What are the implications of "Eileh Sh'mos ha'Anashim asher Yinchalu lachem"
Rashi: It implies that the princes acted as Apotropsim (administering guardians) on behalf of 1 their respective tribes - each one choosing an appropriate portion of land for each family and for each person. 2
Rashi: As if they were their agents. "Lachem" cannot be translated 'to you' as it usually is - which would imply that they simply distributed the land impersonally. because it should then have written 'Yanchilu lachem'.
Rashi: And this is further implied in the next Pasuk, when it writes "Linchol es ha'Aretz (as if they were inheriting it themselves) rather than "Lenachel" ('to distribute the inheritance'). The Gemara in Kidushin learns from there that when orphsns come to inherit their fther, Beis-Din appoint an Apotropus to divide it among them. See Torah Temimah, note 3, who elaborates.
