Parashat Beha’alotcha
05th June 2026
Week of 31 May – 06 June 2026
Torah portion : Num. 8 :1-12 :16 Haftarah Zech. 2:14-4:7
This Shabbat reading teaches about the people of Israel progressing towards the Land of Israel. Therefore, the journey is already a time to experience the gifts that the Land will give to the people. At the same time, the people continue their march, carrying with them their weaknesses and difficulties in maintaining their faithfulness to G-d.
This Parashah continues to structure Jewish life, with its specific services for G-d, such as the setting of the candelabrum. Then comes the institution of the Levites to perform the sacred service. So that the people do not lose perspective on the journey, it is necessary always to keep in mind the exodus from Egypt with the regulations for the celebration of Pesach. However, G-d is the constant presence; it is He, represented in the cloud, who makes the people’s march advance toward the Promised Land.
The reality of daily life is harsh; there is discouragement. Returning to the past, to where they came from, is always a temptation, and the people go through this trial. At the same time, Moses, chosen by G-d to lead the people, keeps the project alive, despite the opposition of the people and even his best collaborators: his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam. This episode, described in chapter 12, solidifies Moses’ definitive leadership, both in relation to the people and in relation to Aaron and Miriam, his closest collaborators. G-d confirms his choice of Moses and does not allow internal division to prevail.
The complaint doesn’t come from the people against Moses, but from Aaron and Miriam, and curiously, both complain about Moses’ personal life. We read that Moses’ two siblings complain against him for two reasons: because Moses ‘married a Cushite woman’ and they raise the question: ‘Did God speak only to Moses?’ That is, Moses would have abandoned Zipporah, his wife, and acted without considering the gift of prophecy with which Aaron and Miriam were invested.
A town, hills and valleys in Galilee, seen from Mount Arbel, in Israel.
In the following text we see that G-d defends Moses; and Miriam will be punished with leprosy; she will be separated from the people, and after doing Teshuvah, along with Aaron, acknowledging the error of having opposed Moses, she was healed and reintegrated into the people.
The oral tradition of Israel offers a wealth of commentary on this topic. I present some of these reflections. As we can see, the objective is to explore the text, to question the text, and above all, try to make the text speak where it didn’t, take advantage of the apparent gaps, and not to attempt to give a final answer, as if the understanding of G-d’s Word had been exhausted.
The commentary on the book of Numbers (Sifre) says: “How did Miriam know that Moses has ceased cohabiting with his wife, except that she observed that Zipporah was no longer bedecking herself in women’s finery. She said to her, “Why do you no longer bedeck yourself in women’s finery?” She answered, “Your brother pays no heed to anything.” Therefore, Miriam knew and told her brother Aaron, and both of them complained against him [Moses].”
Regarding the question raised by Miriam and Aaron concerning the comparison with Moses, Sifre Zuta’s commentary on verse 3 says: “Zipporah spoke out to Miriam, telling Miriam, and Miriam told Aaron, and Aaron added to what they said, and they talked back and forth about the matter; and what were these issues? They said, when the elders were appointed, all the Israelites kindled lights and rejoiced since seventy elders had come to power. When Miriam saw the lights she said, “What good fortune is theirs, and what good fortune it is for their wives,” upon which Zipporah said to her, “Do not say ‘for their wives,’ rather say ‘woe to their wives,’ since from the day that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with your brother Moses, he has had no need of me.” Immediately Miriam went to Aaron and they discussed the matter, as it is said, “Miriam and Aaron spoke with Moses on account of the … woman he had married” – about his having left his wife. They said, Moses was haughty, for had the Holy One, blessed be He, spoken only with him? Rather, He had already spoken with many prophets, also with us, and we did not leave our wives as he has, as it is said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?”
According to the text, the two siblings complained against Moses, but only Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, and the text does not explain why. Once again, tradition provides a possible answer, certainly among many others: “Why does Scripture state explicitly of Miriam, but by intimation regarding Aaron? Since she was the one who began. To what can this be compared? To two people who were walking past a vineyard. One of them went into the vineyard and gathered grapes, ate some, and gave his friend to eat. When the owner of the vineyard came, he only caught the one who was in his vineyard. Thus, with Aaron and Miriam: they both spoke, and both were smitten, but Scripture is explicit only about Miriam, as it says, “there was Miriam stricken with snow-white scales,” because she was the one who began” (TB Shabbat 94a).
The commentaries also show Moses’ compassion for his sister Miriam when he sees her leprous. Moses, in an act of humility, implores the Lord to heal her Himself (chap. 12: 13). In fact, it is implied that Moses could have healed his sister himself, but if it were G-d, it would be so that the people would glorify Him and not Moses: “Upon seeing what had happened to his sister, Moses began screaming and praying for her with all his heart and soul, “O G-d, pray heal her”. Our Rabbis said: Moses said, “Lord of the Universe, You have already made me a healer; if You heal her, it would be best; but if You do not, I shall heal her” (Deuteronomy Rabbah 6. 13).
Dear readers, through these short phrases/comments we learn that the tradition of Israel teaches us that the Word of G-d should be savored through frequent and faithful reading, which is what I wish for all of us.
This week’s Parasha Commentary was prepared by
Elio Passeto, NDS, Jerusalem – Israel Bat Kol Director
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