Numbers 1:1 – 4:20
Our parasha is far more than a tribal census: it is our true beginning as a people. In Genesis, we were a small family of nomads. In Exodus, we were first slaves in Egypt and then a vast mob of people escaping our bondage. Leviticus steps outside of our narrative to focus on the priestly laws, so that from the standpoint of a timeline, Numbers picks up where Exodus finishes.
BaMidbar , the Hebrew name of both the book of Numbers and this week’s portion, means “In the Wilderness.” In the Wilderness, God revealed Torah in the hearing of all Israel at Sinai. In the Wilderness, a new generation would be born and raised in freedom on our way to the Promised Land. In the Wilderness, a mob of slaves became a nation, and it all began with a census.
The Toraitic census was quite different from a modern census. A modern census tries to capture demographic information about a population: how many people live in each city, state or nation; what are their ages, genders, ethnicities, etc. A modern census is about who we are, where we live now, and perhaps about how well we live. A modern census is about the present. The census at the beginning of Numbers is about the future.
First, each tribe is given a specific location within the camp. At the center of the camp will be the Mishkan, the Tabernacle. The tribe of Levi will surround the Mishkan. The twelve tribes of Israel are located along the four points of a compass, with three tribes assigned to specific places along each axis. Once these sub-camps are established, they will be the Israelite formation on the march and at rest. Marching and camping in formation marks the end of the former mob of slaves. It is a new beginning.
But there is more.
Of the tribes of Israel, each male who is of age to fight must be counted. From within the tribe of Levi, a similar count of those able to serve at the Tabernacle is taken. Each tribe is assigned a purpose – either protecting the people from external attack, or connecting the people with God through sacrificial offerings. No longer property, each Israelite has the ability to make a difference in their community.
But there is more.
The Hebrew phrase often translated as “count the heads” really has another meaning altogether. Se’u et rosh literally means: “lift the heads.” The census elevates the Israelites – and in many ways.
We are elevated when we know that we have a special place that is ours. Put simply, after the census we know that we belong, because each of us has a special place in the camp. The place where we belong, where we will always belong, we call home. Home for us is not a physical structure – it is a spiritual one. Home is where our family, where our people live. Even when we are in exile, we are at home with each other. Even more, we need each other. Each of us has different tasks to fulfill, not just in the moment, but in the future as well. If one tribe were to neglect its responsibility, all of Israel would become vulnerable. In other words, each one of us matters. Our lives have worth.
A modern census counts heads, and when it is concluded we have been counted. The census BaMidbar, lifts our heads. When it is concluded we finally understand that it is each one of us who count.
And that is when the real journey begins.
Hi there! I am the senior rabbi at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, Maryland, where I have served since 2016.
(c) copyright 2018 by Rabbi Gary Pokras