֹתִ֨ עָֽזְב֜ ּו מְק֣ ֹור | מַ ֣יִם חַ ּיִ֗ים לַחְ צֹ֤ב -ple, says God. 13 For My people have com mitted two evils: first, they have forsaken לָהֶם֙ ּבֹאר֔ ֹות ּבֹארֹת֙ נִׁשְּבָרִ ים֔ אֲׁשֶ ֥ר Me. Had they exchanged Me for a deity ֹלֽ א־יָכִ֖ לּו הַּמָֽיִם: 14 הַעֶ֨בֶ ד֙יִׂשְרָ אֵ֔ ל אִ ם־ .equal to Me, that would have been one evil יְלִ ֥יד ּבַ֖יִת ה֑ ּוא מַּד֖ ּועַ הָ יָ ֥ה לָבַֽ ז: 15 עָ לָ יו֙ But in addition, they have forsaken Me, the spring of living waters, in order to dig for יִׁשְ אֲגּ֣וכְפִרִ ֔ ים נָֽתְ נּ֖ו קֹולָ ֑ם וַּיָׁשִ ֤יתּו אַרְ צֹו֙ themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that לְׁשַּמָ֔ ה עָרָ ֥יו נצתה }נִּצְת֖ ּו{מִּבְלִ ֥י יֹׁשֵֽ ב: -do not hold water, for idols not only pro vide nothing, they do not even retain the 16 ּגַם־ּבְ נֵי־נֹ֖ף ותחפנס }וְתַחְ ּפַנְחֵ ֑ס{יִרְ עּ֖וְך resources invested in them. 14 Is Israel a קָדְ קֽ ֹ ד: 17 הֲלֹוא־זֹ֖את ּתַֽ עֲׂשֶה־ּלָ ְ֑ך עָזְבֵ ְך֙ slave? Is he born to a housemaid? Why has he become a prey? 15 Kings, who are אֶת־יְהוָֹ ֣ה אֱֹלהַ֔ יְִך ּבְעֵ֖ת מֽ ֹולִכֵ ְ֥ךּבַּדָֽרֶ ְך: like young , roar over him. They have 18 הוְעַּתָ֗ מַ ה־ּלְָך֙ לְדֶ ְך֣רֶ מִצְרַ֔ יִם לִׁשְּת֖ ֹות raised their voice, and they have made his land a desolation. His cities were burnt מֵ֣יׁשִח֑ ֹורּומַ ה־ּלְָך֙לְדֶ ֣רֶ ְך אַּׁש֔ ּורלִׁשְּת֖ ֹות without an inhabitant. 16 The Egyptians מֵ ֥י נָהָֽ ר: 19 ּתְ יַּסְרֵ ְ֣ךרָֽ עָתֵ֗ ְך ּומְ ׁשֻֽבֹותַ֨ יְִך֙ who live in Nof and Tachpanches, upon ּתֹֽוכִחֻ֔ ְך עִּודְ ֤י ּורְ אִ י֙ ּכִי־רַ ע ֣ רוָמָ֔ עָזְבְֵ֖ך whom you rely for aid, will also turn on you and break your skull. 17 Is not this אֶ ת־יְהוָֹ ֣ה אֱֹלהָ ֑יְִך וְֹל֤ אפַחְּדָתִ י֙אֵ לַ֔ יְִך -suffering brought about by your forsak נְאֻֽם־אֲדֹנָ ֥י יֱהֹוִ֖ה צְבָאֽ ֹות: 20 ֣יּכִ מֵֽעֹולָ֞ ם ing God, your God, even while He would be happy to lead you on the proper path? ׁשָבַ֣רְ יּתִ עֻּלֵ֗ ְך נִּתַ֨קְּתִ י֙ מֹֽוסְרֹותַ֔ יְִך וַּתֽ ֹאמְרִ֖ י Now, what is there for you on the way to 18 ֹל֣ א אעבוד }אֶֽ עֱב֑ ֹור{ ּכִ ֣י עַל־ּכָל־ּגִבְ עָ֞ ה Egypt, to drink the water of the Nile? Why do you forsake Me and trust Egypt, when הּגְבֹהָ֗ וְתַ֨חַ ת֙ ּכָל־עֵ ֣ץ רַֽ עֲנָ֔ן אַּ֖תְ צֹעָ ֥ה זֹנָֽה: ?they drowned your baby boys in the Nile 21 וְאָֽ נֹכִ י֙ ֣ נְטַעְּתִ יְךׂשֹורֵ֔ קּכֹֻּל֖ ה זֶ �֣רַ ע אֱמֶ ֑ת And what is there for you on the way to , to drink the water of the Euphra- וְאֵ יְך֙ נֶהְּפַ ֣כְּתְ ילִ֔ סּורֵ֖ יהַּגֶ ֥פֶ ן נָכְרִ ּיָֽה: ,tes River? Why do you rebel against Me 22 ּכִ֤י אִֽם־ּתְ כַּבְסִ י֙ ּבַ ּנֶ֔תֶ רוְתַרְ ּבִי־לְָ֖ך ?causing yourselves to be exiled to Assyria ֑ ּבֹרִ ית נִכְּתָ ֤ם עֲוֹנְֵך֙לְפָ נַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה: Your evil will eventually catch up with 19 you and chastise you, and your backslid- ings will eventually reprove you, and you shall know and see that your forsaking God, your God, is evil and bitter, and fear of Me was notrestraining you, says God, the God of Hosts. 20 For I have always liberated you from bondage; I broke your wooden yoke; I tore open your leather yoke-bands. You said, “I will not transgress Your words,” but on every lofty hill and under every leafy tree37 you serve idols; in your infidelity to Me you recline as a harlot. 21 I planted you from a noble vine, entirely of true seed. You are children of pious and righteous ancestors. But now, how have you turned yourself into a degener- ate, wild vine for Me? 22 For even if you were to wash with natron and use much soap, your iniquity—the sin of the —remains as a stain before Me, says God, for all your sins are just repetitions of the infidelity you evinced at the sin of the Golden Calf.38

37. Cf. Deuteronomy 12:2. 38. See on Exodus 32:34.

257 Haftarah for THE SECOND SABBATH OF THE THREE WEEKS

23 אֵ ֣יְך ּתֽ ֹאמְרִ י ֞ ֹל֣ א נִטְ מֵ֗אתִ י אַֽ חֲרֵ ֤י -How can you say, “I have not been de 23 filed; I have not gone after the Baalim?” הַּבְ עָלִ ים֙ ֹל֣ אהָלַ֔כְּתִ ירְאִ י֤ דַרְ ּכְֵך֙ ּבַ ּגַ֔יְא See the way you conducted yourself in the ּדְ יעִ֖ מֶ ֣ה עָׂשִ ֑ית ּבִכְרָ ה ֥ קַּלָ֖ה מְׂשָרֶ ֥כֶ ת valley opposite Beit Peor.39 Know what you have done, and that you have clung to your 24 ּדְ רָ כֶֽיהָ : ּפֶ ֣רֶ ה | לִּמֻ ֣דמִדְ רּבָ֗ ּבְאַ ּוַ ֤ת evil ways like a swift young she-camel נפשו }נַפְׁשָּה֨ {ׁשָֽאֲפָ ֣ה רּ֔וחַ ּתַֽ אֲנָתָ֖ ּה clings to her wandering ways. 24 You are מִ֣י יְׁשִ יבֶ ּ֑נָהּכָל־מְבַקְ ׁשֶ֨ יהָ֙ ֹל֣ א יִיעָ֔ פּו -like a wild donkey accustomed to wander ing in the desert, that snuffs up the wind ּבְחָדְ ּהׁשָ֖ יִמְצָאֽ ּונְהָ : 25 מִ נְעִ ֤י רַ גְלְֵך֙מִ ּיָחֵ֔ ף at her desire. Who can hinder her tendency וגורנך }ּוגְרֹונְֵ֖ך{ מִּצִמְאָ ֑הוַּתֽ ֹאמְרִ י ֣ נֹואָ֔ ׁש to be like the sea creatures, who also snuff up the wind, as they desire?40 All who seek ל֕ ֹוא ּכִֽי־אָהַ ֥בְּתִ י יםזָרִ֖ וְאַֽ חֲרֵ ֥םיהֶ אֵלְֵֽך: -her know not to weary themselves by pur 26 ּכְבֹׁ֤שֶת ּגַּנָב֙ ּכִ ֣ייִּמָצֵ֔ אּכֵ ֥ן הֹבִ֖ יׁשּו .suing her, for they cannot overtake her Only in her month, the one month of the ּבֵ ֣ית יִׂשְרָאֵ ֑ל הֵ ּ֤מָ ה מַלְכֵיהֶםׂ֙שָֽרֵ יהֶ֔ ם year that she sleeps the whole month, they וְכֹֽהֲנֵיהֶ֖ם ּונְבִֽיאֵיהֶֽ ם: 27 אֽ ֹמְרִ ֨ ים לָעֵ֜ ץ will find her. Similarly, the spies established the month of Av as a time of vain weeping; אָ ֣בִ י האַּ֗תָ וְלָאֶ֨בֶ ן֙אַ ּ֣תְ ילדתני }יְלִדְ ּתָ֔ נּו{ it is in this month that your sins will catch ּכִי־פָ נּ֥ואֵלַ ֛י עֹ֖רֶ ף אוְֹל֣ פָנִ ֑ים ּובְעֵ ֤ת רָֽ עָתָ ם֙ .up with you and you will be punished יֹֽאמְר֔ ּוקּ֖ומָ ה וְהֹֽוׁשִ יעֵֽנּו: 28 וְאַ ּיֵ ֤ה אֱֹלהֶ֨ יָך֙ :My prophets said to you, stop sinning 25 withhold your foot from going barefoot אֲׁשֶ֣רעָׂשִ ֣יתָ ּלָ֔ ְך יָק֕ ּומּואִ ם־יֹֽוׁשִ יעּ֖וָך into exile and your throat from thirst. But ּבְעֵ֣ת רָֽ עָתֶ ָ֑ך ּכִ֚ י מִסְּפַ ֣רעָרֶ֔ יָךהָ יּ֥ואֱֹלהֶ֖יָך you said, “There is no hope. No, for I am in love with strangers, and I will follow יְהּודָֽ ה: 4:1 אִם־ּתָׁש֨ ּוב יִׂשְרָאֵ ֧ל | נְאֻֽם־ them.” 26 As the shame of a thief when יְהוָֹ֛ה אֵלַ֖י ּתָׁש֑ ּוב וְאִם־ּתָסִ ֧ירׁשִּקּוצֶ ֛יָך -he is found out, so have the house of Is rael been ashamed; they, their kings, their מִּפָנַ֖יוְֹל֥ א תָ נֽ ּוד: 2 ֙ וְנִׁשְּבַ֨עְּתָ חַ י־יְהוָֹ ֔ה .princes, their priests, and their prophets ת ּבֶֽאֱמֶ֖ ּבְמִׁשְּפָ ֣ט ֑ ּובִצְדָקָ הוְהִתְּבָ ֥רְ כּו ב֛ ֹו They say to the idols of wood, “You are 27 my father,” and to the idols of stone, “You ּגֹויִ֖ם ּוב֥ ֹויִתְ הַּלָֽלּו: bore us,” for they turned to Me their nape and not their face. Yet, at the time of their misfortune they deny their idols, confess, and say to Me, “Arise and save us.” 28 Now, where are your gods that you have made for yourself? Let them get up if they will save you at the time of your misfortune, for as many as your cities were your gods, O Judah. There is another god in every city. 4:1 If you return, O Israel, says God, to Me, you shall return to your former glory. And if you remove your detestable things from My Presence, you shall not wander in exile. 2 And when you will swear by My Name, saying, “As God lives,” you will swear in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. When the Jewish people repents, nations will bless themselves with him, wishing their children could be like them, and boast about him, praising them and taking pride in being associated with them. If it is the 1st day of Menachem Av, the first and last verses of the Haftarah for Rosh Chodesh (the 30th or 1st day of the month) are added, as follows:41

39. Deuteronomy 3:29; 4:46, referring to the incident described in Numbers 25. 40. See Jeremiah 14:6. 41. Likutei Sichot, vol. 35, p. 191, note 34.

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Dedicated in honor of our children , Yitzchok, Moshe Lev, and Gilana

May you continue to grow in the ways of our holy Torah Yuri and Deana Pikover

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