The seven-branch menorah that stood in the Tabernacle and the Temple, made of solid gold, was the symbol of God’s presence amongst us. One light, the westernmost, was kept burning all the time, the wicks were changed, oil added once every twenty-four hours. In the desert where the people wandered after they left Egypt, this Divine presence was represented by…
Parsha Behaaloteha
Jethro
The Children of Israel are ready to march. Trumpets of silver are made to add to the means of communication. Up to now movement was decided by Cloud and Fire agents of God. Now, as they prepare to invade and stand on their own, they need a new method. And once again, as just before the crucial Sinai experience, at…
Complaints
The phrase “Vayehi Binsoah HaAron” is bracketed by two letters Nun upside down. One explanation is that this is a separate section of the Torah. But Rashi says it is a marker between two eras. The one before the Spies when they were ready to invade the first time. And then the period of a generation in the wilderness before…
Eldad & Medad
Moses is having difficulty managing the fractious, rebellious Children of Israel. His solution is to empower seventy elders to share the burden. But they need to be very special men and inspired as well. He asked each tribe to send six candidates. But this meant there were two more than needed for the seventy. The candidates are gathered together in…
Miriam
Miriam and Aaron complain to Moses about his wife, because he had married an “Isha Cushit.” What is a Cushit? We all know that modern Hebrew a Cushi is someone from Africa, usually black. And in our still racial world, many people would consider this a negative word, implying inferiority. But the truth is that in the Bible the term…