Saadia's Tafsir on Bamidbar 20 (Parashat Chukat)

Bamidbar 20:1

וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל-הָעֵדָה מִדְבַּר-צִן בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם בְּקָדֵשׁ וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם וַתִּקָּבֵר שָׁם

. . . .

Then the sons of Israel, all of them, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people settled in Raqim. And Miriam died there, and was buried there.

Bamidbar 20:2

וְלֹא-הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל-מֹשֶׁה וְעַל-אַהֲרֹן

.

And there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled against Moses and Aaron.

Bamidbar 20:3

וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם-מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֵאמֹר וְלוּ גָוַעְנוּ בִּגְוַע אַחֵינוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה

. . .

And when the people quarreled with Moses, they said: 'Would that we had perished at the death of our brothers before God!'

Bamidbar 20:4

וְלָמָה הֲבֵאתֶם אֶת-קְהַל יְהוָה אֶל-הַמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לָמוּת שָׁם אֲנַחְנוּ וּבְעִירֵנוּ

. . .

'And why have you two brought the congregation of God to this desolate wilderness, that we should die in it — we and our beasts?'

Bamidbar 20:5

וְלָמָה הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְהָבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם הָרָע הַזֶּה לֹא מְקוֹם זֶרַע וּתְאֵנָה וְגֶפֶן וְרִמּוֹן וּמַיִם אַיִן לִשְׁתּוֹת

. . .

'And why have you two brought us up from Egypt, and led us to this wretched place — no sown crop, and no figs, and no vines, and no pomegranates; and there is not even water to drink.'

Bamidbar 20:6

וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן מִפְּנֵי הַקָּהָל אֶל-פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל-פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֵּרָא כְבוֹד-יְהוָה אֲלֵיהֶם

. . . .

And Moses and Aaron came fleeing from before the congregation to the entrance of the tent of the assembly; and the two of them fell upon their faces. And the light of God appeared to them.

Bamidbar 20:7

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר

Then God spoke to Moses with speech.

Bamidbar 20:8

קַח אֶת-הַמַּטֶּה וְהַקְהֵל אֶת-הָעֵדָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל-הַסֶּלַע לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְנָתַן מֵימָיו וְהוֹצֵאתָ לָהֶם מַיִם מִן-הַסֶּלַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ אֶת-הָעֵדָה וְאֶת-בְּעִירָם

. . . .

'Take the staff, and assemble the congregation — you and Aaron your brother — and speak to the rock in their presence, and it will yield its water; so you shall bring forth for them water from the rock. Give them and their beasts to drink.'

Bamidbar 20:9

וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַמַּטֶּה מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ

. .

And Moses took the staff from before God, as He had commanded him.

Bamidbar 20:10

וַיַּקְהִלוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֶת-הַקָּהָל--אֶל-פְּנֵי הַסָּלַע וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְעוּ-נָא הַמֹּרִים--הֲמִן-הַסֶּלַע הַזֶּה נוֹצִיא לָכֶם מָיִם

. . . . .

And Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock; and he said to them: 'Hear, O rebels — shall we bring out water for you from this rock?'

Bamidbar 20:11

וַיָּרֶם מֹשֶׁה אֶת-יָדוֹ וַיַּךְ אֶת-הַסֶּלַע בְּמַטֵּהוּ--פַּעֲמָיִם וַיֵּצְאוּ מַיִם רַבִּים וַתֵּשְׁתְּ הָעֵדָה וּבְעִירָם

. . .

And he raised his hand, and struck the rock with his staff twice; and much water came out, and the congregation and their beasts drank from it.

Bamidbar 20:12

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן יַעַן לֹא-הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--לָכֵן לֹא תָבִיאוּ אֶת-הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-נָתַתִּי לָהֶם

. . . .

And God said to Moses and Aaron: 'Just as you did not make them trust in Me, and sanctify Me in the presence of the sons of Israel — so shall you two not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.'

Bamidbar 20:13

הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה אֲשֶׁר-רָבוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-יְהוָה וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּם

. .

That is the water of strife, over which the sons of Israel quarreled with the messenger, and He was magnified among them.

Bamidbar 20:14

וַיִּשְׁלַח מֹשֶׁה מַלְאָכִים מִקָּדֵשׁ אֶל-מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם כֹּה אָמַר אָחִיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֵת כָּל-הַתְּלָאָה אֲשֶׁר מְצָאָתְנוּ

. . . .

Then Moses sent messengers from Raqim to the king of Edom, saying: 'Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the calamities that have befallen us —

Bamidbar 20:15

וַיֵּרְדוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ מִצְרַיְמָה וַנֵּשֶׁב בְּמִצְרַיִם יָמִים רַבִּים וַיָּרֵעוּ לָנוּ מִצְרַיִם וְלַאֲבֹתֵינוּ

. . .

that our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt evilly with us and with our fathers.

Bamidbar 20:16

וַנִּצְעַק אֶל-יְהוָה וַיִּשְׁמַע קֹלֵנוּ וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָךְ וַיֹּצִאֵנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ בְקָדֵשׁ עִיר קְצֵה גְבוּלֶךָ

. . . .

And we cried out to God, and He heard our voice; and He sent a messenger, and brought us out of Egypt. And behold, we are now in the town of Raqim, at the edge of your border.

Bamidbar 20:17

נַעְבְּרָה-נָּא בְאַרְצֶךָ לֹא נַעֲבֹר בְּשָׂדֶה וּבְכֶרֶם וְלֹא נִשְׁתֶּה מֵי בְאֵר דֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ נֵלֵךְ לֹא נִטֶּה יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול עַד אֲשֶׁר-נַעֲבֹר גְּבֻלֶךָ

. . . .

We wish to pass through your land; we will not turn aside to any farmstead or vineyard, nor will we drink cistern water — but we will travel along the main road, turning neither right nor left, until we have passed through your territory.'

Bamidbar 20:18

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֱדוֹם לֹא תַעֲבֹר בִּי--פֶּן-בַּחֶרֶב אֵצֵא לִקְרָאתֶךָ

. .

The Red One (Edom) said to him: 'You shall not pass through me — lest I come out against you with the sword.'

Bamidbar 20:19

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמְסִלָּה נַעֲלֶה וְאִם-מֵימֶיךָ נִשְׁתֶּה אֲנִי וּמִקְנַי וְנָתַתִּי מִכְרָם רַק אֵין-דָּבָר בְּרַגְלַי אֶעֱבֹרָה

. . .

And the sons of Israel said to him: 'We will go up by the highway; and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay its price. There is no matter at all — only let us pass through.'

Bamidbar 20:20

וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא תַעֲבֹר וַיֵּצֵא אֱדוֹם לִקְרָאתוֹ בְּעַם כָּבֵד וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה

. .

He said: 'You shall not pass, not even so.' And Edom came out to meet them with a great host and a mighty hand.

Bamidbar 20:21

וַיְמָאֵן אֱדוֹם נְתֹן אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבֹר בִּגְבֻלוֹ וַיֵּט יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָלָיו

. . .

And when Edom refused to allow the house of Israel to pass through his territory, they turned away from him.

Bamidbar 20:22

וַיִּסְעוּ מִקָּדֵשׁ וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל-הָעֵדָה הֹר הָהָר

. .

And they departed from Raqim, and the whole of their congregation came to Mount Hor.

Bamidbar 20:23

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן בְּהֹר הָהָר עַל-גְּבוּל אֶרֶץ-אֱדוֹם לֵאמֹר

. .

And God said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, at the border of the land of Edom, saying:

Bamidbar 20:24

יֵאָסֵף אַהֲרֹן אֶל-עַמָּיו כִּי לֹא יָבֹא אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--עַל אֲשֶׁר-מְרִיתֶם אֶת-פִּי לְמֵי מְרִיבָה

. . .

'Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel — as I said when the two of you transgressed My command at the water of strife.'

Bamidbar 20:25

קַח אֶת-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת-אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ וְהַעַל אֹתָם הֹר הָהָר

. .

'Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring the two of them up to Mount Hor.'

Bamidbar 20:26

וְהַפְשֵׁט אֶת-אַהֲרֹן אֶת-בְּגָדָיו וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּם אֶת-אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ וְאַהֲרֹן יֵאָסֵף וּמֵת שָׁם

. .

'And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron shall be gathered and shall die there.'

Bamidbar 20:27

וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶל-הֹר הָהָר לְעֵינֵי כָּל-הָעֵדָה

. . .

And Moses did as God had commanded him; and they went up to Mount Hor in the presence of the congregation.

Bamidbar 20:28

וַיַּפְשֵׁט מֹשֶׁה אֶת-אַהֲרֹן אֶת-בְּגָדָיו וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתָם אֶת-אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ וַיָּמָת אַהֲרֹן שָׁם בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר מִן-הָהָר

. . . . .

And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there at the summit of the mountain. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

Bamidbar 20:29

וַיִּרְאוּ כָּל-הָעֵדָה כִּי גָוַע אַהֲרֹן וַיִּבְכּוּ אֶת-אַהֲרֹן שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם כֹּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל

. . .

And when the congregation saw that Aaron had indeed died, all the house of Israel wept for him thirty days.