## Sforno on Numbers Chapter 17

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

**וְאֶת הָאֵשׁ זְרֵה הָלְאָה.** לֹא אֶל שֶׁפֶךְ הַדֶּשֶׁן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיְתָה קְטֹרֶת זָרָה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ואת האש זרה הלאה, not on the place where the remains of burned offerings were stacked on the altar. The reason was that it was incense that should never have been allowed into the precincts of the Tabernacle.


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

**כִּי קָדֵשׁוּ.** וְאֵין רָאוּי לְהַנִּיחָם בְּבִזָּיוֹן.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי קדשו, for only the pans had become holy so that they could not be treated with disrespect.


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

**כִּי הִקְרִיבוּם לִפְנֵי ה׳ וַיִּקְדָּשׁוּ.** שֶׁהִקְדִּישׁוּם לִהְיוֹת כְּלֵי שָׁרֵת גַּם בִּשְׁאָר עֲבוֹדוֹת מִלְּבַד עֲבוֹדָתָם הַפְּסוּלָה, וּבָזֶה הֵם רְאוּיוֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת צִפּוּי בַּקֹּדֶשׁ.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי הקריבום לפני ה' ויקדשו, they had become sanctified as vessels used for service for the Lord except if used of unauthorised service. This fact qualified these copper pans to be used as an overlay on the copper altar.


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

**אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם.** שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם לָהֶם שֶׁיְּנַסּוּ בִּקְטֹרֶת, שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי שֶׁיַּקְטִירֶנָּה אֶלָּא הַמַּקְרִיב עוֹלַת הַתָּמִיד, וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְנַסּוֹת בִּזְבָחִים הָרְאוּיִים לְכֹהֲנִים רַבִּים יַחַד.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
'אתם המתם את עם ה, by telling all these people to test G’d by offering incense, something that is only fit to be offered together with the public burnt-offering burned on the altar every day in the morning and evening by the individual priest performing that service. If you wanted to make such a test you should have done so with meat offerings, a procedure in which a large number of priests can participate.


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

**וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַחַיִּים.** אַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר הִתְיַצֵּב שָׁם וְהִתְעַכֵּב לְהָגֵן עַל הַחוֹלִים שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּתוּ, עַל הֵפֶךְ ״הִבָּדְלוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה״ (במדבר יז:כא).

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ויעמוד בין המתים ובין החיים, after he had already reached that spot he waited in order to help cure the ones who had taken sick but had not died yet. Instead of distancing himself from the congregation of sinners (verse 21) Aaron did the opposite in order to save whom he could save.


###### Sforno on Numbers 17:13:2
[Sforno on Numbers 17:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/17:13:2)

**וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה.** שֶׁלֹּא חָלָה עוֹד שׁוּם אֶחָד מֵהֶם בָּחֳלִי מַגֵּפָה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותעצר המגפה. Not a single Israelite was struck by the pestilence from that moment on.


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

**וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָרָה.** שֶׁנִּרְפְּאוּ הַחוֹלִים בַּמַּגֵּפָה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותעצר המגפה. Not a single Israelite was struck by the pestilence from that moment on.


###### Sforno on Numbers 17:24:1
[Sforno on Numbers 17:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/17:24:1)

**וַיִּרְאוּ וַיִּקְחוּ אִישׁ מַטֵּהוּ.** לְכַוֵּן סִימָנָם בְּבָתֵּיהֶם, שֶׁמָּא הוּחְלַף.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ויראו ויקחו איש מטהו. So there will be an indication for their tribe.


###### Sforno on Numbers 17:25:1
[Sforno on Numbers 17:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Numbers/r/17:25:1)

**וּתְכַל תְּלוּנֹּתָם.** וְזֹאת הַמִּשְׁמֶרֶת וְהָאוֹת תְּכַלֶּה אֶת תְּלוּנוֹתָם שֶׁלֹּא יוֹסִיפוּ לְהִתְלוֹנֵן.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
This was the reminder for all times, a miracle which silenced their complaints forthwith.