18 May, 2007

Parshas Bamidbar

Here is part one I hope I have enough time to complete the second part before Shabbos.
This week we start a new Sedar in Chumish Sedar Bamidbar. The Medrish refers to it by the name 'sefer hapekudim' the book of counting (so to in English, its referred to as Numbers). There is a special emphasis in the Chumish on the counting of the Bnei Yisroel, a total number per tribe, per 'degal' -each section made up of four tribes- and a grand total of Klal Yisroel as a whole. Everyone in Klal Yisroel was counted "After the families, after the house of their fathers, with the number of the names, every male.." Everyone was part of three total numbers, how many belonged to each tribe, to each degal and one of the 600,000 total men in Yisroel. What is the significance of everyone being counted by their name and by their families? why did each person get counted as part of three groups? and why was it that the counting was done by Moshe with the help of the heads of each tribe?
The Soporno explains the verse "With the number of the names" that every Hebrew name has it's own significant meaning. That with proper understanding one is able to identify his own personal 'tachlis', goal and purpose in life. By studying ones name and understanding what it means one can see how it fits in with his personality and realize what his personal purpose in life is. (The Seforim say that when a father names his child he's given a spark of ruach hakodesh). A name is intertwined with a person's personality, struggles one faces and potential he has. Understanding it is the map of ones purpose and goal in life on this world. That's why such emphasis was put onto the counting by name and why it was done by the heads of the tribes and Moshe so that everyone should be taught and come to realize and see that he's not just a number but rather a name, an individual with his own personality his own strengths and his own unique purpose in life.

7 comments:

reb sabra said...

r shimshon asks why is sefer shemos called shemos just because it starts with the names of the shevatim?
he answers when klal yisrael is about to become a nation which starts off with gulas mitzrayim Hashem wanted to tell the yidden that you each have a name a unique purpose and i care about each person individualy your not a nation your rueven shimon levi etc. and wherever you are however you are i personally care about each and evry one of you
have a gr8 shabbos

tatty said...

dear reb y
much better
the question still remains,
you find that the leaders listed in this weeks sedra contain "ami av,aci eli,shad-i etc," what does this show of this generation?
also how long did they stay in thier ledership role?
gut shobbos to all

Anonymous said...

Why am I seeing comments from Tatty, but not from shver?

doodlehead said...

Nice vort. On a completely unrelated point,I just noticed your 'ezehu chacham haroe es hanolad' thing, and I just wanted to say that someone who has an open mind and can truely learn something from everyone, not only is he going to gain knowledge but the fact that he is willing to learn, even from people who may not seem that they have much to teach that itself shows him 2 b a chacham. il shut up now.

Reb Y. Brachfeld said...

dh- thanx. you mean 'halomed mekol adam' R' S. R. Hirsch explains that since the wolrd was created thru Torah, everything in this world has Torah in it and a true chocham can see and learn Torah from everything.

doodlehead said...

ye, i started typing ezehu and i didnt pay attention 2 wat i was typing 4 the rest of the phrase.
exactly.

Reb Y. Brachfeld said...

Thanx everyone for sharing your thoughts.
As I was Talking to Tatty about his question I came upon a Ohr Chaim at the end of Parshas Nasoh that explains all the Nissiems names and what they mean.