Parashat Emor

Parashat Behar - Bechukotai
VaYikra 25:1 - 27:34

25:1Vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe beHar Sinai lemor
HASHEM spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai, saying,
2Daber el-benei Yisra'el ve'amarta alehem ki tavo'u el-ha'aretz asher ani noten lachem veshavetah ha'aretz Shabbat l'HASHEM
"Speak to the Children of Yisrael and say to them, when you come to the Land which I am giving you the Land shall be at rest - a Shabbat for HASHEM.

BaMidbar 1:1-4:20

1:1Vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe bemidbar Sinai be'Ohel Mo'ed be'echad lachodesh hasheni bashanah hashenit letzetam me'eretz Mitzrayim lemor
And HASHEM spoke to Moshe in the Sinai desert, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first [day] of the second month, in the second year of their exodus from the land of Egypt, saying,

 In Sefer Bereishit, the Torah spoke to us of the initial creation of the world, of the origin of the Jewish people, and of its family branches prior to the time of the Egyptian captivity.  In the Sefer Shemot, it related the story of that captivity and the subsequent redemption.

Included in its account of the subjugation of the community of Yisrael was a description of both the physical bondage: their bitter condition of slavery, and the spiritual bondage: the evil of their immersion in the superstitious practices and beliefs of the Egyptians.  But their G-d rescued them from these enslavements; He set them apart at the Revelation at Sinai, and commanded that they erect the Mishkan where He would cause His Presence (Shechinah) to dwell.

In Sefer VaYikra, G-d taught them about the life of holiness and purity they were to live so as to be in harmony with the sacred service of the Mishkan.  Only when the Kohanim and the rest of the community of Yirael is meticulous at all times in matters pertaining to the sacred order (kedushah), will the Divine Presence continue, without interrruption, to dwell within their midst.

Here, in Sefer BaMidbar, after G-d has finished instructing and cautioning the Benei Yisrael concerning these matters of sanctity, the Torah proceeds with an account of their sojourn in the desert, recording their resting places and travel routes, the ordeals they passed through, the miracles performed on their behalf, and what happened to Korach and his band when they rebelled against Moshe. (Abarbanel)

In this book, G-d also teaches us a portion of the commandments.

Studying Sefer BaMidbar (Book of Numbers) is counted as sacrificing a crime offering.   As previously explained, there are five types of sacrifice:

1. Olah - burnt offering
2. Minchah - meal offering
3. Chatat - sin offering
4. Asham - guilt offering
5. Shelamim - peace offering

The tribe of Dan, whose name was etched on an opal (leshem), had an opal-colored banner.  Upon it, a snake was depicted, Dan having been likened to a snake, "Let Dan be a snake on the road" (Bereishit 49:17).







The name of Gad was etched on an agate (shevo), also known as a turquoise, and his banner was partly white and partly pitch black.  It showed the outline of an encampment or troop of armed men, since the Torah said, "Raiders (gad) shall raid Gad, but he will raid at [their] heel" (Bereishit 49:19). The blessing conferred upon Gad was that he would be victorious whenever he ventured forth to wage war.


The name of Naftali was etched on an amethyst (ahelamah), and its color was that of off-red wine.  Depicted upon it was a deer, Naftali having been described as "a deer running free" (Bereishit 49:21).







Asher, whose name was etched on a beryl (tarshish), had an emerald-colored banner. It depicted a tree, as it is written, "From Asher shall come the richest foods" (Bereishit 49:20).






Since Yosef's name was etched on an onyx (shoham), his banner was a very deep black - the color of onyx. It depicted the two princes, Efrayim and Menashe, as well as the capital city of Egypt.  The latter was an allusion to their having been born in Egypt.  The ox was depicted on the banner of Efrayim, for Yehoshua came from this tribe, and about Yehoshua the Scripture has said, "His glory is like a first-born ox" (Devarim 33:17).  The banner of Menashe showed the form of aurochs (re'em); this is an allusion to Gideon who came from this tribe, and about whom it is written [prophectically], "and his horns are the norns of an aurochs" (Devarim 33:17).

Binyamin, whose name was etched on a jasper (yeshefeh), had a multicolored banner.  Since Binyamin had been likened to a wolf - "Benyamin is a vicious wolf" (Bereishit 49:27) - his banner depicted a wolf.





Lettering Inscriptions

In addition to the above depictions, every banner had inscribed upon it one letter of G-d's hallowed Name, YKVK.

Yehudah's banner bore the letter י (yod); Reuven's had a ה (heh); Efrayim's a ו (vav); Dan's banner carried the second ה (heh) of G-d's Name. (Sifetei Kohen)

These letters were specifically inscribed on these four banners, because they were the banners of the leader tribes. (Abarbanel)

Take together, the banners spanned the Name of G-d; as it is written, "And in the Name of G-d we shall make banners (nidgol)" (Tehillim 20:6).

According to another view, the banners had inscribed upon them the following letters:

The banner of Yehudah bore the letters איי(alef yod yod) - the alef of Avraham's name, the yod of Yitzchak's name, and the yod of Yaakov's name.

Reuven's banner carried the letters בצﬠ (bet tzade ayin) - the second letters, respectively, of the names of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. The banner of Efrayim had upon it the letters רחכ (resh chet kof) - the third letters, respectively, of the above names, and the banner of Dan had inscribed upon it the letters מכב (mem kof bet) - the last letters, respectively, of their names.

A light cloud was divinely set over the banners, and upon it was inscribed the letters corresponding to the splendor of the Divine Presence.  That cloud rested atop the sword-shaped letter ו (vav) which had been inscribed in gold on every banner.

The letter י (yod), of the hallowed Name of G-d, was inscribed on the cloud that advanced ahead of the Benei Yisrael.  Joined to the letter ה (heh) of the name of Avraham - it will be noted that in the foregoing, no use was made of that letter heh - the sacred Name of Y-h was formed.

Whenever this cloud set forth, the four banners would set forth as well.

The meaning of "each person near the banner having his paternal family's insignia (אֹתֹת)," is thus clarified.  For אֹתֹת read otiot (אוֹתִיוֹת) "letters"; whereupon this part of the verse becomes, "each person near his banner, and inscribed upon them were the (letters of the) names of the paternal family."

Torah tradition also teaches us that those two letters יה (yod heh) would blaze during the day with the brightness of a thousand suns, and at night they would shine like the moon. (Tzeror HaMor; Sifetei Kohen; Yalkut Reuveni)


Positioning of the Banners

The Torah describes how the banners were positioned in relation to one another and to the Mishkan, both when the Benei Yisrael were encamped and when traveling.

The Tribe of Yehudah, its divisions numbering 74,600 men, led by Nachshon son of Aminadav, was directed to pitch camp to the east.

Alongside Yehudah would camp the tribes of Yissachar and Zevulun, each with its own leader and troop of men.  The captain of Yissachar was Netanel son of Tzuar, and his men numbered 54,400.  The captain of Zevulun was Eliav son of Chelon, and his division numbered 57,400 men.

Thus, the total number of men arranged as the camp of Yehudah, and positioned on the east side, was 186,400.

Pitched on the south side and led by Elitzur son of Shedei'ur, was the division of Reuven, numbering 46,500 men.

Camped alongside the tribe of Reuven, were the two tribes of Shimon and Gad, each with its own leader and troop.  The captain of Shimon was Shelumiel son of Tzuri-shaddai, and his men numbered 59,300.  The captain of Gad was Elyasaf son of Reuel, his division numbering 45,650 men.

The combined total for these tribes, designated as the camp of Reuven, was thus 151,450 men.

The text then goes on to declare that "On the march, they shall go second." That is, when the Benei Yisrael traveled the camp of Yehudah would lead, and after them would follow the camp of Reuven.

First would march the camps of Yehudah and Reuven, followed by the Mishkan, and then by the other two camps, Efrayim and Dan.

The Mishkan will thus be preceded and followed by two camps. (Rashi; Mizrachi)

The Torah also stresses that the formation which the camps maintained when stationary, did not change when they were moving. (Rashi)

On the west side was the banner of the camp of Efrayim, with its constituent individual divisions and their captains.  Their overall leader was Elishama son of Amihud, captain of the troop of the tribe of Efrayim.  There were 40,500 men in that troop.

Camped alongside the tribe of Efrayim, were the tribes of Menashe and Binyamin, led by their leaders.  The captain of Menashe was Gamliel son of Padah-tzur, his men numbering 32,200; and the captain of Binyamin was Avidan son of Gid'oni, his troop numbering 35,400 men.

The combined total for the three tribes was 108,100 men.

Here, too, the Scripture goes on to stress that "On the march, they shall third": the banner of Efrayim followed the banners of Yehudah and Reuven.

Stationed on the north side, with its array of tribally distinct troops and ccaptains, was the camp of Dan.  Its overall leader was Achiezer son of Ami-shaddai, the captain of the tribal troop of Dan.  This troop of the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700 men.

The tribes of Asher and Naftali, with their respective captains and men, were camped alongside the tribe of Dan. The captain of Asher was Pag'iel son of Achron, his men numbering 41,500. The tribe of Naftali was captained by Achira son of Einan, and his troop numbered 53,400 men.

Altogether, then, the three tribes numbered 157,600 men.

Again, the text goes on to emphasize that "On the march, they shall be the last of the banners."  They will travel after the other three camps.


The location of the Mishkan - "the camp of the Divine Presence" - was situated in the center, surrounded on all sides by the Levi'im and, beyond them, by the tribes of Yisrael.

The positioning of the Leviim was as follows:  Moshe, Aharon and Aharon's sons were on the east side of the Mishkan, where the entrance was; the sons of Gershon were on the west side; the sons of Kehat were on the south side; and the sons of Merari were on the norht side.  The area taken by the Leviim was called the Campe of the Leviim.

Beyond the Mishkan, a distance of 2000 cubits on all sides, the twelve tribes were camped, three tribes in each of the four directions. (Malkut Shimoni, Pekudei)

We have already observed that Yehuda, Yissachar and Zevulun were positioned to the east; this is because the light that illuminates the world comes from the east.

It was fitting that Yehudah, in whom royal dominion was vested, should camp in the direction of the light.  Yissachar, on account of his Torah scholarship, was worthy of being alongside Yehudah, since Torah is the mental and spiritual light of the world.

Zevulun belonged near Yissachar, since he, later, made it possible for Yissachar to devote himself to Torah, by supporting him with his wealth.

It can be noted that the positioning of these three tribes teaches us the advantages of choosing good neighbors.  This proves the adage, "What is beneficial for the righteous man is beneficial for his neighbor."  As a result of having been stationed near Moshe and Aharon, they, too, were found worthy of attaining greatness in Torah.

Reuven, Shimon and Gad were stationed to the south, because spiritual and physical blessings for the world emanate from this direction.

Being a penitent, Reuven was appropriately placed on this side, since remorse stirs G-d's compassion to affect the world.

Gad is associated with strength, even as a penitent exhibits strength of character.  Therefore, he, too, was worthy of being positioned in this direction, alongside Reuven.

Shimon was camped between Reuven and Gad, so that the sin of Zimri son of Salua, of the tribe of Shimon, would find expiation.

Another lesson is taught here - how evil is propagated by evil neighbors, as our Sages have written, "Woe to the wicked and woe to his neighbor."  Being stationed on the same side as the descendants of Kehat, and who came Korach and his band, these three tribes later suffered from the consequences of Korach's inssurection against Moshe, as explained in Parashat Korach.

Efrayim, Menashe and Binyamin were stationed to the west.  From this direction come hail, clouds, cold and heat - phenomena associated with the attribute of G-d's strength - and about these tribes it is written, "Before Efrayim and Menashe and Binyamin stir Your mighty strength" (Tehillim 80:3).

 Another reason is that the Divine Presence was designated as dwelling in the land portion of Binyamin, which was located on the western side of the Land of Yisrael.  As it is written, "To Binyamin he said, "G-d's beloved one shall dwell securely beside HIm.  G-d protects him all day long and dwells among his slopes" (Devarim 33:12).

Dan, Asher, and Naftali were camped to the north.  Out of Dan issued Yerovo'am who darkened the world with the two calf-like idols, which he was to place in the land portion of Dan.  Since he was to darken the world, it was fitting that Dan should be positioned in the north - the direction from which darkness comes upon the world.

The tribe of Asher was to have an abundance of oil, as it is written, "He shall... dip his feet in oil" (Devarim 33:24).  It was thus fitting that he be stationed on this side, and with his oil dispel the darkness of Dan.

Naftali camped alongside him, for Naftali was invested with blessing. (Ramban; Bachya; Tzeror HaMor; Sifetei Kohen)



The Benei Yisrael at Rest

Seven Clouds of Glory enveloped the Benei Yisrael.  Four surrounded them on their sides, one was over them, and one beneath them. Hence they suffered from neither sun and the winds, nor the mist and rains.  One cloud advanced in front of them, flattening a path. (Yalkut Shimoni)

The mixed multitudes (erev rav) stayed beyond these clouds, for they were not on a sufficiently high spiritual plane to merit being enclosed by Clouds of Glory. They were located near the animal compound. (Zohar, Ki Tisa)

The total area taken up by the three camps - the Camp of the Divine Presence, the Camp of the Leviim, and the Camps of the Benei Yisrael - measured twelve miles by twelve miles (24,000 cubits by 24,000 cubits), and was partitioned as follows:

The Camp of the Divine Presence and the Camp of the Leviim, together, covered an area of four mil by four mil (8,000 cubits by 8,000 cubits), and the Camp of the Benei Yisrael covered an area of four mil by four mil on every side of the Mishkan.

The banner of Yehudah, covering the divisions of Yehudah, Yissachar and Zevulun, covered an area of four miles by four miles to the east.  The banner of Reuven, plus its two sister tribes, similarly used an area of four miles by four miles, to the south; and a like-sized area, to the west, was given to the standard of Efrayim and the other two tribes.  To the north, the standard of Dan and its two sister tribes also occupied an area of four miles by four miles.

Altogether, then, the Camp of the Benei Yisrael covered an area of four times sixteen, or sixty-four square miles.  If we include the camps of the Leviim and the Divine Presence, the total area actually occupied, was eighty square miles.  Also, the distance from one outer edge of the Yisraeli camp to the other, on the opposite side of the Mishkan, was twelve miles (4+4+4).

The east-west distance was thus twelve miles, as was the north-south distance.

The difference in area between the eighty square miles and the equivalent of twelve miles by twelve miles - 144 minus 80 = 64 square miles - is accounted for by the four outer corner areas of four miles by four miles each (4 x (4x4) = 64). These "empty" corners were reserved for livestock. (Yalkut Shimoni, end of Pekudei)

This is how the Benei Yisrael were arranged in the wilderness, when camped.


The Benei Yisrael When Traveling

This configuration remained unchanged when they were en route.  In other words, they traveled in a square formation, with the Mishkan and the Leviim who carried it in the middle, and the twelve tribes surrounding them, three tribes on each side.

Accordingly, the Torah says, "[The people] shall travel in the same manner as they camp": as they were positioned when camped, so were they positioned when moving. (Yerushalmi, Eruvin 5:1; Mizrachi)

The foregoing conclusion is based on one interpretation of the Torah text.  According to another opinion, the Benei Yisrael would travel as a single column.  The verse, "[The people] shall travel in the same manner as they camp," would then be understood as follows: Just as they camped by divine command, stopping at the site with G-d chose, and arranging themselves in accordance with His will, so would they set forth only by divine command and move along routes that He chose. (Yerushalmi, loc. cit.  Cf. Sifetei Chachamim, BeHaAlotecha)

When it was G-'d's will that the Benei Yisrael break camp and depart for another location, this would be conveyed to them by means of the covering cloud.  It would collapse and roll up into the shape of a giant pillar over the camp of the banner of Yehudah, then point in the direction they were to take.

This was the cue for two Kohanim to take up silver trumpets and blow four times, each successive blasts signaling a different banner to being making preparations for the journey.  Each blast would be characterized by one prolonged continuous sound (tekiyah), followed by a staccato (teruah), and then by another continuous sound (tekiyah).

Af the first blast, the camp of Yehudah would begin preparing, by placing their possessions and furnishings upon beasts of burden.  Whatever was not loaded on the animals would be picked up and borne away for them by a cloud.

At the same time the camp under the banner of Yehudah began making its preparations, Aharon and his sons would enter the Mishkan and remove the curtain that hung before the Aron (Ark).

When the second blast was sounded, the tribes under the banner of Reuven would begin to get ready, while the Gershoni and Merari began disassembling the Mishkan into the component parts and loading them on wagons.  They would then wait for the arrival of the Kehati, who carried the Aron Kodesh.

When the third blast sounded, the tribes included under the banner of Efrayim would commence their preparations for the journey.  Then, too, the descendants of Kehat would arrive, take hold of the Aron and place it on their shoulders.

Finally, at the sounding of the fourth blast, the tribes of the banner of Dan would begin to prepare themselves.

When all the banners stood in readiness, they would set forth - but not before the cloud which was positioned over the banner of Yehudah had begun to move.  That cloud, in turn, would not begin moving until Moshe cried out, "Arise, O HaShem, and scatter your enemies!  Let your foes flee before You" (BaMidbar 10:35). (Yalkut Shimoni, here and Pekudei; Tanchuma)

En route, the Benei Yisrael were positioned in the formation discussed earlier, according to the first interpretation, with the Mishkan and the Leviim in the center and the four banners on the four sides.

If we accept the second interpretation - that the Benei Yisrael traveled as a single column - the Mishkan was still in the middle, since that is indicated by, "On the march, the Tent of Meeting... shall be in the middle of the [other] camps."  It was preceded by the camps of Yehudah and Reuven, and followed by those of Efrayim and Dan. (Yerushalmi, loc. cit.; Yeffeh Toar ad loc.)

In any case, they would keep moving until signaled to halt - by means of the same cloud.  When the cloud unfolded, forming a kind of booth over the banner of Yehudah, this conveyed G-d's will that the Benei Yisrael pitch camp at that particular location.

This would take place only after Moshe exclaimed, "Return, O HaShem, [to] the myriads of Yisrael's thoudands" (BaMidbar 10:36).


The Well of Miriam

The well of Miriam, which accompanied the Benei Yisrael in their wanderings, served another function besides that of providing them with water.  In particular, it was by means of this well that the campsites of the different banners were identified and their individual boundaries outlined.

The well would halt at the site where the Mishkan was to repose, exactly at the entrance to the courtyard, near the tent of Moshe, so that when, subsequently, the twelve pillars of the Mishkan were set up, they would be situated around the well.

With the onset of the Song of the Leviim - as described in Parashat Chukat - the water in the well would begin to rise.  It then formed a number of streams.  One of these would branch off to flow inward to the four corners of the Mishkan enclosure, and outward to the terminal points of the entire camp.

On its passage outward, one of these streams traversed the Leviim camp, encompassing it, with its flux reaching every family individually.  Others branched off into the direction of the tribes of Yisrael, until a stream passed by every tribe, encircling it. As a result, each tribe knew the limits of its territory.

Also, a waterway linked one banner with another.  Hence, whenever a woman wished to pass from one banner to another, for example, when marrying a man who belonged to that other banner, she would go by boat.

Moreover, these streams did not contain only water.  They flourished with every delicacy of the World to Come.  It was as Scripture has written, "Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates... henna and nard; nard and saffron, calcmus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense..." (Shir HaShirim 4:13, 14). (Yalkut Shimoni, end of Pekudei)

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MeAm Lo'ez; Bachya; Ramban; Rashi

Parashat Naso
BaMidbar 4:21 - 7:89

4:21 vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
And HASHEM spoke to Moshe, saying:
22  nasho et-rosh benei Gershon gam-hem leveit avotam lemishpechotam
Also take a census of sons of Gershon according to the house of their fathers according to their families.

 After counting the families of Levi descending from Kehat and instructing them in their tasks, Moshe was commanded to count the Benei Gershon in order to determine who among them was fit for duty in the Tent of Meeting (Ohel Mo'ed).

Then Aharon's sons assigned each his duties, and Itamar, fourth son of Aharon, was appointed permanent supervisor of the B'ney Gershon.

The Levi'im belonging to Gershon's family were assigned the following tasks:

1. Preparing the woven materials, the curtains, coverings, and the screens of the Ohel Moed and the Courtyard for departure, and transporting them.
2. Singing during the daily morning and afternoon burnt offerings (olah), as well as during all communal olah-offerings, and the communal peace offerings (shelamim) on Shavuot.

The Levi choir was comprised of at least twelve singers, and more could be added as desired.  The choir was usually accompanied by instruments.  Even non-Levi'im were permitted to be musicians.

As the people stood in the Azarah, they heard the beautiful choir of the Levi'im and the orchestra.

In the Beit HaMikdash, the choir chanted every day of the week a different chapter from Sefer Tehillim.

•  On the first day (Sunday) - "The earth and its fullness is HaShem's, the world and they that dwell in it" (Tehillim 24:1)

This verse was appropriate for the first day because it reminds us of the first day of Creation.  HaShem was then clearly recognized as the sole Ruler, since no beings, not even the angels, had yet been created.

• On the second day (Monday) - "Great is HaShem and very much praised in the city of our G-d, in the mountain of His holiness" (Tehillim 48:2)

On the second day of Creation, HaShem established the firmament to divide between the upper and lower waters, and appointed the upper spheres as His residence.  Parallel to this, He appointed a place of special kedushah in the lower world where He would reside: "the city of our G-d, the mountain of His holiness."

• On the third day (Tuesday) - "G-d stands in the congregation of judges" (Tehillim 82:1).

On this day G-d gathered the waters into oceans, thus exposing the continents which would be inhabited.  However, mankind would be permitted to live there only if it exercised justice, one of the pillars of human society.  Should man pervert justice.  HaShem would command the ocean to flood the dry land, as later happened to the generation of the Mabul (Flood).

• On the fourth day (Wednesday) - "G-d to Whom vengeance belongs, HaShem, G-d, to Whom vengeance belongs, appear" (Tehillim 94:1).

On this day the heavenly bodies were created.  In the future HaShem will punish all those who worshiped them.

• On the fifth day (Thursday) - "Sing aloud to G-d our strength, cry out with a joyful shout to the G-d of Yaakov" (Tehillim 81:2).

On this day the Almighty created the millions of species of birds and fish.  Whoever sees them proclaims the Creator's praises joyfully.

• On the sixth day (Friday) - "HaShem reigns.  He is clothed with majesty; HaShem is robed, He has girded Himself with strength" (Tehillim 93:1).

This verse is appropriate for the sixth day, on which the entire glorious Creation was completed and HaShem's majesty over the universe became apparent.

• On Shabbat - "Mizmor shir leyom haShabbat - A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day" (Tehillim 92:1)

This verse refers not only to the weekly Shabbat, but also to the era after the Redemption, the "great Shabbat of history."

The weekly Shabbat was given to us to serve as a model for the future era, which will be totally and eternally good.  Just as we labor each week in order to honor the Shabbat with delightful things, so we prepare in this world for the future world, when we will enjoy the fruit of our labor.

With the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, the beauty of song ceased.  Our present-day songs do not recapture the kedushah or the harmony of spiritual perfection inherent in the melodies sung in the Beit HaMikdash.

After the first destruction, the emperor Nevuchadnetzar led a group of captive Levi'im to Bavel (Babel).  Observing them weep and lament, he exclaimed,

"Why so sad?  Come and make merry!  Before I have my repast, play your violins before me and my gods, just as you were wont to do for your G-d!"

Looking at each other, the Levi'im whispered,

"Never!  We who have played in the Beit HaMikdash for the Almighty shall now play for this midget (Nevuchadnetzar was a small man) and his idols?  Had we, instead, exerted ourselves in singing for the Almighty, would have never been exiled!"

But how could they effectively disoby their captor's order?

In an instant a plan was contrived.  Each Levi, without hesitating, severed the thumb from his right hand.  Raising up the bleeding stumps for Nevuchadnetzar to see, they wailed,

"How can we sing the song of HaShem (Tehillim 137:4)?  Don't you see that our hands are maimed and we can no longer play our instruments?"

Enraged, Nevuchadnetzar massacred thousands of captives.  Nevertheless, the Levi'im were glad that they had not agreed to play music before idols.

That group of Levi'im eventually returned from the Babylonian exile and witnesses the rebuilding of the second Beit HaMikdash.  HaShem promised the Jewish people with an oath, "The Levi'im injured their right hands for My sake; I, therefore, swear by My right hand that I shall ultimately defeat your enemies and restore Yerushalayim to you."

4:29 benei merari lemishpechotam leveit-avotam tifkod otamThe sons of Merari, according to their families and according to the house of their fathers you shall count them.

The family of Merari was the last of the three families of Levi to be counted and assigned their duties.

Its members carried the Mishkan's boards, bolts, and sockets.  Itamar, son of Aharon, was their supervisor.  He assigned each individual Levi his job.

Once a Levi had received his assignment, he was not allowed to switch with another Levi.

5:1 vayedaber HASHEM el-moshe lemor
HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
2 tzav et-benei Yisrael vishalchu min-hamachane kol-tzarua vechol-zav vechol tame lanafesh
Command Benei Yisrael that they must expel from the camp, anyone with tzaraat, and anyone from who flows a seminal discharge and anyone who became defiled by a [departed] soul.

HaShem commands that all temayim (impure people) leave the Camp:

On Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the Mishkan's last Inauguration Day, HaShem told Moshe, "All three Camps of the wilderness are holy.  The innermost Camp of the Shechinah is holy to the highest degree.  The Camp of the Leviim that surrounds it, and Benei Yisrael's Camp which surrounds that of the Leviim, are of lesser sanctity.

"An impure person may have to leave one, two, or all three of these Camps, according to the severity of his tumah."

Hashem explains to Moshe that this mitzvah would appertain to future generations in Eretz Yisrael (Land of Yisrael) as follows:

• The Camp of the Shechinah in the wilderness would correspond to the area extending from the Ezrat Yisrael (the main court in the Beit HaMikdash) inwards.
• The Camp of the Leviim in the wilderness would correspond to the entire Har HaBayit (Temple Mount) surrounding the Ezrat Yisrael.
• The Camp of Benei Yisrael in the wilderness would correspond to the entire city of Yerushalayim, excluding the Temple Mount.

The severest of all types of tumah was tzara'at (leprosy):

• A leper was expelled from all three Camps
• A zav, zavah, niddah, and a woman who had recently given birth were barred from two Camps, the machaneh shechinah and the machaneh leviyah (where the Leviim camped and later corresponded to the Temple Mount), but were permitted to remain in the Camp of Yisrael.
• The mildest type of tumah was impurity through contact with a dead body, the carcass of an animal, or the carcass of one of the eight sheratzim (reptiles) declared impure by the Torah.  Someone defiled by this category of tumah was excluded from only the Camp of the Shechinah, but could remain in the Camps of the Leviim and Yisrael.

Hashem proclaimed, "My Presence resides in all three Camps.  The impure must therefore leave the various Camps so as not to desecrate their kedushah."

Why didn't Hashem announce the mitzvah of ejecting the temayim immediately after Matan Torah?

The answer is that this commandment had been unnecessary then since no lepers or zavim were to be found.  prior to the giving of the Torah, the angels had healed all the physical defects of Benei Yisrael.

Forty days thereafter, when Yisrael constructed the Golden Calf, everyone's former sickness returned.  Some became lepers again and others zavim.

Therefore, when the Mishkan was established, the Almighty instructed Moshe, "Now that I have taken up permanent residence in the midst of Benei Yisrael, send away the temayim!"

This mitzvah is prefaced with the phrase, "Tzav et Benei Yisrael - Command the Benei Yisrael" (5:2)

This phrase occurs wherever the person finds it difficult to observe a mitzvah.

It is said in praise of Benei Yisrael, however, that they immediately and joyfully complied.  The temayim themselves did not resist when they were told they were banned from the Camp; they left willingly.


Vidui - the mitzvah to confess one's sins verbally

5:5 vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying: 
6 daber el-benei Yisrael ish o-ishah ki ya'asu mikol-chatot ha-adam limol ma'al baHASHEM ve'ashmah hanefesh hahiv
When a man or a woman commits any of the sins against man, thus being untrue to HaShem, and that  person is guilty.

If a Jew transgressed a negative Torah commandment (mitzvat lo ta'asai) or failed to fulfill a positive commandment (mitzvat asai) and he regrets his deed/omission, it is a mitzvah for him to do teshuvah.

Teshuvah is comprised of three main parts:

1. Sincere regret for one's past misconduct
2. Oral confession thereof
3. Firm decision never to repeat it

Parashat Naso discusses the middle stage of the three parts, vidui - the oral confession.

How does one confess?

The sinner says, "Please HaShem, I sinned and now I am sorry and ashamed of my deed, and I shall never repeat it.

He presents his case to HaShem in his own words and beseeches Him for atonement.

In the time of the Beit HaMikdash, the sinner had to enunciate the vidui previous to the slaughtering of the animal which he offered as a sin-atoning korban.

Why did the Torah command us to pronounce our wrongdoings?

There are two obvious answers:

1. By confessing a sin to the Almighty, we acknowledge our belief that He punishes sinners and rewards those who observe His mitzvot.
2. A full oral vidui will greatly strengthen the sinner in his determination to improve his conduct in the future, and will aid him in persisting in his teshuvah.

Hashem says, "As soon as a Jew admits that he did wrong, I am merciful to him."

Whoever says vidui before he dies has a portion in the World to Come.  If he does not know how to recite vidui, he is told to say, 'Let my death be an atonement for all my sins.'

There is a special mitzvah to say vidui on Yom Kippur, the day of the year that has the power to cleanse from sin.


The Sotah

5:11 vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
HASHEM spoke to Moshe, saying:
12daber el-benei Yisrael veamarta alehem ish ish ki-tiste ishto uma'ala vo ma'al
Speak to Benei Yisrael and say to them:  [This is the law] if any man's wife is suspected of committing adultery and being false toward him,

This chapter treats the laws that apply to a woman who is suspected by her husband of adultery - the laws of sotah.  For this reason it is known as "the sotah chapter."

According to our Sages, three kinds of sinners descend to hell and never emerge: one who engages in carnal relations with another man's wife; one who shames another in public; one who refers to another by a nickname, even if the person named does not mind and is not embarrassed by it. (Bava Metzia, Chapter 4)

As a result of sexual immorality, indiscriminate death afflicts the world, destroying the righteous and the wicked alike.  Thus we saw in Parashat Noach that one of the reason for the great Flood was depravity.

When a person commits an act of adultery with another man's wife, he is guilty of violating all of the Ten Commandments.

The act itself indicates that the individual does not recognize G-d's existence, and he thus transgresses the Commandment, "I am HaShem you G-d" (Shemot 20:2).  This is conveyed in the Torah text (5:12) through iteration of the word ish (man).  For by committing adultery, a woman is false to G-d to whom the Scripture sometimes refers as ish - as in, "HaShem is the Master (ish) of war" (Shemot 15:3) - and she is false to her husband (the ish of that woman). (BaMidbar Rabbah; Tanchuma)

Although a person who is guilty of theft or withholding funds is also said to have offended against G-d and his fellow man, such offenders cannot be compared to an adulterer.  In their case, if the victim forgives the criminal, that is sufficient.  But in adultery, even if her husband were to forgive the adulterer for defiling his wife, G-d will not forgive him, and the sin remains unexpurged.

Since the adulterer contravenes G-d's will, he shows that he values his own wishes above His, so the adulterer also transgresses, "Do not have any other gods" (Shemot 20:3).

If he is caught and tried for his offense, he will swear that he is innocent, and thus be guilty of violating the commandment, "Do not take the Name of HaShem your G-d in vain" (Shemot 20:7).

The adulteress may become pregnant and bear a son whom everyone will associate with her husband.  When he becomes an adult, this son may in his ignorance hurt or insult his true father and thus violate the commandment, "Honor your father and mother" (Shemot 20:12).

When a person is about to commit adultery, he is prepared to kill the husband in order to gain admission to the house.

The violation of, "Do not commit adultery" is obvious.

Since the adulterer steals the affection that rightly belongs to the husband, he is guilty of violating the commandment, "Do not steal" (Shemot 20:13).

If the woman is suspected of becoming pregnant from an adulterous union, she will testify that the father of the child is her husband.  She thus violates the commandment, "Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor" (Shemot 20:13).

Finally, by desiring another man's wife, the adulterer is guilty of violating, "Do not be envious of your neighbor's wife."  Since any son born of this union will unjustly share in the estate of the paramour's husband, he would also be guilty of violating the Commandment, "Do not be envious of your neighbor's house" (Shemot 20:14).

The students asked Rav Huna, "We see how he could transgress all of these commandments.  But how does this act violate the commandment, "Remember the day of Shabbat to keep it holy" (Shemot 20:8)? 

"I will explain it to you as follows," replied Rav Huna.  "Consider the case where a man commits adultery with the wife of a Kohen, and as a result of their union, a son is born.  If the adulterer is not a Levi, this son also does not have the status of a Kohen.  But since he is accepted as the son of a Kohen, he will come to perform altar duty on a Shabbat."  These duties usually involve doing work that is forbidden on the Shabbat, except when done in the Temple by a Kohen.  Because this one is not actually a Kohen, he is thus violating the Shabbat." (Akedat Yitzchak; BaMidbar Rabbah; Bachya; Chinuch; Ir Miklat)

From all this, we see what consequences follow in the wake of adultery.  Accordingly, King Shlomo has declared, "I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps" (Kohelet 7:26).

More bitter than death is an adulterer's fate, since he, the adulteress and his bastard son can violate all the Ten Commandments.

Therefore, has G-d given us the present commandment to make the suspected adulteress drink the bitter water.  In His immense compassion for us, He desired to protect us, to cleanse us of all filth and blemish, and by purging from our midst every strain of immorality and illegitimacy, transform us into a nation apart, more radiant and pure than any other.  For we are that people within whom the Divine Presence is to dwell.

The purpose of this commandment, on the personal level of the individuals affected, is to expunge every doubt from a man's heart who suspects his wife of adultery.  For if she is innocent, she will emerge vindicated, and if not, she will be destroyed.

Since it is incumbent upon a husband to be felicitous to his wife, to live with her in friendship and love, there must be no doubt in his mind about her chastity.  The Torah therefore instructs us that if doubt and suspicion have entered his heart, let her drink the water at once, lest he be overtaken by disgust for her.

If, however, the contrary is true, and she has been secretly unfaithful to him, let her be unmasked.  It is a source of reverence for the Jewish people, and an eminent virtue, that we had this means of exposing an adulteress.

Should a husband discern in his wife brazenness and unbecoming behavior with another man, he is under obligation to respond resolutely by warning her in the presence of two witnesses. He is to say to her, "Know that I do not find this behavior of yours acceptable and I do not want you to be in the company of that man."

This warning is designated in the Torah as kinui - jealous reaction; as the verse here declares, "The man expressed feelings of jealousy (kina) against his wife."

After expressing himself thus before witnesses, he is to warn her against being along with the man.

If, nonetheless, she disobeys and secludes herself with this man for a span of time sufficient for her to be compromised, and the two witnesses saw her do so, the husband is prohibited from living with this woman until she drinks the bitter water to establish whether she has or has not committed adultery.

This test of drinking the bitter water was to be given in the Temple in Yerushalayim, and in no other place. Its administration involved these steps:

The husband would appear before the court in his home town, and make the following declaration: "My masters, I hereby make it known to you that I expressed my displeasure to this woman and gave her warning not to seclude herself with that individual.  She has disobeyed me and entered into seclusion with him, according to the witnesses that I have brought with me.  She insists that she is pure and has not lain carnally.  It is my wish, therefore that this matter be settled by having her drink the water."

5:19vehishbya otah hakohen ve'amar el-ha'isha im-lo shachav ish otach ve'im-lo satit tumah tachat ishech hinaki mimei hamarim hame'arerim ha'eleh
The Kohen shall place her under oath and say to the woman: 'If a man has not lain with you [conjugally] and if you have not gone astray to be defiled while you were married to your husband, you shall be unharmed by these bitter, lethal waters.
20 ve'at ki satit tachat ishech vechi nitmet vayiten ish bach et-shechavto mibaladei ishech
[But] you, if you have gone astray while you were married to your husband, and if you have been defiled, and if a man has had intercourse with you, [a man] other than your husband.'
21 vehishbi'a hakohen et-ha'isha bishvuat ha'ala ve'amar hakohen la'isha yiten HASHEM otach le'ala velishvua betoch amech betet HASHEM et-yerechech nofelet ve'et-bitnech tzavah
[At this point] the Kohen shall place the woman under oath containing the curse.  The Kohen shall say to the woman, '[In such a case] HaShem shall make you a curse and an oath among your people, when HaShem causes your sexual organs to rupture and your abdomen to swell up.
22 uva'u hamayim hame'arrim ha'ele beme'ayich latzbot beten velanpil yarech ve'amra ha'isha amen amen
This bitter, lethal water will enter your abdomen to swell the abdomen, and your sexual organs to rupture. The woman shall respond, "Amein, Amein.'"

If the woman did not know Hebrew, she answered in any language that she understood.

When writing this oath on parchment, the Kohen Gadol would write out the Name of G-d in its entirely - in the form YKVK.

5:23vechatav et-ha'alot ha'ele hakohen basefer umacha el-mei hamarim
The Kohen shall write all these curses, on the scroll and dissolve them [the writing] in the bitter waters.
24vehishka et-ha'isha et-mei hamarim hame'arrim uva'u va hamayim hame'arerim lemarim
He shall have the woman drink the bitter, lethal waters and the lethal waters, shall enter her to become bitter.

Then, into a clay bowl that had never been used, he would draw 1/2 log (6.8 ounces or 200 cc.) of water from the washstand and carry it into the Temple Hall.

Near the entrance of the Hall, on the right side, there was a one-cubit by one-cubit floor-board that could be raised by a special rink.  From under it, the Kohen Gadol would scoop up a bit of soil, which he would cast into the water, and add some bitter grasses, such as wormwood, in accordance with the instructions of the Torah that the water be "bitter water."

Into this water he put the scroll upon which the curse and G-d's Name had been written, leaving it there until every letter was totally erased.

One of the Kohanim of the Temple court would then approach her, take hold of the front of her garment and rip it until her heart area was exposed.  He also removed her head covering and disheveled her hair in order to render her odious.

A rope of Egyptian straw would then be placed above the breasts, to keep her garments from slipping down and leaving her naked.

Use of this kind of rope served as a reminder that she had committed an act associated with Egypt, where adultery was commonplace.

If no Egyptian rope was at hand, some other rope was used instead.

5:25velakach hakohen miyad ha'isha et minchat hakena'ot vehenif et-hamincha lifnei HASHEM vehikriv otah el-hamizbe'ach
The Kohen shall take from the woman's hand meal-offering of jealousy and he shall wave the meal-offering before HaShem, and bring it close to the Altar.
26 vekamatz hakohen min-hamincha et-azkarata vehiktir hamizbecha ve'achar yash.ke et-ha'isha et-hamayim
The Kohen shall scoop out from the meal-offering its commemoration and burn it on the Altar, and after that he shall cause the woman to drink the water.

The barley meal supplied by the husband (1/10 of an efah) was then deposited in an Egyptian basket, which the Kohen placed in her hand in order to tire her.  The meal would subsequently be transferred to one of the sacred vessels of the Temple.

Neither oil nor frankincense would be added to the offering.  Although these were standard ingredients of any meal offering, here the Torah has specifically written, "He shall not pour oil on it, nor place frankincense on it" (5:15).

After again placing the vessel in her hands, the Kohen would push her hands up in a waving motion, which he did by putting his hands under hers.  As explained in Parashat Tzav, this waving motion was characteristic of every meal-offering.

Her offering would then be sacrificed as the south-western corner of the Altar, as with any meal offering brought by a private individual.  A handful of it would be burned on the Altar and the rest was eaten by the Kohanim.

5:27 vehishka et-hamayim vehaita im-nitme'a vatimol ma'al be'isha uva'u va hamayim hame'arerim lemarim vetzavta vitna venafla yerecha vehaita ha'isha le'ala bekerev amah
He shall make her drink the water, and it shall be that if she had been defiled and had deceived her husband, the lethal waters shall enter her to become bitter, and her abdomen will swell and her sexual organs will rupture, and the woman will be a curse among her people.
28 veim-lo nitme'a ha'isha uteho'ra hiv venikta venizre'a zara
But if the woman was not defiled and [she] is pure, she will be cleansed and shall bear seed.
29 zot torat hakena'ot asher tiste isha tachat isha venitma'a
This is the law of jealousies, when a woman goes astray during her marriage to her husband and is defiled.
30 o ish asher ta'avor alav ru'ach kina vekine et-ishto vehe'emid et-ha'isha lifnei HASHEM ve'asa la hakohen et kol-hatora hazot
If a man is overcome with a spirit of jealousy and he is jealous of his wife, then he shall have the woman stand before HaShem, and the Kohen shall do unto her all these laws.
31 venika ha'ish me'avon veha'isha hahiv tisa et-avona
The man is cleansed of sin and that woman shall bear [the burden of] her inquity.

Following the burning of the jealousy offering, the woman would drink the water.  If she was chaste, nothing happened, and she was free to resume living with her husband.  If she was defiled, the water would begin to take effect.  Her face turned green, her eyes bulged and her organs became inflated.

When those around her beheld these symptoms, they cry out for her to be taken outside.  For the pain would cause her to menstruate, and this would prohibit her presence in the Temple court.

Then her belly distended, the sexual organs ruptured, and death followed.

At that precise moment, miraculously, her paramour, too, would die a similar death, wherever he happend to be at the time.  His stomach burst and his genitals ruptured.

Significant in this connection is that the word 'cursed' (waters) (m'arerim) - has the numerical value of twice 248 רמ״ח (resh mem chet), corresponding to twice the number of organs in the human body.  That is, he, too, would die. (Yalkut Reuveni)

This test of the bitter water was effective, however, only if the husband was free of sin, in particular, if he had never sinned carnally.  When the contrary was true, the water caused no reaction.

Therefore, if the husband knew that he was not free of sin, he was not compel his wife to take the test, lest he incur an awful punishment for having caused G-d's great Name to be erased needlessly.  Furthermore, he was then subverting the disciplinary function of the test as such.  For the woman would boast to her friends that, just as she had committed adultery, had then partaken of the water, and had nothing happen to her, nothing will anything happen to them.

For this reason, during the time of the Second Temple when sexual license became widespread and husbands were openly promiscuous, the Sanhedrin abolished the test of the bitter water.

The law of the suspected adulteress also stipulated that should a woman refuse to drink the water, she is not forced to do so.  Her husband divorces her and she does not receive her statutory marriage contract (ketubah) endowment. (Yad, Sotah 4)

If, however, her refusal comes after G-d's Name has been erased, she is forced to drink the water.


Measure for Measure

The general teaching imparted by the fate of the adulteress, is that a man's punishment accords with his transgressions, measure for measure, in every detail.

She had posed herself in the doorway of her house to be visible to her lover, and the Kohen places her, disrobed, at the entrance to the Temple Court.  She put beautiful flowers in her hair for adornment, so the Kohen dishevels her hair and removes the covering from her head.  She adorned her face, so her face turns green.  She shaded her eyes, so her eyes bulge.  She plaited her locks, so her hair is tangled.  She placed charming belts about her, so the Kohen girds her with an Egyptian rope.  She extended her thigh, so her thigh is ruptured.  She allowed him on her belly, so her belly swells.  She fed him delicacies, so her offering is of barley, a food of cattle.

This barley also symbolizes her brazenness.  For unlike wheat which comes out of the ground modestly attired in many layers of husk, barley emerges relatively uncovered, just as she displayed herself in order to entice men to approach her carnally.

Wheat is hot, while barley is cold.  Those who sin carnally are aroused into heat by the evil inclination, and the offering of barley is symbolic warning which says, "Men, do not allow yourselves to be aroused by what is forbidden."

She had served her lover drinks in handsome pictures, so the Kohen brings her water in an earthenware dish.

She herself drank from elegant goblets, so she is made to drink the water from a vessel of clay.

She sinned in concealment, so G-d proclaims her sin to the world.

This also explains why G-d had specifically commanded that no oil or frankincense be added to her sacrifical offering, and why it was a barley offering.

She had secluded herself with him in darkened places and behaved like an animal, so her reminder-offering lacks light-giving oil and it is constituted of animal feed.

She departed from the path of righteousness upon which have trodden our Matriarchs Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah, whom Scripture denotes as frankincense (levonah); as it is written, "Before the day cools, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to... the hill of frankincense" (Shir HaShirim 4:6); so her offering is devoid of frankincense.

If the Kohen violated this proghibition against adding oil and frankincense to the meal offering, he incurred a double measure of corporal punishment. (Sotah, Chapter 1; Yalkut Shimoni)

As for the Mishkan soil that was blended into the offering, it pointed to the fate that awaited her as a result of her transgression.  She would die and dwell in the worm-infested earth.

Accordingly, the Torah says, "He will take some earth from the Mishkan floor," the literal meaning of "Mishkan" being a dwelling place.

These three ingredients of the sotah drink - earth, water and G-d's Name - recall the three aspects spoken of in the following maxim of Akavya ben Mahallalel.

1. "Ponder three things and you will not sin:  whence you came...from a putrid drop (of semen)"  - in the sotah drink this is represented by the water
2. "where you are bound... to a place of earth and worms" - represented by the earth that her drink contains
3. "before Whom you are to render an account - before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He" - represented by G-d's Name that is placed in the water.

Parashat Beha'alotecha
BaMidbar 8:1-12:16

8:1vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
And HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
2daber el-Aharon ve'amarta elav behaalotcha et-hanerot el-mul penei hamenora yairu shivat hanerot
Speak to Aharon, and say to him, "When you light the lamps towards the face of the Menorah, shall the seven lamps cast [their] light."

The Midrash relates that Aharon was deeply distressed when he saw that eleven tribes, plus Efrayim, had brought offerings, but G-d had not instructed the tribe of Levi to do the same.

"It is on account of me," he reflected, "that this tribe, at whose head I stand, has not presented an offering.  Because I bear the blame for the Golden Calf, the Leviim have lost the privilege of submitting an offering at the inauguration of the Altar."

But G-d said to Moshe, "Tell your brother Aharon to cease grieving, for his tribe is destined for a more exalted honor.  They will be the ones to set up and light the Menorah of the Temple (Beit HaMikdash)."

This explains why the present Portion of the Torah, which deals with the Menorah-lamp, follows the Portion that dealt with the offerings brought by the tribal leaders. (Rashi; BaMidbar Rabbah; Yalkut Shimoni)

According to another interpretation, G-d said to Moshe, "Go tell Aharon to cease grieving at not having brought an offering for the inauguration (chanukah) of the Altar.  In the future I shall bring about through his descendants another inauguration - one that will be entirely in their hands.  Through the Hasmoneans I will effect wondrous things for the Jewish people, leading to an inauguration that will come to be known as Chanukah beit HaChashmonaim - "The Inauguration by the Hasmonean Dynasty." On that occasion, they will kindle the lights [of the Temple Menorah] which is greater mitzvah than offering sacrifices.  For while sacrificial offerings are brought only when the Temple is standing, the Chanukah lights will be lit throughout all generations - even when there is no Beit HaMikdash.

There is another precept that will alwasy be performed, the Priestly Blessing.  Accordingly, the Torah has placed, in succession, the chapters on the Priestly Blessing, the offerings of the tribal leaders, and the present chapter.  This teaches us that with the first and last commands, G-d comforted Aharon for not having been privileged to present an offering at the dedication of the Altar. (Ramban; Tzeror HaMor; Baal HaTurim)

The following analogy is appropriate.

A certain king once prepared a magnificent feast, and every day he invited numerous guests to celebrate with him.  However, he did not ivite a very great friend of his who loved the king dearly.  Naturally, the friend was deeply pained, imagining that the monarch's failure to invite him was an expression of his displeasure. 

But then the king sent for his friend and said to him, "True, I have made a feast and invited multitudes.  Know, however, that in honor of our friendship it is my intention to arrange a feast to which only you will be invited."

The situation is similar here.  G-d is the Supreme King, the festive occasion is the dedication of the Altar - and G-d says to Aharon, "Do not be distressed at failing to participate in the offerings for the inauguration, for you are the Kohen and there will be an inauguration reserved exclusively for you." (Tanchuma; Yalkut Shimoni)

As the Midrash said that Aharon was deeply distressed when he saw that "eleven tribes, plus Efrayim" had brought offerings.  The particular phrasing of this Midrash seems significant.  Why did it not state, simply, "When Aharon saw that twelve tribes had brought their offerings..."?  Why the particular construction suggesting that Aharon was distressed primarily because of Efrayim?

Recalling Parashat Shemini, that the tribal leaders brought their offerings on successive days, without interruption, beginning with the first day of the week, so that when the leader of Efrayim brought his offering on the seventh day, it was the Shabbat.

Now, a public offering may be presented on the Shabbat, because in relation to it, the prohibition against doing certain activities on this day is suspended.  This is not as regards a private offering.  That is, if an individual wishes to bring a sacrifice in fulfillment of an obligation, whether it be an oath-offering (neder) or a gift-offering (nedavah), he cannot bring it on a Shabbat, because the offering of a private person does not override the Shabbat prohibition against performing the tasks involved.

Thus, had Aharon not seen the tribe of Efrayim bring its offering, on the Shabbat, he would not have been so disturbed.  Instead of concluding that his own tribe had lost the privilege to participate in these sacrificial offerings on account of his wrongdoing, he would have thought that each leader had presented a person offering, not one on behalf of his tribe.  Once he saw that the offering of Efrayim abrogated the Shabbat laws, he knew that it was a public offering - and he was distressed at the implication.

8:3vayaas ken Aharon el-mul penei haMenorah he'ela neroteiha ka'asher tziva HASHEM et-Moshe
Aharon did so; towards the face of the Menorah he lit its lamps, just as HaShem commanded Moshe.

"Towards the face of the Menorah" refers to the fact that G-d commanded him to arrange for all the lights to face the central branch, which was called "the face of the Menorah (penei hamenorah)."

The Torah here specifically praises Aharon for not having deviated from this instruction. (Rashi)  This seems superfluous, however, for how could Aharon have done other than what G-d commanded him? (Rashi)

The answer is contained in Parashat Tetzaveh, that whenever the Benei Yisrael did G-d's will, a miracle occurred affecting the central or western-most light.  Although the amount of oil in that branch was the same as in the others, sufficient for a single night, it burned an entire night and an entire day - and the lights for the following night were lit from that light.

Accordingly, the verse here tells us that as long as Aharon lived, this miracle continued.  In his merit, consequently, the western light was never extinguished, and the pattern of kindling the other lights from this light never varied. (Esh Dat, Tetzavah)

Another explanation of why it was necessary to emphasize that Aharon did not deviate from the instructions, is related in the following.

The seven lights symbolized seven of our forefathers: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, David and Shlomo, with the central or western light corresponding to Moshe.  So G-d commanded that all the other lights should face the central light, telling us thereby that the western light (Moshe) was the most important one.  Since all the virtue and greatness of our forefathers derived from the fact that they headed the Torah and fulfilled its commandments, it naturally follows that Moshe, through whom the Torah was given, was the greatest among them.

The lights of the Menorah were meant to make evident this superiority of Moshe vis-a-vis the others.  Since they also served to show that he was greater than Aharon, represented by the fifth light, it might be thought that Aharon would be embarrassed to light the Menorah and demonstrate his inferiority.  So the Torah accents that "Aharon did that, lighting the lamps towards the face of the Menorah, as G-d commanded Moshe." (Zera Berach, Pt. 2)

8:4 vezeh ma'ase hamenorah miksha zahav ad-yerecha ad-pircha miksha hiv kamare asher hera HASHEM et-Moshe ken asa et-hamenorah
This is how the Menorah was made; beaten from [a block of] gold, from its base until its flowers it is beaten out [of solid block], according to the vision which HaShem showed to Moshe, so he made the Menorah.

When G-d commanded Moshe to make the Menorah, He cautioned him against forming it by parts - not to make the branches separately, as one usually does, and then weld them to the body of the Menorah proper. He instructed him to make it as a unity by hammering and molding the form of the Menorah directly from the metal.

Moshe, however, found construction of the Menorah more perplexing than the making of any of the other vessels of the Mishkan.  So G-d showed him a Menorah of fire, which Moshe copied.

That is the significance of, "This is how the Menorah was made... according to the vision that HaShem showed to Moshe." It was like the Menorah which He had directly pointed out to him. (Tanchuma; Rashi)

An additional amount of information is included in the word vezeh (this) "this is how the Menorah was made.."; namely the height of the Menorah was 18 hand breadths corresponding to the numerical value ofוזה (veseh - 5+7+6). (Yad, Bet HaBechirah 2; Sefer Mitzvot Gadol; Rashi; Bachya)

It explains why, facing the Menorah, there was a slab of pure marble, more strikingly beautiful than the gold, upon which the Kohen would ascend to prepare and light the lamps.  On it he would also place the wick tongs and ash scoops - the instruments used in caring for the Menorah.  This marble slab was 8 1/2 hand breadths high and 9 hand breadths long.

It is understood, then, that when the Torah said beha'alotecha, "When you go up..." (8:2), it was referring to the fact that the Kohen would have to ascend the steps of this slab whenever he wished to light the lamps. (Shiltei Giborim 31)

The same word also teaches us that he had to keep on kindling the lamps until the flame rose upward (leha'alot - to raise up).

It carries further connotation of ascent to eminence: the Scripture conveys that this Mitzvah would lend eminence to the Jewish people and increase their prestige in the eyes of the nations. (Rashi)

G-d is saying to the Benei Yisrael, in effect, "It is My wish that by lighting the Menorah you become a light for Me, just as I was a light for you in the wilderness" - as it is written, "G-d went before them by day with a pillar of cloud, to guide them along the way.  By night it appeared as a pillar of fire, providing them with lights" (Shemot 13:21).


An Apt Analogy

A man of normal vision and a blind man were walking along a road, when the former said to the latter, "Here, give me your hand and I will show you the way." 

After they arrived home, however, it was the man with the normal vision who now said to the blind man, "Light a candle for me and illuminate my way to return for what I did for you on the road.  I do not want you to feel humiliated by what I did for you."

G-d sees from one end of the world to the other, including both the good and the evil deeds of men.  The Benei Yisrael represent the blind man, for they had plastered over their eyes against seeing when they erected the Gold Calf.  So G-d proceeded to light the way for them in the wilderness.

Now, however, when they came to build the Mishkan, G-d said to them: "Because I do not want you to feel shame on account of the kindness that I extended to you by illuminating your path in the desert, pay Me back by lighting the Menorah before Me."

It is, of course, meaningless to speak of paying back or rewarding G-d, since He requires no man's light, being Himself the Illuminator of the world.  Nonetheless, He demanded payment as if He were their equal, forfeit the thought, out of His great love for them.  For the nations would then say, "How beloved are the Benei Yisrael before G-d.  See how He did not want them to remain in debt to Him and be ashamed!" (Tanchuma; Rashi)


Why Seven Lamps?

The number of lamps was seven, no more and no less, corresponding to the seven days of Creation.

Some see it as corresponding to the seven heavenly bodies (closest to the earth) - Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, the Sun and the Moon.

Others relate it to the seven nations that Moshe exterminated; as it is written, "He will uproot many nations before you - the Chitti, Girgashi, Amori, Kenaani, Perizi, Chivi and Yevusi - seven nations more numerous and powerful than you are" (Devarim 7:1).  So he made a seven-branched Menorah.

King Shlomo, on the other hand, ruled over seventy nations, as it is written, "Shlomo reigned over all kingdoms..." (1Melachim 5:1).  So he erected a Menorah of seventy branches.

An allusion to this future Menorah of King Shlomo is contained in the present verse, in the words, "The Menorah was made" (asah).  The numerical value of the word עָשָׂה (asah - 5+300+70=375) being the same as that of the nameשְׁלֹמֹה (Shlomo - 5+40+30+300=375). (Yalkut Shimoni)

This correspondence derives from the fact that on high there exists seventy prototype nations, that is, the seventy supernal princes - Sarim, each of whom sustains one nation. (Baal HaTurim)

The lights of the physical Menorah serve to extinguish the "lights" of those princes on high.  This may be likened to a system of reality where for every light kindled below - in the material world - a light is dimmed elsewhere (on high).

Accordingly, because Moshe found it necessary to extinguish the lights of seven such "princes," he made a seven-branched Menorah.  Inasmuch as King Shlomo had to extinguish the lights of seventy nations, the Menorah he made comprised seventy branches. (Zera Berach)

8:5vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
6 kach et-haleviyim mitoch benei Yisrael vetiharta otam
Take the Leviim from among Benei Yisrael and purify them.

In the previous portion, after the first-born and the Leviim were counted, the latter had each been given their respective tasks in the Mishkan.

Here they are instructed, finally, to purify themselves before actually beginning to serve in the Mishkan. (Ramban)

This was necessary because they had remained ritually defiled ever since coming in contact with corpses when they killed all those who had worshiped the Golden Calf.  Thus the Torah had written, "Let each one kill, even his own brother, close friend, or relative" (Shemot 32:27).

All in all, G-d was saying to Moshe, "Take the Leviim - sway them with words of encouragement - and tell them how fortunate they are in having merited to become servants of G-d." (Bachya; Rashi; Yalkut Shimoni)

8:7vecho-ta'aseh lahem letaharam hazeh aleihem mei chatat vehe'eviru ta'ar al-kol-besaram vechibsu vigdeihem vehiteharu
This is what you shall do to them, to purify them; sprinkle them with the sin-offering waters, and shave their entire bodies, and they shall wash their garments and purify themselves.

They are instructed to pass a razor over their bodies, the law being the same for a leper who is required to shave himself as part of the process of purification first shaving off the hair of his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and then all other body hair.

The Leviim were required to shave off all hair except for the side-locks proscribed by the Torah. (Ibn Ezra; Bachya)

After shaving off all their hair, they were sprinkled with the sin-offering water of the Parah Adumah (Red Heifer).  Then they removed their defiled garments and put on clean ones. (Abarbanel)


The First Journey

In the second year after leaving Egypt, on the 20th of Iyar, the cloud rose from the Mishkan, signifying that they were to move away from this location.  It was the first time they broke camp since coming to the Wilderness of Sinai.

It follows that they had stayed in the Wilderness of Sinai - Chorev - twelve months minus ten days, since they had camped there on the first day of the month of Sivan, of the first year, and they were departing on the 20th of Iyar (the month preceding Sivan) of the second year. (Abarbanel; Rashi; Ramban)

10:12vayisu venei-Yisrael lemaseihem mimidbar Sinai vayishkon he'nan bemidbar Paran
Benei Yisrael traveled along on their journesy, form the Sinai desert, and the Cloud came to rest in the desert of Paran.
13 vayisu barishona al-pi HASHEM beyad-Moshe
This was the first time that they traved, on the order of HaShem, through Moshe.
14vayisa degel machaneh venei-Yehudah barishona letzivotam ve'al-tzevao Nachshon ben-Aminadav
Then traveled the banner of the sons of Yehudah's camp in the forefront according to their divisions; in charge of its divisions [was] Nachshon the son of Aminadav.
15ve'al-tzeva mate benei Yissashochar Netanel ben-Tzu'ar
In charge of the division of the tribe of the sons of Yissachar, [was] Netanel the son of Tzu'ar.
16 ve'al-tzeva mate benei Zevulun Eli'av ben-Chelon
In charge of the division of the tribe of the sons of Zevulun, [was] Eli'av the son of Chelon.

The manner in which they set forth from here, set the pattern of all other departures.  First the cloud would rise from the Mishkan.  Then the trumpets would blare tekiyah-teruah-tekiyah, and the camp of Yehudah, Yissachar and Zevulun, headed by their respective tribal leaders - Nachshon son of Aminadav (Yehudah), Netanel son of Tzu'ar (Yissachar), and Eli'av son of Chelon (Zevulun) - would begin moving.

Why, it may be asked, did the Torah find it necessary to list the names of the leaders, having already listed them earlier?

The Torah, however, wishes to teach us that even when the Benei Yisrael were traveling, they were guided by their leaders.  They obeyed their commands, just as an army executes the orders of its king.

10:17 vehurad hamishkan venasu veneigershon uvenei merari nosei hamishkan
[Then] the Mishkan was dismantled and the sons of Gershon traveled, with the sons of Merari, those who carried the Mishkan.

At the same time that they, the camp of Yehudah, set out, Aharon and his sons would enter the Mishkan, and after removing the partition drape, use it to cover the Holy Ark.

The the Gershoni and Merari would dismantle the Mishkan and load it onto the wagons.  The Holy Ark and the sacred implements, they would leave in their places.

After the camp of Yehudah, Yissachar and Zevulun had left, followed by the Gershoni and Merari bearing the Mishkan, the trumpets would sound once more a tekiyah-teruah-tekiyah refrain, and the banner of the camp of Reuven, Shimon and Gad set forth, led by their respective tribal leaders, Elitzur son of Shedei'ur, Shelumi'el son of Tzuri-shaddai, Elyassaf son De'u'el.

After this camp of three tribes had left, the Kehati would lift the Holy Ark by means of the poles that had been inserted for this purpose, and place it on their shoulders.

When they departed with the Holy Ark, the trumpets would sound tekiyah-teruah-tekiyah a third time, and the camp of Efrayim, Menashe and Binyamin set out, led by their respective leaders, Elishamah son of Amihud, Gamliel son of Padah-tzur, and Avidan son of Gid'oni.

The the tekiya-teruah-tekiyah would be sounded a fourth time, and the banner of the camp of Dan, Asher and Naftali would depart, led by their respective leaders, Achi'ezer, son of Ami-shaddai, Pagi'el son of Achran, and Achirah son of Einan.

Because of its sacredness and great significance, the Holy Ark did not travel ahead of everyone else, but stayed in the middle, at the core of the Benei Yisrael, where it belonged.  There were thus two banners ahead of it and two behind it.

Another reason is this.  Had the Ark traveled at the head, on reaching campsite it would have had to be lowered to the ground, there to wait until the wagons carrying the Mishkan reached it.  To subject the Holy Ark to such a delay before it could be properly set up, would have been irreverent.

Accordingly, it was necessary for two banners to precede it, together with the Mishkan.  In this way, while the Ark was still in transit, the Mishkan would be put up, and when the Ark finally arrived, it could be set in place without having to stand in the open even for a moment.

Dan is referred to as "the ingatherer of the camps" because as the most powerful of the tribes, it remained at the rear. Marching last, it would "gather up" and collect whatever anyone had forgotten or left behind, and return it to its owner.

This journey away from the Wilderness of Sinai took three days, until they set up camp at Paran. (Ramban, Yitro; Bachya)

10:33vayisu mehar HASHEM derech sheloshet yamim va'aron berit-HASHEM nosea lifneihem derech sheloshet yamim latur lahem menucha
They traveled from the mountain of HaShem a journey of three days, and the Ark of the Covenant of HaShem traveled in front of them a journey of three days, to prepare for them a place to settle.
34va'anan HASHEM aleihem yomam benasam min-hamachane
The Cloud of HaShem was above them by day when they traveled from the camp.

Two Arks accompanied the Benei Yisrael in the desert.  In one Ark lay the last Tablets that Moshe brought down from the mountain of Sinai: this Ark never left the Ohel Mo'ed when not in transit, and en route it was carried in the center of the formations.

In the second Ark lay the fragments of the first Tablets that Moshe had shattered, and all alone it would precede the Benei Yisrael a distance of three-day's journey, clearing a path for them.

Hence the significance of the present verse declaring that "the Ark of G-d's covenant traveled three days ahead of them in order to find them a place to settle."

In other words, this particular Ark was used for readying a campsite for them; it would also accompany them into battle. (Shekalim, Chapter 6, according to Rashi; Radak.  See Raman; Abarbanel)

As this Ark moved along, two rays of sparks spurted from between the carrying poles, incinerating the snakes and scorpions and destroying whatever hostile elements came out against the Benei Yisrael. (Yalkut Shimoni)

The Torah now goes on to tell us that on the first journey, the Benei Yisrael, upon leaving the wilderness of Chorev (Sinai) on their way to the Wilderness of Paran, a distance of three-day's journey, covered the distance in one day, after the Ark prepared the way for them.

Besides that deployed Ark, the Benei Yisrael were enveloped by seven clouds of Glory - four along the four geographical directions, one over them, and one beneath them.  They were thus spared the inconvenience of the winds, the rain, and the dew.  The cloud that advanced before them smoothed their path.

Because they were thus enclosed by the clouds, the Benei Yisrael were not so much like wayfarers traveling on foot, but like passengers on a ship who take no heed of the motion of the vessel, neither by day or night.  Unperturbed by the elements around them, they felt as if they were in their own homes. (Rashi; Yalkut Shimoni)

10:35vayehi binso'a ha'aron vayomer Moshe kuma HASHEM veyafutzu oiveicha veyanusu mesaneicha mipaneicha
Whenever the Ark departed Moshe would say, "Rise, HaShem, and may your enemies disperse, and those who hate You flee before You."
36uvenucho yomar shuva HASHEM rivavot alfei Yisrael
When it rested, he would say, "Com to rest, HaShem, among the myriads and thousands of Yisrael."

We can easily see that this small chapter is out of place here, that it actually belongs after Chapter 18 of BaMidbar, which begins with, "On the march, the Ohel Mo'ed and the camp of the Leviim shall then proceed" (BaMidbar 2:17).

The chapter was inserted here, however, to act as a separation between one affliction and another, that is, between the chapter of, "[The Benei Yisrael] marked [the distance of] a three day journey from G-d's mountain," and the forthcoming chapter of, "The people began to complain and it was evil in G-d's ears."

That the present chapter is out of its proper place, is indicated in the Torah scroll by being bracketed within inverted letters Nun.  This tells us that it properly belongs 50 chapters earlier, near the verse, "On the march..." (Shayarei Kenesset HaGedolah, Yoreh Deah, in notes on Beit Yosef; Shabbat, Chapter 16; Bachya; Baal HaTurim; Sifetei Kohen; Rashi)

Another explanation given for the two inverted Nuns, pertains to the fact that the great merit of the Benei Yisrael, after all, stemmed from their having uttered two words at Mount Sinai: na'aseh "we shall do" and nishma "we shall heed."

That their distinction derives from this moment, is related to the fact that when G-d appeared on the mountain of Sinai, He was accompanied by 600,000 angelic beings that bestowed upon every Benei Yisrael two crowns so to speak, bearing the inscription of G-d's Explicit Name.  These corresponded to Na'aseh and nishma.

At this time they were more beloved than angels, having become transformed into spiritual beings.  Now, however, they were determined to free themselves of the yoke [of self-control] imposed upon them by the commandments of the Torah, and were running away from Mount Sinai like a man running away from a conflagration.  So, correspondingly, the Nun's were overturned, symbolizing the fact that now their condition was the obverse of what it had been when they exclaimed, "We shall do, and we shall heed (na'aseh v'nishma).

In this connection, note that the name of the Hebrew Nun (נ׳ו׳ן) is the acrostic of na'aseh v'nishma (נַ׳עֲשֶׂה וְ׳נִ׳שְׁמַע).

But why was this particular chapter inserted as a separation?

The answer - because these verses are pervaded with auspicious significance, projecting as they do the pinnacle of eminence that characterized the Benei Yisrael in the desert prior to their transgressions. (Yalkut Shimoni. See Rashi; Nachalat Yaakov)

Thus, although whenever they were ready to move on, the cloud would lift from above the Mishkan (hence, "Arise O Hashem") and the Ark that stayed ahead of them would stir, ready to depart (hence, "and scatter Your enemies!  Let Your foes flee before You!"), the cloud did not actually begin moving, nor did the Ark advance, until Moshe called out the appropriate words.

Similarly, when the Benei Yisrael were about to set up camp, the cloud and the Ark did not halt unless Moshe cried out, "Return, O HaShem, [to] the myriads of Yisrael's thousands."

This pattern found explicit expression in the earlier verse, "They thus camped at G-d's word and moved on at G-d's word, keeping the trust in G-d.  [It was all done] according to G-d's word through Moshe."

In other words, coming to rest and setting forth was conditional both upon the command of G-d and the command of Moshe.

"Arise," Moshe was saying, "so that the enemy who ventures out against us will be scattered before You, and those who come to oppress us out of hatred for You, will flee from Your presence.

On the other hand, when setting up camp he would exclaim, "Return, O HaShem, [to] the myriads of Yisrael's thousands." That is, "Rest Your presence upon the myriads of Yisrael's thousands, and let not Your Shechinah depart from them.  Bless them and multiply them into the thousands and tens of thousands." (Ralbag)

(To be continued...)

Parashat Shelach
BaMidbar 13:1 - 15:41

13:1 vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
And HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
2shelach-lecha anashim veyaturu et-eretz kenaan asher-ani noten livnei Yisrael ish echad ish echad lemate avotav tishlachu kol nasi vahem
"Send, for yourself, men, and have them scout the Land of Kenaan, which I am giving to Benei Yisrael; one man, one man each, for his father's tribe you shall send them, each leader among them."

The three episodes: Miriam's punishment, Korach, and the spies, took place one after the other.

The episode concerning Miriam occurred while the Benei Yisrael were still in Chatzerot, on the 22nd day of the month of Sivan, in the second year after the Exodus from Egypt.  Thus, on the 20th of Iyar, the Cloud set out from Chorev; this was followed by a three-day journey, at the end of which they camped at Kivrot HaTaavah on the 22nd of Iyar.  There they made their demand for meat, of which they partook for an entire month (explained in Parashat Beha'alotecha).  This came to an end on 22 Sivan, and on that day they left for Chatzerot.

Now if we take into account that the spies were away for 40 days, completing their mission on the 9th of Av, it follows that they were dispatched on the 29th of Sivan from the Paran Desert ("Moshe sent them from the Paran Desert at G-d's bidding").  In other words, the Benei Yisrael reamined in Chatzerot only seven days, during which both the episode involving Miriam and the episode involving Korach took place.  Thus, immediately after the conclusion of Miriam's seven days of quarantine at Chatzerot, they left for Paran, where the scouts were sent out. (Taanit, Chapter 1)

This tells us that the episode of Miriam occurred first, followed by that of Korach.  The question may naturally be asked, why then has the Torah put the story of the spies after that of Miriam, rather than after the story of Korach, which happened earlier?  Why does Parashat Korach not appear here instead, followed by  Parashat Shelach?

The answer is that, by deliberately recording the story of the spies after the episode of Miriam, the Torah underscores the evil of what they had done.  They had witnessed the punishment that was meted out to Miriam for maligning Moshe: despite the purity of her motives, she was stricken by leprosy and alienated from G-d for seven days.  But they did not learn, from her fate, to desist from maligning the land, despite the short interval of time that separated the two events. (Rashi; Raanach.  See Mizrachi; Nachalat Yaakov)

In the second year after the Exodus form Egypt the Benei Yisrael approached the land of Yisrael, and were within eleven days of entering it, had they not sinned.  Moshe then said to them, "See! G-d has placed the land before you.  Head north and occupy it."

But the Benei Yisrael answered, "Let us instead send out men to explore the territory for us."

"G-d promised us," they replied, "that immediately upon entering the land we would enjoy every benefit and have abundant possessions, saying, '[You will also have] houses filled with all good things that you did not put there, finished cisterns that you did not quarry, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant' (Devarim 6:11).  However, when the Kenaani hear of our coming to take possession of the land, they will excavate pits and hidden bunkers under the earth where they will hide all their possessions.  So when we finally enter the land we shall find nothing, and G-d's promise will have become null and void.  Let us, therefore, dispatch spies to find all those hidden places, and they will know where all the concealed treasures are to be dug up."

This then is the intent of the words, "Send men ahead of us to explore (chafor) the land."  That is, "Let us send men who will observe the excavations (chafirot) and the hiding places constructed by the Kenaani for the purpose of concealing their possessions.  Our desire to send spies ahead is not prompted by doubt about the quality of the land. (BaMidbar Rabbah; Yalkut Shimoni; Tanchuma; Rashi)

When Moshe heard these arguments, he concluded that the idea to dispatch scounts was not without merit.  It even appealed to him, as revealed in Parashat Devarim: "I approved and appointed twelve men, one for each tribe" (Devarim 1:23).  Still, he hesitated to send them solely on the basis of his own judgment.  So he said, "I will go and consult G-d to see if He agrees with me."

When Moshe went to consult the Shechinah, G-d said to him, "They are capable of misleading you, for you are flesh and blood and do not fathom the hidden recesses of their hearts.  They tell you that the scouts should be sent for the purpose of locating the places of hoarding.  But I, Who test the inner parts of men, know that what prompts them is a lace of faith in Me.  Although I have already told them that it is a good land, they wish to know the quality of that land.  Nor is this the first time that they betray a lace of faith in My words; already in Egypt they had begun to offend Me in this manner.  I will say nothing more to you about this matter.  If you wish, send them."

G-d's answer is indicated in the words, "Send out men for yourself."  The words, "for yourself," are an allusion to what G-d said to Moshe, "Sending them will be your decision - an expression of what you want.  Nothing at all will I command you regarding this matter."

Another interpretation regards the words "for yourself" as informing us that G-d said to Moshe, "Even if they have already decided to send out spies, the final decision to send them will be yours; otherwise, it will constitute an insurrection against you - and woe to the generation where everyone is a leader.  You will be the one to dispatch whomever you wish.  But because they had no faith in Me, they will not be privileged to see the land when the time comes for Me to bequeath it."

One may think of this as follows:

A king had arranged the marriage of his son to a woman possessed of every virtue in clothes, wealth, and family.  But the son said, "I will to see her, for I do not believe what you tell me."
The father became very angry at his son's lack of trust, but he knew that if he did not show the woman, the son would conclude that she must be homely.  So the king said to him, "I will show you the woman so that you will not be able to say that I want to mislead you and that I am lying.  But I swear that not you, but your son, will marry her."

Similarly did G-d speak to the Benei Yisrael.  After He told them that He was giving them a desirable country that lacked nothing, they said, "Send men ahead of us to explore the land.  Let them see whether it is good."  So G-d considered that if He did not permit them to dispatch scouts, they would say that it was a bad country.

"Let them, therefore, send out men.  But I swear that they themselves will not see the land."

"This land," G-d was saying, "that I am giving to the Benei Yisrael, I will give to their children and not them, not to those who provoked Me." (Abarbanel)

This entire matter of sending out spies angered G-d, but He said to Moshe, "If you are indeed sending scouts, choose men of substance and piety who will tell the truth and not resort to lies in order to malign the land."

Accordingly, the men that Moshe dispatched were important persons of high standing.  But they were corrupted and became wicked.

13:3vayishlach otam Moshe mimidbar paran al-pi HASHEM kulam anashim rashei venei-Yisrael hema
Moshe sent them from the desert of Paran by the word of HaShem; all of them [were] men of distinction, they were the heads of Benei Yisrael.

The Prophet Eliyahu Teaches About Leadership

The Sage of the Talmud, Rabbbi Joshua ben Levi wanted to meet the prophet Eliyahu, and he prayed to G-d to fulfill his desire.  His prayer was accepted and Eliyahu the Prophet appeared to him.

"What is it you wish?" Asked Eliyahu.

"I want to know about the things that you do in this world."

"That cannot be," answered Eliyahu.

"Why not?"

"Because you will see me do things that you will find unbearable."

"Nonetheless, I wish to go with you."

"Good, come with me, then," replied Eliyahu, and they set off together.

When it became dark, they stayed for the night with a destitute couple whose only possession was a meager little cow.  The poor man welcomed them happily, served them food and drink, and honored them greatly, in accordance with their illustrious stature.

In the middle of the night, Eliyahu rose, and with one blow to the head of the cow, killed it.

"Could Eliyahu the Prophet be doing what even a mountain bandit would not do!" exclaimed Rabbi Joshua.  "Have you not sinned by what you have done?  The cow is this poor man's sole source of income, and here you have killed it!  Is this you way of paying him back for his having fed us and giving us a royal welcome?"

"If you ask me even one more thing," replied Eliyahu, "I will separate from you, and you will no longer be able to accompany me.  If you want to continue staying near me, be silent and do not ask about anything that I do."

They resumed their journey, and the second night they spent in the home of a very wealthy man.  Just then he happened to be preoccupied with building his house, and when he saw them, he did not even nod in their direction, nor did he rise or stir from his place.  Nor did he serve them anything to eat or to drink.

In the middle of the night, Eliyahu the Prophet arose, and asking Rabbi Joshua ben Levi to take hold of one end of a rope, he took hold of the other end, and after making certain measurements, erected a wondrous and magnificent palace comprised of 120 chambers.

Rabbi Joshua's perplexity grew.  He mused to himself: "In the case of that poor man who welcomed you into his house, serving you food and drink and honoring you so greatly, you killed his cow in the middle of the night.  But when it came to this rich man who did not even welcome you properly, you  bestowed this boon upon him, erecting a great palace for whose construction even vast sums of money would not have sufficed."

They then departed, arriving at a location whose residents were all very wealthy.  They were person of such self-importance that they did not even look at the two sages, and refused to provide them with food and drink.

The next day, upon arising, Eliyahu prayed to G-d to make them all leaders.

Subsequently they came to a place where inhabitants were all poor.  They the beheld the two sages, they welcomed them joyously, fed them and honored them greatly - despite the meager means at their disposal.

The next day, upon arising, Eliyahu implored G-d to provide them with a single leader.

Said Rabbi Joshua ben Levi to Eliyahu: "I can no longer bear the things that I see you do.  Please explain them to me, for I understand nothing."

"But if I explain everything, you will no longer be able to come with me."

"I agree - just explain to me why you killed the cow of that poor man!"

"know then," replied Eliyahu, "that on the same night, the wife of this man, who was more precious to him than thousands upon thousands of gold pieces, was meant to die.  So I killed his cow that it might take the place of his wife - 'a life for a life'" (Shemot 21:23)

"So what about that rich man who did not even turn his face in our direction and who did not feed us - why did you build him that great castle?"

"Know that if that wealthy man had dug 200 or 300 cubits under the house, he would have found a great treasure.  Therefore I anticipated him by building the castle.  It will not exist for a long time, however, for it stands miraculously.  It will collapse suddenly and he will never find that treasure."

"Those men of wealth who gave us nothing - why did you bless them with many leaders?" asked Rabbi Joshua.

"That was not a blessing but a curse.  For when there are many leaders, the result is havoc.  There is a saying, 'With many captains the ship sinks.'"

"On the other hand, upon those people who served us so well, I bestowed the blessing that they should have but a single leader.  For a city that is ruled by a single head will in the end survive."

Thus Ben Sirah delcares, "By a man of understanding is a city populated."

When we see a wicked man place his trust in himself and rely on his wealth, know that it is not to his advantage.  On the other hand, if we see a righteous man suffering and lacking even the necessities of life - it is not to his detriment but to his benefit, as an atonement for his soul.

If a man has money and he gives charity to the poor, his possessions will remain.  But if not, his money will fly from him as if it were on wings.

Now we understand what the Torah means by the words, "All the men were leaders of the Benei Yisrael."

Moshe instructed the men to operate under one leader - they should not all be heads and princes.  But, as indicated by the sequencing of the words "Moshe sent them... all the men," they did the exact opposite of what their overall leader to told them - they all became chieftains and commanders.  The result was  as the Torah goes on to reveal.

13:4ve'ele shemotam lemate Reuven Shamua ben-Zakur
These are their names; for the tribe of Reuven, Shamua the son of Zakur.
5 lemate Shimon Shafat ben-Chori
For the tribe of Shimon, Shafat the son of Chori.
6lemate Yehudah Kalev ben-Yefuneh
For the tribe of Yehudah, Kalev the son of Yefuneh.
7lemate Yissachar Yigal ben-Yosef
For the tribe of Yissachar, Yigal the son of Yosef.
8 lemate Efrayim Hoshea bin-Nun
For the tribe of Efrayim, Hoshea son of Nun.
9lemate Vinyamin Palti ben-Rafu
For the tribe of Binyamin, Palti the son of Rafu.
10lemate Zevulun Gadi'el ben-Sodi
For the tribe of Zevulun, Gadi'el son of Sodi.
11 lemate Yosef lemate Menashe Gadi ben-Susi
For the tribe of Yosef, for the tribe of Menashe, Gadi the son of Susi.
12lemate Dan Ami'el ben-Gemali
For the tribe of Dan, Ami'el the son of Gemali.
13 lemate Asher Setur ben-Micha'el
For the tribe of Asher, Setur the son of Micha'el.
14lemate Naftali Nachbi ben-Vafsi
For the tribe of Naftali, Nachbi the son of Vafsi.
15 lemate Gad Geu'el ben-Machi
For the tribe of Gad, Geu'el the son of Machi.
16ele shemot ha'anashim asher-shalach Moshe latur et-ha'aretz vayikra Moshe leHoshea bin-Nun Yehoshua
These are the names of the men whom Moshe sent to scout the land, and Moshe called Hoshea the son of Nun, Yehoshua.

Yehoshua's Name Change

These were the names of the men from birth - except for Yehoshua whose previous name had been Hoshea until Moshe changed it to Yehoshua. (Akadat Yitzchak)  Prior to this time the Torah referred to him often as Yehoshua, but it does so in anticipation of Moshes changing his name and calling him Yehoshua. (Zohar; Bachya)

The reason for this change of name by the addition of a yod (the tenth Hebrew letter), is that Moshe saw prophetically that Yehoshua would inherit ten portions in the land of Yisrael - the portions of the ten scounts who had maligned the land.  Kalev was rewarded by being given Chevron, as it is written, "And to Kalev they gave Chevron" (Shoftim 1:20). (BaMidbar Rabbah; Yalkut Shimoni)

From the fact that the Torah had also previously referred to him as Yehoshua - as in, "Yehoshua was thus able to break the ranks of Amalek and his allies with the sword" (Shemot 17:13); and in "But his aide, the young man, Yehoshua son of Nun, did not leave the tent" (Shemot 33:11) - others conclude that Moshe never changed his name at all. As for the present verse, the Torah is telling us that Moshe prayed on his behalf that G-d should help him withstand the counsel of the other spies (the Hebrew word 'Yehoshua' equals Yod - Heh 'Hoshea': G-d helping), should they malign the land of Yisrael.

He prayed for him and not for the others because Yehoshua was his disciple. Whenever a disciple becomes corrupt, people blame the teacher and say that what he did he learned from him.  Consequently he prayed for him. (Sifetei Chachamim. See Alshekh; Kavvanot HaAri; Yalkut Reuveni)

Moshe did not include among the scouts anyone from the tribe of Levi.  This is because the tribe of Levi was to receive no portion in the land of Yisrael, and only those tribes who would share in the land were dispatchec.

[In connection with the change of name from Hoshea to Yehoshua,] the Midrash relates that when G-d changed the name of our matriarch Sarah "Sarai your wife, do not call her by the name Sarai, for Sarah is her name" (Bereishit 17:15) the letter yod of Sarai took wing and appeared before the Throne of Glory, declaring, "Because I am the smallest of letters, You have removed me from the name of the righteous Sarah!" Where upon G-d said, "There will come a time when I will install you in what is an even more favorable position.  While until now you were [the end] part of a woman's name, you will then stand at the head of a man's name."

It was this Yod that Moshe now placed at the head of Yehoshua's name. (BaMidbar Rabbah; Yalkut Reuveni)

13:17vayishlach otam Moshe latur et-eretz kenaan vayomer alehem alu ze banegev va'alitem et-hahar
Moshe sent them to scout the land of Kenaan and he said to them: "Go up this [way], to the Negev and go up to the mountain."

To encourage them and allay any fears they might have of the country's inhabitants, Moshe gave them his staff which was inscribed with the Explicit Name of G-d.  He said to them, "Take this staff in your hands and fear no man.  For once they behold it, fear and trembling will seize them, and they will not be able to stand up against you."

And thus it was.  When the giants later saw the staff, they were overcome by fear and the scouts were saved.

An allusion to the staff is contained in the words, "go up this [way]...(alu zeh)." The word Zeh is a reference to the staff, as it is written, "Take this (Zeh) staff in your hand" (Shemot 4:17).

Another view is that he passed on to them G-d's Name of twelve letters, so that they might, by uttering the Name, save themselves in times of distress.  This, too, is indicated by the word Zeh.

"Go up this [way] to the Negev..." Moshe told the scouts that upon coming into the Land of Yisrael, they should turn south, toward Heaven.  The soil in that region is the worst in the entire country, rocky terrain, unfit for planting: for this reason, it was used as a burial ground.  He deliberately wanted them to go there first, applying the strategy of the traders who exhibit their worst wares first and only then their very best.

By acquainting ourselves with Chevron, this "worst" part of the country, we can gain some appreciation of how admirable the entire Land of Yisrael was. (Rashi)

When the Benei Yisrael came out of Egypt, they lamented, "Will we ever find another land as excellent as the land of Egypt, so blessed in every way, including grains?"  So G-d said to them, "The land which you are about to occupy is not like Egypt" (Devarim 11:12).  He was saying, "This land that I am about to give you is not to be compared in its excellence to the land of Egypt."

Egypt was then superior to all other lands, as it is written, "It was like G-d's own garden, like the land of Egypt" (Bereishit 13:10).  Furthermore, the choicest region in Egypt was Tzoan, where the kings and the high-ranking Egyptians lived - as it is written, "For his princes were at Tzoan" (Yeshayahu 30:4).  Yet Chevron, located in the worst part of Yisrael, was seven times better than the choicest part of Egypt, Tzoan. For as the Torah now goes on to say, "Chevron had been built (nib'netah) seven years before Tzoan in Egypt" (13:22).  In other words, it was seven times more built up (mevuneh) and developed than the choicest region of Egypt, Tzoan.  This gives us an appreciate of how good the rest of the land of Yisrael must have been. (Sifri; Yalkut Shimoni)

In telling us about the virtues of Tzoan, the Talmud states that for every se'ah (about two gallons or eight liters by volume) of wheat planted, the yield was seventy kors (1 kor = 7 bushels or about 245 liters) of grain. Chevron was sweven times more productive, the yield from one se'ah of seeds planted was 490 kors. In other words, the rest of the land of Yisrael the yield was at least 500 kors for every se'ah (1 kor = 30 se'ah), in a normal year.  In a year of abundance, the yield would be a hundredfold greater, as it is written, "That year, he reaped a hundred times more than expected.  Accordingly, in such a year of blessed abundance the yield of the land would be 50,000 kors for ever se'ah sown. (Ketubot, Chapter 13)

13:18 ure'item et-ha'aretz ma-hiv ve'et-ha'am hayoshev aleiha hechazak hu harafe hame'at hu im-rav
See what the land is; and the people living on it; are they strong
19 uma ha'aretz asher-hu yoshev ba hatova hiv im-ra'a uma he'arim asher-hu yoshev bahena habemachanim im bemivtzarim
and how is the land in which they live, is it good, or bad?  And how are the cities in which they reside; are they open, or are they fortified?
20uma ha'aretz hashemena hiv im-raza hayesh-ba etz im-ayin vehitchazaktem ulekachtem mipri ha'aretz vehayamim yemei bikurei anavim
How is the land [soil] is it fat [rich] or lean [poor], does it have trees, or not?  You shall strengthen yourselves, and you shall take some fruit of the land."  Those days were the days of the first ripening of the grapes.

Moshe told the scouts that their exploration of the land must establish four things:

1. They were to see what kind of land it was by observing whether the people who lived there were strong or weak, few or many.  That is, was the blessing of the land such that it gave rise to large populations, and were its people physically strong or frail?
2. What about the soil?  Was it suitable for dwelling upon and for sowing?
3. What about the inhabited cities?  Where they open plazas or fortresses?  They were also to find out if the cities were attractive and well built, since an attractive city means a pleased populace.  Similarly, did their monarchs have two palaces - one for use in time of war and one for use in peace-time?  In other words, in times of peace, did the populace live in sprawling, open cities, unafraid of being attacked by enemies, only in times of war locking themselves into fortified and well secured cities?

 The Torah here tells us that G-d caused the distances of the Land of Yisrael to shrink for them, so that instead of having to spend 160 days traveling from place to place, they spent 40 days.

This can be seen as follows:  The Land of Yisrael is 400 parsangs by 400 parsangs, and each parsang is 4 mil (about two miles).  Since in their great wisdom the Sages of the Talmud estimated that the average man's normal walking pace, without running or stopping, is 10 parsangs or 40 mil per day, in forty days it is possible to traverse a distance from east to west of 400 parsangs, no more.  They, however, covered the length and breadth of the Land in Yisrael in 40 days - a distance of 160 parsangs,  80 parsangs going and 80 parsangs returning.

G-d knew that they would be maligning the Land of Yisrael, and that for every day they spent exploring it they would have to remain an additional year in the desert, by divine decree.  He therefore shortened their time of travel so that the decree would be less severe. (Tanchuma; Yalkut Shimoni; Rashi.  See Abarbanel)

13:26vayelchu vayavou el-Moshe ve'el-Aharon ve'el-kol-adat benei-Yisrael el-midbar paran kadesha vayashivu otam davar ve'et-kol-ha'eda vayarum et-peri ha'aretz
They went and came to Moshe and Aharon and to the entire congregation of Benei Yisrael [that came] to the desert of Paran, in Kadesh.  They brought word back to them, and to the entire congregation, and they showed them the fruit of the Land.

 They gave the following report:  "We cam to the land where you sent us, to Chevron, in accordance with your instructions to go first to the worst part of the land, but it, too, flows with milk and honey.  So too have we seen the blessed fruit that is to be found there, and from its fruit you can begin to realize how praiseworthy the rest of the Land is. (Alshekh)

"But what does all this blessing avail us?  One the contrary, it disturbs us, for there is no possibility that we will be able to stand up against its inhabitants." (Akedat Yitzchak)

They reported: "Not only are the people living in the Land aggressive, but the cities are large and well fortified. In adddition to these two obstacles, there is also the factor of the giants' descendants whom we saw there.  Who will be foolhardy enough to make his dwelling in the lair of the lion and the lioness?  Woe to anyone who even touches them!  Besides all this, the cities are so well fortified that they are impregnable."

"Amalek lives in the Negev area - on the southern flank.  Although he is only one king, he is in a very forbidding region, a terrain of rocks and boulders that is difficult to capture.

"Then there are the Chitti, Yevusi and Amori, who live in the hills.  These three kings dwell on the mountain plateau, while the Kenaani live near the sea and on the banks of the Yarden.  Again here, although the Kenaani are only one kingdom under one king, there are the additional two obstacles of the sea and the Yarden.

"How, then, shall we be able to attack and conquer them?  If we approach from the southern flank, we shall come up against Amalek and his searing hatred for us.  Should we, on the other hand, decide to approach by way of the mountains, we will be stopped by the three kingdoms.  Nor can we come by way of the sea or the Yarden.  There is thus no way in which they can be overcome."

We see that the spies had here appointed themselves to act as advisors - and this was their greatest sin.  Moshe had dispatched them to explore the land, to find out what it was like and who were the people that inhabited it.  But they saw themselves as counselors and said, "The people living in this land are aggressive and it cannot be conquered."  By acting as counselors, when they had never been dispatched for this purpose, they revealed the evil of their motive, which was to weaken the resolve of the Benei Yisrael to proceed to the Land of Yisrael. (Abarbanel)

When Yehoshua and Kalev saw that the other spies were beginning to malign the Land of Yisrael, Yehoshua spoke up to silence them.  But the spies told him, You, headless one, this matter does not concern you, so do not interfere! (Sotah, Chapter 7; Rashi. See Abarbanel, loc. cit.)

"YOu are as if without a head," they were saying, "for you have neither sons nor daughters, and therefore you are not afraid of being killed. But we have families and we tremble for their fate."

Seeing that they had silenced Yehoshua, and realizing that if he address them, they would likewise silence him, Kalev decided to silence them first. (Yalkut Reuveni; Pesikta)

13:30vayahas Kalev et-ha'am el-Moshe vayomer alo na'ale veyarashnu ota ki-yachol nuchal la
Kalev silenced the people to [hear about ] Moshe, and he said: "We can surely go up [to the Land] and we shall possess it for we are surely able to overcome it."
31veha'anashim asher alu imo amru lo nuchal la'alot el-ha'am ki-chazak hu mimenu
But the men who went up with him said: "We are not able to go up against the nation, for they are more powerful than we."
32vayotziu dibat ha'aretz asher taru ota el-benei Yisrael lemor ha'aretz asher avarnu va latur ota eretz ochelet yoshveiha hiv vechol-ha'am asher-rainu vetocha anshei midot
They spread slander about the Land that they had scouted, to Benei Yisrael, saying: "The Land through which we have passed to scout it, is a land which consumes its inhabitants  and everyone one of the people we saw in it, are men of dimensions.

When the spies saw that whenever they wanted to speak, either Yehoshua, Kalev, or Moshe would interfere, to stop them from maligning the Land of Yisrael, they decided to say nothing in their presence, but to go among the people and there, without anyone to contradict them, say what they wanted to say.  This they did; they spread out among the populace and began to relate all that they had intended to relate.

When the spies' families heard all these things, they began to scream and to weep.  Their neighbors heard them, and followed suit, until a great human cry rose up from the entire camp. (Divrei Shlomo)

14:1 vatisa kol-ha'eda vayitnu et-kolam vayivku ha'am balaila hahu
The entire community arose and raised their voices; and the people wept that night.

All the 600,000 Benei Yisrael began a loud weeping.  "How are we to go on if it means that we will be falling into their hands?!" the people cried that night.


Tisha b'Av

The Torah stresses the particularity of that night, namely the night of the 9th of Av.

The spies were dispateched on the 29th of Sivan of the second year, they were away 40 days, and on the 40th day they returned with their report to the Benei Yisrael.  They therefore returned on the 8th of Av, considering that the 29th and the 30th of Sivan, plus the 30 days of Tammuz, plus 8 days of the month of Av, together come to 40.  In the course of the day, they spread their evil report, and on the night of the 9th of Av the people began their weeping.

It was then that G-d said to them, "Tonight your weeping is unfounded and unjustified.  But I swear that I will set this night to be an occasion for weeping throughout the generations." (Taanit, Chapter 4; Rashi)

Because of their sin, it was decreed at this time that the First Temple and the Second Temple would be destroyed on this date, and also, that every 9th of Av, throughout the 40 years, many would die on this night.  On the eve of every 9th of Av, Moshe would proclaim throughout the camp that they should dig graves for themselves and sleep in them, as there would no one to bury them.  In the morning of the 9th of Av, he would have it announced that those still alive should emerge from their graves.

Moreover, they would die in the same way that the spies did.  A worm would come out of their bellies and enter their mouths, killing them.

This terrible decree lasted for 38 years, until the entire generation, aged 20 to 60 - 603,550 men - came to an end. Thus, every year on this night between 15,000 and 16,000 people would die.

On the last, or 40th, year, they also entered their graves as they had been doing all along, but when morning came they all emerged alive.  Puzzled, they wondered if perhaps they had made a mistake in the day of the month, and it was not the 9th of Av.  So the following night they again entered their graves, and continued doing so for several nights, until the 15th of Av.  When they saw that they were not dying and there was a full moon, they concluded that since they could not be making a mistake about the day and the month, it must be that G-d had annulled the decree.

That day - the 15th of Av - they fixed as a holiday. (Yerushalmi, Taanit, Chapter 4; Rashi on Taanit loc. cit.; Rashbam, Bava Batra, Chapter 8.  See Tosafot ibid.; Yeffeh Mareh)


The Laws of Challah

15:17vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
18daber el-benei Yisrael ve'amarta alehem bevoachem el-ha'aretz asher ani mevi etchem shama
"Speak to Benei Yisrael and say to them, at your coming to the Land into which I am bringing you,
19vehaya ba'achalchem milechem ha'aretz tarimu teruma laHASHEM
When you eat from the bread of the land you shall separate a terumah for HaShem.
20 reshit arisotechem chala tarimu teruma kitrumat goren ken tarimu ota
[From] the first portion of your doughs you shall separate a loaf as a separated portion; like the terumah-gift of the granary, so shall you separate it.
21mereshit arisoteichem titnu laHASHEM teruma ledoroteichem
Of the first portion of your doughs you shall give to HaShem as a terumah-offering, throughout your generations."

The Law of Separating a Portion from the Dough.

While in the wilderness, Benei Yisrael did not set aside a portion from their dough.  They became obligated in this commandment only after entering the Land of Yisrael.

From then on, whenever someone made an omer of dough from one of the five kinds of grain (wheat, barley, oats, spelt, or rye), he was required to separate a part of the dough, termed challah.  The challah was holy and was given to the Kohen.

The commandment of challah actually applies only in the Land of Yisrael at a time when the majority of the Jewish people is there.  However, our Sages ordained that challah be separated even outside of the Land of Yisrael, and even in our time, so that these laws should not be forgotten.  Today, our challah has to be burned.  Although we fulfill our obligation today even by separating a very tiny amount of dough, the minhag is to separate a kezayit of dough and burn it.  Someone who has prepared the appropriate quantity of dough, separates the challah and recites the blessing:

Baruch atah HASHEM Elokeinu Melech ha-olam asher kid'shanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lehafrish challah.
 Blessed are You, HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who commanded us to separate challah from the dough.

If one forgot to take challah from the raw dough, he must still take it from the bread.

Although anyone in the household may separate challah, this mitzvah was specifically commanded to the wife.  She thereby amends the sin of the first woman, Chavah.

Our Sages term Adam, "the pure challah of the world."  This means that he was created by HaShem completely pure, without evil desires.

Chavah caused Adam to lose his former purity.  After he sinned, he and his descendants were drawn towards physical desires (even if the fulfillment of these desires would harm them).  The mitzvah of separating challah has the potential to bring back the purity of spirit that was lost through Adam's sin.  Hence, by fulfilling this commandment a woman rectifies Chavah's sin.

One should be careful to fulfill the commandment of separating challah.  Famine is brought upon the world as a result of neglecting it, while its observance brings material blessing to the household.

15:37vayomer HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
And HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
38daber el-benei Yisrael ve'amarta alehem ve'asu lahem tzitzit al-kanfei vigdeihem ledorotam venatnu al-tzitzit hakanaf petil techelet
Speak to Benei Yisrael and tell them to make for themselves, tzitzit on the corner of their garments - throughout their generations  and they will place with the fringes of each corner a thread of blue.

Laws Concerning Tzitzit Threads

The threads for fringes must be spun for the purpose designated, by declaring at the beginning of production that they are being spun for making tzitzit or by a man telling his wife, "Spin me tzitzit for the tallit." If the threads were not spun for the designated purpose of making tzitzit, they are not fit for making fringes out of them.

If, after the fringes have been attached, the eight become untwisted making sixteen, they remain valid as long as enough remains of the twined thread to form a loop or winding. For this reason it is preferred practice to tie a knot at the end of the threads so that they should not untwist.

The length of a fringe may not be less than four thumb-breadths; according to some authorities, twelve thumb-breadths, which is standard practice today. There is no maximum length, and fringes may thus be made longer than 12 thumb-breadths. If after attaching long fringes, one then shortened them, they remain valid.

The aforementioned minimum length of thread refers to its length beyond the area of required knots that fringes must have.

One of the threads must be made longer than the others for winding around the others. If it is not long enough to form all the windings, part of the winding should be made with this thread and part made with another thread.  When blue wool (techelet - BaMidbar 15:37) used to be available for making fringes, it was standard practice for part of the windings to be done with the techelet thread and part with a white thread.

Choice wool is to be used in making the threads for fringes since it is a general requirement that every commandment be fulfilled in the most superior way possible. Thus, the wool should definitely not be of poor quality, full of those thorns that sheep gather in their meanderings, nor of animal hairs that cattle tend to slough off, nor of wool strands that weavers leave hanging from the garments they produce. To do otherwise is to demean the commandments.

Fringes made of stolen wool are invalid since the Torah says, "Have them make." That is, have them make from that which belongs to them, not from stolen property.

In making the aperture into which the fringe is inserted, care must be taken not to locate it higher than three thumb-breadths away from the edge because higher than three thumb-breadths is no longer considered as being in the corner of the garment, and the scripture specifically stipulates that the fringes must be "on the corners of their garments."

The apertures must also not be too low. The distance from the aperture to the bottom edge of the garment should not be less than a thumb-breadth or the distance from the end of the nail to the middle joint of the thumb. Less than the distance is no longer called "on the corners," but rather below the corners.

If after the fringes were originally inserted higher than three thumb-breadths, one wishes to enlarge the aperture so that the fringes now fall below that upper limit of three thumb-breadths, it does not help. They remain invalid by dint of the aforementioned "make-not-made" rule since the fringes were rendered invalid as soon as they were affixed above the designated limiting distance.

If one made the aperture higher than three thumb-breadths away and then, while tying on the fringes, he pulled down the knot, reducing the distance to within the prescribed proper limit, they remain invalid.

If after making the aperture properly, that is, above the lower limit of one thumb-breadth, one compressed the garment in the course of putting on the fringes so that the distance is now less than the prescribed limit, that remains valid since there is in fact sufficient distance.

Fringes were attached to a tallit and then it turned out that the tallit contained a number of linen threads, rendering it kelaim. If these threads are removed, it is necessary, according to some authorities, to detach the fringes and then attach them again.

The aforementioned limiting distances for positioning the aperture are determined by measuring along the garment rather than diagonally from the tip of the corner. The aperture must fall within the minimum and maximum distances both along the vertical and horizontal edges of the garment (length and width).

Among some people it is customary to make two apertures at every corner, placed side by side like the tzeirei vowel and to pass the fringe through both. This is accepted practice among adherents of Kabbalistic teaching. It applies, however, only to fringed garments that are worn under one's outer clothing. For prayer shawls or tallits (tallitot), the customary single aperture is made.

If the fringes were affixed into properly positioned apertures, but then in the course of time the tallit became frayed along an edge until there remained less than the one thumb-breadth minimum distance from the edge to the apertures, this does not invalidate the tallit. The fact remains that the fringe had been attached properly.

To prevent such fraying below the prescribed minimum, borders are sewn about the corners of the tallit.

If fringes are attached to a winter garment that has hooks at the edges, they should not be inserted into the hooks but placed above them. The reason is that these hooks are not regarded as being part of the garments proper for the purpose of fulfilling the requirement that fringes be attached to the garment itself. However, the hooks can be included in estimating the aforementioned minimum and maximum distances for placing the apertures.

If the hook opening is so wide that the aperture with the fringe through it would be more than three thumb-breadths from the edge of the hook, one should cut away a sufficient part of the hook to meet the required limit.

Since, according to some authorities, the unwoven strands at the edge of the garment are to be included in measuring the one and three thumb-breadth limits, it is preferable to cut off these strands and thus avoid ambiguity in applying the law.

At every corner of the garment should be affixed four threads, folded over, for a total of eight. If more were inserted, the fringe is invalid.

If the ends of the folded threads are connected, they must be severed before being inserted into the aperture. If the threads were cut apart after they were inserted into the aperture and at least one knot was tied, the fringe is invalid because of the law of "make-not-made."

After one inserts the four threads into the aperture so that they now hang down on each side of it, a double knot is made. The longest of the threads is then wound about the other seven threads and a double knot is again made. This is repeated a number of times until five double knots have been made, enclosing four spaces.The number of coils at each winding is not specified, as long as the distance between the first and last knots is four thumb-breadths and the rest of the thread is eight thumb-breadths long.

It has become a general custom to make 7 coils along the first of the spaces, 8 coils along the second, 11 along the third, and 13 along the fourth. All together they total 39, the numerical equivalent of the words "G-d is one" [Yod Heh Vav Heh Echad].

Among some people it is customary to draw 10 coils along the first of the spaces, corresponding to the letter Yod [numerical equivalent 10] of G-d's name, 5 coils along the second, corresponding to the letter Heh (5), 6 along the third, corresponding to the Vav (6), and 5 coils along the fourth of the spaces, corresponding to the second Heh of G-d's Name.

Some authorities caution that the fringes should be hung along the length of the tallit rather than along the width, as putting them along the width is not considered "on the corners." The requirement would then not be fulfilled by suspending them along the width.

It is forbidden to suspend the fringes along the diagonal of the tallit because that was the custom among the Karaites.

If the fringes were severed but enough remained of each of the eight threads to make a loop-plus-knot, the fringes are valid. If this much did not remain, even if only two of the eight threads were severed, it is invalid for we fear lest the two belong to one and the-same folded-over thread, in which case an entire thread would be missing.

Accordingly, if, when the fringes were affixed, one marked the threads in such a way that one knows that the two severed threads are not part of the same thread, the fringe is valid since the two other halves of those folded-over are of sufficient length to form a loop-and-knot.

A thread of the fringes was severed before they were attached to the garment and the severed thread is less than the minimum required length. If these fringes are first attached and only then is the torn thread reconnected, the fringes are invalid because of the law of "make-not-made." If, on the other hand, the thread was in order when the fringes were attached and became severed only subsequently, the fringes remain valid. The same is true if the torn thread was reconnected prior affixing the fringes to the garment.

The knots of the fringes must be tied by a Jew, and the fringes are invalid if the knots are made by a non-Jew. For it is written, "Speak to the Benei Yisrael and have them make tassels"--a Jew is to make them, not a gentile.

A Jewish woman may attach the fringes.

One recites the benediction when putting on a borrowed tallit. It is permissible to use another man's tallit without his knowledge and to make the benediction over it, provided he intends to return it to its place properly folded. On the Shabbat, one may return it even unfolded.

Similarly, one may use and put back tefillin without the owner's knowledge. In contrast, it is forbidden to use another man's book without his knowledge lest he tear it while reading.

If someone left Torah texts with a scholar as collateral, the scholar may study them without their owner's knowledge.

A tallit that is owned by two people must be fringed with tzitzit since the verse says, "on the corners of their garments." If one of the partners is a non-Jew, however, the tallit is exempt from this commandment.

One may remove the fringes from one garment in order to affix them to another garment. But it is forbidden to detach the fringes without cause since that debases the commandment.

If one removes them in order to put on better ones, that is permitted. Similarly, if one of the threads was severed, without, however, making the fringes invalid, it is permitted to remove them and attach good ones. One may also remove the fringes if his intention is to make a garment out of the cloth, and he may wear that garment. It must not, however, be an unseemly garment.

What we have said [about removing the fringes] applies only to a tallit or garment whose owner is bidden to observe this commandment. Consequently, one may remove the fringes from the tallit of one who has died since he is no longer subject to commandments.

One may not cut off the fringes together with the corners and then sew them onto another garment. For the Torah says, "and have them make tassels on the corners of their garments." That is, the corners must belong to that garment to which fringes are being attached.

[A tallit must be of a certain minimum size before fringes become obligatory;] it should be large enough to cover the head and the greater part of the body both in length and breadth, of a nine-year-old child. This comes out to about 6 handbreadths (rufos) in length and 1/2 cubit in breadth. A tallit of smaller dimensions is exempt from tzitzit.

Some authorities give the minimum dimensions of the tallit as one cubit and the width as larger than one cubit, or vice versa, the excess of one side is reckoned as part of the side that has less than a cubit.

A blind person is obligated to fulfill the commandment of tzitzit. Females and gentile bondmen who converted to Judaism but have not yet received the appropriate certificates freeing them of servitude, are exempt from the commandment of tzitzit.

If a minor of less than 13 years old knows how to wrap a fringed garment about himself, his father must buy him a tallit or a tallit-katan in order to train him in the performance of the commandments. A thirteen year old, of course, is responsible for fulfilling the commandments like any other adult.

The night is not a time for wearing tzitzit. Accordingly, if one puts on a fringed garment at night, he may not recite the benediction. Similarly, if one has already prayed the Evening Service even if it is still early, he may not recite the benediction when putting on tzitzit.

According to some authorities on Yom Kippur Eve, when it is customary to wear the tallit, a person is advised to put it on early and recite the benediction.

Those who habitually rise before dawn to study or have done so on the night when Selichot are recited, do not make the benediction when putting on the tallit-katan. They should just put it on and later when it becomes light, recite the blessing.

When the person then puts on the large tallit, he should while reciting the blessing keep in mind to have it include the tallit-katan as well.

Although fringes made by a non-Jew are invalid, if a known gentile merchant sells a fringed tallit which he claims to have bought from a Jew whose name he provides, one may buy it from him. Being a trader, he will not lie.

On the other hand, it is forbidden to sell a fringed tallit to a non-Jew, lest he put it on and thereby, by gaining the confidence of some Jew, lure him to his death. For the same reason, it is forbidden to give a fringed tallit to a gentile as collateral.

Fringes that have become unfit should not be cast away for this constitutes abuse of the commandment. One should store them away instead.

One may enter a toilet while wearing a tallit-katan under one's garments but not a tallit that one puts on as a prayer shawl.

It is permissible to lie down and to sleep in a tallit. Some consider it a mitzvah to sleep at night in a tallit-katan, and this has become common practice among those who are meticulous in the observance of the commandments.

Some people are careful not to have a gentile laundress wash a tallit or a tallit katan.

A person should be careful not to let the fringes drag on the ground. To one who allows this applies the verse, "I will sweep it with the broom of destruction." (Yeshayahu 14:23) 

If one purchased a new tallit or a new tallit-katan, he recites benediction of Shehechiyanu when attaching the fringes. If he did not do so at the time, he recites Shehechiyanu when putting it on for the first time just as one does when putting on any other new garment for the first time.

One should be standing when wrapping himself in the tallit. It is customary to recite the benediction before actually putting it on. When putting on the tallit, one should be sure to drape it about the head. It is not sufficient to follow the custom of draping it folded about the neck and shoulders since according to some authorities one does not the fulfill the obligation. Those who place the tallit only about the shoulders and while covering the back leave the head uncovered, do not act properly. To them applies the verse, "But You...have cast Me (oti) behind your back" (1Melachim 14:9) That is "You have cast that which My emblem ("oti"), the tzitzit which are my emblem, behind your back;" and the benediction which one recites is then invalid.

Therefore, a person should be careful to cover his head with the tallit from the beginning to the conclusion of the prayer service.

If one has no tallit, he fulfills the obligation with the tallit-katan that he wears under his garments, provided that when he put it on he wrapped it about his head for an interval of time sufficient to walk four cubits.

Both when wearing the tallit and when wearing the tallit-katan, two of the fringes stay in front and two in the back. One is then surrounded by mitzvot.

Some people mark which fringes go in the back and which go in the front, and they do not change them.


Reciting the Benediction 

When putting on the prayer-shawl or tallit, one says the benediction, "Blessed are You, HaShem our G-d, King of the universe, who has consecrated us with His commandments and commanded us to put on the tzitzit."

Prior to reciting the benediction, one says, "Bless HaShem, O my soul. HaShem, my G-d, You are very great. With majesty and splendor are You attired, wrapped in light as with a mantle, extending the heavens like a curtain" (Tehillim 104:1,2) 

After putting on the tallit, one then recites the verses:

"How precious and excellent is Your love, O HaShem! Therefore the children of man shelter beneath the shadows of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the ampleness of Your abode; and You make them drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light" (Tehillim 36:8-10) 

When putting on the four-cornered tallit-katan, the benediction of, "Regarding the commandment of tzitzit" is recited:

"Blessed are You, HaShem our G-d, King of the universe, who has consecrated us with His commandments and commanded us regarding the precept of tzitzit."


Examining the Tzitzit

Before one actually puts on a tallit or tallit-katan, he is to examine the fringes to see if they are in order. Should they prove unfit, the benediction recited over them will have been said in vain.

It is not sufficient to check whether the upper part of the threads are intact. One must examine their entire length from the holes where the fringes are affixed to the garment all the way down to their tips, to make certain that none of the threads are cut, invalidating the fringes.

On the Shabbat it is especially important to examine the fringes. For if they are unfit, one not only becomes liable for reciting a benediction in vain, but he may become guilty of violating the prohibition against carrying something in the public domain on the Shabbat.

[Now that the unfit tallit or tallit-katan is no longer a proper garment, it is no longer considered to be worn, which is permissible, but, rather, carried.]

Some people have erroneously concluded that it is forbidden to wear on the Shabbat a tallit-katan of cotton, claiming that only woolen ones are permitted. This is a serious mistake and only results in non-observance of the commandment of tzitzit on the Shabbat. The contrary should be true since this commandment is to be observed on the Shabbat more meticulously even than on a weekday.

It is thus our duty to make it known that every kind of tallit-katan is permitted on the Shabbat, both during the daytime and at night, even though fulfillment of this commandment is not obligatory during nighttime. One may wear it in the public domain even where no eruv exists.

As already emphasized, however, one must be sure that the fringes are in order. Furthermore, if the threads are entangled, they must be separated prior to reciting the benedictions.

If one arrived in the synagogue after the congregational prayer has already begun and there is thus no time available for him to examine the tzitzit, he may join the prayer service without making the examination.

When wrapping the fringes about himself, a person should have it in mind that he is fulfilling all the commandments that G-d has bidden us to fulfill. For the Torah has specifically written, "You shall remember all of G-d's commandments..." (BaMidbar 15:38)

During the entire day, therefore, he should be aware of the tzitzit and thus remember.

If one is wearing a number of four-cornered garments, he recites one benediction for all of them. If, however, there was a lull between putting on one garment and another, he recites the benediction over each in turn. He does the same if, when he was reciting the benediction, he failed to keep in mind that it applied to all the garments.

Our sages are divided in their views on the question whether, having recited the benediction over the tallit-katan, one recites it again over the prayer-shawl tallit. Those who require this consider the spatial distance [between the home where the tallit katan is put on, and the synagogue where the tallit is worn] to constitute a "lull," while others do not qualify this as a "lull."

Many people rise and dress before daybreak, when the wearing of tzitzit is not obligatory and it is forbidden to recite the benediction. Later, however, they may forget and thus end up not reciting it at all. This problem affects not only those who rise early on occasion for personal reasons, but is of general concern, especially in the month of Elul, when people get up for the Selichot prayers, and also during the winter months.

The best procedure is for them to put on the tallit-katan when dressing, but without saying the blessing; and then, when they recite the benediction over the tallit, to touch the fringes of the tallit-katan and keep in mind to fulfill by this benediction also the requirement pertaining to the tallit-katan.

The same procedure should be followed by those who pray at home for reasons of health or age or whatever, and by those whose homes are located in the same residential complex as the synagogue.

By following this recommended procedure, one fulfills the commandment properly in reciting the required benediction, and one also avoids the possibility of reciting one benediction unnecessarily.

Clearly, the recommendation of putting on the tallit-katan without reciting the benediction applies to one who puts it on prior to the morning prayers. For those, however, who may sleep during the day---on the Shabbat, for instance, as has become customary or on a holiday---and they do so without wearing the tallit-katan---when they put it on again, they should recite the benediction.

If, inadvertently, the tallit fell off, when putting it on again the person recites the benediction, provided it fell off completely. If it only partially slipped off, it is not necessary to repeat the benediction.

If a tallit fell off during the Amidah and someone draped it about him, he recites the benediction after concluding the Amidah. The same ruling applies to a bridegroom upon whom a tallit is thrown. Even though others have cast it upon him, he is required to recite the benediction.

If one puts on a garment for which fringes are required and he fails to affix fringes, he is guilty of ignoring a positive commandment of the Torah.

One may enter a cemetery wearing a tallit-katan, provided he wears it so that the fringes beneath the other garments do not drag on the floor and cannot be seen from the outside.

If the fringes are visible from the outside, it is forbidden to enter a cemetery. For one is then guilty of "ridiculing the deprived" (Mishlei 17:5) That is, it then appears as if he mocks the dead who are deprived of the obligation to fulfill the commandments. By flaunting his fringes he is as if saying scornfully, "Look! You are removed from the commandment of tzitzit while I carry the responsibility of fulfilling it."

Since a person must be very, very conscientious in the observance of the commandment of tzitzit, he should not take off his tallit-katan during the entire day so as to have before him at all times a reminder of G-d's mitzvot.

For this reason there are five knots in the fringes corresponding to the Five Books of the Torah, and four corners to remind him of the mitzvot no matter in what direction he turns.

When reciting the Shema, one is required to grasp the fringes in his left hand. He then holds them against his heart, in fulfillment of the enjoinder that "These words which I am commanding you today must remain on your heart" (Devarim 6:6)

And when one is saying the words "and when you see them" (u're-item oto;" BaMidbar 15:38), he should actually look at the fringes. He is also to bring them close to the eyes and follow the beautiful custom of kissing them. One should likewise look at them when reciting the benediction when putting them on.

When a person is angry he should look at the tzitzit and his anger will pass. Significant in this regard is that the word kanaf (corner) has the equivalent numerical value of 150 (80 + 50 + 20), as does the word "ka'as," anger (60 + 70 + 20), suggesting that the fringes are a palliative against anger.

If one habitually passes the fringes before his eyes when reciting the Shema, he is assured of never becoming blind. For in addition to the straightforward meaning of the words, ("these shall be your tassels, tzitzit,"), they bear the connotation of, "you will have vision," (the word tzitzit being related to the verb l'hatzit, to glance or look at).

This connection of the commandment of tzitzit to sight is related to the fact that one looks at the two front fringes which, together, contain 10 knots, corresponding to the Ten Sefirot, and 16 threads. Their combined total is thus 26, corresponding to the Tetragrammaton (YKVK, 5 + 6 + 5 + 10 = 26).

An eminent authority has written that when reciting the tzitzit portion of the Shema during the morning prayers, one should grasp the fringes in his left hand, keeping them at chest level until he has said the words "Your teaching and words place upon your heart" of the Emet Ve'Yatziv hymn. Then he touches them to his lips. It is done at this point because the word "yasim" is the acrostic for Yehi Shem HaShem Mevorach, "May the Name of Hashem be exalted," and the tzitzit, as we have just noted, allude to G-d's Name.

It is customary among some to kiss the tzitzit at the words La-ad Kayamet, "eternally existing," since the word la'ad has the numerical value of 104 (30 + 70 + 4), and the fringes also comprise a total of 104 items: 4 fringes of 8 threads each (32) multiplied by 2, corresponding to the fact that when the tallit is inverted, the fringes again serve their purpose (+ 32); plus five knots on each of the 4 fringes (+ 20); also taken twice (+ 20) for a total of 104.

We have already noted that when the numerical equivalent of the word tzitzit (600) is combined with the number of knots (5) and threads (8), the value of 613 is obtained, corresponding to the 613 precepts of the Torah. Therefore, when saying the words "la-ad kayamet," one should, while grasping the tzitzit, focus on the thought that the commandments and the Torah are to last forever, that they will never be changed or replaced. For as we chant the Yigdal hymn every Erev Shabbat:

His Law G-d will not replace nor change for any other...

This Proclaims that the holy and exalted Torah that G-d has given us will never be exchanged or altered.

A great sin is committed by any man who avoids the commandment of tzitzit by not wearing a tallit katan. About such a person the scripture says, "Take hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it." (Iyov 38:13) That man, on the other hand, who is meticulous in the observance of this commandment, is considered as if he had fulfilled all the commandments of the Torah, and he will merit to behold the luster of the Divine Presence.

- MeAm Lo'ez; Midrash; Rashi; Ramban

Parashat Korach
BaMidbar 16:1-18:32; 28:9-15
Rosh Chodesh Tammuz