Insights on Redemption - Bamidbar

[YOSEF KAZEN <yyk...>]

                         PARSHAT BAMIDBAR
                               105

"G-d spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert... `Take a census of
the entire congregation of the children of Israel...'"
                                          (Bamidbar 1:1-3)

In a census, every member of the group is counted equally.

The greatest or most exalted is no more than "one," even as
the smallest or lowest is no less than "one."

This indicates the intrinsic value of every individual.

Nonetheless, the counting it self is something rather
superficial.

It seeks to establish the sum-total.

On the other hand, the importance of the aggregate quantity
enhances the quality of each individual counted.

For example, a gathering of ten Jews (the quorum for a minyan),
regardless of the individual "quality" of each, brings about
an indwelling of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), as it is said:
"The Shechinah rests upon every assembly of ten."

The minyan thus allows for the recitation of certain sacred
texts.

Quantity, therefore, enhances quality.

This aspect of quantity affecting quality is seen also in the
census of our parshah.

The sum-total was 600,000, the basic number of the Jewish people.

Our sages thus note, that the Giving of the Torah at Sinai
required the presence of 600,000 Jews: if just one had been
missing, even if he were the least significant, the Torah would
not have been given even to the greatest among them.

The lack of even one would have diminished not only the quantity
but also the quality of all others.

The fact that parshat Bamidbar is always read before Shavuot, the
day on which the Torah was given to Israel, continually reminds
us of this principle.

Moreover, it reminds us also that it is not enough to have the
mere presence of all 600,000: "Israel camped there (before Mount
Sinai) as one man with one mind!"

The Midrash notes: G-d wanted to give the Torah to Israel right
after they left Egypt, but there was dissension among them.

When they came to Sinai, however, they were unified.

G-d then said: "The whole Torah stands for, and is, `peace,'thus
I shall give it to that nation which loves peace."

The peace and unity which was the preparation and precondition
for the Giving of the Torah is also the preparation for the
Messianic redemption.

The present galut was caused by sinat chinam, gratuitous hatred.

Thus we must nullify that cause by ahavat chinam, gratuitous
love.

There must be gratuitous (unqualified) love for every Jew - even
to one who has never done you a favor, even to one you have never
met or seen, and even to one who is chinam, devoid of any quality
that would warrant feelings of love.

This love, this sense of peace and unity, is the channel for all
Divine blessings, including the greatest of all that G-d will
speedily sending us Moshiach to redeem us, thus fulfilling: "In
this place (the Land of Israel) which is now desolate... the
sheep (the people of Israel) will pass before the one who will
count them (Moshiach), says G-d!" (Jeremiah 33:12-13)

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END OF TEXT: Insights to Geula - Bamidbar 5754
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YY

     Yosef Yitzchok Kazen             |            E-Mail to:
     Director of Activities           |      yyk (at) 
lubavitch(dot)chabad(dot)org

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Topic No. 95