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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Bamidbar
After the completion of the Mishkan in the Sinai desert on the first day of the month of Iyar in the second year since the Exodus, God commands Moshe to conduct a census of the entire nation. He is to count everyone according to their family groupings and their tribal associations. The census is a head-count done through the medium of the half shekel given by each man for the upkeep of the Mikdash.
The use of the phrase עדת בני ישראל relating to the census signals that the counting was done in order to determine the number of people who could be counted as faithful to the national mission of Torah observance. The word עדת parallels the phrase פיקודי that was used in the first mention of a census detailed in Ex 30:12. An עדה is a group of people who on their own and without external pressure have come together for a common ייעוד , a joint mission. Both of these words connote solidarity in accepting and achieving a mission, a common goal.
The word עדת is from the root י-ע-ד which means "to arrange" to meet together. The word פיקודי is from the root פ-ק-ד which means "to invest with a purpose or responsibility".
The instructions for this census project a unique characteristic that is to be part of the Jewish makeup. The instruction to Moshe speaks of family, משפחה, and tribe, בית אב. These twin identifications stress the uniqueness of each sub-group. The nation, בית ישראל as a whole, was to retain the specific characteristics of each family and each tribe. There was not to be a "melting pot" effect whereby the differences in skills, habits and even personalities were to be integrated into a single body politic. This diversity was to be a strength in preserving the nation, as each person/family/tribe was encouraged to maintain a unique identity and to develop their skills, and no one would be forced to change identity in order to fit a single image.
The word משפחה is from the root ש-פ-ח which means "to join family" and become part of it. The word בית is from the root ב-י-ת which means "to contain and protect." The word אב is from the root א-ב-ה which means "to submit" and conform to leaders' demands."
The concept of maintaining a unique identity goes further than the identities of families and tribes, an idea that is underlined by the requirement of מספר שמות, number of names. As each male head ((גולגולת presented his half-shekel, he announced his name and his family and tribal association. He therefore projected to himself and to others his particular standing and his individuality, as well as his identity as part of the larger family and tribe. And by giving the half shekel, he declared, as well, his commitment to being part of the national mission.
The word מספר is from the root ס-פ-ר "to combine separate items and tally sums." The word שמות is from the root ש-ו-ם "to arrange in place." A name places a thing in the consciousness of a person. The word גולגולת is from the root ג-ל-ל "to rotate" something. A person's head or skull is a rounded object.
The Jewish nation was in fact a single household (בית ישראל) and children (בני) of a single person (ישראל\יעקב). Irrespective of numbers and family ties, the nation would be united in a single mission and a single destiny. However, diversity, whether tribal, familial, or individual, , must be nurtured in order to allow for differences in character, talents, and professions.
Copyright © 2014, Matityahu Clark. All Rights Reserved. This is an excerpt from the forthcoming Hirsch At Your Table, a collection of brief divrei torah based on R. Samson Raphael Hirsch’s Torah Commentary.
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
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As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
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Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
