Majestic order and natural bewilderment
| Published date | 26 May 2021 |
| Date | 26 May 2021 |
| Author | Torah MiTzion |
| Publication title | Israel National News (Israel) |
Parashat Behaalotcha clearly has two segments. Beginning with the Glory of the Mishkan and the anointment of the levi'im, leading to the organization of the first journey from Har Sinai to Eretz Yisrael, to be accompanied by the blowing of the Horns.
However, immediately after the first three-day journey, everything seems to disintegrate, "The people took to complaining bitterly before the LORD". Shortly after that "The riffraff in their midst felt a gluttonous craving". The riffraff begin with gluttonous cravings but then, "the Israelites wept and said, If only we had meat to eat". What begins with the riffraff spreads to the broader population in short time.
The surprising aspect of the story is Moshe's response. "Moshe heard the people weeping… and Moshe was distressed." Our expectation is that Moshe would direct his anger to the people and reprimand them, but that does not happen.
On the contrary, Moshe directs his frustration at God. "And Moshe said to the LORD, "Why have You dealt ill with Your servant, and why have I not enjoyed Your favor, that You have laid the burden of all this people upon me? Did I conceive all this people, did I bear them, that You should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries an infant, to the land that You have promised on oath to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people, when they cry before me and say, 'Give us meat to eat!' I cannot carry all this people by myself, for it is too much for me."
Why does Moshe respond in this manner?
The Netziv in his introduction to Sefer Bamidbar explains why the Rabbis titled this book as the "Book of Census" (Numbers), disregarding other important components. "Since the main theme of the book is the replacement and change of God's conduct with his nation when entering the land of Israel from his conduct with them in the dessert. That in the dessert their conduct was in a realm of glory walking alongside Moshe, which is completely beyond nature. While in Eretz Yisrael they conducted themselves in a natural way, with the hidden protection of the Kingdom of Heaven blessed be He".
The book of Bamidbar reflects the transition from a heavenly conduct to a natural one. "In truth the primary transition is noted in the two censuses… they differed in form of how Israel conducted themselves…...
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