
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 17
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:
va-y'-da-BAYR a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH lay-MOR
אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
2Order Elazar son of Aharon the Kohen to remove the fire pans—for they have become sacred—from among the charred remains; and scatter the coals abroad.
e-MOR el e-l'-a-ZAR ben a-ha-RON ha-ko-HAYN v'-ya-RAYM et ha-makh-TOT mi-BAYN ha-s'-RE-fah v'-et ha-AYSH z'-REH-ha-l'-AH ki ka-DAY-shu
באֱמֹ֨ר אֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְיָרֵ֤ם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּת֙ מִבֵּ֣ין הַשְּׂרֵפָ֔ה וְאֶת־הָאֵ֖שׁ זְרֵה־הָ֑לְאָה כִּ֖י קָדֵֽשׁוּ׃
3[Remove] the fire pans of those who have sinned at the cost of their lives, and let them be made into hammered sheets as plating for the mizbayach—for once they have been used for offering to Hashem, they have become sacred—and let them serve as a warning to the people of Yisrael.
et makh-TOT ha-kha-ta-EEM ha-EL-leh b'-naf-sho-TAM v'-a-SU o-TAM ri-ku-EI fa-KHEEM tzi-PU-ee la-miz-BAY-akh kee-hik-REE-vum lif-NEI a-do-NAI va-yik-da-SHU v'-yi-HU l'-OT li-v'-nay yis-ra-AYL
גאֵ֡ת מַחְתּוֹת֩ הַֽחַטָּאִ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה בְּנַפְשֹׁתָ֗ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ אֹתָ֜ם רִקֻּעֵ֤י פַחִים֙ צִפּ֣וּי לַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־הִקְרִיבֻ֥ם לִפְנֵֽי־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיִּקְדָּ֑שׁוּ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
4Elazar the Kohen took the copper fire pans which had been used for offering by those who died in the fire; and they were hammered into plating for the mizbayach,
vai-YI-kakh el-a-zaR ha-ko-HAYN et ma-KHO-tot ha-ne-KHO-shet a-SHER hi-k'-REE-vu ha-s'-ru-FEEM va-y'-ra-K'-um tsi-PU-yi la-miz-BAY-akh
דוַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן אֵ֚ת מַחְתּ֣וֹת הַנְּחֹ֔שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יבוּ הַשְּׂרֻפִ֑ים וַֽיְרַקְּע֖וּם צִפּ֥וּי לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
5as Hashem had ordered him through Moshe. It was to be a reminder to the Israelites, so that no outsider—one not of Aharon's offspring—should presume to offer incense before Hashem and suffer the fate of Korach and his band.
zik-KA-ron l'-v'-NAY yis-ra-AYL l'-ma-AN a-SHER lo yik-RAV eesh ZAR a-SHER lo mi-ZAY-rat a-ha-RON HU l'-ha-k'-TEER k'-to-RET l'-f'-NAY a-do-NAI v'-lo yi-HE-yeh k'-ko-RACH v'-ka-a-DA-to ka-a-SHER di-BER a-do-NAI b'-yad mo-SHEH lo.
הזִכָּר֞וֹן לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְ֠מַ֠עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יִקְרַ֜ב אִ֣ישׁ זָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א מִזֶּ֤רַע אַהֲרֹן֙ ה֔וּא לְהַקְטִ֥יר קְטֹ֖רֶת לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה כְקֹ֙רַח֙ וְכַ֣עֲדָת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה לֽוֹ׃
6Next day the whole Israelite community railed against Moshe and Aharon, saying, “You two have brought death upon Hashem's people!”
vai-YI-lo-NU kol a-DAT b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL mi-mo-kho-RAT al mo-SHEH v'-al a-ha-RON lay-MOR: a-TEM ha-mi-TEM et-am a-do-NAI
ווַיִּלֹּ֜נוּ כׇּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֔ת עַל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אַתֶּ֥ם הֲמִתֶּ֖ם אֶת־עַ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה׃
7But as the community gathered against them, Moshe and Aharon turned toward the Tent of Meeting; the cloud had covered it and the Presence of Hashem appeared.
vai-HI b'-hi-ka-HAYL ha-E-da al mo-SHE v'-al a-ha-RON, va-yif-NU el o-HAYL mo-ED, v'-hi-NEH ki-SA-hu he-a-NAHN, va-YAY-ra k'-VOD a-do-NAI.
זוַיְהִ֗י בְּהִקָּהֵ֤ל הָֽעֵדָה֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיִּפְנוּ֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהִנֵּ֥ה כִסָּ֖הוּ הֶעָנָ֑ן וַיֵּרָ֖א כְּב֥וֹד יְהֹוָֽה׃
8When Moshe and Aharon reached the Tent of Meeting,
vai-YA-vo MO-sheh v'-a-ha-RON el p'-NAY oh-HEL mo-ED
חוַיָּבֹ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־פְּנֵ֖י אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
9Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying,
va-y'-da-BAYR a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH lay-MOR
טוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
10“Remove yourselves from this community, that I may annihilate them in an instant.” They fell on their faces.
he-RO-mu mi-tokh ha-e-DA ha-ZOT va-a-ka-LE-hem k'-ra-GA va-yi-PE-lu al p'-NE-hem
יהֵרֹ֗מּוּ מִתּוֹךְ֙ הָעֵדָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וַאֲכַלֶּ֥ה אֹתָ֖ם כְּרָ֑גַע וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
11Then Moshe said to Aharon, “Take the fire pan, and put on it fire from the mizbayach. Add incense and take it quickly to the community and make expiation for them. For wrath has gone forth from Hashem: the plague has begun!”
vai-YO-mer mo-SHE el a-ha-RON, kaKH et ha-MAKH-ta, v'-TEN a-LE-ha AYSH may-AL ha-miz-BAY-akh, v'-SEEM k'-TO-ret, v'-ho-LEKH me-HE-ra el ha-E-da, v'-ka-PER a-LE-hem, kee-ya-TZAH ha-KE-tsef mil-IF-nay a-do-NAI, hay-KHEL ha-NA-gef
יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן קַ֣ח אֶת־הַ֠מַּחְתָּ֠ה וְתֶן־עָלֶ֨יהָ אֵ֜שׁ מֵעַ֤ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ וְשִׂ֣ים קְטֹ֔רֶת וְהוֹלֵ֧ךְ מְהֵרָ֛ה אֶל־הָעֵדָ֖ה וְכַפֵּ֣ר עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־יָצָ֥א הַקֶּ֛צֶף מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה הֵחֵ֥ל הַנָּֽגֶף׃
12Aharon took it, as Moshe had ordered, and ran to the midst of the congregation, where the plague had begun among the people. He put on the incense and made expiation for the people;
vai-YA-kakh a-ha-RON ka-a-SHER di-BER mo-SHE va-YA-ROTZ el TOKH ha-ka-HAL v'-hi-NEH he-KHEL ha-NE-gef ba-AM va-YI-ten et ha-ke-TO-ret va-y'-ka-PER al ha-AM
יבוַיִּקַּ֨ח אַהֲרֹ֜ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ דִּבֶּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיָּ֙רׇץ֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הַקָּהָ֔ל וְהִנֵּ֛ה הֵחֵ֥ל הַנֶּ֖גֶף בָּעָ֑ם וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶֽת־הַקְּטֹ֔רֶת וַיְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־הָעָֽם׃
13he stood between the dead and the living until the plague was checked.
vai-ya-a-MOD bein ha-MAY-teem u-vein ha-KHA-yim, va-te-a-TZAR ha-ma-GE-fa
יגוַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד בֵּֽין־הַמֵּתִ֖ים וּבֵ֣ין הַֽחַיִּ֑ים וַתֵּעָצַ֖ר הַמַּגֵּפָֽה׃
14Those who died of the plague came to fourteen thousand and seven hundred, aside from those who died on account of Korach.
vai-YA-hu ha-m'-TEEM ba-ma-GE-fa, ar-BA-a ASAR e-LEF u-sh'-VA me-OT, mi-l'-VAD ha-m'-TEEM al d'-VAR ko-RACH
ידוַיִּהְי֗וּ הַמֵּתִים֙ בַּמַּגֵּפָ֔ה אַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁבַ֣ע מֵא֑וֹת מִלְּבַ֥ד הַמֵּתִ֖ים עַל־דְּבַר־קֹֽרַח׃
15Aharon then returned to Moshe at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, since the plague was checked.
vai-YA-shov a-ha-ron el mo-SHE el pe-TAKH o-HEL mo-ED, v'-ha-ma-GE-fah ne-e-tza-RAH.
טווַיָּ֤שׇׁב אַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה נֶעֱצָֽרָה׃
16Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:
va-y'-da-BAYR a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH lay-MOR
טזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
17Speak to B'nei Yisrael and take from them—from the chieftains of their ancestral houses—one staff for each chieftain of an ancestral house: twelve staffs in all. Inscribe each man's name on his staff,
da-BER el b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL v'-KACH me-ee-TAM ma-TEH ma-TEH l'-VEYT av me-ET kol n'-see-E-hem l'-VEYT a-vo-TAM sh'-NEEM a-SAHR ma-TEH, eesh et sh'-MO ti-KH'-TOV al ma-TE-hu
יזדַּבֵּ֣ר ׀ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְקַ֣ח מֵֽאִתָּ֡ם מַטֶּ֣ה מַטֶּה֩ לְבֵ֨ית אָ֜ב מֵאֵ֤ת כׇּל־נְשִֽׂיאֵהֶם֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר מַטּ֑וֹת אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־שְׁמ֔וֹ תִּכְתֹּ֖ב עַל־מַטֵּֽהוּ׃
18there being one staff for each head of an ancestral house; also inscribe Aharon's name on the staff of Levi.
v'-ET shaym a-ha-RON tik-TOV al ma-TEH le-VEE, kee ma-TEH e-KHAD le-ROSH bayt a-vo-TAYM
יחוְאֵת֙ שֵׁ֣ם אַהֲרֹ֔ן תִּכְתֹּ֖ב עַל־מַטֵּ֣ה לֵוִ֑י כִּ֚י מַטֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד לְרֹ֖אשׁ בֵּ֥ית אֲבוֹתָֽם׃
19Deposit them in the Tent of Meeting before the Pact, where I meet with you.
v'-hi-NACH-tam b'-o-HEL mo-ED, lif-NAY ha-e-DUT, a-SHER i-va-ED la-KHEM sha-MAH
יטוְהִנַּחְתָּ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לִפְנֵי֙ הָֽעֵד֔וּת אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִוָּעֵ֥ד לָכֶ֖ם שָֽׁמָּה׃
20The staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout, and I will rid Myself of the incessant mutterings of the Israelites against you.
v'-ha-YA ha-ISH a-SHER ev-KHAR-BO ma-TE-hu yif-RAKH va-ha-shi-KO-tee me-a-LAI et te-lu-NOT b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL a-SHER HEM ma-LEE-NIM a-LAY-khem
כוְהָיָ֗ה הָאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶבְחַר־בּ֖וֹ מַטֵּ֣הוּ יִפְרָ֑ח וַהֲשִׁכֹּתִ֣י מֵֽעָלַ֗י אֶת־תְּלֻנּוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם מַלִּינִ֖ם עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃
21Moshe spoke thus to the Israelites. Their chieftains gave him a staff for each chieftain of an ancestral house, twelve staffs in all; among these staffs was that of Aharon.
va-y'-da-BAYR mo-SHE el b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL va-yi-t'-NU e-LAV kol n'-see-E-hem ma-TEH l'-na-see E-khad ma-TEH l'-na-see E-khad l'-vayt a-vo-TAM sh'-NAYM a-SAHR ma-TOHT u-ma-TEH a-ha-RON b'-toKH ma-TOH-TAM
כאוַיְדַבֵּ֨ר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ אֵלָ֣יו ׀ כׇּֽל־נְשִׂיאֵיהֶ֡ם מַטֶּה֩ לְנָשִׂ֨יא אֶחָ֜ד מַטֶּ֨ה לְנָשִׂ֤יא אֶחָד֙ לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֔ם שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר מַטּ֑וֹת וּמַטֵּ֥ה אַהֲרֹ֖ן בְּת֥וֹךְ מַטּוֹתָֽם׃
22Moshe deposited the staffs before Hashem, in the Tent of the Pact.
vai-YA-nakh mo-SHEH et ha-ma-TOT lif-NEY a-do-NAI b'-o-HEL ha-e-DUT
כבוַיַּנַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֹּ֖ת לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּאֹ֖הֶל הָעֵדֻֽת׃
23The next day Moshe entered the Tent of the Pact, and there the staff of Aharon of the house of Levi had sprouted: it had brought forth sprouts, produced blossoms, and borne almonds.
vai-HEE mi-ma-kha-RAT va-ya-VO mo-SHEH el O-hel ha-ay-DUT v'-hi-NAY pa-RAKH ma-tay a-ha-RON l'-VAYT lay-VEE va-YO-tzay FE-rakh va-YA-tzaytz TZEETZ va-yig-MOL sh'-kay-DEEM
כגוַיְהִ֣י מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֗ת וַיָּבֹ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל הָעֵד֔וּת וְהִנֵּ֛ה פָּרַ֥ח מַטֵּֽה־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לְבֵ֣ית לֵוִ֑י וַיֹּ֤צֵֽא פֶ֙רַח֙ וַיָּ֣צֵֽץ צִ֔יץ וַיִּגְמֹ֖ל שְׁקֵדִֽים׃
17:23 The staff of Aharon of the house of Levi had sprouted

Mount Zion
Legendary Israeli storyteller Rabbi S.Z. Kahana tells a story about three clergymen who were on a visit to Mount Zion in 1965. When they asked the Jewish curator of Mt. Zion why the Jews insist on claiming Jerusalem as the capital of the Israel instead of letting it remain an international city, he replied with an example from this chapter. When Moshe appointed Aharon as the Kohen Gadol, ‘High Priest,’ the people objected and murmured. Neither the earthquake that swallowed Korach and his followers nor the plague that followed were enough to convince the people that Aharon had been appointed by God. It was only once his staff blossomed, showing the vitality of life, that they accepted Aharon as the Kohen. The curator invited the visiting clergymen to climb up with him to the mountain’s observation tower. “From here, you can see both the old and new Jerusalem. In the old Arab-controlled section of the city, as you can observe, there is desolation: ruins, desert, and rocks. On our side is the new Jerusalem, where over 150,000 Jews have settled. You can see our new homes and schools, the new hospital and the new university. Everywhere you look, you see life, growth, and vitality. You ask: To whom does Jerusalem belong? It belongs to those who make it bud and blossom, to those who make it live and grow.” Half a century later, Jewish Jerusalem continues to show even more incredible signs of life and vitality. Yerushalayim in Jewish hands is indeed ordained by Hashem, just as the budding of Aharon’s staff demonstrated his divine selection.
24Moshe then brought out all the staffs from before Hashem to all the Israelites; each identified and recovered his staff.
vai-YO-tzei MO-sheh et-KOL ha-ma-TOT mi-lif-NEI a-do-NAI el-KOL b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL va-yi-RO-u va-yi-KHE-khu EESH ma-TE-hu. (pey)
כדוַיֹּצֵ֨א מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶת־כׇּל־הַמַּטֹּת֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶֽל־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּרְא֥וּ וַיִּקְח֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ מַטֵּֽהוּ׃
25Hashem said to Moshe, “Put Aharon's staff back before the Pact, to be kept as a lesson to rebels, so that their mutterings against Me may cease, lest they die.”
vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI el mo-SHE ha-SHEV et ma-TEH a-ha-RON lif-NAY ha-E-dut l'-mish-ME-ret l'-OT l'-v'-NAY me-REE, u-t'-KHAL t'-lu-NOT-am may-a-LAI v'-LO ya-MU-tu
כהוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה הָשֵׁ֞ב אֶת־מַטֵּ֤ה אַהֲרֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעֵד֔וּת לְמִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת לְא֖וֹת לִבְנֵי־מֶ֑רִי וּתְכַ֧ל תְּלוּנֹּתָ֛ם מֵעָלַ֖י וְלֹ֥א יָמֻֽתוּ׃
26This Moshe did; just as Hashem had commanded him, so he did.
vai-YA-as MO-sheh ka-a-SHER tzi-VA a-do-NAI o-TO ken a-SAH. (pey)
כווַיַּ֖עַשׂ מֹשֶׁ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה׃
27But the Israelites said to Moshe, “Lo, we perish! We are lost, all of us lost!
vai-YO-meru b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL el mo-SHE lay-MOR: HAYN ga-VA-nu a-VA-d'-NU ku-LA-nu a-VA-d'-NU
כזוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֥ן גָּוַ֛עְנוּ אָבַ֖דְנוּ כֻּלָּ֥נוּ אָבָֽדְנוּ׃
28Everyone who so much as ventures near Hashem's Mishkan must die. Alas, we are doomed to perish!”
KOL ha-ka-REV ha-ka-REV el mish-KAN a-do-NAI ya-MUT ha-IM TAM-nu lig-VO-a. (S)
כחכֹּ֣ל הַקָּרֵ֧ב ׀ הַקָּרֵ֛ב אֶל־מִשְׁכַּ֥ן יְהֹוָ֖ה יָמ֑וּת הַאִ֥ם תַּ֖מְנוּ לִגְוֺֽעַ׃