A Taste of Torah in Honor of Shabbat

Shabbat Bamidbar 5757

2 Sivan, 5757

Rabbi Avi Weiss, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale

Nachmanides offers several reasons to explain the census found in this week's portion. Each explanation has its own message

First, the census expresses God's mercy. Jacob came to Egypt with but seventy souls. Now, we were entering Israel with many more.

The message: one should not take God for granted. Proper thanks is due the Almighty for our success.

Nachmanides also explains that each person received a special merit by being counted separately. Everyone without exception had to pass by Moshe and Aaron who set their eyes upon every individual.

The message: in most countries--like here in the US--when a census is taken, people become numbers--their names are secondary. In the Jewish count the accent is on every persona, each unique and irreplaceable.

Finally, the count was necessary, Nachmanides writes, as we were then preparing to enter the land of Israel. It was important to find out how many soldiers were available for the pending war.

The message: while God is always there to help, one should not rely on miracles. Proper preparation was necessary before entering Israel.

In the end, these three views interface. A comment made by S.Y.Agnon illustrates the point.

Once a king reviewed his returning soldiers who had been victorious in battle. He was ecstatic and joyous. Not so, God the King of Kings. When reviewing the returnees, God understands that they are not necessarily those who left with the same battalion. Individuals were killed in the war and they would not be coming back.

Here we have the co-mingling of the three opinions offered by Nachmanides.

When going to war, each soldier must be viewed as a person with endless value. Upon returning safely, all ought give thanks to the Lord.

Ideas worth remembering especially when considering current events. Too often it is tragically the case that an Israeli soldier is struck down and, we in the Diaspora don't know, or having become so accustomed to these losses, we fail to reflect on the tragedy, we fail to feel the pain of the bereaved families.

It should not be this way. The loss of a person is the loss of a person. But the loss of a soldier killed defending the land and people of Israel is for us the loss of the world.

May we be spared such losses.

SHABBAT SHALOM

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM RABBI AVI WEISS

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