כי תבואו אל ארץ מושבתיכם. נסמכה זאת הפרשה בעבור שנחלשו ויתאבלו לנחם הבנים להודיעם כי יבאו אל הארץ והנכון בעבור שנשאו קול כל העדה (וחטאו) ונסלח להם בעבור תפלת משה אמר וכי תשגו והעד ונסלח להם והוצרך להזכיר משפט מנחות כל עולה וזבח ובסוף והנפש אשר תעשה ביד רמה רמז למעשיהם והזכיר דבר המקושש כי עשה ביד רמה ומרוב חמלת השם על ישראל שם הציצית לזכר שלא יעשה האדם ביד רמה או שלא ישכח: WHEN YE ARE COME INTO THE LAND OF YOUR HABITATIONS. This chapter follows [the one dealing with the spies] in order to console the children by informing them that they would enter the land, for the Israelites grew weak and mourned.¹See Num. 14:39. This interpretation is found in Rashi. However, the real reason that this chapter follows the one dealing with the spies, is because all the congregation shouted and sinned.²Num. 14:1-4. God forgave their sin because of the prayer of Moses.³See Num. 14:13-21. Scripture says, And when ye shall err (15:22).⁴Which is precisely what Israel had just done. And they shall be forgiven (15:25) is proof of this.⁵The theme connecting the chapters is atonement for sin. Scripture found it necessary to mention the law of the meal offering and of all burnt offerings and sacrifices.⁶Since Scripture mentioned the sin offering and its accompanying meal and drink offering, it felt compelled to mention the same regarding the burnt and other offerings. At the end,⁷After mentioning the various offerings. it states, But the soul that doeth aught with a high hand (v. 30). The latter alludes to Israel’s deeds.⁸The incident of the spies. Scripture mentions the gatherer of wood (verses 32-34)⁹After the sin offering. because he acted with a high hand. God designated the fringes as a sign¹⁰Of the commandments. because of His great pity on Israel, so that a person will not act with a high hand or¹¹Deliberately violate God’s commandments. forget.¹²Any of God’s commands.
While I.E. maintains an independent position regarding Biblical interpretations, he always defers to the sages of the Talmud on halakhic issues. Thus in regard to the law concerning fringes, I.E. notes it is possible that Biblical rules require that the corners of garments be left unwoven so that their threads hang down to form fringes. He further notes that the law of fringes applies to pants. However, he then goes on to say that this interpretation is of no consequence, for the rabbis say that the fringes are specially prepared threads which are placed on the corner of any garment having four corners. Therefore pants are not included in the law of fringes.