Today’s Sidra begins on a note of joy and happiness. It focuses on the light of the Menorah and tells us that Aaron was commanded to light its lamps so that six flames, three on each side, should be directed towards the central flame. According to another interpretation, he was instructed to ensure that all the seven flames were directed towards the front of the Menorah, so as to provide illumination for the table which stood opposite it. The lighting of the Menorah was a most fitting finale to the dedication of the Tabernacle. All the tribes, with the exception of the tribe of Levi, celebrated the occasion with each of their tribal princes bringing his own gifts. The tribe of Levi celebrated this dedication, for the first time, with the lighting of the menorah by Aaron, the High Priest.
The next section speaks about the consecration of the Levites which consisted of several parts. The first part was the purification ceremony. Since the consecration took place when the Levites reached the age of 25 years, it was very likely that they had become impure through contact with the dead. The purification was performed with water which contained the ashes of the Red Heifer. The law of the Red Heifer is mentioned later in this book, in chapter 19, but it was given prior to the events described here. It is one example which illustrates that the Book of Numbers is not organised chronologically but in accordance with its themes.
After the purification ceremony the Levites were shaved. Then they offered up a burnt offering, and a sin offering, together with the appropriate meal offering.
In the next stage of the consecration, Moses brought the Levites to the front of the Tent of Meeting, where the representatives of the people also gathered. The representatives then placed their hands upon the Levites, which symbolised the approval of their appointment as the servants of the Tabernacle. The Torah uses the verb SAMACH for the placing of the hands, which is the designation we still use for the rabbinic ordination, called SEMICHAH.
After their appointment Aaron took charge of the Levites and led them in a procession around the altar. The Torah says that this procession symbolised their final separation from the rest of the nation.
In chapter 8, verse 24 we learn that the Levites were called to service at the age of 25. However, earlier in the book in chapter 4 verse 3, it appears that they began their service in the Tabernacle at the age of 30. It seems, therefore, that when they reached the age of 25, the Levites either began their training or they were given various security tasks. Similarly, the Levites, who retired at the age of 50 were given these security tasks. Other commentators suggest that the Levites had the option to begin their service at the age of 25, if they so wished. There is evidence from the Book of Chronicles that, much later in Jewish history, the Levites began their service in the Temple in the age of 20.
Chapter 9 begins with the instruction which was given to Moses on the first of Nissan in the second year after the Exodus. The Israelites were commanded to offer the Pesach sacrifice again on the 14th of the month. Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin explains that the Torah stresses the fact that this commandment was given in the wilderness, although it was not necessary, in order to praise the Israelites for not resenting the celebration of Pesach again, in the second year. This is despite the fact that they hadn’t yet arrived in the Promised Land, as they had been promised. Our rabbis had a tradition which teaches that the Israelites never celebrated Pesach again in the desert. This is, in fact, in accordance with the instructions given at the time of the Exodus. It may be that this Pesach was celebrated as part of the festivities connected with the dedication of the Tabernacle.
The passage continues to tell us that a number of people were extremely upset that they were not able to take part in the offering of the Paschal lamb because they were impure. Their disappointment was due to the fact that they felt that without the opportunity to offer up the Pascal lamb, they would be excluded from the community of Israel. One commentator has remarked that nowadays it would be very good if some Jews, throughout the world, would be upset if they were unable to observe a mitzvah.
The Torah tells us that these men came before Moses and Aaron, who were deliberating the Law together, in the Tent of Meeting. They wanted to know what they should do. However, Moses told them to stand there and wait until he would have a communication with God and hear the ruling. This was a very urgent question and the some rabbis comment on how wonderful it is to hear that Moses had the unique privilege of being able to speak to God at such short notice.
The ruling was that Moses was to institute a second Pesach on the 14th of the second month, which is today known as Pesach Sheni. It was made clear that this institution was introduced in order to allow people to have a second chance offer the Pascal lamb. It was instituted for people who were impure on Pesach or who were far away from Jerusalem. The word for ‘far away’ in Hebrew is ‘RECHOKAH’. It is to be found in chapter 9, verse 10. Above the last letter of that word, which is HE, there is a dot, in the Sefer Torah. This is one of the 10 places in the Torah plus 5 other places in the rest of the Bible which have these dots. In this instance, the Masoretes wanted to alert us to the fact that our rabbis did not interpret the word ‘far away’ literally. They were of the opinion that the second Pesach was to be observed by anyone who happened to be outside the Temple precincts on the 14th of Nissan, during the slaughtering of the lamb.
God’s prompt response to Moses is explained at the end of the Sidra. God speaks about Moses uniqueness as a Prophet and says about him: “Throughout my house, he is faithful”. The mediaeval commentator Avraham ibn Ezra explains that this means that Moses had the unique status of being a member of the Almighty’s household, able to speak to God at any time without waiting. Maimonides ruled that one of the 13 principles of our faith is that Moses was the Father of all the Prophets.