Perashat Bamidbar 5777

Perashat Bamidbar 5777

The Shulhan Arukh writes that, "Perashat BaMidbar is always read before Asseret (Shabuot)." The Shulhan Arukh provides us with a mnemonic device to remember this:   Menu Ve'issru - meaning "count" - as in the counting of Bene Yisrael in this perasha, and Ve'issru - then "pause" - which refers to "Asseret"; one of the names by which the Torah refers to the holiday of Shabuot.   Many comment that if Hashem's will is that Perashat BaMidbar be read before Shabuot then there must be a connection.

The Shabuot Holiday, which commemorates Matan Torah, is not merely to mark a historical event that took place sometime in the distant past, when Hashem chose us and gave us His Torah in the desert. Rather on every festival, there is an awakening of the same spiritual energy that was originally revealed at that time.  Shabuot is therefore a day when Hashem gives the Torah again to 'Am Yisrael, and the spiritual energy of Ma'amad Har Sinai and Matan Torah renews itself not only for all of 'Am Yisrael but to every Jew personally.

So why is reading the census of Bene Yisrael the prelude to this holiday? The first Rashi of our perasha says that the counting of Bene Yisrael expresses the unique love of Hashem to the Jewish people. In his words, "Because his love for them he counts them at every instance."

The biggest preparation for Matan Torah is to know that Hashem personally loves each individual and wanted to give the Torah to each Jew individually.  Why is this so important?  Because our yesser Hara might cause us to be mistakenly humble and say, "I know my shortcomings and the darkness in which I sit; who am I that Hashem would want to give me his Torah?  What does this Matan Torah have to do with me?"  Therefore, one might approach Shabuot without any anticipation or enthusiasm and will not consider himself worthy to merit to accept the holy and sweet Torah.  One might just let the holiday pass, eat some dairy, and carry on because of this false humility - thinking that Matan Torah and this great spiritual time has nothing to do with him.

This is the reason why we read the census of Bene Yisrael on the Shabbat before Shabuot. The census shows the unique affection that Hashem has for each person individually.  Every Jew is equal in front of the Almighty, from the most pious to the least observant, since in a census everybody is being counted in the same way, and no one is counted more than anybody else.  Moshe Rabbenu is equal to the heads of the Sanhedrin, just as he is to the most simple of the people. 

Every Jew has his own unique portion in the Holy Torah. The Master of the world extends his invitation to you on this coming Shabuot to receive the Torah anew, and get a fresh desire for learning, so that you may merit your own portion of the Torah that relates to your personal neshama.