Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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Introducing Bilam

Balak, son of Tzippor said to Moav, the two kings we had confidence in, Sichon and Og were both conquered by the Israelites. How will we, who are weaker, going to be able to defend ourselves from them?

Moav realized that the Israelites were winning miraculously. They knew that their leaders grew up in Midian (see Shmos 2:15) so they decided to reach out to Midian to see what was unique about the Midianites.

Moav and Midian were enemies, however out of fear of the Israelites, they unified and reconciled.

As a side note, Balak was actually a Midianite prince however since Sichon died, the Moavites appointed him due to it being a state of emergency. Thus Balak was from the same place as Bilam.

Midian informed Moav that the unique power of the Israelites was in their mouth/speech so they said ok let's also attack them with the mouth, hence they reached out to the prophet Bilam.

Bilam is likened to a money changer whom everyone rushes to with letters from all of the kings.

Rashi explains why it is that Bilam was able to have the shechina rest on him despite him being evil. He says that this is so that the non jewish nations should not claim that if only they had their own prophets they would have repented. Initially these nations had actually been modest in regards to sexual immorality until Bilam told them to be relaxed about it.

Balak sends messengers to Bilam, together with money (so that this journey would be beneficial to Bilam) to convince him to come to Balak. The message states that there is a people who have come out of Egypt who "covered the eye of the land", i.e they conquered Sichon and Og who were the eyes of the land. This nation rests opposite Balak and he wants Bilam to curse them as they are more powerful than Balak. He is hoping that if Bilam curses them he will be able to successfully attack them, because "whomever (Bilam) blesses is blessed and whomever (he) curses is cursed).

The elders of Moav and Midian take different kinds of charms with them just in case Bilam might need them so he could not claim that he does not have the accessories he needs for the task.

Another understanding of these charms is that the messengers were prepared to read into Bilam's reply as a sign. They said if he agrees to come with them it will be a sign that he is substantial and if he refuses it means there's nothing to gain from him.

Bilam tells them to stay the night and that in order to give them a proper response, he has to see what G-d will say to him. Although indeed Bilam needed G-d's permission in order to curse anyone, he didn't want them to think this, rather he made it sound as if he needed to know if these messengers were prestigious enough for Bilam to go with or if he should wait for more prestigious ones to arrive.

When Bilam told them to stay the night, the officers of Moav stayed however the ones from Midian left, seeing this as a sign that he was giving them false hope.

That night, G-d did speak to Bilam. The Holy Spirit only comes to non Jewish prophets at night (it was similarly so with Lavan).

G-d said to Bilam, "Who are these men?" This question gave Bilam room to err in thinking that some things are concealed from G-d at some times so that even if G-d does not give him permission to curse the Israelites, he could find a time to curse them.

Bilam replied that they were the people which Balak had sent regarding cursing a nation who had come out of Egypt whom Balak wanted to drive out*.

*Side note: Balak only specified that he wanted to drive them out of his land (Bamidbar 22:6) however in leaving out the word "land" we see that Bilam wanted to drive them out of the world, and thus his hatred for the Israelites was greater than that of Balak.

G-d said that he is not to go up with those men nor curse the Israelites as it is blessed.

Bilam then says ok so I won't go up with them I'll curse them where I am. G-d replies that no he is not to curse them at all. Bilam says ok so I'll bless them. G-d says no they don't need your blessing they are already blessed. Rashi cites the Midrash Tanchuma (chapter 6) saying that this is like a wasp of whom we say we don't need your honey nor your sting.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

War with Sichon and Surrounding Nations

The Israelites* send messengers to Sichon the king of the Amorites asking if they can pass through their land. Although they were instructed not to begin talking to them with words of peace, they did so anyways, reassuring the Amorites that if they were to pass, they would not wander in their fields or vinyards nor drink from their wells.

*Side note: Rashi points out that in Devarim 2:22, it is narrated that Moshe was the one who specifically sent these messengers. Rashi says that this is to teach us that the leader and his nation are one and the same.

All of the Canaanite kings paid tribute to Sichon in exchange for Sichon guarding these Canaanite nations against invading armies. So Sichon said no way that can he let the Israelites pass through.

Sichon went out to the desert of Yachaz to attack the Israelites.

Cheshbon, which contained the Amorite city and its surrounding areas was so strongly fortified that according to Rashi, even if it were full of only gnats, no one would be able to conquer it. And Sichon was such a mighty warrior that even if he were in a weak village he should have naturally been victorious.

So G-d miraculously put it into Sichon and the other men on his side to go out into open field to wage war against the Israelites, rather than waiting for the Israelites to come to them and have to fight their fortifications. This way the Israelites were able to more easily fight all of their enemies at once in one open field.

The Israelites indeed won and conquered their land (from Arnon to Yavok, until the chidren of Ammon - as the children of Amon were very strong). . They approached Cheshbon where only women and children were now (who were so confident that their men were going to win they did not keep their city gated as the gnats would have as per Rashi's description).

So the Israelites settled in the Amorite city within Cheshon.

Sichon had conquered Cheshbon from Moav and now it was the Israelites'.

Sichon was unable to conquer the Moavites naturally so he hired Bilam to curse it. This is the basis of what Balak later says regarding Bilam (see later on in Bamidbar 22:6) that whatever Bilam curses is cursed and whatever he blesses is blessed.

Chumash now details a poem that Bilam and his father Be'or declared regarding this war which Sichon waged against Moav. (see the text Bamidbar 21:27-35).

It details how Cheshbon conquered Sichon and how Moav suffered as a result. And how the Israelites settled in the land of the Amorites. And then Moshe sent spies to capture Yaezer and its suburbs, driving away the Amorites who were there. And these spies declared that they were not like the spies who went into the Land of Israel in that they would listen to Moshe this time. The Israelites then ascended, passing by Og, the king of Bashan. G-d told Moshe not to fear Og, who Moshe did somewhat fear as he thought that Og might have the merit of Avraham upon him since he alone survived escaping from the Rephaim when Chedarlaomer struck (see Breishis 14:5). Moshe struck Og and his sons and people until none of his people survived and the Israelites conquered that land.

The Israelites journey and encamp in the plains of Moav opposite the Jordan near Yericho.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Travel Miracles and the Song of the Well

The Israelites travel and encamp at Ovoth and then travel and encamp at a place called Eii HaIvrim (literally "the Ruins of the Passes"), which was a passageway for people passing Mount Navo on the way to the Land of Cana'an, since it is between the land of Moav and the land of the Amorite.

They then traveled to the Valley of Zered and then, going around the entire southern and eastern sides of Moav until they got to the other side (in the north) which was Arnon, inside the land of the Amorite.

At this border the Israelites encamped (without entering the territory of Moav as Moav did not grant them permission to).

This encampment and the miracles that happened there are told in the Story of the Wars of G-d).

The Chumash now gives a lyrical account of the miracles which the Israelites experienced at this time. The miracles were as follows:

The mountains in this area were very high and the valley was very deep and narrow so the mountains were so close to one another that if one person stood on top of one mountain, they could talk to their friend on top of the mountain next to it. The valley served as a border between the two sides, that of the Moabites and the Amorites. On the Moabites's side, there were caves in the mountain and on the Amorite side (this side later became part of Israel's territory), the mountain had horn and breast shaped protrusions that pointed outwards. The Amorites hid inside of the Moabite caves and planned on killing the Israelites with arrows and catapult stones as the Israelites passed. However as the Israelites passed, the Moabites' side of the mountain trembled like a slave woman going out to greet her mistress and the protrusions came close to the other mountain and entered into the caves on the other side killing the Amorites there. The Israelites passed through the area oblivious to this miracle.

After Israel passed, these mountains returned to their places and the well (which had been with them since the beginning of their journeys) went down into the valley and brought up the blood of those who were killed as well as their arms and limbs. This is how the Israelites became aware of this miracle and sang a song of praise for this miracle. This was the well which Moshe and Aaron had dug with the staff.

The Chumash now gives the text of the song which they sang (see Chumash Bamidbar verses 17-20 for the text of the song).

The song sings praises to the well which "the ministers" (meaning Moshe and Aaron) dug and hewed by the "nobles" of the people (this is alluding to the princes of each tribe who would take their stick to mark the division of their camp when they would encamp and the waters of the well would run that way and pass by the tribe's camping place). The well was given to them as gift from the valley to the heights to the ravine that is in the field of Moav (where Moshe died), seen over the surface of a place named Yeshimon, so called because it is desolate (or alternatively because the well was hidden in the Tiberias sea and could be seen from the ground of Yeshimom, in the form of a sieve like shape.

Moshe's name is not mentioned in the song as he was not stricken through the well. G-d is also not mentioned. Rashi says that this is like a king who is invited to a banquet who says that if his close friend is not there he will not go.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Death of Aaron

All of the Israelites who were destined to die in the desert before entering the land (see Bamidbar 14:30) had passed away.

The remaining Israelites traveled from Kadesh to Mount Hor*.

*Side note: Whenever the Israelites would travel, the Cloud would travel before them and level out any mountains in their path. This did not apply to three mountains however, which remained mountainous to them: Mount Sinai (for the giving of the Torah), Mount Hor (for the burial of Aaron, coming soon in this post) and Mount Nevo for the burial of Moshe.

The text mentions that Mount Hor is found at the border of the land of Edom to hint at the fact that the Isrealites had come close to Edom, the descendants of the wicked Esav and losing Aaron was a consequence of this.

Here at this border, G-d tells Moshe and Aaron that Moshe should bring Aaron to his people, as he will not enter the land of Israel due to his defiling of G-d's words regarding the waters of strife. Moshe should console him as he takes him by telling him that he is blessed in that he will see his crown being given to his son. He is to then take Aaron and Elazar (Aaron's son) up on the mountain and remove Aaron's clothing and dress Elazar in them.

Moshe did as he was told though it was difficult for him. He told Aaron to enter a cave on the mountain and Aaron saw a bed made up and Aaron lit a lamp. Moshe tells him to go into the bed and Aaron does so. Moshe then tells him to stretch out his hands and so he does. And then to close his mouth and so he does. And then to shut his eyes, and so he does. Moshe immediately desires this death and is later granted it (see Rashi for Devarim 32:50).

When the people saw Elazar and Moshe descending, they did not believe that Aaron had died. How could the one who stopped the plague fall under the dominion of the angel of death they protested? Moshe prayed and the ministering angels showed everyone that Aaron had indeed died. Everyone wept for 30 days over this.

The Clouds of Glory departed from the Israelites after Aaron's death.

War with Amalek

The nation of Amalek always had something against Israel and was ready to at any moment to cause them strife. Attacking the Israelites without being provoked fit with their character. When their king, whom in the text is called "the king of Arad" heard that Aaron had died and the Clouds of Glory had departed, he figured it was an opportune time to attack them.

To confuse the Israelites, these Amalekite spoke the Canaanite language instead of their own (hence King Arad is also called "the Canaanite" in the text here) in the hopes that the Israelites would pray that G-d grant them victory over the Canaanites instead of the Amalekites.

However when the Israelites saw a nation dressed like Amalekites but sounding like Canaanites, they prayed that G-d "deliver this people into their hand" without being specific (and that they will consecrate whatever plunder they get from it to G-d) and thus they defeated the Amalekites and called that area Chomah.

The Amalekites did capture one Israelite - a single slave woman.

The Copper Snake

From there the Israelites traveled along the same path that the spies had taken (in the south) by way of the Sea of Reeds and around the land of Edom (since he did not let them travel through his land - see earlier in the parsha) - this was a movement backwards from the way in which they came, to seven encampments earlier - which was to Mesorah. They mourned and eulogized Aaron there as if he were right there with them.

The journey became difficult for the nation. They recognized that they were close to entering the land now but were traveling backwards the way their ancestors did who ended up wandering in the desert for 38 years and they were still wandering now.

They complained regarding G-d and Moshe (likening "the slave to the master" in Rashi's words). They exclaimed, "why have you taken us out of Egypt to die in the desert with no food and water?" they felt disgusted and short of spirit.

They complained about the manna which they felt was "insubstantial" since they didn't excrete it so were concerned that it would make their internal organs explode.

G-d sends snakes who burned people with the venom of their fangs and it bit the people and many died. It was fitting that a snake would afflict them since:

* A snake was punished (see Rashi for Breishis 3:5 and Shmos 4:3) for evil talk and they were now speaking maliciously and

* To a snake, all food tastes the same (all food tastes like dust to him (Yoma 75a)) and the Israelites were being ungrateful for the manna which was one substance which had many flavors.

After many died from the snake bites, the nation approached Moshe pleading for forgiveness and Moshe prayed on their behalf. Rashi says that this teaches that if someone requests forgiveness, one should not be too mean so as not to forgive them.

G-d tells Moshe to make a snake and place it on top of a pole (the word used for pole here is נס, having the dual meaning of "miracle") and anyone who is bitten by a snake, if they stare up at this copper snake they will be cured. If during this plague if someone was bitten by even a dog or donkey, they would suffer and eventually die. For such a person, if they merely glanced up haphazardly towards the snake, they would be cured. However the bite of a snake would kill them quickly so to be cured from that, it wasn't enough for them to merely look up at it, but they had to stare at it and thus he would be quickly cured (otherwise he would not have been cured so quickly). Rashi notes that it wasn't the copper snake itself that cured them but rather it was the motion of looking upwards and giving over their hearts to G-d.

Moshe makes the snake out of copper, since the word snake (נחש) is etymologically related to the word copper (נחושת) even though G-d didn't explicitly tell him what to make it out of.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The King of Edom Says No to the Israelites Passing through His Land

Moshe sends messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom asking if they can pass through his land.

The messengers are to tell Kadesh that his people are the Israelites' brothers, in having also descended from Avraham (through Esav). Thus they were also supposed to suffer the exile and hardships in Egypt but only the Israelites did. The text mentions that the patriarchs suffered as well from their exile from which Rashi derives that the patriarchs suffer in their grave whenever the Israelites are punished.

Moshe said that it was their prayers, which they inherited from their forefathers which G-d heard and through which He rescued them.

Since only the Israelites paid the debt they were due, since Esav separated from Yaakov, the Edomites should understand that the Israelites are the rightful heirs to the Land of Israel and thus help them by letting them pass through their land to get there.

Moshe did not hope to appeal to Kadesh's brotherly feelings in bringing this up but rather to his sense of justice. He brought up the inheritance of the land as well in order to try to intimidate Kadesh.

Moshe says that although they have their own manna and well for water, they will purchase all of their food and water from the Edomites so the Edomites can benefit from their passing. He says that they will muzzle their animals so they don't veer to the right or to the left as they pass through.

The king of Edom says that he will not let them pass and just as they pride themselves with what they inherited from their forefathers, namely prayer, he prides himself on what his forefathers gave to him, i.e "By the sword shall you live" (Breishis 27:40) and will attack the Israelites if they pass through with a strong and large army.

So the Israelites turn away from them.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Moshe Hits the Rock

G-d tells Moshe that he should take the staff and he and Aaron should gather all of the Israelites together and speak to the rock and the Israelites will see the rock giving them water. The rock will then provide drink for them and their animals*.

*Side note: Rashi points out that in including their animals in the text, this indicates the compassion G-d has for the property of Israel.

So as G-d commanded him to do, Moshe takes the staff and Moshe and Aaron gather everyone before the rock. The area where they gathered was technically too small to hold them, however this is one of several instances in scripture where a small place held something which was technically too big for it (Shmot 9:8, Vayikra 8:3 and Yehoshua 3:9 are other examples).

When the well departed, this designated rock got mixed up with the other rocks and the Israelites said, what difference does it make which rock you bring water out of? Moshe replied by calling them rebels for trying to tell them to get water from a rock that they were not commanded to.

By mistake, Moshe speaks to the wrong rock which does not bring forth water. So they reason that maybe they have to hit the rock, as they did earlier (see Shmos 17:6).

Then they come across the correct rock and Moshe strikes it. It brings forth only a few drops however since G-d did not instruct Moshe to strike it, only to speak to it.

So Moshe then strikes the rock a second time and much water comes gushing out from which all of the people and animals drank.

G-d tells Moshe and Aaron that because of this act of striking the rock which displayed a lack of faith, they will be punished to not enter into the land of Israel.

Aaron was punished as well for this since he could have stopped Moshe from hitting the rock but he did not.

If not for this sin, they would have entered into the land. Although earlier Moshe also erred in saying "If sheep and cattle were slaughtered for them would it suffice for them?"( Bamidbar 11:22) which seemingly called into question G-d's power, the instance of hitting the rock was more severe because it was done in public in front of all of the Israelites, when he had the opportunity to sanctify G-d's name by speaking to the rock and he did not.

Moshe hit the rock out of anger. If he would not have gotten angry he would not have been punished so.

These waters are considered the waters of strife which were originally mentioned by Pharoah's astrologers who foresaw that the savior of Israel would be stricken through water (which is why they decreed that all male Israelites should be thrown into the water (see Shmos 1:22).

Because Moshe and Aaron were judged by G-d through these waters, G-d was sanctified through them.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Red Heifer Ceremony Cont'd

The pure man is to take a hyssop and dips it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent and the vessels and on anyone who was there as well as the one who touched the bone or the corpse.

The pure person sprinkles it on the impure person on the third day and on the seventh day and then on the seventh day the sprinkler* is to immerse his clothing and then becomes pure in the evening.

*Side note: One who sprinkles these ashes, and thus carried them to the impure person takes on a more severe impurity of needing to immerse both himself and his clothing than one who merely touches the waters, who need only immerse himself but not his clothing.

Anyone who the original person who became impure through contact with a corpse touches becomes impure until evening.

A corpse is the most intense primary source of impurity. Anyone who touches it becomes a primary source of impurity who then can transmit this impurity to another person. This is unlike regular impurity sources who usually need to be touched directly (as opposed to touching a person who touched that primary source) to render another person impure.

Rashi then outlines some deeper analysis from Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan regarding the connection between the laws of the Red Heifer and the sin of the Golden Calf.

* Just as the golden calf was made out of their own golden jewelry, so too does this red cow have to come from their own cattle. Thus this red heifer will atone for the sin of the golden calf. This is like a son of a maidservant who soils the palace of the king, wherein the maidservant must come and wipe away the mess he makes.

* The reason the cow had to be red is because sins come from the physical vitality of man which is in his blood, which is red. Thus sins are called red as per the verse in Isaiah 1:18 "If your sins will be as red as red dye"

* The cow had to be perfect as it represented the Israelites who were perfect before having been blemished from the golden calf. The atonement brought from the red heifer would bring them back to their previous perfection.

* The reason why it had to be a cow who had not been yoked is because in sinning with the golden calf, the Israelites had removed the yoke of Heaven from themselves.

* The reason why Elazar son of Aaron had to perform the service of the red heifer (as opposed to Aaron the Kohel Gadol) is because Aaron was involved in the making of the golden calf, and it would not be befitting for he who was part of causing Israel to sin to be part of their atonement for it (in other words, "a prosecutor cannot become a defense attorney").

* The red heifer is burned, just like the golden calf was burned.

* The cedar wood, hyssop and crimson colored wool reflect the 3,000 men who succumbed to the sin of the golden calf, since the cedar is the tallest of trees and the hyssop the lowest. Burning these together represented that the one who sinned in a haughty manner must lower themself like a hyssop and worm to be atoned.

* Just as the sin of the golden calf is forever brought up when exacting punishment, and renders anyone impure who had dealt with it, so does the red heifer render anyone who deals with it impure.

* Just as the ashes of the golden calf purified the Israelites, so do the ashes of the red heifer purify them.

The Israelites Complain About Not Having Water

All of the Israelites who were destined to die in the desert died, and the remaining Israelites arrived at the Desert of Zin in the first month and settled in Kadesh.

It was there that Miriam died and was buried. Rashi comments that the reason Miriam's death is mentioned right after the laws regarding the red heifer is to teach that just as the ashes of the red heifer atone, so does the death of a righteous person atone. She died through a kiss from G-d though the text does not explicitly say this out of respect for G-d. Similarly regarding Aaron the text only euphemistically states that he died "by the mouth of G-d" (Bamidbar 33:38).

Throughout the Israelites 40 years of travel, they had a well which provided them with water in the merit of Miriam. Now that Miriam had died they no longer had water.

They came together to fight against Moshe and Aaron saying that it would have been better for them to have died in the plague that killed their brethren than to die by thirst which is worse. Why did Moshe and Aaron take them out of Egypt to this evil place? They wanted to know.

Moshe and Aaron went to the entrance of the Ohel Moed and prostrated themselves and the glory of G-d appeared to them.

Loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Red Heifer

G-d informs Moshe and Aaron regarding the rules of the “red heifer” which they are to relate to the Israelites.

The rules of the red heifer are illogical in that the same ashes which purify one person, render the one who is purifying them impure (see details further on). Thus the prosecuting angel (otherwise known as the Satan) as well as the nations of the world would challenge the Israelites asking what the reason was for it.

For this reason, G-d states at the beginning of this parsha that it is a “statute” (חוק in Hebrew), meaning it is not something which we are meant to question.

This law is forever to be associated with Moshe, as any future ashes of red heifers would have some of the ashes from this original cow mixed into it. .

The rules regarding it are as follows:

They are to take an unblemished and never been yoked cow whose hair is completely red (if it has even two black hairs, it is disqualified) and give it to Elazar, the second in command to the Kohen Gadol. He is the one who is to perform this ceremony*.

*Side note: There is a debate in Yoma 42b regarding future red heifers. Some say that their ceremony needed to be performed under the supervision of the Kohen Gadol and some say it could be performed by any Kohen.

Elazar is to take this cow and bring it outside all three of the camps (i.e that of the Shechina, the Levites and the Israelites) where someone else (who does not have to be a Kohen) is to slaughter it as Elazar watches.

Elazar is then to take some of the blood of this cow with his forefinger and sprinkle it towards the front of the Ohel Moed seven times while standing facing the entrance to the Mishkan (in the Temple this would mean he would be facing the east of Jerusalem).

Someone is then to burn the flesh, blood and waste of cow in front of him.

Elazar is then to take cedar wood, hyossop and a crimson tongue of wood and add them to the fire that the cow is burning in.

Elazar the Kohen as well as the person who performed the burning are to immerse their clothing and themselves in the mikva after which they remain impure until evening. Once they are pure, they may re-enter the camp of the Shechina (this is the only camp they would have been banished from, only a zav, ba’al keri or metzora would be banished from all three camps).

A ritually pure man must then gather the ash of the cow and divide it into three parts.

The first he is to place on the Mount of Olives, for the High Priests to use when they need to be purified before performing the red heifer ceremony.

The second is to be divided amongst the 24 watches (which the Kohanim were divided into, with one watch officiating in the Temple per week). This was for all the townsfolk and anyone who needed to use it.

The third was placed in the Chail, an area immediately outside of the wall of the Courtyard of the Temple.

These ashes were to be placed in a pure area and were not allowed to be used for personal benefit.

This person who gathers the ash must immerse his clothing after and remains impure until the evening.

These laws regarding the red heifer are eternally binding for all Jews.

Contact with a Human Corpse

Anyone who touches a human corpse must purify himself with these ashes on the third day and then will become pure on the seventh day. However if he does not purify himself on the third day, he will not become pure on the seventh day.

Anyone who touches a human corpse and does not purify himself, makes the Mishkan or Temple impure and is to be excommunicated from the Israelites, even if he immersed in the mikva before entering the Mishkan or Temple area.

If a person dies in a tent, anyone who enters the tent while the corpse is still there will become impure for seven days.

An earthenware vessel does not receive impurity from its outside surfaces but rather from the inside. Thus it must be covered well, with a close fit. If it is not, it is rendered impure.

If a person touches a human corpse (whether he had been killed or not), a human bone or a grave in an open field will be rendered impure for seven days. This includes coming into contact with the lid or side wall of a coffin that is not contained within a tent.

To purify such a person, some of these ashes should be mixed with spring water in a vessel.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Special Role and Legacy of the Kohanim

G-d tells Moshe to put Aaron’s staff back where it had been, in front of the Ark.

Anyone who was not a Kohen who would enter into the Ohel Moed would die, so having this staff on display there would serve as a reminder and a deterrent to anyone who might have an objection regarding Aaron’s priestly status.

The Israelites protested that they were worried that since they were permitted to enter into the Courtyard of the Ohel Moed, it would be too easy for someone to go a bit closer and enter into the Ohel Moed itself and thus die. Were they indeed doomed to die? They asked.

G-d responds by telling Moshe to relate to Aaron and his family (i.e the Kohanim and Levites who come from Kehoth as did Moshe and Aaron) that they are to take measures to protect the other Israelites from coming too close to the Ohel Moed.

G-d says that any Israelite who sins regarding any of the sacred things which the Kohanim were entrusted with (i.e the Tent, the Ark and the Table), is the Kohanim’s responsibility and they are to bear the punishment in such an instance.

He continues saying that Aaron’s brethren (i.e. the sons of Gershon and Merari) will be part of this effort of protecting the Israelites from approaching too close to the Ohel Moed. The Levites are to attend to the personal needs of the Kohanim by the gates of the Courtyard and appointing clerks to manage the Mishkan’s accounting.

The Levites however are not allowed to approach the holy vessels or the Altar or they will die. They are to prevent other Israelites from getting too close to the Kohanim during their service in the Ohel Moed.

These safeguards will eliminate G-d’s anger against the Israelites.

The Levites have been given to them as a gift to oversee the clerks and managers in the Mishkan.

Similarly, the priesthood was also given as a gift to Aaron and his sons. This section of Chumash states it explicitly in a way that it wasn’t brought up before, though we would have thought that it would have been more appropriate to mention it in the book of Vayirka which deals with laws regarding Kohanim.

Rashi explains the reason why it was placed here, right after the incident with Korach, through a parable of a king who gave a field to a close friend without having anything written up or signed officially or sealed in court. Then one day a person claims this field as his own, so the king then writes up and signs a document and brings it to court to prevent any such protests. The claimant to the field in this case was Korach, and the document G-d wrote up was the 24 gifts of priesthood (enumerated in Bava Kamma 110b and Chullin 137b) with an eternal covenant of salt (detailed later on by Rashi in 18:19 – see below).

G-d says that the Kohanim are to protect His sacrifices for distinction and greatness by making sure that they do not become ritually impure. They are to make sure that the offerings which have the status of being of the highest degree of holiness are only eaten in the Courtyard of the Mishkan or Temple and be only eaten by men.

G-d then outlines those things which are to be set aside as gift to the Kohanim:

* The portion which is set aside from the wavings of the Thanksgiving and Peace offerings and the ram of the nazir (to be eaten by any Kohen, even his wife, so long as he is not impure).

* The choicest of the first oil, wine and grain which is given to G-d (i.e the first teruma)

* Anything set aside in the land of Israel

* Any firstborn man or animal (though a firstborn man or impure animal should be redeemed at the age of one month for 5 holy shekels, which equals 12 geirah).

* Firstborn oxen, sheep or goats should not be redeemed, as they are holy and offered as sacrifices. These are to to be eaten by Kohanim as well as their wives, children and slaves. This meat can be eaten for two days and one night (this is similar to the rules regarding the breast of the waving and like the right leg of a peace offering, unlike that of the breast and leg of a thanksgiving offering which may only be eaten for one day and one night).

G-d summarizes that anything that the Israelites set aside regarding holy things, G-d has given to the Kohanim. He calls it a “covenant of salt”. Rashi explains that salt is apropos since salt is healthy in that it doesn’t spoil and prevents other things from spoiling thus making them “healthy”.

G-d tells Aaron that they don’t have a share in the land of Israel, not even a share in the spoils of war as G-d is their heritage.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Aaron’s Staff

G-d tells Moshe to tell the Israelites to take one staff per tribe and have the prince of each tribe inscribed on their respective staff.

Although the Levite clan was divided into Kohanim and Levites, they should be considered like one tribe and Aaron’s name should be inscribed on that staff.

These staffs should then be laid in the Ohel Moed before the Ark and G-d will meet them there. G-d will choose one of the staffs and it will blossom, and G-d’s anger will subside regarding the complaints the Israelites made towrads Him.

So Moshe relates all of this to the Israelites, and places all of the staffs in a circle with Aaron’s in the middle in front of G-d in the Ohel Moed. He placed Aaron’s staff in the middle so no one could claim that the reason why it blossomed (see below) is because it was facing the Shechina.

The following day, Aaron’s staff had blossomed, having sprouted a cluster of almond buds. Rashi comments that the significance of almonds is that they are the quickest fruits to blossom, just like anyone who raising objections over priesthood is quickest to be punished. He gives an example for this from Divrei HaYamim 2 (26:19) where Uzziah the king of Yehudah was afflicted with tzara’as on his forehead immediately upon expressing anger towards the Kohanim.

Moshe then brought out all the staffs to the Israelites and each man took his staff.