Parshat Hashavua Rabbi Michael Laitner If you have comments please feel free to e-mail Rabbi Laitner at: michael@southhampstead.org

‘And the people were ‘kemitonenim’, bad in the ears of G-d…’ (Bemidbar 11:1)
 
This verse introduces the events at ‘Tavayra’.  These events are spread over only 3 pesukim (verses) and are not specifically described.  However, the Torah tells us that these events had bad consequences.
 
What is Tavayra and which events took place there?  Tavayra is a place named specifically after the events that took place there.  Onkelos, the oldest translation of the Torah, translates ‘Tavayra’ as a ‘conflagration’.  To find out why, we need to understand the word ‘kemitonenim’ as it is the impetus leading to the naming of the place.
 
Our pasuk (verse) is the only place in the Tanach (Bible) where this word occurs, which heightens the importance of understanding what this word means, especially since it is a significant enough word to lead to the naming of a place.  The question becomes even stronger since the words ‘kemitonenim’ and ‘Tavayra’ appear to have no lexical connection nor share a shoresh (root).  All Hebrew words are built on a verbal root, normally consisting of 3 letters.  The root is adapted and paired with suffixes and prefixes to produce nouns, adjectives etc.
 
Rashi, the premier Torah commentator, writes that the phrase ‘ha’am’ (the people) is used when the Jewish people acted badly.  He brings examples to corroborate the statement, then explaining that ‘kemitonenim’ means ‘plotting’ to disengage from G-d.
 
Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra, another of the Rishonim (Medieval rabbis who are the most important Biblical commentators) explains ‘kemitonenim’ to be derived from the word ‘aven’ (iniquity).  This approach is disputed by Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (‘Ramban’) who questions why the Torah would use a ‘general’ word for iniquity without explaining what the iniquities were.
 
Ramban writes that as Bnei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) moved further from Mount Sinai and into the desert towards places that they might encamp, they became anxious as to how they would survive in the desert (despite G-d already providing for their survival since they left Egypt over a year previously.)  They began to speak in a bitter, complaining way.  The way they spoke describes the meaning of ‘kemitonenim’ according to Ramban. 
 
This problematic behaviour is even repeated in verse 4, only 2 verses later.  The people displayed a lack of gratitude, complaining instead of understanding and appreciating what G-d was providing for them.  At this stage of their journey, they had encamped at Mount Sinai for around 10 months, built the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and studied the book of Vayikra before travelling on when their travels pick up at the start of chapter 9 of the book of Bemidbar.
 
Therefore, according to Ramban, their attitude was problematic.  This specific experience was a phenomenon at this particular stage in their travels and as such is described by the unusual phrase ‘kemitonenim’.  The name ‘Tavayra’ describes the conflagration which this attitude caused, so that the name of the place reflects the aftermath of unacceptable behaviour by Bnei Yisrael.

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