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Parashat Beha'alotecha
BaMidbar 8:1-12:16
Haftarah
Zecharya 2:14 - 4:7

8:1 vayedaber HASHEM el-Moshe lemor
And HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:
2 daber 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.

8:3 vayaas 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 of וזה (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 name שְׁלֹמֹה (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)

8:5 vayedaber 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)

8:7 vecho-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)

10:12 vayisu venei-Yisrael lemaseihem mimidbar Sinai vayishkon he'nan bemidbar Paran
Benei Yisrael traveled along on their journey, 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.
14 vayisa 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.
15 ve'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)

10:33 vayisu 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.
34 va'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)

10:35 vayehi 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."
36 uvenucho 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...)