Who actually took the birds?
Sifra: The Kohen issued the command and somebody else took the birds.
Why does the Torah write "Velakach la'Mitaher" and not 'Velakach lo'?
Sifra: To teach us that if the birds are taken on behalf of a man, they may be used for a woman
Bearing in mind that "Tziporim" (plural) implies two, why does the Torah add the word "Sh'tei"?
Yoma, 62b: To teach us that they must be equal 1
What are the words "Chayos" and "Tehoros" coming to preclude?
Rashi (citing Chulin, 140a): "Chayos" precludes T'reifos; "Tehoros", Tamei species of birds. 1
Ramban #1 (citing the Sifra: "Chayos" comes to preclude Shechted birds, and "Tehoros", both Tamei species and T'reifos (which are forbidden).
Ramban #2 (citing Chulin, 139b): "Tzipor" implies Tahor species exclusively. 2 However, the Taharah of a Metzora is confined to birds that dwell free 3 (Tziporei D'ror).
Moshav Zekenim, citing R. Eliezer of Garmaiza: "Chayos" implies zealous, like "Ki Chayos Henah" (Shemos 1:19). It need not teach that they are alive, for he slaughters one!
See Ramban's objections to this explanation.
He writes this after citing the Ibn Ezra, who, (based on Pesukim in Tehilim and in No'ach and Lech-L'cha), explains that it incorporates all types of birds, and after concluding (based on Pesukim in Shoftim, Ki Seitzei and elsewhere) that it pertains to small birds that sing in the morning ('Tzafra' is the Arama'ic word for morning).
What are the implications of the dual term "Eitz Erez"?
Sifra: "Eitz" has connotations of a tree (or a branch 1 ), and "Erez", of a leaf. The combination implies a piece (or a twig) of cedar-wood.
See Torah Temimah, note 24.
Why does the need to write both "Tola'as" (the dye of a red worm) and "Shani", which also implies red?
What is the definition of "Sh'ni Tola'as"?
Refer to Sh'mos, 25:4:0.1:1 &2 and notes, and to 14:4:1.2:1.
What is the definition of "Eizov"?
Nega'im, 14:15: It means a S'tam hyssop, to preclude those with a secondary name
See Torah Temimah, note 31.
What is the significance of the birds, the cedar-wood the crimson thread and the hyssop-branch?
Rashi and Ramban: Birds
Moshav Zekenim: All slander is said quietly and covertly, and the words are changed so [the one slandered] will not understand if he hears. Therefore, his Kaparah and cure is through birds that twitter and do not have nice speech. Also refer to 14:4:1:3***.
Which is the tallest tree (Ramban).
Or like a worm (which also translates as 'Tola'as').
Which is the smallest of plants (Ramban).
This is difficult. Miryam spoke, for she thought that Moshe improperly divorced his wife! Perhaps 'Kin'as ha'Hevel' means a zealousness of folly (it was proper to question Moshe's act, but it was folly to speak to Aharon, and not Moshe himself). Or, it is a desire for folly, i.e. to speak unnecessary words; Mashehu of this was mixed with her pure intent (to help Tziporah), and Hashem is ultra-exacting with great Tzadikim. (PF)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that "Chayos" comes to exclude T'reifos. We need it to exclude birds missing a limb!
Moshav Zekenim citing Ri: 'Chayos' excludes both of these. 1
Moshav Zekenim: Regarding Noach, we need two Pasuk s - "mi'Kol ha'Chai" to teach that their extremal limbs are alive, and "Lehachayos Itach" to exclude Tereifos (Zevachim 116a)! There, to repopulate the world, we would have thought that there is concern only that they are not Tereifos, if not for a second Pasuk .
