[Avodah] Tu B'Av

[Prof. Levine]

The following is from RSRH's commentary on Bamidbar 36: 10 - 12

10 As God had commanded Moshe, so did the daughters of Tzelafchad do.

11 Machlah, Tirtzah, Choglah, Milkah and No'ah, the daughters of 
Tzelafchad, became wives to the sons of their uncles.

12 They became wives to [men] from the families of the sons of 
Menashe, son of Yosef, and so their inheritance remained in the tribe 
of their paternal families.

ka'asher tziva ... Scripture recounts that all the daughters of 
Tzelafchad married
within the tribe of their father, in accordance with the instruction that
had been given to them. This confirms the interpretation cited above on
verse 6, that this instruction was given only as "good advice," and had they
decided on a different choice they would have suffered no loss and would
not have been acting against the law. They, however, chose in consideration
of the national interest, and this was reckoned to their credit.

When the first generation that entered the Land had died, the limitation
on marriages between the tribes was lifted, and the national authority
of the Torah announced this on chamisha assor B'Av, the fifteenth of Av.
This yom sh'hutaru shevatim lavo zeh b'zeh  was established as a 
permanent holiday,
on which popular festivities were held (Bava Basra 121a).
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