meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Haamek Davar/Torah/Haamek Davar on Numbers/English/Sefaria Community Translation.txt"}
text: Haamek Davar on Numbers
  העמק דבר על במדבר
  Sefaria Community Translation
  
  
  Haamek Davar on Numbers
  
  Introduction to Numbers
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  In the Sinai Desert: ... Since only those that go out in the army were counted - meaning those fitting to be counted in the force of the King for war with the Canaanites. And the earlier count was 605,550 and the [requirement for] the dwelling of the Divine Presence was fixed at that amount, and it was known that it was necessary for there to be this amount in the desert. And from then on, even if there were many that turned twenty, they did not enter the army to fill this amount with [these] others who turned twenty. And since they stood in one place [since that count], the Holy One, blessed be He, did not concern Himself to command that they fill the army [for those that had died in between], until the twentieth day of the second month approached. As they were then prepared to leave on the journey with God at their head, like a king at the head of his armies. Hence the command came to count again and to fill this amount... [just like] every king knows how many are going out in the army in his force and how many units, and the amount in each unit...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  "May God bless you." Included in this is whatever is appropriate for each person to be blessed with. As is written in Deuteronomy 16:16: "they shall not appear before the LORD empty...according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which He hath given thee." The blessing will be according to the blessing that he was blessed with until then: For one who deals in Torah, in his study. For one who deals in commerce, in his merchandise. Thus is included in this general blessing "May God bless you" an additional blessing for each person about what he has.
  "And protect you." For every blessing requires protection so that it does not become an obstacle, God forbid. A master of Torah needs protection from pride, desecration of God's name and the like. And similarly, that he not forget his learning. A property owner needs protection that his wealth not be to his detriment, like Korach and Navot the Jezreelite and the like. And similarly, protection from theft and loss. And likewise for everything that is in need of blessing, protection from whatever causes trouble is requested.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  According to the simple meaning of the text, a gentile black woman. But who had converted. And Aaron and Miriam thought that this was why Moshe separated himself from her. That his wife was not of Israelite lineage. And they were saying that under no circumstances is this proper. After he had taken her and knew she was a non-Israelite and she didn't deceive him. Therefore it's not fair to make her sad and separate himself from her. [Afterwards I saw this commentary in the book "Paanekh Razei" who as his custom explains כושית as being black.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  This example shows that God can see all of the world just as Moshe sees. And if he knows, he knew what they said about him. They did not find it in their hearts to tell him [directly] to his face. And because of this God rebuked that also now, it was as if they had spoken to his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  And they went up into the South: It is a recounting of a detail about that which happened with the people that went into the South. As they actually did not all go together, but rather divided the land, two by two - hence they [were able to] finish their touring in forty days. And so the verse is speaking about the two that went up into the South; and they are Caleb and one other [scout]. 
  And he came to Chevron: One of them - and that was Caleb - came into the city and the fortress, whereas the other one was afraid to enter the city out of fear from the Anakites - and also [because] it is hard to escape from the fortress, should it be required. But the one (Caleb) came without fear, saw the Anakites and did not tremble from any [of this]. 
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  The beginning of their words were to grumble. For they should not have spoken to them like this.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  One law and one ordinance: The teachings that the sages of each generation add are called "law" ("<i>Torah</i>"). And a commandment matter which is not explicit in the Torah is a just "ordinance" based on the intellect. On all of this is written "shall be both for you, and for the stranger ..." - it will be equal, without distinction. And see that Scripture calls commandments that are explicit in the Torah "statute." Ans this is as I wrote on Exodus 18:16 - all of the commandments that are explicit in the Torah, even if they do have a reason. In any case, even where the reason is missing, the commandment stands its ground. If the details of the commandment are without reason, and are only "statute." For once they are explicit in the Torah, they are statutes which the Heavens and the Earth stand upon, as I wrote on Leviticus, at the beginning of the "<i>Bechukotai</i>" ("In My statutes") portion. However, the teachings of the sages of the generation go along with the reasoning, so as soon as the reason changes, the rule changes. Therefore, Scripture calls them "law and ordinance."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
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  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  
  
  The Children of Seth (Shet): [This is] like the sons of Adam (all people), since [Seth] was the main [son of Adam], as Noah was from his descendants (such that everyone who lived afterwards was of the Children of Seth). And the Yitzchaki1 said that its understanding is [that it refers to] the Children of Ammon and also [the Children of] Moab, and its meaning is [hence] twofold. He also said that its usage [is like its usage in], "those with revealed shet" (Isaiah 11:3), which is a reference to the daughters of Lot (the mothers of Ammon and Moab). But that is distant [from the correct understanding] in my eyes; as shet is the posterior, which is like a foundation, as in (Psalms 11:3), "When the shatot are destroyed." And many understood, "all the children of shet" as the same usage as "When the shatot." And the explanation is that when he destroys the countries (which are like foundations). And this is not distant.
  
  
  
  
  
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  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  Mount Eivarim.  [So called] because there are two passes.  On one side is the passage to Israel, while on the other side is the passage close to Moab.  As it will be clarified in Deuteronomy 32:49.
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  And you shall set him, etc.: This setting is [to give him] authority over them. And nevertheless it is only service, as he is obligated to serve them in that which he has authority over them. Therefore, it is written with the wording, "And you shall set him in front of " - with the same wording as later on [in verse] 21, which demonstrates subservience. This is because authority is truly also subservience.