Bamidbar – Page 11 – Peninim on the Torah

“Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their father’s household, by number of the names…. from twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the legion in Yisrael.” (1:2,3)

This is the third census within a relatively short period of time. When Bnei Yisrael left Egypt, the Torah (Shemos 12:37) states, “About six hundred thousand men on foot aside from children.” Once again, after the sin of the Golden Calf, Hashem counted them by means of a half shekel to determine how many were left after the sinners had died. The Torah (Shemos 38:26) states, “A half-shekel … for everyone who passed through the census takers, from twenty years of age and up for the six hundred three thousand, five hundred fifty.” As they are now counted once again,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5756, Bamidbar

“The Bnei Yisrael should encamp each man by his banner/flag according to the insignias of their fathers’ household, at a distance surrounding the Ohel Moed.” (2:2)

Bnei Yisrael were divided into formations of three tribes each. These formations were known as degalim, banners/flags. They represented the grouping of the tribes according to their history, personality and individual strengths. The degalim took effect one year after Bnei Yisrael’s liberation from the Egyptian bondage. We may wonder why Hashem waited so long to form the designated encampments and divisions. Why were they not arranged in their distinct order immediately upon their exodus from Egypt? Horav Yaakov Kamenetzky, zl, offers a practical insight which carries with it a timeless message. The division of Bnei Yisrael into harmonious but distinct…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5756, Bamidbar

“And these are the generations of Aharon and Moshe… and these are the names of the sons of Aharon, the first-born, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Isamar.” (3:2,3)

Rashi notes that although the Torah begins by stating, “These are the generations of Aharon and Moshe,” it lists only the sons of Aharon. He cites the Talmud Sanhedrin 19b that derives from here that one who teaches Torah to his friend’s child is considered as if he gave birth to him. Moshe is also viewed as a “father” to Aharon’s sons. We find that talmidim, students, are referred to as sons in other areas of Tanach. The pasuk in Devarim 6:7 states, “And you shall teach them diligently unto your children.” Rashi once again interprets “your children” as including…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5756, Bamidbar

“Count the Bnei Levi according to their father’s household, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up.” (3:15)

Moshe and Aharon were instructed to count Bnei Levi in a manner much different than the rest of Bnei Yisrael. Bnei Yisrael were counted once, from the age of twenty to sixty years of age. Bnei Levi, on the other hand, were counted twice. In the first census, they were counted from the age of one month and above. There was no minimum, since the thirty day old age only ensured the viability of the child. There also was no maximum age for Leviim. In the second census, the Leviim were counted according to their eligibility for service. This census…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“From twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the legion in Yisrael, you shall count them.”

Rashi explains that the minimum age for serving in the army was twenty-years-old. We may wonder why it was necessary to wait so many years past the age of bar mitzvah to enter the Jewish army. Even as teenagers the youths were probably physically mature and competent to fight as soldiers. Horav Tzvi Hirsch Farber, z.l., offers a homiletic response to this question. A young man, a rgb, is also called an okg. This term is derived from the fact that he is still an enigma, his actions are ohnkgb, concealed. Since he has not quite matured, we are still…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“Count the sons of Levi, according to their fathers’ household, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up shall you count them” (3:15)

The Leviim were counted in a completely different manner than the rest of Klal Yisrael. While the other tribes were counted between the ages of twenty and sixty, the Leviim were counted from the age of one month. Indeed, no minimum age requirement restricted the counting of a Levi; the one month minimum was to ensure the viability of the newborn. In addition, no maximum age limited the counting of the Leviim. Regardless of their advanced age, they were counted. This indicated that the sanctity of Shevet Levi transcended the constraints of physical age and strength. At the end of…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“And they should spread a cloth entirely of turquoise wool over it, and adjust its staves.” (4:6)

The accepted translation for uhsc unau in this pasuk is “and adjust its staves.” The verb unau is usually translated as “and they shall place it,” which implies that the badim, staves/poles, would now be inserted in the rings of the Aron. This translation, however, is not consistent with the halacha, which commands that the badim of the Aron never be removed from their rings. Consequently, we discern that the term unau refers to placing the badim upon the shoulders of the Leviim— or their adjustment within the rings of the Aron in order to facilitate the Leviim’s task of…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5755, Bamidbar

“But they shall not come and look as the holy (object) is inserted, lest they die.” (4:20)

Rashi explains that this pasuk refers to the insertion of the holy objects into their coverings, a task performed by the Kohanim. The Leviim are not permitted to view this procedure. The Ibn Ezra adds two similar opinions. One view suggests that this pasuk is an admonition against the Leviim entering to see the dismantling of the paroch’es, partition/ curtain from before the Aron Ha’Kodesh. The other view contends that the Leviim are prohibited from seeing the Aron when it is uncovered or revealed. This opinion is confirmed in the Midrash, which cites the Navi in Shmuel I 6:19, in…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Bamidbar

“Take the sum of all the congregation of Bnei Yisrael by their families, by their father’s households… from twenty years and upward.” (1:2,3)

In Jewish life, as well as in contemporary society, the family unit constitutes the most basic social unit. The center of Jewish life always has been — and will always be — the home. The home is the place in which parents prepare their children physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually to serve Hashem in the Jewish way. The collapse of traditional Judaism in America has followed the breakdown of the Jewish home as it has functioned for thousands of years. The secularization of the Jewish family, effected by assimilation into American society, was the precursor of the spiritual decline of…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Bamidbar

“Every man with his own camp and every man with his own flag.” (1:52)

The inclination to be orderly is an essential prerequisite for achieving shleimus, completion, in character development. One who is generally lethargic in his attitude and thoughtless in executing his responsibilities is often a confused person. Such an individual is frequently unreliable and inconsiderate. It is vital for an individual to have a systematized approach to planning out his daily endeavor, so that he can set priorities and act upon them accordingly. Horav Simcha Zissel M’Kelm z.l. cites several sources from Chazal to illustrate this point. The heads of the yeshivos in Bavel were crowned with the title of “reish sidrah”…

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“Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their father’s household, by number of the names…. from twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the legion in Yisrael.” (1:2,3)

“The Bnei Yisrael should encamp each man by his banner/flag according to the insignias of their fathers’ household, at a distance surrounding the Ohel Moed.” (2:2)

“And these are the generations of Aharon and Moshe… and these are the names of the sons of Aharon, the first-born, Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Isamar.” (3:2,3)

“Count the Bnei Levi according to their father’s household, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up.” (3:15)

“From twenty years of age and up, everyone who goes out to the legion in Yisrael, you shall count them.”

“Count the sons of Levi, according to their fathers’ household, according to their families, every male from one month of age and up shall you count them” (3:15)

“And they should spread a cloth entirely of turquoise wool over it, and adjust its staves.” (4:6)

“But they shall not come and look as the holy (object) is inserted, lest they die.” (4:20)

“Take the sum of all the congregation of Bnei Yisrael by their families, by their father’s households… from twenty years and upward.” (1:2,3)

“Every man with his own camp and every man with his own flag.” (1:52)

YEARS

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