Two and a half tribes opted to stay in Transjordan and not inherit land in Israel proper. And they did so with tremendous sacrifice. They were away from their families for 14 years until the conquest of Israel and the apportioning of the land was completed. In the exchange between Moshe and the leaders of those tribes there seems to be repetition.
The Torah refers to the ‘teruah’ sound of the shofar when we blow it on Rosh Hashanah and also it is denoted as the remembrance of the teruah. Why the two different references? The sound of the teruah motivates one to repent, however, the motivation is only good if we follow through. Additionally, we must ‘remember’ the call to repent during the entire year.
The people rose in anger due to their perception that the traveling on the road was just too much. Furthermore, they were tired of only eating the Manna. Mind you, the Manna, was as tasty and delicious as any meal made in the finest restaurants in Manhattan. Yet, they complained and not only that but they bad-mouthed Hashem and Moshe.
The mutiny of Korach divided the nation in a fashion heretofore unheard of. Moshe’s authority was challenged and his authenticity was defied and apparently Korach’s oratory ability drew in hundreds of followers. This eroded the nation’s stability and almost seemed to eject Moshe from his seat as the leader of the people.
The disastrous episode of the spies that were sent to investigate Eretz Yisroel certainly seems to defy explanation. After all, Rashi comments that these twelve individuals were the leaders of their respective tribes. Yet they returned with intended information that would discourage their compatriots from going there. Hashem had guaranteed them that Eretz Yisroel would be a wonderful place to live so why did they indeed dissuade them?
The tribe of Levi was designated to serve in the Mishkan and later in the Beis Hamikdash. Upon their assignment, their entire body was shaven in order to prepare them for this honor. Perhaps one would find this odd that those selected to serve in the highest capacity in the nation should have to sustain embarrassment of this nature.
Wagons were donated to the Mishkan to carry the beams that encompassed the inner sanctum. However, the Torah states that the descendants of Kehas, the eldest son of Levi, were not privy to those wagons because they carried the most reverent items of the Mishkan such as the Aron.
The two brothers Zevulun and Yisochor and their respective tribes had a very interesting relationship. Yisochor personified the ultimate scholars of Torah. Zevulun were very accomplished merchants and became wealthy. They supported the entire tribe of Yisochor so that they could devote themselves to the study of Torah exclusive of any involvement in worldly matters.
We are forewarned by the Torah that upon ignoring our obligations there will be retribution. Unfortunately, we have seen this fulfilled many times in our past. The commentators explain that the chastisement mentioned in this parsha refers to the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash. The downfall of the nation at that time was terrible and the subsequent exile to Bavel, as short as it was, created havoc in the purity of our nation.
On the second day of Pesach a special offering was brought in the Beis Hamikdash, referred to as the Korban Omer. It consisted of barley and permitted the use of that grain in Eretz Yisroel. Although we don’t have the opportunity to bring that unique sacrifice, we count the days after from when it would have been brought until the Yom Tov of Shavuos.