I study the Torah every year using the teaching tools of Scripture. (Why?)
Today is the 34th Sabbath of the annual Torah cycle. The Torah reading is Behaalotecha, Num 8:1-12:16.
The paragraph divisions are as follows:
Num 8:1-4 p Arrangement of the seven lamps of the menorah
Num 8:5-22 s Cleansing + wave offering of the Levites for the work of the tabernacle
Num 8:23-26 p Levites work of the tabernacle from 25 to 50 years
Num 9:1-8 p Passover keeping prevented by defilement
Num 9:9-14 s Second month Passover + one Torah for the stranger and native
Num 9:15-23 p Israel encamped and journeyed at the command of YHVH
Num 10:1-10 p The law of the two silver trumpets
Num 10:11-28 s 2nd year, 2nd month, 20th day, Israel broke camp in order
Num 10:29-34 s Moses entreats his father- in- law to journey with them
Num 10:35-36 p Moses’ blessing when the ark set out and when it rested
Num 11:1-15 p Complaint against the LORD – intense craving for meat
Num 11:16-22 p The LORD will give them meat for 30 days until they are sick of it
Num 11:23-35 p The 70 elders commissioned + quail + graves of craving
Num 12:1-3 s Complaint of Miriam + Aaron against Moses
Num 12:4-13 p Miriam becomes leprous
Num 12:14-16 p Miriam shut out of the camp 7 days, then received again
This parashah forms a single chiastic structure, with smaller structures within it. I have marked the paragraph divisions in the structure, so that it can be seen that the paragraph divisions often reveal the chiastic structure:
Num 8:1-12:16
1a) Num 8:1-26 p+s+p, The menorah and the Levites:
— 1.1) Num 8:1-4 p, Seven lamps;
— 1.2) Num 8:5-26 s+p, Levites set aside from the children of Israel;
1b) Num 9:1-8 p, Defilement with death;
1c) Num 9:9-23 s+p, Israel kept the charge of the Lord at its appointed time;
central axis) Num 10:1-10 p, The law of the two silver trumpets;
2c) Num 10:11-36 s+s+p, Israel set out and encamped at the command of the LORD;
2b) Num 11:1-12:13 p+p+p+s+p, Defilement with covetousness and evil speaking;
2a) Num 12:14-16 p, Leprosy and Miriam:
— 2.1) Num 12:14, Seven days;
— 2.2) Num 12:15-16 p, Miriam set aside from the children of Israel.
For further reading:
numbers 9-10, two silver trumpets (2011)
Updated 2012/06/16: Portions of this parashah also form a chiastic structure which goes back to the beginning of Numbers:
Num 1:1-10:36
1a) Num 1:1-47 s+px13, The numbering of the thousands of Israel;
1b) Num 1:48-2:34 p+sx4+p+p, The encampment of Israel at the command of YHVH;
1c) Num 3:1-4 p, Nadab + Abihu prevented from serving as priests because of profane fire;
1d) Num 3:5-8, Levites to attend to the work of the tabernacle;
1e) Num 3:9-10 p, Levites wholly given to Aaron and sons;
1f) Num 3:11-4:49 p+s+s+px4+s+s+p, YHVH has taken the Levites instead of the firstborn of the children of Israel;
1g) Num 5:1-7:88 px4+sx6+px12, Separation and dedication of the children of Israel;
— a) Num 5:1-10 p+p, Separate the unclean from the children of Israel + cleanse them of sins;
— b) Num 5:11-31 p, She shall drink the bitter water that brings a curse;
— c) Num 6:1-21 p, The Nazirite to shave his consecrated head;
— d) Num 6:22-7:88 sx6+px12, Aaron and sons shall put YHVH’s name on the children of Israel to bless them + Offerings for the altar to dedicate it to YHVH;
1h) Num 7:89 p, Thus YHVH spoke to Moses;
central axis) Num 8:1-4 p, The menorah to give light in front of the lampstand;
2h) Num 8:5, Thus YHVH spoke to Moses;
2g) Num 8:6-15, Separation and dedication of the Levites;
— a) Num 8:6, Separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them;
— b) Num 8:7a, He shall sprinkle the Levites with the water of purification;
— c) Num 8:7b, Levites to shave their hair;
— d) Num 8:8-15, Children of Israel shall put their hands on the Levites to dedicate them + Offerings for the Levites to dedicate them to YHVH;
2f) Num 8:16-18, YHVH has taken the Levites instead of the firstborn of Israel;
2e) Num 8:19, Levites wholly given to Aaron and sons;
2d) Num 8:20-26 s+p, Levites prepared for the service of the work of the tabernacle;
2c) Num 9:1-14 p+s, Certain men prevented from keeping Passover because of defilement;
2b) Num 9:15-10:34 p+p+s+s, Encamped at the command of YHVH and set out at the command of YHVH;
2a) Num 10:35-36 p, The ark rests and returns to the thousands of Israel.
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