פרשת קרח תשכ"ב - מטה אהרן

ויגמל שקדים AND RIPENED INTO ALMONDS — This means that when the fruit was recognisable as such it could be recognised that they were almonds. The verb has the same meaning as in (Genesis 21:8) “And the child grew ויגמל, and became a full child” (i.e., able to do without its mother’s milk). This expression is frequently used of the fruit of trees, as e.g. (Isaiah 18:5) “And the blossom becometh a ripening (גמל) grape” (cf. Rashi on Genesis 40:10). — But why did it bring forth almonds? Because it is a fruit that blossoms earlier than all other fruits; so, too, the punishment of him who sets himself in opposition to the constituted priesthood comes quickly, just as we find stated in the case of Uzziah (II Chronicles 26:19) “And the leprosy instantly broke out in his forehead”. — Its translation in the Targum is: וכפת שגדין, meaning that it produced a kind of cluster of almonds, knotted together one upon the other (Aramaic כפת denotes “tied”).

...I have given you all of these gifts, because you will not inherit with Israel in their land. And you will not have a portion within it - not even the booty and spoils of the enemies, so that you will not be burdened by the thoughts of working the land. For "I am your portion and your inheritance," so you need not put forth effort outside of My service - which is your portion and your inheritance. And these gifts will suffice for your essential needs without [your] effort...

ויוצא פרח ויצץ ציץ, “it had brought forth sprouts, produced blossoms, and borne almonds.” The reason the staff produced almonds instead of some other fruit [seeing the almond is not one of the fruit for which the land of Israel is famous, Ed.] is because not only are almonds highly regarded but they are the first to mature after winter. The word שקד suggests a kind of eagerness such as the prophet Jeremiah describing G’d as “eager” to carry out His promise/threat [having shown Jeremiah an almond tree in a vision, Jeremiah 1,11-12. Ed.]. In that particular instance the almond tree symbolized the bitter taste of some almonds and G’d used it as a threat of the Jewish people tasting the bitterness of exile. We have other examples of similar meanings of the simile of almonds. The people of Israel were to learn from this that if someone challenges the hierarchy as established by the Torah not only would he be punished but his punishment would be swift. The attribute of Justice would be activated against such a person. King Uzziah was a case in point; he was punished immediately he offered incense, his forehead becoming afflicted with tzoraat, the dreaded skin disease (Chronicles II 26,19).

And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’houses, even twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

בתוך מטותם [AND THE STAFF OF AARON WAS] IN THE MIDST OF THEIR STAVES — He placed Aarons staff in the middle (בתוך) in order that people should not say, “It is only because he placed it at the side where the Shechinah is that it blossomed” (Midrash Tanchuma, Achrei Mot 8 on אחרי מות).

Every one that cometh near, that cometh near unto the tabernacle of the LORD, is to die; shall we wholly perish?’

כל הקרב הקרב וגו׳ WHOSOEVER APPROACHETH [UNTO THE DWELLING OF THE LORD SHALL DIE] — The meaning is: “We cannot be cautious enough in this matter: we are all of us allowed to enter into the court of the appointed tent, but one who betakes himself nearer than his fellow and goes into the appointed tent itself will die!

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: ‘By the man, whose these are, am I with child’; and she said: ‘Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.’

and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said: ‘This have we found. Know now whether it is thy son’s coat or not.’

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.’