Talmud zu Bamidbar 7:91

From where the dismantlings? Rebbi Zeˋira said,⁹⁰Num. 7:1. Since on this day the princes of the tribes started presenting their sacrifices, it must be the day when Aaron and his sons already officiated, the eighth day of initiation. Since the Tent of Meeting already was erected on the first day, finishing the erections on the eighth implies some dismantling in between. it was on the day that Moses stopped erecting the Dwelling, on the day the erections stopped. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, as he did on that day, did the Eternal command⁹¹Lev. 8:34. Since the verse implies that all of seven days the ritual commanded in Ex. 29 had to be repeated, including the erection of the Tent of Meeting.. Was this not already stated? One in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan ⁹²He interprets the verse differently, Note 7., and one in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish.

On the Eighth {Day}. There are Tannaim who state, it⁹³The Tent of Meeting. was anointed; and there are Tannaim who state, it was not anointed. There are Tannaim who state, it was dismantled; and there are Tannaim who state, it was not dismantled. Rebbi Ḥanin said, it is obvious for us that for him who said, it was anointed it was dismantled; and for him who said, it was not anointed it was not dismantled. Him who said, it was anointed, one understands since it is written he anointed them⁹⁰Num. 7:1. Since on this day the princes of the tribes started presenting their sacrifices, it must be the day when Aaron and his sons already officiated, the eighth day of initiation. Since the Tent of Meeting already was erected on the first day, finishing the erections on the eighth implies some dismantling in between.. But he who said, it was not anointed, how does he uphold he anointed them? I consider it as if it were missing anointment and you anointed it. Him who said, it was anointed, one understands since it is written⁹⁴Ex. 29:37. If the altar was not put out of commission in the meantime because the Tent was dismantled, only one atonement would have been necessary. Therefore every day must have seen a new commissioning of the altar., seven days they shall atone the altar. But he who said, it was not dismantled, how does he uphold seven days they shall atone the altari Atonement by blood, as it was stated⁹⁵Babli 4a. The persons referred to are the High Priest for the service of the Day of Atonement and the priest chosen to burn the corpse of the Red Cow. The sprinkling water has to penetrate the prietly garments below the blood and oil by which they were dedicated.: On both of them they were sprinkling from all purifications⁹⁶Ashes from all Red Cows conserved in the Temple. that were there, so that the water should penetrate under the blood, the words of Rebbi Jehudah; Rebbi Yose says, under the blood and under the anointing oil.

Aḥitophel was a man great in Torah. It is written²⁴²2S. 6:1. The verse is written in military language but does not appear in a military context.: David again assembled all young men in Israel, 30’000. Rebbi Berekhiah in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Cahana²⁴³Num. rabba 4(21),12(25); Midrash Samuel 24(5).: Ninety thousand Elders did David ordain on one day, but he did not ordain Aḥitophel with them²⁴⁴Justifying Ahitophel’s hatred of David. He had enough reason as Batseba’s grandfather.. That is what is written: David again assembled all young men in Israel, 30’000. He added, 30’000. Again, 30’000, and the simple sense of the verse, 30’000; together 90’000. You find that at the moment when David came to carry the Ark of the Eternal’s Covenant, he did not carry it following the Torah²⁴⁸Num. 7:9.. They moved the Ark of God’s Covenant on a new car²⁴⁵2S. 6:3., etc. The Ark lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground; lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground. David sent and brought Aḥitophel. He told him, can you not tell me why the Ark lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground, lifted the Cohanim up and tore them down to the ground? He answered, send and ask all the wise men whom you ordained. David said, any man who knows how to put this in order but does not put it in order should end up strangled. He said something in front of it and it was steadied. That is what is written²⁴⁶2S. 6:13; 2 Chr. 15:20. The two verses contradict one another.: It was when the carriers of the Eternal’s Ark took six steps that he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Rebbi Ḥanina and Rebbi Mana, one said, for every step a bull and a fattened calf and at the end seven oxen and seven rams; but the other said, for every step seven oxen and seven rams and at the end a bull and a fattened calf²⁴⁷To explain both verses (Note 246). Babli Sotah 35b.. The Holy One, praise to Him, said to Aḥitophel: Something which the schoolchildren say every day in assembly you did not say to him: to the Bene Qehat he did not give; for the service of the holy [vessels] is on them, they should carry on the shoulder²⁴⁸Num. 7:9.. But so you told him. ²⁴⁹Differently Babli Sukkah 53a; hinted at Makkot 11a. Similarly you find that when David started to excavate the foundations²⁵⁰Greek θεμελίωσις; cf. Sotah 6:2 Note 17. of the Temple, he dug down fifteen hundred cubits and did not find the abyss. At the end he found a clay pot and wanted to lift it. It told him, you cannot lift me. We asked, why? It answered, because I am here suppressing the abyss. He asked it, since when are you here? It answered, from the Moment that the Merciful spoke on Sinai: I am the Eternal, your God²⁵¹Ex. 20:2., the earth trembled and sank down, and I was put here to suppress the abyss²⁵²Cf. Babli ˋAvodah zarah 3a, Midrash Tehillim 74 #4. The reference is to Ps.76:9: The earth was fearful and quiet. The earth was fearful because it was created on condition that Israel accept the Torah; when Israel accepted the Ten Commandments the earth became quiet since its continued existence was assured. The cover on the abyss sits on the waters of the Deluge (Gen.7:11).. Nevertheless, he did not listen to it; when he lifted it the abyss rose and threatened to flood the world. Aḥitophel was standing there. He said, now David will be strangled and I shall rule. David said, any Sage who knows how to put this in order but does not put it in order should end up strangled. He said what he said²⁵³A magical spell. and it was steady. David started to sing a song of ascent, a song for a rise of 100 [cubits]. For each hundred cubits he composed a song. Nevertheless, he ended up strangled. Rebbi Yose said, that is what the proverb says, a person has to worry about the curse of a rabbi, even if it is for nothing²⁵⁴Babli Berakhot 56a, Makkot 11a.. Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Rav Isaac: The scroll which Samuel handed over to David, Aḥitophel composed it by the Holy Spirit²⁵⁵The blueprint for building the Temple (1Chr. 28:11).. What did Aḥitophel do? If anybody asked for his counsel in anything and he gave his advice, he said go and do such and such, and if you do not believe me ask the Urim and Tummim. He went, asked, and found it correct²⁵⁶Midrash Tehillim 3(4). (We do not find that the oracle could be used for anything but affairs of state.). That is what is written²⁵⁷2S. 16:23.: The counsel of Aḥitophel which he gave in those days, etc. Man is read but not written²⁵⁸Babli Nedarim 37b.; the verses could not call him “a man.²⁵⁹In Midrash Tehillim 3(4): “but an angel.””

The same was said by David, king of Israel; for it is stated, He made darkness His hiding-place.⁶¹Ps. 18, 12. With reference to whom did David say this verse? He only said it by way of praising the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is Yah ruling in the heights of the universe; He is One and His name is One, and He dwells in three hundred and ninety firmaments.⁶²The Heb. for ‘heaven’, שמים, has the numerical value 390. Upon each firmament His Name and attributes are inscribed; in each are Ministering Angels, Seraphim, Ophannim,⁶³lit. ‘wheels’, cf. Ezek. 1, 15ff. Cherubim, celestial spheres⁶⁴The spheres of the zodiac. and the throne of glory. Do not wonder too much at this statement; because a king of flesh and blood has a number of residences, some for warm weather and some for cold weather; how much more so [can this be said] of the King, the Life of the universe, since everything belongs to Him!
When Israel perform the will of the All-present, [56b] He dwells in Araboth the seventh [heaven]⁶⁵The seventh heaven is the abode of righteousness, justice and peace; cf. Ḥag. 12a (Sonc. ed., pp. 71f.). and He does not disinterest Himself in anything [in the world]; as it is stated, From between the two cherubim; and He spoke unto him.⁶⁶Num. 7, 89. But when He is wroth, He ascends and dwells in the upper heavens, and though people cry aloud and weep, their voices are not heard, even though they decree a fast, wallow in ashes, clothe themselves in sackcloth and shed tears.

One does not ask two questions simultaneously¹⁰³Babli 73a.. If they were asked, there are Tannaim who state, He answers the first but does not answer the second; and there are Tannaim who state, He answers the second but does not answer the first; and there are Tannaim who state, He answers neither the first nor the second. He who says, He answers the first but does not answer the second; from the following: David said, Eternal, God of Israel, etc., would the people of Qeˋilah surrender me into his hand¹⁰⁴ISam. 23:11., etc.? ]Would Saul descend, David asked incorrectly. Was it not necessary, would Saul descend, and if he descended, would the people of Qeˋilah surrender me into his hand?]¹⁰⁵Corrector’s addition. The question asked in 23:11 was illogical since the first question was relevant only if the answer to the second question was positive. Therefore it was necessary for David to ask the first question a second time, 1Sam. 23:12. There is no reason to assume a corruption of the biblical text. He who said, He answers the second but does not answer the first; from the following: David said, would the people of Qeˋilah surrender me¹⁰⁶ISam. 23:12.., etc. He who said, He answers neither the first nor the last, David asked the Eternal as follows, shall I pursue this troop, shall I reach it¹⁰⁷ISam. 30:8.? David asked for mercy in this case, Eternal, God of Israel, please tell Your servant¹⁰⁴ISam. 23:11.. You should know, since he asked two [questions] and He answered three [answers]: He said, pursue, for catching you will catch and saving you will save¹⁰⁷ISam. 30:8.. There are Tannaim who state, he was hearing the voice; there are Tannaim who state, the writing was protruding. He who said, he was hearing the voice is understandable since it is written, he heard the voice¹⁰⁸Num. 7:89.. He who said, the writing¹⁰⁹Identifying Urim and Tummim with an oracle involving the breast plate of the High Priest on whose precious stones the names of the 12 tribes were engraved, Ex. 28:21. This seemed to be excluded since not the entire alphabet was occurring in these names. was protruding, but there is no ח for the tribes, and there is no צ [and no ק] for the tribes! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob was written on them. But there is no ט for the tribes! All these are the tribes of Israel¹¹⁰Gen. 49:28. was engraved on them.

MISHNAH: On Ḥanukkah, about the princes¹²¹Num. 7:12–59 (-89), on each day of Ḥanukkah one reads the princes’ offerings for that day of the dedication of the Tabernacle.. On Purim, Amaleq came¹²²Ex. 17:8–16.. On New Moons, on the start of your months¹²³Num. 28:11–15.. For the bystanders, the Creation¹²⁴On each day of the week one reads the corresponding day of Creation; Gen. 1:1–2:3.. On fast days, blessings and curses¹²⁵Either Lev. 26:3–46 or Deut. Chapter 28.. One does not interrupt curses, but one person reads them entirely. On Monday, Thursday, and Sabbath afternoon one reads regularly but they may not count it in the series¹²⁶One reads the start of the portion to be read on the next Sabbath; this has no influence on the text to be read on the Sabbath., as it is said¹²⁷Lev. 23:44., Moses spoke to the Children of Israel about the holidays of the Eternal; the obligation is that each one be read in its time.

‘R. Joshua b. Levi said: Every day’, etc. Whence do we know this? For it is written, Hark! the Lord crieth [yiḳra’] unto the city—and it is wisdom to have regard for Thy name.¹⁰⁵Micah 6, 9. Perhaps the verse speaks of an ordinary voice [calling and not a Bath Ḳol]? Here it is stated yiḳra’, and elsewhere it is stated, And the Lord called [wayyiḳra’] unto him out of the mountain:¹⁰⁶Ex. 19, 3. as there it was [God calling] from Sinai, so here too it is [God calling] from Sinai. Alternately, here it states yiḳra’ and of the tent of meeting it states, And the Lord called [wayyiḳra’] unto Moses, and spoke unto him out of the tent of meeting.¹⁰⁷Lev. 1, 1. But it might be argued that here¹⁰⁸In Micah 6, 9, where the word ḳol is used, translated hark. it uses the word ḳol and elsewhere it states, God answered him by a voice [beḳol]!¹⁰⁹Ex. 19, 19, which seems to imply that it was not God Who spoke. Then quote, Then he heard the Voice speaking.¹¹⁰Num. 7, 89. Here it is clear that God is speaking. [It might also be argued,] Here it states, unto the city¹¹¹In Micah 6, 9, and therefore the comparison is not complete. and there it does not! [Draw the inference] from the following: Hark [ḳol]! one calleth [ḳore’]: Clear ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord,¹¹²Isa. 40, 3. where ‘calling’ and ‘wilderness’ occur, and it is written, They encamped in the wilderness¹¹³Ex. 19, 2, which refers to a time before Sinai.—perhaps this refers to the periodical ‘callings’! When it mentions ‘calling’ it implies a regular calling, as it is written, When I call unto them, they stand up together.¹¹⁴Isa. 48, 13.
Our Rabbis have taught:¹¹⁵Ber. 55a (Sonc. ed., p. 335). R. Joḥanan there enumerates three things: famine, plenty and leadership. Five things the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself proclaims, viz.: the leader, famine, plenty, the sword, and those who escape the sword. ‘The leader’, as it is written, See, I have called by name Beẓalel.¹¹⁶Ex. 31, 2. ‘Famine’, as it is written, For the Lord hath called for a famine.¹¹⁷2 Kings 8, 1. ‘Plenty’, as it is written, And I will call for the corn and will increase it.¹¹⁸Ezek. 36, 29. ‘The sword’, as it is written, For I will call for a sword.¹¹⁹Jer. 25, 29. ‘Those who escape the sword’, as it is written, And among the remnant those whom the Lord shall call.¹²⁰Joel 3, 5. It is all right with three since the Divine Name is written in connection with them, but with And I will call for the corn, perhaps [this means] by a messenger, as it is written, I will call my servant Eliaḳim!¹²¹Isa. 22, 20. If you do not admit this, surely there [with Eliaḳim] the Divine Presence called to him [to act as leader], because it was similar to that of Beẓalel who was a leader.

R. Isaac Seḥorah asked R. Isaac Nappaḥa, ‘What do we read [first]³¹In the second and third scrolls. when the New Moon of Ṭebeth³²Which always occurs in the week of Ḥanukkah. falls on a Sabbath?’³³Three scrolls are then taken from the ark. The usual weekly portion is read in the first, and the passages for New Moon and Ḥanukkah in the second and third. [He replied,] ‘In the section of kalloth,³⁴E.V. made an end (Num. 7, 1). This designates the entire section, descriptive of the dedication offerings brought by the princes of Israel, which is prescribed for the reading of the day. while the mafṭir reads³⁵In the third scroll. the passages relating to the Sabbath and the New Moon.³⁶Num. 28, 9-15. The present custom is always to read the section for the Sabbath and New Moon first, and then the passage for Ḥanukkah. If it falls on a week-day we call up on the first day³⁷Of the two days of the New Moon. three persons for the reading of the New Moon, the fourth reading that of Ḥanukkah, because that which is more frequent takes precedence.³⁸The New Moon occurs monthly, Ḥanukkah once a year. But since the reading of the New Moon was read first,³⁹On the first day of the New Moon. [40a] three persons are to be called up on the second day for the reading of the Ḥanukkah passage,⁴⁰In the first scroll. Only two scrolls are taken out on a week-day during Ḥanukkah. while the fourth reads⁴¹In the second scroll. the section of the New Moon, viz. uberashë ḥodshekem⁴²E.V. and in your new moons (Num. 28, 11). to the end of the passage.⁴³ibid. 15. Why is this so?⁴⁴i.e. why is the fourth person called to the reading of the New Moon passage and not, as on the first day, to the Ḥanukkah passage? Because it was only on account of the New Moon musaf that a fourth person is added’.⁴⁵On the other week-days of Ḥanukkah there is no musaf. This argument cannot be applied to the first day of the New Moon because it is the second day which begins the month. The first of the two days of the New Moon is the last day of the preceding month. V and H insert here a ruling which has no connection with this chapter and is practically identical with XIV, 2 below.

In what manner are the interruptions made if the New Moon or the days of Ḥanukkah fall on a Sabbath? [In the former case] seven persons read the regular Sabbath section while the eighth reads that of the New Moon, viz. the two portions⁷So GRA. V and M read ‘breaks’. And on the sabbath day⁸i.e. the passage Num. 28, 9f which begins with these words. and And in your new moons;⁹The passage ibid. 11-15. and if the first day of Ḥanukkah¹⁰Or any of the other days. Unlike our present custom, they read the same portion on the Sabbath irrespective of which day of Ḥanukkah it was. falls on a Sabbath, seven read [the section] of the Sabbath while the eighth reads, And it came to pass on the day that Moses had made an end¹¹Num. 7, 1. up to so he made the candlestick.¹²ibid. VIII, 5.

A scroll⁶¹M and H read ‘a scroll of the Torah’. is then taken out⁶²In the Synagogue Service during Ḥanukkah. and we read in the section of the princes,⁶³Num. 7. And he that presented his offering the first day was;⁶⁴ibid. 12-17. and likewise for each day [the corresponding section of the offering] of that day,⁶⁵lit. ‘and so for each day its day’, the number of the Ḥanukkah day corresponding to the respective number of the days of the offerings of the princes. until the eighth day. On the Sabbath [during Ḥanukkah] one reads, And it came to pass on the day that Moses made an end⁶⁶Num. 7, 1. up to so he made the candlestick.⁶⁷ibid. VIII, 4. On the eighth day he reads from On the eighth day⁶⁸ibid. 54. through all the sections⁶⁹Of the offerings of all the princes. until so he made the candlestick. On the Sabbath⁷⁰So GRA. V and M read: ‘and so on the eighth day until And this was the work of the candlestick (Num. 8, 4) all the verse’. H has a different text. one also reads as the hafṭarah, Thus all the work … was finished.⁷¹i.e. in the passage 1 Kings 7, 51—VIII, 21.

During the eight days of Ḥanukkah we read the following one day earlier:⁷²lit. ‘we advance to say’. To the prescribed reading of the day that of the following day is added. On the second day,⁷³Num. 7, 18-23. This is added to the reading of the first day and then repeated on the second, and similarly with the rest. On the third day,⁷⁴ibid. 24-29. On the fourth day,⁷⁵ibid. 30-35. On the fifth day,⁷⁶ibid. 36-41. On the sixth day,⁷⁷ibid. 42-47. On the seventh day,⁷⁸ibid. 48-53. On the eighth day,⁷⁹ibid. 54-59. so as to complete ten verses.⁸⁰Which is the minimum required for the reading of the three persons who are called to the Torah each day of Ḥanukkah.

When the New Moon of Ṭebeth⁸¹Which always occurs during Ḥanukkah. falls on a Sunday, three persons read on the first day⁸²Of the New Moon, which is observed sometimes on one day and sometimes on two. in the passage of the New Moon first, while the fourth reads the passage of Ḥanukkah, because that which is more frequent takes precedence,⁸³The New Moon occurs every month, Ḥanukkah once a year. and so [the reading for the New Moon] precedes the other. On the second day, however, the order is not the same, but three persons read the passage of Ḥanukkah while the fourth reads that of the New Moon, because on the previous day the section of the New Moon had been read first.⁸⁴So GRA. V, M and H read: ‘because the reckoning of the month is from the second day only when the years are regular’. [This is the procedure] because R. Isaac Seḥorah asked R. Isaac Nappaḥa, ‘Which do we read [first]⁸⁵In the second and third scrolls of the Torah. In the first the regular portion of the week is read. when the New Moon of Ṭebeth falls on a Sabbath?’ [He replied,] ‘In the section of kalloth Mosheh,⁸⁶E.V. Moses had made an end (Num. 7, 1). The extent of the reading is given in Rule 10 above. while the mafṭir reads⁸⁷In the third scroll. the passages relating to the Sabbath and the New Moon.⁸⁸Num. 28, 9-15. If it falls on a week-day, on the first day [of the New Moon] three persons read [the passage] for the New Moon, the fourth reading that of Ḥanukkah; because that which is more frequent takes precedence. As, however, the section of the New Moon was read first,⁸⁹On the first day of New Moon. three persons are to be called up on the second day for the reading of the Ḥanukkah section,⁹⁰In the first scroll. Only two scrolls are taken out on the week-days of Ḥanukkah. while the fourth reads⁹¹In the second scroll. the section of the New Moon, viz. And in your new moons to the end of the section.⁹²Num. 28, 11-15. Why is this so?⁹³Why is the order of the reading reversed on the second day as compared with the first? Because it is only on account of the musaf of New Moon⁹⁴On the other week-days of Ḥanukkah there is no musaf. This argument cannot be applied to the first day of New Moon because it is the second day which begins the month, the first being the last day of the old month. that a fourth person is added.⁹⁵Rule 12 incorporates nearly the whole of XII, 7. Behold [we have concluded the regulations respecting] the interruption which is made for the sake of Ḥanukkah.⁹⁶Cf. XVII, 2f.