Shabbat Table Talk
Parashat Chukat, Erev Shabbat 22nd June 2018
Week of 17th to 23rd June 2018
Torah Portion: Numbers 19:1-22:1 / Haftarah: Judges 11:1-33
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‘And from the wilderness a gift’ (Numbers 21:18)
Parashah Chukat provides us with a variety of inconsistencies. For example, we have the ashes of a red heifer which are part of the cleansing process (19:9) and which, on the other hand, make a person who touches them unclean (19:10). We also have the place name ‘Kadesh’ meaning ‘sacred’, from the root qdš, (20:1) yet it is the place where Moses and Aaron are charged with not ‘sanctifying’ God (also from the root qdš 20:12). The waters that come from the rock are called ‘Meribah’, meaning ‘strife’ or ‘contention’ (20:13), because the people quarrel with God there. Yet, it is there that God shows his ‘holiness’ to them – again the root qdš.
These inconsistencies give rise to a certain bewilderment and beg such questions as: What does it mean to be ‘clean’ or ‘holy’? Where are cleanliness and holiness to be found? While endeavoring to understand the text, we might also consider the possibility that the bewilderment to which it gives rise is an appropriate inner disposition in response to this wilderness experience we read about and how it unfolds.
The complexities in the text may reflect the circumstances of a people transitioning from slavery into freedom. Transitions often don’t make sense and every step seems to pave the way towards new and unknown experiences. Our bewilderment in reading the text may provide a clue to understanding the experience of traversing the wilderness found in the text itself. Equally, we also may require the qualities and skills of those crossing the wilderness in order to manage our bewilderment. How might the text empower us in our bewilderment while at the same time, ironically, allowing us to gain insights into what remains unknown within it? The following is one suggestion.
In 21:10 the Israelites ‘set out’ (ns‘) and ‘encamp’ (ḥnh), two activities which recur frequently throughout Numbers and which are done in obedience to God’s command (see Numbers 2 & 9). Alternating between setting out and encamping seems to be a requirement for the journey. It is necessary to encamp, to pause on the journey, for the leaders to ‘dig’ and ‘excavate’ the well (21:18), metaphorically understood as Torah. Then they can ‘set out’ again ‘from the wilderness to Mattanah’ (21:18) but this phrase can also be translated ‘from the wilderness a gift’ referring to the well/Torah. Targum Jonathan indicates that the digging goes back as far as Abraham ‘and from the desert it was given to them for a gift’ (20:18) and it goes with them, ‘giving them drink’ (20:19). It is in the wilderness that they experience this gift to take with them as they ‘set out’ and, as the Talmud says, ‘If a person makes himself humble like this wilderness, which is open to all and upon which everyone treads, his Torah study will endure and be given to him as a gift [mattana]. And if not, his Torah study will not endure.’ (Eruvin 54a:21) In 21:19 we notice the places to which this ‘gift’ travels, to the ‘valley’ (Nahaliel) and ‘high place’ (Bamoth), as it travels with the people when they ‘set out’. Rashi notes, ‘the Targum renders [since it was given to them, it descended with them to the streams]’.) Although many questions remain unanswered in our reading of the text, it is clear that God’s presence on the journey and in Torah is an on-going gift, the key underpinning ingredient that supports us in life’s many unknowns.
For Reflection and Discussion: 1 How have I responded to the unknowns or uncertainties I’ve experienced in life? 2 How have I related to others during transition times? 3 Have I allowed myself to experience a ‘gift’ at the heart of transitions and times of bewilderment? If not, can I be open to doing so in the future?
Bibliography: The Five Books of Moses by Robert Alter, Etz Hayim – Torah and Commentary by David L Lieber, The Torah – A Modern Commentary by W Plaut, Rashi, Targum Jonathan in https://www.sefaria.org/ NRSV
This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by
Thérèse Fitzgerald nds, Dublin, Ireland. Bat Kol Alum 2014 and 2015
Email address: theresefitzgerald7@gmail.com
[Copyright © 2018]
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Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem
~~1983-2018~~
“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”
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Our readings today speak of the growth of God’s kingdom – and our dependence on God for that growth. The gospel reading from Mark is taken from his central teaching section, concerning the parables of the kingdom of God. Many of them involve miraculous appearance and inexplicable growth as a metaphor for the kingdom: “the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know.” Great trees, typically cedars, were symbols of powerful empires – as we see in our reading from Ezekiel 17 – but mustard plants are invasive shrubs that grow to be a few feet high. Like many other parables, this one is satirical and humorous: the kingdom is like a scrubby, invasive bush! It suggests that “the kingdom of God” starts from a very small beginning, but grows miraculously.
The Levite rebels proclaim to Moses and Aaron: “ You have gone too far! For all the community is holy, all of them, and Adonai is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above the Lord’s congregation?”(Numbers 16:3)
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We see Jesus today so busy ministering to people that he and his disciples could not even eat. The previous verses and chapters of Mark (see Mk 1 and 2) give us a good view of his whereabouts. He had just appointed the twelve (Mk 3:13-19) and he is going around healing people of various sicknesses, driving out demons and preaching. In the episode we are reading, Jesus went home and two groups of people catch our attention. These are groups we would rather not identify with because of their negative reaction to Jesus – his “family” who “went out to restrain him” and the scribes from Jerusalem who say “he has Beelzebul.” Let us take a good look at these two groups, Jesus’ family and the scribes from Jerusalem. Who are they? What were they thinking? What were they feeling?
The ‘fight-or-flight” response, also known as the acute stress response, is a physiological reaction of human (and animal) that occurs in response to a perceived harmful attack, event or life threatening situations. The process begins in the brain and as a command center, communicates with the rest of the body to produce the energy to fight or flee. Instead of confidently and triumphantly entering the Promised Land two years after their escape to freedom and wandering in the wilderness, the chosen people of God were suddenly thrown into a panic and gave in to fear and wanted to flee, back to Egypt.
There are many important themes held within this week’s parashah with its central focus on the inauguration of the Mishken. As I read I came to see more clearly the humanity of the three prominent figures in the Exodus journey, mainly the siblings, Aaron, Miriam and Moses, “For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery and sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.” (Micah 6:4) These chosen three accompanied and guided the Israelites through the desert. I would like to focus on each of these three seeing them as very human characters in both their greatness and their weakness.
What has a table got to do with it? Pacts, agreements, contracts and other deals are signed on tables, where both parties are present. We might see a table as insignificant, yet it plays a role in witnessing binding covenants. In our readings today, altar and table are mentioned, and these are occasions of presence. In the first reading, the altar is not merely a prop of ritual, rather, it impresses to the Hebrew people that it is a locus of the Divine presence in their midst. The sprinkling of blood may not literally on the people, but on the pillars. The covenant was made between G-d and the people. The people verbally accepted G-d’s command when they said, “All that the L-rd has spoken we will faithfully do!” This utterance might seem simple, yet if we seek the Hebrew word, נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע (na-ashe v’nishma), its roots are עָשָׂה (asha) and שָׁמַע (shama). These two words have a deeper meaning as compared to its simple translation of “do” and “obey”. When they uttered נַעֲשֶׂה (na-ashe), it means that they accept to be G-d’s messenger as well as its accompanied responsibility, while וְנִשְׁמָע (v’nishma) is their willingness to seek understanding, and this possible only when they keenly listen, hence its root word שָׁמַע (shama). Further, when taken together, the peoples’ acceptance of G-d’s covenant is an utterance of their faith in G-d who will *lead them to the right path, for His ordinances are reasonable and it is in their best interests. Deep trust is accompanied with the belief that G-d is always in their midst, and it is around the altar (a table) where they pledge their acceptance of the Divine ordinance, cementing it with a blood that bespeaks of life.
In the reading from Deuteronomy, Moses speaks to the people and reminds them of all the wonders that their God has done for them from Creation up to the present time. He reminds them of the times they were saved from their enemies, how they were freed from the bondage of slavery and called to follow the laws that would put them in right relationship with God and with one another. They are reminded that this God is one who will love and protect them for all times.
Parashat Naso is the longest parasha in Torah and the reading usually falls close to the celebration of receiving the Torah. The simple meaning of the verb naso is “to raise”, but the words “elevate” and “prince” stem from the same root in Hebrew; and appear several times throughout the parasha. The parasha begins with God instructing Moses to raise the heads within the Gershon and Marari clans, and count the men between the age of 30 and 50 who would be involved in transporting the Tabernacle; by doing so, each person in both clans was aware of their importance in their given task.