Episodios

  • Matot/Masai, 3rd Aliya

    Matot/Masai, 3rd Aliya
    Jul 30 2024

    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

    To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.com

    The Children of Reuven and Gad

    The children of Reuven and Gad had a lot of livestock and they recognized that the land of Yaer and Gilad was fit for livestock.

    They approached Moshe and Elazar and said that this land which G-d had them conquer from Sichon and Og (which included Atarot, Dibon, Yazer, Nimrah, Cheshbon, Elaleh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon) is fit for livestock. They asked Moshe and Elazar if that land be given to them as an inheritance rather than have their inheritance be in the land of Israel across the Jordan.

    Moshe exclaimed, "So your brothers will go into battle and you will settle here?! The rest of the nation will think that you are too scared to cross the river and this will discourage them from crossing as well." Moshe brings up the incident with the spies which also took place at Kadesh Barnea* where they were now as well saying that this is the same thing which the spies did when they told the Israelites not to enter the land.

    *Side note, there is another Kadesh Barnea located in the Land of Israel (see Bamidbar 34:4)

    Moshe reminds them how G-d's anger burned at that time and made the nation wander about for 40 years in the desert as a result and promised to kill off anyone aged twenty or older before they reached the land, with the exception of Calev the son of Yefuneh the Kenizzite*

    *Side note: After Calev's father Yefuneh died, his mother married Kenaz and had another son named Othniel (featured in Shoftim 3:9). This is why Calev is called the Kenizzite as he was raised in his stepfather's home.

    Moshe warns them that if they turn away from G-d again, he will once again make them die in the desert and thus they will have destroyed the entire nation.

    The children of Reuven and Gad reply that they will build dwellings for their flock and livestock and property for their children*.

    *Side note: Moshe rebuked them here, saying that they should have mentioned the children before the animals and the fact that they did not showed that their priorities were more focused on their property than their children.

    They went on to say that they will go ahead of the rest of the nation and fight on their behalf, while their children stay behind in the cities. These two tribes were mighty - see Devarim 33:20 where it says about Gad that "He will tear off arm as well as head". They will not return to their cities until all of the other Israelites will have inherited their Land.



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    4 m
  • Matos/Masaai, 2nd Aliya

    Matos/Masaai, 2nd Aliya
    Jul 29 2024
    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”LTo sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comWar Plunder, Spoils and TributesMoshe, Elazar and all of the leaders saw the young men of Israel going out of the camp to grab the spoils from the war so they went out to meet them.Moshe was angry with the army commanders. Rashi teaches that we learn from here that the leaders are responsible for anything negative with their generation as they have the power to fight against it.Moshe rebuked these commanders for letting the females live, as those female which had caused the Israelites to sin were recognizable amongst them. Moshe tells them that they should kill every man as well as every woman who is fit to have relationship with a man (even if she has not yet had relations with a man). A girl/woman who is fit to have relations with a man is defined as one who is above the age of three. The way they would determine her age is they would have the women pass in front of the Tzitz and if she was fit to have relations with a man, her face would become yellowish.Moshe goes on to say that anyone who had killed someone should not enter the Courtyard of the Mishkan, i.e. the Camp of the Shechina, the innermost camp of the three camps (The three camps were the Camp of the shechina, the Camp of the Levis which was around it and then around that was the Camp of Israel).This would only apply to someone who killed with an object which can receive impurity, such that when that thing touches the corpse at the moment it dies, the impurity from the corpse gets transmitted to the killer through the weapon. Thus for example, a person would not become impure if he kills someone by shooting an arrow at him.There is an opinion that non-jewish corpses don’t transmit impurity to someone if s/he is merely under the same tent as the corpse, however even according to this opinion, the non jewish corpse would transmit impurity to someone through touching or carrying them.Non Jewish people do not become impure, however the captives they took would end up being circumcised and converting to Judaism and thus they could also become impure.Such an impure person must stay outside of the camp for seven days and on the third and seventh days they must purify themselves with the water of sprinkling.Any clothing, vessels of hide as well as anything made of the horns, hooves and bones of goats must be purified.Elazar now instructed the men to take gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and lead and put it through fire to be purified or anything that is not used to cook with fire should pass through water (i.e. things are purged in the manner which they are used. If something is used to cook with hot water, it is purged with hot water. If it is used for roasting or grilling, it is purged with fire). The rust must be removed from a vessel before purifying it.The water purification must be done in a mikva that would be proper for a woman to immerse in to purify from menstruation (ie they must be 40 se’ah of water – the equivalent of 2.25-4 gallons of water).Metal vessels (of the metals listed here) which are only used with cold water just need to be immersed. Earthenware vessels purchased from a non Jew do not need to be immersed. For other metals and glass, a rabbi must be consulted as to what to do.The impure people being discussed had to immerse their garments on the seventh day.After all of this, they were allowed back into the camp of the Shechina.Elazar attributed what he taught to Moshe saying that these were things which G-d taught Moshe.Since Moshe “fell into anger”, he fell into error as well – in the sense that these laws were concealed from him which is why Elazar taught them and not him.Rashi gives two other examples of times when anger caused Moshe to err. One is from the 8th day of the inauguration where Moshe got angry with Elazar and Itamar (see Vayikra 10:16) and this caused him to make a mistake in regards to the laws of mourning as they pertain to the Kohanim. Another time was with regard to the rock when Moshe called the Israelites “rebels” (see Bamidbar 20:10) which ended up leading him to hit the rock.G-d instructs Moshe that he, together with Elazar and the leaders should calculate the total amount of plunder from the war.They are then to divide it in half, with half of it going to those who fought in the army and half to everyone else. Again, the plunder only included animals and men. The spoils on the other hand included any inanimate movable objects and these were not part of the division. For those spoils, everyone just ...
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    9 m
  • Matot/Masai, 1st Aliya

    Matot/Masai, 1st Aliya
    Jul 28 2024
    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”LTo sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comNullification of Vows. Avenging Midian.Nullification of VowsWhen Moshe would teach different parts of Torah, he would teach the Princes of the tribes first (as well as the very learned people who were like leaders) to honor them and only afterwards the rest of the nation.At the start of today’s Chumash, Moshe is instructed to teach them the laws regarding the nullification of vows.A vow is when someone says that they take upon themselves not to eat or do a certain thing. Sometimes the thing they are not eating or doing is called a “konam” which is another word for sacrifice. As if to say that they are abstaining from that thing the way they are abstaining from eating an offering which is indeed forbidden to eat.A person may vow to abstain from something which is allowed however one may not vow to do or eat something which is forbidden (eg. to eat a neviela (an animal which was not ritually slaughtered).Ideally vows must be nullified by someone who is an expert however if no expert is around, it can be done by three common people.When a sage revokes a vow, the language he uses is that the thing which was vowed against is not permitted, however if a husband revokes the vow of his wife, the language used is that the vow is nullified. This language is very particular and if the sage and/or husband reverse what they are supposed to say, the revocation of the vow does not hold.If a man makes a vow he is bound to it.If a woman makes a vow, it depends.If she is a minor, her vows are not binding.If she is at least 11 years old, her vow is examined and if she realized Whom she was vowing to (i.e. to G-d), then her vow is binding, however if she did not, then it is not.If she is 12 years old or older, there is no need to investigate her vows in this manner and her vows are binding.If she is at least 12 years old and has developed certain signs of puberty, she is considered to be under the authority of her father (she doesn’t necessarily need to be living in his house), she is what is called a Na’arah (literally “youth”) and while she is obligated in all the commandments, there are some laws in which she is still considered to be within her father’s domain. Vows are one of these.A girl becomes an adult (i.e a bogert) 1/2 year after being a n’eara and at that point she is no longer considered to be under her father’s authority.If she is as such considered to be under her father’s authority, if her father does not hold her back from making her vow, her vow stands, however if he nullifies her vow for her, it is considered nullified.If a woman is what is called an arusah, meaning that she went through the first stage of marriage (kiddushin or erusin – where the groom gives the bride a ring or some other object of value and she is not allowed to any other man however she does not yet live with the groom but rather in her father’s house) then both her groom and father need to nullify her vows.If the father was not aware of her vow, it is not able to be nullified.If the father nullified the vow before the erusin, the husband cannot then change the status of this vow.If a married woman takes a vow of nezirus, if the husband lets it be then the vow stands however if he nullifies it then it is nullified. If her husband nullifies it but the woman doesn’t realize that he had nullified it and she violates her vow by drinking wine, she requires forgiveness for her intent to break the vow, but G-d forgives her.A widow or divorcee (from erusin) to a man then returns to being under her father’s authority. However if she is a widow or divorcee from a full marriage (nisuin) she is under her own authority.A husband may only nullify vows of personal affliction for his wife and he may only nullify it up until nightfall of the day he hears the vow.If a husband deceives his wife into thinking that he nullifed her vow even though he upheld it, and she violates it, the sin is on him.Revenge on MidianG-d tells Moshe to take revenge on the Midianites for Him. Rashi explains here that the revenge is against G-d since anyone who fights Israel it is as if they fought G-d.There are several possibilities as to why He does not instruct him to take revenge on the Moabites though they were also part of the sin:The Moabites got involved out of fear that the Israelites would steal from them or alternatively because of the two “fine young doves” which came from them, namely Ruth (from Moav) and Na’ama (from Ammon – she married ...
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    10 m
  • Pinchas, 7th Aliya

    Pinchas, 7th Aliya
    Jul 26 2024

    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

    To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.com

    Sukkos and Shmini Atzeres

    Today's Chumash details the holidays of Sukkos and Shmini Atzeres. It follows the same general pattern of the amounts for meal offerings + supplementary sin offering + maintenance of regular daily communal offering as holidays listed in yesterday's post. See the beginning of that one for reference.

    Sukkos

    The 15th day of the 7th month (i.e. Nissan) there should be a holiday with no work lasting for seven days.

    On each day of this holiday, an Olah offering should be sacrificed, consisting of: 2 rams, 14 male unblemished lambs under the age of one + a number of bulls decreasing by one per day. A total of 70 bulls are offered in this holiday corresponding to the 70 nations (who came from Noach's 70 descendants - see Breishis Chapter 10). The number of offered bulls decreasing from day to day is a sign that these nations will be annihilated however in the times of the Beis Hamikdash these bulls protected these nations from being punished.

    We learn from this descent of bulls per day the etiquette of hosting a lodger that on the first day he should feed him poultry, the following day fish, the next day meat (in the place and times that this was written, meat was less expensive than poultry or fish), the next day legumes and then the next day vegetables.

    The lambs correspond to the Israelites, who are called "a scattered lamb" *Yermiyahu 50:17). There are 98 lambs offered in total on this holiday, corresponding to the eradication of the 98 curses detailed in Devarim.

    So the first day they are to offer 13 bulls, the second day 12, the third day 11 etc..

    And then on the eighth day, it should also be a holiday of no work*, and the Olah to be offered then is to consist of: 1 bull, 1 ram and 7 unblemished male lambs in their first year.

    *Side note: Another way to understand the idea of "restraining" which is how this is written there, is that they should "restrain" themselves from leaving Jerusalem and are to spend the night there that holiday.

    Shmini Atzeres (i.e. this 8th day) was G-d's way of asking them to make a small holiday for Him before they left after Sukkos like a father not wanting to see his son leave or a king to his subjects. The one bull and one ram both correspond to Israel.

    Any vows or free will offerings which were pledged during the year can be offered during the festival to make it easy on him so he doesn't have to come to Jerusalem another time just for that.

    Moshe related all of this to the Israelites.



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    5 m
  • Pinchas, 6th Aliya

    Pinchas, 6th Aliya
    Jul 26 2024
    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”LTo sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comPassover. Shavuos. Rosh Hashana. Yom Kippur.Today’s Chumash provides instructions for when certain key holidays are to take place as well as which offerings to bring on each day.A few recurring things which come up for all of them:* The special holiday offerings must be brought in addition to the regular daily communal offerings.* For the meal offerings which are brought with each animal, it follows the following pattern:* For each bull 3/10 of an ephah of flour mixed with oil is to be brought. The bull corresponds to Avraham, about whom it is written “then Avraham ran to the cattle” (see Breishis 18:7)* For each ram, 2/10 of an ephah of flour mixed with oil is to be brought. The ram corresponds to Yitzchak, for whom a ram was sacrificed instead of him. (see Breishis 22:13)* For each lamb, 1/10 of an ephah of flour mixed with oil is to be brought. The lamb corresponds to Yaakove about whom it is written “Yaakov segregated the lambs” (see Breishis 30:40).* All of the libations which are to be brought with the sacrifices are also to be unblemished (like the animals), meaning that if they have a flour-like scum on their surface they are disqualified.* In addition to the Olah offering of each festival, they are also to offer 1 he-goat as a sin offering for atonement.PassoverThe 14th day of the first month (i.e. Nissan) they are to offer the Paschal offering. And then the following day (the 15th) should be a holiday and for the next seven days they are to eat matzos.The first and seventh days should be a holy gathering not do any work even things that are neceessary like things that will inclur financial loss (which is not the case on the intermediate 5 days of chol hameoed)On each day of this seven day holiday, they should offer an Olah offering consisting of: 2 bulls, 1 ram, 7 unblemished rams who are less than one year old together with their accessory meal offerings (see above) and libations).Offering the same offering each day is unlike Sukkos where the amount of animals offered decreases from day to day.ShavuosShavuos is the holiday of the first fruits as its meal offering is made up of two breads brought from the first fruits of the wheat harvest.This is a holiday on which they are not to do any work.The Olah offering to be brought on this day consists of 2 young bulls, 1 ram and 7 male lambs in their first year together with their accessory meal offerings (see above) and libations).Rosh HashanaThis holiday is to take place on the first day of the seventh month (i.e. Tishrei). It should be a holiday with no work being done and the shofar is to be blown.The Olah offering of this day is to consist of:1 young bull, 1 ram, 7 unblemished male lambs in their first year together with their accessory meal offerings (see above) and libations).In addition to the regular daily communal offering and this special holiday offering, the monthly new moon offering should be brought as well.Yom KippurThis holiday is to take place on the 10th day of the seventh month (i.e. Tishrei). It is to be a holiday in which they afflict themselves.The Olah offering for this day consists of: 1 young bull, 1 ram, 7 male lambs together with their accessory meal offerings (see above) and libations). Get full access to Sarede’s Substack at sarede.substack.com/subscribe
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    6 m
  • Pinchas, 5th Aliya

    Pinchas, 5th Aliya
    Jul 25 2024
    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”LTo sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comCommunal OfferingsG-d tells Moshe to command the Israelites regarding public offerings.Rashi says that this comes in response to Moshe’s request from G-d right before this to appoint a leader to take over after Moshe passes away. This is G-d’s way of saying “rather than you command me about my children, command my children about me.” Rashi likens this to a daughter of a king who is dying who gives instructions to her husband regarding their children. The husband (representing G-d) replies that rather than her (representing Moshe) dictate to him what he should do regarding his children, she should dictate to the children to treat their father with respect after she is gone.The early prophets divided the Levites and Koahnim into 24 “watches”, i.e. groups that would take turns staying in the Beis HaMikdash fasting and reading scripture. The source of this is in the chumash today in verse 28:3 where it says that the Israelites should “keep watch”.Daily Communal OfferingEvery day, two communal olah offerings must be offered.Each offering is to consist of two male unblemished lambs under the age of one year. They are to be slaughtered opposite the sun. So in the morning, the two lambs are to be slaughtered in the west where the rays of the rising sun fall. And in the evening in the east.Rabbi Yochanan Kohen Gadol set up 24 shackles which were attached to the ground to hold the animal’s head or feet in while they were being slaughtered. These shackles were arranged in six rows of four rings from north to south. Each watch was assigned one shackle.With each of these offerings, they should offer:A meal offering of 1/2 of an ephah of fine flour mixed with 1/4 of a hin of crushed oil, as well as a wine libation – 1/4 hin of wine per lamb. The wine had to be intoxicating, i.e. it couldn’t be taken directly from the winepress, i.e before fermentation.Sabbath OfferingsOn the Sabbath, in addition to the regular daily communal offerings, they should offer an additional (Musaf) offering in between the morning and evening offering.This offering should consist of two male unblemished lambs under the age of one.Together with this offering should be brought a meal offering consisting of 2/10 of an ephah of fine flour with oil with its libation.If this offering is neglected partially or fully, it may not be made up at a later date.New Moon OfferingOn the first of the month, they must bring an Olah offering consisting of 2 young bulls, 1 ram and 7 male unblemished lambs under the age of one.Together with this offering, the following meal offerings and libations should be brought for each animal:For the 2 bulls – 3/10 of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for the meal offering and 1/2 hin of wine for the libation.For the 1 ram – 2/10 of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil or the meal offering and 1/3 hin of wine for the libation.And for each lamb, 1/10 of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil should be brought for the meal offering and 1/4 hin of wine for the libation.This offering, like all other Musaf offerings (including that of the sabbath) cannot be made up for if missed).In addition to all of these animals, one he-goat must be brought as a sin offering. Any he-goat which is part of Musaf offering serves to atone for a person who enters the Mishkan or Temple grounds in an impure state. The offering of this he-goat is unique for the first of the month as it is for someone who is unaware at any point of their impurity. Get full access to Sarede’s Substack at sarede.substack.com/subscribe
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    6 m
  • Pinchas, 4th Aliya

    Pinchas, 4th Aliya
    Jul 24 2024
    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”LTo sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comInheritance. Moshe Is to Ascend. Yehoshua Appointed.Laws of Inheritance for a Man Who Had No SonsG-d tells Moshe that the daughters of Zelophchad spoke correctly* and that they most definitely should be given a portion of land as an inheritance from their father. These daughters were privy to seeing an aspect of this law which Moshe did not.In fact, G-d says, they should be given two portions of land - one from their father who was amongst those who left Egypt and one from his brothers.*Side note: Rashi quotes Sifrei 134 in their praise which states "Fortunate is the one who G-d confirms what he says."G-d also tells Moshe to relay to the rest of the Israelites these general rules regarding a man who passes away and leaves no sons behind. In such a case, his inheritance should go to his daughters. If he doesn't have any daughters, it should be given to his brothers. If he doesn't have any brothers, it should be given to his father's brothers. And if his father does not have any brothers, it should be given to the closest relative on his father's side.Moshe's False HopeSince G-d commanded Moshe to apportion the land for when they enter Israel, Moshe became joyous as he was hopeful that perhaps this meant that G-d had rescinded the decree against him not entering the land. Moshe may also have thought that he was now allowed to enter the land since he did enter into land that was part of Gad and Reuven's portion (however this land was not part of Israel proper).However by juxtaposing the laws of inheritance with the upcoming section regarding Moshe ascending the mountain to prepare for his death, this was G-d's way of stating that His decree stands.Rashi likens Moshe entering into the territory of Gad and Reuven to a king who forbids his son from entering into the palace. The king enters into the palace gates and the son follows. The king then enters into the palace courtyard and the son follows. The king then enters the reception room and once again the son follows. The king then enters into his bedroom and tells his son that from here on he is forbidden entry.G-d Tells Moshe to Ascend the MountainG-d tells Moshe to ascend the Avarim mountain and see the land G-d is giving to the Israelites. And then he is to be brought to his people and to die as Aaron did because of the sin involving the sanctification of G-d's name in the desert of Zin with the rock.Moshe's death was likened to that of Aarons as that was what Moshe desired. Or another explanation was that this was G-d's way of saying that Moshe was not any better than Aaron and that they both died for neglecting to sanctify G-d's name and if they would have sanctified His name they would have lived for much longer.Wherever Moshe and Aaron's death is mentioned, so is their sin. This might seem like a negative thing however it is actually in their praise. It is to illustrate that 1)They were not part of the group who were decreed to die in the desert as a result of the sin of the spies as they did not participate in that. Also 2)It is to emphasize that this was the only sin they were guilty of their whole life. Rashi relates a tale of two women who were lashed in court that is brought down in Yoma 86b. One of them was being judged for acting immodestly and the second one for the relatively minor sin of eating from the fruits of the seventh year (the fruits of the seventh year are not meant to be destroyed and eating them is considered destroying them). To separate between herself and the immodest woman (i.e. to show the minor nature of her crime), the one who ate the fruit wished for her sin to be stated.Chumash refers to the waters at the rock where they sinned as being "The Waters of the Strife of Kadesh". Although this was their only sin, it was what led to the Israelites rebelling at Marah and at the Sea of Reeds (where they didn't trust that the Egyptians drowned in the sea and thought they might have emerged on the other side the way the Israelites emerged). Also, since the Israelites were already shown to be wanting in their faith regarding water, Moshe should have been extra careful to sanctify G-d's name in this regard.Moshe, being the holy man that he was, turned his attention away from personal thoughts regarding his passing and concerned himself with what would happen to the nation after he died. Moshe asked G-d to appoint a leader over Israel who can deal with each individual in accordance with their personality.Transmission of Leadership to YehoshuaMoshe ...
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    9 m
  • Pinchas, 3rd Aliya

    Pinchas, 3rd Aliya
    Jul 23 2024
    Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”LTo sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comLand Division. Tzlophchad’s Daughters.Land DivisionG-d told Moshe that the land should be divided up amongst the families which Moshe and Elazar the Kohen just counted in the census. The census took place by the plains of Moav by the Jordan near Yericho.Even though the land took seven years to conquer and then it wasn’t divided up for seven more years after that, only those who were 20 years old or older at the time of the census were counted (even if they turned 20 during the conquering or the dividing they were not counted).The land was to be divided in accordance with the size of each tribe. So the more populous tribes were to be given better quality land than the less populous tribes. The land was divided up by value rather than size as different areas differed in terms of their value so if it were just by size it would not have been a fair measurement*.*Side note:Rashi lists a low value area as being a “beis kor” which means it’s an area (75,000 square cubits (170,000-300,000 square feet in modern day terms) that needs a kor of seed to be sown. A kor has a volume of 4,320 eggs (67-120 gallons in modern day terms).A high value area, Rashi calls a “beis se’ah”. A se’ah is 1/30th of a kor. Thus less seed was needed to sow such an area.The divvying up of the land was done according to lottery, however the lottery was divinely inspired. So what would happen is that there were 12 tickets each with the name of one of the tribes and then 12 other tickets with the boundaries of the various land areas. Elazar the Kohen wore the Urim V’Tumim and would call out each tribe and what the portion of land should come up from the lot with it. And then the prince of that tribe would come up and draw out two tickets from the lot. The first would be of his tribe and the second would be his designated inheritance of land. And the lot itself could call out “I the lot arose for this boundary and this tribe”, which is the meaning of the phase “by the mouth of the lot” in verse 26:56.(requires further study: This inheritance was different than all others in Torah. Other inheritances involve the living inheriting from the dead but here the dead inherited from the living).Calev and Yehoshua were not included in this divvying up. Calev was given Chevron and Yehoshua was given “the city that he requested” )see Yehoshua 19:50).Converts and freed slaves were also not included in the lottery as they didn’t have a tribe.Chumash now gives a breakdown of the Levite family which was made up of the Gershonites, Kehotites and Merarites. It omits the Simetites, Uzzielite and part of the Izharites as these factions of the Levites were no longer.The subfamilies within the Levite family were: Levnites, Chevronites, Mahalites, Mushites and Korachaties.Chuamsh then details the lineage of Kohath who gave birth to Amram who married Levi’s daughter Yocheved. Yocheved was born inside the walls of Egypt (though she was conceived earlier outside of Egypt) thus bringing the count of the Israelites to 70 people when they entered that land.Yocheved and Amram begot Aaron, Moshe and Miriam.Aaron begot Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Ithamar. Nadav and Avihu died after offering an alien fire to G-d.There were 23,000 male Levites aged one month or older. They were not counted in the recent census nor were they counted only according to those aged 20 or older as they were not given a portion of the land.Tzlophchad’s DaughtersTzlophchad (son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Menashe son of Yosef*) had four daughters: Machlah, Noah, Chaglah, Milca and Tirzah (later listed in diff order Machla, Tirzah, Chaglah, Milcha and Noah (see Bamidbar 36:11) to show that they were all equal in terms of importance.*Side note: Yosef is mentioned to the credit of Menashe since it is already known that Menashe was Yosef’s son. The Land of Israel was dear to Yosef the way it was to Tzlophchad’s daughters, as we see from him asking for his bones to be buried there. Whenever scripture provides a detailed lineage of a person like this in listing their name it is either to illustrate their greatness or to disparage them (if their lineage was bad).Tzlophchad’s daughters approached Moshe and Elazar (this shows us that this took place in the 40th year after Aaron died). Moshe and Elazar were in the house of study at this time and the daughters approached them both at the same time. They pleaded with Moshe and Elazar saying that their father was not ...
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