במדבר י״ב:ד׳-י״ג

פתאם. נִגְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם פִּתְאֹם וְהֵם טְמֵאִין בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, וְהָיוּ צוֹעֲקִים "מַיִם מַיִם" לְהוֹדִיעָם שֶׁיָּפֶה עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מִן הָאִשָּׁה, מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּגְלֵית עָלָיו שְׁכִינָה תָּדִיר וְאֵין עֵת קְבוּעָה לַדִּבּוּר (עי' ילקוט):

Suddenly. He revealed Himself to them suddenly, when they were ritually unclean because of marital relations, and they cried, ”Water! Water!” To inform them that Moshe acted properly in separating from his wife, since the Divine Presence revealed Itself to him constantly, with no designated time for the Word.

צאו שלשתכם. מַגִּיד שֶׁשְּׁלָשְׁתָּן נִקְרְאוּ בְדִבּוּר אֶחָד מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַפֶּה לוֹמַר וְלָאֹזֶן לִשְׁמֹעַ (ספרי):

Come out, all three of you. This teaches that all three were summoned with a single word, which is impossible for the mouth to say and the ear to hear.

בעמוד ענן. יָצָא יְחִידִי שֶׁלֹּא כְמִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה יוֹצֵא בְּאֻכְלוּסִים וּכְשֶׁיּוֹצֵא לְשָׁלוֹם יוֹצֵא בְמוּעָטִין, וּמִדַּת הַקָּבָּ"ה יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה יְחִידִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה" (שמות ט"ו), וְיוֹצֵא לְשָׁלוֹם בְּאֻכְלוּסִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים ס"ח) "רֶכֶב אֱלֹהִים רִבֹּתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן" (ספרי):

In a pillar of cloud. He went alone, unlike the custom of mortals. When a mortal king goes to war, he goes out with a large retinue, when he goes in peace, he goes with only a few. But the custom of the Holy One, Blessed is He, is to go to war alone, as it is said, “[God is] a warrior,” and goes in peace with a large retinue, as is said, “God rides with twenty two thousand angels.”

ויקרא אהרן ומרים. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִמְשָׁכִין וְיוֹצְאִין מִן הֶחָצֵר לִקְרַאת הַדִּבּוּר:

He called [to] Aharon and Miriam. So that they would be drawn away and leave the courtyard towards the Word.

ויצאו שניהם. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה מְשָׁכָן וְהִפְרִישָן מִמֹּשֶׁה? לְפִי שֶׁאוֹמְרִים מִקְצָת שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּפָנָיו וְכֻלּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו, וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּנֹחַ, שֶׁלֹא בְּפָנָיו נֶאֱמַר "אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים" (בראשית ו'), וּבְפָנָיו נֶאֱמַר "כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי" (שם ז'); דָּ"אַ, שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמַע בִּנְזִיפָתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן (ספרי):

Both of them went out. Why did He draw them away and separate them from Moshe? Because we recite some of a person’s qualities in his presence, and all of them when he is not present. We find this about Noach. When he was not present it is said, “A righteous man, flawless,” but in his presence it is said, “For I have seen that you are righteous before Me.” Another interpretation: So that he should not hear Aharon’s rebuke.

שמעו נא דברי. אֵין נָא אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה (שם):

Please listen to my words. נָא is interpreted strictly as a request.

אם יהיה נביאכם. אִם יִהְיוּ לָכֶם נְבִיאִים:

If there will be your prophet. If you will have prophets.

ה' במראה אליו אתודע. שְׁכִינַת שְׁמִי אֵין נִגְלֵית עָלָיו בְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה אֶלָּא בַּחֲלוֹם וְחִזָּיוֹן:

[I,] Adonoy will make Myself known to him in a vision. The Divine Presence of My Name will not be revealed to him in the illuminated reflection, but in a dream and vision.

פה אל פה. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ לִפְרֹשׁ מִן הָאִשָּׁה (שם), וְהֵיכָן אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ? בְּסִינַי — "לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָהֶם שׁוּבוּ לָכֶם לְאָהֳלֵיכֶם וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹד עִמָּדִי" (דברים ה'):

Mouth to mouth. I told him to separate from his wife. Where did I tell him? At Sinai, “Go tell them ‘Return to your tents,’ but you remain with Me here.”

ומראה ולא בחדת. מַרְאֶה זֶה מַרְאֵה דִבּוּר, שֶׁאֲנִי מְפָרֵשׁ לוֹ דִּבּוּרִי בְּמַרְאִית פָּנִים שֶׁבּוֹ, וְאֵינִי סוֹתְמוֹ לוֹ בְחִידוֹת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לִיחֶזְקֵאל (יחזקאל י"ז), "חוּד חִידָה" וְגוֹ'; יָכוֹל מַרְאֵה שְׁכִינָה? תַּ"ל (שמות ל"ג), "לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאֹת אֶת פָּנָי" (ספרי):

In a vision, and not in riddles. “In a vision” — this is the vision of the word, for I explain My word to him in the clearest form, I do not conceal it in riddles the way it was said to Yechezkel, “Present a riddle, etc.” Perhaps [this refers to] the vision of the Divine Presence? The Torah teaches, “you cannot see My Presence.”

ותמנת ה' יביט. זֶה מַרְאֵה אֲחוֹרַיִם, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל"ג), "וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחֹרָי" (ספרי):

He gazes at the likeness of Adonoy. This is the vision of the back, according to what is said, “But you may see what is behind Me.”

בעבדי במשה. אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר בְּעַבְדִּי מֹשֶׁה, אֶלָּא בְּעַבְדִּי בְמֹשֶׁה — בְּעַבְדִּי אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֹשֶׁה, בְּמֹשֶׁה אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ עַבְדִּי כְּדַאי הֱיִיתֶם לִירוֹא מִפָּנָיו, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהוּא עַבְדִּי, וְעֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ, וְהָיָה לָכֶם לוֹמַר אֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹהֲבוֹ חִנָּם, וְאִם תֹּאמְרוּ אֵינִי מַכִּיר בְּמַעֲשָׂיו — זוֹ קָשָׁה מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנָה (שם):

About My servant, about Moshe. It does not say, ‘about My servant Moshe,’ but ‘about My servant, about Moshe’ — about My servant, even if he were not Moshe, about Moshe, even if he were not My servant, It would have been appropriate for you to have been in awe of him. Certainly since he is My servant, and the king’s servant is [as] the king. You should have said, ‘The king does not love him gratuitously.’ And if you say that I am not aware of his actions, then this (statement) is worse than the first!

ויחר אף ה' בם וילך. מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוֹדִיעָם סִרְחוֹנָם גָּזַר עֲלֵיהֶם נִדּוּי, קַ"וָ לְבָשָׂר וָדָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִכְעֹס עַל חֲבֵרוֹ עַד שֶׁיּוֹדִיעֶנּוּ סִרְחוֹנוֹ (ספרי):

Adonoy’s anger flared against them and He left. After He informed them of their reprehensible behavior, He decreed excommunication against them. Certainly a mortal, then, should not be angry with his fellow until he informs him of his reprehensible behavior.

והענן סר. וְאַחֲ"כַּ והנה מרים מצרעת כשלג, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר לְפֵדָגוֹג, רְדֵה אֶת בְּנִי, אֲבָל לֹא תִרְדֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁאֵלֵךְ מֵאֶצְלְךָ, שֶׁרַחֲמַי עָלָיו (שם):

The cloud departed. Afterward, “Behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow.” This is compared to a king who said to a pedagogue, ‘Punish my son, but do not punish him until I leave, as I pity him.’

נואלנו. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן אֱוִיל:

We have foolishly done. As Targum [Onkelos] translates, from the word אֱוִיל, “fool.”

אל נא תהי. אֲחוֹתֵנוּ זוֹ:

Please, let her not be, this our sister.

כמת. שֶׁהַמְּצֹרָע חָשׁוּב כַּמֵּת, מַה מֵּת מְטַמֵּא בְּבִיאָה אַף מְצֹרָע מְטַמֵּא בְּבִיאָה (שם):

Like the dead. Since the leper is considered dead. Just as the dead cause ritual defilement when entering [a room], so does the leper cause ritual defilement when entering.

אשר בצאתו מרחם אמו. אִמֵּנוּ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁכִּנָּה הַכָּתוּב, וְכֵן חֲצִי בְשָׂרוֹ, חֲצִי בְשָׂרֵנוּ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁכִּנָּה הַכָּתוּב, מֵאַחַר שֶׁיָּצְתָה מֵרֶחֶם אִמֵּנוּ, הִיא לָנוּ כְּאִלּוּ נֶאֱכַל חֲצִי בְשָׂרֵנוּ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי אָחִינוּ בְשָׂרֵנוּ הוּא" (בראשית ל"ז), וּלְפִי מַשְׁמָעוֹ, אַף הוּא נִרְאֶה כֵן, אֵין רָאוּי לְאָח לְהַנִּיחַ אֶת אֲחוֹתוֹ לִהְיוֹת כַּמֵּת:

That, since he came from his mother’s womb. “Our mother” should have been said, but Scripture euphemises. Similarly, “half his flesh” — “half our flesh” should have been said, but Scripture euphemises. That, since she came from our mother’s womb, [what] she [suffers] is ours, as if half our flesh were eaten away. This is similar to what is said, “for he is our brother, our flesh.” The simple interpretation also appears the same. It is unconscionable for a brother to allow his sister to remain as if dead.

אשר בצאתו. מֵאַחַר שֶׁיָּצָא זֶה מֵרֶחֶם אִמּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ כֹּחַ בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲזֹר וְאֵינוֹ עוֹזְרוֹ — הֲרֵי נֶאֱכָל חצי בשרו, שֶׁאָחִיו בְּשָׂרוֹ הוּא; דָּ"אַ, אל נא תהי כמת — אִם אֵינְךָ רוֹפְאָהּ בִּתְפִלָּה, מִי מַסְגִּירָהּ, מִי מְטַהֲרָהּ? אֲנִי אִ"אֶ לִרְאוֹתָהּ, שֶׁאֲנִי קָרוֹב וְאֵין קָרוֹב רוֹאֶה אֶת הַנְּגָעִים, וְכֹהֵן אַחֵר אֵין בָּעוֹלָם, וְזֶהוּ אשר בצאתו מרחם אמו:

That, since he came. Since he [also] came from the mother’s womb of this one who has the power to help but does not, then half his own flesh is eaten away, as his brother, is his flesh. Another interpretation [of] “Please, let her not be like the dead.” If you do not heal her through prayer, who will confine her, and who will purify her? I can not possibly examine her, as I am related, and a relative cannot examine the symptoms of leprosy. And there is no other kohein in the world. This is [what is meant by] “that, since he came from his mother’s womb.”

אל נא רפא נא לה. בָּא הַכָּתוּב לְלַמֶּדְךָ דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁהַשּׁוֹאֵל דָּבָר מֵחֲבֵרוֹ צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה דִבְרֵי תַחֲנוּנִים וְאַ"כַּ יְבַקֵּשׁ שְׁאֵלוֹתָיו (ספרי):

Please, God, please heal her. Scripture comes to teach proper behavior — that one who requests something from his fellow must say two or three words of supplication, then, afterward, make his requests.

לאמר. מַה תַּ"ל ? אָמַר לוֹ הֲשִׁיבֵנִי אִם אַתָּה מְרַפֵּא אוֹתָהּ אִם לָאו עַד שֶׁהֱשִׁיבוֹ וְאָבִיהָ יָרֹק יָרַק וְגוֹ'; רַאֶבֶּ"עֲ אוֹמֵר בְּאַרְבָּעָה מְקוֹמוֹת בִּקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה מִלִּפְנֵי הַקָּבָּ"ה לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ אִם יַעֲשֶׂה שְׁאֵלוֹתָיו אִם לָאו: כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, "וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה' לֵאמֹר" וְגוֹ' (שמות ו'), מַה תַּ"ל "לֵאמֹר"? הֲשִׁיבֵנִי אִם גּוֹאֲלָם אַתָּה אִם לָאו עַד שֶׁהֱשִׁיבוֹ "עַתָּה תִרְאֶה" וְגוֹ', כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, "וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי ה' לֵאמֹר יִפְקֹד ה' אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר" (במדבר כ"ז), הֱשִׁיבוֹ "קַח לְךָ", כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ "וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה' בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר" (דברים ג'), הֱשִׁיבוֹ "רַב לָךְ" (ספרי):

Saying. What does the Torah teach? He (Moshe) said to Him, ‘Answer me, [as to] whether or not You will cure her’ — until He did answer, “If her father were to spit, etc.” R’ Elazar son of Azariah said, in four places, Moshe asked the Holy One, Blessed is He, that He answer him [as to] whether or not He would grant his requests. Similarly, “Moshe spoke before God, saying, etc.” What does the Torah teach by writing “saying”? ‘Answer me [as to] whether or not You will redeem them’ — until He did answer him, “Now you will see, etc.” Similarly, “Moshe spoke to God, saying, ‘let God, the God of the spirit of all flesh, appoint’.” He answered: “Take for you.” Similarly, “I pleaded with God at that time, saying.” He answered him, “Enough, for you.”

רפא נא לה. מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא הֶאֱרִיךְ מֹשֶׁה בִּתְפִלָּה? שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים, אֲחוֹתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת בְּצָרָה וְהוּא עוֹמֵד וּמַרְבֶּה בִתְפִלָּה (ספרי) (דָּ"אַ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּשְׁבִיל אֲחוֹתוֹ הוּא מַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּה אֲבָל בִּשְׁבִילֵנוּ אֵינוֹ מַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּה):

Please heal her. Why did not Moshe pray at length? So that the Israelites should not say, “His sister is suffering, and he stands and prolongs his prayer.” (Another interpretation: So that the Israelites should not say, For his sister he prays at length, but for us he does not pray at length).