The Hebrew name for this book, the third of the Torah, is B'Midbar. This is translated as "in the desert." It is colloquially called "Numbers" as the first four chapters deal with a count of all males twenty years of age and up.

The book deals with the Israelites wandering in the desert. There is narrative and concern for the purity of the community and its special relationship to God. Laws presented deal with nazirites, the suspected adulteress, oaths, blessings of priests, wearing of fringes, inheritance of land, the ritual offering of the red heifer, and concern for the safety of those guilty of manslaughter. These laws are preparing the people to possess and administer the land of Israel.

In Parshat B'Midbar God instructs Moses to take a census of the male Israelites at least twenty years of age. The Torah reports a total of 603,550, including only the countable males -- those who could bear arms. The census does not take into consideration the female adults and all the younger people. The total number of people could easily have been around 2,000,000 plus! The Torah specifically records that in this census each person was counted by name and not just as a number. This maintains the individual's identity and self-worth.

The Levites were not counted in the census. They had the main responsibility for the sanctuary and all aspects of the tabernacle. The people are counted according to their tribes for the first time and divided accordingly. The Levites are also split to serve each tribe. The priests came from the tribe of Levi and served in the tabernacle and then the Temple in Jerusalem much later.

The census concludes with the counting of the Gershonites, Merarites and Kohathites and a description of their work in the sanctuary.

Parshat Naso then gives instructions for removing from the camp people suspected of being diseased and those who may have become impure by virtue of touching a dead body. Moses explains how to seek forgiveness for wrongdoing and what to do if a husband suspects his wife of adultery.

The practices of the nazirite are repeated together with a description of the ritual for completing the nazirite vow. Nazirite dedicated themselves to God for a period between 30 days and 7 years. They neither cut their hair nor ingested grapes in any form. Time limits were set for the nazirite probably to prevent people from becoming truly obsessed with their vows. Judaism frowns strongly on obsession of any kind. The best-known nazirites were Samson and the Prophet Samuel.

Parshat Naso continues with the threefold Priestly Benediction for the children of Israel, which is used still today as parents bless their children on Shabbat and the festivals. The portion concludes with a description of the offerings brought by the twelve tribal chieftains to the sanctuary dedication ceremony.

This Parasha repeats the instructions for installing the menorah in the Sanctuary. It also gives instructions for consecrating the priests and Levites. Following this, it describes Pesach Sheni, telling us what we should do if we are unable to observe Passover at the appointed time. The Israelites are in the desert, and we find out more about their journey.

The people are complainers. Mostly they complain about the regular diet of manna. Moses, extremely frustrated, asks God, "Why have you laid all the burden of this people upon me?" To take some of the pressure off of Moshe, God instructs him to select 70 elders and officers to share leadership and the spirit of prophesy with him. Two of the appointed, Eldad and Medad fail to appear. Joshua is incensed and asks Moshe to take extreme action. Moshe defends them and cools the situation.

Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses for his marriage to a Cushite woman. As a result of this l'shon hara, Miriam is stricken with tsarat, leprosy. Moshe and Aaron plead with God to heal her. After being excluded from the camp for seven days, she is cured.

Gleanings:

1. Seek first to understand; then you may be understood.
2. Even the "high and mighty" must obey God's rules.

This Parasha is one of my favorites. It tells how the people refuse to accept God's word that the Promised Land is good and that it will be theirs. It relates the story of the twelve "spies" who were therefore sent to scout out the Promised Land. After forty days the spies return to the Israelite encampment to deliver their report. Ten of them bring tales of great fruits, &c. They report that it is indeed a "land of milk and honey." However, they report that it is also a land of powerful warriors. The inhabitants were "giants" in our eyes, and we were like "grasshoppers" before them. The other two spies, Caleb and Joshua, disagree. They recognize that God is with them, so surely they will prevail. They are ready to sally forth into the land.

The spies make these reports to Moses and the Israelites. God hears this and is incensed. He threatens to abandon them as his people and to create a new people for Moshe to lead. Once again, Moses pleads to God to "save" the people. However, God decrees that these individuals, because of their lack of faith, will never enter the Land. Only their children will.

The Parasha also describes offerings to be presented at the Sanctuary, the treatment of the "stranger," and the deadly punishment for collecting wood on the Sabbath. Finally, the command of the blue thread at the corners of the tzitzit is taught.

Gleanings:

1. Low self-esteem (or too high self-esteem) can blind you to God's gifts.
2. Constant reminders of God's laws, &c., are needed - e.g. tzitzit.

Korach is an interesting Parasha as it gets to the point of who is being challenged when a rebellion occurs. Korach, a Levite, along with Datan, Aviram, and 250 chieftains of the people, rebel against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses accepts Korach's challenge by asserting that God will clarify who is to speak on God's behalf, and who has access to God's altar. Aaron did the same.

The next morning, in front of the Tent of Meeting, God's presence appears threatening to wipe out the entire Israelite community. Moshe pleads (again) with God not to punish all for the transgressions of a few. God acquiesces. Moshe instructs the people to remove themselves from the abodes of the rebel leaders. The earth opens and swallows Korach, Datan, and Aviram alive. The other 250 chieftains are consumed by fire.

Having suppressed the rebellion, God tells Moshe to hammer the fire pans of the rebels into plating for the altar, as an eternal reminder.

The community is once again angry at Moshe and Aaron. God brings a plague to smite the stiff-necked Israelites. Aaron is able to halt the plague by bringing his fire pan and incense among the people. In essence, he was bringing an expiation for them.

Gleanings:

1. All people are equal, but not the same.
2. Persuasion, discussion, and negotiation are usually the correct path.

The red heifer is, as the King of Siam would say, "a puzzlement." The rituals surrounding the red heifer are among the most complex and "illogical" mitzvot in the Torah. The cow must be completely red, and its ashes are used to remove the most severe degree of tumah (ritual impurity), that of contact with the dead. The ritual, suffice it to say, is too much to discuss in detail here.

The journey through the wilderness is still going on. At Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, dies and is buried. At her death, a drought occurs. Once again, the Israelites rise in complaint to Moses and Aaron. God tells Moshe to speak to a certain rock, and thus to bring forth water as a sign of God's providence. Getting frustrated and angry, Moses strikes the rock, not once, but twice. Moshe's action angers God and Moshe loses the opportunity to go into the Promised Land.

Going through the wilderness becomes more difficult for the children of Israel, as now God directs their path through existing kingdoms. Most of these refuse passage through their land thus diverting the Israelite entourage. Others simply attack. We win and make it through.

At Mount Hor Aaron dies. The people mourn for Aaron, and his son Eleazar succeeds him as High Priest.

The people complain again, and God sends a plague of serpents. Moshe intercedes and is instructed by God to have the people construct a copper snake statue, called Nehastan. When people look on it, they are healed. (I know - it sounds like an idol but God is requiring it! Remember, this Parasha began with the red heifer!)

Moshe asks Sihon, King of the Amorites, for safe passage. Instead Sihon attacks the children of Israel. We win! Og, the King of Bashan, makes the same mistake as Sihon and pays the same price.

We are now on the borders of the Promised Land.

Gleanings:

1. Control your frustration and anger.
2. Stop complaining.
3. Trust in God.

This portion is about Balak, a Moabite king who perceives the Israelites as a threat. Therefore he wishes and commands Balaam, a non-Jewish prophet, to curse the Israelites. After Balaam refuses to do so a number of times, Balak makes to Balaam an "offer that he cannot refuse." Hashem allows Balaam to go, but Balaam knows that he will not be in control over the words that come out of his mouth.

As Balaam is on his way to do the bidding of Balak, his donkey stops in the middle of the road. It is in a narrow place, and no matter what Balaam does to the donkey it will not proceed. Balaam whips his poor donkey. The donkey turns to Balaam and says, "What have I done to you to deserve this kind of treatment?" Then Balaam is allowed to see the angel blocking the way, which only the donkey could see before.

Balaam reaches his destination and tries to curse the Children of Israel. Instead, he unwillingly bestows a blessing on the people. This blessing is Ma Tovu ("How goodly are your tents..."), which is now a part of the daily morning service.

The parashah ends with the people sinning and worshipping a foreign deity. When a prince of Israel consorts with a Midianite princess in front of the tabernacle, Pinchas slays them. (The story of this event continues in the next portion, Pinchas.)


Gleanings:

1. People can be blind to what is right in front of their eyes.
2. Defending Hashem can be done in many ways.
3. This is the second place in the Torah where an animal speaks.
   What is the only other one?

This parashah has many themes within it. First, Pinchas is rewarded for defending Hashem, who promises to "give to him My covenants of Peace and everlasting priesthood." Then the idolatrous Israelites are punished (the story of this event begins in the previous portion, Balak). Another census is taken of all men over twenty years of age; the Promised Land will be allotted according to these numbers.

In the first real test of women's rights, the daughters of Tzelophechad petition Moshe to inherit the land that would have been given to their father had he not died in the desert. Moshe talks to Hashem who agrees with the daughters and allocates their father's portion to them, with the proviso that the land can never pass to another tribe.

The Lord reveals to Moses what will be his fate - that he will soon die there in the hills of Moab and will not cross over the Jordan into the Promised Land. Then Hashem tells Moshe to ascend the Mountain of Transitions to see the land that the Children of Israel will inherit but which he will not set foot in. Moshe asks Hashem to appoint a person over the community to lead them; G-d selects Joshua, son of Nun.

Finally, the portion sets forth all the holidays. For each holiday it specifies the special, additional (musaf) sacrifices which should be offered on each day.

Gleanings:

1. G-d rewards those who defend him.
2. Never be afraid to bring up you concerns to those in authority.
3. Your behavior has consequences, immediately or down the road.

Oaths and vows are serious business and the Torah has very specific rules. Oaths and vows are binding upon all adult men and women. Fathers of minor daughters or husbands of married women have an opportunity to cancel their vows when they first hear them. The vow of a widow or divorced woman is binding precisely as that of an adult man.

Moses has one last task - to seek retribution upon the Midianites for having lured the Israelites into the licentious idolatry of Baal-Peor. Moshe forms an army by conscription of soldiers from each tribe, and they vanquish the Midianites without losing one man. They slay the five Midianite kings and the prophet Balaam, whom we met in Parshat Balak.

The battles are over and Israel moves into a new phase: that of settlement.

Gleanings:

1. Don't make vows that you cannot or do not intend to keep.
2. Do what you are expected entirely.

This is the final Parasha of B'midbar, the Book of Numbers. It recounts each of the forty-two camps of the Israelites. The recollection is joyous and sad - joyous as it recalls all of God's miracles and sad as it recalls the numerous rebellions against God and against Moses.

At the edge of Canaan, God mandates the conquest and "districting" of the land. Moshe does the work of drawing up the plan even though he won't be allowed to see it come to fruition.

The book reminds us that the women of the family can inherit the land, and must then marry within their clan to keep the land in the clan.

Gleanings:

1. Memories can be used for different purposes.
2. The conquest of Canaan, the Promised Land, still requires planning.