Parshat B'haaloskha
by Rabbi Avi Billet
The last 9 verses of Chapter 9 give a number of permutations for how the cloud that would hover above the Mishkan would be the instigator for travel beginning, and when they would pause and set up camp. It gives examples of how they might stay in a location a very short time, such as a day or two, or even a month (this instruction is given before the people were doomed to be in the wilderness 40 years – and we know from other sources (Rashi Devarim 1:46) that they stayed in Kadesh for 19 years(!), a very lengthy period of time!).
The chapter concludes, telling us that since the cloud was the indicator, “On God’s word they camped, and on God’s word they traveled.”
This makes what is presented in the following chapter very odd. Chapter 10 begins with instruction to Moshe to make for himself personal silver trumpets to be used “for calling the nation, and for indicating time to travel.” The first use is completely understood. It’s an ancient bullhorn, siren, megaphone, speaker-system… call it what you will, but the point is that the sign is a gathering call.
But to cause travel? What were those final verses in Chapter 9 all about? The cloud is quite visible, thank you very much. If travel is based on God’s word, and God’s word alone, why would Moshe possibly have a need, or even a right, to use the silver trumpets as a call to gather items because it is a time to travel?
On a simple level, one might suggest that the trumpets were to be used for all those who simply weren’t paying attention. After all, we can’t expect the people of Israel to sit all day staring towards the Mishkan, watching the cloud, waiting if it will move from above the Mishkan.
Rashi’s answer to the question seems to concur with this suggestion, indicating that the sounding of these horns was meant to be a סימן, a sign to the people. And thus, it was actually three entities causing travel – God, Moshe, and the trumpets.
Wait… what? I understand that Moshe is perhaps blowing the trumpet (if anything he is likely not blowing more than one, which would suggest that it’s based on Moshe and whoever is assisting him). And I understand that God causes the cloud to move. But the Torah just told us, and emphasized, and reemphasized, and tripled down and quadrupled down on the notion that the CLOUD is what triggers travel and stops travel. So while Rashi certainly has every right to only mention God, and not the cloud, how does he go ahead and mention Moshe AND the trumpet? God controls the cloud, Moshe controls the trumpet. Mention them all! Or just mention God and Moshe!
Sifsei Chachamim, a supercommentary on Rashi, clarifies that the trumpet was never used to trigger travel. After all, the cloud would have to move, then Moshe would declare קומה ה, then the trumpets would be sounded. The sound is what triggered the actual disembarkment.
In other words, the cloud indicated it was time to take down the Mishkan, pack up tents and belongings, and get ready for travel. Gathering belongings to begin moving was instigated by the sound of the trumpets.
Or HaChaim asks the same question. This is his answer (translation from sefaria.org)
Perhaps the reason is that not all the tribes began their journey at the same time. The tribe of Yehudah was the first to break camp followed by the members of the clan of Gershon who carried the Tabernacle, followed by the camp of the tribe of Reuven, etc. The trumpets were required so that each group knew exactly when to start moving. When we questioned the need for the trumpets we could have also questioned why the trumpets were described as לך, "for yourself" i.e. for Moses. The fact is that just as G'd had paid Moses the compliment not to let the clouds move or come to rest without Moses telling it to, so G'd paid him the compliment of allowing him to give the signal to break camp by means of the trumpets. In that sense then the trumpets were Moses'…
Or HaChaim then goes on to give different interpretations of what it means that the trumpets belonged to Moshe. Rabbenu Bachaye writes of the symbolism of the trumpets being made of silver, of their being specifically designed for Moshe, and their unique suitability to his personality, and his personality alone. Noting how Yehoshua primarily used a Shofar, Rabbenu Bachaye suggests that the trumpets were hidden away after Moshe’s death, because they were only suitable for Moshe based on his unique qualities.
God’s qualities are timeless, boundless, endless, needing no further explanation. There is no need to expound upon God’s role in causing the people to travel, because the explanation of the cloud in Chapter 9 is more than clear. And so Rashi doesn’t bring it up, because it is unnecessary.
Moshe’s role was actually a cross between whatever he may have said and the sounding of the trumpets. Which means he actually had a dual role, and therefore when Rashi says על פי משה, he literally means based on what Moshe said, AND the trumpets reference the second role Moshe played.
The experience in the wilderness was one of miracles. Between the food, the water, the cloud, the fire, the people lived and survived in a manner we could only dream of, should things go so poorly that the only way we could survive would be based on God’s benevolence. There was an order that God put in place, and that God controlled, but even with an order, there needs to be a conductor.
Consider a parable to an orchestra. Assume all the musicians are professionals who obviously can read the music and play it, but their timing is very good. They could probably sound amazing without a conductor.
To the untrained ear.
But a conductor is necessary to make sure that everyone comes together in the manner in which they should. God puts it in motion (through the cloud’s movement), Moshe tells them it’s time to go using the prayer of קומה ה' (in the verse of ויהי בנסוע), and then he sounds the trumpet when he knows the people are ready to move.
Every move has different stages, and different triggers putting everything in motion.
When a plan is known, and when all participants know and understand their roles, it’s just a matter of it all coming together as it should through the right direction and orchestration. Until things went south in chapter 11, it truly looked like this well-oiled machine would be in the Promised Land within a few weeks. If that had happened, perhaps world history would have looked much different.
What plans do we have? How much are we reliant on God, or an outsider who will conduct our affairs for us? How much do we contribute prayer, as did Moshe, in hopes of a favorable outcome?
Yes, it is up to God, Moshe, and the trumpets. God’s clouds don’t need further honorable mention. But Moshe’s trumpets were his own, only in use for a limited time frame in history. What can we make our own (or what natural talents do we possess) so that when it is time to move on to the next part of the journey we have everything we need to see we are on the proper path to the next stages of life?
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