Shabbat Parashat Bamidbar - 5783
Shabbat Parashat Bamidbar - 5783
Rabbi Hal Miller
These were the summoned ones of the assembly, the princes of their fathers' tribes,
they are the heads of the thousands of Israel. [Bamidbar 1:16]
The first three words of our verse, eileh k'ru'ei ha'eidah, seem out of place. What do
they mean? In context, they must refer to "the princes" and "the heads", both of which
we know as the leaders and judges appointed to govern the nation. So how does this
additional expression of description, "summoned ones of the assembly", fit in?
The translation above comes from Rashi, who explains that they are "those who are
summoned for every matter of importance which is in the assembly." Most other
commentators follow this, with perhaps slight expansions or differences in defining
what is a matter of importance as used here. The Torah repeatedly lists the names
of men who, at various times, were heads of their tribes, usually using the word
'nasi', typically translated as prince.
The Torah also tells us, through Yitro, of the subordinate officers and judges, leaders
of thousands or hundreds or tens, but usually using other words besides nasi for this.
Thus we see, for example, Malbim saying that our verse refers to the leaders of the
Sanhedrin who decide "matters of supreme significance such as dividing the land
among the tribes", and that it includes the king, the prophet of the day, the Kohen
Gadol, and the Sanhedrin members, who were the tribal leaders. Thus, "these" are
the national leaders, drawn from the tribes.
Following this approach, Rav Hirsch tells us these men "had the confidence and
recognition of the public for national affairs" such as the census, and then he adds,
"They were also princes". The word k'ru'ei he says refers to people calling them by
their "permanent character".
Translating the word as "call" does make sense, but the root of the word "k-r-a" could
also mean other things. It could mean "to read", "to occur" or "to chance upon", but those
pretty clearly don't fit here. Other options include "to proclaim", "to invite", or "to study
Torah". R'Yonasan Eibeshutz tells us that Moshe had the right to proclaim anybody as a
representative to be the prince of a tribe, but that he declined to do so in favor of letting
each tribe pick their own leaders.
From context, it would seem our verse teaches that the tribes selected their princes,
and that those princes were installed as the national leaders as well. Thus, eileh k'ru'ei
ha'eidah is not out of place, rather telling us who these people are in generations when
it is not specified by the Torah. Perhaps it is better understood by saying, these will be
the summoned ones of the assembly: the princes.
Comments