Moses and Joshua

 משה ויהושע

B'Midbar 27.20-23

20.’ And you shall put of your splendor upon him in order that they listen, the entire Congregation of the Children of Israel- וְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (3925=19=10=1).

The verse can be divided so:

• And you shall put of your splendor upon him- וְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו(1052=8);
• In order that they listen, the entire Congregation of the Children of Israel- לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (2393 = 17=8 counting final Nun as 700).

Rashi comments here that Moses’ splendor was the radiance that came from his facial skin-קַרנֵי הוֹד (Shmot 34.35). He transferred some of it on to Joshua. Moses face is compared to the sun- פְנֵי מֹשֶׁה כְחַמָה and Joshua’s face to the moon- פְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כְלְבָנָה (Sifrei 140; Baba Batra 75.a). The rays of the sun are caught and reflected by the moon. The Congregation had to listen to him and respect and fear him as they did Moses.

Moses’ face like the sun

פְנֵי מֹשֶׁה כְחַמָה

558=18

Joshua’s face like the moon

פְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כְלְבָנָה

638=17=8

558+638=1196=17=8

The gematria of the word “your splendor”- הוֹדְךָ is 35=8.

21.’And before Elazar the Priest he shall stand, who shall inquire for him the Judgment of the Urim- וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים (1754=17=8) before Hashem-לִפְנֵי יְהוָה (196+2 words=18); by his word shall they go out, and by his word they shall come in, he, and all the Children of Israel with him, and the entire Congregation-עַל פִּיו יֵצְאוּ וְעַל פִּיו יָבֹאוּ הוּא וְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתּוֹ וְכָל הָעֵדָה (1742+13 words =1755=18).

Rashi comments that Moses got his wish that the honor of his father’s house would continue in that Elazar would stand with Joshua (Tanchuma 11).

Rashi also comments that Joshua would inquire of Elazar when to go out to war and by Elazar’s word they should go. The entire Congregation here means the Court of the Sanhedrin (Sanhedrin 16.a-b; Yoma 73.b).

The Judgment of the Urim

בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים

693=18

The joint gematria of the names:

• Joshua-     יְהוֹשֻׁעַ =391 
• Elazar-    אֶלְעָזָר    =308

699+2 words=701=8

This is why they both had to stand together to lead the people as together they stood in the Eighth Sphira.

See Parshat Tetzaveh (Shmot 28.30) as to the consultation by the High Priest of the “Urim”- הָאוּרִים and the “Tumim”-תוּמִים which were placed inside the Breastplate of the High Priest.

Urim and Tumim

אוּרִים ותוּמִים

1879+2 words=1881=18

22. ’And Moses did as Hashem commanded him and he took Joshua and stood him before Elazar the Priest and before the entire Congregation-וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיַּעֲמִדֵהוּ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל הָעֵדָה (4361=14=8 counting final Nun as 700).

The verse can be divided so:

·         And Moses did as Hashem commanded him and he took Joshua and stood him before Elazar the Priest-וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיַּעֲמִדֵהוּ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן (3401=8);

·         And before- וְלִפְנֵי (176=14=8);

·         The entire Congregation- כָּל הָעֵדָה (134=8).

Rashi comments here that Moses took Joshua with words and informed him of the reward of the enablers (leaders) of Israel in the World to Come (Sifrei 141).

23.’And he laid his hands upon him, and commanded him- וַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת יָדָיו עָלָיו וַיְצַוֵּהוּ (1286 = 17=8 counting final Kaf as 500), as Hashem had spoken- כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה (753+3 words=18), by the hand of Moses- בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה (361=10=1).

Rashi comments here that Moses laid BOTH hands on Joshua and not just the one as he had been commanded (verse 18). This made Joshua like an implement which is overflowing and Moses filled him generously with his wisdom and with his splendor (Sifrei 141).

How could Moses have performed the command of Hashem if he laidBOTH his hands on Joshua (verse 23) and not just one (verse 18)?

The answer is found in the gematria of the two phrases:

And he laid his hands

וַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת יָדָיו

567=18

And lay your hand upon him

וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת יָדְךָ עָלָיו

1557=18 (Kaf 500)

They are one and the same in the Eighth Sphira!

Thus Moses indeed performed what Hashem commanded. This is why it is written “by the hand of Moses”- בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה. He used two hands but it was as one as the gematria proves.

The gematria of the word “Hand”- יַד is 14, thus two hands are indeed 1:

14+14=28=10=1

Another possible interpretation of the verse is that with one hand Moses transferred his “wisdom” and with the other hand he transferred his splendor on to Joshua.

One hand his wisdom- One hand his splendor

יָד אֶחָד הוֹדוֹ -יָד אֶחָד חָכְמָתוֹ

549=18