(1) The daughters of Zelophehad, of Manassite family—son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh son of Joseph—came forward. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. (2) They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they said, (3) “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah’s faction, which banded together against Adonai, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons. (4) Let not our father’s name be lost to his clan just because he had no son! Give us a holding among our father’s kinsmen!” (5) Moses brought their case before Adonai. (6) And Adonai said to Moses, (7) “The plea of Zelophehad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them. (8) “Further, speak to the Israelite people as follows: ‘If a man dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter. (9) If he has no daughter, you shall assign his property to his brothers. (10) If he has no brothers, you shall assign his property to his father’s brothers. (11) If his father had no brothers, you shall assign his property to his nearest relative in his own clan, and he shall inherit it.’ This shall be the law of procedure for the Israelites, in accordance with Adonai command to Moses.”
The Sister's Request: To Inherit Their Father's Land (27:3-4)
The women first challenge an unfair system but then immediately propose a solution. Their choice of words is astute. They use the language of loyalty to family, making a claim on behalf of their dead father. By emphasizing the desire to perpetuate their father's name, they speak to a timely communal and familial concern in an era of transition.
3. "Our father died in the wilderness." As such he is unable to claim the land to which he is entitled.
"not one of...Korah's faction." By distancing their father from Korah, who had rebelled against Aaron, the daughters legitimate themselves in at least two ways. First, they explain that their father did not forfeit his inheritance. Second, they distance themselves from suspicion of illegitimate challenge to authority.
4. "Let not our father's name be lost." Preserving a man's name - that is, his property and legacy- stands out as a venerable obligation in the Bible (see the levirite laws of Deuteronomy 25:5-10). The women thus cleverly frame their request in the shared langauge of communal, especially male, concern.
"Give us a holding." The language is bold. Note the absence of any polite petitionary language equivalent to "please." Instead, the women use the commanding imperative "give,"
"among our father's kinsmen." As some rabbinic sages note, the women make clear their desire to remain connected to community and family. This statement adds moral force to their request.
(The Torah: A Women's Commentary, 972-3).
The Daughters of Zelophehad: Power and Uniqueness
(Rabbi Silvina Chemen)
Let’s analyze what this text reflects about these women. First, note that these women know their law and history. They use the fact that their father was not involved in Korah‘s rebellion (Numbers 16) as evidence to support his–and their–claim to the land. They know that the continuity of family name depends on inheritance of the land; and they realize that the current law is not adequate, for it does not take into account the unusual circumstances of a man without sons. They possess the acumen to recognize this omission–in God’s law! But because they consider God’s law to be just, or to aim to be just, they show no hesitation in pointing out the unfair nature of the present situation with complete confidence and supporting their claim with compelling arguments.
published on myjewishlearning.com
Legacy and Land (Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah)
One notes two striking features of the story. First, disenfranchised women successfully confront an unjust system and propose a more equitable law. Second, God approves of their proposal and formulates it as a new law, one that enables other women as well to inherit land in certain circumstances. As unmarried women whose father had died, the five daughters represent the least powerful members of the community. Yet they dare challenge the tradition and call for change when the tradition is unjust. In the end, their proposal becomes God's Torah.
(The Torah: A Women's Commentary, 971.)
Daughters of Zelophehad: Midrash and Aggadah (Tamar Kadari)
The women of the wilderness generation repaired the breaches committed by the men. Thus, when the men asked their wives for their gold earrings to make the Golden Calf, the women refused, because they would have nothing to do with this sacrilege. Similarly, with regard to the sin of the spies sent to scout out Erez Israel: the men slandered the land, while the women kept their peace. In contrast with the men who did not want to enter the land and gain possession of it, the daughters of Zelophehad arose to demand a portion in the land (Num. Rabbah 21:10), as the midrash learns from the juxtaposition of the episode of the daughters of Zelophehad with the description of the death of the wilderness generation for the sin of the spies in the preceding verse (Num. 26:65).
published in the JWA: Jewish Women's Archive
שמגלגלים זכות על ידי זכאי וחובה על ידי חייב ואי סלקא דעתך ארץ ישראל מוחזקת מאי קא מסתפקא ליה היא גופה קא מסתפקא ליה דכתיב (שמות ו, ח) ונתתי אותה לכם מורשה אני ה' ירושה היא לכם מאבותיכם או דלמא שמורישין ואינן יורשין ופשטו ליה תרוייהו ירושה לכם מאבותיכם ומורישין ואינן יורשין והיינו דכתיב (שמות טו, יז) תביאמו ותטעמו בהר נחלתך תביאנו לא נאמר אלא תביאמו מלמד שמתנבאין ואינן יודעין מה מתנבאין (במדבר כז, ב) ותעמדנה לפני משה ולפני אלעזר הכהן ולפני הנשיאים וכל העדה אפשר עמדו לפני משה כו' ולא אמרו להן דבר ועמדו לפני הנשיאים וכל העדה אלא סרס המקרא ודרשהו דברי רבי יאשיה אבא חנן אמר משום רבי אליעזר בבית המדרש היו יושבין והלכו ועמדו להן לפני כולן במאי קמיפלגי מר סבר חולקין כבוד לתלמיד במקום הרב ומר סבר אין חולקין והלכתא חולקין והלכתא אין חולקין קשיא הלכתא אהלכתא הלכתא אהלכתא לא קשיא הא דפליג ליה רביה יקרא, הא דלא פליג ליה רביה יקרא תנא בנות צלפחד חכמניות הן דרשניות הן צדקניות הן חכמניות הן שלפי שעה דברו דא"ר שמואל בר רב יצחק מלמד שהיה משה רבינו יושב ודורש בפרשת יבמין שנאמר (דברים כה, ה) כי ישבו אחים יחדו אמרו לו אם כבן אנו חשובין תנה לנו נחלה כבן אם לאו תתיבם אמנו מיד ויקרב משה את משפטן לפני ה' דרשניות הן שהיו אומרות אילו היה [לו] בן לא דברנו והתניא בת אמר ר' ירמיה סמי מכאן בת אביי אמר אפילו היה בת לבן לא דברנו צדקניות הן - שלא נישאו אלא להגון להן תני רבי אליעזר בן יעקב אפילו קטנה שבהן לא נשאת פחותה מארבעים שנה איני והא אמר רב חסדא ניסת פחותה מבת עשרים יולדת עד ששים, בת עשרים יולדת עד ארבעים, בת ארבעים שוב אינה יולדת אלא מתוך שצדקניות הן נעשה להן נס כיוכבד דכתיב (שמות ב, א) וילך איש מבית לוי ויקח את בת לוי
It was taught: The daughters of Zelophehad were exceedingly wise, knew well how to expound Scripture, and were perfectly virtuous. They were exceedingly wise since they chose to speak at the right time; for just then ... Moses our teacher was engaged in interpreting the section on levirate marriage. So they said, "If in levirate marriage our status is like that of sons [ie, it is only relevant if a father dies without sons or daughters], , then give us, like a son a possession in the land. If not, then our Mother should be subjected to a levirate marriage. At once, "Moses brought their cause before the Lord." The daughters also knew well how to expound Scripture [learn from the Torah] for they said, "If our father had a son, we would not have spoken, or even if that son had a daughter, we would not have spoken." They were also perfectly virtuous, since they married only men who were worthy of them."