The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

Parshas B'Halosecha is one of the most varied and diverse Parshios of the Torah.

The topics range from the Menorah to the Man and many other assorted subjects.

Yet, at the beginning of the Parsha, right after the Menorah, we are introduced to a subject that stands out for its uniqueness in the Torah.

Part One- The Tenufa- Waving

Beginning with Perek Ches (Chapter 8), Passuk Hey (verse 5), and continuing through Passuk (verse) 22- the Torah describes the consecration procedure for the Leviim (Levites), which facilitates their elevation to serve in the Mishkan in lieu of the Bechorim (firstborns).

 The concentration procedures involved several steps.

Some of these are familiar to us, and one is unique to this specific group of people.

·        The familiar steps include the sprinkling of the waters from the Parah Aduma, as well as the removal of all hair.

I will not focus on the precedent for these practices, as they are well known and can be found in their respective places in the Torah.

However, I would like to focus on a practice that is unique to the consecration of the Levites- namely, Tenufa.

·        In four different places, Pessukim 11, 13, 15, and 21, the verb "Tenufa" (in various forms, Tenufa, Vehanfta, VaYanef) is used.

·        This is the first and only instance where Tenufa is mentioned in relation to human beings.

In Pessukim 11 and 21, Aharon is doing the Tenufa.

While in 13 and 15, the simple text implies that Moshe is doing the Tenufa.

Part Two-What is Tenufa?

The simple understanding of the word "Tenufa" in all its grammatical forms is "lifting and waving."

The standard translation of Pasuk 11 is, "Then Aaron shall lift up the Levites as a waving before Hashem."

·        This is how it is understood by Rashi following the Medrash and by Rabbeinu B'Chaya and many other commentators.

·        According to Chazal and most Meforshim, Aharon (and possibly Moshe as well) was required to physically lift the 22,000 Leviim and "wave" them in the six directions, similarly to what we do with the Lulav on Succos.

·        Indeed, the Medrash Rabba (Parshas Emor, Parsha 26) explicitly states that Aharon lifted and waved all 22,000 Leviim in one day.

This action of "lifting and waving" all 22,000 Leviim is cited as proof of Aaron's deserving the title Kohen HaGadol—the "Great and physically powerful Kohen."

Namely, by virtue of his strength in being able to lift all 22,000 Leviim in one day, he earned the title of Kohen HaGadol- the "Great" (powerful, strong) Kohen.

The same idea is expressed in the Medrash Rabbah to Eicha (Pesicha).

Based on this understanding, we are left with a perplexing situation.

·        How was Aharon, who was over eighty years old, physically able to lift off the ground and wave 22,000 men?

·        Was it a miraculous event or just a plain show of Aharon's physical prowess?

Notwithstanding the Medrash citing this feat as proof of Aharon's great strength, Rabbeinu B'Chaya suggests that it was a Nes, namely a miraculous feat.

Part Three- The Difficulty

To state Aharon actually did lift and wave 22,000 Leviim, even if it was a miraculous event, the logistical feasibility of the action is daunting, to say the least.

Imagine if Aharon could lift and wave each Levi in five seconds, or twelve per minute and 720 per hour; that would still necessitate almost thirty hours of uninterrupted physical lifting and waving!

A most strenuous task for anyone, let alone an octogenarian!

Obviously, with Hashem's help, everything is possible.

·        Yet, there is another difficulty, and that is, where else in the Torah do we ever find that the Torah requires human beings to be "lifted and waved"?

·        This is the only time in the entire Torah that Tenufa was performed on a human being.

There is another unique aspect.

I believe, and please correct me if I am mistaken, that if indeed, Aharon (and according to the Avarbenel (and perhaps others) Moshe) were required by Hashem to pick up the 22,000 Leviim in one day, then we have an extraordinary and unique request to human being by Hashem.

·        Namely, where else do we see in the Torah that a human being is commanded by Hashem to perform a super-human task?

This means that if Aharon and perhaps Moshe were instructed to literally lift and wave the Leviim, then this is the singular and only example in the Torah where a human being was requested by Hashem to perform a miraculous act.

I am aware that there are Midrashic examples of people fulfilling meta-physical and miraculous actions.

 However, where else in the Torah (according to the simple text of the Torah) do we find a human being asked to perform a physical action that can only be understood as "miraculous"?

·        Therefore, this act of Tenufa is a unique example of a human being performing an action that exceeds normative human capabilities.

Part Four- The Rav Saadia Gaon

Rav Saadia Gaon (892–942) wrote an Arabic translation of the Torah called Sefer HaTafsir.

Rav Saadia translates the word Tenufa here not as "lifting and waving," as Chazal and most of the commentators suggest, but rather as "leading and marching."

According to R' Saadia, Aharon never lifted the Leviim at all.

Rather, the word Tenufa here is to be understood as "leading or marching them."

Aharon never lifted or even touched the Leviim; rather, "he led them in a procession around the Mishkan."

According to Rav Saadia, the Leviim's consecration service involved parading them around the Mishkan, a demonstrative act that indicated their special status as those who served in the Mishkan.

It is important to note that Rav Saadia only translates the word "Tenufa" as "leading and marching or parading" in this context. In all other instances in the Torah where the word Tenufa is used, it means "waving."

His translation (as far as I could find) was generally either unknown (as his Sefer, HaTafsir, written in Arabic, was only translated much later) or was rejected by most commentators (not surprisingly, as it contradicts Chazal).

The only Rishon I found who also translates Tenufa as "leading or marching" was the Sefer Me'or ha-Afelah, written by Rav Netanel ben Yeshaya.

Harav Netanel was a Yeminite Rishon who lived in the 1300s and wrote the Sefer in a mixture of Arabic and Hebrew.

It was translated into Hebrew in the 20th century by Rav Kapah.

Rav Netanel, without referencing Rav Saadia (although it is most probable that he is relying on Rav Saadia), also translates Tenufa here as "leading or marching."

Conclusion

As we have seen, the subject of Tenufa is a topic that is widely discussed.

In summation:

·        Chazal and most commentators assume the word Tenufa to mean "lifting and waving" as it means in all other places of the Torah.

·        According to Rav Saadia Gaon and Rav Netanel ben Yeshaya, it means to "lead and march or parade."

·        According to most commentators, only Aharon did the Tenufa on the Leviim

·        According to Avarbenel, both Aharon and Moshe "waived" the Leviim.

We see how precious the Torah is and how crucial it is to understand each and every word of the Torah.

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