Beha'aloscha - 5th Portion

Join me as we learn Humash for Thursday, the fifth Torah reading of Parshas Baha'aloscha chapter 10, verse 11. The Torah now tells us about when the Jewish people were leaving Mount Sinai. Up until this time, they were by Mount Sinai resting there and were receiving the laws from Moses at Mount Sinai. Now the Torah tells us about their journey from Mount Sinai. Verse 11. Vayehi bashana hashainis, and it was on the in the second year, bachodesh hashaini of the second month, ba'esrim bachodesh, on the 20th day of the second month in the second year, nalu ananei hamishkan, edus, the cloud rose up from above the Tabernacle, meaning that it was time to travel. Rashi, bachodesh hashaini, this is the first journey that the Jewish people have leaving from Mount Sinai. Nimtza she'aimer, so comes out, shnaim asar chodesh chaser asar yamim achas bachodesh, that the Jewish people were at Mount Sinai for 12 months minus 10 days. Sha'arei, because on the first of Sivan is when they got to Mount Sinai, as it says vayechanu sham Yisrael, as it tells us that the Jewish people were the third month, on the first day they came to Mount Sinai. V'lo nasu ad esrim b'iyar lashana haba'ah, they didn't travel until the 20th of Iyar the following year. So the 20th of Iyar is 10 days before the first of Sivan, so it's 12 months minus 10 days. Verse 12. Vayisu b'nei Yisrael l'masei'hem, and the Jewish people journeyed according to their journeys, uh, b'midbar Sinai, from the Sinai desert. Vayishkonu anan b'midbar Paran, and the cloud settled in the Paran desert. Later on that name would be given something else, as we'll see Rashi tells us. What does it mean l'masei'hem, according to their journeys? Rashi, kamish patam efurish limasa digleim, according to the way we previously explained in the beginning of the book of Numbers that each tribe went according to their flags and according to their tribes and encampments, that's the way they traveled. Mish mish rishon me'acharon, the one in front went last. Bamidbar Paran, where is this Paran desert? Kivrot hata'avah bamidbar Paran hayu, this place that later on we're going to learn about the place of where they had the temptations and the as we're still going to learn about known as Kivrot hata'avah, that is a midbar Paran. Vasham chanu mimasa'i zeh, that is the place that they camped after this travel of leaving from Mount Sinai. Verse 13, vayis'u barishonah al pi Hashem beyad Moshe, this was the first journey that they traveled according to what Moshe told them and according to what God said. Verse 14, what was it as the Torah describes, vayisa' degel machaneh Yehudah degel machaneh Yehudah barishonah, and the banner of the division of Yehudah traveled first. Utzva'av kemo sa'im according to their troops followed. Utzvi Nachshon ben Aminadav, and the one leading it, the leader was Nachshon the son of Aminadav. 15, vatzva'av Matan'el ben Yishachar ben Tzur, and the one leading the tribe of Yishachar was Netan'el ben Tzur. Vatzva'av Eliab ben Chelon, and the one leading the tribe of Zevulun was Eliab ben Chelon. Ufurdu hamishkan, and then the mishkan was taken down. Vanas'u benei Gershon, and the people of Gershon traveled. Ubenei Merari nas'u hamishkan, and the people of Merari were the ones carrying the mishkan. Rashi describes to us the detail of what happened. Ufurdu hamishkan, the mishkan was taken down. Ki vishnei se'ei degel Yehudah, the moment that the tribe of Yehudah with the encampment of Yehudah began to travel, nichnasu Aharon uvanav ufarchei hakohenim, acharei chizuk basadin, then the children of Aharon came into the holy temple and they took down the curtain that was in the front of the ark and covered the ark, that was step number one. Shenemar, as it says previously in chapter 4, bo Aharon uvanav tzei hamachaneh, that Aharon and the sons went Then after everything was strapped up by the children of Aaron and Bene Gershon who they were the ones responsible carrying the externals, the beams, the curtains and everything else that had to be taken, they would take to put them in the wagons and they would travel together with the camp of Yehuda that already began to travel. Close to them. Meanwhile, as they dismantled everything around it, you had in the center all the vessels that were now standing covered. So now the people of Kohath came along. They came and took all the covered vessels that were on sticks and they were carrying it after the encampment of Reuben. Then the encampment of Reuben went. After the encampment of Reuben went, then the people of Kohath went that were carrying the vessels. Verse 18. Then the encampment of Reuben would travel according to its troops. And the leader of Reuben was Elizur ben Shedeur. And the leader of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph ben Deuel. And the leader of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel ben Zurishaddai. And the leader of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph ben Deuel. And the leader of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel ben Zurishaddai. And the leader of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph ben Deuel. And the leader of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel ben Zurishaddai. And the leader of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph ben Deuel. was of Simeon was Shelumiel ben Zurishaddai. And the leader of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph ben Deuel. And the leader of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel ben Zurishaddai. And the leader of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph ben Deuel. Verse 21. Then the family of Kohath they say I'm going to they were responsible for carrying the items of the holy temple. They came with a Mishkan at bay and by the time the people of Kohath came, already the Mishkan had been set up where is erected by the family of Gershon and Merari that we mentioned previously. They traveled together with Yehuda. They were in the front. They had the stuff with the wagons. So by the time Kohath came, the Mishkan was up and all they had to do was bring the vessels inside. Rashi 21. What does it mean they carried the holy temple? Meaning they say they were carrying the holy items. They were carrying the holy items like the ark, the table, the menorah, and so on. The Kimus Amiskant Benei Gershon and Merari, the family of Gershon and Merari, they were there in advance. Shei Hoyu Keid Milam, they were earlier on cuz they traveled together with Yehuda. A master Schneid the Golem, and they were behind two camps. Hoyu Mikiman Amiskant Shei On and Shei Chan, and they would then put up the Mishkan wherever they would put up the Tabernacle, wherever the cloud would stop. Therefore, it meant that the Jewish people should rest. So, Gershon and Merari were already there in advance with the wagons and all the stuff of the outside of the Tabernacle. They put that up. Then, Boi Macharim Schneid the Golem Macharim, they came behind them. Hoyu Benei Gershon and Merari Mikiman Amiskant, so Benei Merari and Benei Gershon would put up the holy temple. Ukash Boi Benei Kehasam, when the family of Kehas came along, Moitsin Eisam Machoinei, they found the Mishkan standing properly the way it was supposed to, and all they needed to do was Machnisam Bayo Avashuchon Ner Mizbachos, they would bring inside the ark, the table, the menorah, and the altars. Zei Umash Moisam Iksha, this is what it seems like from the interpretation of the verse. Bayam Teram Bayam Upnei Kehas, when it says that they put up the temple, the Tabernacle, by the time the people of Kehas came, that means by they came the time they came, everything was up already. Benei Gershon and Merari, who was there beforehand, the families of Gershon and Merari who traveled with Yehuda put it up, and Kehas put the stuff inside. Verse 20 two. Vanasa Degel Machanei Ephraim, and then the tribe and the encampment of Ephraim went with Tzeva'am according to their troops. Valtzway, the leader of that tribe was Elishama ben Amihud. Valtzwa, Mat ben Nashon, the leader of the tribe of Menashe, Gamaliel ben Pedahzur. Valtzwa, Mat ben Aminadav, and the leader of the tribe of Benjamin, Avidan ben Gideoni. Vanasa Degel Machanei Dan, and then the tribe, the the um banner of the camp of Dan, Me'asef lechol hamachanos, they were the in gatherings of all the troops, the collector of all the divisions. What that means we'll soon see what Rashi says. Let's see according to their troops. Valtzoyin on their leadership and their tribe was Achiezer ben Amishaddai. Achiezer the son of Amishaddai. What does it mean that they were Ma'asif Kol Hamachanos? Rashi explains, Talmud Yerushalmi, the Talmud says, because the tribe of Dan was a large much larger much um much larger tribe than all of them. So therefore they had a lot to carry with them and therefore they were the ones to go last. The Kol Misha'im Avidah Machzir Alav and any person that would lose anything, they had because they had a lot of stuff that they would spread out a lot and any person lost something as they were traveling because they were the last ones, they would find it and return it to them. Ismand Amar, there is an opinion that says, Kateiva Yuma Halchin, that they would go like a box. That the way the Jewish people traveled were like a box, north, east, south and west. Yehudah in the front and then the two tribes on the side and so on. And the same exact way, that's the way they encamped. Um Mapik Lo Min Kasher Yachane Ken Yiso, and they know that from because it says in the verse, the way they encamped, that's the way they traveled. Vi'ist Omri, there are those that explain, Kikei Hu Yimalchun, that they would go like a beam in a linear way. Um Mapiklan, the way he learned this is Min Ham'asif Kol Hamachanos because in this case it says that they would collect everything that was there. So if you're saying they collect everything was there, it must have been that they went in the back and therefore collected everything that was there and so on. So you had, according to this opinion, was like a long beam. You had the four different encampments in a one long line. You went Yehudah first camp, then Ruvein, then Ephraim, then Dan. And therefore when the Torah tells us who would leave first, Yehudah would leave first, then Ruvein would leave first, then Ephraim would leave first, then Dan would go. But he knows this because he learned that out of this verse that they would gather. What does it mean gather? They were the ones in the back. Verse 20 six. V'al tzo matay b'nei Asher and the leader of the tribe of Asher, Pagiel ben Ochran, Pagiel the son of Ochran. V'al tzo matay Naftali and then the leader of the tribe of Naftali, Achira ben Enan, Achira the son of Enan. Eilah masei b'nei Yisrael, these are the travels of the Jewish people l'tziv'osam according to their troops. Vayisu, and they indeed traveled. Vayisu eilah masei, zeh seder masei'am, this is the way that they would always travel. The Torah is telling us now that when you learn about the travels of the Jewish people in general, this was the custom and how they went about it. Vayisu bayom hahu naso, being going back to verse 11, that this was the day it tells us about how they traveled, how they actually did it, and going back to that verse, on the day of the 20th of Iyar is when they left Mount Sinai and started traveling. Verse 29. As they are leaving now Mount Sinai, vayomer Moshe l'Chovav ben Reuel haMedani, Moshe said to Jethro, who's in this case called Chovav, the son of Reuel the Midianite, Choshen Moshe, the father-in-law of Moshe, no'sim anachnu el hamakom asher amar Hashem, we are going now to the place that God told us, o'isah yeten lachem, I am going to give that to you, l'cha itanu, come with us, v'heitavnu lach, and it will be good for you. Ki Hashem diber tov al Yisrael, because God has spoken good fortune that will happen to the Jewish people. Trying to convince just Jethro to come along with him to the land of Israel. Rashi, who is this fellow Chovav? Chovav is who Yisro is the same person as Yisro, who is the father-in-law of Moshe. Sh'nei amarim, it says m'bnei Chovav Choshen Moshe, later on in the Book of Judges it tells us that from the children of Chovav, who was the father-in-law of Moshav, the Talmud Lamar. Uh Mata Matan, Lamar, why does it say that the rule of Ian that they came to rule of the father? Cuz over here it says Hovav the son of Reuel. So, which one was Jethro? Was Jethro Jethro Reuel? Because the daughters came to Reuel. Which one is it? Malachi to what does this teaching us that the naked love you have in a better way that they Many times children call their grandfather father. For shame is Harvey when he had many different names. Israel Parshas Patara. He was given the name Israel because of him another extra portion when he told Moshav the advice of appointing judges. So, there was an extra portion given because of that. He was called also because of the Torah because he cherished the Torah and he converted to Judaism. Nice and actually I'm a mocking. What is the meaning we're going to travel to a place? Meaning we're going to get there very soon according to the plan. We're going to be in another 3 days. Actually in another 3 days we were supposed to enter the land of Israel. She was a reason not to allow us to come to Israel. In this first travel that they left from Mount Sinai, they haven't yet sinned. There wasn't the sin of the spies of Korah or anything of that. And they were about to go into the land of Israel. And they were leaving Mount Sinai to get into the land of Israel. However, as we're soon going to see they made a mistake. They had to sin that at first they started complaining about the food. And they must eat that Moshav at the same time that they didn't love to suffer so much. And therefore Moshav in this point enjoins himself with the Jewish people. He says, "We are traveling to the land of Israel." Cuz at this point the decree of him not going into the land of Israel has not yet happened. And therefore he believed that he was going into the land of Israel as well. Verse 30. By the name of the Lord and he said, "I will not I will not go." Jethro responded to Moshav that he will not be going with Moshav. He in the large evil my lord that he I must go back to my land, to my family, and so I should be able to because I will not receive a portion of the land of Israel. Let's see Rashi. Two reasons he gives over here to Mosha why he will not be traveling to the with the Jewish people. One, English film the I'm going back to my land because I have my my belongings there. Whatever I left over and I want to sell them. Or I want to go back to see at least with my family and maybe I can convince them to convert them as well to Judaism and then I will bring them back with me. Verse 31. Mosha said, pleaded with him, "Please do not leave us." Because you are familiar with our encampments in the desert. By mid bar in the desert. And you have been either an eyewitness and you can serve and tell other people because since you're not part of it. Or he is telling them that you saw him as we're soon going to see in Rashi. Another interpretation is that he has been a value that we cherish his opinion that you can see with his eyes. Let's see Rashi. And unless you the word no means please. You should um please don't leave. Meaning stay with us. The people shouldn't say that the Israel only converted because he loved the Torah. And now he thought that converts have a portion in the land of Israel. And because initially he cherished the land of Israel, he cherished the Torah, and what's going to happen now? Because he thought that the converts would have a portion in the land of Israel. Now that he discovered that they may not have a portion in the land of Israel, that's why he is leaving. He's giving a reason why you should say because a person like you you see that God has done so many good things and you know our encampments in the desert for Eastern you saw all the beautiful miracles that happened to us up until now whether it was the mana coming down the way the war of Amalek and everything else. So therefore you experienced this you should be here meaning come here come here because you know the word is because of our time and actually gives other explanations other places where we see the word okay is therefore because okay we said because I this is the reason why I came but you said you should be to us for eyes. What does this mean? Over here also the word was as you were and also you will be of our you can have meaning in the past or another explanation is like in the future called over the sheet anything that will be concealed from us you'll be able to light us and give us some ideas of what it may be another explanation of what this means that when you're going to come with us that you will come with us we will respect you we will protect you the same way we watch the pupil of our eyes and we protected that it shouldn't get injured so too we will watch you as the Torah commands us that we have to love the convert. Verse 32 and it will be when you come with us and the good that God does with us will be dumped to you. Verse 32 what's the good that God will do with him? I'm real when the Jewish people were splitting up the land of Israel or your douche no shall you there was one property which was the city of Jericho around the area of Jericho by 500 animals and they did not divide that parcel of land. I'm doing they said we should have English okay will build the Holy Temple in his portion, in his allotted portion, would get that extra part because since they're using their portion for the Holy Temple. Meanwhile, while the 400 and over the 440 years that the Jew from the time that the Jewish people went into the land of Israel until they actually built the Holy Temple was about 440 years. During that time, it was given the Sanhedrin of Israel was given to the family of Israel to another man and it says in the book of Judges that the children of Cain, the father-in-law of Moses came from the city of Tamarin and the Torah tells us that they would got that parcel of land. Verse 33. They continued to travel from the mountain of God that actually showed them for three days and the ark of the covenant of God was traveling before them. That actually showed them as a distance of three days to prepare for them a place to settle. Rashi A way of three days meaning a distance of three days. They went in one day through a miraculous way. It took them only one day even though this was a distance of three days and because God wanted to bring them into the land of Israel quickly. Here Rashi points out that there were two different arks. There was an ark which was which stayed in the Holy Temple. That ark was the one that the Levites carried that were covered. Then there was another ark which carried within it the broken set of tablets. That ark went with them out to war. And by issue of the broken tablets, there the broken tablets were there. And if you recall, as soon as Moshe broke the tablets, God told him to make an ark and put it in it. And that's where that wooden ark that was placed that the broken tablets were placed in them. And that ark was the one that went in the front and created that distance of 3 days to circle a place to create a place for them to rest. Verse 34. And the cloud of God was above them when they traveled from the camp. And how did they know where to stop? Was where the cloud stopped. If you look at the verse that it tells us there's seven different kinds of clouds that the Torah mentions during their travels. They had four clouds from all four sides, from north, south, east, and west. The one that was above them hovering, the one underneath them that would smooth them out the uh the mountains. The one in front of them, so you had from all six sides. Then there was one in front that would actually uplift one something that was low, smooth and something that was high. This uh hiding the would kill out the snakes and scorpions and the scorpions. This is the way that the when the Jewish people walked through the desert was smooth for them and there was no toil or task for them to do. From the camp. From the place that they traveled from their encampment as they were traveling, there were these clouds that continuously protected them. This concludes the fifth Torah reading of Parshas Balak.