From: Yeshivat Har Etzion Office <office@etzion.org.il>
To: yhe-intparsha@etzion.org.il
Subject: INTPARSHA61 -32: Parashat Beha'alotekha

YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
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INTRODUCTION TO PARASHAT HASHAVUA

Parashat Beha'alotekha

The Journey to Canaan
By Rav Michael Hattin

Introduction

Sefer BeMidbar optimistically began with a census of
the People of Israel, as they prepared to undertake the
march from Sinai to the Promised Land. The organization of
their camp, predicated upon four tribal units grouped around
the Mishkan or Tabernacle, was spelled out at some length.
The Parasha of BeMidbar concluded with a census of the tribe
of Levi and a detailed description of the responsibilities
pertaining to the Levitical clan of Kehat. Parashat Naso
continued the theme by delineating the responsibilities of
the other two Levitical clans of Gershon and Merari. It
then introduced the topics of the Sotah and Nazir, the
respective rituals of which rigidly revolve around the
Tabernacle. That Parasha finished with a lengthy formulary
describing the offerings presented by the twelve tribal
princes of Israel on the occasion of the Mishkan's
dedication.

Parashat Beha'alotekha, this week's reading, begins
with a brief description of the kindling of the Menora. It
then goes on to recount the formal investiture of the
Levites in their new capacity as ministers in the
Tabernacle, in place of the Firstborn of Israel who had been
rejected from service due to their prominent role in the sin
of the Golden Calf. The common denominator that binds these
many disparate items together, from the beginning of the
Book up to this point, is the Tabernacle. This movable
building, the travelling sanctuary for God's presence, is
the basis of the camp's ordering principles and is the focal
point of the people's cares. The lengthy accounts of the
Levitical census and the associated depiction of their
ceremonial roles are a direct function of the Tabernacle's
rituals. The journeys that the Book of BeMidbar so
eloquently describes, commence and conclude according to its
rhythms, for when this building is dismantled the people
begin their trek and they record their destinations by
fabricating it anew.

By its very nature, the Mishkan is a temporary
structure, its building proper protected by a tent-like
covering and its boundaries marked by woven curtains. The
story of its migrations through the wilderness also
describes a transitional condition, for the great events of
the other Books of the Torah are lived out in specific
locations in space: Canaan, Egypt, Sinai, and the Plains of
Moav. Bearing these introductory remarks in mind, we shall
investigate some of the other events of Parashat
Beha'alotekha, in the hopes of arriving at a more profound
appreciation of the pivotal role that the reading plays in
the narratives of the entire Book of BeMidbar.

The Paschal Sacrifice and its Aftermath

Immediately following the account of the Levites
election to the service of the Tabernacle (BeMidbar Chapter
8), the Torah introduces us to a celebration of the Paschal
sacrifice, the people's only recorded observance of that
rite during the entire wilderness experience. "God spoke to
Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the
second year of the Exodus from Egypt saying: Command the
people of Israel to observe the Passover at its appointed
time.The people performed the Pesach on the fourteenth day
of the first month at evening in the wilderness of Sinai,
according to all that God had commanded Moshe." (BeMidbar
9:1-5). Significantly, the account is glaringly out of
chronological order, for although recorded here, this
observance of the Passover precedes the opening events of
the Book by at least a few weeks. The census of the people,
with which the Book commences, is not undertaken until the
first day of the second month! For some reason, the Torah
has intentionally omitted mention of the Passover observance
until this point.

When some of the people are unable to perform the
Passover ceremonial due to ritual unfitness, the Torah
mandates the unusual opportunity of a compensatory
observance, to be performed exactly one month later. This
so-called "Pesach Sheni" or Second Passover, relating
exclusively to the Paschal sacrifice and to its associated
meal, is the only example of a holiday ritual for which the
Torah offers a second chance. It is clearly indicative of
the overriding importance that the tradition places upon the
observance of the Passover, marking as it does the birth of
the nation of Israel and its emergence upon the stage of
world history as an independent and important player. The
Torah duly records the people's observance of this Second
Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month (BeMidbar
9:9-14).

The Order of the Journeys and the Trumpets

What follows is a proleptic description of the journeys
through the wilderness. First, the Divine cloud would lift
off of the Mishkan and then the camp would begin to move.
The passage describes how the duration of the encampment at
a particular location would be a direct function of the
cloud's continued presence. As long as the cloud remained
stationed above the Tabernacle, the people would remain
encamped; as soon as it began to journey, the people would
follow its lead. Significantly, the text describes how the
cloud might remain stationed for a period of a day or two, a
month or even a year - an obvious foreshadowing that the
short journey towards the Promised Land about to commence
would be prolonged by interminable delays.

The narrative then goes on to describe the fashioning
of the silver trumpets. These instruments, given over to
the authority of Moshe, are to be used to signal the people
to assemble or to break up camp, or to call the princes to
attention. Again, the subject matter directly relates to
the larger theme of journey that characterizes the entire
section.

The Moment of Truth and Chovav

Finally, the anticipated moment arrives as the people
begin their journey from Mount Sinai. "On the twentieth day
of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted
from upon the Mishkan. The people of Israel began to travel
from the wilderness of Sinai until the cloud came to rest in
the wilderness of Paran. This was the first journey at
God's command to Moshe" (BeMidbar 10:11-13). A short
description of the tribal units follows, as the camp breaks
up and begins to move according to the order set down in
Parashat BeMidbar.

"Moshe said to Chovav, son of Reuel Moshe's father-in-
law: 'We are journeying to the place that God said He
would give us. Accompany us and we shall deal kindly
with you, for God has promised good things to Israel.
Chovav replied: 'I will not go. Rather I shall return
to my land and to my birthplace.' Moshe said: 'Please
do not abandon us, for since you know the area of our
encampments in the wilderness, you can be our guide.
If you accompany us, then the goodness that God has
promised us, we shall bestow on you as well.' They
journeyed from God's mount a distance of three days;
the Ark of God's covenant traveled before them at a
distance of three days to find them a place to rest.
The Divine cloud remained over them as they began to
travel from the camp." (BeMidbar 10:29-34).

Taken together, it is clear that this entire group of
narratives, beginning with the Paschal sacrifice and
culminating with Moshe's entreaty to Chovav, is concerned
with one single theme: the preparations for journey to their
land. The earlier sections of the Book - describing the
censuses, the tasks of the Levites, the rites of the Sotah
and Nazir, the substitution of the Firstborn by the Levites
- all dealt with themes related to the Tabernacle and its
central role in the lives of the people. These later
passages, in contrast, describe the concrete preparations
undertaken by the people at God's behest to begin the trek
to the land of Canaan, the inheritance of their ancestors.

Reconsidering the Paschal Sacrifice

As surely as the Exodus from Egypt was presaged by the
Paschal sacrifice, with all of its implications of securing
freedom through attentiveness to God's command, so too the
journey towards the is announced by a similar rite. The
birth of the nation that is suggested by this unique
observance is here revisited, for Israel is about to embark
upon a new chapter of its destiny. The people now prepare
to enter the land, settle it, and finally set into motion
the fulfillment of God's summons to become 'a kingdom of
priest and a holy nation' (Shemot 19:6). The full
realization of such a comprehensive mandate is impossible in
the absence of the national framework afforded by political
independence in their own land. Avraham and Sarah and their
descendents dwelt in Canaan and made it their own but their
service of God was of a personal nature. The seeds of
nationhood that they planted did not take root during their
lifetime, and the ethical monotheism that they trumpeted
often fell on deaf and insensitive ears.

The Divine challenge to be God's own nation, to fashion
an ideal society governed by just laws and infused with
spiritual purpose and transcendent meaning, was first
communicated to Israel at the precarious beginnings of their
liberation, as Moshe's initial mission to Pharaoh ended in
abject failure and the people 's hopes for freedom were
dashed: "Say to Bnei Yisrael that I am God. I will remove
you from the oppression of Egypt and save you.I WILL TAKE
YOU AS MY PEOPLE AND I SHALL BE YOUR GOD." (Shemot 6:6-7).
It was repeated on the eve of the Revelation at Sinai as
they expectantly gathered at the base of the mountain to
receive God's commands. As they now begin their journey
towards Canaan it is recalled, for the offering of the
Passover, with its obvious overtones of national beginnings,
brings it to mind. It is therefore not at all surprising
that the Torah records this rite out of strict chronological
sequence, to impress upon us that the journey towards the
Land represents a more profound dimension of liberation and
a more pronounced potential for national attainment. With
the Tabernacle in their midst, securely positioned at the
center of their camp and at the core of their thoughts, and
buoyed by the promise of the Passover, the people are ready
to embark upon the uncertain journey to nationhood. They
are to return to the land of their forebears, to fashion a
state predicated upon the lofty ideals of those individuals.

Reconsidering the Dialogue with Chovav

Interestingly, the culmination of this entire series of
narratives is Moshe's dialogue with Chovav, identified with
either his brother-in-law or else his father-in-law.
Moshe's tone is charged with optimism and hope for he does
not yet realize that in the end his own entry to the land
will be barred. Chovav, whose name means 'Beloved One,' is
enthusiastically invited by Moshe to join the people on
their journey to the land, but he expresses misgivings. He
desires instead to return to his own 'land and birthplace.'
Moshe pleads with him to accompany them, but the text leaves
it unclear whether in the end he is convinced to join the
people of Israel on their fateful trek, an ambiguity
expressed by the differences of opinion among the
commentaries. What is abundantly clear, however, is that
his reluctance is motivated by a strong identification with
his own land and birthplace. The passage thus serves as
fitting close to the entire section, for it conveys an
emphatic message to the people of Israel: land is a precious
asset and connection to one's birthplace ought to be one of
life's strongest attachments.

The 'Other Half' of the Parasha

All of this positive momentum is unexpectedly derailed
by the series of events that now unfolds. As the Ark begins
its propitious journey, the people are suddenly seized with
a spirit of complaint. Quickly, this degenerates into a
desire for 'meat,' for 'fish' and for all of the other
culinary pleasures of Egypt. The oppressive bondage that
only a short time ago was with relief left behind, is now
recalled with fondness. The miraculous manna is found by
the people to be wanting, for now they desire a return to
Egyptian delights. It is not at all difficult to trace a
straight line from this incident, described in our Parasha
at great length, to next week's episode of the Spies failed
mission and the people's rejection of the land, the
following week's feature of Korach's rebellion, and even the
downfall of Moshe and Aharon in Parashat Chukat, to be
retold three week's hence.

All of these opposing episodes describe the other side
of the wilderness experience, the people's unwillingness or
inability to take up the challenge of entering Canaan and
realizing the Torah's mandate to be God's nation. As they
traverse the wilderness of Sinai towards that bright but
uncertain future, their own misgivings become palpable and
eventually find expression in their profound reluctance to
journey further. In the end, they will be condemned to
perish in the wilderness. In many ways, however, that harsh
sentence is not an exaggerated expression of Divine
displeasure but rather an inevitable outcome of their own
spiritual immaturity.

The Essential Verses and Conclusion

In essence, therefore, Parashat Beha'alotekha is the
pivot between these two extremes - the siren call of a land
budding with potential but charged with responsibility, and
the seductive inner voice that rejects any higher purpose
and is content to wallow in the moral mire that is Egypt.
In fact, the great divide between the two is underscored in
the Torah by an usual feature. The exact turning point is a
well-known couplet of verses that has entered the liturgy as
part of the Torah service: "When the Ark began to journey,
Moshe proclaimed: 'Arise, God, and let your enemies be
scattered, may those that hate You flee from before You.'
When the Ark came to rest, Moshe said: 'Rest Your presence
upon the myriads and thousands of Israel.'" (BeMidbar 10:35-
36). These two verses separate Moshe's conversation with
Chovav from the people's first complaint, and are bracketed
in the original Hebrew text by a very unusual backwards
'Nun' letter.

There is much discussion in the commentaries concerning
the significance of just such a sign but its broader
implications are what concern us here. The Torah
deliberately desires to contrast the two sections of
Parashat Beha'alotekha because they represent the two
thematic halves of the entire Book. The spiritual struggle
of embarking on a journey led only by God's pledge, the
desolate wilderness, tangible and immaterial, that can only
be traversed in His care, is this Book's hallmark. The
journey of Ark, the implication of His guidance and ongoing
support, is its eternal promise.

It is this profound truth that the Torah communicates
by the judicious placement of these two short verses, for
they encapsulate the essence of the matter. Often we
journey we know not where, nor how we shall ever reach the
destination. Sometimes we undertake the journey
reluctantly, bowed by indecision and plagued by misgivings.
As a people and as people we fall prey to doubt, to
disbelief and to denial of God's concern and of His
expectations. By following the Ark, however, by submitting
to God's guidance and to His direction of our lives, we can
yet reach the Promised Land.

Shabbat Shalom

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