Synopsis
Chukkat open with the famous purification ritual of the red heifer which God instructs Moses and Aaron. Such an animal, with no blemish upon it, must be slaughtered and burned with cedar wood, hyssop and crimson, its ashes mixed with water and used for the purification of those who come into contact with a corpse. Paradoxically the ashes make ritually impure the ritually pure people who prepare them, and they must go outside the camp until night.
The Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Zin. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron dies, and is buried at Kadesh. Once again there is a lack of water and the people complain against Moses and Aaron. God tells them to take a rod and to order the rock to yield water before the watching people, but Moses actually hits the rock twice. Water does gush out, but God is angry, seeing the action as a lack of belief. Moses and Aaron are told they will not enter the Land. The place where this happens is called Merivah, the waters of strife.
Aaron dies at Mount Hor on the border with the land of Edom. He is mourned by the children of Israel for 30 days and his son Eleazar succeeds him as high priest.
The Israelites go into battle at Hormah, but on the journey onwards they again complain about God and about the leadership of Moses. God sends a plague of nachashim seraphim (burning serpents) and many die; the plague is resolved only when Moses acts by making a bronze serpent/seraph figure, nachash nechoshet which heals the people when they look at it.
Again the Israelites go into battle, this time with Sihon the king of the Amorites, who refused to let them go through his land. After defeating him and taking his land, they go on to defeat Og the King of Bashan and also take possession of his country before marching on to Moab, right across the border from Jericho.
Chukkat open with the famous purification ritual of the red heifer which God instructs Moses and Aaron. Such an animal, with no blemish upon it, must be slaughtered and burned with cedar wood, hyssop and crimson, its ashes mixed with water and used for the purification of those who come into contact with a corpse. Paradoxically the ashes make ritually impure the ritually pure people who prepare them, and they must go outside the camp until night.
The Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Zin. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron dies, and is buried at Kadesh. Once again there is a lack of water and the people complain against Moses and Aaron. God tells them to take a rod and to order the rock to yield water before the watching people, but Moses actually hits the rock twice. Water does gush out, but God is angry, seeing the action as a lack of belief. Moses and Aaron are told they will not enter the Land. The place where this happens is called Merivah, the waters of strife.
Aaron dies at Mount Hor on the border with the land of Edom. He is mourned by the children of Israel for 30 days and his son Eleazar succeeds him as high priest.
The Israelites go into battle at Hormah, but on the journey onwards they again complain about God and about the leadership of Moses. God sends a plague of nachashim seraphim (burning serpents) and many die; the plague is resolved only when Moses acts by making a bronze serpent/seraph figure, nachash nechoshet which heals the people when they look at it.
Again the Israelites go into battle, this time with Sihon the king of the Amorites, who refused to let them go through his land. After defeating him and taking his land, they go on to defeat Og the King of Bashan and also take possession of his country before marching on to Moab, right across the border from Jericho.
“Rabbi Joshua of Sakhnin taught in the name of Rabbi Levi that the Evil Inclination criticizes four laws as without logical basis, and Scripture uses the expression “statute” (חֹק, chok) in connection with each:.(Numbers Rabbah 19:5)
These statutes which are not susceptible to explanation are: The laws of Yevama – of a levirate marriage where a man is obliged to marry the childless widow of his deceased brother. (found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10). The laws of shaatnez, the mingling of kinds (Lev 19:19 and Deut 22:11) which prohibit an individual from wearing cloth that is made of both wool and linen in one garment, from interbreeding different species of animals, and from planting together of different kinds of seeds in the same area. The ritual of the scapegoat (Leviticus 16) where on Yom Kippur one goat would be laden with the sins of the people and sent out into the wilderness to Azazel, while another was offered to God, and the ritual that appears in this Chukkat, that of the Parah Adumah, the perfectly red heifer, the ashes of which will purify that is ritually impure
These statutes which are not susceptible to explanation are: The laws of Yevama – of a levirate marriage where a man is obliged to marry the childless widow of his deceased brother. (found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10). The laws of shaatnez, the mingling of kinds (Lev 19:19 and Deut 22:11) which prohibit an individual from wearing cloth that is made of both wool and linen in one garment, from interbreeding different species of animals, and from planting together of different kinds of seeds in the same area. The ritual of the scapegoat (Leviticus 16) where on Yom Kippur one goat would be laden with the sins of the people and sent out into the wilderness to Azazel, while another was offered to God, and the ritual that appears in this Chukkat, that of the Parah Adumah, the perfectly red heifer, the ashes of which will purify that is ritually impure
An idolater once asked Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai about the Red Cow, likening its procedures to witchcraft. Rabban Johanan asked the idolater what he had seen done for a man possessed by a demon of madness. The idolater explained how in such a case, they would bring roots, make them smoke under the madman, sprinkle water on the man, and the demon would flee. Rabban Johanan told him that the Red Cow dealt similarly with the spirit of uncleanness, as Zechariah 13:2 says: "And also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land." Rabban Johanan told him that when they sprinkled the water of purification on the unclean, the spirit of uncleanness fled. But when the idolater had gone, Rabban Johanan's disciples told Rabban Johanan that they saw that he had put off the idolater with a mere makeshift, and asked him what explanation Rabban Johanan would give them. Rabban Johanan told his disciples that the dead did not defile nor the water purify; God had merely laid down a statute (chok), issued a decree, and commanded that we not transgress the decree, as Numbers 19:2 says: "This is the statute of the law." Bemidbar Rabbah 19:8
True to its name, Parashat Chukkat (lit., a divine decree that has no rational explanation) is full of inexplicables. The mysterious ritual of the Red Heifer, the unexpected death of Miriam, the all-but idolatrous Copper Serpent, the cryptic Song of the Well—few things in this parasha seem to make any sense. And yet, at the heart of all commentaries, all sermons and classes and weekly parasha Emails, there is one question that leaves all others behind: What did Moses do that was so wrong? How does the punishment of Mei Meriva fit the crime? Why is it that a slight deviation from God’s command—hitting the rock instead of speaking to it, to produce water for the grumbling Israelites—results in a ban on entering the Promised Land? (Gila Fine on parashat chukkat LSJS)
(כד) וַיִּלֹּ֧נוּ הָעָ֛ם עַל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר מַה־נִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃ (כה) וַיִּצְעַ֣ק אֶל־יְהוָ֗ה וַיּוֹרֵ֤הוּ יְהוָה֙ עֵ֔ץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֙ אֶל־הַמַּ֔יִם וַֽיִּמְתְּק֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם שָׁ֣ם שָׂ֥ם ל֛וֹ חֹ֥ק וּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט וְשָׁ֥ם נִסָּֽהוּ׃
(24) And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” (25) So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water and the water became sweet. There He made for them a fixed rule, and there He put them to the test.
(ג) וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מוּתֵ֤נוּ בְיַד־יְהוָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־סִ֣יר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר בְּאָכְלֵ֥נוּ לֶ֖חֶם לָשֹׂ֑בַע כִּֽי־הוֹצֵאתֶ֤ם אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְהָמִ֛ית אֶת־כָּל־הַקָּהָ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בָּרָעָֽב׃ (ס) (ד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה הִנְנִ֨י מַמְטִ֥יר לָכֶ֛ם לֶ֖חֶם מִן־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְיָצָ֨א הָעָ֤ם וְלָֽקְטוּ֙ דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ לְמַ֧עַן אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ הֲיֵלֵ֥ךְ בְּתוֹרָתִ֖י אִם־לֹֽא׃ (ה) וְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י וְהֵכִ֖ינוּ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־יָבִ֑יאוּ וְהָיָ֣ה מִשְׁנֶ֔ה עַ֥ל אֲשֶֽׁר־יִלְקְט֖וּ י֥וֹם ׀ יֽוֹם׃ (ס)
(3) The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we ate our fill of bread! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole congregation to death.” (4) And the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day’s portion—that I may thus test them, to see whether they will follow My instructions or not. (5) But on the sixth day, when they apportion what they have brought in, it shall prove to be double the amount they gather each day.”
(ד) וְהָֽאסַפְסֻף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ הִתְאַוּ֖וּ תַּאֲוָ֑ה וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ וַיִּבְכּ֗וּ גַּ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֥י יַאֲכִלֵ֖נוּ בָּשָֽׂר׃ (ה) זָכַ֙רְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נֹאכַ֥ל בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם חִנָּ֑ם אֵ֣ת הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔ים וְאֶת־הֶחָצִ֥יר וְאֶת־הַבְּצָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַשּׁוּמִֽים׃ (ו) וְעַתָּ֛ה נַפְשֵׁ֥נוּ יְבֵשָׁ֖ה אֵ֣ין כֹּ֑ל בִּלְתִּ֖י אֶל־הַמָּ֥ן עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ (ז) וְהַמָּ֕ן כִּזְרַע־גַּ֖ד ה֑וּא וְעֵינ֖וֹ כְּעֵ֥ין הַבְּדֹֽלַח׃
(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!” (7) Now the manna was like coriander seed, and in color it was like bdellium.
(יח) וְאֶל־הָעָ֨ם תֹּאמַ֜ר הִתְקַדְּשׁ֣וּ לְמָחָר֮ וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֣ם בָּשָׂר֒ כִּ֡י בְּכִיתֶם֩ בְּאָזְנֵ֨י יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֤י יַאֲכִלֵ֙נוּ֙ בָּשָׂ֔ר כִּי־ט֥וֹב לָ֖נוּ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְנָתַ֨ן יְהוָ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם בָּשָׂ֖ר וַאֲכַלְתֶּֽם׃ (יט) לֹ֣א י֥וֹם אֶחָ֛ד תֹּאכְל֖וּן וְלֹ֣א יוֹמָ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א ׀ חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה יָמִ֗ים וְלֹא֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה יָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֖א עֶשְׂרִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃ (כ) עַ֣ד ׀ חֹ֣דֶשׁ יָמִ֗ים עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא֙ מֵֽאַפְּכֶ֔ם וְהָיָ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לְזָרָ֑א יַ֗עַן כִּֽי־מְאַסְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֔ם וַתִּבְכּ֤וּ לְפָנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה יָצָ֥אנוּ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
(18) And say to the people: Purify yourselves for tomorrow and you shall eat meat, for you have kept whining before the LORD and saying, ‘If only we had meat to eat! Indeed, we were better off in Egypt!’ The LORD will give you meat and you shall eat. (19) You shall eat not one day, not two, not even five days or ten or twenty, (20) but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you. For you have rejected the LORD who is among you, by whining before Him and saying, ‘Oh, why did we ever leave Egypt!’”
(ג) וַיָּ֥רֶב הָעָ֖ם עִם־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֵאמֹ֔ר וְל֥וּ גָוַ֛עְנוּ בִּגְוַ֥ע אַחֵ֖ינוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (ד) וְלָמָ֤ה הֲבֵאתֶם֙ אֶת־קְהַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה לָמ֣וּת שָׁ֔ם אֲנַ֖חְנוּ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ׃ (ה) וְלָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה לֹ֣א ׀ מְק֣וֹם זֶ֗רַע וּתְאֵנָ֤ה וְגֶ֙פֶן֙ וְרִמּ֔וֹן וּמַ֥יִם אַ֖יִן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃ (ו) וַיָּבֹא֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאַהֲרֹ֜ן מִפְּנֵ֣י הַקָּהָ֗ל אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהוָ֖ה אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (פ) (ז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ח) קַ֣ח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֗ה וְהַקְהֵ֤ל אֶת־הָעֵדָה֙ אַתָּה֙ וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו וְהוֹצֵאתָ֨ לָהֶ֥ם מַ֙יִם֙ מִן־הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־הָעֵדָ֖ה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָֽם׃ (ט) וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֖ה מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּֽהוּ׃ (י) וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם׃ (יא) וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃ (ס)
(3) The people quarreled with Moses, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished at the instance of the LORD! (4) Why have you brought the LORD’s congregation into this wilderness for us and our beasts to die there? (5) Why did you make us leave Egypt to bring us to this wretched place, a place with no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates? There is not even water to drink!” (6) Moses and Aaron came away from the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and fell on their faces. The Presence of the LORD appeared to them, (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 to yield its water. Thus you shall produce water for them from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their beasts.” (9) Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as He had commanded him. (10) Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock; and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?” (11) And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank.
(ד) וַיִּסְע֞וּ מֵהֹ֤ר הָהָר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יַם־ס֔וּף לִסְבֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם וַתִּקְצַ֥ר נֶֽפֶשׁ־הָעָ֖ם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃ (ה) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר הָעָ֗ם בֵּֽאלֹהִים֮ וּבְמֹשֶׁה֒ לָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לָמ֖וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְאֵ֣ין מַ֔יִם וְנַפְשֵׁ֣נוּ קָ֔צָה בַּלֶּ֖חֶם הַקְּלֹקֵֽל׃ (ו) וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח יְהוָ֜ה בָּעָ֗ם אֵ֚ת הַנְּחָשִׁ֣ים הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וַֽיְנַשְּׁכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֥מָת עַם־רָ֖ב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(4) They set out from Mount Hor by way of the Sea of Reeds to skirt the land of Edom. But the people grew restive on the journey, (5) and the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why did you make us leave Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread and no water, and we have come to loathe this miserable food.” (6) The LORD sent seraph serpents against the people. They bit the people and many of the Israelites died.
The complaints of the people recall many previous expressions of dissatisfaction as they wander in the desert. Up till now, God has fulfilled their wishes (or even over fulfulled their wishes) but in parashat chukkat God doesn't respond in the same way - instead sending fiery serpents that bit and killed them. Why?
(ז) וַיָּבֹא֩ הָעָ֨ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ חָטָ֗אנוּ כִּֽי־דִבַּ֤רְנוּ בַֽיהוָה֙ וָבָ֔ךְ הִתְפַּלֵּל֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וְיָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלֵ֖ינוּ אֶת־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד הָעָֽם׃ (ח) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ שָׂרָ֔ף וְשִׂ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ עַל־נֵ֑ס וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־הַנָּשׁ֔וּךְ וְרָאָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ וָחָֽי׃ (ט) וַיַּ֤עַשׂ מֹשֶׁה֙ נְחַ֣שׁ נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וַיְשִׂמֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַנֵּ֑ס וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־נָשַׁ֤ךְ הַנָּחָשׁ֙ אֶת־אִ֔ישׁ וְהִבִּ֛יט אֶל־נְחַ֥שׁ הַנְּחֹ֖שֶׁת וָחָֽי׃
(7) The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD to take away the serpents from us!” And Moses interceded for the people. (8) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a seraph figure and mount it on a standard. And if anyone who is bitten looks at it, he shall recover.” (9) Moses made a copper serpent and mounted it on a standard; and when anyone was bitten by a serpent, he would look at the copper serpent and recover.
"Now, does a serpent kill, or does a serpent keep alive? NO! But when Israel directed their thoughts above and subjected their hearts to their Father in heaven; they were healed. But otherwise they pined away." (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Rosh Hashana 29a)
(א) ויעש משה נחש נחשת לא נאמר לו לעשותו של נחשת אלא אמר משה הקב"ה אמר לי נחש אני אעשנו של נחשת לשון נופל על הלשון זה לשון רש"י מדברי רבותינו (ב"ר לא ח) ולא הבינותי זה שהרי הקב"ה לא הזכיר לו נחש אלא עשה לך שרף אבל דעתם לומר כי הלך משה אחר שם העצם אשר לו והנראה בעיני בסוד הדבר הזה כי הוא מדרכי התורה שכל מעשיה נס בתוך נס תסיר הנזק במזיק ותרפא החולי במחליא כמו שהזכירו (מכילתא ויסע א) בויורהו ה' עץ (שמות טו כה) וכן במלח אלישע במים (מלכים ב ב כא) וידוע מדרכי הרפואות שכל נשוכי בעלי הארס יסתכנו בראותם אותם או בראות דמותם עד כי נשוכי הכלב השוטה וכן שאר הבהמות השוטות אם יביטו במים יראה להם שם בבואת הכלב או המזיק וימותו כמו שכתוב בספרי הרפואות ומוזכר בגמרא במסכת יומא (פד) וכן ישמרו אותם הרופאים מהזכיר בפניהם שם הנושך שלא יזכרו אותם כלל כי נפשם תדבק במחשבה ההיא ולא תפרד ממנה כלל עד שתמית אותם וכבר הזכירו דבר מנוסה מפלאות התולדה כי נשוך הכלב השוטה אחרי שנשתטה בחליו אם יקובל השתן שלו בכלי זכוכית יראה בשתן דמות גורי כלבים קטנים ואם תעביר המים במטלית ותסננם לא תמצא בהם שום רושם כלל וכשתחזירם לכלי הזכוכית וישתהו שם כשעה תחזור ותראה שם גורי הכלבים מתוארים וזה אמת הוא בפלאי כחות הנפש וכשיהיה כל זה כך ראוי היה לישראל נשוכי הנחשים השרפים שלא יראו נחש ולא יזכרו ולא יעלו על לב כלל וצוה הקב"ה למשה לעשות להם דמות שרף הוא הממית אותם וידוע כי הנחשים השרפים אדומי העינים רחבי הראש שגופם כעין הנחשת בצוארם ולכן לא מצא משה לקיים מצותו בשרף בלתי שיעשה נחש נחשת כי הוא דמות נחש שרף ואם יעשנו מדבר אחר היה דמות נחש ולא דמות שרף ומה שאמרו מן הלשון הנופל על הלשון כי הזכרת השם בלבד תזיק והכלל כי צוה השם שיתרפאו במזיק הממית בטבע ועשו דמותו ושמו וכשיהיה האדם מביט בכוונה אל נחש הנחשת שהוא כעין המזיק לגמרי היה חי להודיעם כי השם ממית ומחיה:
" [God] did not tell him(Moses) to make it out of copper, rather Moses said to himself "God said to make a snake (Nachash) so I will make it out of copper (Nachoshet)". It is a "play on words."
This is the language of Rashi from the words of our Rabbis.
And I did not understand this, as God did not tell Moses to make a snake but rather a "seraph", (a fiery flying serpent). Moses sought after the word's literal meaning, since it is in the way of the Torah, in all its doings, to have a miracle within a miracle. To remove damage with something harmful, or to cure an illness with disease.
It was proper for the Jews who were bitten by "seraph" snakes to not see snakes, and not remember, and not bring it upon their hearts in general. God's order to Moses to make the image of a seraph killed them. It is known that the "seraph" snakes have red eyes, wide heads, and bodies like brass necks. And therefore, Moses did not find a way to carry out this command of making a "seraph" without making a copper snake, since it is the form of a "seraph" snake. If he made it of another material, it would be in the form of a snake, but not of a "seraph". If this is so, why is it still called "the copper snake" (as opposed to the "seraph" snake)? Because even the name would do harm to people who would hear it and were bitten by the snakes.
The generalization goes as follows: God ordered that they be cured by a harmful, fatal thing in nature, and so Moses made its image and called it by that name. When a person would gaze at the copper snake (something usually completely harmful) intentionally, he would live and announce that God kills and God brings life.
...
The bronze serpent that heals those who look upon it seems to be an idolatry. But at the time it seemed to work, and the Talmud assumes that it worked because it diverted the thoughts of the people towards God. But by the time of Hezekiah that function had gone, it had become the object of idolatry and so Hezekiah broke it into pieces....
God punished the Israelites by means of serpents in Numbers 21:6, because the serpent was the first to speak slander in Genesis 3:4–5. God cursed the serpent, but the Israelites did not learn a lesson from the serpent's fate, and nonetheless spoke slander. God therefore sent the serpent, who was the first to introduce slander, to punish those who spoke slander. (Bemidbar Rabbah 19:22)
" Moses said to himself, if it was to be made of gold or of silver then God would have said. He only said "saraf". What is put into the fire and burns ?
("saraf" also means "burned", which is the reason a venomous snake is called a "saraf")?
Bronze.
Therefore Moses made the Nachash Hanechoshet." (ie the important part of the serpent was that it looked burned or burning, as bronze appears to look
(Midrash Hagadol, Yemen 14th Century)
"Rabbi Yudin in the name of Rabbi Ayvo said: 'A wise man hears and adds a lesson (Mishlei, 1:5)' This is Moses. God told Moses, 'Make for yourself a saraf', and He did not elaborate. Moses said: If I make it out of gold then one sound does not fall upon (apply to) the other sound (ein lashon zeh nofel al lashon zeh). If I make it out of silver then one sound does not fall upon the other sound. Rather, I will make it out of bronze, one sound falling upon the other (Nachash Nechoshet).
ie the important part is that the thing to be made should look like a serpent. [Bereishit Rabbah 31:8]"
("saraf" also means "burned", which is the reason a venomous snake is called a "saraf")?
Bronze.
Therefore Moses made the Nachash Hanechoshet." (ie the important part of the serpent was that it looked burned or burning, as bronze appears to look
(Midrash Hagadol, Yemen 14th Century)
"Rabbi Yudin in the name of Rabbi Ayvo said: 'A wise man hears and adds a lesson (Mishlei, 1:5)' This is Moses. God told Moses, 'Make for yourself a saraf', and He did not elaborate. Moses said: If I make it out of gold then one sound does not fall upon (apply to) the other sound (ein lashon zeh nofel al lashon zeh). If I make it out of silver then one sound does not fall upon the other sound. Rather, I will make it out of bronze, one sound falling upon the other (Nachash Nechoshet).
ie the important part is that the thing to be made should look like a serpent. [Bereishit Rabbah 31:8]"
"Rabbi Yudin says, the snakes that the Anan (the Ananei Hakavod, the protective Clouds of Honor that surrounded Bnei Yisrael in the desert until the death of Aharon Hakohen) used to burn, and make a fence around the camp in order to let them know of the miracles that God did for them, those snakes God sent upon them. [Tanchuma Chukat 19]"
(the fiery serpent was both a reminder of the protection of God (ie burning snakes used to provide a fence around the camp) and of the snakes that were hurting them at that time - ie the punishment of God)
(the fiery serpent was both a reminder of the protection of God (ie burning snakes used to provide a fence around the camp) and of the snakes that were hurting them at that time - ie the punishment of God)
In Biblical Hebrew there is a strong etymological connection between the ‘Nachash’ and supernatural forces. The Biblical Hebrew word for ‘sorcery’ or ‘witchcraft’Nachash’ {נחש} the same word for serpent. (the verb is first used by Laban to Jacob his son in law (Genesis 30:27
In Modern Hebrew, the verb ‘Le-Nachesh’ {לנחש} is used today meaning ‘to guess.’
The reason for this is probably connected to the usage of this verb in the Hebrew Bible in the context of telling the future by fortune tellers. Therefore, it is strongly associated with the concept of ‘guessing’…
In Modern Hebrew, the verb ‘Le-Nachesh’ {לנחש} is used today meaning ‘to guess.’
The reason for this is probably connected to the usage of this verb in the Hebrew Bible in the context of telling the future by fortune tellers. Therefore, it is strongly associated with the concept of ‘guessing’…
(כז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ לָבָ֔ן אִם־נָ֛א מָצָ֥אתִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ נִחַ֕שְׁתִּי וַיְבָרֲכֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה בִּגְלָלֶֽךָ׃
(27) But Laban said to him, “If you will indulge me, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me on your account.”
(א) וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שָׁלֹ֔שׁ לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בֶּן־אֵלָ֖ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מָלַ֛ךְ חִזְקִיָּ֥ה בֶן־אָחָ֖ז מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃ (ב) בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֣ה בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ אֲבִ֖י בַּת־זְכַרְיָֽה׃ (ג) וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃ (ד) ה֣וּא ׀ הֵסִ֣יר אֶת־הַבָּמ֗וֹת וְשִׁבַּר֙ אֶת־הַמַּצֵּבֹ֔ת וְכָרַ֖ת אֶת־הָֽאֲשֵׁרָ֑ה וְכִתַּת֩ נְחַ֨שׁ הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֗ה כִּ֣י עַד־הַיָּמִ֤ים הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ הָי֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מְקַטְּרִ֣ים ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרָא־ל֖וֹ נְחֻשְׁתָּֽן׃
(1) In the third year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, Hezekiah son of King Ahaz of Judah became king. (2) He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years; his mother’s name was Abi daughter of Zechariah. (3) He did what was pleasing to the LORD, just as his father David had done. (4) He abolished the shrines and smashed the pillars and cut down the sacred post. He also broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until that time the Israelites had been offering sacrifices to it; it was called Nehushtan.
What was Nechushtan?
Theory One: Bronze Age Canaanite Vestige
One explanation is that Nehushtan was a vestige of pre-Israelite practices. Iconographic evidence from Late Bronze Age Palestine shows an association between sacred trees and serpents as symbols of fertility.. a number of items discovered in several excavations in Israel dating to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1550-1200 B.C.E… depict what appears to be a fertility goddess, perhaps Asherah, accompanied by serpent images……This suggests that the pre-Israelite/Canaanite population of Palestine venerated the serpent alongside the Asherah, most probably as an image of fertility. Thus, although as a rule serpent images disappear with the advent of the Iron Age and the Israelite culture, Nehushtan may have been an exception to this rule, a cultic image that stood in a Canaanite temple (perhaps in Jerusalem itself) and was inherited and kept by the Israelites.
Theory Two: Egyptian Influence in the 8th Century
Another possibility, if we focus on iconographic evidence, is that the statue reflects Egyptian culture. Serpents were seen by Egyptian rulers as symbols of life, healing, and protection. Deities and kings were often pictured with uraei (serpent heads) on their foreheads or otherwise pictured in association with protective uraei The image of a protective uraeus works well with the image of life and healing granted by looking at the serpent in the story in Numbers 21.
Although absent during the early Iron Age, serpent imagery reappears in the Levant on the seals and seal impressions dated to the reign of Hezekiah, during whose early reign the influence of Egypt was particularly strong.
..While Hezekiah himself seems to have preferred other Egyptian motifs, the winged sun disc with ankh (sign for life) or the winged scarab, other royal officials made use of the winged uraeus ( a representation of a sacred serpent as an emblem of supreme power, worn on the headdresses of ancient Egyptian deities and sovereigns. ). As the Judean rulers moved politically closer to Egypt to help stall the Assyrian advance that brought down the northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C.E., it is not surprising that Egyptian iconography emerged as popular symbols in the royal court of Hezekiah.
Two bullae (seal or token) believed to date from late 8th century Judah that feature the winged uraeus (serpent). Each seems to have been the royal seal for a specific city named in the bulla. The one on the left reads: צעננם למלך (“Tza’ananim, belonging to the king”) and the one on the right reads פקה למלך (“[A]pheka, belonging to the king”). Both cities are mentioned in the Bible….Perhaps, then, the Nehushtan was introduced during this period, as part of Judah’s adoption of Egyptian cultural icons, especially the serpent image which was a symbol of kingship. In fact, this theory can work in tandem with the previous one: the serpent may have been an ancient vestige that gained importance in the time of Hezekiah when Egyptian iconography was on the rise. (From Torah.com)
Theory One: Bronze Age Canaanite Vestige
One explanation is that Nehushtan was a vestige of pre-Israelite practices. Iconographic evidence from Late Bronze Age Palestine shows an association between sacred trees and serpents as symbols of fertility.. a number of items discovered in several excavations in Israel dating to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1550-1200 B.C.E… depict what appears to be a fertility goddess, perhaps Asherah, accompanied by serpent images……This suggests that the pre-Israelite/Canaanite population of Palestine venerated the serpent alongside the Asherah, most probably as an image of fertility. Thus, although as a rule serpent images disappear with the advent of the Iron Age and the Israelite culture, Nehushtan may have been an exception to this rule, a cultic image that stood in a Canaanite temple (perhaps in Jerusalem itself) and was inherited and kept by the Israelites.
Theory Two: Egyptian Influence in the 8th Century
Another possibility, if we focus on iconographic evidence, is that the statue reflects Egyptian culture. Serpents were seen by Egyptian rulers as symbols of life, healing, and protection. Deities and kings were often pictured with uraei (serpent heads) on their foreheads or otherwise pictured in association with protective uraei The image of a protective uraeus works well with the image of life and healing granted by looking at the serpent in the story in Numbers 21.
Although absent during the early Iron Age, serpent imagery reappears in the Levant on the seals and seal impressions dated to the reign of Hezekiah, during whose early reign the influence of Egypt was particularly strong.
..While Hezekiah himself seems to have preferred other Egyptian motifs, the winged sun disc with ankh (sign for life) or the winged scarab, other royal officials made use of the winged uraeus ( a representation of a sacred serpent as an emblem of supreme power, worn on the headdresses of ancient Egyptian deities and sovereigns. ). As the Judean rulers moved politically closer to Egypt to help stall the Assyrian advance that brought down the northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C.E., it is not surprising that Egyptian iconography emerged as popular symbols in the royal court of Hezekiah.
Two bullae (seal or token) believed to date from late 8th century Judah that feature the winged uraeus (serpent). Each seems to have been the royal seal for a specific city named in the bulla. The one on the left reads: צעננם למלך (“Tza’ananim, belonging to the king”) and the one on the right reads פקה למלך (“[A]pheka, belonging to the king”). Both cities are mentioned in the Bible….Perhaps, then, the Nehushtan was introduced during this period, as part of Judah’s adoption of Egyptian cultural icons, especially the serpent image which was a symbol of kingship. In fact, this theory can work in tandem with the previous one: the serpent may have been an ancient vestige that gained importance in the time of Hezekiah when Egyptian iconography was on the rise. (From Torah.com)
A Brief History of Nehushtan
The most reasonable solution to the puzzle of Nehushtan is that it was a pre-Israelite, Egyptian style cultic image of a serpent mounted on a sacred pole. For the Canaanites, it likely represented a deity with some relationship to the goddess Asherah, and was retained as part of the “cultic paraphernalia” of the worship of YHWH in Jerusalem. Sometime before the reign of Hezekiah in the 8th century B.C.E., an etiological tale was composed attributing the erection of Nehushtan to Moses during the wilderness wandering as a way of justifying this unusual cultic image.
Nehushtan likely became popular for a short time in the early days of Hezekiah, when he was in league with Egypt and even adopted Egyptian imagery on his personal seal. After Hezekiah submitted to Assyria, the Egyptian imagery became anathema and was removed from Judahite seals, and the statue of Nehushtan was removed as well. The fate of the image is unclear, but it may have become part of the booty or tribute that Hezekiah used to pay off his overlord, King Sennacherib of Assyria.
Hezekiah’s story was reimagined by the Deuteronomistic historian, composing and compiling his work in the glow of Josiah’s reform, and imagining Hezekiah as having engaged in a similar process. For that Deuteronomistic historian, the removal of a copper serpent would naturally have been seen as part of that reform. (torah.com)
The most reasonable solution to the puzzle of Nehushtan is that it was a pre-Israelite, Egyptian style cultic image of a serpent mounted on a sacred pole. For the Canaanites, it likely represented a deity with some relationship to the goddess Asherah, and was retained as part of the “cultic paraphernalia” of the worship of YHWH in Jerusalem. Sometime before the reign of Hezekiah in the 8th century B.C.E., an etiological tale was composed attributing the erection of Nehushtan to Moses during the wilderness wandering as a way of justifying this unusual cultic image.
Nehushtan likely became popular for a short time in the early days of Hezekiah, when he was in league with Egypt and even adopted Egyptian imagery on his personal seal. After Hezekiah submitted to Assyria, the Egyptian imagery became anathema and was removed from Judahite seals, and the statue of Nehushtan was removed as well. The fate of the image is unclear, but it may have become part of the booty or tribute that Hezekiah used to pay off his overlord, King Sennacherib of Assyria.
Hezekiah’s story was reimagined by the Deuteronomistic historian, composing and compiling his work in the glow of Josiah’s reform, and imagining Hezekiah as having engaged in a similar process. For that Deuteronomistic historian, the removal of a copper serpent would naturally have been seen as part of that reform. (torah.com)