אל מול פני המנורה יאירו שבעת הנרות . We read in Proverbs 20,27, נר ה' נשמת אדם, that "the soul of man is the light of G–d." One needs to see to it constantly that one's soul is lit up through the study of Torah and the performance of מצות. The body of man is somewhat like the shape of the candelabrum. The Menorah had three protrusions on its stem, the arms that extended from its center. It also had a small elevation as its platform. In a similar fashion man's feet, arms and ears are three protrusions. The torso containing the heart is similar to the stem of the Menorah. Its height of 18 handbreadths is equal to the average height of a fully grown person, as stated in Tosaphot in the Talmud Shabbat 92a.

It had to be constructed in one solid piece. It could not be pieced together. This is an allusion to the close ties that ought to exist naturally between all Jews. Their affinity to one another should be natural. This explains why Rashi says that the verse telling us that Aaron did as he was told (8,2), was a compliment to him, commending him for not having departed from G–d's instructions. We could have assumed that it was natural for him to do what G–d had said, and why only here does the Torah state that he carried out his instructions? However, what the Torah wanted to stress is that Aaron was singularly suited to be the High Priest since he did not depart from the essence of what the Menorah symbolised, the unity of the Jewish people. In his capacity of being an אוהב שלום ורודף שלום, "a lover of peace and someone who actively pursued peace," he represented exactly what was needed.

על פי ה' יסעו, ועל פי ה' יחנו . Immediately after this, we read that the Israelites made camp at the instruction of G–d and that they broke camp at the command of G–d. The reason that the Torah repeats these reports of how the children of Israelites behaved is to teach us that we should not make a move in life without prefacing it with a remark that indicates that we hope that what we are about to do meets with G–d's approval. Whenever we arrive at our destination or complete an undertaking we are to mention that we hope that what we accomplished meets with G–d's approval, and to thank Him for having enabled us to carry out what we set out to do. By doing this our awareness of G–d will be constant, both when we set out to do something, while we are involved in it, and when we have completed it.

ואם ככה את עושה לי, הרגני נא הרוג . Concerning this request of Moses in 11,15, the Zohar comments that the reason Moses addressed G–d using the feminine term for את, "You," is because at that time the power of the attribute of Justice was in the ascendancy, and, as we know, the emanation גבורה, or "Justice," is to the left of the emanation of חסד. Death had begun to rule the universe, concerning which it says in Proverbs 5,5: "her feet go down to death, her steps support she'ol."This is why Moses said: "kill me." G–d immediately said to Moses: "gather for Me seventy men, etc." (11,16). G–d continued to upbraid Moses for always asking to die, and as a result He decided to give some of Moses' spirit to these seventy men, thus partially fulfilling Moses' request. It was then that Moses realized he was going to die before he would see the Holy Land. He realized that what Eldad and Meidad had prophesied was indeed true.

This episode teaches us that a person must not curse himself, since there are many "angels" who only wait for such opportunity of hearing someone cursing himself, i.e. his fate. All of this would not have happened to Moses had he not cursed himself. One part of his punishment was that his name is never mentioned in connection with the work of the Tabernacle, as is Aaron's or the names of the Princes at the time the Tabernacle was consecrated. The reason is that he had made the mistake of saying to G–d (even conditionally) "if not, wipe me out from Your book" (Exodus 32,32). We find that King David was extremely careful about this in Psalms 39,2, when he says: "I resolved I would watch my step, lest I offend by my speech. I will keep my mouth muzzled while the wicked man is in my presence." The "wicked man" that David refers to here is the angel who waits anxiously to respond "Amen," when man curses himself.

Moses had not been careful in this respect, had said "please kill me." The previous occasion had not been so serious, since Moses asked to die if G–d would not forgive the Jewish people for their involvement in the golden calf. It was part of his prayer for someone else. This is why his punishment at that time consisted only of his name not being mentioned when the work of the Tabernacle was carried out. This time, however, there were no such extenuating circumstances. The reason that caused Joshua to report to Moses what Eldad and Meydad had said, was that they did so within the camp. He asked Moses to prevent them from prophesying. The word כלאם is the same as in Genesis 8,2, or in Exodus 36,6. In either case it means that something was prevented from happening. Moses did not want to prevent them from saying what was on their minds, and said to Joshua: "why are you jealous on my behalf?"

עד אשר יצא מאפכם והיה לכם לזרא . When we observe how severely those people who knew no bounds to their greed were punished we learn the lesson that we should restrain our appetites even when it pertains to matters that are permissible. We should learn from our patriarch Jacob who had asked only for "bread to eat and clothes to wear" (Genesis 28,20).

והאיש משה עניו מאד מכל האדם . "Moses was more humble than any other human being." We can appreciate the value of the virtue of humility after we see that the only praise the Torah accords Moses, the father of all prophets, the man who maintained closer contact with G–d than anyone before him or since, is the reference to his humility. This teaches us to try and practice this virtue to the extreme. We are reminded of the Mishnah (Avot 4,4) which says: "be very very humble." When the Torah here says "more than any other human," we know of three humble people, Moses and Aaron who had said of themselves: "נחנו מה," who are we? (Exodus 16,7); then there was Abraham who said of himself: ואנכי עפר ואפר, "and I am only dust and ashes," (Genesis 18,27). Finally, there was King David, who said of himself: ואנכי תולעת, "and I am a worm." The most humble one of them all was Moses, since he did not even compare himself to anything else, but said:"We are nothing!" This is what the Torah meant when it said “מכל האדם”. The three letters in the word אדם, are the first letters respectively of אברהם, דוד, משה.

ויחר אף ה' בם, וילך . It is difficult to understand why G–d's anger is mentioned only here, after He had already dressed down Miriam and Aaron (12,4). The reason is that as soon as Miriam and Aaron had heard from G–d Himself that they had sinned, they should have confessed their sin, as David had done when the prophet Nathan told him he had committed a wrong with Bat Sheva (Samuel II 12,13).

והנה מרים מצורעת כשלג . Here we see the severity of the sin of gossiping. Look at what happened to the prophetess Miriam who had indulged in an ordinary conversation with her brother Aaron, making some remark about her brother Moses! We are reminded to recite the verse זכור את אשר עשה ה' אלוקיך למרים בדרך בצאתכם ממצרים, "Remember what the Lord your G–d has done to Miriam on the way when you had come out of Egypt" (Deut. 24,8). It is one of the six זכירות, commemorations, a person is to recite daily.

והעם לא נסע עד האסף מרים . They accorded her honor by not moving on until she had been healed and released from quarantine (12,15). We learn from here that if one sees a Torah scholar or other righteous person suffering from an affliction or poverty one should show such a person increased respect, since G–d disciplines those whom He loves. Unfortunately in our days people do the very reverse. Nowadays people look down on a Torah scholar who is poor. Woe to the people who so insult Torah! He who cherishes the word of G–d will display even more respect for Torah scholars who are poor and thereby honor both G–d and Torah.