More On RJE

A problem arose for RJE, when he reached

Abraham proceeded and took a wife whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan amd Midian and Ishbak and Shuah, Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan, and the children of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. And the children of Midian - Ephah and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah; all these were the descendants of Keturah.

The text was to be the introduction to the birth of Esav and Yaakov, according to E, which is alternative to the story of Yitzchak, who died according to E. The alternative account could obviously not be given. Instead, RJE wrote a text, to do away with the children of Avraham:

Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But to the concubine-children who were Abraham's, Abraham gave gifts; then he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he was still alive, eastward to the land of the east.

But the account that could not be given, still had a Berachah in it which Abraham received at the end of his life. It was possible to save this dangling Berachah, and RJE did this in an ingenious way.

RJE

The transformation of

וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל עַל-הַמַּחֲנֶה, לָיְלָה, יֵרֵד הַמָּן, עָלָיו. וְהַמָּן, כִּזְרַע-גַּד הוּא; וְעֵינוֹ, כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח; וְהָיָה טַעְמוֹ, כְּטַעַם לְשַׁד הַשָּׁמֶן. שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ וְטָחֲנוּ בָרֵחַיִם, אוֹ דָכוּ בַּמְּדֹכָה, וּבִשְּׁלוּ בַּפָּרוּר, וְעָשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עֻגוֹת

into

וְהַמָּן, כִּזְרַע-גַּד הוּא; וְעֵינוֹ, כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח. שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ וְטָחֲנוּ בָרֵחַיִם, אוֹ דָכוּ בַּמְּדֹכָה, וּבִשְּׁלוּ בַּפָּרוּר, וְעָשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עֻגוֹת; וְהָיָה טַעְמוֹ, כְּטַעַם לְשַׁד הַשָּׁמֶן. וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל עַל-הַמַּחֲנֶה, לָיְלָה, יֵרֵד הַמָּן, עָלָיו

was work done by "RJE", the editor that combined E and J. He did so in an exceptionally brilliant way, taking the story line of J as baseline and taking as much as possible from E without interfering with the story of J. Taking from E involved also transformations as above. Note that no words seem to be lost, only the order has changed, according to their (new) context. For another example of the liberty of RJE, see this or this, where RJE takes an E-text, writes a new end according to J, and so rewrites the story without changing the E-text itself.

E's Number?

The passage "BaMidbar 11", which we moved to here, consists of three paragraphs. The following is the first:

ַיְהִי הָעָם כְּמִתְאֹנְנִים, רַע בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוָה; וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוָה, וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ, וַתִּבְעַר-בָּם אֵשׁ יְהוָה, וַתֹּאכַל בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה. וַיִּצְעַק הָעָם, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה, וַתִּשְׁקַע הָאֵשׁ. וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם-הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, תַּבְעֵרָה: כִּי-בָעֲרָה בָם, אֵשׁ יְהוָה. וְהָאסַפְסֻף אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבּוֹ, הִתְאַוּוּ תַּאֲוָה; וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ, גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, מִי יַאֲכִלֵנוּ בָּשָׂר. זָכַרְנוּ, אֶת-הַדָּגָה, אֲשֶׁר-נֹאכַל בְּמִצְרַיִם, חִנָּם; אֵת הַקִּשֻּׁאִים, וְאֵת הָאֲבַטִּחִים, וְאֶת-הֶחָצִיר וְאֶת-הַבְּצָלִים, וְאֶת-הַשּׁוּמִים. וְעַתָּה נַפְשֵׁנוּ יְבֵשָׁה, אֵין כֹּל--בִּלְתִּי, אֶל-הַמָּן עֵינֵינוּ. וְהַמָּן, כִּזְרַע-גַּד הוּא; וְעֵינוֹ, כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח. שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ וְטָחֲנוּ בָרֵחַיִם, אוֹ דָכוּ בַּמְּדֹכָה, וּבִשְּׁלוּ בַּפָּרוּר, וְעָשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עֻגוֹת; וְהָיָה טַעְמוֹ, כְּטַעַם לְשַׁד הַשָּׁמֶן. וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל עַל-הַמַּחֲנֶה, לָיְלָה, יֵרֵד הַמָּן, עָלָיו. וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הָעָם, בֹּכֶה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו--אִישׁ, לְפֶתַח אָהֳלוֹ; וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה מְאֹד, וּבְעֵינֵי מֹשֶׁה רָע. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה, לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ, וְלָמָּה לֹא-מָצָתִי חֵן, בְּעֵינֶיךָ: לָשׂוּם, אֶת-מַשָּׂא כָּל-הָעָם הַזֶּה--עָלָי. הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי, אֵת כָּל-הָעָם הַזֶּה--אִם-אָנֹכִי, יְלִדְתִּיהוּ: כִּי-תֹאמַר אֵלַי שָׂאֵהוּ בְחֵיקֶךָ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא הָאֹמֵן אֶת-הַיֹּנֵק, עַל הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָיו. מֵאַיִן לִי בָּשָׂר, לָתֵת לְכָל-הָעָם הַזֶּה: כִּי-יִבְכּוּ עָלַי לֵאמֹר, תְּנָה-לָּנוּ בָשָׂר וְנֹאכֵלָה. לֹא-אוּכַל אָנֹכִי לְבַדִּי, לָשֵׂאת אֶת-כָּל-הָעָם הַזֶּה: כִּי כָבֵד, מִמֶּנִּי. וְאִם-כָּכָה אַתְּ-עֹשֶׂה לִּי, הָרְגֵנִי נָא הָרֹג--אִם-מָצָאתִי חֵן, בְּעֵינֶיךָ; וְאַל-אֶרְאֶה, בְּרָעָתִי

It can be split into three paragraphs itself, as follows:

וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל עַל-הַמַּחֲנֶה, לָיְלָה, יֵרֵד הַמָּן, עָלָיו. וְהַמָּן, כִּזְרַע-גַּד הוּא; וְעֵינוֹ, כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח; וְהָיָה טַעְמוֹ, כְּטַעַם לְשַׁד הַשָּׁמֶן. שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ וְטָחֲנוּ בָרֵחַיִם, אוֹ דָכוּ בַּמְּדֹכָה, וּבִשְּׁלוּ בַּפָּרוּר, וְעָשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עֻגוֹת

וַיְהִי הָעָם כְּמִתְאֹנְנִים, רַע בְּאָזְנֵי יְהוָה; וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוָה, וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ, וַתִּבְעַר-בָּם אֵשׁ יְהוָה, וַתֹּאכַל בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה. וַיִּצְעַק הָעָם, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה, וַתִּשְׁקַע הָאֵשׁ. וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם-הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, תַּבְעֵרָה: כִּי-בָעֲרָה בָם, אֵשׁ יְהוָה

. וְהָאסַפְסֻף אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבּוֹ, הִתְאַוּוּ תַּאֲוָה; וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ, גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, מִי יַאֲכִלֵנוּ בָּשָׂר. זָכַרְנוּ, אֶת-הַדָּגָה, אֲשֶׁר-נֹאכַל בְּמִצְרַיִם, חִנָּם; אֵת הַקִּשֻּׁאִים, וְאֵת הָאֲבַטִּחִים, וְאֶת-הֶחָצִיר וְאֶת-הַבְּצָלִים, וְאֶת-הַשּׁוּמִים. וְעַתָּה נַפְשֵׁנוּ יְבֵשָׁה, אֵין כֹּל--בִּלְתִּי, אֶל-הַמָּן עֵינֵינוּ. וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הָעָם, בֹּכֶה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָיו--אִישׁ, לְפֶתַח אָהֳלוֹ; וַיִּחַר-אַף יְהוָה מְאֹד, וּבְעֵינֵי מֹשֶׁה רָע. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה, לָמָה הֲרֵעֹתָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ, וְלָמָּה לֹא-מָצָתִי חֵן, בְּעֵינֶיךָ: לָשׂוּם, אֶת-מַשָּׂא כָּל-הָעָם הַזֶּה--עָלָי. הֶאָנֹכִי הָרִיתִי, אֵת כָּל-הָעָם הַזֶּה--אִם-אָנֹכִי, יְלִדְתִּיהוּ: כִּי-תֹאמַר אֵלַי שָׂאֵהוּ בְחֵיקֶךָ, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא הָאֹמֵן אֶת-הַיֹּנֵק, עַל הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָיו. מֵאַיִן לִי בָּשָׂר, לָתֵת לְכָל-הָעָם הַזֶּה: כִּי-יִבְכּוּ עָלַי לֵאמֹר, תְּנָה-לָּנוּ בָשָׂר וְנֹאכֵלָה. לֹא-אוּכַל אָנֹכִי לְבַדִּי, לָשֵׂאת אֶת-כָּל-הָעָם הַזֶּה: כִּי כָבֵד, מִמֶּנִּי. וְאִם-כָּכָה אַתְּ-עֹשֶׂה לִּי, הָרְגֵנִי נָא הָרֹג--אִם-מָצָאתִי חֵן, בְּעֵינֶיךָ; וְאַל-אֶרְאֶה, בְּרָעָתִי

The first of the these three has the exact same words as the bold section in the original text, but is reordered so that it now is an (alternative) introduction of the Manna. This would have been the introduction of Manna of E.

If the reordering is accepted, the third paragraph would be of E also, and that would set the stage of the next two paragraphs, which would be E and not J. In summary, all of "BaMidbar 11" would be E, including the italic section.

Hence, the 600 Elef Ragli, would have been E's number. The mention of "Ohel Moed" would be another sign of E, as it does not appear in any part of J.

And the conclusion would have to be that the two solutions to the problem that Moshe could not handle the people by himself, would both be from E; the Sanhedrin and the solution of Yitro.

And the question how many people stood at "Har Sinai," would finally receive an answer, from E. There were 600 Elef Ragli, minus the result of the Macah Rabah Meod, minus 3,000.

J's Number: 600 Walking Troops

Regarding J's number of 600,000 people, it may be read as 600 "Elef Ragli", 600 walking troops. This interpretation is explored in an article for P's later census numbers also. It seems to me that the explanation, in the article, of the numbers of the Levi'im and the first-born, must be applied elsewhere in the same way. The implication is that a "walking troop" would be about 30 people. So the people, the 600 Elef Ragli, were about 18,000, before a large multitude died. It would be 36,000 if one assumes that only men are counted.

Why The Shabbat?

Why do we keep the Shabbat? Let the sources speak:

E: Six days you shall do the things you do, and on the seventh day you shall cease, so that your ox and your ass will rest, and your maid's son will be refreshed. (Shemot 23:12)
J: Six days you shall work, and on the seventh day you shall cease. In plowing time and in harvest, you shall cease. (Shemot 34:21)
D: Observe the Shabbat day, to make it holy, as HaShem, your G-d, commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, and the seventh day is a Shabbat to HaShem, your G-d. You shall not do any work, you and your son and your daughter and your servant and your maid and your ox and your ass or any animal and your alien who is in your gates - in order that your servant and your maid will rest like you, and you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Mitzraim and HaShem, your G-d, brought you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. On account of this, HaShem, your G-d, has commanded you to do the Shabbat day. (Devarim 5:12-15)
P: Remember the Shabbat day to make it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, and the seventh day is a Shabbat to HaShem, your G-d. You shall not do any work, you and your son and your daughter, your servant and your maid and your animal and your alien who is in your gates. Because for six days HaShem made the skies and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. On account of this, HaShem blessed the Shabbat day and made it holy. (Shemot 20:8-11)

The Evolution of a Chag

How do we celebrate Chag HaPesach? Let the sources speak:

E: There is one day of Pesach. A sheep is to be slaughtered and eaten, and leavened bread is not eaten, because we left Mitzraim in haste. This day is not a Chag in the technical sense.
J: There are seven days of Chag HaMatzot. Unleavened bread is eaten as a reminder of the Manna that fell in the Desert. The seventh day is a Chag to HaShem.
D: There are seven days of Pesach/Chag HaMatzot. The first day, the Pesach sacrifice is brought, in the place that HaShem will choose (the Temple in Yerushalayim). It is eaten in the night of the first day. There are daily sacrifices for each of the seven days. Unleavened bread is eaten, to commemorate that we left Mitzraim in haste. The seventh day is a day of convocation, and we do not work. (Devarim 16:1-8)
P: There are seven days of Pesach/Chag HaMatzot. The first and the seventh day are days of holy convocation, and we do not work. The Pesach to HaShem is eaten in the night of the first day. We eat unleavened bread for seven days, because it is Chag Matzot. There are daily sacrifices for each of the seven days. (Vayikra 23:4-8, Shemot 12:1-11)

D seems to be the first to combine Pesach and Chag HaMatzot, and the first to prescribe daily sacrifices in the Temple. Only P prescribes that there is a chag on the first day, the chag of HaShem's Pesach proper. Regarding Chag HaMatzot, the Halacha is that Chag HaMatzot is according to J.

How Many Jews?

How many Jews were in the exodus from Mitzraim? Again, let the sources speak.

E: Unknown, but a multitude in the eyes of Moav (Bamidbar 22:3).
J: 600,000 people had to be fed by Moshe, upon exit of Mitzraim. But then, quite immediately, Am Rav, a large multitude, died. How many remained is unknown.
P: 600,000 men, age 20 to 60. So, presumably, at least 2,000,000 people.
D: Like the stars of the skies, for multitude (Devarim 1:9). Significantly, he did not mention the number 600,000. He knew of the large multitude that died, according to J. And he did not know P.

You guessed it: The Halacha is according to J.

Why Did Moshe Die?

Moshe died, and did not enter the land. Why? Let the sources speak:

E: "Here, your days to die have come close. Call Yehoshua..." (Devarim 31:14). No specific reason is given.
J: He reached the maximum age of 120. (Devarim 34:5-7)
D: He was sentenced for Chet HaMeraglim. Caleb was not the only exception to the sentence. Yehoshua, the successor of Moshe, was the other. There were no more exceptions. It definitely was Chet HaMeraglim. (Devarim 1:37)
P: The Chiddush we accept, in part: Yehoshua is an exception next to Caleb. But Moshe is an exception also. Rather, he had to die because, at the waters of Meriva, while he was commanded to speak at the rock, he hit the rock. (BaMidbar 20:8-13)

If someone asked me what is the truth, I would avoid the question, by saying that the Halacha is according to J.

Some Devarim

In chapter 9 of Sefer Devarim we find the Pasuk 22:

וּבְתַבְעֵרָה, וּבְמַסָּה, וּבְקִבְרֹת, הַתַּאֲוָה--מַקְצִפִים הֱיִיתֶם, אֶת-יְהוָה

The Pasuk explains the background why HaShem was so angry, as He was angry at Aharon (Pasuk 20) for making the Golden Calf. But what follows, in the Pesukim 23, 24 is mindboggling:

וּבִשְׁלֹחַ יְהוָה אֶתְכֶם, מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ לֵאמֹר, עֲלוּ וּרְשׁוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם; וַתַּמְרוּ, אֶת-פִּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְלֹא הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם לוֹ, וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּקֹלוֹ. מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם, עִם-יְהוָה, מִיּוֹם, דַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם

First of all, this is a repetition of kinds of chapter 1. Why is this brought up again? Second, note the slight differences between 1:22 and 9:23, it looks that 9:23 comes from the priestly version. Third, this happened after the Golden Calf, so it surely is not a reason for HaShem being angry here.

The key to the solution is the realization that Pasuk 9:22 has the third problem also. The places Taberah and Kibroth Hattaavah are places of Divine anger, but this takes place in BaMidbar 11, also after the Golden Calf. It is only in the Torah Kedumah that the text is restored, and the event in these places are indeed next to Masah, before the Golden Calf.

We conclude that a late editor, probably the redactor R, added the Pesukim 9:23,24, to hide that he was the one that moved material to BaMidbar 11, as explained.

In the same chapter, verse 10 is very (too) elaborate, and uses the expression בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים, an expression of P. I propose that it is an addition too, by the redactor R to make us believe that D "knew" P.

And now that we are at it, the verse 1:39:

וְטַפְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם לָבַז יִהְיֶה, וּבְנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדְעוּ הַיּוֹם טוֹב וָרָע--הֵמָּה, יָבֹאוּ שָׁמָּה; וְלָהֶם אֶתְּנֶנָּה, וְהֵם יִירָשׁוּהָ

should be, in terms of D:

וּבְנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדְעוּ הַיּוֹם טוֹב וָרָע--הֵמָּה, יָבֹאוּ שָׁמָּה; וְלָהֶם אֶתְּנֶנָּה, וְהֵם יִירָשׁוּהָ

The difference is a citation of P, presumably by R, or even later.

The Ramchal and Yom Yerushalayim

Today is the day of Petira of Ramchal, two days before Yom Yerushalayim. The four cycles that we discussed, are two (15 and 19) on the right plus two (13 and 18) on the left. They are from the Arizal and Chaim Vital, two on the right, and from Ramchal and the GR"A, two on the left. The source is higher, the source is Keter, Crown, Truth, which thus has four messianic channels of Hashpa'ah. When the four unite, when Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben David unite, the Source, Keter, is revealed. There will be a revolution, a rise in consciousness. It will start here, in Tzion, in Yerushalayim, and will spread allover the world. I used to think we could advance the Tikkun of 5784 to a Tikkun in 5782, via the Sanhedrin. In the mean time, I have come to realize that such an advance is not realistic, and, moreover, that the matter is different from what I thought. But in the merit of Yom Yerushalayim, and in the merit of Ramchal (and in the merit of the GR"A) may Yosef yet live!

On Lag Ba'Omer

It is said that the Truth is a downer. But this is only so to an orthodox believer, whose belief is rooted in the past, and only in the past. But, if you live according to the Light, the unified Light of the Chochmah of the Elyon and of the Tachton, the Light of Lag Ba'Omer, the Light of Moshiach Yosef, if you (try to) live the Truth, the Truth is not a downer, it is an upper. May the Truth be known in Israel, in the merit of Shimon Bar Yochai.

Funny Typo

The verse Vayikra 13:55,

וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן אַחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס אֶת-הַנֶּגַע, וְהִנֵּה לֹא-הָפַךְ הַנֶּגַע אֶת-עֵינוֹ וְהַנֶּגַע לֹא-פָשָׂה--טָמֵא הוּא, בָּאֵשׁ תִּשְׂרְפֶנּוּ: פְּחֶתֶת הִוא, בְּקָרַחְתּוֹ אוֹ בְגַבַּחְתּוֹ

contains a funny typo at the end. Can you see it? Hat-tip to Dr. Rabbi Zev Farber.