The parashah contains one of the most beautiful passages in the Torah; the Priestly Blessing. Rabbi Sacks,z/l, writes that we are all God’s children; God is everyone’s parent. God turns His face to us; He cares. Faith means that we believe in God’s love for us.
Rabbi Ruditsky describes the beauty of the Biblical chag of Shavuot as a time and place for connecting the earth, Israel, and God together. The later implementation by the rabbis brings out the holiness of receiving the Torah.
Bamidbar is read on the Shabbat before Shavuot; the two events are connected by the giving of Torah. Rabbi Sacks, z/l: writes that the Torah was given in desert so that it would not be “owned” by a specific place. In addition, it would be shared in a place of silence; to hear God we must have silence in our soul.
Rabbi Ruditsky presents an interesting interpretation of the role of the Levites, described in this parashah. He cites midrash that explains their role as the priests and caretakers of the Ark as being due to their refusal to participate in the incident with the Golden Calf. This role as priests differs from the description in Exodus of Israel as a nation of priests.
Nechama Leibowitz, z/l gives an instructional explanation of the census in Parashat Bamidbar.
Rabbi Sacks, z’l, cites 4 different verses that require us to be financially responsible for the well-being of our brothers. “Brothers” implies not just siblings and immediate or extended family, but the entire community. He cites Hosea, who describes God as a Parent, teaching a child to take its first steps.
“…in Bechukotai from Leviticus 26:3 and 26:14 we read simply that if God’s laws concerning the land are followed then there will be “rains in their season the earth shall yield its produce and the trees of the field their fruit,” but if they do not “you shall sow your seed to no purpose, for your enemies shall eat it.”
Rabbi Ruditsky quotes Rashi, who stipulates that the Levitical text addressing methods of execution for specific crimes is not to advocate the execution, but to underscore the difference between the holy and the secular.
Rabbi Sacks also quotes Rashi, but he addresses the issue of Shabbat and its inclusion in the instructions for the Shalosh Regalim. Rashi explains that this is to emphasize the holiness of the festivals by comparing them to Shabbat.
Rabbi Ruditsky addresses multiple themes in this week’s parashat, starting with the concept of separation between the Holy and the secular.