(Numb. 20:25–26:) TAKE AARON AND HIS SON ELEAZAR […,] AND STRIP AARON. The Holy One said to Moses: See, you may console him that you are bequeathing his crown to his son.¹⁶⁴. The parallels in Tanh., Numb. 6:17, and in Numb. R. 19:19 both have the plural, banaw, “his children.” This is something that you are not bequeathing to your own children.

footnotes: ¹⁶⁴ Beno

(Numb. 20:28:) SO MOSES STRIPPED AARON OF HIS VESTMENTS AN PUT THEM ON HIS SON ELEAZAR. But if the High Priest leaves the Temple mount in priestly vestments, does he not receive forty lashes,¹⁶⁵, which in this context means “receive lashes,” but which often has the meaning, “wipe with a sponge.” Cf. the Gk.: spoggizein, which also means “wipe with a sponge.” since these vestments are made of wool and flax?¹⁶⁶ 9:1, which allows robes of this mixture for priests when they minister in the Temple. Cf. also Yoma 72a, according to which the forty lashes are for one who tears a priestly garment. However, Scripture serves to inform you that, with the wording by which he inducted him into the priesthood, when the Holy One said to Moses (in Lev. 8:2): TAKE AARON, with this very wording he also said to him (in Numb. 20:25): TAKE AARON.

footnotes: ¹⁶⁵ Sofeg ¹⁶⁶ Cf. Deut. 22:11, which forbids the mixture, and Kil.

(Numb. 20:27:) SO [MOSES] DID AS THE LORD COMMANDED. This verse serves to teach you that, even though he had spoken to him a harsh commandment against his brother, he did not hesitate.¹⁶⁷

footnotes: ¹⁶⁷ See below, Numb. 6a:2.