Census Time! Parshat Bamidbar

This week's torah portion is Bamidbar, the first Parasha in the fourth book of the Torah (Numbers, in English). Since it is the 2nd triennial year, our reading encompasses Num 2:1 - 3:13.

This section begins with a division of the Israelite tribes into quadrants as they travelled through the desert. Unlike the mob we see in the Cecil B. DeMIlle movie, the Torah depicts our ancestors as a very disciplined ensemble. Although there may have been two million people traveling through the desert, they are arranged and encamped according to tribe (historical descent) and according to placement
surrounding the tent of meeting (eventually to become the areas of settlement within the Promised land).

To the East were the tribes Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, and they marched at the front of the column when the people moved locations or went to battle.

To the South were Reuven, Shimon and Gad, who marched second in the column.

Then, in the middle, we find the tribe of Levi and the tent of meeting / tabernacle.

To the West were the tribes Ephraim, Menashe and Benjamin, who marched third (see how little the Levites count!)

Finally, to the North, came the tribes of Dan, Asher and Naftali, who marched fourth, or last.

If you plot the eventual territories of these tribes on a map of Canaan / Israel, you will see that the first group, under the flag of Judah, constitutes the central trunk or mountainous ridge of the land stretching from South to North.

The second group, under the flag of Reuven, constitutes the tribes that lay to the south and east of the main territory, in other words the Eastern or Southern front between the Israelites and their major enemies in the desert lands.

The third group, under the flag of Ephraim, consists of the three tribes that carve out a chunk of the richest and lushest farm lands in the center of the country (these were also the tribes associated with Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel, and also the youngest generation).

The final group, under the aegis of Dan, settled in the three northernmost outposts of the Holy Land, a bit of a wilderness outpost, if you will.

Each has its own regional flavor and genealogical connection. Reuven and Shimon were the first two sons of Leah, and Gad was he firstborn of Zilpah.

Dan and Naftali were the first children Bilhah, Rachel's concubine, and Asher was born next, although to Zilpah.

In our reading, Moses also is told to "bring close" the tribe of Levi for direct service to God. Nice, especially since they were to receive no land and to not even be counted among the tribes!

Finally, it is interesting to note that the portion (and book) of Bamidbar begins almost exactly the way the portion (and book) of Vayikra did: God calls or speaks to Moses in the Sinai desert from the tent of meeting. In one sense, we might understand this repetition as ... well, repetitive! But if we look at it carefully, we'd notice how quickly the two books diverge from each other.

Perhaps this can show us that even though two paths may begin almost exactly the same, they can diverge quickly and follow quite different trajectories. This is true in life, as well. Even if we were "destined" by birth - into, say, one of the tribes rather than another, not everything is planned out for us. How our lives turn out
depends just as much in how we play the hand we've been dealt. On this memorial day weekend, maybe we should remember the sacrifice of those who rose to the challenge of defending our country and its ideals, protecting its borders and strengthening our historical ties.

With any luck, those actions will continue to resonate and help our country - one big family, really - be the proud and decent place it was founded to be.

Shabbat Shalom
see you in shul!

R' David Bockman

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