Daughters of Tzelofchad

Biblical Figures

The daughters of Tzelofchad were the only children of the biblical character Tzelofchad. As only men were allowed to inherit their fathers' land, the daughters were concerned that Tzelofchad's land would leave their family. They petitioned Moses, and God responded that if a man had no sons, daughters could inherit his land.

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A Landmark Case in Biblical Inheritance Law

TANAKH

Originally, according to Torah law, only men could inherit property. In the book of Numbers, the daughters of Tzelofchad make the case that women should also be allowed to inherit.

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. They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they said, “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah’s faction, which banded together against יהוה, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons…

Numbers 27:1-11

Preserving Tribal Inheritance

TANAKH

Although the daughters of Tzelofchad were allowed to inherit their father’s land, the rest of the tribe worried that if they married outside their tribe, another tribe would eventually receive that land. In the book of Numbers, God addresses this question.

The family heads in the clan of the descendants of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the Josephite clans, came forward and appealed to Moses and the chieftains, family heads of the Israelites. They said, “יהוה commanded my lord to assign the land to the Israelites as shares by lot, and my lord was further commanded by יהוה to assign the share of our kinsman Zelophehad to his daughters. Now, if they become the wives of persons from another Israelite tribe, their share will be cut off from our ancestral portion and be added to the portion of the tribe into which they become [wives]…

Numbers 36:1-12

Wisdom and Righteousness in Inheritance

TALMUD

The ancient rabbis expand on what the Torah relates about the daughters of Tzelofchad. The Babylonian Talmud enumerates the character traits of these women.

§ The Sages taught: The daughters of Zelophehad are wise, they are interpreters of verses, and they are righteous. The Gemara proves these assertions. That they are wise can be seen from the fact that they spoke in accordance with the moment, i.e., they presented their case at an auspicious time. As Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak says: Tradition teaches that Moses our teacher was sitting and interpreting in the Torah portion about men whose married brothers had died childless, as it is stated: “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies…

Bava Batra 119b:9-12

Divine Mercy and Gender Equality

MIDRASH

Sifrei Bamidbar, an ancient midrashic work on the book of Numbers from the land of Israel, discusses where societal values differ from divine values and the righteousness of the women of the daughters of Tzelofchad.

(Bamidbar 27:1) "And there drew near the daughters of Tzelofchad": When the daughters of Tzelofchad heard that the land was to be apportioned to the tribes and not to females, they gathered together to take counsel, saying: Not as the mercies of flesh and blood are the mercies of the L-rd. The mercies of flesh and blood are greater for males than for females. Not so the mercies of He who spoke and brought the world into being. His mercies are for males and females (equally). His mercies are for all! As it is written (Psalms 145:9) "The L-rd is good to all…

Sifrei Bamidbar 133:1

A Unique Desire for the Promised Land

COMMENTARY

A rabbinic tradition posits that only the men wanted to return to Egypt after Moses led them out. Rabbi Isaac Karo, a 15th-16th-century Spanish rabbi, contrasts this wish with the desire of Tzelofchad’s daughters to inherit land upon arrival in the land of Israel.

And not one man of them remained: Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said, but this is not [the case] with a woman, since the women were not [included] in the decree of [dying in] the desert. And that is why the section of the daughters of Zelophehad is juxtaposed to the count of the Jewish people. For the men hated the land of Israel and said, Let us appoint a head and we will return to Egypt (Numbers 14:4). Whereas the women held the land dear, as they said, Give us a holding (Numbers 27:4)

Toledot Yitzchak on Torah, Numbers 26:65:1

A Case for Inheritance Rights

COMMENTARY

In the book of Numbers, God affirms the claim brought by the daughters of Tzelofchad. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century northern French rabbi and commentator, understands God’s affirmation as a hint to God’s original intentions.

כן בנות צלפחד דברת THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD SPEAK RIGHT — Understand the word כן as the Targum does: יאות rightly, properly. God said: Exactly so is this chapter written before me on High (The Law has long since been fixed) (Sifrei Bamidbar 134:1). This tells us that their eye saw what Moses’ eye did not see. (They had a finer perception of what was just in the law of inheritance than Moses had.) (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 8). כן בנות צלפחד דברת — “They have made a fair claim”. Happy is the person with whose words the Holy One, blessed be He, agrees (Sifrei Bamidbar 134:1).

Rashi on Numbers 27:7:1-2

The Identity of the Wood Gatherer

TALMUD

The ancient rabbis often try to identify minor, anonymous characters with other named characters. In the Babylonian Talmud, the rabbis debate the identity of the man who was put to death for carrying wood on Shabbat, connecting this man to Tzelofchad.

On the topic of the wood gatherer, the Gemara cites that which the Sages taught in a baraita: The wood gatherer mentioned in the Torah was Zelophehad, and it says: “And the children of Israel were in the desert and they found a man gathering wood on the day of Shabbat” (Numbers 15:32), and below, in the appeal of the daughters of Zelophehad, it is stated: “Our father died in the desert and he was not among the company of them that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but he died in his own sin…

Shabbat 96b:19-97a:1

Strategic Inheritance Claims

COMMENTARY

In asking for their father’s inheritance, the daughters of Tzelofchad say that he “died in his own sin.” Ramban, a 13th-century Spanish rabbi and commentator, discusses the meaning of this phrase.

[OUR FATHER DIED IN THE WILDERNESS], AND HE [Zelophehad] WAS NOT [AMONG THE COMPANY OF THEM THAT GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER AGAINST THE ETERNAL IN THE COMPANY OF KORACH]. “Since they came to say, but he died in his own sin, they had to say [that he did] not [die because of participating] in the sin of those who murmured, nor [because he was] amongst the company of Korach who incited [the people] against the Holy One, blessed be He; but [he died] in his own sin, and did not cause others to sin with him.” This is Rashi’s language…

Ramban on Numbers 27:3:1

Inheritance Rights in Ancient Israel

COMMENTARY

Some see archeological evidence as supporting the historical veracity of the story presented in the book of Numbers. Tamar Weissman, in her guide to the division of the land of Israel for each tribe, discusses this evidence.

The simple meaning of Joshua 17:6, preceded as it is by the story of Zelophehad’s daughters’ request, is that Naĥalat Menasheh was divided into ten regions, five granted to the sons of Gilead who have male descendants, and the other five granted to the daughters of Zelophehad. As there was a ĥevel Aviezer, there was a ĥevel Tirzah. As difficult as this explanation is, it does seem to fit the simple meaning of the text, considering that the daughters of Zelophehad were essentially each inheriting a whole portion alongside their great-uncles as opposed to collectively…

Tribal Lands, Chapter 13; Menasheh 50-52

Seeking Divine Guidance in Legal Matters

TARGUM

The daughters of Tzelofchad brought their case before Moses, who in turn asked for divine guidance. Targum Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Torah, discusses how Moses judged such cases.

This is one of the four cases of judgment brought before Mosheh the prophet, and which he resolved in the manner above said. Of them some were judgments, &c. And Mosheh brought their cause before the Lord.

Targum Jonathan on Numbers 27:5

Mystical Heroines in Kabbalah

KABBALAH

Lurianic Kabbalah attributes mystical qualities to Tzelofchad and his daughters. Rabbi Chaim Vital, a 16th-17th-century kabbalist from Safed, discusses what Tzelofchad and his daughters represent and the meanings of their names.

You should know that Zelophehad is the root of the judgments [gevurot]. And that is why he has the letters tzadi, lamed peh, chet, dalet [which spells tzel pachad, the shadow of fear]. And his five daughters are the five judgments. And these are the same five judgments that remained in the Foundation [Yesod] of the Small Face [Zeir Anpin], and do not go to Kinghood [Malkhut]. Rather, other new judgments come, and are given to Kinghood, as is known. And that is why our teacher Moses, peace be upon him…

Sha'ar HaPesukim, Parashat Pinchas 5-6

From Anonymity to Recognition

JEWISH THOUGHT

The daughters of Tzelofchad are introduced as a group before their individual names are given. Rivkah Lubitz, a writer, activist, and advocate in rabbinic courts, offers a modern midrash on the daughters of Tzelofchad based on this observation.

Why were they called "daughters of Zelophehad" in the beginning and only afterwards by their names? Because of the shadow and fear that was with them in the beginning. In the beginning, they sat in the shadow of their father, and they feared raising their heads. After the sisters became closer to each other, they were strengthened and known by their names, as it is said, "The daughters of Zelophehad came closer... and these are the names of his daughters."

Dirshuni I, Israel in the Desert, III 3

The Daughters of Zelophehad, from "Dalziels' Bible Gallery", 1865–81

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