Numbers-Chapter-36

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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

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“Numbers Chapter 36”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction:

Numbers Chapter 36 provides a concluding, practical resolution to land inheritance issues, ensuring tribal property remains within its ancestral lineage. This final chapter illustrates a dynamic, thoughtful approach to law where Divine wisdom addresses specific community concerns for long-term stability and fairness.

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Let us read Numbers Chapter 36, verses 1 to 13: (JPS-1917 version of the Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary for this study.

1 “And the heads of the fathers’ houses of the family of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spoke before Moses, and before the princes, the heads of the fathers’ houses of the children of Israel2 and they said: ‘יְהוָה - the LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel; and my lord was commanded by יְהוָה - the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters. 3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of our fathers, and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong; so will it be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. 4 And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then will their inheritance be added unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they shall belong; so will their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers’. 5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of יְהוָה - the LORD, saying: ‘The tribe of the sons of Joseph speaketh right. 6 This is the thing which יְהוָה - the LORD hath commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying: Let them be married to whom they think best; only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married. 7 So shall no inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe; for the children of Israel shall cleave every one to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers’. 8 And every daughter, that possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may possess every man the inheritance of his fathers. 9 So shall no inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; for the tribes of the children of Israel shall cleave each one to its own inheritance’. 10 Even as יְהוָה - the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father’s brothers’ sons. 12 They were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father. 13 These are the commandments and the ordinances, which יְהוָה - the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho’”.

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Below is my Commentary on Numbers Chapter 36:

Verses 1-4: The leaders of Manasseh highlight the importance of safeguarding inheritance across generations. This concern emphasizes that community thriving depends on foresight and careful stewardship of heritage.

Verses 5-9: The directive for daughters to marry within their tribe balances individual rights with communal identity. This solution shows that personal needs can, and should, align with the continuity of the group.

Verses 10-12: The daughters' adherence to the ruling demonstrates a profound, respectful balance between personal inheritance and tribal integrity. Their actions illustrate that upholding community standards protects one’s own legacy.

Verse 13: This final verse caps the journey from the wilderness to the plains of Moab. It signifies that the laws and travels were essential, forming a comprehensive guide for a holy life in a specific land.

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My Closing Message:

Concluding the Book of Numbers, the focus on land and family highlights how spiritual ideals must be lived out through social responsibility. The community is now structured and prepared, with its legacy secured for the future, ready to enter the land.

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שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

 

 

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