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Parashat Naso
BaMidbar 4:21 - 7:89
Haftarah Shoftim 13:2 - 25

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'nei 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:
12 daber 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."

5:19 vehishbya 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.

5:23 vechatav 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.
24 vehishka 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.

5:25 velakach 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.

Bamidbar 1:1-4:20
Haftarah
Hoshea 2:1 - 22

1:1 Vayedaber 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