Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "Kol ha'Eidah"?
Rashi: To teach that all those who were destined to die in the desert had died, 1 and the entire current congregation was destined to live 2 (and enter Eretz Yisrael). 3
Ramban: Because the Torah tends to do so when it records Yisrael's complaints. 4
Because the following Tish'ah be'Av of that year, nobody died.
See Ramban's objection to this explanation. Oznayim la'Torah: The Torah mentions it both here and by Aharon - in Pasuk 22 - to stress that the old generation had all died and that Miriam and Aharon now died because their time had arrived - and not due to the sin of the Meraglim..
In other words, whereas until here, the Torah has been discussing the second year in the desert, from now on,it is discussing the fortieth year.
Ramban: See for example, Sh'mos 16:1, 17:1 - and it mentions it later, in Pasuk 22, when Aharon died, to inform us that all of Yisrael was present at the Hesped of Aharon the K'dosh Hashem.
Why does the Torah juxtapose the death of Miriam to the Parshah of Parah Adumah?
Ba?al ha?Turim: Because this occurred ?ba?Chodesh ha?Rishon", and the Parah Adumah was burnt. 3
If the death of Tzadikim atones like Korbanos, why did the Torah juxtapose the death of Miriam specifically to the Parshah of the Parah Adumah?
Torah Temimah: Because, just as the Parah - the mother, comes to atone for the sin of the Eigel - its child, 1 so too, does the death of Miriam, who was like a mother to Yisrael, atone for the sins of Yisrael.
Oznayim la'Torah: Because, just as the Parah Adumah comes to atone for Yisrael long-term 2 - for furure generations 3 - so too does the death of Tzadikim atone long-term. 4
Refer to 19:2:153:1.
Oznayim la'Torah: As opposed to other Korbanos, which only atone for the sin for which they are brought.
Refer to 19:9:2.1:1.
See Oznayim la'Torah, DH 'va'Tamas Sham Miriam' #2.
Where iss "Midbar Tzin"?
Shabbos, 89a: "Midbar Tzin" is synonymous with Midbar Sinai - and (Har) Sinai is called (Har) Tzin because Yisrael were commanded on it. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 1, who suggests that the correct text is (not 'she'Nitztavu' but) "she'Nitztaynu Yisrael alav ?" - 'because Yisrael excelled on it'.
"Vayeishev ha?Am be?Kadesh". What is the connection between Kadesih and Kadeish Barne?a (from where they later sent the spies)?
R. Bachye: "Kadesh" is the name of a town 1 - which is synonymous with Midbar Tzin; 2 "Kadesh Barne?a" is a desert. 3
R. Bachye: See 33:36.
Not to be confused with Midbar Sin - See Sh?mos 16:1 - which in turn, should no be confused with Midbar Sinai. See Ramban and R. Bachye, who elaborate.
R. Bachye: See Tehilim 29:8.
Why does the Torah need to mention that they were staying in Kadeish?
Ramban and R. Bachye: It is to inform us that as soon as they entered Midbar Tzin and arrived in Kadeish, 1 Miriam died (and this is followed immediately by the incident with the rock [because whenever the Torah writes "Vayeishev" - it denotes Tza?ar] - R. Bache citing the Tanchuma).
Refer to 20:1:2.3:1**.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "va'Tamas Sham Miriam?
Rashi: To teach us via a Gezeirah Shavah from Aharon, by whom the Torah writes in 20:28 "va'Yamas Sham Aharon al-Pi Hashem", 1 that Miriam too, died by a kiss from Hashem 2 and not via the Malach ha'Maves. 3
Moshav Zekenim: To teach us via a Gezeirah Shavah from Eglah Arufah - "Sham" "ve'Arfu Sham es ha'Eglah" in Shoftim, 21:4, that the death of Tzadikim atones 4 just like the Eglah Arufah. 5
Sanhedrin, 47b: To teach us via a Gezeirah Shavah from Avodah Zarah "Sham" "al he'Harim asher Avdu Sham ha'Goyim" (Re'ei Devarim, 21:4) that, like Avodah Zarah, 6 'Hazmanah' (preparing it without actually worshiping it) does not render an article Asur - and that consequently, if someone weaves a Beged as shrouds for a Meis, it does not become Asur be'Hana'ah until one wraps the Meis in it.
Avodah Zarah, 29b: To teach us via a Gezeirah Shavah from Eglah Arufah - "Sham" "ve'Arfu Sham es ha'Eglah" (Shoftim, 21:4) that a Meis, like the Eglah Arufah, is Asur be'Hana'ah.
See Torah Temimah (citing Bava Basra 17a) who learns it from "Vayamas Sham Moshe" - in Devarim 34:5).
Bava Basra, 17a: As a result of which worms did not ravage their bodies.
See Torah Temimah, note note 4.
Moshav Zekenim: That is why we wash our hands after burial, just like the elders washed their hands by the Eglah Arufah.
See Torah Temimah, note 6.
See Torah Temimah, note 5.
Seeing as Miriam also died via a kiss from Hashem, why does the Torah not insert 'al-Pi Hashem', as it did by Aharon and Moshe?
Rashi: Because it is not Kavod to write it about Hashem regarding a woman. 1
See also Torah Temimah, note 3, who discusses the Inyan of Tzadikim dying via a kiss from Hashem.
What are the ramifications of the fact that Miriam did not die via the Malach ha'Maves?
Bava Basra, 17a: Consequently, worms did not consume her body.
In what year did Miriam die?
R. Bachye and Rashbam: In the fortieth year in the desert, 1 (on the tenth of Nisan - Targum Yonasan). 2
R. Bachye: Every prophecy in the Torah was said either in the first year or in the fortieth year.
What are are the implications of "Va'tamas Sham Miriam Va'tikaver Sham"?
Mo'ed Katan 28a: It implies that they buried her immediately - there and then, without leaving her body in the open 1 in order to eulogize her. 2
As one does with men, to allow more people to gather to hear the Hespedim.
Torah Temimah: It is not Kavod for a woman to lie in the open, since the corpse sometimes emits blood like a Zavah. Ran (Mo'ed Katan 27b): It is not Kavod for a woman to be dressed in shrouds in front of men. See also Torah Temimah, note 7.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that Miriam's death is next to the Parshah of Parah Adumah to teach that Misas Tzadikim atones. Why does he expound the Semichus?
Moshav Zekenim: Because Parah Adumah was in the second year, and she died in the fortieth. 1
Even though the Torah does not record anything between the second and the fortieth year (if Korach's rebellion was in the second year, not long after the Meraglim), they burned the Parah on Nisan 2, before almost all the events in Sefer Bamidbar. We must say that it is taught here to expound the Semichus! (PF)
