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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.
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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.
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
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!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
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.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
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.