Shlomit’s son is enmeshed in a triangle of less-than-sterling characters – the biological father was an evil Egyptian taskmaster, Shlomit’s husband (the famous Datan) is an “officer” over fellow Jewish slaves (something of a “kappo”), and Shlomit with her own flirtatious behavior. So you can see where the son’s murky background might lead to severe problems.
This son was born of a forbidden union but raised among Jews. He witnessed the 10 plagues, the splitting of the Red Sea, and stood at Har Sinai to hear the voice of Hashem speak to the nation. He heard Hashem’s Ineffable Name from Hashem Himself when He said, “I am the Almighty, your God”. The Ineffable Name is only to create peace among people (for example, at Marah and in the sotah ritual), for blessings, and for holiness!
Those lessons were totally lost on Shlomit’s son. He used the Ineffable Name to curse!! In essence, he knowingly turned his back on Hashem. He weaponized the life-changing gifts he received at Har Sinai into something vile and destructive.
Shlomit’s son could have lived (had he not cursed) outside the camp-with the eruv rav (mixed multitude). That would have been absolutely fine. But because he defiled and supremely misused Hashem’s Name for destructive purposes toward others, He was not fit to live with anyone, anywhere.
2. Kate Gladstone
4/26/2023
Thanks for the explanation, but I’m still wondering — since the son of Shlomit wasn’t allowed to live with the Danites, exactly where in the whole camp WAS he supposed to live? After all, his father didn’t belong to any Hebrew tribe.
I keep hearing, in my head, another conversation that might be heard from a time-machine:
ACTUAL DANITE MAN: “Get out of our tribal area, you half-Egyptian.”
SON OF SHLOMIT: “So, whose tribal area should I be in, instead?”
ACTUAL DANITE MAN: “God knows. So go ask Moses.”
[SON OF SHLOMIT seeks and finds Moses, explains what happens, and asks:] Where may I pitch my tent? My father’s house is among the Egyptians whom we escaped. We crossed the sea, we stood at Sinai, we promised to obey and hear God’s commands — I was there, and I am here, like all of us. For me to camp according to my father’s house, I must undo the journey so far, and run back to Egypt alone, and hope they’ll take me back for a slave. Is this what the Lord commands? Is this Torah, and is this its reward? Was I good enough to rescue from Egypt, but not good enough for anything after that? What God is this, whose rule of life includes a zoning regulation that I break by just being existing?”
4/27/2023
Wow, that’s a neat question!
Shlomit’s son is enmeshed in a triangle of less-than-sterling characters – the biological father was an evil Egyptian taskmaster, Shlomit’s husband (the famous Datan) is an “officer” over fellow Jewish slaves (something of a “kappo”), and Shlomit with her own flirtatious behavior. So you can see where the son’s murky background might lead to severe problems.
This son was born of a forbidden union but raised among Jews. He witnessed the 10 plagues, the splitting of the Red Sea, and stood at Har Sinai to hear the voice of Hashem speak to the nation. He heard Hashem’s Ineffable Name from Hashem Himself when He said, “I am the Almighty, your God”. The Ineffable Name is only to create peace among people (for example, at Marah and in the sotah ritual), for blessings, and for holiness!
Those lessons were totally lost on Shlomit’s son. He used the Ineffable Name to curse!! In essence, he knowingly turned his back on Hashem. He weaponized the life-changing gifts he received at Har Sinai into something vile and destructive.
Shlomit’s son could have lived (had he not cursed) outside the camp-with the eruv rav (mixed multitude). That would have been absolutely fine. But because he defiled and supremely misused Hashem’s Name for destructive purposes toward others, He was not fit to live with anyone, anywhere.
4/26/2023
Thanks for the explanation, but I’m still wondering — since the son of Shlomit wasn’t allowed to live with the Danites, exactly where in the whole camp WAS he supposed to live? After all, his father didn’t belong to any Hebrew tribe.
I keep hearing, in my head, another conversation that might be heard from a time-machine:
ACTUAL DANITE MAN: “Get out of our tribal area, you half-Egyptian.”
SON OF SHLOMIT: “So, whose tribal area should I be in, instead?”
ACTUAL DANITE MAN: “God knows. So go ask Moses.”
[SON OF SHLOMIT seeks and finds Moses, explains what happens, and asks:] Where may I pitch my tent? My father’s house is among the Egyptians whom we escaped. We crossed the sea, we stood at Sinai, we promised to obey and hear God’s commands — I was there, and I am here, like all of us. For me to camp according to my father’s house, I must undo the journey so far, and run back to Egypt alone, and hope they’ll take me back for a slave. Is this what the Lord commands? Is this Torah, and is this its reward? Was I good enough to rescue from Egypt, but not good enough for anything after that? What God is this, whose rule of life includes a zoning regulation that I break by just being existing?”