What is God telling us by commanding a census right after a devastating plague?
Table for Five: Pinchas
In partnership with the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles
Edited by Salvador Litvak, the Accidental Talmudist
It was after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the kohen, saying: Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and upwards, following their fathers’ houses, all that are fit to go out to war in Israel.
– Num. 26:1-2
Elazar Bergman, Author of the forthcoming “The Daven Better Handbook”
The plague is what it is, the chaos and devastation that follows from sin. But what follows that? What is the after-plague like? We committed Jews have an Achilles heel. Our desire to do better Jewishly leads us to quit or slack off after we flub up. Our Jewishness begins to tailspin. Usually, the bigger the flub, the greater the tailspin.
So the Blessed Creator told our leaders, “Teach my people there’s another, better way. Despite the huge national indiscretion with the Midianite women, I still count you as My people. Keep your heads high. Despite the infidelity, I want you to be strong spiritual warriors.” Even the Torah scroll’s layout teaches this. Our opening verse breaks in the middle and continues as a new chapter. Such verses are rare. The message here is, “The plague and its cause are history. Start a new chapter, one of strength.”
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov told his chassidim, “Even if, God forbid, I would commit the biggest sin, it wouldn’t knock me down. I would bounce right back, the same good Jew as before. I would return [to God].” Speaking of Rebbe Nachman, Rosh Hashanah is coming. Please consider spending it in Uman with the Breslovers. It may be safer for Jews there than in LA. If you make it, come say, Hi!
Rabbi/Cantor Eva Robbins, Co-rabbi, N’vay Shalom and Faculty, AJRCA
This parshah is named after Pinchas, son of the High Priest Eleazar, turned zealot for Gd, taking the initiative to save Israel from a horrific plague that takes 24,000 lives. Seduced by the women of Midian, the Israelite men commit sexual debauchery and bow down to their god, Ba-al Peor. Then seeing an Israelite man and Midianite woman in a sexual act, Pinchas acts immediately skewers the two of them together. It is in this context, that the 4th census is taken. Moses must assess how many men are left that can fight and protect the nation.
But the translation “to count,” literally means to lift up or raise the head. Gd is asking Moses to assess who is left that will be counted to raise themselves up with conviction for the Covenant. This is not just about available soldiers, but who will “be counted” and committed to upholding the laws of Israel and dedicated to HaShem. What follows is another form of zealotry, when the daughters of a man, Zelaphechad, with no sons confront Moses, asking to “be counted” as the heirs to their father’s estate. They lift themselves with self-respect and for appropriate judgment. Pinchas and the daughters stand for justice and honor. He is rewarded with a Covenant of Peace, and they are rewarded by rightfully inheriting what is theirs, lifting up all women for the future. Being counted means being committed to Jewish values and HaShem, standing up for oneself, one’s dignity and values, for all to see.
Rabbi Yoni Dahlen, Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield MI
There is a misconception that, because the Torah is a timeless text of personal and communal instruction, its narrative outcomes, especially when they are considered God’s will, represent the ideal. That unless regret or a change of heart is expressed, then the action must be the model we are meant to follow.
But Torah, whether we want it to or not, changes. It has to. Because… we change. And it is our moment, our context, influenced by a chaotic world, by our relationships, by our evaluation of ourselves at any given time that points us to the treasure buried in each line of our text. And to me, at this moment, the treasure is not found in what took place in these two lines from Parashat Pinchas, but rather what failed to take place.
What takes place is obedience through fear. Military conscription by threat of death, but more broadly, the acquiescence of God’s will through negative reinforcement. Which, to be sure, is an effective form of control. But it is not one that we need. Not right now. Fear may force us to fall in line, but it cannot will us to work together. Fear may deter us from what is evil, but it cannot guide us to love. Fear engenders order, but only compassion and empathy can create peace. My ideal, in this moment, is not what is written, but rather, what is not. And that too is Torah.
Judy Gruen, Author, “Bylines and Blessings”
When I decided to become Torah-observant, I was nervous about the big changes to come in my life. I was especially nervous about losing my friends. I called a good friend who could easily have tried to dissuade me from this path. Instead she said, “If this is your decision, follow through and hold your head high.”
Her tone was optimistic and encouraging. I began to carry my decision by holding my head high. In Hebrew, the commandment to take a census literally begins with the phrase, “raise your heads.” This gets lost in the English translation. When we raise our heads, we stand taller, more confident, ready to take on our next major task. The Jewish people needed that confidence, because this census had been commanded at a time of communal turmoil and uncertainty. A devastating plague had just ended, one caused by widespread sexual immorality. We were about to lose Moses as a leader—everyone knew his death was soon approaching. Our men had to go and fight a war. We had reason to be nervous about the future.
Counting the people at this time sent a message from God that we would prevail both in conquering the land and in accepting new leadership. We were still precious in His eyes, despite our failures. He still had our collective backs, and we were still His cherished people. Knowing this helped us raise our heads high.
Gilla Nissan, Teacher. Author Www.TheHebrewLetter.com
The disputes in Israel between learning Torah or joining the IDF are not a catastrophe. No. They’re the best thing happening to us nowadays.
Finally, the different camps are coming out of their boxes and bubbles, flexing the mind, expanding the awareness of “the other.” They are talking to each other, discovering each other. We see new interviews and exchanges. It’s a blessing.
Although people are confused and afraid of losing power and control, these disputes are for the sake of heaven and will yield the best fruits. This has been our history and we need to accept it. We need to choose to be chosen, and focus on what is important. Leave behind pain, shame, and brokenness. Remember the previous parasha: We are not *grasshoppers*. Each and every soul is here with its unique divine mission!
I am reminded of two things Rabbi Jonathan Omer Man z’’l taught us:
- You cannot resolve a conflict on the level it was created. You need to raise the level of the contradiction.
- There is nothing wrong with conflicts and disputes. They give birth to surprising results.
We are at the edge of things waiting to happen. Nothing will be the same again: new orders and possibilities are on the horizon. Since we can’t know what will happen, we have to act on faith. I wish to let go a bit of the Tree of Knowledge and trust the Tree of Life. Trust my unknowable Holy Ein Sof called God.
With thanks to Elazar Bergman, Rabbi/Cantor Eva Robbins, Rabbi Yoni Dahlen, Judy Gruen and Gilla Nissan.
Image: “Moses and Aaron” by Morris Hirshfield, 1944, Donna and Carroll Janis collection at the Jewish Museum
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