And in the book of Bamidbar – that's Numbers in English – we find a fascinating glimpse into this very mystery.
The verse we're looking at, Numbers 27:16, starts with a prayer: "Let the L-rd, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh…" Now, Sifrei Bamidbar, a collection of ancient Rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Numbers, picks up on this. It tells us that this verse is teaching us something profound: that all spirits, all souls, ultimately come from Him. They originate from the Divine.
But what happens to the soul when we die?
Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yossi Haglili offers a compelling image. He says, remember this: while we're alive, our soul is held in the hand of its Owner, meaning G-d. He points to the Book of Job (12:10), where it says, "…that in His hand is the spirit of all living things." It’s like our souls are on loan, a precious gift entrusted to us for a time.
And when we die? According to Rabbi Eliezer, the soul is then placed in the otzar – the treasury. Think of it as a storehouse of souls. He finds support for this idea in the Book of Samuel (I Samuel 25:29), where it says, "and may the soul of my master be bound up in the bond of life." That "bond of life" – that’s the otzar.
But what about the souls of the wicked? Do they get the same treatment? Well, the verse continues, "and may He sling out the soul of your foes (as) in the hollow of a sling." So, the implication is that not all souls are treasured equally. There's a distinction, a separation. The wicked don't get the same gentle return to the otzar.
Now, the verse in Numbers also speaks of appointing "a man over the congregation." The commentary suggests that this man is Joshua. But here's an interesting point: why doesn’t Scripture explicitly name him? Why the ambiguity?
Sifrei Bamidbar offers a fascinating reason: to avoid stirring up controversy. You see, if Joshua were explicitly named, it might have caused jealousy or conflict among his own sons and the sons of his uncle Aaron – Elazar and Ithamar. By leaving it unsaid, the potential for discord was minimized. It's a subtle but powerful lesson in leadership and diplomacy. A reminder that sometimes, the way we do things is just as important as what we do.
So, what does all this mean for us today? Perhaps it's a call to recognize the preciousness of the souls within us and within everyone around us. A reminder that these souls are a gift, temporarily entrusted to our care. And maybe, just maybe, it offers a little comfort in knowing that even in death, there's a place, a treasury, where our souls are ultimately bound up in the bond of life.