## Or HaChaim on Numbers Chapter 33

###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:1:1)

**אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי וְגוֹ׳.** רַזַ״ל (בראשית רבה יב,ג) אָמְרוּ: כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אֵלֶּה״ פָּסַל הַקּוֹדְמִים, וּבְמַה שֶׁלְּפָנֵינוּ לֹא רָאִינוּ שֶׁקָּדְמוּ בַּמַּאֲמָר מַסָּעוֹת זוּלָתָם לוֹמַר שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן הַכָּתוּב לְפָסְלָם. וְהָיָה נִרְאֶה כִּי נִתְכַּוֵּן לִפְסֹל כָּל מַסָּעוֹת זוּלָתָם שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם בָּעוֹלָם, הֲגַם שֶׁלֹּא הֻזְכְּרוּ. אֶלָּא שֶׁרוֹאַנִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ הַמַּסָּעוֹת לְשֶׁבַח, וּלְוַאי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בָּעוֹלָם, כִּי רֻבָּם הָיוּ לְיִסּוּרִין שֶׁל עֲוֹן הַמְרַגְּלִים. גַּם הַקּוֹדְמִים הָיוּ דֶּרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה לְבַל יִתְּנוּ רֹאשׁ וְיָשׁוּבוּ, דִּכְתִיב (שמות י״ג:י״ז) ״וְלֹא נָחָם אֱלֹהִים דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים״. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לְרָצוֹן וּלְסֵדֶר הַנָּכוֹן לְמוֹעֲדֵי רָגֶל. גַּם אָמְרוּ רַזַ״ל (ילקוט יתרו רעג) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: ״וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם״ – בִּקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִתֵּן הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְהָיוּ חוֹלְקִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ וְכוּ׳, מַה כְּתִיב ״וַיִּסְעוּ מִסֻּכּוֹת וַיַּחֲנוּ בְאֵיתָם״, הָיוּ נוֹסְעִים בִּמְרִיבָה וְחוֹנִים בִּמְרִיבָה וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. וּכְפֵרוּשׁ זֶה אֵין בְּמַסָּעוֹת אֵלּוּ דָּבָר יְקַר הָעֵרֶךְ לִפְסֹל כָּל זוּלָתָם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אלה מסעי בני ישראל, These are the journeys of the children of Israel, etc.** We have been told in *Bereshit Rabbah* 12,3 that the expression אלה is used to separate what follows from something negative which had preceded it, [such as the Tohu Vavohu prior to the story of creation, and Genesis 2,4. Ed.] whereas the expression ואלה establishes a link with what preceded it. It is difficult to see in which way the journeys the Torah tells us about here are supposed to separate from a negative experience which has been described previously. Perhaps the Torah meant to draw a line of distinction between all journeys which occurred in human history, even those which have not been recorded on the one hand, and those of the Jewish people in their Exodus from Egypt on their way to the Holy Land on the other hand. This would be an acceptable reason for writing אלה if these journeys had all been a record of positive achievements. Alas, they were not, far from it! After all, most of these journeys were caused by the sins of the spies! Even a number of the journeys which occurred before the sin of the spies were due to negative rather than positive considerations such as G'd leading the Israelites on detours skirting the land of the Philistines in order to prevent a premature confrontation with the Philistines and possible tragic results (compare Exodus 13,17). G'd had been afraid that the Israelites might appoint an alternate leader and head back to Egypt rather than face the hostile Philistines. Clearly then "journeys" had been related to potentially negative experiences long before the incident with the spies. We also have the following comment in *Yalkut Shimoni* Yitro item 273: "Proverbs 3,17 describing Torah as כל נתיבותיה שלום, 'all her paths are peace,' is a reference to the time of the Exodus when G'd wanted to give the Torah to the Jewish people immediately." This proved impossible as the people were constantly divided, a section wanting to return to Egypt. The *Midrash* lists the various places where the Israelites rested on their way to the desert of Sinai as constant sources of strife and discontent. All of this is proof that the journeys of the Jewish people were nothing to be proud of and why would the Torah review them here by introducing them with the word אלה?


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:1:2)

**וְאֶפְשָׁר** כִּי לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּמַּסָּעוֹת אֵלֶּה הָאֲמוּרִים בַּפָּרָשָׁה שְׁתֵּי הַדְרָגוֹת: א׳ הֵם הַמַּסָּעוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בְּשָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה קוֹדֶם גְּזֵרַת מְרַגְּלִים, ב׳ הַמַּסָּעוֹת שֶׁעָשׂוּ בִּשְׁבִיל גְּזֵרַת הַמְּרַגְּלִים שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְּדַעַת ה׳ עֲשׂוֹת זוּלַת מַה שֶׁעָשׂוּ בִּשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, וּמַסָּעוֹת אֵלּוּ גְּרוּעִים הֵם מֵעֵרֶךְ שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֵיהֶם, וּכְנֶגְדָּן נִתְכַּוֵּן ה׳ בְּמַאֲמַר אֵלֶּה לְפָסְלָם. וְזֶה שִׁעוּר הַכָּתוּב **אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, הָאֲמוּרִים בְּסָמוּךְ הֵם הַמַּסָּעוֹת הָרְאוּיִים וְהַצְּרִיכִין, וְכָל זוּלָתָם פְּסוּלִין הֵם, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ אֶלָּא יִסּוּרִין לַהֲנִיעָם בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּתוֹכָחוֹת שֶׁל עֲוֹן הַמְרַגְּלִים.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Perhaps we have to divide these various journeys into two groups. 1) The journeys during the first year plus, prior to the decree that the people over twenty would die in the desert as a result of their supporting the majority report of the spies, and 2) the journeys undertaken as a result of that decree. G'd had never meant for the people to undertake these latter journeys at all had they not proven so quarrelsome during the journeys of the first year plus. These earlier journeys were far worse than the ones who served a positive purpose after the decree due to the debacle with the spies. The word אלה in our verse is meant to draw a dividing line between the negative aspects of the unnecessary journeys and the positive aspects of the necessary journeys. The journeys the Torah is about to list are all those that were of a necessary kind, i.e. that had positive elements to them as distinct from others which were mere tedium devoid of redeeming qualities.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:3
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:1:3)

**עוֹד** נִרְאֶה בְּהָעִיר לָמָּה בָּחַר הַכָּתוּב לִמְנוֹת הַמַּסָּעוֹת וְלֹא הַחֲנָיוֹת, וּמַה גַּם לְדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש רבה כאן) שֶׁאָמְרוּ מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ וְכוּ׳ כָּאן יָשַׁנְנוּ כָּאן וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן, שֶׁזֶּה יוֹתֵר בְּזִכְרוֹן הַחֲנָיוֹת, לֹא בַּמַּסָּעוֹת. גַּם לְפִי מִדְרָשׁ אַחֵר (תנחומא) שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁהִזְכִּיר הַמַּסָּעוֹת לִקְבֹּעַ לָהֶם שָׂכָר לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיהו לה:א) ״יְשֻׂשׂוּם מִדְבָּר״ וְגוֹ׳, לְפִי זֶה הָיָה רָאוּי לִמְנוֹת הַחֲנָיוֹת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
We also need to explore why the Torah chose to emphasise the "journeys," i.e. the Israelites breaking camp, rather than to emphasise that they made camp. i.e. that they arrived at a destination. This question is especially relevant in view of *Tanchuma* on our verse which describes the situation in terms of a parable. "A king had a son who was sick, so he took him to one health spa after another. When the son had finally been cured and the father took him back home, the father would reminisce with him about all the various places they had been together prior to the last one where the son had been cured." If the *Midrash* correctly summarizes the reason why the Torah lists all these journeys, it surely would have been more appropriate to list the places where stey stopped over, i.e. the "arrivals." We also have yet another *Tanchuma* which claims that the reason the Torah lists all these journeys is so that the desert which hosted the Jewish people during this period would receive its appropriate reward in the future as alluded to by Isaiah 35,1 : "the arid desert shall be glad, the wilderness shall rejoice etc." This *Midrash* too would make much better sense if the Torah had concentrated on describing the times spent by the Jewish people camping in the desert rather than the occasions when they broke camp.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:4
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:1:4)

**אָכֵן** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל פִּי דִּבְרֵי אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת (זוהר חלק ב קנז.) שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁהֲלִיכַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר הָיְתָה לְבָרֵר נִיצוֹצֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁאָנַס אִישׁ הַבְּלִיַּעַל הַחוֹנֶה בַּמִּדְבָּר הַשָּׁמֵם, שֶׁשָּׁם קָנָה מְקוֹמוֹ מְקוֹם נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב, וְדָרְכוּ שָׁם עֲדַת ה׳ לְהוֹצִיא בָּלְעוֹ מִפִּיו. וְהוּא הַטַּעַם שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹנִים בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד שָׁנָה וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת, שֶׁהוּא כְּפִי מַה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְבֵרוּר הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא. וּבֵרוּר זֶה אֵין כֹּחַ בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁיָּכוֹל עֲשׂוֹתוֹ זוּלַת קְדֻשָּׁה הַשְּׁלֵמָה וּבְסוֹד שְׁלֵמוּת מַחְבֶּרֶת הַכְּלָלוּת וּמַחְבֶּרֶת הַפְּרָטוּת: קְדֻשָּׁה הַשְּׁלֵמָה הִיא הַשְּׁכִינָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַתּוֹרָה, וּמַחְבֶּרֶת הַפְּרָטוּת הֵם שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא נְשָׁמוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת, מַחְבֶּרֶת הַכְּלָלוּת הוּא מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בְּסוֹד ״מֹשֶׁה עַמּוֹ״ (ישעיהו סג:יא), כִּי הוּא אִילָן שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ נוֹצְצוּ נִשְׁמוֹת שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, וְנִסְתַּיְּעוּ בְּעֵזֶר אֱלֹהִי בִּשְׁכוּנַת שׁוֹכֵן הַבִּירָה, וְשִׁבְּרוּ מַלְתְּעוֹת עַוָּל וּבֵרְרוּ בֵּרוּר עָצוּם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Our verse may be understood when we consider what the *Zohar* volume 2 page 157 has to say about the purpose of the Israelites' trek through the desert. It was meant to enable the Israelites to seek out isolated sparks of sanctity and to release them from captivity. These "sparks" had been taken captive by the spiritually negative forces who have their home in the desert. G'd made the Israelites travel through such places in order that their sanctity would act as a magnet and attract such "lost" sparks of sanctity. The only way this could be accomplished was by means of total sanctity, i.e. a combination of the sanctity of Israel, the Presence of G'd, שכינה and the holy Torah. It required the presence of 600,000 souls which originated in holy domains. Moses matched these 600,000 individually holy souls, as he is perceived of as the tree from which all these souls are branches (compare Isaiah 63,11). In a combined effort these forces of sanctity were able to overcome the forces of impurity which kept many of these lost sparks of sanctity captive. According to the *Zohar* then these "sparks" could be captured while the Israelites were actively journeying not while they were passsively encamped, and it is this the Torah has in mind when writing "these are the journeys." The word אלה is indeed in sharp contrast to any other journeys ever described anywhere as never before had there been a journey which was accompanied by so many elements of sanctity.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:5
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:1:5)

**וּכְפִי** זֶה תַּכְלִית הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הוּא כְּשֶׁנּוֹסְעִים הָיוּ נוֹסְעִים עִמָּהֶם כָּל הַדּוֹמֶה לְמִין הַקֹּדֶשׁ, לֹא בִּזְמַן הַחֲנִיָּה שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נַעֲשָׂה עִמּוֹ דָּבָר. וְהוּא מַה שֶׁרָמַז בְּמַאֲמַר **אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי** – אֵלֶּה פָּסַל כָּל הַמַּסָּעוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁאֵין מַסָּע כָּזֶה שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹסְעִים עִמָּהֶם הוֹן קָדוֹשׁ וְיָקָר שֶׁאֵין עֲרוֹךְ אֵלָיו. וַהֲגַם שֶׁקָּדְמוּ הָאָבוֹת וְדָרְכוּ מְקוֹמוֹת וְעָשׂוּ חֶלְקָם בְּבֵרוּרֵי נִיצוֹצוֹת, לֹא הִגִּיעוּ לְגָדֵר זֶה. וְאָמַר הַכָּתוּב עַצְמוֹ טַעַם עִלּוּי מַסָּעוֹת אֵלֶּה לְפִי שֶׁהֵם שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל **אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם** וְנִצְרְפוּ בְּכוּר הַבַּרְזֶל שֶׁהִיא אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם כָּאָמוּר, וּבָזֶה הָיוּ נִשְׁמוֹתָם רְאוּיִים לְבָרֵר נִיצוֹצֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יָבוֹאוּ שָׁמָּה. וְעוֹד **לְצִבְאוֹתָם** שֶׁהִיא שְׁלֵמוּת הַצָּבָא אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁרֶה עָלָיו הַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁהוּא מִסְפַּר שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, וּפָחוֹת מִמִּסְפָּר זֶה אֵינוֹ בְּגֶדֶר הַשְּׁלֵמוּת.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
While it is true that the patriarchs have also been described as journeying, and they too had rescued lost sparks of sanctity during their journeys, there is no comparison between what these individuals accomplished and what the Jewish nation as a whole accomplished in this regard. The Torah itself describes the superior nature of these journeys by stressing that they occurred as an aftermath of the Exodus from Egypt, i.e. after the Israelites had been refined in the iron crucible called Egypt. This enabled them to isolate sparks of sanctity wherever they would encounter them. Not only that, but the Torah describes these journeys as having taken place לצבאותם, when they were a complete unit, the Presence of G'd resting on these 600,000 holy souls. We have described repeatedly that the definition of שלמות, wholeness, completeness, is not applicable to fewer than 600,000 such souls.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:6
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:1:6)

**וְתִמְצָא** שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה ע״א, מכילתא יתרו) כִּי לְסִבָּה זוֹ לֹא נָתַן ה׳ הַתּוֹרָה לָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בָּהֶם שְׁלֵמוּת הַצָּבָא שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה עֲלֵיהֶם שְׁכִינָה הַנִּקְרֵאת צְבָאוֹת. גַּם רָמַז בְּתֵיבַת **לְצִבְאוֹתָם** הַשְׁרָאַת שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם. הֲרֵי לְפָנֶיךָ זִכְרוֹן עַם קָדוֹשׁ וְזִכְרוֹן מִסְפָּר הַשָּׁלֵם וְהַשְׁרָאַת הַשְּׁכִינָה, וּכְנֶגֶד מַחְבֶּרֶת כְּלָלוּת מִסְפָּר הַשָּׁלֵם אָמַר ״בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן״, מֹשֶׁה הוּא מַחְבֶּרֶת מִסְפָּר הַשָּׁלֵם, וְאַהֲרֹן הוּא שׁוֹשְׁבִין הַשְּׁכִינָה הַמַּקְרִיב וּמְיַחֵד אֵלֶיהָ כָּל הָעֲנָפִים כַּיָּדוּעַ בְּסוֹד הַקָּרְבָּן:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
You find that the reason G'd did not give the Torah to the patriarchs was due to their being too few in number. They lacked this "completeness" which is predicated on the presence of 600,000 souls which originated in a holy domain (compare *Mechilta* Yitro) so that they could be described as צבאות, "G'd's armies." Only once the Israelites were in the desert did they comprise all the necessary pre-conditions for fulfilling the task set for them by their journeys. The Torah also added: ביד משה ואהרון, "under the guidance of Moses and Aaron," who were the שושבינים, "go-betweens" between the Presence of G'd and all the other elements of sanctity needed to fuse the nation into a single whole of sanctity.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:7
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:1:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:1:7)

**אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְצִבְאֹתָם.** לְפִי מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ כִּי תֵּבַת ״אֵלֶּה״ הִגִּידָה עַל הַמַּסָּעוֹת הַמֻּבְחָרִים וּפָסְלָה מַסָּעוֹת הַגְּרוּעִים, סָמַךְ הַכָּתוּב לְמַאֲמַר ״אֵלֶּה״ מַאֲמַר **אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ** וְגוֹ׳ **לְצִבְאֹתָם**, לְהָעִירְךָ כִּי הַמֻּבְחָרִים הֵם אוֹתָם שֶׁקָּדְמוּ לַמְּרַגְּלִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְצִבְאוֹתָם. פֵּרוּשׁ, הַצְּבָאוֹת עַצְמָן, שֶׁיָּצְאוּ לִשְׁלֹל מַסָּעוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ מִזְּמַן הַמְּרַגְּלִים, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ לְצִבְאוֹתָם, שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר, וּמֵאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה עַצְמָהּ מֵתוּ חֵלֶק מֵהֶם וְלֹא הָיָה בַּנִּמְצָא הַצְּבָאוֹת שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם. וְאָמְרוֹ **בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן**, פֵּרוּשׁ, הַמַּסָּעוֹת הָיוּ בְּיָדָם, דִּכְתִיב בְּפָרָשַׁת בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ (במדבר ט:כ): ״וְעַל פִּי ה׳ יִסָּעוּ״ וְגוֹ׳ ״עַל פִּי ה׳ בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה״, וְסָמַךְ עִמּוֹ אַהֲרֹן שֶׁאַהֲרֹן הוּא הַתּוֹקֵעַ בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת לְמַסָּעָם, לָזֶה שִׁתְּפוֹ עִם מֹשֶׁה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים לצבאותם, who had departed from Egypt according to their hosts;** according to what we explained thus far that the word אלה separates these special journeys as being spiritually superior to any previous journeys, the reason that the Torah wrote the words "who came forth out of Egypt according to their hosts," is that the Torah wished to describe the journeys prior to the affair of the spies as being spiritually superior to those which occurred only as a result of the decree after the affair of the spies. Prior to the affair of the spies, the Israelites deserved to be described as journeying לצבאותם as due to their being the hosts of G'd. Journeys which took place after the decree occasioned by the fiasco of the spies lacked the element described here as לצבאותם. The major reason that it lacked this element was that part of the men who had participated both in the Exodus and in the refining process of the iron crucible called Egypt had begun to die off, so that there were no longer the requisite number of holy souls to make up the magic number of 600,000 who combined all the qualities we described. When the Torah describes the journeys as ביד משה ואהרון, this means that prior to the fiasco with the spies the journeys had been described in Numbers 9,23 as על פי ה׳ ביד משה, "at the command of G'd as conveyed by Moses," that Moses and Aaron (the latter by means of the trumpets) gave the signal to initiate a journey.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:2:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:2:1)

**וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה מוֹדִיעֵנוּ הַכָּתוּב בְּמַאֲמָר זֶה, אִם לוֹמַר שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה כְּתָבָם, הֲלֹא כָּל הַתּוֹרָה מֹשֶׁה כְּתָבָהּ וְהַמַּסָּעוֹת הַכְּתוּבִים בַּתּוֹרָה מִכְּלַל הַתּוֹרָה. עוֹד הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר ״וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת מַסְעֵיהֶם״. עוֹד לָמָּה חָזַר לוֹמַר **וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם** וְגוֹ׳, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר אָמַר ״אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי״ וְגוֹ׳. עוֹד לָמָּה שִׁנָּה, בַּתְּחִלָּה הִקְדִּים לוֹמַר **לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם** וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר **לְמַסְעֵיהֶם**, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִקְדִּים תֵּבַת **לְמַסְעֵיהֶם** לְתֵבַת **לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם**:

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויכתב משה את מוצאיהם, Moses recorded their departures, etc.** What precisely did the Torah want to teach us with this verse? We did not need to be told that it was Moses who recorded this as Moses recorded the entire Torah and the journeys are part of the Torah. Besides, the Torah ought to have written that Moses recorded את מסעיהם, "their journeys." What was the point in recording their "departures?" Furthermore, what is the meaning of the words ואלה מסעיהם למוצאיהם "and these are their journeys according to their departures?" Why did the Torah change the order in which it mentioned departures from מוצאיהם למסעיהם, to מסעיהם למוצאיהם?


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:2:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:2:2)

**וְנִרְאֶה** שֶׁהַכָּתוּב נִתְכַּוֵּן לְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ סֵדֶר כְּתִיבַת הַמַּסָּעוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא נִכְתְּבוּ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, אֶלָּא עַל זֶה הַסֵּדֶר: שֶׁהִתְחִיל מֹשֶׁה לִכְתֹּב בְּפִנְקָסוֹ בְּמִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ מִיּוֹם שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ – יוֹם שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם כָּתַב פָּסוּק ״וַיִּסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרַעְמְסֵס״ וְגוֹ׳, שְׁנֵי כְּתוּבִים הַבָּאִים כְּאֶחָד הַכְּתוּבִים לְפָנֵינוּ עַד תֵּיבַת ״שְׁפָטִים״, וּכְשֶׁחָנוּ בְּסֻכּוֹת כָּתַב פָּסוּק ״וַיִּסְעוּ וְגוֹ׳ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּסֻכּוֹת״, וּכְשֶׁנָּסְעוּ מִסֻּכּוֹת כָּתַב ״וַיִּסְעוּ מִסֻּכּוֹת״, וּכְשֶׁחָנוּ בְּאֵיתָם כָּתַב ״וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּאֵיתָם״, וְכֵן עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ הָיָה כּוֹתֵב כָּל מַסָּע בִּזְמַנּוֹ עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לְעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב. וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר ה׳ אֵלָיו שֶׁיְּסַדְּרֵם בַּתּוֹרָה כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ כְּתוּבִים אֶצְלוֹ, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב **וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם** – פֵּרוּשׁ יוֹם שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְהֵם שְׁנֵי הַכְּתוּבִים מִ״וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרַעְמְסֵס״ עַד תֵּיבַת ״שְׁפָטִים״. וְאָמְרוֹ **לְמַסְעֵיהֶם** – פֵּרוּשׁ לְסֵדֶר כָּל מַסְעֵיהֶם שֶׁנָּסְעוּ מִיּוֹם צֵאתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם עַד סוֹף הַמַּסָּעוֹת. וְאָמְרוֹ **עַל פִּי ה׳** – לוֹמַר שֶׁמִּכְתָּב הָרִאשׁוֹן עַצְמוֹ הָיָה עַל פִּי ה׳, הוּא אָמַר אֵלָיו שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כּוֹתֵב וְהוֹלֵךְ. וְאָמְרוֹ **וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם** וְגוֹ׳ – פֵּרוּשׁ אֵלֶּה הֵם הַמַּסָּעוֹת הָאֲמוּרִים שֶׁכָּתַב מֹשֶׁה **לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם** כָּל אֶחָד בִּזְמַנּוֹ וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ, וְזֶה הַעְתָּקָה.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
It appears that the Torah wanted to inform us that Moses did not record all these journeys on a single day, but that he recorded them as and when they occurred. He commenced recording when he had received instructions to make the Israelites depart from Egypt. He wrote in his booklet the date on which the Israelites departed from Raamses up until the word שפטים at the end of verse 4. Once the Israelites made camp at Sukkot, Moses wrote verse 5. When the Israelites made camp at Eytan, Moses wrote what had transpired as verse 6. In this manner Moses recorded each and every journey as it occurred until the people arrived at ערבות מואב. At that point G'd told Moses to include these private notes he had made in the Torah in the order in which he had previously recorded it. This is what was meant by: "Moses recorded their departures, i.e. starting from the day the Israelites departed from Egypt. This referred to the two lines from "they journeyed from Raamses until the word שפטים." When the Torah speaks of למסעיהם it refers to Moses listing all the Israelites' journeys from the day they left Egypt until the end of all their journeys. It adds the words על פי השם, "at G'd's command," to inform us that the very first recording already was at the command of G'd, i.e. that G'd had told Moses to record and to keep recording. When the Torah repeats ואלה מטעיהם, "and these are their journeys," this means that these are the journeys which G'd commanded Moses to record למוצאיהם, as and when they occurred, i.e. every time the Israelites broke camp. What the Torah describes in our chapter is a copy of all the notations made by Moses throughout all these years.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:3:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:3:1)

**וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרַעְמְסֵס וְגוֹמֵר.** הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר זִכְרוֹן **בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן** שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים, הֲגַם שֶׁהָיָה יָכוֹל לוֹמַר ״בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם״ וּמוּבָן הַדָּבָר שֶׁבַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן מְדַבֵּר הַכָּתוּב, אוֹ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ ״וַיִּסְעוּ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן״. אוּלַי שֶׁרָמַז מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה טו,יא) כִּי חֹדֶשׁ נִיסָן הוּא זְמַן שֶׁמַּזָּלָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמֵד, גַּם זְמַן שְׁלֵמוּת הַהַצְלָחָה בּוֹ הוּא חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בַּחֹדֶשׁ, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיִּסְעוּ** וְגוֹ׳ **בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן** שֶׁהוּא זְמַן הַעֲמָדַת מַזָּלָם, וְעוֹד לְתוֹסֶפֶת גֹּדֶל הַמַּעֲרָכָה בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר שֶׁהוּא זְמַן מִלּוּי הַלְּבָנָה, וְאָמְרוֹ **לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן** לְפִי שֶׁאֵין גֶּדֶר זֶה מוֹרֶה עַל רוּם הַהַצְלָחָה אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהוּא בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַמֻּצְלָח.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויסעו מרעמסס, They journeyed from Raamses, etc.** The Torah had to mention twice that this journey occurred during the first month although it could have written "on the fifteenth," and I would have understood that the day mentioned was the first month. The Torah could also have written: "they travelled on the fifteenth of the first month after the Passover;" Perhaps the Torah alluded to what we have been told in *Shemot Rabbah* 15,11 that the month of Nissan is the month in which the zodiac sign of Israel is at its zenith and that the most auspicious day during that month is the fifteenth of that month. The Torah writes ויסעו בחודש הראשון, to describe the month during which Israel's fortunes ride high and it adds that this occurred on the fifteenth of that month, i.e. when the moon is full. The Torah added once more that it was in the first month, as the significance of the full moon is meaningless for Israel unless it occurs during the first month. The combination of these two factors was meaningful, was a good omen.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:5:1)

**וַיִּסְעוּ וְגוֹ׳ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּסֻכּוֹת.** קָשֶׁה, הֲלֹא כְּבָר אָמַר ״וַיִּסְעוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרַעְמְסֵס״ וְגוֹ׳, וְלֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא ״וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּסֻכּוֹת״? וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מַסָּע אַחֵר בֵּין רַעְמְסֵס לְסֻכּוֹת, וְהוּא מַה שֶׁסָּמַךְ לְ״וַיִּסְעוּ״ ״וַיַּחֲנוּ״, וְזוּלַת זֶה אִם הָיָה מַתְחִיל ״וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּסֻכּוֹת״ אֵין הֶעָרָה לָזֶה, וּכְמוֹ כֵן דִּקְדֵּק בְּכָל הַמַּסָּעוֹת לְהַסְמִיךְ הַחֲנִיָּה לַמַּסָּע (מכילתא שמות יב,לז).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ויסעו…מרעמסס ויחנו בסוכות. They journeyed from Raamses and they made camp at Sukkot.** Why did the Torah repeat the information that the Israelites journeyed from Raamses? We have been told this in verse three! All the Torah had to write here was that the Israelites made camp at Sukkot! It appears that the Torah wanted to inform us that there was no other journey between Raamses and Sukkot. Had the Torah only written about the encampment at Sukkot, the impression might have prevailed that there had been some way stations between Raamses and Sukkot. [*Mechilta* on Exodus 12,37 describes the distance between these two locations as 120 מיל, i.e. 150 kilometers. Ed.] The same reasoning applies to all the journeys, i.e. the words: "they encamped" mean that there had been no other unmentioned way-stations.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:52:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:52:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:52:1)

**וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם וְגוֹ׳.** וַהֲגַם שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּשִׁבְעָה עֲמָמִין (דברים כ:טז) ״לֹא תְחַיֶּה כָּל נְשָׁמָה״, כָּאן מְדַבֵּר הַכָּתוּב חוּץ מִשִּׁבְעָה עֲמָמִין הַנִּמְצָאִין שָׁם, וְלָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **אֶת כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ** לוֹמַר אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁאֵינָם מִשִּׁבְעָה עֲמָמִין.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והורשתם את כל יושבי הארץ, "You are to drive out all the inhabitants of the land, etc."** Even though the Torah says in Deut. 20, 16 that: "you must not allow a single soul (of these seven nations) to survive," in this instance the Torah does not speak of the seven Canaanite nations but about others who lived amongst them. This is the reason the Torah chose its words carefully, i.e. "**all** the ones who dwell in the land," that the Israelites were to drive out even those people who lived there who were not members of the seven nations.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:52:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:52:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:52:2)

אוֹ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁחוֹזֵר עַל אוּמָּה שֶׁאֵין כֹּחַ בָּהֶם לְהָרְגָם, שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּדְּלוּ לְהוֹרִישָׁם וְלֹא יַנִּיחוּ מֵהֶם בָּאָרֶץ.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
Alternatively, the Torah refers again to a nation which the Israelites do not possess the strength to kill. At least they should ensure that they would leave the land and not remain in it.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:53:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:53:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:53:1)

**וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת וְגוֹ׳ וִישַׁבְתֶּם וְגוֹ׳.** רַשִׁ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה פֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁהַמִּצְוָה הִיא ״וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם״, אֲבָל ״וִישַׁבְתֶּם״ הוּא הַבְטָחָה. וְרַמְבַּ״ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה פֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁהַמִּצְוָה הִיא ״וִישַׁבְתֶּם״, וּמִכָּאן סָמְכוּ לוֹמַר (כתובות קי.) הַכֹּל מַעֲלִין לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**והורשתם את הארץ וישבתם בה, "and you will take possession of the land and dwell in it, etc."** Rashi explains that the commandment is to **drive out** the people, whereas the words: "you will dwell in it" are a promise; Nachmanides explains that the commandment is to dwell in the land and that this verse is the halachic basis for *Ketuvot* 110 that הכל מעלין לארץ ישראל, "that one may force all the members of one's household to migrate to the land of Israel."


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:53:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:53:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:53:2)

**וְנִרְאֶה** פְּשַׁט הַכָּתוּב כְּדִבְרֵי רַשִׁ״י, מִמַּה שֶׁגָּמַר אוֹמֶר **כִּי לָכֶם** וְגוֹ׳ **לָרֶשֶׁת אֹתָהּ**, וְאִם הַיְּשִׁיבָה הִיא הַמִּצְוָה, הָיָה לוֹ לִתְלוֹת בְּעִקַּר הַמִּצְוָה וְלוֹמַר ״כִּי לָכֶם וְגוֹ׳ לָשֶׁבֶת בָּהּ״.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
It would appear that Rashi referred to the plain meaning of the verse considering the conclusion of the verse which says: "for I have given it to you to dispossesss it (of its inhabitants)." If the commandment had been the dwelling in the land, the Torah should have indicated this by writing "for I have given it to you to **dwell** in it."


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:55:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:55:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:55:1)

**וְאִם לֹא תוֹרִישׁוּ וְגוֹ׳ וְהָיָה וְגוֹ׳.** לְדִבְרֵיהֶם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה י:) שֶׁאָמְרוּ כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְהָיָה״ הוּא לְשׁוֹן שִׂמְחָה, כָּאן נִתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֶׁהֲגַם שֶׁהֵם יוֹתִירוּ אוֹתָם לְצַד הָרָצוֹן וְהַשִּׂמְחָה בָּהֶם לְצָרְכֵיהֶם, הוּא מְבַשְּׂרָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לְשִׂכִּים וְגוֹ׳.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**ואם לא תורישו את יושבי הארץ, "And if you will fail to drive out the inhabitants of the land, etc."** According to *Megillah* 10 which says that wherever the word והיה occurs it alludes to something joyful, the meaning of the word here would be that although the reason the Israelites would decide to allow some of these inhabitants to remain would be in order that they perform menial duties for them, etc., i.e. in order **to enjoy** their services, G'd would see to it that instead these remaining inhabitants would prove to be thorns in their eyes and pricks in their sides and that these foreigners would harass the new owners.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:55:2
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:55:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:55:2)

**וְצָרֲרוּ אֶתְכֶם עַל הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא מִלְּבַד שֶׁיַּחְזִיקוּ בְּחֵלֶק מֵהָאָרֶץ שֶׁלֹּא זְכִיתֶם בּוֹ, אֶלָּא גַּם חֵלֶק שֶׁזְּכִיתֶם בּוֹ אַתֶּם וִישַׁבְתֶּם בּוֹ, וְצָרֲרוּ אֶתְכֶם עַל חֵלֶק שֶׁאַתֶּם יוֹשְׁבִים בּוֹ לוֹמַר ״קוּמוּ צְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ״. וּפֵרוּשׁ תֵּבַת **עַל** כְּדֶרֶךְ אָמְרוֹ (במדבר כ:כד) ״עַל אֲשֶׁר מְרִיתֶם פִּי״, ״עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִדַּשְׁתֶּם״ (דברים לב:נא).

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**וצררו אתכם על הארץ, "and they shall harass you in the land, etc."** The Torah means that not only will they harass you in the part of the land that you did not drive them out of, but they will harass you even in the parts of the country which you have conquered and driven them out of and which you have settled. They will challenge you to leave what they consider to be their country. The meaning of the word על in this context is similar to Numbers 20,24: על אשר מריתם את פי, "because you have rebelled against My word." We have a similar meaning of the word על in Deut. 32,51.


###### Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:56:1
[Or HaChaim on Numbers 33:56:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Numbers/r/33:56:1)

**כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּמִּיתִי וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, חָשַׁבְתִּי בְּמִצְוָתִי זוֹ לָכֶם, וְאַתֶּם לֹא עֲשִׂיתֶם, וְתִשָּׁאֵר מַחְשַׁבְתִּי עוֹמֶדֶת בְּלֹא קִיּוּם וְקִימָה בָּהֶם.

**Or Hachayim, trans. Eliyahu Munk:**
**כאשר דמיתי לעשות להם, "as I meant to do unto them, etc."** My commandment was meant for your benefit. Seeing you have not fulfilled it, My commandment remains unfulfilled; I therefore have no choice but to fulfil it in respect of these people you have left in the land.