Commentaire sur Les Nombres 17:23

ויצא פרח AND IT BROUGHT FORTH A BLOSSOM — Take this as what it literally implies.

ויגמל שקדים, it bore ripe almonds. Our sages in Bamidbar Rabbah 18,23 say that the reason G'd chose almonds was to serve as a warning that anyone who would challenge that the priesthood belonged to the descendants of Aaron would be dealt with very promptly. It appears to me that what forced the sages to come to this conclusion was that if someone is desirous of having a miracle performed for him he does not wish the fruit to ripen prematurely as this could reflect something negative about the one who performs the miracle and is unable to deliver fully ripened fruit. If G'd nonetheless exposed Himself to such an interpretation by the people who watched this miracle it could only be because He had considerations which outweighed those of how His own image was being perceived.

ויוצא פרח ויצץ ציץ ויגמל שקדים, according to the plain meaning of the words when Moses came to inspect these staffs he merely found that Aaron’s staff had blossomed.

והנה פרח מטה אהרן לבית לוי, “and behold! The staff of Aaron, representing the ancestral house of Levi, sprouted, etc.” It did so because Aaron was part of the ancestral house of Levi.

When the blossoms drop. We find ציץ ("buds") mentioned before פרח ("blossom") as the verse states יציץ ופרח - "buds and blossom" (Yeshayahu 27:6) therefore Rashi explains “blossomed” as the plain interpretation. You might ask: Why does Rashi not explain ציץ ("bud") like its plain interpretation and explain that פרח is something that comes before the bud, for example the sap of the tree? The answer is that after mentioning ציץ ("buds"), the verse says “and bore ripe almonds,” and the budding of the fruit immediately precedes the ripening of the almonds. I have found a further explanation: Wherever there are two terms, such as here where the Torah states פרח ("blossom") and then states ויצץ ציץ ("and bloomed buds"), and the meaning of "blossom" is evident but the meaning of "buds" is not, then Rashi will explain “blossom” as its plain interpretation without the need for further explanation. However, since the meaning of ציץ ("buds") is not evident, he needs to explain “this refers to the budding of the fruit.” Similarly “their minchah-offerings, their sin-offerings and their guilt-offerings” (Bamidbar 18:9) where Rashi explains “like the plain interpretation” because it is evident what they are. However, he then has to explain that “which they return to me” refers to the proselyte’s stolen property because I would not know its meaning. This is unlike “their minchah-offerings, their sin-offerings and their guilt-offerings” the meaning of which is according to the plain interpretation, whether referring to the offerings of the congregation or to the offerings of an individual. Rashi in Parshas Vayeshev (Bereishis 40:10) writes that a פרח is the same as a נץ ("forming-fruit"), only that נץ is larger than the פרח. Accordingly, פרח would refer to a small forming-fruit while יוצא פרח ("a פרח came forth") here refers to a larger forming-fruit, given that both terms can be referred to as פרח. However, it is only when the blossom has not yet fallen that the נץ is also called a פרח. It refers to one which it is larger [than a normal פרח] which is termed a נץ קטן ("small forming-fruit"). But once the blossom falls, as here, the part remaining is called a ציץ ("[fruit]-bud").

V. 23. מטה אהרן לבית לוי es war damit gleichzeitig der Stamm Levi aus den anderen Stämmen und Aharon aus den übrigen Leviten erwählt (siehe zu V. 18).

והנה פרח מטה אהרן, “and behold the rod of Aaron of the house of Levi, had begun to sprout blooms.” From this verse we learn that there are two kinds of flowers, פרח and ציץ. Not only did these blooms sprout forth, but they retained their freshness and did not wilt, as do normal flowers. The flowers were still in bloom after having already produced fruit, i.e. almonds. We have proof of the above from the Talmud, tractate Yuma folio 21, (based on Isaiah 35,2) as well as from the chapter in the Talmud discussing items in the Temple that were hidden to prevent them from falling into the hands of our enemies. Some sages believe that this staff of Aaron was hidden during that period, which would prove that it and its fruit had remained in prime condition for hundreds of years.

ויצא פרח, “and bloomed blossoms;” this was to be a symbol that the young priests would come forth from the sons of Aaron.

ציץ is the first stage in the growth of the fruit when the blossom has fallen off.

ויצץ ציץ, the sprouting of a bud and almonds ripening happened when Moses displayed the staffs to the people. This also explains the word והנה in connection with the blossom, i.e. Moses found something which had already happened, whereas the other details occurred in full view of the people. Had it been otherwise there would have been no point in the Torah writing any more that that ripe almonds were found on Aaron’s staff, i.e. the staff representing the Levites.

ויוצא פרח ויצץ ציץ, “it had brought forth sprouts, produced blossoms, and borne almonds.” The reason the staff produced almonds instead of some other fruit [seeing the almond is not one of the fruit for which the land of Israel is famous, Ed.] is because not only are almonds highly regarded but they are the first to mature after winter. The word שקד suggests a kind of eagerness such as the prophet Jeremiah describing G’d as “eager” to carry out His promise/threat [having shown Jeremiah an almond tree in a vision, Jeremiah 1,11-12. Ed.]. In that particular instance the almond tree symbolized the bitter taste of some almonds and G’d used it as a threat of the Jewish people tasting the bitterness of exile. We have other examples of similar meanings of the simile of almonds. The people of Israel were to learn from this that if someone challenges the hierarchy as established by the Torah not only would he be punished but his punishment would be swift. The attribute of Justice would be activated against such a person. King Uzziah was a case in point; he was punished immediately he offered incense, his forehead becoming afflicted with tzoraat, the dreaded skin disease (Chronicles II 26,19).

Why almonds. (Gur Aryeh) Meaning: Once we have explained that “and bore ripe almonds” means “when the fruit was discernable…” why does the Torah say almonds and not a different species? It would have been understandable if the fruit was not discernable, merely standing in its blossom stage. Then one could have said that it was because this fruit blossoms most quickly, and even though it was a miracle, Hashem chose something that blossoms quickly, given that it produced the blossoms in one night. However if one says that the fruit was already discernable, there is a difficulty as to why this species in particular was chosen. For now there would be no difference between this fruit and another. Although this species blossoms quickly, it does not produce fruit that quickly. Since we must say that miraculously it produced fruit, it would have been possible to miraculously produce a different fruit. Rashi answers that this species was merely used as an allusion [that they will be punished quickly] given that it is the type of fruit which blossoms most quickly.

ויצא פרח וגו׳. Während פרח (verwandt mit פרה — siehe Bereschit 1, 11-13) mit Entschiedenheit Blume und Blüte, und daher auch פרח überwiegend: blühen bedeutet, spricht alles dafür, in ציץ nur den Ausdruck für das sich hervordrängende Sprossen zu erblicken, und dürfte man daher schwerlich berechtigt sein, hier in ציץ ein weiteres Stadium der Blüte zu erkennen. In einem noch weit höheren Grade als der Apfelbaum (siehe Schabbat 88a) und die anderen Kernobstpflanzen, hat aber der Mandelbaum die Eigentümlichkeit, im Frühling zuerst Blüten und dann Blätter zu treiben. Kaum einen Ansatz zur Blattbildung zeigt derselbe, wenn er bereits im Schmucke der Blüten steht. Wir glauben daher ויצץ ציץ von dem Hervortreiben der Blätter verstehen zu müssen. In hohem Grade dürfte aber eben das Aufblühen des Stabes als Mandelbaumzweig die hier entsprechenden Gedanken zu vergegenwärtigen geeignet sein. Liegen nicht in allen Fruchtbaumzweigen einander ähnlich Blatt- und Blüte- und Fruchttriebe, trägt sie nicht alle ein Boden, tränkt sie nicht alle ein Nass, haucht nicht eine Luft sie alle an und wärmt nicht einer Sonne Strahl sie alle? Und doch steht der Mandelbaum allein unter allen seinen Flurgenossen in charakteristischer Einzigkeit ausgezeichnet da. Und worin? In שקידה, wovon er seinen Namen hat, in Eifer, in wachster, munterster, rüstigster, voranschreitendster Hingebung und Tatkraft für das, was er zu leisten hat. Während seine Bruderbäume alle sich erst noch besinnen, hat er schon vollbracht und stellt gleich von vornherein das Ziel, die Fruchtblüte, voran, dem sein ganzes Dasein gilt und für welches er dann seine Blätterlungen treibt, um ihm, diesem Ziele zu alle seine Säfte umwandelnd zuzubereiten. Das ist aber in vollendetster Prägnanz der Levitengeist, durch den sich der Stamm Levi zum Vertreter des Gottesgesetzes und Seines Heiligtums geadelt, als er allein unter allen seinen Genossen auf den Aufruf מי לד׳ אלי um Mosche sich scharte, und der in der Elite seiner Familie, in Aharon und seinen Nachkommen, in reinster Vollendung sich vererben sollte. (vergl. Schmot Kap. 25, Ende. — Wir haben dort im ציץ unserer Stelle: Staubfäden verstanden. Wir zweifeln aber an der Richtigkeit dieser Auffassung, da mit dem Aufbrechen der Blüte auch die Staubfäden vorhanden gegeben sind und nicht erst einem späteren Stadium angehören). Gleichzeitig dürfte aber eben darin die tröstende Zuversicht ausgesprochen sein, dass so wie der Mandelbaum nur früher blüht und Früchte zeitigt, somit seinen Flurgenossen nur "vorangeht" in einer Entfaltung, welcher die andern sodann nachfolgen, also auch die Leviten und Aharoniden nur ewig "vorangehen" werden mit einer Geistes- und Lebensentfaltung, welcher zu folgen und sie sich eigen zu machen alle anderen Bruderstämme im Volke ihnen gleich berufen sind.

ויצץ ציץ, “it had budded;” a sign that priests would come forth. The High Priests descended from Aaron would wear this ציץ, headband, engraved with the word: kodesh, holy, on their forehand (compare Exodus 28,36). ויגמול שקדים, “it bore ripe almonds.” This was an allusion to the eagerness with which the priests descended from Aaron would perform their duties. Throughout history the priests were lauded for the eagerness with which they performed their duties. They were cited as examples of such eagerness, i.e. כהנים זריזים הם (compare Talmud tractate Shabbat, folio 20) According to some opinions, this phenomenon of Aaron’s staff producing blossoms and almonds was also one of the miracles for which G-d had provided the potential during dusk on the sixth day of creation. (Compare tractate Avot, chapter 5, Mishnah 6)

ויגמל שקדים AND RIPENED INTO ALMONDS — This means that when the fruit was recognisable as such it could be recognised that they were almonds. The verb has the same meaning as in (Genesis 21:8) “And the child grew ויגמל, and became a full child” (i.e., able to do without its mother’s milk). This expression is frequently used of the fruit of trees, as e.g. (Isaiah 18:5) “And the blossom becometh a ripening (גמל) grape” (cf. Rashi on Genesis 40:10). — But why did it bring forth almonds? Because it is a fruit that blossoms earlier than all other fruits; so, too, the punishment of him who sets himself in opposition to the constituted priesthood comes quickly, just as we find stated in the case of Uzziah (II Chronicles 26:19) “And the leprosy instantly broke out in his forehead”. — Its translation in the Targum is: וכפת שגדין, meaning that it produced a kind of cluster of almonds, knotted together one upon the other (Aramaic כפת denotes “tied”).