Torah.org Home Subscribe Services Support Us
  LifeLine
Print Version

Email this article to a friend

Bamidbar

by Rabbi Yaakov Menken


"Take a census of the entire congregation of Israel, according to their families, according to the house of their fathers." [1:2]

Why does G-d command a count at this point? From the commentary of Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, we can derive two complimentary answers to this question.

First of all, a count done in the wilderness serves no political or economic purpose. Rather, the count "testifies on itself" that it was done only for the sake of Torah, as evidenced by the previous verse which reads, "in the desert of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting" - the Torah was given on Sinai, and it's "center" was the Tent of Meeting. The census served a religious function.

What was this religious purpose of the count? As Rabbi Hirsch points out, throughout Sefer Vayikra, the Book of Leviticus, we learned of all the obligations which the Nation of Israel had to the Mishkan, the Sanctuary. We also learned, at the end, about the sacrifices which each individual could offer as a voluntary commitment.

With all of this, a person might think that the nation could fulfill its obligations without him and his contribution, and as for himself, he could decide to offer no voluntary sacrifices of his own. We do not see that every individual is important as an individual.

The census, then, tells us exactly this. Each person is unique, different from every other, with a unique function and unique contribution to make. Although this count included only the soldiers, males over age twenty, they served as public representatives for the larger nation. The count itself indicated how each individual was part of a family unit, part of a larger tribe, and a crucial building block in the larger whole. This count send a message for all generations: we each have something to contribute, and the entire Nation needs us!

Text Copyright © 1997 Rabbi Yaakov Menken and Project Genesis, Inc.
The author is the Director of Project Genesis.

About the Author

Please Support TORAH.ORG
Print Version       Email this article to a friend

 

ARTICLES ON BEHAALOSCHA:

View Complete List

The "Nuns"
Rabbi Aron Tendler - 5758

We Don't Even Understand Our Own Motives Without Wise Counsel From Others
Rabbi Yissocher Frand - 5772

In Search Of Whole
Rabbi Aron Tendler - 5762

Frumster - Orthodox Jewish Dating

Let
Rabbi Naftali Reich - 5773

The Repetitive Trap
Rabbi Naftali Reich - 5770

Daily Preparation
Rabbi Label Lam - 5769

Looking for a Chavrusah?

Transition
Shlomo Katz - 5764

Eternal Light
Rabbi Yaakov Menken - 5758

On The Heaven And The Earth
Rabbi Yochanan Zweig - 5770

> A Selfless Self-Esteem
Rabbi Label Lam - 5764

Cleaning Torah
Rabbi Aron Tendler - 5763

As the Cloud Moves On, So Does Life
Rabbi Yissocher Frand - 5759

ArtScroll

The New Now!
Rabbi Label Lam - 5773

What Makes You Sad? What Makes You Happy?
Rabbi Yissocher Frand - 5773

Remember!
Shlomo Katz - 5763

The True Age of Enlightenment
Rabbi Pinchas Winston - 5758



Project Genesis

Torah.org Home


Torah Portion

Jewish Law

Ethics

Texts

Learn the Basics

Seasons

Features

TORAHAUDIO

Ask The Rabbi

Knowledge Base




Help

About Us

Contact Us



Free Book on Geulah!




Torah.org Home
Torah.org HomeCapalon.com Copyright Information