פנחס, שני

משפחת החנכי. לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ הָאֻמּוֹת מְבַזִּין אוֹתָם וְאוֹמְרִים מָה אֵלּוּ מִתְיַחֲסִין עַל שִׁבְטֵיהֶם? סְבוּרִים הֵם שֶׁלֹּא שָׁלְטוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים בְּאִמּוֹתֵיהֶם? אִם בְּגוּפָם הָיוּ מוֹשְׁלִים, קַל וָחֹמֶר בִּנְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ הִטִּיל הַקָּבָּ"ה שְׁמוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם — ה"א מִצַּד זֶה וְיוֹ"ד מִצַּד זֶה — לוֹמַר, מֵעִיד אֲנִי עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁהֵם בְּנֵי אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם, וְזֶה הוּא שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ עַל יְדֵי דָוִד (תהילים קכ"ב) "שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל" — הַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה מֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם לְשִׁבְטֵיהֶם, לְפִיכָךְ בְּכֻלָּם כָּתַב הַחֲנֹכִי, הַפַּלֻּאִי, אֲבָל בְּיִמְנָה לֹא הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר "מִשְׁפַּחַת הַיִּמְנִי" לְפִי שֶׁהַשֵּׁם קָבוּעַ בּוֹ — יוֹ"ד בָּרֹאשׁ וה"א בַּסּוֹף (ילקוט שמעוני):

The Chanochite family. Because the gentiles disparaged them, saying, ‘what, they trace their lineage to their tribes? They think that the Egyptians had no control over their mothers? If they ruled over their bodies, then certainly over their wives!’ Therefore, the Holy One, Blessed is He, attached His Name to them, the ה' on one side, and the י' on the other, to say, ‘I bear witness, concerning them, that they are the sons of their fathers.’ This is stated clearly by Dovid, “the tribes of God as a testimony to Israel.” This Name testifies for them concerning their tribes. Therefore, Scripture states, with all of them, הַחֲנוֹכִי, “the Chanochite,” הַפַּלּוּאִי, “the Paluite.” But with יִמְנָה, it was unnecessary to say מִשְׁפַּחַת הַיִּמְנִי, “the Yimnite family,” since the Name is fixed in it, the י' at the beginning and the ה' at the end.

אשר הצו. אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל על משה:

Who incited Israel against Moshe.

בהצתם. אֶת הָעָם על ה':

When they incited. The people against God.

הצו. הִשִּׂיאוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָרִיב עַל מֹשֶׁה, לְשׁוֹן הִפְעִילוּ:

Incited. They misled the Israelites into quarreling with Moshe. This is the causative form.

ויהיו לנס. לְאוֹת וּלְזִכָּרוֹן, "לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִקְרַב אִישׁ זָר" (במדבר י"ז) לַחֲלֹק עוֹד עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה:

They became a symbol. A symbol and a reminder, so that no outsider would ever again come forward to dispute the kehunah.

ובני קרח לא מתו. הֵם הָיוּ בָעֵצָה תְּחִלָּה, וּבִשְׁעַת הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת הִרְהֲרוּ תְשׁוּבָה בְלִבָּם, לְפִיכָךְ נִתְבַּצֵּר לָהֶם מָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַ בַּגֵיהִנּוֹם וְיָשְׁבוּ שָׁם (סנהדרין ק"י):

But the sons of Korach did not die. They were involved in the conspiracy at first, but during the dispute, they repented in their hearts. Therefore, an elevated area was secured for them in gehinom, where they remained.

לזרח. הוּא צֹחַר, לְשׁוֹן צֹהַר, אֲבָל מִשְׁפַּחַת אֹהַד בָּטְלָה, וְכֵן חָמֵשׁ מִשֵּׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִין, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַּעֲשָׂרָה בָנִים יָרַד לְמִצְרַיִם וְכָאן לֹא מָנָה אֶלָּא חֲמִשָּׁה, וְכֵן אֶצְבּוֹן לְגָד, הֲרֵי שֶׁבַע מִשְׁפָּחוֹת (תנחומא); וּמָצָאתִי בְתַלְמוּד יְרוּשַׁלְמִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן נִסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד, וּבָאוּ הַכְּנַעֲנִים לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנָתְנוּ לֵב לַחֲזֹר לְמִצְרַיִם, וְחָזְרוּ לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם שְׁמוֹנֶה מַסָּעוֹת — מֵהֹר הָהָר לְמוֹסֵרָה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נָסְעוּ מִבְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן מוֹסֵרָה שָׁם מֵת אַהֲרֹן" (דברים י'), וַהֲלֹא בְהֹר הָהָר מֵת וּמִמּוֹסֵרָה עַד הֹר הָהָר שְׁמוֹנֶה מַסָּעוֹת יֵשׁ לְמַפְרֵעַ? אֶלָּא שֶׁחָזְרוּ לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם וְרָדְפוּ בְנֵי לֵוִי אַחֲרֵיהֶם לְהַחֲזִירָם וְהָרְגוּ מֵהֶם שֶׁבַע מִשְׁפָּחוֹת, וּמִבְּנֵי לֵוִי נָפְלוּ אַרְבַּע מִשְׁפָּחוֹת: מִשְׁפַּחַת שִׁמְעִי וְעֻזִּיאֵלִי, וּמִבְּנֵי יִצְהָר לֹא נִמְנוּ כָּאן אֶלָּא מִשְׁפַּחַת הַקָּרְחִי, וְהָרְבִיעִית לֹא יָדַעְתִּי מַה הִיא (תלמוד ירושלמי סוטה א'); וְרַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא דָרַשׁ שֶׁמֵּתוּ בַּמַּגֵּפָה בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם, אֲבָל לְפִי הַחִסָּרוֹן שֶׁחָסַר מִשֵּׁבֶט שִׁמְעוֹן בְּמִנְיָן זֶה מִמִּנְיָן הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, נִרְאֶה שֶׁכָּל כ"ד אֶלֶף נָפְלוּ מִשִּׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל שִׁמְעוֹן:

From Zerach. This was Tzochar, meaning the same as “Tzohar,” illumination. However, the family of Ohad became extinct. Also, five [families] of the tribe of Binyamin, as he had descended to Egypt with ten sons, yet here only five are counted. Also, Etzbon, of Gad — so there are seven families. I found, in the Talmud Yerushalmi, that when Aharon died the clouds of glory departed, and the Canaanites came to wage war against Israel. They (Bnei Yisroel) resolved to return to Egypt, and went back eight journeys, from Mount Hor to Moserah, as it is said, “Bnei Yisroel journeyed from Be’eros Bnei Yaakon to Moserah, where Aharon died.” Now did he not die at Mount Hor? And from Moserah to Mount Hor there are eight journeys going back. But, they returned, and the Levites pursued them to bring them back, killing seven of their families. And four Levite families fell; The families of Shim’i and Uzieli. Of the sons of Yitzhar, none are counted here, except for the Korachite family. I do not know the identity of the fourth. R’ Tanchuma expounded, that they died in the plague at the affair of Bil’am — however, according to the loss suffered by the tribe of Shimon in this counting, as compared with the first counting at the Sinai desert, it appears that all twenty four thousand fell from the tribe of Shimon.

לאזני. אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁזּוֹ מִשְׁפַּחַת אֶצְבּוֹן (בראשית מ"ו), וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ לָמָּה לֹא נִקְרֵאת מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ עַל שְׁמוֹ:

From Ozni. I say that this was the family of Etzbon, but I do not know why his family was not called by his name.

לישוב. הוּא יוֹב הָאָמוּר בְּיוֹרְדֵי מִצְרַיִם, כִּי כָל הַמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת נִקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם יוֹרְדֵי מִצְרַיִם, וְהַנּוֹלָדִין מִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה לֹא נִקְרְאוּ הַמִּשְׁפָּחוֹת עַל שְׁמָם, חוּץ מִמִּשְׁפְּחוֹת אֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ כֻלָּם בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְאַרְדְּ וְנַעֲמָן בְּנֵי בֶלַע בֶּן בִּנְיָמִין; וּמָצָאתִי בִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן, שֶׁיָּרְדָה אִמָּן מִמִּצְרַיִם כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה מְעֻבֶּרֶת מֵהֶם, לְכָךְ נֶחְלְקוּ לְמִשְׁפָּחוֹת כְּחֶצְרוֹן וְחָמוּל שֶׁהָיוּ בְנֵי בָנִים לִיהוּדָה, וְחֶבֶר וּמַלְכִּיאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ בְנֵי בָנִים שֶׁל אָשֵׁר; וְאִם אַגָּדָה הִיא הֲרֵי טוֹב, וְאִם לָאו, אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהָיוּ לְבֶלַע בְּנֵי בָנִים הַרְבֵּה, וּמִשְּׁנַיִם הַלָּלוּ, אַרְדְּ וְנַעֲמָן, יָצְאָה מִכָּל אֶחָד מִשְׁפָּחָה רַבָּה, וְנִקְרְאוּ תוֹלְדוֹת שְׁאָר הַבָּנִים עַל שֵׁם בֶּלַע, וְתוֹלְדוֹת הַשְּׁנַיִם הַלָּלוּ נִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמָם, וְכֵן אֲנִי אוֹמֵר בִּבְנֵי מָכִיר שֶׁנֶּחְלְקוּ לִשְׁתֵּי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת, אַחַת נִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמוֹ, וְאַחַת נִקְרֵאת עַל שֵׁם גִּלְעָד בְּנוֹ; חָמֵשׁ מִשְׁפָּחוֹת חָסְרוּ מִבָּנָיו שֶׁל בִּנְיָמִין, כָּאן נִתְקַיְּמָה מִקְצַת נְבוּאַת אִמּוֹ שֶׁקְּרָאַתּוּ בֶן אוֹנִי — בֶּן אֲנִינוּתִי, וּבְפִילֶגֶשׁ בְּגִבְעָה (שופטים כ') נִתְקַיְּמָה כֻּלָּה. זוֹ מָצָאתִי בִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַ' מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן:

From Yashuv. This is Yov, mentioned among those who went down to Egypt, as all of the families were called by the names of those who went down to Egypt. As for those who were born afterward, none of the families were called by their names, except for the families of Efrayim and Menashe, all of whom were born in Egypt, and Ard and Na’aman, the sons of Bela, the son of Binyamin. I found, in the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan, that their mother went down to Egypt when she was pregnant with them, and they were, therefore, divided into separate families, like Chetzron and Chamul, who were Yehudah’s grandsons, and Chever and Malkiel, who were Asher’s grandsons. If this is from the Aggadah, fine, but if not, then I say that Bela had a great many grandchildren, and from those two, Ard and Na’aman, respectively, large families emanated. The descendants of the other children were called by Bela’s name, while the descendants of those two were called by their names. I say the same about the sons of Machir, who were divided into two families, one called by his name, and one called by the name of his son, Gil’ad. Five families are missing from the sons of Binyamin. Here, his mother’s prophecy was partially fulfilled — she called him בֶּן אוֹנִי, “son of my sorrow.” With the concubine of Givah, it was completely fulfilled. I found this in the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan.

ואלה בני שותלח וגו'. שְׁאָר בְּנֵי שׁוּתֶלַח נִקְרְאוּ תוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם עַל שֵׁם שׁוּתֶלַח, וּמֵעֵרָן יָצְאָה מִשְׁפָּחָה רַבָּה וְנִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמוֹ, וְנֶחְשְׁבוּ בְנֵי שׁוּתֶלַח לִשְׁתֵּי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת, צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב וְתִמְצָא בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים וְשֶׁבַע מִשְׁפָּחוֹת וּמִבְּנֵי לֵוִי שְׁמוֹנֶה הֲרֵי שִׁשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כִּי אַתֶּם הַמְעַט" וְגוֹ' — ה"א מְעַט, חָמֵשׁ אַתֶּם חֲסֵרִים מִמִּשְׁפְּחוֹת כָּל הָעַמִּים, שֶׁהֵן שִׁבְעִים. אַף זוֹ הֵבַנְתִּי מִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן, אַךְ הֻצְרַכְתִּי לִפְחֹת וּלְהוֹסִיף בִּדְבָרָיו:

These are the sons of Shuselach, etc. The descendants of the other sons of Shuselach were called by the name Shuselach, but from Eiran a large family emanated, so it was called by his name. Thus, the sons of Shuselach were considered two families. Go and calculate, and you will discover, in this chapter, fifty seven families, and eight from the sons of Levi — hence, sixty five. This is [the meaning of] what is said, כִּי אַתֶּם "הַמְעַט" וְגוֹ', “for you are the least, etc. “ הֵ"א מְעַט, “five less.” You are five less than all the gentile families, as they are seventy. This, too, I understood from the commentary of R’ Moshe Hadarshan, but I had to subtract and add to his words.

לאחירם. הוּא אֵחִי שֶׁיָּרַד לְמִצְרַיִם, וּלְפִי שֶׁנִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם יוֹסֵף שֶׁהָיָה אָחִיו וְרָם מִמֶּנּוּ נִקְרָא אֲחִירָם:

From Achiram. This is Eichi, who went down to Egypt. Because he was named to commemorate Yoseif, who was his brother and was exalted over him, he was called Achiram.

לשפופם. הוּא מֻפִּים, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיָה יוֹסֵף שָׁפוּף בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת:

From Shfufam. This is Mupim, to commemorate Yosef’s being humbled among the nations.

לשוחם. הוּא חֻשִׁים:

From Shucham. This is Chushim.

ושם בת אשר שרח. לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה קַיֶּמֶת בְּחַיֶּיהָ מְנָאָהּ כָּאן (סדר עולם):

The name of Asher’s daughter was Serach. Because she remained alive, he counted her here.