וְ֠כִבֶּס הָאֹסֵ֨ף אֶת־אֵ֤פֶר הַפָּרָה֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְטָמֵ֖א עַד־הָעָ֑רֶב וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְלַגֵּ֛ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכָ֖ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃
Orang yang mengumpulkan abu sapi itu harus mencuci pakaiannya, dan ia tetap najis sampai petang. Itulah ketetapan untuk selama-lamanya bagi orang Israel dan bagi orang asing yang tinggal di tengah-tengah mereka.
Rabbeinu Bahya
ויסעו מרפידים, “they journeyed from Refidim.” This means that on the day they journeyed from Refidim it was New Moon and they arrived later that day at the desert of Sinai. The words ויבואו מדבר סיני ויחנו במדבר, mean that they arrived in the desert on that day, resting, but on the second of the month they made camp facing the mountain. This is why the Torah writes ויחן שם ישראל ההר, “Israel encamped facing the mountain.” The reason the word ויחן is in the singular here whereas at all other reports of the Israelites making camp it is in the plural, i.e. ויחנו, is the Torah’s way of complimenting the people for their unity of purpose when preparing to receive the Torah.
A Midrash (mentioned in Torah Shleimah note 28) claims that the reason for the singular of ויחן is that the word ישראל in our verse is a reference to ישראל סבא, the concept of the people of Israel as envisaged in the name Israel the patriarch. The author of that Midrash clearly distinguishes between the Torah speaking of בני ישראל traveling or camping respectively, and ישראל or מחנה ישראל in 12,37 and here. When the word בני in front of ישראל is absent, he understands the reference to be not to the physical people of Israel but to the spiritual entity it or they represent.
The words נגד ההר, a slightly unusual expression, is to be understood as if the Torah had written כנגד ההר, “opposite the mountain.”
According to the plain meaning of the text the words נגד ההר mean “to the east of the mountain” (compare Pessikta Zutrata). Moses was told on that very day (second of the month) “so you shall say to the House of Yaakov and relate to Children of Israel” (verse 3). The Torah mentioned women and men separately as there are many commandments which apply equally to both men and women. G’d continued with: “you have seen what I did to Egypt,” and continued in verse 5 with: “and now, if you will hearken well and observe My covenant, etc.” The people responded to the above (verse 8) “all that the Lord has said we will do.
On the third day of the month Moses ascended the mountain again and informed G’d of the people’s response (end of verse 8). On the fourth of the month G’d told Moses: “go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow” (verse 10). G’d referred to the fourth and fifth of the month. The words: “be ready for the third day” refer to the sixth of the month, i.e. the third day of their sanctification. From the above you observe that the Torah was given on the sixth day of Sivan.
A Midrash (mentioned in Torah Shleimah note 28) claims that the reason for the singular of ויחן is that the word ישראל in our verse is a reference to ישראל סבא, the concept of the people of Israel as envisaged in the name Israel the patriarch. The author of that Midrash clearly distinguishes between the Torah speaking of בני ישראל traveling or camping respectively, and ישראל or מחנה ישראל in 12,37 and here. When the word בני in front of ישראל is absent, he understands the reference to be not to the physical people of Israel but to the spiritual entity it or they represent.
The words נגד ההר, a slightly unusual expression, is to be understood as if the Torah had written כנגד ההר, “opposite the mountain.”
According to the plain meaning of the text the words נגד ההר mean “to the east of the mountain” (compare Pessikta Zutrata). Moses was told on that very day (second of the month) “so you shall say to the House of Yaakov and relate to Children of Israel” (verse 3). The Torah mentioned women and men separately as there are many commandments which apply equally to both men and women. G’d continued with: “you have seen what I did to Egypt,” and continued in verse 5 with: “and now, if you will hearken well and observe My covenant, etc.” The people responded to the above (verse 8) “all that the Lord has said we will do.
On the third day of the month Moses ascended the mountain again and informed G’d of the people’s response (end of verse 8). On the fourth of the month G’d told Moses: “go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow” (verse 10). G’d referred to the fourth and fifth of the month. The words: “be ready for the third day” refer to the sixth of the month, i.e. the third day of their sanctification. From the above you observe that the Torah was given on the sixth day of Sivan.
Ramban
THEY SHALL TAKE UNTO THEE. The reason [why the verse says] “unto thee” [Moses] is [because G-d first commanded] that they should do this in the wilderness for that particular time, and afterwards He commanded that it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them for a statute for ever,15Verse 10. meaning that they should do so throughout their generations. Similarly [we find the expression unto thee in the following verses]: that they bring ‘unto thee’ pure olive oil,16Exodus 27:20. and afterwards it says, it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations.17Ibid., Verse 21. Here too, the original command was for Moses’ lifetime [hence “unto thee”], and afterwards it was repeated to make it obligatory throughout the generations.
Scripture states: And ‘ye’ shall give,12Verse 3. and not “and ‘thou’ shalt give,” in order to include Aaron together with Moses and thereby to honor him [Aaron], for both of them were to command Eleazar to have it slaughtered before him. Or it may be that He said and ‘ye’ shall give [because it refers] to many [givers] — those now and those of subsequent generations, and the meaning is that Eleazar who [was in charge of it being] slaughtered [although it could actually be slaughtered by anybody, as explained above] was to take it from the possession of the court, and they were to give it to him so that it should be done properly and in accordance with their intention; in a similar manner to that which we have been taught [in a Mishnah]:18Parah 3:5. “And who prepared them [the ashes of the Red Heifer]? The first one was prepared by Moses our teacher;19Moses himself did not prepare the Red Heifer, as is stated here in Scripture. But as the leader of the Sanhedrin, he directed that it should be prepared in accordance with his intention. Similarly it was prepared throughout the subsequent generations under the guidance and in accordance with the intention of the Great Court. Thus all possible vigilant care was taken to assure against anything adverse to the proper preparation of the ashes of the Red Heifer. the second one was prepared by Ezra, and seven were prepared after Ezra’s time. And who prepared them? Simon the Just20See Vol. II, p. 477, Note 52. and Jochanan the High Priest prepared two each etc.”21The Mishnah concludes: “And Elihu Einai the son of Hakof, and Chanamel the Egyptian, and Ishmael the son of Piabi prepared one each.” — “Thus there were altogether nine Red Heifers prepared from the time [of Moses] when they were given this commandment until the destruction of the Second Temple … The tenth one will be prepared by the Messianic King, may he speedily reveal himself” (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Parah Adumah, 3:4).
Scripture states: And ‘ye’ shall give,12Verse 3. and not “and ‘thou’ shalt give,” in order to include Aaron together with Moses and thereby to honor him [Aaron], for both of them were to command Eleazar to have it slaughtered before him. Or it may be that He said and ‘ye’ shall give [because it refers] to many [givers] — those now and those of subsequent generations, and the meaning is that Eleazar who [was in charge of it being] slaughtered [although it could actually be slaughtered by anybody, as explained above] was to take it from the possession of the court, and they were to give it to him so that it should be done properly and in accordance with their intention; in a similar manner to that which we have been taught [in a Mishnah]:18Parah 3:5. “And who prepared them [the ashes of the Red Heifer]? The first one was prepared by Moses our teacher;19Moses himself did not prepare the Red Heifer, as is stated here in Scripture. But as the leader of the Sanhedrin, he directed that it should be prepared in accordance with his intention. Similarly it was prepared throughout the subsequent generations under the guidance and in accordance with the intention of the Great Court. Thus all possible vigilant care was taken to assure against anything adverse to the proper preparation of the ashes of the Red Heifer. the second one was prepared by Ezra, and seven were prepared after Ezra’s time. And who prepared them? Simon the Just20See Vol. II, p. 477, Note 52. and Jochanan the High Priest prepared two each etc.”21The Mishnah concludes: “And Elihu Einai the son of Hakof, and Chanamel the Egyptian, and Ishmael the son of Piabi prepared one each.” — “Thus there were altogether nine Red Heifers prepared from the time [of Moses] when they were given this commandment until the destruction of the Second Temple … The tenth one will be prepared by the Messianic King, may he speedily reveal himself” (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Parah Adumah, 3:4).
Rabbeinu Bahya
ויקחו אליך, “and they shall take to you.” The reason for the additional word “to you” at this point is to teach that the commandment was of immediate importance at this time in the desert, whereas later on (verse 10) G’d gives instructions as to future applicability of this commandment. We find a similar pattern in the legislation of the oil for anointing (Exodus 27,20) as I commented there.