Family Parshah
Behaalotecha Q & A

And Aaron did so; toward the face of the menorah he kindled its lamps, as G-d had commanded Moses. (8:3)

Question: The commentator Rashi explains that the Torah emphasizes that "Aaron did so" to declare Aaron's praise that he did not act differently. Would anyone suspect that Aaron would deviate from G-d's command?

Answer: Aaron was a "lover of peace and pursuer of peace"1 -- and was therefore loved by every Jew. An ordinary citizen is often affable and involved with people and their needs. However, a person who is appointed to a high office may become conceited and distant.

Aaron's greatness is that even when he became High Priest, holding the second highest position in the Jewish community, he did not change toward his fellow man -- he still remained the same "lover and pursuer of peace."2

According to the word of G-d the Children of Israel would journey, and according to the word of the G-d they would encamp. (9:18)

Question: Why are the words "according to the word of G-d" repeated six times over a span of five verses which discuss the journeying and encampment of the Jewish people?

Answer: This teaches us that it is imperative for a Jew to constantly state that his planned activities will take place "G-d willing" or "with G-d's help."

For instance, a traveler should say, "I am traveling with G-d's help on such and such a day and I hope to arrive there, G-d willing, on such and such a day." When he arrives he should say, "I arrived with G-d's help and hope to leave, G-d willing, on such and such a day."3

He said, "Please do not forsake us... and you will be to us for eyes." (10:31)

Question: How would Yitro become "eyes" to all the Jews?

Answer: Yitro was the High Priest of Midian, but he gave up all his glory and attached himself to G-d and His Torah. After converting to Judaism, he considered returning to his homeland. His son-in-law, Moses, urged him to travel together with the Jewish people and told him that he would be "for eyes," i.e. an eye opener and a living example for the Jews.

Thanks to him, the Jewish people would see the truth and learn a very important lesson: "If Yitro gave up everything for the sake of G-d, all the more should we who benefited immensely from G-d be dedicated to Him and His Torah."4

But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nothing but the manna to look to. (11:6)

Question: The manna tasted like cake fried in honey,5 and one could experience any taste his palate desired.6 Why did they complain?

Answer: The Talmud7 says that the manna was delivered to three different places and in three different forms. A righteous person (tzaddik) would open his door and find it at the entrance to his tent. An intermediate person (beinoni) would have to leave the camp to find his portion, and a wicked person (rasha) would have to go a great distance.

Additionally, the righteous person's portion was in the form of a finished loaf of bread. The intermediate's was prepared dough but not baked, and the wicked was raw matter which had to be ground in the mill, and afterwards cooked or baked.

Thus, every morning when the people went out for their portions of manna, it was obvious who was righteous, average or wicked. The people who complained against the manna were the wicked.8 They pretended to be dissatisfied with its taste although they were really disgruntled at having their true identity revealed. They thus wanted to "have their cake and eat it" — to have a righteous person's portion and thus appear to be righteous individuals while still living frivolous and sinful lives.