D'var Torah Bamidbar 5-14-10

Shabbat Shalom HaNegev!

I finally finished all of my AP and IB exams, and I hope you all did as well. Of course, I still have to read these three volumes about Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War in order to write an Internal Assessment analyzing whether the president was justified in suspending Habeas Corpus and instituting a conscription mandate. Trust me though, that is NOTHING compared to what Moshe had to do in Parashat Bamidbar.

You see he had to count all the males between 20 and 60 who were eligible for military service, and identify their paternal ancestries. In case you were wondering, there were over 603,000 eligible males, and over 3 million Jews. The tribes were then assigned positions in the camp, with the exception of the Levy tribe which was separated. They were counted in accordance to the three basic families Gershon, Kehas, and Mirarri. Each one of them is responsible for a different task when carrying the Mishkan, or portable sanctuary.

It is kind of like how Rachel has to carry all the vocals or how Quinn has to carry her baby.

Anyways, I am sure you must all be getting even more excited for Shavout next Tuesday! We get to eat dairy, and celebrate the day that the Jews finally received the Torah at Mount Sinai. Yes, I know, I am ridiculously pumped to get to listen to the Megillat Ruth being read aloud. For those of you who don't know, the short story consists of a Moabite women named Ruth, following her mother in law Naomi as she returns to Bethlehem in Israel. Ruth famously say, "For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried." And the story continues as the come in time for the barely harvest, and Ruth meets Naomi's relative Boaz, and marries him, establishing a direct lineage to King David.

Rabbi Ze'era states in Ruth Rabbah 2:14 "The Scroll of Ruth tells us nothing of the laws of cleanness or uncleanness, of what is prohibited or what is permitted. Why then was it written? To teach you how great is the reward of those who do deeds of kindness." In case you have never seen a set of Talmud, it is longer and more inconclusive than an Encyclopedia, solely focusing on Jewish Law. Megillat Ruth on the other hand emphasizes the importance of kindness rather than the intricacies of halacha. Never forget HaNegev, you learn all the Tanach you want, but an act of kindness is priceless.

And on different and final note, who knows how many embassies are located in Jerusalem?

Shabbat Shalom, and Chag Sameach in advanced!
Allan Horn
HaNegev Religion and Education Vice President 2010-2011

Category:

Education

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• D'var
• Torah
• Bamidbar
• 5
• 14
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[mermaidmoose]

you are awesome. you made my shabbat AND my shavuot! thanks for posting!!