The Limits Of Power And Conquest
The book of Numbers, full of bloodshed and division, ends with a call for unity and a discussion of the sanctity of life.
By Rabbi Avraham Fischer. The following article is reprinted with permission from the Orthodox Union.
The journey to the land of Canaan has been long and arduous.
But, at long last, the conquest of the land is underway. Now, at the end of the journeys there are five utterances, which Hashem directs to Moshe, instructing the Children of Israel how to take possession of their land:
33:50-56--to dispossess all the inhabitants of the land and destroy all idolatry.
34:1-15--the boundaries of the land are described.
34:16-29--the tribal representatives who will help divide the land are listed.
35:1-8--the command to set aside cities for the tribe of Levi, who will not receive a regular portion in the land.
35:9-34--the cities of refuge for the unintentional murderer are designated, and the laws of murder and manslaughter are set forth.
Abrabanel (Don Yitzchak Abrabanel, 1437-1508) says that Moshe is thereby comforted: Although he will not lead the Children of Israel into the land, the conquest in its entirety is dependent upon the Divine utterances he will teach.
At first glance, it would seem that the cities of refuge are discussed here because six of the Levite cities were cities of refuge. Then, it is appropriate that the fuller discussion of the laws of murder and manslaughter follows. Still, the effect of concluding with these topics is unsettling.
Why end the tumultuous book of Bamidbar--indeed, why prepare for entry into the land--on this note? Of the many commandments that are particular to the land of Israel, why "sign off" with the cities of refuge? Are there not more uplifting commandments to be dealt with than bloodshed? And, are there not other commandments more specifically land-of-Israel-oriented than murder?
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