B'Midbar and the Emergence of Dibbur

(1) On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying:

(16) Assuredly, I will speak coaxingly to her And lead her through the wilderness And speak to her tenderly.

...And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness (Exod. 3:1). R. Joshua said, Why was he in pursuit of the wilderness? He saw that Israel would be raised up from the wilderness, as it is said: Who is this who rises up from the wilderness? (Songs 3:6). They had the manna from the wilderness, and the quails, and the well, and the Tabernacle, and the Divine Presence; priesthood, kingship, and the clouds of glory ...
[Ein midbar ella dibbur.] Wilderness [midbar] is, in essence, language [dibbur]. As it is said, Your lips are like a scarlet thread, your mouth [midbarech] is lovely (Songs 4:3).

(4) The riffraff in their midst felt a gluttonous craving; and then the Israelites wept and said, “If only we had meat to eat! (5) We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. (6) Now our gullets are shriveled. There is nothing at all! Nothing but this manna to look to!”

(1) Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married: “He married a Cushite woman!” (2) They said, “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” The LORD heard it.

(1) The whole community broke into loud cries and gave forth their voice, and the people wept that night. (2) All the Israelites railed against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in the land of Egypt,” the whole community shouted at them, “or if only we might die in this wilderness! ... Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt."

(28) Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘I will do to you just as you have urged Me (ka-asher dibartem).

(3) They combined against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above the LORD’s congregation?” (4) When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.

(7) and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (8) “You and your brother Aaron take the rod and assemble the community, and before their very eyes order the rock (v'dibartem el ha-sela) to yield its water. Thus you shall produce water for them from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their beasts.”

(38) But Balaam said to Balak, “And now that I have come to you, have I the power to speak freely? I can utter only the word that God puts into my mouth.”

(6) And the LORD said to Moses, (7) “The plea of Zelophehad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them.

(1) ויהי כאשר תמו וגו׳ וידבר ה' אלי וגו׳ SO IT CAME TO PASS … THAT THE LORD SPOKE TO ME etc. — But from when the spies were sent forth until now, the word וידבר is not mentioned in this section, but ויאמר, to teach you that during these entire thirty eight years during which the Israelites were lying under God’s censure, the Divine speech was not directed towards him in an expression of affection, face to face, and with tranquility of mind — to teach you that the Shechinah rests upon the prophets only for Israel’s sake.

(25) Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up on Mount Hor. (26) Strip Aaron of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar. There Aaron shall be gathered unto the dead.”

(1) קח את אהרן TAKE AARON by consoling words — say to him: Happy art thou that thou wilt see thy crown being given to thy son, something to which I am not privileged (Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 17).