Chur, Son of Miriam; History and Heroism
Parsha Halacha – Parshat Vayakhel and Parah
Chur, Son of Miriam
History and Heroism
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In the Torah portion of Vayakhel, Moshe Rabeinu informs the Jewish people that Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur, would be the lead artisan of the Mishkan. Rashi comments that Chur was the son of Miriam.[1] This article will discuss the background, life story, and tragic end of Chur.
Son of Miriam and Kalev[2]
Chur is mentioned in the book of Shemot (Exodus) four times (see below). The names of his parents aren’t given although he is identified as being of the tribe of Yehudah.
In the first Book of Chronicles,[3] however, it says that he was the son of Kalev ben Chetzron and his wife Efrat.
According to our sages,[4] this Kalev was the same Kalev who was one of the twelve spies sent to scout out the land of Israel. Although in the story of the spies his father’s name is mentioned as Yefuneh, not Chetzron, the commentaries explain that his father’s real name was Chetzron but that Kalev was called “son of Yefuneh” because he turned away from the bad counsel of the (ten bad) spies. (Panah means to turn.)
Betzalel’s mother was Miriam, the sister of Moshe. She is called Efrat in the Book of Chronicles because she was the midwife who assisted the Jewish people in bearing children.[5] (Efrat is related to the words Peru Urevu – be fruitful and multiply.) Some say that she was called Efrat because she was graceful (see footnote).[6] Based on this, the Midrash says that Miriam was an ancestor of King David who is called Efrati.[7](Although the simple meaning of Efrati is “of distinguished lineage” or “from the area of Efrat,” the Midrash understands this to also allude to the fact that David was a descendant of Miriam who was called Efrat.[8])
Two Kalevs
Other commentaries,[9] point out that, according to the simple reading of the text, Kalev ben Chetzron and Kalev ben Yefuneh were two different people.
Moshe’s Support
Chur is first mentioned in the Torah as accompanying Moshe (together with Aharon) when he prayed on the mountain during the battle with Amalek.[10] According to our sages[11] Moshe, Aharon, and Chur comprised a quorum of three since it is proper that a group of three should lead the prayers during a fast day.[12] (This is no longer customary.) The Maharal explains that Moshe chose Chur, the son of Miriam, rather than Nadav or Avihu because Chur represented the merit of Miriam who was one of the three shepherds of the Jewish people in the desert. (Moshe and Aharon were the other two.)[13]
Moshe’s Representative
When Moshe went up to Mount Sinai, he told the sages that if anyone had any disputes (that couldn’t be resolved by the lower judges), they should approach Aharon or Chur.[14]
No More Mention
After the above verse, Chur isn’t mentioned again in the Five Books of Moshe except that he was the grandfather of Betzalel. This is what led our sages to conclude that he was killed during the episode of the golden calf as explained below.[15]
Killed for Protesting Idolatry
According to the Talmud,[16] when the Jewish people wanted to build the golden calf, Chur rebuked them and in retaliation, they killed him. This is why Aharon agreed to assist them in making the calf as he was afraid that if he too would protest, they would kill him as well. They would then have killed a Kohen (since Ahron was destined to become the High Priest)[17] and prophet[18] near the holy altar,[19] which is an unforgivable sin.[20]
It’s noteworthy that by sacrificing his life for G-d, Chur was following in his mother’s path who risked her life as a midwife by refusing to kill the Jewish baby boys as per Pharaoh's command.[21]
Betzalel Continued his Grandfather’s Work
When the Torah cites the names of the two artisans of the Mishkan, Betzalel and Oholiav, it provides the name of Betzalel’s father and grandfather (“son of Uri, son of Chur) but only provides the name of Ohiliav’s father (“son of Achisamach”).[22] The Da’at Zekeinim explains that since Chur gave his life to prevent the sin of the golden calf, it was fitting that his grandson should build the Mishkan which was a tikun(rectification) for that sin. Thus, Betzalel was completing the work begun by his grandfather.
Granted Greatness
Similarly, the Midrash says:[23] “Why did [the Torah] see fit to mention Chur here (as the grandfather of Betzalel)? When the Jewish people tried to serve idols, he gave his life for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, and did not allow them to do so. They arose and killed him. G-d said to him: ‘By your life, I will repay you.’
“This is analogous to a king whose soldiers rebelled against him. His captain of the guard stood and battled against them, saying: ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’ They arose and killed him. The king said, ‘Had he given me money, would I not be required to repay him? All the more so that he gave his life for my sake. What will I do for him? I will appoint all the descendants who emerge from him as generals and officers.’
“So too, when the Jewish people crafted the [golden] calf, Chur stood and gave his life for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He. G-d said to him: ‘By your life, all the descendants who emerge from you, I will elevate them and grant them a good name in the world.’”
Fathered a Child at Age Eight
The Talmud points out[24] that, since Kalev was 40 years old when he was sent as a spy[25] and his great grandson Betzalel was 13 at that time,[26] we can deduce that Kalev, his son Uri and his grandson Chur must have fathered their children at the age of eight. This proves that in earlier generations, people were able to have children at much younger ages than today.[27]
Age Gap
It is noteworthy that, according to the opinion that Kalev the father of Uri was a different person than Kalev the spy (see above) there is no need to say that the above people had children at a young age.
A Prophet
According to the Midrash,[28] Chur was a prophet. This is based on the verse (Exodus 24:14) which equates Aharon (who was a prophet) and Chur.[29] (I haven’t found any information as to what Chur prophesized. A.C.)
Reincarnation
According to the Arizal,[30] Chur was a gilgul (reincarnation) of Avraham’s brother Nachor who did not give up his life to sanctify G-d as did his other brother Haran and as Avraham was willing to do. (Nachor and Chur share three letters.) Chur corrected this shortcoming of Nachor by giving his life to honor G-d.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom UMevorach!
[1] The commentaries discuss why Rashi finds it necessary to inform us of Chur’s lineage since Rashi already explained this earlier. See Likutei Sichot vol. 31 page 211 and on.
[2] This name is often spelled as Caleb.
[6] Da’at Zekeinim on Exodus 17:10. See Bava Metziah 119a and Rashi D.H. Apriyon and Rashi on Gen. 47:22 D.H. Ben Porat that apiryon and porat mean graceful.
[8] On his father’s side, David was a descendant of Ram, who was Kalev’s brother, it seems that Ram (or one of his descendants who was an ancestor of David) married one of Kalev and Miriam’s descendants. Due to Miriam’s stature, the family was known by her name (Maharsha).
[9] Ibn Ezra on Exodus 31:2 and Radak on Chronicles ibid.
[11] Mechilta, quoted in Rashi on the verse .
[12] See Bava Metziah 85b that Rabbi Chiya and his sons were called upon to lead the prayers on a fast day.
[16] Sanhedrin 7a based on Exodus 32:5.
[17] See Exodus 4:14 and Rashi based on Zevachim 102a (Iyun Ya’akov on Sanhedrin ibid).
[18] G-d communicated with Aharon many times in the desert. See also Numbers 12:1-2. The Meiri says that the Talmud is referring to Chur as the prophet (that they had already killed). See below.
[19] Although the Mishkan wasn’t yet built, they were already sacrificing on an altar so that the area was considered sanctified (Maharsha).
[20] See Gittin 57b and II Chronicles 24:20-21 that the blood of Zechariah, the Kohen and prophet who was killed by the Jewish people in the Beit HaMikdash on Yom Kippur, was boiling for over 250 years and only stopped boiling when Nevuzaraden, the Babylonian general, killed 940,000 Jewish people to atone for that sin.
Killing a Kohen and Prophet (in a holy site) is an unforgivable sin because if people do not heed those who rebuke them, there is no hope for repentance (see Maharsha).
[21] See Exodus 1:15.
[22] Exodus 31:2 and 6.
[25] See Joshua 14:7 where Kalev says “I was 40 years old when Moshe sent me… to spy.”
[26] Based on the verse which refers to Betzalel as a “man” (Exodus 36:2).
[27] Based on this Talmudic teaching (that in earlier generations people had progeny when they were younger), some question why Yitzchak waited until Rivkah was 23 to begin praying for her to have children which was based on her being childless for 10 years after she was expected to have children, at the age of 13, if, in those days they could have children at a younger age (Sanhedrei Ketana on Sanhedrin ibid. see Rashi on Genesis 25:26).
Based on the fact that Kalev was 40 when he was sent as a spy, we understand that he was 39 at the time of the exodus which took place one year earlier. His wife Miriam, who was six years older than Moshe, was 86 at the time of the Exodus. Which means that there was a 47-year age gap between them. Since Kalev fathered Uri when he was eight, he must have gotten married at that age (or perhaps when he was seven). Which means that at their wedding, the Chattan/bridegroom (Kalev) was eight years old while the Kallah/bride (Miriam) was 55.
[30] Quoted in Revid Hazahav (by Yisrael Dov Gilerenter of 19th-century Staftshet [Poland?]) on Parshat Ki Tissa.
Sun, June 15 2025
19 Sivan 5785
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