Noting the Importance of Each Person

Torah Thoughts on Parshas Bamidbar by Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Berger

"וַיִקַח מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֵת הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶה אֲשֶׁר נִקְבוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת"  בְּמִדְבַּר א':י''ז

“And Moshe and Aharon took these men who had been designated by [their] names.”  BeMidbar 1:17

Let us review a brief chronology of some of the events that took place in Sefer Shemos and Sefer Vayikra. We will use this historical overview to highlight a fascinating insight.

In the year 2448, Bnei Yisrael left Mitzrayim on the 15th of Nissan. About seven weeks later, they received the Torah on the 6th of Sivan. Subsequently, they sinned with the עֵגֶל on the 17th of Tammuz, and Moshe went up to ask for forgiveness on Rosh Chodesh Elul. On Yom Kippur, the 10th of Tishrei of 2449, Hashem accepted their teshuvah, and afterwards Klal Yisrael set out to build a Mishkan. The Mishkan was ready to be erected on Chanukah, but Hashem chose to wait until Rosh Chodesh Nissan to have the Chanukas HaMishkan. On that day, Aharon and his sons did the Avodah, the Nesi’im began bringing Korbanos for the Mizbei'ach, and many parashiyos were taught (see Rashi to BeMidbar 5:2). A few weeks later, the people offered the Pesach Rishon, and a month later, for those who needed it, the Pesach Sheini.

During the time that donations were being collected for the Mishkan, the נְשִׂיאִים infamously remained passive, mistakenly waiting to donate anything which might be lacking after the collection campaign was concluding. They therefore missed their opportunity. For this, the letter Yud is missing twice from the word "וְהַנְשִׂאִם" (see Rashi to Shemos 35:27) This was in Tishrei of 2449, as we pointed out above. On the day of the Chanukas HaMishkan in Nissan they rectified this error by being the first to offer Korbanos. Yet, a month later, in the very beginning of Parashas BeMidbar, Verse 1:5, when Hashem gives Moshe the task of counting Bnei Yisrael, Hashem seems to be introducing the Nesi’im to him for the first time! If Moshe already knew who these men were, why does the Torah need to emphasize here that “these are the leaders of the Shevatim” (1:16)?

I would like to suggest that Hashem was sending a message to Moshe, one that is apropos to this time of mourning due to the loss of the talmidim of Rabbi Akiva during the days of Sefiras HaOmer. As Chazal say, the demise of these students was due to their lack of respect for one another. So, as Moshe, Aharon and the Nesi’im would embark on the task to “take a census of Klal Yisrael” (1:2), they were not to lose sight of the importance and uniqueness of each and every individual. When one counts large quantities, it is easy to lose focus. One may see the forest but not each tree. Each person has a name, which can impact his or her life and future. A name is meaningful and important. So first Moshe and Aharon had to “take the men who were designated by their names” (1:17) and then begin the count of Bnei Yisrael. May we all learn to appreciate each person appropriately.

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Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Berger graduated Telshe Yeshiva High School, then learned in Beis Midrash in South Bend, Indiana. He continued his learning under Rabbi Tzvi Kushelevsky at Heichal HaTorah in Israel. He returned to Chicago and received Semichah at HTC in 1998. Rabbi Berger then went on to Beis Medrash Gavoha in Lakewood, where he lives with his family. He has been a Rebbe at Yeshivas Tiferes Torah and a sofer for over 20 years.