A SHORT STUDY OF BEHA'ALOSCHA, NUM. 8-12:

The priest must light the menorah, aiming all 7 candles toward the center trunk. It is to be hammered out of one piece of gold. Its 6 branches symbolize 6 basic branches of wisdom- all stem from the center, the Torah, God's universal blueprint, and cast their light upon it (Abarbanel). The unity of all knowledge, experience, and the Torah underlies the diverse forms of reality. Its discovery requires a menora of "pure gold", the pursuit of truth with personal integrity.

God then teaches Moshe how to purify the Levites, to initiate them into their holy task. They replace the first born, previously in charge of divine service. No one else is to deal with the tabernacle. Levites are dedicated to God at 1 month, trained for 5 years from 25, and serve from 30 to 50, when they enter semi- retirement.

Ch. 9: God commands that the Passover offering be brought again, a year after Exodus; most say that it was not offered again during the 40 year desert trek. Some men, ritually impure, could not offer it. Moshe ran to God to find out what to do; he wasn't in such a rush, however, to learn how to punish sinners- a good Jewish leader is eager to help, hesitant to punish (Rav J. Soloveichik). God granted an repeat performance, a month later, for those who couldn't sacrifice the Passover lamb on Nissan 14. Converts have the same Passover regulations as native born Jews, tho only their "Spiritual Fathers", not their natural ancestors, were redeemed from Egypt. The Divine Cloud over the tabernacle led the Jews thru their desert travels, and a pillar of fire illuminated their camp at night. Some encampments were quite short, some quite long, but they only traveled according to God's word. So thruout the long desert of Jewish history, Jews only remained in each temporary haven as long as vital Jewish life was possible (compare USSR).

Ch. 10: God commanded Moshe to make two silver trumpets to summon the community or its leaders, and to announce resumption of the Jewish Journey. The priest shall also blow them to arouse divine consciousness during war and on joyful sabbaths, holidays, and new months, when offerings are brought. On Iyar 20th, year 2 of Exodus, the cloud led the Jews to the wilderness of Paran, in fixed marching order. Moshe urged his father-in-law, Chovav, to accompany Israel to Israel, sharing their divine blessing. He refused to abandon Midian's diet and climate in his old age, but agreed that his sons remain (Sporno). Some say that he returned to teach Torah to Midian, perhaps temporarily. Whenever the Ark went forth, Moshe prayed, "Arise, O' God, that Your enemies be scattered and those that hate You flee from Your Face". Whenever it rested, he said: "Return, O' God to the myriads of the thousands of Israel".

Ch. 11: Divine anger consumed a fringe element of the rebellious camp of Israel, until Moshe's prayers saved the day. Then, egged on by Egyptian fellow travelers, the Jews demonstrated for a normal diet, instead of Divine manna. God was angry; Moshe felt so bad that he preferred death to his lonely leadership. God appoints and inspires 70 elders to share Moshe's spirit and burden; 2, Eldad and Medad voluntarily withdrew; yet they too received Divine spirit and prophesied in the camp. Yehoshua was upset, but Moshe exclaimed: "Would that all God's people be prophets!". God told skeptical Moshe to promise an oversupply of meat to rebellious Israel. A Divine wind brought a huge quantity of quail to glutonous Israel. Many "fressers" were killed by God at Kivrot Hataavah, Graves of Lust (cf. burnt out pleasure devotees).

Ch. 12: Miriam and Aharon criticized Moshe's neglect of his (passionate?) Cushite wife. Tho also prophets, they weren't celibate. God rejected their comparison- Moshe was on a far higher level of divinity and prophecy; also, history's most self- effacing man would never willingly hurt his wife. Miriam's punished with leprosy; Aharon begged Moshe to pray for her. He did, but God expelled her from the camp for 7 days. The people did not journey on until she returned.

The Haftorah is Zech. 2:14-4:7. The prophet envisions the ultimate messianic menora, Israel's light to the nations, when God will return to their midst. Many will attach themselves to Israel, and God will again choose Jerusalem. Joshua, the high priest, a symbol for the battered nation of Israel, stands before the angel of God with soiled garments. The angel orders them removed, to be replaced by new clean garments (cf. 1948), and the high priest's miter. He and his companions, the small % of Jews returning to Israel, shall change history- if they cleave to God's Torah. Physical force alone will not achieve Israel's mission.

A SUMMARY OF BEHA'ALOTCHA, NUM. 8-12.

The priest must aim all 7 candles toward the menora's center trunk. Its 6 basic branches of wisdom all stem from the center, the Torah, God's universal blueprint, and cast their light upon it (Abarbanel). The unity of all knowledge, experience, and Torah underlies the diverse forms of reality. Its discovery requires a menora of "pure gold", pursuit of truth with personal integrity. God then teaches Moshe how to purify and initiate the Levites, who replace the first born in Divine service; they train for 5 years from 25 and serve from 30 to 50, when they enter semi- retirement. Ch. 9: God commands that the Passover offering be brought again, a year after Exodus; He granted an repeat performance, a month later, for those who couldn't bring it on Nissan 14. The Divine Cloud over the tabernacle led the Jews thru their desert travels, and a pillar of fire illuminated their camp at night. Some encampments were quite short, some quite long, but they only traveled according to God's word.

Ch. 10: God commanded Moshe to make two silver trumpets to summon the community or its leaders, and to announce resumption of the Jewish Journey. The priest also blows them to arouse divine consciousness during war and on joyful sabbaths, holidays, and new months, when offerings are brought. Moshe urged his father-in-law, Chovav, to accompany Israel to Israel, sharing their divine blessing. He refused to abandon Midian's diet and climate in his old age, but agreed that his sons remain (Sporno). Some say that he returned to teach Torah to Midian, perhaps temporarily. Whenever the Ark went forth, Moshe prayed, "Arise, O' God, that Your enemies be scattered and those that hate You flee from Your Face". Whenever it rested, he said: "Return, O' God to the myriads of the thousands of Israel".

Ch. 11: Divine anger consumed a fringe element of the rebellious camp of Israel, until Moshe's prayers saved the day. Then, egged on by Egyptian fellow travelers, the Jews demonstrated for a normal diet, instead of Divine manna. God was angry and Moshe ready to die. God appointed 70 inspired elders to share Moshe's spirit and burden. A Divine wind brought a huge quantity of quail to glutonous Israel. Many "fressers" were killed by God at Kivrot Hataavah, Graves of Lust (cf. burnt out pleasure devotees).

Ch. 12: Miriam's punished with leprosy for maligning Moshe (above); Aharon begged Moshe to pray for her. He did, but God expelled her from the camp for 7 days. The people did not journey on until she returned.

The Haftorah is Zech. 2:14-4:7. The prophet envisions the ultimate messianic menora, Israel's light to the nations, when God will return to their midst. Many will attach themselves to Israel, and God will again choose Jerusalem. Joshua, the high priest, and his companions, the small % of Jews returning to Israel, shall change history- if they cleave to God's Torah. Physical force alone will not achieve Israel's mission.