Comentario citado sobre Números 30:2

This is compared to a shepherd … Another interpretation: When they left. Rashi is answering the question: How was the count related to the plague? [He answers] by bringing the parable. However, there is a difficulty according to the other interpretation that Rashi brings: How does this answer Rashi’s question? The answer is that previously it is written “Antagonize the Midianites and kill them…” while in Parshas Matos (31:2) it is written “Take revenge for Bnei Yisroel against the Midianites, afterward, you shall be gathered to your people [i.e. die].” From there one sees that the death of Moshe was related to the war with Midian [which was itself related to the plague], and this was why the count of Yisroel was juxtaposed to the war with Midian. The other interpretation is necessary because according to the first reason there is the difficulty that he should have merely counted those who died in the plague, and then he would have automatically known how many were left. Therefore Rashi brings the second interpretation. However, according to this second interpretation there is the difficulty that in the end, the time for Moshe’s death had not yet come, therefore he also brings the first reason.

ואלה המשפטים, “and these are the ordinances, etc.” according to Rashi whenever the word אלה appears, it signals a break with what preceded, whereas when the word ואלה appears it signals a continuation or addition of the subject that had been discussed previously. In other words, the correct translation of the word: אלה is: “these opposed to what preceded it,” whereas ואלה should be translated as “and these as well as the preceding verses.” The author warns the reader not to challenge Rashi by quoting the word אלה in Leviticus 27,34, or the same word in Numbers 36,13, and Numbers 30,17 nor the same word in Deuteronomy 28,69, as in those instances as well as in others like it, the previously mentioned subject has been concluded. ואלה המשפטים, Rabbi Avahu, quoting Rabbi Yossi ben Zimra said that the word אלה represents a break with what was written previously, whereas when the word appears with the prefix letter ו it signals some type of continuation. He quotes Exodus 15,25, as an example, where the Torah had written: שם שם לו חוק ומשפט ושם נסהו, “there He made for them a fixed rule and gave them social laws, there He put them to a test.” המשפטים, prior to this paragraph the Torah spoke about aspects of being G-d fearing, whereas from now on it concentrates on laws that enable living in the land of Israel as a civilised nation. An alternate interpretation: previously the Torah spelled out prohibitions as warnings, as for instance: “do not commit murder; do not commit adultery;” from here on in the Torah repeats the prohibitions but adds the type of penalty that applies to violating these prohibitions deliberately. As to the commentary by Rashi here, who poses the question why we read here about the details of an altar, something entirely different from the subjects the Torah deals with here, he bases himself on the Mechilta, which suggests that this is a hint that the High Court should have its office near the Temple and that all these laws had been told to Moses while he was on the Mountain. The altar was after all also close to the Temple, immediately in front of its eastern entrance. Logic dictates that the whole paragraph commencing with 21,2 “when you purchase a Jewish slave, etc., until chapter 23,10, ושש שנים תזרע, “and during six consecutive years you may plant seeds,” are all laws that G-d taught Moses while he was on the Mountain before the people had heard the Ten Commandments. Concerning all these laws, Rashi has written: these laws are a continuation of the earlier laws.” He is referring to the laws listed in Parshat B’har in the Book of Leviticus.

זה הדבר אשר צוה ד׳. Die hohe Bedeutsamkeit des folgenden Gesetzes ist schon durch diese einleitenden Worte angekündigt. Nur noch einmal finden wir dieselbe Formel der Mitteilung geboten, bei צנצנת המן. Schmot 16, 16, wo der speziellen Fürsorge Gottes durch Bewahrung einer Flasche Manna ein ewiges Denkmal gestiftet werden soll, und auch sonst nur bei bedeutsam hervorragenden Institutionen im Munde Mosche, wie bei תרומת המשכן. (Schmot 35, 4), מלואים (Wajikra 8, 5 u. 9, 6), נדרים (Bamidbar 30, 2) und נחלה (daselbst 36, 6). Als gebotene Form der Mitteilung steht es nur hier und beim מן.