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פקד את בני לוי לבית אבתם... כל זכר מבן חדש ומעלה תפקדם. ויפקד אתם משה על פי ד'

Count the sons of Levi according to their father’s household… every male from one month of age and up shall you count them. Moshe counted them according to the word of Hashem. (3:15,16)

Perhaps the infants of Shevet Levi were precocious, but they certainly did not perform the service in the Sanctuary at the age of thirty-days old. Horav Moshe Feinstein, zl, explains that the members of other tribes were occupied with guarding and working the land. Thus, they were unable to devote as much time to their children’s education as were the Leviim. Therefore, they were counted when they reached the age of twenty years. When they were still young, it was difficult to know if they would achieve the spiritual level required to represent the nation. At age twenty, the way…

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וחנו בני ישראל איש על מחנהו ואיש על דגלו לצבאותם

Bnei Yisrael shall encamp, every man at his camp and every man at his banner. (1:52)

The Torah goes into a lengthy discourse concerning the significance and specific order of the degalim, flags/banners, under which each tribe encamped. The people are admonished concerning their adherence towards honoring the protocols and parameters of the degalim. Each tribe was to remain within the boundary of his area of encampment as signified by his banner. Indeed, we find earlier, in Parashas Emor (Vayikra 24:10), that the blasphemer’s original complaint was based upon the fact that he was not permitted to pitch his tent within the area designated for the Tribe of Dan. Likewise, we find specific protocols within the…

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ויתילדו על משפחתם לבית אבותם

And they established their genealogy according to their families, according to the household of their fathers. (1:18)

The count was carried out according to tribe. Thus, it was required for everyone to establish his tribal lineage, either by written documentation or by the testimony of witnesses. Lineage was important in order to determine exactly where each individual belonged. Pedigree, however, should not become the barometer for judging people, for promoting success, for determining an individual’s potential or position. Success is earned; it is an achievement for which one toils, for which one must be personally worthy. “Surprisingly,” there are people who do not have yichus, exceptional pedigree. They are simple, regular, common people, who do what is…

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שאו את ראש כל עדת בני ישראל למשפחתם לבית אבתם במספר שמות

Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael, according to their families, according to their fathers’ household, by number of the names. (1:2)

What is the significance of the counting of the people by their names? Ramban explains this practically. It was a great honor to be presented before Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen and state one’s name as a form of introduction. In his commentary to Sefer Shemos 1:1, Sforno explains the delineation of the individual names of each of the sons of Yaakov Avinu, while the names of the rest of the seventy members of the family which descended to Egypt are not detailed. Those who are mentioned were worthy to be named, for each one was worthy of his name,…

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