"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 Danites 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 a-field 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, it may also become a place of repentance and spiritual refreshing
to those who are fleeing (or are forced) there. In the “midbar’s” stillness
there are many opportunities to hear the voice of YHVH sounding His Word. 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][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), while at the same time attempting
to carry out infanticide (Ex. 1:16). 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,” or “midwife”
(this, bringing to mind the two midwives who saved the lives of the baby boys
from the cruel edict). The usage here of this verb is the only place where it
is found 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 in relationship to this edifice: “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, regarding the tribes and their placements, 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 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 smites
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., Brooklyn ,
N.
2 Ibid
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