Bamidbar 11: Reruns

After the high of chapter 10, chapter 11 starts the low point of Numbers. The people start complaining and Moshe loses patience. Much of this chapter seems like repeats of earlier episodes in the Torah. 1) Complaining. The people complain that they have no meat and they fondly remember the food in Egypt. This is a repeat of the complaint in Exodus 16 when the people complained to Moshe about not having any food. There, God provided the people with the manna. Here he provides them with so much meat that the people overeat and die. 2) Moshe complains that he has no help and God selects 70 elders to assist him. This is a repeat of the episode with Yitro. Moshe did not complain about the burden, but Yitro could see that Moshe was overworked and unable to handle the day-to-day functions of the people. 3) Moshe complains to God about not being able to find enough food and God responds: “Is there a limit to God’s power?” הֲיַד־ה׳ תִּקְצָר? (Numbers 11:23) (verse 24). This parallels Moshe telling God that he cannot go to Pharoah because he has a speech impediment. God responds: “who made a mouth for man, or who makes one mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the lord?”מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם אוֹ מִי־יָשׂוּם אִלֵּם אוֹ חֵרֵשׁ אוֹ פִקֵּחַ אוֹ עִוֵּר—הֲלֹא אָנֹכִי ה׳? (Exodus 4:11)Why does this chapter have so many reruns? The Torah is trying to paint a stark contrast between the first time these incidents happened and now to emphasize the changes in character. Back in Exodus, the people had a basis to complain. They had just been released from bondage and were traveling in the wilderness for many days with their resources running thin. God did not punish the people then, he simply provided them with miraculous food. In Numbers, the people are simply being ungrateful. Miraculous food is not enough for them. In the beginning of Yitro, Moshe was just starting out leading the people and adjudicating the newly given Torah. Perhaps he was truly able to handle it, but Yitro could see that Moshe was taking on way too much. This time around Moshe could see that he could no longer handle the complaints of the people. Finally, when Moshe first talked with God, he had reason to doubt himself in front of the most powerful ruler in the world. Moshe had not fully seen the wonders of God. Now, Moshe has witnessed the most awesome highs and miracles. He could not have been doubting God’s power. Instead, it is another example of Moshe’s exasperation of leading the people. These themes will dominate the latter part of the book so it makes sense for it to begin with episodes that contrast the people at the beginning with them now.