Bamidbar 1:1 – 4:20
What About Those Who Were Not Counted?
We now move to the Book of Numbers, some places referred to as Sefer Ha-P’kudim, the Book of the Census. It’s Hebrew name however, named for the first pertinent words in the Parsha and Book is Bamidbar, “In the Wilderness of”. It describes a people wandering through a spiritual as well as geographic wilderness. In our Parsha, the focus of leadership switches from Moshe who deals with the grander issues, to Aaron who is involved with the people in the complexities of daily living. Etz Chaim observes that the Book of Numbers contrasts the people of Israel as they actually are as opposed to the ideal written of in Vayikra (Leviticus.) In the 38 years covered by this book, the generation of the wilderness die off, and a people who have never known slavery enter the land of Israel.
A short synopsis of our Parsha. In Chapter one, we see the census of Israelite males by groups. Every male age 20 and up able to bear arms are counted. Representatives, the leaders of each tribe assist in the counting. None from the Levites are to be enrolled. They oversee the Tabernacle and its furnishings. It is in Chapter one that the divine presence shifts from Sinai to the Tabernacle. The people never feel lost for they can focus on the Tabernacle in the center of the camp, seeing it as they leave and as they return.
Chapter two says the tribes are to camp at a distance from the sanctuary, in campsites in each direction as directed and with marching orders prescribed by Hashem.
Chapter three shares the lineage of Moshe and Aaron. The tribe of Levi is under Aaron’s responsibility. Guard duty for the camp rests with the Levites. The first born of all Israel are consecrated, with the Levites standing in their stead. This suggests a heightened status for first born before then. By being redeemed, this status falls to the Levites. There is a separate census for the Levites, by ancestral house and clan. Duties are assigned according to which side of the Tabernacle they camp. A census is taken of all the first born of Israel. The first born of cattle are also counted and they are to be brought for sacrifice. There is a redemption price for the 273 Israelite first born children over and above the number of Levites at 5 Shekels per head.
Finally in Chapter four, a separate census of the Kohathites among the Levites from age 30 to 50 is taken. For those over 50, less arduous tasks are given requiring more wisdom, such as singing psalms, opening and closing gates, mentoring younger Levites. They are responsible for transporting the Tabernacle. However, they must not see or touch the sacred items lest they die, so instructions are given to Aaron and his sons on dismantling the tabernacle, wrapping the sacred objects to protect the Kohathites who must transport them. Eleazar is responsible for the lighting oil, incense, the regular grain offering, anointing oil, and the entire Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons assign duties for the Kohathites and ensure they don’t see the dismantling lest they die.
My focus for this dvar is Bamidbar 1:2 – 1:3. It reads, “Take a census of the WHOLE Israelite community by the clans of its ancestral houses, listing the names, every male, head by head. You and Aaron shall record them by their groups, from the age of twenty years up, all those in Israel who are able to bear arms.”
First, we seem to have contradictory messaging. The passage begins with instructions to take a census of the whole community, but then narrows it down to only those men, 20 and above, who could provide military service. But even if you narrow it to that, which of course they do not, for they also later count all the men among the Levites. Here’s the thing, who gets counted matters. Who was not counted? Women of course, the disabled, elderly, children. Over the centuries, this is repeated, not only in a census, but in a host of things. In a drash written by Rabbi Carole B. Balin, she breaks it down by numbers. She notes that 603,550 men are counted in a book of 36 chapters that acknowledges fewer than ten women, you realize that who does the recording matters, and these traditions get passed down through the generations. Moshe’s sister, the prophet Miriam nor his Midianite wife Zipporah or her father Yitro are counted.
Commentaries of the Jewish tradition found inherent value in those who were counted by G_d. Rashi believed G_d took a census of those who were dear to G-d. In Bamidbar Rabba 4:2, a midrash compares those who were counted to G_d’s precious pearls, suggesting that G_d cared deeply for them because they were the children to whom G_d had given birth. Seriously? Were the women, the disabled, the elderly not also dear to G_d? In a piece by Sivan Rothholz written for My Jewish Learning, he quotes the Kotzker Rebbe, “Give me ten emesdike yiddin (true Jews) and I will change the world.” All in a world where for many to this day, a minyan of ten male Jews is required for a prayer service. In 1986 Judith Plaskow confronted this head on in her work “Standing Again at Sinai.” Women’s invisibility stems from ancient traditions that exclude women from communal life.
We have since then moved towards a Jewish feminism where we are counted. There is still more to be done. In many places, queer people are increasingly counted, but it is not universal. Those of us with disabilities have our challenges at times for fully inclusive worship. I’m blest to belong to a community who works hard to ensure full inclusion. I have assistance when I need to be at the bimah, or sometimes it is brought down to me. I know though that it is still not fully universal, and there is more work to be done.
In conclusion, everybody must count. One thing I love about my spiritual path is that what was written in Torah has not nor should it remail static. We evolve over time, and wrestle with the given Torah to find our truths today. Miriam and Zipporah are counted today. Indeed, we have a wonderful resource, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, devoted to writing women back into the Torah. We are a work in progress. Baruch Hashem!
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