What is the Torah referring to when it writes "la'Rav Tarbeh Nachlaso ... "?
Rashi #1 (citing the Sifri), Trgum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It is referring to the distribution of the land among the tribes ? to teach us that the size of the area of land that each tribe received was commensurate with the size of the tribe; 1 a larger tribe received more, a smaller tribe, less. 2
Rashi #2 (in Bereishis 48:6 and in Yehoshua, 18:4): The land was divided into equal portions ? every person, apart from the firstborn, received an equal-size area of land, so that the larger the tribe, the larger the portion of land it received.
Ramban #1 (citing the Sifri and Bava Basra, 122a): All the tribes received an equal-size portion of land, 3 and the Torah writes "la'Rav Tarbeh Nachlaso ... " with reference to the distribution of each tribe among its members, with the result that each member received an equal portion of land. 4
Ramban #2 (citing the Sifri): It is written with reference to those who were over twenty when they left Egypt. 5 If, for exsample, they numbered ten in a family, they received ten portions, even if they numbered only five when they entered Cana'an, and if they numbered five when they left Egypt, then they received five portions, even if their numbers had risen to ten by the time they entered Cana'an.
Ramban #3: Each family shall receive its portion depending on the size of the family.
Seforno: The land was divided into twelve 6 different-size portions 7 of equal value, and each tribe received a portion commensurate with its size. 8
Malbim (in Yehoshua 14:1, based on the Ra'avad in Shitah Mekubetzes Bava Basra 117b): The lottery determined the T'chum (region in which each tribe inherited), Yehoshua then adjusted the size of its inheritance according to its size. Also Rashi holds like this, only the commentaries misunderstood his words.
(Ramabn #1 (citing the Sifri): It refers to someone who had, for example, ten sons when he left Egypt, and when he entered Eretz Cana?an, there were only five ? they would receive ten portions. 9 And by the same token, in the reverse situation, they would receive ten portions.
See Ramban, who maintains that, according to the Gemara in Bava Basra 122a there must be a printing error in the Sifri.
Rashi (Ibid.): Not entirely, since some areas are better quality land than others. Consequently, taking the value of the land into consideration, they reckoned one inferior Beis-Kur against one superior Beis-Sa'ah (thirty Sa'ah = one Kur).
Ramban: As is evident from Pesukim 55 & 56.
See Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates.
Ramban: According to the opinion that the numbers were determined according to those who left Egypt. See also Torah Temimah, note 7 and refer to 26:55:3:3 and Torah Temimah, note 13.
With Efrayim and Menasheh each receiving an equal portion, since Yosef was the B?chor ? as the Pasuk writes in Bereishis 48:22 and in Divrei ha'Yamim 1, 5:1.
One poor-quality Kur against one good-quality Beis Sa?ah (a thirti?eth of a Kur).
This is similar to answer #1. See Seforno for more details.
Like the opinion of R. Yashiyah, who maintains that Eretz Yisrael was didtributed according to those who left Egypt.
What are the connotations of "Ish le'Fi Fekudav" coming to teach us?
Rashi (on Pasuk 62): It means those who had reached the age of twenty.
Ramban #1: It teaches us that it is only those who had reached the age of twenty at the time of counting when they left Egypt 1 who were eligible to receive a portion, but not those who turned twenty afterwards. 2
Ramban #2: It teaches us that each family shall receive its portion according to its numbers. 3
Or when they entered Eretz Yisrael - according to thos who maimtin that Eretz Yisrael was distributed according to those who entered Eretz Yisrael.
Ramban: And this explains why the tribe of Menasheh, which almost doubled in size between the first and second censuses, complained to Yehoshua (See Yehoshua, 17:14) that their territory was inadequate.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "Ish L?fi Pekudav"?
Sifri: To preclude women (Tumtumim and Androginusim ? Sifri) from receiving a portion im the land. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 8.
What are the implications of ?Ish L?fi Pekudav??
Targum Yonasan and Sifri: It implies that each tribe reeived a portion of land commensurate with its numbers ? the larger the tribe, the more land it received.
