Torah Study Beha'alotcha 5785

Bamidbar 8:1-12:16, Z’kharyah 2:14-4:7, Mattiyahu 14:14-21

Torah Portion Bamibar/Numbers 8:1-12:16

Numbers 8:6–7 ““Take the Levites from among Bnei-Yisrael and ceremonially cleanse them. This is what you must do to them to make them clean: Sprinkle the purifying water on them, then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, thus purifying themselves.”

1. Why did the Levites need to shave their whole body to be purified? Or what other purification process requires shaving all the hair from the body? # 1

a. This is like the cleansing of one who had Tzarat. One with Tzarat is as one who is dead.

b. Psalms 106:28 compares sacrifices of idolatry as sacrifices offered to the dead.

c. The levites though individually and tribely all of them where innocent of the sin of the golden calf, collectively or communally the people where guilty of it and so they where as if they had contact with idolaty and thus like dead and so required the same type of purification.

RASHI Sprinkle on them water of purification. The water made from the ashes of the red cow, to purify those among them who had come into contact with a corpse. Let them go over their whole body with a razor. I found the following in the writings of Moses ha-Darshan: Since the Levites had made expiation for the first-born Israelites who had committed idolatry, and since idolatry is called in Ps. 106:28 “sacrifices offered to the dead,” and since a leper too is referred to “as one dead” (12:12), he required them to shave off all of their body hair as a leper must when he is cleansed.

RASHBAM Let them go over their whole body with a razor. The e vowels in the verb show that this form is a converted perfect: “Let them.” Had an a vowel been used instead (see Exod. 8:4; 9:28; 10:17 for a comparable form), the form would be an imperative: “Have them go over their whole body.”

IBN EZRA Sprinkle on them. Though no נ appears in this verb, Moses ibn Gikatilla explains it as coming from the root נזה—and that is correct. Water of purification. Literally, “sin water.” But it does indeed refer to purification, as in “Purge me with hyssop till I am pure” (Ps. 51:9). Or perhaps we are meant to think of a sin offering (for which the same word is used in Hebrew). Let them go over their whole body with a razor. The verb is a perfect, not a converted perfect—“Sprinkle on them water of purification after they have gone over their whole body with a razor.” Tradition explains that this means they are even to shave their beards—but not “the side-growth of their beards” (Lev. 21:5). Wash their clothes. After which, they will have been cleansed by the water of purification. They shall be cleansed. The verb is a Hitpael, the missing ת being represented by the dagesh in the ט. See similarly Isa. 66:17.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS Sprinkle on them water of purification. In case they have been made unclean by contact with the dead. For up to this point, not having a Tabernacle to come to, they had not bothered to take great care about this (Bekhor Shor). This cannot have been stated on the same day as the rest of the passage, since the cow of Numbers 19 was not burnt until the day after the Tabernacle was set up (Hizkuni). The command to sprinkle them shows that the red cow of ch. 19 had already been burnt at this point (Gersonides). Let them go over their whole body with a razor. One would think this was simply to make them look nice for the king, like Joseph in Gen. 41:14, who “shaved and changed his clothes” when called before Pharaoh. But the comparison with the nazirite shows that it is a matter of removing all impurity (Bekhor Shor). See Rashi’s comment; for the same reason, a repentant sinner must also shave (Hizkuni).

Michael Carasik, ed., Numbers: Introduction and Commentary, trans. Michael Carasik, First edition, The Commentators’ Bible (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2011), Nu 8:7.

Numbers 8:23–25 “Adonai said to Moshe, “Here are instructions concerning the L’vi’im: when they reach the age of twenty-five, they are to begin performing their duties serving in the tent of meeting; and when they reach the age of fifty, they are to stop performing this work and not serve any longer.”

2. We read here that the service of the L’vi’im is from age 25 (5 years of training) - 50. Does this limit apply to Kohanim and lay people? #2

a. Bezalel was 15 when he was given charge by Moshe and HaShem to design and head up the construction of the Tabernacle and its tools.

b. Kohanim where disqualified by defect not by age. L’vi’im are disqualified by age and not defect.

c. the specific work was breaking down carrying and setting up tabernacle or temple, guarding Kohanim and edifices, and singing.

d. general understanding is 25 - 30 was training and assisting, 30 - 50 was responsibility and doing the work, 50+ was coaching or training.

Numbers 8:24 RASHI This is the rule for the Levites. They can be disqualified by reason of age, but not (like the priests) because of bodily defects. From twenty-five years of age up. But in 4:3 it says “from the age of thirty years up.” How to reconcile them? At 25 they would begin five years of training and at 30 they would begin to serve. We learn from this that a student who has no success in learning after applying himself for five years never will have any success at it. RASHBAM This is the rule for the Levites. “This”—counting the Levites from twenty-five years of age up—is a new rule, not previously given. For all through ch. 4 the Holy One commanded that they be counted from the age of 30. In that passage, they are commanded to perform both “labor and porterage” (4:24, 47). But our passage is talking about guarding the Tabernacle. That is the meaning of “participating” in the work force in the service of the Tent of Meeting. A Levite between the ages of 25 and 30 is not yet fit for the task of porterage; however, he is not merely fit but actually commanded to help with the guarding of the Tabernacle and its appurtenances. Similarly, when they retire from the workforce at the age of 50 (v. 25, just as in ch. 4), they retire from porterage (for which they are no longer fit) but remain commanded to “assist their brother Levites at the Tent of Meeting by standing guard” (v. 26). IBN EZRA This is the rule for the Levites. The Hebrew says merely “This is what pertains to the Levites” (compare OJPS). What it means is “These are the age limits for the Levites.” The expression “from the age of thirty years up,” found throughout ch. 4, does not contradict our verse. The Levites were to serve in the Tent from age 25 up, but were not to carry out porterage tasks until age 30. They shall participate in the work force. Literally, “they shall workforce the work force”—they shall be counted as part of it. NAHMANIDES From twenty-five years of age up. Once the purification ceremony has been described, the text concludes by adding the rule for later generations, that the Levites should participate in the work force from age 25 up. The implication of Rashi’s comment is that the 25-year-old Levite would have to “participate in the work force” by constant attendance, day and night, in order to learn the laws of the sacrificial service, both from a theoretical perspective and from a practical one. That would explain why our verse says “participate in the work force,” not “serve in the work force” as does 4:23. But I do not know whether this is in fact a majority opinion among the Sages; in the Sifrei I find it given as the individual view of R. Nathan. I have the impression that even he did not take it as a matter of law, but simply as scriptural support for the custom that beginning Levites should study the details of the service for five years. In any case, the straightforward sense of the text is that Moses and Aaron were to record the Levites from 30 years and up, and it was in this age group that each Levite was “given responsibility for his service and porterage” (4:49). What our verse means is that everyone who reached the age of 25 could, if he wished, come and help the other Levites with their work. But he could not be assigned to be in charge of a particular task. The reason for this is that people are naturally conscious of reaching their 20s or 30s because of the physical changes that take place at these times. A man’s family and friends also notice when he reaches 20 or 30, and mention it to him. But they do not notice such a difference when he turns 25. So Moses was not commanded to take the trouble to number the Levites except from the age of 30, which was readily known. David too had the Levites counted “from the age of thirty and upward” (1 Chron. 23:3). Ibn Ezra’s explanation is not correct. Note that, once the Temple was built and there was no more “porterage” (see 1 Chron. 23:25–26), David had the Levites numbered “from the age of twenty and upward” (1 Chron 23:24)—not 25, as he would have had to do if Ibn Ezra were correct. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS They shall participate in the work force. To increase the numbers, out of respect for God. As Prov. 14:28 has it, “A numerous people is the glory of a king” (Bekhor Shor). Numbers 8:25 RASHI Shall serve no more. This refers to porterage by shoulder. But they can go back to locking the doors, singing, and loading the wagons: “They may assist their brother Levites” (v. 26), where the Hebrew literally says they “shall minister with their brethren” (OJPS, following Onkelos). NAHMANIDES Shall serve no more. Rashi says that after 50 they can go back to “locking the doors, singing, and loading the wagons.” But the Sifrei mentions only locking the doors and “the service of the Gershonites” (which is loading the wagons). This seems right, for if Rashi were correct, why would the Levites not be enrolled from age 20 up for “locking the doors, singing, and loading the wagons”? Why would they be enrolled just from 30 to 50, and then only for porterage? Moreover, why would the Gershonites and the Merarites be included in this paragraph at all? Since they perform no porterage—they carry nothing on their shoulders—it is perfectly proper for their tasks to be done by those over 50. It would seem that the singing, which is after all the main task of the Levites, could only be done by those whose age qualified them to carry the Ark. Since only Kohathites between the ages of 30 and 50 could carry the Ark, all the Levites were counted between those ages, preventing a situation where Gershonites and Merarites could sing but Kohathites of the same age could not. But everyone was fit for locking the doors and loading the wagons. On B. Hul. 24a we find the following analysis of 4:47, which connects the 30–50 age limit with “all who were subject to duties of service and porterage relating to the Tent of Meeting”: “Could this be true also of the sanctuary at Shiloh and the Temple in Jerusalem? No, it applies only when actual ‘porterage’ by shoulder is taking place.” But “duties of service” refers to singing, as Rashi explained in his comment to 4:47. So in the porterage era those older than 50 are disqualified from singing as well. Before the Temple was built, David counted the Levites “from the age of thirty and upward,” including “4,000 for praising the Lord ‘with instruments I devised for singing praises’ ” (1 Chron. 23:3, 5), for that was still considered the era of porterage by shoulder. But once the Temple was built, “among the last acts of David was the counting of the Levites from the age of twenty and upward” (1 Chron. 23:27), for the needs of the permanent Temple, as I explained in my comment to v. 24. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS At the age of fifty they shall retire. We learn that age disqualifies a Levite, but not a physical defect, while priests are disqualified by physical defects but not by age (Gersonides). Michael Carasik, ed., Numbers: Introduction and Commentary, trans. Michael Carasik, First edition, The Commentators’ Bible (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2011), Nu 8:24–25.

Numbers 9:4–5 “So Moses told Bnei-Yisrael to observe Passover. They celebrated Passover at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month in the Sinai wilderness. In accordance with all that Adonai commanded Moses, so Bnei-Yisrael did.”

3. When is the next time that Yisrael would observe Pesach?

a. After entering the Promised Land

b. Joshua 5:10 “While Bnei-Yisrael camped at Gilgal, they observed Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho.”

4. Why did they not observe Pesach before then?

a. Part of the requirement to observe the Pesach is the men must be circumcised. If they are not they may not eat of it or participate.

b. the males had not be circumcised while in the desert for fear of complications.

c. Joshua 5:8 “Now it came to pass after they had finished circumcising the entire nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they recovered.”

Numbers 10:29–30 “Moshe said to Hovav the son of Re‘u’el the Midyani, Moshe’s father-in-law, “We are traveling to the place about which Adonai said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, because Adonai has promised good things to Isra’el.” But he replied, “I will not go; I would rather go back to my own country and my own kinsmen.””

Numbers 10:32 “If you do go with us, then whatever good Adonai does for us, we will do the same for you.””

5. Hovav (who is either Yitro Moshe’s father-in-law or Zipporah’s brother) says he is not going to continue with the people of Yisrael. Moshe entreats him to stay and they will treat him well. Is there a descendant of Yitro/Hovav that recieves a portion of the land of Yisrael when the people of Cannan are driven out? #3

a. Yes there is. Judges 1:16.

b. Also indicates that Yitro and his family converted.

RASHI We will extend to you the same bounty. In Hebrew, this is a repetition of the phrase “we will be generous with you” from v. 29; when there is a long enough interruption, the text resumes by repeating the earlier phrase. And what “bounty” did they in fact extend to him? The Sages said: When Israel was allocating the land, the meadows of Jericho—25, 000 square cubits—were left unallocated. They decided that whoever had the Temple built in his territory would get them. In the meantime, they ended up giving it to Jonadab son of Rechab, one of Jethro’s descendants: “The descendants of the Kenite, the father-in-law of Moses, went up with the Judites from the City of Palms” (Judg. 1:16). NAHMANIDES We will extend to you the same bounty that the Lord grants us. Implying that he too would be given property in the land as a reward for his trouble and for his help in the conquest. In my opinion, Hobab did indeed accede to Moses’ request, as I explained in my introduction to Exodus 18 Michael Carasik, ed., Numbers: Introduction and Commentary, trans. Michael Carasik, First edition, The Commentators’ Bible (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2011), Nu 10:32.

Numbers 11:24–30 “So Moses went out and told the people Adonai’s words. He gathered 70 of the elders of the people and had them stand around the Tent. Adonai descended in the cloud and spoke with him. He took some of the Ruach that was on him and placed it on each of the 70 elders. It so happened that when the Ruach first rested on them, they prophesied—but never again. Two men, however, had remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad and the name of the other was Medad. The Ruach rested on them. They were among those listed, but they had not gone out to the Tent. So they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses since his youth, cried out and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous on my behalf? If only Adonai would make all the people prophets! If only Adonai would put the Spirit on all of them!” Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.”

6. What does it mean “… they prophesied - but never again...” especially considering we know that Joshua did prophesy later as did some of the elders?# 4

a. the word in Hebrew here could be continue like we understand it or it could be continue like continue to expound or add to.

b. in other words they did not add to the prophecy of Moshe rather they affirmed or repeated his prophecy.

c. The Targums of Onkelos actually translates this as “… and never ceased...”

RASHI But did not continue. They never prophesied except on that very day. That is how the Sifrei explains our phrase. But Onkelos translates, “and did not stop.” Prophecy never ceased among them.

IBN EZRA He drew upon the spirit. By contrast with v. 17, the verb here is a Hiphil. They spoke in ecstasy. The va- at the beginning of this word cannot be “and” in this context; as it often is in Biblical Hebrew, it is used here like the Arabic fa to emphasize the word. But did not continue. Literally, “they did not add” a second occurrence. You will find the same idiom in “The Lord spoke those words—those and no more” (Deut. 5:22) and “And he was not intimate with her again” (Gen. 38:26). The verb sounds quite similar to “lest you be wiped out for all their sins” (16:26) but grammatically this is impossible.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS But did not continue. Rather, they added “no more” (OJPS) to what Moses had already prophesied (Hizkuni).

Michael Carasik, ed., Numbers: Introduction and Commentary, trans. Michael Carasik, First edition, The Commentators’ Bible (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2011), Nu 11:25.

7. Why is Yehoshua and the people disturbed by Eldad and Medad prophesying in the camp?

a. 2 common reason

b. genuine concern for these righteous men’s well being. For someone to start prophesying in the presence of a greater prophet and to contradict his prophecy would invite at the least confusion and scorn and at the worst condemnation from HaShem.

c. they prophesied of Moshe not being able to enter the promised land and this scared Yehoshua and the people. The phrase “… a youth ran up...” could also be translated as “… he ran up in youthfulness...” meaning kind of in panic or immaturely as a youth would have.

Nevi’im/Haftorah Portion Zechariah 2:14-4:7

Both parashah and haftarah focus on the significance of the menorah and the ritual purity of those who serve in the sanctuary. In heralding the soon-to-be restored Second Temple with phrases and concerns similar to the Torah, the haftarah links the first sanctuary in the wilderness to all subsequent sacred spaces. Zechariah’s vision expands the imagery found in the Torah portion, explains some of it, and lends it a more profound, cosmic significance.

I. Themes

1. For the people of Israel, in the ideal society, a divinely sanctioned High Priest rules alongside a scion of the Davidic line (providing religious and national leadership, respectively). The prophet anticipates a restoration to this ideal state in the near future.

a. Yeshua could be considered a scion of the Davidic line but could not be considered a High Priest of the Aharonic lineage. The Melek Tzadik priesthood had no access to the temple.

b. Paul’s assertions that they did are a direct contradiction of Torah and Prophets. If one understands Paul to insinuate a different Priest hood and different temple and different law governing them, then this too is a contradiction of the eternal service of the levitical Priesthood and rebuilding of the third and final temple.

c. Yeshua never claimed to be of any Priest Hood and never acted as if he had access to any part of the temple accept that which was allowed to all Jewish men.

2. Redemption comes from God, not from military might or other human exertion.

Laura Suzanne Lieber, Study Guide to the JPS Bible Commentary: Haftarot, ed. Janet L. Liss and David E. S. Stein, First edition, JPS Tanakh Commentary (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2002), 59.

Zechariah 4:2–5 “He asked me, ‘What do you see?’ I replied, ‘Behold, I see a solid gold menorah with its bowl at the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven pipes for the lamps that are on the top of it. Also two olive trees are by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on the left side of it.’ Then I responded by saying to the angel speaking with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who spoke with me responded by asking me, ‘You do not know what these are?’ I replied, ‘No, my lord.’”

8. Why does the angel ask “What do you see?”

a. The angel does not know what the prophet saw.

b. Then angel brings the information but does not know how it is processed.

9. Why does the angel seem surprised that the prophet does not know what the vision means?

a. the angel does not know the prophets mind much less the mind of a human.

b. The angel does not know how the vision will be understood by the prophet.

10. Who is Zerubbabel? # 5

a. He is written about in Haggai, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zechariah.

b. He started and completed the rebuilding of the Temple before the Harodians expanded it.

The Message of Zechariah The prophecies of Zechariah came to back up the prophecies of Haggai. In Zechariah 4:1–14, a message is given which is an encouragement for the rebuilding of the Temple. The special message to Zerubbabel is found within this prophecy in verses 6–10:

The Work Resumed And so, in obedience to the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, the work was resumed according to Ezra 5:2: Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them. We are told that Zerubbabel resumed the work and encouraging him were the prophets of God. First, Haggai and Zechariah gave the message for the resumption of the work; then once it was resumed, they did not abandon the builders, but stayed with them and encouraged them with prophetic utterances from God.

The Work Completed After three more years, Zerubbabel’s Temple was finally completed in the year 516 b.c. according to Ezra 6:14–15: And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded it and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxexzes king of Persia. And this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. Therefore, Zerubbabel, who was of the royal house, a descendant of David, and a forefather to Joseph the “stepfather” of Yeshua the Messiah, with the instigation of the prophets of God, completed the Temple.

Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Messianic Bible Study Collection, vol. 24 (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1983), 18–19.

Basorah Portion Matthew 14:14-21

Matthew 14:19 “Ordering the crowd to recline on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish; and looking up to heaven, He offered the bracha. After breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.”

11. Why does Yeshua pray before everyone eats instead of just afterward as described in Devarim 8:10?

a. He is a good and obedient Jew. He follows the traditions and teachings of the elders and sages.

b. The Oral Torah teaches that one should offer a Bracha before eating. The longer prayer is for after one eats.

c. the Shulchan Arukh specifically Orach Chayim 89 discusses the appropriate times and Brachas to offer before eating.

12. Yeshua is looking toward Heaven this implies his eyes are open. Is there a significance to this? #6

a. In Jewish Custom we generally pray with our eyes open. Nothing says this is required and nothing says it is improper to do differently.

b. what does looking toward heaven mean? This is a euphamisim to simply mean concentrating on HaShem.

Looking up toward heaven. Yeshua is reported in six places to have prayed with his eyes open (here; Mk 6:41, 7:34; Lk 9:16; Yn 11:41, 17:1). Jews generally do so today; Christians often pray with them closed. There is no command on the subject in the Bible. In an age when people are easily distracted, closing one’s eyes may help one to concentrate on God. On the other hand, those who choose to keep their eyes open have the Messiah as their model. The phrase, “toward heaven,” can also carry the secondary meaning, “toward God” (see 3:2N). He made a b˒rakhah. The Jewish-English phrase means “said a blessing.” The Greek here is evlogeô, “bless, speak well of”; elsewhere it is often evcharistô, “thank.” Although the text does not say so specifically, it is reasonable to suppose that he recited the customary b˒rakhah (“benediction”; see 9:8N) which Jews have said for more than two thousand years before meals that include bread: Barukh attah, Adonai Eloheynu, Melekh-ha˓olam, haMotzi lechem min ha˒aretz (“Praised be you, Adonai our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth”). Here are two points to note about Jewish blessings at meals. First, the blessing before the meal is short. A longer “Grace” (Birkat-HaMazon) is said after the meal. This seems sensible: one thanks God for something received; moreover, on a full stomach one can relax and express appreciation at length; but on an empty stomach, if the prayers become verbose, one’s mind easily descends from Heaven to the table. Second, the object of the blessing is God, not the food. It is unnecessary to say, as many Christians do, “Lord, bless this food to our bodies”; since food is already God’s blessing to us (Genesis 1:29, 9:3–4)! Rather, we thank him for providing it. See also below, 26:26–27&N.

David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary : A Companion Volume to the Jewish New Testament, electronic ed. (Clarksville: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1996), Mt 14:19.

3. Does Yeshua bless the food?

a. No. Jews do not bless food. The food did nothing. Jews Bless HaShem for providing the food.