[In featuring the 3rd and 4th book of the Torah, namely Vayiqrah and Bamidbar, you will notice that we have sought the interpretation and teachings from rabbinical writings. As many resources as we could find to interpret specific details we hardly can relate to in this day and age,
- we have quoted word for word from the commentary in enclosed parentheses [ ] from Pentateuch and Haftorahs, ed. Dr. J.H.Hertz;
- and sometimes, supplemented from the ArtScroll Tanach notes.
- Here, we’ve added one more resource: The Torah, Portion-by-Portion by Seymour Rossel.
Featuring these rabbinical interpretations does not mean we fully agree with them; we are simply providing our website visitors some possible interpretations of the text under scrutiny. Actually, as descriptive narration, the texts are understandable even without further interpretation.
Recently, one of the search engine terms that a visitor entered sought clarification about the difference, if there was one, between the “Tent of Meeting” and the “Tabernacle”.
Here’s an explanation by Seymour Rossel:
The Voice, the Tent, and the Mishkan.
When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with [Adonai], he would hear the Voice addressing him from above the cover that was on the top of the Ark of the Covenant between the two cherubim [sphinxes]; thus [Adonai] spoke to him.
So the portion ends where we began, with confusion about the Mishkan and the Tent of Meeting and how each was used. In Exodus 33 (Ki Tisah) we heard how Moses pitched the Tent of Meeting “at some distance from the camp”.
Whoever sought Adonai would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out tot he tent, all the people would rise and . . . gaze after Moses until he entered the Tent. And when Moses entered the Tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance, while [Adonai] spoke with Moses . . . Adonai would speak to Moses face to face, as one person speaks to another. And [Moses] would then return to the camp; but his apprentice, Joshua son of Nun, a youth, would not stir out of the tent.
But in Exodus 40 (Pikudel) it is said that the Tent covered the Mishkan, and the cloud kept Moses out.
When Moses finished the work, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of Adonai filled the Mishkan. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of Adonai filled the Mishkan.
As Naso ends it seems that Moses would enter the Tent whenever he wished to speak with Adonai. He would hear Adonai’s “Voice” from above the Ark (which we know is in the Mishkan), and “thus [Adonai] spoke to him.” Clearly, many different stories were woven together in the Torah, but out of them came one people.
God’s Throne: Once the Mishkan was dedicated, the Ark of the Covenant became a sort of throne for Adonai. The Torah says that it was in the Tent of Meeting, so that Moses went inside “to speak with” Adonai, he heard “the Voice” coming from above, from between the two sphinxes on top of the Ark.
—Admin1.]
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Numbers/Bamidbar 7
THE OFFERING OF THE PRINCES
In this chapter we have the narrative of the presentation of the identical gifts by the princes of each of the twelve tribes at the dedication of the Altar. This presentation took place at the time when Moses, after having completed the erection of the Tabernacle, anointed and sanctified it as well as the Altar and all the vessels connected with it (Lev.VIII,10,11). Chronologically the present chapter follows immediately after Lev. VIII. The offerings consist of gifts for the transport of the Tabernacle, and golden and silver vessels for the service of the Sanctuary, with sacrificial animals for the dedication ceremony. They were offered on twelve separate days. The narrative describing each in unaltered language, reflects the stately solemnity that marked the repetition of the same ceremonial day by day. ‘None among the princes wished to outrival the others, but such harmony reigned among them, and such unity of spirit, that God valued the service of each as if he had brought not only his own gifts, but also those of his companions’ (Midrash).
1 Now it was, at the time that Moshe finished setting up the Dwelling, he anointed it and hallowed it, with all its implements, and the slaughter-site, with all its implements, he anointed them and he hallowed them.
on the day. At the time when.
2 Then brought-near the exalted-leaders of Israel, the heads of their Fathers’ House-over them that were numbered. The leaders who were appointed to act with Moses in taking the census.
From ArtScroll: The Midrash relates that, at first, Moses was reluctant to accept the leaders’ offerings, since God had not commanded that these offerings be brought. The experience of Nadab and Abihu, who died when they brought unauthorized incense was a frightening precedent (Leviticus 10:,2). But God told him that the intention of the leaders was pure and their offerings were worthy of acceptance.
Although their offerings were identical, each one is mentioned separately because each was brought to represent a different set of symbols.
3 they are the leaders of the tribes, they are those who stand over the counting- they brought their near-offering before the presence of YHVH: six litter wagons and twelve cattle, a wagon for (every) two leaders and an ox for (each) one. When they had brought-them-near to the Dwelling,4 YHVH said to Moshe, saying:
5 Take (these) from them, that they may serve for the service-of-transport of the Tent of Appointment, and give them to the Levites, each-man according to his serving-tasks.
6 Moshe took the wagons and the cattle and gave them to the Levites.
7 Two wagons and four cattle he gave to the Sons of Gershon, according to their serving-orders,
8 four wagons and eight cattle he gave to the Sons of Merari, according to their serving-orders, under the hand of Itamar son of Aharon the priest,
9 but to the Sons of Kehat he did not give (any), for the service-of-transport of the holy-things is theirs, by shoulder they are to carry (them).
they bore them upon their shoulders. It was not seemly that the holiest vessels should be placed on wagons. Staves or poles had been provided so as to enable them to be borne on shoulders.
10 The leaders brought-near the initiation-offering of the slaughter-site, at the time of its being-anointed. Now when the leaders brought-near their near-offering before the slaughter-site,dedication-offering of the altar. After having presented the wagons and oxen for the conveyance of the Tabernacle and its appurtenances, the princes offered further sacrifices for the dedication of the Altar.
11 YHVH said to Moshe: One leader per day, one leader per day, let them bring-near their near-offering, for the initiation of the slaughter-site.12 So he who brought-near his near-offering on the first day was: Nahshon son of Amminadav, of the tribe of Yehuda.
Nahshon the son of Amminadab. The names of the other princes and the order in which they are mentioned in the present chapter are the same as given previously in connection with the march. ‘Nahshon was rewarded in this way for the devotion he had shown to God during the passage through the Red Sea. When Israel, beset by the Egyptians, reached the sea, the tribes hesitated to enter the sea, and one urged the other to be the first to do so. At that moment Nahshon, the prince of judah, fearlessly plunged in, firmly trusting that God would stand by Israel in their need’ (Midrash).
13 His near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift,14 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense,
15 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up;
16 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering;
17 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Nahshon son of Amminadav.
peace-offerings. Were an expression of the joyous gratitude of the worshipper to God. Hence they were, in these instances, the most multiplied, as befitted an occasion of joy and of thankful communion with God.
The offerings of the princes were a favourite theme for the later Rabbinical homilists. They held that, though the offerings of all the princes were identical, these had a different significance for each tribe. From the time of Jacob, who foretold it to them, every tribe knew his future history to the time of the Messiah; hence, at the dedication of the Altar, each prince brought such offerings as symbolized the history of his tribe. Apart from the significance that the offerings had for each tribe respectively, they were held also to symbolize the history of the world from the time of Adam to the erection of the Tabernacle. The following comments on the gifts of the princes of Issachar (v.18), of Reuben (v. 30), and on v. 84 are fair examples of this symbolization.
Issachar 18 On the second day, Netan’el son of Tzu’ar, leader of Yissakharprince of Issachar. ‘The tribe of Issachar had good claims to be among the first to offer sacrifices, for this tribe devoted itself to the study of the Torah, so that the great scholars in Israel were among them; and then, too, it was this tribe that had proposed to the others the bringing of the dedication offerings. As this was the tribe of erudition, its gifts symbolized things appertaining to the Torah. The silver charger and the silver bowl corresponded to the Written and to the Oral Torah; and both vessels alike are filled with fine flour, for the two Laws are not antagonistic, but form a unity and contain the loftiest teachings. The fine flour was mingled with oil, just as knowledge of the Torah should be accompanied with good deeds; for he who occupies himself with the Torah, who works good deeds, and keeps himself aloof from sin, fills his Creator with delight. The golden spoon of ten shekels symbolizes the Two Tables on which God wrote the Ten Commandments, and which contained between the Commandments all the particulars of the Torah, just as the spoon was filled with incense. The three burnt offerings, the bullock, the ram, and the lamb corresponded to the three groups of Priests, Levites, and Israelites; whereas the kid of the goats alluded to the proselytes, for the Torah was revealed not only for Israel, but for all the world; and a proselyte who studies the Torah is no less than a high priest’ (Midrash).
19 he brought-near his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flourmixed with oil, for a grain-gift,20 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense,
21 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up;
22 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering;
23 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Netan’el son of Tzu’ar. Zebulun 24 On the third day, the leader of the Sons of Zevulun, Eliav son of Heilon- 25 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift, 26 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense,
Numbers 7:27 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up; 28 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering; 29 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Eliav son of Heilon. Reuben 30 On the fourth day, the leader of the Sons of Re’uven, Elitzur son of Shedei’ur-
prince of the children of Reuben. ‘The gifts of the tribe of Reuben symbolized the events in the life of their forefather Reuben. The silver charger recalled Reuben’s words when he saved the life of Joseph, whom his brothers wanted to kill, for “the tongue of the just is as choice silver”. The silver bowl, from which was sprinkled the sacrificial blood, recalled the same incident, for it was Reuben who advised his brothers to throw Joseph into the pit rather than to kill him. The spoon of ten shekels of gold symbolized the deed of Reuben, who restrained Jacob’s sons from bloodshed, hence the gold out of which the spoon was fashioned had a blood-red colour. The spoon was filled with incense, and so too did Reuben fill his days with fasting and prayer, until God forgave his sin with Bilhah, and his “prayer was set forth before God as incense.” As penance for this crime, Reuben offered the kid of the goats as a sin offering; whereas the two oxen of the peace offering corresponded to the two great deeds of Reuben, the deliverance of Joseph and the long penance for his sin’ (Midrash).
31 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift, 32 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense, 33 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up; 34 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering; 35 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Elitzur son of Shedei’ur. Simeon 36 On the fifth day, the leader of the Sons of Shim’on,38 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense, 39 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up;
40 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering;
41 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Shelumi’el son of Tzurishaddai. Gad 42 On the sixth day, the leader of the Sons of Gad, Elyasaf son of De’uel- 43 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift,
44 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense,
45 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up;
46 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering;
47 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Elyasaf son of De’uel. Ephraim 48 On the seventh day, the leader of the Sons of Efrayim, Elishama son of Ammihud- 49 his near-offering; one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift,
50 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense, 51 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up;
52 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering;
53 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Elishama son of Ammihud. Manasseh 54 On the eighth day, the leader of the Sons of Menashe, Gamliel son of Pedahtzur- 55 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift,
56 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense,
57 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up;
58 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering;
59 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Gamliel son of Pedahtzur. Benjamin 60 On the ninth day, the leader of the Sons of Binyamin, Avidan son of Gid’oni- 61 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift,
62 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense,
63 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up;
64 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering;
65 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Avidan son of Gid’oni. Dan 66 On the tenth day, the leader of the Sons of Dan, Ahi’ezer son of Ammishaddai- 67 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift, 68 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense, 69 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up; 70 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering; 71 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom; oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Ahi’ezer son of Ammishaddai. Asher 72 On the day of the eleventh day, the leader of the Sons of Asher, Pag’iel son of Okhran- 73 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift, 74 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense, 75 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up; 76 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering; 77 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Pag’iel son of Okhran. Naphtali 78 On the day of the twelfth day, the leader of the Sons of Naftali, Ahira’ son of Einan- 79 his near-offering: one dish of silver, thirty and a hundred its shekel-weight, one bowl of silver, seventy shekels according to the Holy-shrine shekel, both of them filled with flour mixed with oil, for a grain-gift, 80 one ladle (of) ten (shekels) of gold, filled with smoking-incense, 81 one bull, a young of the herd, one ram, one lamb in its (first) year, as an offering-up; 82 one hairy goat as a hattat-offering; 83 and as a slaughter-offering of shalom: oxen two, rams five, he-goats five, and lambs in the (first) year five. That (was) the near-offering of Ahira’ son of Einan.
The Total
84 This (was) the initiation-offering for the slaughter-site, at the time of its being-anointed, from the leaders of Israel: dishes of silver twelve, bowls of silver twelve, ladles of gold twelve;‘The gifts of the twelve princes of the tribes were equal in number as well as in the size and width of the objects bestowed. None among them wished to outrival the others; and such harmony and unity of spirit reigned among them, that God valued the service of each as if he had brought not only his own gifts but also those of his companions. The sum total of the gifts of the twelve princes of the tribes had also a symbolical significance. The twelve chargers correspond to the twelve constellations; the twelve bowls to the twelve months; the twelve spoons to the twelve guides of men, which are: the heart, the kidneys, the mouth, the palate, the windpipe, the esophagus, the lungs, the liver, the spleen, the crop, and the stomach. “All the silver of the vessel that weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels,” corresponded to the years that had passed from the Creation of the World to the advent of Moses in the fortieth year of his life. All the gold of the spoons, the weight of which was a hundred and twenty shekels, corresponded to the years of Moses’ life’ (Midrash).
85 thirty and a hundred (weight) per one dish, of silver, seventy per one bowl; all the silver of the implements: two thousand, four hundred, by the Holy-shrine shekel. 86 Twelve ladles of gold filled with incense: ten, ten (weight) per ladle, by the Holy-shrine shekel; all the gold of the ladles: twenty and a hundred. 87 All the oxen for the offering-up: twelve bulls, rams twelve, lambs in the (first) year twelve, with their grain-gift; hairy goats twelve, for the hattat-offering. 88 And all the oxen for the slaughter-offerings of shalom: four and twenty bulls, rams sixty, he-goats sixty, lambs in the (first) year sixty. T his (was) the initiation-offering of the slaughter-site, after they had anointed it.Moses enters the Tabernacle
89 Now when Moshe would come in the Tent of Appointment to speak with him, he would hear the voice continually-speaking to him from above the Purgation-cover that is atop the coffer of Testimony, from between the two winged-sphinxes; and he would he speak to him.he heard the Voice speaking unto him. lit. ‘he heard the Voice making itself as speaking’; i.e. Moses was audibly addressed by a Voice, not as before on the peak of Sinai far away, but in the Sanctuary that was now in the midst of Israel: Exod. XXV,22.
‘Moses in his humility felt that his mission as leader of the people ended with the erection of the Tabernacle, as Israel could now satisfy all their spiritual needs without his aid. But God said, As truly as thou livest, I have for thee a far greater task than any thou hast yet accomplished, for thou shalt instruct My children about “clean and unclean”, and shalt teach them how to offer up offerings to Me. God hereupon called Moses to the Tabernacle, to reveal to him there the laws and teachings. The Voice that called Moses was as powerful as at the revelation at Sinai, still it was audible to none but Moses. Not even the angels heard it, for the words of God were destined exclusively for Moses (Midrash).