|
|
Return
to D'var Torah Menu
Parashat B’midbar “In The Wilderness”
28
MAY 2011
B’midbar 1:1-4:20
Haftorah: Hosea 2:1-22
1
Cor.12:12-20
Summary/Outline taken from the Chabad website:
In
the Sinai Desert, GOD says to conduct a census of the twelve tribes of
Israel. Moses counts 603,550 men of draft-able age (20 to 60 years).
The tribe of Levi, numbering 22,300 males age one month and older, is
counted separately. The Levites are to serve in the Sanctuary replacing
the firstborn, whose number they approximated, who were disqualified
when they participated in the worshipping of the Golden Calf. The 273
firstborn who lacked a Levite to replace them had to pay a five-shekel
"ransom" in order to redeem themselves.
When
the people broke camp, the three Levite clans dismantled and transported
the Sanctuary, and reassembled it at the center of the next encampment.
They then erected their own tents around it. The Kohathites, who
carried the Sanctuary's vessels (the ark, menorah, etc.) in their
specially designed coverings on their shoulders, camped to its south.
The Gershonites, in charge of its tapestries and roof coverings, camped
to its west. The families of Merrari, who transported its wall panels
and pillars, camped to its north. Before the Sanctuary's entranceway to
its east, were the tents of Moses, Aaron and Aaron's sons.
Beyond the Levite circle, the twelve tribes camped in four groups of
three tribes each. To the east were Judah (pop. 74,600), Issachar
(54,400) and Zebulun (57,400); to the south, Reuben (46,500), Simeon
(59,300) and Gad (45,650); to the west, Ephraim (40,500), Manasseh
(32,200) and Benjamin (35,400); and to the north, Dan (62,700), Asher
(41,500) and Naphtali (53,400). This formation was kept also while
traveling. Each tribe had its own nassi (prince or leader), and
its own flag/banner with its tribal color and emblem.
And
we now begin with the book of Numbers. This is the beginning of the
fourth book of the Torah. It is given this name because of the census
recorded in the opening chapter. It is also known as the book of the
Census, or Sefer Ha-P’Kudim. The book describes a people
wandering through spiritual, as well as geographical, wilderness.
Generally speaking, the book describes GOD’s guidance of Israel through
the desert from Sinai to the border of Canaan. This takes place in the
period from the second month of the second year after the Exodus to the
tenth month of the fortieth year.
GOD
had previously prepared His people to receive the covenant. Now they
were going through their forty-year journey to be ready to possess the
Promised Land. On the way to their inheritance, they experienced the
watchfulness and gracious deliverance of GOD. Now they were to learn to
trust entirely in the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and to strive after
His kingdom alone. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 6:33).
Through this journey that the children of Israel experienced, may we
learn through their history, by example, by instruction of GOD’s
Torah/Law how we should walk with Him in order not to fall away from
Him, ( 2 Tim.3:16 ).
Lets
us seek the Kingdom of GOD first, and all His righteousness. Thus we
may avoid going thru lengthy desert experiences as we are about to read
in Sefer B’midbar.
Shavua Tov
Rabbi Z
Return
to D'var Torah Menu |