📜 Daily Chumash & Rashi – Parshas Pinchas: Shelishi – The fashion in which the land of Israel will be divided

*The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from  qualifying purchases.

Donate

Shelishi

1. The fashion in which the land of Israel will be divided:
   • The land is to be inherited according to the population [of each tribe or family]. Those of larger population are to receive a larger area, and those of smaller population are to receive a smaller area. The land will be divided based on raffle, in accordance to the tribes/families.

2. The tribe of Levi is counted:
   • Family descendants: Gershon; Kehos; Merari; Livni; Chevroni; Machli; Mushi; Karchi. Kehos had Amram, who had Moshe, Aaron and Miriam. Aaron had Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Isamar. Nadav and Avihu died before Hashem when they brought a foreign fire.
   • Population: 23,000 males from the age of one month
   • The tribe of Levi was not counted together with the rest of the Jewish people, as they do not receive an inheritance.
     • The above population did not include any of the people from the census that was taken in the desert [prior to the sin of the Meraglim], as they all died in the desert, with exception to Kalev and Yehoshua.

3. Bnos Tzelafchad

• The daughters of Tzelafchad approached Moshe, Elazar, the leaders, and the entire congregation by the entrance of the Ohel Moed and inquired as to why they will not be receiving an inheritance of land on behalf of their father. Their father did not die as a result of the sin of Korach and rather died due to his own sin, and he did not leave any sons. They demanded to receive their father’s portion of inheritance in place of a son.
• Moshe brought their claim before Hashem.

📘 Rashi Q&A — Bamidbar 26:52–27:5

26:52–53 — Division of the Land

Q1. Who receives the land?
A. Only those counted now (age 20+), not those who were under 20 at this census.

Q2. What about their children?
A. Children inherit only through their father’s portion, not independently.

 

26:54 — Size of Portions

Q3. How were portions divided?
A. Larger tribes received larger portions, smaller tribes received smaller portions.

Q4. Was it based only on size?
A. No, the value of the land was also considered (quality, fertility).

Q5. How was the division determined?
A. Through a divinely guided lottery with the Urim and Tumim.

 

26:55–56 — The Lottery

Q6. What does “by lot” mean?
A. The division was guided by Divine inspiration, not random chance. The lottery actually spoke.

Q7. What is unique about this inheritance?
A. It is as if the deceased fathers inherited first, then passed it to their children.

Q8. What does “according to the names of their fathers” mean?
A. The distribution ultimately reflects the generation that left Egypt.

Q9. Who was excluded from the lottery?
A. Yehoshua and Kalev received their portions directly.

Q10. Who else is excluded?
A. Converts and freed slaves (since the division follows tribal lineage).

 

26:57–58 — Levi’s Families

Q11. Which Levite families are listed?
A. Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.

Q12. What is missing?
A. Some Levite families (like Shimi and Uzziel) are not listed.

 

 

 

26:59 — Yocheved

Q13. Why is Yocheved mentioned?
A. To show she was counted among those who entered Egypt.

Q14. What is special about her birth?
A. She was born at the entrance to Egypt, completing the count of seventy.

 

26:60–61 — Nadav and Avihu

Q15. What happened to them?
A. They died for offering unauthorized fire before Hashem.

 

26:62 — Levites Count

Q16. Why are Levites counted from one month old?
A. They are not counted for war or inheritance.

Q17. Why don’t they receive land?
A. Their role is spiritual service, not territorial inheritance.

 

26:63–65 — End of the Census

Q18. What is stated about this generation?
A. None remained from the earlier census (except Yehoshua and Kalev).

Q19. Why were the women spared?
A. They did not join the sin of rejecting the land and valued it deeply.

 

📘 Chapter 27 — Daughters of Tzelofchad

27:1 — Their Identity

Q20. Why mention “son of Yosef”?
A. To show they inherited Yosef’s love for the land.

Q21. What does their lineage teach?
A. They were righteous, coming from a righteous line.

Q22. Why are their names listed out of order?
A. To show they were equal in wisdom.

 

27:2 — Before the Leaders

Q23. Why did they approach in the 40th year?
A. Their claim arose only near the time of dividing the land.

Q24. Why are Moshe, Elazar, and others mentioned together?
A. They presented their case publicly before the entire leadership.

 

27:3 — About Their Father

Q25. Why clarify their father’s sin?
A. To show he was not part of major rebellions like Korach’s.

Q26. What are two opinions about his sin?
A. He was either the wood gatherer or one who defied the spies’ decree.

 

27:4 — Their Argument

Q27. What do they request?
A. A portion in the land in place of a son.

Q28. What logic do they use?
A. If they are not considered sons, then their mother should be eligible for levirate marriage.

Q29. What does “כי אין לו בן” teach?
A. If there had been even one son, they would not have claimed inheritance.

Q30. What does this show about them?
A. They were wise and careful in their argument.

 

27:5 — Moshe’s Response

Q31. Why did Moshe bring the case to Hashem?
A. He did not recall the law in that moment.

Q32. Why did this happen?
A. It was a consequence of earlier statements showing confidence in his authority.

Q33. What is another understanding?
A. This law was destined to be taught through the daughters of Tzelofchad because of their merit.