The Dynamic Character of the Book of Numbers / האופי התוסס והמשתנה של ספר במדבר

The Book of Numbers is the most dynamic and multi-colored book in the Tenakh. First, it contains all the literary genres in the Bible: narrations, poetry (particularly that of Bileam), prayers (of Moses), historiography, prophecy (of the seventy elders, Bileam and above all, Moses), laws, parables, chronicles, lists of journeys, sacrifices, borders. Second, in contrast to the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, it does not contain large sections of stories or laws in succession. After each two or three chapters there are sudden transitions from laws to narration, or from narration to law. The character and pattern of this book reflects its stormy and changing content. Third, this book is full of Rebellions: rebelions of the community (in Tavera, in Kivroth-hataavah, after the return of the spies, Korach's rebellion), and of individuals, who work in opposition to the communal framework (Eldad and Medad, Calev and Joshua, the one who was gathering wood, Moses himself as leader of a rebellious people, and Pinchas at Baal-Peor).