Daily Chumash & Rashi – Parshas Vaeira Sheiyni: Moshe and Aaron’s lineage (Monday, 22nd Teves)

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Sheiyni

  1. Moshe and Aaron’s lineage:
    • The following are the heads of the families of the Jewish people:
    • The firstborn is Reuvein. The following are his sons:
      1. Chanoch
      2. Pallu
  • Chetzron
  1. Carmi
  • Shimon had the following sons:
    1. Yemuel
    2. Yamin
  • Ohad
  1. Yachin
  2. Tzochar
  3. Shaul the son of a Canaanite.
  • Levi had the following sons:
    1. Gershon
    2. Kehos
  • Merari
  • Levi lived for a total of 137 years.
  • Gershon had the following sons:
    1. Livni
    2. Shimei
  • Kehos had the following sons:
    1. Amram
    2. Yitzhar
  • Chevron
  1. Uzziel
  • Kehos lived for 133 years.
  • Merori had the following sons:
    1. Machli
    2. Mushi
  • Amram married his aunt Yocheved, and had Aaron and Moshe.
  • Amram lived for 137 years.
  • Yitzhar had the following sons:
    1. Korach
    2. Nefeg
  • Zichri
  • Uzziel had the following sons:
    1. Mishael
    2. Eltzafan
  • Sisri
  • Aaron’s family: Aaron married Elisheva the daughter of Aminadov, and their children were: Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, and Ithamar
  • Korach’s family: The children of Korach were Assir, Elkanah, and Aviasaf.
  • Elazar’s family: Elazar the son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and they had Pinchas.
  • These were the leaders of the family of Levi’im.

Q&A on Rashi

Q1: Why does the Torah list the genealogy starting from Reuben?

A: Because Scripture needed to trace the lineage of Levi up to Moses and Aaron, it began with the tribes in birth order, starting with Reuben.
Midrashic note: Pesikta Rabbati explains that since Jacob rebuked Reuben, Simeon, and Levi before his death, the Torah lists their genealogy again to show they were still worthy.

 

Q2: Why are Levi’s years mentioned (137 years)?

A: To indicate the length of actual slavery. As long as one of Jacob’s sons was alive, there was no slavery. Only after Joseph and all his brothers died did a new king arise. Levi lived the longest, so his lifespan helps calculate when slavery began.

 

Q3: Why are the years of Kehat and Amram recorded?

A: To show that the 400 years of exile mentioned in the covenant do not refer only to Egypt. Counting Kehat’s years (133), Amram’s (137), and Moses’ age at the Exodus (80) does not reach 400 years. Therefore, the count begins from Isaac’s birth.

 

Q4: Who was Yocheved, Amram’s wife?

A: She was Amram’s aunt—his father’s sister, the daughter of Levi. Onkelos translates “דודתו” as “his father’s sister.”

 

Q5: What lesson does Rashi derive from mentioning Elisheva as Nachshon’s sister?

A: One should examine the character of a woman’s brothers before marrying her, as they often reflect family traits.

 

Q6: Who was Puti’el, from whom Eleazar’s wife descended?

A: She was descended from Jethro (called Puti’el because he fattened calves for idol worship) and from Joseph (called Puti’el because he resisted temptation and scorned his evil inclination).

 

Q7: Why does the Torah emphasize “These are the same Aaron and Moses”?

A: To confirm that the Aaron and Moses mentioned earlier are the ones God commanded to lead Israel out of Egypt. Sometimes Aaron is listed before Moses and sometimes vice versa, to show they were equal in importance.

 

Q8: What does “עַל־צִבְאֹתָם” mean?

A: It means “with their groups,” i.e., their entire host according to their tribes. Rashi notes that sometimes “עַל” functions like the prefix “בְּ,” as in other verses.

 

Q9: Why repeat “They were Moses and Aaron” in verse 27?

A: To stress that they consistently fulfilled their roles from beginning to end, living up to their mission.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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