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In our days, censuses include all citizens – men, women, and children. However, in the Torah, the count is only of adult men, from the age of twenty and above. In Parashat Ki Tisa, where the proper way to count is spelled out (Shemot 30:12-14), the process to be taken refers to those who "pass through the system of counting, from the age of twenty and above." It does not say there why this gender/age was important.
In Parashat Bamidbar (Bamidbar 1:1-3), in the context of a counting which Hashem asked for, a reason is alluded to. It says: "From twenty years and above, all those who go out to the army, should be counted …" In the second counting in Sefer Bamidbar (ibid. 26:4), again the cut-off point is twenty years old. Even later in the sefer (31:48), there is a report brought to Moshe that after the battle against Midian, there was a count of all of the participants in the battle, and no one was found missing.
The next counting was done by Yehoshua, again, as they were preparing to go to battle (Yehoshua 8:10-11). At the end of Sefer Shoftim, there is a count of the members of the Tribe of Binyamin, as they gathered to fight the other tribes. Shaul, as he prepared to go to war to save the people of Yavesh Gilad, "counted the people in Bezek, and Bnei Yisrael were 300,000 and the men of Yehuda were 30,000." Shaul counted the people again in Telaim, and found 200,000 along with 10,000 from Yehuda.
Further censuses were held at the time of Achav and his son, Yehoram (Melachim I, 20:14-15; Melachim II, 3:6-7). Here too the context was military (see Tzofnat Yeshayahu, p. 148).
Based on the above, it is not surprising that the ill-fated census done by David was carried out by his chief of staff and some of his officers. There too, it says that Yoav found "800,000 men holding swords" (Shmuel II, 24:9). Thus, we see that the reason for counting in the times of Tanach was to see how many soldiers the people had access to.
Next week we will explain what caused David to count the people and what caused him to have the people punished with a plague. May the People of Israel always measure things with a stress on the quality, not the quantity.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
