Grumblings about food, assembling against leaders, weeping
and moaning. The rebellion narratives of the book of Numbers have begun.
Everett Fox divides the book of Numbers into three main
sections: “In the Wilderness of Sinai: The Camp,” “The Rebellious Folk:
Narrives of Challenge,” and “In the Plains of Moab: Preparations for the
Conquest of Canaan.”
This week’s parasha closes up the first section with a
number of laws. Included are
instructions regarding the Levites and their role as substitutes for all
Israelite first-born, laws about those who can’t observe Pesach because of
ritual impurity, and a description of how the Israelite’s set up camp and moved
forward at the command of God.
The book then takes a twist and jumps into rebellion and
drama. In Chapter 11 the “riff-raff” instigate a campaign against manna and for
meat. And in Chapter 12 Miryam and Aaron speak against their brother.
Presumably, they do this because they disapprove of his wife, but it becomes
clear that they are really angling for more power by questioning Moses’ unique
claim to prophecy.
You may remember that our discussion last week ended with a
conversation about humility. In Chapter 12, the Torah narrator’s voice claims
that “Moshe is exceedingly humble, more than any (other) human who is on the
face of the earth.” These rebellions test Moshe’s humility big time. And the
Israelites are tested as well – do they have the faith and trust in God, in
their leadership and in themselves that they need to be able to move forward
into the Promised Land? It seems that the next few parashot of Numbers call to
us to examine this quality (middah) of humility. We know that it’s possible to
have too little of it. Do the Israelites have too much such that they don’t
believe in themselves?
No comments:
Post a Comment