ISRAELITES TRAVEL THROUGH THE DESERT. G-D GUIDES THEM THROUGH THE CHALLENGES ON THEIR WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND.
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| BAMIDBAR | NASO | BEHAALOTECHA | SHELACH | KORACH | CHUKAT | BALAK | PINCHAS | MATOT | MASSEI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 30 | 33 |
| 2 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 23-24 | 26 | 31 | 34 |
| 3 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 27 | 32 | 35 | |
| 11 | 28-29 | 36 | |||||||
| 12 |
Table Of Contents
- 1-2. G-d tells Moses to count the children of Israel and organize them into divisions
- 3. Descendants of Aaron & Duties of the Kohanim
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G-d takes Levites in place of all firstborns of the children of Israel, to serve as Kohanim -
G-d tells Moses to count the Levites & the Firstborns of the Children of Israel - 4. Service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting - the Holy of Holies
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Charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen -
Only Aaron and his sons can handle the holy vessels – sons of Kohath would die for doing that -
Service of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting – to serve and to carry -
Service of the sons of Merari in the Tent of Meeting – planks, bars, pillars, sockets -
Total count of Levites who performed the service: 8580 Naso
- 5. Banish from the camp all those afflicted with tzara’ath, male discharge,
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or unclean from contact with the dead -
Those guilty of a sin must confess and bring restitution for principal amount + 20% -
Law of Jealousies: Procedure to check if a woman has committed adultery - 6. Nazirite Vow
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Blessing to be used by Kohanim to bless the Children of Israel - 7. Moses finishes & sanctifies the Mishkan and the chieftains of Israel present their offerings
Behaalotecha
- 8. Aaron lights the Menorah
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Moses cleanses Levites and lifts them to start performing services in the Tent of Meeting - 9. Children of Israel celebrate Passover for the first time
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Passover must be celebrated by all, including those who travel, or unclean -
Cloud of G-d guides the Children of Israel when to travel and when to encamp - 10. Descendants of Aaron will blow trumpets to gather the congregation, announce travel,
to be saved by G-d during a war, during festivals & celebrations First journey at G-d’s bidding – 3 day travel to the desert of Paran Moses persuades Jethro to travel with them and settle in the Promised Land How Moses announced when the ark set out and when it came to rest - 11. People complain against G-d.
G-d creates a fire outside of the camp but extinguishes it after Moses prays for the people People complain that there is no meat, only manna. Moses tells G-d that he can’t deal with the entire nation of Israel by himself. G-d shares the spirit bestowed on Moses with 70 elders of Israel and they begin to prophesize. G-d says that He will give a full month supply of meat for the entire nation of Israel. Moses doesn’t believe it could be possible. G-d supplies the meat and then kills those who craved it. People travel to Hazeroth - 12. Miriam & Aaron complain to G-d that Moses married a Cushite woman
G-d explains how He talks to prophets and how Moses is far more special than any prophet G-d afflicts Miriam with tzara’ath for 7 days People travel to the desert of Paran Shelach
- 13. G-d tells Moses to send 12 scouts into the Land of Canaan
Moses tells the scouts what to look for and sends them to the Land of Canaan Scouts explore the Land for 40 days. They find that it flows with milk and honey but is inhabited by mighty people Caleb says that Israelites will be victorious Other scouts disagree and scare Israelites with exaggerated stories of dangers - 14. Children of Israel complain against G-d and decide to return to Egypt
Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb try to convince Israelites to change their mind Israelites have now provoked G-d ten times. G-d decides to destroy them and make a new nation from Moses, but he begs G-d to spare them G-d spares Israelites but sets them to wander in the desert for 40 years All those 20 years and older, except Joshua and Caleb, will die in the desert. G-d kills the other 10 scouts. People mourn what happened and go to the Promised Land, defying G-d’s word. Amalekites & Canaanites crush them. - 15. How to bring sacrifices when in the Promised Land
How to bring sin offerings if some commandments were transgressed inadvertently If a sin is committed purposely – that soul shall be cut off from among its people A man who was found gathering wood on Shabbat is sentenced to death by G-d G-d commands the children of Israel to wear tzitzit, to remember G-d’s commandments Korach
- 16. Korach, Dathan, Abiram and 250 reputable men challenge Moses’s and Aaron’s unique authority
to serve G-d in the Holy of Holies Moses tries to talk them out of it but they don’t listen. He then tells them to go before G-d. G-d wants to destroy the entire congregation. Moses & Aaron beg for forgiveness G-d spares the Israelites. Earth swallows the 3 sinners, their families & their houses. G-d’s fire kills the 250 men who were with them. - 17. G-d tells Eleazar to make a reminder that only kohanim may burn incense before the Lord
Entire congregation complains against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for deaths of 250 men. G-d starts a plague in the congregation. Moses & Aaron burn incense in the midst of the congregation to atone for them. G-d stops the plague. 14700 people die. G-d tells Moses to bring 12 staffs, 1 staff for each tribe. The staff of Aaron blossoms. This sign helps the children of Israel to end their complains, and be forgiven by G-d - 18. G-d tells Aaron that Kohanim will be responsible for protecting the Sanctuary.
The tribe of Levi will help the Kohanim. G-d tells Aaron what of the offerings brought by the children of Israel will be a gift to the Kohanim Levites will also receive a portion of earnings from the people. Levites must give a portion of that portion to G-d. Chukat
- 19. Ritual cleansing with ashes of a perfectly red unblemished cow
It must be done for those who touched a human corpse, before they can come to the Mishkan - 20. Children of Israel arrive to the desert of Zin. Miriam dies there.
Israelites complain against Moses & Aaron because there is no water G-d tells Moses to speak to a rock and the rock would give water Moses strikes the rock TWICE and the rock gives water. Moses & Aaron did not have faith in G-d. They are punished by G-d and will not enter the Promised Land Moses asks king of Edom to allow Israelites to pass through his land. King of Edom denies it. Children of Israel arrive at Mount Hor. Aaron dies there. Eleazar, his son, becomes Kohen Gadol - 21. Canaanite king of Arad attacks Israel and captures a prisoner.
Israel vows to G-d that they will consecrate Arad’s cities if they are able to capture them. G-d gives Israel a complete victory and destroys the Canaanite. Israelites journey to Mount Hor, going around the land of Edom. The journey is difficult. They complain against G-d & Moses. G-d sends venomous snakes that kill many Israelites. Israelites ask Moses for forgiveness. G-d tells Moses to make a serpent on a pole. Those who are bitten look at the pole and live. Israelites journey through the desert. They ask Sihon, king of the Amorites, to allow them passage through his land. Sihon attacks Israel. Israelites smite him and take possession of his land. Israelites settle in the land of the Amorites Israelites go north toward Bashan. The king of Bashan attacks them. G-d tells Israelites to smite his people. Israelites smite them leaving no survivors and take possession of the land Balak
- 22. Balak, the king of Moab, wants to defeat the Israelites.
He sends messengers to ask Balaam, who is favored by G-d, to curse the Israelites. In a dream, G-d tells Balaam to deny Balak’s request. Balak continues to send dignitaries until Balaam goes with them. G-d sends an angel to stand in Balaam’s way. Balaam’s donkey sees the angel and refuses to walk Balaam beats the donkey. Donkey talks to him. G-d allows Balaam to see the angel. Angel tells him to continue on his way, but do as G-d says. - 23-24. Balaam builds 7 altars and brings offerings. G-d talks to Balaam.
Balaam talks to Balak and tells him G-d’s first blessing for Israelites. Balak takes Balaam to a place where he can see a part of the Israelite camp. Balaam builds 7 altars and brings offerings. G-d talks to Balaam. Balaam talks to Balak and tells him G-d’s second blessing for Israelites. Balak takes Balaam to the peak of Peor. Balaam builds 7 altars and brings offerings. G-d talks to Balaam. Balaam talks to Balak and tells him G-d’s third blessing for Israelites. Balaam prophesizes what will happen at the end of days Pinchas
- 25. Israelites commit harlotry with Moabites and worship Baal Peor.
G-d commands to hang all leaders and sends a plague on the Israelites. Phinehas saves Israelites by killing the guilty one and thus avenging G-d. 24000 people die in the plague. G-d gives Phinehas and his descendants an eternal covenant of kehunah G-d tells Moses to smite the Midianites for their plots of bringing G-d’s wrath on the Israelites - 26. G-d tells Moses and Eleazar to take a census of Israelites 20 yrs old and up. 601730 are counted.
G-d tells Moses and Eleazar to take a census of Levites 1 month and upward. 23000 are counted. This census did NOT include ANYONE from the last census. Those people died in the desert, with the exception of Caleb & Joshua G-d tells Moses how to divide the land between the tribes - 27. Daughters of Zelophehad tell Moses that they have no brothers and will not inherit any land.
Moses brings their case before G-d. G-d gives Moses the laws of inheritance transfer G-d tells Moses to ascends mount Abarim and look at the Promised Land before dying. Moses asks G-d to appoint a good leader over the congregation. G-d appoints Joshua, son of Nun - 28-29. Offerings that must be brought daily and on Holidays
Matot
- 30. Laws regarding vows. A man must keep his vow to G-d.
A father can void his young daughter’s vow and a husband can void his wife’s vow if the voiding happens immediately when one learns about the vow. - 31. G-d commands Moses to take revenge against Midianites.
Moses sends 12000 men, 1000 from each tribe and Phinehas the kohen. Israelites kill every male, including Balaam and the 5 kings of Midian. They take Midianite women, children and possessions and set Midianite cities on fire. Moses commands Israelites to kill adult women and their male children, because these women caused a plague to be sent on the Israelites G-d tells Moses how to divide the plunder (32,000 women and 808,000 animals) Army officers give all their plundered gold to G-d, because not one soldier in their charge has died - 32. Descendants of Reuben & Gad decide to live in the land east of Jordan river,
and give up their inheritance in the Promised Land Moses tells says that it would be a sin for them not to fight for the Promised Land Descendants of Reuben & Gad promise to join in the fight for the Promised Land Moses gives descendants of Reuben & Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, the kingdoms of Sihon, Og and Bashan. They build 15 cities there and they conquered Gilead and Kenath. Massei
- 33. Journeys of the children of Israel from Egypt to Israel
G-d tells Moses to drive out the inhabitants of the Promised Land or face punishment - 34. G-d tells Moses the exact borders of the Promised Land
G-d appoints chieftains of each Tribe to apportion the land inheritance - 35. G-d tells Moses where the Levites will dwell:
48 cities including 6 cities of refuge for murderers (3 in Jordan and 3 in Canaan) Distinguishing murder from manslaughter Murderer must stay in the city of refuge until the Kohen Gadol dies. Can’t be killed by avenger based on testimony of only one witness. Can’t be redeemed with money Do not corrupt or defile the land - 36. Heads of the family of the sons of Gilead tell Moses that
daughters of Zelophehad will lose their inheritance through marriage G-d tells Moses that daughters who inherit land should marry only to the family of their father’s tribe
Bamidbar
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