לְכוּ־נָ֛א וְנִוָּֽכְחָ֖ה יֹאמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה אִם־יִֽהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ אִם־יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ כַתּוֹלָ֖ע כַּצֶּ֥מֶר יִהְיֽוּ׃
Marilah, mari kita memperjelas perkara ini bersama-sama, firman Yang Mahakekal. Sekalipun dosa-dosamu merah seperti kirmizi, dosa-dosa itu akan menjadi putih seperti salju; sekalipun dosa-dosa itu merah seperti kesumba, dosa-dosa itu akan menjadi seperti bulu domba.
Ramban
AND THERE WENT A MAN OF THE HOUSE OF LEVI. Our Rabbis have said51Sotah 12a. that he went after the advice of his daughter.52Amram and Jochebed, Moses’ parents, had been married previously. The children of that union were Miriam and Aaron. “When Pharaoh decreed that the male children of the Hebrews be killed, Amram separated from his wife, and his example was followed by all of the Israelites. Miriam then told her father that his decree is worse than that of the king. ‘Pharaoh decreed only against the male children, while you include the girls as well. It is doubtful if the decree of wicked Pharaoh will persist, while you are a righteous man and your enactment will surely be upheld by G-d.’ Upon recognizing the justice of her plea, Amram remarried his wife, and the men who had previously followed his example also remarried” (Sotah 12 b). It is this episode which the verse suggests by saying, And there went a man, i.e., “went” after the advice of his daughter and remarried his divorced wife. See also further on in the text for a reference to a prophecy Miriam made at that time. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the Israelites dwelled in many cities, and this woman Jochebed lived in another city. [This would explain the term “went” in the above verse, i.e., he went to another city for his wife.] But what need is there for Scripture to mention this?
In my opinion Scripture uses the term “went” because this man paid no heed to Pharaoh’s decree and took to himself a woman to beget children. Such is Scripture’s way of speaking of anyone who prompts himself to do something new. Thus: And Reuben went and lay with Bilhah;53Genesis 35:22. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim;54Hosea 1:3. Since she was a harlot, it required self-prompting on his part to perform the novel act of marrying her. Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites;55Genesis 37:27. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue;56Jeremiah 18:18. Come now, and let us reason together.57Isaiah 1:18. Similarly this man Amram alerted himself and married a daughter of Levi.
The reason Scripture does not mention the name of the man nor the name of the woman he married is to avoid tracing their genealogy and mentioning who their fathers and their fathers’ fathers were up to Levi. At this point, Scripture desires to shorten the subject until the birth of the redeemer takes place, and after that, in the second seder,58I.e., in Seder Va’eira. (A seder is the weekly portion of the Torah read in the synagogue at the Sabbath morning services.) Specifically, Moses’ genealogy is found in Seder Va’eira, Chapter 6, Verses 16-20. He traced the genealogy even of other tribes59Reuben and Simeon. (Ibid., Verses 14-15). on account of Moses.
In line with the simple meaning of Scripture, i.e., that this was a first marriage [and not a remarriage as stated above], there is no significance in its being mentioned earlier or later in the chapter. This marriage took place before Pharaoh’s decree [that all male Hebrew children be killed], and she gave birth to Miriam and Aaron. After that, Pharaoh decreed, Every son that is born, ye shall cast into the river,60Above, 1:22. and then she gave birth to this goodly son Moses. Scripture did not mention the birth of Miriam and Aaron inasmuch as there was nothing new about them. However, in the opinion of our Rabbis,51Sotah 12a. this was a remarriage, since Amram separated from his wife in consequence of Pharaoh’s decree and then took her back on account of his daughter’s prophecy.61Miriam prophesied, “My mother is destined to bear a son who will deliver Israel” (Sotah 13 a). He made her a wedding and placed her in the litter, while Miriam and Aaron danced about them in their joy62So clearly stated in Sotah 12a. because through this marriage, Israel would be redeemed [from Egypt]. Even though Aaron was young63He could have been no more than two years old since he was but three years older than Moses, and Moses was born after the second marriage. [at that time], G-d put gladness in his heart for this occasion, or possibly his sister Miriam taught him.
In my opinion Scripture uses the term “went” because this man paid no heed to Pharaoh’s decree and took to himself a woman to beget children. Such is Scripture’s way of speaking of anyone who prompts himself to do something new. Thus: And Reuben went and lay with Bilhah;53Genesis 35:22. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim;54Hosea 1:3. Since she was a harlot, it required self-prompting on his part to perform the novel act of marrying her. Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites;55Genesis 37:27. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue;56Jeremiah 18:18. Come now, and let us reason together.57Isaiah 1:18. Similarly this man Amram alerted himself and married a daughter of Levi.
The reason Scripture does not mention the name of the man nor the name of the woman he married is to avoid tracing their genealogy and mentioning who their fathers and their fathers’ fathers were up to Levi. At this point, Scripture desires to shorten the subject until the birth of the redeemer takes place, and after that, in the second seder,58I.e., in Seder Va’eira. (A seder is the weekly portion of the Torah read in the synagogue at the Sabbath morning services.) Specifically, Moses’ genealogy is found in Seder Va’eira, Chapter 6, Verses 16-20. He traced the genealogy even of other tribes59Reuben and Simeon. (Ibid., Verses 14-15). on account of Moses.
In line with the simple meaning of Scripture, i.e., that this was a first marriage [and not a remarriage as stated above], there is no significance in its being mentioned earlier or later in the chapter. This marriage took place before Pharaoh’s decree [that all male Hebrew children be killed], and she gave birth to Miriam and Aaron. After that, Pharaoh decreed, Every son that is born, ye shall cast into the river,60Above, 1:22. and then she gave birth to this goodly son Moses. Scripture did not mention the birth of Miriam and Aaron inasmuch as there was nothing new about them. However, in the opinion of our Rabbis,51Sotah 12a. this was a remarriage, since Amram separated from his wife in consequence of Pharaoh’s decree and then took her back on account of his daughter’s prophecy.61Miriam prophesied, “My mother is destined to bear a son who will deliver Israel” (Sotah 13 a). He made her a wedding and placed her in the litter, while Miriam and Aaron danced about them in their joy62So clearly stated in Sotah 12a. because through this marriage, Israel would be redeemed [from Egypt]. Even though Aaron was young63He could have been no more than two years old since he was but three years older than Moses, and Moses was born after the second marriage. [at that time], G-d put gladness in his heart for this occasion, or possibly his sister Miriam taught him.
Abarbanel
The first prophecy extends from the beginning of the book until “The matter that [Isaiah the son of Amoz] saw” (Isaiah 2:1), and it contains five sections. The first section is “the vision of Isaiah” (Isaiah 1:1). The second section is “hear the word of the Hashem” (Isaiah 1:10) The third section is “Come now, and let us reason together”(Isaiah 1:18). The fourth section is “How has the faithful city become a harlot!”(Isaiah 1:21). The fifth section is “Therefore says the Master”(Isaiah 1:24). I have seen fit to start with this prophecy because of the six questions that it raises:
Recanati
You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests, Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar, the sons of Aharon: You already know that there is no sacrifice sacrificed without priests, Levites and Israelites, since they correspond to the three forefathers. Priests are from Chesed (Kindness). Hence, they atone, as 'iniquity is atoned by kindness.' And it is written (Isaiah 1:18), "Be your sins like crimson, they can turn snow-white." Levites are from the power of Gevurah (<might]). hence,="" they="" are="" appointed="" over="" the="" song.="" and="" because="" they="" correspond="" to="" 'arms="" everlasting'="" (the="" mystical="" traits="" of="" <i="">Chesed and Gevurah, that which is proper with this one is disqualified with that one. It is like our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said in Chullin (24a:7), "That which is fit with the priests is disqualified with the Levites, that which is fit with the Levites is disqualified with the priests." The Israelites are from the power of Mercy, which is called the Holy Elder Israel. It is about this matter that our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said [that] the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites [are all] indispensable for the sacrifice. In the Book of the Zohar (source not found): The priests, the Levites and the Israelites were together in all of the shifts. They all stood over the sacrifice to connect it with connections and to bring down blessings to the worlds; the [Israelite] shifts with prayer, the priests with [the offerings of] His will and the Levites with song. The shifts would arouse it for that pure thought to go up, the priests would arouse the Right [side] to embrace it [and] the Levites would arouse the Left [side] with mercy to unify with it. It is like you say (Song of Songs 2:6), "His left hand was under my head." And like this, the aroma [of the sacrifice] may become intertwined, one with the other, to connect one with the other. And this spirit is that of the Wife with Her Husband, such that all of the other forces eat, benefit and grow from Them. We learned that they [thus] grow and arise. And all [this] is from the secret of Israelites, priests and Levites, as you can see (end of quote). And do not wonder how it is that Aharon came out of the power of the Levites which is the trait of strict Divine justice, since he is the opposite of their trait. As this is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, may He be exalted. He brings out fire from water and water from fire; He brings out sweet water from salt water; and from the power of bitterness, there does He shine His wonder to refine.