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The drama of the grand march is not only characterized by people's fervor to finally arrive in the Land of Israel, but also by the awesome phenomena that surround them. A cloud hovering over the Tabernacle (that alternately lifts and lowers) leads them by day, and a pillar of fire by night. These control the rhythm of the Israelites' journey. The tempo is accelerated as G-d commands Moses to blow silver trumpets to call the people to proceed or to go to war. Short or long blasts (such as are still used in our synagogues on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) are meant to elicit response from different assemblies of the people and their leaders. Ultimately, the trumpets had a more profound message: "You shall recognize G-d and be saved from your enemies (10:9)." Thus the trumpets are also sounded on holidays, for times of rejoicing, and for times of reflection. As the Israelites prepare to enter the Land, both the commandments and the natural conditions affect the momentum in the camp.
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| Thoughts to Consider and Discuss |
1. What are the three reasons that a person might not be allowed to commemorate Passover at its designated time?
2. In what way is G-d's response to the excluded people broader in scope than their original request (compare 9:7 and 9:10)? Why are the boundaries expanded?
3. Compare this story line with that of the daughters of Zelophehad (27:1-11). What are the conceptual and literary similarities of the narratives? What is the difference between them? What do we learn about excluding selected individuals from national practices?
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"It is a positive biblical commandment to cry out and blow the trumpets on any misfortune that might happen to the community such as famine, locusts, etc."
Rambam (Maimonides), Laws of Fasting 1:1
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What verses in our aliyah can be used to buttress the position of Rambam?
Why does Rambam refer specifically to community wide misfortunes? Is there a difference when one person suffers and when a whole community does? Should our reaction be any different?
Do the trumpets help shape our reaction?
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