Bamidbar | Name and Number

 

Summarized by Danny Orenbuch

  

"Count the heads of the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to the households, by the number of the names of all the males by their poll..." (Bemidbar 1:2)

 

"Each person according to his flag, by the insignia of the households will Bnei Yisrael camp." (ibid.  2:2)

 

            The census described here is not only by families and households, but also "by the number of the names" - each person is counted explicitly by name.

 

            A person who lives in the midst of a large population, within a system where he is only a "brick in the wall," faces a twofold existential problem.  Firstly, he feels at times that he is nothing more than a tiny component within a huge system, devoid of any uniqueness or individual character.  At the same time, he is sometimes prone to feelings of frustration at his position in society, believing that the functions which he performs are not suited to him and do not lead him in the direction of his destiny.

 

            In contrast to man is the angel, whose entire function in the world is a certain particular destiny and whose actions and destiny are by definition one and the same.

 

"At the time when God revealed Himself on Har Sinai, two hundred and twenty thousand angels accompanied Him, as it says (Tehillim 68:18): 'The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands,' and all were in formation with flags, as it is written, 'distinguished ('dagul' - literally, 'bearing a flag') among ten thousand' (Shir Ha-Shirim 5:10).  When Israel saw how the angels were in formation with flags, they began to desire flags for themselves.  They said, 'If only we were in flag formation like them....'  God said to them, 'You desire flags' - immediately God announced them (the flags) to Israel, and said: 'Moshe, go and make them into flag formation as they desire.'" (Bemidbar Rabba 2:3)

 

            What was it about the angels and the flags according to which they were arranged which so attracted Bnei Yisrael?  They witnessed the wonderful unity of purpose and action which exists among the angels, and this is what they desired.

 

"'Each person according to his flag, by insignia' - ...Bnei Yisrael were holy and glorious in their formation by tribal flags, and all the other nations looked at them in wonder: 'Who is this that is appearing?' (Shir HaShirim 6:10).  The nations of the world said to them,   'Return, return O Shulamit' (ibid. 7:1) - cleave to us, come to us and we will make you our rulers, leaders, dukes, governors..."

 

            The nations of the world, as depicted in the above imagery from Shir Ha-Shirim, call out to Knesset Yisrael and invite them to become their rulers and dukes, but the People of Israel don't see this as their purpose and destiny, and don't believe that this is what will bring them ultimate happiness.

 

            A person can be rich - a duke, a king - but nevertheless at times feel frustrated and despairing because he sees no ultimate purpose to his life.  On the other hand, another person may be less rich but profoundly convinced that his sphere of activity allows him self-realization and achievement of his destiny.

 

            Therefore God requires that the counting of Bnei Yisrael be conducted in all three ways: a numerical count in order to know the physical number of people; a count "by the number of names" - to know who each individual is, to learn about his essence and uniqueness; and a count of "each person according to his flag" - each in accordance with his role in society and his destiny within it.

 

 

(Originally delivered Leil Shabbat Parashat Bemidbar 5752.

 

Translated by Kaeren Fish.)