Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Commentary for Numbers 12:14

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה וְאָבִ֙יהָ֙ יָרֹ֤ק יָרַק֙ בְּפָנֶ֔יהָ הֲלֹ֥א תִכָּלֵ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים תִּסָּגֵ֞ר שִׁבְעַ֤ת יָמִים֙ מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְאַחַ֖ר תֵּאָסֵֽף׃

And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘If her father had but spit in her face, should she not hide in shame seven days? let her be shut up without the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.’

Rashi on Numbers

ואביה ירק ירק בפניה IF HER FATHER HAD BUT SPIT IN HER FACE — i.e. if he had shown her an angry face (if he was offended with her), הלא תכלם שבעת ימים SHOULD SHE NOT BE PUT TO SHAME FOR SEVEN DAYS? — It follows therefore à fortiori with respect to the Shechinah (i.e. in the case where God rebukes her in such a stern way) that she ought to be put to shame for fourteen days!) But since there is a rule דין לבא מן הדין להיות כנדון “It is sufficient for a law that is derived by a conclusion a fortiori (הבא מן הדין) to be only as strict as the law from which it is derived (נדון), and not go beyond it, therefore even as a consequence of My reprimand, תסגר שבעת ימים LET HER BE SHUT OUT [FROM THE CAMP] SEVEN DAYS only (Sifrei Bamidbar 106; Bava Kamma 25a).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Sforno on Numbers

הלא תכלם, she deserves to experience this shameful embarrassment.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Or HaChaim on Numbers

ואביה ירוק ירק, "if HER father had spit in her face, etc." The Torah emphasises Miriam's experience as that of a daughter of G'd, i.e. a צדקת, rather than that of any father spitting at any daughter.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Rabbeinu Bahya

Available for Premium members only

Siftei Chakhamim

Available for Premium members only

Rav Hirsch on Torah

Available for Premium members only

Daat Zkenim on Numbers

Available for Premium members only

Chizkuni

Available for Premium members only

Rashi on Numbers

Available for Premium members only

Siftei Chakhamim

Available for Premium members only

Or HaChaim on Numbers

Available for Premium members only

Or HaChaim on Numbers

Available for Premium members only
Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse