"And YHVH spoke to Moses in the wilderness…"
(emphasis added), are the opening words of the Torah's fourth book, Bamidbar
(Numbers). In this first verse YHVH is "speaking" – "va’ydaber"
– “in the wilderness" - "ba-midbar" - both words
originating from the same multifaceted root
- d.v.r (dalet, bet/vet, resh). Let
us examine this root and follow it to a number of unexpected places.
“In the beginning was the word (davar), and the word (davar) was with Elohim,
and Elohim was the word (“davar”)… And the word (davar) became flesh and lived
among us…” (John 1:1,14). Davar is the spoken word, the all-powerful
utterance that creates or generates everything, while “thing” is also
"davar." Thus, all
"things" appear to be the results of that which has been "said"
or "spoken." In the Tanach many
terms, such as “lies, wisdom, falsehood, truth” and more, are preceded by
“d’var” – meaning “thing of….” indicating that the origin of all things
is the ‘utterance’. Davar is that
which proceeds out of the mouth of Elohim, and is therefore "the Word of
Elohim." “Matters” or “business”
are also “davar” (or “dvarim” in plural form), as we see for example in Shmot
(Exodus) 5:13, 19: “Fulfill your works, your – dvarim - daily tasks"
(emphasis added), and in Shoftim (Judges) 18:7, reference is made to the
Danties who “… had no – dvarim - business with any man” (emphasis
added). Terms such as “deeds"
(Jer. 5:28, speaking of "deeds of the wicked") are also “dvarim.”
"Reason, motives, customs" (“the custom of the king” in
Esther 1:13) also fall within the framework of “davar.” The literal rendering for “after the order
of Malchitzedek” (ref. Ps. 110:4), is “upon my divra, Malchitzedek,”
that is, “upon my word.” The form “divra” illustrates the depth and scope of
“davar,” which may be also rendered as an “order, pattern, type, arch or proto type."
Likewise the “Ten Commandments” are “aseret ha-d’varim,” that is, “the ten
words” (Ex. 34:28; Deut. 4:13, 10:4).
From this point let us venture further afield to “dever,” which is
"plague," or “pestilence.” Although this abrupt transition may seem
curious, it is consistent with many such disparities found in the Tanach. If we remember that "davar" also
means "cause," than the "plague," or "dever,"
illustrates the principle that “the curse causeless/without reason shall not
come” (Pro. 26:2). Indeed, time after
time the plague is the result of rebellion against Elohim, as in the case of
the plagues of Egypt Land of Yisrael
"Subdue,” or "destroy," stems once again
from the root d.v.r, with its infinitive “lehadbir.” In T’hilim (Psalms) 18:47 we find for example:
“Elohim… subdues the people under me” (emphasis added). This verb also
means “to expel or send away," such as sending off
the flock to pasture, or to the desert. Thus
in Mi’cha (Micah) 2:12 the flocks are seen in the midst of their “hidabar,”
which is translated "fold" or "pasture."
Hence the "subdued" enemy (or the sinner) is often “pursued,"
"sent away," or “driven” to the "wilderness" or
"desert" - the "midbar." But just as the wilderness may turn out to be
a place of “pasture” for the flocks, in the same way it can become a place of repentance
and spiritual refreshing to those who are fleeing (or are forced) there. In the
quietness of the desert one can learn, experience, or hear the “Word.” YHVH has many ways in which to sound out His
word in the “midbar’s” stillness. The Bible records an impressive list of those
who can attest to this fact. Another place where YHVH’s voice is heard is in
the Holy of Holies (or “inner sanctuary”), which in Solomon’s Temple Temple
In summation, the Word, as epitomized by the Son of Elohim, is
life giving, but rejecting Him (the "Davar") may result in a plague
(“dever”), which subdues and drives ("madbir")
one to the desert ("midbar"), there to be spoken
to ("daber") by the Living Word ("Davar")
Who utters the Word of Truth ("dvar emet") in His inner
sanctuary, or most holy place (dvir). “And I will woo her to Me in the
wilderness…” we read in Hoshe’ah (Hosea) 2:14. D.v.r teaches us why it was
essential for the Israelites to go through their wilderness journey on the road
to becoming a nation.
Chapters 1 and 2 of
Bamidbar describe the formation of the congregation of Yisrael’s encampment for
the purpose of a census (cf. Ex. 30:11-16). However, whereas on the previous
occasion (in Exodus) each of them had to "give a ransom for his soul to
YHVH while numbering them" (which was of one half shekel that was used for
the Mishkan), here they are not required to do so.
"Lift the heads of all the congregation of the sons
of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number
of names, every male, by their skulls” (literal translation, Num.
1:2 emphasis added). "Nahmanides
emphasizes that the census was personal and individual… impressing on us the
value and sterling worth of each and every soul which is a unique specimen of
divine creativity and a world of its own." In the same vein, Isaac Arama says: "They
were not just like animals or material objects, but each one had an importance
of his own like a king or a priest. Indeed
Elohim had shown special love towards them and this is the significance of
mentioning each one of them by name and status; for they were all equal and
individual in status."[1] Yeshua’s death, for each and every man (ref. Heb. 2:9)
on the Hill of "Golgota," which is Aramaic for "skull,"
lends an even greater credence to the above statements. In Hebrew Insights into Parashat Shmot (Ex.
1-6:1) we noted that, as soon as the Egyptians embarked on their program of
subjugating the Hebrews they treated them as a nameless mass (ref. Ex. 1:10-12).
This is in striking contrast to what we encounter in Bamidbar chapter 1. In Verse 18 we read, “State
their genealogies,” or “declare their pedigree,” or “register their ancestry”
(depending on the translation), which is designated by one word - “hit’yaldu”
- the root being y.l.d (yod, lamed, dalet) for “child” or “to give birth.” This
is the only place where this root is used in this form, literally meaning, “to
become a child.” Thus, the restoration of the nameless individuals and
clans to their respective origins, with the various groupings and families
being recognized, acknowledged and brought to the fore, is part of the redemption
process. This aspect of redemption will one day be experienced again when all
the names of the families, clans and tribes of Yisrael will be revealed, so as
to make up the full Commonwealth of the Household of Yisrael.
When the roll call was completed and the Levites' duties in the Mishkan
were dispensed, "YHVH spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 'Everyone of the children of Israel
The "emblems" are "otot"
(plural, and "ot" singular). "Ot" (alef, vav, tav)
is a widely used term, denoting "sign, token, pledge, assurance, miracle,
omen" and more. Although we do not
know what the banners looked like, it appears that each of them had the
"ot," or sign, of a particular "father's house," which
rendered each tribe much like a family related to a single progenitor.
Concerning the grouping around the Mishkan, which was in
the midst of the camp, Nahmanides says:
“It was a kind of Mount Sinai on which
the Torah was given, accompanying them on all their journeying.” Benno Jaccob follows
up this idea: “The Lord transferred His presence from Sinai to the Tabernacle,
from the sanctuary of the Lord which His hands had established, to the
sanctuary which Israel
The above mentioned orders excluded the Levites, who were to serve in the
Mishkan, and were to be at YHVH's disposal. In the course of the detailed
description of their duties and their responsibilities for the various parts of
the Mishkan, mention is made of the edifice’s sides (Num. 3:29, 35). The Hebrew
word here for “side” is “yarech,” of the root y.r.ch (yod, resh,
kaf/chaf), meaning “thigh, loin or base.” The thigh represents man’s strength
and power (see Gen. 24:2; 47:29), both in terms of virility and force (being
also the place upon which the sword was placed). That is why in order for
Ya’acov to become Yisrael his thigh had to be injured, and likewise the
repentant one, who in order to demonstrate his true intentions had to smite
that part of his body (e.g. Jer. 31:19, Ephraim’s repentance). Similar to the
root d.v.r. in some of its uses, “yarech” also refers to the “furthermost point,”
to the “backside” or to the “rear” (Jud. 19:1, Is. 14:15), and hence the
application to “side.”
The vicarious role of the
Levites as firstborn follows in Bamidbar 3:41, 45, with a reference to their
required conduct. It says there that, they were to be taken “instead” or “in
place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel
In chapter 4 we view how the chosen family of K'hat (Kohath) was to
dismantle the Mishkan when it was time to move on. During this awesome procedure they had to
restrain themselves and avert their gaze from the holy articles, with the help
of A'haron and his sons (vs 19, 20). "They shall not go in to see the holy things as they are
being covered, lest they die," is the Parasha's last verse, which
literally says, "And they shall not go in to see, at the swallowing of the
holy things, [lest] they die." The usage here of "swallow"
("bela") for "covering" the Mishkan articles is very
unusual. It may be alluding to the fact that an unwarranted gaze could bring
upon the onlookers (that is, the members of the K'hat clan) the penalty of being
swallowed alive (a form of punishment which was sometimes inflicted –
supernaturally - upon offenders, such as in the case of Achan in Num. 16:30-34).
Thus, A'haron’s family was being charged with responsibility over the lives of
their brothers, the K'hats, whose "keepers" they were to be.
1 New Studies in Bamidbar, Nechama
Leibowitz, trans. Aryeh Newman. Eliner
Library,
Department for Torah Education and Culture in the Diaspora. Hemed Books Inc.,
2 Ibid
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