FEBRUARY 17 • 2022 | 41

SPIRIT

I

n the Torah portion this 
week, we are instructed 
to count the Jewish peo-
ple in a unique way.
Each person must give a 
half-shekel coin. When the 
coins are counted, we will 
know how many people 
there are. To deviate from 
this and count the people 
using a standard method 
can lead to calamity.
This seems to be a 
strange command. Census 
taking is a normal thing 
for any nation or country 
to do, yet the Torah is telling us 
that for the Jewish people it is a 
dangerous endeavor. Why is it so 
dangerous to count the Jews?
There are many explanations 
given, but here is a very beautiful 

idea put forth by the for-
mer chief rabbi of Great 
Britain, the late Rabbi 
Lord Jonathan Sacks. He 
asks why it is that a coun-
try takes a census? Why is 
it important for them to 
know how many people 
there are? The answer 
invariably is based on the 
belief that the strength of a 
people lies in its numbers. 
The more people there 
are, the stronger a nation 
is, both militarily and eco-
nomically. A greater popu-
lation means more potential sol-
diers to be drafted into an army 
and more tax-paying citizens.
If the Jewish people shared 
with the rest of the world that 
our strength is in our numbers, 

then we would fall into despair. 
We have always been a tiny 
nation. Toward the end of Moses’ 
life, in the Book of Deuteronomy, 
he tells the people, “It is not 
because of your numbers that 
Hashem has desired you and 
chose you, for you are the fewest 
among the nation.
” Today, we 
stand at only one-fifth of 1% 
of the world population. If the 
power of a nation is determined 
by numbers, the Jewish people 
would have given up a long time 
ago.
What then accounts for our 
strength? The Torah tells us in 
one word, v’nasnu, and they 
shall give. They should contrib-
ute the half-shekel coins and we 
will count the contributions and 
thereby know their strength. 
Though we are small, our contri-
butions are vast. 
Look at what the Jewish peo-

ple have given to the world. The 
percentage of Nobel Prizes won 
by Jewish scientists, mathemati-
cians and economists is starkly 
disproportionate to our size, with 
numbers like 20%, 30% and 50%. 
The values that the Jews have 
taught the world are of immense 
importance. Social responsibility 
as put forth by the Torah’s charity 
requirements. The importance of 
human life and education, and 
a belief in one God, are all ideas 
and contributions that the Jewish 
people have made.
The lesson is clear. Our 
strength lies not in how many we 
are, but in how much we have 
given. It lies in all the contribu-
tions that we’ve made to the world 
and in our readiness to help those 
in need. 

Rabbi Chaim Fink is a rabbi and 

educator at Detroit Partners in Torah.

TORAH PORTION

Rabbi 
Chaim Fink

Parshat Ki 

Tisa: 

Exodus 

30:11-34:35; 

I Kings 

18:1-39.

A Unique Census Tally 

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Call us today to answer your questions 
or to schedule a meeting and say 
goodbye to those sleepless nights!

1-800-TAX-LEVY (829-5389)
www.levytaxhelp.com

We Listen …. We Care … We Help!

HQ: 28400 Southf
 eld Road., Lathrup Village, Michigan 48076

S.D.: Owed the IRS $207,214. 
With our help, the case was 
settled for $7352.

D.D.: Client owed the IRS 
$110,203. Our f
 rm negotiated an 
Offer in Compromise to settle the 
debt for $12,226.

L.J.: With our assistance, client’s 
IRS debt of $1,014,078 was 
reduced to $100,490.

Let our team of Attorneys, CPAs, Tax Consultants and former IRS Revenue Of
 cers provide you with 
immediate relief from IRS and State tax problems.

Why Choose Levy & Associates to help with your tax problems?

• 
22 years of specializing in tax resolution and working with the IRS and 

State Taxing Authorities

• 
We have helped thousands of clients nationwide to save tens of millions of 

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Unlike other fi
 rms, all work on your account is kept in-house

• 
A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau

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1.800.TAX.LEVY
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28400 Southfi
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 with the IRS and State Taxing Authorities

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