## Or HaChaim on Numbers Chapter 17

###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:2:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:2:1)

**אֱמֹר אֶל אֶלְעָזָר.** טַעַם **אֶלְעָזָר**, לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא הֶחְשִׁיב ה׳ הַדָּבָר שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן שֶׁהוּא כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, אוֹ לְצַד שֶׁעַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן נַעֲשָׂה הַמִּשְׁפָּט וּמֵתוּ מַקְרִיבֵי הַמַּחְתּוֹת, לֹא רָצָה ה׳ שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה עַל יָדוֹ הֲרָמַת הַמַּחְתּוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אמר אל אלעזר, "say to Eleazar, etc."** The reason Moses instructed Eleazar to collect these censers rather than Aaron was that he did not think the High Priest should perform such a menial task. It is also possible that seeing that these people had died in order to prove that Aaron was the High Priest, i.e. that Aaron had been a cause of their death, G'd did not want that the act of giving some status to these censers should be performed by Aaron.


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

**וְיָרֵם אֶת הַמַּחְתֹּת.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה אָמַר **וְיָרֵם** בְּוָא״ו כֵּיוָן שֶׁזֶּה הוּא הַתְחָלַת הַמִּצְוָה. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לְהוֹסִיף עַל עִנְיָן רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהוּא בְּלִיעַת קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ, שֶׁרָאוּ עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי מֵה׳ יָצָא דְּבַר כְּהוּנַּת אַהֲרֹן, וְעוֹד הוֹסִיף תּוֹקֶף וְחוֹזֶק הַכְּהוּנָּה בְּיַד אַהֲרֹן לְדוֹרוֹת, שֶׁיָּרֵם הַמַּחְתּוֹת וְגוֹ׳ וְעָשׂוּ אוֹתָם רִקּוּעֵי פַחִים וְגוֹ׳ וְיִהְיוּ לְאוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ׳ זִכָּרוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וירם את המחתות, and he shall lift up the censers, etc.** In view of the fact that this was a totally new commandment why did the Torah write the conjunctive letter ו at the beginning of the word וירם? Perhaps the Torah considered this use of the censers as part of the demise of Korach and associates. G'd wanted the people to see that the Priesthood of Aaron had been His doing and that He would reinforce this decision by reminding the people of it throughout the generations when they would observe that the censers of the people who had challenged Aaron's status were being used by Aaron when he performed the sacrificial service on the altar.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:3:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:3:1)

**הַחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָם.** אוּלַי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לְהוֹצִיא מִלִּבָּם לְבַל יִדְאֲגוּ עַל הֱיוֹת הַדָּבָר בְּסִבָּתָם. גַּם לְבַל יַחְשֹׁב אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הֵם הָיוּ לָהֶם סִבָּה, לָזֶה אָמַר **הַחַטָּאִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָם** פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁהֵם חִבְּלוּ בְּעַצְמָן וְחִסְּרוּ נַפְשָׁם וְלֹא הָיָה לָהֶם סִבָּה מִזּוּלָתָם. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן מָצִינוּ שֶׁלֹּא הִרְגִּישׁוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַוָּנַת ה׳ בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ וַיִּלּוֹנוּ עַל מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳ אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם אֶת עַם ה׳ (במדבר יז:ו).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**החטאים האלה בנפשתם, "of these sinners who sinned at the cost of their souls."** The reason the Torah repeats this may have been so that Aaron and Moses would not feel badly at having been involved in causing the deaths of these people. The Israelites should also not attribute the death of Korach and associates to any fault on the part of Moses or Aaron. The Torah therefore emphasises that not Moses and Aaron but solely **these** sinners themselves were to blame for what happened to them. In spite of all this, the Israelites did not understand G'd's intention and accused Moses and Aaron of being the cause of the death of these people (17,6).


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:3:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:3:2)

**כִּי הִקְרִיבוּם לִפְנֵי ה׳ וַיִּקְדָּשׁוּ.** פֵּרוּשׁ, טַעַם שֶׁאֲנִי מְצַוְּךָ לְהָרִים הַמַּחְתּוֹת, לֹא שֶׁנִּתְרַצֵּיתִי בַּקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּ לְפָנַי, אֶלָּא בְּמַה שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּם, פֵּרוּשׁ, לְגוּפָן שֶׁל מַחְתּוֹת, וְקוֹדֶם שֶׁנָּתְנוּ עֲלֵיהֶם קְטֹרֶת אֲשֶׁר הִיא זָרָה וּמְאוּסָה אֶצְלִי כְּבָר נִתְקַדְּשׁוּ הַמַּחְתּוֹת, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיִּקְדָּשׁוּ**, וּמִידֵי דַּהֲוָה כְּמַקְרִיב כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב לַמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁהֵם קֹדֶשׁ. וְהַגַּע עַצְמְךָ אִם הַמַּקְרִיבִין הָיוּ נִמְלָכִים וְחוֹזְרִים בָּהֶם וְלֹא הָיוּ נוֹתְנִים הַקְּטֹרֶת עַל הָאֵשׁ, מִי הָיוּ יוֹצְאִין הַמַּחְתּוֹת לְחוּלִּין? וּמֵעַתָּה לֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנָּתְנוּ הַקְּטֹרֶת עֲלֵיהֶן יָצְאוּ הַמַּחְתּוֹת מִקְּדוּשָּׁתָן. וּמַה שֶּׁטָּעַן רַמְבַּ״ן כְּנֶגֶד רַשִׁ״י וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: זֶה דּוֹמֶה לְזָר שֶׁעָשָׂה כְּלֵי שָׁרֵת לְהַקְטִיר בַּחוּץ – עָלָיו אָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״הִקְרִיבוּם לִפְנֵי ה׳״ בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁהִקְדִּישׁוּם וֶהֱבִיאוּם לַמָּקוֹם הַמְּקֻדָּשׁ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**כי הקריבום לפני ה׳ ויקדשו, "because they were offered before the Lord and have become sanctified."** G'd explains that if He ordered these censers to be turned into a cover for the altar this did not mean that He was pleased with the incense that had been offered in them; on the contrary, the incense was repugnant to Him. However, the fact that these censers had been used for a holy purpose made them holy themselves. The new dimension of all this is that these censers were considered holy **before** the wrong people offered incense in them as they had been constructed for a holy purpose. **ויקדשו, "they have become sanctified;"** when someone donates silver or golden trinkets for the Temple, these trinkets become sanctified. Consider the status of these censers if the associates of Korach had decided at the last moment not to go through with their challenge to offer incense in them. The censers would have remained holy although they had not been used for the purpose for which they had been designated. As to the argument of Nachmanides against Rashi that the status of these censers was similar to vessels a non-priest constructed in order to offer a sacrifice outside the precincts of the Temple [and which therefore are not holy, Ed.], the Torah writes: "they have been offered **before the Lord** and become sanctified" (i.e. inside the precincts of the Tabernacle). The situation is not comparable to the one described by Nachmanides then as these censers had been brought to a site which was sanctified.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:5:1)

**לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִקְרַב וְגוֹ׳ וְלֹא יִהְיֶה וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **וְלֹא יִהְיֶה** וְגוֹ׳. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ (סנהדרין קי.) שֶׁבָּאָה אַזְהָרָה לַמַּחְזִיק בְּמַחְלוֹקֶת שֶׁעוֹבֵר בְּלָאו שֶׁל ״וְלֹא יִהְיֶה״ וְגוֹ׳. וְחוּץ מִדַּרְכָּם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה נִרְאֶה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן ה׳ לָתֵת טַעַם לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לְזִכָּרוֹן זֶה וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק בָּאַזְהָרָה בַּתּוֹרָה ״לֹא יִקְרַב אִישׁ זָר״ וְכָל הַקָּרֵב וְגוֹמֵר תִּבְלָעֶנּוּ הָאָרֶץ, לָזֶה אָמַר **וְלֹא יִהְיֶה כְקֹרַח** פֵּרוּשׁ, אִם אֲנִי מְצַוֶּה בְּלֹא זִכָּרוֹן זֶה אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁשׁ שֶׁלֹּא יוֹעִיל לְאֵיזֶה אָדָם מֵהֶם בְּאַזְהָרָה וְיָמוּת כְּקֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ, וְזִכָּרוֹן זֶה יוֹעִיל שֶׁלֹּא יְסֻבַּב לוֹ לִהְיוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה לְקֹרַח וְלַעֲדָתוֹ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**למען אשר לא יקרב איש זר "in order that a non-priest should not approach, etc."** Why did the Torah add the words "and so that he shall not become like Korach?" *Sanhedrin* 110 derives from these words that if someone helps a quarrel to continue he is guilty of transgressing a negative commandment. In addition to this interpretation in the Talmud the Torah may have wanted to explain why it had to recall to people, **זכרון**, what happened to Korach who brought an unauthorised offering, and why it was not sufficient to merely forbid such offerings in the normal manner and to warn of the death that had befallen Korach. People would not be frightened by this. They would consider it an exceptional occurrence. Only the addition of the word זכרון would impress upon them how seriously G'd viewed the offence of someone arrogating to himself the privileges reserved for the priests.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:5:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:5:2)

**כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה לוֹ.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לְצַד שֶׁאָמַר **וְלֹא יִהְיֶה כְקֹרַח** וְגוֹ׳, מִמּוֹצָא דָבָר אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹמֵד מִקּוֹדֶם לְעַרְעֵר עַל הַכְּהוּנָּה יִהְיֶה לוֹ כְּקֹרַח וְכַעֲדָתוֹ, וְדָבָר זֶה לֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁהִתְרָה ה׳ כֵּן. לָזֶה אָמַר **כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה׳ בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה לוֹ**, פֵּרוּשׁ לְקֹרַח. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְקֹרַח ״וְאִם בְּרִיאָה יִבְרָא ה׳ וּפָצְתָה הָאֲדָמָה אֶת פִּיהָ״ וְגוֹ׳, הָיוּ דִּבְרֵי ה׳ בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה לְהַתְרוֹתוֹ, וְלֹא אֲמָרָן מֹשֶׁה מֵעַצְמוֹ. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה לוֹ**, פֵּרוּשׁ לְקֹרַח הַמֻּזְכָּר בְּסָמוּךְ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**כאשר דבר ה׳ ביד משה לו, "as G'd had said to him by means of Moses."** The wording of this verse reveals that when Moses had told Korach that G'd would create something new and that he would descend into the bowels of the earth after the earth would split, he had not said this until G'd Himself had told him so. Had the Torah not written this we would have thought that Moses initiated this thought and that G'd did his bidding.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:6:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:6:1)

**וַיִּלֹּנוּ כָּל וְגוֹ׳ לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת אָמְרוֹ **לֵאמֹר**, אַחַר שֶׁהַתְּלוּנָה הִיא עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן, מַה מָקוֹם לוֹמַר **לֵאמֹר**? וְאוּלַי כִּי הָעָם לֹא אָמְרוּ הַדְּבָרִים כִּכְתָבָן ״אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם אֶת עַם ה׳״, אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ דִּבְרֵי תְּלוּנוֹת שֶׁכַּוָּנַת כְּלָלוּת דִּבְרֵיהֶם הִיא ״אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם״ וְגוֹ׳, לָזֶה אָמַר **וַיִּלֹּנוּ** וְגוֹ׳, וְכַוָּנַת תְּלוּנָתָם הִיא **לֵאמֹר** לָהֶם ״אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם״ וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וילנו כל עדת בני ישראל, The whole congregation of Israel murmured, etc.** What is the meaning of the word לאמר in this verse? Seeing the complaint was directed only at Moses and Aaron as has been stated what could the word לאמר possibly add? Perhaps the people did not spell out their complaint as did the Torah., i.e. they did not actually say: "you have killed the people of G'd." They merely voiced complaints which amounted to much the same as if they had made this direct accusation which the Torah summarised here. The words וילנו לאמר read together were equivalent to their having said the words quoted in their name in our verse.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:6:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:6:2)

**עוֹד** יִרְצֶה בְּהָעִיר עוֹד אֵיךְ טַח מֵרְאוֹת עֵינֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּלוּנָה עַל מֹשֶׁה בְּלֹא סִבָּה, מַה פִּשְׁעוֹ וּמַה חַטָּאתוֹ, וּמַה גַּם אַחַר שֶׁרָאוּ כַּמָּה הִשְׁפִּיל עַצְמוֹ לִפְנֵי דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם אוּלַי יָשׁוּבוּ וְכוּ׳, זֶה יַגִּיד שֶׁהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְבַל יָמוּתוּ. אָכֵן תַּרְעוֹמֶת הָעֵדָה הָיְתָה עַל מַה שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה הַמִּבְחָן שֶׁל הַקְּטֹרֶת בְּכֻלָּן יַחַד, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּבְחָן בְּקֹרַח לְבַד, וּכְשֶׁהָיָה ה׳ עוֹשֶׂה בּוֹ הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֹא הָיוּ נִגָּשִׁים הַמָּאתַיִם וַחֲמִשִּׁים נְשִׂיאֵי עֵדָה וְלֹא הָיוּ מֵתִים. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ בְּמַאֲמַרְכֶם שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם לָהֶם ״קְחוּ אִישׁ מַחְתָּתוֹ וְגוֹ׳ חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם״, בָּזֶה הֲמִתֶּם אֶת עַם ה׳. וְלֹא הִתְרַעֲמוּ הָעֵדָה עַל מִיתַת קֹרַח דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם, אֶלָּא עַל הַמָּאתַיִם וַחֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁכֻּלָּן הָיוּ רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת. וּלְדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁתַּרְעוֹמֶת הָעֵדָה הָיְתָה לְמָה שֶׁצִּוָּם לְהַקְטִיר הַקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁהִיא עֲבוֹדָה יוֹתֵר קְדוֹשָׁה וַחֲמוּרָה וְלֹא עָשָׂה הַמִּבְחָן בְּאֶחָד מִשְּׁאָר עֲבוֹדוֹת, יִתְבָּאֵר גַּם כֵּן עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ **לֵאמֹר אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם**, פֵּרוּשׁ בְּמַאֲמַרְכֶם שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם לָהֶם לְהַקְטִיר קְטֹרֶת אַתֶּם הֱיִיתֶם סִבָּה שֶׁיָּמוּתוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Furthermore, the audacity of the people who had witnessed how Moses had not stood on ceremony but had himself gone to Datan and Aviram in order to give them a chance to escape death if they recanted, is impossible to understand. What could Moses and Aaron possibly have been guilty of? We must conclude therefore that the complaint of the people concerned the very type of test Moses and Aaron arranged, i.e. the offering of incense of all the associates of Korach at one and the same time. They claimed that Moses only had to make this test between Korach and Aaron and as a result, as soon as G'd had shown that He accepted the incense from Aaron and not from Korach, the other 250 men would have learned their lesson and would not have had to die by engaging in this confrontation. The word לאמר was an accusation against Moses who had made all these men offer incense. The people did not complain about the death of either Korach or Datan and Aviram. They were only angry at the death of the 250 men who represented the elite of the nation, its most senior judges, etc., who they claimed had died through an exercise orchestrated by Moses and Aaron. According to some of our sages, the people's complaint was directed at the very nature of the offering Moses had insisted on, i.e. קטורת, the holiest of the holy. He should have allowed them to perform a relatively minor form of Temple service instead. According to that view the word לאמר addresses the instruction to offer incense.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:10:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:10:1)

**הֵרֹמּוּ מִתּוֹךְ וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא עַל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן הוּא מְדַבֵּר, אֶלָּא עַל אוֹתָם שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בִּכְלַל הַמַּלִּינִים, וְהָעֵד הַנֶּאֱמָן אָמְרוֹ **וַיְדַבֵּר** וְגוֹ׳ **לֵאמֹר** וּפֵרוּשׁ לַאֲחֵרִים, וְדִקְדֵּק הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר **הַזֹּאת** לְהַרְאוֹת בָּאֶצְבַּע בַּמַּלִּינִים לִשְׁלֹל זוּלָתָם שֶׁאֵינָן בִּכְלַל הַכִּלָּיוֹן. וּבָזֶה נִתְיַשֵּׁב לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **הֵרֹמּוּ** וַהֲרֵי יָכוֹל ה׳ לְהָמִית רָשָׁע לִפְנֵי צַדִּיק כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הֲרִיגַת בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרַיִם. וּלְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ שֶׁעַל שְׁאָר הָעָם שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בִּכְלַל הַמַּלִּינִים הוּא אוֹמֵר, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בִּכְלַל גְּזֵרַת הַמְּרַגְּלִים יֵשׁ צֹרֶךְ בַּדָּבָר לְהִתְרַחֵק לְבַל תִּפְגַּע בָּהֶם מִדַּת הַדִּין. וּמַאֲמַר **כְּרָגַע** פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (במדבר ט״ז:כ״א).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**הרמו מתון העדה הזאת, "get up from amongst this congregation, etc."** G'd did not speak about Moses and Aaron but to all those who had not joined the ones who had accused Moses and Aaron. Proof of the fact that my interpretation is correct is the word לאמר, which always means that others are to be informed. The word הזאת, "this," further indicates that only the people who had actively accused Moses of wrongdoing were slated to be destroyed. This also explains the need for G'd to have said הרומו altogether. After all, G'd has no problem in killing the wicked in the very presence of the righteous as He had done when He killed the firstborn in Egypt and their family members did not have to leave their houses first. If you accept our interpretation, however, the instruction הרמו makes sense as even the people not guilty of accusing Moses **now** were under sentence of death already and unless they demonstrated that they were not involved in this sin the angel of death would execute them now. (I refer you to my commentary on Numbers 16,21).


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

**קַח אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה.** לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁאָמְרוּ כִּי סִבַּת הַשְּׂרוּפִים הָיְתָה בִּשְׁבִיל הַקְטָרַת הַקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁהוּא סִבֵּב מִיתַת עַם ה׳, לָזֶה הֶרְאָה לָהֶם כִּי הֲגַם שֶׁהַקְּטֹרֶת הָיָה חוּץ לִזְמַנּוֹ וְחוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, אַדְרַבָּא עָצַר הַמִּיתָה מֵעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבָזֶה יַצְדִּיקוּ כִּי הַכֹּל מַעֲשֵׂה ה׳ כִּי הוּא מֵמִית לַחַיָּב בְּאֵין סוֹבֵב. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אָמְרוּ (שבת פט.) כִּי דָּבָר זֶה לְמָדוּ מִס״מ בַּעֲלוֹתוֹ לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**קח את המחתה, "take the censer, etc."** Inasmuch as the people had claimed that the reason the 250 men had died was due to Moses having challenged them to offer the deadly incense, Moses now wanted to demonstrate that incense is far from deadly; on the contrary, this very "deadly" incense would now save the people's lives. The reason the incense had appeared to be "deadly" was because the wrong people had offered it at the wrong time and at the wrong place. Our sages in *Shabbat* 89 claim that Moses had learned the life-saving property of the incense offering from the angel of death himself when he had been on Mount Sinai waiting to receive the Tablets and the Torah.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:12:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:12:1)

**וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, סָמוּךְ לְדִבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁלֹּא שָׁהָה אֲפִלּוּ רֶגַע. עוֹד יִרְצֶה, לְצַד שֶׁהָעִנְיָן כָּאן הוּא הֵפֶךְ הַדִּין לְהַקְטִיר קְטֹרֶת חוּץ לִזְמַנּוֹ וְחוּץ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, לָזֶה אָמַר **וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן**, וְטַעַם ״וַיִּקַּח״ הוּא ״כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה״, פֵּרוּשׁ, עַל פִּי נָבִיא, וְיֵאָמֵן נָבִיא כְּשֶׁיֹּאמַר לַעֲבֹר עַל מִצְוָה אַחַת מִמִּצְווֹת הַתּוֹרָה לְפִי שָׁעָה, וּכְאֵלִיָּהוּ בְּהַר הַכַּרְמֶל (מלכים א יח,ל).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויקח אהרן כאשר דבר משה, And Aaron took just as Moses had said, etc.** This means that Aaron did so as soon as he received the instructions from Moses. Aaron's action is remarkable because he had witnessed what happens when one offers incense at the wrong time. and the wrong place. He might have waited until the appropriate time and offered it inside the Sanctuary. Instead, he knowingly endangered himself having received his instructions from Moses the acknowledged prophet who was entitled to violate a commandment temporarily in order to deal with an emergency. Another example of a prophet acting in this manner was the prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel when he repaired a private altar at a time when private altars were forbidden (Kings I 18,30).


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:13:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:13:1)

**וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין הַמֵּתִים וְגוֹ׳.** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תנחומא, תצוה טו) שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁתְּפָסוֹ לַמַּלְאָךְ הַמַּשְׁחִית וּמְנָעוֹ מֵהַשְׁחִית, וּמָנָה הַמּוּמָתִים לְבַל יוֹסִיף עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַחַיִּים**, פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁהִגְבִּיל מִסְפַּר הַמֵּתִים מִבֵּין הַחַיִּים לְבַל יוֹסִיף הַכּוֹת עוֹד. וְלָזֶה אָמַר **וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת**, לוֹמַר אֵלֶּה הֵם שֶׁעָמְדוּ בְּמִסְפַּר הַמֵּתִים, **וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה**, שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיף עוֹד הַכּוֹת עַל מִסְפָּר זֶה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
ויעמד בין המתים ובין החיים. He stood between the dead and between the living. This expression can best be understood with the help of *Tanchuma on Tetzaveh* paragraph 15. The *Midrash* explains there that Aaron took hold of the angel of death physically and prevented him from killing. At the same time he counted the number of dead to make sure that the angel of death would not add to their number. The correct translation of our verse then is: "he stood, i.e. arrested or limited the number of dead that had died from amongst the living." This explains why the Torah added that at that moment the number of dead from the plague was (already) 14,700. No additional people died once Aaron offered the incense.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:15:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:15:1)

**וַיָּשָׁב אַהֲרֹן וְגוֹ׳ וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָרָה.** חָזַר לוֹמַר **וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָרָה** אַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר אָמַר ״וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה״, לוֹמַר שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אַחַר שֶׁכָּלָה עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת וְשָׁב אַהֲרֹן אֶל מֹשֶׁה נִשְׁאֲרָה הַמַּגֵּפָה עֲצוּרָה, שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר שֶׁלֹּא נֶעֶצְרָה אֶלָּא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה עוֹלֶה עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (שמות י״ז:י״א) ״כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ״ וְגוֹ׳:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וישב אהרן…והמגפה נעצרה. Aaron returned and the plague had been arrested.** The reason the Torah repeats once more that the plague had been arrested is to inform us that even after the cloud of smoke from the incense had dissipated the plague did not break out again. We should not think that the effect of Aaron's offering was limited to while he was in the process of offering incense. We might have thought so in view of what the Torah told us in Exodus 17,11 that Israel's army prevailed over Amalek only while Moses managed to keep his hands raised heavenwards.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:15:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:15:2)

**עוֹד** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תנחומא, קרח יב) שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁלֹּא קִבֵּל הַמַּשְׁחִית מֵאַהֲרֹן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ ״אֲנִי שְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם״, עַד שֶׁהֱבִיאוֹ אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְשָׁמַע מִפִּי הַשְּׁכִינָה. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וְהַמַּגֵּפָה**, פֵּרוּשׁ, מַלְאַךְ הַמַּשְׁחִית נִקְרָא מַגֵּפָה, גַּם הוּא הֶחְלִיט לְהֵעָצֵר. וְלָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָרָה**, וּלְמַעְלָה אָמַר **וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה**, פֵּרוּשׁ הָיְתָה לָהּ מְנִיעָה מֵאַהֲרֹן אֲבָל הוּא לֹא הָיָה רוֹצֶה לִמָּנַע, מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן אַחַר כָּךְ גַּם הַמַּגֵּפָה הִסְכִּימָה לִהְיוֹת נֶעֱצָרָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
We may also understand this repetition in light of the *Midrash Tanchuma* on that verse who claims that the angel of death refused to take orders from Aaron until Aaron brought him to the entrance of the Tabernacle where he heard from the voice of G'd that he was to desist. The meaning of the word והמגפה would then be a reference to the angel of death who is defined as "the plague." At this juncture the angel of death agreed to become inactive, i.e. to stop killing the people of Israel. Whereas in the previous verse the Torah wrote ותעצר המגפה, in this instance the Torah wrote והמגפה נעצרה. In the previous verse the Torah refers to Aaron's role in stopping the plague although the angel of death had not agreed yet; in this verse the Torah describes that the cause of the plague, i.e. the angel of death himself agreed to desist.


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

**דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְקַח מֵאִתָּם.** אָמְרוֹ **דַּבֵּר** וְגוֹ׳ **וְקַח מֵאִתָּם** שֶׁנִּרְאֶה שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים, לְצַד שֶׁיְּצַו ה׳ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהָבִיא הַמַּטּוֹת וְעַל מֹשֶׁה לָקַחַת מֵאִתָּם, לָזֶה אָמַר **דַּבֵּר וְקַח**, וַהֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר הֲבָאַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, רְמָזָהּ בְּכֹחַ וָא״ו שֶׁל **וְקַח.** עוֹד נִרְאֶה טַעַם אָמְרוֹ **וְקַח** בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא״ו לְהוֹסִיף עַל עִנְיָן רִאשׁוֹן מִלְּבַד זִכְרוֹן הַמַּחְתּוֹת אֲשֶׁר עֲשָׂאוּם רִקּוּעֵי פַחִים וְגוֹ׳, עוֹד **קַח מֵאִתָּם** וְגוֹ׳ לְהַרְאוֹתָם כִּי בְּאַהֲרֹן בָּחַר לוֹ יָהּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**דבר אל בני ישראל וקח מאתם, "speak to the children of Israel and take from them, etc."** The expressions דבר plus קח suggest that we are speaking about two separate subjects. G'd said דבר, referring to the fact that 1) the Israelites were to bring one rod representing their respective tribes; 2) Moses was to accept these rods from them. Although the Torah did not spell out who was to bring these rods to Moses, the letter ו at the beginning of the words וקח alludes to this. [The problem is that the Torah did not spell out exactly what it was that Moses was to take from the children of Israel. Ed.] An additional reason for the Torah to write וקח with the extra letter ו may be that this demonstration was additional to the conversion of the 250 censers into covers for the altar which had also been described as being a memorial to what happened to Korach and associates. The people had to be given visual evidence that G'd had chosen Aaron.


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

**מֵאִתָּם וְגוֹ׳ מֵאֵת כָּל נְשִׂיאֵיהֶם.** טַעַם שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **מֵאִתָּם** וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק לוֹמַר ״מֵאֵת כָּל נְשִׂיאֵיהֶם״, לְעַכֵּב שֶׁלֹּא יִקַּח הַמַּטּוֹת אֶלָּא מֵאִתָּם וְלֹא יִקַּח מֹשֶׁה בַּעֲדָם. וְאִם הָיָה אוֹמֵר ״קַח מֵאֵת נְשִׂיאֵיהֶם מַטֶּה מַטֶּה״ לֹא הָיִיתִי מִתְחַיֵּב לוֹמַר שֶׁהֵם יָבִיאוּ, וְהָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁהוּא הַדִּין שֶׁיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה בִּשְׁבִילָם וּשְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כְּמוֹתוֹ, אוֹ הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁכַּוָּנַת אָמְרוֹ **מֵאֵת נְשִׂיאֵיהֶם** וְגוֹ׳ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִשֶּׁלָּהֶם וּלְעוֹלָם מֹשֶׁה יִקַּח, לָזֶה בָּא מַאֲמַר **מֵאִתָּם** לְעִכּוּב. וְטַעַם הַדָּבָר כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה מָקוֹם לוֹמַר כִּי מֹשֶׁה בָּחַר לָהֶם עֵץ לֹא יִצְלָח.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**מאתם…מאת כל נשיאהם, "from them…from all their princes."** The reason the Torah said both מאתם and did not content itself with writing מאת נשיאהם, is to ensure that Moses would accept these rods only from the princes and that he should not set aside 12 rods **on behalf of** the respective tribes. Had the Torah only written that Moses was to take these rods from the princes this would not have obligated the princes to come forward and present Moses with these rods. Moses could have acted as their representative and assigned a rod for each tribe. Alternatively, we could have thought that if the Torah had only written the words מאת נשיאהם this meant that the rods should be the property of the various princes but that Moses should take them, i.e. select them; therefore the Torah added the word מאתם to teach that the princes themselves must bring these rods to Moses. At any rate, the reason the Torah was so specific was to prevent anyone from claiming afterwards that Moses had selected a rod for them that never had a chance to blossom and that therefore the fact that Aaron's rod blossomed did not prove anything.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:18:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:18:1)

**וְאֵת שֵׁם אַהֲרֹן תִּכְתֹּב עַל מַטֵּה לֵוִי וְגוֹ׳.** מִמַּה שֶׁלֹּא צִוָּה מִקֹּדֶם לָקַחַת מַטֶּה לְמַטֵּה לֵוִי, יַגִּיד כִּי הוּא בִּכְלַל הַשְּׁנֵים עָשָׂר מַטּוֹת שֶׁאָמַר בְּסָמוּךְ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מַטּוֹת וּמַטֵּה לֵוִי בִּכְלַל הַשְּׁנֵים עָשָׂר. וְאֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר שֶׁכָּכָה עָשׂוּ, שֶׁלָּקְחוּ עֵץ אֶחָד וְחִלְּקוּהוּ לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֲלָקִים, וְכָל שֵׁבֶט לָקַח שִׁיבָא מִכְּשׁוּרָא, וְאֵין הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן לְשֶׁל כֻּלָּן, שֶׁבָּזֶה יִצְדַּק הַמִּבְחָן. וּבָזֶה יְדֻיַּק מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב **וַיִּתְּנוּ אֵלָיו כָּל נְשִׂיאֵיהֶם** וְגוֹ׳ **וּמַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן בְּתוֹךְ מַטּוֹתָם**, פֵּרוּשׁ, חֵלֶק אֶחָד מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵץ שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ לָקְחוּ מַטּוֹתָם. שׁוּב בָּא לְיָדִי מַאֲמַר רַזַ״ל (במדבר רבה יח,כג) שֶׁאָמְרוּ כִּדְבָרֵינוּ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואת שם אהרון תכתב על מטה לוי, "and you will inscribe the name Aaron on the rod of the tribe of Levi."** The Torah had to mention this as it had not previously written that the tribe of Levi was one of the 12 tribes for whom rods were to be taken. [Menashe and Ephrayim could have made up the tribe of Joseph. Ed.] It is possible that the whole procedure was that they took one long rod and divided it into 12 equal lengths and every tribal head came and took one length of the same original rod. In that way the test was absolutely fair as all the parts of that rod had come from the same root. If this was the procedure we can also understand the meaning of the words ומטה אהרון בתוך מטותם, "that the rod of Aaron was a part of their rods" (verse 21). I have found an opinion quoted in *Bamidbar Rabbah* 18,23 which confirms what I have just written.


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

**וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אֶבְחַר בּוֹ וְגוֹ׳.** וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק כָּל מַה שֶׁעָשָׂה ה׳ בְּקֹרַח, אוּלַי שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹשְׁבִים כִּי מַה שֶׁאֵרַע לְקֹרַח הוּא עַל שֶׁדִּבֵּר נֶגֶד מֹשֶׁה וְחָלַק עָלָיו, וַה׳ יִנְקֹם נָקָם עַל כְּבוֹד נְבִיאוֹ נֶאֱמַן בֵּיתוֹ, וּלְעוֹלָם אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּבְחַר בִּשְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים לְשָׁרְתוֹ, לָזֶה צִוָּה ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת מִבְחַן הַמַּטּוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והיה האיש אשר אבחר בו, "and it will be that the rod of the man whom I choose will bud."** All the miracles G'd had performed with Korach had not sufficed to convince the people. Perhaps this was because the people thought that Korach's sin was that he challenged Moses so that G'd had had to defend the honour of His prophet, but that this did not prove that G'd was not willing to choose another tribe from which the High Priest would be chosen.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:23:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:23:1)

**וַיִּגְמֹל שְׁקֵדִים.** רַזַ״ל אָמְרוּ (במדבר רבה יח,כג) טַעַם שְׁקֵדִים – לְהָעִיר שֶׁכָּל הַמְּעַרְעֵר עַל הַכְּהוּנָּה פּוּרְעָנוּתוֹ מְמַהֶרֶת לָבוֹא, עַד כָּאן. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁהֻכְרְחוּ לוֹמַר כֵּן, שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי לְבַעַל הַנֵּס לְבַקֵּשׁ פְּרִי הַמְּמַהֵר לְהַפְרִיחַ, שֶׁנִּרְאֶה חָס וְשָׁלוֹם הַפְחָתַת הַיְּכוֹלֶת שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ אַחַר פְּרִי שֶׁמְּמַהֵר. לָזֶה אָמְרוּ כִּי יֵשׁ טַעַם בַּדָּבָר שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְהַפְרִיחַ שְׁקֵדִים וְלֹא פְּרִי אַחֵר, לוֹמַר שֶׁמְּמַהֵר לִפָּרַע וְכוּ׳, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה הָיָה מוֹצִיא חָרוּב.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויגמל שקדים, it bore ripe almonds.** Our sages in *Bamidbar Rabbah* 18,23 say that the reason G'd chose almonds was to serve as a warning that anyone who would challenge that the priesthood belonged to the descendants of Aaron would be dealt with very promptly. It appears to me that what forced the sages to come to this conclusion was that if someone is desirous of having a miracle performed for him he does not wish the fruit to ripen prematurely as this could reflect something negative about the one who performs the miracle and is unable to deliver fully ripened fruit. If G'd nonetheless exposed Himself to such an interpretation by the people who watched this miracle it could only be because He had considerations which outweighed those of how His own image was being perceived.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:26:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:26:1)

**וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר וְגוֹ׳ כֵּן עָשָׂה.** טַעַם שֶׁכָּפַל הַדָּבָר יִרְצֶה עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: **וַיַּעַשׂ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד כְּשֶׁצִּוָּהוּ וְלֹא אִחֵר, **כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳** פֵּרוּשׁ לְהָשִׁיב כֵּן עָשָׂה, וּכְפִי זֶה מַאֲמַר **כַּאֲשֶׁר** נִמְשָׁךְ לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויעש משה כאשר צוה השם כן עשה, Moses did as G'd commanded, so he did.** The reason that the Torah repeated the same statement twice may be as follows: The first statement indicates that Moses carried out G'd's instructions immediately; the second statement כן עשה refers to his replacing the rod of Aaron in the Sanctuary. The word כאשר therefore refers to both actions.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:28:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 17:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/17:28:1)

**כָּל הַקָּרֵב הַקָּרֵב וְגוֹ׳.** נִתְעוֹרְרוּ עַתָּה וְלֹא קוֹדֶם, הֲגַם שֶׁכְּבָר נֶאֱמַר לָהֶם דָּבָר זֶה, עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם (שיר השירים רבה א:ב:ג) מַאן דְּנָכִית לֵיהּ חִוְיָא מֵחֶבְלָא וְכוּ׳:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**כל הקרב הקרב..ימות, "Anyone that comes near..that comes near will die."** Only now did the message penetrate the average Israelite's head although they had been informed about this previously. This is remindful of a proverb cited in *Shir Hashirim Rabbah* on the verse (Song of Songs, 1,2: "May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth." The proverb says that if one slaughters an animal one will suffer terrible pain."