פָּרָשַׁת בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ

Parshat Behaalotcha begins with Aharon lighting the seven lamps of the Menorah and takes Bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) from Har Sinai (Mount Sinai) into the wilderness of Paran. The Leviim (Levites) are purified, waved before Hashem, and given to serve in place of the firstborn, from twenty-five years old to fifty. Those who were tamei (ritually impure) and missed the Korban Pesach (the Pesach offering) receive Pesach Sheni (the second Pesach), a month later (9:1–14 are read on the sixth day of Pesach). The cloud over the Mishkan (the Tabernacle) decides every journey, and two silver chatzotzrot (trumpets) call the people, move the camps, and sound in war and on festivals. The Aron (the Ark) of Hashem's covenant travels ahead of the camp, and Moshe says, "Arise, Hashem, and let Your enemies be scattered."

Then the complaints begin. At Taverah fire from Hashem burns at the edge of the camp. The people tire of the manna and weep for the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic of Mitzrayim (Egypt), and Moshe tells Hashem he cannot carry the whole people alone. Hashem places some of Moshe's spirit on seventy elders, who prophesy; when Eldad and Medad prophesy in the camp and Yehoshua asks Moshe to stop them, Moshe answers, "If only all of Hashem's people were prophets!" Quail cover the camp, but while the meat is still between their teeth Hashem strikes the people, and they are buried at Kivrot HaTaavah (the graves of craving).

At Chatzerot, Miriam and Aharon speak against Moshe, the humblest man on earth. Hashem tells them that He speaks to other prophets in visions and dreams, but to Moshe Rabbeinu, mouth to mouth, and Miriam is struck with tzaraat (a skin affliction). Moshe cries out, "Please, G-d, heal her, please," and the whole people wait seven days, until Miriam returns to the camp, before they travel on.