While the first chapters of Bemidbar mention the number of those who left Egypt and describe the organization of the camp of the Hebrews during the long journey through the desert, this weekly text describes the grave error of the emissaries who went to investigate the characteristics of the Promised Land. One explorer per tribe was the instruction of Moses, so there were 12 in total. Two reports were given: the majority of 10 opined that conquest was not possible while a minority of 2, Kalev and Yehoshua, who would assume leadership after Moses’ death, without contradicting the description offered by the majority, tried to encourage the people to undertake the task of conquest immediately.
The report had been exhaustive, an assessment was made of the conditions of the cities, an evaluation of the character of their inhabitants, and an estimate of whether nature was generous enough to feed the Hebrew people. But the real questions were different. Had Pharaoh’s slaves also broken the chains of spiritual and emotional bondage or only the yoke of physical bondage? Had they internalized the value of freedom and acquired enough self-esteem to start a new stage: an independent national life in a land of their own?
The majority report pointed to national immaturity, an unwillingness to embark on a new stage, which would transform the mentality of obedience to a foreman into an attitude of sovereignty and self-determination.
The Netsiv, Rabbi Naphthalali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, father of Rabbi Meir Bar Ilan, the great leader of the Zionist Mizrahi movement, whose name bears the Bar Ilan University of Israel, cites the correspondence established by the Midrash between the five mentions of the word “light” in Bereshit with the 5 Books of the Torah. According to this order, the mention of “light” in our book corresponds to the act of separation between light and darkness. While the early Books of the Torah refer to light, however, Bemidbar gives birth to the period of “darkness”; that is, those who will eventually conquer the Promised Land belong to the group of “darkness”. The Nets argue that the period of “light” refers to the Divine light that guided the Hebrews during the first stage of their history. God was present in the life of the patriarchs, “accompanied” them symbolically during their suffering in Egypt, and protected them in the desert. God sent 10 plagues to the Egyptians to allow the Hebrews to escape the yoke of slavery. He revealed to them the Ten Commandments, which would promote coexistence and lead to human solidarity.
It was a long period of “light,” the source of which was the Creator. Our chapters begin in a different period. The “light” coming from God would no longer be apparent, as it was in the previous stage. They would have to learn that there is another “light,” the energy that comes from self-effort. They had received the instruction represented by the Mitsvah, the legacy of behavior attached to the Word of God contained in the Torah. With this Torah in hand, they would be able to generate an inner and proper “light” from that moment on.
The report of the explorers and the following rebellion led by Korach are episodes that reflect the anxiety, the uneasiness of having to make decisions of their own, without a celestial “cloud” that indicates each step to follow. The path that the Hebrew people will follow will be uncertain, but sobering. Each challenge will become a learning experience and each challenge will allow them to take a step forward towards national maturity, as represented in our days by Medinat Israel.
MITSVAH: TORAH ORDINANCE IN THIS PARSHAH
CONTAINS 2 POSITIVE MITZVOT AND 1 BAN
- Numbers 15:20 Separate Challah from the dough and deliver it to the Kohen.
- Numbers 15:38 Place Tsitsit (fringes) on a garment that is worn.
- Numbers 15:39 Do not deviate by way of the thoughts of the heart or what the eyes see.
