BeHa'alotecha (Numbers 8:1 – 12:16)

BeHa'alotecha, literally “when you set up”, is thus named because it begins with instructions as to how the High Priest Aaron is to set up the lampstand in the Tabernacle.

The portion begins with instructions how the lampstand, built from seven lamps, is to be set up and how it is to be made. God then commands Moses as to how the Levites are to be purified in order to work in the Tabernacle. We also learn what the age range for belonging of the Levite work force is: every male between the age of 25 and 50.

At this point, we learn that a full year has now passed since the Exodus. The Israelites are commanded to keep the Passover laws. Some of the Israelites are impure when the others celebrate the festival, and cannot participate. They are commanded to celebrate the Passover one month later, and this is the rule for later generations also if someone is traveling and therefore not able to participate. However, anyone who is pure and not traveling who does not participate in the Passover at the right time will be divinely punished.

The Tabernacle being completed, we now learn that the cloud of God covered the Tabernacle. Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, the Israelites continued their traveling, and they made camp when the cloud returned over the Tabernacle.

Moses is then commanded to make two silver trumpets in order to use them to summon the congregation. When only one trumpet is blown, only the leaders of the tribes are being summoned. The trumpets are also to be used for traveling, wars and festivals. We then hear that the cloud lifted of the Tabernacle and the Israelites left the Sinai Desert, traveling in an orderly fashion according to the tribes and camps. Moses then turns to his father-in-law, Jethro, and asks him to come with the Israelites to the Promised Land. Jethro refuses, but Moses insists, saying that the people need his assistance.

As often occurred during their travels, the Israelites complain about God, remembering the plenty they had in Egypt while in the desert they have only the Manna to eat. Moses is furious, and tells God that he has no way of supplying the people with meat, and saying that he cannot deal with then on his own. God then tells him to summon 70 of the elders of Israel so that they will share his burden. He then tells him to tell the people that they will have meat the next day, for a month, and there will be so much that they will loath it. He then brings quails from the sea and the people eat it with great lust. God is angry and kills many of the people.

At the end of the portion, we hear of Moses' siblings, Aaron and Miriam, who spoke against Moses because he married a Cushite woman. Miriam is punished with leprosy, and quarantined for a week. The people wait for her quarantine to end before continuing their travels.