82. "And Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the children of Yisrael, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt" (Shemot 6:13). Rabbi Yosi said, THE REASON IT SAYS, "AND GAVE THEM A CHARGE to the children of Yisrael," is that He commanded to lead them with gentleness as necessary. "And to Pharaoh" MEANS treating him with honor. This has already been explained.
83. Rabbi Yisa said, Why did THE TORAH place close to the verse THE PARAGRAPH OF, "These are the heads of their fathers' houses" (Ibid. 14)? HE ANSWERS, The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, Speak to the children of Yisrael gently, because even though they are in hard labor, they are kings, the children of kings. Therefore it is written, "These are the heads of their fathers' houses," AS HE SAID TO HIM, These that you see are the heads of fathers' houses.
84. Rabbi Chiya said, THIS IS WHY, "THESE ARE THE HEADS OF THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES" IS THE ADJACENT VERSE, TO TEACH that none of them denied their customs or mingled with any other nation. There are those who stood on their holy ground and were not false by mingling with the Egyptians. Rabbi Acha said, THE REASON "THESE ARE THE HEADS OF THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES...," IS ADJACENT IS in order to express THE LINEAGE of Moses and Aaron, that they were suitable to take out Yisrael, to speak to Pharaoh, and to chastise him with the rod. Their equal was not to be found among all the princes of Yisrael.
85. Come and see, IT IS WRITTEN, "And Elazar the son of Aaron took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bore him Pinchas. These are the heads of the fathers of the Levites" (Shemot 6:25). HE ASKS, WHY DOES IT SAY, "These are the heads," IN PLURAL? PINCHAS was only one. HE ANSWERS, Because Pinchas saved so many thousands and tens of thousands of Yisrael, and saved many heads of fathers WHEN HE KILLED ZIMRI AND KOZBI, SO THE PLAGUE WAS STAYED FROM YISRAEL. Therefore, it is written of him, "These" IN PLURAL.
86. Another EXPLANATION OF THE PASSAGE THAT SAYS, "And she bore Pinchas: These are the heads" is IN THE PLURAL because the loss of the heads of the Levites was recovered in him, and he restored whatever they missed and was burned. He earned their priesthood and the form of both of them dwelt IN PINCHAS. HE ASKS, You say that the loss of the heads of Levites is found in him. Who are they? HE ANSWERS, They are Nadab and Abihu. They separated the sign of the covenant from its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, BECAUSE THEY OFFERED A STRANGE FIRE, and he came and connected them. Therefore the inheritance and the spirit of both of them was given to him. And it is mentioned here IN THE PASSAGE what will occur later on. THEREFORE IT IS WRITTEN BY HIM, "THESE ARE THE HEADS," IN PLURAL.
87. And if you ask, Why is Pinchas mentioned here; AFTER ALL, THE PASSAGE CAME ONLY TO IMPRESS THE LINEAGE OF MOSES AND AARON AS MENTIONED. HE ANSWERS, Because the Holy One, blessed be He, saw Aaron, when He said, "And I remembered My covenant," that his two sons would eventually blemish this covenant. Now that He was sending him to Egypt TO TAKE OUT YISRAEL, He wanted to remove Aaron, not allowing him to go on this mission. BUT as soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, saw Pinchas standing and sustaining this covenant in its place, and repairing the blemish OF NADAB AND ABIHU, immediately THE PASSAGE SAYS, "These are that Aaron and Moses" (Shemot 6:26). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, Now he is Aaron, the original Aaron, AS BEFORE NADAB AND ABIHU BLEMISHED THE COVENANT, BECAUSE PINCHAS REPAIRED THE BLEMISH.
88. "These are Aaron and Moses, to whom Hashem said 'Take out the children of Yisrael from the Land of Egypt...'" HE ASKS, THE PASSAGE SAYS, "These are that (lit. 'he is') Aaron and Moses", but it should say, 'These are Aaron and Moses.' HE ANSWERS, It is to combine the air, WHICH IS MOSES, with water, WHICH IS AARON. AND WHEN IT SAYS, "He is Moses and Aaron" (Ibid. 27), it is to combine water, WHICH IS AARON, with air, WHICH IS MOSES. MOSES IS THE ASPECT OF AIR, WHICH IS TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND AARON IS THE ASPECT OF WATER, WHICH IS CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, it is written, "He is AARON AND MOSES" instead of "These are" BECAUSE THEY ARE COMBINED ONE WITH THE OTHER, AS EXPLAINED.