The midrash tells us that the first human spent his time giving names to the animals. In Hebrew, of course, and he had fun playing with the letters and roots to convey their core essence. Take for example the dog, kelev, which literally means “like a heart” (ke-lev), portraying how loyal dogs are; or the arye, the lion, whose name is made of an alef – leadership and reish – head, emphasizing its role as king of the beast.
There are animals in this Torah portion and here’s a story about one. It’s a strange story so I’m bringing the text in full (Number 21:4-9; translation from Sefaria):
| They set out from Mount Hor by way of the Sea of Reeds to skirt the land of Edom. But the people grew restive on the journey,
and the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why did you make us leave Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread and no water, and we have come to loathe this miserable food.” |
וַיִּסְע֞וּ מֵהֹ֤ר הָהָר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יַם־ס֔וּף לִסְבֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם וַתִּקְצַ֥ר נֶֽפֶשׁ־הָעָ֖ם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר הָעָ֗ם בֵּֽאלֹהִים֮ וּבְמֹשֶׁה֒ לָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לָמ֖וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְאֵ֣ין מַ֔יִם וְנַפְשֵׁ֣נוּ קָ֔צָה בַּלֶּ֖חֶם הַקְּלֹקֵֽל׃ |
| Hashem(H’) sent seraph serpents against the people. They bit the people and many of the Israelites died.
The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned by speaking against H’and against you. Intercede with H’ to take away the serpents from us!” And Moses interceded for the people. |
וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח ה’ בָּעָ֗ם אֵ֚ת הַנְּחָשִׁ֣ים הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וַֽיְנַשְּׁכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֥מׇת עַם־רָ֖ב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וַיָּבֹא֩ הָעָ֨ם אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ חָטָ֗אנוּ כִּֽי־דִבַּ֤רְנוּ בַֽה’ וָבָ֔ךְ הִתְפַּלֵּל֙ אֶל־ה’ וְיָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלֵ֖ינוּ אֶת־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד הָעָֽם׃
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| Then H’ said to Moses, “Make a seraph figure and mount it on a standard. And anyone who was bitten who then looks at it shall recover.”
Moses made a copper serpent and mounted it on a standard; and when bitten by a serpent, anyone who looked at the copper serpent would recover. |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה’ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ שָׂרָ֔ף וְשִׂ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ עַל־נֵ֑ס וְהָיָה֙ כׇּל־הַנָּשׁ֔וּךְ וְרָאָ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ וָחָֽי׃ וַיַּ֤עַשׂ מֹשֶׁה֙ נְחַ֣שׁ נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וַיְשִׂמֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַנֵּ֑ס וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־נָשַׁ֤ךְ הַנָּחָשׁ֙ אֶת־אִ֔ישׁ וְהִבִּ֛יט אֶל־נְחַ֥שׁ הַנְּחֹ֖שֶׁת וָחָֽי׃ |
What’s with the snake? I had to go back finally check what does nachash (“snake”) means. The word shares its root with “lenachesh” (to guess but also as in divination), nichush (guess, as in a game), nechoshet (copper), and Nachshon (prince o the tribe of Judah). How do all these connect??
We all remember the first snake’s appearance who introduces death to the world; not just physical death, but finality, end, stalling the flow of life; separation in the truest connection there can be.
And here?
The Children of Israel complain; their “soul is short”, but unlike other times, when their complaints have a point – there is no bread or water, and they eventually get what they ask for – here they “loath this light bread”. The bread became flavorless, meaningless. It started feeling “light” (from kal), like it’s nothing. That is to say, there is bread; it’s just not up to par. They want an upgrade, taking the good they receive for granted.
Unlike the time when Miriam was sick, this time, Moses’ prayer doesn’t help. But neither does a stick with a snake on top.
Because the nachash (snake) can be both good and bad. It stands for everything uncertain, indecisive, squiggly, hard to grasp, sneaking away. The rest of the words? Nichush, guessing – is a… well, a guess, also uncertain. Divination is unreliable and even copper – the metal this snake on the stick is made of – is an especially soft and malleable metal. What does help is the focus and looking upward. We’re asked to consciously pick up our heads, look up and attach ourselves to what is steadfast, life giving and eternal; to not let our soul be “short”; to stay focused.
Shabbat Shalom!
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