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By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin
Bnei Yisroel’s days in the desert were coming to a close. It would soon be time to enter Eretz Yisroel. This is the backdrop to the story of Tzelafchad’s daughters, found in this week’s parsha of Pinchas.
The five daughters of Tzelafchad – Machla, Noa, Chogla, Milka, and Tirtza – approached Moshe with a request. They shared their tragic story. Their father died in the desert. They were five sisters without any brothers. They knew Eretz Yisroel would be divided into territories amongst the tribes. Being that they didn’t have any brothers, what would become of their father’s territory? Would a portion of the land still be allocated to them?
They mentioned that their father did not participate in Korach’s rebellion, “…ki v’cheto meis, but he died as a result of his own sins”. (Bamidbar 27:3) In doing so, they tried to strengthen their argument. Rashi explains that they acknowledged their father’s wrongdoing, but stressed that he died as an individual, unlike the uprising of Korach that brought others to sin. They questioned Moshe, “Lama yigora shem avinu, Why should the name of our father be omitted?” (Bamidbar 27:4)
Five sisters. They spoke to Moshe as a team, all on the same page. Their plea was poignant. They wanted to perpetuate their father’s name. Why should it be lost and forgotten just because he didn’t have a son. While acknowledging that he wasn’t perfect, they were concerned about the continuation of his name. To the sisters, that was of utmost importance. To give his neshama an aliya both in this world and in the World to Come. While they no longer had their father, they could do tikkun – a correction, a repair for the soul. This wasn’t a fight over an inheritance, a plea for money or possessions, but a strong desire for what they could do for their father’s neshama.
The sisters loved Eretz Yisroel and understood the importance of doing mitzvos in the land. As devoted daughters, what greater tikkun could they give their father’s neshama than by living and doing mitzvos on the territory that was to be his. How powerful!
When speaking to Moshe, the sisters used the word “yigora – lose out”, a term not commonly found in the Chumash, yet it sounded familiar to me. Not so long ago, we read in parshas Beha’aloscha about Pesach Sheini. A group of people who were not able to perform the mitzva of Korbon Pesach approached Moshe asking why should they lose out. They too used the words “lama nigora, why should we be deprived” of the mitzva of Korban Pesach. Perhaps, just as their desire was pure, so too were the words of Tzelafchad’s daughters pure, without any ulterior motives.
The daughters asked Moshe, “Te’na lanu achuza, Give us a portion.” The Torah mentions their lineage going all the way back to Yosef. Rashi questions the need for this elaborate description, and answers beautifully that it was to point out that they were descendants of Yosef who also loved Eretz Yisroel, and that his very last request was to be buried in the Holy Land.
Rashi tells us that Moshe was stumped by the request of Tzelafchad’s daughters and approached HaShem on their behalf. The posuk tells us “Kein Bnos Tzelafchad dovros, The daughters of Tzelafchad speak correctly, Nosson titein lahem achuzas nachala, You shall surely give them a portion as an inheritance.” HaShem fully agreed with their argument. The Midrash tells us “Ashrei odom sheh’HaShem modeh lidvarav, Praised is the person whom HaShem consents to his words.” What greater testimony can there be to the sincerity and purity in the motives of Tzelafchad’s daughters.
The story of Bnos Tzelafchad follows the Torah’s mentioning that the generation that left Egypt died out in the desert, except for Calev and Yehoshua, the only two of the twelve miraglim, the scouts who spoke favorably of Eretz Yisroel. This is to contrast the story of Tzelafchad daughters’ deep love for Eretz Yisroel with the other ten scouts who spoke negatively about the land.
From where did Tzelafchad’s daughters derive their courage to speak up to the leader of Klal Yisroel? They, like the women of their generation, were fortunate to have had Miriam as a mentor, a role model who was able to inspire them to have emunah and bitachon, faith and trust in HaShem, and a love for Eretz Yisroel.
“Shem avinu, Our father’s name.” My mother, Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi a”h, would often write and speak about my grandparents and my father. Each time my mother would mention their names, HaRav Avraham ben HaRav Yisroel HaLevi, Rebbetzin Miriam bas HaRav Tzvi Hersh HaKohein, HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Asher Anshil HaLevi. My mother would explain that she does so to give an aliyas neshama, to make sure that the names of our ancestors are not forgotten. We have the power with both our words and our actions to perpetuate a loved one’s name, to have the z’chus of bringing an aliyas neshama both in this world and in the Heavens above.
Let’s learn from the daughters of Tzelafchad. “Why should our father’s name be lost.” Let’s learn from my mother to constantly remember and to honor the souls of loved ones by mentioning their names and doing mitzvos that bring them nechama, comfort in the Eternal World.
Shabbat Shalom!
Chaya Sora
Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]
This article was written L’zecher Nishmas / In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l
