민수기 10:6의 주석

AND THE CAMPS THAT LIE ON THE SOUTH SIDE SHALL SET FORWARD. Scripture explained the purpose of the two t’ruoth,¹⁰²A t’ruah is a succession of nine tremulous or quavering sounds. A t’kiah is a continuous plain sound. The sh’varim are broken disconnected sounds, but they are not as broken as those of the t’ruah. The three broken sounds of the sh’varim are equal [in length of time] to the nine quavering sounds of the t’ruah. the first one being [the sign] for those encamped eastward to go forward, and the second one for those encamped southward to set out on the journey. And it states [in the verse before us], a ‘t’ruah’¹⁰²A t’ruah is a succession of nine tremulous or quavering sounds. A t’kiah is a continuous plain sound. The sh’varim are broken disconnected sounds, but they are not as broken as those of the t’ruah. The three broken sounds of the sh’varim are equal [in length of time] to the nine quavering sounds of the t’ruah. they shall blow for their journeys, meaning that they should blow [this quavering alarm] for all their journeys, that is to say, they should blow a third t’ruah for the camps on the west side to set forth, and a fourth one for the camps on the north side to set out on the journey, for each standard journeyed by itself, as He explains: And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward;¹⁰³Further, Verse 22. And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward.¹⁰⁴Ibid., Verse 25. And thus it is taught in the Beraitha of the Work of the Tabernacle.¹⁰⁵Beraitha of M’lecheth Hamishkan, Chapter 13. But in the Sifre the Rabbis have taught:¹⁰⁶Sifre Beha’alothcha 73. “I might think that just as he blows for the camps in the east and the south to set forward [as Scripture clearly explains], so he is to blow for [those that were encamped in] the west and the north; Scripture therefore states [in the verse before us], a ‘t’ruah’ they shall blow for their journeys, that is, one blowing for the two [remaining standards]. And some Rabbis say that there were three [sounds, i.e., t’kiah, t’ruah, t’kiah]¹⁰²A t’ruah is a succession of nine tremulous or quavering sounds. A t’kiah is a continuous plain sound. The sh’varim are broken disconnected sounds, but they are not as broken as those of the t’ruah. The three broken sounds of the sh’varim are equal [in length of time] to the nine quavering sounds of the t’ruah. for [the camps in] each and every direction.” Thus far [the language of the Sifre], and such indeed is the plain meaning of Scripture, that they should blow [for the camps] in each direction, as I have explained.

ותקעתם תרועה שנית, as a result of which the second “flag” would start journeying, the ones that were positioned to the south. This “camp” was accompanied by the Levites carrying the sacred vessels.

ותקעתם תרועה שנית, "and you will blow a second Teruah, (alarm) etc." One blast of the trumpets did not suffice to cause all the tribes to start moving. Sifri 2,73 states that the members of the clan of Gershon were occupied in dismantling the Tabernacle and had started moving before the tribe of Reuven. This made it necessary to blow the trumpets again to give a signal to the tribe of Reuven, situated in the South, to start moving following the clan of Gershon behind the components of the Tabernacle.

ונסעו המחנות החונים תימנה, “and the groups encamped to the south shall start marching.” Nachmanides writes that the correct interpretation of our verse is that two blasts of teruah will be trumpeted, one to alert the people of the eastern camp to start moving, followed by another alerting the people in the southern camp to get moving. This is why the Torah wrote:

החונים תימנה,”who were encamped on the southern side;” the army group headed by Reuven and his flag. We might have thought that just as signals were blown for the eastern and southern army group to form in formation, so the trumpets would also be blown as signals for the army group in the west and the one in the north. By writing the word t’ruah, alarm, in the singular mode the Torah made clear that only two alarms were blown on these trumpets “for them to commence their journeys (pl).” There is another opinion which holds that separate alarms were blown on the trumpets for each army group.

A ‘T’RUAH’ THEY SHALL BLOW FOR THEIR JOURNEYS. I have already explained in Seder ‘Emor El Hakohanim’ (Speak unto the priests)¹⁰⁷Leviticus 21:1. The verse referred to is ibid., 23:24. that the t’ruah alludes to the [Divine] attribute of justice, for so it is written concerning the journeyings that they were ‘al pi Hashem’ (at the commandment of the Eternal) by the hand of Moses,¹⁰⁸Above, 9:23. The expression pi Hashem alludes to the attribute of justice (Abusaula). and it is that [attribute] which brings victory in war, as it is written, And when ye go to war in your land … ‘vahareiothem’ (ye shall sound a ‘t’ruah’).¹⁰⁹Further, Verse 9. Therefore Moses said, and let them that hate Thee flee ‘mipanecha’ (before Thee),¹¹⁰Ibid., Verse 35. Literally: “from before Thy face.” and I have already explained the secret of the panim (face) in the Ten Commandments.¹¹¹Exodus 20:3. And similarly you see that the wall of Jericho fell to the sound of a t’ruah, for it is written, Ye shall not shout … until the day I bid you ‘hari’u’ (sound a ‘t’ruah’); ‘vahari’othem’ (then shall you sound it),¹¹²Joshua 6:10. and it is written, and the people sounded a great ‘t’ruah,’ and the wall fell down.¹¹³Ibid., Verse 20. It was for this reason that it [the city of Jericho] was declared cheirem (devoted) [to the Eternal, and prohibited for private use.].¹¹⁴Ibid., Verse 17. But when the assembly is to be gathered together ‘tithke’u’¹¹⁵Further, Verse 7. — they are deserving that the t’kiah¹⁰²A t’ruah is a succession of nine tremulous or quavering sounds. A t’kiah is a continuous plain sound. The sh’varim are broken disconnected sounds, but they are not as broken as those of the t’ruah. The three broken sounds of the sh’varim are equal [in length of time] to the nine quavering sounds of the t’ruah. be sounded, for the ‘p’shutah’ [plain long and continuous sound] alludes to the [Divine] attribute of mercy, for “His right hand is p’shutah (stretched out) to receive the penitent” [as it is stated at the Closing Service on the Day of Atonement — a time of mercy]. Therefore, when the ark rested, Moses said, ‘Return, O Eternal, unto the myriads of thousands of Israel.’¹¹⁶Further, Verse 36. And it is written, And in the day of your gladness and in your appointed seasons … ‘uthkatem’ (ye shall blow a ‘t’kiah’),¹¹⁷Ibid., Verse 10. since war is [suitable] for t’ruah [which alludes to the attribute of justice, as explained above], and the appointed seasons and joyous occasions are for mercy [i.e., for the sound of t’kiah, which alludes to mercy].¹¹⁸Tziyoni. And our Rabbis have received by tradition that there should be a long continuous sound before [the t’ruah] and a long continuous sound after it and the t’ruah in the middle, on the New Year, the Day of Atonement [of the Jubilee year],¹¹⁹Leviticus 25:9. See Ramban there. and at the bringing of the offerings,¹²⁰See “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 70-71. in order not “to mutilate the shoots” [of faith]. But as far as their purpose is concerned, the one is for t’kiah [which alludes to mercy] and the other for t’ruah [which alludes to judgment].¹¹⁸Tziyoni. The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand.

תרועה יתקעו למסעיהם, this had to be spelled out as both the tekiah sounds and the teruah sounds would be blown by the trumpets in conjunction with the journeying of the camps. The former sounds to make sure the people would all be assembled in their assigned spots, the latter to ensure that the Levites were in position with their respective carts, etc. Just as the people in order to assemble were called by means of the tekiah, so the princes when they were to assemble were called by means of the tekiah blasts, without the teruah blast.

תרועה יתקעו למסעיהם, after already having written ותקעתם תרועה שנית ונסעו המחנות וגו', “you will trumpet a second teruah and the camps in the south will get moving.” Apparently, there was a third teruah signaling the people encamped on the west side to start moving, and a fourth teruah when the time had come to signal to the fourth group, the ones encamped to the west of the Tabernacle to start moving and to make up the rearguard, as it were. Ibn Ezra writes that there was no trumpet blast after the easternmost camp had began to move. He offers proof for what he writes by pointing out that the Kehatites and with them the priests who did the blowing of the trumpets traveled ahead of the flag (army group) of Ephrayim. [How could they signal to army groups a long way behind them? Ed.] In the Sifrey the opinion is voiced that just as there were trumpets blown for setting the eastern army group and the northern army group in motion, the same may have been done in order to set the two other army groups to get moving. The author does not express a definitive view as to how many such teruot were blown to get the people moving.

ותקעתם תרועה שנית, “you will blow a second alarm.” From this verse we learn that every time a t’ruah was blown it had been preceded by the signal known as tekiyah both before and after.

ותקעתם תרועה שנית, Rashi comments on this line as follows: the signal to start journeying was to blow in this order: tekiyahtruah tekiyah. If the trumpets were being used to call the people to an assembly, however, no t’ruah was blown. Our author continues with speculations about what appears to be repetition in this paragraph. As there will not again be an opportunity to reenact the procedure in reality, I have decided to save time and space and not translate his speculations.