## Chizkuni, Numbers

###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:2:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:2:1)

**אמר אל אלעזר** לא רצה לטמא את אהרן הואיל והיה מן המקריבים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אמור אל אלעזר, “say to Elazar, etc.;” G-d did not want that Aaron the High Priest become ritually impure, as he was involved actively in offering sacrifices, that is why He asked Moses to give these instructions to his son Elazar.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:3:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:3:1)

**החטאים האלה בנפשתם** דמם בראשם משה התרה בהם, והיה האיש אשר יבחר בו, הוא לבדו יצא חי וכולם אובדים, והם נכנסו לאותה סכנה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
החטאים האלה בנפשותם, “these sinners who paid for their sins with their lives;” they brought their death upon themselves. Moses had warned them in 16,7, when he made clear that only one person of all of them would be chosen by G-d. In other words, all the others would die as a result of this test. All of them foolishly risked their lives, knowing that 249 of them would die.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:3:2
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:3:2)

**ועשו אתם** האמנים מקרא זה חסר, דוגמא ויאמר ליוסף ויגד ליעקב.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ועשו אותם, “so that they will make out of them, etc.” Moses, i.e. G-d refers to skilled artisans. This verse is abbreviated, as we find in similar verses such as Genesis 48,1 ויאמר אל יוסף, “he said to Joseph,” where the subject is missing, or verse 2 in the same chapter where the person giving this information to Yaakov has also not been named.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:4:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:4:1)

**ויקח אלעזר** לפי הנראה אין כאן מקומו של מקרא זה והיה לו לכתוב זכרון לבני ישראל תכף אחר ויהיו לאות לבני ישראל אלא נקבע כאן להפסיק בנתיים ולמדך שמראש הפרשה עד ויהיו לבני ישראל נאמר למשה שיאמר לאלעזר ומן זכרון לבני ישראל עד ביד משה נאמר למשה שיאמר לאהרן ופי׳‎ כאשר דבר ביד משה לו לאהרן והראיה מספרי וידבר ה׳‎ אל אהרן הנה נתתי לך וגו׳‎ שומע אני דבר אל אהרן תלמוד לומר זכרון לבני ישראל למען אשר לא יקרב איש זר הא למדנו שהדבור למשה שיאמר לאהרן.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויקח אלעזר, “Elazar took;” at first glance this does not appear the proper place for this verse. This verse should have begun with the words: זכרון לבני ישראל, “to be a memorial for the Children of Israel, etc.” Verse 4 was inserted here in order to provide a separation so that we would understand that from the beginning of this whole paragraph until the words: ויהיו לאות לבני ישראל, “so that will be a sign unto the Children of Israel,” Moses was told to speak to Elazar, whereas from verse 5 he was told to speak to Aaron, something which becomes clear at the end of that verse. Proof for this is provided by Sifri on chapter 18,8: וידבר ה' אל אהרן וגו', “the Lord spoke to Aaron, etc.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:4:2
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:4:2)

**צפוי למזבח** עד עתה לא היה לו גג.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
צפוי למזבח, “a covering for the altar.” Until now the altar did not have a roof.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:5:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:5:1)

**זכרון לבני ישראל למען אשר לא יקרב איש זר** הא למדנו שהדבור למשה שיאמר לאהרן שיהא הרואה שואל הרי כתיב מזבח אדמה תעשה לי שהיו ממלאים את חללו עפר אם כן מה טיבו להיות לו גג מנחושת והנשאל משיב גג זה נעשה ממחתות קרח ועדתו שהיו מערערין על הכהונה וכל העם ישמעו וייראו לערער עוד.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
זכרון לבני ישראל למען אשר לא יקרב איש זר, “a reminder to the Children of Israel so that no non priest, etc.;” why was such a reminder necessary? Someone looking at the copper cover on the earthen altar (which was outside the Tabernacle) would be liable to ask: seeing that the Torah had written in Exodus 20,21 “make for Me an earthen altar,” i.e. fill the hollow with earth, what is the good of that earth if it was now going to be covered with copper sheathing?” He would be answered that this sheathing was constructed from the pans used by the rebels who had supported Korach in his rebellion against the hereditary institution of the priesthood. Seeing what had happened to the owners of these censers the people were afraid to question the institution of the priesthood in the future.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:5:2
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:5:2)

**ביד משה לו** לקרח ופירושו על קרח דוגמא כי לא אעזבך עד אשר אם עשיתי את אשר דברתי לך שפירש שדברתי עליך. ד״‎א לו לאהרן.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ביד משה לו, ”through Moses to him.” The “him” refers to Korach. The meaning is; concerning Korach. The construction is similar to Genesis 28,15: כי לא אעזבך עד אשר עם עשיתי את אשר דברתי לך, “I will not abandon you until I have carried out all that I have said to you (promised to you) [G-d speaking in Yaakov’s dream of the ladder. Ed.] There too the word לב is to be understood as עליך, “concerning you.”An alternate interpretation understands the word לו, as referring to what Moses had said to Aaron. (Rashi and Ibn Ezra)


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:6:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:6:1)

**אתם המתם את עם ה'** על ידכם נטרדו חמישים ומאתים בכורים המקודשים לעבודה מיציאת מצרים ולא היה לכם לפסול הבכורות ולהכניס הלויים במקומם.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אתם המתם את עם ה, “you are killing G-d’s people!” They meant that Moses and Aaron, by suggesting that the two hundred and fifty men offer incense, something non priests were forbidden to do, and were the direct cause of these people dying a sudden death. All of this had been caused by Moses and Aaron substituting the Levites for the firstborn, who previously were in their rights to offer incense.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:11:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:11:1)

**אש מעל המזבח** הזהירו שלא יטעה מתוך בהלה להקריב אש זרה כמו שעשו נדב ואביהוא ואלו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
אש מעל המזבח, “fire taken from the altar;” Moses warned Aaron not to err and because of haste to use non consecrated fire as had done two of his sons who had paid with their lives for their error.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:11:2
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:11:2)

**ושים קטרת** להודיעם שאתה כהן והקטרת הממיתה כשאינה ביד כהן היא נותנת חיים ביד כהנים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ושים קטרת, “and lay incense;” in order to show them that you are a priest, and that the incense which they thought is the cause of death, is actually the cause of life if used by people authorised to do so, i.e. a priest.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:11:3
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:11:3)

**וכפר עליהם** עשן הקטרת חוצץ בפני המגפה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וכפר עליהם, “and make atonement for them;” the smoke of the incense will act as a barrier against the plague.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:17:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:17:1)

**וקח מאתם מטה מטה** מאחר שמתלוננים עוד על מטה לוי שהרי אות המחתות לא היה אות רק לאהרן לבדו וצריך אות אחר בין שבט לוי לשאר שבטים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וקח מאתם מטה מטה, “and take from each of them a staff;” seeing that they are still complaining about the tribe (מטה) of Levi being the one G-d has selected to perform special duties, they were to realise that the significance of handling incense was not something that applied only to Aaron, but that Aaron’s tribe, the Levites, had a special role to perform. There was a need to demonstrate this by an additional miracle.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:18:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:18:1)

**כי מטה אחד** אעפ״‎י שהשבט אחד נחלק לכהנים וללויים.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
כי מטה אחד, “for there shall be one staff, etc.” even though there is an internal division between ordinary Levites and the priests, they all belong to the same tribe.”


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:20:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:20:1)

**והשכתי מעלי את תלנות בני ישראל** שאומרים שמדעתכם הכנסתם הלויים במקום הבכורות.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
והשכותי מעלי את תלונות בני ישראל, “and I will put an end to the complaints of the Children of Israel against Me.” Their complaints were that you, Moses and Aaron, had acted arbitrarily when selecting a special rank for the members of the tribe of Levi in lieu of the firstborns of each family.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:22:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:22:1)

**וינח משה** הנו״‎ן בדגש.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
וינח משה , “and Moses laid out, etc.” the letter נ in the word וינח, has a dot in it.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:23:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:23:1)

**ויצא פרח** סימן לפרחי כהונה העתידין לצאת ממנו.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויצא פרח, “and bloomed blossoms;” this was to be a symbol that the young priests would come forth from the sons of Aaron.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:23:2
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:23:2)

**ויצץ ציץ** סימן שיצאו ממנו כהנים ששוקדים על עבודתם כדאמרינן כהנים זריזים הם חז״‎ק הא דאמרינן במסכת אבות ואף מטהו של אהרן שקדיה ופרחיה שהן מן הדברים שנבראו בע״‎ש בין השמשות.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ויצץ ציץ, “it had budded;” a sign that priests would come forth. The High Priests descended from Aaron would wear this ציץ, headband, engraved with the word: kodesh, holy, on their forehand (compare Exodus 28,36). ויגמול שקדים, “it bore ripe almonds.” This was an allusion to the eagerness with which the priests descended from Aaron would perform their duties. Throughout history the priests were lauded for the eagerness with which they performed their duties. They were cited as examples of such eagerness, i.e. כהנים זריזים הם (compare Talmud tractate Shabbat, folio 20) According to some opinions, this phenomenon of Aaron’s staff producing blossoms and almonds was also one of the miracles for which G-d had provided the potential during dusk on the sixth day of creation. (Compare tractate Avot, chapter 5, Mishnah 6)


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:25:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:25:1)

**ותכל תלונתם** ותכלה אתה תלונתם של ישראל דוגמא וצו את יהושע מן יצוה. ותכס בצעיף מן ותכסה.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
ותכל תלונתם. “so that their complaints will cease.” Our author understands the word as if the Torah had written: ותכלה אתה תלונתן של ישראל, “so that you will be able to bring to an end the Israelites’ complaints.” He cites two similar constructions in Deuteronomy 3,28: וצו את יהושע, and Genesis 38,14 ותכס בצעיף.


###### Chizkuni, Numbers 17:27:1
[Chizkuni, Numbers 17:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chizkuni/s/Numbers/r/17:27:1)

**הן גוענו אבדנו** יש מהם שמתו מיתת עצמם ויש מהם שנאבדו מן הדין די לנו בכך ולא עוד אלא שכולנו אבדנו כיצד כל הקרב אל משכן ה׳‎ ימות. כסבורים שעדיין לא נאמר והזר הקרב יומת רק בבעלי מומין.

**Chizkuni, translated and annotated by Eliyahu Munk:**
הן גוענו אבדנו, “here we are perishing;” some of the people would die from natural causes, whereas others would perish from external causes. When the people said this they were still under the impression that anyone, not only non priests, would expose themselves to death by approaching the Tabernacle. They did thought that only blemished priests were included in this prohibition to approach too closely. (Compare Numbers 1,51) [The subsequent general prohibition was in effect only for people who, having eaten holy things in a state of ritual impurity, dared approach sacred precincts. Ed.]