Torah Moshe 4: Bamidbar Numbers Chapter 1

Halakh bamidbar - walk in the wilderness

From Mount Sinai to Kadesh,

1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ,

From Kadesh through the desert and back to Kadesh

13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ,

From Kadesh to Kenaan

20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36

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Parashah 34:Bamidbar (In the desert)1:1-4:20

1:1(i) Count the Army!

(2 Shemuel 24:1-9; 1 Chr 21:1-6)

And ADONAI (יהוה) spoke to Moshe in the bamidbar of Sinai, in the Ohel Moed, on the first [day] of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the eretz Mitzrayim, saying,

1:2 Take you the census of all the congregation of the Benai Yisrael (ישׂרא), after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, with the number of [their] shemot, every male by their polls (gulgelotam);

1:3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Yisrael (ישׂרא): you and Aharon shall number them by their armies.

1:4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the beit of his Avot.

1:5 And these [are] the shemot of the men that shall stand with you:   

of the tribe of Reuven; Elitzur Ben Shedeur.

1:6 Of Shim'on; Shelumiel Ben Tzuri Shaddai.

1:7 Of Yehudah; Nachshon Ben AmminAdav.

1:8 Of Yissakhar; Netanel Ben Tzuar.

1:9 Of Zevulun; Eliav Ben Helon.

1:10 Of the benai Yosef:

of Efrayim; Elishama Ben Ammihud:

of Menasheh; Gamli'el Ben Pedahtzur.

1:11 Of BenYamin; Avidan Ben Gideoni.

1:12 Of Dan; Achiezer Ben Ammi Shaddai.

1:13 Of Asher; Pagiel Ben Ochran.

1:14 Of Gad; Elyasaf Ben Deuel.

1:15 Of Naftali; Achira Ben Enan.

1:16 These [were] the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their Avot, heads of thousands in Yisrael (ישׂרא).

1:17 And Moshe and Aharon took these men which are expressed by [their] names:

1:18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first [day] of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls (gulgelotam).

1:19 As ADONAI (יהוה) commanded Moshe, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

1:20 (ii) List all but not the Levites

And the Benai Reuven, Yisrael (ישׂרא)'s eldest son, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, by their polls (gulgelotam), every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:21 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Reuven, [were] forty and six thousand and five hundred. 46,500

1:22 Of the Benai Shim'on, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the shemot, by their polls (gulgelotam), every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:23 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Shim'on, [were] fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. 59,300

1:24 Of the Benai Gad, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:25 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Gad, [were] forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty. 45,650

1:26 Of the Benai Yehudah, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:27 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Yehudah, [were] threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. 74,600

1:28 Of the Benai Yissakhar, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:29 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Yissakhar, [were] fifty and four thousand and four hundred. 54,400

1:30 Of the Benai Zevulun, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:31 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Zevulun, [were] fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. 57,400

1:32 Of the Benai Yosef, [namely], of the Benai Efrayim, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:33 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Efrayim, [were] forty thousand and five hundred. 40,500

1:34 Of the Benai Manasheh, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:35 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Manasheh, [were] thirty and two thousand and two hundred. 32,200

1:36 Of the Benai BenYamin, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:37 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of BenYamin, [were] thirty and five thousand and four hundred. 35,400

1:38 Of the Benai Dan, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:39 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Dan, [were] threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. 62,700

1:40 Of the Benai Asher, by their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:41 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Asher, [were] forty and one thousand and five hundred. 41,500

1:42 Of the Benai Naftali, throughout their toledah, after their mishpekhot (families), by the beit of their Avot, according to the number of the shemot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

1:43 Those that were numbered of them, [even] of the tribe of Naftali, [were] fifty and three thousand and four hundred. 53,400

1:44 These [are] those that were numbered, which Moshe and Aharon numbered, and the princes of Yisrael (ישׂרא), [being] twelve men: each one was for the beit of his Avot.

1:45 So were all those that were numbered of the Benai Yisrael (ישׂרא), by the beit of their Avot, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Yisrael (ישׂרא);

1:46 Total all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. 603,550

1:47 But the Leviim after the tribe of their Avot were not numbered among them.

1:48 For ADONAI (יהוה) had spoken to Moshe, saying,

1:49 Only you shall not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the Benai Yisrael (ישׂרא):

1:50 But you shall appoint the Leviim over the Mishkan HaEdut (testimony), and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that [belong] to it: they shall bear the Mishkan , and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister to it, and shall encamp round about the Mishkan .

1:51 And when the Mishkan sets forward, the Leviim shall take it down: and when the Mishkan is to be pitched, the Leviim shall set it up: and the stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death.

1:52 And the Benai Yisrael (ישׂרא) shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own degel (standard), throughout their Tzavot.

1:53 But the Leviim shall pitch round about the Mishkan HaEdut (testimony), that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the Benai Yisrael (ישׂרא): and the Leviim shall keep the charge of the Mishkan HaEdut (testimony).

1:54 And the Benai Yisrael (ישׂרא) did according to all that ADONAI (יהוה) commanded Moshe, so did they.

 From Mount Sinai to Kadesh,

1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ,

From Kadesh through the desert and back to Kadesh

13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ,

From Kadesh to Kenaan

20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36

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Beit Midrash Torah-Seeker

Order of the Host

1. Moshe numbers able men of war Chapter 1:1-54
2. Arrangement of the Camp chapter 2:1-34
3. Ha Kohenim Chapter 3:1-4
4. The tribe of Levi - Chapter 3:5-13
5. The families of Levi Chapter 3:14-24
6. The Duties Benai Levi Chapter 3:25-39
7. Bachor (firstborn) redeemed (Shemot 26:19) Chapter 3:40-51
8. The service of Kohat Chapter 4:1-15
9. The office of Eleazer Chapter 4:16-20
10. The service of Gershonites Chapter 4:21-28
11. The Service of the Merarites Chapter 4:29-49
12. Purity required;defilement banished Chapter 5:1-31
13. The Nazirites chapter 6:1-27
14. The gifts of the leaders (see v 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54 60, 66 72 78)
15. The Lamps and Menorah Chapter 8:1-4
16. Cleaning the Levites Chapter 8:5-26
17. Pesach - Passover Chapter 9:1-14
18. The guilding Cloud Chapter 9:15-23
19. The Tzotzerot (silver Trumpets) Chapter 10:1-10

From Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea

1. The first march and halt Chapter 10:11-36
2. Elohim judges complainers Chapter 11:1-3
3. The meat pots of Mitzrayim Chapter 11:4--9
4. The complaint of Moshe Chapter 11:10-15
5. The Seventy Elders (cf Shemot 18:19) Chapter 11:16-25
6. Eldad and Medad prophesy Chapter 11:26-30
7. The Quail and the plague Chapter 11:31-35
8. The Murmuring of Miryam and Aharon Chapter 12:1-16

At Kadesh-Barnea

1. The spies sent to appraise the land Chapter 13:1-25
2. The contradictory reports of the spies Chapter 13:26-33
3. The rebellious unbelief of Yisrael (1 Cor 10:1-5, Heb 3:7-19) Chapter 14:1-10
4. Moshe pleads for pardon for the people Chapter 14:11-19
5. The LORD  pardons but rebukes the people Chapter 14:20-38
6. A Wrong reaction; Yisrael struck down Chapter 14:39-45

Years of Wandering

1. Rules for Yisrael on entering THE LAND Chapters 15:1-41
2. Korah's rebellion (vs 8-10 Yehudah 11) Chapter 16:1--50
3. Aharon's rod that Budded Chapter 17:1-12
4. Duties and privileges of Aharon and the Levites confirmed Chapter 18:1-32
5. The ordinance of the Red Heifer Chapter 19:1-22
6. The Death of Miryam Chapter 20:1
7. Thirst in Meribah-Kadesh (Dvarim 32;51; Shemot 17:1-7) Chapter 20:2-13
8. The never-forgiven sin of Edom (Beresheet 25:30; Obad 10) Chapter 20:14-29

The geography setting of Bamidbar is the wilderness. This setting serves as a powerful spiritual metaphor. As a nation were spiritually traveling through a wasteland. They had to endure physical hardships and other experiences that tested their faith. Shemot constituted the birth of nation of Yisrael.

As noted, the scroll received its name because the people are numbered twice (chaps. 1, 26). The census mentioned here is not the same as the one recorded in  Shemot 30:11-16. The second month corresponds roughly to April, a time that would be known later in Canaan as the month of the general  harvest between firstfruits and Shavuot. The census of Bamidbar is a sense "YAH's harvest"  of His people

1:47-54   The Leviim were not numbered among the men of Yisrael who were to be warriors (v. 47). They were charged with the setting up and taking down of the tabernacle and with the ministry connected with it. By positioning themselves around the tabernacle, they protected it from desecration and thus protected the people from punishment (v. 53).

The stated purpose of this census was to be a military roster that would help Yisrael to prepare its armies for the war of conquest against the peoples of Kenaan

Three times in this parashah the Torah lists the tribes, and each time the Torah lists the tribes in a different order: