The Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Sedras

6-12 Tammuz 5786

Link to HAFTARAH  ●  Link to MIDRASH

FROM THE TORAH

Numbers 19:1-25:9

Last week’s Sedra Korach ended with the demarcation of duties and perquisites of Kohanim and Levites.  Fundamental to their sacred access is their status of ritual purity.  Its rules are provided at the outset in Sedra Chukkat, the first of this week’s double portion.  Then follow succinct accounts of crucial events: the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, the fate of Moses, continued hardships, objections, punishments, and salvations.  The lack of water and familiar food are ongoing problems.  Israel’s responding complaint is met with a divinely-inspired attack of venomous serpents and a divinely-prescribed cure.  Israel is refused passage through the territory of Edom, thereby forced to backtrack to the Red Sea, and is confronted with the unprovoked hostility of several nations in the vicinity of its destination.  Whencesoever bellicosity breaks out—the king of Arad, Sichon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan—Israel prevails and the enemy is supplanted.  Then Israel encamps in the plains of Moab.

Sedra Balak continues in that vein with a variant: an occult and doomed stratagem by Balak king of Moab, through the medium of the hired seer Balaam.  Within the details lie several astute observations about God’s relationship with His creations, both humans and beasts, His chosen people, as well as several regarding Moab and other nations.  Finally, what the king of Moab could not achieve through Balaam, the Moabite women at least begin through debauchery.  An alliance between Moab and Midian is suggested once at the beginning and once at the aforementioned denouement.  The latter is resolved by a championing act against idolatry through the hand of Pinchas, son of Elazar, son of Aaron the Kohen.

Contamination and Purification

 PREPARATION OF THE ASHES OF PURIFICATION
19:1-10

The Eternal explains to Moses and Aaron: The following is a statute (Chukkat) of the Torah which the Eternal has commanded and which you should communicate to the Children of Israel.  They must provide you with a completely red cow (parah adumah), which has no defect and has not borne a yoke.  You must then give it to Elazar the Kohen, who shall remove it from the camp and have it slaughtered before him.  Elazar the Kohen shall then sprinkle its blood with his finger toward the front of the Tent of Meeting seven times.

He shall then have the cow burned in his sight—its skin, its flesh, its blood, along with its dung—and throw into the fire cedar wood, hyssop and crimson material.

Let the Kohen then wash his garments and bathe his body in water.  He may then enter the camp, but he is impure until the evening.  In addition, the one who burned it must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he is impure until the evening.

A pure man shall gather up the ashes of the cow and put them in a clean place outside of the camp, where they shall be reserved for water of purification.  He also shall wash his clothes and be impure until the evening.

This shall serve the Children of Israel and the alien who sojourns in their midst as an everlasting statute.

HUMAN DEATH AS A SOURCE OF IMPURITY
19:11,14-16

One who has contact with a human corpse shall be impure for seven days.

These are the rules:

If a person dies in an enclosure such as a tent, whoever is in the tent and whoever enters the tent is impure for seven days, and any open vessel without a lid fastened upon it is impure.

Outside of an enclosure such as in a field, anyone who touches a corpse, whether the person died of natural causes or by violence, or a human bone, or a grave, is impure for seven days.

PURIFICATION BY THE ASHES
19:12-13,17-22

In order to become pure he must be purified by the ashes on the third day and on the seventh day.  If not, he will defile the Tabernacle of the Eternal and be cut off from Israel.

In order to achieve purification, fresh water shall be combined with some of the ashes in a vessel.  Then a pure man shall dip hyssop into the water and sprinkle it upon the tent and upon all of the vessels and the people who were in it, or upon the one who had contact with the person who died, whether violently or naturally, the bone, or the grave.  The pure person shall sprinkle it upon the impure person on the third day and on the seventh day, purifying him on the seventh day, but he still must wash his clothes and bathe in water to be pure by the evening.

Unless the water of purification is thrown upon him, he remains impure indefinitely.

The one who sprinkled the water of purification must wash his clothes.  Whoever touches the water of purification is impure until the evening, and whatever that impure person touches becomes impure.  Whoever touches him shall be impure until the evening.

Crises from the Wilderness of Zin to the Plains of Moab

DEATH OF MIRIAM
20:1

All of the congregation of the Children of Israel arrive in the Wilderness of Zin in the first month (cf. Numbers 33:36-38), staying at Kadesh.  There Miriam dies and is buried.

THE WATERS OF MERIVAH
20:2-13

There is no water for the congregation, so they assemble against Moses and against Aaron (cf. Exodus 17:1-7).  The people quarrels with Moses:  Better that we had perished when our brethren perished before the Eternal (cf. Numbers 14:36-45)!  Why have you brought the Eternal’s congregation to this wilderness to die in it along with our beasts?  Why have you removed us from Egypt to bring us to this horrible, infertile place, incapable of figs or vines or pomegranates, without water to drink?

Moses and Aaron seek refuge from the congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, where they fall upon their faces and the Dense Presence of (K’vod) the Eternal appears to them.  The Eternal tells Moses to take the staff and assemble the congregation:  You and Aaron your brother, speak to the rock in their sight to give forth its water (cf. Exodus 17:6).  Thus shall you bring forth for them water from the rock and give drink to the congregation and their beasts.

So Moses takes the staff from before the Eternal (cf. Numbers 17:25) as He commanded him.  Moses and Aaron gather the community in front of the rock, “and he says to them: ‘Now listen, O rebels, shall we bring forth for you water from this rock’” (Numbers 20:10)?  Moses then lifts his hand and strikes the rock with his staff twice, and abundant water pours forth, which the congregation and their animals drink.

To Moses and to Aaron, the Eternal says the following: Because you did not in good faith sanctify Me in the sight of the Children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation to the land which I am giving to them.

They are the waters of Merivah, which means “Quarrel,” in that the Children of Israel quarreled with the Eternal, who was sanctified through them (cf. Exodus 17:1-7).

ISRAEL REQUESTS PASSAGE THROUGH EDOM
20:14-21

Moses then sends messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom.  Thus declares your brother Israel (cf. Genesis 25:30; 36:1-8): You know of the hardship that has befallen us, how our ancestors went down to Egypt, how the Egyptians dealt harshly with them and with us, how we cried out to the Eternal, who heard our voice and sent an angel to bring us out of Egypt; here we are now in Kadesh, on the border of your territory.  Allow us safe transit through your land, we shall not stop in your fields or vineyards, we shall not drink water from your wells; we shall remain strictly on the king’s highway until we pass through your territory (cf. Deuteronomy 2:1-8; 23:8-9).

Edom rejects Israel’s petition and threatens military action if its rejection is not respected.  The Children of Israel appeal and attempt to reassure Edom that they will take only the highway, that they will pay for any water that man or beast might drink on the way, and that their passage would be only on foot.  Their appeal also is rejected, additionally with a demonstration of force by the appearance of people from Edom’s side heavily armed.  Thus Edom refuses to allow Israel to pass through its territory, and Israel turns away from Edom.

DEATH OF AARON
20:22-25

The Children of Israel then journey from Kadesh, and all of the congregation arrive at Mount Hor.  There, on the boundary of the land of Edom, the Eternal announces to Moses and to Aaron that Aaron will be gathered to his people, that he will not enter the land that the Eternal is giving to the Children of Israel “because you disobeyed My command for the waters of Merivah” (Numbers 20:24; cf. Numbers 20:12-13). Moses is instructed to bring Aaron and his son Elazar up to Mount Hor.  There he is to remove Aaron’s vestments and transfer them to Elazar his son.  There Aaron is to be gathered to the dead.

Moses does as the Eternal has commanded.  They go up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.  Moses transfers Aaron’s vestments to Elazar his son, and Aaron dies there at the top of the mountain.  Moses and Elazar come down, and all the congregation sees that Aaron has passed away.  All the House of Israel weeps for Aaron for thirty days.

ATTACK BY THE KING OF ARAD
21:1-3

The Canaanite king of Arad, dwelling in the Negev, learns that Israel is coming by way of the Atarim.  He attacks them and takes captives from them.  Israel makes a vow to the Eternal: If You deliver this people to me, then I shall proscribe their cities.  The Eternal hears the voice of Israel and delivers the Canaanite to Israel.  They and their cities are proscribed.  The name of the place is Chormah, “Proscription.”

ANGRY COMPLAINTS ENGENDER VENOMOUS SERPENTS
21:4-9

From Mount Hor they journey back to the Red Sea to avoid the land of Edom, but the people grow impatient on the way.  They speak out against God and against Moses: Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no food and there is no water, and we cannot stand the accursed bread!

The Eternal sends venomous serpents against the people: they bite the people, and many of Israel die.  The people appeal to Moses: We have sinned in speaking against the Eternal and against you; pray to the Eternal to remove the serpents from us!  In respect of Moses’s prayer, the Eternal instructs him to make a fiery serpent and mount it upon a pole, so that whoever is bitten can see it and live.  Moses then makes a serpent [nachash] out of copper [nechoshet] and mounts it upon a pole.  If a man bitten by a serpent looked at it, he would live.

JOURNEY TO WATER
21:10-20

The Children of Israel journey on, encamping along the way at Ovot, at Iyey Ha’avarim in the wilderness next to Moab on the east, at the Zered wadi, and in the wilderness between the Arnon border of Moab and the Amorite border.  In The Book of the Wars of the Eternal is found the following: “…Wahev in Sufa and the Arnon wadis and the lower slope of the wadis which extend to the settlement of Ar alongside the border of Moab.”  From there they continue to Be’er, which means “well” and is the place where the Eternal says to Moses, “Gather the people, and I shall give them water!”

Then Israel sings this song:

Rise up, O well, be regaled with these words:
O well dug out by rulers, by nobles of the people,
with their own scepter and staffs–
from wilderness a gift!

And from Mattanah, “a gift”: Nachaliel, “wadi of God”;
and from Nachaliel: Bamot, “heights”;
and from Bamot: the valley which is in the countryside of Moab,
the summit of Pisgah,
overlooking the wilderness waste.

WAR WITH SICHON AND THE AMORITES
21:21-32

Israel sends messengers to Sichon, king of the Amorites:  Let me pass through your country.  We will not turn off to field or vineyard or drink water from a well.  We shall travel only the king’s highway until we have passed through your territory.

But Sichon denies Israel passage and instead goes out to the wilderness with all of his people to confront Israel and attack them at Yahatz.  Israel strikes back with the sword and conquers their land and all of its cities from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, whose border is strong.  Israel settles in the land of the Amorites and in all of their cities, in Cheshbon and in all of its surrounding towns.

Cheshbon was the city of Sichon, king of the Amorites, as he conquered it from the former king of Moab as far as the Arnon.  Therefore the poets would say:

Come to Cheshbon,
built and established,
the city of Sichon!

Fire went out from Cheshbon,
Sichon’s city,
to consume Ar of Moab,
lords of the heights of Arnon.

Woe to you, O Moab!
Your god Chemosh
has allowed his children
to become fugitives and captives
of Sichon, the Amorite king!

But we shoot them down
into oblivion,
from Cheshbon to Divon;
cause desolation as far as Nofach,
which is by Meydeveh!

Moses dispatches scouts to reconnoiter Jazer.  Israel captures its towns and dispossesses the Amorites who are there.

DEFEAT OF OG, KING OF BASHAN
21:33-35

They turn and ascend the road to Bashan.  Og, the king of Bashan, emerges with all of his people to engage them in battle at Edrei.  The Eternal tells Moses not to fear him: I will give him and his people and his land into your hand.  You will do to him as you did to Sichon, king of the Amorites, who lives in Cheshbon (cf. Numbers 21:21-32).  Indeed they defeat him and his sons and his people thoroughly, leaving no survivor, and they possess his land.

ISRAEL ENCAMPS IN THE PLAINS OF MOAB
22:1

The Children of Israel set out again and then encamp in the plains of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho.

Curses Ordered, Blessings Delivered

BALAK INVITES BALAAM TO CURSE ISRAEL
22:2-8

Balak (Balak) son of Tsippur is king of Moab.  He sees what Israel has done to the Amorites (cf. Numbers 21:21ff.).  Moab fears the “multitude” (Numbers 22:6) of the Children of Israel and communicates with the elders of Midian, expressing apprehension that Israel will “lick up everything around us as an ox licks up the grass of the field” (Numbers 22:4).

So Balak dispatches messengers to Balaam son of Be’or in Pethor on the River, in the land of his kin, to say:  A people has emerged from Egypt, covering the entire country, settling before me.  Come, now, and curse this people for me, for they are more numerous than I.  Perhaps we can force it out of the land, for I know that what you bless is blessed and what you curse is cursed!

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, adept in sorcery, proceed to Balaam and relate to him the message of Balak.  Balaam bids them: Lodge here tonight, and I shall respond to you as the Eternal advises me.  So the officials of Moab stay with Balaam.

GOD REFUSES TO ALLOW BALAAM
22:9-14

God comes to Balaam and asks him, “Who are these men with you?”  Balaam relates the mission from Balak, his petition that Balaam should curse the people that has come out of Egypt in order to drive it away.  God responds: Do not go with the men, do not curse the people, because it is blessed.  So, in the morning, Balaam relates that the Eternal has refused to allow him to go with them.  He sends the messengers back to their land, and the messengers report to Balak that Balaam has refused to come with them.

BALAK INVITES BALAAM AGAIN
22:15-20

Balak then sends another delegation of dignitaries, larger and more distinguished than the first, to petition Balaam to curse the people.  Balak promises to bestow great honor upon Balaam and to provide him with whatever he requests.  In response, Balaam tells Balak’s servants that no matter what Balak gives him, even all the silver and gold in his house, “I cannot transgress the word of the Eternal my God either a lot or a little!”  But he has the men stay there for the night while he discovers what more the Eternal might have to say to him.  God comes to Balaam that night and says to him: “If the men have come to invite you, go with them, but do only what I tell you to do!”

BALAAM IS PREVENTED BY THE ASS
22:21-30

In the morning Balaam saddles his female ass and goes with the officers of Moab, his two attendants alongside him.  But God is angered at his going, and an angel of the Eternal stations itself in the road to block him.  The ass perceives the angel standing in the road, its sword drawn in its hand.  So the ass swerves from the road into the field, but Balaam beats the ass to return her to the road.

The angel then stands in a narrow passage between vineyards with their barriers on either side.  Seeing the angel again, the ass is forced against the wall, squeezing Balaam’s foot to the wall, as Balaam continues to beat her.  Finally, the angel moves into a position so narrow that there is no room to move right or left.  The ass sees the angel of the Eternal and lies down under Balaam.  Balaam beats the ass angrily with his staff.

At this point the Eternal opens the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you should beat me these three times?”  “You have abused me!” retorts Balaam, “If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you!”  The ass says to Balaam, “Have I not been your ass to ride upon all the time until now? Have I been in the habit of acting towards you in this way?”  Balaam had to admit that she had not.

BALAAM’S EYES ARE OPENED
22:31-35

Then the Eternal opens Balaam’s eyes so that he also sees the angel of the Eternal standing in the road with its sword drawn in its hand, whereupon Balaam bows down and prostrates himself on the ground.  The angel of the Eternal speaks to Balaam:  Why have you struck your ass these three times?  I have gotten in your way because the undertaking is offensive to me.  The ass saw me and moved away from me these three times: otherwise I would have killed you and spared the life of the animal!  Balaam admits to sinning out of ignorance: he did not know that the angel was present.  He offers to turn back if that is what the angel wants.  The angel of the Eternal says to Balaam:  Go ahead with the men, but you must say only that which I tell you.  So Balaam continues on the way with the officers of Balak.

BALAK WELCOMES BALAAM
22:36-23:3

Anticipating Balaam’s arrival, Balak goes out to meet him at a city of Moab on the very end of the Arnon border.  Balak asks Balaam why he had been reluctant to accept his invitation: Do you really think I would have been unable to show you due honor?  Balaam promptly informs Balak that he is able to speak only that word which God puts into his mouth.

Balaam accompanies Balak to the town of Chutzot, where Balak sacrifices from the herd and from the flock.  He has portions served to Balaam and to the officers who are with him.  Then, in the morning, Balak takes Balaam up to Baal Heights, from where he can see a part of the people.  Balaam has Balak build seven altars for him and sacrifice on each altar a bull and a ram.  He has Balak stand by his burnt offerings while Balaam goes off to receive an encounter with the Eternal.  He promises to relate back to Balak whatever the Eternal might reveal to him.

BALAAM’S FIRST BLESSING
23:4-12

God does encounter with Balaam.  Balaam tells Him of the seven altars that he has arranged and of the bull and ram that he has offered up on each of them.  The Eternal bids him return to Balak with the Eternal’s word in his mouth.  Thus Balaam returns to Balak, who is standing by his burnt offerings together with the officers of Moab, and he delivers his message:

From Aram has he brought me,
Balak king of Moab,
to curse Jacob,
to condemn Israel.

But what can I curse
that God has not condemned?

From the highest cliffs I see them:
a people that dwells apart,
a nation not reckoned among the nations.
Who can compass the dust of Israel?

May my death be the death of the upright,
may my end be like theirs!

Balak expresses his discomfiture to Balaam: I hired you to curse my enemies, and instead you have blessed them!  Balaam repeats his mandate: Whatever the Eternal puts into my mouth, that I must speak!

BALAAM’S SECOND BLESSING
23:13-26

Balak determines to try again.  He takes Balaam to another promontory, Lookout Point, at the summit of Pisgah, from which he can see a part of the people.  He builds seven altars and offers up a bull and a ram as burnt offerings on each.  Balaam tells Balak to stand by his offerings while Balaam goes off to seek an encounter.

The Eternal encounters with Balaam and puts His word in his mouth.  He bids him return to Balak and deliver it.  So, as he returns to him, Balak is standing by his burnt offerings, the officers of Moab with him, and he asks him, “What did the Eternal say?”  Balaam thereupon delivers his message:

Be alert, O Balak!
Give ear, O son of Tsippur!

God is no man,
who will change his mind;
what He has promised,
He will fulfill.

I received His message to bless,
so bless I must without change!

He has seen no unrighteousness in Jacob,
no harm to befall Israel.
The Eternal his God is with him,
he enjoys the acclaim of his King!

God is bringing them out from Egypt,
displaying the horns of a ram;
no oracle is necessary for Jacob,
Israel knows directly what God has planned.

This is a people that arises like a lion;
it does not rest until it has consumed its prey (23:24).

Balak unloads his exasperation upon Balaam, “Okay, don’t curse it!  But then, also, don’t bless it!” and Balaam responds, “Did I not tell you: whatever the Eternal says, that I must do!”

BALAAM’S THIRD BLESSING
23:27-24:13

Balak tries again: “Let me take you to another place; perhaps it will be acceptable to God to curse for me from there.”  So Balak takes Balaam to the summit of Pe’or, overlooking the wasteland.  Balaam says to Balak: Build for me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.  Balak complies with Balaam’s request and offers up a bull and a ram on each altar.

Now Balaam realizes that it is good in the sight of the Eternal to bless Israel, so he does not go after magical signs as before; rather, he turns his face towards the wilderness.  He looks up and sees Israel encamped by its tribes, and the spirit of God is upon him.  He delivers his message:

Thus says Balaam son of Be’or,
the man whose eye is open,
who hears the words of God,
who sees the Almighty’s vision,
fallen yet observant:

How goodly are your tents, O Jacob,
your dwelling places, O Israel,
verdant as gardens planted by the river,
fragrant as aloes, imposing as cedars,
its branches dripping, its seed amply watered,
its king surpassing Agag,
its kingdom exalted.

God brings them out from Egypt
like a ram hoisting its horns;
it consumes its enemy nations,
grinds their bones, smashes their arrows!

Who dares arouse the crouching lion?
Those who bless you shall be blessed,
but cursed be those who curse you.

Now Balak is deeply displeased with Balaam.  He angrily slaps his hands together:  To curse my enemies I invited you, but instead you have blessed them these three times.  Run back to your place!  I said that I would honor you, but the Eternal has refused you honor.  Balaam responds to Balak:  Did I not even tell the messengers you sent to me that if Balak were to give me all the silver and gold in his house, I would not be able to transgress the word of the Eternal by my own volition for good or for bad.  Only what the Eternal tells me, that shall I speak!

BALAAM’S FINAL MESSAGES
24:14-25

Now, as I return to my people, go and let me advise you as to what this people shall do to your people in the days to come—whereupon he delivers his message:

Thus says Balaam son of Be’or,
the man whose eye is open,
who hears the words of God,
securing knowledge of the Highest,
who sees the Almighty’s vision,
fallen yet observant:

I see what is in the future,
how a star will emerge from Jacob,
a ruler from Israel:
it will smash the brow of Moab
and the head of all the children of Seth;
Edom will be possessed,
and Israel will be victorious,
destroying every city without remnant.

Seeing Amalek, he delivers his message:

First of nations is Amalek,
but its future is to perish forever.

Seeing the Kenites, he delivers his message:

Your habitation seems secure,
your nest placed in the rock,
but Kain shall be consumed
when Asshur takes you captive.

He further delivers this message:

Only those will survive
whom God allows:
Even ships from the direction of Kittim,
though they oppress Asshur,
though they oppress Eber,
they too shall perish forever.

Then Balaam leaves and returns to his place, and Balak also goes his own way.

Idolatry Avenged by Pinchas

DEBAUCHERY AND IDOLATRY AT SHITTIM
25:1-9

As Israel is dwelling at Shittim, the people begins to engage in debauchery with the daughters of Moab.  At the invitation of those Moabite women, the people of Israel eat of their sacrifices and ultimately worship their gods.  Thus Israel attaches itself to Baal Pe’or.

The Eternal is angered at Israel and tells Moses to have the ringleaders of the people impaled publicly before the Eternal.  Thereby would the Eternal’s wrath against Israel be abated.  Moses commands each of the governors of Israel to kill the men under him who attached themselves to Baal Pe’or.

Just then an Israelite man brings a Midianite woman near to his fellows in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the Children of Israel as they are weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.  This is seen by Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aaron the Kohen, who arises from the congregation and takes a spear in his hand.  He follows the Israelite man into the chamber and stabs the Israelite man and the woman in her stomach.  The plague against the Children of Israel is stopped.  The number of dead from the plague was 24,000.

◊

FROM THE PROPHETS

Haftarah for Shabbat Chukkat/Balak
Micah 5:6-6:8

Prophetic Recompense

The remnant of Jacob among the nations
shall be like dew from the Eternal,
which people could never have expected.

The remnant of Jacob among the nations
shall be like a lion among the beasts of the forest
and among the flocks of sheep (cf. Numbers 24:9),
capable of treading down
and tearing to pieces,
without rescue.

Let Your hand rise over your enemies;
let them be cut off!

It shall come to pass on that day,
declares the Eternal:
I will put an end to your horses and chariots,
I will cut off your cities and your fortresses,
I will eliminate your sorceries and your idols!
No more shall you worship the work of your hands,
and I shall work vengeance upon
the uncomprehending nations.

Now let the mountains be witness
to the controversy of the Eternal with His people:
O, My people, what have I done to you?
Have I asked too much of you?

I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage,
I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.

Remember, O My people,
what Balak, king of Moab, devised,
and how Balaam son of Be’or
answered him (cf. Numbers 22:5-24:25)—
Remember the crossing
from Shittim (cf. Numbers 25:1-9; Joshua 3:1)
to Gilgal (cf. Joshua 3-4; I Samuel 10:8; 11:14-15)—
in order to grasp the righteousness [tzidkot] of the Eternal!

But then how shall I approach the Eternal,
how shall I bow down to God on High?
Shall I approach Him
with burnt offerings (cf. I Samuel 10:8; 11:14-15),
with calves a year old?
Does the Eternal desire thousands of rams?
Ten-thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression?
The fruit of my womb for the sin of my soul?

It has been told you, O man, what is good,
and what the Eternal requires of you:
But to do justice,
to favor kindness,
while walking humbly with your God.

◊

FROM TALMUD AND MIDRASH

Pesikta Rabbati 14:65a
Why the Parah Adumah?

“The ashes of the red cow
shall be used for water that removes impurity,
as a statute for all time.”
(Numbers 19:21)

A gentile once asked Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai:  The things that you do with the parah adumah (cf. Numbers 19:1-22) seem like magic.  You obtain a cow, burn it, crush it, and pour water over its ashes.  If one of you is defiled by a human corpse, you sprinkle two or three drops and declare, “You are pure!”

Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai asked the gentile:  Have you ever been invaded by a bad spirit?  No, said the gentile.  Well, then, asked the Rabbi, have you ever seen what they do to cure one who has been?  The gentile answered: They turn roots into smoke under him, pour water upon him, and the bad spirit goes away.  Said the Rabbi: Do your ears hear what your mouth is saying?  The bad spirit is the spirit of impurity, as is written: “I shall also make the false prophets and the impure spirit pass away from the Land” (Zechariah 13:2)!

When the gentile left, his students said to him: Rabbi, you refuted him with a reed, but how would you answer us?  The Rabbi said to them:  A corpse does not defile, and water does not purify.  Rather, it is simply a statute of God.  The Holy One, blessed be He, said:  I have made a statute, issued a decree, which you are not permitted to transgress—“This is a statute (chukkat)  of the Torah which the Eternal has commanded…” (Numbers 19:2)!

Another question about parah adumah:  While all the other offerings are male, why is this one female?  Said Rabbi Ayvu:  It may be likened to a handmaiden’s child who soils the palace of the king. Says the king: Let the mother come and clean up her child’s mess.  Thus said the Holy One, blessed be He: Let the cow come and atone for the incident of the calf (cf. Exodus 32)!

Pesikta Rabbati Parah 14
Torah of a Cow

“This is the statute of the Torah…
let them bring you an entirely red cow…”
(Numbers 19:2)

Our Rabbis told the story of a Jew who owned a cow that was used for ploughing.  His circumstances became strained, so he had to sell the cow.  It was purchased by a gentile.  The gentile also used the cow for ploughing, and for six days out of the week there was no problem.  However, when he tried to make the cow plough on Saturday, the cow would only lie down under the yoke.  Even when the gentile beat the cow to get her to move, she would not budge.  So he went and found the Jew who had sold him the cow and demanded, “Take your cow back, as there seems to be something wrong with her: As much as I beat her, she does not move!”  The Jew immediately understood what the “problem” was: she was accustomed to rest on Shabbat.

So the Jew said to the gentile, “Come and I will get her up.”  When the Jew came to the cow, he whispered in her ear, “O cow, O cow, you know that when you were owned by me, you would plough on weekdays, and on Shabbat you would rest.  Since now, because of my sins, you are owned by a gentile, I would request that you stand up and plough,” whereupon she immediately got up and ploughed.

The gentile said to the Jew, “As I said before, you will have to take back your cow, because I cannot run after you to get her up every time I need her to plough.  I tired myself out and beat her, yet she would not get up.  I won’t let you go until you tell me what you whispered in her ear!”  The Jew began by trying to pacify him and then said to him, “I used no magic or sorcery but simply whispered such-and-such in her ear whereupon she got up and ploughed.”

Then the gentile became frightened, thinking: If a cow, who cannot speak or reason, recognizes her Creator (by resting when He rested), then how can I, whom my Creator has fashioned in His image and given reason, not go and recognize Him!  Immediately he went and became a Jew.  He learned and became a worthy student of Torah, whom they called Yochanan ben Torta.  “Torta” can be read as Toratah, “her Torah,” meaning Yochanan son of her (the cow’s) Torah!  To this day our Rabbis cite halacha in his name.

Now if you are surprised that one person took refuge under the wings of the Shechinah because of a cow, it is also because of a cow that all of Israel can achieve purification, as we learn from the reading of the statute of (chukkat) Torah: the “red cow” (Numbers 19:2)!  (Chukkat implies a statute that has no apparent logical justification based upon human experience; rather it is an arbitrary decree, a divine fiat.)

Talmud Moed Katan 28a
Death of the Righteous I

“The pure person shall sprinkle it upon the impure person
on the third day and on the seventh day,
purifying him on the seventh day…”
(Numbers 19:19)

“The congregation…arrives in the Wilderness of Zin…at Kadesh.
There Miriam dies and is buried.”
(Numbers 20:1)

Rabbi Ami taught:  Why does the death of Miriam follow upon purification provided by the Red Cow?  In order to teach us that just as the Red Cow provides atonement of sin, so does the death of the righteous provide atonement.

Numbers Rabbah 19:9-10
Moses Between Rocks and Hard Places

“Moses and Aaron gather the community
in front of the rock…”
(Numbers 20:10)

As there would not be enough space
for more than 600,000 to stand before the rock,
this must imply that everyone saw himself standing over the rock
and that they saw all of the miracles that were of a rock.

They began to call for Moses to bring forth water from a particular rock that they saw.  Remembering the miracle at Rephidim (Exodus 17:1-7), where Moses struck the rock and water came forth, they said:  Moses knows how to bring forth water from a rock.  If he wants to, he can bring forth water from this rock!

Now Moses faced a dilemma before God and a danger to himself:  If I listen to them, I will violate the words of God, who intends for me to bring forth water from a different rock.  On the other hand, God “entraps the shrewd in their planning” (Job 5:13): For these forty years since the incident of the scouts, Moses carefully avoided showing anger at his people because he feared that the Holy One, blessed be He, would include him in the promise He made at that time, “Not one of these men…will see the good land…” (Deuteronomy 1:35)—thus he feared not listening to them!

“Here is a rock!” the people acclaimed, “Just as you chose to bring forth water from another rock, bring forth water from this rock!”  At that, Moses’s dilemma got the better of him, and he shouted at the people, “Listen, O rebels, shall we bring forth for you water from this rock” (Numbers 20:10b)?  “This rock” is meant to imply that Moses brought forth water not from the rock that the people had seen, but from the rock that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded him.  Then, in the throes of his conflict, he angrily struck the rock instead of speaking to it in their sight as commanded (cf. Numbers 20:8) and not only once but “twice” (Numbers 20:11)!  At the same time, what he spoke in the people’s hearing were pained words of apparent sarcasm which implied doubt (cf. Numbers 20:10b).

“Because you did not act
faithfully to Me…
you will not bring this congregation
to the Land…”
(Numbers 20:12)

But was any of this worse than what Moses had said before?  When God promised to satisfy the people’s yearning for meat for many days, Moses reacted, “Are there enough flocks and herds to be slaughtered to feed them?  Could all the fish in the sea be harvested to suffice them?” (Numbers 11:22)  Why did God not pass an edict upon Moses at that time, when he angrily doubted God’s power to satisfy the needs of His people?  Those direct words were certainly more faithless than Moses’s frustration before the rock!

To what may this be compared?  To a king whose confidante speaks harshly to him in private, and the king does not punish him.  But another time, when the confidante speaks against the king in the presence of the king’s legions, the king sentences him to death.

Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, effectively says to Moses:  The first time, when you spoke against My power to fulfill My promise to My people, harsh as those words were, they were just between you and Me.  But before the rock, even though what you said and the fact that you hit the rock instead of speaking to it as I had commanded you, were not very offensive, the fact that you committed these acts in the presence of the Children of Israel was a greater offense.  Not so much the words but the situation was deserving of death in the wilderness, as was implied, “Because you did not act faithfully to Me to sanctify Me in the sight of the Children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation to the Land that I am giving to them” (Numbers 20:12).

Numbers Rabbah 19:12
The Reputation of Moses

The Eternal tells Moses to take the staff: “…Speak to the rock…to give forth its water….”   Moses says to the congregation in front of the rock: “Now listen, O rebels, shall we bring forth for you water from this rock?”  Moses then lifts his hand and strikes the rock with his staff twice, and abundant water pours forth…  Says the Eternal: “Because you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the sight of the Children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation to the land which I am giving to them.”                                            (Numbers 20:7-12)

This may be understood through the parable of two women who were punished by the court for two different offenses: one for sexual indiscretion and one for eating unripe figs during the Sabbatical year.  The woman punished for eating unripe figs during the Sabbatical year asked the court to clarify her offense to the public so that she would not be considered as one who had committed a sexual indiscretion.  The court complied with her request.

Similarly, when Moses learned that he was sentenced to die in the wilderness with the generation who angered God, he feared that it would be said of him what was said of that generation: “How they rebelled against Him in the wilderness; how they saddened Him in the desert” (Psalms 78:40)!  Therefore he asked that the offense for which he was being punished should be clarified, and it was: “Because you did not have faith in Me to sanctify Me in the sight of the Children of Israel…!”

Numbers Rabbah 19:13
Moses, Cut your Losses

“You will not bring this congregation to the Land…”
(Numbers 20:12)

The Holy One, blessed be He, asked Moses, “Now, on what basis would you even want to enter the Land?”  This question is understood by considering the parable of a shepherd who looked after the king’s flock, but under his care the king’s flock was captured and stolen.  When the shepherd sought to return to the royal palace, the king warned him that if he were to enter the palace, in the sight of the court he would be seen as the shepherd who caused the loss of the king’s flock.

Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, reminded Moses:  It will be your “praiseworthy achievement” that you brought out 600,000 and buried them in the wilderness.  Now, if you should bring in the next generation, people would say that the generation of the wilderness had no portion in the world to come.  Rather, remain at their side, stay with them, as can be inferred from your Prophecy of Gad: “He came with the first ones of the people; he executed the justice of the Eternal and His judgments with Israel” (Deuteronomy 33:21).  For that reason is it written, “You will not bring this congregation” (Numbers 20:12), viz. the next generation, but you will bring to their portion the one that came out with you!

Numbers Rabbah 19:17
Heritage of the Righteous

“At Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom,
the Eternal announces to Moses and to Aaron
that Aaron will be gathered to his people…”
(Numbers 20:22-24a)

There is a teaching implied here, namely that the incidence of death of the righteous should be anticipated so that they can pass along their crown to their children.  Moreover, the Holy One, blessed be He, owed this consideration to both Moses and Aaron, who were His trusted officers, who acted exclusively with His knowledge.  Therefore He would not bring their service to a conclusion without their foreknowledge.

Why did He go on to say:
“…for he will not enter the Land
which I have given to the Children of Israel…”
(Numbers 20:24b)

That is because Moses appealed to Him: O my Master, please allow my brother to remain alive with the Children of Reuben and the Children of Gad (on the eastern side of the Jordan)!  That cannot be, He answered Moses, as Aaron’s demise is integral to My gift of the Land to the Children of Israel.  (Cf. Numbers 18:20: “The Eternal said to Aaron: You shall not inherit their Land, you shall not have a portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance amidst the Children of Israel.”  ̴ Mirkin)

Numbers Rabbah 19:19
Consolation of the Righteous

“Moses is instructed:
Take Aaron and his son Elazar up to Mount Hor.
There he is to remove Aaron’s vestments
and transfer them to Elazar his son.
There Aaron is to be gathered to the dead.”
(Numbers 20:25-26)

In this instruction, the Holy One, blessed be He, was commanding Moses to offer Aaron the purest consolation: He will bequeathe his crown to his sons, something that you will not be able to do for your sons.

Moreover, “Take Aaron…” using the same word by which He commanded Moses earlier, “Take Aaron and his sons…” to consecrate them for the Kehunah (Priesthood) (Leviticus 8:2ff.).  As Moses took his brother with his sons to the Tent of Meeting to initiate their service, so would he take his brother with his son up the mountain to continue their highest office.

Talmud Moed Katan 28a
Death of the Righteous II

Rabbi Elazar taught:  Why is the event of Aaron’s death associated with the vestments of Kehunah?  Because just as the vestments of Kehunah bring atonement, so does the death of the righteous bring atonement.

Numbers Rabbah 19:20
Talmud Rosh Hashanah 3a
True Amalekite

“Aaron dies there at the top of Mount Hor.
Moses and Elazar come down,
and all the congregation see that Aaron has passed away…
The Canaanite king of Arad, dwelling in the Negev,
learns that Israel is coming by way of the Atarim.
He attacks them and takes captives from them.”
(Numbers 20:28b-21:1)

When Moses and Elazar come down from the mountain, all of the congregation assemble against them and demand: Where is Aaron?  They answer: He has died.  They object: How could the angel of death harm him, the man who stood up to the angel of death and arrested the plague that followed the death of Korach and his followers, as is written, “Aaron stood between the dead and the living, so that the plague was arrested” (Numbers 17:13)!  They demand that Moses and Elazar bring Aaron down from the mountain, alive; otherwise they will stone them!

At that moment Moses launches into prayer: Master of the Universe, remove from over me the shadow of suspicion!  Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, opens the burial place of Aaron and shows him to the congregation, as was implied by the words, “All of the congregation see [vayir’u] that [kee] Aaron has passed away” (Numbers 20:29a).

Now consider the words which follow: “The Canaanite king of Arad, dwelling in the Negev, learns…” (Numbers 21:1).  What does he “learn” from the death of Aaron?  Reading the verse in accordance with Rabbi Abbahu and Resh Lakish, “All of the congregation was exposed [vayera’u] because [kee] Aaron had passed away” (Numbers 20:29a).  How was the congregation exposed?  Remember: “The Eternal went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way…” (Exodus 13:21a).  So we discover that because of Aaron’s demise the clouds of God’s Presence were lifted, exposing the congregation to the king of Arad as entirely vulnerable!

And who was “the Canaanite king of Arad, dwelling in the Negev?”  He was Amalek, as is implied by the words, “Amalek dwelled in the land of the Negev, while the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites dwelled in the hill country, and the Canaanites dwelled by the Sea and along the Jordan” (Numbers 13:29).  But if the king of Arad was Amalek, why was he also called “the Canaanite king of Arad,” while we just read that the Canaanites dwelled separate from Amalek.  Even so, he was called a Canaanite in order to emphasize that he was as much of an anathema to Israel as were the Canaanites, of whom it was said, “Allow not one of them to live, but utterly destroy them, as the Eternal your God has commanded you” (Deuteronomy 20:16-17)!

Amalek was worthy of such execration because it was his wont to attack Israel when the latter displayed doubt or confusion:  When Israel questioned, “Is the Eternal in our midst or not?” (Exodus 17:7b), we read immediately in the next verse, “Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim” (ibid. 8)!  When “they said, one to another, ‘Let us turn around and go back to Egypt’” (Numbers 13:4), shortly thereafter, “The Amalekites and the Canaanites, who dwelled on that mountain, came down and attacked them decisively as far as Chormah” (ibid. 45)!

Here too, in reference to Mount Hor, the place of Aaron’s demise, we find there was doubt and confusion prior to the attack, as we read, “The Children of Israel journeyed from Be’erot of the Ya’akanites to Moserah; there Aaron died and was buried” (Deuteronomy 10:6).  In Moserah?  But of course he died at Mount Hor: “They journeyed from Moserot to the Ya’akanites to Chor Hagidgad to Yotvatah to Avronah to Etzyon Gever to the Wilderness of Tsin, which is Kadesh, to Mount Hor, where Aaron died” (Numbers 33:31-38a)!  So from Moserah (cf. Deuteronomy 10:6) or Moserot (cf. Numbers 33:31) they turned around, displaying doubt and confusion, going back to the Ya’akanites and then the other six locations, ending back at Mount Hor, where Aaron died, whereupon the Amalekites led by their king of Arad, repeat their execrable modus operandi, “attacking them and taking captives from them” (cf. Numbers 21:1).

Tanchuma Chukkat 19
Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:8
Who shall punish?  What can heal?

“They journey back to the Red Sea…,
but the people grow impatient.
They speak out against God and against Moses:
Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?
There is no food and there is no water,
and we cannot stand the accursed bread!
The Eternal sends venomous serpents against the people:
they bite the people, and many of Israel die.”
(Numbers 21:4-6)

Why did He choose to punish them with serpents?

The serpent was responsible for introducing leshon hara (derogatory speech) into the world, as a means for misleading the first woman and man into eating from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden (cf. Genesis 3:1-6).  Israel failed to learn from that catastrophe, as they spoke leshon hara to the Holy One, blessed be He, addressing God and Moses simultaneously, “Why have You brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness…?”  So let the one who initiated leshon hara be the one who punishes those who speak leshon hara, in accordance with the Sage’s words, “He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and one who disregards limits shall be bitten by a serpent” (Ecclesiastes 10:8)!

Alternatively:

“The wolf and the lamb shall pasture together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and the serpent’s food shall be dust;
they shall not hurt or destroy
in all My holy mountain—
says the Eternal.”
(Isaiah 65:25)

The Prophet may be interpreted to say that whatever the serpent may eat in the world, even if it consumes a wide variety of delicacies, they all turn, in its mouth, to dust, that is, “The serpent’s food (whatever it may be) becomes dust!”  In contrast to the serpent, Israel in the wilderness “ate until they were satisfied; He brought them whatever would please them” (Psalms 78:29), as “These forty years the Eternal your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7)!  So let the serpent, which eats many things but in the end is left with only dust in its mouth, be the one to punish those who ate only one thing, manna, and tasted in it whatever pleased them and lacked nothing, yet complained, “We cannot stand the accursed bread!”

“At Rephidim, Amalek attacks Israel…
Moses, Aaron and Hur, go up to the top of the hill.
When Moses raises his hand, Israel prevails,
and when Moses lowers his hand, Amalek prevails.”
(Exodus 17:8-11)

“Moses made a serpent [nachash] out of copper [nechoshet]
and mounted it upon a pole,
and if a man bitten by a serpent looked up at it, he would live.”
(Numbers 21:9)

Now can the hands of Moses spur victory or impede it?  Therefore it is meant to teach you: Whenever Israel gaze upward and subject their will to their Father who is in Heaven, they triumph; but if not, they fall.

Likewise, can a copper serpent make the difference between life and death?  Rather, when Israel gaze upwards and subject their will to their Father who is in Heaven, they will be healed; but if not, they will languish.

Numbers Rabbah 19:23
Tanchuma Chukkat 19
Repentance and Forgiveness

“The Eternal sends venomous serpents against the people:
they bite the people, and many of Israel die.
The people appeal to Moses:
We have sinned in speaking against the Eternal and against you;
pray to the Eternal to remove the serpents from us!
Whereupon Moses prays on behalf of the people…”
(Numbers 21:6-7)

The people recognize that the Eternal sent the serpents as punishment for their complaints against the Eternal and Moses (cf. Numbers 21:4-5).  As soon as they acknowledge their sin, Moses prays on their behalf without hesitation, displaying thereby his own humility and the power of repentance!  Moses, as the wronged party, had the power to forgive; if he had delayed forgiveness, he would have repaid their wrong with cruelty.

Let not the power to forgive be employed for cruelty!  We learned this from God and Abraham.  When Avimelech kidnapped Sarah, the Eternal closed fast every womb in his house as punishment.  Then Abraham prayed to God on behalf of Avimelech, “whereupon God healed Avimelech and his wife and his maidservants so that they could bear children” (Genesis 20:17).  We also learned this from the Eternal and Job.  Displeased with the friends’ treatment of Job, the Eternal commanded them to offer atonement and for Job to pray for them “so that I shall show Job favor and not punish you for misrepresenting the truth about Me” (Job 42:8).  They did so, whereupon the Eternal accepted their repentance and Job’s prayer (ibid. 9-10).

But where do we learn explicitly that when one offends another and then confesses his offense, if the offended refuses to forgive, the offended is called a sinner?  (Rambam: “The one who fails to forgive becomes the sinner!”  ̴ Laws of Repentance 2:13)  “When all of the people said to Samuel, ‘Pray for your servants to the Eternal your God, that we not die, for we have added evil to our other sins by asking for ourselves a king (in place of you!)’” (I Samuel 12:19), Samuel responds: “Far be it from me also to sin against the Eternal by failing to pray on your behalf; thus do I instruct you in the good and right way,” adding interpretively, “of accepting repentance and showing forgiveness” (ibid. 23)!

Numbers Rabbah 1:2
Tanchuma Bemidbar 2
Well of Miriam

“At Be’er, which means ‘well,’
the Eternal says to Moses,
‘Gather the people, and I shall give them water!’
Then Israel sings this song:
‘Rise up, O well, be regaled with these words:
O well dug out by rulers, by nobles of the people,
with their own scepter and staffs–
from wilderness a gift!’”
(Numbers 21:16-18)

By virtue of Miriam did the Well provide Israel with water in the wilderness: “The Eternal said to Moses, ‘Assemble the people that I may give them water,’ whereupon Israel sings this song: ‘Arise, O Well, for her reprise [enu lah]’” (Numbers 21:16-17)!  For the sake of Miriam’s reprise did Israel secure water from the Well.  What was her reprise?  After Moses and Israel sang the Song at the Sea, “Miriam the Prophetess took the timbrel in her hand, all of the women following with timbrels and with dancing, and Miriam reprised for them [vata’an lahem], ‘Sing to the Eternal, for He has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider has He cast into the Sea’” (Exodus 15:20-21; cf. 15:1)!  And how else do we know that water from the Well was provided to Israel in the wilderness by virtue of Miriam?  Because when Miriam died (cf. Numbers 20:1), “the congregation was without water” (Numbers 20:2)!

The Well was a large round Rock [Sela] (cf. Numbers 20:2-11) that followed Israel on their journeys through the wilderness.  When they encamped and the Tabernacle was set up, the Rock would settle in the court of the Tent of Meeting.  Then the chiefs (cf. Numbers 20:6) would come and stand over it, declaring, “Arise, O Well, for her reprise,” and the Well would rise.  After that I brought you quail (cf. Exodus 15:25,27; 16:13).  “Have I been a wilderness to Israel, a land of darkness” (Jeremiah 2:31)?!  Did I not, by My own hand, provide illumination for you?  “The Eternal went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to show them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to provide them light in order that they could proceed day and night” (Exodus 13:21)!

“Why do My people say, ‘We are free [radnu]! We will come no more to You!’” (Jeremiah 2:31)?  Interpret what they are saying: “He subjugated us [radnu]” (cf. I Kings 5:4); that is, You broke down our Temple and removed Your Presence from us!  What else can You ask of us?  “We will come to You no more” (Jeremiah 2:31)!  His response to them: Would that I were in the wilderness even now!  “Oh, to be in the wilderness, at a lodging of wayfarers; I would leave My people, who are all of them unfaithful, ‘heroic’ in the Land for treachery, not for honesty—declares the Eternal” (Jeremiah 9:1-2)!

“Sing to the Eternal a new song,
His praise from the ends of the earth…
Let the wilderness and its cities lift their voices [yis’u]…
Let the inhabitants of Sela [yo’shevey Sela] shout [yaronnu]…”
(Isaiah 42:10-11)

Interpret:

Where can I expect to be newly praised?
“The wilderness and its cities will lift their voices [yis’u]…
Those who settle by the Rock [yo’shevey Sela]
(Well of Miriam in the wilderness)
will shout praises [yaronnu]!”

He may be likened to a prince who entered a certain land.  When its inhabitants saw him, they fled from before him.  He entered another land, and its inhabitants, too, fled from before him.  Then he entered a city that already lay in ruins, and its inhabitants welcomed him and showered praise upon him.  Said the prince: This (ruined) city is the best of all the lands.  Here shall I build my palace; here shall I dwell!  Thus it was, when the Holy One, blessed be He, came to the Sea, it fled from before Him: “The Sea saw him and fled…” (Psalms 114:3a).  Then, “…the Jordan was turned backwards” (ibid. 3b).  But when He came to the wilderness, a ruin, it welcomed Him and showered praise upon Him: “The wilderness and its cities would lift their voices [yis’u]…Those who settle by the Rock [yo’shevey Sela] (Well of Miriam in the wilderness) would shout praises [yaronnu]” (Isaiah 42:11)!  Said He: This (ruined) place is for Me the best of all the places.  Here shall I build My Temple, and in it shall I dwell!

“Let the arid desert be happy [yesusum]
and let the dry plain rejoice [vetageyl]…
they shall behold the Presence of the Eternal,
the beauty of [hadar] our God!”
(Isaiah 35:1-2)

Interpret:

Then they will be happy that the Holy One, blessed be He,
would be dwelling therein:
“The arid desert shall be happy [yesusum]
and the dry plain shall rejoice [vetageyl]…
when they will behold the Presence of the Eternal,
who dwells [hadar] (therein), our God!”

Talmud Berachot 7a
Balaam as Prosecutor

“God judges the righteous,
and God condemns within each day!”
(Psalms 7:12)

“Remember, O My people,
what Balak, king of Moab, devised,
and how Balaam son of Be’or answered him,
from Shittim to Gilgal,
recall the righteous acts [tzidkot] of the Eternal!”
(Micah 6:5)

“What can I curse…
that God has not condemned?”
(Numbers 23:8)

It is taught in a baraitha:  For how long within each day does God condemn?  For only a moment.  How long is the moment?  1/8,888 of an hour.  No human creature has determined when this moment occurs except for Balaam the Wicked, of whom is written, “He knows the mind of the Most High” (Numbers 24:16)!

But, if Balaam did not even know the mind of his own animal (Numbers 22:21ff.), how could he then know the mind of the Most High?  It must mean not that he actually knew the mind of the Most High literally, but that he knew how to determine the exact time of the day when the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry!  This would have qualified Balaam in the view of Balak to know the moment when to curse Israel as a prosecutor before the Judge.

Yet, as Balaam did not succeed in his attempted prosecution, we may understand the Prophet’s words as, “O My people, remember indeed the plan devised by Balak king of Moab but how Balaam son of Be’or actually answered him by blessing instead of cursing Israel, from his initiating the debauchery of Shittim (cf. Numbers 25:1-9; 31:16) but ending with the reward of Gilgal (cf. Joshua 3-4); recall the forbearing acts [tzidkot] of the Eternal” (Micah 6:5)!  Rabbi Elazar explained: The Holy One, blessed be He, was saying (through the Prophet) to Israel that I forbore from being angry at you during the days of Balaam the Wicked and Shittim, when otherwise I would have destroyed you entirely because of your sins!  So when Balaam answered Balak, “What can I curse that God has not cursed, and what can I condemn that the Eternal has not condemned?” (Numbers 23:8), his words reflect the fact that during all of those days God had forborne from a moment of anger at Israel, thereby withholding from Balaam any prospect of a successful prosecution!

How do we know that God is angry for even a moment?  “While His anger is for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime” (Psalms 30:6a)! and, “Hide for just a moment until His anger passes” (Isaiah 26:20)!

Numbers Rabbah 20:1
Prophets of Israel vs. Prophets of Idolatry

“The Rock: His work is perfect,
all of His ways are just…”
(Deuteronomy 32:4)

The Holy One, blessed be He, gave no opening to idolators in the future to complain: You unjustly denied us the opportunities that You gave to Israel!  For just as He established kings, men of wealth, and prophets for Israel, so He established them for idolators.

He made Solomon king over Israel and over all the earth, and He did the same for Nebuchadnezzar.  Solomon built the Temple and composed various hymns and prayers, whereas Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it and blasphemed and reviled, as he presumed, in the words of the Prophet, “I shall ascend above the heights of the clouds, I shall be like the Highest” (Isaiah 14:14)!

He gave David great wealth: with it he acquired the site upon which the Temple was built.  He gave Haman great wealth as well, which he used to acquire an entire people for slaughter (Esther 3:8-11).

He established Moses for Israel and Balaam for idolators.  Consider the difference between the Prophets of Israel and the prophets of idolators.  The Prophets of Israel warn Israel against transgressing, as was said, “You, son of man, I have set you as a watchman for the House of Israel: When you learn a word from My mouth, warn them from Me” (Ezekiel 33:7)!  But a prophet who emerges from the other nations sows division, which will result in the obliteration of humanity (cf. Numbers 22:5-6; 31:16).

In addition, all the Prophets of Israel showed compassion not only upon Israel but also upon idolators.  Thus, says Jeremiah, “Therefore my heart, like pipes, moans for Moab…” (Jeremiah 48:36), and Ezekiel, “And you, son of man, raise a lament for Tyre” (Ezekiel 27:2)!  But this cruel one (Balaam) endeavored to uproot an entire nation for no good reason.

All of this is why the episode of Balaam was included in the Torah: to make known why the Holy One, blessed be He, withdrew the Holy Spirit from idolators.  Balaam emerged from them, and see what he did (cf. Numbers 25:1-9; 31:16)!

Numbers Rabbah 20:18
Better is Love than Seven Altars

“Balaam says to Balak:
‘Build for me in this place seven altars,
and prepare for me here
seven bulls and seven rams.’”
(Numbers 23:1)

Why seven altars?  The number of altars corresponds to the altars duly built by seven righteous men: Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses.  But Balaam could not understand why God was content to accept such a limited measure of worship as the sum of only seven heroes of a single people.  “Wouldn’t it be more fitting,” he challenged, “for You to be worshipped  by seventy nations?!”  Balaam was answered through the words of the Holy Spirit:

“Better is a dry piece of bread”—
like a meal offering mixed with oil though dry—
“served with quietness
than a house full of sacrifices
that are the product of contention.”
(Proverbs 17:1)

For you are trying to inject contention between Me and Israel!

“Balaam says to Balak,
‘Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go;
perhaps the Eternal will encounter with me,
and whatever He shows me, I will tell you.’
So he goes off to an outlook point.

God encounters with Balaam,
who says to Him,
‘I have arranged the seven altars,
and I have placed upon each
a bull and a ram.’”
(Numbers 23:3-4)

How did God encounter with Balaam?  He said, “O wicked one, what are you doing?”  It was to those words of God that Balaam responded, “I have arranged the seven altars…”.  This may be likened to a merchant who was caught using dishonest weights.  The market manager accused him of the dishonest act, to which the merchant replied, “I have already sent a gift to your house!”

Similarly with Balaam:  The Holy Spirit said to him, “O wicked one, what are you doing!”  Balaam replied, “I have arranged the seven altars…!”  Balaam then was answered through the words of the Holy Spirit:

“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is”—
like the meal that Israel ate in Egypt
over unleavened bread and bitter herbs—
“than a fatted ox and hatred with it”—
than the bulls that you offer out of enmity!
(Proverbs 15:17)

Leviticus Rabbah 1:13
Our Prophets vs. Their Prophets

“God encounters [vayikar] with Balaam,
who says to Him…”
(Numbers 23:4)

“The Eternal calls [vayikra] to Moses
and speaks to him
out of the Tent of Meeting…”
(Leviticus 1:1)

What is the difference between the Prophets of Israel
and the prophets of the nations?

Rabbi Chama son of Rabbi Chaninah and Rabbi Issaschar of Kfar Mandi answered this question somewhat differently from each other.

Rabbi Chama son of Rabbi Chaninah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, is revealed to the nations of the world in only half the degree of communication, reflected in the shortened form of the verb [vayikar], but to the Prophets of Israel He calls out [vayikra] and speaks to them fully.

In response Rabbi Issaschar of Kfar Mandi said: Do they deserve even that?!  Rather, the shortened form of the verb [vayikar] implies impurity, as described in the Torah: “If there is among you a man who is not ritually pure because of a night event [mikrey]…” (Deuteronomy 23:11).  But to the Prophets of Israel God communicates with speech that is holy, pure and full.  His communication is that by which the ministering angels praise the Holy One, blessed be He, namely, “And each called [kara] one to the other and said…” (Isaiah 6:3).

Rabbi Elazar bar Menachem explained it on the basis of the verse, “The Eternal is far from the wicked”—those being the prophets of the nations of the world, “but He hears the prayer of the righteous”—these being the Prophets of Israel (Proverbs 15:29)!  Accordingly, you find that the Holy One, blessed be He, is revealed to the nations of the world as one who comes from a faraway land, implying the estrangement and discomfort that King Hezekiah expressed regarding the Babylonian ambassadors who visited him: “From a faraway land they came to me, from Babylonia (actually not so far away!)” (Isaiah 39:3).  But to the Prophets of Israel, without hesitation, “the Eternal appears [vayera] (to Abraham)” (Genesis 18:1) and “He calls [vayikra] to Moses” (Leviticus 1:1)!

Said Rabbi Yosey: The Holy One, blessed be He, is revealed to the nations of the world only at night, when people are secluded from each other.  This is what Eliphaz the Temanite reported: “I am the recipient of occult matters, (only) some of which my ear has captured in disquieting thoughts from visions of the night, when men are enveloped in their sleep” (Job 4:12-13); and this was the effect upon him: “Fear has captured me, and trembling; it has terrified me down to my bones” (ibid. 14)!  “I am the recipient of occult matters [eylai davar yegunav]”: literally, “I stole a word”; that is to say, the word was not clearly intended for me to hear, I committed prophetic theft with the fear and trembling that would be expected of a thief in his thievery!

Rabbi Chaninah bar Pappa and the Rabbis employed their respective parables to explain prophetic revelation at night.  Rabbi Chaninah bar Pappa: It may be compared to some kind of curtain that separates the king from his subjects.  When the king addresses his confidant, he folds the curtain away so that he can address him face to face, but when addressing his other subjects he keeps the curtain closed so that they cannot see him.  The Rabbis, more colorfully, employed the metaphor of a king who was intimate with two women: one his wife and one his mistress.  To his wife he would come openly, but he would visit his mistress only in secret.  So is the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to the nations of the world only at night:

“God comes to Avimelech (king of Gerar) in a dream at night…” (Genesis 20:3);

“God comes to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night…” (Genesis 31:24); and

“God comes to Balaam at night…” (Numbers 22:20).

But to the Prophets of Israel, during the day:

“The Eternal appears to Abraham…as he is sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day…” (Genesis 18:1);

“It was in the day that the Eternal spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt…” (Exodus 6:28);

“On the day that He commanded the Children of Israel…” (Leviticus 7:38); and

“These are the descendants of Aaron and Moses; during the day the Eternal spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai…” (Numbers 3:1).

Talmud Sotah 47a
Talmud Nazir 23b
Talmud Horayot 10b
Good Acts, Bad Intentions

“Balak takes Balaam to Baal Heights.
There Balaam has Balak build seven altars for him
and sacrifice on each altar a bull and a ram.”
(Numbers 22:41-23:2)

“Balak determines to try again at a different place…
He takes Balaam to another promontory, Lookout Point,
where he builds seven altars
and offers up a bull and a ram as burnt offerings on each.”
(Numbers 23:13-14)

“Balak tries yet again at another place…
He takes Balaam to the summit of Pe’or…
and Balak complies with Balaam’s request
to build seven altars
and to offer up a bull and a ram on each altar.”
(Numbers 23:27-30)

“Now Balak is deeply displeased with Balaam.
He angrily slaps his hands together:
To curse my enemies I invited you,
but instead you have blessed them these three times!”
(Numbers 24:10)

Said Rabbi Chaninah:  Because of the forty-two sacrifices that Balak king of Moab offered, forty-two children were lost to Israel.  –  But is this really so?  For Rav Judah reported that Rav taught:  One should surely engage in Torah and Mitzvot even if it is not for its own sake (even for an ulterior motive), because out of acts performed for the wrong reason will grow acts performed for the right reason!

“Solomon loved the Eternal
in conformance with the laws of David his father,
although he offered sacrifices at local altars
(presumably before he built the Temple).
At Gibeon, the Great Local Altar,
Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings!”
(I Kings 3:3-4)

Thus was his reward for the forty-two sacrifices offered by Balak king of Moab that from his descendant Eglon (cf. Judges 3:12-17) descended Ruth the Moabitess (cf. Ruth 1:4) according to Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Chaninah, and Ruth was the progenitrix of David (cf. Ruth 4:13-22), father of Solomon, who evinced genealogically that out of sacrificial acts performed by his ancestor for the wrong reason will grow sacrificial acts performed for their own sake!  –  But we should not forget that it was the intention of Balak (in making those forty-two sacrifices) to curse Israel!  (Rashi: For that reason, Rabbi Chaninah teaches, his intention to diminish Israel was sustained.)

Numbers Rabbah 20:20
Repentance vs. Magic

“There is no divination in Jacob,
no magic in Israel…”
(Numbers 23:23)

No oracle is necessary for Jacob,
Israel knows directly what God has planned.

You go around with divination and magic to determine the best place from which you can defeat Israel, but Israel has no need for these.  When they are called upon to wage war with an adversary, the Kohen Gadol stands attired with Urim and Tummim and consults with God directly.  They break through all of the nations’ enchantments by repenting of their sins (cf. Deuteronomy 20:8 and Rashi; Talmud Sotah 44a), as was said, “He frustrates the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners” (Isaiah 44:25)!

Tanchuma Balak 14
Uniqueness of Israel

“This is a people that arises like a lion,
and, like Leo, springs up:
he will not rest
until he has consumed his prey…”
(Numbers 23:24)

Targum Onkelos:
“This is a people that reclines like a lion,
and, like Leo, will spring up:
it will not rest in its Land
until it has killed its prey
and acquired the property of nations.”
(Numbers 23:24)

Shulchan Aruch:
“One should arise in the morning
with the strength of a lion
to perform the service of his Creator
as he awakens the dawn.”
(Orach Chayim 1:1)

There is no other nation in the world like this one, who asleep are disengaged from Torah and Mitzvot, then arise from their slumber and quickly embrace the Recitation of the Shema, recognizing the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He, with the confidence of lions.  Then they go off to their business pursuits.

If one of them should stumble on the way or become the victim of aggressors, he has but to declare the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He, as we interpret, “Who will not rest until He has consumed His prey” (Numbers 23:24).  When he recites the words of the Shema, “…the Eternal our God, the Eternal is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4), the aggressors are neutralized from before him!  Their only verbal response is to whisper, “Blessed is His royal glorious Name for ever and ever!” (Siddur) as they flee.  Thus is he supported by virtue of the Recitation of the Shema under the keepers of the day until it is time for the keepers of the night.  Accordingly, when it is time for him to go to sleep, he entrusts his spirit into the keeping of the Holy One, blessed be He, by reciting, “Into Your hand I commit my spirit” (Psalms 31:6).

“I look to the Lord [nafshee l’Adonai]
more than watchmen of the morning [mishomereem laboker]
watch for the morning [shomereem laboker]!”
(Psalms 130:6)

And when he wakes up the next morning declaring the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He, the keepers of the night transfer him to keepers of the day, as we interpret, “My life is under protection of the Eternal [nafshee l’Adonai] from watchmen of the morning [mishomereem laboker], (who are) watching for the morning [shomereem laboker].”

Thus did Balaam acknowledge: There is no other nation in the world like this one!

Talmud Bava Bathra 60a
Balaam teaches modesty

“Balaam looks up and sees Israel encamped by its tribes,
and the spirit of God is upon him [alav].
He delivers his message…:
How goodly are your tents, O Jacob,
your dwelling places, O Israel…”
(Numbers 24:2-3,5)

MISHNAH

One may not position an entrance or a window which faces into a common courtyard to be directly opposite the entrance or window of another unit.  Tifereth Yisrael: To maintain modesty; rather, arrange them not to be directly opposite in order to eliminate the possibility of seeing into the neighbor’s window.

GEMARA

Whence is this law derived?  Rabbi Yochanan taught that it is based upon the verse, “Balaam looks up and sees Israel encamped by its tribes….”  What did he see?  He saw that the entrances of their tents were not facing each other, and he said: These people are worthy for the Divine Presence to dwell upon them!  Rashi: He saw Israel encamped “by its tribes,” that is, in accordance with the law that every tribal camp was considered a common courtyard except the tribal camp of Levi (cf. Talmud Shabbat 96b).  This is what he meant when he continued, “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob!”  Tosafot: We infer what he said about the Divine Presence by interpreting the verse as his words, “And the spirit of God is upon it [alav], that is, upon Israel!”

Deuteronomy Rabbah 1:4
Message over Medium

“These are the words which Moses spoke to all of Israel…:
“Jeshurun will grow fat and rebel…
forsaking the God who made him,
spurning his saving Rock!”
(Deuteronomy 1:1; 32:15)

“Thus says Balaam son of Be’or,
the man whose eye is open,
who hears the words of God…:
‘How goodly are your tents, O Jacob,
your dwelling places, O Israel!’”
(Numbers 24:3-5)

Said Rabbi Acha son of Rabbi Chanina:  It would seem fitting for the words of rebuke (see above), here attributed to Moses, to have been said rather by Balaam, who sought to harm Israel (cf. Numbers 22:2ff.), and for words of blessing, attributed to Balaam (cf. Numbers 23-24), to be said rather by Moses!  But if Balaam had been the one to admonish them, then Israel could have dismissed his words as merely the expected rebuke of their enemy.  And if Moses had been the one to bless Israel (instead of Balaam), then the nations of the world could have dismissed his words as an unremarkable blessing by their admirer and one of their own.  So the Holy One, blessed be He, decided:  Let Moses, who loves them and is one of them, rebuke them; and let Balaam, who hates them, bless them—so that both blessings and admonitions would be grasped unmistakably by Israel!

Talmud Sanhedrin 106a
Tanchuma Buber Balak 26-27
The Denouement of Balaam’s Agency

“The (Moabite) women induced the Children of Israel,
at the instigation of Balaam,
to commit offense against the Eternal
in the affair of Pe’or (cf. Numbers 25:1-9),
resulting in a plague against the Congregation of the Eternal.”
(Numbers 31:16)

“Balaam said to Balak…
‘Now, as I return to my people,
let me advise you
as to what this people (Israel)
shall do to your people (Moab)…’”
(Numbers 24:12,14)

But would it not have been
more in character
for wicked Balaam
to have said,
“’…what your people (Moab)
should do to this people (Israel)?’”

So Rabbi Abba bar Kahana
explains it:
This is a case of
uttering a curse upon one’s enemy
only to have it transferred to others:
That is, Balaam actually was advising Moab
how they could effectively
inflict a curse upon Israel,
but Scripture, not wanting to articulate
harm against Israel,
turned Balaam’s words around
to articulate harm against Moab!

Here is what Balaam actually said to Moab:

Their God despises debauchery, and they love linen garments.  Here is what I advise you to do:  Put up some tents, like a fair, and staff them with prostitutes, young ones inside the tents and older ones outside, who will sell the Israelites linen garments.  So they did, and after dinner the Israelite men went about through the fair.  The older prostitutes quoted the retail prices, but the younger prostitutes from inside the tents always offered them a discount.  After this happened several times, whereby the Israelite men were becoming familiar with the deals inside the tents, the younger prostitutes would say, “Hey, you’re like a member of the family!  Help yourself!”

Each young prostitute was seductively perfumed and bejeweled.  She would say to her Israelite customer, “How is it that we love you while you hate us?  Here, take this item for free; after all, we are all the children of one man, the children of Terach, father of Abraham” (cf. Genesis 11:26-32; 20:30-38)!  Moreover, they would say, “We understand that you don’t want to eat from our meat and from our cooking, so here are calves and chickens which we have slaughtered in accordance with your laws, eat up!”

Near each young prostitute was a pitcher of Ammonite wine—the wine of idolators had not yet been forbidden by the Rabbis—which she offered to every Israelite man.  Once he drank the wine, his libido was engaged and he said to her, “Surrender to me!”  Whereupon she took out her idol and demanded that he worship it.  He protested, “But I am a Jew!”  “Don’t worry,” she said, “all that I am asking is that you get naked,” for which he was willing, not understanding that nakedness was their mode of worship!

Some say that Balaam explicitly instructed the Moabites not to ply them with wine, so that they would be judged to have sinned intentionally, in sobriety, rather than under the influence.  “They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; the people ate and they worshipped their gods; thus Israel attached itself to Baal Pe’or…” (Numbers 25:2-3):  When an Israelite man demanded that a Moabite woman surrender to him, she said, “But first you must sacrifice to Pe’or!”  Seduced by her, he would slaughter a chicken to Pe’or and eat together with her.  Thus they were joined one to the other.

Rabbi Levi taught:  The sin of Baal Pe’or was more egregious than that of the Golden Calf.  In the sin of the Golden Calf, “All the people separated themselves from their golden ear rings…” (Exodus 32:3), while in the sin of Baal Pe’or, “Israel attached itself to Baal Pe’or…” (Numbers 25:3)!  Also, in the sin of the Golden Calf, the toll of dead was 3,000 (cf. Exodus 32:28), while here the toll was 24,000 (cf. Numbers 25:9)!

Here is what we learn about Moab:

Throw a stick into the air,
and it will come down to its original place!

They who began in debauchery (see below)
have come back to it in the end!

Their mothers began in debauchery:
“The older one came in and lay with her father…” (Genesis 19:33),
“…and the older one said to the younger one…” (Genesis 19:34):
She taught her debauchery!

Their mothers began in debauchery,
and their daughters have come back to it in the end!

“The older one bore a son and called him Moab [“from (my) father”]…
and the younger one also bore a son
and called him Ben-Ammi [“son of my family”],
father of the Ammonites…” (Genesis 19:37-38).

The older prostitutes quoted the retail prices (set for all by the Patriarchs),
but the younger prostitutes from inside the tents
always offered them a discount (adjusted by descendants for family).

Numbers Rabbah 20:24
The Momentary Indecision of Moses

“Just then an Israelite man brings a Midianite woman
near to his fellows in the sight of Moses
and in the sight of all the congregation of the Children of Israel…”
(Numbers 25:6a)

Why would he do this?

To show you that he assigns honor
neither to Heaven
nor to humanity.
About him was said:
“Proud, haughty—
a scorner is his name;
he is engaged
in the exorbitance of pride.”
(Proverbs 21:24)

The Midianite woman said to him:  I would surrender only to Moses your Rabbi, as my father Balak instructed me, since I am a princess.  The Israelite man said to her:  I am no less great than he, thus shall I take you as they watch!  He grabbed her by the front of her hair and brought her to Moses.  “Son of Amram,” he sneered, “is she permitted or forbidden?”  “She is forbidden to you,” Moses replied.  He said to Moses, “And the one whom you took, she is also a Midianite” (cf. Exodus 2:16-21)!  Moses’s hands became weak, he forgot the law, and everyone burst into tears, as is written, “And they were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 25:6b)!

That Moses’s hands at that moment became weak can be compared to the case of another princess, beautifully adorned to enter the chuppah, to be carried in the wedding procession, and just then it is discovered that she has sinned with another man!  We can easily imagine how the hands of her father and the hands of her relatives suddenly would lose their strength.  So it was for Israel at the end of forty years—encamped at the Jordan and prepared to cross over to the Land (cf. Numbers 33:49)—that there they broke out into harlotry, and the hands of Moses lost their strength, as did the hands of the righteous with him.

But he who stood confronting 600,000, “and took the calf which they had made and burned it in fire and ground it into dust and strewed the dust upon the face of the waters and made the Children of Israel drink it” (Exodus 32:20)!—his hands became weak?  His hands became weak for the sake of Pinchas so that Pinchas could come and claim what was due him (cf. Numbers 25:10ff.).

But what about Moses, who was not decisive at the moment of decision?  “He buried him in the valley, in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Pe’or, and no man knows his burial place until this very day” (Deuteronomy 34:6)—to teach you that a man must be strong as a tiger, swift as an eagle, agile as a deer, and mighty as a lion, to do the will of his Master.  From this you learn that He is exacting with the righteous unto the breadth of a hair!

Targum Yonatan Micah 6:4
Miriam the Prophetess

“I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage,
I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.”
(Micah 6:4)

I sent before you three Prophets:
Moses, to teach the legal foundations;
Aaron, to provide atonement for the people;
and Miriam, to teach the women.

How can Miriam be compared as a Prophetess alongside her brothers?

Talmud Ta’anit 9a —  Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Judah teaches that Israel in the wilderness benefited from the support of three outstanding leaders—Moses, Aaron and Miriam—and that three gifts were granted by them: The Well owing to the merit of Miriam, The Pillar of Cloud owing to the merit of Aaron, and Manna owing to the merit of Moses.  Rashi: The Well of Miriam was a rock from which water flowed and which followed Israel (through the wilderness).  When Miriam died, the Well ceased to produce water, as was said, “Miriam dies and is buried at Kadesh” (Numbers 20:1), followed immediately by, “And there was no water for the congregation” (ibid. 2).  But then it returned, owing to the combined merit of Moses and Aaron.  Rashi: For it is written, “And you (plural: the two of you, Moses and Aaron) speak to the rock so that it brings forth its water” (ibid. 8)!  Moses ends up striking the rock instead (ibid. 11) because at first it did not want to yield its water to him because of Miriam’s death!

Talmud Sotah 12b-13a — “Then Miriam the Prophetess, sister of Aaron, takes the timbrel,and all of the women go out after her dancing with timbrels” (Exodus 15:20)—“sister of Aaron,” but not sister of Moses?  Rav Amram said that Rav said—or Rav Nachman said that Rav said: It means that Miriam was already a Prophetess when she was only the sister of Aaron, that is, before the birth of her brother Moses, about whom she prophesied, “My mother will give birth to a son who will save Israel!”  Indeed when Moses was born, all of their house was filled with light, whereupon her father kissed her on the head and said to her, “My daughter, your Prophecy has been fulfilled!”  But when Moses was thrown into the Nile (cf. Exodus 2:3), her father tapped her on the head and said, “My daughter, where is your Prophecy now?” whereupon “his sister stations herself at a distance to know what will be done to him” (Exodus 2:4), that is, to learn what will be the outcome of her Prophecy!

Exodus Rabbah 1:19 — “A man goes from the House of Levi and marries a daughter of Levi” (Exodus 2:1)—Where does “the man go?” The verse introduces the birth of Moses, but by then his father Amram had already married the mother of Aaron and Miriam! “Go” in Scripture is frequently associated with advice, such as when Balaam says to Balak, “Go, let me advise you…” (Numbers 24:14).  Thus, said Rabbi Judah son of Rabbi Zevida: He, Amram, went in accordance with the advice of his daughter Miriam (see below).

Pesikta Rabbati 43 — Miriam was six years old when she advised her father.  Hearing her words, he brought her with him to the Sanhedrin, before whom she repeated what she had argued before her father.  They said to him:  Amram, you prohibited, now you must permit.  Thinking that they were speaking only of him and his wife, he asked: Can I take her back quietly, without publicity?  They replied: Then who will announce the return of wives to all of Israel?  Rabbi Judah bar Zavida said that Amram then seated his wife in a palanquin while Aaron and Miriam proceeded before her playing castinets and the Holy Spirit sang out, “He seats [mosheevee] the one who was removed [akeret] from the house as a happy mother of children…” (Psalms 113:9a)!  Why did Amram do so?  So that Israel would know and take back their wives.  In so hearing this, Israel celebrated the birth of Moses the redeemer: “…Halleluyah in the birth of the one who leads the Exodus from Egypt” (Psalms 113:9c-114:1a)!

Talmud Sotah 12a — This is the teaching:  Amram was the leader of his generation.  When Pharaoh decreed, “Every boy that is born, throw him into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22), Amram was disheartened at the prospect of losing any future sons, so he divorced his wife.  All of the other men followed their leader’s example and divorced their wives as well.  But Miriam stood up to him: “Your decree is actually worse than Pharaoh’s.  Pharaoh only decreed against the survival of our males, but you decreed against both males and females.  Pharaoh’s decree applies only to this world, but your decree would apply to both this world and the world to come.  Pharaoh, being wicked—who knows whether or not his decree will stand ultimately?  But you, being righteous—your decree will certainly stand, as Eliphaz said to Job, ‘When you make a decree, it will stand with you’” (Job 24:28)!  Thereupon Amram took back his wife, and the other husbands followed suit.

“…and he marries a daughter of Levi.”
(Exodus 2:1b)

But those words imply a first marriage whereas Amram was taking Yocheved back after divorcing her!  Rabbi Judah bar Zavina explained that he took her back with all of the ceremony and joy of a first marriage: He carried her in a palanquin while Aaron and Miriam danced before her and the ministering angels sang, “Happy mother of children” (Psalms 113:9)!

But:

“He establishes [mosheevee] the childless mistress [akeret]
of the house [habayit]
as a happy [semeycha] mother [eym] of children [habanim]. Halleluyah!”
(End of Psalm 113)
“In the Exodus [b’tzeyt] of Israel [Yisrael] from Egypt [miMitzrayim]…”
(Beginning of Psalm 114)

Maharsha (Rabbi Samuel Edels, 16^th-17^th cent.): Even though they knew that Yocheved was already pregnant with a son, they rejoiced that their savior would not have to be born to a divorced woman.  So when the angels sang, “Happy mother of children” (Psalms 113:9), they were continuing their interpretation of the verses: “Amram brings back [maysheevee] the wife who was removed [akeret] from his house [habayit], and then she, Yocheved the mother [eym], and her children [habanim], Aaron and Miriam, will rejoice [semeycha] in the birth of the one who leads the Exodus [b’tzeyt] from Egypt [miMitzrayim]!”

“The king of Egypt orders the Hebrews’ midwives—
of whom the name of one was Shiphrah
and the name of the other [sheyneet] was Puah—
to kill any boy that they deliver of a Hebrew woman.
But the midwives fear God, so they do not obey the king.
They let the boys live.”
(Exodus 1:15-17)

Exodus Rabbah 1 — Rabbi Samuel bar Nachman taught that Miriam was one of the “Hebrew midwives,” along with her mother Yocheved, who save the Hebrew baby boys from Pharaoh’s murderous decree, because “the midwives fear God.”  At that time Miriam could not have been more than five years old, so our Rabbis surmised that she went with Yocheved as her devoted assistant, as Solomon reflected, “Even a child is known by its deeds, whether its work is pure, whether it is honest” (Proverbs 20:11).  “The title (literally ‘name’) of the second [sheyneet] midwife,” that is “the assistant [sheyneet],” was “Puah,” which means “squirt,” because Miriam squirted wine into the mouth of the newborn after her mother cleaned it.  “Puah” can also mean “cry,” another reason why Miriam was called Puah, for if the baby appeared to be stillborn, she would take it and attend to it until it started to breathe and cry!  “Puah” could mean “uplift”—for Miriam lifted Israel up to God; she also lifted her face before Pharaoh, sticking out her nose and saying to him, “Woe to that man when God comes to punish him!”  She so angered Pharaoh that he was prepared to kill her, but her mother interceded for her on account of her presumed naivete!  Rabbi Chanina son of Rav Yitzchak taught that her mother, who was called “Shifrah,” herself lifted Israel up to God to defeat Pharaoh (on behalf of Miriam) for the sake of Israel (whom Miriam saved), for which Rabbi Chanina interpreted Job’s words, “By His power He stirs up the sea, and by His understanding (intending thereby) to strike the monster Rahav (another name for Egypt, cf. Isaiah 3:7; Psalms 87:4); by His wind He prepares [shifrah] the heavens, so that His hand may slay the fleeing serpent (presumably Pharaoh)” (Job 26:12-13)—“Shifrah the heavens?” Shifrah indicates the heavens to God: She reminds God that the heavens were created for the sake of Israel!  Finally, Miriam was called Puah because she would lift her face to her own father to advise him to take back her mother, to assure the future of Israel and its redemption from Egyptian bondage!

Yalkut Shimoni Micah 555
What does the Eternal require?

“Does the Eternal desire thousands of rams?
Ten-thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression?
The fruit of my womb for the sin of my soul?
(Micah 6:7)

Rabbi Joshua of Sichnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: Although the Prophet’s words are directed against Mesha king of Moab, who sacrificed his firstborn son when he was losing the battle with Israel and Edom (cf. II Kings 3:4,26-27a), the Prophet is still basing them upon Abraham’s binding Isaac upon the altar (cf. Genesis 22:1-19).  For Balaam the Wicked was the defender of idolatry, which the Prophet was criticizing, “Does the Eternal desire thousands of rams…” (Micah 6:7a)?  Does He really want all that you are offering Him?  The largest amount of oil that we offer Him is a log (cf. Leviticus 14:10 et seq.), but “…Ten-thousands of rivers of oil” (Micah 6:7a)?

What did Abraham take from before him to offer in place of his son?  A single ram (cf. Genesis 22:13).  If He wanted, we would have offered Him “thousands of rams” (Micah 6:7a)!  Abraham offered Him his son (cf. Genesis 22:10), but if He even wanted, I would offer him both my son and my daughter, as we interpret, “Shall I give my firstborn [bechori]…”—my firstborn son (my firstborn [bechori] is masculine in gender)—“…the fruit of my womb [vitnee]…”—my daughter (my womb [vitnee] is feminine in gender) (Micah 6:7b)?

See what Balaam the Wicked says to God, “I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each altar” (Numbers 23:4): Not “seven altars” but “the seven altars,” referring to the seven altars that were built by seven righteous men from the time of Creation until now— Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses (cf. Numbers Rabbah 20:18 above)—to all of which his seven altars were meant to correspond, as seven altars of the righteous!

But to what may we compare this wicked?  To a butcher who saw that the inspector was about to visit his shop.  To him the butcher said: My lord, I have just delivered some juicy quail to your house!  So, the Holy One, blessed be He, asked Balaam the Wicked: What are you doing?  Said Balaam: “I have set up the seven altars, and I have offered up a bull and a ram on each of them” (Numbers 23:4)!  He said to Balaam, “Does the Eternal desire multitudes of rams” (Micah 6:7a)?  Balaam then responded to Him, “Well then, shall I give my firstborn for my transgression” (Micah 6:7b)?  His answer: O wicked one, if I wanted a sacrifice, I could have asked it of the angels Michael and Gabriel (cf. Numbers Rabbah 2:10), and they would have offered it to Me.  Then He recited to him, “Who even in the clouds can be equal [ya’aroch] to the Eternal, can compare [yidmeh] to the Eternal among divine beings [b’ney eylim]” (Psalms 89:7)? but this is how He meant it: Who even in the heavens can set up [ya’aroch] altars to the Eternal, can offer blood [yidmeh] to the Eternal—as among the children of rams [b’ney eylim], that is to say, as among the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the patriarchs who were the rams (the strong ones) of the world, and so I accept offerings only from their children, Israel!

The Prophet answers his own question:

“No, it has been told you, O man, what is good,
what the Eternal is demanding of you:
Only to do justice,
to favor kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God.”
(Micah 6:8)

Rabbi Elazar taught:

“To do justice” refers to the law,
“to favor kindness” refers to doing deeds of lovingkindness, and
“to walk humbly” refers to burying the dead and to wedding bride and groom.

Then, if the Prophet’s words, “to walk humbly,” refer to burying the dead and wedding bride and groom, which are humble acts performed openly, how much the moreso must they refer to humble acts which are performed privately!

Our Rabbis taught:

Doing deeds of lovingkindness [gemilut chasadim] is more than tzedakah
in three ways:

Tzedakah involves the giving of money,
while deeds of lovingkindness involve both money and personal acts.

Tzedakah is done for the poor,
while deeds of lovingkindness may be done
both for the poor and for the wealthy.

Tzedakah is provided for the living,
while deeds of lovingkindness may be performed
both for the living and for the dead.

“When the days drew near for Israel to die,
he called to his son Joseph and said to him:
If I have found favor in your sight,
promise me true lovingkindness.
Do not bury me in Egypt.”
(Genesis 47:29)

Rashi: The lovingkindness of truth [chesed shel emet] is the lovingkindness that we perform for the dead, for in so doing we expect nothing in return.

SHABBAT SHALOM!

Copyright © 2026 Eric H. Hoffman