This week’s Parsha, Bamidbar, speaks about the Census. In fact, Sefer Bamidbar is referred to as the Book of Numbers. Why was it necessary to do a head count once again? Does the size of the Jewish nation matter?
The Chief Rabbi of England, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis explains that according to the Ramban there are two different explanations. The first reason for the counting at this point is to show the greatness of Hakadosh Baruch Hu that despite all we endured in the Midbar, Hashem guarantees that our numbers would remain high and that as a nation we would remain intact.
The second explanation is that the very method of how Bnai Yisrael was counted was to teach us a lesson. We are told ‘Bemispar Sheimot’, count the nations according to the ‘number of their names’. The Ramban explained that for each tribe, the members lined up and then they were introduced to the leaders of the nation and the tribe. Each person was introduced as an individual and made to feel important.
Rav Soloveitchik, zt’l, tells us that with these two explanations you actually find two different elements being highlighted. In the first commentary, what is important to us is the Sach Hakol, ‘the total number’ – the totality of all the people. In the second commentary, what matters to us is the individual members of the nation, the people who make up that total figure. Rav Soloveitchik taught from here that we learn first of all, about the importance of the Sach Hakol, ‘the total number. It’s important for us to know how many members we have in our communities, how many students we have in our schools, what the number of our nation is, but at the same time, we shall never forget the importance of the ingredients making up the nation, the fact that every single person counts.
This week, our school joined together with the other Day Schools and Yeshivot in Broward County, to offer extra prayers and Tehillim. In a beautiful display of unity, the leadership in each of the schools shared in the development of the Rosh Chodesh Sivan morning program. Together we guided our students at the Lubavitch Hebrew Academy, at Posnack Jewish Day School, at Brauser Maimonides Academy, at the Co-op and at Sha’arei Bina to actively offer up heartfelt prayers to Hashem to watch over and protect our Land, our soldiers, and our People in the State of Israel. The lesson we wanted our students to learn was that we are one - just as we stood at the foot of Har Sinai to receive the Torah, so, too, we gathered as Am Echad, B’lev Echad - One Nation with One Heart.
I also asked the girls this week to daven as if their individual prayers alone could change the situation. Each person, each individual, is so very important, and has within her the power to make the difference. At the same time , the ‘sach hakol” - the totality of all our prayers can storm the heavens.
We are nearing the end of the counting of the sefira. We have gone through a “midbar” - the desolation brought on by tragedies over the last few weeks and by the war in Israel. However, we can find chizuk, strength, in numbers, that Hakadosh Baruch Hu has not forsaken us and that He guarantees that our numbers will stay strong. Each one of us is an individual who counts, who matters, who is so very important and as individuals joined together, we retain that uniqueness of Am Echad B’lev Echad.
Wishing everyone peace, safety and tranquility within our homes, our souls and in the Land of Israel.
Have a Shabbat Shalom and a Chag Shavuot Sameach.
Rochelle Brand, Ed.D
Head of School
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