When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week we read from Parashat Bamidbar (בַּמִּדְבָּר), the 34th weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings.
According to Wikipedia, Bamidbar (בַּמִּדְבָּר), Numbers 1:1 to 4:20, contains 7,393 Hebrew letters, 1,823 words, 159 verses and makes up 263 lines of the Torah scroll. Bamidbar is an accountant’s delight, containing a detailed census of all 603,550 Israelite men age 20 years and older, broken down by headcount as well as affiliation with each of the twelve Tribes of Israel.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Bamidbar for Shabbat, May 31, 2025 aka 4 Sivan 5785:
“This Shabbat we begin the 4 th Book of the Torah with the Sedra Bamidbar – which literally means. “in the desert”. The entire book relates the travels of the Jewish people from the time leaving Sinai to the approach of entering Israel.
The Sedra relates the census that was done by Moses as the Israelites begin to march. This is done tribe by tribe and each tribe is represented by its banner and location surrounding the Mishkan as the march proceeds. Each tribe has a unique role which will prepare its members for their future location and contributions to the welfare and benefit to Israel when they arrive at their final destination. The banner and colors of each tribe represent how each tribe will defend and assist the nation and also how each tribe will defend the others from attacks by neighbors with hostile intentions.
In modern Israel, members of each troop of the IDF are represented by identifying colors and banners which mark their roles in defense and attack. As such, the modern IDF has replicated the roles of our ancestors in protecting and defending the citizenry of Israel who are surrounded by frequently hostile neighbors. These colors and banners represent the pride that our soldiers have in protecting one another and all of Israel.
Despite our different families and points of view about different issues, Israel remains united in defense much as in ancient times. We prepared for future conflicts in the time of Moses by organization and coordination. So may we always cooperate with one another to build and become closer to each other in our community and nation through the example of Torah represented by this week’s Sedra.”
Questions for Discussion:
- How did the different tribes communicate with one another in times of war?
- Why did each tribe retain its identity?
- Why is the tribe of Levi not included in the general census?
- What is unique about the names of most of the tribal chieftains?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his smicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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