Pinchas
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha the counting of Bnei Yisrael. This is the second time in sefer Bamidbar that Bnei Yisrael are counted, the first one being in parshat Bamidbar. And one of the names of sefer Bamidbar is “Sefer HaPekudim”, the book of counting. Why is there a counting twice, once in the beginning of the sefer, and now again towards the end?
The Sfas Emes teaches that the first counting was for the receiving of the Torah, and this counting in our parsha is for entering Eretz Yisrael. And since counting illustrates the significance of each and every person, we learn that this applies to both these events. Firstly, that each and every Jew has a portion in the Torah. As we have quoted many times, the word Yisrael is an acronym for Yesh Shishim Riboh Osiyos La’Torah. There are six hundred thousand letters in the Torah, the number of the counting of Bnei Yisrael and expressing the idea that each Jew has a portion in the Torah.
We learn in our parsha that this notion applies to Eretz Yisrael as well. We read in our parsha (Chapter 26, Pasuk 53), La’Eileh Teichaleik Ha’Aretz. These are the people to whom the land shall be divided. And just as the Torah was given specifically to Bnei Yisrael, and they have a particular tendency towards performing mitzvoth, the same is true of Eretz Yisrael. Eretz Yisrael has a propensity towards mitzvoth which is not shared by other places. There are certain mitzvoth which are known as “Mitzvot HaTeluyot B’Aretz”. These are mitzvoth which can only be performed in Eretz Yisrael and have no meaning in Chutz L’Aretz.
There is a well known idea taught in the Sefarim of a particular holiness as it applies to Olam, Shanah, V’Nefesh. These three categories are time, place, and individual. The individual holiness applies to Clal Yisrael and, as we explained, this is expressed in our tendency towards the fulfillment of mitzvoth. The Kedushah of place applies to Eretz Yisrael, and this uniqueness is expressed through those mitzvoth which can only be performed in Eretz Yisrael and nowhere else.
The final category is time. This idea is expressed through mitzvoth which can only be performed during certain times. Just as there are mitzvoth which can only be fulfilled in Eretz Yisrael, similarly there are “Mitzvoth Aseih She’Hazman Geramah”. These are mitzvoth which can be performed only during specific times. Those times have a precise holiness which relates to those particular mitzvoth. And all of these unique relationships apply specifically to Bnei Yisrael.
Rashi teaches in our parsha (Chapter 26, Pasuk 5) that the reason each family name has the letter “Heiy” before it, and the letter “Yud” after is to show the connection between Bnei Yisrael and Hashem. This is because precisely in the counting we learn of the individual significance of every Jew. And it comes out from Rashi that the particular significance of each Jew is specifically in our source, which is our relationship with Gd. And the source of holiness in the world, regarding time and space as well, is in the source of our relationship with Hashem, which is the Torah. And there is a precise time, place, and individual who is commanded in the mitzvoth; Clal Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael on Shabbasos and Mo’adei Yisrael.
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