민수기 26:64 해설: Tze'enah Ure'enah, Rashi, Kli Yakar & Ramban

“Among those there was not a man” [26:64]. This means that no man was alive who went out of Egypt, but the women lived and could come into the land of Israel and inherit the land. Therefore, the verse wrote about the daughters of Zelophehad at the lottery for the land of Israel. The daughters of Zelophehad said: our father died in the wilderness. He left no sons, but only daughters. Therefore, let us also inherit in the land of Israel. We should also have a share like our father would have had. Why should the name of our father be diminished in his family? The daughters of Zelophehad were very righteous women. They only wanted to marry a man who was important and had a distinguished pedigree. The youngest one did not marry for forty years. They wanted good matches, even though Rav Hisda said: a woman that a man marries when she is already forty years old, she can no longer have children. How did the daughters of Zelophehad wait so long and did not marry? The Holy One made a miracle for them and they had children, even when they were one hundred years old, like Yocheved who had children at the age of one hundred and thirty years. Therefore, the daughters of Zelophehad came to Moses after forty years, since the Holy One had said that Moses should not hold himself haughty, and should say, how important am I that I have not slept with my wife for forty years, and I contained myself. Therefore, the Holy One said to Moses. Do not consider yourself important and see the daughters of Zelophehad who waited forty years and more, and did not want to marry men, except for good men. They said: our father did not die because of Korah’s advice. They thought that Moses would help them because their father did not argue with Korah against Moses. Nonetheless, we will not receive a share in the land of Israel because our father was not against Moses. Therefore, Moses removed himself from judgment and placed it before the Holy One. He thought to himself. The people will suspect me, because they said good things and said that their father was not my enemy. Therefore, I am helping them and give them a share in the land of Israel. Therefore, Moses said: let the judgment come before the Holy One. Some say that Moses Our Teacher did not know the law. He had sinned in that he held himself haughty and said that all the difficult judgments should come before me, and the easier judgments should come before other Israelite judges. Therefore, the Holy One punished him, and he did not know the law. In particular, such an easy law that each nation knows that when there is no son to inherit, the daughter inherits. The sages say further that Moses could easily have written the law by himself in the Torah, just like other laws, but the daughters were worthy that the law should be written in the Torah through them. Since women brought death into the world, therefore they also caused that when the father dies, the son inherits. However, if there had not been death, then there would not have been any inheritance. Therefore, the law of inheritance was written in the Torah in regard to women. The Holy One said: the daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly, and what is just. Therefore, give the share that their father was supposed to receive to the daughters. Give the father’s share with their uncles.¹⁹Yalkut Shimoni, Phinehas, Remez, 773–774.

ובאלה לא היה איש וגו׳ BUT AMONG THESE THERE WAS NO MAN [OF THEM WHOM MOSES AND AARON NUMBERED] — no man; but the decree consequent upon the incident of the spies had not been enacted upon the women, because they held the Promised Land dear. The men had said, (Numbers 14:4) “Let us appoint a chief and return to Egypt”, while the women said, (Numbers 27:4) “Give us a possession in the Land”. On this account, too, the chapter regarding the daughters of Zelophehad follows immediately here (Sifrei Bamidbar 133:1).

And among these there was not a man [counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they recorded the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai]. But women were present because the decree of the spies was only on the men, since the men hated the land and were saying Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt (Numbers 14:4). But the women cherished the land, as the daughters of Zelophehad said, Give us a possession.
I will provide two reasons for this matter: There are lands that produce modest people, and there are lands that produce adulterers. And our Sages said that Shittim was a place that produced adulterers, and therefore they engaged in harlotry in Shittim because living in that place caused them to commit harlotry. And the Land of Israel is uniquely suited in this way, as the land does not tolerate immorality, as it is written in the section on forbidden relationships: For all these abominations were done by the men of the land… and the land vomited out its inhabitants (Leviticus 18:25-27).
We have already written above that the men were promiscuous in sexual matters, and therefore they hated the land. But the women were virtuous and modest, and Shelomit the daughter of Dibri proves this, as the Scripture publicized her [as the only one who was immoral]. Therefore, they cherished the land that produces modest people.
And know that this is so, for even Shittim, which produces adulterers, will receive healing from the Holy Land, as it is said: And a spring shall come forth from the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim (Joel 4:18).
And for this reason, And among these there was not a man is written specifically near the census, to tell you that women were present, because in this count the modesty of women is hinted at more than in men, since the letter hei precedes the letter yud as explained above.