פנחס, שלישי

לאלה תחלק הארץ. וְלֹא לַפְּחוּתִים מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁבָּאוּ לִכְלַל עֶשְׂרִים בְּטֶרֶם חִלּוּק הָאָרֶץ; שֶׁהֲרֵי שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים כָּבְשׁוּ וְשֶׁבַע חִלְּקוּ, לֹא נָטְלוּ חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וָאֶלֶף, וְאִם הָיוּ לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם שִׁשָּׁה בָנִים לֹא נָטְלוּ אֶלָּא חֵלֶק אֲבִיהֶם לְבַדּוֹ (בבא בתרא קי"ז):

The land shall be apportioned among these. But not among those below the age of twenty, even if they reach twenty before the apportioning of the land. Indeed, the conquest lasted seven years, and the apportioning seven, yet no one received a portion in the land except for these six hundred and one thousand. If one of them had six sons, they received nothing but their father’s portion.

לרב תרבה נחלתו. לְשֵׁבֶט שֶׁהָיָה מְרֻבֶּה בְּאֻכְלוּסִין נָתְנוּ חֵלֶק רַב, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹא הָיוּ הַחֲלָקִים שָׁוִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַכֹּל לְפִי רִבּוּי הַשֵּׁבֶט חָלְקוּ הַחֲלָקִים, לֹא עָשׂוּ אֶלָּא עַ"יְ גוֹרָל, וְהַגּוֹרָל הָיָה עַל פִּי רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּבָבָא בַתְרָא (דף קכ"ב): אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן הָיָה מְלֻבָּשׁ בְּאוּרִים וְתֻמִּים וְאוֹמֵר בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אִם שֵׁבֶט פְּלוֹנִי עוֹלֶה, תְּחוּם פְּלוֹנִי עוֹלֶה עִמּוֹ, וְהַשְּׁבָטִים הָיוּ כְתוּבִים בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר פְּתָקִין וְי"ב גְּבוּלִין בְּי"ב פְּתָקִין, וּבְלָלוּם בַּקַּלְפִּי, וְהַנָּשִׂיא מַכְנִיס יָדוֹ לְתוֹכוֹ וְנוֹטֵל שְׁנַיִם פְּתָקִין, עוֹלֶה בְיָדוֹ פֶּתֶק שֶׁל שֵׁם שִׁבְטוֹ וּפֶתֶק שֶׁל גְּבוּל הַמְפֹרָשׁ לוֹ, וְהַגּוֹרָל עַצְמוֹ הָיָה צוֹוֵחַ וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי הַגּוֹרָל עָלִיתִי לִגְבוּל פְּלוֹנִי לְשֵבֶט פְּלוֹנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "עַל פִּי הַגּוֹרָל", וְלֹא נִתְחַלְּקָה הָאָרֶץ בְּמִדָּה, לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ גְּבוּל מְשֻׁבָּח מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, אֶלָּא בְשׁוּמָא, בֵּית כֹּר רַע כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית סְאָה טוֹב, הַכֹּל לְפִי הַדָּמִים:

To the large [tribe], increase their inheritance. To the tribe with the greater populace, they gave a larger portion. Although the portions were unequal, as everything was assigned according to the size of the tribe, they implemented the apportioning solely by lots, and the lottery was inspired by the Sacred Spirit, as stated explicitly in Bava Basra. Elozor the kohein was clothed in the Urim veTumim, and said, with the Sacred Spirit, “If tribe so-and-so is drawn, then border so-and-so will be drawn with it.” The [names of the] tribes were written on twelve notes, and the twelve boundaries on twelve notes. They were mixed into a container, and the leader placed his hand into it and removed two notes. There appeared, in his hand, the note with the name of his tribe, and the note with the boundary specified for it. The lot itself would cry out, exclaiming, “I am the lot drawn for the so-and-so boundary, belonging to tribe so-and-so,” as it is said, “by word of the lottery.” The land was not apportioned dimensionally, since some boundaries were superior to others, but by assessed value. A poor Kor area was equivalent to a superior Seah area, all according to the value [of the soil.]

לשמות מטות אבתם. אֵלּוּ יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם; שִׁנָּה הַכָּתוּב נַחֲלָה זוֹ מִכָּל הַנְּחָלוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁכָּל הַנְּחָלוֹת הַחַיִּים יוֹרְשִׁים אֶת הַמֵּתִים וְכָאן מֵתִים יוֹרְשִׁים אֶת הַחַיִּים, כֵּיצַד? שְׁנֵי אַחִים מִיּוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם שֶׁהָיוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים בְּבָאֵי הָאָרֶץ, לָזֶה אֶחָד וְלָזֶה שְׁלֹשָׁה, הָאֶחָד נָטַל חֵלֶק אֶחָד וְהַשְּׁלֹשָׁה נָטְלוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לָאֵלֶּה תֵּחָלֵק הָאָרֶץ, חָזְרָה נַחֲלָתָן אֵצֶל אֲבִי אֲבִיהֶן וְחָלְקוּ הַכֹּל בְּשָׁוֶה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לשמות מטות אבתם ינחלו — שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁנָּטְלוּ הַבָּנִים, חִלְּקוּהָ לְפִי הָאָבוֹת שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְאִלּוּ מִתְּחִלָּה חִלְּקוּהָ לְמִנְיַן יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם לֹא הָיוּ נוֹטְלִין אֵלּוּ הָאַרְבָּעָה אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, עַכְשָׁו נָטְלוּ אַרְבָּעָה חֲלָקִים (ספרי; בבא בתרא קי"ז):

According to the names of their fathers’ tribes. This refers to those who left Egypt. Scripture deviates, with this inheritance, from all the others in the Torah. With every inheritance, the living inherit the dead, but here, the dead inherit the living. How is this? Two brothers among those who left Egypt had sons who entered the land, one had one son, the other, three. The single son received one portion, the three, three portions, as it is said, “the land shall be apportioned to these.” Their inheritance reverted to their grandfather, and they then shared everything equally. This is [the meaning of] what is said, “according to the names of their fathers’ tribes, they shall inherit” — after the sons received it, they reapportioned it according to the fathers who left Egypt. But if they had apportioned it originally among those numbered in the exodus from Egypt, the four would have received only two portions, whereas they now received four portions.

אך בגורל. יָצְאוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַיִּתְּנוּ לְכָלֵב אֶת חֶבְרוֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה" (שופטים א'), וְאוֹמֵר (יהושע י"ט) "עַל פִּי ה' נָתְנוּ לוֹ אֶת הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר שָׁאָל" (ספרי):

Only by lot. This excludes Yehoshua and Kalev. And similarly it says, “they presented Kalev with Chevron, as Moshe had said.” And it says, “by the word of God they gave him the city which he requested.”

מטות אבתם. יָצְאוּ גֵרִים וַעֲבָדִים:

Of their fathers’ tribes. This excludes proselytes and [gentile] slaves.

על פי הגורל. הַגּוֹרָל הָיָה מְדַבֵּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי, מַגִּיד שֶׁנִּתְחַלְּקָה בְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ {לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר (יהושע י"ט) "עַל פִּי ה'"}:

By word of the lottery. The lots spoke, as I explained above. This informs us that it was apportioned by the inspiration of the Sacred Spirit. This is why it is said, “By the word of God.”

אלה משפחת לוי. חָסֵר כָּאן מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַשִּׁמְעִי וְהָעָזִּיאֵלִי וּקְצָת מִן הַיִּצְהָרִי:

These are the families of Levi. There are missing, here, the families of Shim’i and Ozieili, and part of Yitzhari.

אשר ילדה אתה ללוי במצרים. לֵדָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם וְאֵין הוֹרָתָהּ בְּמִצְרַיִם, כְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לְתוֹךְ הַחוֹמָה יְלָדַתָּה, וְהִיא הִשְׁלִימָה מִנְיַן שִׁבְעִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי בִפְרָטָן אֵי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא שִׁשִּׁים וָתֵשַׁע:

Whom [her mother] bore to Levi in Egypt. Her birth was in Egypt, but she was not conceived in Egypt. As they were entering the wall, she bore her, and she completed the total of seventy. For, in enumeration, you will only find sixty-nine.

כי לא התפקדו בתוך בני ישראל. לִהְיוֹת נִמְנִין בְּנֵי עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, מַה טַּעַם? כי לא נתן להם נחלה, וְהַנִּמְנִין מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה הָיוּ בְנֵי נַחֲלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אִישׁ לְפִי פְקֻדָיו יֻתַּן נַחֲלָתוֹ":

They were not counted among Bnei Yisroel. To have been counted from the age of twenty. What’s the reason? Since no inheritance was given to them. Whereas those who were counted from the age of twenty were qualified to receive the inheritance, as it is said, “each person, according to his number, shall be given his inheritance.”

ובאלה לא היה איש וגו'. אֲבָל עַל הַנָּשִׁים לֹא נִגְזְרָה גְזֵרַת הַמְרַגְּלִים, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן הָיוּ מְחַבְּבוֹת אֶת הָאָרֶץ, הָאֲנָשִׁים אוֹמְרִים נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרַיְמָה, וְהַנָּשִׁים אוֹמְרוֹת "תְּנָה לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה", לְכָךְ נִסְמְכָה פָרָשַׁת בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד לְכָאן (תנחומא):

Among this [census] there was no man, etc. However, against the women, the decree of the spies was not issued, since they cherished the land. The men said, “let us appoint a leader and we will return to Egypt”! while the women said, “give us possession”! This is why the chapter of the daughters of Tzelofchad is adjacent here.

למשפחת מנשה בן יוסף. לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר בן מנשה, אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לְךָ, יוֹסֵף חִבֵּב אֶת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַעֲלִתֶם אֶת עַצְמֹתַי" וְגוֹ' (בראשית נ') וּבְנוֹתָיו חִבְּבוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר תְּנָה לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה, וּלְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהָיוּ כֻלָּם צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁמַּעֲשָׂיו וּמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתָיו סְתוּמִים וּפֵרֵט לְךָ הַכָּתוּב בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם לְיַחֲסוֹ לְשֶׁבַח, הֲרֵי זֶה צַדִּיק בֶּן צַדִּיק, וְאִם יִחֲסוֹ לִגְנַאי, כְּגוֹן "בָּא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן נְתַנְיָה בֶּן אֱלִישָׁמָע" (מלכים ב כ"ה), בְיָדוּעַ שֶׁכָּל הַנִּזְכָּרִים עִמּוֹ רְשָׁעִים הָיוּ (ספרי):

Of the families of Menashe the son of Yoseif. Why is this said? Has it not already said “the son of Menashe”? But it teaches you: Yoseif cherished the land, as it is said: “You must carry up my bones up, etc.,” and his daughters cherished the land, as it is said: “Give us possession,”! And to teach you, that they were all righteous. For where someone’s deeds, and the deeds of his forefathers, are not defined, and Scripture specifically relates one of them to a virtuous ancestor, then this is a righteous person, the son of a righteous person. If he is related disparagingly, as, for example, “Yishmael, the son of Nesanyah, the son of Elishama,” then it is known that everyone mentioned with him was villainous.

מחלה נעה וגו'. וּלְהַלָּן (במדבר לו יא) הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַתִּהְיֶינָה מַחְלָה תִרְצָה", מַגִּיד שֶׁכֻּלָּן שְׁקוּלוֹת — זוֹ כְּזוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ שִׁנָּה אֶת סִדְרָן (שם):

Machlah, No’ah, etc. Below it says, “Machlah and Sirtzah were. . .” This teaches that they were all equal — the order was, therefore, changed.

לפני משה ולפני אלעזר. מַגִּיד שֶׁלֹּא עָמְדוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶלָּא בִשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים, אַחַר שֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן (שם):

Before Moshe and before Elozor. This teaches that they only stood before them in the fortieth year, after Aharon had died.

לפני משה. וְאַחַר כָּךְ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר? אֶפְשַׁר אִם מֹשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע אֶלְעָזָר יוֹדֵעַ? אֶלָּא סָרֵס הַמִּקְרָא וְדָרְשֵׁהוּ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה. אַבָּא חָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִים וְעָמְדוּ לִפְנֵי כֻלָּם (שם; בבא בתרא קי"ט):

Before Moshe. And afterward before Elozor? Is it possible that Moshe did not know and that Elozor did know? But, rearrange the passage and expound upon it. This is R’ Yoshiyah’s interpretation. Aba Chanan said in the name of R’ Elozor: “They were seated in the study hall, and they stood before all of them.”

והוא לא היה וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בָאוֹת לוֹמַר בחטאו מת, נִזְקְקוּ לוֹמַר לֹא בְחֵטְא מִתְלוֹנְנִים וְלֹא בַעֲדַת קֹרַח שֶׁהִצּוּ עַל הַקָּבָּ"ה הָיָה, אֶלָּא בְּחֶטְאוֹ לְבַדּוֹ מֵת, וְלֹא הֶחֱטִיא אֶת אֲחֵרִים עִמּוֹ (ספרי); רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים הָיָה וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר מִן הַמַּעְפִּילִים הָיָה (שבת צ"ו):

But he was not, etc. Since they were going to say that he died because of his sin, they needed to say, ‘not the sin of the complainers, nor with Korach's assembly, who incited [the people] against the Holy One, Blessed is He — was he. Rather, he died by his sin alone, without provoking others to sin with him.’ R’ Akiva said, ”He was the wood gatherer,” R’ Shimon said, “He was among those who ascended defiantly.”

למה יגרע שם אבינו. אָנוּ בִּמְקוֹם בֵּן עוֹמְדוֹת, וְאִם אֵין הַנְּקֵבוֹת חֲשׁוּבוֹת זֶרַע, תִּתְיַבֵּם אִמֵּנוּ לְיָבָם (בבא בתרא קיט):

Why should the name of our father be omitted. We are substitutes for a son. And if females are not considered issue, then let our mother perform levirate marriage with her brother-in-law.

כי אין לו בן. הָא אִם הָיָה לוֹ בֵן, לֹא הָיוּ תוֹבְעוֹת כְּלוּם, מַגִּיד שֶׁחַכְמָנִיּוֹת הָיוּ (שם):

Because he did not have a son. But if he had a son, they would not have entered a claim. This teaches that they were learned.

ויקרב משה את משפטן. נִתְעַלְּמָה הֲלָכָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וְכָאן נִפְרַע עַל שֶׁנָּטַל עֲטָרָה לוֹמַר (דברים א') "וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי"; דָּ"אַ — רְאוּיָה הָיְתָה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ לְהִכָּתֵב עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה, אֶלָּא שֶׁזָּכוּ בְנוֹת צְלָפְחָד וְנִכְתְּבָה עַל יָדָן (בבא בתרא קי"ט; סנהדרין ח'):

Moshe brought their case. The halachah was concealed from him. Here he was punished for assuming the crown by saying, “Matters too difficult for you, you may bring before me.” Another interpretation: It was fitting that this chapter be written through Moshe, but the daughters of Tzelofchad were meritorious, and it was written through them.