Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Bilang 2:10

“And Korah took” - This matter that was in the wilderness of Sinai, when the firstborns were replaced and the Levites were separated,
For the Israelites thought that Moshe our Leader did it according to his own thought, to give greatness to his brother, and also to the sons of Kehat for they are close to him, and all of the Levites that they are his family.
And the Levites conspired against him because they were given to Aaron and his sons.
Datan and Aviram conspired because the firstborn privilege was removed from Reuven their father and given to Yosef; perhaps they suspected that [Moshe did that] for the sake of Yehoshua his servant [who was from Yosef].
Also Korah was a first born, for thus was written.
>And those Heads of the Congregation (edah) were firstborns and they were bringing the olah offerings.
And the proof for this explanation is the miracle of the staff (Bamidbar 17:16-26) that all of Israel saw that Hashem chose the tribe of Levi in place of the firstborns, and therefore it is written (Bamidbar 17:25) “their mutterings ceased,” for the mutterings were about this.
Also Moshe said that “it is not from my own mind” (Bamidbar 26:28), because they suspected that it was from his own mind that he did it.
And further proof is “Hashem did not send me” - for this task - because all the Israelites already believed in him [in general]. Another total proof is “all the congregation are holy” and this is a hint to the firstborns that they are holy, because it is written (shemot 13:2) “sanctify to Me every first born” and they are the priests (Kohanim) that approach Hashem and they are the essence of the whole congregation.

ודתן ואבירם AND DATHAN AND ABIRAM — Because the tribe of Reuben had their place, when they encamped, in the South, thus being neighbours of Kohath and his sons, who, too, encamped in the South (cf. Numbers 3:29), they (the Reubenites) joined Korah in his quarrel. “Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbour!” — And what induced Korah to quarrel with Moses? He was envious of the princely dignity held by Elzaphan the son of Uziel (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 1) whom Moses had appointed prince over the sons of Kohath although this was by the express command of God (Numbers 3:30). Korah argued thus: “My father and his brothers were four in number — as it is said, (Exodus 6:18) “and the sons of Kohath were [Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uziel]”. — “As to Amram, the eldest, his two sons have themselves assumed high dignity, one as king and the other as High Priest; who is entitled to receive the second (the rank next to it)? Is it not “I” who am the son of Izhar, who was the second to Amram amongst the brothers? And yet he has appointed as prince the son of his (Amram’s) brother who was the youngest of all of them! I hereby protest against him and will undo his decision”. — What did he do? He arose and assembled 250 men, fitted to be heads of the Sanhedrin, most of them of the tribe of Reuben who were his neighbours, viz., Elizur the son of Shedeur, (the prince of the tribe of Reuben; cf. Numbers 1:5), and his colleagues, and others of a similar standing, — for here it states (v. 2) that they were “princes of the congregation, those who were called to the assembly (קראי מועד)”, and there (in another passage) it states, (Numbers 1:16) “these were they who were called to the congregation (קרואי העדה)” (amongst whom was also Elizur the son of Shedeur; cf. Numbers 1:5 and Rashi on Numbers 1:16), — and he attired them in robes of pure purple wool. They then came and stood before Moses and said to him, “Is a garment that is entirely of purple subject to the law of Zizith or is it exempt”? He replied to them: “It is subject to that law”. Whereupon they began to jeer at him: “Is this possible? A robe of any different coloured material, one thread of purple attached to it exempts it, and this that is entirely of purple should it not exempt itself (i.e. ipso facto be exempt) from the law of “Zizith”? (Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 2).

LET REUBEN LIVE. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that “he began with Reuben because he was the firstborn. He did not mention Simeon because of the sin of [Baal] Peor, because the worshippers were Simeonites, the proof being their numbers,⁸⁰In the first census the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300 (Numbers 2:13). In the second census [after the Peor affair] they numbered 22,200 (ibid., 26:14), a decrease of 37,100 people. In the opinion of Ibn Ezra the decrease would be accounted for by the 24,000 people that died in the plague because of the Peor affair (ibid., 25:9) thus indicating that the idol-worshippers were exclusive of that tribe. On this point, Ramban will comment that even assuming that all 24,000 who died in the plague were from the tribe of Simeon, there are still 13,100 people unaccounted for, a discrepancy that cannot be explained by Ibn Ezra’s theory. and their prince, too, being killed [in the affair].” In my opinion, the numbers are no proof because over thirteen thousand are still unaccounted for, aside from those who died in the plague.⁸⁰In the first census the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300 (Numbers 2:13). In the second census [after the Peor affair] they numbered 22,200 (ibid., 26:14), a decrease of 37,100 people. In the opinion of Ibn Ezra the decrease would be accounted for by the 24,000 people that died in the plague because of the Peor affair (ibid., 25:9) thus indicating that the idol-worshippers were exclusive of that tribe. On this point, Ramban will comment that even assuming that all 24,000 who died in the plague were from the tribe of Simeon, there are still 13,100 people unaccounted for, a discrepancy that cannot be explained by Ibn Ezra’s theory. In addition, other tribes as well diminished in population, for the sons of Gad lost five thousand,⁸¹In the first census the Gadites numbered 45,650 (Numbers 2:15), and in the second census they were 40,500 (ibid., 26:18) — a decrease of 5,150. — And so perhaps we should assume that these deaths resulted from the plague because of Peor. and the sons of Ephraim, eight thousand!⁸²In the first census the tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500 (Numbers 2:19), and in the second census they were 32,500 (ibid., 26:37) — a decrease of 8000. Moreover, from the verse which states, And Israel attached himself unto Baal-peor,⁸³Numbers 25:3. and it is said again, Take all the chiefs of the people⁸⁴Ibid., Verse 4. it would appear that there were some among them from all the tribes, and that all their judges passed sentence on them. And similarly He said, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy.⁸⁵Ibid., Verse 11. Now do not rejoin against me from the affair of Achan where He said, Israel hath sinned⁸⁶Joshua 7:11. In this part of the verse the specific sin is not mentioned yet. It is stated at the end of that verse: Yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing. — For the significance thereof see Ramban further. [although it was but a single individual who sinned; similarly we can say that it was the tribe of Simeon alone that sinned in the affair of Peor yet Scripture describes it as if the entire nation sinned. This rejoinder is not valid, for] there, [the details of] the sin had not yet been revealed, so He mentioned Israel generally [but in the case of Peor the facts of the sin were clearly given and still He spoke of all Israel, which shows that people from all the tribes were among the worshippers of Peor]. Similarly, the identity of the victim [i.e., Zimri, a leader of the Simeonites] is no proof [that only his tribe sinned, as Ibn Ezra argues], for he [Zimri, the son of Salu] was only a prince of a fathers’ house⁸⁷Numbers 25:14. of that tribe, not the prince of the [entire] tribe. Those who assembled against G-d in the congregation of Korach were greater and more honorable people than he [Zimri], for they were princes of the congregation,⁸⁸Ibid., 16:2. yet all their tribes did not follow them! Additionally, the psalm [that relates the sins of the wilderness] mentions Dathan and Abiram and their affair by name, saying, The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram;⁸⁹Psalms 106:17. The verse indicates that, despite the fact that princes of the congregation were in the company of Korach, the general population did not follow them, for the psalm specifies the participants in the strife. and it [the same psalm] mentions They attached themselves also unto Baal-peor⁹⁰Ibid., Verse 28. together with Moreover, they scorned the desirable Land⁹¹Ibid., Verse 24. which applies to the general population!⁹²Thus it is clear that the worshippers of Baal-peor came from all the tribes, just as those who scorned the desirable Land came from among the entire people. This contradicts Ibn Ezra’s view that only the tribe of Simeon was involved in the affair of Peor. Forbid it also that Moses should refrain from blessing the tribe of Simeon, [when it is said] that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel!⁹³Judges 21:17. For all those who had joined Baal-peor had already died, as it is said, for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Eternal thy G-d hath destroyed from the midst of thee,⁹⁴Above, 4:3. and it is written of those who survived, But ye that did cleave unto the Eternal your G-d are alive every one of you this day.⁹⁵Ibid., Verse 4. And why should he not bless them? They all made the [golden] calf and sinned in the affair of the spies, yet they were forgiven, and he blessed them!
Now, I have seen in Midrash Rabbah the following text:⁹⁶Bamidbar Rabbah 21:9. “Six families were eliminated because of the immorality caused by Balaam’s advice [that Israel could be corrupted through seduction], and so Scripture listed one family less of Simeon⁹⁷Genesis 46:10 lists six sons of Simeon, while in the second census only five are given (Numbers 26:12-13). and five less of Benjamin.”⁹⁸Genesis 46:21 lists ten sons of Benjamin, while in the second census only five are given (Numbers 26:38-39). Thus, according to the opinion of the Rabbis [the tribe of] Benjamin had a greater part in the sin than did the tribe of Simeon — yet Benjamin is included in the blessing!⁹⁹Further, Verse 12.
In my opinion, the correct interpretation is that Scripture considers the tribes of Israel as only twelve. So it stated in Jacob’s blessing, All these are the twelve tribes of Israel.¹⁰⁰Genesis 49:28. Now Jacob mentioned his twelve sons and considered Joseph to be one tribe¹⁰¹Ibid., Verses 22-26. [instead of enumerating Ephraim and Menasheh separately as is sometimes done]. Moses saw fit to consider Joseph as two tribes, as he said, And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Menasheh.¹⁰²Further, Verse 17. This was for two reasons: one, since the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded and made them two tribes regarding the dedication of the altar,¹⁰³Numbers 7:48 and 54. the flags¹⁰⁴Ibid., 2:18-21. [designating the tribal encampments in the wilderness], and the inheritance of the Land,¹⁰⁵Ibid., 34:23-24. he [Moses] had to count them as two [separate tribes] for their blessing. Secondly, he referred to Joshua, who would make them possess the Land, and he was from Ephraim, the younger son [of Joseph], therefore Moses had to mention his brother [Menasheh] who was older than him. Now, he also wanted to bless [the tribe of] Levi, for, through his blessing, all Israel would be blessed, in that his offerings shall be acceptable before G-d on their behalf. Hence it was necessary to omit one of the tribes, for nowhere [in Scripture] are they enumerated except as twelve, corresponding to the twelve constellations in the firmament,¹⁰⁶Bamidbar Rabbah 14:29. the twelve months of the year, and the twelve “border diagonals”¹⁰⁷Sefer Habahir, 95. — This is a Cabbalistic term for the twelve mystic powers emanating from various combinations of the letters of the Great Divine Name. See my Hebrew commentary p. 495. concerning which the Rabbis have said in the Midrash¹⁰⁶Bamidbar Rabbah 14:29. that they are the everlasting arms.¹⁰⁸Further, Verse 27. As the Sages mentioned in Tractate Berachoth:¹⁰⁹Berachoth 32b. “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the prophet,¹¹⁰I.e., Isaiah. In our text of the Gemara: “The Holy One, blessed be He, said ‘to her': My daughter …” Go and tell the congregation of Israel: My daughter, I have created twelve constellations in the firmament to correspond to the twelve tribes.” Similarly, at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal where Scripture counts Levi,¹¹¹See above, 27:12. Joseph is not mentioned as two tribes¹¹¹See above, 27:12. [because, there Simeon¹¹¹See above, 27:12. is mentioned]. Likewise you will see in the distributions of Ezekiel that he counts Joseph as two tribes¹¹²See Ezekiel 48:4-5. with reference to the apportioning of the Land and did not mention Levi. On the other hand, in enumerating the city exits [of Jerusalem] he mentioned, the gate of Levi, one¹¹³Ibid., Verse 31. and did not list the tribe of Joseph as two tribes; instead he said, the gate of Joseph, one,¹¹⁴Ibid., Verse 32. since the tribes are always counted as only twelve. I have already mentioned this in the section Vayikach Korach.¹¹⁵Numbers 17:12 (see Vol. IV, pp. 189-190). Accordingly, Simeon was left out [of Moses’ blessings] since his tribe was not large and it was not the intention of the blessing of Jacob, their father, that they become numerous. Instead he divided them in Jacob and scattered them in Israel,¹¹⁶See Genesis 49:7. and to that extent they, too, were blessed through the blessing of the rest of the tribes among whom they were.
Now the order of this blessing [of Moses] was by [dictate of] Ruach Hakodesh (the Holy Spirit) according to their inheritance. He began with Reuben for he occupied his inheritance first;¹¹⁷Joshua 13:15. and, also, for he was the firstborn,¹¹⁸I Chronicles 5:1. and Moses prayed for him that his name not be blotted out because of his sin; therefore, in his blessing, he accorded him the right of the firstborn.¹¹⁹Above, 21:17. Then he mentioned Judah for he was the first to inherit within the Land [proper]¹²⁰Reuben’s possession was beyond the Jordan eastward. and of him came he that is the prince,¹²¹I Chronicles 5:2. Reference is to David. and he was the first to advance to war [against the Canaanites],¹²²Judges 1:2. concerning which Moses blessed him [saying, his hands shall contend for him, and Thou shalt be a help against his adversaries].¹²³Verse 7. Thus Judah’s blessing embraces all Israel. Then Moses blessed Levi — who dwelled with the children of Judah in Jerusalem, and there their offerings should be acceptable. Afterwards he blessed Benjamin because their inheritance was with the children of Judah, and, [because] the city of Jerusalem and the Sanctuary were between the children of Judah and the children of Benjamin, and the Levites abode with both of them. Then he blessed the children of Joseph for such was their inheritance, as it is said, And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families; and the border of their lot went out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.¹²⁴Joshua 18:11. Afterwards he continued to bless the children of the mistresses,¹²⁵I.e., Leah and Rachel, who were the heads of their households. Here, though, it refers only to Leah, since Rachel’s children — Benjamin and Joseph — were already blessed. and mentioned Zebulun before Issachar¹²⁶See further, Verse 18. as Jacob had done.¹²⁷See Genesis 49:13-14. So, too, [in the division of the Land] the third lot fell to the children of Zebulun¹²⁸See Joshua 19:10 (Zebulun). Ibid., Verse 17 (Issachar). and the fourth lot to the children of Issachar.¹²⁸See Joshua 19:10 (Zebulun). Ibid., Verse 17 (Issachar). Then he blessed the children of the handmaids¹²⁹Bilhah and Zilpah. — Dan, Naphtali, and Asher — in order of their birth,¹³⁰The order of their birth was: Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher (Genesis 30:6-13). Here, the order is: Gad (Verse 20-21), Dan, Naphtali, Asher (Verses 22-24). Ramban will proceed to explain why Gad is first. and they were also [encamped] under the same standard.¹³¹Numbers 2:25-30. He mentioned Gad [born after Naphtali] before all the children of the handmaids, because he occupied his inheritance earlier with Reuben,¹³²See Joshua 13:23-24. the first of all, and he was [encamped under] Reuben’s standard.¹³³Numbers 2:10-14.
Let Reuben live, and not die. “The meaning thereof is that his tribe shall live and never die.¹³⁴In other words, this is to be understood as a prayer rather than a blessing. — It is so clearly stated in our text of Ibn Ezra. Ramban also mentioned above, “and Moses prayed for him etc.” And let his men be a number. This is like the verse, And I have not learned wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One I have¹³⁵Proverbs 30:3. [where the word not from the first part of the verse, applies to the second part as well – ‘and the knowledge of the Holy One I have not.’ Here, too, the word not from the expression and ‘not’ die applies to the second part, thus meaning] ‘and let his men not be a number,’ that they may not become few, for whatever can be counted, is few. So also, and I am few in number.”¹³⁶Genesis 34:30. This is the language of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra.
It is more correct to explain: “Let Reuben live in Israel; and not die, that his tribe at no time should be cut off, and that his numbers always be among the count of the children of Israel.” He prayed for him that his name not be cut off from Israel because of the anger with which his father was wroth with him when he defiled his couch.¹³⁷Ibid., 49:4. This is similar to what is stated there, and Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve;¹³⁸Ibid., 35:22. Scripture made it be known that he was not excluded from that number on account of his sin. Rashi also explained it this way. And the meaning of his men [and let ‘his men’ be numbered among the men of Israel] is that all his men should deserve this [to be included in the ranks of Israel], and not even part of their tribe be cut off because of his [Reuben’s] sin. Perhaps the expression his men refers to the heads of the four families [of the tribe of Reuben — Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi],¹³⁹Exodus 6:14. and the meaning of the word mispar (number) is like b’mispar [with the prefix beth meaning “in the number,” the verse stating: “and let his men be ‘in’ the number” of the children of Israel]. Similarly, to play the harlot ‘beith’ [literally: “the house of”] her father¹⁴⁰Above, 22:21. [means b’veith — “in the house of” her father]; they shall wash ‘mayim’¹⁴¹Exodus 30:20. [literally: “water,” means b’mayim — “with water”]. There are many similar cases. Or it may be that the meaning thereof is that in the census of Israel his men be counted first as is the right of the firstborn, for number one is the unit from which all numbers originate.¹⁴²See Ibn Ezra to Exodus 3:1.
Onkelos rendered it: “And his children will receive their inheritance among their numbers.” He meant what we have explained, saying that Reuben will live and not be cut off [from Israel] and his men will be counted among their numbers forever. His tribe will not be blotted out from Israel but they will not be counted on account of their large numbers as forming two tribes. Thus he deprived him of the birthright [that awards the firstborn with a double share], but he assured him of being forever one tribe.
And some commentators¹⁴³I have found this interpretation in Chizkuni: “Let Reuben live, and not die when he will pass over the Jordan armed before the children of Israel. And his men be a number — in the same number that they will pass over there [into the land of Canaan] may they return, without a single one lacking.” explain that this blessing refers to the conquest of the Land, the verse stating that the Reubenites will live when crossing [the Jordan] armed for war before the children of Israel. And the purport thereof is that they will prevail, and not be defeated, similar in meaning to the expression, and by thy sword shalt thou live.¹⁴⁴Genesis 27:40. And let him not die, that none of them should die in battle, and his men be a number that they should return to their homes in their [original] number, there lacking not one man of them.¹⁴⁵Numbers 31:49. Similarly, in the blessing of Gad¹⁴⁶Further, Verse 20. his companion [under the same standard]¹⁴⁷Numbers 2:10-14. Moses mentioned this subject. This interpretation is likely [to be true]. But the first one appears to me to be more correct, for Moses’ blessing corresponds to the manner and thought that Jacob mentioned.
And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the expression Let [Reuben] live and not die is associated with visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children¹⁴⁸Exodus 20:5 (see Vol. II, p. 300, and Notes 361-362). and there I alluded to its secret.¹⁴⁸Exodus 20:5 (see Vol. II, p. 300, and Notes 361-362). Moses’ blessing helped Reuben gain atonement for the affair of Bilhah, that he not be cut off and be denied [the World to Come] for it, forever. However, He visited upon him, along with the rest of the tribes [the sin of] the sale of Joseph, according to the narrative in Pirkei Heichaloth.¹⁴⁹“Chapters of the Palaces.” — Heichaloth Rabboth, 6. A reference to this work is also found in Ramban’s Introduction to the Commentary on the Torah (see Vol. I, p. 10, Note 22). This is a mystic Midrash describing the process of ascending to heaven and of the palaces therein leading up to the Holy Throne. The principal narrator in this account is Rabbi Yishmael, one of the martyrs who was executed during the religious persecutions of Hadrian. The Midrash mentions the executions on account of the tradition that the ten martyrs suffered their fate in order to atone for the sale of Joseph by ten of his brothers.

משפחת בני קהת יוחנו … תימנה THE FAMILY OF THE SONS OF KOHATH SHALL ENCAMP … SOUTHWARD — and next to them was the division of Reuben who, too, were encamped in the South (cf. Numbers 2:10) — “Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbour!” It was on this account (on account of the friendship caused by this proximity) that some of them (the Reubenites) — Dathan and Abiram and 250 men (who were also mostly Reubenites, cf. Rashi on Numbers 16:1) — were punished together with Korah and his congregation, (cf. Numbers 16:32 ff.), because they were dragged into the quarrel with them (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 12).