Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 9

15On the day the Tabernacle was erected, the cloud covered the Tabernacle that served as a tent for the Tablets of the Testimony; and at nightfall, there was an appearance of fire over the Tabernacle, which remained until morning.   טווּבְיוֹם֙ הָקִ֣ים אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן כִּסָּ֤ה הֶֽעָנָן֙ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן לְאֹ֖הֶל הָֽעֵדֻ֑ת וּבָעֶ֜רֶב יִֽהְיֶ֧ה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֖שׁ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר:
הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל הָֽעֵדֻת - The Tabernacle (lit.) for the tent of the Testimony - i.e., the Tabernacle, which is made to serve as a tent for the Tablets of the Testimony.   הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל הָֽעֵדֻת.  הַמִּשְׁכָּן הֶעָשׂוּי לִהְיוֹת אֹהֶל לְלוּחוֹת הָעֵדוּת:
יִֽהְיֶה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן - There (lit.) will be over the Tabernacle - is equivalent to “would continuously be over the Tabernacle,” and the same meaning applies to all verbs in this passage.   יִֽהְיֶה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן.  כְּמוֹ הֹוֶה עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְכֵן לְשׁוֹן כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה:
16So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and there was an appearance of fire by night.   טזכֵּ֚ן יִֽהְיֶ֣ה תָמִ֔יד הֶֽעָנָ֖ן יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֖שׁ לָֽיְלָה:
17Whenever the cloud would depart from over the Tent of Meeting, this was a sign that the Israelites should afterwards travel. The Israelites would encamp in the place where the cloud rested.   יזוּלְפִ֞י הֵֽעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְאַ֣חֲרֵי כֵ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבִמְק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכָּן־שָׁם֙ הֶֽעָנָ֔ן שָׁ֥ם יַֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
הֵֽעָלוֹת הֶֽעָנָן - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: אִסְתַּלָּקוּת “the cloud moved away.” So, too, is the meaning of וְנַעֲלָה הֶעָנָן. 1 It would not be proper to write וּלְפִי עֲלוֹת הֶעָנָן and וְעָלָה הֶעָנָן respectively, because that does not denote moving away, but growing and rising, as in: “Behold, a small cloud the size of a man’s hand is rising (עֹלָה) from the sea.” 2   הֵֽעָלוֹת הֶֽעָנָן.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ אִסְתַּלָּקוּת, וְכֵן "וְנַעֲלָה הֶעָנָן", וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לִכְתֹּב וּלְפִי עֲלוֹת הֶעָנָן, וְעָלָה הֶעָנָן, שֶׁאֵין זֶה לְשׁוֹן סִלּוּק אֶלָּא צִמּוּחַ וַעֲלִיָּה, כְּמוֹ "הִנֵּה עָב קְטַנָּה כְּכַף אִישׁ עֹלָה מִיָּם" (מלכים א י"ח):
18At God’s bidding the Israelites traveled, and at God’s bidding they encamped. As long as the cloud hovered above the Tabernacle, they remained encamped.   יחעַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה יִסְעוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יַֽחֲנ֑וּ כָּל־יְמֵ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכֹּ֧ן הֶֽעָנָ֛ן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יַֽחֲנֽוּ:
עַל־פִּי ה' יִסְעוּ - At God’s bidding [the Israelites] traveled. We have learned in the baraita of Melechet HaMishkan: 3 When the Israelites were to travel, the pillar of cloud would fold up and then spread itself over the camp of the tribe of Judah in the form of a beam. The priests then blew a teki’ah (long blast), a teru’ah (series of short blasts) and again a teki’ah on the trumpets. However, it did not move until Moses said: “Arise, God…,” 4 and then the banner of the division of Judah set out. This last point is stated in Sifrei. 5   עַל־פִּי ה' יִסְעוּ.  שָׁנִינוּ בִּמְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹסְעִים, הָיָה עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן מִתְקַפֵּל וְנִמְשָׁךְ עַל גַּבֵּי בְנֵי יְהוּדָה כְּמִין קוֹרָה, תָּקְעוּ וְהֵרִיעוּ וְתָקְעוּ, לֹא הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ עַד שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה אוֹמֵר קוּמָה ה' — זוֹ בְּסִפְרֵי — וְנָסַע דֶּגֶל מַחֲנֵה יְהוּדָה:
וְעַל־פִּי ה' יַֽחֲנוּ - And at God’s bidding they encamped. When the Israelites were to make camp, the pillar of cloud would arch up to extend over the tribe of Judah in the form of a hut, but it would not spread out until Moses said: “Repose, God, among the myriads and thousands of Israel.” 6 Thus they traveled both “at the word of God” and “through Moses.” 7   וְעַל־פִּי ה' יַֽחֲנוּ.  כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה יִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹנִים עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן הָיָה מִתַּמֵּר וְעוֹלֶה וְנִמְשָׁךְ עַל גַּבֵּי בְנֵי יְהוּדָה כְּמִין סֻכָּה, וְלֹא הָיָה נִפְרָשׂ עַד שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה אוֹמֵר "שׁוּבָה ה' רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר "עַל פִּי ה' וּבְיַד מֹשֶׁה" (ברייתא דמל"ה פי"ג):
19Whenever the cloud lingered over the Tabernacle for many days, the Israelites kept the charge of God and did not travel.   יטוּבְהַֽאֲרִ֧יךְ הֶֽעָנָ֛ן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְשָֽׁמְר֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת יְהֹוָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יִסָּֽעוּ:
20Sometimes, the cloud remained for several days above the Tabernacle. At God’s bidding they traveled, and at God’s bidding they encamped.   כוְיֵ֞שׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֧ה הֶֽעָנָ֛ן יָמִ֥ים מִסְפָּ֖ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עַל־פִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ יַֽחֲנ֔וּ וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יִסָּֽעוּ:
וְיֵשׁ - means “and sometimes.”   וְיֵשׁ.  כְּלוֹמַר, וּפְעָמִים:
יָמִים מִסְפָּר - (lit.) A number of days - means a few days.   יָמִים מִסְפָּר.  יָמִים מוּעָטִים:
21Sometimes the cloud remained over the Tabernacle from nightfall until morning, and when the cloud departed in the morning, they traveled. At other times, the cloud remained for a day and a night, and when the cloud departed, they traveled.   כאוְיֵ֞שׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֤ה הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעֶ֣רֶב עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וְנַֽעֲלָ֧ה הֶֽעָנָ֛ן בַּבֹּ֖קֶר וְנָסָ֑עוּ א֚וֹ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה וְנַֽעֲלָ֥ה הֶֽעָנָ֖ן וְנָסָֽעוּ:
22Whether it was for two days, a month, or a year that the cloud lingered, hovering over the Tabernacle, the Israelites would encamp and not travel; and when it departed, they traveled.   כבאֽוֹ־יֹמַ֜יִם אוֹ־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֽוֹ־יָמִ֗ים בְּהַֽאֲרִ֨יךְ הֶֽעָנָ֤ן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ לִשְׁכֹּ֣ן עָלָ֔יו יַֽחֲנ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְלֹ֣א יִסָּ֑עוּ וּבְהֵעָֽלֹת֖וֹ יִסָּֽעוּ:
אֽוֹ־יָמִים - means: “Or a year,” as in: “its period of redemption is one full year (יָמִים).” 8   אֽוֹ־יָמִים.  שָׁנָה, כְּמוֹ "יָמִים תִּהְיֶה גְּאֻלָּתוֹ" (ויקרא כ"ה):
23At God’s bidding they encamped and at God’s bidding they traveled; they kept the charge of God, at the word of God through Moses.   כגעַל־פִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ יַֽחֲנ֔וּ וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יִסָּ֑עוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת יְהֹוָה֙ שָׁמָ֔רוּ עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 10

1God spoke to Moses, saying:   אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2“Make yourself two silver trumpets. You must make them by hammering them into their form. You must make use of them to summon the community and to announce the departure of the divisions.   בעֲשֵׂ֣ה לְךָ֗ שְׁתֵּי֙ חֲצֽוֹצְרֹ֣ת כֶּ֔סֶף מִקְשָׁ֖ה תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֑ם וְהָי֤וּ לְךָ֙ לְמִקְרָ֣א הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וּלְמַסַּ֖ע אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֽוֹת:
עֲשֵׂה לְךָ - Make yourself - since it befits you that they blow trumpets before you as is done for a king, as it says: “He is king over Yeshurun.” 9   עֲשֵׂה לְךָ.  שֶׁיִּהְיוּ תוֹקְעִין לְפָנֶיךָ כְּמֶלֶךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ":
עֲשֵׂה לְךָ - Make yourself - i.e., from your own funds.   עֲשֵׂה לְךָ.  מִשֶּׁלְּךָ:
עֲשֵׂה לְךָ - Make yourself. You must make these particular trumpets and make use of them by having them blown before you, but no one else may do so.   עֲשֵׂה לְךָ.  אַתָּה עֲשֵׂה וּמִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם וְלֹא אַחֵר:
לְמִקְרָא הָֽעֵדָה - To summon the community - i.e., when you wish to speak with the Sanhedrin and the rest of the people and you summon them to gather to you, summon them through these trumpets.   לְמִקְרָא הָֽעֵדָה.  כְּשֶׁתִּרְצֶה לְדַבֵּר עִם סַנְהֶדְרִין וּשְׁאָר הָעָם וְתִקְרָאֵם לֶאֱסֹף אֵלֶיךָ, תִּקְרָאֵם עַל יְדֵי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת:
וּלְמַסַּע אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֽוֹת - And to announce the departure of the divisions - i.e., when they are to depart on their journeys, blow them as a signal. You may thus conclude that they set out guided by three causes: by the word of the Holy One, blessed be He; by the word of Moses; and by the call of the trumpets.   וּלְמַסַּע אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֽוֹת.  בִּשְׁעַת סִלּוּק מַסָּעוֹת תִּתְקְעוּ בָהֶם לְסִימָן, נִמְצֵאתָ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר עַל פִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה הָיוּ נוֹסְעִים — עַל פִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְעַל פִּי מֹשֶׁה וְעַל פִּי הַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת (ברייתא דמל"ה פי"ג):
מִקְשָׁה - means: make them from a block of silver by beating it out with a hammer.   מִקְשָׁה.  מִן הָעֶשֶׁת תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּהַקָּשַׁת הַקֻּרְנָס:
3When they blow a teki’ah on them, the whole community must convene before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.   גוְתָֽקְע֖וּ בָּהֵ֑ן וְנֽוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
וְתָֽקְעוּ בָּהֵן - When they blow a teki’ah on them - i.e., on both of them. This is the signal for the summoning of the community, as stated further: “the whole community must convene before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”   וְתָֽקְעוּ בָּהֵן.  בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן, וְהוּא סִימָן לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ כָּל הָעֵדָה אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד":
4If they blow a teki’ah on one of them, the princes, the leaders of Israel’s thousands, must convene before you.   דוְאִם־בְּאַחַ֖ת יִתְקָ֑עוּ וְנֽוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ הַנְּשִׂיאִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֖י אַלְפֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְאִם־בְּאַחַת יִתְקָעוּ - If they blow a teki’ah on one of them. This is the signal for the summoning of the princes, as stated further: “the princes must convene before you.” Their convening was also at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and this is derived in Sifrei through verbal analogy (גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה).   וְאִם־בְּאַחַת יִתְקָעוּ.  הוּא סִימָן לְמִקְרָא הַנְּשִׂיאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַנְּשִׂיאִים", וְאַף הֵן יְעִידָתָן אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, וּמִגְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה הוּא בָא בְּסִפְרֵי:
5When you blow a teki’ah and a teru’ah, the divisions encamped to the east must set out.   הוּתְקַעְתֶּ֖ם תְּרוּעָ֑ה וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַמַּֽחֲנ֔וֹת הַֽחֹנִ֖ים קֵֽדְמָה:
וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה - When you blow a teki’ah and a teru’ah. The signal for the departure of the divisions is a teki’ah, a teru’ah, and another teki’ah. So is it expounded in Sifrei from the apparently superfluous verses.   וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה.  סִימָן מַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת תְּקִיעָה תְּרוּעָה וּתְקִיעָה, כָּךְ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת הַיְתֵרִים:
6When you blow a teki’ah and a teru’ah a second time, the divisions encamped to the south must travel. They must blow a teru’ah for beginning their traveling,   ווּתְקַעְתֶּ֤ם תְּרוּעָה֙ שֵׁנִ֔ית וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַמַּֽחֲנ֔וֹת הַֽחֹנִ֖ים תֵּימָ֑נָה תְּרוּעָ֥ה יִתְקְע֖וּ לְמַסְעֵיהֶֽם:
7but when assembling the assembly, you must blow a teki’ah but not a teru’ah.   זוּבְהַקְהִ֖יל אֶת־הַקָּהָ֑ל תִּתְקְע֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תָרִֽיעוּ:
וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת־הַקָּהָל וגו' - But when assembling the assembly… Since it says: “you must make use of them to summon the community and to announce the departure of the divisions,” we infer that just as for summoning the community, the blowing is done by two priests and on both trumpets – as it says: “when they blow a teki’ah on them…” – the departure of the divisions is also announced by blowing both of them. I might think that just as at the departure of the divisions, they blow a teki’ah, a teru’ah, and another teki’ah, when summoning the community they also blow a teki’ah, a teru’ah, and a teki’ah, and thus there is no difference between summoning the community and announcing the departure of the divisions; Scripture therefore states: “but when assembling the assembly…,” to teach us that there is no teru’ah for summoning the community, and the same applies to summoning the princes. Thus, there is a different sign for each of the three functions: summoning the community was with two trumpets, and the princes with one – both of them without a teru’ah; and the departure of the divisions was with two trumpets, with a teki’ah, a teru’ah, and a teki’ah.   וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת־הַקָּהָל וגו'.  לְפִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר "וְהָיוּ לְךָ לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה וּלְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת", מַה מִּקְרָא הָעֵדָה תּוֹקֵעַ בְּב' כֹּהֲנִים וּבִשְׁתֵּיהֶם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְתָקְעוּ בָהֵן" וְגוֹ' — אַף מַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶם, יָכוֹל מַה מַּסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת תּוֹקֵעַ וּמֵרִיעַ וְתוֹקֵעַ, אַף מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה תּוֹקֵעַ וּמֵרִיעַ וְתוֹקֵעַ — וּמֵעַתָּה אֵין חִלּוּק בֵּין מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה לְמַסַּע אֶת הַמַּחֲנוֹת — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר "וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת הַקָּהָל" וְגוֹ', לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין תְּרוּעָה לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה, וְהוּא הַדִּין לַנְּשִׂיאִים, הֲרֵי סִימָן לִשְׁלָשְׁתָּם, מִקְרָא הָעֵדָה בִּשְׁתַּיִם וְשֶׁל נְשִֹיאִים בְּאַחַת — וְזוֹ וָזוֹ אֵין בָּהֶם תְּרוּעָה — וּמַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת בִּשְׁתַּיִם עַל יְדֵי תְרוּעָה וּתְקִיעָה (ספרי):
8The descendants of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets. This will be a rule for you for all time, for all your generations:   חוּבְנֵ֤י אַֽהֲרֹן֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים יִתְקְע֖וּ בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְר֑וֹת וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
וּבְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן … יִתְקְעוּ - The descendants of Aaron…must blow. at these summonings and announcements of departure.   וּבְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן … יִתְקְעוּ.  בַּמִּקְרָאוֹת וּבַמַּסָּעוֹת הַלָּלוּ:
9If you go to war in your land against an adversary who attacks you, you must blow a teru’ah with the trumpets and be remembered favorably before God, your God, and thus be saved from your enemies.   טוְכִֽי־תָבֹ֨אוּ מִלְחָמָ֜ה בְּאַרְצְכֶ֗ם עַל־הַצַּר֙ הַצֹּרֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֔ם וַֽהֲרֵֽעֹתֶ֖ם בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֑ת וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְנֽוֹשַׁעְתֶּ֖ם מֵאֹֽיְבֵיכֶֽם:
10On your joyous days, on your festivals, and on your new-moon celebrations, you must blow a teki’ah on the trumpets, over your ascent-offerings and your peace-promoting feast-offerings, and it will be a remembrance before your God; I am God, your God.”   יוּבְי֨וֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶ֣ם וּבְמֽוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֘ וּבְרָאשֵׁ֣י חָדְשֵׁכֶם֒ וּתְקַעְתֶּ֣ם בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֗ת עַ֚ל עֹלֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל זִבְחֵ֣י שַׁלְמֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם - Over your ascent-offerings. The verse is referring to communal sacrifices, as all occasions described in these verses are communal ones.   עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם.  בְּקָרְבַּן צִבּוּר הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר (ערכין י"א):
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם - I am God, your God. These words are added to teach a law: From here we derive that mention of Divine sovereignty must accompany any occasion involving Divine remembrance and the blowing of the shofar – whether celebrations such as those described here, or the recital of verses mentioning them on Rosh Hashanah; as it says: “you must blow a teki’ah” – this refers to the blowing of the shofar; “a remembrance” – this refers to remembrance; “I am God, your God” – this indicates that sovereignty should also be mentioned, etc.   אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם.  מִכָּאן לָמַדְנוּ מַלְכִיּוֹת עִם זִכְרוֹנוֹת וְשׁוֹפָרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּתְקַעְתֶּם" —זוֹ שׁוֹפָרוֹת, "לְזִכָּרוֹן" — זוֹ זִכְרוֹנוֹת, "אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" — זוֹ מַלְכִיּוֹת וְכוּ' (ספרי):