## Rashi on Numbers Chapter 33

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

**אלה מסעי.** לָמָּה נִכְתְּבוּ הַמַּסָּעוֹת הַלָּלוּ? לְהוֹדִיעַ חֲסָדָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם, שֶׁאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁגָּזַר עֲלֵיהֶם לְטַלְטְלַם וְלַהֲנִיעָם בַּמִּדְבָּר, לֹא תֹאמַר שֶׁהָיוּ נָעִים וּמְטֻלְטָלִים מִמַּסָּע לְמַסָּע כָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וְלֹא הָיְתָה לָהֶם מְנוּחָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין כָּאן אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁתַּיִם מַסָּעוֹת, צֵא מֵהֶם י"ד שֶׁכֻּלָּם הָיוּ בְּשָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה קֹדֶם גְּזֵרָה, מִשֶּׁנָּסְעוּ מֵרַעְמְסֵס עַד שֶׁבָּאוּ לְרִתְמָה שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִשְׁתַּלְּחוּ מְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאַחַר נָסְעוּ הָעָם מֵחֲצֵרוֹת" וְגוֹ' (במדבר י"ב), "שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים" וְגוֹ' (שם י"ג), וְכָאן (פסוק י"ח) הוּא אוֹמֵר "וַיִּסְעוּ מֵחֲצֵרֹת וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּרִתְמָה", לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁהִיא בְמִדְבַּר פָּארָן; וְעוֹד הוֹצֵא מִשָּׁם ח' מַסָּעוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ לְאַחַר מִיתַת אַהֲרֹן — מֵהֹר הָהָר עַד עַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב — בִּשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים, נִמְצָא שֶׁכָּל שְׁמוֹנֶה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה לֹא נָסְעוּ אֶלָּא עֶשְׂרִים מַסָּעוֹת, זֶה מִיסוֹדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה. וְרַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא דָרַשׁ בּוֹ דְּרָשָׁה אַחֶרֶת: מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה בְנוֹ חוֹלֶה וְהוֹלִיכוֹ לְמָקוֹם רָחוֹק לְרַפֹּאתוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹזְרִין הִתְחִיל אָבִיו מוֹנֶה כָל הַמַּסָּעוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ, כָּאן יָשַׁנְנוּ, כָּאן הוֹקַרְנוּ, כָּאן חָשַׁשְׁתָּ אֶת רֹאשְׁךָ וְכוּ':

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
אלה מסעי THESE ARE THE JOURNEYS (STAGES) [OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL] — Why are these stations recorded here? In order to make known the loving acts of the Omnipresent: that although He had decreed against them to make them move about and wander in the wilderness, you should not think that they wandered and moved about without cessation from one station to another station all the forty years, and that they had no rest, for you see that there are here only forty-two stages. Deduct from them fourteen, all of which were their stopping places in the first year after they left Egypt, before the decree was made, viz., from the time when they journeyed from Rameses until when they came to Rithmah whence the spies were sent out — as it is said. (Numbers 12:16): “And afterwards the people journeyed from Hazeroth, [and encamped in the wilderness of Paran], whereupon the Lord said unto Moses, (Numbers 13:2) "Send thee men [who may search out the land]”; and here (v. 18) it states, “and they journeyed from Hazeroth and they encamped in Rithmah”, so you learn that it (Rithmah) is in the wilderness of Paran. — Further deduct from them the eight stages which were after Aaron’s death viz., those from Mount Hor to the plains of Moab in the fourtieth year (v. 38). It follows that during the whole of the thirty eight years they made only twenty journeys. This is excerpted from the work of R. Moses the Preacher. — R. Tanchuma gave another explanation of it (of the question why these stages are here recorded). A parable! It may be compared to the case of a king whose son was ill and whom he took to a distant place to cure him. When they returned home the father began to enumerate all the stages, saying to him, “Here we slept, here we caught cold, here you had the head-ache, etc.” (Midrash Tanchuma 4:10:3.


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

**ומצרים מקברים.** טְרוּדִים בְּאֶבְלָם:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ומצרים מקברים AND THIS EGYPTIANS WERE BURYING [ALL THEIR FIRSTBORN] — they were busily occupied in their mourning.


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:18:1
[Rashi on Numbers 33:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:18:1)

**ויחנו ברתמה.** עַל שֵׁם לָשׁוֹן הָרָע שֶׁל מְרַגְּלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מַה יִּתֵּן לְךָ וּמַה יֹּסִיף לָךְ לָשׁוֹן רְמִיָּה חִצֵּי גִבּוֹר שְׁנוּנִים עִם גַּחֲלֵי רְתָמִים" (תהלים ק"כ):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ויחנו ברתמה AND THEY ENCAMPED IN RITHMAH — It was so called with reference to the slanderous speech of the spies, uttered there, as it is said, (Psalms 120:3-4): “What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty with coals of juniper (רְתָמִים).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:38:1
[Rashi on Numbers 33:38:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:38:1)

**על פי ה'.** מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמֵּת בִּנְשִׁיקָה:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
'על פי ה [AND AARON THE PRIEST WENT UP TO MOUNT HOR] BY THE WORD (lit., BY THE MOUTH) OF THE LORD— This phrase tells us that he died by the Divine Kiss (Bava Batra 17a; cf. Rashi on Numbers 20:26).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:40:1
[Rashi on Numbers 33:40:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:40:1)

**וישמע הכנעני.** לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁמִּיתַת אַהֲרֹן הִיא הַשְּׁמוּעָה, שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקוּ עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד וּכְסָבוּר שֶׁנִּתְּנָה רְשׁוּת לְהִלָּחֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לְפִיכָךְ חָזַר וּכְתָבָהּ (ראש השנה ג'):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
וישמע הכנעני AND THE CANAANITE HEARD This is stated here to tell you that Aaron’s death was indeed the news he heard — that the clouds of glory that until now had protected Israel had departed, and he therefore believed that liberty was now given to wage war against Israel. It is on this account that this is again recorded here (see Rashi on Numbers 21:1) (Rosh Hashanah 3a).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:44:1
[Rashi on Numbers 33:44:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:44:1)

**בעיי העברים.** לְשׁוֹן חֳרָבוֹת וְגַלִּים כְּמוֹ "לְעִי הַשָּׂדֶה" (מיכה א'), "שָׂמוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְעִיִּים" (תהלים ע"ט):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
בעיי העברים IN IJE-ABARIM — The word denotes waste places and heaps of rubbish, the same as, (Micah 1:6): “[will make Samaria] into a heap (עי) in the field”; (Psalms 79:1): “They have made Jerusalem into heaps (עיים)” (cf. Rashi on Numbers 21:11).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:49:1
[Rashi on Numbers 33:49:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:49:1)

**מבית הישמת עד אבל השטים.** כָּאן לִמֶּדְךָ שִׁעוּר מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל י"ב מִיל, דִּאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה לְדִידִי חָזֵי לִי הַהוּא אַתְרָא וְכוּ' (עירובין נ"ה):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
מבית הישמת עד אבל השטים [AND THEY ENCAMPED] … FROM BETH-JESIMOTH EVEN UNTO ADEL-SHITTIM — Here it tells you that the extent of Israel’s camp was twelve miles, for Rabba bar bar Chana said: “I myself have seen that place etc., and it is three Parsangs (12 miles) square” (Eruvin 55b).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:49:2
[Rashi on Numbers 33:49:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:49:2)

**אבל השטים.** מִישׁוֹר שֶׁל שִׁטִּים אָבֵל שְׁמוֹ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
אבל השטים — The plain of Shittim had the name אבל (cf. Rashi on Genesis 14:6).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:51:1
[Rashi on Numbers 33:51:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:51:1)

**כי אתם עברים את הירדן וגו' והורשתם וגו'.** וַהֲלֹא כַמָּה פְעָמִים הֻזְהֲרוּ עַל כָּךְ? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁאַתֶּם עוֹבְרִים בַּיַּרְדֵּן בַּיַּבָּשָׁה עַל מְנָת כֵּן תַּעַבְרוּ, וְאִם לָאו — מַיִם בָּאִין וְשׁוֹטְפִין אֶתְכֶם, וְכֵן מָצִינוּ שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (יהושע ד') בְּעוֹדָם בַּיַּרְדֵּן (סוטה ל"ד):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
כי אתם עברים את הירדן וגו׳ והורשתם וגו׳ WHEN YOU ARE PASSED OVER THE JORDAN … YOU SHALL DRIVE OUT [ALL THE INHABITANTS] — But had they not already been admonished about this several times? But it is repeated here in this form “when you are passing over the Jordan”, and not as usual “when you come into the land” because Moses spoke thus to them: While you are passing through the Jordan on dry land, you shall pass over having this in view (that you will drive out the inhabitants), and if you do not, the waters will come and overwhelm you. And so indeed we find (Jos. 4:10) that Joshua spoke to them while they were still standing in the Jordan (Sotah 34a).


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

**והורשתם.** וְגֵרַשְׁתֶּם:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
והורשתם means, AND YE SHALL DRIVE OUT.


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

**משכיתם.** כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ — "בֵּית סִגְדַּתְהוֹן", עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיוּ מְסַכְּכִין אֶת הַקַּרְקַע בְּרִצְפַּת אֲבָנִים שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת עֲלֵיהֶם בְּפִשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם, כְּדִכְתִיב "וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית לֹא תִתְּנוּ בְּאַרְצְכֶם לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ" (ויקרא כ"ו):

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
משכיתם — Understand this as the Targum does: THEIR SPOTS FOR WORSHIP; it is called משכית (connected with the root סכך = סכה “to cover”), because they used to cover the ground with marble stone to prostrate themselves upon it with hands and feet stretched forth, as it is said, (Leviticus 26:1): “And no stone of משכית, covering (no mosaic) shall ye put on your ground to prostrate yourself upon it” (because this is a heathen form of worship).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:52:3
[Rashi on Numbers 33:52:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:52:3)

**מסכתם.** כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ — "מַתְּכַתְהוֹן":

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
מסכיתם — Understand this as the Targum does: their molten gods.


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

**והורשתם את הארץ.** וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אוֹתָהּ מִיּוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, וְאָז **וישבתם בה** — תּוּכְלוּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם בָּהּ, וְאִם לָאו — לֹא תוּכְלוּ לְהִתְקַיֵּם בָּהּ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
והורשתם את הארץ (lit., ye shall drive out the land) — this means: and you shall dispossess it of its inhabitants, and then, וישבתם בה YOU WILL DWELL IN IT — i.e., you will be able to remain in it, but if not, you will not be able to remain in it.


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:54:1
[Rashi on Numbers 33:54:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:54:1)

**אל אשר יצא לו שמה.** מִקְרָא קָצָר הוּא זֶה: אֶל מָקום **אשר יצא לו שמה הגורל לו יהיה**:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
אל אשר יצא לו שמה — This is an elliptical verse, the meaning being, the place where the lot falleth to anyone, that shall be his.


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:54:2
[Rashi on Numbers 33:54:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:54:2)

**למטות אבתיכם.** לְפִי חֶשְׁבּוֹן יוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם (בבא בתרא קי"ז); דָּ"אַ — בְּי"ב גְּבוּלִין כְּמִנְיַן הַשְּׁבָטִים:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
למטות אבותיכם ACCORDING TO THE TRIBES OF YOUR FATHERS [YE SHALL DIVIDE INHERITANCE] — i.e., according to the number of those who came out of Egypt (Bava Batra 117a; cf. Rashi on Numbers 26:55). Another explanation: ye shall divide it into twelve districts, as is the number of the tribes.


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

**והיה אשר תותירו מהם.** יִהְיוּ לָכֶם לְרָעָה:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
והיה אשר תותירו מהם THEN IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT THOSE WHOM YE LEAVE OF THEM shall be a misfortune for you.


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

**לשכים בעיניכם.** לִיתֵדוֹת הַמְנַקְּרוֹת עֵינֵיכֶם, תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל יְתֵדוֹת "שִׂיכַיָּא":

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
לשכים AS שכים IN YOUR EYES — as pins which prick out your eyes: the Targum translation of יתדות pins or pegs, is שיכיא (cf. e. g., Exodus 27:19).


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:55:3
[Rashi on Numbers 33:55:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:55:3)

**ולצנינם.** פּוֹתְרִין בּוֹ הַפּוֹתְרִים לְשׁוֹן מְסוּכַת קוֹצִים הַסּוֹכֶכֶת אֶתְכֶם, לִסְגֹּר וְלִכְלֹא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֵין יוֹצֵא וָבָא:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
ולצנינים — The lexicographers explain it in the sense of a hedge of thorns (צנינים is another form of צנים) so that the meaning here is: they will become as something which hedges you in, enclosing and imprisoning you in order that none can go forth nor come in (cf. Rashi on Joshua 23:13) (The meaning is they will hedge you in on all sides בצדיכם.


###### Rashi on Numbers 33:55:4
[Rashi on Numbers 33:55:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Numbers/r/33:55:4)

**וצררו אתכם.** כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:

**Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934:**
וצררו אתכם — Understand this as the Targum does: (“and they will distress you”).