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Shavuot Asks Us
To Be Counted

Shabbat Bamidbar: Numbers 1:1-4:20;
Hosea 2:1-22.

I

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his week we study not only dividual. Something which is
a new weekly portion, as counted cannot lose identity and
usual, but also the begin- impact, even when outnumbered
ning of a new book of the a thousand to one.
Chapter two of Bamidbar dis-
Torah.
Since the desert is the setting cusses the structure of the Jew-
for the entire narrative of this ish camp, or machenah. The
book, the Hebrew name for it, tabernacle was in the center of
Bamidbar, "In the Desert," is par- the people, both geographically
and conceptually.
ticularly appropriate.
Each tribe was as-
However, the
signed a designated area
English/Greek title —
in one of four formations
"Numbers" — is not off
of three tribes each, one
the mark.
every side of the
The Talmud itself calls
mishkan (tabernacle).
this book Chumash
Each tribe, as well as
HaPekudim, the "Book of
each formation, had a
Those Numbered." This
distinctive banner. The
name gives an important
Midrash teaches that on
clue about the book's con-
the banners of the four
tents — lists. Among
SAUL A . RUBE
formations were in-
these are listings for each
SPE CIAL
scribed three Hebrew
census, for places of en-
TO THE
letters. These appeared
campment, for orders of
JEWISH NEWS
to be random, but when
the march, for gifts
the camp was united the
brought to the taberna-
cle, and for the specific priestly letters combined to spell out the
names of the patriarchs: Abra-
and Levite roles.
In each list, the attention to de- ham, Isaac and Jacob.
The implication is plain — only
tail is meticulous.
Typically, what is seemingly through communal unity can we
mundane in the Torah actually "spell out" the names of our hon-
contains many important and rel- ored ancestors and be worthy of
evant insights. The rabbis of ear- their merit.
It is important to note that the
lier times did not question the
census figures in Bamidbar. They holiday of Shavuot will be ob-
did wonder, however, why the served this coming week, begin-
Torah presents such elaborate ning Tuesday night and ending
records of this census, the third Thursday night. Even a cursory
in the Torah, recording not only review of the holiday reveals
the grand total but the numbers some similarities with its sister
holidays of Passover and Sukkot.
of each tribe.
True, there was a practical All three commemorate great mo-
need to know how many soldiers ments in Jewish history:
Pesach recalls the Exodus from
would be available for the up-
coming battles the nation would Egypt; Sukkot reminds us of
be fighting in preparation for its God's protection of the Jewish
people during the years we wan-
entry into Eretz Yisrael.
On a deeper level, Nach- dered in the desert; Shavuot is
manides offers two other rea- the anniversary of the giving of
sons. First, the miraculous the Torah.
All three holidays also mark
growth of the nation, which had
come to Egypt as a family of 70 milestones of the agricultural
people only 210 years before and year.
More striking, however, than
now numbered in the hundreds
of thousands, showed conclu- these basic similarities are the
sively that God loved them very striking differences. Where on
Shavuot are the other six or sev-
much.
Even more significantly, the en days of Passover and Sukkot?
census provided an opportunity Where is the delicately crafted
for each member of the nation to ritual of the Seder nights? Where
benefit from the personal atten- is the pageantry of the Hoshan-
tion of Moses and Aaron, and to ot, the processions around the
be counted as an individual of synagogue with the lulav and the
etrog? bWhere is the marching
personal worth.
Thus, our tradition from its with the Torah scrolls of Simchat
earliest beginnings stresses the Torah?
The minimalism of Shavuot is
value and importance of each in-
itself the answer to the questions.
The Jewish holidays are a beau-
Saul A Rube teaches at Hillel
tiful tapestry, each a different ac-
Day School and Congregation
cent, together composing a
Shaarey Zedek.
balanced whole.