Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 9

15On the day the Mishkan was erected, the cloud covered the Mishkan, which was a tent for the Testimony, and at evening, there was over the Mishkan like an appearance of fire, [which remained] until morning.   טווּבְיוֹם֙ הָקִ֣ים אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן כִּסָּ֤ה הֶֽעָנָן֙ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן לְאֹ֖הֶל הָֽעֵדֻ֑ת וּבָעֶ֜רֶב יִֽהְיֶ֧ה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֖שׁ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר:
the Mishkan which was a tent for the Testimony The Mishkan served as a tent over the tablets of the Testimony.   הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל הָֽעֵדֻת  הַמִּשְׁכָּן הֶעָשׂוּי לִהְיוֹת אֹהֶל לְלוּחוֹת הָעֵדוּת:
there was over the Mishkan Heb. יִהְיֶה. In the sense of being continuously over the Mishkan. Such [is the meaning of] the expression in the entire passage.   יִֽהְיֶה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן  כְּמוֹ הֹוֶה עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְכֵן לְשׁוֹן כָּל הַפָּרָשָׁה:
16So it was always, the cloud covered it and there was an appearance of fire at night.   טזכֵּ֚ן יִֽהְיֶ֣ה תָמִ֔יד הֶֽעָנָ֖ן יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֖שׁ לָֽיְלָה:
17and according to the cloud's departure from over the Tent, and afterwards, the children of Israel would travel, and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would encamp.   יזוּלְפִ֞י הֵֽעָל֤וֹת הֶֽעָנָן֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָאֹ֔הֶל וְאַ֣חֲרֵי כֵ֔ן יִסְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבִמְק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁכָּן־שָׁם֙ הֶֽעָנָ֔ן שָׁ֥ם יַֽחֲנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
the cloud’s departure הֵעָלוֹת. As the Targum renders, אִסְתַּלְּקוּת, departure. Similarly,“the cloud departed” (verse 21). It would have been incorrect to write, וּלְפִי עֲלוֹת הֶעָנָן [and in verse 21] וְעָלָה הֶעָנָן, for that would not be an expression denoting ‘departure’ but sprouting forth or ascending, as in, “Behold a cloud, small as a man’s palm, rising (עֹלָה) from the sea” (I Kings 18:44).   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 the bidding of the Lord, the children of Israel traveled, and at the bidding of the Lord, they encamped. As long as the cloud hovered above the Mishkan, they encamped.   יחעַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה יִסְעוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יַֽחֲנ֑וּ כָּל־יְמֵ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁכֹּ֧ן הֶֽעָנָ֛ן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יַֽחֲנֽוּ:
At the bidding of the Lord…traveled We learned in the [Baraitha] Melecheth HaMishkan [ch. 13]: When the Israelites traveled, the cloud would fold and spread itself over the tribe of Judah like a beam. They blew a tekiah (long blast), a teruah (series of short blasts), and another tekiah , but it did not move on until Moses declared, “Rise up, O Lord” (10:35), and then the banner of the camp of Judah would travel. This [appears] in the Sifrei. [35]   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:
and at the bidding of the Lord they encamped As soon as the Israelites encamped, the pillar of cloud would mushroom upward and spread itself over the tribe of Judah like a canopy. It would not depart until Moses declared, “Return O Lord, to the myriads of Israel’s thousands” (10:36). This is what is meant by, “according to the Lord’s word, through Moses” (verse 23). - [Melecheth HaMishkan ch. 13]   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):
19When the cloud lingered over the Mishkan for many days, the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord 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 Mishkan; at the Lord's bidding they encamped and at the Lord's bidding they traveled.   כוְיֵ֞שׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֧ה הֶֽעָנָ֛ן יָמִ֥ים מִסְפָּ֖ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן עַל־פִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ יַֽחֲנ֔וּ וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יִסָּֽעוּ:
Sometimes Heb. וְיֵשׁ, lit., [and there is used in the sense of וּפְעָמִים]“and sometimes.”   וְיֵשׁ  כְּלוֹמַר, וּפְעָמִים:
several days Heb. יָמִים מִסְפָּר, lit., days of number, a few days.   יָמִים מִסְפָּר  יָמִים מוּעָטִים:
21Sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, and when the cloud departed in the morning, they traveled. Or, 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 to hover over the Mishkan, the children of Israel 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:
or a year Heb. יָמִים, a year, as in “Its [period of] redemption shall be a full year (יָמִים)” (Lev. 25:29).   אֽוֹ־יָמִים  שָׁנָה, כְּמוֹ "יָמִים תִּהְיֶה גְּאֻלָּתוֹ" (ויקרא כ"ה):
23At the Lord's bidding they would encamp, and at the Lord's bidding they would travel; they kept the charge of the Lord by the word of the Lord through Moses.   כגעַל־פִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ יַֽחֲנ֔וּ וְעַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה יִסָּ֑עוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת יְהֹוָה֙ שָׁמָ֔רוּ עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּיַד־משֶֽׁה:

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 10

1The Lord spoke to Moses saying:   אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
2Make yourself two silver trumpets; you shall make them [from a] beaten [form]; they shall be used by you to summon the congregation and to announce the departure of the camps.   בעֲשֵׂ֣ה לְךָ֗ שְׁתֵּי֙ חֲצֽוֹצְרֹ֣ת כֶּ֔סֶף מִקְשָׁ֖ה תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֑ם וְהָי֤וּ לְךָ֙ לְמִקְרָ֣א הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וּלְמַסַּ֖ע אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֽוֹת:
Make yourself So they should blow before you like a king, as it says, “There was a king in Jerushun” [Deut. 33:5].   עֲשֵׂה לְךָ  שֶׁיִּהְיוּ תוֹקְעִין לְפָנֶיךָ כְּמֶלֶךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ":
Make yourself From your own resources.   עֲשֵׂה לְךָ  מִשֶּׁלְּךָ:
Make yourself You make them and use them, but no one else. - [from Midrash Rabbah]   עֲשֵׂה לְךָ  אַתָּה עֲשֵׂה וּמִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם וְלֹא אַחֵר:
To summon the congregation When you wish to speak with the members of the Sanhedrin court and the rest of the people, and you summon them to gather before you, convene them with the trumpets.   לְמִקְרָא הָֽעֵדָה  כְּשֶׁתִּרְצֶה לְדַבֵּר עִם סַנְהֶדְרִין וּשְׁאָר הָעָם וְתִקְרָאֵם לֶאֱסֹף אֵלֶיךָ, תִּקְרָאֵם עַל יְדֵי חֲצוֹצְרוֹת:
And to announce the departure of the camps At the time the camps are due to depart, blow on them as a signal. It follows that they traveled at the behest of three-at God’s bidding, 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):
Beaten It should be made out of a single block, by banging it with a hammer.   מִקְשָׁה  מִן הָעֶשֶׁת תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּהַקָּשַׁת הַקֻּרְנָס:
3When they blow on them, the entire congregation shall assemble to you, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.   גוְתָֽקְע֖וּ בָּהֵ֑ן וְנֽוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד:
When they blow on them With both of them; it is a signal for the congregation to assemble, as it says, “the entire congregation shall assemble to 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 one of them, the princes, the leaders of Israel's thousands, shall convene to you.   דוְאִם־בְּאַחַ֖ת יִתְקָ֑עוּ וְנֽוֹעֲד֤וּ אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ הַנְּשִׂיאִ֔ים רָאשֵׁ֖י אַלְפֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
If they blow one of them It is a signal for the princes to assemble, as it says, “the princes…shall assemble to you.” Their meeting point was also at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. This is derived by the Sifrei from the rule of inference.   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 teruah [a series of short blasts], the camps which are encamped to the east shall travel.   הוּתְקַעְתֶּ֖ם תְּרוּעָ֑ה וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַמַּֽחֲנ֔וֹת הַֽחֹנִ֖ים קֵֽדְמָה:
When you blow a teruah [a series of short blasts] The signal for the camps to travel was a tekiah, a teruah and a tekiah. The Sifrei derives this from redundant verses.   וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה  סִימָן מַסַּע הַמַּחֲנוֹת תְּקִיעָה תְּרוּעָה וּתְקִיעָה, כָּךְ הוּא נִדְרָשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת הַיְתֵרִים:
6When you blow a second teruah, the camps encamped to the south shall travel; they shall blow a teruah for traveling.   ווּתְקַעְתֶּ֤ם תְּרוּעָה֙ שֵׁנִ֔ית וְנָֽסְעוּ֙ הַמַּֽחֲנ֔וֹת הַֽחֹנִ֖ים תֵּימָ֑נָה תְּרוּעָ֥ה יִתְקְע֖וּ לְמַסְעֵיהֶֽם:
7But when assembling the congregation, you shall blow a tekiah [long blast] but not a teruah.   זוּבְהַקְהִ֖יל אֶת־הַקָּהָ֑ל תִּתְקְע֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תָרִֽיעוּ:
But when assembling the congregation Because it says, “they shall be used by you to summon the congregation and to announce the departure of the camps” (verse 2). Just as summoning the congregation is done by two priests, and with both trumpets as it says, “they shall blow with them”-so the traveling of the camps was with both of them. I might think that just as [with] the departure of the camps he blows a tekiah, teruah, tekiah, so when summoning the congregation he blows a tekiah, teruah, tekiah, and now there would be no difference between [the signal for] summoning the congregation and [the signal for initiating] the departure of the camps. Scripture therefore teaches, “But when assembling the congregation…” indicating that no teruah is blown to summon the congregation, and the same applies for [convening] the leaders. So there is a signal for all three: Summoning the congregation was with two, and [convening] the princes with one and neither of them included a teruah. Initiating the camps departure was with both-with a teruah and a tekiah.   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, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be an eternal statute for your generations.   חוּבְנֵ֤י אַֽהֲרֹן֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים יִתְקְע֖וּ בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְר֑וֹת וְהָי֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם לְחֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֖ם לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
The descendants of Aaron…shall blow For these summonings and journeyings.   וּבְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן … יִתְקְעוּ  בַּמִּקְרָאוֹת וּבַמַּסָּעוֹת הַלָּלוּ:
9If you go to war in your land against an adversary that oppresses you, you shall blow a teruah with the trumpets and be remembered before the Lord 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 the days of your rejoicing, on your festivals and on your new-moon celebrations, you shall blow on the trumpets for your ascent-offerings and your peace sacrifices, and it shall be a remembrance before your God; I am the Lord your God.   יוּבְי֨וֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶ֣ם וּבְמֽוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֘ וּבְרָאשֵׁ֣י חָדְשֵׁכֶם֒ וּתְקַעְתֶּ֣ם בַּֽחֲצֹֽצְרֹ֗ת עַ֚ל עֹלֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעַ֖ל זִבְחֵ֣י שַׁלְמֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָי֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם לְזִכָּרוֹן֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
For your ascent-offerings The verse speaks of communal offerings. - [from Sifrei]   עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם  בְּקָרְבַּן צִבּוּר הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר (ערכין י"א):
I am the Lord your God From here we learn that [on the New Year Festival (Rosh HaShanah)] the verses proclaiming God’s kingship (מַלְכִיוֹת) [are recited] with [verses of] remembrances (זִכְרוֹנוֹת) and [verses] relating to the shofar (שׁוֹפְרוֹת), for it says, “You shall blow”-this refers to the שׁוֹפְרוֹת; “a remembrance”-this refers to זִכְרוֹנוֹת; “I am the Lord your God”-this refers to מַלְכִיוֹת. - [from Sifrei]   אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם  מִכָּאן לָמַדְנוּ מַלְכִיּוֹת עִם זִכְרוֹנוֹת וְשׁוֹפָרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וּתְקַעְתֶּם" —זוֹ שׁוֹפָרוֹת, "לְזִכָּרוֹן" — זוֹ זִכְרוֹנוֹת, "אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" — זוֹ מַלְכִיּוֹת וְכוּ' (ספרי):