## Or HaChaim on Numbers Chapter 11

###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:10:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:10:1)

**וַיִּחַר אַף ה׳ מְאֹד.** טַעַם **מְאֹד**, לְצַד שֶׁכָּל עוֹשֶׂה רִשְׁעָה לְצַד תִּגְבֹּרֶת הַפִּתּוּי וַעֲרֵבוּת הָאִסּוּר יֵשׁ לָדוּן בּוֹ צַד הָאוֹנֶס, אֲבָל אֵלּוּ שֶׁמְּבַקְשִׁים לָשׁוּב הֲרֵי הֵם כִּמְגָרִים בָּהֶם יֵצֶר הָרַע וְאֵין גָּדֵר רַע גָּדוֹל בָּזֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויחר אף ה׳ מאד. G'd's anger was kindled very much.** The reason why the Torah describes G'd's anger as מאד, "very much," is that people who fall victim to seduction by Satan have been victimised, in a sense. The same could not be said of the people described in our paragraph who had actually provoked the evil urge within themselves. There is no category of sin which is greater than that.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:10:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:10:2)

**וּבְעֵינֵי מֹשֶׁה רָע.** כִּי יַקְפִּיד הָאִישׁ עַל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו, וְצֵא וּלְמַד מִמַּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּשְׁמוּאֵל (תענית ה.) שֶׁחִסְּרוּ מִיָּמָיו שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה בָּרָעָה אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא אֶת שָׁאוּל, וּכְמוֹ כֵן רַע עַל מֹשֶׁה מַעֲשֶׂה בִּלְתִּי הָגוּן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. עוֹד יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁרַע בְּעֵינֵי מֹשֶׁה מַה שֶׁחָרָה ה׳ אַפּוֹ מְאֹד כָּל כָּךְ, וּכְמַאֲמָרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי חלק א צה) שֶׁהֶרְאָה ה׳ לְמֹשֶׁה פֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁעָתִיד לְהָבִיא וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו: ״רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וְכִי הָגוּן הוּא שֶׁתִּתֵּן לָהֶם בָּשָׂר וְתַהַרְגֵם״ וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ובעיני משה רע, and it was wicked in the eyes of Moses.** Man is upset if something he considers his own creation does not live up to his expectations. You may find an illustration of this when the prophet Samuel is reported as having aged prematurely and died as a result of the anguish of seeing King Saul whom he had crowned not having met the challenge of wiping out Amalek. In order to save Samuel from experiencing Saul's death at the hands of the Philistines (compare *Taanit* 5) G'd had him die prematurely. Moses too was upset at Israel acting in a manner not befitting them. Alternatively, we may understand the words ובעיני משה רע as referring to G'd's anger. It displeased Moses that G'd had become **so** angry at the Israelites on this account. According to *Sifri* 1,95 G'd gave Moses a preview of the punishment He was going to exact from Israel on account of this misdemeanour. Moses reacted by asking G'd whether He really considered it fair to feed the Israelites meat only to let them die as a result of their eating the meat.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:11:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:11:1)

**לָמָּה הֲרֵעֹתָ וְגוֹ׳ וְלָמָּה וְגוֹ׳.** קָשֶׁה לָמָּה הִתְחִיל בְּתַרְעוֹמֶת הַנֶּזֶק וְאַחַר כָּךְ בְּתַרְעוֹמֶת מְנִיעַת הַתּוֹעֶלֶת, שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ״לָמָּה לֹא מָצָאתִי חֵן״ וְגוֹ׳ וְ״לָמָּה הֲרֵעֹתָ״ וְגוֹ׳? אָכֵן הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי א,צא) בְּפָסוּק ״לֵךְ נְחֵה אֶת הָעָם״, שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: ״בָּנַי סַרְבָנִים הֵם, טַרְחָנִים הֵם וְכוּ׳, מְקַלְּלִים אֶתְכֶם, סוֹקְלִים אֶתְכֶם בָּאֲבָנִים״ וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנָם. וְעַל זֶה בָּא מַאֲמַר מֹשֶׁה כָּאן **לָמָּה הֲרֵעֹתָ**, פֵּרוּשׁ, הִטַּלְתָּ עָלַי הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת לִסְבּוֹל רָעוֹת בָּנֶיךָ, וְאַחַר שֶׁקִּבַּלְתִּי הָיָה מִן הָרָאוּי לִמְצֹא חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ לָתֵת לִי עוֹזֵר לִשָּׂא עִמִּי בָּעֹל הַגָּדוֹל, וְלֹא כֵן עָשִׂיתָ שֶׁנָּתַתָּ עָלַי כָּל הַמַּשָּׂא. וְאָמַר **לֹא מָצָתִי** חָסֵר א׳, לוֹמַר אֲפִלּוּ מִצּוּי, פֵּרוּשׁ, דָּבָר מוּעָט מֵהַחֵן לֹא הִשַּׂגְתִּי.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**למה הרעת לעבדך…ולמה לא מצאתי חן, "Why have You dealt ill with Your servant,…and why have I not found grace?"** It is somewhat difficult to understand why Moses first complained about the damage he felt that he had suffered and only afterwards about the lack of some positive achievement, i.e. not finding grace? Logic would have dictated that these two elements be cited in an ascending order! We must understand what Moses said in light of what our sages said in connection with Exodus 32,34 where G'd told Moses: "go and lead the people, etc." *Sifri* 1,91 there describes G'd telling Moses that the Israelites were obstinate pestering people who cursed their leaders and threatened to stone them, etc. Thus far the *Sifri* on the subject. We may understand Moses' reaction here in light of what G'd had told him at the time when the sin had been the golden calf. When he used the expression הרעת, Moses meant: "why did You G'd make me experience this misconduct of Your children?" After I have accepted that burden at least You should have helped me to carry this great burden which You have imposed upon me. When Moses asked: "why have l not found grace," the word מצתי, "I have found," is spelled without the customary letter א. Moses hinted that he had not even found a minimal amount of grace.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:11:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:11:2)

**אוֹ** יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: **לָמָּה הֲרֵעֹתָ** כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי, וְאָמְרוֹ **וְלָמָּה לֹא מָצָאתִי** פֵּרוּשׁ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנָּתַתָּ עָלַי עֹל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה יֵשׁ לִי לִטְעוֹן לָמָּה לֹא מָצָאתִי חֵן לְצַד שֶׁשַּׂמְתָּ עָלַי מַשָּׂא כָּל הָעָם, וּפֵרוּשׁ לָמֶ״ד שֶׁל **לָשׂוּם** הִיא לָמֶ״ד הַסִּבָּה. וְאָמַר זֶה מֹשֶׁה, לְצַד שֶׁרָאָה כִּי בִּקֵּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן לָהֶם בָּשָׂר וְלֹא יַהַרְגֵם כְּדִבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּסָמוּךְ וְלֹא מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי ה׳ לְקַבֵּל תְּפִלָּתוֹ. גַּם רָאָה הַמְּסֻבָּב מֵהֶם, שֶׁהֵם גָּרְמוּ לוֹ מִיתָה בַּמִּדְבָּר וְכַמָּה עַנְפֵי הַיָּגוֹן אֲשֶׁר סֻבַּב לוֹ מֵהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא כֵן הָיָה מִן הָרָאוּי לְהִשְׁתַּלֵּם עַל יְגִיעוֹ וְסִבְלוֹתָיו.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
An alternate way of looking at our verse assumes that Moses did not want G'd to give the Israelites meat so as to prevent their death after eating the meat. Moses asked G'd why He had placed such a heavy burden upon him instead of granting him grace. The letter ל in the word לשום את משא כל העם הזה עלי, is to be understood as giving a reason. Moses complained that if G'd refused to accede to his request not to grant the Israelites' wish to eat meat, why would he have to watch the debacle that would occur as a result of G'd granting the Israelites' request to be fed meat? He also foresaw that the improper behaviour of the Israelites would eventually lead to his own death in the desert. He felt that these results were not the proper reward he could have expected for all his toil on behalf of the Jewish people. Moses' second complaint then may be seen as even greater than his original request. This disposes of the question we raised regarding the sequence of Moses' complaints.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:12:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:12:1)

**הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי וְגוֹ׳.** דִּבֵּר בְּסֵדֶר זֶה, יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין יט:) שֶׁכָּל הַמְלַמֵּד בֶּן חֲבֵרוֹ תּוֹרָה כְּאִלּוּ יְלָדוֹ, גַּם אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תיקוני זוהר ע׳) שֶׁכָּל נִשְׁמוֹת עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר הָיוּ עַנְפֵי נִשְׁמָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ וְהוּא הָיָה לָהֶם לְאָב. לָזֶה לֹא אָמַר הָאָב אֲנִי לָעָם הַזֶּה אוֹ אִם בָּנַי הֵם, כִּי כֵן הוּא כְּפִי הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁהוּא הָיָה אָב לְנִשְׁמוֹתָם וְנִקְרָאִים בָּנָיו גַּם כֵּן לְצַד שֶׁלִּמְּדָם תּוֹרָה, אֶלָּא **הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי** פֵּרוּשׁ כְּנֶגֶד צַד הֱיוֹתָם עֲנָפָיו אָמַר, מַה בְּכָךְ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא הוֹרָה גֶּבֶר מֵהֶם לֹא יִתְחַיֵּב בְּטִפּוּלָם, וּכְנֶגֶד שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים בָּנָיו לְצַד שֶׁלִּמְּדָם תּוֹרָה אָמַר, **אִם אָנֹכִי יְלִדְתִּיהוּ**, כִּי דַוְקָא בֵּן הַבָּא דֶּרֶךְ לֵידָה לֹא הַבָּא מֵאֶמְצָעוּת לִמּוּד תּוֹרָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**האנכי הריתי את כל העם הזה, "Did I conceive this whole people?"** The reason that Moses made such an apparently inappropriate comparison is based on *Sanhedrin* 19 where we are told that whoever teaches the son of his friend Torah is considered as if he had given birth to him. There is also a comment in *Tikkuney Hazohar* 70 that all the souls of the people who marched through the desert were "branches" of Moses' own soul and that he was considered the father of all those souls.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:12:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:12:2)

**עוֹד** נִתְכַּוֵּן בְּכֶפֶל **הָרִיתִי וִילִדְתִּיהוּ** לוֹמַר שֶׁהַמַּשָּׂא שֶׁעָלָיו שֶׁל הָעָם הוּא כְּמַשָּׂא שֶׁל אָב וְשֶׁל אֵם יַחַד, שֶׁדּוֹמֶה לְבֵן שֶׁיְּלָדַתּוּ אִמּוֹ וּמֵתָה, שֶׁהָאָב יַעֲשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה הָאָב וְהָאֵם. וְאוּלַי גַּם כֵּן שֶׁרָמַז לִשְׁנֵי זְמַנִּים שֶׁחַיָּב הָאָב לִשָּׂא עֹל הַבֵּן, הָאֶחָד הוּא דְּבַר תּוֹרָה שֶׁהוּא עַד בֶּן שֵׁשׁ עַד בֶּן שֶׁבַע (כתובות סה:), וְהַשֵּׁנִי מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים עַד בֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה (כתובות מט.). וַהֲגַם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא תִּקְּנוּ חֲזַ״ל תּוֹסֶפֶת זְמַן זֶה, הוּא עִנְיָן מֻשְׂכָּל לְדַעַת אֱנוֹשׁ, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה נָבִיא. וְתִמְצָא שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ״ל (יומא כח:) קִיֵּם אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ אֲפִלּוּ עֵרוּבֵי תַּבְשִׁילִין הֲגַם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא תִּקְּנוּם, כְּמוֹ כֵן יָדַע נְבִיא ה׳ מִתַּקָּנַת חֲזַ״ל. וְאָמַר עַל שְׁנֵי הַזְּמַנִּים **הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי** כְּנֶגֶד חִיּוּב הַתּוֹרָה, אִם **אָנֹכִי יְלִדְתִּיהוּ** כְּנֶגֶד חִיּוּב דִּבְרֵיהֶם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Moses may have alluded to two periods in the life of a son when the father is responsible for his deeds. The first period is an obligation of a biblical nature such as before the son reaches the age of five or six when he commences to study Torah. The second period is a rabbinic decree. According to the rabbis the father is responsible for misdemeanours committed by his son until the son reaches the age of 13 (compare *Ketuvot* 49 and 68 respectively). Although at the time Moses asked this question the Talmud had not yet added the additional years that a father is responsible for his son, it is something most people will accept readily, especially Moses who was a prophet. In view of the fact that Abraham is reputed to have observed all the rabbinic ordinances already in his time (*Yuma* 28) although they had not yet been instituted, Moses, with his prophetic insight certainly was aware of all these ordinances. Concerning the period during which a father is responsible for the deeds of his son by biblical injunction Moses asked האנכי הריתי, "did I conceive them?" Concerning the period during which a father is responsible for the deeds of his son by rabbinic ordinance he asked אם אנכי ילדתיהו "did I give birth to them?"


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:12:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:12:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:12:3)

וּפֵרוּשׁ תֵּיבַת ה״א שֶׁל הֶאָנֹכִי הִיא ה״א הַהַנָּחָה, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁמִּתְרַצֶּה מֹשֶׁה לְהִתְחַיֵּב בְּמַה שֶׁחַיָּב הָאָב לַבֵּן וַאֲפִלּוּ חִיּוּב שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הִנֵּה אֵלֶּה אֲנָשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים הֵמָּה לְמַעְלָה מִזְּמַן הַקָּצוּב, וְלָמָּה אַתָּה אוֹמֵר אֵלַי ״שָׂאֵהוּ בְחֵיקֶךָ״ לְאָדָם גָּדוֹל בְּשָׁנִים? לוּ יְהֵא שֶׁהֵם בָּנַי – הֲרֵינִי פָּטוּר מֵהֶם. וְעוֹד חוֹזֵר וְטוֹעֵן: לוּ יְהֵא שֶׁיָּדוּן בָּהֶם דִּין קָטָן לְצַד שֶׁהֵם מוּשְׁלָלִים בְּהַשָּׂגַת הַמָּזוֹן וְדִינָם כְּקָטָן, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא מִתְחַיֵּב לַעֲשׂוֹת מַה שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִים מִמֶּנִּי לָתֵת לָהֶם בָּשָׂר. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **מֵאַיִן לִי בָּשָׂר**, פֵּרוּשׁ, בִּשְׁלָמָא אִם הָיוּ שׁוֹאֲלִין מָזוֹן הַצָּרִיךְ – יִתְחַיֵּב מִדִּין אָב, אֲבָל הֵם שׁוֹאֲלִין מוֹתָרוֹת. וְעוֹד, הֲגַם שֶׁהֵם מוֹתָרוֹת, אִם הָיָה לוֹ עַל הָאָב לְשַׁעְשֵׁעַ בְּנוֹ כְּפִי יְכָלְתּוֹ, אֲבָל מֵאַיִן לִי וְגוֹ׳?

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The meaning of the letter ה in the word האנכי is one that expresses confirmation, i.e. willingness to accept the premise implied in both G'd's legislation and rabbinic ordinances. Had the children of Israel been minors, Moses would gladly have shouldered the responsibility that Jewish law imposes upon him. He complained that he should not be expected to shoulder that responsibility for people who had long since become adults and were responsible for their own actions. Even if the Israelites had been his own biological children he would long since have been free of the burden of being saddled with their mistakes. He added -by inference- that if he would have been asked to provide something minor for the Israelites, he would gladly have provided it providing it would be in his power to do so; however, how could he be expected to supply a whole nation with meat in the middle of the desert? By asking מאין לי בשר, Moses also implied that the request did not even constitute something necessary for the wellbeing of the people, it was merely a luxury!


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:14:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:14:1)

**לֹא אוּכַל אָנֹכִי לְבַדִּי וְגוֹ׳.** כָּאן הֶחְלִיט הָרָצוֹן, כִּי לֹא תַּרְעוֹמֶת לְבַד הוּא מִתְרַעֵם אֲבָל יַסְכִּים לָשֵׂאת, אֶלָּא גִּלָּה דַּעְתּוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לִשָּׂא לְבַדּוֹ, וְנָתַן הַטַּעַם לֹא חָס וְשָׁלוֹם שֶׁמְּמָאֵן עֲשׂוֹת מַאֲמַר ה׳ אֶלָּא שֶׁשִּׁעֵר שֶׁהוּא מַשָּׂא כָּבֵד מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא יוּכַל שְׂאֵתוֹ:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**לא אוכל אנכי לבדי לשאת, I cannot carry (this burden) all by myself."** Here Moses revealed his own wishes in the matter. He told G'd that his refusal to carry the load all by himself was not due to lack of good will to carry out G'd's assignment but to his conviction that it was beyond his ability to do so.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:15:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:15:1)

**וְאִם כָּכָה אַתְּ עֹשֶׂה לִּי וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, חָשׁ כִּי יֹאמַר ה׳ אֵלָיו לָשֵׂאת בְּעַל כָּרְחוֹ, הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל, עַל מְנָת כֵּן יַעֲבֹד ה׳ עַד יְצִיאַת נְשָׁמָה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ו:ה) ״בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ״. לָזֶה אָמַר **וְאִם** וְגוֹ׳ **הָרְגֵנִי נָא**, פֵּרוּשׁ, עַתָּה מָסַר נַפְשׁוֹ וְלֹא יִשָּׂא עוֹד הַמַּשָּׂא לְבַדּוֹ. וְנָתַן הַטַּעַם **וְאַל אֶרְאֶה בְּרָעָתִי**, פֵּרוּשׁ, דָּבָר הַגּוֹרֵם רַע לַנֶּפֶשׁ שֶׁעָלָיו יַקְפִּידוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים. וְהָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ צָעַק לִבּוֹ הִיא שֶׁאִם יַהַרְגוּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְחַיְּבוּ כְּלָיָה וְנִמְצָא שֶׁגָּרְמוּ לוֹ לְהַעֲנִישָׁם. גַּם לָזֶה יֵחָשֵׁב תַּחֲלוּאֵי הַנֶּפֶשׁ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַאֲמַר (משלי יז:כו) ״גַּם עֲנוֹשׁ לַצַּדִּיק״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואם ככה את עשה לי, "but if You will deal thus with me, etc."** Moses was afraid that G'd would say to him that he must continue to carry this burden even against his will as it is the fate of a servant of G'd that he continue to serve his G'd until he dies, as we know from Deut 6,5 where we are commanded to love G'd with our entire soul, i.e. even if we have to die in the process. This is why Moses said: "if that is my fate then please let me die now." He added that the reason he asked to die now was so that he would not be a witness to his own failure as a leader. Moses was afraid that if instead of G'd letting him die the people would kill him for not providing meat, he would become the cause of their becoming guilty of murder. Their punishment would be that they would be wiped out by G'd. He, Moses, would much rather die now than for Israel to become guilty of such a crime. Solomon expressed such a thought in *Proverbs* 17,27 when he said: "it is not good for the righteous to become the cause of retribution."


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:15:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:15:2)

וְכָפַל לוֹמַר **הָרְגֵנִי נָא הָרֹג**, לוֹמַר שֶׁהָרוּג הוּא אִם לֹא יַהַרְגֵהוּ ה׳, כִּי וַדַּאי שֶׁיַּהַרְגוּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִם כֵּן כְּשֶׁה׳ הוֹרֵג אוֹתוֹ אֵינוֹ הוֹרֵג אֶלָּא אָדָם הָרוּג, גַּבְרָא קְטִילָא קָטִיל, וְתֵיבַת ״הָרוֹג״ נִדְרֶשֶׁת בְּנִקּוּד שׁוּרוּק. וְרַזַ״ל אָמְרוּ (ילקוט במדבר תשל״ה; מדרש תהלים כג) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: אִם לֹא אֶתֵּן הֵם הוֹרְגִים אוֹתִי, וְאִם אֲדַבֵּר כְּנֶגְדְּךָ אַתָּה הוֹרְגֵנִי. וְהַכָּתוּב יְכַוֵּין לְכָל הַדְּרָכִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The reason Moses repeated the words הרגני נא הרוג, was that he was certain he would meet with death either at the hands of G'd or at the hands of Israel. If G'd were to kill him now, therefore, He would only be taking the life of a person who was already dead for all practical purposes. In order to interpret the verse in this way the word *harog* must be read as *harug. Yalkut Shimoni* item 735 on our verse expresses it thus: "If I do not give them meat they will kill me; on the other hand, if I oppose You (by speaking against You) You will be forced to kill me." The wording of our verse can tolerate all these various interpretations.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:16:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:16:1)

**אֶסְפָה לִּי וְגוֹ׳ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.** וְלֹא אָמַר ״אֶסְפָה לִּי וְגוֹ׳ שִׁבְעִים זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, יִרְמֹז לְמַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (במדבר רבה טו,כא) שֶׁהַשִּׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים שֶׁאָסַף בְּמִצְרַיִם נֶהֶרְגוּ כֻּלָּן עִם חוּר, לָזֶה אָמַר אֵלָיו שֶׁיֶּאֱסֹף שִׁבְעִים אֲחֵרִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאָמַר תֵּיבַת **לִי** שֶׁיִּתְכַּוֵּן בַּדָּבָר לִשְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַטְעֵהוּ הַשָּׂטָן בְּזָקֵן שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָכוֹן, וּכְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִשְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָּבָר רָע.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אספה לי שבעים איש, "gather for Me seventy men, etc."** G'd did not say: "gather **the** seventy elders for Me." This is proof of what *Bamidbar Rabbah* 15,21 stated that the elders who had accompanied Moses on the way from Egypt had all been killed at the same time as Chur the son of Miriam. This is why G'd instructed Moses to appoint others in their place from amongst the elders of Israel. G'd added the word לי "for Me," to tell Moses that he must have in mind that these elders would perform a task for G'd so that he would not be misled by Satan to appoint someone not qualified. Once Moses had the right intention in appointing them he would be protected by the principle that people in the process of performing a good deed will not be thwarted in their intention.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:16:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:16:2)

**עוֹד** נִתְכַּוֵּן שֶׁאֲסִיפָתָם תִּהְיֶה לַה׳, שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ הַמִּנּוּי וְהַשְּׂרָרָה מֵה׳ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא מִמֹּשֶׁה. עוֹד יִרְצֶה שֶׁיֹּאמַר לָהֶם, הֲגַם שֶׁזְּקֵנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נֶהֶרְגוּ, לֹא יִמְנְעוּ עַצְמָם הֵם מִגֶּשֶׁת אֶל הַמִּנּוּי, הֲגַם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נֶאֱסָפִים, פֵּרוּשׁ נֶהֱרָגִים, לִי לִשְׁמִי, כְּדֶרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהילים מד:כג) ״כִּי עָלֶיךָ הוֹרַגְנוּ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Another meaning of the word לי is that G'd would confirm the appointments and the authority of these elders would be derived directly from G'd rather than merely from Moses. G'd also used this word to encourage people to accept this position as they might have been afraid remembering the fate that had befallen the first set of elders who had been murdered by the mob. By describing the appointment of these elders with the word אסיפה, a term used for death, G'd made clear that He considered the elders who had been killed as having died in the service of the Lord. Compare Psalms 44,23 כי עליך הורגנו כל היום, "for it is for Your sake that we are getting killed all day long."


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:16:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:16:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:16:3)

**זִקְנֵי הָעָם וְשֹׁטְרָיו.** פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁהֵם בְּעֵינֵי הָעָם נֶחְשָׁבִים וִיכוֹלִין לִרְדּוֹת בָּהֶם וְיֶחֶרְדוּ לְמַאֲמָרָם, וְהוּא מַאֲמַר **וְשֹׁטְרָיו.**

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**זקני העם ושוטריו, the elders of the people and its officers."** They should be people who could command the respect and obedience of the people. All this is implied in the word ושוטריו.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:17:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:17:1)

**וְאָצַלְתִּי מִן הָרוּחַ וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם סֵדֶר זֶה, לְהַרְאוֹתוֹ כִּי ה׳ נָתַן בּוֹ כֹּחַ שֶׁיָּכוֹל שְׂאֵת מַשָּׂא כָּל הָעָם, וּכְשֶׁמֵּאֵן חָזַר וְנָטַל מִמֶּנּוּ מַה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַבָּאִים לָשֵׂאת עִמּוֹ בְּמַשָּׂא הָעָם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואצלתי מן הרוח, "and I will hold back from the spirit, etc."** The manner in which the Torah describes the transfer of part of Moses' Holy Spirit to the elders was meant to emphasise that Moses had possessed sufficient Holy Spirit to cope with the task allocated to Him by G'd. G'd did not need to increase the total amount of Holy Spirit available for that task. He simply reduced the amount of Holy Spirit which Moses had enjoyed up until that time.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:17:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:17:2)

**וְלֹא תִשָּׂא אַתָּה לְבַדֶּךָ.** כָּאן הֶחְלִיט מִמֶּנּוּ הַחֲזָרָה, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁיַּחְזֹר מֹשֶׁה לוֹמַר אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי, אָמַר ה׳ אֵלָיו לֹא תִשָּׂא אַתָּה לְבַדֶּךָ. עוֹד רָמַז לוֹ שֶׁבְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַדָּבָר לֹא תִשָּׁאֵר הַנְּשִׂיאוּת וְהַמַּעֲלָה לְמֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ, וְהוּא מַאֲמַר **וְלֹא תִשָּׂא** לְשׁוֹן נְשִׂיאוּת רֹאשׁ – לֹא תִהְיֶה לְבַדְּךָ כְּבַתְּחִלָּה. שׁוּב בָּא לְיָדִי מַאֲמַר חֲזַ״ל (במדבר רבה פט״ו) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, אֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ בִּינָה וָדַעַת לְפַרְנֵס אֶת בָּנַי וְתִתְיַחֵד אַתָּה בְּאוֹתָהּ גְּדֻלָּה, עַכְשָׁיו מִשֶּׁלְּךָ הֵם נוֹטְלִים, עַד כָּאן. עוֹד יִתְבָּאֵר לִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמְרִים (סנהדרין יז.) ״וְלֹא יָסָפוּ״ – לֹא פָּסְקוּ, וּבָזֶה **וְלֹא תִשָּׂא** לְשׁוֹן נְבוּאָה, כְּאָמְרוֹ (מלאכי א:א) ״מַשָּׂא דְּבַר ה׳״, פֵּרוּשׁ לֹא תִהְיֶה אַתָּה נָבִיא לְבַדְּךָ אֶלָּא יִהְיוּ כָּל הַזְּקֵנִים נְבִיאִים גַּם כֵּן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ולא תשא אתה לבדך, "so that you will not bear it alone."** In this verse G'd precluded Moses from retracting on his complaint and expressing willingness to carry on as before. The words לא תשא are equivalent to G'd saying: "you will no longer carry the burden alone under any circumstances." The verse also hints that henceforth Moses' exalted position of authority would no longer be exclusive, and that he would have to share his authority. This is a secondary meaning of the word תשא, i.e. "you will no longer be the only one who has been elevated to high stature." I have come across the following remarks in *Bamidbar Rabbah* 15: "G'd said to Moses I have equipped you with sufficient insight and knowledge to be a provider for My children and you have been the only one equipped with such stature. From now on they will take from what is yours." According to the scholars who have said in *Sanhedrin* 17 that the words ולא יספו (11,25) mean that Eldod and Medod did not stop prophesying the words לא תשא may refer to a prophecy such as the word משא in Maleachi 1,1. Accordingly G'd told Moses that henceforth he would no longer be the only prophet in Israel but would have to share that distinction with the elders.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:18:1)

**הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ לְמָחָר וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן עַד מָחָר, לְפִי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי כאן) שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ בְּתֵיבַת ״הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ״, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: הַזְמִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם לְפוּרְעָנוּת, עַד כָּאן. לָזֶה לֹא רָצָה ה׳ לָתֵת לָהֶם תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד, עַד שֶׁהוֹדִיעָם כִּי פּוּרְעָנוּת הוּא נוֹתֵן לָהֶם בִּנְתִינַת הַבָּשָׂר, וְהִתְרָה בָּהֶם וְהֶאֱרִיךְ לָהֶם זְמַן וְאָמַר עַד **לְמָחָר**, וּבָזֶה יִהְיֶה לָהֶם הַלַּיְלָה לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ, אוּלַי יָשׁוּבוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְיִנָּחֵם ה׳ עַל הָרָעָה, כִּי לֹא יַחְפּוֹץ ה׳ לְהַשְׁחִית עַמּוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**התקדשו למחר, "sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, etc."** According to *Sifri* on our verse the reason why G'd did not provide the meat until the following day was that they saw in the word התקדשו a warning of approaching disaster. This is how the *Sifri* words this. G'd said: "prepare yourselves for disaster." G'd wanted to issue a warning that the very fact that He granted their request for meat was some kind of disaster. He gave them a period of time to desist from their urge to eat meat. If they would repent G'd would relent from His intention to bring disaster upon them.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:18:2)

**וַאֲכַלְתֶּם בָּשָׂר.** אָמַר **וַאֲכַלְתֶּם** בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא״ו לְדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי) שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם הָכִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם וְכוּ׳, כְּפִי זֶה יֻצְדַּק לוֹמַר ״וַאֲכַלְתֶּם״, כִּי הוּא הוֹדָעַת עִנְיָן נוֹסָף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹן: הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ לְפוּרְעָנוּת, וְעוֹד וַאֲכַלְתֶּם בָּשָׂר.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואכלתם בשר, "and you will eat meat."** The additional letter ו at the beginning of the word ואכלתם refers to the period of preparation which had preceded the Israelites' eating of the meat (*Sifri*.) The verse would then have two messages, 1) prepare yourselves for disaster, 2) you will eat (meat).


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:18:3)

**כִּי בְּכִיתֶם וְגוֹ׳.** מַשְׁמַע כִּי יַקְפִּיד ה׳ עַל הַבֶּכִי, וְצָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה כִּעוּר יֵשׁ בַּבֶּכִי מִצַּד עַצְמוֹ. וְנִרְאֶה כִּי טַעַם הַהַקְפָּדָה הוּא לְצַד שֶׁהַבֶּכִי יוֹרֶה עַל חִסָּרוֹן הַמֻּחְלָט בִּשְׁלִילַת הַהַשָּׂגָה, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן הָיָה לָהֶם לִשְׁאֹל מֵה׳ כְּבֵן הַשּׁוֹאֵל מֵאָבִיו אֶת אֲשֶׁר תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשׁוֹ, וּמִמַּה שֶׁבָּכוּ יוֹרֶה כִּי הַדָּבָר מֻחְלָט אֶצְלָם כִּי ה׳ אֵין לוֹ כֹּחַ חָס וְשָׁלוֹם לָתֵת שְׁאֵלָתָם, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **מִי יַאֲכִלֵנוּ**, לוֹמַר אֵין מִי שֶׁיּוּכַל עֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר זֶה. וְכֵן תִּמְצָא בּוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ״ל (ספרי) שֶׁאָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין כֹּחַ וְכוּ׳, וְזוֹ כְּפִירָה בִּיכֹלֶת הַיָּכוֹל עַל כֹּל בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְעַיֵּן בַּפָּסוּק שֶׁאַחֲרֵי זֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**כי בכיתם, "for you have wept."** This reveals that G'd pays (angry) attention to weeping. We need to understand why G'd considers the very act of weeping as something ugly, detestable. Weeping may be perceived as a manifestation of someone having totally abandoned any hope of achieving a certain important objective. Were this not so they should have at least asked G'd, much as a son asks his father for his heart's desire. When one weeps instead of asking G'd to grant one's wish, this reflects one's belief in G'd's inability to grant one's wish. The very words מי יאכילנו בשר, "who could possibly give us meat to eat?" indicate the lack of faith of Israel at that time. *Sifri* on our verse says that Israel said: "G'd is unable to provide our request."


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:4
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:18:4)

**בְּאָזְנֵי ה׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא חָשׁוּ לְדַבֵּר כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, הֲגַם שֶׁה׳ שׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹכָם, וְהַמְּדַבְּרִים מַרְגִּישִׁים וְיוֹדְעִים כִּי שׁוֹמֵעַ שׁוֹכֵן בְּתוֹכָם, וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה חֲצִיפוּת גְּדוֹלָה עַד מְאֹד לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי כְּפִירָה בְּאָזְנֵי ה׳, וְעַיֵּין בַּפָּסוּק שֶׁאַחַר זֶה:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**באזני השם. "in the ears of G'd."** The Torah emphasises that the Israelites spoke thus (verse 5) although they must have been aware that G'd heard everything they said to Moses seeing He dwelt amongst them. It is a special חוצפה, effrontery, to utter such words when one knows G'd hears them. What they said in verse 6 was even worse, especially since G'd quotes them in our verse as having said that they were better off in Egypt than at present.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:5
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:18:5)

**כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת כַּוָּנַת אָמְרוֹ תֵּיבַת **כִּי כִּי**, גַּם אֵין לָהּ שִׁעוּר נָכוֹן בְּקוֹטֶב לָשׁוֹן הַנִּשְׁמָע. וְאוּלַי שֶׁיּוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב כִּי כָּל כָּךְ עָצְמָה תַּאֲוַת הַבָּשָׂר עַד שֶׁבָּחֲרוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם לֶאֱכוֹל בָּהּ בָּשָׂר. עוֹד יִתְבָּאֵר הַכָּתוּב עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ **כִּי בְּכִיתֶם בְּאָזְנֵי ה׳ לֵאמֹר**, פֵּרוּשׁ, טַעַם הַבֶּכִי שֶׁהִשְׁמַעְתֶּם לְאָזְנֵי ה׳ הוּא ״מִי יַאֲכִילֵנוּ בָּשָׂר״, זֶה הָיָה בְּגֶדֶר הַמַּאֲמָר, אֲבָל רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ בּוֹחֵן לִבּוֹתָם יוֹדֵעַ כִּי חֶפְצָם בְּתַכְלִית הַדְּבָרִים הוּא כִּי יוֹתֵר טוֹב לָהֶם מִצְרַיִם, כִּי בּוֹחֲרִים אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִשֶּׁבֶת בִּשְׁכוּנַת הַשְּׁכִינָה, וְלָזֶה חָרָה אַף ה׳ בָּהֶם וְאָמַר הַזְמִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם לְפֻרְעָנוּת. וּבָזֶה תִּמְצָא נַחַת רוּחַ בְּמַאֲמַר ה׳ שֶׁאָמַר לְבַסּוֹף **יַעַן מְאַסְתֶּם אֶת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבְּכֶם** וְגוֹ׳, וְלֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁהֻזְכַּר זֶה בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם, וּלְפִי מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ יִתְיַשֵּׁב עַל נָכוֹן. גַּם יְדֻיַּק אָמְרוֹ **מְאַסְתֶּם אֶת ה׳** בְּיִתְרוֹן תֵּיבַת ״אֶת״, כִּי נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁמָּאֲסוּ לִהְיוֹת עִם ה׳ הַשּׁוֹכֵן אִתָּם וְחוֹשְׁקִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**כי טוב לנו במצרים, "for we were better off in Egypt."** We have to analyse why the Torah uses the word כי in כי בכיתם in our verse. Was the fact that they cried a reason to provide meat? It appears exaggerated to polarize one's craving for meat to the point where one prefers slavery under sub-human conditions in Egypt. Perhaps, at that moment, their desire to eat meat was really so great that they were willing to return to Egypt [not necessarily as slaves, Ed.] in order to indulge their craving. Alternatively, we may understand that G'd understood the deeper meaning of the weeping as only superficially connected with their craving for meat. The truth of the matter was that G'd understood that they craved to return to Egypt, and that the non-availability of meat was only an excuse to hide the people's real complaint. In essence the Israelites preferred a sojourn in Egypt to having G'd in their midst. This is why G'd told them to prepare themselves for disaster. The Torah expresses this explicitly in verse 20: "because you have despised the Lord Who is in your midst, etc." The use by the Torah of the word את underlines the odious comparison of the people choosing between dwelling **את** השם, "with G'd" or in Egypt.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:6
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:18:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:18:6)

**וְנָתַן ה׳ לָכֶם בָּשָׂר וַאֲכַלְתֶּם.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה חָזַר לוֹמַר הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ. עוֹד שֶׁלֹּא הִסְפִּיק בְּמַאֲמַר ״וְנָתַן״ וְגוֹ׳ וְאָמַר **וַאֲכַלְתֶּם**, וַהֲלֹא מוּבָן הוּא הַדָּבָר שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ הַנִּתָּן לָהֶם. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר לָהֶם שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁאָמַר ״הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ לְמָחָר״ וְגוֹ׳ וּפֵרַשְׁנוּהוּ שֶׁבָּא לוֹמַר שֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְלֹא יִהְיֶה פֻּרְעָנוּת, וְלָזֶה נָתַן לָהֶם זְמַן עַד מָחָר, כָּל זֶה יִהְיֶה קֹדֶם נְתִינַת הַבָּשָׂר לָהֶם, אֲבָל אַחַר שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶם הַבָּשָׂר לֹא תּוֹעִיל הַחֲרָטָה וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה לָהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יֹאכְלוּהוּ, וְהוּא מַאֲמַר **וְנָתַן ה׳ לָכֶם בָּשָׂר** אָז **וַאֲכַלְתֶּם**, צְרִיכִין אַתֶּם לֶאֱכֹל בְּחִיּוּב. וּבְדֶרֶךְ רֶמֶז כָּפַל לוֹמַר כֵּן לִרְמֹז לָהֶם שֶׁאִם יַחְזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה גַּם כֵּן עַל כָּל פָּנִים יֹאכְלוּ בָּשָׂר, כִּי יָצָא דְבַר מֶלֶךְ שִׁלְטוֹן, וְהֵם לֹא הֵבִינוּ הַדְּבָרִים, אוֹ הֵבִינוּ וְלֹא הִצְדִּיקוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ונתן ה׳ לכם בשר ואכלתם, "and the Lord will give you meat and you will eat."** Why did the Torah repeat this for a second time in the same verse? Besides, the word "you will eat" is basically superfluous; why would G'd give them the meat if not to eat? I believe that although G'd had told them to sanctify themselves only in anticipation of the following day, so as to give them time to do *Teshuvah,* the Torah says that the repentance had to occur before they actually received the meat. Once they received the meat, ואכלתם, "you have to eat it." The second expression ונתן ה׳ לכם בשר ואכלתם is an order then, whereas the first time it could be understood as a promise or as a threat. On a moral/ethical plane one may even understand that if their attitude would undergo a change then, although they would eat the meat given to them, it would not prove harmful. Of course, the people either did not understand this hint, or they understood it but did not take it to heart.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:19:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:19:1)

**לֹא יוֹם אֶחָד וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם אָרְכָּן שֶׁל דְּבָרִים, וְהַכַּוָּנָה בָּהֶם, לְפִי מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּמַאֲמַר ״וַאֲכַלְתֶּם בָּשָׂר״ כִּי מִצְוַת מֶלֶךְ הוּא לְחַיְּבָם לֶאֱכוֹל, וּלְצַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁתַּשְׁלִים תַּאֲוָתוֹ בַּאֲכִילַת בָּשָׂר בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, וְיֵשׁ בִּשְׁנַיִם, וְיֵשׁ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה, וְיֵשׁ בַּעֲשָׂרָה, וְיֵשׁ בְּעֶשְׂרִים, וְיֹאמַר הָאָדָם ״הִנֵּה הִשְׁלַמְתִּי תַּאֲוָתִי״ וְלֹא יֹאכַל עוֹד, לָזֶה בָּא דְּבַר מֶלֶךְ לְהַמַּשְׁלִים תַּאֲוָתוֹ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד כָּתַב אַזְהָרָה ״לֹא יוֹם אֶחָד״, וּלְהַמַּשְׁלִים תַּאֲוָתוֹ בִּשְׁנַיִם בָּאָה עָלָיו הָאַזְהָרָה ״וְלֹא יוֹמָיִם״, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם, וְהִגְבִּיל לָהֶם שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם בְּחִיּוּב הָאֲכִילָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּמְאָסוּהוּ וְהָיָה לְזָרָא בְּטֶבַע אֱנוֹשִׁי תְּמוּרַת הַתַּאֲוָה בּוֹ, וּמֵעַתָּה כָּל הַמְבַטֵּל מֵאֲכִילָתוֹ יוֹם אֶחָד הֲרֵי זֶה עָבַר עַל לָאו וּבִטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**לא יום אחד, "not one day, etc."** We must understand the reason why the Torah describes the time the Israelites would eat meat in such detail when the gist of it could have been written in far fewer words. I believe the key to understanding this lies in our previous commentary on the second ואכלתם being a command rather than a promise. Some people can satisfy their craving for meat after having eaten meat one day, whereas others may require a far longer period on a meat diet before they have satisfied their craving. The Torah warns that even people who normally can satisfy their craving after a single day will not be allowed to do so; similarly, people who would normally require say ten days to satisfy their craving would not be allowed to do so. The respective introduction: "not one day," "not two days," etc., are to tell us that the normal manner in which these people satisfy their cravings would not apply in this instance. The limit the Torah prescribes is 30 days, at which time the meat would become repulsive. This teaches that if someone stopped eating meat before these thirty days were complete he would have violated the positive commandment of ואכלתם.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:21:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:21:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳ הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר וְגוֹ׳.** נִפְלְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי הַדְּבָרִים מִמִּי שֶׁאֲמָרָם, שֶׁאֵין נָכוֹן לֵאָמֵר כָּזֶה אֲפִלּוּ מֵאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא הִכִּיר גְּדֻלַּת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי) מֵהֶם חָשְׁבוּ לוֹ לְחֵטְא, וּמֵהֶם אָמְרוּ כִּי עַל מַפַּלְתָּן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְפַּלֵּא, לָמָּה יוּמְתוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וְגוֹ׳ בִּשְׁבִיל הַבָּשָׂר. וְהַדְּרָשָׁה תִּדָּרֵשׁ, אֲבָל עַל כָּל פָּנִים צָרִיךְ לְיַשֵּׁב פְּשָׁטָן שֶׁל דְּבָרִים. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה חָזַר לוֹמַר הַדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים **וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ בָּשָׂר אֶתֵּן.** עוֹד צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה תְּמִיהָא הִיא זֹאת **הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר** וְגוֹ׳, גַּם בְּלֹא נֵס יֵשׁ לָהֶם מִקְנֶה לִזּוֹן מִמֶּנּוּ חֹדֶשׁ יָמִים, וּמִקְרָא מָלֵא דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב (שמות י״ב:ל״ח) ״וְגַם עֵרֶב רַב וְגוֹ׳ וְצֹאן וּבָקָר״ וְגוֹ׳. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הִגְזִים כָּל כָּךְ בְּכָל דְּגֵי הַיָּם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ כָּל דְּגֵי הַיָּם לְהִסְתַּפֵּק מֵהֶם חֹדֶשׁ יָמִים, וַהֲלֹא כָּל הָעוֹלָם אוֹכְלִים דָּגִים שֶׁהֵם כִּפְלַיִם כָּל כָּךְ פְּעָמִים עַל שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל?

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויאמר משה….הצאן ובקר ישחט, Moses said:…."Will flocks and herds be slaughtered, etc?"** I find it incredible that Moses could have questioned G'd in such a manner, something that even a person of far lesser stature than Moses would not have dared. Some of our sages quoted in *Sifri* consider Moses' question as sinful, others understand Moses' question as querying why 600.000 Israelites should die eating meat. There are all kinds of homiletical answers. We must address the plain meaning of the words. Moreover, we must also understand why Moses repeated the words ואתה אמרת בשר אתן, "and You have said 'I will give meat;'" Besides, what did Moses mean about the flocks and herds? Surely the Israelites had sufficient flocks and herds with them to provide meat for thirty days! Did the Torah not make a point of saying in Exodus 12,38 that they took with them a large number of flocks and herds? Furthermore, why did Moses exaggerate so much when referring to: "all the fish in the ocean?" How could he speak about all the fish in the ocean being required to feed 600,000 people for thirty days when the entire population of the world is in the habit of eating fish all year round and the supply of fish is not exhausted?


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:21:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:21:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:21:2)

**אָכֵן** יִתְיַשְּׁבוּ הַכְּתוּבִים בִּשְׁנֵי דְּרָכִים. הָאֶחָד, כְּשֶׁאָמַר ה׳ אֵלָיו שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶם בָּשָׂר סְתָם, הֵבִין מֹשֶׁה מַשְׁמָעוּת הַדְּבָרִים כִּי מִין אֶחָד שֶׁל בָּשָׂר יִתֵּן לָהֶם, לָזֶה אָמַר לְפָנָיו **שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ וּמִנְיָן רַב כָּזֶה יִמָּצֵא בָּהֶם דֵּעוֹת שׁוֹנוֹת, זֶה יַחְפֹּץ בְּשַׂר צֹאן, וְזֶה יַחְפֹּץ בָּקָר, וְזֶה אַיִל וּצְבִי, וְזֶה עוֹפוֹת, וְזֶה דָּגִים, **וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ בָּשָׂר אֶתֵּן לָהֶם** מַשְׁמַע מִין בָּשָׂר אֶחָד, מַה הִיא הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁתִּתֵּן, **הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר וְגוֹ׳ וּמָצָא לָהֶם**, פֵּרוּשׁ מְבֻקָּשָׁם, **אִם אֶת כָּל דְּגֵי** פֵּרוּשׁ מִינֵי דָגִים וְגוֹ׳ **וּמָצָא לָהֶם** פֵּרוּשׁ מְבֻקָּשָׁם, הֲלֹא כְּשֶׁתִּתֵּן לָהֶם בְּשַׂר צֹאן וּבָקָר יֹאמְרוּ חֲפֵצִים בְּאַיָּל וּצְבִי, וּכְשֶׁתִּתֵּן לָהֶם אַיָּל וּצְבִי יֹאמְרוּ חֲפֵצִים בִּבְשַׂר עוֹפוֹת, וּכְשֶׁתִּתֵּן לָהֶם עוֹפוֹת יֹאמְרוּ דָּגִים. וְרָשַׁם שְׁנֵי קְצָווֹת הַבָּשָׂר, צֹאן וּבָקָר, וְקָצֶה הָאַחֲרוֹן – בְּשַׂר דָּגִים, וְהַדְּרָגוֹת אֶמְצָעִיִּים שֶׁבֵּין בְּשַׂר צֹאן וּבָקָר לִבְשַׂר דָּגִים מוּבָנִים. וְאָמַר **כָּל דְּגֵי הַיָּם** פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא יוֹעִיל בְּמִינִים מֵהַדָּגִים אֶלָּא אִם יָבִיא כָּל מִינֵי דָגִים שֶׁבַּיָּם, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה – הַמִּין הֶחָסֵר יִבְכּוּ עָלָיו, וּמֵעַתָּה אֵין סְתִימַת פִּיהֶם זוּלַת כָּל מִינֵי בָּשָׂר בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה וְכָל מִינֵי עוֹפוֹת וְכָל מִינֵי דָגִים הַמַּסְפִּיקִים לָהֶם חֹדֶשׁ יָמִים. נִמְצֵאת אוֹמֵר שֶׁעִקַּר הַפְלָאָתוֹ הָיְתָה לְצַד שֶׁהֵבִין מִדִּבְרֵי ה׳ כִּי מִין אֶחָד שֶׁל בָּשָׂר, וְאִין הָכֵי נַמֵּי אִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶם כָּל מִינִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם שֶׁל בָּשָׂר לֹא הָיָה מַתְמִיהַּ. וּבָזֶה נִתְיַשְּׁבוּ כָּל הַדִּקְדּוּקִים וְדִבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה חֵן. וְעִקַּר כַּוָּנַת מֹשֶׁה בָּזֶה אוּלַי יִמָּנַע מִתֵּת הַבָּשָׂר וְלֹא יָמוּתוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי ה׳ תָּלָה זֶה בָּזֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
There may be two different approaches to explaining our verses according to the פשט, the plain meaning of the text. When G'd told Moses first that He would give the children of Israel meat to eat without specifying how much and for how long, Moses assumed that G'd spoke about one single category of meat. This is why he pointed out that there were 600,000 and that it was likely that in order to satisfy the people's craving there had to be more than one species of meat seeing each one of the Israelites craved for something different such as fowl, venison, fish, etc. Moses therefore queried: "and You have said: 'I will give meat,' i.e. only one category of meat?" He queried what kind of meat G'd planned to provide, if flocks, herds or fish? When Moses referred to fish, he did not refer to the total number of fish in the ocean but to all the varieties of fish in the ocean. The words ומצא להם, mean "could enough varieties be found to satisfy all the different tastes the Israelites craved to experience. He suggested that if G'd were to provide flocks and herds, they would claim they wanted gazelles and deer. If G'd were to provide those, they would claim that they wanted fowl. Moses mentioned only the two extremes, i.e. flocks and herds, and he spoke of fish to symbolise the various kinds of meat between herds and flocks. The words "all the fish in the sea" refer to the total number of varieties of fish. Basically, Moses certainly did not question G'd's ability but he mentioned the enormous effort G'd would have to make to satisfy these people's cravings. Had G'd been more specific saying He would provide the various kinds of meat there are, Moses would not have wondered about anything at all. We may assume that Moses' main purpose in raising objections was to prevent the Israelites' wish being granted so that they would not die as a result of having their wish granted.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:21:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:21:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:21:3)

**וְדֶרֶךְ** שֵׁנִי עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות נח.) שֶׁאָמְרוּ אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה נֵס לַשֶּׁקֶר, וּלְצַד שֶׁאָמַר ה׳ אֵלָיו שֶׁהַבָּשָׂר הוּא חַרְבָּם כְּמַאֲמָרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (במדבר יא:כ) בְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִׁ״י ״וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְזָרָא״ שֶׁכֵּן קוֹרִין וְכוּ׳ לְחֶרֶב זָרָא, אִם כֵּן לֹא עַל הַנֵּס מְדַבֵּר הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ מִבָּשָׂר הַנִּמְצָא. וְעַל זֶה תָּמַהּ שֶׁאֵין נִמְצָא לָהֶם לֶאֱכֹל שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. וּמַאֲמַר **בָּשָׂר אֶתֵּן לָהֶם** שֶׁנִּרְאֶה שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ מֵחָדָשׁ, פֵּרוּשׁ הוּא שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶם רְשׁוּת לְאָכְלוֹ, לְצַד שֶׁעַד עַתָּה לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם רְשׁוּת לֶאֱכֹל מִמִּקְנֵיהֶם וְהָיוּ לַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וְאָמַר ה׳ כִּי יִתֵּן לָהֶם רְשׁוּת לֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר. וּמַאֲמַר **אִם אֶת כָּל דְּגֵי הַיָּם**, פֵּרוּשׁ לְצַד שֶׁהָיוּ לָהֶם דָּגִים מֵהַבְּאֵר שֶׁהָיְתָה הוֹלֶכֶת עִמָּהֶם, אֲבָל לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם הִסְתַּפְּקוּת אֲפִלּוּ לְיוֹם אֶחָד בַּחֹדֶשׁ, כְּשֶׁשִּׁעֵר מֹשֶׁה דָּבָר הַצָּרִיךְ לְשִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם שִׁעֵר שֶׁכָּל דָּגִים שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת שָׁם בַּנִּמְצָא לֹא יַסְפִּיקוּ. וּבְדֶרֶךְ נֵס כְּבָר אָמַרְנוּ שֶׁסָּבַר שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה ה׳ נֵס לְתַכְלִית דָּבָר רַע כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי. וּלְדֶרֶךְ זֶה תְּמִיהַת מֹשֶׁה תְּמִיהָא וְאֵין עָלָיו אַשְׁמַת דָּבָר, כִּי אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה חֶסְרוֹן בִּיכֹלֶת ה׳ חָס וְשָׁלוֹם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The second approach is based on *Berachot* 58 where we are told that G'd does not perform a miracle in order to deceive the "beneficiaries" of that miracle. [I have my doubt that this is a correct interpretation of that statement in the Talmud. Ed.] Seeing that G'd had said that the meat would become זרא, loathsome to the Israelites, Rashi explains that the word means also חרב, sword, in some language, i.e. that the reference is not to the meat that **G'd would provide** but to meat the Israelites had in their possession at that time. In that event we can understand Moses wondering if the Israelites had a sufficient supply of animals to provide a continuous meat diet for thirty days. G'd replied that בשר אתן להם, that He Himself would give them permission to eat the herds they had brought out of Egypt. Apparently, up until that moment the Israelites had not been allowed to slaughter their animals for anything other than sacrificial meat. When Moses spoke about the fish of the ocean, he referred to the fish in the brook which was the באר של מרים, the well which travelled with the people. Moses calculated that the amount of fish in that brook was not even sufficient to provide the nation with fish for a single day, much less for thirty days. We have already mentioned that Moses did not think that G'd would perform a miracle in order to deceive people and to have them perish as a result of that miracle, so that he did not think G'd would miraculously increase the number of fish. Considering all this, Moses' surprise was certainly legitimate and does not constitute a lack of faith in G'd's ability to provide.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:23:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:23:1)

**הֲיַד ה׳ תִּקְצָר וְגוֹ׳ הֲיִקְרְךָ דְבָרִי וְגוֹ׳.** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי שְׁנֵי הַדְּרָכִים שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, לַדֶּרֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ שֶׁתְּמִיהַת מֹשֶׁה הָיְתָה כִּי לֹא יִסְתַּפְּקוּ כֻּלָּם בְּמִין בָּשָׂר הַנִּתָּן לָהֶם וְתַרְעוֹמְתָּם עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד, הוֹדִיעוֹ ה׳ כִּי יֵשׁ יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לָתֵת מִין בָּשָׂר שֶׁיְּמַלֵּא כָּל תַּאֲוָתָם בּוֹ, וְהוּא מַאֲמַר **הֲיַד ה׳ תִּקְצָר**, פֵּרוּשׁ לָתֵת בְּמִין בָּשָׂר אֶחָד דֵּי סִפּוּקָם כָּל אֲשֶׁר יִתְאַוּוּ כָּל הַמִּתְאַוִּים. וְאָמְרוֹ **עַתָּה תִרְאֶה הֲיִקְרְךָ דְבָרִי**, פֵּרוּשׁ דָּבָר אֶחָד שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אוֹ דִּבּוּר אֶחָד שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת יִהְיֶה יָקָר כָּל כָּךְ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ הִסְתַּפְּקוּת לְכָל חֶלְקֵי הַתַּאֲווֹת שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת, שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָהֶם מִין בָּשָׂר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ כָּל מִינֵי בָּשָׂר שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת בָּעוֹלָם. וְשִׁעוּר תֵּבַת **יִקְרְךָ** הוּא יִהְיֶה יָקָר אֶצְלְךָ כְּשֶׁתִּרְאֶה יְקַר הַפְּעֻלָּה. אוֹ יִתְפָּרֵשׁ **יִקְרְךָ** יִהְיֶה לְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ יְקָר כְּשֶׁיִּתֵּן ה׳ עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה מִין הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁאֵין כָּמוֹהוּ יִהְיֶה לְמֹשֶׁה יְקָר וּגְדֻלָּה בְּעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַאֲמִין בּוֹ וּבִנְבוּאָתוֹ וְיִתְיַקֵּר בְּעֵינֵיהֶם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**היד ה׳ תקצר,….היקרך דברי, "Is the hand of G'd inadequate?….if My word is precious, etc."** This verse also lends itself to interpretations in line with the two approaches we have described. According to our first approach any category of meat would not be sufficient to satisfy the various tastes of the Israelites. As a result they would still continue to complain. G'd answered that He was able to supply a category of meat which would satisfy the cravings of all the Israelites. This is what G'd meant when He said היד ה׳ תקצר. G'd added that Moses was about to see that G'd would perform a **single** act, i.e. issue a directive which would meet all the demands of the Jewish people. He would provide a kind of meat which comprised the combined advantages of all the other existing categories. The meaning of the word יקרך is that Moses was going to experience how precious such a command of G'd would be. He would appreciate the value of G'd's directive. Another meaning of that word could be that G'd told Moses that his own stature as a prophet would be enhanced among the people when they experienced what G'd would provide.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:23:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:23:2)

**וּלְדֶרֶךְ** שֵׁנִי שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ שֶׁתְּמִיהַת מֹשֶׁה הָיְתָה לְחָשְׁבוֹ שֶׁהַבָּשָׂר שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יִשְׂבְּעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מֵהַנִּמְצָא, אֲבָל מֵהַנֵּס, לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה נֵס לְדָבָר כָּזֶה, אָמַר ה׳ אֵלָיו **הֲיַד ה׳ תִּקְצָר** פֵּרוּשׁ הַאִם נָכוֹן שֶׁיַּד ה׳ חָס וְשָׁלוֹם תִּקְצָר, וְאִם כֵּן אִם לֹא נַעֲשֶׂה הַנֵּס יֹאמְרוּ כִּי לֹא תַּגִּיעַ יָד עֶלְיוֹנָה עֲשׂוֹת מְבֻקָּשָׁם, וְלָזֶה יַחְפֹּץ ה׳ עֲשׂוֹת נֵס שֶׁלֹּא כְּסִדְרוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, וְלָזֶה גָּמַר אוֹמֶר **עַתָּה תִרְאֶה** בְּמַה שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה תִּרְאֶה **הֲיִקְרְךָ דְבָרִי** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ יִהְיֶה יָקָר בְּעֵינֶיךָ מִכָּאן וּלְהַלְאָה דְּבָרִי, פֵּרוּשׁ דָּבָר הַנּוֹגֵעַ לִי לִכְבוֹדִי, כְּשֶׁתִּרְאֶה שֶׁאֲנִי מְקַלְקֵל הַשּׁוּרָה וְעוֹשֶׂה נֵס לַשֶּׁקֶר בִּשְׁבִילִי שֶׁלֹּא יְחַלְּלוּ שְׁמִי, מִזֶּה תֵּדַע שִׁעוּר הַקְפָּדָתִי עַל הַדָּבָר אִם גָּדוֹל אוֹ קָטָן הוּא. וְתִמְצָא רַזַ״ל (קידושין מ.) שֶׁהִפְלִיאוּ לוֹמַר בְּעִנְיַן חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם שֶׁהַקְפָּדָתוֹ גְּדוֹלָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
According to the second approach we suggested, Moses' surprise was based on his assumption that when G'd was talking about the meat the Israelites would eat, He meant that this meat would be supplied from the existing flocks and herds of the Israelites; he was quite unwilling to believe that G'd would perform a miracle to satisfy an unjustified craving by the Israelites to eat meat. This is why He, G'd, stressed that Moses would see if G'd's hand would be inadequate, i.e. He **would** perform a miracle. G'd meant that **He had to** perform the miracle so that He would not be perceived amongst the Israelites as unable to perform such a miracle. In other words, though the Israelites did not deserve a miracle, He, G'd must not be the cause of His name being desecrated by their belief that He was powerless to meet their cravings. When G'd said עתה תראה, "now you will see," He told Moses that he would now receive a lesson in G'd's preparedness to *perform* miracles לשקר, to prevent the Israelites to lie about His abilities. This caused our sages in *Kidushin* 40 to say that when it comes to desecration of His Holy Name, i.e. His image, G'd is extremely punctilious. [The story in the Talmud there illustrates how G'd performed miracles to save great scholars from having to either martyr themselves or engage in sexual relations with prominent Gentiles to save themselves from death. Ed.]


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:24:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:24:1)

**וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר וְגוֹ׳.** הִקְדִּים הַדְּבָרִים אֶל הָעָם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָסַף הַזְּקֵנִים, אֲשֶׁר לֹא כֵן מָצִינוּ בְּסֵדֶר דִּבְרֵי ה׳ אֵלָיו שֶׁהִקְדִּים אֲסִיפַת זְקֵנִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ ״וְאֶל הָעָם תֹּאמַר״ (במדבר יא:יח), לְצַד שֶׁדָּן בְּדַעְתּוֹ כִּי דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן הִיא לְהַקְדִּים מַאֲמָרוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה כַּוָּנָתוֹ לְהַקְדִּים הָאֲסִיפָה לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לְצַוּוֹת לוֹ מַאֲמַר הָעָם, אֶלָּא הֲרֵי זֶה מַגִּיד שֶׁיַּקְדִּים מַאֲמָר לָעָם וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֶאֱסֹף הַזְּקֵנִים לָאֹהֶל וְיַעֲשֶׂה כָּל הָאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויצא משה וידבר אל העם, Moses went out and spoke to the people, etc.** He first spoke to the people alone, and then he summoned the newly appointed elders. This did not correspond to the order G'd had commanded him in verse 16. There he was told to first assemble the prospective elders at the entrance of the Tabernacle and to speak to the people only after these elders had been granted a measure of Holy Spirit from G'd (compare verses 17-18). Moses assumed that it was G'd's intention that he should inform the people about what was to take place. If G'd had intended to appoint the elders first, why would He have told him in verse 18 to address the people?


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:24:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:24:2)

**וְטַעַם** אֲשֶׁר הִקְדִּים ה׳ מַאֲמַר הָאֲסִיפָה, לְצַד שֶׁבָּזֶה הָיְתָה תְּשׁוּבָה לְדִבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה שֶׁאָמַר ״לֹא אוּכַל לְבַדִּי לָשֵׂאת אֶת כָּל הָעָם״, לָזֶה הִקְדִּים לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ עַל דְּבָרָיו תְּחִלָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ צִוָּהוּ לְדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְיָדַע ה׳ כִּי מֹשֶׁה חָכָם לֵדַע הַצָּרִיךְ לְהַקְדִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכֵּן הִשְׂכִּיל עֲשׂוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The reason G'd wanted the people informed before the prospective elders were assembled was that this formed G'd's answer to Moses' complaint that he could not carry the burden of leadership of the people single-handedly. First G'd replied to Moses' complaint; afterwards he told him to address the people. G'd knew that Moses was intelligent enough to read His mind concerning the sequence, as indeed he did.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:24:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:24:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:24:3)

עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר כִּי מַאֲמַר **וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל הָעָם אֵת דִּבְרֵי ה׳** הֵם דִּבְרֵי אֲסִיפַת הַזְּקֵנִים לְבַד, וְחָשַׁב עַד אֲשֶׁר יִגְמֹר מַה שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳ בַּאֲסִיפַת הַזְּקֵנִים וְיֵצֵא לְדַבֵּר אֶל הָעָם מַאֲמַר שֵׁנִי ״וְאֶל הָעָם תֹּאמַר״, וְגַם מִדִּבְרֵי מִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא מַשְׁמַע כֵּן.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
It is also possible that the words: "Moses spoke to the people the words of G'd," referred only to the instruction to gather the elders. Moses thought he would deal with that subject first. He would then speak to the people again telling them to prepare for the morrow when G'd would provide meat. The latter explanation appears to be in line with *Midrash Tanchuma.*


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:25:1)

**וַיֵּרֶד ה׳ וְגוֹ׳ וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה דִּבֵּר ה׳ אֵלָיו. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לְכָל זֶה וְלֹא נִבָּא אוֹתָם מִבְּלִי כָּל סֵדֶר הַמּוּכָן. וְיִתְבָּאֵר הָעִנְיָן עַל פִּי מַאֲמָרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר (פנחס רכ.) בְּפָסוּק ״לָכֵן אֱמוֹר הִנְנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם״, כִּי יְצַו ה׳ עַל מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיֹּאמַר ״הִנְנִי נוֹתֵן״ וְגוֹ׳, וְהַטַּעַם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁזָּכָה כְּבָר מֹשֶׁה בִּבְרִית הַשָּׁלוֹם וְשֶׁלּוֹ יֵחָשֵׁב, וּכְשֶׁרָצָה לִתְּנוֹ לְפִנְחָס נִמְצָא שֶׁכְּבָר נְתָנוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה וְזָכָה בּוֹ, וְאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חוֹזֵר וְנוֹטֵל מַתְּנוֹתָיו. כְּמוֹ כֵן הַנְּבוּאָה נָתַן לְמֹשֶׁה לְמָנָה, וְכָל הַבָּא לְהִתְנַבֵּא מֹשֶׁה הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן מֵהַטַּעַם הַנִּזְכָּר, וְלָזֶה יִקָּרֵא אֲדוֹן הַנְּבִיאִים. וְהוּא מַאֲמַר ה׳ כָּאן שֶׁצִּוָּה לֶאֱסֹף הַזְּקֵנִים וְהוּא עִמָּהֶם, וַיֵּרֶד ה׳ בֶּעָנָן. וְאָמְרוֹ **וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו** פֵּרוּשׁ לְשׁוֹן שְׂרָרָה וּמֶמְשָׁלָה, כְּדֶרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (תהלים מז:ד) ״יַדְבֵּר עַמִּים תַּחְתֵּינוּ״, שֶׁעָשָׂה ה׳ הַשְּׂרָרָה בְּדָבָר זֶה אֵלָיו, פֵּרוּשׁ לְמֹשֶׁה, וּבִרְשׁוּתוֹ וּבִרְצוֹנוֹ הֶאֱצִיל וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וירד ה׳ בענן וידבר אליו, G'd descended within the cloud and spoke to him, etc.** What did G'd say to Moses? Besides, what was the neeed for this whole procedure? Why did G'd not simply let these people prophesy? We may understand what happened when we consider a statement of the *Zohar* on *Pinchas* 220 on Numbers 25,12: "Behold I give unto him My covenant, peace." G'd commanded Moses to bestow this covenant of peace on Pinchas. The reason was that Moses had already acquired that gift so that it was considered his possession. Seeing that G'd does not take away a gift He had given to someone in order to give it to someone else, Moses had to be the one to bestow it on Pinchas. Similarly, here. Moses had been given the gift of prophecy, exclusively. When G'd wanted to give the elders the gift of prophecy He had to do so via Moses. This is why Moses is known as אדון הנביאים, the "master" of the prophets. When Moses assembled the elders he remained with them and G'd descended within the cloud. The word *vayedaber* may be read as *vayadber,* "He made subordinate" (compare Psalms 47,4). G'd took permission from Moses to transfer some of his Holy Spirit.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:25:2)

**וַיָּאצֶל מִן הָרוּחַ.** אָמְרוֹ **וַיָּאצֶל**, אוּלַי שֶׁרוֹמֵז לִמְקוֹר רוּחַ הַנְּבוּאָה שֶׁבִּבְחִינָה זוֹ, וּבְדֶרֶךְ זֶה יֻצְדַּק לֵאמֹר וַיָּאצֶל, וְאָמְרוֹ **מִן הָרוּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו**, פֵּרוּשׁ מֵאוֹתָהּ הַבְּחִינָה שֶׁעָלָיו, אֲבָל הַנֶּאֱצָל בָּא מֵהַמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְלֹא שֶׁיּוֹצִיא מִמֹּשֶׁה וְלִתֵּן עַל אֲחֵרִים. אוֹ יֹאמַר **מִן הָרוּחַ** אֲשֶׁר עַל מֹשֶׁה וְאָמַר **וַיָּאצֶל** לְצַד שֶׁאֵין הֶבְדֵּל לָרוּחַ שֶׁעוֹדֶנּוּ עָלָיו לָרוּחַ הַנִּתָּן מִמֶּנּוּ לַזְּקֵנִים. וּלְדֶרֶךְ זֶה יְכַוֵּן בְּמַאֲמַר **אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו** עַל הַחֵלֶק הַנֶּאֱצָל בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁעוֹדֶנּוּ עָלָיו אַחַר וַיָּאצֶל. וּלְדִבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ (במדבר רבה טו,יט) כְּשֶׁמָּנָה הַמַּעֲלוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ לַשְּׁנַיִם יוֹתֵר מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים, מָנָה גַּם כֵּן שֶׁהַשִּׁבְעִים נְבוּאָתָם מִשֶּׁל מֹשֶׁה וְהַשְּׁנַיִם מִשֶּׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויאצל מן הרוח, He took from the spirit, etc.** The word ויאצל may have been intended as a clue to the source of this prophetic spirit, i.e. the עולם האצילות, a domain very close to the throne of G'd. **מן הרוח אשר עליו, "from the spirit which was upon him;"** this may describe the quality of that spirit. The source of the spirit which was bestowed on the elders emanated not from Moses but from higher regions. Alternatively, it may mean that after the spirit which imbued Moses was given to the elders, עליו, Moses' own spirit remained fully intact. *Bamidbar Rabbah* 15 states that when Moses evaluated the level of prophecy the elders attained, it turned out that the 2 elders Eldod and Medod (numbers 71 and 72 respectively) had received a higher degree of prophetic spirit because their portion came from G'd directly, whereas the other seventy elders received their prophetic spirit only from Moses. This was why the seventy elders prophesied only briefly.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:25:3)

**וַיְהִי כְּנוֹחַ.** אָמַר **וַיְהִי** לְשׁוֹן צַעַר, לְדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (במדבר רבה יט), שֶׁהַזְּקֵנִים הִתְנַבְּאוּ מַאֲמַר ״הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ לְמָחָר״, אֵין לְךָ צַעַר גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּתְחִלַּת נְבוּאָתָם יָכִינוּ עַצְמָן לְפֻרְעָנוּת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויהי כנוח עליהם הרוח, it was when the spirit rested upon them, etc.** We know that the word ויהי usually introduces a paragraph containing a regrettable event. Our sages in *Bamidbar Rabbah* 19 claim that the elders prophesied the message in verse 18, i.e. that there would be quail on the following day. How can there be something more painful than to commence a career as a prophet by predicting that one's peers should prepare for disaster?


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:4
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:25:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:25:4)

וְאָמְרוֹ ״**וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ**״ בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא״ו, לוֹמַר שֶׁמִּלְּבַד שֶׁהָיוּ כְּלִי מֻכְשָׁר לָנוּחַ עֲלֵיהֶם הָרוּחַ, עוֹד לָהֶם שֶׁהִתְנַבְּאוּ. וְהוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁנְּבוּאָתָם הָיְתָה תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״כְּנוֹחַ עֲלֵיהֶם וְגוֹ׳ וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ״. עוֹד יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי סְבָרַת הָאוֹמְרִים ״וְלֹא יָסָפוּ״ שֶׁלֹּא נִתְנַבְּאוּ אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ יוֹם, עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ ״וַיְהִי כְּנוֹחַ״ וְגוֹ׳ לְשׁוֹן צַעַר כַּנִּזְכָּר, וְעוֹד צַעַר אַחֵר לָהֶם שֶׁהִתְנַבְּאוּ וְלֹא יָסָפוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The reason the Torah wrote the word ויתנבאו, "they prophesied" with the letter ו at the beginning is to tell us that not only were these 70 people worthy of receiving the gift of Holy Spirit, they were even worthy of attaining prophetic insights. The Torah informs us that they prophesied **immediately** after having been granted some of Moses' Holy Spirit. Another saddening experience which justifies the word ויהי is that the seventy elders prophesied only so briefly and did not retain their prophetic spirit [presumably because they joined the people who wept when the spies returned, something which occurred shortly thereafter. Ed.]


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:26:1)

**וַיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת: א׳ כַּוָּנַת מַאֲמַר ״וַיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ״ מִנַּיִן נִשְׁאֲרוּ. ב׳ לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לְהַזְכִּיר שְׁמָם. ג׳ אָמְרוֹ **וַתָּנַח עֲלֵיהֶם** וְגוֹ׳, מִמָּה נַפְשָׁךְ – אִם הֵם מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים הֲרֵי כְּבָר הִזְכִּירָם הַכָּתוּב בִּכְלַל הַשִּׁבְעִים, דִּכְתִיב ״וַיָּאצֶל וְגוֹ׳ וַיִּתֵּן עַל שִׁבְעִים״, כִּי מֵאָמְרוֹ ״וַתָּנַח״ מַשְׁמַע דָּבָר חָדָשׁ שֶׁלֹּא הֻזְכַּר עַד עַתָּה, וְאִם אֵינָם מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים הֲלֹא לֹא אָמַר ה׳ אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֶלָּא שִׁבְעִים. ד׳ אָמְרוֹ **וְהֵמָּה בַּכְּתֻבִים** אֵין יָדוּעַ הַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה. ה׳ אָמְרוֹ **וְלֹא יָצְאוּ** הֲלֹא מֵאָמְרוֹ ״וַיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה״ מוּבָן הַדָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא יָצְאוּ. ו׳ אָמְרוֹ **וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ** לְבַסּוֹף שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לְהַסְמִיךְ הַנִּמְשָׁךְ לָהֶם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ וְהַנַּעֲשֶׂה מֵהֶם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״וַיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים וְגוֹ׳ וְהֵמָּה בַּכְּתֻבִים וְלֹא יָצְאוּ הָאֹהֱלָה וַתָּנַח עֲלֵיהֶם הָרוּחַ וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ״, וְלָמָּה כָּתַב הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא כַּסֵּדֶר הַנָּכוֹן?

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וישארו שני אנשים במחנה, Two men remained within the camp, etc.** Firstly, what is the meaning of "they remained?" Relative to whom and to what did they remain? Secondly, why did the Torah have to mention the names of these two men when none of the seventy elders have been named though they were selected and these men were not? Why does the Torah say that the spirit rested on them? If the men were part of the seventy elders selected, what did the Torah add that we did not know before? If they were not part of the seventy elders the Torah had spoken about, why would they be granted Holy Spirit seeing G'd told Moses to select only seventy men? Besides, what is the meaning of the words והמה בכתובים? Why did the Torah say ולא יצאו, they did not go out? If they have been reported as "remaining," they obviously had not "gone out to the Tabernacle?" Why did the Torah write **at the end** of the verse: "they prophesied inside the camp?" The Torah should have written the verse in the following order: "Two men who were amongst those whose names had been suggested as prospective elders did not go out to the Tabernacle; the spirit came to rest on them and they prophesied." Why did the Torah see fit to completely jumble this verse?


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:26:2)

**וְרַזַ״ל** נֶחְלְקוּ (ספרי במדבר צה:) מִנַּיִן נִשְׁאֲרוּ. יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים נִשְׁאֲרוּ מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים וּשְׁנַיִם שֶׁבֵּרַר מֹשֶׁה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, שִׁשָּׁה מִכָּל שֵׁבֶט בְּשָׁוֶה, וְהִגְרִיל לְהוֹצִיא הַשְּׁנַיִם הַיְּתֵרִים עַל הַשִּׁבְעִים שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ ה׳, וְהֵם הַשְּׁנַיִם שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר כִּי מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים נִשְׁאֲרוּ שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ לִכָּנֵס לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לְצַד עֲנָוָה וְשִׁפְלוּת וְנִשְׁאֲרוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה, עַד כָּאן. לִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמֵר מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים נִשְׁאֲרוּ יִתְבָּאֵר הַכָּתוּב עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״וַיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ שְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים בַּמַּחֲנֶה״ לְצַד חָשְׁבָם עַצְמָן כְּשִׁירַיִים. **שֵׁם הָאֶחָד** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ יְדוּעִים הָיוּ בְּמִדּוֹת יְשָׁרוֹת וּמוּחְזָקִים בְּעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלְּסִבָּה זוֹ נִשְׁאֲרוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה יֵשׁ לָעָם לְרַנֵּן אַחֲרֵיהֶם שֶׁמָּאֲסוּ חָס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּנַחַת הָרוּחַ עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִמְצְאוּ מְחַלְּלִים הַשֵּׁם וְיִמְאָסֵם עֶלְיוֹן לְסִבָּה זוֹ. אֶלָּא לְצַד שֶׁשֵּׁם הָאֶחָד הַמְּיֻחָד אֶלְדָּד וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִי לוֹ מֵידָד, לָזֶה לֹא דָנוּ בָּהֶם הַמַּעֲשֶׂה לְהָרַע, וּבָזֶה לֹא נִמְאֲסוּ. **וַתָּנַח עֲלֵיהֶם הָרוּחַ** עַצְמָהּ שֶׁנָּחָה עַל הַשִּׁבְעִים, לֹא מְנָעַתָּם הַהַרְחָקָה שֶׁהָיְתָה בֵּין אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּבֵין הַמַּחֲנֶה וְנָחָה גַּם עֲלֵיהֶם. וְדִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **וַתָּנַח**, לוֹמַר שֶׁשָּׁם קָנְתָה מְקוֹמָהּ הָרוּחַ, כְּאָמְרָם שֶׁשְּׁאָר הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּסְקוּ וְאֵלּוּ לֹא פָּסְקוּ נְבוּאָה מֵהֶם. וְקֹדֶם שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הַנְּבוּאָה הִזְכִּיר דְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּהֶם יַצְדִּיקוּ הָעָם כִּי דִּבְרֵי נְבוּאָה בְּפִיהֶם אֱמֶת, וְאָמַר **וְהֵמָּה בַּכְּתֻבִים** פֵּרוּשׁ מֵאוֹתָם הַשִּׁבְעִים שֶׁנִּכְתְּבוּ. וּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תַּחְשֹׁב שֶׁהַכְּתוּבִים הֵם שֶׁנִּכְתְּבוּ בְּפִתְקֵי הַגּוֹרָלוֹת, לָזֶה אָמַר ״וְלֹא יָצְאוּ הָאֹהֱלָה״, הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהָיוּ יְכוֹלִין לָצֵאת. וּבָזֶה נֶאֶמְנוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם שֶׁהָיוּ נְבוּאָה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ.** וְזוּלַת הַתְּנַאי הַנִּזְכָּר מִי יַחְזִיק דִּבְרֵיהֶם לְדִבְרֵי נְבִיאוּת. וּבָזֶה נִתְיַשְּׁבוּ כָּל הַדִּקְדּוּקִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Our sages in the *Sifri* were of two minds as to who these men were who were "left behind." Some say they were left behind out of the total of 72 (12 times 6 from each tribe) whom Moses had invited (in writing) to take part in the draw for the selection of a total of 70 elders. Moses prepared 72 slips of paper (invitations); afterwards he drew lots 70 of which had the name "elder" inscribed on them. The other two slips of paper were blank. Our verse speaks about the two men who had drawn blanks and thus had not been appointed as elders. Rabbi Shimon, on the other hand, claims two of the **seventy** men selected were so humble that they did not want to enter the Tabernacle and preferred to stay behind in the general camp of the Israelites. If we accept the latter explanation we must explain the verse as follows: "Two men remained behind in the camp as they considered themselves superfluous. The Torah gives their names to tell us that these people were renowned for their modesty. Had they not been renowned for their modesty the people would have upraided them for refusing Moses' invitation to high office which included G'd granting them Holy Spirit. Their refusal would have been a public desecration of the name of G'd. However, their very names protected them against their conduct being interpreted negatively. As a result they were granted Holy Spirit even though they had remained in the general camp as confirmation that their motives in remaining within the camp had been above-board. The Torah chose the expession **ותנח** to indicate that whereas the other seventy elders experienced only a brief elevation to prophetic insights, these two men **retained** the spirit of prophecy granted to them. Before mentioning the substance of their prophetic insights, the Torah mentions matters which caused the people to judge these men's behaviour in a favourable light, i.e. that their prophecy proved true. In order that we should not think that the words והמה בכתובים refer to the slips of paper making up the lottery, the Torah says that לא יצאו האוהלה, they did not leave their abode to go to the Tabernacle, i.e. although they had been entitled to do so. When they were nonetheless able to prophesy all of a sudden, this convinced their peers that they had been found worthy and had not insulted G'd by declining Moses' invitation.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:26:3)

**וּלְדִבְרֵי** הָאוֹמֵר מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים וּשְׁנַיִם נִשְׁאֲרוּ, יִתְבָּאֵר הַכָּתוּב עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: **וַיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ** פֵּרוּשׁ, הֲגַם שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים שֶׁהָיוּ יְתֵרִים עַל הַשִּׁבְעִים בַּמַּחֲנֶה, **שֵׁם הָאֶחָד** וְגוֹ׳, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן ״וַתָּנַח עֲלֵיהֶם הָרוּחַ״ גַּם כֵּן, מִלְּבַד שֶׁנָּחָה עַל הַשִּׁבְעִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה ״וַיָּאצֶל מִן הָרוּחַ וְגוֹ׳ וַיִּתֵּן עַל שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ״. וִידֻיַּק עַל נָכוֹן לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר ״וַתָּנַח עֲלֵיהֶם הָרוּחַ״, לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר בְּפָסוּק רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁנָּתַן הָרוּחַ אֶלָּא עַל הַשִּׁבְעִים, הוֹדִיעֲךָ ה׳ שֶׁגַּם נָחָה עַל הַשְּׁנַיִם. וְאָמַר **וְהֵמָּה בַּכְּתֻבִים** וְגוֹ׳, בָּא לָתֵת טַעַם לְהַצְדָּקַת נְבוּאָתָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה, וְאָמַר ״וְהֵמָּה בַּכְּתֻבִים״ פֵּרוּשׁ, בַּפְּתָקִים שֶׁכָּתַב מֹשֶׁה שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנַיִם זָקֵן. וּמֵעַתָּה הֲרֵי רְאוּיִים הֵם לִנְבוּאָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בַּשִּׁבְעִים וְיָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁיִּתְנַבְּאוּ. וּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תָבִין שֶׁהֵמָּה בַּכְּתוּבִים שֶׁבָּאוּ הָאֹהֱלָה, לָזֶה בֵּרֵר הַכָּתוּב וְאָמַר ״וְלֹא יָצְאוּ״ בַּפְּתָקִין לָבֹא הָאֹהֱלָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
According to the view that Eldod and Medod were part of the 72 elders concerning whom no decision had as yet been made which two would not be chosen, the word וישארו means that although two people whose names were Eldod and Medod were surplus and had to remain in the מחנה, the general camp, the spirit of prophecy came to rest on them although they had not been allowed to proceed to the Tabernacle. This was in addition to the 70 people who had had Holy Spirit bestowed upon them as described in verse 25. Seeing that these people had not been mentioned in the previous verse as amongst the 70 men Moses had assembled at the Tabernacle, they did have to be mentioned separately. The words והמה בכתובים serve to provide the justification why these two were granted Holy Spirit. Their names had appeared amongst the list of the original 72 names Moses had made as possible candidates to become elders. This fact had made them fit to receive prophetic spirit no less than the other 70. In order that we should not think that the words והמה בכתובים meant that they were part of the 70 out of the original 72, the Torah added that they never left their respective tents to go to the Tabernacle to receive some of Moses' spirit.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:4
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:26:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:26:4)

**וְדֶרֶךְ** דְּרָשׁ, אוּלַי שֶׁיּוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהַשְּׁנַיִם שֶׁלֹּא יָצְאוּ בַּפְּתָקִין נִכְלְמוּ וְנִכְנְסוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה, מַה שֶׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ כֵן כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיָּצְאוּ כֻּלָּם לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, וְהַשְּׁנַיִם נֶחְבְּאוּ בַמַּחֲנֶה. וַיַּרְא ה׳ בָּשְׁתָּם וּכְלִימָתָם ״וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ״, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְהֵמָּה בַּכְּתוּבִים** שֶׁהֵן הַפְּתָקִין, וּמִטַּעַם זֶה וְלֹא יָצְאוּ מֵהַמַּחֲנֶה, וַחֲנָנָם ה׳ וּמִלֵּא תַּאֲוָתָם ״וַיִּתְנַבְּאוּ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
A homiletical approach to this paragraph is that the two candidates who drew blank pieces of paper in the lottery were initially upset about not having been chosen. As a result of their rejection they had to return to the general camp after having first assembled at the Tabernacle. They were so embarassed that they went into hiding. When G'd saw that they were terribly ashamed at having been rejected, He granted them prophetic powers. The words והמה בכתובים mean that the reason they would not come out of hiding was that their names had originally appeared on the list of candidates. G'd compensated them for their disappointing experience.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:27:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:27:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:27:1)

**וַיָּרָץ הַנַּעַר וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה נִתְרַעֵשׁ הַמַּגִּיד לְהַגִּיד שֶׁנִּתְנַבְּאוּ. וְעוֹד לוֹ שֶׁרָעַשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם לְתִתָּם בְּבֵית כֶּלֶא, וְכִי כָּל הַמִּתְנַבֵּא נֶעֱנָשׁ עַל שֶׁנִּבָּא? וְזֶה מִן הַתֵּימַה. וְיֵשׁ לָתֵת טַעַם לִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁנַיִם שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ בַּפְּתָקִין, כִּי לְצַד שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל פִּי ה׳ שֶׁיִּתֵּן רוּחַ נְבוּאָה עַל שִׁבְעִים, וְעַכְשָׁיו נִבְּאוּ גַּם הַשְּׁנַיִם, יֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ לְאֶחָד מִשְּׁנֵי דְּבָרִים: אוֹ לֹא יֵאָמֵן מֹשֶׁה חָס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ ה׳ שִׁבְעִים, אוֹ הַמִּתְנַבְּאִים נִבְּאוּ שֶׁקֶר. וְלִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמֵר כִּי הָיוּ מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים, הִגִּידוּ לְמֹשֶׁה הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַבִּלְתִּי הָגוּן, שֶׁהוּא אָמַר שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהֵם עָמְדוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה וְנִבְּאוּ שָׁם, וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת: אַחַת שֶׁלֹּא קִיְּמוּ דְּבַר מֹשֶׁה, וְהַשְּׁנִיָּה שֶׁבָּזֶה גִּלּוּ דַּעְתָּם שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ שֶׁתֵּאָצֵל עֲלֵיהֶם הָרוּחַ מֵרוּחוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה אֶלָּא מִמְּקוֹר הָרוּחַ וּמִתְנַבְּאִים בַּמַּחֲנֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וירץ הנער ויגד למשה, The lad ran and told Moses;** Why was the lad so upset that he told Moses that Eldod and Medod prophesied? Even allowing for the fact that he had adequate reason to tell Moses about it, why did he demand that they be locked up? Since when had prophecy become a punishable crime? According to those who believe that these two men were those who had been rejected out of the original 72 candidates we can understand Joshua very well. Moses had told the Israelites that seventy people would be endowed with prophetic spirit by G'd. All of a sudden Joshua saw that seventy-two people had become prophets. This could have one of two possible reasons. 1) Moses had not spoken the truth; 2) these people prophesied falsely. According to the opinion that these two prophets had indeed been part of the seventy elders who had been chosen, Joshua told Moses of the misdemeanour of people who had been bidden to come to the Tabernacle and who had failed to do so now prophesying inside the regular camp. According to Joshua these two, i.e. Eldod and Medod, committed two wrongs. 1) They ignored Moses' order. 2) They refused to become recipients of Moses' Holy Spirit but wanted to receive their Holy Spirit from a still higher source as a result of which they practiced their prophecy within the general camp.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:28:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:28:1)

**וַיַּעַן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְגוֹ׳ כְּלָאֵם.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת עַל מִי סָמַךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְהוֹרוֹת לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ, וּמַה גַּם לְהוֹרוֹתוֹ כֹּה וְכֹה תַּעֲשֶׂה, וְזֶה מֵהַזָּרוּת. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ (עירובין סג.) כָּל דְּמוֹתִיב מִלָּה קֳדָם רַבֵּיהּ אָזֵיל בְּלָא וְלַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיַּעַן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ״ וְגוֹ׳. וְאֶפְשָׁר לָתֵת טַעַם לְמַעֲשֵׂה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי) שֶׁאָמְרוּ וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: מַה נְבוּאָה אָמְרוּ? מֹשֶׁה מֵת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מַכְנִיס, עַד כָּאן. לָזֶה כְּשֶׁשָּׁמַע יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַדְּבָרִים, בָּחַר לְדַבֵּר לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּגַלֶּה דַּעְתּוֹ כִּי מְאוּסִים הַדְּבָרִים אֶצְלוֹ וְאוֹמְרֵיהֶם, וְכִי שֶׁקֶר בְּפִיהֶם. וּבָזֶה שָׁלַל הַחֲשָׁד כִּי יַחְפֹּץ הוּא בַּדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים לְמַעֲלָתוֹ וְגִלָּה הַהַפְכִּיּוּת בִּרְצוֹנוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויען יהושע ויאמר…אדני משה כלאם, Joshua reacted and said: "my lord Moses arrest them!"** What gave Joshua the right to make a halachic decision in the presence of his teacher? Our sages in *Eyruvin* 63 have said that anyone who makes a halachic pronouncement in the presence of his teacher will die without leaving behind children. The Talmud quotes our verse as its source. Perhaps we can explain what Joshua did with the help of the *Sifri* on verse 26 where the *Sifri* claims that Eldod and Medod kept prophesying that Moses would die and Joshua would lead the Israelites into the Holy Land. When Joshua heard these words he resolved to take a stand in the presence of his teacher in order to demonstrate his displeasure with this prophecy. He believed that Eldod and Medod were not fit to prophesy and indeed spoke falsely. By taking a stand he showed that he was not interested in assuming the leadership role prophesied by Eldod and Medod. He may have meant either one of two things with his suggestion that Moses lock these people up. The confinement could be temporary until the matter came to trial, or he meant that they be banished from this world. Either possibility is in accord with the two views we have quoted as to whether Eldod and Medod belonged to the 70 elders who had been chosen or whether they were the two men who had drawn blanks.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:28:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:28:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:28:2)

**וַיֹּאמֶר** אֲדֹנִי מֹשֶׁה **כְּלָאֵם** – פֵּרוּשׁ, תֵּן אוֹתָם בַּמִּשְׁמָר עַד אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא דְּבַר מֶלֶךְ מִשְׁפָּט עֲשׂוֹת, אוֹ כַּלֵּם מִן הָעוֹלָם. וְטַעַם הַדָּבָר בֵּין לִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמֵר חוּץ מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים בֵּין לִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמֵר מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים, מֵהַטְּעָמִים שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ. וְאוּלַי שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ **אֲדֹנִי מֹשֶׁה**, שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָפֵץ הֱיוֹת הוּא אָדוֹן אֶלָּא הֱיוֹת לוֹ אֲדוֹנוֹ מֹשֶׁה, לִשְׁלֹל הָרָצוֹן בַּנֶּאֱמַר כִּי יָמוּת מֹשֶׁה וְהוּא יַכְנִיס. וִידֻיַּק גַּם כֵּן מַאֲמַר **וַיַּעַן** שֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה לַדְּבָרִים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים עָלָיו בַּנְּבוּאָה הַהִיא, כִּי לֹא דִּבְּרוּ נְכוֹנָה וּצְרִיכִין לִנָּתֵן בְּבֵית כֶּלֶא. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן עֲנָשׁוֹ הַכָּתוּב, כִּי סוֹף סוֹף הֵשִׁיב דָּבָר בִּפְנֵי רַבּוֹ (דברי הימים א ז:כז).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
The wording אדני משה, "my lord Moses," suggests that Joshua expressed his desire for Moses to remain his lord, i.e. that he harboured no secret desire to supplant Moses. The apparently unnecessary word ויען means that he replied to the words (the content) that Eldod and Medod had prophesied. At any rate, Joshua was punished for having spoken out in this manner at that time, as, after all is said and done he violated the rule of giving a halachic opinion in the presence of his teacher. [There is no evidence in the Bible that Joshua left children behind when he died; compare Chronicles I 7,27. Ed.]


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:29:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 11:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/11:29:1)

**הַמְקַנֵּא אַתָּה לִי וְגוֹ׳.** לִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁהָיוּ מֵהַשִּׁבְעִים, יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״הַמְקַנֵּא אַתָּה בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדִי שֶׁלֹּא רָצוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים לָבֹא לְקַבֵּל הַנְּבוּאָה מִמֶּנִּי? מִי יִתֵּן כָּל עַם ה׳ נְבִיאִים וְלֹא יִהְיוּ מְקַבְּלִים הַנְּבוּאָה מִמֶּנִּי אֶלָּא מֵה׳״, כְּאִלּוּ. וְהוּא מַאֲמַר **כִּי יִתֵּן ה׳ אֶת רוּחוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם** בְּלֹא אֶמְצָעוּת מֹשֶׁה, כִּי שָׁם מְקוֹר הָעֲנָוָה וְהֶחְלֵט הֶעְדֵּר הַהַקְפָּדָה. וְלִסְבָרַת הָאוֹמֵר מֵהַפְּתָקִין יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: ״הַמְקַנֵּא אַתָּה לִי״, פֵּרוּשׁ לְמַאֲמָרִי שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי שִׁבְעִים וְנִבְּאוּ שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנַיִם, ״מִי יִתֵּן אֶת״ וְגוֹ׳, וְהַטַּעַם ״כִּי יִתֵּן ה׳ אֶת״ וְגוֹ׳ – פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁהַשִּׁבְעִים שֶׁאָמַר ה׳ שֶׁיֻּשְׁפְּעוּ מֵרוּחוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה הוּא בִּתְחִלָּה קֹדֶם שֶׁהִתְחִיל ה׳ לְנַבְּאוֹת אֶת אֲחֵרִים זוּלַת מֹשֶׁה. אֲבָל אַחַר שֶׁהֶאֱצִיל ה׳ רוּחוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה וְנָתַן לַשִּׁבְעִים, הֻתְּרָה נְבוּאָה לַכֹּל ״כִּי יִתֵּן ה׳ אֶת רוּחוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם״, וְאֵין כָּאן הַכְחָשָׁה בִּנְבוּאַת מֹשֶׁה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**המקנא אתה לי? "are you jealous on my behalf?"** According to the view that Eldod and Medod belonged to the 70 elders chosen, we must explain the verse as follows: "Is your jealousy based on the fact that these men were unwilling to receive their share of prophetic insights from me rather than from G'd directly? I wish all the Jewish people had been endowed **directly by G'd** with prophetic insights instead of having to receive it from me as their intermediary." This is shown clearly by Moses using the words מי יתן כי יתן ה׳ את רוחו עליהם. In this manner Moses demonstrated his utter humility and total lack of a desire for personal honour. According to the view that Eldod and Medod were the two men who had drawn blanks during the lottery among the 72 prospective candidates, Moses asked Joshua whether it bothered him that instead of 70 people having been endowed with Holy Spirit he now found that actually 72 people had received prophetic insights. Moses told Joshua that he, personally, wished that G'd would grant every Israelite prophetic insights. The reason Moses said: "may G'd grant His spirit, etc," is that Moses viewed the 70 people who had received prophetic insights with him as the intermediary as being only the beginning. Now that G'd had shown that He had granted prophetic insights directly to two more Israelites, he could only hope that G'd would grant such prophetic insights to everybody. None of such additional prophetic insights would be a denial or diminution of Moses' own stature as a prophet.