## Sforno on Numbers Chapter 10

###### Sforno on Numbers 10:2:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:2:1)

**עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת כֶּסֶף.** בִּהְיוֹת הַכַּוָּנָה עַתָּה לִנְסֹעַ לְהַכְנִיסָם לָאָרֶץ מִיָּד, צִוָּה בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת לִתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בָּם בִּנְסֹעַ הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּבִנְסֹעַ הַמַּקְדֵּשׁ וּבְצֵאתָם לְהִלָּחֵם, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״וְכִי תָבֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּאַרְצְכֶם עַל הַצַּר הַצֹּרֵר אֶתְכֶם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת״ (במדבר י:ט).

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
עשה לך שתי חצוצרות כסף, seeing that the immediate plan was for the people to journey to the Holy Land without delay, G’d gave the commandment for the trumpets to be used as “Royal trumpet blasts,” announcing the moving of the Tabernacle to a new location, or announcing the arrival of the Tabernacle at its next location. The trumpets would also be blown before battles, as we know from verse 9.


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

**וְהָיוּ לְךָ לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה.** מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה וְהַנְּשִׂיאִים אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לִפְנֵי ה׳, רָצָה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה קְרִיאָתָהּ בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת לִכְבוֹד הַמֶּלֶךְ.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
והיו לך למקרא העדה, to assemble the people or their leaders in front of the Tabernacle. G’d wanted that the trumpets be used to render honour to the king.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:5:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:5:1)

**וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה וְנָסְעוּ הַמַּחֲנוֹת הַחֹנִים קֵדְמָה.** כִּי עִמָּהֶם הָיוּ נוֹסְעִים נוֹשְׂאֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותקעתם תרועה ונסעו המחנות החונים קדמה, seeing that this flag also had the carriers of the Tabernacle in its wake.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:6:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:6:1)

**וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה שֵׁנִית וְנָסְעוּ הַמַּחֲנוֹת הַחוֹנִים תֵּימָנָה.** כִּי עִמָּהֶם הָיוּ נוֹסְעִים נוֹשְׂאֵי הַמִּקְדָּש.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותקעתם תרועה שנית, as a result of which the second “flag” would start journeying, the ones that were positioned to the south. This “camp” was accompanied by the Levites carrying the sacred vessels.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:6:2
[Sforno on Numbers 10:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:6:2)

**תְּרוּעָה יִתְקְעוּ לְמַסְעֵיהֶם.** שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּמַסָּעָם תְּקִיעָה וּתְרוּעָה, וְזֶה כִּי הַתְּרוּעָה בִּשְׁבִיל נְסִיעַת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְהַתְּקִיעָה עִמָּהּ בִּשְׁבִיל מַסְעֵיהֶם שֶׁיִּקָּבְצוּ יַחַד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה וְהַנְּשִׂיאִים בִּתְקִיעָה בִּלְתִּי תְרוּעָה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
תרועה יתקעו למסעיהם, this had to be spelled out as both the tekiah sounds and the teruah sounds would be blown by the trumpets in conjunction with the journeying of the camps. The former sounds to make sure the people would all be assembled in their assigned spots, the latter to ensure that the Levites were in position with their respective carts, etc. Just as the people in order to assemble were called by means of the tekiah, so the princes when they were to assemble were called by means of the tekiah blasts, without the teruah blast.


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

**בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְּעֶשְׂרִים בַּחֹדֶשׁ.** אַחַר שֶׁעָשׂוּ הַטְּמֵאִים פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בַּחֹדֶשׁ, נַעֲשׂוּ חֲצוֹצְרוֹת וּבָהֶם נוֹעֲדוּ הָעֵדָה וְהַנְּשִׂיאִים לְמֹשֶׁה. וְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ סֵדֶר מַסָּעָם עַל יְדֵי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת, וְסֵדֶר חֲצוֹצְרוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ וּבַמִּלְחָמָה. וּבְכֵן נַעֲלֶה הֶעָנָן לָלֶכֶת אֶל קָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ, שֶׁהִיא הָעִיר הָרִאשׁוֹנָה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹגְעִים בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא, כְּאָמְרוֹ (דברים א:יט) ״וַנִּסַּע מֵחֹרֵב וַנֵּלֶךְ אֵת כָּל הַמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא וַנָּבֹא עַד קָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ״.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
בחודש השני בעשרים בחודש, after the ritually impure had purified themselves and had brought their Passover offering on the 14th of the second month, the trumpets were constructed so that Moses could use them to call the people to mobilize for their journey away from Mount Sinai. The Torah informs us of the order in which the 4 army units and their flags were marching and how all this was organized with the help of the trumpets. It also describes the manner in which the trumpets were used on different occasions at the Temple and during times of war. When the cloud lifted off the Tabernacle it began its journey in the direction of Kadesh Barnea, which was the first town in the land of Israel which the Israelites encountered on that journey, described as the journey across “the great and awesome desert” in Deuteronomy 1,19, when Moses is quoted as recalling: “we arrived at Kadesh Barnea.”


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:30:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:30:1)

**כִּי אִם אֶל אַרְצִי וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי אֵלֵךְ.** שֶׁלֹּא תִסְבֹּל זִקְנָתִי אֲוִיר אֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת וּמְזוֹנוֹתֶיהָ.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי אם אל ארצי ואל מולדתי אלך, so that in his old age he would not have to adjust to the different climate and food in a country he had not grown up in.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:31:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:31:1)

**אַל נָא תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָנוּ.** יֵלְכוּ בָנֶיךָ לְפָחוֹת עִמָּנוּ.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
אל נא תעזוב אותנו. At least allow your children to go with us,


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:31:2
[Sforno on Numbers 10:31:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:31:2)

**כִּי עַל כֵּן יָדַעְתָּ חֲנֹתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר.** וְאִם יַעַזְבוּנוּ גַּם בָּנֶיךָ תְּחַלְּלוּ אֶת ה׳ בְּעֵינֵי הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ: אִלּוּ רָאָה יִתְרוֹ בָּהֶם עִנְיָן אֱלֹהִי בֶּאֱמֶת לֹא הָיָה עוֹזֵב אוֹתָם הוּא וּבָנָיו. וּבָזֶה הִסְכִּים מֹשֶׁה וְיִתְרוֹ וּבָנָיו, כִּי אָמְנָם יִתְרוֹ חָזַר אֶל אַרְצוֹ כְּאָמְרוֹ (שמות יח:כז) ״וַיְשַׁלַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת חֹתְנוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ לוֹ אֶל אַרְצוֹ״, וּבָנָיו הָלְכוּ עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלִי סָפֵק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵעִיד בְּסֵפֶר שׁוֹפְטִים בְּאָמְרוֹ (שופטים א:טז) ״וּבְנֵי קֵינִי חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה עָלוּ מֵעִיר הַתְּמָרִים אֶת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה״.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי על כן ידעת חנותנו במדבר, for this was the purpose of your getting familiar with our ways in the desert. If your children depart also you will be desecrating the name of the Lord among the nations as they will say: “if Yitro would have seen any merit in this religion surely he and his sons would not have abandoned them!” Both Yitro and his sons agreed with this argument of Moses so that in the end only Yitro returned to his country, as we know from Exodus 18,27 “Moses saw his father-in-law Yitro off, and he went by himself back to his own country.” There is no question that his children remained with the Jewish people, as the Book of Judges testifies when writing about “the children of the Keyni, the father-in-law of Moses, having previously ascended from the city of palms with the tribe of Yehudah.” (Judges 1,16).


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:33:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:33:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:33:1)

**דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים.** עַד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי אָמְנָם בְּשָׁלֹשׁ מַסָּעוֹת בָּאוּ עַד נֹכַח קָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ בְּמִדְבַּר פָּארָן, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם שָׁלְחוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאֵר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בְּאָמְרוֹ ״וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כֻּלְּכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ נִשְׁלְחָה אֲנָשִׁים״ (דברים א:כב), וְהוּא מְקוֹם חֲנִיָּתָם בְּמִדְבַּר פָּארָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר כָּאן בְּאָמְרוֹ ״וְאַחַר נָסְעוּ הָעָם מֵחֲצֵרוֹת וְגוֹ׳״ (במדבר יב:טז), שֶׁשָּׁם בָּאוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים בְּשׁוּבָם, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל מִדְבַּר פָּארָן קָדֵשָׁה״ (במדבר יג:כו), וְהוּא הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁקָּרְאוּ רִתְמָה, כְּאָמְרוֹ ״וַיִּסְעוּ מֵחֲצֵרוֹת וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּרִתְמָה״ (במדבר לג:יח), וְשָׁם הִזְכִּיר שָׁלֹשָׁה מַסָּעוֹת מִמִּדְבַּר סִינַי עַד שָׁם, וְהֵם קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה וַחֲצֵרוֹת וְרִתְמָה, כִּי עִנְיַן תַּבְעֵרָה הָיָה בַּדֶּרֶךְ, לֹא בְּעֵת חֲנִיָּתָם.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
דרך שלשת ימים, to the border of the land of Israel, for within the space of 3 journeys they had advanced to Kadesh Barnea opposite the desert of Paran. From there the spies were dispatched. As Moses explained in Deuteronomy 1,22 “you all approached me asking: ‘let us dispatch men, etc.’” This was the place where the Jewish people had been encamped in the desert of Paran which has been mentioned here in 12,15 after the delay due to Miriam’s having been afflicted with tzoraat. The spies had returned to that location at the end of their mission. (Numbers 12,16) [The fact that the place from which the spies were dispatched is described by Moses as הר האמורי, the mountain of the Emorite, proves that this was within the boundaries of the land of Canaan of which the Emorite was the leading tribe. Ed.]


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:33:2
[Sforno on Numbers 10:33:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:33:2)

**וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה׳ נוֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים.** בְּאוֹתָם הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים שֶׁהָלְכוּ בְּאוֹתָן שְׁלֹשָׁה מַסָּעוֹת דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא (דברים א:יט) הָיָה הָאָרוֹן נוֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם לְהַבְטִיחַ הַדֶּרֶךְ מִן הַנְּחָשִׁים וְהָעַקְרַבִּים וְזוּלָתָם, אֲבָל בִּשְׁאָר הַמַּסָּעוֹת הָיָה הָאָרוֹן נוֹסֵעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּחֲנוֹת כִּשְׁאָר מַשָּׂא בְּנֵי קְהָת (במדבר ב:יז).

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
וארון ברית ה' נוסע לפניהם דרך שלשת ימים, during these three days that they spent on these three journeys through the “great and awesome desert,” (Deut.1,19) the Ark was traveling ahead of the Jewish people. The purpose was to remove any dangerous obstacles in the path of the advancing Israelites. However, during the remainder of the journeys the Ark was positioned within the center of the marching armies as described in Numbers 2,17. This was in line with the other holy artifacts transported by the Kehatites in that position of the marching order.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:33:3
[Sforno on Numbers 10:33:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:33:3)

**לָתוּר לָהֶם מְנוּחָה.** חֲנִיָּה בְּטוּחָה בַּמִּדְבָּר הַנּוֹרָא.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
לתור להם מנוחה, a safe and secure place for camping in this awesome desert.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:34:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:34:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:34:1)

**וַעֲנַן ה׳ עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹמָם.** לֹא הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁאָר הַמַּסָּעוֹת, כִּי הָיָה אָז הָאָרוֹן מַסְפִּיק לַנְחוֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ בִּהְיוֹתוֹ נוֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם, אֲבָל הָיָה עוֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם בַּיּוֹם בְּעֵת נָסְעָם.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
וענן ה' עליהם יומם, it was not traveling ahead of them as it did during the other journeys, seeing that the Ark was performing the task of seeking out a suitable spot for making camp. Instead, it positioned itself above the people.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:35:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:35:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:35:1)

**וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרוֹן.** לָלֶכֶת וּלְהִכָּנֵס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ויהי בנסוע הארון proceeding to enter the holy Land;


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:35:2
[Sforno on Numbers 10:35:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:35:2)

**קוּמָה ה׳ וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ.** כִּי אָמְנָם לוּלֵא שָׁלְחוּ מְרַגְּלִים הָיוּ נִכְנָסִים בְּזוּלַת מִלְחָמָה, שֶׁהָיוּ הָאֻמּוֹת בּוֹרְחִים כַּעֲזוּבַת הַחֹרֶשׁ וְהָאָמִיר אֲשֶׁר עָזְבוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (ישעיהו יז:ט).

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
קומה ה' ויפוצו אויביך, if the people had not insisted on dispatching the spies the march would have been proceeding unopposed, the enemies scattering before the armies of G’d without offering resistance. Isaiah 17,9 phrases it thus: “In that day their fortress cities shall be like the deserted sites which the Choresh and the Amir abandoned because of the Israelites, and there shall be desolation.”


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:35:3
[Sforno on Numbers 10:35:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:35:3)

**וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ.** פֶּן יָבֹאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַחֲרִימָם.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
וינוסו מפניך, lest the Israelites would wipe them out.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:36:1
[Sforno on Numbers 10:36:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:36:1)

**שׁוּבָה.** תְּהִי מְנוּחָתְךָ פֹּה עִמָּנוּ, כְּעִנְיַן ״זֹאת מְנוּחָתִי עֲדֵי עַד״ (תהלים קלב:יד), וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתְּגַלֶּה שְׁכִינָתְךָ לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגָרֵשׁ אֶת אוֹיְבֵיהֶם, תְּהִי מְנוּחַת שְׁכִינָתְךָ בְּתוֹכֵנוּ.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
שובה, may Your rest be here with us, as per Psalms 132,14 זאת מנוחתי עדי עד, “this is My resting-place for all times.” Even though You will display Your presence in front of Israel in order to chase out their enemies, may the resting place of the Shechinah be in our midst.


###### Sforno on Numbers 10:36:2
[Sforno on Numbers 10:36:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/10:36:2)

**ה׳ רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.** כְּמוֹ ״ה׳ צְבָאוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין עו) ״לֹא נִקְרָא צְבָאוֹת אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם צִבְאוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל״. וְאוֹמֵר רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי כְּעִנְיַן ״רִבֹּתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן״ (תהלים סח:יח), כִּי אוּלַי הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אָז מַגִּיעִים לְאוֹתוֹ מִנְיָן בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים וְנָשִׁים וָטָף.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ה' רבבות אלפי ישראל, another description of an attribute of G’d, not unlike that of ה' צבא-אות אלפי ישראל. The reason why G’d is accorded the attribute “G’d of Hosts,” is only on account of the hosts (armies) of Israel.” The reason Moses said: רבבות אלפי ישראל, this is reminiscent of Psalms 68,18 רכב רבותים אלפי שנען, perhaps at that time the total number of Israelites including women and children amounted to that number.