BEHA´ALOTECHA_ NUMBERS VIII – XII
The tribe of Levi plays a unique role in the biblical account. At the time of the rebellion of the Egel HaZahav, the “golden calf”, this tribe responded to Moshe’s call, and because of it, probably, they replaced the firstborn during religious worship. These chapters describe the moment of their consecration. Each member of this tribe had to serve for twenty-five years, beginning with the age of twenty-five. We are also told then about the only celebration of the Pesach that took place during the forty years of the desert crossing.
Some argue that this was so because Brit Milah was not practiced during those years and therefore the holiday could not be celebrated. The Torah insists, Kol arel lo yochal bo, that the uncircumcised could not ingest this sacrifice, and for this reason this feast of freedom could not be celebrated. (In the Torah the word Pesach refers to the sacrifice offered on the fourteenth day of Nisan. The feast we call Pesach today, receivesthe nomenclature of Chag HaMatsot in the Torah).
Answering the question about people who for reasons of ritual impurity or because they were at a distance that prevented them from arriving in time to offer the Pesach, God instructs Moshe that there is the possibility of making this sacrifice a month later. The Ger, who in the language of the Talmud denotes a convert to Judaism, must be governed by the same laws, according to the Torah. The Chachamim question whether it is appropriate for a Ger to claim- according to the text of the Haggadah – that his ancestors were slaves in Egypt.
According to some scholars, the Ger of the Torah is not identical with the Ger of the Talmud which refers to a person who voluntarily adheres to Judaism. These scholars argue that the Ger of the Torah is the foreigner who decides to abandon idolatry but has not yet decided to fully incorporate into the Jewish tradition. In any case, the Torah treats equally before the Law all who want to participate in our rites and identify with our destiny. Therefore, they decide that the Ger can also claim that his ancestors were slaves in Egypt. Conversion to Judaism means inclusion in a new family tree and involves making the history of the Jewish people their own.
In the of Shemot we came across the expression Neviecha, which in that context meant that Aharon would be the spokesman for Moshe, who had speech difficulties (Kevad pe). Now we come across this same word, but with a different meaning. The spirit of God descends upon Eldad and Meidad, who begin to prophesy. A young man, who according to Rashi is Guershom, a son of Moshe, sounds an alert about what happened. Yehoshua reacts violently (because it is suggested that they announced Moshe’s death and Yehoshua’s succession in the leadership of the people). Moshe, on the other hand, aspires that the Divine spirit can be present at all times, within the people.
We are faced with the presence of a new biblical figure, that of the Navi, the prophet. Moshe, the great leader and liberator of the people, is, at the same time, the prototype of the Navi. In the words of Rambam, Moshe is Adon HaNeviim, the lord of all prophets. God communicates constantly with him. Vaidaber Hashem el Moshe lemor: “and God spoke to Moshe saying“, is a verse that appears constantly in the Torah. According to Saadia Gaon, the Navi is primarily a messenger of God. His skills in the field of miracles and his knowledge of the hidden and future events are actually very limited and only serve the needs of his mission.
From Yehudah Halevi’s perspective prophecy is typical to the Jewish people and was transmitted from Adam to those who were fit and worthy to receive this singular heritage. Prophecy, in his opinion, requires a special environment that is only found in Erets Israel.
For Rambam, prophecy is the culmination of the state of perfection in the field of morality, intellect, and spirit. Rambam questions the historicity of certain events in the Bible, such as the account of the messengers who appear to Avraham and that of Yaacov’s struggle with an alleged angel. For Rambam these are episodes that belong to the world of prophetic vision.
Ramban differs radically from Rambam’s opinion by assuming a literal interpretation of the biblical text in the mentioned cases.
Much is said about the prophet’s prediction faculties. (Let us remember the saying that predicting events, especially about the future, is very hazardous). However, I consider that the Navi is, in essence, a disturbing factor in the status quo. The Navi is the model of the person outraged and dissatisfied by the behavior of members of the society that surrounds him. He questions by vocation. For the prophet, the daily injustices, to which we tend to become accustomed, are the cause for constant denunciations and exhortations. He does not devote his attention to solving philosophical and theological problems such as to why and the subsequent purpose of existence. His concern is focused on everyday injustices: against the widow and the orphan, against the poor and the helpless, who serve as a model, as the target of abuses.
In the Aristotelian vision, the gods do not deal with things they consider trivial such as human well-being and misfortune. There are facts that can be regarded as cosmic minutiae such as the assaults of the strong on the weak. For the Navi, on the other hand, the fight against these evils becomes the reason for their existence and the fundamental purpose of their mission. The Navi is apparently programmed to react violently against injustice, without taking into account the personal consequences his actions can cause. Thus, we find, for example, the prophet Natan who confronts the mighty King David and reproaches him for his actions in the case of Bat Sheva.
The source of the Navi´s inexhaustible energy lies in his love for human beings and his compassion for their suffering. His accusing finger is not limited to pointing out those guilty of a crime. The Navi considers that a society that includes these exploiters of the less fortunate is equally responsible for their evils. Reading Amos and Yeshayahu, for example, reveal that their ideas and denunciations correspond to contemporary social sensibility. This is one of the categories we use to rate any literary work as exceptional: “If its content is still applicable to our times”.
Moshe proves his qualifications as Navi when leaving Pharaoh’s palace, he defended the honor of the Hebrew mistreated by the Egyptian foreman. With this act, Moshe puts himself in danger and compromises his position of privilege in the Egyptian Court. A Navi cannot remain indifferent when he witnesses injustice. And Moshe is first and foremost, the Adon HaNeviim, the “Lord of all prophets”.
MITSVAH: TORAH ORDINANCE IN THIS PARASHAH
CONTAINS 3 POSITIVE MITSVOT AND 2 PROHIBITIONS
- 380.Numbers 9:11 Offering the Pesach Sheni on 14 Iyar
- 381.Numbers 9:11 Eating the offering Pesach Sheni on 14 Iyar
- 382.Numbers 9:12 Not to leave anything of the offering Pesach Sheni for the following day
- 383.Numbers 9:12 Not to break any bones of offering Pesach Sheni
- 384.Numbers 10:9-10 sound the Trumpets in the Temple during battles and each offering
