A rabbinic tradition holds that the Torah, usually thought of as the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is actually seven books. Numbers is divided into three sections. One small section, composed of just 85 words, is considered a book in itself. Numbers 10:35-36 is familiar to regular synagogue goers for its prominent location in the Torah service: 'When the Ark was to set out, Moses would say: Advance, O L-rd! May your enemies be scattered, and may your foes flee before you. When it halted, Moses would say, 'Return, oh L-rd, you who are Israel's myriads of thousands.' (JPS translation). This is discussed below:
Our Rabbis taught: 'When the Ark was to set out, Moses would say...' The Holy One, praised be G-d, put signs (specifically upside down letter nuns) above and below this section, to tell you that this is not its proper place.
Rebbe says, this is not the reason (for the symbols), but rather it is an indication that the section is considered a book of the Torah on its own. This is in accordance with the intepetation of Rabbi Shmuel in the name of Rabbi Yochanan of this verse " [Wisdom has build her house] she has hewn her seven pillars." (Proverbs 9:1) These are the seven books of the Torah. [Numbers is thus three books - everything up to Numbers 10:35-36, the section itself, and everything in Numbers after this section. Add the other four books of the Torah, and this equals seven books.] This opinion [about Proverbs 9:1) is in accordance with Rebbe.
Who disagrees with Rebbe? Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, as it is taught, 'Rabban Gamliel says, in the time to come, this section (Numbers 2-:35-36) will be uprooted from here and written in its proper place. Why was it moved? To provide a break between one divine punishment for sin and another. What is the second punishment? 'The nation was complaining...' [Numbers 11:1: a section where the Israelites complain about the manna they have been eating, and anger G-d, resulting in a plague.] What is the first punishment? 'They marched from the mountain of the L-rd...' Rabbi Hama bar Hannina said, They [The Israelites] turned away from G-d. [Numbers 10:33. Rabbi Hama bar Hannina interprets this unusual name for Sinai as a spiritual turning away from G-d, which presumably had bad consequences.] What is the proper place for this section? Rav Ashi says, in the flags [a section at the beginning of Numbers describing the configuration of the Israelite camp.]
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