meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Torah/Numbers/English/Torah Yesharah, translated and edited by Chas. Kahane. New York, 1963.txt"}
text: Numbers
  במדבר
  Torah Yesharah, translated and edited by Chas. Kahane. New York, 1963
  
  
  Numbers
  
  
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Assembly, on the first day of Iyar which is the second month of the second year after they had come out from the land of Egypt:(רמב"ן, רש"י.)
  “Take a census of the entire community of the Children of Israel according to their tribal families — their tribal affiliation shall be established according to the houses of their fathers, not their mothers; counting the names of every male individually.(עפ"י א"ע, מלבי"ם, רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  From twenty years old and upward, all who are liable to military service among the Israelites; you and Aaron shall muster them for their service.(א"ע, רש"י.)
  With you, to assist, shall be a representative of each of the twelve tribes, a man who is the head in his father's house.(רש"י, ספורנו, רמב"ן.)
  The following are the names of the men who shall stand with you to assist: Of the tribe of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur.(רש"י.)
  Of the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,(אונקלוס.)
  Of the tribe of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab.(א"ע, מלבי"ם.)
  Of the tribe of Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar.(אונקלוס, רש"י.)
  Of the tribe of Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon.(א"ע, אונקלוס.)
  Of the sons of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
  Of the tribe of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni.
  Of the tribe of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
  Of the tribe of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran.
  Of the tribe of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  Of the tribe of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.”(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  These were the elect of the community, the chiefs of their father's tribes; they were the heads of thousands in Israel.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  Moses and Aaron took with them these men as specified by name,(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  then they assembled the entire community on the first day of the second month, tracing each descent after the tribal family of their fathers' houses; together with the number of names of those from twenty years old and upward, individually.
  As the Eternal commanded Moses, so did he muster them in the wilderness of Sinai.
  The Children of Reuben, Israel's first-born, their descendants, after their family tribe of their father's houses, with the number of names individually, all the males from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Reuben: forty-six thousand five hundred.
  Of the children of Simeon, their descendants, after their family tribe, of their fathers’ houses, counted by the number of names individually, every male from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Simeon: fifty-nine thousand three-hundred.
  Of the Children of Gad, their descendants after their family tribe, of their fathers’ houses, counted by names from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Gad: forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
  Of the Children of Judah, their descendants after their family tribe, of their fathers’ houses, counted by names from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Judah: seventy-four thousand six hundred.
  Of the Children of Issachar, their descendants after their family tribe, of their fathers’ houses, counted by names from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Issachar: fifty-four thousand four hundred.
  Of the Children of Zebulun, their descendants, after their family tribe, of their fathers’ houses, counted by names from twenty years old and upward, all of military age.
  The total sum of the tribe of Zebulun: fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
  Of the Children of Joseph: Of Ephraim, their descendants, after their family tribe of their fathers’ houses, counted by name from twenty years old and upward, of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Ephraim: forty thousand five hundred.
  Of the Children of Manasseh, their descendants after their family tribe of their fathers’ houses, counted by name from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Manasseh: thirty-two thousand two hundred.
  Of the Children of Benjamin, their descendants after their family tribe of their fathers’ houses, counted by name from twenty years old and upward, all of military age.
  The total sum of the tribe of Benjamin: thirty-five thousand four hundred.
  Of the Children of Dan, their descendants after their family tribe of their fathers’ houses, counted by name from twenty years old and upward, all of military age.
  The total sum of the tribe of Dan: sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
  Of the Children of Asher, their descendants after their family tribe of their fathers’ houses, counted by name from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Asher: forty-one thousand five hundred.
  Of the Children of Naphtali, their descendants after their family tribe of their fathers’ houses, counted by name from twenty years old and upward, all of military age,
  The total sum of the tribe of Naphtali: fifty-three thousand four hundred.
  These were numbered by Moses and Aaron, assisted by the twelve chieftains of Israel, the chosen men of their fathers’ houses.
  All those that were numbered of the Children of Israel by their fathers’ houses, were twenty years old and upward, all of military age among the Israelites;
  The entire total sum was six hundred thousand, and three thousand five hundred and fifty.
  But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers, being exempt from military service, were not counted among the Israelites;
  For the Eternal had spoken to Moses, as follows:
  “You shall definitely not number the tribe of Levi from the age of twenty, neither shall you include their census among the Children of Israel;
  But you shall assign the Levites to be in charge over the Divine House, where the Tablets of Testimony are placed, and over all its furniture and over all that belongs to it; they shall transport the Divine House, with all its furniture; they shall supervise it and shall encamp all around the Divine House.
  When the Divine House is to be moved, the Levites shall take it apart; and when the Divine House is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up, but the non-Levite who shall approach to do the service of the Levites will be punished by death from Heaven.
  The Children of Israel shall encamp, every man with his own tribal camp, and everyone according to his own military standard.
  But the Levites shall be stationed all around the Divine House where the Tablets of Testimony are placed, so that there be no Divine displeasure against the Community of the Children of Israel; the Levites alone shall perform the duties for the Divine House of the Testimony.
  The Children of Israel Mid accordingly, they followed all the particulars which the Eternal had commanded Moses.
  
  
  
  The Eternal said to Moses and Aaron:(רש"י.)
  “Each man of the Children of Israel shall encamp under his divisional banner, engraved with the emblem of his father's house, around the Tent of Assembly; at a distance of four thousand feet shall they encamp.(רש"י.)
  The tribal banner of the camp of Judah, which is of blue color and bears the emblem of a lion, shall be set in front, on the east side, according to the military order of their march; the chief of the Children of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab.(רש"י.)
  His army that was mustered was Seventy-four thousand six hundred.(רש"י.)
  The tribe of Issachar shall encamp next to him, the chief of the Children of Issachar being Nethanel the son of Zuar:(רש"י.)
  His army that was mustered was fifty thousand four hundred;(רש"י.)
  Also the tribe of Zebulun; the chief of the Children of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon;(מכילתא.)
  His army that was mustered was fifty-seven thousand four hundred;
  The total number, under the leadership of the camp of Judah, was one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred on their march. They shall march first.
  The tribal banner of the camp of Reuben, of red color with the figure of a human, shall be stationed on the south side, according to their military order of march; the chief of the Children of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur;
  His army that was mustered was forty-six thousand five hundred.(רש"י, הופמן.)
  Stationed next to him was the tribe of Simeon, the chief of the Children of Simeon being Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
  His army that was mustered was fifty-nine thousand three hundred.(הירץ.)
  Also stationed there was the tribe of Gad; the chief of the Children of Gad being Eliasaph the son of Reuel.(רש"י.)
  His army that was mustered was forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
  The total number of the camp of Reuben was one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty in the order of their march. They shall be the second to march.
  After the camps of Judah and Reuben have set out, the Divine Tent shall go forth, borne by the tribe of the Levites: in the midst of the camps. As in camping so in marching, every man shall be in his place by his tribal banner.
  The tribal banner of the camp of Ephraim is jet-black with the emblem of a bullock; it shall be stationed on the west side according to the order of their march; the chief of the Children of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud.
  His army that was mustered was forty thousand five hundred.
  Next to them shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The chief of the Children of Manasseh being Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
  His army that was mustered was thirty-two thousand two hundred.
  Next to them shall be the tribe of Benjamin, the chief of the Children of Benjamin being Abidan the son of Gideoni.
  His army that was mustered was thirty-five thousand four hundred.
  The total number of the camp of Ephraim was one hundred eight thousand one hundred; according to the order of their march. They shall be the third to march.
  The tribal banner of the camp of Dan is deep blue with the emblem of a serpent; it shall be stationed on the north side, according to the order of their march, the chief of the Children of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
  His army that was mustered was sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
  Stationed next to them was the tribe of Asher, the chief of the Children of Asher being Pagiel the son of Ochran.
  His army that was mustered was forty-one thousand five hundred;
  Next to them was the tribe of Naphtali, the chief of the Children of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan;
  His army that was mustered was fifty-three thousand four hundred.
  The total number of the camp of Dan was one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall march last with their banners.
  These are the total numbers of the Children of Israel according to their fathers' houses. The total number of the camps according to the order of their march: six hundred thousand and three thousand five hundred and fifty.
  But the Levites were not included in the number of the Children of Israel as the Eternal commanded Moses.
  The Children of Israel did this in accordance with all that the Eternal had commanded Moses; in the manner that they encamped, so did they march: by their banners, according to his family tribe; after his father's house.
  
  
  
  Now this is the lineage of the Kohanite and Levite families, as divided between Moses and Aaron, on the day when the Eternal spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.(רש"י, רשב"ם, רמב"ן.)
  The names of the sons of Aaron, the first-born were: Nadab, Abihu, Eliezer and Ithamar.
  These were the names of the sons of Aaron, who were anointed Kohanim and ordained to minister as Kohanim on the day when the Eternal spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai,(רש"י עפ"י שיטת רבי עקיבא.)
  But Nadab and Abihu died by a fire from heaven which came from the Eternal, because they had offered strange fire upon the inner Altar before the Eternal in the wilderness of Sinai; and as they had no children to succeed them, Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as Kohanim assisting Aaron their father.(רש"י.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י.)
  “Bring together the tribe of Levi and present them before Aaron the Kohen, so that they may assist him.(רש"י.)
  They shall perform duties at his bidding, and at the bidding of the entire community before the Tent of Assembly to do the service of the Divine House.(רש"י.)
  They shall perform their duties of guardianship pertaining to the vessels of the Tent of Assembly, representing the function of the Children of Israel, as they do the service of the Divine House.(רש"י.)
  Bring forth the Levites to assist Aaron and his sons; they are indeed a replacement from the Children of Israel.(אונקלוס.)
  Appoint Aaron and his sons to perform their Kohanite duties; and if a non-kohen approaches to perform the kohanite functions he will be punished with death from heaven.”
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י.)
  "I establish the covenant by taking the Levites from among the Children of Israel instead of every first-born. Originally the first-born of every mother among the Children of Israel served in the Sanctuary. However, they were disqualified for this office because of the worship of the Golden Calf. Therefore the Levites, who remained faithful, shall replace them to be Mine.
  For every first-born is Mine. Since the day I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated to Myself all the first-born in Israel, both man and animal. They shall remain Mine forever. All the human male first-born must be redeemed at the age of one month: I am the Eternal.”
  The Eternal spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai:
  "Number the children of Levi by their fathers' houses according to their tribal family; every male from a month old and upward shall you number.”
  Moses numbered them as he was commanded by the direction of the Eternal.(רשב"ם, א"ע.)
  These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.(עפ"י ספרא.)
  These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.
  The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
  The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These were the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.
  Of Gershon came the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites.
  Their total, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, was seven thousand five hundred.
  The families of the Gershonites were to be encamped behind the Divine House, westward.
  The chief of the Gershonite fathers' houses being Eliasaph the son of Lael.
  The sons of Gershon shall have charge of the Tent of Assembly: transporting the bottom layer of the ten curtains which are over the Divine House, the second layer of the eleven curtains over the whole tent, the top layer that covers it, the screen for the door of the Tent of Assembly,
  the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance to the courtyard, which is near the Divine House, the altar, and its cords used for all its service.
  Of Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.
  All the numbered males from a month old and upward were eight thousand six hundred; they were charged with the supervision of the most holy vessels.
  The families of the Children of Kohath were to be stationed on the side of the Divine House, southward.
  The chief of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
  Their duties were to be the transportation of the Holy Ark, the table, the candelabra, the altars, and the holy vessels with which the Kohanim minister, and the Partition that divides the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies and everything pertaining to the service.
  Eleazar the son of Aaron, the kohen, was the head over the chiefs of the Levites; appointed over those who are charged with the supervision of the Sanctuary.
  Of Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari.
  Their total, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was six thousand two hundred.
  The chief of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail; they were to be stationed on the side of the Divine House, northward.
  The appointed duties of the sons of Merari being the transportation of the boards of the Divine House, its bolts, posts, sockets, all its instruments, and everything pertinent to its service,
  Also the posts of the courtyard, all around, their sockets, pegs, and cords.
  Those who encamped before the Divine House forward—before the Tent of Assembly eastward were Moses and Aaron and his sons; they were charged with the supervision of the Children of Israel for if a non-kohen or a non-Levite were to approach to perform these duties he would be punished with death from heaven.
  The total number of the Levites which Moses and Aaron counted at the direction of the Eternal, according to their families, all the males, from one month old and upward, to replace the Israelite first-born, except the three hundred Levite first-born was twenty-two thousand.
  The Eternal said to Moses: “Count every first-born male of the Children of Israel from the age of one month and upward, and set up the number of their names.
  Take the Levites for My service forever, even as My name “The Eternal” is forever, in place of every first-born among the Children of Israel, also the cattle of the Levites in place of all the firstlings among the cattle of the Children of Israel.”
  Moses counted all the first-born among the Children of Israel, as the Eternal had commanded him.
  All the first-born males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the Children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle, and the Levites shall be for My service forever, even as I am the Eternal forever.
  As for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the Children of Israel who are over and above the number of the Levites —
  take five shekels per individual; according to the shekel of the Sanctuary shall you take from them, the shekel is twenty gerahs.
  Give this money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption money for those who remain.”
  Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above the Levite replacement;
  From the first-born of the Children of Israel he took the money; the sum of one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekels of the Sanctuary.
  And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his son, in accordance with the direction of the Eternal, as the Eternal had commanded Moses.
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses and Aaron:
  “Take the census of the Children of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, according to their families, by their fathers' houses.(עפ"י רמב"ן.)
  From thirty years and upward to the age of fifty, all who enter the service to do work in the Tent of Assembly.(עפ"י א"ע, רש"י.)
  This is the service of the Children of Kohath in the Tent of Assembly: to transport its most holy articles.
  When the camp is about to march, Aaron and his sons shall go in and remove the Partition that screens the Holy of Holies and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it,
  put on it a covering of sealskin and spread over it a cloth all of blue as the blue heavens, and set its poles into the rings to carry the Ark.(רש"י.)
  Over the table of Fitting-Bread they will spread a cloth of blue, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls and the pouring jars. But the Fitting-Bread must always remain on the table and not on the blue cloth.
  Then they will spread upon them a cloth of scarlet wool and cover this with a covering of sealskin; and set its poles in the rings to carry it.
  They will take a cloth of blue wool, and cover the candelabrum of lights, its lamps, its tongs, its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels used for ministration.
  They will put it and all its vessels into a covering of sealskin, and place it upon a pole.
  Upon the golden altar they will spread a cloth of blue wool, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and set poles in the rings to carry it.
  They will take all the vessels of ministry, with which they minister in the Sanctuary, and put them into a cloth of blue wool, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and place them upon a pole.(עפ"י פירוש אחד בספרא.)
  They will remove the ashes from the altar and then spread on it a cloth of purple wool;(רש"י.)
  put on it all its vessels with which they minister thereon — the fire pans, the fleshhooks, the shovels, the basins, all the vessels of the altar — and spread upon it a covering of sealskin, and set its poles in the rings to carry it.(רש"י.)
  When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furniture and all the holy vessels, as the camp is about to march, the sons of Kohath shall come and carry them; but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These objects of the Tent of Assembly will be carried by the sons of Kohath.(רש"י.)
  Eleazar the son of Aaron the Kohen will have charge over the oil for the light, and the fragrant incense, and all the regular cereal-offering, and the anointing oil; indeed, he will supervise the transportation assigned to the Children of Kohath of the Divine House, and all that is in it—whether it pertains to the holy furniture or its vessels."(רש"י.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses and Aaron;(רש"י.)
  Take care that the tribal family of Kohath shall not be cut off by death from among the Levites.(רש"י.)
  Institute this arrangement for them, so that they may live, and not die when they approach the Holy of Holies. Aaron and his sons shall go in and cover all the furniture and vessels, then appoint each of the Kohathites to his service and to his load.(רש"י.)
  But the Kohathites shall not enter to look when the holy vessels are encased into the covering, lest they die."(רש"י.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Take the census of the sons of Gershon, in the same manner as that of the sons of Kohath, after their fathers’ houses, according to their families.(עפ"י, א"ע, רשב"ם.)
  Number them from the age of thirty years and up to the age of fifty, all who are fit to enter to perform the service, to carry on the work for the Tent of Assembly.
  This is the task of the Gershonite family, their work at the time of encampment and the transportation they are to carry at the time of decampment.(רש"י.)
  They shall transport the bottom spreads of the Divine House, the middle layers which are over the Tent of Assembly, the sealskin covering which is on the top of it, and the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Assembly,
  the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance to the gate of the courtyard, around the Divine House, their cords, the altar, and all the instruments of their service, and whatever is entrusted to them they shall execute.
  All the Gershonite services in the Tent of Assembly, all their transportation duties and all their work will be done by authority of Aaron and his sons; you shall put them in charge of all their transportation.
  This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Assembly; their task will be to deliver all the implements necessary for setting up the camp, under the supervision of Ithamar the son of Aaron the kohen.
  The sons of Merari you will number by their families, by their fathers' houses;
  Number them from the age of thirty years up to the age of fifty, all who are fit to enter into the service, to perform the work needed for the Tent of Assembly.
  The following shall be their transportation duties including all their service in the Tent of Assembly; the boards of the Divine House, its bolts, its posts, and its sockets,
  The posts of the courtyard all around, their sockets, their pins, their cords, their accessories, and all that pertains to their service. Each individual by name, shall be assigned his task in transporting the articles.
  This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, pertaining to all their service in the Tent of Assembly; on encampment they shall deliver all these articles, under the supervision of Ithamar the son of Aaron the kohen."
  Moses, Aaron and the chiefs of the community numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and their fathers' houses.
  From the age of thirty years up to the age of fifty, those fit to enter the service for work in the Tent of Assembly,(רש"י.)
  The number of their families was two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
  These were the numbered of the families of the Kohathites, of all who served in the Tent of Assembly, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, according to the commandment of the Eternal through Moses.
  The tota lnumber of the sons of Gershon by their families and by their fathers' houses.
  From the age of thirty years and up to the age of fifty, all who were fit to enter into the service for work in the Tent of Assembly;
  Their total number by their families and by their fathers' houses was two thousand six hundred and thirty.
  These were the numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of those who served in the Tent of Assembly, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Eternal.
  The total number of the families of the sons of Merari by their families and by their fathers' houses.
  From the age of thirty years and up to fifty, all who were fit to enter into the service in the work in the Tent of Assembly,
  Their total number according to their families was three thousand two hundred.
  These were the numbered of the families of the sons of Merari whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Eternal through Moses.
  All the Levites numbered by their families and by their fathers' houses, which Moses and Aaron and the chieftains of Israel numbered,
  from the age of thirty years and up to the age of fifty, all who were fit to do the work of taking apart and setting up the Divine House, and the work of transportation of the Tent of Assembly —
  were eight thousand five hundred and eighty.
  By the command of the Eternal they were appointed by Moses each to his service and to his transportation duty; they were numbered as the Eternal had commanded Moses.
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י.)
  “Command the Children of Israel to divide their encampment into three camps: (1) Call the area of the Divine House the Camp of Divinity; (2) the area where the Kohanim and the Levites are stationed around the Divine House, name: “Camp of the Levites”; (3) and the area where the other tribes are encamped shall be called: “Camp of the Israelites.” Every Metzora (leper) will be expelled from all the three camps; everyone who has a discharge will be excluded from the Camp of Divinity, and Camp of the Levites, and whosoever will be ritually unclean by contact with a corpse shall be prohibited from entering the Camp of Divinity.(רש"י.)
  Regardless of whether such persons are male or female, you will keep them out, you will put them outside the camp, so that they will not contaminate their particular camps where My Presence is found.”(רש"י, רשב"ם.)
  The Children of Israel did so; they put them outside of the camp. As the Eternal had spoken to Moses, the Children of Israel did.(רש"י, רשב"ם.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Speak to the Children of Israel. When a man or a woman commits a sin of robbing another man, and denies it by oath before the Eternal, but then, out of a guilty conscience —
  the man or the woman confesses the sin they have committed, the sinner shall make full restitution for his guilt, and add to it a fifth part to it and give it to the claimant in respect to whom he had been guilty.
  If the claimant was a proselyte and died, leaving no heirs to collect the indemnity, then the restitution for guilt shall belong to the Eternal, and be given to the kohen, in addition, the sinner shall offer a ram for atonement, and thereby he shall be forgiven.
  All first fruits, being holy, shall be presented by the Children of Israel to the kohen; they shall be his.
  Every man has the right to choose any individual kohen to give him his sacred things; whatsoever he declares to give to the kohen shall be his; no other kohen can have claim to it.”
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Tell the Children of Israel to assemble, then say to them: When a man's wife goes astray from the right path, and acts unfaithfully against him,
  and there is a possibility that a man had carnal relations with her, but it cannot be proven by her husband, and there are no witnesses to attest to her becoming impure, but there are witnesses to testify — that the couple had met in secret but she was not taken in the act.(רש"י.)
  When an impulse of jealousy comes over the husband, and he has warned his wife in the persence of two witnesses not to meet with the man — no matter whether she was defiled or was not defiled — and she disregarded the warning,(רש"י.)
  The husband will bring his wife to the kohen. He shall bring as an offering for her one tenth of an ephah of barley flour; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense on it, as these are symbols of joy and festivity, and this is a cereal-offering signifying jealousy; a memorial cereal-offering, memorializing accusation.(רש"י.)
  The kohen shall then bring her forward and make her stand before the altar of the Eternal.(רש"י.)
  The kohen shall take water which was consecrated in the holy laver, put this in a cheap earthen vessel, take of the dust which is on the ground of the Divine House, and put it into the water.(רש"י.)
  After the kohen made the woman stand before the altar of the Eternal, he shall uncover the hair of the woman's head, as a sign of disgrace; he shall also put the memorial cereal-offering into her hand, to remind her that it is a cereal- offering of jealousy in order to elicit a confession from her; the kohen shall then hold in his hand the water of testing that can bring her bitterness.(רש"י.)
  The kohen will make her swear and say to the woman: “If the man against whom your husband has warned you has not lain with you; if you have not strayed from the right path to have contact with any other man while married to your husband, then you will go unpunished through this water of testing that can bring bitterness.(ספורנו.)
  But if you did step aside from the right path while married to your husband, and you have become impure, and a man other than your husband has lain with you —"
  here the kohen will enforce the woman's oath with an oath of malediction. The kohen will say to the woman: “The Eternal will bring it to pass that your own people will mention your name as a warning example when they curse and take oaths; the Eternal will cause your thight to fall away, and your abdomen to swell;(רש"י, א"ע.)
  This water of testing will enter into your bowels, and cause your abdomen to swell, and your thigh to fall away. The woman will confirm this oath by saying 'Amen, Amen.'(רש"י, א"ע.)
  The kohen will write down these curses upon a scroll, and blot them out into the water of testing.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  So that when he makes the woman drink the water of testing which brings bitterness, the water of testing will enter into her and become a curse for her.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Then the kohen will take the cereal offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, wave the cereal offering before the Eternal, and bring it to the altar.
  The kohen will take a handful of the cereal offering, a memorial part, and burn it upon the altar, Then he will make the woman drink the water.(מפרשים.)
  When he has made her drink the water, then, if she has become impure, and has acted unfaithfully against her husband, the water of testing entering into her will be bitter, and her abdomen will swell, and her thigh will fall away; she will then become a proverbial curse among her people.
  But, if the woman did not become impure by association with the man whom her husband suspected; if she is innocent in respect to any other man, then she will be acquitted, and the Eternal will compensate her by causing her to give birth to goodly children.
  This is the law of jealousy when a wife, while married to her husband, strays from the right path, and becomes impure, and there are no witnesses,
  If the impulse of jealousy comes upon the man, and he warns his wife while he is jealous. He shall then make the woman stand before the altar of the Eternal, and the kohen will perform for him all this ritual according to law.
  But the husband shall be free from punishment for having suspected her; only the woman shall bear her guilt for having disregarded his warning.”
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  "Tell the Children of Israel to assemble and say to them: If anyone, man or womsan explicitly take a vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to consecrate himself to the service of the Eternal,(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן, רשב"ם.)
  he will abstain from wine and strong drink; he will drink neither vinegar of wine nor vinegar of strong drink; neither shall he drink anything soaked in the juice of grapes, nor shall he eat grapes or raisins.(רש"י, רשב"ם.)
  All the days of his Naziriteship he shall eat nothing made of the grapevine, nothing, even from the seed to the shell.(רש"י.)
  All the days of his vow of Naziriteship no razor shall touch the hair of his head; so shall it be until the days which he has consecrated to the service of the Eternal will be completed; his hair shall be considered holy and he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.(עפ"י ר' יוסי ביומא מו, רש"י.)
  All the days that he consecrates himself to the service of the Eternal he will also not come in contact with a dead body.(עפ"י ר' יוסי ביומא מו, רש"י.)
  He shall not defile himself even for his father or his mother, or his brother, or his sister if they die; for a divine crown is upon his head.(רש"י.)
  All the days of his Naziriteship he is considered holy to the Eternal.
  But if any person dies suddenly, while he was in the house and he thus becomes defiled, then he shall shave the hair of his head on the day when he is purified; when he is sprinkled with the water of purification; this shall be on the seventh day after the defilement; and on that day he shall shave his head.
  On the eighth day he shall bring two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, to the kohen at the entrance of the Tent of Assembly.(מפרשים.)
  The kohen shall prepare one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering, and therewith perform atonement because he had sinned by not being cautious enough and becoming defiled by a corpse; on the same day he shall renew the period of consecration by allowing the hair of his head to grow.(רש"י.)
  And he shall consecrate anew the days of his Naziriteship to the Eternal by bringing a one-year-old lamb as a guilt-offering; however, the former days shall be void and not counted, since his Naziriteship was interrupted by defilement.(רש"י.)
  This is the law of the Nazirite: when the days of his consecration are completed the kohen will bring him to the entrance of the Tent of Assembly.(רש"י.)
  He will offer his sacrifice to the Eternal: one lamb, one year old, without blemish, for a burnt-offering, and one ewe lamb, one year old, without blemish, for a sin-offering; and one ram, without blemish, for a peace-offering.(א"ע, אונקלוס.)
  Also a basket of matzoth, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and matzoh wafers spread with oil, together with their cereal offering, and with their drink-offering.
  The kohen will bring them before the altar of the Eternal, and offer up his sin-offering and his burnt-offering.
  He will offer up the ram for a peace-offering to the Eternal, with the basket of matzoth; the kohen will also offer with it, its cereal-offering, and its drink-offering.
  The Nazirite will then shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the Tent of Assembly, take the consecrated hair of his head, and put it on the fire which is beneath the sacrifice of peace-offering.
  The kohen will take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one matzoh cake out of the basket, and one matzoh wafer, and put them upon the palms of the hands of the Nazirite, after he has cut off his consecrated hair.
  The kohen will wave them for a wave-offering before the Eternal; this is a holy donation for the kohen in addition to the breast of the wave-offering and the thigh of Teruma offering. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.
  This is the law of one who vows to be a Nazirite; these are the rules pertaining to his offerings to the Eternal for his Naziriteship. Besides that which is prescribed according to the law of his Naziriteship which he had vowed, he may bring more, according to his means.”(רש"י, א"ע.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י, א"ע.)
  “Speak to Aaron and his sons as follows: Afer the daily communal sacrifices you shall ascend the tribune, spread out your hands on high and bless the Children of Israel in the following Hebrew words. Pronounce upon them the kohanite benediction in these words: YEVORECHO ADONAI VEYISHMERECHO, YOEIR ADONAI PONOV EILECHO V’CHUNEKO, YISSO ADONAI PONOV EILECHO VEYOSSEM LECHO SHOLOM.”(עפ"י רש"י ורמב"ן.)
  (May the Eternal bless you, (with long life and wealth,) and shield you, (from destruction.).
  May the Eternal bestow His light (of Torah and knowledge) upon you, and make you beloved.
  May the Eternal turn His loving care to you (by accepting your prayers,) and establish peace for you (in all your borders.)
  They shall not express their own good wishes but shall always put forth My Divine Name when they bless the Children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
  
  
  
  On the day when Moses had completed the supervision of the erection of the Divine House, had anointed it, sanctified it and its furniture, he then set up the altar and all its vessels, which he had anointed and sanctified.
  The chiefs of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, the same chieftains of the tribes who were appointed in Egypt, the same chieftains who had stood at the side of Moses in taking the census, offered gifts.
  They brought their offerings before the Eternal: six covered wagons, and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the chieftains and an ox for each one. These they presented before the Divine House.
  The Eternal said to Moses as follows:
  “Take it from them, that they may serve to transport the Tent of Assembly. You shall give them to the Levites, to each according to the requirement of his transportation duty.”(רש"י.)
  Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.(רש"י.)
  Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the Sons of Gershon, according to the quota for their transportation duty,(רש"י.)
  and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the Sons of Merari, according to their transportation duty, which was heavier than that of the Gershonites, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the kohen.(זבחים קג.)
  But to the Sons of Kohath he gave none, because they transported the most holy objects: the Ark, the table, and the candlebrum; these they carried on their shoulders.(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן, רשב"ם.)
  The chieftains brought the dedication offering of the altar on the day when it was anointed, and then the chieftains brought their offerings before the altar.(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן, רשב"ם.)
  The Eternal said to Moses: "Each day another chieftain shall offer his sacrifice during the time of the celebration of the hallowing of the altar.”(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן, רשב"ם.)
  Nahshon the son of Amminadab, representing the tribe of Judah, was the one to present his offering on the first day.(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן, רשב"ם.)
  His offering was one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering,(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן, רשב"ם.)
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן, רשב"ם.)
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering;(ראה פרשה ח' פסוק לב, א"ע.)
  One goat for a sin-offering;(א"ע, יונתן ב"ע.)
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats and five lambs in their first year. That was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.(רמב"ן.)
  On the second day the chiefatin Nethanel the son of Zuar, representing the tribe of Issachar, brought his offering.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;(אונקלוס.)
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;(יונתן, א"ע.)
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering.
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.(ספרא.)
  On the third day the chieftain Eliab the son of Helon, representing the tribe of Zebulun, brought his offering.(רש"י.)
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one rani, and one lamb in its first year for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.(יונתן ב"ע.)
  On the fourth day, the chieftain Elizur the son of Shedeur, representing the tribe of Reuben, brought his offering.
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year for a burnt-offering;(רש"י.)
  One goat for a sin-offering.
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.(א"ע.)
  On the fifth day, the chieftain Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, representing the tribe of Simeon, brought his offering.
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels filled with incense;(רמב"ן, יונתן ב"ע.)
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering: tow oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of its first year. That was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
  On the sixth day, the chieftain Eliasaph the son of Deuel, representing the tribe of Gad, brought his offering:
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering sacrifice: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
  On the seventh day the chieftain Elishama the son of Ammihud, representing the tribe of Ephraim, brought his offering:
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both lied with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, and one he-lamb in its first year for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering:
  and for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the rst year. That was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
  On the eighth day the chieftain Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, representing the tribe of Manasseh, brouhgt his offering:
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, an one lamb in its first year for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
  On the ninth day the chieftain Abidan the son of Gideoni, representing the tribe of Benamin, brought his offering:
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
  On the tenth day the chieftain Achiezer the son of Ammishaddai, representing the tribe of Dan, brought his offering:
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Achiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
  On the eleventh day the chieftain Pagiel the son of Ochran, representing the tribe of Asher, brought his offering:
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled wit fine flour, mingled with oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering.
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.
  On the twelfth day the chieftain Ahira the son of Enan, representing the tribe of Naphtali, brought his offering:
  He presented one silver bowl weighing one hundred thirty shekels and one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the Sanctuary shekels, both filled with fine flour, mingled wtih oil for a cereal-offering;
  One golden cup of ten shekels, filled with incense;
  One young bullock, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt-offering;
  One goat for a sin-offering;
  And for his peace-offering: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs of the first year. That was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
  This was the dedication of the chieftains of Israel, which began on the day when the altar was anointed and lasted for twelve days: twelve silver bowls; twelve silver basins; twelve golden cups.
  The weight of each silver bowl was one hundred thirty shekels; the weight of each basin, seventy shekels. The total silver of the vessels, two thousand four hundred Sanctuary shekels.
  The twelve golden cups filled with incense, weighing ten Sanctuary shekels each; the total gold of the cups was one hundred and twenty shekels.
  The total number of animals for burnt-offerings were twelve bullocks, twelve rams, twelve lambs of the first year, together with their cereal-offerings; twelve goats for sin-offerings.
  The total number of animals for peace-offerings were twenty-four bullocks, sixty rams, sixty he-goats, sixty lambs of the first year. These were the Chieftains' offerings for the dedication of the Altar after it was anointed.
  After the period of the dedication of the Tent of Assembly and the Altar, the Eternal no longer spoke to Moses from the peak of Sinai. It was only when Moses entered into the Tent of Assembly that He spoke with him: Moses heard the Voice speaking to him from above the Ark-cover which was upon the Ark of Testimony; that is, from between the two Cherubim. In this manner did He speak to Moses always.
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Speak to Aaron whose task it is to attend to the sacred lamps. Thus shall you say to him: When you light the lamps you shall arrange the six lamps in tha\ way that their wicks are turned toward the central one, and all seven lamps shall give light."
  Aaron did so; he arranged the six lights turned toward the center of the candelabrum; even as the Eternal had commanded Moses.(א"ע.)
  Thus shall the candelabrum be made also in the future: of one piece shall it be hammered out of gold; from its base to its flowers it shall be hammered out of one solid block. According to the pattern which the Eternal had shown Moses, thus did Bezalel make the candelabrum.(עיין ביונתן ב"ע.)
  The Eternal then spoke to Moses:(רש"י.)
  “Because the tribe of Levi did not take part in the worship of the golden calf, separate the Levites from the Children of Israel, to constitute the Levite camp; purify them from ritual impurity.(א"ע.)
  The following shall be done in order to purify them: Sprinkle upon them the water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer, remove all the hair of their body with a razor, let them wash their clothes, and they shall bathe in a ritual bath (Mikvah).
  Then they shall bring a young bullock for a burnt-offering, with its cereal-offering, fine flour, mingled with oil—and you shall order them to bring a second young bullock for a sin-offering.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Bring the Levites near the Tent of Assembly, and assemble there the whole community of the Children of Israel.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Present the Levites before the altar of the Eternal. The Children of Israel shall place their hands upon the Levites to dedicate them to perform the sacred service.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Aaron will present the Levites before the Eternal to symbolize a wave-offering from the Children of Israel, that they may perform the service of the Eternal.
  The Levites shall place their hands upon the heads of the bullocks, and you will command Aaron to offer one bullock for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering to the Eternal, to make atonement for the Levites.
  Set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons; and you, Moses, shall also present them to symbolize a wave-offering to the Eternal.
  Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the Children of Israel; and the Levites shall be dedicated to My service.
  After that the Levites shall enter into the service in the Tent of Assembly, for you have purified them and presented them to symbolize a wave-offering.(א"ע.)
  For they are chosen entirely for My service from among the Children of Israel; instead of the first-born to his mother, as all the first-born of the Children of Israel who carried out the service in the Sanctuary previously, I now take the Levites into My service.
  For all the first-born of the Children of Israel, both of man and animal, were Mine; at the time that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I had sanctified them for My service.
  But when they deceived Me by worshipping the golden calf, I decided to take the Levites in place of all the first-born among the Children of Israel.
  From amongst the Children of Israel, I have given the Levites to be attendants to Aaron and his sons to do the service for the Children of Israel in the Tent of Assembly; their substitution will make atonement for the first-born of the Children of Israel; also their service in the Sanctuary will prevent death among the Children of Israel, because the Children of Israel will not be compelled to come near to the Sanctuary."
  Moses, Aaron and the whole community of the Children of Israel fulfilled for the Levites all that which the Eternal had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, and the Children of Israel placed their hands upon the Levites as a sign that they consented to their service in the Sanctuary instead of the first-born.
  The Levites purified themselves, and washed their clothes, and Aaron made a presentation with them before the Altar of the Eternal, Aaron also performed atonement for them at the time of their purification.
  After that the Levites entered to do their service in the Tent of Assembly in the presence of Aaron and in the presence of his sons: as the Eternal had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did Aaron and his sons do with them.(רש"י.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  This shall be the regulations pertaining to the Levites; at the age of twenty-five they will enter into the service of guarding the Tent of Assembly; from thirty years and upward they shall transport the Tent of Assembly and do their work in the Sanctuary.
  At.the age of fifty years the Levite shall retire from the duty of transportation, and shall serve no more;(מפרשי אחרונים.)
  But he may assist his brethren by being a gatekeeper in the Tent of Assembly to keep guard, but he shall not perform any service; thus shall you instruct the Levites as to the discharge of their service.
  
  
  
  The Eternal had spoken to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after the exodus from Egypt:(רש"י.)
  "Let the Children of Israel offer the Paschal sacrifice at its appointed season even on the Sabbath, and even when the entire community is ritually impure.(יונתן.)
  On the fourteenth day of this month, toward evening, you shall offer it at its appointed hours; in accordance with all its decrees, as to the fitness of the lamb, and in accordance of all its laws; i.e., to eat it with Matzoth, so shall you perform it.”(יונתן.)
  Moses had told the Children of Israel to offer the Paschal sacrifice,(אונקלוס.)
  and they offered the Paschal sacrifice in the first month on the fourteenth day of the month toward evening, in the wilderness of Sinai, according to all that the Eternal had commanded Moses, so did the Children of Israel observe and do.(יונתן, כלי יקר.)
  But there were some individuals who were impure by contact with a corpse, so that they could not perform the Paschal sacrifice on that day: they approached the school of Moses and Aaron on that day.(יונתן, כלי יקר.)
  These individuals said to Moses: “We have become impure by reason of attending to the dead. This was a religious duty. Why, then, should we be deprived of the privilege of offering the Eternal's sacrifice, at its appointed time, together with all the Children of Israel?”(רמב"ן.)
  Moses said to them: “Wait, I will hear what the Eternal will decree in your case.”(א"ע.)
  Then the Eternal spoke to Moses:(א"ע.)
  “Speak to the Children of Israel: If any individual—but not the entire community—of your generation or of later generations will become impure by contact with a dead body, or if he be on a journey, so far away that he cannot reach the Sanctuary, he can still offer the Paschal sacrifice to the Eternal.
  Such persons shall make it in the second month, in the month of Iyar, on the fourteenth day toward evening; they shall eat it with Matzoth and bitter herbs.(רש"י.)
  They shall not leave anything of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones, in accordance with all the rules of the Paschal sacrifice of the first month, so shall they make it.(רש"י.)
  But as for the man who is ritually pure, and who has not been on a journey and yet abstains from offering the Paschal sacrifice—that person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the Eternal in time, that man shall suffer his punishment.(רש"י.)
  If a non-Israelite has converted and he resides with you, he too has to offer the Paschal sacrifice to the Eternal even though his ancestors were not freed from Egyptian slavery, according to the rule of the Paschal sacrifice and in accordance with its laws, so shall he do it; there shall be one law for you, both for the convert and for the native-born in the land.”(רש"י.)
  On the day that the Divine House was erected, a cloud covered the Divine House over that section of the Tent where the Ark of Testimony was placed; and in the evening there was over the Divine House a pillar of fire, until the morning.(רש"י.)
  So it was always; the cloud covered it by day and the pillar of fire by night.
  Whenever the cloud moved from over the Tent, then only would the Children of Israel march; in the place where the cloud halted, there the Children of Israel would encamp.(רמב"ן.)
  For by the guidance of the Eternal did the Children of Israel march and by the guidance of the Eternal did they encamp; so long as the cloud remained over the Divine House they would remain encamped.(רמב"ן.)
  When the cloud prolonged its stay over the Divine House for many days, the Children of Israel observed the charge of the Eternal and would not march even if the site of the encampment was not pleasant.(רמב"ן.)
  Sometimes the cloud was over the Divine House only a few days in a pleasant area, yet they did not remain long; only according to the guidance of the Eternal would they encamp, and according to the Eternal's word they marched.
  Sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning and the cloud would move in the morning-then they would march; sometimes it was for a day and a night and when the cloud moved, they would march.
  At times, it was for two days or a month, or a year; if the cloud prolonged its stay over the Divine House and rested over it, the Children of Israel would encamp there and would not march; only when it moved would they march.(יונתן.)
  For by the guidance of the Eternal they encamped and by the guidance of the Eternal they marched; they kept the charge of the Eternal according to the commandment of the Eternal through Moses.(רש"י.)
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י, רשב"ם, א"ע, בעל הטורים.)
  “Make for your use two silver trumpets; you shall make them hammered out of one piece. They shall serve you to call the representatives of the community to assemble and to signal the camps to set forth.(רשב"ם, יונתן.)
  When both of them are blown, the entire community shall meet you at the entrance of the Tent of Assembly.(עפ"י רשב"ם.)
  But if only one is blown, only the chieftains, the heads over the thousands of Israel shall gather to meet you.(יונתן, עפ"י מפרשי אחרונים.)
  When a long sound, then a succession of nine short notes, and then again a long sound will be blown, the tribal camps that encamp to the east will march.(רש"י.)
  When a long sound, then a succession of nine short notes, and then again a long sound will be blown the second time, the tribal camps that encamp to the south will march. The other division shall receive the signal march in the same manner.(א"ע, ספרא.)
  But when the full assembly is to be gathered, you will blow the TEKIAH, the long sound, and not the TERUA, the broken nine-note sound.(א"ע, ספרא.)
  This shall be an everlasting decree throughout your generations that the descendants of Aaron shall blow the trumpet when the chieftains or the assembly is to be gathered, or when the camps are to march.
  When war comes into your land by an oppressor who besieges you, or any other misfortune befalls you, then together with your prayers you blow the TEKIAH, the long sound, together with the TERUA, the nine short notes with the trumpets. Your remembrance will then come before the Eternal your Almighty with favor and you will be saved from your enemies and from your misfortunes.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  But on the day of victory of public rejoicing, and on your festivals, and on the first of your months you will blow the joyful, long sound, the TEKIA, with the trumpets when you sacrifice your burnt-offering and peace-offering; thus they will be received as a favorable memory before your Almighty, I am the Eternal Your Almighty."(עפ"י רש"י.)
  On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the cloud rose from over the Divine House of the Testimony.(עפ"י רש"י.)
  The Children of Israel set out on their journey from the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud paused in the wilderness of Paran.(עפ"י רש"י.)
  This was the first of their marches after they had organized their divisions at the order of the Eternal through Moses.(עפ"י רש"י.)
  The banner of the camp of the tribe of Judah marched first, according to their army, and Nahshon the son of Amminadab was head of its army.(עפ"י רש"י.)
  The head of the army of the tribe of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar,(עפ"י רש"י.)
  Over the army of the tribe of Zebulen was Eliab the son of Helon,(עפ"י רש"י.)
  When the Divine Tent was dismantled the Children of Gershon and the Children of Merari, the bearers of the Divine Tent, marched forward.(עפ"י רש"י.)
  The banner of the camp of Reuben marched according to their army, Elizur the son of Shedeur was over its army;(עפ"י רש"י.)
  Over the army of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;(רשב"ם.)
  Over the army of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.(ספורנו.)
  Then the Kohanites, the bearers of the sacred objects, marched; so that the Gershonites and the Merarites would be able to set up the Divine Tabernacle before the others would arrive.
  Then the banner of the camp of the Children of Ephraim marched according to their army, and over his army was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
  And over the army of the tribe of the Children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
  And over the army of the tribe of the Children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
  Then the banner of the camp of the Children of Dan, the rear guard of all the camps, marched according to their army, and Aliiezer the son of Ammishaddai was over his army.
  Over the army of the tribe of the Children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran.
  Over the army of the tribe of the Children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
  This was the general order for the marches of the Children of Israel in the wilderness—thus did they move on.
  Moses said to Hobab, the son of Reuel, the Midianite, father-in-law of Moses: (This was Jethro, and he had received the Hebrew name Hobab after accepting the faith of the Hebrews.) “We are marching to the place of which the Eternal said: 'I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will deal kindly with you and share its spoils with you, for the Eternal has instructed Israel to deal kindly with converts."
  But he answered him: “I will not go; I will rather go to my own country and to my own birthplace, where I possess land."
  Moses said: “Please leave us not, for you know since we have encamped in the wilderness you have given us good counsel, and you have been beloved to us even as the pupil of our eyes.
  If you go with us, then we will deal with you with the same goodness which the Eternal in His favor bestows upon us and will give you a portion in the land."
  They journeyed from the Mount where the Glory of the Eternal had revealed itself, a march of three days. On this occasion the Ark of the Covenant of the Eternal moved before them in the three days’ march to seek out for them a safe resting place,
  and the cloud of the Glory of the Eternal was over them by day when they moved from the camp.
  When the Ark was about to set forward, the cloud rolled over it, until Moses raised his hands in prayer, saying: "O Eternal, reveal Your glory to us, so that the enemies of Your people shall be scattered; may Your foes always flee from before Your presence.”
  And when the Ark rested, the cloud rolled over it again, and Moses prayed: "O Eternal of the hosts of the myriads of Israel, restore Your Glory to dwell in our midst.”
  
  
  
  The wicked among the people, restless from the three days’ journey, complained, uttering evil words against the Eternal. When the Eternal heard it His anger was aroused; and a fire from the Eternal broke out against them and devoured the outskirt section of the camp.(עפ"י רש"י, א"ע.)
  The people cried to Moses, who prayed to the Eternal, and the fire died down.(מס' חולין מב א'.)
  The name of that spot was called "Taberah,” meaning: "Burning,” because the fire of the Eternal broke out against them.(רמב"ן, רש"י.)
  The mixed multitudes who had attached themselves to the Israelites when they left Egypt were enticed to lust; then again the Children of Israel began to weep and to complain: "Would that we were given meat to eat.
  We remember the promise you made in Egypt of the nutritious food that we will eat: the cucumbers, the melons, the beets, the onions and the garlic.
  But now our appetite is dry, without anything; we have nothing to look forward to but this monotonous manna.”
  But, alas, the rabble had lied, for the manna was shaped like the coriander seed, and its color was like crystal,
  the people would scatter, and gather it, they could grind it in mills, or pound it in a mortar, or cook it in pots, or make it into cakes; it was not at all dry but tasted juicy as if it had been baked with oil.(רמב"ן, רש"י.)
  When the dew fell upon the camp and washed the ground at night, the manna would fall upon it.(רמב"ן, רש"י.)
  Moses heard the people weeping, in family groups, publicly, and the Eternal’s anger was greatly aroused. It displeased Moses whose mission it was to raise up the people to spiritual perfection, and who were now weeping because they missed the onions and the garlic.(רמב"ן, רש"י.)
  Moses then said to the Eternal: "Why hast thou caused misfortune to Your servant by placing the burden of this whole nation upon me? O why have I not found grace with You that You would grant my request to send someone else to lead them?(יונתן.)
  Am I the father of all this people; or are they my children, that You should tell me to raise them in discipline — even as the teacher rears the infant — until they reach the land which You promised to their fathers?(רש"י עפ"י המפרשים.)
  Whence should I have meat to give to all the people? For by their weeping they aim to test my ability of leadership; saying: ‘Give us flesh that we may eat.’(רש"י עפ"י המפרשים.)
  I am not able to lead the people myself and alone, unless a body of men is appointed to share the responsibility of leadership; it is too heavy for me.(רש"י עפ"י המפרשים.)
  But if You persist in dealing thus with me, leaving the entire responsibility on me alone, and no other leader shall overshadow me because I have found favor in Your eyes, then, I beseech You, bring upon me immediate death; let me not see my own deterioration.”(רש"י עפ"י המפרשים.)
  The Eternal said to Moses: “Gather for Me seventy righteous men from among the leaders of Israel, those whom you know were faithful leaders of the people in Egypt, those who were their officers and were beaten by the Egyptian task masters for being lenient to the people; bring them to the Tent of Assembly, that they may stand there with you, so that their prestige will be raised in the eyes of the people.(רש"י עפ"י המפרשים.)
  I will reveal My Glory there and speak with you; then I will take of your spirit to transmit to them; and they will be able to work with you to lift up the spirit of the people; then the burden will not be upon you alone.(רש"י עפ"י המפרשים.)
  To the people you shall say: Prepare yourselves for punishment since you desire meat; particularly because you wept before the Eternal, and murmured: 'Who will feed us meat? We would rather be in Egyptian slavery.' Therefore, the Eternal will give you meat.
  But He will supply for you not only enough for one day, or for two days, or for five, or for ten, or for twenty days,
  But for a whole month, until it will come out from your nostrils, and it will be a stumbling block for you, because you have rejected the Eternal Who is among you, by weeping before Him and saying: 'Why have we gone out from Egypt?’”(עפ"י הרמב"ן.)
  But Moses pleaded: “The meat You have promised them will bring them disaster. Obviously, then, it will be provided not through a Divine miracle, but by natural means, for that which is bestowed by miracle cannot bring trouble. How then, shall it be—the people in whose midst I am are six hundred thousand men—and yet You say: 'I will give them meat that they may eat for a whole month.'
  Even if all the sheep and cattle from the surrounding countries were to be slaughtered for them, would it suffice for them? Or if all the fish of the sea be gathered for them, will it suffice for them?”(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  But the Eternal said to Moses: “Is Divine Power short? Now you will see whther My words will be fulfilled in a natural way or not.”(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  Moses went out from the place, where the Eternal had spoken to him, into the Israelite camp, and told the people the words of the Eternal. He then gathered seventy men from among the people’s leaders, and placed them around the Tent.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  Then the Eternal revealed Himself in the cloud and spoke to him. He took of His spirit and transmitted it to the seventy leaders; thus when the spirit rested upon them they prophesied, but never again thereafter.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  But two men, one whose name was Eldad, and the name of the other was Medad, out of modesty declined the honor. Although they were listed among the seventy leaders, they remained in the camp, and did not go out to the Tent. However, the Divine spirit was placed upon them and they prophesied within the camp.(עיין א"ע.)
  A young man then ran up and told Moses: “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”(רש"י.)
  Joshua the son of Nun, one of Moses’ chosen attendants, then called out and said: “O Master Moses, restrain them.”(רשב"ם.)
  But Moses said to him: “Are you jealous on my behalf? Would that all the people of the Eternal could be prophets, so that they might receive the Divine spirit directly from Him and not through me."
  Moses then retired from the Tent into the camp, together with the leaders of Israel.
  A wind went forth from the Eternal and drove quails across the sea, which scattered over the camp as much as a day's march on one side, and as a day's march on the other side, around the camp; they were about four feet high over the surface of the ground.(א"ע.)
  The people stood up all that day and all that night, even all the following day, and they greedily gathered the quails, giving no credence to Moses's assurance that they would have meat for a whole month; even the person who took the least gathered ten piles; and all the people thus spread themselves around the camp to dry them in the sun.
  While the meat was yet between their teeth, even before it was chewed, the anger of the Eternal burned against the people; the Eternal sent a great plague on the people for their greed.(רש"י.)
  The name of that place was therefore called Kivroth Hatavah, meaning “The Graves of Lust," because there they buried the gluttonous people.(רש"י.)
  From Kivroth Hataavah the people marched to Hazeroth, and they stopped in Hazeroth.(רש"י.)
  
  
  
  Miriam complained to Aaron against Moses on account of the Kushite woman. “He had married a Kushite woman but had abstained from cohabitation with her."
  And they murmured: “Has then the Eternal spoken only to Moses that he keeps himself so holy, and therefore abstains from cohabitation with his wife? Has he not also spoken to us? And yet we maintain a normal family life." But this complaint was heard by the Eternal.(יונתן, רשב"ם.)
  Since Moses was the most modest of all men on the face of the earth, he did not seek to defend himself.(ספרא.)
  Therefore the Eternal immediately said to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam: “Come out, all three of you, to the Tent of Assembly." The three then went out.(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  The Glory of the Eternal revealed Itself in a pillar of cloud at the entrance of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam, to tell them the real importance of their brother, while Moses was absent, and both came forth.(עפ"י רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  He said: “Hear now my words: Whenever there will be prophets among you, I, the Eternal shall make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.
  But this is not the case with My servant Moses, who is entrusted with all the wisdom of My secret world.(ספרא, א"ע.)
  With him I speak divertly without an intermediary, in clear reflection and not in symbols; the form which is behind the Glory of the Eternal he beholds, why then have you not had sufficient reverence not to complain against My servant Moses?"(ספרא, א"ע.)
  The anger of the Eternal burned against them, and He departed.
  Then the cloud departed from off the Tent, and it was seen that Miriam was snow-white with leprosy; Aaron turned to examiner he and found upon her the symptoms of leprosy for which the law requires isolation.
  And Aaron said to Moses: “I beg of you, O Master, do not let us be stamped with sin by this mark of leprosy, for we have acted foolishly, and we have erred.
  Let her not remain like a corpse, as one who came out from her mother’s womb with half her flesh wasted.”
  Moses besought the Eternal with the following short prayer: "I beseech You, O Almighty, send a speedy recovery to her.”
  But the Eternal said to Moses: “If her father had rebuked her, would she not be restrained for seven days? Let her therefore now be isolated outside the camp for seven days; after that she may rejoin it.”
  Miriam was isolated outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not march on until Miriam was healed and purified.
  After that they marched on from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Heed the request of the people, dispatch men and let them explore for you the land of Canaan which I shall give to the Children of Israel, — one man from each of their fathers’ tribe shall you send out, everyone a chieftain among them.”(רמב"ן, מפרשים.)
  So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, by permission of the Eternal; all of them were then honest men, heads of the Children of Israel.(רמב"ן, וכך נראה מיונתן, רש"י.)
  And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur.(עפ"י רמב"ן, ספורנו.)
  From the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori.(עפ"י רמב"ן, ספורנו.)
  From the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh.(רש"י.)
  From the tribe Issachar, I gal son of Joseph.
  From the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun.(מפרשי אחרונים.)
  From the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Rafu.(מפרשי אחרונים.)
  From the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi.(רש"י.)
  From the tribe of Joseph, representing the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi son of Susi.
  From the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gamalli.
  From the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael.(א"ע.)
  From the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vaphsi.
  From the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi.
  These are the names of those whom Moses sent to explore the land. Moses changed the name of Hoshea the son of Nun, his special minister, to Yehoshua— Joshua, praying that the Eternal might save him from the evil counsel of his associates.
  When Moses sent them to explore the land of Canaan, he directed them as follows: “Go up from here to the Negev, and then climb the hill country;
  Observe how the land is, is it wooded country or flat land? And the people who dwell there, are they strong or weak, few or many?(רש"י.)
  And the land proper in which they dwell, is it fertile or meager? And the cities in which they dwell, are they open cities or strongholds?
  And what is the land; prosperous or lean? Discover whether there are trees or not, and do not be afraid to take samples from the fruit of the land; now is the season of the first ripe grapes.”(רש"י בפסוק ג.)
  They went up and explored the land, from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, which is in the north of the land, at the entrance of Hamath, at the border of Lebanon.
  But when they went up to explore the Negev, Caleb alone came to Hebron on a pilgrimage to the Sepulchres of the Patriarchs; and there were the clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of the giant Anak. Hebron was an ancient city; it was built seven years before the old and famous city of Zoan, which is in Egypt.
  The explorers came to the valley of Eshkol. There were clusters of grapes, so they cut down from there a branch upon which was one cluster, and two of them carried it on a pole; they took also of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
  That place was later called Nahal Eshkol, meaning: 'The Valley of the Cluster of Grapes,” because of the cluster of grapes which the Children of Israel had cut down at that place.
  At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
  Before going to their own homes they went directly to Moses, to Aaron and to the entire community of the Children of Israel in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh, and brought back a report to them and to the entire community, showing them the fruit of the land.
  They reported to Moses as follows: “We came to the land where you sent us, although it is flowing with milk and honey, as you can see from its fruits —
  But it will be impossible to conquer it, for the people who dwell in the land are fierce, and the cities are extremely well fortified, and we have seen even the descendants of the giant Anak there.
  The Amalekites are settled in the Negev territory, and the Hittites, the Jebusites and the Amorites dwell on the mountains, and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.”
  But Caleb calmed the people to hear Moses' comments, saying: “We shall surely go up, and possess it, for we shall certainly be able to overcome it.”(א"ע.)
  But the men who went up with him said: “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are mightier than we are.”
  When they sensed that Caleb's words had made some impression on the people, they invented evil reports about the land which they explored for the Children of Israel, saying: “The land through which we passed to explore it is a land which has a climate that devours its inhabitants, and only men of exceptional size can survive.
  When we saw the descendants of the giant Anak who lived at the time of Noah, they looked upon us as grasshoppers, and so must we have been in their eyes."
  
  
  
  The entire community was aroused ,and they raised their voices; the people wept that memorable night. It was the night of the ninth of Ab, on which later occurred the destruction of the Sanctuary and the land of Israel.
  All the Children of Israel, the entire community grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and said to them: “O would that we had died in the land of Egypt or in this wilderness.(עפ"י רמב"ן.)
  Why must the Eternal bring us to this land to be defeated in war? Why shall our wives and our little ones become a prey? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”
  And one said to another: “Let us appoint a captain to direct us to return to Egypt.”(מפרשי אחרונים.)
  Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the whole assembly of the community of the Children of Israel, as a sign that they were ready to give up their leadership.
  But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb, being of those who had explored the land, rent their garments as a sign of grief at the insolence of the people toward Moses.(רש"י.)
  They spoke to the entire community of the Children of Israel as follows: “The land which we passed through to explore is not a land which devours its inhabitants; it is an exceedingly good land.(א"ע.)
  If the Eternal is pleased with us He will bring us into this land, and give it to us, as He promised to give us a land which flows with milk and honey.
  Only, rebel not against the Eternal: fear not the people of the land, for they are like our manna bread; when the shadow passes and the sun comes out, it melts. The Eternal is with us, our enemies shall melt away; therefore fear them not.”(א"ע.)
  But the whole community clamored and sought to stone them: suddenly the Glory of the Eternal appeared in the cloud in the Tent of Assembly to all the Children of Israel.(רש"י, מפרשים.)
  The Eternal said to Moses: “How long will these people blaspheme Me, and how long will they not have faith in Me, in spite of all the miracles which I performed among them?(רש"י.)
  I will afflict them with the plague and will uproot them. But in order to fulfill the promise I made to the Patriarchs, I shall begin again with you and make you an even greater and mightier nation than they are now.”(רש"י.)
  But Moses said to the Eternal: “This will be reported in Egypt whence You brought this people with Your Might—and there are still other people who wish to liberate themselves from Egyptian slavery-(רש"י.)
  The rulers will then say to the subjects of that land who have heard that You, the Merciful Eternal, are in the midst of the liberated people, that Your Divinity appears to them visibly, and that Your glorious cloud shields them; and Your pillar of cloud follows them by day, and the pillar of fire by night.(רש"י.)
  Now if You suddenly cause this people to perish, they will say to the enslaved nation who have heard Your fame;
  Because the Eternal was not able to bring this people into the land which He had promised them, He has slain them in the wilderness!’(א"ע.)
  Now, I pray to You: Let Your Divine Power which is slow to anger be extended, even as You Yourself have proclaimed, saying: -(א"ע.)
  The attributes of the Eternal are: slowness to anger; an abundance of love; uplifting the repentant from punishment, even those who committed a sin by treachery. Though He allows nothing to go unavenged, He reconsiders the effect of the iniquities of the parents upon their descendants, even to the third and fourth generation.(א"ע.)
  Therefore, I beg You: forgive the iniquity of this people in accordance with Your great kindness, even as You have favored this people from the time they left Egypt until now.”(א"ע.)
  And the Eternal said: "I forgive, even as I did when you prayed for them at the time of the sin of the Golden Calf.(ספורנו.)
  But I affirm that although the Glory of the Eternal will fill the world by the miracles which will be performed when they enter the land of Canaan —
  However, all those men who have seen My Glory revealed, as well as all the miracles which I have performed while they were in Egypt and in the wilderness, when they put Me to the test many times and still did not accept My commandments,
  they shall surely not see that which I had promised to their fathers; also all those who blaspheme Me in the future will not see it.
  Except My servant Caleb, — because he was of different spirit, and followed Me by fulfilling his duty, him alone will I bring to the land which he came with the explorers; and he shall bequeathe his portion to his descendants.
  Therefore immediately, tomorrow, turn and march back into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, for the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the elevated plain; let them not risk any conflict with them, for I will not support them.”
  The Eternal continued to speak to Moses and Aaron:
  "How long shall this evil group of spies continue to exist, and agitate against Me? I have heard the provocation of the Children of Israel which they provoke against Me.(עפ"י א"ע בפסוק טז.)
  Therefore say to both of them, to the murmurers and the agitators: This is the declaration of the Etenal! I shall grant your request which you voiced: 'O that we had died in this wilderness.'
  Your carcasses will surely waste away in this wilderness; this includes all who were counted through all the censuses, from twenty years of age and upward, because they had provoked Me.
  You shall not come into the land which I have affirmed as a resting place for you, none of you except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun,
  as well as your little children—those concerning whom you said that they would become a prey, only them I shall bring in, and they will know to appreciate the land which you have rejected.
  But even your carcasses shall not be brought to the land by your children; they shall waste away in the wilderness.
  Your sons will wander in the wilderness for forty years; they will bear the burden of your faithlessness, until the time when the last of your carcasses has wasted away in the wilderness.(מפרשי אחרונים.)
  According to the number of the days you have explored the land, — forty days, — shall you suffer for your iniquities, a year for each day, a total of forty years: then you will understand the hostility you provoked against Me.(יונתן, רש"י.)
  I, the Eternal, have decreed it. This will I do to this entire evil community which has united to revolt against Me. In this wilderness will they expire; there will they die.”
  But the men whom Moses had sent to explore the land were not included in the Eternal's plan of enduring patience; they were punished immediately, because upon their return they had stirred up the entire community against Him by spreading evil reports about the land.
  Therefore those men who spread evil reports about the land died of a plague sent upon them by the Eternal.
  But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive of those men who had gone to explore the land.
  Moses spoke these words to all the Children of Israel, and the people lamented greatly.
  They rose up early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, declaring: “We are ready to go up to the place concerning which the Eternal said that we have failed to acknowledge it.”
  But Moses said: "Why do you act contrary to the will of the Eternal, seeing that this can never succeed?(עפ"י רש"י.)
  Do not go up, for the Divine Spirit is not in your midst, lest you be crushed by your enemies.
  For the Amalekite arid the Canaanite are there in front of you; you will be defeated in the war, for you have turned back from the command of the Eternal. Therefore, the Divine Spirit will not be with you.”
  But they waited until the darkness of the night to climb to the top of the mountain. But neither the Ark of the Covenant of the Eternal nor Moses moved out of the camp.
  So the Amalekite and the Canaanite who dwelt in that mountainous region came down, and smote them, crushing them until they had destroyed them.
  
  
  
  The Eternal then spoke to Moses:
  "Inform the Children of Israel that their descendants will surely possess the Promised Land. Therefore tell them that when you come to the land of your settlement which I shall give you,(יונתן, רש"י.)
  and make an offering to the Eternal, whether it is a burnt-offering, or a sacrifice in fulfillment of a vow, or a free-will offering, or your festival-offering from the herd of the flock, in order to make it acceptable to the Eternal —(יונתן, רש"י.)
  he who brings his offering to the Eternal shall accompany it with a cereal offering of a tenth of an ephah — seven pints of flour mingled with the fourth part of a hin — three pints — of oil.(יונתן, רש"י.)
  Also a fourth part of a hin of wine to pour on the altar will you bring with the burnt-offering or for the sacrifice of one lamb.
  But when you offer a ram you shall accompany it with a cereal offering of two tenths of an ephah fine flour mingled in a third part of a hin of oil.
  And you will bring a third part of a hin of wine for pouring on the altar with the ram sacrifice, to be acceptable to the Eternal.
  When you offer a young ox for a burnt-offering or as a sacrifice in fulfillment of a vow or as a peace-offering to the Eternal,
  then will you add to the sacrifice of the young ox a cereal offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mingled in a half a hin of oil.
  And a half a hin of wine for pouring on the altar shall accompany the offering made by fire, thus, so that it shall be an altar-offering acceptable to the Eternal.
  Thus shall it be done for every sacrifice of an ox, or for each sacrifice of a ram, or for each lamb, of sheep or of goats.(ספרא ועיין במלבי"ם.)
  According to the number of animals you offer, you will make the quantity of the flour, oil, and the cereal offering.(רש"י.)
  Every native-born Israelite shall do in this manner when he brings an altar-offering, to be acceptable to the Eternal.(רש"י.)
  When an alien who converts to become one of you, or he who is already with you — throughout your generations — brings an altar-offering to be acceptable to the Eternal, he shall perform it even as you do.(רש"י.)
  There shall be one decree for you and for the alien who converts, as one united assembly. It is an everlasting decree throughout your generations: even as you are so shall the convert be before the Eternal.(רש"י.)
  The same law and the same judgment shall apply to you and to the alien who converts to be one of you."(רש"י.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י.)
  “Tell the Children of Israel that the manna will last throughout the forty years of their wandering in the wilderness; therefore declare the following law: As soon as you enter the land whither I will bring you, even before you take full possession of it,(רש"י.)
  when there will be no more manna, so that when you eat of the bread of the land, you must contribute a portion from it in the Name of the Eternal.(רש"י.)
  When you mix the water with the flour containing your present portion of three quarts of manna per person you shall make the hallah contribution. Even as you are obligated to contribute an offering of grain from the threshing flour of the annual harvest, so shall it be done from the bread of your home.
  Of the first of your dough you will give to the kohen as gifts for his service to the Eternal. But during those times when the kohen will not serve in the Sanctuary you shall throw the piece of halhh into the fire, in order that this law may never be forgotten throughout your generations.
  If you are led astray to idol worship which is comparable to breaking all the commandments of the Torah, which the Eternal has spoken to Moses,
  or you were told to violate all the commandments — whether positive or negative — which the Eternal has commanded to you through Moses, or the commandments which the Eternal has commanded from the earliest days of mankind, or even those which He will command in future generations through prophets and sages,
  if this decision to worship idols was made by the High Court of the community in error and it was followed by the entire community, each of the tribes of the community will then offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, to be acceptable to the Eternal, with its cereal offering and its wine-offering, according to their prescription; also one he-goat for a sin-offering.(א"ע, רשב"ם.)
  The kohen shall thus perform atonement for the entire community of the Children of Israel; though their sin was grave, yet they shall be forgiven, for it was done in error and they offered their sacrifice to be acceptable to the Eternal, for they confessed their sin to the Eternal that they were in error. -
  The entire community of the Children of Israel, including the alien who converted to become one of them, but who still may be suspected of deliberately worshipping idols, yet because it was a decision passed by the High Court, it is considered for the entire people as done in error.
  But if an individual, not the entire nation, committed a sin of idol worshipping, then he will bring a she-goat for a sin-offering.
  The kohen will perform atonement for this misguided person, for he has sinned in error before the Eternal, hence he deserves to obtain atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.(מס' כתובות עב ע"א.)
  The native-born among the Children of Israel, as well as the alien who converted to become one of them, — one law shall apply to them all pertaining to sins committed in error.
  But as for the person who commits this sin of idol worship willfully, in public defiance, whether he be a native-born Israelite, or a convert, he has surely blasphemed the Eternal; therefore that person shall be cut off from the midst of his people,
  because he has defied the word of the Eternal which He has spoken on Sinai; and has violated His commandments as told to His prophets. Therefore that person shall be cut off in this world and also from reward in the world to come; his iniquity shall be upon him until he has repented.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  While the Children of Israel were in the wilderness, they discovered a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.
  Those who found him gathering sticks warned him that the violation of the Sabbath is a sin comparable to idol worship. Nevertheless he defied the law. Therefore they brought him to Moses and Aaron and to the council representing the community.(יונתן.)
  They put him in prison; for though they knew that the death penalty was to be imposed upon him, the method of execution to be employed had not been decided upon.
  The Eternal then said to Moses: "The man shall be put to death in this manner: the whole community shall stone him outside the camp."
  So the whole community brought him outside of the camp and stoned him till he died, as the Eternal had commanded Moses.
  The Eternal then said to Moses:
  "Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them that the spies who brought them disaster did so because they had gone after their own hearts, and after their own eyes. Therefore tell them to make Tzitzit—fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and that they shall put on the Tzitzit, the fringe, of each corner of the garment a thread of blue wool to remind them of the blue sky and of the miraculous acts of the Eternal Who is above the heavens.
  This blue thread shall serve you as an indication; when you will see it, you will be reminded of all the commandments of the Eternal, and follow them, and you will not be enticed by the vain desires of your heart, and by the superficial look of your eyes, after which you follow, and become faithless to Me.
  The fringes of the Tallith shall serve that you will remember and follow all My commandments, and become holy to your Almighty.
  I am the Eternal Your Almighty, Who brought you out in a miraculous manner from the land of Egypt to be the Almighty to you. I am the Eternal, Your Almighty and shall be through all the times to come."
  
  
  
  Korah, the son of Izhar, grandson of Kohath and great-grandson of Levi, took counsel with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, descendants of Reuben.(עפ"י רמב"ן, א"ע, כלי יקר.)
  They stood up before Moses in the presence of two hundred and fifty men of the Children of Israel, who were influential men, chiefs of the community appointed to the assembly.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  They assembled against Moses and Aaron, saying to them: “You have taken enough for your glory; every one in the entire community is holy, and the Eternal is among them. Why, then, do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Eternal?”(רש"י, א"ע.)
  When Moses heard this, he fell upon his face to pray for guidance.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  He then said to Korah and his entire group: “In the morning the Eternal will make known who shall be Ilis, and who is holy enough to be worthy to give offerings to Him; he whom He chooses will serve as the kohen to offer sacrifices to Him.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Let Korah and all his group do this: Take fire pans —(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Place fire into them and put thereon incense before the Eternal, tomorrow. This will be the test; the man whom the Eternal will choose is the holy one to be the kohen, You desire too much, O sons of Levi."(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Moses further said to the group of Korah: “Hear now, O sons of Levi,(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Is it not enough for you that the Almighty of Israel has set you apart out of the entire Israelite community, to bring you near to Him, to perform the service for the Sanctuary of the Eternal, and to stand by the community when they offer their sacrifices and to serve them?(רש"י, א"ע.)
  He has also distinguished you, Korah and your brothers, the children of Kohath above all the other sons of Levi to transport the holiest vessels of the Sanctuary, and now you seek the kohanate also?(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Therefore, you and your group are gathered in conspiracy only against the command of the Eternal. As for Aaron, what has he done that you should stir up revolt against him?”(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Moses sent to bring Dathan and Abiram before the court, but they replied: “We will not come up to submit our case to you for decision.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Is it not enough harm done that you brought us up from a land flowing with milk and honey only to let us die in the wilderness; must you now also impose a dictatorship upon us?(ספרא, שלא כהצדוקים.)
  Furthermore you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, neither have you given us the inheritance of fields and vineyards. Are you trying to blind the eyes of these people to the true facts? We will not come up.”(רש"י.)
  Moses was very grieved, and he prayed to the Eternal: “Accept not their offering of incense which they are about to present tomorrow; they accuse me of abuse of authority, I have never taken from them even one donkey for my public services, neither have I hurt any of them. Obviously, their accusation is unfounded.”(רש"י.)
  Moses then said to Korah: "Be ready to stand before the Eternal, you and your entire group, you and they with Aaron—tomorrow!(רש"י.)
  Each shall take his fire pan and put incense upon it; each shall bring his fire pan before the Eternal, — a total of two-hundred and fifty fire-pans, and you and Aaron also each with his fire pan.”
  So each person took his fire pan and placed fire into it, then put incense upon it, and stood at the entrance of the Tent of Assembly with Moses and Aaron.(יונתן.)
  When Korah assembled the representatives of the entire community at the door of the Tent of Assembly opposite Moses and Aaron the Glory of the Eternal appeared to the whole community.(רש"י.)
  The Eternal then spoke to Moses and Aaron:(רש"י.)
  “Separate yourselves from this community, that I may annihilate them at once.”(רש"י.)
  They fell upon their faces in prayer and said: “O Almighty, You who have the power to discern the thoughts of all mortals, You Who know that the people were influenced by the instigation of one man, shall You be enraged against the entire community when only one man is guilty?”(יונתן.)
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Your prayer for the community has been accepted: speak therefore, to the community: Depart from the area around the dwelling place of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.”(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Moses rose up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the seventy leaders who were appointed to assist Moses followed him.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  He spoke to the entire community as follows: K&lt;pray, turn="" away="" from="" the="" tents="" of="" these="" wicked="" men,="" and="" touch="" nothing="" which="" belongs="" to="" them,="" lest="" you="" perish="" as="" a="" result="" of="" their="" immense="" guilt.”&lt;br=""&gt;(רש"י, א"ע.)
  They departed from all the area near the dwelling places of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; but Dathan and Abiram, came out and stood arrogantly at the entrance of their tents, with their wives, their sons and their little ones.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Moses then said: “By this you shall know that the Eternal sent me to perform all these deeds, and they are not of my own mind.(רש"י, א"ע.)
  If these men die a natural death like all men, or if they meet an ordinary fate, then the Eternal has not sent me, but I have done it with my own mind.(ראה תהלים כז, יב, א"ע.)
  However, if these men will meet their death by a new creation of the Eternal; if the earth will open its mouth and swallow them up with all their belongings, and they go down to the grave alive, then you will know that these people have blasphemed the Eternal.”(עפ"י א"ע, ספורנו.)
  As soon as he finished speaking all these words the earth beneath them cracked.(ספורנו ועיין רש"י בשמות לא, טו.)
  The earth widened its opening and swallowed them up, together with their households, and all their belongings, all the men who had associated with Korah in rebellion.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into the grave and the earth closed over them; their names were thus blotted out from among the assembly.(א"ע.)
  All the Israelites who were around them fled at their wailing for they feared lest the earth would swallow them also.(עפ"י יונתן, רמב"ן.)
  At the same time, a fire came forth from the Eternal, and consumed the two-hundred and fifty men who had offered incense.
  
  
  
  The Eternal then spoke to Moses:
  “Speak to Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen, that he remove the fire pans out of the fire, and he shall disperse the fire from the pans, for the fire pans have become sanctified,
  for although these fire pans were offered by those who had sinned against their own souls, you shall hammer out of them plates, as a covering on the Altar. They had believed that these would be acceptable to the Eternal, therefore they have become sanctified, and they shall remain always a sign unto the Children of Israel.”(רש"י.)
  Eleazar took the copper fire pans which those persons that were burnt had offered; the artist flattened these into a covering over the Altar.(יונתן.)
  They served as a reminder to the Children of Israel; that no man, unless he is a descendant of Aaron, will officiate to offer incense before the Eternal; and he will not become as Korah and his group, as the Eternal spoke through Moses regarding Aaron.(רשב"ם.)
  But on the next day the entire community of the Children of Israel flared up against Moses and Aaron, claiming: “You have caused the death of the Eternal's people by making them offer incense which is a deadly poison; even Nadab and Abihu, the two sens of Aaron died of it.”
  When the community gathered against Moses and Aaron and turned towards the Tent of Assembly to harm them, the cloud soon covered it, and the Glory of the Eternal revealed Itself.(יונתן.)
  Moses and Aaron then came to the front of the Tent of Assembly to receive Divine instructions.
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(עפ"י רש"י.)
  “Separate yourselves from this community, and enter the sanctified Tent of Assembly; I will then annihilate them at once.” But they, Moses and Aaron, fell upon their faces to pray for the community.((פנים לשון כעס, תהלים כ"י).)
  Moses said to Aaron: “Take the regular fire pan, place into it fire from the Altar, and put on it incense, to show the people that incense brings death only if offered by unauthorized persons, but brings life if offered by the kohanim designated for this service. Carry it quickly to the community and perform atonement for them: for indignation is rising from the Eternal: the plague has begun.”(רש"י, א"ע.)
  Aaron took the pan, as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembled, for the plague had already started among the people; he put forth the incense and performed atonement for the people.
  Thus Aaron stood between the dying and the living, and the plague ceased.(יונתן, רש"י.)
  Fourteen thousand seven hundred persons died in the plague, in addition to those who died on account of the incident with Korah.(רש"י.)
  When Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tent of Assembly, the plague had ceased.(רש"י.)
  Then the Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י, יונתן, ספורנו.)
  “Speak to the Children of Israel, and take from them a rod, one for each tribe from all their chiefs of their tribes; there will be twelve rods, and you shall inscribe the name of each tribal chief upon his rod.
  Aaron’s name you will inscribe upon the rod of the Levite tribe, for one rod shall be for the head of their fathers’ house.
  And you will place these in the Tent of Assembly, in front of the Ark of the two Tablets of the Testimony, where I have designated the place to communicate with you.
  The person whom I shall choose to be the kohen, his rod alone will blossom. Thus will I calm the complaints of the Children of Israel, for when they complain against you they murmur against Me.”
  Moses spoke thus to the Children of Israel; and all the chiefs gave him a rod; one rod for each chief, according to their tribes; twelve rods altogether, and Aaron’s rod was among these rods.
  Moses placed the rods before the Eternel in the Tent where the Ark of the Tablets of Testimony was placed.
  On the next day, when Moses came to the Tent where the Ark of the Tablets of Testimony stood, he noticed that Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi was blossoming. It brought forth blossoms and in the presence of the Children of Israel it sprouted twigs, and ripe almonds.
  Moses brought out all the rods from before the Eternal in the presence of all the Children of Israel; they looked on them to identify their rods and each chief took his rod.
  The Eternal then said to Moses: “Put back Aaron’s rod in front of the Ark of the Testimony, let it be kept there as a sign for future rebellions; so that they will not murmur against Me, and they will not die.”
  Moses did as the Eternal commanded him, in every detail.
  Then the Children of Israel said to Moses: “Behold, some of us have been swallowed by the earth, and some have been swept away by the plague; it seems as if all of us are going to be lost,
  for whosoever will come near to the sanctified vessels, or come near to guard the Divine House, he will die; are we all then to perish?”
  
  
  
  Therefore the Eternal said to Aaron through Moses: “You, your sons and the family of your father Kohath with you will bear the consequences of the iniquity if a non-Levite enters the Sanctuary because of your negligence; you and your sons will bear the consequences of the iniquity also if a non-kohen will do the service of the kohen because of your negligence.
  Your brethren, the Gershonites and the Merarites who are also of the tribe of Levi, which is the tribe of your forefathers, bring near with you; but only you and your sons with you shall keep guard in the inner Sanctuary in front of the Tent of the Ark of the Tablets on the Testimony.(רש"י.)
  They shall guard the Holy of Holies, from the outside, and have charge of the whole Tent; only they shall not approach the vessels of the Sanctuary on the Altar, so that neither they nor you may die.(יונתן.)
  They shall be joined to you and keep guard outside of the Tent of Assembly, for all the service of the Tent, then any of the non-Levites shall not come near to you.(רמב"ן.)
  While the Levites keep guard outside of the Tent you, the kohanim shall guard the inside of the Sanctuary, and the Altar, so that there will be no more indignation against the Children of Israel.(רש"י, אונקלוס.)
  Behold, I have separated your brethren, the Levites, from among the Children of Israel; they are given as a gift to the Eternal, to perform the service of the Tent of Assembly, but not your private work.
  And you, and your sons with you shall keep the kohanate regarding every altar in the court and on the Altar in the Holy of Holies, which is inside the Partition, you are to do the service; for I give you the kohanate as a gift, as a privilege and not as a burden; and a non-kohen who approaches to offer sacrifices upon the altar shall be deserving of death from heaven.”(רש"י.)
  The Eternal said to Aaron: “Behold, I have given you, as a reward for guarding the Sanctuary, the contributions which are made to Me; these are the sacred gifts of the Children of Israel which I have given to you and to your children as an everlasting share, as a consecrated portion.(רש"י.)
  These portions shall be yours from the most holy offering, after some parts have been burnt on the fire of the Altar, from all of their offerings which they render to Me, cereal offerings, sin-offerings, or guilt-offerings, these shall be most holy for you and your sons.(יונתן.)
  Within the enclosure of the Sanctuary you shall eat it; every male may eat of it; it shall be sanctified to you.
  And this is yours, from that which they set apart for their free-will minor-offerings; all those parts which are waved for the Children of Israel — such as the breast and thigh — these are given to you, to your sons and your daughters with you for an everlasting share; everyone who is ritually pure may eat of it.(רמב"ן.)
  Also the first portion which they set apart for the Eternal, from all the choice oil, and from all the choice wine and grain, will be given to you,
  As well as the first ripe fruits of all that is in their land will be yours; everyone who is ritually pure in your house may eat of it.
  All that is considered Herem,56<i class="footnote">See Leviticus 27:28.</i> banned, set aside, not to be used in Israel will be yours.(א"ע.)
  Every firstling of any creature which they bring to the Eternal, whether it be man or animal, will be yours; however, for the first-born of man you shall receive the redemption fee, and the first-born of the unclean animal you shall redeem for a lamb.(א"ע.)
  The first-born of man you will redeem when he is one month old; his redemption fee will be at the valuation of five silver Shekels, according to the shekels of the Sanctuary, which is twenty Gerahs.
  But for the firstling of an ox, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat you will not take any redemption fee, because they are holy and are fit for sacrifice; you shall sprinkle their blood on the Altar; their, fat will burn as a fire-offering to be acceptable to the Eternal.
  But the meat of these offerings shall be yours, as well as the breast of the wave-offering, and the right thigh of the peace-offering; they "shall be yours with the same restrictions; namely, that they be eaten within a period of two days and one night.
  All the above-mentioned contributions of the holy things which the Children of Israel set aside for the Eternal are given to you, to our sons, and to your daughters with you for an everlasting share; it is an everlasting covenant of salt; even as salt never decays so will My covenant endure; this belongs to you and to your descendants with you before the Eternal."
  The Eternal then said to Aaron: “You shall not have any possessions in their land, neither shall you have any portion in their spoils of war, for that which is offered to Me from among the Children of Israel, I give to you as your portion and your possession.(ירושלמי סוטה פ"ה, ה"א.)
  To the tribe of Levi I have given the tithe, the tenth part of all the grain in Israel as their possession, as wages for their service which they perform in the Tent of Assembly.(יונתן, ועיין בערוך ערך אדם.)
  Henceforth the Children of Israel shall not come near the Tent of Assembly to perform, any holy function, lest they bear sin and deserve death from heaven.
  Only the Levites shall perform the service in the Tent of Assembly; they shall bear the consequences' of any guilt occurring because of negligence; this is an everlasting decree throughout your generations. But they shall not have any possessions among the Children of Israel.
  For the tithe, the tenth part of the grain of the Children of Israel which they render as a contribution to the Eternal, I have given to the Levites as their possession. Therefore have I said to them: Among the Children of Israel they shall not hold any possession."
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “You, and not Aaron, speak to the Levites and tell them the following: When you take from the Children of Israel the tenth part of the grain which I have allotted from them for your possession, you will then render of it a tenth from your tenth, as your own contribution to the Eternal.(א"ע, ספורנו.)
  Your contribution will be regarded as though it were direct from yours, from the grain of the threshing-floor, and as the ripe fruits of the wine press.
  Even as the Israelites must give a contribution from their grain to the kohen, so you, too, shall render a contribution to the Eternal from all the tithes which you receive from the Children of Israel; from it you shall give to Aaron, the kohen, and his descendants, the contribution for the Eternal.
  Out of all that is given to you, you shall render of that which is due to the Eternal, from the best of all the grain shall you give the sanctified part.
  Tell the kohanim: After you take the part of the contribution from the best portion of their tithe, the remainder is then to be regarded as ordinary food for the Levites, the same as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress —(תלמוד מועד קטן, ג'.)
  Unlike the gifts which the kohen receives, the Levite and his household may eat it anywhere, even in an impure place, for it is regarded as the Levite reward for their service in the Tent of Assembly.
  After you have contributed the choicest portion from the Tenth part to the kohen, you will bear no sin when you eat the remainder; you will not thereby desecrate the hallowed things of the Children of Israel, and henee you will not die.”
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses and Aaron, to declare:
  “The following decree is one which cannot be explained but must be obeyed, for the Eternal has commanded it. Tell them that they must bring to you an all-red cow, which has no defect and which has never been yoked.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  The first red cow you shall give to Eleazar, the deputy High Kohen, in the future their ritual shall be conducted by the High Kohen; it shall be brought outside all the three camps and be slaughtered in his presence.(רש"י.)
  Eleazar the kohen shall then take of its blood, by dipping his finger into its blood and sprinkling some of it in the direction of the entrance of the Tent of Assembly seven times.
  The cow shall be burned under his supervision; its skin, its flesh, and its blood with its dung—all shall be burned.(רד"ק, ע"א.)
  The kohen shall take the cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet wool, and cast them into the midst of the fire in which the cow is being burned.(רש"י.)
  The kohen who casts the objects into the fire shall wash his garments, and bathe himself in a mikvah, a ritual bath of water; however, the kohen still shall be ritually unclean, until the evening; only afterwards may he enter the camp as ritually pure.(רש"י.)
  Also he who burns the cow shall wash his garments in water, bathe himself in water, and remain ritually unclean until the evening.(ישא, מלשון ולצת לבדך תשא, משלי ט, יב.)
  A man who is ritually pure shall gather up the ashes of the cow and this shall be left outside the camp in a pure place. It shall be kept for the community of the Children of Israel as sprinkling water for purification from sin.(רש"י.)
  He who gathered the ashes of the cow shall wash his garments, and be ritually unclean until the evening. The law pertaining to the red cow shall apply as an everlasting decree to the Children of Israel as well as to the converts among them.(יונתן, א"ע, רש"י.)
  Whoever comes in contact with the corpse of any human body, even of a child a month old, shall become ritually unclean for seven days.(רש"י, רשב"ם.)
  He shall then purify himself with the ashes on the third day and on the seventh day so that he shall become ritually clean. If he does not purify himself on the third day he will not become fully pure, even he purifies himself on the seventh day.
  Whosoever comes in contact with the dead, either with the actual body or with a quart of blood which came out of a dead body, and has not purified himself, and enters the Sanctuary in this state, he has indeed defiled the Divine House of the Eternal. That person will be cut off from the people of Israel; for the sprinkling water was not sprinkled upon him. He is still unclean; even if he had immersed himself in a mikvah, a ritual bath, his uncleanness is still with him.
  This is the law: When a human corpse is in an enclosed dwelling place, all who come into the dwelling place and all that is in it, even though they do not come into direct contact with the dead, they shall be ritually impure for seven days, since the corpse is in the dwelling place.
  Every open earthen vessel which has no covering sealed upon it becomes ritually unclean.
  However, if the dead body is not in an enclosed dwelling but in the open space as in a field, whether it is a body slain by the sword, or it is a grave, only direct contact with the body can render a person ritually unclean for seven days.
  For the person who has become impure they shall take from the ashes of the burning of the purification, and put it into a vessel wherein there is water drawn from a running well.
  And a ritually pure kohen shall take hyssop and dip it into the water, and then sprinkle it upon the dwelling place, upon all the vessels, upon all the persons who were in the enclosed dwelling and upon him who has touched any bone, slain, or dead, or even the grave.
  The ritually pure person will sprinkle upon the ritually unclean person on the third day and on the seventh day. After he purifies him, on the seventh day, he will wash his garments, bathe himself in a ritual bath of water, and thus he will become pure in the evening.
  Only he who becomes ritually unclean and does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day shall be cut off from the midst of the community, for he defiles the Sanctuary of the Eternal by entering into it, since the sprinkling water was not sprinkled upon him.
  This will be an everlasting decree for you. However, the one who carries the sprinkling water, needs only to wash his garment; the one who touches the sprinkling water is only unclean until the evening. He does not require purification on the third day and on the seventh day; if he enters the Sanctuary in the state of defilement he is not liable to the penalty of being cut off from the community.
  And any object that an impure person who has had contact with a corpse shall touch will also become impure; a person who touches him shall also become impure until the evening; therefore he is to bathe in a ritual bath."
  
  
  
  The entire community of the new generation of the Children of Israel i.e., those who were to enter the land of Canaan, now came into the wilderness of Zin on the tenth day of Nissan, the first month in the fortieth year of their wandering; the people then encamped in Kadesh. When Miriam died she was buried there.
  At the time of her death the well of water drawn from the rock of Horeb, which had followed the Israelites because of the merit of Miriam, dried out. There was no water for the community; therefore they assembled against Moses and Aaron.
  The people contended with Moses and spoke as follows: “Would that we had perished together with our brethren who perished before the Eternal!
  Why did you bring the Eternal's assembly to this wilderness? Is it so that we and our animals should die there?
  Why have you draggel us up from Egypt, to bring us to this dreadful place? It is not a place suitable for sowing seed, or growing fig trees, vines, or pomegranates; indeed, there is not even water to drink."
  Moses and Aaron fled from the threats of the assembly to the entrance of the Tent of Assembly and fell upon their faces to pray; then the Glory of the Eternal revealed Itself to them.
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  Take the rod which is kept in the Ark as a sign (although it was of dry wood, it grew moist and produced blossoms). You and your brother Aaron gather now the community and you shall speak to the rock in their presence: Show them that even as the dry rod which you have brought out grew moist, so will this rock produce its water. You shall bring forth water for them out of the rock; give the community and their animals to drink.”
  Moses took the rod from before the Ark of the Eternal, as He had commanded him.
  Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock, and said to them with emotion: “Hear now, you rebels, this is the rod which is kept as a sign of past rebellions. Are we to bring forth water for you out of this rock?”
  Carried away by anger, Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his own rod twice, but not with the rod which had produced the blossoms. Water then came forth abundantly and the community and their cattle drank.
  The Eternal then said to Moses and Aaron: “The people who came out from Egyptian slavery were used to stern leadership. Therefore I commanded you in Horeb to smite the rock to symbolize that stern leadership. But the present generation was reared in liberty and therefore must be guided by gentler methods, as symbolized by My command to you only to speak to the rock. But you have not promoted belief in My words, to sanctify Me in the eyes of all Israel by giving them gentle guidance. Now, therefore, you are not suited to lead this young assembly into the land which I have given them.”
  Henceforth these waters were known as the “Waters of Strife,” because the Children of Israel strove with the Eternal, and He revealed His holiness to them.
  Moses then sent messengers from Kadesh to the King of Edom! “Thus said your brother Israel: You are acquainted with all the hardships which have befallen us;
  How our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt for a long time, and the Egyptians mistreated, us and our fathers.
  We cried to the Eternal, He heard our prayers, and sent an emissary who took us out from Egypt. Now, we are in Kadesh, in the city outside your border.
  Therefore, please let us pass I through your land; we will not pass through field or vineyard, neither will we drink water at your wells, for we know it is very scarce. We will only go on the public highway where the king and the army go; we will not turn aside to the right nor to the left until we have crossed your border.”
  But Edom let Israel know: “You shall not pass through my land. I shall come out against you in war.”
  The Children of Israel again said: “Let us go up through the highway; we shall not touch any inhabited places; if we, man or cattle, cross rivers and drink water, we will pay its price; let us only walk through, we seek nothing else.”
  But Edom said: “You shall not pass through.” Edom then came out against them with a huge army and mighty weapons.
  Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, and Israel turned away from him, because they were forbidden by the Eternal to stand and use force against Edom.
  They marched from Kadesh, and the entire community of the Children of Israel came to Mount Hor.
  The Eternal spoke to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, which is by the border of the land of Edom:
  “Let Aaron prepare Himself to be gathered into the bond of eternal life, to be together with the righteous of his people; he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the Children of Israel, because you have acted contrary to My command at the 'Waters of Strife.’
  Take Aaron and his son Eleazar; bring them up to Mount Hor.
  Divest Aaron of his official garments, enrobe his son Eleazar with them as a sign that he is to replace him as High Kohen. Aaron, after he dies there, shall rest in eternity.”
  Moses did as the Eternal had commanded. They went up to Mount Hor in the presence of the entire community.
  Moses divested Aaron of his official garments, comforting him, pointing out that he had been given the privilege to see his son succeed him as High Kohen. Then Moses dressed Eleazar his son with them. Aaron died there atop the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar descended from the mountain alone.
  The entire community now perceived that Aaron was dead. The whole House of Israel declared a national mourning period of thirty days, for Aaron had been their beloved peace-maker.
  
  
  
  The Canaanite King of Arad, who dwelt in the Negev, heard that Israel had conquered territory in the manner of explorers. He therefore attacked Israel, and took some captive.
  Israel vowed before the Eternal and said: “If You will indeed deliver this people in my hand, I will place their cities into ban; I will dedicate all their spoils to the Sanctuary.”
  The Eternal accepted Israel’s prayer and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel destroyed the people, and dedicated the spoils to the Sanctuary. Then Moses commanded Joshua to complete this destruction after he would have conquered the land; he was to call that place Hormali, meaning, “Under Ban.”
  They then marched from Mount Hor, on the way to the Red Sea, to pass round the land of Edom. But the spirit of the people had become exhausted because of the rugged road.
  The people now spoke against the Eternal, and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is neither bread nor water, and we are already tired of that miserable food called Manna.”
  Therefore the Eternal sent poisonous serpents against the people who had complained, and they bit the people and many Israelites died.
  The people thereupon came to Moses and confessed: “We sinned when we spoke against the Eternal and against you. O pray to the Eternal that He remove the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.
  The Eternal said to Moses: “Make for yourself an image of a poisonous serpent, set it on a high pole. If anyone who has been bitten will look up to it, he will be reminded of the Merciful Who dwells on high, and he will pray to Him wholeheartedly and will therefore be cured.”
  Moses made a serpent of copper and placed it upon a high pole. Whenever a serpent had bitten any man, and that person looked up to the serpent of copper, and prayed to the Merciful, he was cured.
  Thereafter the Children of Israel marched from the border of Edom and encamped in Oboth.
  They marched from Oboth and encamped in Iye-Hoaboitm in that part of the wilderness which is in front of Moab, toward the east where the sun rises.
  From there they marched and encamped at the stream of Zered.
  From there they marched and encamped on the other side of Arnon which is at that part of the wilderness which reaches out to the border of the Amorites only. For Arnon is also at the border of Moab, so that this station is between Moab and the Amorite.
  This is specifically mentioned in that book which tells of the miracles the Eternal performed at Arnon; 'The help which He gave at the Red Sea and at the Streams of Arnon.”
  Further mentioned in that Book of the Divine Wars are "the miracles He performed at the waterfall of the streams, which run toward the Capital of Ar parallel to the border of Moab.”
  And from the above mentioned location they marched to Be’er, meaning "Well Station,” after the miracle which had occurred there, when the Eternal had said to Moses: "Gather the people together and I will give them water.”
  Then Israel sang this song; "Spring up, O well, respond together as in a chorus —
  It is the well which the princes had dug, where the nobles of the people had delved, by order of the lawgiver, with their scepters. From the wilderness it followed us even as a treasure,
  and this treasure followed us to the mighty streams, and from the mighty streams to the high places,
  and from the high places the Well followed us down to the valley which is in the field of Moab; then up to the summit of Pisgah which looks down upon the wilderness. When Moses died, the well disappeared there.”
  Israel sent messengers to Sihon, King of the Amorites:
  "Let me pass through your land; we will not turn into the fields or into the vineyards, neither shall we drink the water of the wells. We will go by the public road where the king and his army go, until we shall have passed through your border.”
  But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border. Sihon then gathered his people and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jaliaz and there attacked Israel.
  But Israel defeated him in battle, and occupied his land from the mountain of Arnon to the Jabok, as far as to the land of the Children of Ammon. The border of the Children of Ammon had been too strong for Sihon to conquer; therefore Israel occupied only that which belonged to Sihon.
  Israel took all these cities, and the Israelites settled in all the Amorite cities—in the capital city of Heshbon and in all its dependencies.
  Heshbon once had been a Moabite city, against which the Israelites would not have been permitted to battle to obtain any of their land, But at that time Heshbon was a city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, When he had fought with the former king of Moab, he had wrested all his land from him as far as Arnon.
  Concerning this war the bards sang: “Come to Heshbon! Let it be built and established as the capital city of Sihon.
  As soon as the Amorites had conquered this city, a fire had come forth out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon, which consumed the Moabite capital city of Ar, the ruler of Arnon’s heights.
  Alas for you, Moab! You are lost, you people who worship the idol Chemosh! It has given its sons as fugitives, and its daughters as captives to Sihon, King of the Amorites,”
  But we, the Israelites, have overthrown them; Heshbon has now perished, even as far as Dibon, and Nophah which borders at Medeba.
  Thus it happened that the land which Israel occupied was Amorite and not of Moab.
  Moses then sent to spy out Jazer and Jazer and its dependencies were conquered and they drove out the Amorites who were there.
  They then turned and went up on the way to Bashan, but Og the king of Baslian went forth against them, he and all his people to battle at Edrei.
  But since Og had not attacked Israel, but only mobilized his army against them, Moses first hesitated to start a war. However, the Eternal said to Moses: “Fear him not; for I have delivered him into your hand, together with all his people and his land. You shall do to him as you did to Silion, king of the Amorites, who had dwelt in Heshbon.”
  So they (the Israelites) defeated him together with his sons and all his people, until none was left to him. Thus did they occupy his land.
  
  
  
  And the Children of Israel marched on and encamped at the plains of Moab in Transjordania, facing Jericho.
  Balak the son of Zippor, a mighty warrior, perceived all that Israel had done to the Amorites;
  and that Moab was seized with terror of the people, thinking them to be numerous. Moab was thus aroused because of the presence of the Children of Israel.
  Moab had first said to the leaders of Midian: “Israel may have no intention to conquer our countries now, but this horde will lick up all that is around us, even as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor found that the time was ripe to seize the kingdom of Moab.
  He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to the city of Pethor, which is situated on the Euphrates River, Balak’s native land, inviting him with the following message: “Masses of people have come out of Egypt, and they are so numerous that they cover the face of the earth, and they are stationed opposite me.
  Therefore come now, and curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me to engage in war. Perhaps I will prevail. We, the Moabites and the Midianites, will defeat them, and I may drive them out of the land; for I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
  The ambassadors of Moab and of Midian went, taking with them books of magic. When they came to Balaam, they gave him Balak’s message.
  He said to them: “Lodge here tonight, then I will give you the answer that the Eternal has told me.” So the ambassadors of Moab stayed with Balaam, but the leaders of Midian lost trust in him and they left. -
  The Almighty appeared to Balaam and said: “Who are these people that have come and are beneath your dignity?”
  Balaam said to the Almighty: “Balak, the son of Zippor king of Moab, sent a message to me —
  Behold a mass of people that has come out of Egypt has covered the face of the earth; come now, curse them for me, perhaps then I shall be able to engage in war with them, and drive them away!”
  The Almighty said to Balaam: “Do not go with them. Your journey will accomplish nothing, for you cannot curse them, because they are a blessed people, and your curse would have no effect.”
  When Balaam arose in the morning, he said to the chiefs of Balak: “Go back to your land, for the Eternal refused to give me permission to accompany you.”
  The chiefs of Moab arose, and when they came to Balak, they said: “Balaam refused to come with us.”
  But Balak sent still another delegation, larger and nobler than the previous one.
  When they came to Balaam they said to him: “Thus said Balak the son of Zippor: I beg of you not to permit anything to restrain you from coming to me:
  I will pay you great honor, whatever you will ask of me I will do. Only come now, curse this people for me.”
  But Balaam answered Balak’s delegation: “Even if Balak were to give me his house, full of silver and gold, I would not be able to transgress the command of the Eternal my Almighty, to do anything great or small, against the Divine will.
  Now therefore, please, you too, stay here tonight; tomorrow I will find out what else the Eternal will tell me.”
  The command of the Almighty came to Balaam at night, saying to him: “If these men came to you for consultation only, arise and go with them, but only the word which I will speak to you, that alone must you do.”
  So Balaam rose up in the morning, saddled his she-donkey and went with the chiefs of Moab.
  The Almighty, Who probes the intentions of man, was now angry, for Balaam had gone with the evil intent to curse the Israelites. An angel of the Eternal therefore placed himself in the way to block him, as he was riding on his she-donkey, and two of his attendants were with him.
  When the she-donkey saw the angels of the Eternal standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand, the she-donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. Balaam then struck his she-donkey to force her to turn back to the road.
  But the angels of the Eternal now stood in the lane of the vineyards, which was fenced on this side and fenced on the other side.
  When the she-donkey saw the angels of the Eternal, she pressed herself against the wall, pressing Balaam's leg against the wall, and he struck her again,
  But the angel of the Eternal went further and stood in the narrow path where there was no way to turn either right or left.
  When the she-donkey saw the angels of the Eternal she stretched out beneath Balaam, and Balaam’s fury arose, and he struck the she-donkey with his stick.
  In order to warn Balaam that speech is controlled by the Almighty, the Eternal opened the mouth of the she-donkey, the beast which had been created at the last moment of the first week of Creation, and the she-donkey said to Balaam; “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
  Balaam said to the she-donkey; “Because you have mocked me I wish I had a sword; I would have killed you then.”
  But the she-donkey said to Balaam: “Am I not your she-donkey, upon which you have ridden ever since you first began to ride to this very day? Have I ever been wont to act like this towards you?” And he answered: “No.”
  Then he Eternal uncovered Balaam’s eyes and he himself now saw the angel of the Eternal standing on the road, holding a drawn sword. Balaam therefore bent his knees, and fell upon his face.
  The angel of the Eternal said unto him: “Why have you struck your she-donkey three times? Behold, I came out to block you, because you made your conduct perverse, to act thus against Me.
  When the she-donkey saw me, she turned aside before me these three times. Had she passed me, I would rather have slain you, but saved her life.”
  Balaam said to the angel of the Eternal: “I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing on the road before me. Now, if it displeases you, I will turn back.”
  But the angel of the Eternal said to Balaam: “Go now with the men, but you may utter only those words that I shall speak to you.” So Balaam went with the ambassadors of Balak.
  When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at a Moabite city which lies at the border of Arnon; that is, at the end of the border.
  And Balak said to Balaam: “Did I not invite you formally to me? Why have you not come? Is it true that you think that I am unable to pay you enough honor?”
  Balaam answered Balak: “Behold, even now that I have come, I have only the power to speak the words which the Almighty will designate for me, that alone will I utter.”
  Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to the capital city of his district.
  Balak slaughtered oxen and sheep and sent these gifts to Balaam and to the chiefs who were with him.
  In the morning, Balak guided and took him up to the high places of the idol Baal. From there, he saw a part of the people of Israel.
  
  
  
  Balaam said to Balak: "Build me here seven altars, to correspond to the seven altars built by the righteous of history: Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. Also have ready for me seven oxen and seven rams."
  Balak did as Balaam had spoken, and Balak with Balaam together offered an ox and a ram upon every altar.
  Balaam said to Balak: “You remain standing by your burnt-offering, I will go; Perhaps if I meditate in solitude, the Eternal will chance to meet me; in whatever manner He will guide me, so shall I declare it to you." And he went into solitude.
  The Almighty, then met Balaam and Balaam said to Him: “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered up an ox and ram on each.”
  The Eternal placed a message into the mouth of Balaam, and said: “Return to Balak, and thus shall vou speak.”
  When he returned to Balak, he was still standing by his burnt-offering, together with all the chiefs of Moab.
  Then Balaam took up his parable and said: “Out of Aram did Balak, king of Moab, direct me; He brought me from the mountains of the east: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, come and denounce Israel.'
  How shall I curse, when the Mighty One has not cursed, and how can I denounce, when the Eternal does not denounce them?
  For when I review their historical beginnings, I observe them rooted as rocks, and as eternal hills. Behold, it is the only people that is Divinely inspired, and therefore, unlike the other nations, it will never perish.
  Who is he that would consider Jacob as dust, and who is he that would count Israel as muddy soil? Let me die like these upright ones, and my end be like him, for out of the ashes of death he rises again, even more glorious than before. He is invincible.”
  Balak said to Balaam: “What are you doing to me? I brought you here to denounce my enemies, and instead you bless them!”
  But he answered: “Indeed only that which the Eternal designates for my speech, must I heed and speak.”
  Then Balak said to him: “Come now with me to another place from where you can see them: but only the lowest and most debased of them shall you see. You shall not see all of them; come denounce them for me there.”
  He led him to the Field of the Watchtower, to the top of the peak; there he built seven altars, and offered an ox and a ram again on each altar.
  And he said to Balak: “Remain standing by your burnt-offerings, and I will go around here.”
  The Eternal again met Balaam, and delivered a message for his speech; saying: “Return to Balak and thus shall you speak.”
  He returned to him, and there he was standing by his offering; with him were the chiefs of Moab. Balak said to him mockingly: “What did the Eternal say?”.
  Again he took up his parable for the message of the Eternal. “O Balak, turn your ear to my interpretation, O son of Zippor, out of respect to the Almighty arise and hear,
  The comlmand of the Almighty is not like the word of a human who may reverse himself, neither are His actions like those of a mortal who may alter them. Does He promise and not perform it, speak and not fulfill?
  Behold, I am bidden to bless and when He blesses I cannot reverse it.
  I have witnessed no idol worship in the House of Jacob, nor vanity among Israel. The commandments of the Eternal their Almighty sustain them, and the Divine inspiration of the King of Kings is with them,
  It is not as you declared: 'A mass of people went out from Egypt.' It is the Almighty who took them out from Egypt! He is even their mightiest defense.
  Surely Jacob's destiny is not guided by witchcraft neither is Israel's future influenced by foul magic, for at all times it can be said of the House of Jacob, and of the Tribes of Israel, that the Almighty will act for them.
  Behold, this mass of people that you mentioned will rise as a leopard and exult in their land until they will destroy all their enemies, and confiscate their possessions.”
  And Balak said to Balaam: “Now, neither denounce, nor praise them at all.”
  But Balaam answered and said to Balak: “Did I not tell you: all that the Eternal will speak to me, I must do!”
  Balak said to Balaam: “Come now, I will bring you to another place where you may find a weak spot in Israel. Perhaps it will please the Almighty to have you denounce them from there.”
  So Balak took Balaam to the top where the idol Peor stood that looks down upon the desert.
  And Balaam said to Balak: “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me seven oxen and seven rams.”
  Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered an ox and a ram up on each altar.
  
  
  
  When Balaam was convinced that the Eternal was pleased when Israel is praised, he did not enter into solitude for auguries as he had in the past. He now directed his face towards the wilderness, where Israel was encamped.
  Balaam lifted up his eyes and he saw Israel, inspired and united by their life together, tribe by tribe, with the Divine Spirit upon them.
  Then he took up his parable: “Thus speaks Balaam the chosen son of Beor; thus speaks the man whose eye is open to Divine vision.
  Thus speaks he who hears the messages of the Almighty, he who perceives the vision of the Benefactor of the world, he who stretches to the ground and perceives revelations.
  How good are your homes, O Jacob, how inspiring your Divine places, O Israel.
  As streams winding their way to irrigate the field, so are your Divine places and academies which imbue, those who come there, with the Divine Spirit. The people that come there are like gardens by a river that yield fruit; they send forth their fragrance even as the perfume which the Eternal planted. Their moral strength is unbending like the cedar planted by the waters.
  Water flows from its branches; even as seed grows in well-watered soil, so shall Israel's descendants flourish. His king shall be mightier than the Agags, the Amalekite kings, and his kingdom shall be exalted above all.
  The Almighty who took them out of Egypt is their constant and uppermost protector. Israel will eat up the wealth of the Canaanite nations, their enemies. He will relish the spoils of their kings, and he will take their land as his possession.
  After he settles in the land, he will rest content there. Israel will stretch out, lie down and rest with might, like a lion, a leopard. Who would dare disturb him? O Israel! Those who bless you are blessed; those who curse you, are cursed."
  Now Balak's anger was keenly aroused against Balaam. He clapped his hands, and said to Balaam: "I invited you to denounce my enemies, but mind you, you have praised them three times instead.
  Now therefore, go back to your place! I intended to bestow great honor upon you, but behold the Eternal has kept you back from honor."
  Balaam said to Balak: "Did I not speak to your messengers whom you sent:
  "Even if Balak were to give me his house, full of silver and gold, I will not be able to violate the Eternal's command; I cannot accomplish good or evil out of ruy own mind. That which the Eternal will speak, I will repeat?"
  And now I am ready to return to my people. Come, I shall advise you now how to entice the Israelites into sin and calamity. I shall inform you also what this people and your people shall be, not in your time, but in days to come."
  He again took up his parable and said: "Thus speaks Balaam, the chosen son of Beor, thus speaks the man whose eyes are open to Divine Vision.
  Thus speaks he who hears the messages of the Almighty, and pays heed to the prophecy of the Most High, perceives the vision of the Benefactor of the world, stretches to the ground and perceives revelations.
  Although it is not happening now, I see it clearly; I gaze at the future, although it is not near: When a star will come forth out of Jacob, and a ruler will rise out of Israel, he will break the hinges of Moab, and pierce through all household of nations, the descendants of Seth.
  Edom will become a dependency; Seir, the land which the Edomites conquered, will be occupied by its enemies. Israel, however, will prosper in wealth.
  A ruler shall arise out of Jacob, who will bring destruction to the remnants of the cities of Edom.
  Balaam looked upon the Amalekites from the high place, and he took up his parable, and said: "Amalek was the first of all the nations to begin war against Israel, hence this enemy shall be destroyed forever."
  And when he looked upon the Kenites, the descendants of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, who dwelt near Amalek, he again took up his parable and said: "Leave the dwelling places of Amalek: for it will be destroyed. Make your dwelling places among the Israelites, and set your nest as it was in the rock.
  Though, the Kenites will be exiled by Sancherib, King of Assyria but how long shall Assyria keep you captive? Your captivity will not last forever. Together with Israel, you will be redeemed."
  He continued his parable and said: "Alas! Who will be able to live after the terrible calamity that Assyria, appointed by the Almighty, will cause in Israel?
  But ships will come from the coast of the Greeks; they will subjugate Assyria and all the people from the other side of the Euphrates. But in the end, the Greeks will suffer destruction in their turn."
  Then Balaam arose; and went down from the high place. He returned to his place; and Balak also went upon his way.
  
  
  
  When Israel dwelt in Shittim, the Moabites accepted Balaam's advice to entice Israel, and to bring them to sin and shame. The people began to commit immorality with the Moabite women.
  They invited the people to the sacrificial feasts of their idols; the people ate and worshipped their idols.
  The Israelites attached themselves to Baal Peor, the idol of shamelessness; and the anger of the Eternal arose against the Israelites, and He sent a plague upon them.
  The Eternal said to Moses: “Assemble the chiefs of the people to act as judges and let them publicly hang those who are guilty before the Eternal. Only then will the fierce anger of the Eternal turn away from the Israelites."
  Moses then said to the judges of the Israelites: “Let each chief execute those people of his tribe who joined in worshipping the idol Peor."
  While they were gathering to execute judgment, a prince in Israel came and brought a Midianite women before his brethren, even in the presence of Moses, and in the presence of the entire community of the Children of Israel, while they were still weeping in despair over the plague at the entrance of the Tent of Assembly.
  When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, grandson of Aaron the kohen saw this, he arose from among the community, and took a spear into his hand.
  He went after the Israelite into the chember of the tent, and stabbed both the Israelite and the sinning woman through the abdomen. Thus did the plague of the Children of Israel cease.
  But there were twenty-four thousand dead because of the plague.
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, grandson of Aaron the kohen, spared Me from indignation over the Children of Israel, when he acted in zeal against the idolatry and immorality that prevailed among them. Therefore, I did not destroy the Children of Israel in My anger.
  Therefore declare: I am ready to bestow upon him My full covenant.
  This is the covenant of the everlasting kohenate. It shall be his and his descendants' after him: He displayed vengeance on behalf of his Almighty; and thereby has attained atonement for the Children of Israel.
  He deserves the reward, for he punished the dignitaries without fear of consequence. The executed Israelite who was slain with the Midianite women was Zimri the son of Salu, a prince of a patriarchal house, of the tribe of Simeon.
  And the name of the executed Midianite woman was Cozbi; the daughter of Zur, who was chief of a nation of a patriarchal house in Midian."
  The Eternal then spoke to Moses:
  “Defy the Midianites, strike out against them.
  For they defied you with their conspiracy which they conspired against you in the incident of the idol Peor, and also the incident of the immoral act perpetrated by Cozbi, the daugtcr of the prince of Midian who was slain during the plague on account of Peor.”
  
  
  
  After the plague, where the numbers of the Israelites had decreased, the Eternal spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen as follows:
  “Take up now the census of the entire community of the Children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward. They shall be enrolled in their census according to their fathers' houses (and not their mothers') all who are of military age among the Israelites shall be counted.
  Moses and Eleazar the kohen told the chiefs to count their tribes in the plains of Moab, at the Jordan, facing Jericho. They were instructed,
  That the age should be from twenty years and upward, the same as when the Eternal had commanded Moses and the Children of Israel upon their Exodus from the land of Egypt."
  Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob-Israel. The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, his descendants at the time when the land of Israel was divided to families—were known as the family of the Hanochites. The Palluite family was the descendants of Pallu.
  Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronite descent, of Carmi, the family of the Carmite descent.
  These are the families of the Reubenite tribe. Their number was forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.
  The sons of Pallu were Eliab and others.
  The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. But only the Nemuel family received an allotment in the Land of Israel, for Dathan, Abiram and their families perished. Dathan and Abiram were of those assembled of the community who incited to strife against Moses and Aaron in the group of Korah, when they incited strife against the Eternal.
  Then the earth widened its opening and swallowed them together with Korah, and the entire group perished. When the miracle happened that the fire consumed the two hundred and fifty men there was a warning not to challange Aaron for the Kohanate.
  But the sons of Korah did not die, for they have repented right after Moses' warning.
  The descendants of Simeon after their families: uf Nemuel the family of the Nemuelite; of Jamin, the Jaminite; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinite;
  Of Zerah, the family of the Zerahite; of Shaul, the family of Shaulite.
  These are the families of the Simonites, their number: twenty-two thousand and two hundred.
  The descendants of Gad after their families, of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Ilaggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;
  Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;
  Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.
  These are the families of the descendants of Gad when they were numbered: Forty thousand and five hundred men.
  The sons of Judah: Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan childless.
  However, Judah had other children. Of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Perez, the family of the Perezites: of Zerali, the family of the Zerahites.
  The sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.
  These are the families of Judah when they were counted: Seventy-six thousand and five hundred men.
  The sons of Issachar after their families; of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Punah, the family of the Punites;
  of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the Shimronites.
  These are the families of Issachar when they were numbered: Sixty-four thousand and three hundred.
  The sons of Zebulun after their families; of Sered, the family of the Seredites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jalileelites.
  These are the families of the Zebulunites, when they were numbered: Sixty thousand and five hundred men.
  The sons of Joseph after their families: Manasseh and Ephraim.
  The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; Machir fathered Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites.
  These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Heleck, the Helekites;
  Of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;
  Of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
  Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. The names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.
  These are the families of Manasseh, when they were numbered: Fifty-two thousand and seven hundred.
  These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.
  These are the sons of Shuthelah; of Eran the family of the Eranites.
  These are the families of the sons of Ephraim, when they were numbered: Thirty-two thousand and five hundred men. These are the descendants of Joseph after their families.
  The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites.
  Of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites;
  The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman; of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the Naamites.
  These are the sons of Benjamin after their families, when they were numbered: Forty-five thousand and six hundred men.
  These are the descendants of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.
  All the members of the Shuhamite family when they were numbered: Sixty-four thousand and four hundred.
  The sons of Asher after their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.
  Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel the family of the Malchielites.
  Asher also had a daughter her name was Serah who was known for her piety.
  These are the families of Asher, when they were numbered: Fifty-three thousand and four hundred men.
  The sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites;
  Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
  These are the descendants of Naphtali after their families when they were numbered: Forty-five thousand and four hundred.
  These are the entire number of the children of Israel: Six hundred thousand, seventeen hundred and thirty.
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “The land shall be divided among those families mentioned above, as an inheritance, all according to the numbers indicated by names.
  To a larger family shall you increase the allotment, and to a smaller family yoii shall diminish, each one according to the number counted; thus shall his allotment be.
  But though the families received their allotments according to the proportion of their numbers, the entire country at first shall be divided into twelve equal portions by lots, corresponding to the twelve names of the tribes of their forefathers; thus shall it be allocated.
  By means of the Urim Vetumim, the ornamental oracle worn by the High Kohen will the country be divided among the tribes, whether it is a larger tribe or a smaller one; also the locality of the tribal family shall be determined by lots, whether it is a large or a small family.
  These are the numbers of the Levites families, who were allotted the forty eight cities in the land of Israel and the surrounding lots. Of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
  These are the subdivisions of the Levite families: the Libnites, the Hebronites, the Mahlites, the Mushites, and the Korahites families. Kohath fathered Amram.
  The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, who was born to Levi at the time when Jacob and his children came to Egypt. She bore to Amram three children: Aaron, Moses and their sister Miriam.
  To Aaron were born: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
  Nadab and Abihu died, during their father's lifetime, when they offered strange fire before the Eternal.
  The total sum of the Levites was twenty-three thousand, all the males from one month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the Children of Israel, who were counted from twenty years and up, because there was no inheritance given to the Levites among the Children of Israel.
  These are those who were counted by Moses and Eleazar the kohen, when they took the census of the Children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
  But among these there was not any man who was numbered by Moses and Aaron the kohen, when they numbered the Children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai, forty years before this census.
  For the Eternal decreed against them that they will die in the wilderness and not enter into the Land of Israel: and none of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephuneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
  
  
  
  When the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the tribal family of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, heard that the land would be divided among the males only, and not among the females, they met for consultation. The names of the daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.
  After pleading with Eleazar the kohen, and with the tribe chiefs, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tent of Assembly, they stood before Moses, and they pleaded as follows:
  “Our father died in the wilderness; he was not among the rebels of Korah who rose up against the Eternal; therefore his estate should not be forfeited like the possessions of that group which went down into the earth with them. He died only because he was one of the people who had left Egypt and the Eternal had decreed that these should die in the wilderness. It is because of his personal sin that he left no sons.
  Why then should the name of our father disappear from among his family because he has no son? Let us now be counted in the place of our father, give us an allotment among the brothers of our father!"
  Moses submitted their claim before the Eternal and awaited His instruction.
  The Eternal said to Moses:
  “The plea of the daughters of Zelophehad is justified. You must surely give them an allotment of inheritance among their father's brothers; the allotment of their father shall be transferred to them.
  Speak to the Children of Israel: When a man dies without leaving a son or male descendants, who would have first claim on his inheritance, then you will transfer his inheritance to his daughter or to her descendants.
  If he has not left any daughters, then will you bequeath his inheritance to his brothers or to their descendants.
  If he has no brothers you will give his inheritance to his father's brothers, or to their descendants.
  If his father had no brothers, then you will give his inheritance to his nearest of kin, so that he shall inherit it. This shall be a statute of judgment for the Children of Israel, for the Eternal has commanded Moses all the details of the laws of inheritance for all time.”
  The Eternal then said to Moses: “I commanded you to take the census of the Israelites and to mobilize them to conquer the Promised Land; I spoke to you about the distribution of the Land among the tribes and families, but you will not be the one to carry it out. My decree that you may not enter the Land stands unchanged. Now therefore ascend this Mountain of the Fords and gaze at the Land which I have given to the Children of Israel.
  When you will have seen it, you too, will be gathered into the Eternal life with your people who have gone before you, even as your brother Aaron was gathered into eternal life.
  This is because you have disobeyed My command in the desert of Zin, and did not sanctify Me by the water in their presence. “Those waters became known as 'The Waters of Contention,' at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.”
  Moses then prayed to the Eternal:
  “O Eternal, Master of Spirits, You know the spirits of all men, how they differ one from another. Appoint, I pray, a leader over the community, one who will be able to bear with the differences existing among Your Children,
  who will go before them in war, and come before them in public affairs, who will bring them out and bring them in; so that the community of the Eternal shall not remain like sheep without a shepherd.”
  The Eternal then said to Moses; “Bring forth Joshua the son of Nun, the man who possesses the spiritual qualifications, and place your hand upon him and ordain him to symbolize the transfer of authority.
  You shall present him before Eleazar the kohen, and to the entire community, and proclaim him as your successor in tlicir presence, so that they will be inspired with loyalty toward him.
  And you shall transfer some of your honor to him so that the entire community of Israel may respect him.
  Whenever he wishes to declare war he must stand before Eleazar the kohen, who shall inquire of him before the Eternal, concerning the decision from the Urim Vetumim, the Divine Oracle. Under Eleazar’s guidance they shall go forth to war, and according to his decision from the Eternal shall they come in. In all matters pertaining to the nation, the leaders and the entire community must abide by the decision of the High Kohen.
  Moses did as the Eternal commanded him. He took Joshua and presented him before Eleazar the kohen, and before the entire community.
  He then placed both his hands upon him, instructed him and conferred ordination upon him, as the Eternal had spoken through Moses.
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Instruct the Children of Israel that the institution of sacrifice shall be continued in the land of Israel. Tell them that they must take care to offer My offerings, the food for My fire in due season, to be acceptable to Me,
  Tell them that this is the order of the public fire-offering which you shall sacrifice for the sake of the Eternal. Two lambs of the first year, without blemish, daily. This should be known as the perpetual “burnt-offering.”
  One of the lambs you will offer in the morning, and the second lamb you shall offer toward evening.
  With it you shall offer a tenth part of an epliah (three and a half quarts), of fine flour for a cereal offering mingled in a quarter of a hin (three pints) of well-pressed olive oil.
  It should follow the same rule as the continual offerings that was offered on Mount Sinai and that was acceptable as a fire-offering to the Eternal.
  With it shall be its wine-offering of a quarter of a hin for the one lamb. With a sanctified vessel you will pour the undiluted wine upon the altar of the Eternal.
  And the second lamb you will offer toward evening, even as the cereal-offering of the morning sacrifice with its measure of wine offering, so will you offer it as a fire-offering acceptable to the Eternal.
  On the Sabbath day you shall offer two lambs in their first year, without blemish; with them two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal-offering mingled in oil, and its quota of wine-offering.
  This burnt-offering for every Sabbath shall be in addition to the daily perpetual public burnt-offering, and its wine-offering.
  On the first day of your proclaimed New Moon you shall offer a burnt-offering to the Eternal; two young bullocks and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without defect.
  And three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering mingled in oil for each bullock, and two tenths of fine flour, for a cereal-offering, mingled in oil for the one ram,
  and a tenth each of fine flour, for a cereal-offering mingled with oil for each lamb, for a burnt offering, made on fire, accepted by the Eternal.
  Their drink offerings—a half a hin of wine for a bullock, a third of a hin for the ram, and a fourth of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt-offering of every first of the month throughout the months of the year,
  also one he-goat to atone for any sin of the kohanim such as uncleanncss incurred unintentionally in connection with the Altar of the Eternal, in addition to the continual burnt-offering, and its drink offerings.
  In the month of Nissan, the first month of the year, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall offer the Paschal sacrifice to the Eternal.
  On the fifteenth day of that month there shall begin a festival of seven57<i class="footnote">Traditionally, only in the Holy Land. All other Jews keep one more day.</i> days. Only Matzoth shall be eaten.
  On the first day you shall have a holy assembly. You shall do no servile work.
  You shall bring sacrifices for the fire of the altar, burnt-offering to the Eternal: two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year. They shall be with no defect.
  You shall prepare their cereal-offering of fine flour, mixed with oil: three tenths of an epha for each bullock, and two tenths for the ram,
  for each of the seven lambs one tenth of an epha,
  and one he-goat for a sin-offering to make atonement for you.
  You shall offer these besides the burnt-offering of each morning which is the regular continual burnt-offering.
  These shall be offered each day for seven days. It is food of a fire-offering, accepted by the Eternal. It shall be offered beside the continual burnt-offering with its drink-offering.
  On the seventh day you shall have a holy assembly, you shall do no servile work.
  On the Holiday of the First Fruits, when you offer a gift of the new produce to the Eternal, on Shovuoth, Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy assembly. You shall do no servile work.”
  You shall bring sacrifices for the fire of the altar, a burnt-offering accepted by the Eternal: two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs one year old,
  and their cereal-offering of five flours, mixed with oil: three tenths for each bullock, two tenths for the one ram —
  and one tenth for each of the seven lambs.
  one he-goat for a sin-offering to make atonement for you.
  You shall offer these besides the continual burnt-offering with its cereal-offering. They shall be with no defect, together with their drink-offerings.
  
  
  
  In the month of Tishrei, the seventh month of the year, on the first day58<i class="footnote">Traditionally, only in the Holy Land. All other Jews keep one more day.</i> of the month you shall have a holy assembly. You shall do no servile work. It is Rosh Hashanah, the New Year. It shall be for you a day dedicated to the sounding of the Shofar.
  You will offer a burnt-offering accepted by the Eternal: one young bullock, one ram, seven lambs of one year old without defect,
  and their cereal-offering of fine flour, mixed with oil: three tenths for the bullock, two tenths for the ram,
  and one tenth for each of the seven lambs,
  one he-goat for a sin-offering to make atonement for you,
  beside the burnt-offering of the Rosh Chodesh, the New Moon, and its cereal-offering and their drink-offering, according to their rule, a fire-offering accepted by the Eternal.
  On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy assembly. You shall repress your desires by fasting. You shall do no work. It is Yom Kippur, the Day of Forgiveness.
  You will offer a burnt-offering accepted by the Eternal: one young bullock, one ram, seven lambs one year old, without defect,
  and their cereal offering of fine flour, mixed with oil, three tenths for the bullock, two tenths for the ram,
  and one tenth for each of the seven lambs.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the Day of Atonement sin-offering, and the continual burnt-offering, with its cereal-offering and their drink-offerings.
  On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy assembly, you shall do no servile work. You shall celebrate the Eternal's feast for seven days,59<i class="footnote">Traditionally, only in the Holy Land. All other Jews keep one more day.</i> the Succoth holiday.
  You shall sacrifice a burnt-offering on the fire of the altar accepted by the Eternal: thirteen young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs one year old, they shall be without defect.
  And their cereal of fine flour, mixed with oil: three tenths for each of the thirteen bullocks, two tenths for each of the two rams,
  and one tenth for each of the seven lambs.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual burnt-offering, its cereal and its drink offering.
  On the second day twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of one year old, without defect.
  The cereal and drink-offering, for the bullocks, the rams and the lambs according to their prescribed number.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual burnt-offering, with its cereal and their drink offerings.
  On the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, without defect,
  and their cereal and drink-offerings for the bullocks, the rams and the lambs according to ther prescribed number,
  and one he-goat for,a sin-offering, beside the continual offering with its cereal and drink-offering.
  On the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs without defect,
  their cereal and drink-offerings for the bullocks, the rams and the lambs according to their perscribed number.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual offering with its cereal and drink offerings.
  On the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, without defect.
  And their cereal and drink-offerings for the bullocks, the rams and the lambs according to their prescribed number.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual offering with its cereal and drink-offerings.
  On the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs without defect,
  and their cereal and drink-offerings for the bullocks, the rams, and the lambs, according to their prescribed number.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual burnt-offering with its cereal and drink-offerings.
  On the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs without defect,
  and their cereal and drink-offerings for the bullocks, the rams, and the lambs, according to their prescribed number.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual burnt-offering with its cereal and drink-offerings.
  During the seven day Succoth festival you offered sacrifices for the welfare of the nations of the world, but on the eighth day you will celebrate the closing festival with a special offering for your own welfare. You shall not do any servile work.
  You will offer a burnt-offering, an offering of fire on the altar, accepted by the Eternal: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs one year old without defect.
  their cereal and drink-offerings for the bullock, the ram and the lambs, according to their prescribed number.
  One he-goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual burnt-offering with its cereal and drink offerings.
  These will you offer to the Eternal on your festivals, apart from your vows and your freewill offerings, which you may offer in addition, as burnt-offerings, cereal and drink-offerings, and for your peace-offerings.
  
  
  
  Moses instructed the Children of Israel, in accordance with what the Eternal had commanded him.
  In addition to the laws of the Eternal which Moses conveyed to the Children of Israel concerning public offerings and promises of vows and donations to the Almighty, he further spoke to the heads of the tribes of the Children of Israel about personal and private vows, saying: “This is the thing the Eternal commanded:
  When a man utters a vow mentioning therein the Eternal's Name, or he makes an oath, to desist from permissible acts, his promise is not void until his vow or oath is invalidated by competent authorities. He must do exactly as he uttered out of his mouth.
  But as for a woman, (between the age of twelve years and six months) who utters a vow, mentioning the Name of the Eternal, to desist from permissible acts, if she is still under her father's control,
  and her father heard her vow, or the prohibition which she took upon herself but kept his silence, all her vows shall then endure, and all the prohibitions which she took upon herself shall remain in force.
  But if her father expresses disapproval on the very same day that he heard her utterance, then all her vows, and all the prohibitions which she took upon herself shall have no value. The Eternal will forgive her for the vow which she cannot fulfill, since her father has expressed his disapproval.
  If she is betrothed, but had previously uttered a vow, or an utterance binding upon her lips made before her betrothal60<i class="footnote">See Glossary in the end of Leviticus the meaning of betrothal—Arussa.</i> and her father has not anulled it,
  and her fiance hears of it but remains silent about it on the day he heard it, then her vows and the prohibition she has taken upon herself shall remain in force.
  But if on the day that her fiance heard it, he expressed disapproval, then if he, together with her father, has annulled the vows she has taken upon herself, and the utterance of her lips with which she has taken a prohibition upon herself, the Eternal will forgive her.
  However, as to the vow of a widow or a divorcee,—all that she may have taken as a prohibition upon herself shall remain in force.
  If a woman who is married made a vow, or bound herself to a prohibition by an oath, while in the house of her husband,
  and her husband heard it and kept silent and did not express disapproval, then all her vows will remain binding; so too, all the prohibitions which she has taken upon herself will remain in force.
  But if her husband had voided them on the day when he heard them, then all the utterances of her lips, be they a vow or an oath to take a prohibition upon herself, shall not be binding. Her husband has made them void, and the Eternal will forgive her.
  In the case of any vow or binding oath to afflict herself, affecting the marital relationship, the husband has the power either to maintain them as binding, or to declare them void.
  If the husband kept silent on that day in which she made the vow, he has thereby caused all her vows or all the prohibitions which she had taken upon herself to be binding. He has made them binding by tacitly consenting and not voiding them on the day he has heard them.
  But if he forces her to make them void subsequent to the day he heard of them, then he and not she shall suffer the guilt."
  These are the decrees concerning vows which the Eternal transmitted to Moses pertaining to the relationship between husband and wife and between father and daughter, at the time the daughter is in her youth and under her father's control.
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  "Mete out retribution against the Midianites on behalf of the Children of Israel; and after that you shall be gathered to eternal life, with your own people who have gone before you."
  Moses then spoke to the people as follows: "Send forth from your midst advance columns for battle. They shall wage war against Midian to mete out Divine retribution to them.
  From every tribe one thousand, from all the tribes of Israel shall you send men to the army."
  Thus from the thousands of Israel one thousand men from each tribe, a total of twelve thousand men were made available to serve as advance columns for battle.
  Moses sent forth these thousand of each tribe to battle. Among them was Phinehas the son of Eleazar, who had been designated as the Kohen because of his meritorious action in the case of Cozbi the daughter of Zur. The warriors had with them the Ark with the Tablets, the holy vessels, and the trumpets for blowing the Terua, the succession of short notes of alarm.
  They went to war against Midian, as the Eternal had commanded Moses, and they put to death every adult male.
  Among the slain were the kings of Midian, namely: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They had unanimously consented to bring Israel to sin by causing them to worship the idol Peor; Balaam the son of Beor was also slain by the sword after an Israelite court had found him guilty of having suggested this plot against Israel.
  The Children of Israel then took the women of Midian and their children captive together with all their animals, and their livestock, and all their wealth; all this they took as spoils.
  All their cities and their dwelling places, and all their castles they burnt in fire.
  Thus they took all the booty and all the spoils, of both man and animal,
  and brought them to Moses and to Eleazar the kohen and to the community of the Children of Israel; namely, the captives, the captured cattle, the captured goods, all into the camp, at the plains of Moab which is on the Jordan facing Jericho.
  Since the victorious warriors had become ritually unclean from their contact with corpses on the battlefield, they could not come into the camp. Therefore, Moses, Eleazar the kohen and all the chiefs of the community went out to meet them outside the camp.
  Moses, however, was angered at the officers of the army, the chiefs of the thousands, and the chiefs of the hundreds who came back from military service.
  Moses said to them: “How is it that you have allowed the females to live?
  It was they who caused the Children of Israel, on Balaam's advice, to act treacherously against the Eternal in the matter of the idol Peor. It was for that reason that a plague broke out among the community of the Eternal.
  Now, therefore, kill every male child, and all women who have had connubial relations.
  But any female child who have not had relations with men you may keep alive for yourselves.
  You will remain outside the camp for seven days; whoever has slain a person, or whoever has touched a corpse shall purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, by means of the water mingled with the ashes of the Red Cow, you and those of your captives who have converted and accepted the Israelite law.
  Every garment, every leather vessel, everything made of goats' hair and every wooden vessel you shall purify.
  Eleazar explained to the soldiers who had gone to the war: “This is the decree which the Eternal commanded Moses.
  Though Moses informed you that sprinkling the water of the Red Cow is sufficient to purify garments, this does not apply to utensils of gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and lead —
  A utensil used for cooking in hot water requires purging in hot water; that which is over fire, without water, must be put through fire, and then it shall be ritually pure; nevertheless, it, too, must be purified by the sprinkling of water. But utensils that are used only for cold food and are not placed over the fire, you shall simply cleanse by immersing them in water.
  You shall wash your garments on the seventh day and thereafter you may enter the camp."
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:
  “Obtain the total of the booty captured, both of man and of animals; do it together with Eleazar the kohen, and the leaders of the fathers' houses of the community.
  Divide the booty among the victorious army heroes and among the whole community.
  Levy a tax for an offering to the Eternal from the soldiers who went out to battle: one out of five hundred from the human captives, from cattle, from donkeys, and from sheep.
  Take it out of their half and give it to Eleazar the kohen, as a contribution to the Eternal.
  And from the half belonging to the Children of Israel you shall levy one, out of fifty, — from the human captives, from cattle, from donkeys, from sheep, — that is of all animals, and you shall give this also to the Levites, they who guard the Divine House of the Eternal.”
  Moses and Eleazar the kohen did as the Eternal had commanded Moses.
  In addition to the spoils which the soldiers had plundered, the booty reached the total of six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep;
  seventy-two thousand cattle,
  sixty-one thousand donkeys,
  thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had no relations with men.
  The half portion belonging to the soldiers was: three hundred thirty-seven thousand and five hundred sheep.
  Of these sheep six hundred seventy-five were the contributions to the Eternal.
  The oxen were thirty-six thousand; the contribution to the Eternal: seventy-two.
  Donkeys: thirty thousand five hundred: the contribution to the Eternal: sixty-one.
  human captives: sixteen thousand; the contribution to the Eternal: thirty- two persons.
  Moses gave the tax of the contribution to the Eternal to Eleazar the kohen, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
  Of the half for the Children of Israel which Moses took off from the warriors —
  This half for the community amounted to three hundred thirty-seven thousand and five hundred sheep,
  thirty-six thousand oxen,
  thirty - thousand five hundred donkeys,
  and sixteen thousand human captives.
  Of this half belonging to the Children of Israel Moses took the tax one out of fifty, and gave it to the Levites who guarded the Divine House of the Eternal, as the Eternal commanded Moses.
  The officers appointed over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds approached Moses.
  They said to him: 'Tour servants have taken the census of the soldiers who were under us, and none of us is missing.
  Therefore we have donated an offering to the Eternal, everyone who obtained a golden article: an anklet, or a bracelet, a ring, an earring, or buckle donates it as an atonement for ourselves before the Eternal.”
  Moses and Eleazar the kohen took from the gold, all finely finished ornaments.
  All the gold of the gift which they contributed to the Eternal, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, amounted to sixteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty shekels.
  The lesser valuables each soldier kept for himself.
  Moses and Eleazar the kohen took the gold from the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, and brought it to the Tent of Assembly as a remembrance of the miraculous protective grace of the Eternal to the Children of Israel.
  
  
  
  Now the tribe of Reuben and the tribe of Gad had vast numbers of cattle. When they saw that the district of Jazer and the district of Gilead were suitable for cattle,
  the warriors of the tribe of Gad and the tribe of Reuben came before Moses, before Eleazar the kohen, and before the chiefs of the community and said to them;
  “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 
  the land which the Eternal handed over when its inhabitants were vanquished before the community of Israel, is a land suitable for cattle, and your servants have cattle.”
  They further pleaded: "If you are favorably inclined toward us let this land be allotted to your servants, let us not be transferred across the Jordan.”
  Moses then said to the tribe of Gad and to the tribe of Reuben: "Shall your brethren of the other tribes engage in war while you repose here?
  Why should you discourage the Children of Israel by not crossing over to the land which the Eternal has given them?
  Your fathers have acted similarly when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to inspect the land.
  For when they went up to Nahal Eshkol and saw the land, they discouraged the Children of Israel, persuading them not to enter the land which the Eternal has given them.
  On that day the anger of the Eternal was aroused and He decreed the following:
  That none of the people who came out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward shall see the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for they have not fulfilled their duty toward Me.
  Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh of the Kenizzite family, and Joshua the son of Nun, — because they have fulfilled their duty toward the Eternal.
  The anger which the Eternal kindled against Israel caused-them to wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all that generation that had done evil in the sight of the Eternal had come to an end.
  Now, you have risen in place of your fathers, the outgrowth of wicked men, to augment yet further the fierce anger of the Eternal against Israel.
  If you turn away from Him, the other tribes may follow you, and He will leave them in the wilderness once again; you will ruin all this people."
  Then they approached him and said: "We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle and cities for our children,
  but we ourselves, we will readily advance to war before the Children of Israel until we shall have brought them to their place. Our children can remain in fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
  We shall not return to our homes until the Children of Israel will have obtained each one his allotment.
  We will not obtain any allotment with them on the other side of the Jordan, and forward. Our allotment will be only on this side of the Jordan, to the east."
  Moses said to them, "If you will do this thing; if you will form vanguards before the people of the Eternal for war,
  your every vanguard will cross the Jordan before the people of the Eternal, until He has driven out His enemies before Him,
  and the land will be conquered before the people of the Eternal and you will only return after all this; then will you be cleared before the Eternal and before Israel. This land will be yours as a possession before the Eternal.
  But if you will not do so, you will be guilty before the Eternal, and know that you alone will bring about the punishment which will come to you for your sin.
  Build cities for your children, and folds for your sheep, but only do that which you promised."
  The tribe of Gad and the tribe of Reuben unanimously affirmed it to Moses saying: "Your servants will fulfill as the master commands.
  Our children, our wives, our cattle and all our animals will remain there in the cities of Gilead.
  But your servants will go on to battle, as the vanguard of the army before the people of the Eternal, as the master said."
  Moses commanded Eleazar the kohen and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the Children of Israel, concerning this:
  Moses explicitly stipulated all the legal conditions: “If the tribe of Gad and the tribe of Reuben will cross the Jordan with you as a vanguard before the people of the Eternal in war and the land will be conquered for you, then you will give them the land of Gilead as their possession.
  But if they will not cross as vanguards with you, they must evacuate this territory and be forced to fight for possessions of land among you in the land of Canaan."
  The tribe of Gad and the tribe of Reuben called out, saying: “That which the Eternal has spoken regarding your servants, we will do.
  We will cross as vanguards before the people of the Eternal into the land of Canaan, and then our allotment, the possession of this side of the Jordan, will remain ours."
  Moses gave them the territory of Sihon, King of the Amorites, and the territory of Og, King of Bashan, the land with its cities and borders. At first he gave it to the tribe of Gad and the tribe of Reuben, but since the territory was too vast for the two tribes, he offered part of it to other tribes, and a section of the tribe of Manasseh accepted the offer.
  The tribe of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth and Aroer,
  Atroth-Shofan, Jazer, and Jogbehah,
  Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, as fortified cities and folds for the sheep.
  The tribe of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiryathaim,
  Nebo and Baal Meon, their names changed, and Sibmah. They called the names of the cities after the names of the persons who rebuilt them.
  The descendants of Machir the son of Menasseh went to Gilead, and conquered it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.
  Moses then gave the territory of Gilead to the family of Machir, the son of Manasseh, and they settled there.
  The family of Yair, son-in-law of Menasseh, went and conquered their villages and they called them the villages of Yair.
  Nobah went and captured Kenath and its village, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
  
  
  
  These are the stages of the Children of Israel since they left, with their multitude, the land of Egypt under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.
  Moses wrote down, according to the command of the Eternal, the miraculous happenings stage by stage. The following are the stages and the miraculous happenings:
  They marched from Rameses, in the month of Nissan, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Paschal offering, the Children of Israel went out courageously in the presence of all the Egyptians.
  The Egyptians were burying all the first-born whom the Eternal had smitten among them; and the Eternal also imposed punishments upon their idols.
  The Children of Israel marched from Rameses and encamped at Succoth.
  They marched from Succoth and encamped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.(רש"י.)
  They marched from Etham, turned back to Pi-hachiroth, which faces Baal-Zephan, and encamped before Migdol.(אונקלוס, רש"י.)
  They marched from before Hachiroth, passed through the sea, which the Eternal dried up for them, into the wilderness, drifted in that part of the wilderness of Etham, near the sea, in order to look for booty which the foe left behind, and encamped at Marah.(רש"י.)
  They marched from Marah and came to Elim. There were twelve springs in Elim and seventy palm trees, so they encamped there.(רש"י.)
  They marched from Elim and encamped by the Red Sea.(רש"י.)
  They marched from the beach of the Red Sea and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.(אונקלוס, רש"י, רמב"ן, ספורנו.)
  They marched from the wilderness of Sin and encamped at Dophkah.
  They marched from Dophkah and encamped in Alush.(מלבי"ם ומפרשים.)
  They marched from Alush and encamped in Rephidim; it was there that the people had no water to drink.(ד"ע.)
  They marched from Rephidim and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.(ספורנו, מלבי"ם.)
  They marched from the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in Kibroth-Hatavah, the Graves of Craving, where those who craved for flesh pots died of the plague and were buried there.(רש"י, ספורנו.)
  They marched from Kibroth-Hatavah and encamped in Hazeroth, where Miriam was stricken with leprosy, because she spoke against Moses.(עפ"י מלבי"ם.)
  They marched from Hazeroth and encamped at Ritmah, from where the spies were sent to explore the land of Canaan.(עפ"י גמרא ברכות ז'.)
  They marched from Ritmah and encamped at Rimon-Peretz.(עפ"י מפרשים שונים.)
  They marched Rimmon-Peretz and encamped at Libnah.(עפ"י מלבי"ם.)
  They marched from Libnah and encamped at Rissah.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  They marched from Rissah and encamped at Kehelah, the place where Korah and his group gathered to revolt against Moses and Aaron.(מלבי"ם.)
  They marched from Kehelah and encamped at Mount Shepher.(רמב"ן, מלבי"ם.)
  They marched from Mount Shepher and encamped at Haradah.
  They marched from Haradah and encamped at Makheloth.
  They marched from Makheloth and encamped at Tahat.
  They marched from Tahat and encamped at Terah.
  They marched from Terah and encamped at Mithkah.
  They marched from Mithkah and encamped at Hashmonah.
  They marched from Hashmonah and encamped at Mosseroth.
  They marched from Mosseroth and encamped at Bene-Jaakon.
  They marched from Bene-Jaakan and encamped at Hor-hagidgad.
  They marched from Hor-hagidgad and encamped at Yotbah.
  They marched from Yotbah and encamped at Abronah.
  They marched from Abronah and encamped at Ezion-geber.
  They marched from Ezion-geber and encamped in the wilderness of Zin, at the city of Kadesh.
  They marched from Kadesh and encamped at Mount Hor, at the border of the land of Edom.
  Aaron the kohen, at the command of the Eternal, ascended Mount Hor and died there, in the fortieth year after the Children of Israel had left the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month.
  Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.
  The Canaanite king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negeb, in the land of Canaan heard that the Children of Israel are approaching his land, and he attacked them.
  After the Children of Israel defeated the king of Arod, they marched from Mount Hor and encamped at Zalmonah.
  They marched from Zalmonah and encamped at Punon, where they were bitten by serpents, and the Eternal told Moses to make an image of a serpent, set it on a high pole, and the victims will look up to heaven on high, pray to the Almighty and will be cured.
  They marched from Punan and encamped at Oboth.
  They marched from Oboth and encamped at Iye-abarim at the border of Moab.
  They marched from Iye-abarim and encamped at Dibon-gad.
  They marched from Dibon-gad and encamped at Almon-diblathaim.
  They marched from Almon-diblathaim and encamped in the hills of Abarim, in front of Nebo.
  They marched from the hills of Abarim and encamped in the plains of Moab, at the Jordan near Jericho.
  They encamped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shitim, in the plains of Moab, an area of twelve miles.
  The Eternal spoke to Moses, in the desert plain of Moab, at the Jordan near Jericho:
  “Speak to the Children of Israel, repeat to them while they are still at the border of the Jordan: When you cross the Jordan to the land of Canaan,
  you shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land before you, destroy all their idol statues, you shall destroy all their cast images and demolish all their altars at the high places.
  When you dispossess its inhabitants, and destroy their idols, then you will be able to settle in the land forever; for I gave you the land to possess it.
  You shall allot the land by lots according to your families; to a larger family you will increase the allotment, according to one's lot as it falls to him, shall it be his. You shall divide it into twelve parts, according to the tribes of your fathers.
  But if you do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land before you, those that you will allow to remain will be as thorns in your eyes. They will lead you astray to serve their idols, and they will become troublesome to you as thorns in your sides. They will distress you in the land which you occupy.
  And in the end I will drive you out even as I first planned to do with them."
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses:(רש"י, א"ע.)
  “Command the Children of Israel concerning the special commandments to be observed in the Land of Israel. Tell them: when you come into the land of Canaan, this area will be the territory which will be divided among you by allotment, recognized as the boundaries of the land of Canaan.
  The southern boundary will be yours from' the wilderness of Zin, close by the side of Edom, so that the southern border shall begin at the end of the Dead Sea on its eastern end.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  Your frontier shall turn south of the Pass of Akrabbim and continue to Zin, coming out south of Kadesh Barnea, stretching to Hazar-Addar, and continuing to Azmon.(עפ"י גמרא ר"ה יז.)
  The frontier shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Mitzrayim and ending at the Mediterranean Sea.
  Now the Western frontier: The Great Sea and its isles, shall be your western border.
  This shall be your northern frontier: From the Great Sea shall you draw your border line to Mount Hor;(יג מדות עפ"י ר"ת ותוס'.)
  from Mount Hor you draw a line to the entrance of Hamath, and the ending of the border shall be at Zedad.
  The border shall run to Ziphron, and its end shall be Hazar-enan. That shall be your northern border.(רש"י.)
  You shall draw your eastern frontier, from Hazar-enan to Shepham.(רש"י, ספורנו.)
  The border shall descend from Shepham to Riblah on the east of Ain, and the border shall descend and touch the shore of the Lake of Chinnereth to the east.
  The border shall extend down to the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea. That shall be your territory, according to its frontiers, all around.”(א"ע.)
  Moses instructed the Children of Israel: “This is the land which you shall divide by lots among the nine-and-a-half tribes as the Eternal commanded:(הירץ.)
  For the tribe of the children of Reuben, in accordance with the house of their fathers and the tribe of the children of Gad, in accordance with the house of their fathers and also half the tribe of Menasseh, have already received their allotment.(עפ"י מלבי"ם בפ' יתרו.)
  Truly, the two-and-a-half tribes have already received their allotments on this side of the Jordan at Jericho, eastward toward the rising sun.”(רמב"ן.)
  The Eternal then spoke to Moses:(רש"י.)
  “The following are the names of the people who shall divide the land for you: Eleazar the kohen and Joshua the son of Nun.(א"ע.)
  You will also take a chieftain representing each tribe through whom the land shall be allotted.(ספר דעת זקנים.)
  These are the names of the men: from the tribe of Judah: Caleb son of Jephuneh.(עפ"י אונקלוס, רש"י וא"ע.)
  From the tribe of Simeon, Shemuel son of Ammihud.(מלבי"ם.)
  From the tribe of Benjamin: Elidad son of Chislon.(רשב"ם.)
  From the tribe of Dan: a chieftain, Bukki son of Yogli.(רש"י.)
  For the sons of Joseph: from the tribe of Manasheh: a chieftain, Hanniel son of Ephod.(אונקלוס.)
  And from the tribe of Ephraim: a chieftain, Kemuel son of Shiphtan.(רש"י.)
  From the tribe of Zebulun; the chieftain, Elizaphan son of Parnach.(עפ"י רש"י במשפטים.)
  From the tribe of Issachar: the chieftain, Paltiel son of Azzan.(ראה כג, יט.)
  From the tribe of Asher: the chieftain, Ahihud son of Shelomi.
  From the tribe of Naphtali: the chieftain Pedahel son of Ammihud.(רשב"ם, א"ע.)
  These were the ones that had been charged to allot portions to the Children of Israel in the land of Canaan.(רש"י.)
  
  
  
  The Eternal spoke to Moses, in the Plains of Moab at the Jordan near Jericho:(רש"י.)
  "Command the Children of Israel: That because the Levites do not receive allotments in the land, they give to the Levites from their allotted portion certain cities to dwell in, and also an area of open space around their cities. You shall give it as a bounty to the Levites.(רש"י, רמב"ן.)
  The cities they shall have for dwellings. But in the area of open space they are not permitted to build homes, or plant trees. It will be used for their animals, for their possessions, and for all their needs.(רמב"ן.)
  The open space area of the cities which you give the Levites, will begin one hundred and forty feet outside of the wall of the city: it shall be a space two thousand feet all around.(רש"י.)
  You shall measure from outside of the city as follows: On the east side, two thousand feet open space and two thousand feet for planting; on the south side, two thousand feet open space and two thousand feet for planting, on the west side, two thousand feet open space and two thousand feet for planting; and on the north side two thousand feet open space and two thousand feet for planting; the city being in the center. In this way shall they possess the open area round the cities.(ספורנו.)
  The cities which you give to the Levites shall include the six Cities of Shelter. These you shall designate for persons who committed accidental manslaughter for them to flee there; to these you will add forty-two cities.
  Thus the total of the cities which you will give to the Levites will be forty-eight cities, with their open spaces.
  The cities from which you will obtain portions of the Children of Israel shall be thus: from the families that have much you will take more, from the families that have less you will take less, each family will give from its cities property to the Levites according to the allotment which was allotted to it.”
  The Eternal further spoke to Moses:(אונקלוס.)
  "Speak to the Children of Israel and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan;(א"ע.)
  You will designate for yourselves special cities to serve you as Cities of Shelter. A manslayer who had killed a person unintentionally will flee there.
  These cities shall be shelter for you from the avenger, so that the manslayer shall not be put to death until he has stood trial before a tribunal representing the community.
  The number of the cities which you shall designate will be six Cities of Shelter.
  Three of these cities you will designate on this east side of the Jordan, and the other three will you designate in the land of Canaan. Only when all of the six cities have been designated will they begin to function as Cities of Shelter.
  For the Children of Israel, and for the proselyte, as well as for the non-Israelite resident among them, these six cities will be shelters; any person committing manslaughter unintentionally may take refuge there.
  But if a person deliberately strikes another with an iron weapon so that it is known from the testimony that the victim died from that blow, then that person is a murderer and as a murderer he shall surely be put to death.
  Also if one strikes his fellow man with a stone held in the hand, large enough to inflict a mortal wound, he is a murderer. The murderer shall then surely be put to death.
  Also if he strikes him with a hard weapon of wood large enough to kill him and he dies, he is a murderer. The murderer shall then surely be put to death.(רש"י.)
  If the court found the murderer guilty, one of the family of the avenger of the blood shall carry out the death sentence. If the murderer escaped, the avenger shall put him to death even if he meets him in a City of Shelter.
  Also, if one pushes his fellowman down from a high place, out of hatred, or he throws something at him with deliberate aim so that he died;
  or he strikes him, with malice, with his hand, so that he dies, he that struck him shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The relative of the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death wherever he meets him.(עפ"י א"ע ורמב"ן.)
  But if he pushed him down without malice, or threw any kind of weapon without aiming at him,(א"ע.)
  or with any stone large enough to inflict death, but he did not see what he had thrown upon him, so that he died, and it is known that he was not his enemy, neither did he want to do him any harm,
  the judges of the community shall arbitrate between the slayer and the avenger of the blood on the basis of these regulations of justice.
  The community-court will save the slayer from the hand of the avenger of the blood, and the community will send him back with a protective escort to the City of Shelter into which he fled before the trial, and there he must stay until the death of the High Kohen, who was anointed with the sanctified oil.
  But if at any time the slayer should go out beyond the border of his shelter city into which he first fled,
  and the avenger of blood finds him beyond the border of his City of Shelter, then, if the avenger of blood kills the slayer, he is not guilty of bloodshed.
  For he has to remain in his City of Shelter until the death of the High Kohen, only after the death of the High Kohen, may the slayer return to his apportioned land.
  These laws shall be for you as a statute of justice, throughout your generations in all of your settlements.(עפ"י מפרשים.)
  For any homicide, the wilful murderer shall be put to death only by the utterance of the testimony of two witnesses. In case of capital punishment, the testimony of one witness shall not be sufficient.
  You may not commute by ransom the death sentence of a murderer who is guilty of death; he must be put to death.
  You may not take ransom for him who fled to a Shelter City, not even only to return home before the death of the High Kohen.
  Neither shall you commute the death sentence of a rich or powerful person whom you seek to flatter. You shall not contaminate the land in which you dwell, for innocent blood that remains unavenged contaminates the land. The land will not find atonement for any innocent blood that is shed in it, except through punishment; namely, by the blood of him who shed it.
  Pollute not the land in which you dwell, in the midst of which My Divinity abides, for I, the Eternal, have caused My Divinity to dwell among the Children of Israel.
  
  
  
  The heads of the fathers' houses of the families of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, approached the Court, and pleaded before Moses and before the chiefs, the heads of the fathers' houses of the Children of Israel.
  They said: “The Eternal commanded the master to allocate the land by casting lots among the Children of Israel; the master was also commanded by the Eternal to convey the allotment of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.
  Now, if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the Children of Israel, then their allotment will be decreased from our fathers' tribal allotments and it shall thus be added to the allotment of the tribe into which they will marry. This is because the child born to them belongs to the paternal tribe, but since he is his mother's heir, the inheritance will be decreased from the total of our allotment. Thus the purpose of the casting of the lots will be frustrated.
  Moreover, when the Jubilee Year will come to the Children of Israel, their allotment will be added to the allotment of the tribe into which they marry, and this allotment will be taken from the allotment of the tribe of our father, for in the Jubilee Year only land that is purchased is returned to the original owner but not inherited property."(א"ע.)
  Moses at the Eternal's commandment, instructed the Children of Israel: “The plea of the tribe of the Children of Joseph is justified.(ד"ע.)
  This, therefore, is the rule which the Eternal has proclaimed as applying to the daughters of Zelophehad. Let them be married to whom they see fit; nevertheless they must marry only into the tribe of their fathers.
  So that property of one tribe shall not be transferred. Every one of the Children of Israel shall be attached to the property of the tribe of his father.
  Every daughter who possesses an allocation from the tribe of her father shall be married to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that the Children of Israel, each one of them, shall preserve the allotment of his father.
  And the property of one tribe will not be transferred to another tribe. Each man of the tribes of the Children of Israel will be attached to his own inheritance."
  The daughter of Zelophehad did as the Eternal had commanded Moses.
  Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah, Zelophehad’s daughters married the sons of their uncles.
  They married into the families of the sons of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, thereby they preserved their inheritance within the family of their father. It was not transferred even from one family to another.
  These are the commandments and the judgments which the Eternal commanded, through Moses, to the Children of Israel, in the plains of Moab, near the Jordan area of Jericho.