In Song: Beha’alotcha
Each week The Arty Semite connects the Torah reading — however tenuously — with a classic work of rock and roll.
In this week’s parsha, Beha’alotcha, the Levites are prepared for their duties in the Tabernacle, with the title referring to Aaron being given the privilege of lighting the Menorah. Passover is celebrated for the first (and only) time in the desert. Those who are unable to bring the Passover offering are given a second chance a month later, thus establishing the “Second Passover.”
Then Moses is commanded to make two silver trumpets for signalling the camp. The Israelites up camp and move on for three days. Moses’ father-law-Jethro takes his leave, whereupon things start to go downhill. First there are general grumblings, which are punished by fire. Then there are complaints that there is no meat, whereupon God provides a supper of quail every night for a month until the Israelites are literally sick of it, with many dying. Moses gathers 70 elders who are endowed with prophetic abilities to help him in deal with the rebellious hordes, while another two elders prophesy independently.
In the final passage in the parsha Miriam and Aaron, Moses’ siblings, talk about his relationship (or lack thereof) with his wife, Tzipporah. They refer to her as black-skinned, which many rabbis take to mean beautiful.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30