Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
Here’s the beginning of the story of the מְקַלֵּל (mekalel), the person who cursed God.
וַיֵּצֵא בֶּן אִשָּׁה יִשְׂרְאֵלִית
וְהוּא בֶּן אִישׁ מִצְרִי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
וַיִּנָּצוּ בַּמַּחֲנֶה בֶּן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית וְאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי׃
וַיִּקֹּב בֶּן הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת הַשֵּׁם וַיְקַלֵּל
וַיָּבִיאוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל מֹשֶׁה
וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ שְׁלֹמִית בַּת דִּבְרִי לְמַטֵּה דָן׃
וַיַּנִּיחֻהוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָר לִפְרֹשׁ לָהֶם עַל פִּי ה'׃
The son of an Israelite woman, whose father was Egyptian, stepped out among Benei Yisrael.
A fight broke out in the camp between this son of an Israelite woman, and a certain other Israelite.
The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed God’s Name and made a curse.
He was brought to Moshe.
His mother was named Shlomit the daughter of Divri, from the tribe of Dan.
He was placed in prison while they asked God what to do.
- What do you notice here? Which details of the story stand out to you?
- How do you understand the connection between fighting with another person and cursing God?
- The Torah doesn’t specify who brought the mekalel to Moshe. Who do you imagine it was? Why did they act this way?
- Why do you think Moshe didn’t judge this case on his own? Why did they need to wait for God’s decision?
- Sometimes people get upset and become angry with God. Can you imagine that? What is wrong with cursing God's name? Why is it important to show respect and honor to God even if we get upset?
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