YINR 929: Tanach Yomi

Chapter six contains many important sections that correspond to essential elements of prayer: the Shema, the first paragraph of the Shema, and tefillin.ShemaMoshe begins with the defining declaration of Jewish faith:“Hear, O Israel: the LORD is our God, the LORD is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָדThe opening line of the Shema serves as a counterbalance to the first of the Ten Commandments:“I am the LORD your God.”Whereas the Ten Commandments begin with God introducing Himself to the people, the Shema is Moshe’s directive to the people. It is also explicitly communal. Rather than God proclaiming His identity, the Shema represents a collective declaration and shared consensus that God is unitary and that God is our God.The First Paragraph of the ShemaImmediately following this declaration comes the commandment to love God:“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)The commandment to love God stands in contrast to the commandment to fear God. The Me’am Lo’ez explains that one who serves God through love follows the commandments with joy, commitment, and inner desire. By contrast, a relationship built only on fear risks becoming burdensome, potentially pushing a person away rather than drawing them closer.The Ramban further explains the components of this verse:• “With all your heart” — love God with all emotional desire.• “With all your soul” — be willing, if necessary, to give one’s life for God.• “With all your might” — serve God even with one’s possessions and material resources when required.TefillinMoshe then commands that these words be physically embodied:“Bind them as a sign upon your hand, and let them be totafot between your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 6:8)The consensus of rabbinic tradition understands this verse as referring to the mitzvah of tefillin.• “Bind them as a sign upon your hand” refers to the tefillin worn on the arm.• “Totafot between your eyes” refers to the tefillin worn on the head.The Torah itself does not provide a physical description of tefillin, which led to differing interpretations. The term “totafot” is a unique word that does not appear elsewhere in the Torah. Rashi explains that the word reflects the number two in certain ancient languages, teaching that there are two distinct tefillin: one on the arm and one on the head.The Rav explains that tefillin symbolize two complementary dimensions of religious life. The tefillin on the head represent the thoughtful, reflective individual, while the tefillin on the arm represent the person of action. A complete servant of God must strive to integrate both modes—thought and action—into a unified religious identity. This dual symbolism of tefillin also aligns closely with the Rav’s reading of Adam I and Adam II. Adam I, described in the first creation narrative, is creative, assertive, and action oriented — charged with conquering the world and shaping it. Adam II, emerging from the second creation narrative, is relational, reflective, and inward facing — seeking meaning, covenant, and connection with God. The tefillin of the arm correspond to Adam I, the human being who acts in the world and transforms it. The tefillin of the head correspond to Adam II, the human being who thinks, reflects, and stands humbly before God.The Rav teaches that religious life cannot be authentic if it embraces only one of these modes. A Judaism of action without reflection becomes hollow ritual, while a Judaism of contemplation without action becomes detached and inert. The mitzvah of tefillin demands that both dimensions exist simultaneously: disciplined action guided by thoughtful commitment, and profound inner faith expressed through concrete deeds. In this way, the Shema and tefillin together train the Jew to integrate Adam I and Adam II — to build the world responsibly while remaining rooted in love, humility, and covenant with God.

The last book of the Torah takes place at the very end of Moshe’s life and is told from Moshe’s perspective. The book begins where Numbers left off. The nation is at the Jordan River poised to enter the land. The entire Exodus generation has died off except for Moshe, Calev, and Yehoshua. Moshe gathers the people and begins his farewell address. There are some new stories and laws, and there are repeated laws and stories as well. Deuteronomy presents these older stories from Moshe’s perspective.The book is similar to the books of Divrei HaYamim at the end of Ketuvim. Those books provide the “House of David” perspective on stories from Kings. (The books of Jeremiah and Isaiah provide a third perspective on some of those stories as well).The first chapter has a few examples of the Moshe perspective. Some of these fill in the blanks on the earlier stories. An example of this is the story of the spies: back in Numbers 13, the story opens with God telling Moshe “Send for you people to spy out the land.”שְׁלַח־לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים וְיָתֻרוּ אֶת־אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן(Numbers 13:2)It was unclear who had asked for the spies. Moshe? God? The people? Chapter one of Deuteronomy answers: “Then all of you came to me and said, ‘Let us send spies ahead to reconnoiter the land for us…’” (verse 22).וַתִּקְרְבוּן אֵלַי כֻּלְּכֶם וַתֹּאמְרוּ נִשְׁלְחָה אֲנָשִׁים לְפָנֵינוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ־לָנוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ(Deuteronomy 1:22)But the spies story also demonstrates how Deuteronomy contains slightly different details of a story. Back in Numbers, when the spies come back with the twisted report, Moshe and Aaron fall on their faces. It is Calev who stands up and declares: “‘Let us by all means go up, and we shall gain possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it!’” (Numbers 13:30).וַיַּהַס כָּלֵב אֶת־הָעָם אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר עָלֹה נַעֲלֶה וְיָרַשְׁנוּ אֹתָהּ כִּי־יָכוֹל נוּכַל לָהּBut here, Moshe says he declared: “have no fear or dread of them / None other than your God, who goes before you, will fight for you…” (verses 29–30).וָאֹמַר אֲלֵכֶם לֹא תַעַרְצוּן וְלֹא תִירְאוּן מֵהֶם׃ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם הוּא יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם(Deuteronomy 1:29–30)Moshe then connects this incident with God’s decree that he is not allowed to enter the land (verses 37–39).גַּם־בִּי הִתְאַנַּף ה׳ בִּגְלַלְכֶם… גַּם־אַתָּה לֹא־תָבֹא שָׁם׃יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן… הוּא יָבוֹא שָׁמָּה(Deuteronomy 1:37–38)There is no mention of the incident at the rock. So which story is accurate? One could look at this as Moshe trying to spin the story so he looks good. The problem with this simplistic approach is that the two people who were very involved in this story—Yehoshua and Calev—are the only ones still alive. They could easily have countered Moshe’s retelling.The answer is more likely one that concerns the entire book. Like the books of Divrei HaYamim, there is an agenda here. Those books are told with the agenda of promoting the House of David. Moshe has an agenda here too—preparing the people to enter the land and to experience the first leadership handoff in their history. That means that not everything listed is necessarily “historically accurate.” If Moshe wanted to retell every fact from the past three books, he could simply have read them to the people. His message is for this new generation to avoid the pitfalls of the last.

At first glance, Deuteronomy 12 feels repetitive and disorganized. The chapter moves back and forth between destroying idolatry, prohibiting private altars, permitting ordinary meat consumption, and insisting on worship at a central location. But when the themes are separated, a deliberate structure emerges.At its core, the chapter revolves around two anchoring ideas:1. Entering and remaining in the land2. Centralized worship at the place God chooses (eventually the Temple)Everything else in the chapter supports or protects the relationship between those two ideas.Instead of tracking every verse individually, the laws fall naturally into five recurring themes:• A — The Land: entering the land, remaining in it, and long term stability there• B — Idolatry: destroying pagan worship sites• C — Imitation: not worshiping God in the way the nations worship their gods• D — Central Worship: sacrifices and sacred foods belong only in the chosen place• E — Private Altars: the prohibition of decentralized, personal worship sites• F — Ordinary Meat: non sacrificial meat may be eaten anywhere• G — Blood: the absolute prohibition on eating bloodSome themes naturally pair together:• C and E both deal with how not to worship God• D always asserts where God must be worshipedRather than reading the chapter as a long, linear argument, it helps to notice this pattern:Every small unit of laws is anchored either in the Land (A) or the Temple (D) — and often both.In other words:• Laws about idolatry only matter once you are in the land• Laws about private altars only matter because there is now a central sanctuary• Laws about meat consumption exist to distinguish everyday life from sacred worship• Laws about blood preserve holiness both inside and outside the TempleThe repetition is intentional. Moshe keeps returning to the same anchors to reinforce the message.Deuteronomy 12 is not a random collection of ritual rules. It is a re ordering of religious life for a settled people.In the wilderness:• Worship was portable• Sacred and ordinary life overlapped• Private altars made senseIn the land:• Worship must be centralized• Sacred space must be protected• Everyday life must be clearly separated from ritual sacrificeThat is why the chapter constantly oscillates between:• Land language (“when you cross the Jordan,” “so that you may remain”)• and Temple language (“the place God will choose,” “there you shall bring”)

Moshe concludes the chapter by framing Israel’s future as a stark choice. God presents the people with two possible paths:“See, I place before you today the blessing and the curse.” (Deuteronomy 11:26)רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָהGod then clarifies what each path represents:“The blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you this day; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the path that I command you this day.” (Deuteronomy 11:27–28)אֶת־הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל־מִצְוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם׃וְהַקְּלָלָה אִם־לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ אֶל־מִצְוֹת ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְסַרְתֶּם מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹםGod presents the people with a series of blessings and a series of curses. The blessings come from follow God and his ways and the curse comes from refusing to follow God. This verse always reminds me of the famous Robert Frost Poem The Road Not Taken. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood/ And sorry I could not travel both/ And be/ one traveler, long I stood/ And looked down one as far as I could/To where it bent in the undergrowth/ Then took the other, as just as fair/And having perhaps the better claim/Because it was grassy and wanted wear/Though as for that the passing there/Had worn them really about the same…” In Robert Frost’s poem, the poet describes facing a fork in the road. Unable to see past a short length of either side, the poet is forced to make a decision- which to take. He thinks that he could try one and then come back and try the other, yet knows that there is a chance he will not return from the first. The poem ends with the conclusion “I took the one less traveled by/And that has made all the difference.” The reader does not know which of the paths was the least traveled, or why that made all the difference. Was it a good difference? A bad one? The poet’s point is that a choice has to be made in life without knowing what the end of that decision will be. In the poem the paths are there in the woods already. The poet simply has to choose. In chapter 11, God also sets the paths before the people, a good path and a bad path. The key though is that God offers the choice. Just like in the poem, the people have the option to decide which path to take. They can choose to take the cursed path or the blessed one, but the choice is theirs. Unlike in the poem, though, God provides a bit more of a roadmap as to what the end of each path would look like. Whatever the people decide, God promises, that will make all the difference.

The first half of the chapter has an odd chronology. The chapter opens with Moshe carving the new tablets and coming down from the mountain:“At that time the LORD said to me: Carve two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain… I carved two tablets of stone like the first, and I went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.” (Deuteronomy 10:1–3)בָּעֵת הַהִוא אָמַר ה׳ אֵלַי פְּסָל־לְךָ שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים וַעֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה…וָאֶפְסֹל שְׁנֵי־לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים וָאַעַל הָהָרָה וּשְׁנֵי הַלֻּחֹת בְּיָדִיMoshe then states that God rewrote the tablets and that he placed them in the Ark:“He wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments… and I turned and came down from the mountain and placed the tablets in the Ark which I had made.” (Deuteronomy 10:4–5)וַיִּכְתֹּב עַל־הַלֻּחֹת כַּמִּכְתָּב הָרִאשׁוֹן אֵת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים…וָאֵפֶן וָאֵרֵד מִן־הָהָר וָאָשִׂים אֶת־הַלֻּחֹת בָּאָרוֹן אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִיThen, somewhat abruptly, Moshe inserts a travel notice and recounts Aaron’s death:“From Beeroth-bene jaakan the Israelites marched to Moserah. Aaron died there and was buried there, and his son Eleazar became priest in his stead.” (Deuteronomy 10:6)Immediately following Aaron’s death, Moshe mentions the elevation of the tribe of Levi:“At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD… therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 10:8–9)בָּעֵת הַהִוא הִבְדִּיל ה׳ אֶת־שֵׁבֶט הַלֵּוִי לָשֵׂאת אֶת־אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה׳…Only afterward does Moshe return to the subject of his time on the mountain:“I stayed on the mountain, as on the first occasion, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD heeded me once again.” (Deuteronomy 10:10)וְאָנֹכִי עָמַדְתִּי בָּהָר כַּיָּמִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה וַיִּשְׁמַע ה׳ אֵלַי גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַהִואThis chronology is puzzling. The second tablets were crafted very soon after Moshe broke the first tablets. It was only after the giving of the Torah entirely that God commands the building of the Mishkan, and has Moshe appoint the tribe of Levi as caretakers. Aaron, however, does not die until year forty, 38 years after the events at Har Sinai. This leads us to two questions about chapter 10: Why is Aaron’s death recounted here? And when exactly was this “second” forty day period on the mountain?Ibn Ezra explains that Moshe deliberately connects Aaron’s death to the sin of the Golden Calf. According to this view, Moshe was able to defer Aaron’s punishment for thirty eight years, but not eliminate it entirely. The Malbim adds that Moshe’s message is that while he successfully interceded on behalf of the people, he was unable to save Aaron. Aaron’s exclusion from the land, like Moshe’s own, ultimately traces back to the sin of the Golden Calf.As for the forty days and nights, Rashi explains that this verse simply supplies information missing from verse 2—namely, the duration of Moshe’s stay on the mountain. While Rashi’s explanation addresses the textual gap, it does not explain why this single stay is interrupted by references to Aaron’s death and the appointment of the Levites.Perhaps, taking Ibn Ezra and the Malbim together, one can conclude that this entire first section of the chapter forms a single thematic unit. Moshe’s ascent to receive the second tablets also included sustained prayer on behalf of both the people and his brother. The eventual death of Aaron thirty eight years later, the replacement of the firstborn by the tribe of Levi, and the preservation of the nation itself all flow from that same forty day and forty night period of intercession. Moshe’s prayer secured forgiveness for the people, the second tablets, the elevation of the Levites—and only a partial, delayed mitigation of the decree against Aaron.

Imagine the excitement as the people are about to enter the land, finally, after forty years of wandering. Moshe seems to throw some cold water on this excitement. He warns the people not to misunderstand why they are about to succeed:“When the LORD your God thrusts them from before you, do not say to yourself, ‘The LORD has enabled me to possess this land because of my virtue’; it is rather because of the wickedness of those nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you.” (Deuteronomy 9:4)אַל־תֹּאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ בַּהֲדֹף ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹתָם מִלְּפָנֶיךָ לֵאמֹרבְּצִדְקָתִי הֱבִיאַנִי ה׳ לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאתוּבְרִשְׁעַת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה ה׳ מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶיךָMoshe continues and clarifies that if virtue plays any role at all, it is only because of the forefathers:“It is not because of your virtue or your uprightness that you are coming to possess their land; rather, it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is dispossessing them before you, and in order to fulfill the promise that the LORD made to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 9:5)לֹא בְצִדְקָתְךָ וּבְיֹשֶׁר לְבָבְךָ אַתָּה בָא לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת־אַרְצָםכִּי בְּרִשְׁעַת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶיךָוּלְמַעַן הָקִים אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה׳ לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹבThe Ramban explains that Moshe is not trying to shame the people. Rather, this is a positive and stabilizing message. The seven nations were expelled because of their wickedness and had no merit to fall back on. Israel, by contrast, will always possess the merit of its forefathers as a spiritual safety net for remaining in the land.At the same time, Moshe’s words function as a warning. At this moment, the people themselves are not worthy of entering the land on their own merits. They are entering only because of God’s promise to the forefathers. But Moshe reminds them that the current inhabitants were removed for their behavior—and if Israel fails to improve, they too could be expelled.The Or HaChaim explains that Moshe is conveying two layered messages. First, the present situation depends on two conditions: the wickedness of the seven nations and the merit of the forefathers. If either factor were absent, Israel would not be able to enter the land. Second, Moshe offers a hopeful message. Although the people may not yet be worthy, their ancestral legacy demonstrates that they possess the capacity to rise to that level. Their history proves that they can become deserving of remaining in the land if they choose to live up to that legacy.

Food is the theme of chapter 8. Moshe tells the people that God intentionally challenged them in the desert by withholding food and water, in order to test them. God then brought the miracle of the mann to provide sustenance:“He subjected you to hardship and hunger, and then gave you manna to eat… in order to teach you that one does not live by bread alone, but by whatever the LORD decrees.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)וַיְעַנְּךָ וַיַּרְעִבֶךָ וַיַּאֲכִלְךָ אֶת־הַמָּן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדַעְתָּ וְלֹא יָדְעוּן אֲבֹתֶיךָלְמַעַן הוֹדִיעֲךָ כִּי לֹא עַל־הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם כִּי עַל־כָּל־מוֹצָא פִי־ה׳ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָםBut after describing the trials of the wilderness, Moshe reassures the people about what awaits them:“For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams and springs and fountains issuing from plain and hill; a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing.” (Deuteronomy 8:7–9)כִּי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְבִיאֲךָ אֶל־אֶרֶץ טוֹבָהאֶרֶץ נַחֲלֵי מָיִם עֲיָנֹת וּתְהֹמוֹת יֹצְאִים בַּבִּקְעָה וּבָהָר׃אֶרֶץ חִטָּה וּשְׂעֹרָה וְגֶפֶן וּתְאֵנָה וְרִמּוֹןאֶרֶץ זֵית שֶׁמֶן וּדְבָשׁ׃אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא בְמִסְכֵּנוּת תֹּאכַל־בָּהּ לֶחֶם לֹא תֶחְסַר כֹּל בָּהּIn the desert, the people were fully reliant on God; without divine intervention they had no food. This was one of the reasons they kept complaining to Moshe and Hashem about their food sources. In Canaan, however, God promises them a climate capable of producing a wide variety of staples. There, God will provide the conditions, but it will be up to the people to do their part by planting and tilling and harvesting. Which situation is better? In the wilderness absolved the people of responsibility—God provided everything. In Canaan, the people will have to work the land, but God may not be as visible and apparent. Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch explains that the desert functioned as a training ground. It was a place where God provided both the test and the solution. In the land, however, the people must apply what they learned to everyday life. God tells them that while He may no longer provide overt answers, He will place them in a land structured for success.Moshe concludes by warning the people not to forget this balance:“Take care lest you forget the LORD your God… and say in your heart, ‘My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me.’” (Deuteronomy 8:11, 17)הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת־ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ…וְאָמַרְתָּ בִּלְבָבֶךָ כֹּחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי עָשָׂה לִי אֶת־הַחַיִל הַזֶּהIn this chapter, God teaches the people that while He may no longer supply food directly, He will place them in an environment designed for blessing—and it will be their responsibility to recognize God’s role within their own effort.

During Moshe’s description of the Exodus and the miracles of the wilderness, he reminds the people that God will continue to assist them in conquering the land in unexpected ways:“Moreover, the LORD your God will send the tziʿirah among them, until those who remain and those in hiding perish before you.” (Deuteronomy 7:20)וְגַם אֶת־הַצִּרְעָה יְשַׁלַּח ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּם עַד־אֲבֹד הַנִּשְׁאָרִים וְהַנִּסְתָּרִים מִפָּנֶיךָWhat is the tziʿirah? There are many approaches among the commentators.Ramban, believes it was more of a feeling of terror that would envelop the enemies of Israel not necessarily a physical thing or being. Chizkuni and Ibn Ezra explain that tziʿirah refers to a disease similar to tzara’at. This interpretation is likely motivated by the linguistic similarity between the terms, as well as by their assumption that the Torah would not introduce a completely new phenomenon that does not appear elsewhere. It therefore makes sense to understand tziʿirah as something already familiar from earlier biblical descriptions.Rashi, however, cites a striking explanation from the Talmud:“The tziʿirah was a kind of flying creature that would shoot venom at them, blinding their eyes and castrating them.” (Sotah 36a)According to this view, the tziʿirah were large venom spitting insects. They were not permitted to enter the land of Israel itself; rather, after Israel defeated the kingdom of Og, these creatures spat their venom across the Jordan River at the Canaanite nations, weakening them before Israel’s arrival.Rabbeinu Bachya offers a more restrained interpretation. He explains that the tziʿirah were not fantastical or uniquely miraculous beings, but simple swarms of hornets. This is also the translation given to the word in the Septuagint. Moshe mentions them here specifically to contrast them with the verse immediately prior, which describes the plagues of Egypt:“The great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm with which the LORD your God brought you out.” (Deuteronomy 7:19)הַמַּסֹּת הַגְּדֹלֹת אֲשֶׁר רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וְהָאֹתֹת וְהַמֹּפְתִים וְהַיָּד הַחֲזָקָה וְהַזְּרֹעַ הַנְּטוּיָה אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִאֲךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָVerse 19 describes the dramatic, nature overturning miracles of Egypt—open displays of God’s mastery over creation. Verse 20, by contrast, describes a far subtler form of divine intervention. God does not suspend nature; instead, He directs an ordinary natural phenomenon toward a purposeful end. These hornet swarms represent hidden miracles rather than overt ones.This approach may be further supported by the Torah’s language. God says that He “will send (yeshallach) the tziʿirah”, employing the same verb used to describe one of the Egyptian plagues:“The LORD did so, and heavy swarms (arov) entered the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his courtiers.” (Exodus 8:17)וַיַּעַשׂ ה׳ כֵּן וַיָּבֹא עָרֹב כָּבֵד בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה וּבֵית עֲבָדָיו וּבְכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִםThe plague of arov is commonly translated as wild animals, but Rashi is among the commentators who understand it as swarms of insects. If the Torah deliberately uses the same verb here as it did in Egypt, it strengthens the argument that tziʿirah, too, refers to insect swarms. In this way, Moshe teaches that just as God once sent overwhelming miracles to redeem Israel, He will now guide even mundane forces of nature to secure their future in the land.

There are a few differences between the Exodus and Deuteronomy versions of the Ten Commandments. The most striking differences appear in the fourth commandment, the commandment of Shabbat.1) “Remember” vs. “Keep”In Exodus, the commandment opens with:“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8)זָכוֹר אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹIn Deuteronomy, Moshe instead says:“Keep the Sabbath day holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.” (Deuteronomy 5:12)שָׁמוֹר אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ“Remembering” (zachor) is usually associated with positive commandments, while “keeping” (shamor) is associated with prohibitions. The Midrash famously explains that God spoke both words simultaneously at Sinai.________________________________________2) Who Must Rest on ShabbatExodus lists those included in Shabbat rest as follows:“You shall not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements.” (Exodus 20:10)לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָּל־מְלָאכָה אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתֶךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָDeuteronomy expands the list significantly:“You shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the stranger in your settlements, so that your male and female slave may rest as you do.” (Deuteronomy 5:14)לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל־מְלָאכָה אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ וְעַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתֶךָ וְשׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרְךָ וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתֶּךָ וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתֶךָ כָּמוֹךָExodus lists fewer members of the household. Deuteronomy adds more animals and emphasizes the rest of servants explicitly. At Sinai, the Israelites were nomadic, with few possessions beyond the gold they carried out of Egypt. As they prepare to enter the land, Moshe anticipates expanded households, wealth, and responsibility—and so he broadens the commandment accordingly.________________________________________3) Creation vs. Exodus as the Reason for ShabbatIn Exodus, Shabbat is grounded in creation:“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, and then rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.” (Exodus 20:11)כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת־יָמִים עָשָׂה ה׳ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֶת־הַיָּם וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בָּם וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עַל־כֵּן בֵּרַךְ ה׳ אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּIn Deuteronomy, Moshe gives a different reason altogether:“Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God freed you from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:15)Chronologically, creation is closer to the original giving of the Ten Commandments, while the Exodus from Egypt was the more immediate experience of the people at Sinai. It might have seemed more intuitive to swap the rationales—but Moshe deliberately does not. Why?The Rav explains that the two reasons for Shabbat together describe a partnership between God and the people. At Sinai, God reveals Shabbat as a reflection of divine creation—God rested, and therefore the day is sanctified. That is the declaration from heaven. But once Shabbat and the festivals are given at Sinai, the power shifts to the people. Their freedom from slavery enables them to act as partners in sanctifying time. That is why Moshe emphasizes the Exodus in Deuteronomy. God freed the people so that they would have the autonomy necessary to enter this partnership. As they prepare to enter the land, with newfound political and economic independence, Moshe reminds them that Shabbat now depends on their willingness to exercise that freedom responsibly in partnership with the Omnipresent.

Moshe also focuses a great deal on idol worship. He warns the people that they must not attempt to represent God through images, since God revealed Himself without any physical form at Horeb:“Since you saw no shape when the LORD your God spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire, take utmost care not to act corruptly and make for yourselves a sculptured image in any likeness whatever.” (Deuteronomy 4:15–16)וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל־תְּמוּנָה בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר ה׳ אֲלֵיכֶם בְּחֹרֵב מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ׃פֶּן־תַּשְׁחִתוּן וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם פֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כָּל־סָמֶלMoshe then enumerates the specific forms the people must not recreate:“The form of a man or a woman; the form of any beast on earth; the form of any winged bird that flies in the sky; the form of anything that creeps on the ground; the form of any fish that is in the waters below the earth.” (Deuteronomy 4:16–18)תְּמוּנַת זָכָר אוֹ נְקֵבָה׃תְּמוּנַת כָּל־בְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ תְּמוּנַת כָּל־צִפּוֹר כָּנָף אֲשֶׁר תָּעוּף בַּשָּׁמָיִם׃תְּמוּנַת כָּל־רֶמֶשׂ בָּאֲדָמָה תְּמוּנַת כָּל־דָּגָה אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּיִם מִתַּחַת לָאָרֶץFinally, Moshe expands the warning to celestial bodies:“And when you look up to the sky and behold the sun and the moon and the stars, the whole heavenly host, you must not be lured into bowing down to them or serving them.” (Deuteronomy 4:19)וּפֶן־תִּשָּׂא עֵינֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְרָאִיתָ אֶת־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְאֶת־הַיָּרֵחַ וְאֶת־הַכּוֹכָבִים כֹּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמָיִם וְנִדַּחְתָּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לָהֶם וַעֲבַדְתָּםThis warning operates on multiple levels. On the surface, it is straightforward: since God has no physical form, the people must not attempt to recreate God through images. On another level, the categories Moshe lists mirror the days of Creation in reverse chronological order: human beings and animals (day six), birds and fish (day five), and the heavenly bodies (day four). By invoking these categories, Moshe highlights a deeper warning: God created all of these entities, and therefore none of them can possibly represent God.On an even deeper level, Moshe may be warning that by fashioning idols in these forms, the people are attempting to imitate God’s creative act and present themselves as gods. Whether by misunderstanding God’s incorporeality, by confusing Creator and creation, or by implicitly claiming divine creative power, all three levels constitute an affront to God and explain why idol worship is so deeply detested.

At the end of Chapter 3, Moshe talks about his own punishment. He does not discuss the rock and the water here. Instead, he tells the people that it was because of them that God would not let him enter the land. Moshe recounts how he pleaded with God to cross the Jordan and see the land of Canaan:“I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying… Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Jordan.” (Deuteronomy 3:23–25)וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל־ה׳ בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר׃אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנוֹןHe then adds God’s sharp response:“But the LORD was angry with me because of you, and He did not listen to me. The LORD said to me: ‘Enough! Never speak to Me of this matter again!’” (Deuteronomy 3:26)וַיִּתְעַבֵּר ה׳ בִּי לְמַעַנְכֶם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלָי וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֵלַי רַב־לָךְ אַל־תּוֹסֶף דַּבֵּר אֵלַי עוֹד בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּהMoshe recalling God’s angry response is meant to show the people how fortunate they are to have the opportunity to enter the land that even Moshe himself is denied.There is also an interesting word choice in God’s response. The Hebrew phrase God uses is “רַב־לָךְ” (rav lecha). This is the same language used by Korach against Moshe earlier in the Torah. In Numbers, Korach and his followers confront Moshe and Aaron and say:“They gathered against Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘You have gone too far!’” (Numbers 16:3)וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב־לָכֶם כִּי כָל־הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם ה׳Why would God use the same words against Moshe that Korach used against Moshe? Perhaps God is trying to teach Moshe a lesson. By deliberately echoing Korach’s language, God reminds Moshe of Korach’s rebellion. Korach’s rebellion was a direct attack on the authority of Moshe. God’s response to Moshe implies that Moshe’s continued pleas to enter the land amount to a challenge to divine authority. Just as Korach had no right to question Moshe’s authority, Moshe has no right to question God’s authority.

In the second chapter, Moshe continues his review of the nation’s travels. This chapter serves a double purpose. The first is to recount the travels, but the second is to provide background for how the people should act towards the nations that surround the land. The seven nations in the land are supposed to be wiped out. But what about those around the land? Here, God has a different plan.Three of the nations are given special protection—Ammon, Moav, and the sons of Esav. Esav is protected based on the blessing that Yitzchak granted Esav after Yaacov was given the firstborn blessing:“And Isaac answered and said to Esau… By your sword shall you live… but when you gain the upper hand, you shall throw his yoke from off your neck.” (Genesis 27:39–40)וַיַּעַן יִצְחָק אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הִנֵּה מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה מוֹשָׁבֶךָ… וְעַל־חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה וְאֶת־אָחִיךָ תַּעֲבֹד וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר תָּרִיד וּפָרַקְתָּ עֻלּוֹ מֵעַל צַוָּארֶךָAmmon and Moav are the descendants of Lot and his daughters. God protects their land because of Lot’s connection to Avraham:“Do not harass Moab or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, for I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.” (Deuteronomy 2:9)אַל־תָּצַר אֶת־מוֹאָב וְאַל־תִּתְגָּר בָּם מִלְחָמָה כִּי לֹא־אֶתֵּן לְךָ מֵאַרְצוֹ יְרֻשָּׁה כִּי לִבְנֵי־לוֹט נָתַתִּי אֶת־עָר יְרֻשָּׁהSimilarly, regarding Ammon:“When you approach the territory of the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them; for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites as a possession, because I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.” (Deuteronomy 2:19)וְקָרַבְתָּ מוּל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן אַל־תְּצֻרֵם וְאַל־תִּתְגָּר בָּם כִּי לֹא־אֶתֵּן מֵאֶרֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּוֹן לְךָ יְרֻשָּׁה כִּי לִבְנֵי־לוֹט נְתַתִּיהָ יְרֻשָּׁהAll the other nations surrounding the land are fair game. God even pulls the old “harden his heart” trick from Pharaoh in Egypt to provoke a war between the Israelites and Sihon:“But King Sihon of Heshbon refused to let us pass through, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and stiffened his heart in order to deliver him into your power.” (Deuteronomy 2:30)וְלֹא־אָבָה סִיחוֹן מֶלֶךְ־חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַעֲבִירֵנוּ בּוֹ כִּי־הִקְשָׁה ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־רוּחוֹ וְאִמֵּץ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ לְמַעַן תִּתּוֹ בְיָדְךָ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּהTwo interesting things about the familiar descendants. The first is that the promise to not provoke Moav at first seems out of place given what happened with Balaam and Balak, king of Moav. Moav’s Lot connction may explain why God demands revenge against Midian only, and not Moav:“‘Avenge the Israelite people on the Midianites; then you shall be gathered to your kin.’” (Numbers 31:2)Even though Moav was involved in the initial planning:“Moab was alarmed because the people were so numerous… and Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘Now this horde will lick clean all that is about us…’” (Numbers 22:3–4)The second point is that the Israelites will not always remain peaceful with the descendants of Esav. The proclamation in this chapter by God that He will grant the sons of Esav the land of Seir also has a hidden warning:“Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to set foot on, for I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.” (Deuteronomy 2:5)Recall that Yitzchak’s blessing was that when one rises, the other will fall. At this point Israel is on the rise. They are powerful and have the ability to subdue the sons of Esav—but God says no. Instead, the sons of Esav will live on the borderlands as a constant reminder that if Israel begins to fall, that same blessing will come true and the sons of Esav will take over. Overall, however, the perek reads as a recap looking backward to strengthen the people's resolve to go forward-- you have encountered enemies and beat them in military battles. There are always issues but you will prevail.

The book of Numbers ends in a seemingly very odd way with the continuation of the very personal story of the Tzelofchad sisters. The rest of the tribe comes to Moshe to complain about God’s decree that the daughters of Tzelofchad are granted their father’s inheritance. They are afraid that that may allow their tribal lands to be diluted.“The clan heads of the descendants of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh… came forward and spoke before Moses… saying… if they marry outside the tribe… their inheritance will be taken from the ancestral holding of our fathers” (Numbers 36:1–4).וַיִּקְרְבוּ רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי־גִלְעָד בֶּן־מָכִיר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה… וַיֹּאמְרוּ … וְנִגְרְעָה נַחֲלָתָם מִנַּחֲלַת אֲבֹתֵינוּThe story does bring up a main theme of the book, namely, the delineation of the borders in the new land. That is the essence of the argument. But, the ultimate argument is very technical. Why would a book that covers 38 years of history with a devastating decree, personal tragedies for Moshe, and mass death matched with grandiose planning for the entry in the land end like this? Perhaps, after the major issues that plagued the people at the start of the book of Numbers, this is a welcome relief. These are the types of disputes that Moshe and God want: technical legalistic arguments over the land. There is no plague or grand curse. This is a purely “in the eyes of heaven” argument. In this way, the book ends on a perfect note. As the people enter the land, these are the types of disputes that God wants.The context of the story itself seems regressive. The original story was a triumph for these women, only to have this group of men work to use their victory as an excuse to lock them down. Even the Rabbis were troubled. The Talmud in Ta’anit 30b explains that the holiday of the 15th of Av was the day that the restriction was reversed leading to a great day of celebration. The decree of chapter 36 was only for the initial period of settlement in the land.One last thing; the book of Numbers ends with an almost identical verse as Leviticus.“These are the commandments and regulations that God enjoined upon the Israelites, through Moses, on the steppes of Moab, at the Jordan near Jericho.” (Numbers 36:13)אֵלֶּה הַמִּצְוֹת וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעַרְבֹת מוֹאָב עַל־יַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ“These are the commandments that God gave Moses for the Israelite people on Mount Sinai.” (Leviticus 27:34)אֵלֶּה הַמִּצְוֹת אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ אֶת־מֹשֶׁה אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַר סִינָיThe only difference between the two is the location. Leviticus was at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and Numbers is at the entrance to the land. New location, same Moshe. No matter where Moshe is, he will be there to pass on God’s laws.Compare this to the end of Exodus:“For over the Tabernacle a cloud of God rested by day, and fire would appear in it by night, in the view of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys.” (Exodus 40:38)כִּי עֲנַן ה׳ עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹמָם וְאֵשׁ תִּהְיֶה לַיְלָה בּוֹ לְעֵינֵי כָּל־בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל־מַסְעֵיהֶםDuring the journey in the wilderness, God protected the people with the cloud and the fire. Along the way, Moshe dispensed another code of protection—the law of God. The laws will be the cloud and fire as the people enter the land. It will guide them and protect them along the way.

The arai miklat were special cities for the Leviim who did not have a tribal portion in Canaan. These cities doubled as a place of refuge for individuals who committed unintentional murder. The Torah first hinted at these cities in Exodus. “One who fatally strikes another party shall be put to death / If a man did so but not by design—it came about by an act of God—I will assign you a place to which he can flee” (Exodus 21:12 13).מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת מוֹת יוּמָת׃וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה וְהָאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ וְשַׂמְתִּי לְךָ מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יָנוּס שָׁמָּה׃The three cities that Moshe established in the future tribal lands of Reuven, Gad, and half of Manasseh would not “function” until the people set up the three in the land itself. Nonetheless, although Moshe is not able to enter the land, God granted him the opportunity to establish something that only exists in the land itself. In this way, when the people set up the three cities inside the land, Moshe would get the credit for establishing a part of the holy land. The Arizal brings another reason why Moshe was asked to set them up. Moshe himself was the perpetrator of an accidental murder. Back at the beginning of Exodus, Moshe witnessed an Egyptian taskmaster striking an Israelite slave. He struck the taskmaster and killed him and then hid him in the sand. The next day when two slaves threatened to out Moshe as the killer, Moshe fled. Although the text reads that Moshe intentionally killed the taskmaster, the Arizal connects the arai miklat to the incident to show that Moshe killed unintentionally.Honor killings have existed for centuries in all cultures and are still practiced in many parts of the world today. Most of these honor killings concern family slights for sexual indiscretions, not unintentional murder. The arai miklat were most likely a way to balance the local tradition of honor killings with a Torah desire for law and order. Therefore, the Torah is very careful to distinguish between a straight murder and an unintentional one, even going as far as listing the type of weapons and force that would fall into each category. The arai miklat have a very narrow purpose under certain circumstances. By allowing for protection against an honor killing, the Torah is also implicitly recognizing the existence of honor based vengeance while sharply limiting it. Anything that falls outside of this narrow framework must be adjudicated by a court of law. American criminal law distinguishes between multiple degrees of homicide—such as first degree murder, second degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter—based primarily on intent, premeditation, and recklessness. This graduated system mirrors the Torah’s distinction between intentional murder and accidental killing, where only the latter qualifies for protection within an ir miklat. In both legal frameworks, the goal is to calibrate punishment and protection to moral culpability, ensuring that justice responds not only to the outcome of death but to the actor’s intent and responsibility.The organization, known as Arei Miklat, was established in California by members of the Jewish community—including mental health professionals—who recognized a lack of emotional and spiritual support for individuals involved in accidental deaths. It was founded in the early twenty first century with the explicit goal of offering trauma informed counseling and guided recovery, drawing inspiration from the Torah’s model of refuge as a space for responsibility, reflection, and healing rather than punishment.

Chapter 34 is split into two parts. The first is the delineation of the borders of the land of Israel and the second is the list of the new princes. This chapter follows a simple A/B/B/A structure with the beginning of the book. Numbers began 38 years ago at Mt. Sinai. Following the giving of the Ten Commandments, God tells Moshe to appoint 12 princes to lead the people. These 12 princes are listed in chapter 1 of Numbers. Chapter 2 of Numbers described the set up of the camp in the desert. Each of the four sides of the Mishkan had three tribes. In the middle was the Mishkan surrounded by the Leviim and kohanim. Chapter 34 discusses the same two ideas but in reverse order. The beginning of chapter 34 discusses the borders of the land of Israel. This matches the encampment structure in chapter 2. The second part of chapter 34 discusses the new princes appointed from the “second generation”. This part parallels chapter 1’s listing of the princes. If this AB/ BA structure exists then what is the centra “C” elements. There are many possibilities in the book of Bamidbar- the spies, the transition of leadership to Joshua, the rebellions, etc. Perhaps the Torah uses this same structure to explain that this was a reset of the same time after the giving of the Torah when the sin of the spies was a horrible nightmare in the future and the people were on their way to enter the land. Now, 38 years later, a new generation eagerly awaits their turn to enter the land.

As Numbers comes to a close, the Torah goes back and lists all the journeys that the Israelites made from the time they left Egypt.“These are the marches of the Israelites who started out from the land of Egypt, troop by troop, under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.”אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְצִבְאֹתָם בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן׃(Numbers 33:1)“Moses recorded their departures, stage by stage, as directed by ה׳.”וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת־מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם עַל־פִּי ה׳(Numbers 33:2)Why list this now? The simple answer is that the people are finally ready to enter the land after 40 years of wandering. This is a good time to review where they have been. One can look at it like the bar mitzvah montage.Rashi provides two answers. The first is that the Torah is trying to show that the forty years were not really forty years of wandering. Doing a little back of the napkin math, Rashi shows that during the 38 year period in between the giving of the Torah and Aaron’s death, the Israelites only traveled to 20 places. This means that they spent at least a year in most places. The second answer is akin to the parable of a person who travels a long way to find a cure for their child. Once they reach the final destination, the person recounts every part of the journey to recall the difficulty. So too here, the people are prepared to enter the land and they are reminded of the difficult journey that led them to this place.Ramban argues that the very obscurity of the locations grounds the Exodus in real history rather than myth which is why there are places listed here that do not appear elsewhere in the torah. Rambam explains that Moshe wanted the people to understand that it was a miracle that God sustained them during the forty years. Yes, it was a hard slog and the people were punished, but overall it was a great miracle that the nation survived these years of wandering. Sforno does not focus on the miraculous part. He explains that this is not about the people needing to thank God, but for God to thank the people. Despite all of the trials and tribulations of the 40 years the people continued to have faith in and follow God. The Malbim offers a mystical interpretation. When the nation was in Egypt, they were at a low state of impurity. In order for the nation to reach the spiritual level they needed to enter the land, they had to wander for forty years. This list, therefore, is a gradual list of increasing spiritual growth. At each stage, the people grew closer and closer to God.There is also a sad bookend to the list of places for Moshe as well. The list begins with the Egyptians burying their dead first borns:“The Egyptians were burying those whom ה׳ had struck down among them, all their first born.”וּמִצְרַיִם מְקַבְּרִים אֵת אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה ה׳ בָּהֶם כָּל־בְּכוֹר(Numbers 33:4)and ends with the death of Aaron:“Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at the command of ה׳ and died there, in the fortieth year after the Israelites had left the land of Egypt.”וַיַּעַל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן אֶל־הֹר הָהָר עַל־פִּי ה׳ וַיָּמָת שָׁם בִּשְׁנַת הָאַרְבָּעִים לְצֵאת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם(Numbers 33:38)For Moshe these travels began with the firstborn Egyptians—his adopted family—burying their first borns, and ended with his older brother—also a firstborn—being buried.

Earlier, God decreed that each tribe would receive a proportional part of the Land. As the nation makes its way around the Jordan river to enter the land, they have been conquering the local peripheral populations. The tribes of Reuven and Gad see this borderlands and decide that they do not want to enter the land. They approach Moshe and ask if they can live in the trans Jordan area because of their large flocks and the fertile land. This conversation is reminiscent of Lot’s conversations with Avraham in Genesis.Compare: “The Reubenites and the Gadites owned cattle in very great numbers. Noting that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were a region suitable for cattle” (verse 1)וּמִקְנֶה רַב הָיָה לִבְנֵי־רְאוּבֵן וְלִבְנֵי־גָד עָצוּם מְאֹד וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת־אֶרֶץ יַעְזֵר וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ גִּלְעָד וְהִנֵּה הַמָּקוֹם מְקוֹם מִקְנֶה(Numbers 32:1)and “Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents / so that the land could not support them staying together; for their possessions were so great that they could not remain together / Lot looked about him and saw how well watered was the whole plain of the Jordan, all of it…” (Genesis 13:8–10).וְגַם־לְלוֹט הַהֹלֵךְ אֶת־אַבְרָם הָיָה צֹאן וּבָקָר וְאֹהָלִים׃וְלֹא־נָשָׂא אֹתָם הָאָרֶץ לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו כִּי־הָיָה רְכוּשָׁם רָב וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו׃וַיִּשָּׂא־לוֹט אֶת־עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן כִּי כֻלָּהּ מַשְׁקֶה(Genesis 13:6–10)Moshe is not happy with the request. Possibly there was a sense of frustration considering Moshe would not be able to enter the land and now these tribes are asking to stay outside the land. Moshe makes the tribes promise that they will enter the land and help the rest of the tribes conquer the land before then returning to their new lands across the Jordan river. “The Gadites and the Reubenites answered Moses, ‘Your servants will do as my lord commands.’” (verse 25)וַיֹּאמֶר בְּנֵי־גָד וּבְנֵי־רְאוּבֵן אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר עֲבָדֶיךָ יַעֲשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנִי מְצַוֶּה(Numbers 32:25)The two tribes promise two more times. Satisfied with their promises “Moshe assigned to them—to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the half tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph—the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of King Og of Bashan, the land with its various cities and the territories of their surrounding towns” (verse 33).וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי־גָד וְלִבְנֵי־רְאוּבֵן וְלַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן־יוֹסֵף אֶת־מַמְלֶכֶת סִיחֹן מֶלֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֶת־מַמְלֶכֶת עוֹג מֶלֶךְ הַבָּשָׁן הָאָרֶץ לְעָרֶיהָ בִּגְבֻלֹת עָרֵי הָאָרֶץ סָבִיב(Numbers 32:33)Thirty three verses into the chapter half the tribe of Manasseh appears out of nowhere. Only Gad and Reuven asked to relocate. Why does Moshe split Manasseh? One answer is that Moshe was concerned that having Gad and Reuven on the other side of the Jordan would separate them from their brethren. He therefore had the tribe of Manasseh split over the Jordan river in order to link the two tribes to those in the land. But why Manasseh?The simple answer could be that Manasseh was the largest tribe. The problem is that Manasseh was not the largest tribe. Manasseh only had around 53,000. Issachar, Zebulun, and Judah were all larger. Judah had the most with 76,000. Why didn’t Moshe split Judah?Perhaps this was a political move. Judah by itself was the most numerous, but Manasseh and Ephraim together were over 85,000. This would put the sons of Joseph as the largest bloc over Judah, the eventual ruling tribe. To mitigate this, Moshe splits Manasseh. This allows Judah to remain the largest tribe in Israel while also connecting Reuven and Gad to the tribes inside the land.

Chapter 31 returns to the previous story of the Midyanite woman and Baal Peor. God has not forgotten the evil plot to seduce the population and cause them to sin. Were it not for the heroics of Pinchas, the plot would have succeeded. This is why God tells Pinchas to lead the army into battle against the Midyanites.“Moses sent them to the campaign—one thousand from each tribe—together with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, with the sacred vessels and the trumpets for sounding the blasts.”וַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הַצָּבָא אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה אֹתָם וְאֶת־פִּינְחָס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן לַצָּבָא וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַחֲצֹצְרוֹת הַתְּרוּעָה בְּיָדוֹ(Numbers 31:6)In this chapter we find out that the people killed Balaam in their attack on Midyan.“They put Balaam son of Beor to the sword.”וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן־בְּעוֹר הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב(Numbers 31:8)Later, when Moshe chastises the people for keeping the women alive he admonishes the people: “Yet they are the very ones who, at the bidding of Balaam, induced the Israelites to trespass against God” (verse 31:16).הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם לִמְסֹר מַעַל בַּה׳ עַל־דְּבַר פְּעוֹר(Numbers 31:16)On a side note, this is the source for reading into the Balaam story that Balaam was really an evil person. In fact, Balaam is probably more complex. The Balaam story showed that he was loyal to the word of God, but here the text reveals that he also was able to scheme another way to harm the Israelites. More importantly this verse begs a larger question—when did the people find out about the Balaam story? Moshe does not instruct them to kill Balaam at the beginning. So they may have only found out about it in verse 16.The story of Balaam is the only time from the beginning of the Abraham narrative where the story has no major Israelite character involved. (Two other possible stories—the story of Eliezer is directed by Avraham, and Rivkah is there; and the story of the cupbearer and Pharaoh’s dreams involves Yosef). This chapter reminds me of the articles that one often reads about the IDF thwarting a terrorist attack. Everyone is going about their lives as if nothing is happening. Everything seems fine. However, behind the scenes, the IDF is working tirelessly to keep everyone safe. It also explains why the story of Balaam appears now. It is yet another example of the effort of God to prepare the people for entry into the land and become self reliant. No one was involved in the Balaam story except for God. God’s message with the Balaam story is that the people should not rest on their laurels. Everything may seem to be calm, but God is always in the background trying to thwart efforts to harm the Israelites.

Chapter 30 can be a difficult read from a more modern standpoint. The chapter offers various scenarios in which a father has the ability to nullify the vows of his wife and daughter. The Torah takes vows very seriously. The prohibition against taking God’s name in vain is one of the Ten Commandments. Vows for sacrifices, property, and even oneself were discussed in Leviticus. Earlier in Numbers, the Torah discussed the laws of the Nazir vow. Like all of these previous chapters, this one is filled with interesting halachot.For example: How long does a father have to annul a vow? There is a disagreement in the Talmud Nedarim 76b. Verse 6 states: “But if her father restrains her on the day he finds out, none of her vows or self imposed obligations shall stand.”וְאִם־הֵנִיא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ כָּל־נְדָרֶיהָ וֶאֱסָרֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל־נַפְשָׁהּ לֹא יָקוּם(Numbers 30:6)One opinion is that the father has until the end of the day that he hears the vow to annul it. Another opinion is that the father has one day from when he hears the vow to annul it. The second opinion seems to contradict the Mishnah that only referenced the “day of” opinion. The Mishnah also provided two examples to demonstrate the extremes of the “day of” opinion. If the daughter makes a vow on Friday evening right after nightfall, then the vow can be annulled until the next nightfall giving a full 24 hour period. However, if she made the vow just before nightfall, then the father only has a few moments to annul the vow before nightfall comes and with it the next day.The first opinion is from verse 6. However, the second opinion comes from verse 15: “If her husband offers no objection from that day to the next, he has upheld all the vows or obligations she has assumed.”וְאִם־הַחֲרֵשׁ יַחֲרִישׁ לָהּ אִישָׁהּ מִיּוֹם אֶל־יוֹם וְהֵקִים אֶת־כָּל־נְדָרֶיהָ אוֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֱסָרֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ(Numbers 30:15)The phrase “day to day” implies that the father has a 24 hour period that could last from one day to the next. The halacha is that the father can only nullify the vow the day that he hears it.What kind of vows can a husband nullify? At first the Torah states that if a woman makes a vow her husband can nullify it but if “her husband learns of it, yet offers no objection—thus failing to restrain her—all her vows shall stand and all her self imposed obligations shall stand” (verse 12).וְאִם־הַחֲרֵשׁ יַחֲרִישׁ לָהּ אִישָׁהּ בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ כָּל־נְדָרֶיהָ יָקוּמוּ וְכָל־אֱסָרֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ יָקוּמוּ כִּי־הֶחֱרִישׁ לָהּ בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ(Numbers 30:12)This seems to imply that he can nullify all of her vows, like a father to daughter. But later the Torah states: “Every vow and every sworn obligation of self denial may be upheld by her husband or annulled by her husband” (verse 14).כָּל־נֵדֶר וְכָל־שְׁבוּעַת אִסָּר לְעַנֹּת נָפֶשׁ אִישָׁהּ יְקִימֶנּוּ וְאִישָׁהּ יְפֵרֶנּוּ(Numbers 30:14)The Talmud in Nedarim 79b points out that the second verse limits the first verse. The halacha is that the husband can only nullify vows that a wife makes that involve self denial and that will cause friction in their interpersonal relationship.

Last chapter saw the decree that Moshe would not lead the people into Canaan. Abarbanel’s explanation followed Moshe’s growing impatience with the people and ultimately God’s decision that Moshe was not the leader the people needed to enter Canaan. Besides Abarbanel’s opinion that Moshe was at his wits end, there may be another reason why God decided that Moshe was not the leader the people needed. Perhaps God felt that the people were too reliant on Moshe. From the very beginning of the exodus story, there have small nudges from God to transition the people from a slave mentality of dependance to a free people mentality of independence. It started with the pronouncement that the people will be responsible for certifying the new moon as the very first mitzvah to the people. The problem was the people became too reliant on Moshe. When things went bad, they complained, Moshe prayed on their behalf, but the people showed no remorse. Moshe led them into battle or had some miraculous hand in a fight. Moshe even led the people in song on after the splitting of the sea. But what would happen if Moshe was no longer in the picture? Following chapter 20, God took the risk of removing the safety net and seeing if the people could learn to fly on their own. Would the people be able to fly? In chapter 21, the people responded with a resounding yes. Right off the bat Arad attacks the people and takes POWs. Notice how Moshe is not involved here. The people make a vow to God and God makes the people successful in battle. Next, the people complain again, and God punishes them with snakes. But this time, they go to Moshe and admit they did something wrong. During the battle of Amalek, God has Moshe raise his hands to provide support for the people and to direct their eyes to God. This time, God has Moshe build a snake to focus their thoughts not on Moshe. At the end of the chapter, the people again collectively take the lead against Sichon. Notice how the word “Yisrael” appears over and over again. The greatest contrast comes before the battle with Sichon. When the people crossed the Sea of Reeds, Moshe lead the people in song, “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God” (Exodus 15:1). This time around, the people do not need Moshe to lead them. They can do it themselves. “Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well—sing to it—." Moshe is not completely out of the picture. They need him at the end of the chapter to defeat the giant warriors of Og. But if chapter 20 ended with the question of can they do it? Chapter 21 answered yes, they can.