כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֖ם לַאֲחֻזָּ֑ה וְנָתַתִּי֙ נֶ֣גַע צָרַ֔עַת בְּבֵ֖ית אֶ֥רֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶֽם׃
When you enter the land of Canaan that I give you as a possession, and I inflict an eruptive plague upon a house in the land you posses. 14:34
Why is Hashem putting a plague on the people in Canaan?
According to Rashi, the reason Hashem is putting tzaraat on therm is because when Bnei Yisroel were wondering in the desert for 40 years, the Amoraim hid gold and other treasures in the walls of their houses so that when Bnei Yisroel came, they could not take them. Hashem is now giving them tzaraat so that their houses will have to be torn down and then Bnei Yisroel will find the treasures in the walls.
What are other interpretation about this pasuk? Where else in the torah did Hashem give a punishment to another nation, so that Bnei Yisroel can take their treasures/gold?
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ReplyDeleteHow did other mefarshim interpret this passuk?
ReplyDeleteIbn Ezra says “when you come to the land of Canaan” means these laws will only apply when you reach the Holy land because of its significance and high importance for it had the Temple where Hashem rested.
I don’t like this answer because it doesn’t really go so into it and it’s a little too basic and broad. it should have a little more depth to it and more detail. but it is a nice idea and does make sense.
In Makkat Choshech hashem made מצריים so dark that the Egyptians were not able to leave there homes. Because the Egyptians were unable to see or move, בני ישראל was able to take their possessions and they ended up bring those things out of מצריים.
ReplyDeleteWhat are other interpretation about this pasuk?
ReplyDeleteChizkuni quotes other commentators ( doesn’t say who) who says that the reason Hashem is plaguing the people in Canaan is that there is a pasuk in במדבר that says that they have to destroy every place where the gentiles have worshiped idols. And if you ask how do we know the places where they worshiped idol? The answer would be the houses and palaces where the plague appeared on was where they worshiped idols. And The tzaraat being on the houses is a reminder that we need to fulfill this mitavah. I like this answer because their point and answer is very logical
The Riva on Torah says that in the desert, they didn’t have houses to have tzaraat on, but they could have tzaraat on their hands and clothes. Now that the Jews are entering Israel and will have real houses, they need to know that their houses can also get tzaraat.
ReplyDeletechizkuni says, that one explanation is that when a plague breaks out on a house it must be destroyed because the land of Israel is holy and should not suffer from contamination. I think this is an interesting idea because most the other miforshiim say they broke down the houses to get the riches, but he is saying they broke them down to prevent contamination on the holy lands.
ReplyDeleteWhere else in the torah did Hashem give a punishment to another nation, so that Bnei Yisroel can take their treasures/gold?
ReplyDeleteIn שמואל א׳ פרק 5–6, the ארון is stolen from Bnei Yisrael by the פְלִשְׁתִּים֙. In order for Bnei Yisrael to get it back Hashem gave them all hemorrhoids. They then gave Bnei Yisrael back the ארון (after 7 months).
Or HaChaim explains why Tzaraat in the houses of Bnei Yisrael is considered a gift, and not a punishment, from Hashem. When Bnei Yisrael sin, Hashem could go straight to punishing them and inflicting pain on their bodies, but instead he gives them signs. He begins by afflicting their house, and then their clothes before He puts any Tzaraat on their bodies. In this way, Hashem is giving Bnei Yisrael the gift of mercy.I really like how this answer portrays the Middat Rachamim in Hashem, and how even when He is punishing us, He still gives a level of mercy.
ReplyDelete