Commentary for Yevamot 144:19

ואי כתב רחמנא ולקחו ונתנו ה"א דשקלי תרי ויהבי תרי כתב רחמנא ולקחו ונתן דאפי' שקלי תרי ויהיב חד

the expression 'He shall take',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The sing., as was done in the case of the verb referring to the gathering. V. ibid. 9. ');">⁶³</span> why then, And they shall take?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The plural. ');">⁶⁴</span> To indicate that even those who are ineligible there<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Minors. ');">⁶⁵</span> are eligible here. If so, a woman also should be eligible!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since she is eligible for the gathering. ');">⁶⁶</span> Shall he put<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And running water shall he put, Num. XIX, 17. ');">⁶⁷</span> but not 'Shall she put'. And the Rabbis? — Had it been written, 'He shall take'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Num. XIX. 17. V. infra nn. 11 and 12. ');">⁶⁸</span> and 'Shall he put'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Num. XIX. 17. V. infra nn. 11 and 12. ');">⁶⁸</span> it might have been assumed that only one individual must take<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ashes. ');">⁶⁹</span> and only one must put,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The water. ');">⁷⁰</span> hence did the All Merciful write, And they shall take.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The plural. ');">⁷¹</span> And had the All Merciful written, 'And they shall take' and also 'Shall they put'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The plural. ');">⁷¹</span> it might have been assumed that two must take<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ashes. ');">⁶⁹</span> and two must put,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The water. ');">⁷⁰</span> hence did the All Merciful write, And they shall take<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Num. XIX. 17. V. infra nn. 11 and 12. ');">⁶⁸</span> and Shall he put.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Num. XIX. 17. V. infra nn. 11 and 12. ');">⁶⁸</span> [to indicate that the rites are duly performed] even if two take<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ashes. ');">⁶⁹</span> and one put.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The water. ');">⁷⁰</span>

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