Bamidbar: G-d 💗 Israel!

by Rav Moshe Leib HaCohen Halbershtat, founder and head of the Yoru Program for the Training of Rabbis and Community Leaders , yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

This week's Torah portion marks the beginning of the Book of Bamidbar, known as Numbers – and in fact, it starts with the counting of the Children of Israel in the desert: "G-d told Moshe in the Sinai desert, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month [Iyar] in the second year after their Exodus from Egypt: … 'Count all the members of the congregation of Israel…" (Bamidbar 1,1-2)

The Torah tells us many details about this command: It was issued in the desert, and in the Tent of Meeting, and on the first day of Iyar. From the words of Rashi on this verse we can understand the reason for the last two. He says that G-d's love for Israel is what brought Him to count us time after time: "When they left Egypt, He counted them, and when they sinned with the golden calf, He counted them again to see how many were left, and when He brought His Divine Presence to dwell upon them [in the Tabernacle] He counted them – on the first day of Nissan the Tabernacle was erected, and on the first day of the very next month He counted them."

And so we now understand why the Torah tells us that the command to count Israel was issued in the Tent of Meeting – for this is where G-d brings His Presence, which was the very reason for the counting at this very time, right after its construction.

But what did the Torah wish to teach us by telling us that the command was issued in the Sinai Desert? 

The answer is that this geographical place is yet another reason for the counting, because it is a reason for G-d's love of Israel! As the Prophet Jeremiah states (2,2): "So said the Lord: "I remember for you the lovingkindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials, how you followed Me in the desert, in a land not sown." 

Hashem remembers the kindness of our youth when we followed Him in a desolate desert – and for this, as well, He loves us and wishes to count us again and again. We followed G-d under difficult conditions, without calculations of comforts or other considerations, out of our "nuptial love" for Him – and He continually counts us and shows us love in kind.

The Flags

In Chapters 1 and 2, the Torah goes into the details of the counting of each tribe and each of the four tribal camps. The Torah also tells us that each tribe was to encamp and travel in the desert under its specific flag: "The Israelites shall each camp by his flag, with the ensigns of his father's house" (2,2). What is the connection between the flags of Israel and the census?

The answer is, again: G-d's love for Israel. How so?

The Medrash (Bamidbar Rabba 2,3) tells us: 

"G-d showed them great love when He made banners for them as the Ministering Angels [the Medrash later explains allegorically that 22 myriad angels accompanied G-d on Mt. Sinai, based on Psalms 68,18, and all of them were beautifully comprised of banners]… From where do we know that this is a sign of love? From King Shlomo who wrote (Shir HaShirim 2,4): 'He brought me to the wine house [of banquets], and his banner over me was love.'"

The Medrash continues in the name of R. Avahu: 

"What is the significance of the wine-house? It can be likened to a wealthy man who owned a large wine cellar. He went in to check it, and found that all the wine had gone bad. On his way out, he found one barrel of good wine, and he said: 'This barrel is my favorite, as good as the entire storehouse.' 

Similarly, G-d created 70 nations, but He had no enjoyment from any of them except for Israel [which was the only one to accept the Torah], as is written, 'He brought me to the wine-house.' And how do we know that wine is equivalent to the 70 nations? Because the gematriya value of the Hebrew word for wine is 70: yod (10), yod (10), nun (50) – and from all 70, only for Israel 'his banner over [him] was love.'"

 

The flags, therefore – like the counting – were a symbol of G-d's great love for Israel.

In sum: This portion of Bamidbar comes to teach and emphasize to us the greatness of G-d's affection for Israel. As we read in the end of the haftarah for this portion: "I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me with righteousness, with justice, with loving-kindness, and with mercy. And I will betroth you to Me with faith, and you shall know the Lord." (Hoshea 2,21-22)