When God commanded Israel to set out from Sinai and continue their
march, the Israelites were glad, for during their stay in that place
they had throughout eleven days received new laws daily, and they hoped
that after having departed from the holy mountain they would receive no
further laws. Hence, instead of making a day's march from Sinai, as God
had commanded them, they marched incessantly for three days, in order
to be as far as possible from the holy spot. They behaved like a boy
who runs quickly away after dismissal from school, that his teacher
might not call him back. Although this antipathy to His laws vexed God,
He did not therefore forsake them, but let the Ark move before them as
long as they desired to continue the march. For it was by this token
that the Israelites knew that the Shekinah was among them, as God had
promised them. As often as they broke camp or pitched camp Moses would
say to them: "Do what the Shekinah within the Ark bids you do." But
they would not believe Moses that the Shekinah dwelt among them unless
he spoke the words: "Rise up, Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered;
and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee," whereupon the Ark would
begin to move, and they were convinced of the presence of the Shekinah.
The Ark furthermore gave the signal for breaking camp by soaring up
high, [456] and then swiftly moving before the camp at a distance of
three days' march, until it found a suitable spot upon which Israel
might encamp. [457]
Hardly had they departed from Sinai when they once more began to lead
the wicked course of life that they had for a time abandoned. They
began to seek a pretext to renounce God and again to be addicted to
idolatry. [458] They complained about the forced marches which at God's
command they had been obliged to make after their departure from Sinai,
and in this way showed their ingratitude to God who wanted them as
quickly as possible to reach the Holy Land, and for this reason allowed
them to cover an eleven days' distance in three days. [459] Their
murmurs and complaints, however, were not silent, but quite loud, for
they were anxious that God should hear their wicked words. In
punishment for their defamation of the Divine glory, God sent upon them
a fire emanating from the very glory. [460]
Upon twelve occasions did God send a Divine fire upon earth, six times
as a token of honor and distinction, but as many times as a punishment.
To the first class belong the fire at the consecration of the
Tabernacle, at the offering of Gideon as at that of Manoah and of
David; at the dedication of Solomon's Temple, and at the offering of
Elijah upon Mount Carmel. The six fatal fires are the following: the
fire that consumed Nadab and Abihu; that which wrought havoc among the
murmuring and complaining multitude; the fire that consumed the company
of Korah; the fire that destroyed Job's sheep, and the two fires that
burned the first and second troops which Ahaziah sent against Elijah.
[461]
This celestial fire wrought the greatest havoc among the idolatrous
tribe of Dan, and among the mixed multitude that had joined the
Israelites upon their exodus from Egypt. [462] The elders of the people
turned to Moses, saying: "Rather deliver us as a sheep to the
slaughter, but not to a celestial fire that consumes earthly fire."
[463] They should by right have prayed to God themselves, but in this
instance they were like the king's son who had kindled his father's
anger against him, and who not hastened to his father's friend, begging
him to intercede for him. So did Israel say to Moses: "Go thou to God
and pray for us." Moses instantly granted their wish, and God without
delay heard Moses' prayer and halted the destroying fire. [464] But God
did not simply take the fire away from Israel and put it elsewhere, for
it was of such a nature that it would gradually have spread on all
sides and finally have destroyed everything. It had in this way caused
the destruction in Israel, for, beginning at one end of the camp, it
spread so rapidly that one could at not time tell how far it had gone.
That the presence of this Divine fire might continue to restrain Israel
from sin, God did not allow it to rise back to heaven, but it found its
place on the altar of the Tabernacle, where it consumed all the
offerings that were brought during Israel's stay in Egypt. This is the
same fire that destroyed Aaron's sons as well as Korah's company, and
it is the Divine fire that every mortal beholds in the moment of his
death. [465]
On this occasion also it was evident that pious men are greater than
the angels, for Moses took bundles of wool and laid them upon the
Divine fire, which thereupon went out. [466] He then said to the
people: "If you repent of your sin, then the fire will go out, but
otherwise it will burst forth and consume you." [467]