Parshas Baha’alosecha

Family Matters

We find in our parsha: “They were crying for their families.” (B’midbar 11:10). They had married close relatives; these marriages had now become prohibited by Torah law. Having just learned this, they were now crying over having to lose their spouses. (Rashi ibid.)

We also find in the parsha that Miriam and Aharon complained about Moshe Rabbenu. After having learned from Moshe’s wife, Tzipora, that he had separated from her, they felt that this was unacceptable.

Questions

The Torah tells us that when a person converts to Yiddishkeit, he is considered like a newborn child. According to the Halacha, he is no longer related to his former relatives.

The laws of conversion are derived from the Exodus from Egypt and the receiving of the Torah. Now, since they went through some sort of conversion at the giving of the Torah, they should be considered as newly born infants, unrelated to their previous families! Their marriages to former family members should now be valid! If so, why were they crying?

No, writes the Maharal. They were forced into accepting the Torah. Although they had agreed to it, Torah was much too important to be left up to their volition. So to speak, Hashem threatened them with the mountain. “If you accept the Torah, fine; if not there you will be buried!”

With such a conversion, we cannot say that the convert becomes like a newborn infant.

The Kli Chemda explains: They weren’t strangers coming into Klal Yisrael, rather they were returning to Klal Yisrael. In this case you cannot say they are like newborn infants, unrelated to their families.

The Mitzva of Procreation

How many children is a person commanded to have?

Beis Hillel and Beis Shammai argue regarding the mitzva to have children. Beis Shammai learn from the example of Moshe that the mitzva to procreate is fulfilled with two boys. Beis Hillel derive from creation (male and female) that the mitzva is to have a boy and a girl. (According to Talmud Yerushalmi, Beis Hillel agree. They are of the opinion that even a boy and a girl is sufficient, but two boys definitely works.)

What about the geir’s mitzva to procreate? If a convert had children before his conversion, is it considered sufficient, or is he obligated once again to have children?

Rebbe Yochanon says the children he had previously are sufficient. Reish Lakish argues: The convert is like a newborn child; he’s not related to former family members and must begin again the mitzva of procreation.

Moshe’s Children

How could Moshe separate from his wife? As there was a conversion at Har Sinai, they were all considered newborn infants. According to Reish Lakish, Moshe had not fulfilled the mitzva of having children!

It could only be that Hashem told Moshe to separate from his wife; this being the case, no one had complaints against Moshe.

However, when it was revealed that this conversion was different and this generation was not considered as newly born infants, a suspicion arose that Moshe made the decision to leave his wife on his own. Hence, Miriam and Aharon complained about Moshe.

However, Hashem answered them: I speak to Moshe directly; he doesn’t make decisions on his own. (Sheiv Shemaitsa, Introduction)