Parsha Naso Part II
Last week, I left off
just before the gifts of the Nassim (Princes). I did not want to skip this
section even though I do not have much to add to the commentary of the previous
years or the calculation of the price of silver and gold donated to the
Mishkan. For a prince or tribe it is not that much in today’s terms and
probably then too.
7:1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had
made an end of setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified
it, and all the furniture thereof, and the altar and all the vessels thereof,
and had anointed them and sanctified them; 2 that the princes of
Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, offered--these were the princes of
the tribes, these are they that were over them that were
numbered. 3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six
covered wagons, and twelve oxen: a wagon for every two of the princes, and for
each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle.
These were the same
wagons that 211 years before Yosef sent. They brought Yacov and the women and
children to Mitzrayim.
4 And the LORD spoke unto Moses,
saying: 5 'Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the
tent of meeting; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man
according to his service.' 6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen,
and gave them unto the Levites. 7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave
unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service. 8 And four
wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their
service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9 But
unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things
belonged unto them: they bore them upon their shoulders.
The boards and curtains
of the Mishkan had certain Kedusha not to be dealt with lightly and one had to
be ritually pure to handle them. But the holiness of the items carried by
Kohath was on the highest level of holiness. They were wrapped in giraffe skin
and handled with extra care on the shoulders with the highest level of purity.
Example the table, Teva, Mizbayach (the lesser one plated with gold), various
vessels, etc.
10 And the princes brought the
dedication-offering of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the
princes brought their offering before the altar. 11 And the LORD said
unto Moses: 'They shall present their offering each prince on his day, for the
dedication of the altar.' 12 And he that presented his offering the
first day was Nahshon the son of Aminadab, of the tribe of Judah; … 18 On
the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer: … 24 On
the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun: …
30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of
Reuben: … 36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,
prince of the children of Simeon:
There is a standard
commentary about his name being written without a complete Vav looking like a
Yud. The commentary goes as far as to say that he was Zimri. I find this
commentary unsatisfactory. First of all, the incident with Zimri takes place
39years later. This would put Shelumiel as being at least 59 at the time.
Rather it appears that Zimri ben Salu in Bamidbar 25:14 and this leads me to
think that 39years have made a grandson of Shelumiel Prince.
The second piece of
information is that a person who fumbles things is called in modern Hebrew a
Shelumiel which appears that the missing piece of Vav could indicate that
although a prince and leader, Shelumiel was perhaps clumsy either with a
nervous condition, palsy or almost Parkinson Disease.
… 42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of
Deuel, prince of the children of Gad: … 48 On the seventh day
Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim: … 54 On
the eighth day Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of
Manasseh: … On the ninth day Abidan the
son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin: … 66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince
of the children of Dan: … 72 On the
eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, prince of the children of Asher: … 78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of
the children of Naphtali: 79 his offering was one
silver dish, the weight thereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver
basin of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full
of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering; 80 one
golden pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one
young bullock, one ram, one he-lamb of the first year, for a
burnt-offering; 82 one male of the goats for a
sin-offering; 83 and for the sacrifice of
peace-offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first
year. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
I saved writing the
gifts twelve times but placed them with the last Nasi. Even though I usually
start out with the first one this time I reversed order.
84 This was the dedication-offering of the
altar, in the day when it was anointed, at the hands of the princes of Israel:
twelve silver dishes, twelve silver basins, twelve golden pans; 85 each silver dish weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and
each basin seventy; all the silver of the vessels two thousand and four hundred
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; 86 twelve
golden pans, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of
the sanctuary; all the gold of the pans a hundred and twenty shekels; 87 all the oxen for the burnt-offering twelve bullocks, the
rams twelve, the he-lambs of the first year twelve, and their meal-offering;
and the males of the goats for a sin-offering twelve; 88 and
all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace-offerings twenty and four bullocks, the
rams sixty, the he-goats sixty, the he-lambs of the first year sixty. This was
the dedication-offering of the altar, after that it was anointed.
This teaches us that
public figures must make an accounting for their actions, funding and other
actions that the people can see them as honest people.
89 And
when Moses went into the tent of meeting that He might speak with him, then he
heard the Voice speaking unto him from above the ark-cover that was upon the
ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and He spoke unto
him.
Parsha Behaalosecha
All the princes finished
their presents before HASHEM. This left the tribe of Levi without any present.
Aaron, Cohain Gadol, would solve that problem. He would have the gift of
lighting, cleaning and rekindling the eternal light on the Menorah. This lasted
from the first day of Nissan 2449 to Tisha B’ Av 3,338 the destruction of the
first Beis HaMikdash.
8:1 And the LORD spoke unto
Moses, saying: 2 'Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him: When thou
lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the
candlestick.' 3 And Aaron did so: he lighted the lamps thereof so as
to give light in front of the candlestick, as the LORD commanded
Moses. 4 And this was the work of the candlestick, beaten work of
gold; unto the base thereof, and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work;
according unto the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the
candlestick.
The Menorah like the present gold one of the Temple Institute
enclosed in military grade glass in Yerushalayim was one complete molded piece.
5 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 6 'Take the Levites from among the
children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou do unto
them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let
them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their
clothes, and cleanse themselves. 8 Then let them take a young
bullock, and its meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil, and another young
bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering. 9 And thou shalt present
the Levites before the tent of meeting; and thou shalt assemble the whole
congregation of the children of Israel.
And you shall gather the entire congregation: Since
the Levites were submitted as an atonement offering instead of them, let them
[the Israelites] come and stand with their offerings [namely the Levites] and
rest their hands upon them. — [Midrash Aggadah]
11
10 And
thou shalt present the Levites before the LORD; and the children of Israel
shall lay their hands upon the Levites. 11 And Aaron shall offer the
Levites before the LORD for a wave-offering from the children of Israel, that
they may be to do the service of the LORD. 12 And the Levites shall
lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks; and offer thou the one for a sin-offering,
and the other for a burnt-offering, unto the LORD, to make atonement for the
Levites. 13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before
his sons, and offer them for a wave-offering unto the LORD. 14 Thus
shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the
Levites shall be Mine.
This is the consecrating of the Leviim with the ceremony and
shaving of their bodies.
15 And
after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tent of meeting;
and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for a wave-offering.
The extra emphasis of the wave-offering mentioned above.
Chabad translates as following: Following this, the Levites
shall come to serve in the Tent of Meeting. You shall cleanse them and lift
them as a waving תְּנוּפָֽה.
16 For
they are wholly given unto Me from among the children of Israel; instead of all
that opens the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I
taken them unto Me. 17 For all the first-born among the children of
Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I smote all the first-born
in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.
18 And
I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of
Israel.
19 And
I have given the Levites--they are given to Aaron and to his sons from among
the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tent
of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no
plague among the children of Israel, through the children of Israel coming nigh
unto the sanctuary.'
20 Thus
did Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto
the Levites; according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses touching the
Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. 21 And the Levites
purified themselves, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for
a sacred gift before the LORD; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse
them. 22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in
the tent of meeting before Aaron, and before his sons; as the LORD had
commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.
23 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 24 'This is that which pertains
unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to
perform the service in the work of the tent of meeting; 25 and from
the age of fifty years they shall return from the service of the work, and
shall serve no more;
This is the rule concerning the Levites: Age
disqualifies them, but physical blemishes do not disqualify them. — [Sifrei Behaalosecha 1:10, Chullin
24a from the age of
twenty-five years: Elsewhere (4:3) it says,
“From the age of thirty.” How can this be reconciled? However, from the age of
twenty-five they came to study the laws of the service; they would study for
five years, and at the age of thirty they would [begin] work. From here we
learn that a student who does not experience success in his learning for five
years, will never experience it. — [Chullin 24a]
26 but
shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge,
but they shall do no manner of service. Thus, shalt thou do unto the Levites
touching their charges.'
When the people came
into the land, the Leviim got Maaser and were workers in maintaining the
Mishkan-Mikdash and teachers.
9:1 And the
LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the
second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt,
saying: 2 'Let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its
appointed season. 3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at dusk, ye
shall keep it in its appointed season; according to all the statutes of it, and
according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it.' 4 And
Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover. 5 And
they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month,
at dusk, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded
Moses, so did the children of Israel. 6 But there were certain men,
who were unclean by the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover
on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that
day. 7 And those men said unto him: 'We are unclean by the dead body
of a man; wherefore are we to be kept back, so as not to bring the offering of
the LORD in its appointed season among the children of Israel?'
These are the cousins that buried Nadav and Abihu on the 8th
day and only on the 15th at could they be Tahor to bring the Korban
Pesach.
8 And Moses said unto them: 'Stay ye, that I may hear
what the LORD will command concerning you.'
The L-RD has not taught me this Halacha on what to do. I will
have to consult HIM (we shall see the same lack of knowledge with the daughters
of Zelaphad and Moshe had to consult with the L-RD to learn if women can
inherit and become land owners and could they marry outside of the Tribe?
9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses,
saying: 10 'Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If any man of
you or of your generations shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in
a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the LORD;
What is far off? From outside of Modiin. For one could walk
12 hours by foot up the mountains to Yerushalayim from Modiin-Shalavim-Chashmonayim-Modiin
Illit-Beis Shemesh etc. and get to the Kotel to eat a Korban.
11 in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk
they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter
herbs; 12 they shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break a
bone thereof; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep
it. 13 But the man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and
forbears to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people;
because he brought not the offering of the LORD in its appointed season, that
man shall bear his sin.
If the man is Tahor and within a 12hour walking distance then
he shall be cut off Kares for not bring a Korban.
14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will
keep the Passover unto the LORD: according to the statute of the Passover, and
according to the ordinance thereof, so shall he do; ye shall have one statute,
both for the stranger, and for him that is born in the land.'
Stranger means Ger Tzedek and not the non-Jewish Ger Toshav
who only took upon him/herself the 7 Mitzvos of Bnei Noach but not a full
convert.
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the
cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony; and at even there
was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until
morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it, and the
appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud was taken up
from over the Tent, then after that the children of Israel journeyed; and in
the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel
encamped. 18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel
journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they encamped: as long as the
cloud abode upon the tabernacle they remained encamped. 19 And when
the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel
kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 20 And sometimes the
cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the
LORD they remained encamped, and according to the commandment of the LORD they
journeyed. 21 And sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning;
and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they journeyed; or if it
continued by day and by night, when the cloud was taken up, they
journeyed. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a year, that
the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, abiding thereon, the children of Israel
remained encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they
journeyed. 23 At the commandment of the LORD they encamped, and at
the commandment of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD,
at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
What an amazing thing!
Journeying or staying encamped at a certain location because of a signal from
the L-RD.
10:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 'Make thee
two trumpets of silver; of beaten work shalt thou make them; and they shall be
unto thee for the calling of the congregation, and for causing the camps to set
forward. 3 And when they shall blow with them, all the congregation
shall gather themselves unto thee at the door of the tent of
meeting. 4 And if they blow but with one, then the princes, the heads
of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5 And
when ye blow an alarm, the camps that lie on the east side shall take their
journey. 6 And when ye blow an alarm the second time, the camps that
lie on the south side shall set forward; they shall blow an alarm for their
journeys. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ye
shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron,
the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for a
statute forever throughout your generations.
These Trumpets were also blown on Rosh Hashanah
but in our case it was a military move like the American Army Bugle for waking
up, raising or lowering the flag, attacking, assembly or food time.
9 And when ye go to war in your land against
the adversary that oppresses you, then ye shall sound an alarm with the
trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be
saved from your enemies.
To this day, people blow the Shofar to rally the
troops in war or tense times.
10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in
your appointed seasons, and in your new moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets
over your burnt-offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace-offerings; and
they shall be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your
God.'
Different notes or tunes were played on Rosh Chodesh.
11 And it came to pass in the second year,
in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, that the cloud was
taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 And the
children of Israel set forward by their stages out of the wilderness of Sinai;
and the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran.
From the first year on Rosh Chodesh Sivan until 20th
of Sivan a year later, the nation encamped around Har Sinai. Now they were to
travel towards Paran.
13 And they took their first journey,
according to the commandment of the LORD be hand of Moses. 14 And in
the first place the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set forward
according to their hosts; and over his host was Nahshon the son of Aminadab. 15 And
over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of
Zuar. 16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun
was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and
the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tabernacle, set
forward. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward
according to their hosts; and over his host was Elizur the son of
Shedeur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon
was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the host of the
tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 And
the Kohathites the bearers of the sanctuary set forward, that the tabernacle
might be set up against their coming. 22 And the standard of the camp
of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their hosts; and over his
host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the host of the
tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And
over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of
Gideoni. 25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan,
which was the rearward of all the camps, set forward according to their hosts;
and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the
host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of
Ochran. 27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali
was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 Thus were the journeyings of the children
of Israel according to their hosts.--And they set forward.
I could have cut out all this narration and said
Yehuda, Reuven, Yosef and Dan marched in that order. I felt that if the Torah,
that is never writes extra words describes the movement in paragraphs as if one
was watching the army march out. Then who am I to cut this so short!
29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of
Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law: 'We are journeying unto the place of
which the LORD said: I will give it you; come thou with us, and we will do thee
good; for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.' 30 And he
said unto him: 'I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my
kindred.'
This is a reminder from Parsha Yisro that Yisro
departed before the nation received the Torah.
31 And he said: 'Leave us not, I pray thee;
forasmuch as thou know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt
be to us instead of eyes. 32 And it shall be, if thou go with us,
yea, it shall be, that what good soever the LORD shall do unto us, the same
will we do unto thee.' 33 And they set forward from the mount of the
LORD three days' journey; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before
them three days' journey, to seek out a resting-place for
them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, when they
set forward from the camp.
So, with HASHEM as the guide, the people moved forward or rested.
35 And it came to pass, when the ark set
forward, that Moses said: 'Rise up, O LORD, and let Thine enemies be scattered;
and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.'
We say this every time we open up the Aron
Kodesh. Adding “Our of Tzion shall the Torah go forth and the word of HASHEM from
Yerushalayim.”
36 And when it rested, he said: 'Return, O
LORD, unto the ten thousands of the families of Israel.'
We do not say this today
but a similar words and concepts.
11:1 And the people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears
of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of
the LORD burnt among them, and devoured in the uttermost part of the
camp. 2 And the people cried unto Moses; and Moses prayed unto the
LORD, and the fire abated. 3 And the name of that place was called
Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burnt among them. 4 And the
mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel
also wept on their part, and said: 'Would that we were given flesh to eat!
The diet of Mann was completely fulfilling the hunger
and nutritional values of all. But these people were kindling tastes of things
that were unnecessary.
5 We remember the fish, which we were wont
to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and
the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our soul is dried away; there
is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.'-- 7 Now
the manna was like coriander seed, and the appearance thereof as the appearance
of bdellium. 8 The people went about, and gathered it, and ground it
in mills, or beat it in mortars, and seethed it in pots, and made cakes of it;
and the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil. 9 And
when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon
it.-- 10 And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every
man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; and
Moses was displeased.
Meat is not mentioned and probably because they
had goats, sheep and cattle with them. But in the wilderness, one cannot obtain
a fish known today as “the princess of the Nile”. They were used to fish and
vegetables.
11 And Moses said unto the LORD: 'Wherefore
hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in
Thy sight, that Thou lay the burden of all this people upon
me? 12 Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth,
that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father
carried the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their
fathers? 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people?
for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may
eat. 14 I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because
it is too heavy for me.
I don’t have the logistics to obtain and bring
into the wilderness. I am incapable of satisfying their lusts and cravings. The
burden of leadership is too much for me.
15 And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I
pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in Thy sight; and let me not look
upon my wretchedness.'
The obligation is too much for me.
16 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Gather
unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou know to be the elders of
the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting,
that they may stand there with thee. 17 And I will come down and
speak with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and
will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee,
that thou bear it not thyself alone.
I am giving you the Sanhedrin so that you do not
rule alone.
18 And say thou unto the people: Sanctify
yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh; for ye have wept in the
ears of the LORD, saying: Would that we were given flesh to eat! for it was
well with us in Egypt; therefore, the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall
eat. 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days,
neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20 but a whole month, until it
come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; because that ye have
rejected the LORD who is among you, and have troubled Him with weeping, saying:
Why, now, came we forth out of Egypt?'
The L-RD is supplying all our needs and this
crowd is mummering because they cannot eat things leeks and garlic! G-D is angry
at these fools.
21 And Moses said: 'The people, among whom I
am, are six hundred thousand men on foot; and yet Thou hast said: I will give
them flesh, that they may eat a whole month! 22 If flocks and herds
be slain for them, will they suffice them? or if all the fish of the sea be
gathered together for them, will they suffice them?'
I once said to Rav Zvi Drapkin Shlita over 48 years
ago that Moshe did not use logic about the supply chain for it is obvious that
such items could feed 600,000 men in Mitzrayim. He told me that I learned this
all wrong. Moshe is complaining about their insatiable Yetzer HaRa. If he feeds
them today, they will demand more tomorrow. However, the answer from HASHEM seems
to be in between our way of learning.
23 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Is the
LORD'S hand waxed short? now shalt thou see whether My word shall come to pass
unto thee or not.'
I will make my NAME GREAT AND GLORIFIED before
all.
24 And Moses went out, and told the people
the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people,
and set them round about the Tent. 25 And the LORD came down in the
cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it
upon the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon
them, they prophesied, but they did so no more. 26 But there remained
two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other
Medad; and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were
recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the
camp.
Eldad and Medad were deserving to be on the
Sanhedrin but they lowered themselves as not to embarrass two undeserving
elders. For this they were given prophecy and more in tune with the Sanhedrin than
the other two members.
27 And there ran a young man, and told
Moses, and said: 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.'
Yehoshua was in his early fifties and is called a
young man. I assume that the elders were probably between 80 to 100 or at best
in their seventies.
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister
of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: 'My lord Moses, shut them
in.' 29 And Moses said unto him: 'Art thou jealous for my sake? would
that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His spirit
upon them!' 30 And Moses withdrew into the camp, he and the elders of
Israel.
After the meeting of the Sanhedrin.
31 And there went forth a wind from the
LORD, and brought across quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp,
about a day's journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side,
round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth. 32 And
the people rose up all that day, and all the night, and all the next day, and
gathered the quails; he that gathered least gathered ten heaps; and they spread
them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33 While the
flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was
kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great
plague.
When the quail fly, their winds produce a
chemical that is poisonous to man especially eaten raw. The gluttons that
started the up rising were not willing to wait to properly slaughter, salt or
roast the birds before eating. At best they used all the minimum times and that
proved fatal. The more civilized and cultured people blessed the miracle and
the blessing of being alive until this season.
34 And the name of that place was called
Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted.
The place is called the graves of lusting or
perhaps gluttons.
35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people
journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth. 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against
Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a
Cushite woman. 2 And they said: 'Hath the LORD indeed spoken only
with Moses? hath He not spoken also with us?' And the LORD heard it. 3 Now
the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the
earth.
Her Lashon HaRa was for the wife of Moshe. However, because she said it
behind Moshe’s back rather to his face was the reason for her punishment. Her
Lashon HaRa was not out of hatred, jealous or selfishness but out of love for Tzipporah.
4 And the LORD spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto
Miriam: 'Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting.' And they three came out.
The L-RD often spoke to Moshe suddenly but not to the other siblings.
5 And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the
door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came
forth. 6 And He said: 'Hear now My words: if there be a prophet among
you, I the LORD do make Myself known unto him in a vision, I do speak with him
in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My
house; 8 with him do I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not
in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD doth he behold; wherefore then
were ye not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?' 9 And
the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and He
departed. 10 And when the cloud was removed from over the Tent,
behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow; and Aaron looked upon Miriam;
and, behold, she was leprous.
Speak Lashon HaRa you become a Leper and get kicked out of the camp.
11 And Aaron said unto Moses: 'Oh my lord, lay not, I pray thee,
sin upon us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have
sinned. 12 Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is
half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.' 13 And Moses
cried unto the LORD, saying: 'Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee.' 14 And
the LORD said unto Moses: 'If her father had but spit in her face, should she
not hide in shame seven days? let her be shut up without the camp seven days,
and after that she shall be brought in again.' 15 And Miriam was shut
up without the camp seven days; and the people journeyed not till Miriam was
brought in again.
Because she waited until Teva of bulrushes reached Pharaoh’s Daughter, so
the people waited for her seven days.
16 And afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and pitched in
the wilderness of Paran.
The 3rd
grader and Rav Edelstein told by Zev Windish
For 79years, Rav Edelstein Ztzal was at the Ponevezh Yeshiva as one
of the first six young men to learn under Rav Kahaneman Ztzal. He became one of
the Roshei Yeshiva as it grew.
Zev, who is now in his 60’s, was in the 3rd grade at the
time or close to the age of 9. One Purim his friend brought out real cigarettes
and smoked a bit for a joke. He liked it and kept the box of the rest of the
cigarettes in his possession.
It was not long until the boy’s father found the cigarettes and was
furious. He got angry and threw the boy out of the house. In the meantime, the
boy went to play with his friend Zev. After a while the boy had to use the
restroom and since he could not go home, Zev suggested such and such a
Synagogue. The boy could not use the Synagogue as only a restroom so he sat
down and learned Mishnayos. An elderly man saw him crying and learning and
asked what was the matter. The boy did not want to answer, but the old man kept
pressing him and he told his story.
The old man then walked with the boy to his house. He knocked on
the door and the boy’s mother answered calling her husband that the Rosh
Yeshiva was here. Rav Edelstein said that either they take the boy who learns
Mishnayos back or he will raise him in his house.
From the 14th channel. A man came to Rabbi Edelstein
about his daughter who was dressing immodestly. He asked if he should kick her
out into an apartment by herself so as not to influence the other children.
Rabbi Edelstein said perhaps send the stronger in religion children out of the
house and keep her to give her the attention that she craves for.
The Rabbi’s Motorcycle Accident by Yerachmiel Tilles
http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1329-36
It's Friday afternoon in central
Paris. It's close to Shabbat, so I (Hershy Drukman) get on my motorcycle and
head home.
I live in France, serving as a
Chabad emissary in S.-Maur-des-Fossés, a small city [about 20 kilometers] south
of Paris.
It's raining heavily, and the
pavement is slippery. I slow down, adjusting my helmet.
Suddenly I notice a sports car
entering the intersection. The driver hasn't noticed me approaching at high
speed.
The situation is dangerous, and
my heart races. What to do? Brake on wet pavement at 80 km/50 miles an hour? I
am in danger of rolling over. To continue? A collision is unavoidable.
I brake quickly. The motorcycle
skids, and I fall to the ground. I am waiting for the approaching cars. Are
these my last moments?
Silence. One car stops and blocks
the road. I check myself for injuries. Thank G-d, I'm fine. I try to get out
the street.
A woman runs toward me. "Are
you, all right?" she asks in French. "Can I help you?"
"I think I'm all
right," I answer, removing my helmet. She looks surprised-perhaps not
expecting a bearded man. There are not many in Paris.
"Is everything all
right?" she asks again, this time in Hebrew. Now I am taken aback.
She introduces herself as Madame
Katia Dahaan. "I live nearby, and happened to be passing," she says.
"I didn't expect to see a Jew, never mind a rabbi."
"And the Hebrew?" I
ask.
"Oh, that's from trips to
Israel years ago," she says.
Katia wants to talk, but I
apologize and explain, "It's almost Shabbat, and I need to get home."
Katia is surprised to hear
Shabbat is coming. Her reaction puzzles me. Almost 400,000 Jews live in the
Pletzel neighborhood; it's hard not to know today is Shabbat eve.
"Do you light Shabbat
candles?" I ask.
Katia gives me another strange
look. She mutters, "No, I don't."
"Can I invite you to our
home for Shabbat?" I offer.
"Which Shabbat?" she
asks with surprise.
"Tonight," I answer.
A smile emerges. "I don't
think I can come tonight, but I will be happy to come another Shabbat,"
she says. We exchange phone numbers, and part.
* * *
Katia didn't come that evening,
nor the next Shabbat. And I couldn't find her number, though I tried hard to
locate her.
Four months pass. One morning I
received a text message from an unfamiliar number.
Moments later, my phone rang.
"Rabbi? It's Katia Dahaan.
Do you remember me?"
"Of course! We are still
waiting for you to come for Shabbat."
"When can I come?"
"Please, this coming
Shabbat!"
That Friday night Katia was one
of our guests. She was very emotional throughout.
Others asked me who she was. I
told them the story about the accident. I said, "You can say that she was
a messenger from Above to help me during those scary moments."
* * *
Katia looked at us with a smile
and said, "I think it's time for you to hear my version. . .
"I am forty-five years old
and live alone. I have a sister and mother, but I haven't spoken to them for
over twenty years.
"It's hard to be single,
especially for a Jewish woman. My parents were traditional; we made kiddush,
celebrated holidays and fasted on Yom Kippur. But since I've been living alone,
I stopped observing.
"When you live alone, it's
hard to make kiddush, because there is no family to have a meal
together. It's hard to go to synagogue alone. I didn't even have Jewish
girlfriends.
"About two years ago, after
years of being disconnected from Judaism, I wanted to come back to my religion.
I decided to find a job in a Jewish environment. This way I'd make friends, and
maybe get invited for Shabbat and holidays.
"I found a job in a shoe
store in the Pletzel. All the local workers were Jewish, and I made friends.
"But there was one
problem-Shabbat. On Fridays they would wish one another 'Good Shabbat,' and on
Mondays, ask each other how Shabbat went. But no one paid attention to me.
Every week I hoped for an invitation, but every week brought more
disappointment.
"Almost a year passed . . .
'Can it be that Jews don't accept you anymore?' I asked myself. 'How can they
be so inconsiderate?'"
Katia's voice became choked with
emotion. "I became very angry with Jews and Judaism. I decided it wasn't
for me. I left that store and found another job.
"But there still was one
problem-Shabbat. Every Friday night I would remember the Shabbat of my
childhood-the candles, kiddush. I thought, 'How can I stop these
memories?'
"I decided to find something
to do on Friday nights. I found an advertisement for a church choir looking for
singers on Friday nights."
Silence prevailed around the
table. "I was accepted into the choir, and it's been a year that I'm
singing in church on Friday nights. With a sad smile she added, "I come
home so tired that I don't have time to think about Shabbat.
"Everything went smoothly
until that Friday," continued Katia, "when I saw the motorcycle
rolling over on the road. I ran to help the rider, and was shocked when he
reminded me that it was Shabbat eve and invited me! And he didn't even know me!
"You think that I was sent
to you?" Katia concluded. "I think it was you who was sent to bring
back my soul."
Katia doesn't sing in the church
anymore. She spends every Friday night with us or other Chabad families.
So, it wasn't just a motorcycle
accident after all.
Milestone: Justice Yacov Turkel, 88,
Former
Supreme Court justice Yaakov Turkel dies aged 88
Inyanay Diyoma
Last week, Yeted Neeman,
(Charedi News Paper) on the fake news of the anti-religious parties about the
“millions for Charedim”. It turns out after all is said and done with money for
school buildings, teachers pay, paving streets, etc. The money is similar to
what Labor, Lapid, Lieberman, Blue and White, Likud, Religious Zionism etc.
receive.
While the general
headlines save me a lot of time, the reader then has to go to look for the link
so I am returning to what was starting June. 1st.
May 28
Gadol HaDor hospitalized and stable. Leading haredi rabbi hospitalized over Shavuot holiday
Terrorist who attempted stabbing attack is
eliminated
Nasrallah: Israel is the one who must be
careful
IDF
downs drone crossing into Israel from Lebanon
Benjamin
region: 9-year-old girl wounded from stray gunfire
Berlin
police launch investigation of Roger Waters
After
2 years: Missing Israeli man found in Jordanian hospital
Senators
to Biden: Ensure equal treatment for US citizens when mulling Israel Visa
Waiver
Terrorist
who requested early release returns from hospital to prison
Left
to the ravages of time: Delving into the Portuguese Inquisition archives
Tens
of thousands protest judicial reform across Israel for 21st weekend
Russian
forces intercept two British Storm Shadow missiles
Dennis
Prager: If US abandons Israel, 'that is end of America'
Scientists
may have found cause for sudden infant death syndrome
Iran
to expand anti-submarine warfare with torpedo-launching drones
Chinese
ships ignore Vietnam demand to leave area close to gas fields
At
least three killed in clash on Iran-Afghan border
Mar 29
IDF
operates in Jenin after shooting attack, arresting 2 wanted terrorists
Syria
claims: Israel attacked in Damascus area, explosions heard
After
end of Disengagement Law, Homesh yeshiva moved to permanent location
Arabs
celebrate on Temple Mount: Erdogan won, Muhammad's army will return
Zelenskyy
proposes Iran sanctions bill
Iran
nuclear advances could lead to an Israeli attack - IDF chief
https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-teenagers-suspected-of-raping-extorting-cash-from-woman-40/
Ben-Gvir
sues former Defense Minister for 200,000 shekels
Violent
protesters welcome MK Rothman to Tel Aviv panel
Three
Terror Attacks in 1 Day: Bomb attack foiled in eastern Samaria
IDF captures $18,000,000 in heroin. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/371838
Levin calls for
justices who 'understand' why Jews don't want to live near Arabs
Anybody notice that the
stock went up 30% in one day and here is why: Nvidia
taps into Israeli innovation to build generative AI cloud supercomputer
‘Egypt,
Syria are coordinating’: IDF estimates on eve of Yom Kippur War declassified
Meetings Bennett
holds "marathon" of economic meetins in South Korea
Terrorists
injure elderly woman in Huwara stone-throwing attack
Iranian
official: Attack on nuclear facilities would mean war
Israel
scores stunning late comeback to beat Japan, reach Under-20 World Cup last 16
Medvedev:
In a nuclear war, a pre-emptive strike is the rule
Russia
puts Lindsey Graham on wanted list
Israeli
Air Force could buy 20 new helicopters from US
Treatment
of cocaine-addicted rats sparks ethics investigation at USC
Re-heating
rice can put you at risk for this potentially fatal disease
Iran-backed
Houthi gunmen kidnapped 17 Baha’is in Yemen
UFOs
becoming increasingly attractive to US academics
Climate
change may lead to massive tsunamis from Antarctica
Last week’s miracle of
shots missing mother and children. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/371856
Mar 30
More
on Israel’s new APC https://www.debka.com/new-eitan-apc-incorporating-chariot-tank-technology-goes-into-idf-service/
Mar 31
BDE Rav Gershon Edelstein, 100, last
of the original 6 students of the Ponevezh Yeshiva founded in 1944 by HaRav
Kahaneman Ztzal, soul comes to rest. But with that the Torah and constant
merits of the Tzadik are no longer with us to prevent the drive-by terror
murder of Meir Tamari HY”D, 32, leaving a wife and two young children. He is
the son-in-law of Dalit Horgen Haver and Benjamin
Horgen. Terror tragedy twice in my extended family. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372101 and
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372109
Rabbi Gershon Edelstein passed away
Tuesday morning, and it is not clear who will lead the Lithuanian-Charedi
community in his place. Potential successors include Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch
(87), and Rabbi Dov Landa (93) of the Slobodka Yeshiva, as well as Rabbi Baruch
Mordechai Ezrachi (94) of the Ateret Yisrael Yeshiva. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372118
CUNY: Our
future lawmakers commencing with antisemitism
Report:
Saudi Arabia nowhere near reaching deal with Israel
5 terrorists killed on
Syrian-Lebanese Border. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372154
Col. Ami
Bitton appointed commander of Paratroopers Brigade
Head of US
Central Command participates in annual IDF drill
Practicing
to attack Iran? IDF launches annual general staff exercise
IDF
soldier injured in bombing attack during Samaria operation
Saudi
Arabia executes two Bahraini men convicted of belonging to militant group
Successful
but scrappy: Air Force marks 75 years since its 1st-ever strike mission
Attorney
general decides against mediation process in Netanyahu corruption trial
Police
redesignate teen's 2022 road death as suspected murder, arrest 5
18
Israeli politicians said slated to attend Sunday's Celebrate Israel Parade in
NYC
North
Korea says it will launch its first military spy satellite in June
Israeli
man among 4 killed as tourist boat overturns in Italy
Israeli
man collapses and dies in Uman
Netanyahu
to Erdogan: We'll bring the relations between the countries to new heights
Demolition
order signed for home of terrorist who murdered Yaniv brothers
30th fire opened towards
soldiers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372084
https://www.timesofisrael.com/artificial-intelligence-raises-risk-of-extinction-experts-warn/
June 1st
BDE last of the Sbarro Pizza attack.
Chana Tova Feiner
Nachenberg, HY”D died after almost 22 years of heroism. She was supposed to
turn 53 years old in one month. 21 years and nine months have passed since the
attack, in a coma. I was at the wedding of her brother and the sister-in-law
told me that there was like a tear from her eyes as they talked to her. I met
her father and husband David & daughter in the course or the years in
Modiin. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372193
As for Meir Tamari HY”D I met him once
for a few minutes with his wife and children. I could never have guessed that
the young couple I met would be the first and last time I’d ever see them
together. I know too many people injured or killed by terrorists.
Died in accident following
Russian-Iranian Money. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372223
Residents don’t want Gay Pride
Parade. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372222
Border Police officer Mohammad Hamza, who stole
and sold police weapons. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372217
Dangerous smugglers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372220
Israel-Saudi Deal for Iran Deal. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372205
Jewish Residents to hold morning
prayers to block Arabs. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372210
Minister cancels LA speech. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372206
Old Sifrei Torah retired. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372213
The following is more detailed than
yesterday’s report.
Parents still forgetting children in
car. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-744889
New theoretical model or massive galaxies in the first half billion
years. https://www.jpost.com/science/article-744744
June 2nd
President Biden has another fall. https://www.aol.com/news/biden-tells-us-air-force-174422516.html
85th Arab Victim this
year. https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-fatally-shot-in-northern-city-of-umm-al-fahm-4-suspects-arrested/
Latest Poll shows Benny Ganz as PM. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372254
Bennett-Hendel could get 9 seats. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372243
A Lebanese judge on Thursday accused five members
of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, only one of whom is in custody, of
killing an Irish peacekeeper last December. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372253
Soldier shot by terrorists. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372244
Different attack by 5 terrorists. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/372238
https://www.timesofisrael.com/nationwide-fire-starting-ban-ordered-for-friday-as-temperatures-spike/
Op-ed Ron Ben Yeshai Iran Threshold
Nuke State. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rk97rl8ln
A U.S. Air Force official said last week that a simulation of
an artificial
intelligence-enabled drone tasked with destroying surface-to-air missile
(SAM) sites turned against and attacked its human user, who was supposed to
have the final go- or no-go decision to destroy the site. https://www.foxnews.com/tech/us-military-ai-drone-simulation-kills-operator-told-bad-takes-out-control-tower
Shabbos is more powerful than
competition. https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/06/01/i-have-kept-shabbat-my-entire-life-israeli-runner-forced-to-miss-major-competition-due-to-religious-observance/
A healthy, peaceful and
restful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
