לִזְבוּלֻ֕ן אֱלִיאָ֖ב בֶּן־חֵלֹֽן׃
스불론에게서는 헬론의 아들 엘리압이요
Ramban
This is ‘chukath’ (the statute of) the law. “Since Satan1Here understood as “the hinderer” or “the disturber” who tries to dissuade people from keeping commandments which they do not fully understand. and the nations of the world ridicule Israel, saying, ‘What is [the meaning of] this commandment [of the Red Heifer]?’ therefore the Torah uses the term chukah (statute) in connection with it, [meaning]: ‘It is a decree from before Me, and you have no permission to question it.’” This is Rashi’s language, taken from the words of our Rabbis.2Tanchuma, Chukath 7; Yoma 67b. See also Vol. II, p. 208, Note 236. Now I have already written in connection with the goat that is sent away [to Azazel3Leviticus 16:8. the reason] why the nations of the world should taunt us about this [commandment] more than [they taunt us about] the rest of the offerings which effect atonement, and some of which bring about purification — such as the offerings of a man [or woman] who suffered a flux,4Ibid., 15:13-15; 25-31. or of a woman after childbirth.5Ibid., 12:6-8. [The reason is] that since [the procedure of the Red Heifer] is performed outside [the Sanctuary], it appears to the nations that it is slaughtered to the satyrs which are in the open field.6See ibid., 17:5-7. But the truth is that [the Red Heifer] is brought to remove the spirit of impurity, and the burning thereof outside [the Sanctuary Court] is like the sweet savor7Ibid., 1:9 etc. — In other words, as long as the observance is in accordance with the word of G-d, it does not matter if it is done within the Sanctuary Court or outside thereof, for both were equally commanded by Him. [of the offerings brought within the Sanctuary Court].
The reason for the impurity conveyed by a corpse is [due to man’s sin committed through] the instigation of the serpent,8See Vol. I, p. 75: “But in the opinion of our Rabbis, if Adam had not sinned he would have never died, etc.” See also my Hebrew commentary, pp. 267-268. for those who die by “the Divine Kiss” do not [in fact] convey impurity according to the law, this being the [sense of the] saying of the Rabbis:9Tosafoth Baba Metzia 114b. See my Hebrew commentary p. 268, for further sources of this statement. “The righteous do not convey impurity [when dead].” It is for this reason that Scripture states, This is ‘chukath’ of the law, meaning: [this is] that which is “hollowed out”10From the root: chakak — “to engrave, hollow out.” from the [Written] Torah, namely, the Oral Torah.11See Abusaula and other Cabalistic commentators on Ramban. Therefore it is a [female] heifer and must be red, [symbolic] of the attribute of justice.11See Abusaula and other Cabalistic commentators on Ramban. It is given to Eleazar12Verse 3. inasmuch as it must be slaughtered before him, even [though it may actually be slaughtered] by a non-priest, because the deputy High Priest [i.e., Eleazar] supervises the performance thereof, so that it should be done in accordance with his intentions, and so that they should not entertain any improper thoughts about it, as do the nations [of the world] and Satan1Here understood as “the hinderer” or “the disturber” who tries to dissuade people from keeping commandments which they do not fully understand. [as mentioned above].
Now this section [of the Red Heifer] completes the laws of the priests [and as such belongs in the Book of Leviticus]. However, it is written here after [the preceding section dealing with] the gifts to the priests, in order to declare that the purification of Israel must also be effected through the priest [just as atonement for sin is effected through the offerings which are offered on the altar by the priests].
THIS IS THE STATUTE OF THE LAW WHICH THE ETERNAL COMMANDED. The reason for this expression [when it should have said “that I commanded,” since G-d is the Speaker of these words], is similar to the verse, And unto Moses He said: ‘Come up unto the Eternal’13Exodus 24:1. See Vol. II, pp. 422-424. [where it should likewise have said: “Come up unto Me”]. Or it may be that this verse must be re-arranged [in order to be interpreted properly], its sense being: “Speak unto the children of Israel: This is the statute of the law which the Eternal hath commanded, saying etc.”14The order of the expressions [in Hebrew] is as follows: And the Eternal spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron saying: This is the statute of the law which the Eternal hath commanded saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring … With the sense of the verse being as Ramban transposes it, we can understand the use of the phrase which ‘the Eternal’ hath commanded, because this is part of the statement which Moses is to make to the people, when conveying G-d’s command. Hence it cannot say: “which I have commanded.”
The reason for the impurity conveyed by a corpse is [due to man’s sin committed through] the instigation of the serpent,8See Vol. I, p. 75: “But in the opinion of our Rabbis, if Adam had not sinned he would have never died, etc.” See also my Hebrew commentary, pp. 267-268. for those who die by “the Divine Kiss” do not [in fact] convey impurity according to the law, this being the [sense of the] saying of the Rabbis:9Tosafoth Baba Metzia 114b. See my Hebrew commentary p. 268, for further sources of this statement. “The righteous do not convey impurity [when dead].” It is for this reason that Scripture states, This is ‘chukath’ of the law, meaning: [this is] that which is “hollowed out”10From the root: chakak — “to engrave, hollow out.” from the [Written] Torah, namely, the Oral Torah.11See Abusaula and other Cabalistic commentators on Ramban. Therefore it is a [female] heifer and must be red, [symbolic] of the attribute of justice.11See Abusaula and other Cabalistic commentators on Ramban. It is given to Eleazar12Verse 3. inasmuch as it must be slaughtered before him, even [though it may actually be slaughtered] by a non-priest, because the deputy High Priest [i.e., Eleazar] supervises the performance thereof, so that it should be done in accordance with his intentions, and so that they should not entertain any improper thoughts about it, as do the nations [of the world] and Satan1Here understood as “the hinderer” or “the disturber” who tries to dissuade people from keeping commandments which they do not fully understand. [as mentioned above].
Now this section [of the Red Heifer] completes the laws of the priests [and as such belongs in the Book of Leviticus]. However, it is written here after [the preceding section dealing with] the gifts to the priests, in order to declare that the purification of Israel must also be effected through the priest [just as atonement for sin is effected through the offerings which are offered on the altar by the priests].
THIS IS THE STATUTE OF THE LAW WHICH THE ETERNAL COMMANDED. The reason for this expression [when it should have said “that I commanded,” since G-d is the Speaker of these words], is similar to the verse, And unto Moses He said: ‘Come up unto the Eternal’13Exodus 24:1. See Vol. II, pp. 422-424. [where it should likewise have said: “Come up unto Me”]. Or it may be that this verse must be re-arranged [in order to be interpreted properly], its sense being: “Speak unto the children of Israel: This is the statute of the law which the Eternal hath commanded, saying etc.”14The order of the expressions [in Hebrew] is as follows: And the Eternal spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron saying: This is the statute of the law which the Eternal hath commanded saying: Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring … With the sense of the verse being as Ramban transposes it, we can understand the use of the phrase which ‘the Eternal’ hath commanded, because this is part of the statement which Moses is to make to the people, when conveying G-d’s command. Hence it cannot say: “which I have commanded.”
Rabbeinu Bahya
לתת להם ולזרעם אחריהם, “to give to them and to their descendants after them.” Our sages in Yalkut Shimoni 801 understand these words to mean: “to the people who took part in the Exodus and to their descendants,” i.e. the ones who took part in the Exodus from Babylonia. The additional word אחריהם, “after them,” refers to the people alive at the time of the final redemption, the ingathering of the exiles from the present Diaspora. It appears that the reason the Midrash had to interpret the text in this way is the fact that the Torah spent 3 verses on the subject. Each verse adds a new dimension not stated previously. The next verse on the subject is Deut. 11,21; in verse 9 of the same chapter the Torah repeats this message but without the words: “as long as there is a heaven over earth.” This prompted our sages to understand Moses as referring to three separate inheritances.