The Daughters of Tzlofchad: A 3-Act Story

Context: This picture is of a street sign in the Talpiyot neighborhood in Jerusalem. It is named after a city on the border of the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah (just inside the Benjamin side), near where the Jordan River meets the Dead Sea. The city is mentioned in Joshua 15:6, 18:19, and 18:21.

What is the connection between this street sign and the Daughters of Tzlofchad?

The Daughters of Tzlofchad "on one foot":

This is a Biblical story from the Torah about women seeking change.

Prologue

(כח) בְּנֵ֥י יוֹסֵ֖ף לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶפְרָֽיִם׃ (כט) בְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה לְמָכִיר֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַמָּכִירִ֔י וּמָכִ֖יר הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־גִּלְעָ֑ד לְגִלְעָ֕ד מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַגִּלְעָדִֽי׃ (ל) אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד אִיעֶ֕זֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאִֽיעֶזְרִ֑י לְחֵ֕לֶק מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶלְקִֽי׃ (לא) וְאַ֨שְׂרִיאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאַשְׂרִֽאֵלִ֑י וְשֶׁ֕כֶם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁכְמִֽי׃ (לב) וּשְׁמִידָ֕ע מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשְּׁמִידָעִ֑י וְחֵ֕פֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶפְרִֽי׃ (לג) וּצְלׇפְחָ֣ד בֶּן־חֵ֗פֶר לֹא־הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים כִּ֣י אִם־בָּנ֑וֹת וְשֵׁם֙ בְּנ֣וֹת צְלׇפְחָ֔ד מַחְלָ֣ה וְנֹעָ֔ה חׇגְלָ֥ה מִלְכָּ֖ה וְתִרְצָֽה׃ (לד) אֵ֖לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וּפְקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם שְׁנַ֧יִם וַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵאֽוֹת׃ {ס}

(28) The sons of Joseph were Manasseh and Ephraim—by their clans. (29) Descendants of Manasseh: Of Machir, the clan of the Machirites.—Machir begot Gilead.—Of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. (30) These were the descendants of Gilead: [Of] Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites; (31) [of] Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; [of] Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; (32) [of] Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; [of] Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites.— (33) Now Tzelophchad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. The names of Tzelophechad’s daughters were Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milcah, and Tirtzah. (34) Those are the clans of Manasseh; men enrolled: 52,700.

Context: This is from the Biblical Book of Numbers. This is in the middle of a census that Moses takes after wandering in the desert for 40 years so that there’s an updated list of how many people will be taking part in the transition into the Land of Israel. For our purposes, here’s the genealogy of interest: Abraham > Isaac > Jacob > Joseph > Manasseh > Machir > Gilead > Hepher > Tzelophchad > 5 daughters.

Act 1

(א) וַתִּקְרַ֜בְנָה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלׇפְחָ֗ד בֶּן־חֵ֤פֶר בֶּן־גִּלְעָד֙ בֶּן־מָכִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת מְנַשֶּׁ֣ה בֶן־יוֹסֵ֑ף וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֹתָ֔יו מַחְלָ֣ה נֹעָ֔ה וְחׇגְלָ֥ה וּמִלְכָּ֖ה וְתִרְצָֽה׃ (ב) וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֜דְנָה לִפְנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֗ה וְלִפְנֵי֙ אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלִפְנֵ֥י הַנְּשִׂיאִ֖ם וְכׇל־הָעֵדָ֑ה פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ג) אָבִ֘ינוּ֮ מֵ֣ת בַּמִּדְבָּר֒ וְה֨וּא לֹא־הָיָ֜ה בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעֵדָ֗ה הַנּוֹעָדִ֛ים עַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּעֲדַת־קֹ֑רַח כִּֽי־בְחֶטְא֣וֹ מֵ֔ת וּבָנִ֖ים לֹא־הָ֥יוּ לֽוֹ׃ (ד) לָ֣מָּה יִגָּרַ֤ע שֵׁם־אָבִ֙ינוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ בֵּ֑ן תְּנָה־לָּ֣נוּ אֲחֻזָּ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֥י אָבִֽינוּ׃

(1) The daughters of Tzelophchad, 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 Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milcah, and Tirtzah. (2) They stood before Moses, Elazar 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 יהוה, 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!”

Context: This is from the Biblical Book of Numbers, right after the census. The issue is that only sons could inherit land at that point, so if a man didn’t have any sons then his land would disappear from the family. Note that this is not only an ancient topic -- in the 1960s in the United States, married women could not open a credit card account on their own.

In the Talmud, Rabbi Akiba tries to connect Tzlofchad, who died for unspecified reasons, with the unnamed man who was killed for gathering sticks on Shabbat (Numbers 15:32-36, right before the Vayomer paragraph) (Shabbat 96b:19) (this is like "Disney Midrash" where people try to connect Disney movies: https://screenrant.com/disney-theory-frozen-tarzan-tangled-related/).

1. History (and stories) is not inevitable; people (and authors) make choices. At what points could this part of the story have turned out differently?

2. How might the daughters of Tzlofchad have felt as they stood before Moses and everybody else to make their claim?

3. How might G-d feel, being told that G-d is wrong and making decisions that hurt people?

Act 2

(ה) וַיַּקְרֵ֥ב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטָ֖ן לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
(ו) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ז) כֵּ֗ן בְּנ֣וֹת צְלׇפְחָד֮ דֹּבְרֹת֒ נָתֹ֨ן תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ אֲחֻזַּ֣ת נַחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֣י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וְהַֽעֲבַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ן לָהֶֽן׃ (ח) וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ כִּֽי־יָמ֗וּת וּבֵן֙ אֵ֣ין ל֔וֹ וְהַֽעֲבַרְתֶּ֥ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֖וֹ לְבִתּֽוֹ׃ (ט) וְאִם־אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ בַּ֑ת וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֖וֹ לְאֶחָֽיו׃ (י) וְאִם־אֵ֥ין ל֖וֹ אַחִ֑ים וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֖וֹ לַאֲחֵ֥י אָבִֽיו׃ (יא) וְאִם־אֵ֣ין אַחִים֮ לְאָבִיו֒ וּנְתַתֶּ֣ם אֶת־נַחֲלָת֗וֹ לִשְׁאֵר֞וֹ הַקָּרֹ֥ב אֵלָ֛יו מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ וְיָרַ֣שׁ אֹתָ֑הּ וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה לִבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְחֻקַּ֣ת מִשְׁפָּ֔ט כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ {פ}

(5) Moses brought their case before יהוה. (6) And יהוה said to Moses, (7) “The plea of Tzelophchad’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 householder 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, who shall inherit it.’ This shall be the law of procedure for the Israelites, in accordance with יהוה’s command to Moses.”

Context: This is the next part of the story. This is one of two times when humans get G-d to change an unfair law; the other is Numbers 9:1-14 when some Israelites were ritually impure on Passover and G-d agreed to offer a "second chance Passover" (Pesach Sheini) a month later.

1. At what points could this part of the story have turned out differently?

2. Korach also makes a claim against Moses. He does so angrily, with 250 men to back him up, and he ends up getting swallowed by the earth. How are these situations different, and how is this applicable today?

3. Do you foresee any issues with this solution?

Act 3

(א) וַֽיִּקְרְב֞וּ רָאשֵׁ֣י הָֽאָב֗וֹת לְמִשְׁפַּ֤חַת בְּנֵֽי־גִלְעָד֙ בֶּן־מָכִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה מִֽמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֑ף וַֽיְדַבְּר֞וּ לִפְנֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַנְּשִׂאִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֥י אָב֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ב) וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אֶת־אֲדֹנִי֙ צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה לָתֵ֨ת אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ בְּנַחֲלָ֛ה בְּגוֹרָ֖ל לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽאדֹנִי֙ צֻוָּ֣ה בַֽיהֹוָ֔ה לָתֵ֗ת אֶֽת־נַחֲלַ֛ת צְלׇפְחָ֥ד אָחִ֖ינוּ לִבְנֹתָֽיו׃ (ג) וְ֠הָי֠וּ לְאֶחָ֞ד מִבְּנֵ֨י שִׁבְטֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לְנָשִׁים֒ וְנִגְרְעָ֤ה נַחֲלָתָן֙ מִנַּחֲלַ֣ת אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ וְנוֹסַ֕ף עַ֚ל נַחֲלַ֣ת הַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּהְיֶ֖ינָה לָהֶ֑ם וּמִגֹּרַ֥ל נַחֲלָתֵ֖נוּ יִגָּרֵֽעַ׃ (ד) וְאִם־יִהְיֶ֣ה הַיֹּבֵל֮ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְנֽוֹסְפָה֙ נַחֲלָתָ֔ן עַ֚ל נַחֲלַ֣ת הַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּהְיֶ֖ינָה לָהֶ֑ם וּמִֽנַּחֲלַת֙ מַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ יִגָּרַ֖ע נַחֲלָתָֽן׃ (ה) וַיְצַ֤ו מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר כֵּ֛ן מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף דֹּבְרִֽים׃ (ו) זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה לִבְנ֤וֹת צְלׇפְחָד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה לְנָשִׁ֑ים אַ֗ךְ לְמִשְׁפַּ֛חַת מַטֵּ֥ה אֲבִיהֶ֖ם תִּהְיֶ֥ינָה לְנָשִֽׁים׃ (ז) וְלֹֽא־תִסֹּ֤ב נַחֲלָה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִמַּטֶּ֖ה אֶל־מַטֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י אִ֗ישׁ בְּנַחֲלַת֙ מַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתָ֔יו יִדְבְּק֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ח) וְכׇל־בַּ֞ת יֹרֶ֣שֶׁת נַחֲלָ֗ה מִמַּטּוֹת֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לְאֶחָ֗ד מִמִּשְׁפַּ֛חַת מַטֵּ֥ה אָבִ֖יהָ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לְאִשָּׁ֑ה לְמַ֗עַן יִֽירְשׁוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֖ישׁ נַחֲלַ֥ת אֲבֹתָֽיו׃ (ט) וְלֹֽא־תִסֹּ֧ב נַחֲלָ֛ה מִמַּטֶּ֖ה לְמַטֶּ֣ה אַחֵ֑ר כִּי־אִישׁ֙ בְּנַ֣חֲלָת֔וֹ יִדְבְּק֕וּ מַטּ֖וֹת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (י) כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה כֵּ֥ן עָשׂ֖וּ בְּנ֥וֹת צְלׇפְחָֽד׃ (יא) וַתִּהְיֶ֜ינָה מַחְלָ֣ה תִרְצָ֗ה וְחׇגְלָ֧ה וּמִלְכָּ֛ה וְנֹעָ֖ה בְּנ֣וֹת צְלׇפְחָ֑ד לִבְנֵ֥י דֹדֵיהֶ֖ן לְנָשִֽׁים׃ (יב) מִֽמִּשְׁפְּחֹ֛ת בְּנֵֽי־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה בֶן־יוֹסֵ֖ף הָי֣וּ לְנָשִׁ֑ים וַתְּהִי֙ נַחֲלָתָ֔ן עַל־מַטֵּ֖ה מִשְׁפַּ֥חַת אֲבִיהֶֽן׃ (יג) אֵ֣לֶּה הַמִּצְוֺ֞ת וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ת מוֹאָ֔ב עַ֖ל יַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵחֽוֹ׃

(1) 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. (2) 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 Tzelophchad to his daughters. (3) 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]; thus our allotted portion will be diminished. (4) And even when the Israelites observe the jubilee, their share will be added to that of the tribe into which they become [wives], and their share will be cut off from the ancestral portion of our tribe.” (5) So Moses, at יהוה’s bidding, instructed the Israelites, saying: “The plea of the Josephite tribe is just. (6) This is what יהוה has commanded concerning the daughters of Tzelophchad: They may become the wives of anyone they wish, provided they become wives within a clan of their father’s tribe. (7) No inheritance of the Israelites may pass over from one tribe to another, but the Israelite [heirs]—each of them—must remain bound to the ancestral portion of their tribe. (8) Every daughter among the Israelite tribes who inherits a share must become the wife of someone from a clan of her father’s tribe, in order that every Israelite [heir] may keep an ancestral share. (9) Thus no inheritance shall pass over from one tribe to another, but the Israelite tribes shall remain bound each to its portion.” (10) The daughters of Tzelophchad did as יהוה had commanded Moses: (11) Machlah, Tirtzah, Choglah, Milcah, and Noa, Tzelophchad’s daughters, became the wives of their uncles’ sons, (12) becoming wives within clans of descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph; and so their share remained in the tribe of their father’s clan. (13) These are the commandments and regulations that יהוה enjoined upon the Israelites, through Moses, on the steppes of Moab, at the Jordan near Jericho.

Context: This is a few chapters later in the Biblical Book of Numbers. It is at the very end of the Book of Numbers, and historians say that at one point this was the end of the Torah. The land has been apportioned to each tribe, and now there’s a problem. If women can inherit land, but then they marry somebody from another tribe, their land passes into that tribe’s domain. So, a trailer bill is needed.

1. At what points could this part of the story have turned out differently?

2. What would be the reasons to agree to the tribe’s request? What would be the reasons not to agree? How would you decide between the pros and cons, and how would you handle this issue today?

3. In the Talmud (Ta’anit 30b:9-10), Rav Yehudah says that Shmuel says that this rule about only marrying within your Israelite tribe was repealed on the 15th of Av, and that’s why Tu B’Av becomes a day of love (https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/247590?lang=bi). How can you show love to someone today?

Epilogue

(א) וַיְהִ֤י הַגּוֹרָל֙ לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּי־ה֖וּא בְּכ֣וֹר יוֹסֵ֑ף לְמָכִיר֩ בְּכ֨וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה אֲבִ֣י הַגִּלְעָ֗ד כִּ֣י ה֤וּא הָיָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־ל֖וֹ הַגִּלְעָ֥ד וְהַבָּשָֽׁן׃ (ב) וַ֠יְהִ֠י לִבְנֵ֨י מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה הַנּֽוֹתָרִים֮ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לִבְנֵ֨י אֲבִיעֶ֜זֶר וְלִבְנֵי־חֵ֗לֶק וְלִבְנֵ֤י אַשְׂרִיאֵל֙ וְלִבְנֵי־שֶׁ֔כֶם וְלִבְנֵי־חֵ֖פֶר וְלִבְנֵ֣י שְׁמִידָ֑ע אֵ֠לֶּה בְּנֵ֨י מְנַשֶּׁ֧ה בֶּן־יוֹסֵ֛ף הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ (ג) וְלִצְלׇפְחָד֩ בֶּן־חֵ֨פֶר בֶּן־גִּלְעָ֜ד בֶּן־מָכִ֣יר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה לֹא־הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים כִּ֣י אִם־בָּנ֑וֹת וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֹתָ֔יו מַחְלָ֣ה וְנֹעָ֔ה חׇגְלָ֥ה מִלְכָּ֖ה וְתִרְצָֽה׃ (ד) וַתִּקְרַ֡בְנָה לִפְנֵי֩ אֶלְעָזָ֨ר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וְלִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן וְלִפְנֵ֤י הַנְּשִׂיאִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהֹוָה֙ צִוָּ֣ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה לָתֶת־לָ֥נוּ נַחֲלָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ אַחֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֜ם אֶל־פִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ נַחֲלָ֔ה בְּת֖וֹךְ אֲחֵ֥י אֲבִיהֶֽן׃ (ה) וַיִּפְּל֥וּ חַבְלֵֽי־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לְבַ֞ד מֵאֶ֤רֶץ הַגִּלְעָד֙ וְהַבָּשָׁ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ (ו) כִּ֚י בְּנ֣וֹת מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה נָחֲל֥וּ נַחֲלָ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ בָּנָ֑יו וְאֶ֙רֶץ֙ הַגִּלְעָ֔ד הָיְתָ֖ה לִבְנֵי־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה הַנּוֹתָרִֽים׃

(1) And this is the portion that fell by lot to the tribe of Manasseh—for he was Joseph’s first-born. Since Machir, the first-born of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, was a valiant warrior, Gilead and Bashan were assigned to him. (2) And now assignments were made to the remaining Manassites, by their clans: the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. Those were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, by their clans. (3) Now Tzelophchad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh had no sons, but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milcah, and Tirtzah. (4) They appeared before the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the chieftains, saying: “GOD commanded Moses to grant us a portion among our male kinsmen.” So, in accordance with GOD’s instructions, they were granted a portion among their father’s kinsmen. (5) Ten districts fell to Manasseh, apart from the lands of Gilead and Bashan, which are across the Jordan. (6) Manasseh’s daughters inherited a portion in these together with his sons, while the land of Gilead was assigned to the rest of Manasseh’s descendants.

Context: This is from the Biblical Book of Joshua. It shows that what was agreed upon actually happened.

Context: This is a G-dcast parasha video (later BimBam) for Parashat Pinchas from 2009.

This 2016 song was written by Alicia Jo Rabins as part of her "Girls in Trouble" series. Lyrics are here: https://www.girlsintroublemusic.com/songs/new-arithmetic/

Appendix: The Daughters of Tzlofchad as Readers’ Theatre

Prologue

​​​​​​Narrator 1: The sons of Joseph were Manasseh and Ephraim—by their clans. Descendants of Manasseh: Of Machir, the clan of the Machirites.—Machir begot Gilead.—Of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. These were the descendants of Gilead: Of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites; of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites.—

Narrator 2: Now Tzelophchad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. The names of Tzelophechad’s daughters were Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milcah, and Tirtzah.— Those are the clans of Manasseh; men enrolled: 52,700.

Act 1

Narrator 1: The daughters of Tzelophchad, 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 Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milcah, and Tirtzah.

Narrator 2: They stood before Moses, Elazar the priest, the chieftains, and the whole assembly, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

Daughters: Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah’s faction, which banded together against G-d, 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!

Act 2

Narrator 1: Moses brought their case before G-d, and G-d gave him an response.

G-d: The plea of Tzelophchad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them. Further, speak to the Israelite people as follows: “If a householder dies without leaving a son, you shall transfer his property to his daughter. If he has no daughter, you shall assign his property to his brothers. If he has no brothers, you shall assign his property to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, you shall assign his property to his nearest relative in his own clan, who shall inherit it.” This shall be the law of procedure for the Israelites, in accordance with יהוה’s command to Moses.”

Act 3

Narrator 2: 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.

Family Heads: G-d commanded my lord to assign the land to the Israelites as shares by lot, and my lord was further commanded by G-d to assign the share of our kinsman Tzelophchad 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; thus our allotted portion will be diminished. And even when the Israelites observe the jubilee, their share will be added to that of the tribe into which they become wives, and their share will be cut off from the ancestral portion of our tribe.

Narrator 1: At G-d’s bidding, Moses instructed the Israelites.

Moses: The plea of the Josephite tribe is just. This is what G-d has commanded concerning the daughters of Tzelophchad: They may become the wives of anyone they wish, provided they become wives within a clan of their father’s tribe. No inheritance of the Israelites may pass over from one tribe to another, but the Israelite heirs—each of them—must remain bound to the ancestral portion of their tribe. Every daughter among the Israelite tribes who inherits a share must become the wife of someone from a clan of her father’s tribe, in order that every Israelite heir may keep an ancestral share. Thus no inheritance shall pass over from one tribe to another, but the Israelite tribes shall remain bound each to its portion.

Narrator 2: The daughters of Tzelophchad did as G-d had commanded Moses: Machlah, Tirtzah, Choglah, Milcah, and Noa, Tzelophchad’s daughters, became the wives of their uncles’ sons, becoming wives within clans of descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph; and so their share remained in the tribe of their father’s clan.

Epilogue

Narrator 1: And this is the portion that fell by lot to the tribe of Manasseh—for he was Joseph’s first-born. Since Machir, the first-born of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, was a valiant warrior, Gilead and Bashan were assigned to him. And now assignments were made to the remaining Manassites, by their clans: the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. Those were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, by their clans.

Narrator 2: Now Tzelophchad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh had no sons, but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Machlah, Noa, Choglah, Milcah, and Tirtzah. They appeared before the priest Eleazar, Joshua son of Nun, and the chieftains.

Daughters: G-d commanded Moses to grant us a portion among our male kinsmen.

Narrator 1: So, in accordance with GOD’s instructions, they were granted a portion among their father’s kinsmen. Ten districts fell to Manasseh, apart from the lands of Gilead and Bashan, which are across the Jordan.

Narrator 2: Manasseh’s daughters inherited a portion in these together with his sons, while the land of Gilead was assigned to the rest of Manasseh’s descendants.