Speak to Aaron and say to him: "When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall cast their light toward the face of the menorah."

(Bamidbar 8:2)

 

The seven lamps shall cast their light All seven will cast their light and emanate supernal light upon Israel. The light from the lamps on the right and the light of those on the left will face and be directed towards the center branch, which is the essence of the Menorah. And such is the proper intention of those on the right who engage in eternal life [Torah study] and those of the left who engage in ephemeral life help those of the right, as they said: "If not for the leaves, their would be no bunches of grapes. (Hullin 92a), that they should perform the will of blessed God in such a way that all should understand His intention and will exalt His Name together, as they did when they took Him upon themselves, as is witnessed by the verse: And all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord said, we shall perform" - that is to say - Acting together, we shall realize His intention.

(Seforno Bamidbar 8:20)

 

...While Israel's chieftains gave the offerings for the altar's dedication - thus expressing the nation's relation to the Sanctuary - the nature of the Priests' own relation to the Sanctuary became clear to Aaron, and later to his tribe (see the section beginning with verse 5) within the nation. To set up the lamps so that, the seven lamps shall cast their light toward the face of the menorah, that all the diversity of spiritual aspirations should be united in an aspiration towards the Lord - that is the priest's function and the meaning of the Levites' service. The Priests shall devote themselves on a daily basis to that which the chieftains expressed during the great days of the dedication. They will see to it that this spirit shall be found in the people on a daily basis and that the life of the nation will always be maturing towards its spiritual and moral perfection.

(Rabbi S.R. Hirsch ad loc)

 

If you go to war in your land...

Yoel Kretzmer-Raziel

And the 59^th commandment is that He commanded us to blow the trumpets in the Temple with the offering of any of the festival sacrifices... and so we are commanded to blow the trumpets in times of need and troubles when we cry out before the Lord, may He be exalted...

RaMBaM uses these words in his Sefer HaMitzvot to formulate the commandment of the trumpets which appears in our parasha. The expression, "in times of need and troubles" seems to have a much broader scope than does the Torah's formulation: If you go to war in your land against an adversary that oppresses you. This gap becomes all the more salient in the context of current Israeli discourse, in which "war" is sharply distinguished from other kinds of troubles. The degree of internal mobilization, the magnitude of the budgetary measures taken, the compass of media coverage, and even the level of religious energy in times of war completely outstrip those related to other crises and challenges.

The source for the passage from RaMBaM is found in the midrash Sifrei Zutta on Bamidbar: " If you go to war - That is on the hour of war; where do we learn about the time of blast [a crop disease] and mildew, and locusts, and every communal woe? It says: against an adversary that oppresses you." Rabbi Akiva expresses this view in Sifrei Bamidbar, the parallel midrash. The unattributed narrating voice of Sifrei, which belongs to school of R. Yishmael, expounds the verse differently: "If you go to war in your land... against an adversary that oppresses you - Scripture is speaking of the war of Gog and Magog." While the plain meaning of the verse refers to a war against an oppressor, one midrash expands the compass of the commandment to include other disasters affecting society, while the other limits the commandment to an apocalyptic war.

A broader view of the agendas of these two Tannaitic midrashim on the trumpet passage may reveal something of the significance of their disagreement.

When reading the drashot on the passage cited in the Sifrei, we discover the laws of the Shofar blowing of Rosh HaShanah laid out before us, woven into the explication of the verses. These include not only the laws regarding the actual blowing of the shofar, but also the laws pertaining to its accompanying blessings - malkhiyot, zikhronot, and shofarot. Sifrei Zutta, in contrast, does not mention the laws of Rosh HaShanah. Furthermore, everywhere the parasha mentions trumpets - hatzotzrot - Sifrei Zutta takes pains to point out: "and not shofarot."1 The Jerusalem Talmud (Rosh HaShanah 3:5; 58d) insists that R. Akiva's school learns the laws of the shofar of Rosh HaShanah from the passage about the Jubilee year, while the school of R. Yishmael learns them from the passage about the trumpets.

It seems that these two schools are fundamentally divided over the interpretation of our parasha. Sifrei views the trumpets as being part of the language of religious ritual, thus creating a chain: the trumpets > the shofar of Rosh HaShanah > the shofar of redemption: "There is no shofar but that of freedom, for it is said, And on that day he will blow a great shofar. But I do not know who will blow it. The verse teaches us: And the Lord God will blow a shofar... " (Sifrei ad loc). The reference to the blowing of the trumpets relates, then, not only to the here and now, but is also entirely concerned with meta-historical and the future redemption. The opening of his midash emphasizes the ceremonial aspect of the trumpets: "Since it says, according to the Lord's utterance they shall camp, and in accordance with the Lord's utterance they shall travel I understand that since they travel in accordance with the [divine] utterance and encamp in accordance with the [divine] utterance they needed trumpets." That is to say, these were not functional instruments but rather ceremonial instruments.

Sifrei Zutta, in contrast, restricts the trumpets to the roles of prayer and assemblage. It makes no connection between the shofar of Rosh HaSahanah and the future redemption.²

From here we can understand the differences between the interpretations of the word war in our parasha. Sifrei sees the trumpet-blast as a religious-ceremonial action, reserving it for a war of religious value, i.e., the war of Gog and Magog. Sifrei Zutta views the trumpets as devices for assembling the people and engaging in prayer and does not differentiate between wars and other troubles.

Two insights of the Tannaitic darshanim now come to light. It seems that Sifrei does not consider regular warfare to be an act bearing religious value. There is one future war which will bear religious value, and it alone will be accompanied by the trumpet ceremony. Other wars do not belong to the same category as the marches of the camps through the wilderness that took place by God's command and the festival offerings made before God. Sifrei Zutta also undermines the special status of regular wars: as far as the need for assembly and prayer go, war has no more importance than any of the other dangers which face human society. The same human energy mobilized in time of war should also be mobilized to prevent other catastrophic scenarios.

1. There is one drasha in Sifrei Zutta that seems to disrupt this division: And at the beginnings of your months - these are Rosh Hodesh; And the beginnings of your months - to include Rosh HaShanah." However, a geniza fragment of the midrash has: "When it says, And at the beginnings of your months [as well as] And the beginnings of your months - [this comes] to include each and every month." It seems that in this version the midrash tries to avoid granting any special status to Rosh HaShanah in connection with this commandment.

2. This might have been the hidden intention of the following midrash from Sifrei Zutta: "Make - make to assemble." That is to say, Sifrei Zutta presents a functional, as opposed to a ceremonial view, of the trumpets.

Yoel Kretzmer is a member of Kibbutz Ein tzurim. He teaches in the beit Midrash founded by graduates of Yeshivat HaKibbutz HaDati and Kehillat Yedidya in Jerusalem

 

On the day the Tabernacle was erected, the cloud covered the Tabernacle, which was a tent for the Testimony, and at evening, there was over the Tabernacle like an appearance of fire, [which remained] until morning... So it was always, the cloud covered it and there was an appearance of fire at night and according to the cloud's departure from over the Tent, and afterwards, the children of Israel would travel, and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would encamp.

(Bamidbar 9:15-17)

 

Patience, Waiting, and Contending with Uncertainty as Expressions of Faith

But the cloud was the Shepherd's crook by means of which God, the Shepherd of Israel, announced His will to the People He was leading, where and when they were to encamp, where and when to break camp. And, as is here described, the will and the intention of this direction were absolutely unpredictable. Sometimes a long rest, sometimes just a few days. Sometimes only a night or a day and a night, or two days, a month, a year... it is not so much the strain of lengthy wanderings as the patient endurance of the lengthy stops which seem to be stressed as the real task of the tests. Nothing is mentioned of the wanderings and their duration, but very definitely and repeatedly we are told of standing fast in long rests... Clearly then their exercising enduring patience is specially stressed. This is the more understandable when one thinks of the inhospitality of the desert, and remembers that the people knew quite well that the wilderness was not the end of their wanderings, but that their goal lay beyond, and that every tarrying anywhere in the wilderness only held them back from the Promised Land. These were the exercises in that virtue of quiet and cheerful devoted and confident enduring patience which the "People of God's guidance" require more than any other in their Galut-wanderings through the "wilderness of the nations," as the prophet calls it, during so many centuries of the future, and which the word of the prophet so significantly renders as, Even if it tarries, wait for it still (Habakkuk 2:3).

(R. Shimshon Raphael Hirsch on Bamidbar 9:16-22, Levy translation)

 

And You Shall Purify Them - The Holy Service can be One's Downfall

It repeats the warning about ritual purity, for just as the Holy Service can raise up one's heart in God's paths, so too it can trip one up through pride over other people and through desecration of the Holy Name via even a minor transgression - against these we must be warned. Also, the greater someone is compared to his fellows, the greater is his inclination to sin in unusual ways. So we find that proximity to holiness causes impurity, as the prophet Haggai said, whatever they bring near is defiled (2:14)... Later this actually happened to Korah and his followers from among the Levites - their greatness was their downfall - that is why they are warned after serving in the Tent of Meeting, so that they will be careful about purity in accordance with their rank.

(Ha-Amek Davar Bamidbar 8:15)

 

But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, "Who will feed us meat?... The meat was still between their teeth; it was not yet finished, and the anger of the Lord flared against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very mighty blow. He named that place Kivrot Hata'avah [Graves of Craving], for there they buried the people who craved.

(Bamidbar 11)

 

Who were the Asafsuf?

Who were the asafsuf ["multitude"]? Rabbi Shimon bar Abba and Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya [spoke of this]. One said: They were the converts who rose up with them from Egypt, for it is said, Moreover, a mixed multitude went up with them (Shemot 12:8).

And one said: The asafsuf are the Sanhedrin, for it is said, collect [esfa] for me seventy men (Bamidbar 11:16). What is [also] written there? A fire of the Lord broke out against them, ravaging the outskirts [beketzei] of the camp (11:1) - the kotzim [thorns, i.e. riff-raff] of the camp. And how do we know that those elders who ascended Mount Sinai were burned? For it is said, a fire blazed in their party [edah] (Psalms 106:18), and edah can only mean the Sanhedrin, for it is said, if this was done through the inadvertence of the edah [elders] (Bamidbar 15:24).

(Bamidbar Rabbah 15:24)

 

And Miriam and Aaron spoke of Moses: the Motives for Evil Speech

If there is one among your friends whose obedience to God is greater than yours, whose actions for His sake are purer, and his efforts to draw near to Him stronger, the instinct will make you hate him, saying, "All the effort this man shows in obedience to God constitutes a clear failure on your part! Were it not for him, God, as well as man, would think you the most pious of your generation. Therefore you should offend him, be jealous of him and angry with him! Look for his faults and failures! Watch for his stumblings! Observe where he is negligent, publicize it as much as you can, and revile him for it. If it is possible to slander him for nothing, just to dishonor him in people's eyes, go ahead and do it!" Your answer should be the following: "How can I scorn somebody God loves and revile somebody he favors?"

(R. Bahya Ibn Pakuda's Hovot Ha-Levavot, Sha'ar Yihud Ha-Ma'aseh 8. Pp. 300-1 in Mansoor's translation)

 

Moses was a very humble man

Moses approached the fog - this resulted from his humility, as is said, Moses was a very humble man. Scripture tells us that whoever is humble, will eventually spread the Shekhina - the Divine Presence - among men on earth, as is written, For thus said He who high aloft forever dwells, whose name is holy, and it says, The spirit of God is upon me. And it says all these were created by my hand, and it says True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit. Whoever is prideful causes the earth to become impure, and removes the Shekhina, as is said I cannot endure the haughty and proud man. All the prideful are termed an abomination, as is written, Every haughty person is a abomination before God. Idolatry is called an abomination as is written, You shall not bring abomination into your house. Just as idolatry contaminates the Land and dispels the Shekhina. Moses approached the fog which was within three partitions - darkness, cloud, and fog - darkness on the outside, cloud on the inside, fog yet further inside, as is written, and Moses approached the fog.

(Mekhilta, Yitro, Massekhet D'Bahodesh, 9)

 

In the case of some character traits, a man is forbidden to accustom himself to the mean. Rather, he shall move to the other extreme. One such [character trait ] is a haughty heart, for the good way is not that a man be merely humble, but that he have a lowly spirit, that his spirit be very submissive. Therefore it was said of Moses our master that he was very humble and not merely humble. And therefore the wise men commanded: "Have a very, very lowly spirit." Moreover, they said that everyone who makes his heart haughty denies the existence of God. As it is said: And your heart shall swell, and you shall forget the Lord your God.

 (RaMBaM, Hilkhot De'ot 2:3, Raymond L. Weiss translation)

 

...Human pride and arrogance stems from their not recognizing their standing before God. That is why, unlike any other prophet, Moses was uniquely called very humble (and not merely humble).

(Prof. Y. Leibowitz, Sheva Shanim shel Sihot al Parashat ha'Shavu'a)

 

Awe and Humility: Abraham, Moses, and Hillel as opposed to Isaac and Shamai

This was the convert's claim in the chapter of Bameh Madlikin and the reason for Shammai's rejection of him. Shammai had reached the level of yira - of awe - which is accompanied by gevura - courage, and by kapdanut - strictness - which was the level of our father Isaac, peace be upon him, from whom Israel evolved. Therefore, he [Shammai] rebuffed converts, as related in the chapter Bameh Madlikin. Hillel's humility brought them near, like Moses our teacher may peace be upon him, who was very humble, and who therefore brought close the erev rav - the non-Israelites who joined the Israelites in the Exodus. And so our father Abraham, may peace be upon him, was humble, as is written in Tractate Berakhot "Woe [upon the passing of] this humble person, disciple of our father Abraham, may peace be upon him. Therefore he was the father of converts, as we learned in Bikkurim. Humility includes the appreciation of one's deficiency as compared with the greatness of The Holy One, Blessed Be He, and therefore leaves no place for belittling the convert who has come with his staff and pouch, for He who told oil to burn can tell vinegar to burn and it will burn, and he can put fire into vinegar, as in [the verse] God, created within me a pure heart, and creation is ex nihilo.

(Rabbi Tzadok HaCohen of Lublin, Or Zarua LaTzaddik)

 

 

 

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