Commentary for Numbers 8:7
וְכֹֽה־תַעֲשֶׂ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לְטַֽהֲרָ֔ם הַזֵּ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֵ֣י חַטָּ֑את וְהֶעֱבִ֤ירוּ תַ֙עַר֙ עַל־כָּל־בְּשָׂרָ֔ם וְכִבְּס֥וּ בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְהִטֶּהָֽרוּ׃
And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.
Rashi on Numbers
הזה עליהם מי חטאת SPRINKLE UPON THEM WATER OF PURIFYING — water in which the ashes of the Red Heifer are mingled; on account of those among them who might have become unclean through contact with dead persons.
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Rashbam on Numbers
והעבירו, the vocalisation ve-he-eviru means that it is a modified version of the future tense known as vav hahipuch, the letter ו reversing the tense. Had the vocalisation been veha-aviru it would have been an imperative mode, just as in Exodus 8,4 העתירו אל ה', “plead with the Lord!”
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Tur HaArokh
הזה עליהם מי חטאת והעבירו תער על כל בשרם, “sprinkle upon them water of purification, and let them pass a razor over their entire flesh.” Ibn Ezra points out that the shaving of their flesh had preceded their being sprinkled with the waters of purification. [He derives this from the switch by the Torah from the singular הזה, an instruction to Moses, whereas the word והעבירו is in the plural, referring to something the Levites had already done.]
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