Soucat DAvid

Adonai spoke to Moshe, in the Sinai Desert bemidbar, בְּמִדְבַּר, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt. Numbers 1:1

Why does the Torah quote the sentence « in the Sinai Desert » with a very special emphasis?

The Midrach Rabba teaches that the basic condition to acquire knowledge and the Torah is to have a heart that is as wide and open as a wilderness, hefker, a land without owner … This commentary shows us the humility we need not only to enable us to receive the teachings of the Torah but also to enable us to teach it in return.

After the theme of sanctity in the central book of the Torah, the Book of Leviticus, we come now to the Book of Numbers where we find the preparation to enter the Promised Land through the census and the exact counting of the soldiers of G-d‘s army, the army of Adonai Tzevaot, The Lord of Hosts.

We have seen the theme of G-d’s Word in each of the previously studied Books:

The Book of Bereshit (Genesis): the book of the messianic vision; the origin of the creation and of the Jewish people.

The Book of Shemot (Exodus): concerns the first part of the plan of Redemption referring to the departure from Egypt and the gift of the Torah.

The Book of Vayikkra (Leviticus): Is the call to sanctity, the way to serve G-d and to become a nation of priests.

The Book of Bemidbar (Numbers): how to become an obedient and faithful army.

The Book of Numbers resembles a «military» book in the way priority is given to order and discipline. From the moment they accepted and received the Torah on Mount Sinai, the children of Israel became a people with a divine Constitution; from that time on, they constitute themselves as an army at the service of the King of the Universe, the Almighty G-d.

We also see in this book that entrance into the Promise Land will be delayed because of the sins of the spies and the walks of the Jewish people during the thirty-eight years of wandering until their arrival on the bank of the Jordan River.

On the second year of their pilgrimage G-d commands Moshe and Aaron to make a census of all the Israelites from the ages of 20 years up to 60. The age of 20 is chosen to give a priority to education, which is a pre-requisite for the training of good soldiers at the Master’s service. The family is the place where the basis of an education anchored in the respect of the Word is given, so that a foundation can be laid for the further development of the personality of the child. He will then spend his childhood and teenage years in close contact with the elderly people of his family, before he enlists with conviction, in the army of the L-rd.

603,550 solders were numbered. The tribe of Levi is exempt from military service because of its religious responsibilities; 22,000 among them received the task to guard and to serve in the Mishkan. The assignment of the Gershon family was to carry the blankets of the Mishkan, the Kehat family carried the Ark, the Showbread Table, the Menorah and the altars, the Merari family carried the planks, the pillars, and the bases.

The twelve tribes were divided into four groups that surrounded the Mishkan during their walks as well as during their stations.

This census takes place seven months after the first one, which was held after the sin of the Golden Calf on the Sinai Mountain. The first census was done without any distinction between the families or tribes; those who escaped the punishment were counted one by one. But the second census is done with a military state of mind as the L-rd reviews his army. He calls every tribe in particular, according to its identity and anointing, each one having a very special place to keep and a special part to play. We will see this later on when we describe their characteristics.

The children of Israel were called to understand that without the community they were nothing and that their function could only be useful when they are fulfilled as being a part of the group.

Twelve princes, each called after their own father’s name, will have the responsibility to stand behind Moshe. It is interesting to note that most of the names of the fathers and of the sons carry an aspect of the names of G-d and reveal the consecration of these leaders and as a consequence, reveal also what they were chosen for:

These are the men to take with you:

From Re’uven, Elitzur, my G -d. is my Rock, אֱלִיצוּר the son of Sh’ede’ur, G-d is light שְׁדֵיאוּר

From Shim’on, Shlumi’el my peace in G-d, שְׁלֻמִיאֵל son of Tzurishaddai G-d is my Rock צוּרִישַׁדָּי

From Y’hudah praise to G-d, יהוּדָה Nachshon, the son of Amminadav;

From Yssakhar, N’tan’el נְתַנְאֵל G-d has given, the son of Tzu’ar;

From Z’vulun, Eli’av אֱלִיאָבmy G-d is my Father, the son of Helon ;

Of the children of Yosef, G-d adds;

From Efrayim, Elishamaאֱלִישָׁמָע my G-d had heard the son of Ammihud;

From M’nasheh, Gamli’elגַּמְלִיאֵל my G-d is my reward; the son of P’dahtzur פְּדָהצוּרthe rock has redeemed;

From Binyamin, Avidanאֲבִידָן my Father has judged the son of Gid’oni;

From Dan, Achi’ezer, the son of Ammishaddaïעַמִּישַׁדָּי people of G-d

From Asher, Pag’i’elפַּגְעִיאֵל encounter with G-d the son of Okhran;

From Gad, Elyasafאֶלְיָסָף G-d has added; the son of De’u’elדְּעוּאֵל knowledge of G-d;

From Naftali, Achira, the son of Enan. Numbers 1:5-15

The twelve leaders will be divided among the four camps of three tribes each, and each of these camps having a leading tribe. They will pitch their tents around the Mishkan , the dwelling place of the Ark of the Covenant, which is kept by the tribes of the Levites.

But the L’vi’him are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that no anger will come upon the assembly of the people of Israel. The l’vi’him are to be in charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.

Numbers 1:53

A task of the Levites was to prevent the Israelites from approaching the most Holy place. This command reminds us of the order not to come close to Mount Sinai which was ablaze with fire when the Torah was given.

These Levites were in charge of all the furniture and were to carry out all the duties connected with the service of the Tabernacle according to Chapter 3 verses 6-8.

They were also responsible for the singing (the word Levi means «to accompany »).

Tradition tells us that Moshe named « eight gatekeepers » from among the Cohanim and the Levites who took their place every week. The prophet Samuel and King David established a new order and divided the tasks into 24 guards or classes.

As David his father had ordered, he appointed the divisions of the cohanim for their service and the L’vi’im to their tasks – to praise and to perform their service in the presence of the cohanim according to each day’s requirements. He also appointed the gatekeepers by their divisions to be at every gate, for David the man of God had so ordered.

2 Chronicles 8:14

We see this again in the renewed Covenant when Zachariah (literally G-d remembers) was fulfilling his duty during his assigned service before G-d and received the news of the birth of his son Yochanan, literally G-d gives grace:

One time when Z’kharyah was fulfilling his duties as cohen during his division’s period of service before God, he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the cohanim) to enter the Temple and burn incense. Luke 1:8-9

There was order and the Israelites obeyed from their heart and each of them stood under his banner according to their signs or marks, otot אתת of their father’s house.

In the Torah, the family is always preserved and in honor. The father gives his anointing and his guidelines and the sons form a solid and disciplined army.

According to Rashi, these «signs » (otot in Hebrew) are the instructions that Yaakov gave to his sons to carry his coffin: sons were posted on each side of the coffin, some to the north, south, east and west. Also of interest is that certain “signs” also appear in the vision of Ezekiel on the celestial chariot; those of the four faces: the lion, the man, the bullock and the eagle.

The banners of the tribes represent the characteristics expressed in the blessing given by Yaakov to his sons. The banner of Judah represented a lion, symbolic for this tribe. The tribe of Reuben represented a man, the mangroves remind us of the shape of a human body standing. The tribe of Ephraim represented a steer, an allusion to Joseph (Deut 33:17).

At last the tribe of Dan, an eagle suggesting a snake with wings and flying, according to Abarnabel.

Four camps with three tribes each, all gathered under the banner of four chief leaders each one at the four directions, N S E W

On the East under the banner of Yehuda:

Yissachar and Z’vulon his young brothers

On the South under the banner of Reuven :

Shim’on and Gad his young brother and an added tribe of Gad

On the West under the banner of Ephraim:

Menashe and Binyamin the brothers and uncle reunited

On the North under the banner of Dan:

Naftali and Asher the sons of the servants reunited and Gad who stays over will go to Reuven

Those four leaders represented also the four eldest:

Reuven, the biological son of Lea

Yehuda had inherited the firstborn right because of Reuven‘s sin.

(Genesis 35:22)

Ephraim had also inherited the firstborn right over his brother through his grandfather Yaakov (Genesis 48:17-19)

Dan was the first born of the children of the servant Billah at Zilpa.

The places of these tribes are far from being chosen at random:

The East in Hebrew kedem means: the one who stands before. Yehuda, represents the royal Scepter of the kingdom and goes before. He owns the spiritual leadership together with Yissachar, the learned in the Torah and Z’vulon, also a learned man but at the same time a merchant who traveled afar off, to other shores and did trade to support financially his brother Yissachar who taught the Torah. Later, many members of the tribe of Yissachar will have a seat in the Sanhedrin.

The South represents wisdom and Reuben represents the moral side because of his repentance. He has taken the side of Yossef in front of his brothers saving him from death. Shim’on, in spite of his violence, had fought for a noble cause, to avenge his sister.

The West, according to the Tradition is the place of the Shekhina. Ephraim, Menashe and Binyamin defend the land of Israel like warriors (Psalms 80 :2). Yehoshua, the conqueror of the Promised Land was a descendant of Ephraim and Binyamin symbolizes the unity between the brothers. It is through him that the reuniting in the family of Yaakov has taken place. The Temple will be built on his ground.

The North is symbolic of material riches (Job 37:22) and those tribes will

insure the well being in the Land.

The camp of the Levites was in the middle. It surrounded the Mishkan where the Ark containing the tables of the Torah was kept.

When we consider this disposition, we are reminded of the place of the Tree of Life in the middle of the Gan Eden. The Torah is compared to a tree, and in this way, G-d shows us that His commands are and must be of easy access to all people in the same way, just as the Manna which fell in equal quantity for each person.

She is a tree of life to those who grasp her; whoever holds fast to her will be made happy. Proverbs 3:18

Yeshua, the living Torah through whom everything was created, is the one in whom we ourselves have been rooted firmly:

Stand united with me, as I will with you – for just as the branch can’t put forth fruit by itself apart from the vine, so you can’t bear fruit apart from me. John 15:4

If you remain united with me and my words with you, then ask whatever you want, and it will happen for you.

John 15:7

If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love – just as I have kept my father’s commands and stay in his love.

John 15:10

Then G-d orders the replacement of the firstborn by the Levites:

Then you are to take the L’vi’im for me, Adonai, in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra’el, and the cattle of the L’vi’im in place of the firstborn of the cattle belonging to the people of Isra’el. Numbers 3:41

Rashi tells us that the firstborn to whom was given the service in the Temple were disqualified the moment they sinned with the Golden Calf and that the Levites had to be chosen instead of them because they fought for the honor of the Torah.

The Levites will serve and play their prophetic role to announce the Firstborn, established according to the order of Melkitzedek, King of righteousness: Yeshua. He will take His place as Cohen Gadol. As believers, we become cohanim according to the same order:

From Yochanan to : The seven Messianic communities in the province of Asia : Grace and shalom to you from the One who is, who was en who is coming ; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne ; and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth’s kings.

To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood, who has caused us to be a kingdom that is , cohanim for God, his Father – to him e the glory and the rulership forever and ever Amen. Revelation 1:4-6

We are called to this holy priesthood and the following verse reminds us of this:

But… are not to go in and look at the holy things as they are being covered; if they do, they will die. Numbers 4:20

It was forbidden to look upon the Holy Ark without a blanket. The story of Beth-Shemesh is also a reminder of this fact:

For Adonai struck the people of Beit-Shemesh for looking at the ark of Adonai. He killed 50,070 of the people; the people mourned because Adonai had struck them with such a terrible slaughter. The people of Beit-Shemesh asked, « Who can stand before Adonai, this holy God?

To whom can we send it, to get it away from us?

1 Samuel 6:19-20

The prohibition to make physical representations of all that is above or in or under the earth (Exodus 20:4) commands us in fact, not to gaze at celestial things with our carnal eyes, so as not to risk giving to G-d a profane service, which would only have a religious appearance of piety but denying the very Essence of the One who is the Author of it:

So if you were raised along with the Messiah, then seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right had of God. Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth; Colossiens 3:1-2

For Moshe said “Honor your father and your mother”, and “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.” But you say: « If someone says to his father or mother: I have promised as a Korban (that is a gift to God), what I might have used to help you » Then no longer let him do anything for his father or mother, thus with your tradition which you had handed down to you, you nullify the Word of God! And you do other things like this. Mark 7:10-13

At the end of this Parasha, the blueprint of the will of G-d for His people makes a strong impact on our minds: a holy people, united around the Source of Life, united to G-d by a sincere and pure faith and through the obedience to His commandments, this is the true service pleasing to Him and the one which we should seek after:

For just as the body is one but has many parts; and all the parts of the body, though many, constitute one body; so it is with the Messiah. For it was by one Spirit that we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free; and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. For indeed the body is not one part but many

1 Corinthians 12:12-14

But as it is, God arranges each of the parts in the body exactly as he wanted them. 1 Corinthians 12:18

Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27