Bamidbar – Peninim on the Torah

איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבתם ... יחנו בני ישראל

Each man by his banner according to the insignias of their father’s household… shall they camp. (2:2)

Chazal (Bamidbar Rabbah 2:7) teach that signs/insignias in the form of a flag and a color represented every leader of a shevet, tribe. Each banner contained a color similar to the color of the precious stones that were upon the heart of Aharon HaKohen (Choshen HaMishpat). Rabbeinu Bachya (Shemos 28:15) demonstrates how each tribe’s color and stone underscored a unique attribute and strength of that tribe’s progenitor. For example, Reuven’s color was red. This symbolized his strength of character in not being embarrassed to confess his wrongdoing with regard to Bilhah’s tent. Interestingly, Binyamin’s color was an amalgam of all…

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איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבתם

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Bamidbar

Each man by his banner, according to the insignias of his father’s household. (2:2)

While talents, skills, acumen, financial support and family background each plays a role in one’s success, the role is, at best, supportive. The attribute which plays the leading role in garnering one’s success is ambition, one’s aspiration and striving to work his way to the top. Personal effort, dedication and the ability to withstand and ultimately overcome challenges, lay the groundwork upon which success is established. It is the interplay of these elements that shapes an individual’s journey towards the top. This does not, by any means, disregard the role of talents, financial resources and upbringing. It is just that,…

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ויהיו כל הפקודים שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים. והלוים למטה אבתם לא התפקדו בתוכם

Sruly Schnair In 5784, Bamidbar

All their countings were six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. The Leviim according to their father’s tribe were not counted among them. (1:46,47)

In Parashas Pekudei, when the nation brought the machatzis ha’shekel, half-shekel for the Mishkan, they numbered 603,550, as cited here. On the surface, it appears that an overt miracle took place which did not result in any change in the census. A difference, however, exists between the numbers: In Parashas Pekudei, the entire nation, Shevet Levi included, was counted. In Parashas Bamidbar, the Leviim had already been separated/designated for their sacred service. They were now counted from the age of one month (as opposed to those in the rest of the nation who were counted from the age of twenty…

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משפחת בני קהת יחנו על המשכן תימנה

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Bamidbar

The families of the children of Kehas would encamp on the side of the Mishkan to the south. (3:29)

Rashi explains that specifically concerning Bnei Kehas, the Torah underscores that they were to the south side of the Mishkan, indicating that a special significance was attributed to the southern campsite of Bnei Kehas. He quotes Chazal (Succos 56b) that posit, Oy l’rasha v’oy lishcheinav. The tribe of Reuven encamped on the south next to Kehas, rendering Reuven vulnerable to the negative influence of Korach who descended from Kehas. As a result, the sons of Reuven, Dasan and Aviram, followed by the 250 heads of the Sanhedrin, joined the Korach controversy, which ultimately led to their untimely deaths. Rashi’s lashon,…

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והלוים למטה אבתם לא התפקדו בתוכם ... וידבר ד' אל משה לאמר אך את מטה לוי לא תפקד

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Bamidbar

The Leviim, according to their father’s tribe, were not counted among them. Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, “You shall not count the tribe of Levi.” (1:47,48,49)

Apparently, Moshe Rabbeinu did not count the Leviim even before Hashem instructed him to exclude them from the census. Ramban and Sforno rationalize Moshe’s decision. Every shevet, tribe, had a Nasi, leader, who represented the tribe. Shevet Levi did not, because Hashem did not tell Moshe to appoint one. As a result, Moshe deduced that Hashem had other plans for the tribe of Levi. While this is all well and good, we wonder why Hashem did not preempt Moshe’s decision by telling him up front that Shevet Levi was not to be counted. Horav Mordechai Gifter, zl, explains this with…

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שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל למשפחתם לבית אבתם

Sruly Schnair In 5783, Bamidbar

Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their father’s house. (1:2)

The Zera Shimshon wonders why the Torah traces each Jew’s lineage from his father’s line, rather than from his mother’s. First, a child’s Jewish identity is determined by his mother. (Matrilineal descent is one of the areas which the secular streams have attempted to alter, due to their diminishing numbers.) Second, the women in Egypt were at the center of safeguarding yichus, lineage, of the Jewish People. They refused to be violated by the Egyptians. Indeed, in addressing the familial names of each tribe, the Torah writes, mishpachas ha’Reuveni, mishpachas ha’Shimoni, “the family of Reuven, the family of Shimon” (Ibid….

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שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל למשפחתם לבית אבתם

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Bamidbar

Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their father’s household. (1:2)

The Torah relates the command that all Jews be counted in the census. It is in the following pasuk that the Torah states the criterion of twenty years and older. Is it “all” or a select group? The Ben Ish Chai explains this with an incident in which he had been personally involved. He heard someone slandering the Jewish community, claiming that in their home in Europe, they had desecrated Shabbos and flagrantly had eaten unkosher food. He asserted that this was the tip of the iceberg, as he continued his denigration of a large segment of the Jewish community….

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שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל למשפחתם לבית אבותם

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Bamidbar

Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their father’s household. (1:2)

The census of Klal Yisrael which was carried out individually for each shevet, tribe, in accordance to their pedigree i.e. their father’s yichus, lineage, carries a powerful connotation for the Jew. Knowing and acknowledging our past is critical. Understanding, appreciating, or, at times, coming to terms with our roots is part of our Jewish responsibility. Whether one hails from an illustrious lineage or from less-than-ordinary pedigree, he is part of Klal Yisrael. Thus, he is charged with the mission of spreading and glorifying Hashem’s Name in the world. A fascinating Chazal (Yalkut Shemoni 684) addresses Klal Yisrael’s lineage and its…

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וידבר ד' אל משה במדבר סיני

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Bamidbar

Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai. (1:1)

The well-known Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 1:7) states that the Torah was given to us through the vehicle of three media: fire, water and wilderness. Fire: “All of Har Sinai was smoking when Hashem descended upon it in the fire” (Shemos 19:18). Water: “The Heavens trickled; even the clouds dripped water” (Shoftim 5:4). Midbar, wilderness: “Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai” (Bamidbar 1:1). Chazal spell out the lesson derived from those three: They are all free; so, too, is the Torah available for free. The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, offer their own explanations of these…

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וידבר ד' אל משה במדבר סיני

Sruly Schnair In 5782, Bamidbar

Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai. (1:1)

The Torah was given to us in the wilderness. Obviously, this was by design, because Hashem could have arranged the Revelation anywhere. Apparently, He chose the wilderness for a reason. Horav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zl, posits that Hashem was delivering a message to us concerning the nature of the Torah and the attitude which should prevail when we study it. The wilderness is not a place designated for human habitation. Deadly serpents and scorpions inhabit it. The climate is certainly not conducive to human settlement. Nonetheless, all the powers of Briah, Creation – through the media of water, fire and…

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איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבתם ... יחנו בני ישראל

Each man by his banner according to the insignias of their father’s household… shall they camp. (2:2)

איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבתם

Each man by his banner, according to the insignias of his father’s household. (2:2)

ויהיו כל הפקודים שש מאות אלף ושלשת אלפים וחמש מאות וחמשים. והלוים למטה אבתם לא התפקדו בתוכם

All their countings were six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. The Leviim according to their father’s tribe were not counted among them. (1:46,47)

משפחת בני קהת יחנו על המשכן תימנה

The families of the children of Kehas would encamp on the side of the Mishkan to the south. (3:29)

והלוים למטה אבתם לא התפקדו בתוכם ... וידבר ד' אל משה לאמר אך את מטה לוי לא תפקד

The Leviim, according to their father’s tribe, were not counted among them. Hashem spoke to Moshe saying, “You shall not count the tribe of Levi.” (1:47,48,49)

שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל למשפחתם לבית אבתם

Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their father’s house. (1:2)

שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל למשפחתם לבית אבתם

Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their father’s household. (1:2)

שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל למשפחתם לבית אבותם

Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their father’s household. (1:2)

וידבר ד' אל משה במדבר סיני

Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai. (1:1)

וידבר ד' אל משה במדבר סיני

Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai. (1:1)

YEARS

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