Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Bilang 10:22

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.

מן הארץ ההיא יצא אשור, “from that land Ashur went forth, etc.” He was one of the sons of Shem as we are told in verse 22 that Shem’s sons were Eylam, Ashur, Arpachshad Lud and Aram. Seeing that most of the people alive during the generation of the Tower were descendants of Shem, the Torah mentioned that Ashur had left that land (the valley including Babel). He had not had part in the uprising against G’d that those people were planning in accordance with the statement by our sages in Bereshit Rabbah 37,4. the words מן הארץ ההיא mean that Ashur dissociated himself from these people and their land as he realised they were preparing to rebel against G’d. This also explains Psalms 83,9 גם אשור נלוה עמם, “also Ashur made common cause with them,” Seeing that on this occasion Ashur was on the side of G’d, the psalmist had to contrast this with a future occasion when also Ashur joined the forces of evil planning to wipe out the Jewish people.

וישם את אפרים AND HE PUT EPHRAIM etc. — i.e. in the blessing he bestowed upon them he put Ephraim’s name before that of Manasseh, so giving him precedence over his brother when the Israelites encamped and marched beneath their banners in the wilderness (cf. Numbers 2:18 and Numbers 10:22), and when at the dedication of the altar by the princes of the tribes each brought his gifts (cf. Numbers 7:48 Numbers 7:54). (see Genesis Rabbah 97:5).