TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 27

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1The daughters of Tzelofchad, of Manassite family—son of Hepher son of Gilad son of Machir son of Menashe son of Yosef—came forward. The names of the daughters were Machla, Noa, Chagla, Milka, and Tirtza.

אוַתִּקְרַבְנָה בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד בֶּן־חֵפֶר בֶּן־גִּלְעָד בֶּן־מָכִיר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן־יוֹסֵף וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֹתָיו מַחְלָה נֹעָה וְחָגְלָה וּמִלְכָּה וְתִרְצָה׃

2They stood before Moshe, Elazar the Kohen, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they said,

בוַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי הַנְּשִׂיאִם וְכָל־הָעֵדָה פֶּתַח אֹהֶל־מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר׃

3“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korach's faction, which banded together against Hashem, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons.

גאָבִינוּ מֵת בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהוּא לֹא־הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַנּוֹעָדִים עַל־יְהֹוָה בַּעֲדַת־קֹרַח כִּי־בְחֶטְאוֹ מֵת וּבָנִים לֹא־הָיוּ לוֹ׃

4Let not our father's name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father's kinsmen!”

LA-mah yi-ga-RA shaym a-VEE-nu mi-TOKH mish-pakh-TO KEE AYN LO BAYN t'-NAH LA-nu a-khu-ZAH b'-TOKH a-KHAY a-VEE-nu

דלָמָּה יִגָּרַע שֵׁם־אָבִינוּ מִתּוֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ כִּי אֵין לוֹ בֵּן תְּנָה־לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אָבִינוּ׃

 27:4 Give us a holding among our father’s kinsmen

After it is determined among whom Eretz Yisrael will be divided, the daughters of a deceased man named Tzelofchad approach Moshe with a complaint. The rule of inheritance is that a father’s land is inherited by his sons, but the late Tzelofchad had no sons who could inherit his portion. Moved by a deep love for the Land of Israel, Tzelofchad’s daughters complain that if nothing is done, their family will forever lose its portion of land. Rashi points out that it is no coincidence that the verse traces their lineage back to their forefather Yosef, who served as a model of love for the Promised Land when he made his brothers promise that they would take his remains with them out of Egypt, for burial in Eretz Yisrael. The women are relieved when Hashem clarifies to Moshe that in the absence of sons, a man’s land is to be inherited by his daughters. The passion for Israel exhibited by the daughters of Tzelofchad serves as a model for the special role that women have always played in settling Eretz Yisrael.

5Moshe brought their case before Hashem.

הוַיַּקְרֵב מֹשֶׁה אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטָן לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה׃

6And Hashem said to Moshe,

ווַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃

7“The plea of Tzelofchad's daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father's kinsmen; transfer their father's share to them.

זכֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דֹּבְרֹת נָתֹן תִּתֵּן לָהֶם אֲחֻזַּת נַחֲלָה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אֲבִיהֶם וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶת־נַחֲלַת אֲבִיהֶן לָהֶן׃

8“Further, speak to B'nei Yisrael as follows: ‘If a man dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter.

חוְאֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּדַבֵּר לֵאמֹר אִישׁ כִּי־יָמוּת וּבֵן אֵין לוֹ וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּם אֶת־נַחֲלָתוֹ לְבִתּוֹ׃

9If he has no daughter, you shall assign his property to his brothers.

טוְאִם־אֵין לוֹ בַּת וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת־נַחֲלָתוֹ לְאֶחָיו׃

10If he has no brothers, you shall assign his property to his father's brothers.

יוְאִם־אֵין לוֹ אַחִים וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת־נַחֲלָתוֹ לַאֲחֵי אָבִיו׃

11If his father had no brothers, you shall assign his property to his nearest relative in his own clan, and he shall inherit it.' This shall be the law of procedure for the Israelites, in accordance with Hashem's command to Moshe.”

יאוְאִם־אֵין אַחִים לְאָבִיו וּנְתַתֶּם אֶת־נַחֲלָתוֹ לִשְׁאֵרוֹ הַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וְיָרַשׁ אֹתָהּ וְהָיְתָה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחֻקַּת מִשְׁפָּט כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

12Hashem said to Moshe, “Ascend these heights of Avarim and view the land that I have given to B'nei Yisrael.

va-YO-mer a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH a-LAY el HAR ha-a-va-REEM ha-ZEH ur-AY et ha-A-RETZ a-SHER na-TA-tee liv-NAY yis-ra-AYL

יבוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֶל־הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה וּרְאֵה אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

27:12 And view the land

Though Moshe was not allowed to enter the Land of Israel, he is given an opportunity to see the land from atop the mountain of Avarim. In verse 12, Hashem tells him to go up to the mountain and “view the land”, and in verse 13 He repeats “when you have seen it.” The double language reflects the notion that Moshe saw beyond the land’s physical beauty. In addition, he was able to perceive its spiritual grandeur as well.

13When you have seen it, you too shall be gathered to your kin, just as your brother Aharon was.

יגוְרָאִיתָה אֹתָהּ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ אֶל־עַמֶּיךָ גַּם־אָתָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר נֶאֱסַף אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ׃

14For, in the wilderness of Zin, when the community was contentious, you disobeyed My command to uphold My sanctity in their sight by means of the water.” Those are the Waters of Meribath-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.

ידכַּאֲשֶׁר מְרִיתֶם פִּי בְּמִדְבַּר־צִן בִּמְרִיבַת הָעֵדָה לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי בַמַּיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם הֵם מֵי־מְרִיבַת קָדֵשׁ מִדְבַּר־צִן׃

15Moshe spoke to Hashem, saying,

טווַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר׃

16“Let Hashem, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community

טזיִפְקֹד יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָה׃

17who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that Hashem's community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”

יזאֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יָבֹא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יוֹצִיאֵם וַאֲשֶׁר יְבִיאֵם וְלֹא תִהְיֶה עֲדַת יְהֹוָה כַּצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר אֵין־לָהֶם רֹעֶה׃

18And Hashem answered Moshe, “Single out Yehoshua son of Nun, an inspired man, and lay your hand upon him.

יחוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה קַח־לְךָ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־רוּחַ בּוֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת־יָדְךָ עָלָיו׃

19Have him stand before Elazar the Kohen and before the whole community, and commission him in their sight.

יטוְהַעֲמַדְתָּ אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל־הָעֵדָה וְצִוִּיתָה אֹתוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם׃

20Invest him with some of your authority, so that the whole Israelite community may obey.

כוְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

21But he shall present himself to Elazar the Kohen, who shall on his behalf seek the decision of the Urim before Hashem. By such instruction they shall go out and by such instruction they shall come in, he and all the Israelites, the whole community.”

כאוְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה עַל־פִּיו יֵצְאוּ וְעַל־פִּיו יָבֹאוּ הוּא וְכָל־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתּוֹ וְכָל־הָעֵדָה׃

22Moshe did as Hashem commanded him. He took Yehoshua and had him stand before Elazar the Kohen and before the whole community.

כבוַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֹתוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיַּעֲמִדֵהוּ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל־הָעֵדָה׃

23He laid his hands upon him and commissioned him—as Hashem had spoken through Moshe.

כגוַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת־יָדָיו עָלָיו וַיְצַוֵּהוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה׃