Response to Rav Lachem, Bnei Levi

When Moshe attempts to enter the land (Devarim 3:23-28), he is stopped by the words "Rav lach." These words are a reflection of Moshe's own words, in Parshat Korach, "Rav lachem, Bnei Levi." The sages saw it (Sotah 13b) as a matter of Mida k'Neged Mida.

Now, the words "Rav lachem, Bnei Levi" are probably the redactor's. The redactor of EJ and P, that is. Therefore, the words "Rav lach" signify a response to this very late addition to the Torah. The two matters following "Rav lach," Moshe's virtual tour of the Land, and the Divine command to hand over the leadership to Yehoshua, are reflections of Bamidbar 27:12-23, also a late addition to P.

It is exceptional to find, in Sefer Devarim, references to P at all. For instance, Devarim 11:6 shows no knowledge of Korach, only of Datan and Aviram. Therefore, Devarim 3:23-28 is a late, and very non-typical, addition to Sefer Devarim, the redactor of which must have felt attacked by "Rav lachem, Bnei Levi," with good reason. The writing of Devarim 3:23-28 is his response, "Rav lach."

A similarly new passage is Devarim 4:41-44, which is not older than Bamidbar 35:9-14, which is very late. In this case, it may be that the author of Devarim 4:41-44 is the same as the author of Bamidbar 35:9-14: the redactor of the Torah. The redactor did not choose for "Rav lachem, Bnei Levi," nor did he choose for "Rav lach." He included both P and D, and harmonized the two as far as possible, by adding material, without changing the sources themselves. For some other examples of probable redactorial edits in Sefer Devarim, see our earlier post.

Recovering Holiness Scroll

We have been recovering the original contents of H, undoing edits of P, in particular edits in Vayikra 19 and Vayikra 26. Although H is very dense in Vayikra 17-26, also outside of these chapters, in what seems to be P text, fragments of H can be found. We will present several examples, written in bold-faced letters. The reasons for classifying them as H are pretty solid. Some educated guessing is involved, regarding the place of origin inside Vayikra 17-26, of each of the fragments.

In Shemot 6:2-4 and 6:6-8, the following fragments of H can be discerned:

וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִיםיְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, אֲנִי יְהוָה. וָאֵרָא, אֶל-אַבְרָהָם אֶל-יִצְחָק וְאֶל-יַעֲקֹב--בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי; וּשְׁמִי יְהוָה, לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם. וְגַם הֲקִמֹתִי אֶת-בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם, לָתֵת לָהֶם אֶת-אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן--אֵת אֶרֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶם, אֲשֶׁר-גָּרוּ בָהּ

לָכֵן אֱמֹר לִבְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲנִי יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מִתַּחַת סִבְלֹת מִצְרַיִם, וְאֲשֶׁר וְהִצַּלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מֵעֲבֹדָתָם; וְאֲשֶׁר וְגָאַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בִּזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה, וּבִשְׁפָטִים גְּדֹלִים. וְאֲשֶׁר וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לִי לְעָם, וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים; וִידַעְתֶּם, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם, מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרָיִם. אֲשֶׁר וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתִי אֶת-יָדִי, לָתֵת אֹתָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב; וְנָתַתִּי אֹתָהּ לָכֶם מוֹרָשָׁה, אֲנִי יְהוָה

In the first fragment אֱלֹהִים was changed to יְהוָה. For grammatical reasons, in the second fragment, the original had אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי, and not וְהוֹצֵאתִי, et cetera, as the H text would relate to Yetziat Mitzrayim as an event in the past. The numerous instances of אֲנִי יְהוָה give the text away as a text of H.

Both fragments are referred to several times by Yechezkel, in accordance with the final paragraphs of this and this: וָאִוָּדַע לָהֶם and וָאֶשָּׂא יָדִי in Yechezkel 20:5 versus נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם and נָשָׂאתִי אֶת-יָדִי above, נָשָׂאתִי יָדִי לָהֶם in Yechezkel 20:6, and נָשָׂאתִי אֶת-יָדִי in Yechezkel 20:28,42, וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי-אֲנִי יְהוָה in Yechezkel 20:42 versus וִידַעְתֶּם, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם above.

Yechezkel 20:5 refers to both fragments, which indicates that they were one fragment, or at least two adjacent fragments. The beginning of Vayikra 18 seems to be the natural place of origin for this fragment. It would explain the references, in Yechezkel 20, in a chapter devoted to the forbidden things being done in Mitzrayim and in Kena'an as specified in Vayikra 18:3. To one who understands this, it is an amazing revelation of Yechezkel 20!

The remaining text of the P paragraph, Shemot 3:23b-24, Shemot 6:5, Shemot 6:9, flows naturally, as follows:

וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-נַאֲקָתָם; וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת-בְּרִיתוֹ, אֶת-אַבְרָהָם אֶת-יִצְחָק וְאֶת-יַעֲקֹב. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיֵּדַע, אֱלֹהִים. וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. וְגַם אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי, אֶת-נַאֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר מִצְרַיִם, מַעֲבִדִים אֹתָם; וָאֶזְכֹּר, אֶת-בְּרִיתִי. וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה כֵּן, אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ, וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה

Here the sentence וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר was added, and hence the name אֱלֹהִים is used throughout. The word וְגַם seems to have been added and is therefore being removed in the above text. Of course, as a consequence of the insertion of the first H fragment, P refers to יְהוָה after this point, and to אֱלֹהִים before this point. Hence, in Shemot 6:10-11, P continues like this:

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. בֹּא דַבֵּר, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם; וִישַׁלַּח אֶת-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאַרְצוֹ

Another H fragment can be discerned in Shemot 31:13:

וְאַתָּה דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר, אַךְ אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתַי, תִּשְׁמֹרוּ: כִּי אוֹת הִוא בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם--לָדַעַת, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם

Here אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם and אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתַי, תִּשְׁמֹרוּ are key to classify this as H. The word אַךְ was probably added, and I propose to remove it. The text might fit in Vayikra 23, "around" the verse about Shabbat, as follows:

וְאַתָּה דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר, אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתַי, תִּשְׁמֹרוּ: כִּי אוֹת הִוא בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם--לָדַעַת, כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ, כָּל-מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ: שַׁבָּת הִוא לַיהוָה, בְּכֹל מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם. אֲנִי יְהוָה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם

The remaining text of the paragraph, which consists of the verses Shemot 31:12 and 31:14-31:17, seems to stem from P:

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם, אֶת-הַשַּׁבָּת, כִּי קֹדֶשׁ הִוא, לָכֶם; מְחַלְלֶיהָ, מוֹת יוּמָת--כִּי כָּל-הָעֹשֶׂה בָהּ מְלָאכָה, וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִקֶּרֶב עַמֶּיהָ. שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, יֵעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן קֹדֶשׁ, לַיהוָה; כָּל-הָעֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, מוֹת יוּמָת. וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶת-הַשַּׁבָּת, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת-הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם, בְּרִית עוֹלָם. בֵּינִי, וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--אוֹת הִוא, לְעֹלָם: כִּי-שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, עָשָׂה יְהוָה אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ

The following two H fragments appear at the end of a paragraph, of P. The fragments, Vayikra 11:44-45 and Bamidbar 10:8-11, were taken from H seemingly without a change:

כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים, כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי; וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם, בְּכָל-הַשֶּׁרֶץ הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל-הָאָרֶץ. כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה, הַמַּעֲלֶה אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, לִהְיֹת לָכֶם, לֵאלֹהִים; וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים, כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי

וּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֲנִים, יִתְקְעוּ בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת; וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם. וְכִי-תָבֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּאַרְצְכֶם, עַל-הַצַּר הַצֹּרֵר אֶתְכֶם--וַהֲרֵעֹתֶם, בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת; וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּם, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּם, מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶם. וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם, וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם--וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם, וְעַל זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵיכֶם; וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

Here the first fragment start with כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים, כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי and ends with וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים, כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי. The H credentials could not have been clearer. As for the place of origin, I propose Vayikra 20, after verse 21. It would answer the question where Hashem distinguished (אֲשֶׁר-הִבְדַּלְתִּי, verse 25) what creeps on the ground as impure. Also, it would give the preceding paragraph a fitting end.

The second fragment seems to have been taken from the end of Vayikra 22, instead of the verses 31-33, which were moved from Vayikra 26, as explained, and ends with אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. It would connect the subject of chapters 21 and 22, the sons of Aharon, to the subject matter of chapter 23, the Shabbatot and the feast of "Shavuot."

Finally, there is the H fragment Bamidbar 15:37-41, the third section of the Kriyat Sh'ma prayer, which is a complete Torah paragraph in itself:

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם, וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת עַל-כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם, לְדֹרֹתָם; וְנָתְנוּ עַל-צִיצִת הַכָּנָף, פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת. וְהָיָה לָכֶם, לְצִיצִת, וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת-כָּל-מִצְו‍ֹתמִשְׁפָּטֵי יְהוָה, וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם; וְלֹא-תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם, וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר-אַתֶּם זֹנִים, אַחֲרֵיהֶם. לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ, וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת-כָּל-מִצְו‍ֹתָימִשְׁפָּטָי; וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים, לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם. אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם, לֵאלֹהִים: אֲנִי, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

The final sentence can only be H, and hence the whole paragraph must be H. This section contains two instances of the word Mitzvot, which must be a change, as H did not contain the word Mitzvot. So, we undo it, mutatis mutandis, in a similar way to what we did before.

As for the place of origin, I think that it would have fitted as the final paragraph of Vayikra 18. The message would be that the Tzitziyot are to help first and foremost regarding the sins of intimacy of this chapter, similar to the juxtaposition of Devarim 22:12 to sins regarding intimacy, Devarim 22:13-29, 23:1.

Recovery of the Holiness Code, the first priestly scroll that is known to have existed in ancient Israel, a scroll that was available to Yechezkel, is possible to a certain level. Download our best guess here, which contains all of the above, and all we have said before. Also, it contains some jewels that I only hinted at, or that were not explained here at all. It is not possible to explain everything.

Our version of the Holiness Scroll contains five chapters, denoted by letter size. In general, the chapters must be assumed to be of different authors. The first and the third chapter, written with the smallest letters, are of priestly nature. The fourth chapter is of non-priestly nature, and is written with medium-sized letters. The second and fifth chapter, basically Vayikra 19 and Vayikra 26, are of non-priestly nature, and are written with big letters. These two chapters seem to have been originally one document, and therefore are assumed to be by the same author. The author of the Tochechah. Read it.