Bamidbar 5772

This week’s parsha opens the fourth book of Torah, Bamidbar (in the wilderness). Its English name is Numbers, relating to G-d’s request to conduct a census before He gives the Jewish people the Torah. In the third chapter, the Levites are counted: “These are the descendants of Moshe and Aharon… Nadav and Avihu died before the L-rd when they brought alien fire before the L-rd in the Sinai Desert, and they had no children.”

Why does Torah emphasize that Nadav and Avihu died childless?

Nadav and Avihu died supernatural and mysterious deaths. Torah tells in Vayikra/Leviticus (10:1) and repeats here, that they brought “alien fire” into the Holy Tabernacle. The Sages offer many explanations, most pointing to a lack of respect. Some say the brothers were intoxicated and violated the sanctity of a holy place; others say that they issued a legal ruling without consulting Moshe, the authority they should have respected.

Rabbi Yissocher Frand considers how one can measure the level of one’s own respectfulness. He answers: “By his children. If his children are disrespectful to him, he can be sure that he is not sufficiently respectful to others.”

Rabbi Frand cites Rav Wolbe’s Alei Shur, in which the Rav applies this concept to all areas of character development. “There is no greater factor in improving one’s midos [character traits] than having children.” Writes Rabbi Frand: “People have a tendency not to see their own flaws, but they see the flaws of their children all too well. And if they are intelligent, thinking people, they will realize they do not have to seek too far for the source of their children’s flaws, and they will make every effort to correct the situation.”

Rabbi Frand surmises that if Nadav and Avihu had children, they would have noticed if their children acted disrespectfully. They would have realized that as fathers, they themselves were to blame for their children’s poor behavior. Having children would have given them the opportunity to improve their own level of respectfulness.

This parsha always is read before Shavuot, the festival commemorating the giving of the Torah. (This year the holiday will be observed in the Diaspora on Saturday evening, May 26 and ends Monday evening, May 28.) The Midrash says that when G-d offers the Torah to the Jewish people He asks us to provide a guarantor, and we offer our children. In other words, we promise to faithfully study Torah and teach it to our children. As parents, this serves as our commitment to constantly seek out and eradicate our own character flaws, lest we inadvertently transmit them to our children.

Bamidbar 5771

In this week's parsha, G-d speaks to Moshe Bamidbar Sinai (in the Sinai Desert) and commands him to "Take the sum of all the congregation of the B'nei Yisrael (Children of Israel.)" The Book of Bamidbar, the fourth book of the Torah, is called Numbers in English because of this census and the later one in Parashat Pinchas.

Surely G-d, in His ultimate wisdom, knows exactly how many Children of Israel there are. Why does He command Moshe to count them?

Rashi answers: "Because of G-d's great love for His people, He counts them all the time. He counted them when they left Egypt. He counted them after they fell in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf, to know the number of the survivors. And He counted them when He came to manifest His presence within them: On the first of Nissan the Sanctuary was erected, and [one month later] on the first of Iyar He counted them."

From The Midrash Says: "A person invests time and effort to inspect and count objects that are precious to him. The more valuable the item, the more carefully will he scrutinize it. The Almighty frequently counts K'lal Yisrael, demonstrating that every individual Jew is important. Therefore, the Torah goes to great lengths to detail the numbers of the Jewish people."

According to Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt on www.aish.com, G-d counts us because He wants us to know that each one of us matters. "We are not a nation of millions; we are special individuals who together make a nation. No one is dispensable. If one of us disappears, G-d notices and cares."

As parents, each one of our children is precious. Each child is special in her own way. We love each one independently of the others, no matter how many children we have. In this way, we emulate G-d's love for us.