Komentarz do Liczb 21:12

משם נסעו, From there they journeyed, etc. We need to understand why the Torah changed its style in describing the journeys of the Israelites by introducing both this journey and the one following it as משם, "from there." The Torah's normal way of telling us about the Israelites' journeying has always been the word ויסעו. Perhaps the reason is that the two journeys introduced by the word משם נסעו, i.e. the journey from the river Zered and from the river Arnon occurred at the Israelites' own initiative seeing there were no longer any clouds signalling their move. I have seen proof that my estimate is correct by what is written in Deut. 2,13: "now rise up and get over the brook of Zered, etc." These words clearly indicate that the Israelites did not journey at the behest of the clouds of glory. If the journey had started because the clouds moved, why would Moses have to tell the people to get moving? Although the Torah had said in Numbers 9,20 that the Israelites made camp and broke camp at G'd's instructions, this referred to all the other journeys barring these two. The reason was that Aaron had died and the clouds of glory had disappeared. Even though we have been told in Taanit 9 that these clouds re-appeared due to the merit of Moses, it is possible that the particular cloud which signalled to the Israelites that they were to break camp had not returned.

V. 12. נחל ,כנחל זרד ist sowohl der aus der Höhe in die Niedere herabströmende Bach, als die Niederung, welche das Rinnsal des Baches bildet. Der Grundbegriff ist die natürliche Herabbewegung aus der Höhe, verwandt mit נהל. Daher spezifischer Ausdruck für das gesetzliche Erbrecht (siehe zu Kap. 27, 7 f.). Gegensatz davon ist געל schließen, sperren, die natürliche Fortbewegung hemmen.

משם נסעו, “from there they journeyed onwards;” from the place called iyyey havavarim. The next place they encamped was called nachal zered. In Parshat Massey, that place is referred to as divon Gad (Numbers 33,45. According to some commentators the differences in the names of the encampments is due to their sometimes being referred to according to the brooks of water there, and in others according to the names thy had been known as. They are called here as their sources of water, seeing that was most important to them.

משם נסעו, “from there they continued their journeys;” The word “there,” refers to iyyey haavavrim.

ויחנו בנחל זרד, “they encamped in the valley of the river Zered.” In Parshat Massey, however, we read that the Israelites first came to Divon gad, but there only land locations are mentioned, whereas here rivers are mentioned also. The reason may be that the Torah was interested here to report what occurred at Beer. The Israelites are reported as having If the Torah had written בעבר ארנון, “opposite the Arnon river,”