Why does it say "Al Pi ha'Be'er," and also "li'Mekomah"?
Ha'amek Davar: Initially they tilted it to the side, and later returned it to totally cover the opening, lest it impair witchcraft (refer to 29:2:153:3*).
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "They will assemble (v'Ne'esfu) - They would regularly assemble (l'His'asef)." Why doesn't Rashi leave this word in the future tense?
Gur Aryeh: When an action is done constantly or regularly, the verse frequently uses the future tense to indicate the present.
Rashi writes: "They will roll (v'Galelu) - ... as the Targum translates, 'u'Meganderin.'" Why does Rashi cite the Targum here? (He has already presented 2 examples of verbs in the future tense that indicate the present.)
Gur Aryeh: Rolling the stone off of the spring, and returning it, was the self-evident goal of the shepherds assembling. Putting each verb in the tense of a regular activity may sound like each step was a goal unto itself; the verse should have written, they would regularly gather in order to roll the stone.... Rashi cites the Targum to show that this is nevertheless the correct translation - 'they would regularly roll the stone... they would regularly replace it.'
