Hello Friends and welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Grateful you are with us. Before we begin this the fourth book of the Torah a reminder that services are this Friday (the 19th) at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Study Session) will take place on Shabbat (the 20th) starting at 10:00AM. Hope to see you in shul.
Parsha Bamidbar
When the Bible was translated from Hebrew into other languages it's clear that those translators failed at capturing the true essence of what the Torah was teaching. For example this the fourth book is known as "Numbers" because the translators focused on the census that was ordered by Hashem. However the Hebrew word for this "book" is Bamidbar which means "wilderness" as we read in the opening line, "Hashem spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting..."
What is often missed is the fact that these Jews were about to become a community while living in the "wilderness". Faced with some uncertainty the various tribes and families and individuals were now to become a nation that, together, would be called to witness great miracles all as a reminder of what happened at Sinai. In this "book" we learn about safeguarding the Tabernacle. Which, through time, means we were to safeguard the Temple and when the Temple no longer stood we are to safeguard the Synagogue the place that is central to our community. There is a reason the Synagogue has three names: The Beit Midrash means the "House of Study". It is also the Beit Knesset or the "House of Assembly". The Synagogue is also the Beit Tefillah or the "House of Prayer". Is it any wonder that when a Synagogue closes there is real pain among those who understand this meaning. I have, sadly, witnessed the closing of two Synagogues in my lifetime and the pain...is real.
Who Counts?
The answer is...you. In this Parsha we learn that the census counted all the males over the age of twenty and at the end we learn there were "six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty" dedicated to the legion...or those who would fight in battle. What is interesting about this census is that each person was sent to actually meet Moses and Aaron, the leaders of the nation. There they not only received a blessing but also a prayer of safety. This is a great lesson for our day. A leader must not only lead but must also care about each individual he or she is called to lead. To live in unity is critical to survival.
But Wait...
Not counted in this census was the Tribe of Levi. Why? The rabbis tell us that because the Levites had proven their loyalty to G-d in the aftermath of the Golden Calf they were elevated to the status of "His legion". They were given tasks that others could not preform such as guarding the Tabernacle, taking it down, transporting it to the next location and they must camp...around or surround the Tabernacle at each stop. Not only were they not counted in the general census their numbers were not added to the total.
Why? Because of their higher status and because G-d knew that all of those who were counted in the census would die in the Wilderness and He wanted to exclude them of that fate. In addition the Levites were serve at the Tabernacle and not in the army.
The Lesson
Some may look at this section of the Torah and think to themselves that some people are better than others. However that would be a mistake. What we learn here is that each of us have a mission and a talent. Some may be physicians others may become teachers and others might work in construction. But each is important and valued. There is a story about a great sage who taught in Jerusalem who would wait to conduct a part of the daily service until the man who swept the street in front of the shul passed by. One day a member of the congregation asked the rabbi why he waited. The rabbi answered, "I wait because I honor the devotion this street-sweeper gives to his job and pray that my congregation will give that same measure of devotion to their study of Torah."
Thanks for reading, see you in shul and Shabbat Shalom!
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