AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES AND AARON AND GAVE THEM A CHARGE UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND UNTO PHARAOH. According to R. Jose, the charge consisted in this, that they should speak gently to Israel and respectfully to Pharaoh.
Gently to Israel, for, although for the time being they were slaves, yet they were of royal descent. For this reason the section dealing with the names of the heads of the tribal families comes immediately after this verse (vv. 14-25).
R. Hiya says that this is to show that they did not change their customs nor intermarry with the natives. But according to R. Aha, the purpose is to introduce Moses and Aaron and to show that they were worthy to bring forth the people and to act as spokesmen before Pharaoh, for among the heads of the tribal families there were none like them.
AND ELEAZAR, AARON’S SON, TOOK HIM ONE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF PUTIEL TO WIFE; AND SHE BARE HLM PHINEAS: THESE ARE THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS OF THE LEVITES ACCORDING TO THEIR FAMILIES. Why does it say “these are the heads” when the only one mentioned is Phineas? The truth is that because he saved thousands in Israel from the plague (v. Num. 25, 8), by making atonement for the children of Israel and their chiefs, they are all included in him and he is referred to as “these”.
This expression also suggests that he in his own person compensated for the loss of the heads of the Levites (Nadab and Abihu, v. Lev. x): they sinned and were burned, but their souls found their abode in Phineas. They separated the sign of the Covenant from its place (by leaving no issue), and he came and united it again, therefore the heritage and spirit of both of them were given to him. All this is suggested already here.
In fact, Phineas is mentioned here because at first the Holy One, foreseeing that Aaron’s two sons would impair the Covenant, did not desire to join Aaron with Moses in his mission, but then seeing that Phineas would restore the Covenant and repair the mischief caused by them, considered him to be after all worthy, as it is written concerning him: “These are that Aaron” (v. 26), meaning, “it is the same (worthy) Aaron”.
It is further written: “These are (lit. this is) that Aaron and Moses”. The singular number “this” suggests the oneness of the two, the fusion of “wind” (=Moses, who symbolizes the Sephirah, Tifereth) with “water” (=Aaron, Grace); similarly the expression in the following verse (28): “These are (lit. this is) that Moses and Aaron” suggests the fusion of “water” with “wind”.’
(שמות ו׳:י״ג) וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל בְּנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם. ר' יוֹסֵי אָמַר, אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדַבְּרָא לוֹן בְּנַחַת כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי, וְאֶל פַּרְעֹה: לְאַנְהָגָא בֵּיהּ יְקָר, וְאוּקְמוּהָ.
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES AND AARON AND GAVE THEM A CHARGE UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND UNTO PHARAOH. According to R. Jose, the charge consisted in this, that they should speak gently to Israel and respectfully to Pharaoh.
אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, אֲמַאי סָמִיךְ הָכָא (שמות ו׳:י״ד) אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵית אֲבוֹתָם. אֶלָּא, אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דַּבְּרוּ לוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנַחַת, דְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינּוּן יַתְבֵי בְּפוּלְחָנָא קַשְׁיָא, מַלְכִין בְּנִי מַלְכִין אִינּוּן. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כְּתִיב, אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵית אֲבוֹתָם אִלֵּין דְּאַתְּ חָמֵי, רֵישֵׁי בֵּית אֲבָהָן אִינּוּן.
Gently to Israel, for, although for the time being they were slaves, yet they were of royal descent. For this reason the section dealing with the names of the heads of the tribal families comes immediately after this verse (vv. 14-25).
אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ לָא שַׁקְּרוּ נִימוּסֵיהוֹן, וְלָא אִתְעָרְבוּ בְּעַמָּא אַחֲרָא אִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּקַיְימוּ בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא שָׁקְרוּ לְאִתְעָרְבָא בְּהוּ בְּמִצְרָאֵי. אָמַר רִבִּי אֲחָא, בְּגִין לְאַיְיתָאָה לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן, דְּאִינּוּן אִתְחָזוּן לְאַפָּקָא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְמַלְּלָא לְפַרְעֹה, וּלְרַדָּאָה לֵיהּ בְּחוּטְרָא, בְּגִין דִּבְכָל רֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח כְּוָותַיְיהוּ.
R. Hiya says that this is to show that they did not change their customs nor intermarry with the natives. But according to R. Aha, the purpose is to introduce Moses and Aaron and to show that they were worthy to bring forth the people and to act as spokesmen before Pharaoh, for among the heads of the tribal families there were none like them.
תָּא חֲזֵי, (שמות ו׳:כ״ה) וְאֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן לָקַח לוֹ מִבְּנוֹת פּוּטִיאֵל לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת פִּינְחָס אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הַלְוִיִּם. וְכִי אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי, וְהָא הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הֲוָה. אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּפִינְחָס קִיֵּים כַּמָּה אַלְפִין וְרִבְוָון מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְהוּא קִיֵּים לְרָאשֵׁי אֲבָהָן, (ליואי) כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ אֵלֶּה.
AND ELEAZAR, AARON’S SON, TOOK HIM ONE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF PUTIEL TO WIFE; AND SHE BARE HLM PHINEAS: THESE ARE THE HEADS OF THE FATHERS OF THE LEVITES ACCORDING TO THEIR FAMILIES. Why does it say “these are the heads” when the only one mentioned is Phineas? The truth is that because he saved thousands in Israel from the plague (v. Num. 25, 8), by making atonement for the children of Israel and their chiefs, they are all included in him and he is referred to as “these”.
תּוּ, וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ אֶת פִּינְחָס אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי, אוֹבְדָא דְּרֵישֵׁי דְּלֵיוָאֵי אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ, וּמַה דְּאִינּוּן (ויקרא נ"ו ע"ב) גָּרְעוּ וְאִתּוּקָדוּ, הוּא אַשְׁלִים, וְרָוַוח כְּהוּנָתָא דִּילְהוֹן, וְשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ טַסְטוּקָא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ. אוֹבְדָא דְּרֵישֵׁי דְּלֵיוָאֵי אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ, וּמַאן נִינְהוּ. נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא. אִינּוּן פְּרִישׁוּ אָת קַיְּימָא מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, וְהוּא אָתָא וְחָבַר לוֹן. בְּגִין כַּךְ, אִתְיְיהִיב לֵיהּ יָרוּתָא, וְרוּחָא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ. וְאַדְכַּר הָכָא עַל מַה דְּלֶהוֵי לְבָתַר.
This expression also suggests that he in his own person compensated for the loss of the heads of the Levites (Nadab and Abihu, v. Lev. x): they sinned and were burned, but their souls found their abode in Phineas. They separated the sign of the Covenant from its place (by leaving no issue), and he came and united it again, therefore the heritage and spirit of both of them were given to him. All this is suggested already here.
וְאִי תֵּימָא, אֲמַאי אַדְכַּר הָכָא פִּינְחָס. אֶלָּא חָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַהֲרֹן, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָמַר וָאֶזְכּוֹר אֶת בְּרִיתִי, דִּזְמִינִין תְּרֵין בְּנוֹהִי דְּאַהֲרֹן לְאַפְגָּמָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי בְּרִית, וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּקָא מְשַׁדֵּר לֵיהּ לְמִצְרַיִם, בָּעָא לְאַעְבְּרָא לֵיהּ לְאַהֲרֹן, דְּלָא לְמֵיהַךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא דָּא. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּקָאִים פִּינְחָס וְקִיֵּים לֵיהּ לְהַאי בְּרִית בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאַתְקִין עֲקִימָא דִּילְהוֹן, מִיָּד הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַשְׁתָּא הוּא אַהֲרֹן, אִיהוּ אַהֲרֹן דְּקַדְמֵיתָא.
In fact, Phineas is mentioned here because at first the Holy One, foreseeing that Aaron’s two sons would impair the Covenant, did not desire to join Aaron with Moses in his mission, but then seeing that Phineas would restore the Covenant and repair the mischief caused by them, considered him to be after all worthy, as it is written concerning him: “These are that Aaron” (v. 26), meaning, “it is the same (worthy) Aaron”.
(שמות ו׳:כ״ו) הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר ה' לָהֶם הוֹצִיאוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וְגוֹ'. הוּא אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה. הֵם אַהֲרֹן וּמֹשֶׁה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא, לְאַכְלָלָא דָּא בְּדָא, רוּחָא בְּמַיָּא. הוּא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן: לְאַכְלָלָא מַיָּא בְּרוּחָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב הוּא, וְלא הֵם.
It is further written: “These are (lit. this is) that Aaron and Moses”. The singular number “this” suggests the oneness of the two, the fusion of “wind” (=Moses, who symbolizes the Sephirah, Tifereth) with “water” (=Aaron, Grace); similarly the expression in the following verse (28): “These are (lit. this is) that Moses and Aaron” suggests the fusion of “water” with “wind”.’