"Vatikravnah B'nos Tzlafchad". Why does the Torah juxtapose the Parshah of the B?nos Tzlafchad to that of the census?
R. Bachye (citing the Tanchuma): With reference to 26:65:1:1 ? to draw a distinction between the men, who hated Eretz Yisrael, 1 and the women, who loved it. 2
R. Bachye: In Bamidbar 14:4 ?Nitnah Rosh Venashuvah Mitzraymah!?.
R. Bachye: When they declared ? in Bamidbar 27:4 ?T?nah Lanu Achuzah!?
What are the connotations of "Vatikravnah B'nos Tz'lofchad"?
Targum Yonasan: It means that they approached (presented a petition to - The Living Torah) the Beis-Din.
Why does the Torah repeat "le'Mishp'chos Menasheh ben Yosef"?
Rashi #1 and R. Bachye #1: To point out the fact that the daughters of Tzlafchad followed in the footsteps of their grandfather Yosef, 1 inasmuch as like him, 2 they loved Eretz Yisrael. 3
Rashi #2 and R. Bachye #2: To teach us that they were all Tzadikim ? because whenever the deeds of a person and his fathers are unknown, and the Torah points out the deeds of one of them - for the good, then they are all Tzdikim; for the bad, then they are all Resha?im. 4
R. Bachye: Who said ?Veha?alisem es Atzmoaai mi?Zeh Itchem?.
See Vay'chi Bereishis, 50:25.
Rashi andd RBachye: Like we find in Melachim 2, 25:25 ?Ba Yishmael ben Nesanyah ben Elishama mi?Zera ha?Meluchah?, where the Navi is teaching us that hey were all Resha?im, like Yishmael, who killed Gedalyah.
Why, in Devarim, 36:11 does the Torah switch the order of the B'nos Tz'lofchad from the order that they are listed here?
Rashi (in Mas'ei, 36:11): Here, the Torah lists them in order of Chochmah and there, in order of age - to teach us that they were all equal (in status or in Tzidkus). 1
Riva (in 36:11 citing the Rashbam in Bava Basra): When they were in front of Moshe, the Torah lists them in order of Chochmah, but when it mentions their marriage, it lists them according to their age. 2 And they were equal - inasmuch as one was older, and one was wiser.
And the reason for this disstinction is, because regarding Kavod, Chochmah takes precedence, whereas concerning marriage, precedence is given to age. See Torah Temimah note 2, citing the Sifri (and Bava Basra, 120a).
Riva: As the Torah writes in Bereishis, 29:26 "Lo Ye'aseh? La'seis ha'Tze'irah Lifnei ha'Bechirah".
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that the B'nos Tz'lofchad loved Eretz Yisrael. But all the women did, as Rashi wrote above in 26:64?
Moshav Zekenim: The B'nos Tzlofchad loved Eretz Yisrael right after leaving Egypt, or perhaps even whilst still there. Other women came to love it only when they were close to entering it. 1
I do not know the source for this. Rashi's source that [all] the women loved Eretz Yisrael was from B'nos Tz'lofchad. It is reasonable to suggest that they loved it more! (PF), or that they showed the example which the other women followed.
Rashi writes that the B'nos Tzlofchad were equal. But later, in Mas'ei, 36:11, he says that here they are listed in their order of Chochmah?
Riva #1 (in 36:11, citing R. Elyakim, according to Tana de'Bei R. Yishmael): The Torah lists them in different orders 1 , to teach us that they were equal in Chochmah.
Riva #2 (in 36:11 citing Rashbam in Bava Basra 120a): When they were in front of Moshe, it lists them in order of Chochmah. When it mentions their marriage, it lists them according to their age. Presumably, they married in order of their age, for "Lo Ye'aseh? Laseis ha'Tze'irah Lifnei ha'Bechirah" (Bereishis 29:26). They were equal - one was older, and one was wiser. 2
Riva: This is difficult, since the Torah lists them only in one order, except for 36:11! Also, Rashi proves their equality from the different orders. Tana de'Bei R. Yishmael proved this from "va'Tih'yenah" - one Havayah for all of them! Perhaps Rashi means that they were all on the same level of righteousness.
