Pgs. 435-449
Ch. 25-30
SECTION XLI.
PHINEHAS.
AND the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Phinehas the zealous, the son of Elazar bar Aharon, the priest, hath turned away mine anger from the children of Israel, in that, when zealous with My zeal, he hath slain the sinners who were among them; and for his sake I have not destroyed the children of Israel in My indignation. Swearing by My Name, I say to him, Behold, I decree to him My covenant of peace, and will make him an angel of the covenant, that he may ever live, to announce the Redemption at the end of the days. [JERUSALEM. With the oath went Mosheh, and said unto Phinehas, Behold, I give to him.] And because they defamed him, saying, Is he not the son of Phuti, the Midianite? behold, I will make him to possess the high priesthood; and because he took the lance with his arm, and struck the Midianitess in her body, and prayed with his mouth for the people of the house of Israel, the priests shall be held worthy of the three gifts of the shoulder, the cheek‑bone, and the inwards; and it shall be to him, and to his sons after him, an everlasting covenant of consecration, because he was zealous for the Lord, and propitiated for the children of Israel. Now the name of the man of Israel who was slain with the Midianitha was Zimri bar Salu, a chief of the house of his fathers of the tribe of Shemeon. And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Kosbi, daughter of Zur, who was called Shelonae, a daughter of Balak, the prince of the people of Moab, whose dwelling‑place was in Midian.
And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Trouble the Midianites and slay them, because they troubled you by their deceitful counsels when they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and of Kosbi their sister, daughter of the prince of Midian, who was slain in the day of the plague for the matter of Peor. [JERUSALEM. For their false dealings.]
XXVI. And it came to pass after the plague, that the compassions of the heavens were turned to avenge His people with judgment. And the Lord spake to Mosheh and Elazar bar Aharon the priest, saying: Take the sum of the account of the whole congregation of the Beni Israel, from twenty years old and upward, according to the house of their fathers, of every one who goeth forth with the host in Israel. And Mosheh and Elazar the priest spake with the leaders, and commanded that they should number them in the plain of Moab, by the Jordan (over against) Jericho, saying (You are to number them) from a son of twenty years and upward, as the Lord commanded Mosheh and the sons of Israel when they came out of the land of Mizraim.
Reuben, the first‑born of Israel: the sons of Reuben, Hanok, the family of Hanok; of Phallu, the family of Phallu; of Hezron, the family of Hezron; of Karmi, the family of Karmi. These are the families of Reuben, and their numbers were forty‑three thousand seven hundred and thirty. And the sons of Phallu Eliab; the sons of Eliab, Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. The same were Dathan and Abiram who brought together the congregation that gathered and made the division against Mosheh and Aharon in the congregation of Korach, when they gathered together and made division against the Lord, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them and Korach, when the congrergation of the wicked died, when the fire devoured the two hundred and fifty men, and they were made an example. But the sons of Korach were not in the counsel of their father, but followed the doctrine of Mosheh the prophet; and therefore they died not by the plague, nor were smitten by the fire, nor engulphed in the yawning of the earth. [JERUSALEM. But the sons of Korach, who were not in the counsel of their father did not die.]
The Beni Shemeon,[1] Nemuel, Jamin, Jakin, Zerach, Shaul, with their families, twenty‑two thousand two hundred.
Of Gad, the families of Zephon, Haggi, Suni, Ozni, Heri, Arod, Areli, forty thousand five hundred.
Of Jehudah, Her and Onan. But Her and Onan died, on account of their sins, in the land of Kenaan. Of the Beni Jehudah, the families of Shela, Pherez, Zerach. The sons of Pherez, Hezron, Amul. The numbers of the families of Jehudah, seventy‑six thousand five hundred.
Of Issakar, the families of Thola, Puah, Jashub, Shimron, sixty‑four thousand three hundred. Of Zebulon, the families of Sered, Elon, Jahleel, sixty thousand five hundred. Of Joseph, the Beni Menasheh, Makir, Gilead, Thezar, Helek, Asriel, Shekem, Shemida, Hepher. But Zelophehad bar Hepher had no sons, but daughters only; and the names of the daughters of Zelophebad were, Mahelah, Nohah, Hogelah, Milchah, and Thirzah. These are the families of Menasheh, and their number fifty‑two thousand seven hundred.
The Beni Ephraim, Shuthelah, Bekir, Tachan, Heran the son of Shuthelah, their numbers thirty‑two thousand five hundred.
The families of Benjamin, Bela, Ashbel, Abiram, Shephuphia, (the sons of Bela, Ared and Naaman,) forty‑five thousand six hundred.
The Beni Dan, the families of Shuham, sixty‑four thousand four hundred.
Those of Asher, Jimnah, Jishvah, Beriah, and of the sons of Beriah, Heber and Malkiel. The name of the daughter of Asher was Sarach, who was conducted by six myriads of angels, and taken into the Garden of Eden alive, because she bad made known to Jacob that Joseph was living. The numbers of Asher, fiftythree thousand four hundred. The Beni Naphtali, according to their families, Jaczeel, Guni, Jezer, Shillem, forty‑five thousand four hundred. These are the numbers of the sons of Israel, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.
And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Unto these tribes shall the land be divided by inheritances according to their names. To that tribe whose people are many thou shalt make their inheritance large, and to the tribe whose people are few thou shalt give a smaller inheritance; to each his heritage shall be given according to the number of his names. Yet the land shall be divided by lots; according to the names of their fathers tribes they shall inherit. Their heritage shall be divided by lots, whether great or small.
But these are the names of the Levites after their families, the families of Gershon, Kehath, Merari. These are the families of the Levites: the family of Lebni, Hebron, Maheli, Mushi, Korach. And Kehath begat Amram; and the Dame of Amram's wife was Jokebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi when they had come into Mizraim, within the walls; and she bare to Amram Aharon, and Mushe, and Miriam their sister. And to Aharon were born Nadab and Abihu, Elazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered the strange fire from the hearth‑pots before the Lord. And the number of them (the Levites) was twenty‑three thousand, every male from a month old, and upward; for they were not reckoned among the children of Israel, as no possession was given them among the sons of Israel. These are the numbers when Mosheh and Elazar the priest numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, (over against) Jericho. And among them was not a man of the numbers when Mosheh and Aharon the priest took the sum of the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai, because the Lord had said that dying they should die in the wilderness; and none of them remained except Kaleb bar Jephunneh, and Jehoshua bar Nun.
XXVII. And the daughters of Zelophehad bar Hepher, bar Gilead, bar Makir, bar Menasheh, of the family of Menasheh bar Joseph, when they heard that the land was to be divided to the males, came to the beth din, trusting in the compassions of the Lord of the world. And these are the names of the daughters, Mahelah, Nohah, Hogela, Milchah, and Thirzah. And they stood before Mosheh, after that they had stood before Elazar the priest, the princes, and all the congregation, at the door of the tabernacle of ordinance, saying: Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not among the congregation who murmured and gathered to rebel against the Lord in the congregation of Korach, but died for his own sin; nor made he others to sin; but he had no male children. Why should the name of our father be taken away from among his family because he had not a male child? if we are not reckoned as a son, and our mother claim (or observe) the Jebam,[2] our mother will take the portion of our father and of our father's brother. But if we be reckoned as a son, give us an inheritance among our father's brethren.
This is one of the four cases of judgment brought before Mosheh the prophet, and which he resolved in the manner above said. Of them some were judgments, &c.[3] And Mosheh brought their cause before the Lord.
And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: The daughters of Zelophehad have fitly spoken: this hath been written before Me: but they are worthy that it be said of them, Give them possession and inheritance among the brethren of their father, and make over their father's possession unto them. And when a son of Israel shall speak, and say, A man hath died without having a male child, then you shall make over his inheritance to his daughter: if he have no daughter, you shall give his possession to his brothers: if he have no brothers, you shall give his possession to the brethren of his fattier: but if his father had no brothers, then you shall give his possession to his kinsman who is nearest to him of his father's family to inherit. And this shall be the publication of a decree of judgment to the children of Israel, as the Lord hath commanded Mosheh.
And the Lord said to Mosheh, Go up to this mount, of Abaraee, and survey the land which I have given to the children of Israel. And thou shalt see it, but thou thyself self shalt be gathered to thy people, as Aharon thy brother hath been gathered: because you were disobedient against My Word in the desert of Zin, in the congregation at the Waters of Strife, to sanctify Me at the waters in their sight: these are the Waters of Strife in the desert of Zin.
And Mosheh spake before the Lord, saying May the Word of the Lord, who ruleth over the souls of men, and by whom hath been given the inspiration of the spirit of all flesh, appoint a faithful man over the congregation, [JERUSALEM. The Word of the Lord the God who ruleth over the spirit of all flesh, appoint a praiseworthy man over the people of the conaregation,] who may go out before them to set battle in array, and may come in before them from the he battle who may bring them out from the bands of their enemies, and bring them into the land of Israel; that the congregation of the Lord may not be without the wise, nor go astray among the nations as sheep who go astray, having no shepherd. And the Lord said to Mosheh, Take to thee Jehoshua bar Nun, a man upon whom abideth the Spirit of prophecy from before the Lord, and lay thy hand upon him, and make him stand before Elazar the priest and the whole congregation, and instruct him in their presence. And thou shalt confer a ray of thy brightness upon him, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may be obedient to him. And he shall minister before Elazar the priest; and when any matter is hidden from him, he shall inquire for him before the Lord by Uraia. According to the word of Elazar the priest they shall go forth to battle, and come in to do judgment be and all the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Mosheh did as the Lord commanded him, and took Jehoshua and caused him to stand before Elazar the priest and all the congregation; and he laid his hands upon him and instructed him, as the Lord commanded Mosheh.
XXVIII. And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying: Instruct the children of Israel, and say to them: The priests may eat of My oblation the bread of the order of My table; but that which you offer upon My altar may no man eat. Is there not a fire that will consume it? And it shall be accepted before Me as a pleasant smell. Sons of Israel, My people, be admonished to offer it from the firstlings on the Sabbath, an oblation before Me in its time. [JERUSALEM. Instruct the children of Israel, and say to them, My oblation, the bread of the order of My table. That which you offer upon the altar. Is there not a fire that will consume it? To be received from you before Me for a pleasant smell. Sons of Israel, My people, be admonished to offer it before Me in its season.]
And say to them: This is the order of the oblations you shall offer before the Lord; two lambs of the year, unblemished, daily, a perpetual burnt offering. The one lamb thou shalt perform in the morning to make atonement for the sins of the night; and the second lamb thou shalt perform between the suns to atone for the sins of the day; and the tenth of three seahs of wheaten flour as a mincha mingled with beaten olive oil, the fourth of a hin. It is a perpetual burnt offering, such as was (ordained to be) offered at Mount Sinai, to be received with favour as an oblation before the Lord. And its libation shall be the fourth of a hin for one lamb; from the vessels of the house of the sanctuary shall it be outpoured, a libation of old wine. [JERUSALEM. From the vessels of the house of holiness, it shall be poured out a libation of choice wine unto the Name of the Lord.] But if old wine may not be found, bring wine of forty days to pour out before the Lord. And the second lamb thou shalt perform between the suns, according to the presentation of the morning, and according to its oblation shalt thou make the offering, that it may be accepted with favour before the Lord but on the day of Shabbatha two lambs of the year without blemish, and two‑tenths of flour mixed with olive oil for the mincha and its libation. On the Sabbath thou shalt make a Sabbath burnt sacrifice in addition to the perpetual burnt sacrifice and its libation.
And at the beginning of your months you shall offer a burnt sacrifice before the Lord; two young bullocks, without mixture, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished; and three tenths of flour mingled with oil for the mincha for one bullock; two tenths of flour with olive oil for the mincha of the one ram; and one tenth of flour with olive oil for the mincha for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord. And for their libation to be offered with them, the half of a bin for a bullock, the third of a bin for the ram, and the fourth of a hin for a lamb, of the wine of grapes. This burnt sacrifice shall be offered at the beginning of every month in the time of the removal of the beginning of every month in the year; and one kid of the goats, for a sin offering before the Lord at the disappearing (failure) of the moon, with the perpetual burnt sacrifice shalt thou perform with its libation.
And in the month of Nisan, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the sacrifice of the Pascha before the Lord. On the fifteenth day of this month is a festival; seven days shall unleavened be eaten. On the first day of the festival a holy convocation; no servile work shall ye do; but offer an oblation of a burnt sacrifice before the Lord, two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of the year, unblemished, shall you have. And their minchas of wheat flour, mingled with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock, two tenths for the ram, and for a single lamb a tenth, so for the seven; and one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you: beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning, the perpetual burnt sacrifice, you shall make these offerings. According to these oblations of the first day you shall do daily through the seven days of the festival. It is the bread of the oblation which is received with favour before the Lord; it shall be made beside the perpetual burnt offering, with its libation. And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; no servile work shall you do.
Likewise on the day of your firstlings, when you offer the gift from the new produce before the Lord in your ingatherings, after the seven weeks are completed, you shall have a holy convocation, no servile work shall you do; but offer a burnt sacrifice to be received with favour before the Lord, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the year; also their mincha of wheaten flour mingled with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock, two tenths for the ram, a tenth to a lamb; so for the seven lambs one kid of the goats to make an atonement for you; beside the perpetual burnt offering you shall make these; they shall be unblemished, with their libation of wine.
XXIX. And in the seventh month, the month of Tishri, on the first of the month you shall have a holy convocation, you may not do any servile work; it shall be to you a day for the sounding of the trumpet, that by the voice of your trumpets you may disturb Satana who cometh to accuse you. And you shall make a burnt sacrifice to be received with favour before the Lord; one young bullock, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished; and their mincha of wheaten flour mingled with olive oil, three tenths for the bullock, two tenths for the ram, and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; and one kid of the goats for a sin offering to make an atonement for you; besides the sacrifice for the beginning of the month and its mincha, and the perpetual sacrifice and its mincha; and their libations according to the order of their appointments, an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord.
And on the tenth of the seventh month, the month of Tishri, you shall have a holy convocation, and chasten your souls (by abstaining) from food and drink, the bath, friction, sandals, and the marriage bed; and you shall do no servile labour, but offer a sacrifice before the Lord to be received with favour; one young bullock, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished, shall you have; and their mincha of wheat flour mingled with olive oil, three tenths for the bullock, two tenths for one ram, a singIe tenth for a lamb, so for the seven lambs one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of the expiations, (Lev. xvi.,) and the perpetual sacrifice and their minchas, and the wine of their libations.
And on the fifth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, no servile work shall you do; but shall celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles before the Lord seven days, and offer a sacrifice, an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord: thirteen young bullocks proceeding daily and diminishing their number, (in all) seventy for the seventy nations, and offering them by thirteen orders;[4] two rams, which you shall offer by two orders; lambs of the year fourteen, unblemished, to be offered by eight orders, offering six of them, by two and two, and two of them one by one, they shall be perfect. Their mincha also of wheat flour, with olive oil, three tenths for each bullock of the thirteen, two tenths for each ram, a single tenth for each of the fourteen lambs, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering, which shall be offered by one order, beside the perpetual sacrifice, the wheat flour for the mincha, and the wine of the libation.
On the second day of the Feast of Tabernacles you shall offer twelve young bullocks, by twelve orders; two rams, by two orders; fourteen lambs of the year unblemished by nine orders, five of them shall offer two by two, and four of them one by one. And their mincha of wheat flour, and the wine of their libation which shall be offered with the bullocks, rams, and lambs, by their number according to the order of their appointment; and one ram by one order, a sin offering, beside the perpetual sacrifice, and the wheat flour of their minchas, and their libations of wine.
On the third day of the Feast of Tabernacles you shall offer twelve bullocks by twelve orders; two rams by two orders, fourteen unblemished lambs of the year, by ten orders; four of them shall offer two and two, and six of them one by one; and their mincha of wheat flour, and their libations of wine, you shall offer with the bullocks, rams, and lambs, by the number in their appointed order; and one kid of the goats for a sin offering by one order; beside the perpetual sacrifice the wheat flour for the mincha, and its libation of wine.
On the fourth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, ten young bullocks by ten orders; two rams by two orders; fourteen unblemished lambs of the year by twelve orders; three of them shall be offered at two times, and eight of them singly; their mincha of wheaten flour, and their libations of wine, which you shall offer with the the bullocks, rams, and lambs by their number, after their appointed order, and one kid for a sin offering, by one order; beside the perpetual sacrifice, the wheat flour for the mincha, and its libation of wine.
On the fifth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, nine young bullocks by nine orders; two rams by two orders lambs of the year fourteen, perfect by twelve orders two of them in a pair, twelve singly; and the wheat flour for their mincha, and the libation wine for the bullocks, the rams, and lambs by their number after the order of their appointment; and one kid for a sin offering by one order; beside the perpetual sacrifice and the wheat flour for the mincha, and the wine of its libation.
On the sixth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, eight young bullocks by eight orders; two rams by two orders; fourteen unblemished lambs of the year by thirteen orders; a pair of them together, and twelve of them singly. Their mincha of wheat flour, and their libation of wine you shall offer with the bullocks, rams, and lambs, by their number in the order appointed; Land one kid for a sin offering by one order, besides the perpetual sacrifice, the wheat flour for the mincha, the wine of its libation, and a vase of water to be outpoured on the day of the Feast of Tabernacles in grateful acknowledgment (for a good memorial) of the showers of rain.
On the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles you shall offer seven bullocks by seven orders; two rams by two orders; fourteen unblemished lambs of the year by fourteen orders: the number of all these lambs ninety‑eight, to make atonement against the ninety‑eight male dictions. And their mincha of wheat flour and libations of wine you shall offer with the bullocks, rains, and lambs, by their number, according to the order appointed one kid by one order, beside the perpetual sacrifice, the wheat flour for the mincha, and its libation of wine.
And on the eighth day you shall gather together joyfully from your tabernacles, in your houses, a gladsome company, a festal day, and a holy convocation shall you have, no servile work shall you do but offer a sacrifice an oblation to be received with favour before the Lord; light oblations; one bullock before the one God, one ram for the one people, lambs of the year unblemished, seven, for the joy of the seven days. Their mincha of wheat flour, and their libations of wine which you shall offer with the bullocks, rams, and Iambs, by their number, After the order of their appointment; land one kid for a sin offering, beside the perpetual sacrifice, the flour for its mincha, and the wine for its libation. These you shall offer before the Lord in the time of your festivals, beside your vows which you vow at the festival, and which you shall bring on the day of the feast, with your free‑will oblation for your burnt sacrifice, your mincha, libations, and consecrated victims.
XXX. And Mosheh spake to the sons of Israel, according to all that the Lord had commanded Mosheh.
[1] I have omitted the form of the words recited under the name of the first tribe, and repeated it in the other eleven, and have given the names and numbers without it.
[1] Vide Glossary, p. 69.
[1] The same words as recited before p. 389
[1] Mattata: thirteen of the twenty-four orders or classes of priests. Vide Mishna, Succah, 5,6.
[1] I have omitted the form of the words recited under the name of the first tribe, and repeated it in the other eleven, and have given the names and numbers without it.
[2] Vide Glossary, p. 69.
[3] The same words as recited before p. 389
[4] Mattata: thirteen of the twenty-four orders or classes of priests. Vide Mishna, Succah, 5,6.