במדבר ט״ו

‬כי תבאו. בִּשֵּׂר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ:

(When you arrive. He informed them that they would enter the land.)

ועשיתם אשה. אֵין זֶה צִוּוּי, אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁתָּבֹאוּ שָׁם וְתַעֲלֶה עַל לְבַבְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת אִשֶּׁה לַה':

When you make a fire-offering. This does not denote a command. Rather, when you come there, and it occurs to you to make a fire-offering.

לפלא נדר או בנדבה וגו'. אוֹ שֶׁתַּעֲשׂוּ הָאִשֶּׁה בִּשְׁבִיל חוֹבַת מוֹעֲדֵיכֶם, שֶׁחִיַּבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּמּוֹעֵד:

A pleasing fragrance. Satisfying to Me.

ריח ניחח. נַחַת רוּחַ לְפָנַי:

By verbalizing as a pledge or as a donation. Or, that you make the fire-offering in order to fulfill the holiday obligation which I have required you to perform during the holiday.

והקריב המקריב. תַּקְרִיבוּ נְסָכִים וּמִנְחָה לְכָל בְּהֵמָה; הַמִּנְחָה כָּלִיל וְהַשֶּׁמֶן נִבְלָל בְּתוֹכָהּ, וְהַיַּיִן לַסְּפָלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בְמַסֶּכֶת סֻכָּה (דף מ"ח):

The one bringing [his offering] should present. You should present libations and a meal-offering for each animal. The meal- offering is to be completely consumed, with the oil absorbed in it, and the wine [is poured] into the bowls, as we learned in Maseches Sukkah.

לכבש האחד. עַל כָּל הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה הוּא מוּסָב — עַל הַמִּנְחָה וְעַל הַשֶּׁמֶן וְעַל הַיָּיִן:

For the one sheep. This relates to everything stated above — the meal- offering, the oil, and the wine.

או לאיל. וְאִם אַיִל הוּא; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ "אוֹ" — לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַפַּלְגָּס לְנִסְכֵּי אַיִל (מנחות צ"א):

If (lit. or) for a ram. If it is a ram. The Rabbis extrapolate, ‘ אוֹ ’ includes the “palgas” in the libations of the ram.

אשה ריח. אֵינוֹ מוּסָב אֶלָּא עַל הַמִּנְחָה וְהַשֶּׁמֶן, אֲבָל הַיַּיִן אֵינוֹ אִשֶּׁה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִתָּן עַל הָאֵשׁ:

A fire-offering [of pleasing] fragrance. This refers only to the meal-offering and the oil, but the wine is not a fire-offering, as it is not placed on the fire.

או לשה וגו'. בֵּין שֶׁהוּא בַכְּבָשִׂים בֵּין שֶׁהוּא בָעִזִּים; כֶּבֶשׂ וָשֶׂה קְרוּיִם בְּתוֹךְ שְׁנָתָם, אַיִל בֶּן שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ וְיוֹם אֶחָד:

Or for the sheep, etc. Whether of sheep or of goats. כֶּבֶשׂ and שֶׂה are so entitled during their first year; אַיִל from the age of thirteen months and one day.

כמספר אשר תעשו. כְּמִסְפַּר הַבְּהֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר תַּקְרִיבוּ לְקָרְבָּן, ככה תעשו נְסָכִים לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם — כְּמִסְפָּרָם שֶׁל בְּהֵמוֹת מִסְפָּרָם שֶׁל נְסָכִים:

According to the number which you offer. According to the number of animals which you offer as sacrifices, so shall you make the libations for each of them. According to the number of animals, the number of libations.

ככם כגר. כְּמוֹתְכֶם כֵּן גֵּר, וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ לְשׁוֹן עִבְרִית, "כְּגַן ה' כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם" (בראשית י"ג) — כֵּן אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, "כָּמוֹנִי כָמוֹךָ כְּעַמִּי כְעַמֶּךָ" (מלכים א כ"ב):

Just as it is for yourselves, so shall it be for the proselyte. Like you, so is the proselyte. This is the Hebrew style, “Like Hashem”’s garden, like the land of Egypt” — so is the land of Egypt. ”Like me, like you, like my people, like your people.”

בבאכם אל הארץ. מְשֻׁנָּה בִּיאָה זוֹ מִכָּל בִּיאוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן נֶאֱמַר כִּי תָבֹא, כִּי תָבֹאוּ, לְפִיכָךְ כֻּלָּן לְמֵדוֹת זוֹ מִזּוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁפֵּרֵט לְךָ הַכָּתוּב בְּאַחַת מֵהֶן שֶׁאֵינָהּ אֶלָּא לְאַחַר יְרֻשָּׁה וִישִׁיבָה, אַף כֻּלָּן כֵּן, אֲבָל זוֹ נֶאֱמַר בָּהּ "בְּבֹאֲכֶם" — מִשֶּׁנִּכְנְסוּ בָהּ וְאָכְלוּ מִלַּחְמָהּ נִתְחַיְּבוּ בְחַלָּה (ספרי):

At your coming to the land. This “coming” is different from all the “comings” in the Torah. With all of them it says, “when you come,” “when all of you come.” Therefore, all are learned from each other. Since Scripture specified with one of them that it is only after inheriting and settling, all of them are the same. But with this, it is said, “at your coming.” As soon as they entered it (the land) and ate its bread, they were obligated with the mitzvah of challah.

ראשית ערסתכם. כְּשֶׁתָּלוּשׁוּ כְדֵי עִסַּתְכֶם שֶׁאַתֶּם רְגִילִין לָלוּשׁ בַּמִּדְבָּר — וְכַמָּה הִיא? "וַיָּמֹדּוּ בָעֹמֶר" (שמות ט"ז), "עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת" (שם) — תָּרִימוּ מֵרֵאשִׁיתָהּ, כְּלוֹמַר קֹדֶם שֶׁתֹּאכְלוּ מִמֶּנָּה, רֵאשִׁית חֶלְקָהּ חלה אַחַת תרימו תרומה לְשֵׁם ה' (עירובין פ"ג):

[From] the first portion of your doughs. When you knead the amount of dough that you generally knead in the desert — how much is that? “They measured it with an omer,” “An omer per person” (the amount is forty-three and one-fifth eggs) — you shall separate [the terumah-gift] from its first portion. As if to say, ‘before you eat the first portion from it, separate one loaf as a terumah-gift for the sake of Hashem”.’

חלה. טורטי"ל בְּלַעַז:

A loaf. Tortel in Old French.

כתרומת גרן. שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בָּהּ שִׁעוּר וְלֹא כִתְרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהּ שִׁעוּר (ספרי), אֲבָל חֲכָמִים נָתְנוּ שִׁעוּר — לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת אֶחָד מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה וּלְנַחְתּוֹם אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה (חלה ב'):

Like the terumah-gift of the granary. For which no specific amount is required, but not like like the terumah-offering from the tithe, for which a specific amount is required. However, the sages required a specific amount: For the home maker, one twenty-fourth, for the commercial baker, one forty-eighth.

מראשית ערסתיכם. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "רֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם", שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁבָּעִסּוֹת, תַּ"ל מראשית — מִקְצָתָהּ וְלֹא כֻלָּהּ (ספרי):

Of the first portion of your doughs. Why is this said? Because it says, “The first portion of your dough,” I would understand this as the first of the loaves. The Torah therefore teaches, “of the first portion” — part of it, but not all of it.

תתנו לה' תרומה. לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַעְנוּ שִׁעוּר לְחַלָּה נֶאֱמַר "תִּתְּנוּ" — שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהּ כְּדֵי נְתִינָה (שם):

You shall give to Adonoy, as a terumah- offering. As we have not heard of a specific amount for the challah-offering, it says, “you shall give” — it should consist of an amount sufficient for “giving.”

וכי תשגו ולא תעשו. עֲ"זָ הָיְתָה בִּכְלַל כל המצוות שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מְבִיאִין עָלֵיהָ פַר, וַהֲרֵי הַכָּתוּב מוֹצִיאָהּ כָּאן מִכְּלָלָן, לִדּוֹן בְּפַר לְעוֹלָה וְשָׂעִיר לְחַטָּאת (ספרי):

If you should err and not fulfill. this refers to idol worship. which was categorized within all the commandments for which the community brings an ox, but Scripture here removes it from the category, to indicate that it requires an ox as a burnt-offering, and a goat as a sin-offering.

וכי תשגו וגו'. בַּעֲ"זָ הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְאַחַת מִכָּל הַמִּצְוֹת, תַּ"ל את כל המצות האלה — מִצְוָה אַחַת שֶׁהִיא כְּכָל הַמִּצְוֹת, מַה הָעוֹבֵר עַל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת פּוֹרֵק עֹל וּמֵפֵר בְּרִית וּמְגַלֶּה פָנִים, אַף מִצְוָה זוֹ פּוֹרֵק בָּהּ עֹל וּמֵפֵר בְּרִית וּמְגַלֶּה פָנִים, וְאֵיזוֹ? זוֹ עֲ"זָ (שם):

If you err, etc. Scripture speaks here of idol worship. But perhaps it refers to one of all the [other] commandments? The Torah therefore teaches, “all of these commandments” — a single commandment which is equivalent to all the commandments. Just as someone who transgresses all the commandments casts off the yoke, breaks the covenant, and brazenly defies [the Torah], so with [someone who transgresses] this commandment, he casts off the yoke, breaks the covenant, and brazenly defies [the Torah]. Which is this? Idol worship.

אשר דבר ה' אל משה. אָנֹכִי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה שְׁמַעְנוּם כְּדִכְתִיב (תהילים ס"ב) "אַחַת דִּבֶּר אֱלֹהִים שְׁתַּיִם זוּ שָׁמָעְנוּ" (הוריות ח'):

Which Adonoy said to Moshe. “I am . . .,” and “you must not have . . .” we heard from the mouth of the Omnipotent, as it is written, “Hashem” spoke once, but I heard two.”

את כל אשר צוה וגו'. מַגִּיד שֶׁכָּל הַמּוֹדֶה בַּעֲ"זָ כְּכוֹפֵר בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ וּבְכָל מַה שֶּׁנִּתְנַבְּאוּ הַנְּבִיאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מן היום אשר צוה ה' והלאה:

All that [Adonoy] commanded. This teaches that if one admits to idolatry, it is as if he had denied the entire Torah, and all that the prophets prophesied, as it is said, “from the day that Hashem” commanded and onward.”

אם מעיני העדה נעשתה לשגגה. אִם מֵעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה נֶעֶשְׂתָה עֲבֵרָה זוֹ עַל יְדֵי שׁוֹגֵג — שֶׁשָּׁגוּ וְהוֹרוּ עַל אַחַת מִן הָעֲבוֹדוֹת שֶׁהִיא מֻתֶּרֶת לַעֲבֹד עֲ"זָ בְּכָךְ (שם ה'):

If, it was obscured from the eyes of the congregation, having been done in error. If, because of the seers of the community, this transgression was committed through error. [For example,] they erred, and ruled that one of the forms of service is permitted for idol worship.

לחטת. חָסֵר א', שֶׁאֵינוֹ כִשְׁאָר חַטָּאוֹת, שֶׁכָּל חַטָּאוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה הַבָּאוֹת עִם עוֹלָה הַחַטָּאת קוֹדֶמֶת לָעוֹלָה, שֶׁנֶּא' (ויקרא ה'), "וְאֶת הַשֵּׁנִי יַעֲשֶׂה עֹלָה", וְזוֹ עוֹלָה קוֹדֶמֶת לְחַטָּאת (שם ט"ו):

לְחַטָּת, as a sin-offering. The ‘ א ’ is missing, because this is not like the other sin-offerings. All of the sin-offerings in the Torah which are brought with an olah-offering, the sin-offering precedes the olah, as it is said, “he shall make the second one an olah.” But with this, the olah precedes the sin-offering.

הביאו את קרבנם אשה לה'. זֶה הָאָמוּר בַּפָּרָשָׁה, הוּא פַר הָעוֹלָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִשֶּׁה לַה'" (ספרי):

They have brought their offering as a fire-offering to Adonoy. This refers to that which is stated in our parshah, namely the ox as the olah-offering, as it is said, “a fire-offering to Adonoy.”

וחטאתם. זֶה הַשָּׂעִיר:

And their sin-offering. This refers to the goat.

תחטא בשגגה. בַּעֲ"זָ:

Will sin erroneously. Through idolatry.

עז בת שנתה. שְׁאָר עֲבֵרוֹת יָחִיד מֵבִיא כִשְׂבָּה אוֹ שְׂעִירָה, וּבְזוֹ קָבַע לָהּ שְׂעִירָה (שם):

A yearling she-goat. For other transgressions, the individual brings a sheep or goat, but for this, a goat is designated.

ביד רמה. בְמֵזִיד:

High handedly. Intentionally.

מגדף. מְחָרֵף, כְּמוֹ "וְהָיְתָה חֶרְפָּה וּגְדוּפָה" (יחזקאל ה'), "אֲשֶׁר גִּדְּפוּ נַעֲרֵי מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר" (ישעיהו ל"ז), וְעוֹד דָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִכָּאן לַמְּבָרֵךְ אֶת הַשֵּׁם שֶׁהוּא בְכָרֵת (כריתות ז'):

Blasphemes. Reviles, like, “despised and reviled,” “which the servants of the king of Ashur reviled.” In addition, the Rabbis derive from here that someone who curses Hashem” is subject to “koreis.”

דבר ה'. אַזְהָרַת עֲ"זָ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה וְהַשְּׁאָר מִפִּי מֹשֶׁה (סנהדרין צ"ט):

The word of Adonoy. The prohibition against idol worship was by the word of the Omnipotent, the rest by the word of Moshe.

עונה בה. בִּזְמַן שֶׁעֲוֹנָהּ בָּהּ — שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה תְשׁוּבָה:

Its iniquity is upon it. During the time his sin is within him — if he has not repented.

ויהיו … במדבר וימצאו. בִּגְנוּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁלֹא שָׁמְרוּ אֶלָּא שַׁבָּת רִאשׁוֹנָה, וּבַשְּׁנִיָּה בָא זֶה וְחִלְּלָהּ (ספרי):

[Bnei Yisroel] were in the desert and they found. Scripture speaks disparagingly of the Israelites. They kept only the first Shabbos, then this person came and desecrated the second.

המצאים אתו מקשש. שֶׁהִתְרוּ בוֹ וְלֹא הִנִּיחַ מִלְּקוֹשֵׁשׁ, אַף מִשֶׁמְּצָאוּהוּ וְהִתְרוּ בוֹ (שם; סנהדרין מ"א):

Those who found him gathering. They warned him, but he did not desist from gathering, even after they found and warned him.

כי לא פרש מה יעשה לו. בְּאֵיזוֹ מִיתָה יָמוּת, אֲבָל יוֹדְעִים הָיוּ שֶׁמְּחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת בְּמִיתָה (שם ע"ח):

Since it was not specified, what was to be done with him. [They did not know] how to execute him, but they knew that someone who desecrates the Shabbos must be put to death.

רגום. עָשֹׂה, פשנ"ט, וְכֵן הָלוֹךְ אלנ"ט, וְכֵן "זָכוֹר" (שמות כ, ח) וְ"שָׁמוֹר" (דברים ה, יב):

Shall stone. Constantly do. Fisant in Old French. Similarly, הָלוֹךְ, alant. Similarly, “constantly remember,” and “constantly keep.”

ויציאו אתו. מִכָּאן שֶׁבֵּית הַסְּקִילָה חוּץ וְרָחוֹק מִבֵּית דִּין (ספרי):

Brought him outside. From here [we derive] that the stoning platform was outside, far from the courthouse.

ועשו להם ציצת. עַל שֵׁם הַפְּתִילִים הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ, כְּמוֹ (יחזקאל ח'), "וַיִּקָּחֵנִי בְּצִיצִת רֹאשִׁי" (מנחות מ"ב). דָּ"אַ: ציצת עַל שֵׁם וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ, כְּמוֹ "מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים" (שיר השירים ב'):

To make for themselves, tzitzis-fringes. So named because of the fringes hanging from it, like, “He took me by the fringes of my head.” Another interpretation: “tzizis” because of “when you see it,” like “watching from the openings.”

תכלת. צֶבַע יָרֹק שֶׁל חִלָּזוֹן:

Blue [wool]. The blue dye of the chilazon-fish.

וזכרתם את כל מצות ה'. שֶׁמִּנְיַן גִּימַטְרִיָּא שֶׁל צִיצִית שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, וּשְׁמוֹנָה חוּטִין וַחֲמִשָּׁה קְשָׁרִים הֲרֵי תרי"ג (תנחומא):

You will remember all of Adonoy’s commandments. As the numerical value of צִיצִית is 600, and the eight threads and five knots equal 613.

ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם. כְּמוֹ "מִתּוּר הָאָרֶץ" (במדבר י"ג); הַלֵּב וְהָעֵינַיִם הֵם מְרַגְּלִים לַגּוּף, מְסַרְסְרִים לוֹ אֶת הָעֲבֵרוֹת, הָעַיִן רוֹאָה וְהַלֵּב חוֹמֵד וְהַגּוּף עוֹשֶׂה אֶת הָעֲבֵרָה (תנחומא):

And you will not search after [the desire of] your hearts. This is similar to “from spying the land.” The heart and eye are the body’s spies, bringing it sins. The eye sees, the heart lusts, and the body sins.

אני ה'. נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר:

I am Adonoy. Faithful in rewarding.

אלהיכם. נֶאֱמָן לִפָּרַע:

Your God. Faithful in exacting punishment.

אשר הוצאתי אתכם. עַל מְנָת כֵּן פָּדִיתִי אֶתְכֶם שֶׁתְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיכֶם גְּזֵרוֹתַי:

Who brought you out. I redeemed you on condition that you accept my decrees.

אני ה' אלהיכם. עוֹד לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּנֵי מָה אָמַר הַמָּקוֹם? לֹא שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה וְנִטֹּל שָֹכָר? אָנוּ לֹא עוֹשִׂים וְלֹא נוֹטְלִים שָׂכָר עַל כָּרְחֲכֶם אֲנִי מַלְכְּכֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל כ'), "אִם לֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה … אֶמְלוֹךְ עֲלֵיכֶם" (ספרי). דָּ"אַ, לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם? אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁהִבְחַנְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם בֵּין טִפָּה שֶׁל בְּכוֹר לְשֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל בְּכוֹר, אֲנִי הוּא עָתִיד לְהַבְחִין וְלִפָּרַע מִן הַתּוֹלֶה קָלָא אִילָן בְּבִגְדּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר תְּכֵלֶת הִיא. וּמִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן הֶעְתַּקְתִּי: לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ לְפָרָשַׁת עֲ"זָ? לוֹמַר שֶׁהַמְחַלֵּל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת כְּעוֹבֵד עֲ"זָ, שֶׁאַף הִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְּכָל הַמִּצְוֹת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בְּעֶזְרָא (נחמיה ט׳:י״ד) "וְעַל הַר סִינַי יָרַדְתָּ וַתִּתֵּן לְעַמְּךָ תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת וְאֶת שַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ הוֹדַעְתָ לָהֶם"; וְאַף פָּרָשַׁת צִיצִית לְכָךְ נִסְמְכָה לָאֵלּוּ לְפִי שֶׁאַף הִיא שְׁקוּלָה כְנֶגֶד כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי:

I am Adonoy your God. Why is this said again? So that the Israelites should not say: “Why did the Omnipresent command? Was it not so that we should perform [the commandments] and be rewarded? Let us not perform, and not be rewarded”! Even against your will, I am your king. Similarly, it says, “[As I live . . .] if I shall not, with a mighty hand . . . rule over you.” Another interpretation. Why is the exodus from Egypt mentioned? It was I who distinguished, in Egypt, between the [reproductive] drop which was the firstborn, and that which was not the firstborn. It is I who will distinguish, and punish those who attach [fringes dyed with] indigo dye on their garments, and claim that it is the “techeiles” dye. From R’ Moshe Hadarshan’s commentary I transcribed: Why is the chapter of the “gatherer” adjacent to the chapter of idolatry? To teach that the Shabbos desecrator is like an idolator, since it (Shabbos), too, is equated with the entire Torah. This is stated in Ezra: “You descended on mount Sinai and gave Your nation the Torah and the commandments, etc., and You made Your sacred Shabbos known to them.” The portion of tzitzis, also for this reason, is adjacent to these [portions] — since it, too, is equivalent to all the commandments, as it is said, “you will perform all the commandments.”

על כנפי בגדיהם. כְּנֶגֶד "וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים" (שמות יט, ד) ; עַל אַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת, וְלֹא בַעֲלַת שָׁלֹשׁ וְלֹא בַעֲלַת חָמֵשׁ, כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל גְּאֻלָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמִצְרַיִם "וְהוֹצֵאתִי וְהִצַּלְתִּי וְגָאַלְתִּי וְלָקַחְתִּי" (שמות ו'):

On the corners of their garments. This corresponds with, “I carried you on the wings of eagles.” On the four corners — but not on a garment with three, or with five [corners]. This corresponds with the four expressions of redemption which were stated in Egypt — “I will bring [you] out,” “I will save [you],” “I will redeem [you],” “I will take [you].”

פתיל תכלת. עַל שֵׁם שִׁכּוּל בְּכוֹרוֹת — תַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל שִׁכּוּל תִּכְלָא — וּמַכָּתָם הָיְתָה בַלַּיְלָה, וְכֵן צֶבַע הַתְּכֵלֶת דּוֹמֶה לָרָקִיעַ הַמַּשְׁחִיר לְעֵת עֶרֶב; וּשְׁמוֹנָה חוּטִין שֶׁבָּהּ כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים שֶׁשָּׁהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשֶּׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עַד שֶׁאָמְרוּ שִׁירָה עַל הַיָּם:

A thread of blue. [תְּכֵלֶת] so named because of the [Egyptians’] loss of their firstborn. The targum — translation of שִׁכּוּל, “loss of a child,” is תִּכְלָא . And they were struck down at night. The color of “ techeiles” is similar to the sky which darkens during evening. Its eight threads correspond with the eight days the Israelites waited, from the time they left Egypt, until they sang at the [Reed] Sea.