וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן בְּאַרְצָם֙ לֹ֣א תִנְחָ֔ל וְחֵ֕לֶק לֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֖ בְּתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֤י חֶלְקְךָ֙ וְנַחֲלָ֣תְךָ֔ בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס)
Dieu dit encore à Aaron: "Tu ne posséderas point sur leur territoire, et aucun lot ne sera le tien parmi eux: c’est moi qui suis ton lot et ta possession au milieu des enfants d’Israël.
Bereshit Rabbah
“Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of villainy are their heritage” (Genesis 49:5)
“Simeon and Levi are brothers” – brothers of Dina but not brothers of Joseph.
“Weapons of villainy are their heritage [mekheroteihem]” – he said to them: These weapons in your possession have been stolen by you. For whom are they fitting? It is for mekheroteihem – for Esau, who sold [makhar] the birthright.
“Let my soul not come in their company; with their assembly let my glory not be associated; for in their anger they killed men, and with their will they hamstrung oxen” (Genesis 49:6).
“Let my soul not come in their company” – when they come to take counsel in Shitim.36When the Israelite men engaged in harlotry with the Midianite women, in Shitim, one of their leaders, who encouraged this practice, was the prince of the tribe of Simeon, Zimri son of Salu. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – when they assemble against Moses in the congregation of Koraḥ.37In these instances, when the Torah identifies the perpetrators of these crimes, who descended from the tribes of Simeon and Levi, the verses do not mention that they are sons of Jacob. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – but for the platform, let my name be associated, when his descendants stand on the platform,38When the Levites stand on the platform to sing as part of the Temple service. as it is stated: “These are those who stood, and their sons, [from the sons of the Kehatites:] Heiman [the singer, son of Yoel, son of Samuel]” (I Chronicles 6:18). Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Pinḥas: The three of them said: “Son of Yitzhar, son of Kehat, son of Levi, son of Israel” (I Chronicles 6:23).39In the verse regarding the congregation of Koraḥ, his lineage is traced only as far as Levi, but here the lineage is traced back to Jacob.
“For in their anger they killed men [ish]”40The Hebrew ish is in the singular. – this is Ḥamor father of Shekhem. “Hamstrung [ikeru] oxen [shor]” – they undermined [akartun] the security wall [shuran] of proselytes.41As a result of the massacre following the circumcision of the residents of Shekhem, all proselytes will fear that perhaps the same will befall them after their circumcision. Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Aḥiya bar Abba: As it is written: “And with their will they hamstrung [ikeru] oxen” – in order to fulfill the will of your inclination, you undermined [akartem] the security wall of proselytes.
“Undermined a trough” – this is one of the matters that they emended for King Ptolemy.42The seventy-two elders assembled by King Ptolemy introduced several emendations into the translation of the Torah into Greek (see Megilla 9a). One of them was that instead of writing, “killed men…and hamstrung oxen,” they wrote, “killed oxen…and undermined troughs,” so Ptolemy would not deem them murderers.
“Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath, as it is harsh; I will divide them in Jacob, and I will disperse them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7).
“Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce” – Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: [Jacob] increased the number of hot-tempered bohaknin43These were individuals afflicted with bohak, a skin condition characterized by white blotches on the skin. When the blotches appeared on the face, this was considered a sign that the individual was hot-tempered. among them. That is what is said regarding one who is afflicted with bohak patches, that he is hot-tempered. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son, and the king foresaw that a serpent was destined to bite his son. He said: May the serpent that seeks to bite my son be cursed. So, [Jacob] came to curse them, but he cursed their anger. “Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath [ve’evratam], as it is harsh” – and their transgression [vaaveratam], as it is harsh.44He did not curse them; rather, he cursed the anger and the transgression that was caused by that anger.
“I will divide them [aḥalkem] in Jacob” – this is the tribe of Levi: “I am your portion [ḥelkekha] and your inheritance” (Numbers 18:20). “And I will disperse them in Israel” – this is the tribe of Simeon. That is what is said: Most of the poor were from the tribe of Simeon. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Although we explain and say: “And the cities that you shall give from the holding of the children of Israel, [from the greater you shall increase and from the lesser you shall decrease]” (Numbers 35:8), six cities, they and their open land, all of them were from Simeon.45The Torah states that forty-eight cities were to be given to the Levites (Numbers 35:7–8). Of these, nine were from the tribes of Judah and Simeon (Joshua 21:9-16). The midrash states that six of them were from Simeon and only three from Judah, despite the fact that Simeon was a small tribe and had only seventeen cities.
When they saw that he was rebuking them,46When the rest of Jacob’s sons saw that he had rebuked Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. they began departing to the corners. When he saw that they were departing to the corners, he began calling each and every one.
“Simeon and Levi are brothers” – brothers of Dina but not brothers of Joseph.
“Weapons of villainy are their heritage [mekheroteihem]” – he said to them: These weapons in your possession have been stolen by you. For whom are they fitting? It is for mekheroteihem – for Esau, who sold [makhar] the birthright.
“Let my soul not come in their company; with their assembly let my glory not be associated; for in their anger they killed men, and with their will they hamstrung oxen” (Genesis 49:6).
“Let my soul not come in their company” – when they come to take counsel in Shitim.36When the Israelite men engaged in harlotry with the Midianite women, in Shitim, one of their leaders, who encouraged this practice, was the prince of the tribe of Simeon, Zimri son of Salu. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – when they assemble against Moses in the congregation of Koraḥ.37In these instances, when the Torah identifies the perpetrators of these crimes, who descended from the tribes of Simeon and Levi, the verses do not mention that they are sons of Jacob. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – but for the platform, let my name be associated, when his descendants stand on the platform,38When the Levites stand on the platform to sing as part of the Temple service. as it is stated: “These are those who stood, and their sons, [from the sons of the Kehatites:] Heiman [the singer, son of Yoel, son of Samuel]” (I Chronicles 6:18). Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Pinḥas: The three of them said: “Son of Yitzhar, son of Kehat, son of Levi, son of Israel” (I Chronicles 6:23).39In the verse regarding the congregation of Koraḥ, his lineage is traced only as far as Levi, but here the lineage is traced back to Jacob.
“For in their anger they killed men [ish]”40The Hebrew ish is in the singular. – this is Ḥamor father of Shekhem. “Hamstrung [ikeru] oxen [shor]” – they undermined [akartun] the security wall [shuran] of proselytes.41As a result of the massacre following the circumcision of the residents of Shekhem, all proselytes will fear that perhaps the same will befall them after their circumcision. Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Aḥiya bar Abba: As it is written: “And with their will they hamstrung [ikeru] oxen” – in order to fulfill the will of your inclination, you undermined [akartem] the security wall of proselytes.
“Undermined a trough” – this is one of the matters that they emended for King Ptolemy.42The seventy-two elders assembled by King Ptolemy introduced several emendations into the translation of the Torah into Greek (see Megilla 9a). One of them was that instead of writing, “killed men…and hamstrung oxen,” they wrote, “killed oxen…and undermined troughs,” so Ptolemy would not deem them murderers.
“Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath, as it is harsh; I will divide them in Jacob, and I will disperse them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7).
“Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce” – Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: [Jacob] increased the number of hot-tempered bohaknin43These were individuals afflicted with bohak, a skin condition characterized by white blotches on the skin. When the blotches appeared on the face, this was considered a sign that the individual was hot-tempered. among them. That is what is said regarding one who is afflicted with bohak patches, that he is hot-tempered. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son, and the king foresaw that a serpent was destined to bite his son. He said: May the serpent that seeks to bite my son be cursed. So, [Jacob] came to curse them, but he cursed their anger. “Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath [ve’evratam], as it is harsh” – and their transgression [vaaveratam], as it is harsh.44He did not curse them; rather, he cursed the anger and the transgression that was caused by that anger.
“I will divide them [aḥalkem] in Jacob” – this is the tribe of Levi: “I am your portion [ḥelkekha] and your inheritance” (Numbers 18:20). “And I will disperse them in Israel” – this is the tribe of Simeon. That is what is said: Most of the poor were from the tribe of Simeon. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Although we explain and say: “And the cities that you shall give from the holding of the children of Israel, [from the greater you shall increase and from the lesser you shall decrease]” (Numbers 35:8), six cities, they and their open land, all of them were from Simeon.45The Torah states that forty-eight cities were to be given to the Levites (Numbers 35:7–8). Of these, nine were from the tribes of Judah and Simeon (Joshua 21:9-16). The midrash states that six of them were from Simeon and only three from Judah, despite the fact that Simeon was a small tribe and had only seventeen cities.
When they saw that he was rebuking them,46When the rest of Jacob’s sons saw that he had rebuked Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. they began departing to the corners. When he saw that they were departing to the corners, he began calling each and every one.
Sifrei Bamidbar
(Bamidbar 18:20) "And the L-rd said to Aaron: In their land you will not inherit, and you will not have a portion in their midst. I am your portion and your inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.": Why is (all of) this stated? Because it is written (Bamidbar 26:53) "To these shall the land be apportioned," I would think that all are included — Cohanim, Levites, Israelites, proselytes, women, bondsmen, tumtum (those of uncertain sex) and androgynous (hermaphrodites); it is, therefore, written: "And the L-rd said to Aaron: In their land you will not inherit" — This excludes (from inheritance) Cohanim." (Ibid. 23) "And in the midst of the children of Israel, they (the Levites) shall not inherit an inheritance" — This excludes Levites. (Ibid. 26:55) "By the names of the tribes of their fathers shall they inherit" — This excludes bondsmen and proselytes (Ibid. 54) "A man, according to his numbers shall his inheritance be given" — This excludes tumtum and androgynous. (Ibid. 18:20) "And the L-rd said to Aaron: In their land you will not inherit" — in the division of the land. "and you will not have a portion in their midst" — ("a portion") of the spoils. "I am your portion and your inheritance" — At My table (i.e., from the sacrifices) you eat and at My table you drink. An analogy: A king gave gifts to (all of) his sons except one, saying to him: My son, I gave you a gift. At My table you eat and at My table you drink. And thus is it written (Vayikra 6:10) "Their portion have I given to them from My fire-offerings." (Devarim 18:1) "The fire-offering of the L-rd and His inheritance shall they eat." Twenty-four priestly gifts were given to the Cohanim, twelve in the sanctuary and twelve in the borders (i.e., outside of Jerusalem.) Twelve in the sanctuary: sin-offering, guilt-offering, the remnant of the log of oil of the leper, the remnant of the omer, the two loaves, the show-bread, the remnant of meal-offerings, the terumah of the thank-offering (viz. Vayikra 7:14), the terumah of breast and thigh, the shoulder of the ram of the Nazirite.
Sifrei Bamidbar
(Bamidbar 26:53) "To these shall the land be apportioned as an inheritance according to the number of names": I would understand that all are included — Israelites, Cohanim, Levites, proselytes, women, bondsmen, tumtumim (those of indeterminate sex), and hermaphrodites. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 18:20) "And the L-rd said to Aaron: In their land you shall not inherit" — to exclude Cohanim. (Ibid. 24) "In the midst of the children of Israel they shall not have an inheritance" — to exclude Levites. (Ibid. 26:55) "By the names of the tribes of their fathers shall they inherit" — to exclude proselytes and bondsmen. (Ibid. 59) "To a man, according to his numbers, shall his inheritance be given" — to exclude women, tumtumim, and hermaphrodites. R. Yoshiyah says: The land was apportioned to those who left Egypt, as it is written "By the names of the tribes of their fathers shall they inherit." What, then, is the intent of "To these shall the land be apportioned"? (To such as these,) to exclude minors (below the age of twenty). R. Yonathan says: The land was apportioned according to those who came to the land, as it is written "To these shall the land be apportioned." And what is the intent of "By the names of the tribes of their fathers"? The L-rd changed this inheritance from all the inheritances in the Torah. For in all the inheritances in the Torah the living inherit the dead, whereas here, the dead inherit the living. Rebbi says: An analogy: Two brothers, Cohanim, were in a city. One had one son; the other, three. They go to the granary (to take their portion.) The first takes one sa'ah; the others, three, after which they go to their fathers' father and share equally. R. Shimon b. Elazar says: The land was apportioned to these and to these. How so? If they were of those who left Egypt, they took a share with those who left Egypt. If they were of those who entered the land, they took a share with those who entered the land. If they were both of these and of the others, they took a share of both — so that both verses are satisfied.