TTTbemindar71

8/6/2019 TTTbemindar71

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/tttbemindar71 1/3

Torah Table Talk – A New PaRDeS Finding Meaning in Numbers Parshat BeMidbar, Numbers 1:1 – 4:20

This weeks Torah Table Talk is dedicated by Hana and Ber Mlawski

On the occasion of the Yurtzeit of Hana’s beloved father, Irving Haut

The opening chapters of BeMidbar deal with two topics: a demographic accounting of the people of Israel and the physical arrangement of their camp. These chapters set the stage for Israel’s impending conquest of the land of Canaan.

The focus of these chapters appears to be military and strategic planning. Unfortunately, Israel’s entrance into the land

of Canaan was to be delayed after the incident of the spies. The book of Numbers, then, tells the story of Israel’s

sojourn in the desert. It begins in the wilderness of Sinai and ends at the shore of the Jordan River thirty eight years later

as the people finally are prepared to enter the Promised Land. Reading these opening chapters of BeMidbar is no easy

task. We wonder why it is necessary to record the minutia of Israel’s census. We read the Torah searching for deeper

meaning and all we seem to find in these chapters are long lists of numbers and names. What meaning can we take

away from these lists? While the purpose of the census may have been purely functional, the sages searched for some

other meaning in these chapters. As a community that continually finds itself counting itself, this act appears to have

other significance.

Numbers 1:2-3 Take a census of the whole Israelite community, by the clans of its ancestralhouses, listing the names, every male, head by head (ligulgilotam). You and Aaron shall recordthem by their groups, from the age of twenty years up, all those in Israel who are able to bear arms.

PaRDeS

1. P’shat – Understanding the plain sense meaning of the text Take a census of the whole Israelite community: This was on account of the fact that they had to enter the land

of Israel and those from twenty years and upwards were eligible to go forth in the army into battle. For on the

twentieth day of the second month the matter was broached, as it is written, “We are journeying to the place which

the Lord has promised to give you.” (Numbers 10:11, 29) For this reason the Holy One ordered them to be

numbered at the beginning of the month. ( Rashbam’s Commentary on Torah; Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir, the grandsonof Rashi)

Take a census: That is, for the purpose of military conscription. Such censuses were frequent occurrences during

the monarchy. A head count of the troops was always taken before a campaign (for example Joshua 8:10) and at its

conclusion (Numbers 31:48-49; cf. 1 Samuel 14:17)…The census described here follows the same procedures and

even uses the same terminology as those found earlier in Near Eastern cultures that had been intimately associated

with Israel’s origins. ( Jacob Milgrom, The JPS Torah Commentary, Numbers)

My Commentary: Both the Rashbam and Professor Milgrom observe that the counting of the Israelite males served a

purely functional purpose. By counting all the males over the age of 20, God was preparing the people for theupcoming military campaign of conquest. Organizing the nation into military units also served a purpose in the

hostile wilderness environment through which they were traveling. This would explain why it was necessary to count

only the adult male members of the nation and not all the people. However it does not explain why it was necessary

to not only number but name the members of each tribe and each household. Significantly, the language used in thischapter is similar to the language used by Israel’s neighbors – counting the men of conscription age was a royal

prerogative of the king. For the people of Israel, the counting of the people could only be commanded by God.

2. Remez – Allusions: Finding meanings hidden in the text And the Lord spoke…in the wilderness of Sinai…on the first day of the second month: Because of their love

before Him, He numbered them every time. When they went forth from Egypt He numbered them, and when they

fell because of the sin of the golden calf, He numbered them to ascertain the number of those who remained. And

when He came to cause His Divine Presence to abide among them, He numbered them. On the first day of Nisan theTabernacle was erected, and on the first of Iyyar He numbered them. (Rashi’s Commentary, Rabbi Shlomo ben

Yitzchak)



I have further seen in Bemidbar Rabbah on the text, “With the number of their names…head by head,” as follows:

The Holy One ordered Moses to number them in a manner that would confer honor and greatness on each one of

them, individually. Not that you should say to the head of the house, “How many are there in your family? How

many children have you?” But rather all of them should pass before you in awe and with the honor due to them and

you should remember them. That is what is meant when it states: “According to the number of names from the age of

twenty years and upwards head by head.” ( Ramban, Rabbi Moses ben Nachman, quoting Midrash Rabbah)

My Commentary: Not satisfied with Rashbam’s pragmatic explanation of the census, other commentators offer

different reasons for the census. Actually, Rashi (Rashbam’s grandfather) offered a more homiletical explanation

long before his grandson offered a military explanation for the census. The census served much more than a military purpose. Counting serves not only a practical purpose but is also an act of love. God counts the people of Israel after

every major crisis and transition. It was as if God needed to reassure Himself that his precious heritage had not been

lost. The accounting in Numbers follows immediately after the consecration of the Tabernacle and before Israel set

out from Mount Sinai. It was a good moment for the people, in a sense, the quiet before the storm that would occur

when they set out for the land of Canaan. Ramban offers another explanation. The purpose of the census was not

simply to offer a quantitative accounting of the people but to recognize the uniqueness of each individual. That is

why the Torah makes a point of saying that they would be counted ‘head by head.’ Of course, such a personalized

accounting of the people only accounts for the male members of the community and not the women and children.

3. Din – Law: Applying the text to lifeRabbi Isaac said: It is forbidden to count Israel even for the purpose of fulfilling commandment, as it is written: “And

counted them be-bezek [with pebbles]. (1 Samuel 11:8) Rabbi Ashi demurred to this: Whence do you know that theword ‘bezek ’ is here used in the sense of being broken [i.e., pebbles], perhaps it is the name of a place, as it is written:

And they found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek? (Judges 1:5) Rather it is from here: “And Saul summoned the people and

numbered them with [sheep].” (1 Samuel 15:4) Rabbi Eleazar said: Whosoever counts Israel, transgresses a

prohibition, as it is said: “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be

measured.” (Hosea 2:1) Rabbi Nahman ben Isaac said: He would transgress two prohibitions, for it is written:

“Which cannot be measured nor numbered.” (Hosea 2:1) Rabbi Samuel ben Nahmani said: Rabbi Jonathan raised an

objection: It is written: ‘Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea,’ and it is also written:

‘Which cannot be numbered.’ This is no contradiction: Here it speaks of the time when Israel fulfills the will of the

Lord, there of the time when they do not fulfill His will. Rabbi, on behalf of Abba Jose son of Dosthai, said: This is

no contradiction: Here it speaks of [counting done] by human beings, there of counting by Heaven. (Babylonian

Talmud Yoma 22b)

One should avoid counting individuals in order to see whether or not there is a minyan, for we have been taught inYoma 22b that it is forbidden to count Jews even for the purpose of performing a mitzvah….It is customary to count

them by reciting a verse hosheah et amekha uvarelkh et nakhalatekha u’rem v’nasem ad olam…, “Save your people;

bless your heritage; tend/sustain them forever,” (Psalms 28:9) for there are ten words in this verse… In Sefer Ha-Ora,

Rashi states that one should count by using the following verse: Vaani birov hasdekha…“Through Your-love I enter

Your-house; I bow before Your-Temple reverently.” (Psalm 5:8) (Rabbi Abraham Sperling Sefer Ta’amei Ha-minhagim u’mikorei ha-dinim, Page 64)

My Commentary: Interestingly, the act of counting the community was also a source of anxiety. Counting was

considered a divine act; human beings apparently were not allowed to count themselves. In the book of Kings we

later learn that after conducting an unauthorized census of the people during the reign of King David, the nation was

punished. In a discussion of counting ones fellow community members we learn that counting is not permitted. The

sages find examples in the Bible in which the counting of the people is carried out indirectly rather than attributing a

number to each individual. Saul counted the people with pebbles and Samuel by using sheep as proxies. It isinteresting to note here that the Talmud uses the same verses from scripture as proof texts as Professor Milgrom uses

in his more “scientific” commentary on Numbers. The Talmud also quotes a verse from the book of Hosea which is

taken from the Haftorah which is read on this Shabbat.

4. Sod – The Meaning and Mystery of FaithWe find in the sources above at least three different explanations for the Israelite census. According to the Rashbam

and most commentators, the census served the purpose of organizing the people for the upcoming conquest and for

the defense of the nation during the sojourn in the wilderness. Leaving Mount Sinai must have been a source of

anxiety for the nation. Up until now they had camped in the shadow of God’s protective presence. Entering the

wilderness, they were unsure of what lay ahead for them. A good deal of time was spent preparing for their journey



but even then they rebelled against their leaders and God. For Rashi, the census is a sign of God’s love. Overall, the

Book of Numbers is not a very happy book. We read about the rebellion of the spies which led to the people’s

extended sojourn in the wilderness. We find Korah’s rebellion and more times than we can count we find the people

fearful and distrusting of their leaders. Even Miriam and Aaron questioned Moses’ leadership. Rashi’s explanation,

then, tempers the doubt and anxiety by beginning with a statement in which he says: “You see – God really does love

us despite everything.” Finally, we find Ramban’s explanation. For him the counting is about acknowledging the

uniqueness of each individual in the community. In a book in which the community seems to take precedence over

the individual, he reminds us of the importance of each person.

Counting remains an expression of anxiety. How often have we sat in synagogue silently waiting for the tenth personto show up so that we could continue our minyan. At OJC we do this with a little lightness: we count the members of

the minyan with the verse: “Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light.” There is something lovely about this

practice whether we use verse from scripture or the national anthem. By associating each person present with a word

in a verse, we are reminded that the verse cannot be complete without all ten words. Also, while God can count us,

we should not count one another. To count people is to reduce the individual to a quantitative entity. It is the qualityof each individual, created in the image of God that makes us unique and important. Each person is of infinite value

like the words of scripture. And each verse has infinite meanings. Each is a doorway to God.

Questions to Ponder 1. Both Rashbam and Milgrom arrive at a similar conclusion about the purpose of the census. How are

their approaches and their methodology different from one another?

2. According to Ramban, why was it so important for the people to stand in the presence of Moses andAaron when they were being counted? For whom was this important: for Moses and Aaron or for thepeople themselves? Why?

3. According to Rashi, why was it just as important for God to count the people after a crisis as it was intimes of transcendence?

4. What implications does counting people have for us today in a post holocaust generation? How can weemphasize the uniqueness of the individual in congregational life today?

Become a Sponsor for Torah Table Talk Dear Reader: Would you consider becoming a sponsor for TTT for a week, a month, for a whole book of the Torah or for an entire year? Weekly sponsorships are $54. Dedications can be made in memory of loved ones or in honor of special occasions on the week of your choice. All donations will be used to support the Oceanside Jewish Center,

my congregational sponsor. Rabbi Mark B GreenspanFor more information or if you would like to join Torah Table Talk, please write to [email protected]. If you

would like to subscribe to TTT please send an e-mail to [email protected]. To remove your

address from this list, send a blank email to [email protected]. To download TTT

you need Adobe Acrobat Reader; http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep 2.html

“All it takes to study Torah is an open heart,a curious mind and a desire to grow a Jewish soul.”

C opyright 2011 Rabbi Mark B Greenspan

TTTbemindar71

Documents

Transcript of TTTbemindar71