“And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying.” And in the portion of Leviticus it is written from the Tent of Meeting, because at that time Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting as the cloud rested upon it; therefore, the calling to him was from the Tent of Meeting to outside the Tent of Meeting. But on the first of Iyar, Moses was already able to enter inside the tent, so the speech came to him in the Tent of Meeting from above the Ark cover, as is mentioned at the end of the portion of Naso. And there is no need for Rashi’s explanation there that “the third verse came and reconciled…” And the reason it specifies in the Tent of Meeting is to explain the reason for this counting, which is because He came to rest His Divine Presence among them. The term “to rest” indicates establishing the Divine Presence as a permanent dwelling there, and a permanent dwelling requires no less than 30 days. Therefore, on the first of Nisan, the Tabernacle was erected, and on that same day the Divine Presence descended into the Tent of Meeting. After 30 days, when it appeared that God had established for Himself a permanent dwelling in the lower realms, He counted them on the first of Iyar and did not count them immediately on the first of Nisan, because He had not yet taken firm possession of this dwelling.

And it seems to me to give a reason for this counting at the time of the Shekhinah’s dwelling, because our Sages of blessed memory said that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not cause His Divine Presence to dwell upon Israel with fewer than twenty-two thousand, as it is said, And when it rested, he would say: Return, O Lord, to the myriads of thousands of Israel (Numbers 10:36). And the reason for this is to make His blessed kingdom on earth resemble the kingdom of heaven, as our Sages of blessed memory said (Tanchuma Vayishlach 2), “At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to Israel at Mount Sinai, twenty-two thousand chariots of ministering angels descended with Him, as it is said, God’s chariots are myriads, thousands of angels; the Lord is among them (Psalms 68:18).” That is to say, when this number exists, then the Lord is among them — the Divine Presence dwells among them. And so we find in the camp of the Levites, which was called the camp of the Divine Presence, that they were twenty-two thousand (Numbers 3:39). Therefore, it was necessary to count Israel as well, to know if they had this number, which makes them worthy of having the Divine Presence dwell within each and every tribe.

And the Israelites needed to count exactly 600,000, no less, according to what Rabbeinu Bachya wrote in this portion (2:2) that wherever the Divine Presence is found, there you will find four camps of the Divine Presence. And in the book HaPardes, in the Gate of the Details of Names, chapter 2, page 118, he wrote that there are 28 camps of the Divine Presence. And from where did he learn to say this? I say that he learned this from this count that came about through the dwelling of the Divine Presence within the encirclement of seven clouds, and within it was filled with love in the Levite camp. And in each and every cloud was the glory of God, and in every place where God’s glory is present, there are no fewer than four camps of the Divine Presence, with each camp containing 22,000. It follows that in seven clouds there are 28 camps, with four camps in each cloud. Go and calculate 28 times 22,000, and you will find 600,000 plus 16,000. This is how the Israelites were 603,000, and the Levites were 22,000, for a total of 625,000. For in every 100,000 there are four times 22,000, and 12,000 remain. So it follows that 24 camps equal a sum of 600,000. Additionally, he made from six times 12,000 another three camps, leaving 9,000, and the Levites were 22,000, for a total of 28 camps. And even though there is an excess of 9,000 here, nevertheless, one cannot be precise with those below [on earth] because death consumes them, and perhaps the number will not be filled quickly enough from those younger than 20 years old.

And the Levites were counted from one month old because that tribe was accustomed to being counted from the womb, as it is said about Jeremiah the priest Before you came out of the womb I sanctified you (Jeremiah 1:5). Therefore, it is necessary that in all the countings, the Israelites were never fewer than 600,000, excluding the Levites. Even though in the first counting they were 600,000 including the Levites, and there weren’t 28 camps in the lower realms corresponding to the seven clouds, nevertheless, the Holy One, blessed be He, had not yet come to rest His Divine Presence in the lower realms to make for Himself a permanent dwelling below. And now, on the first of Iyar, when 30 days create a legal presumption [chazakah] that His dwelling would be permanent, God came with all His holy ones to establish a dwelling in the lower realms as the beauty of a person to dwell in a house (Isaiah 44:13). From then on, He needed to count them to make known that they needed to be of this number in order to fill the 28 camps of 22,000 at that time when God established His permanent Divine Presence in the Tent of Meeting; therefore it says here in the Tent of Meeting. This is a precious interpretation that fits perfectly regarding the number of 600,000, about which most commentators have gone out to gather a sufficient explanation but have not found one.

On the first day of the second month in the second year. The significance of this date that is written here is explained in the Midrash Tanchuma (5): It is compared to a king who married a woman but did not write a ketubah [marriage contract] for her, etc. Later, he found a poor woman of good lineage and wrote her a ketubah with a specific date, etc. See the full text of the Midrash in Yalkut (684). The author of this Midrash believes that the day of the Giving of the Torah was the day of betrothal, for the Holy One, blessed be He, betrothed Israel through this Torah. As it is written Moses commanded us the Torah, an inheritance [morasha] of the congregation of Jacob (Deuteronomy 33:4), and our Sages interpreted (Pesachim 49b) morasha as “me’orasa” [betrothed]. And know that it does not say “betrothed to the congregation of Jacob,” but rather “betrothed the congregation of Jacob,” meaning that the congregation of Jacob is betrothed to the Holy One, blessed be He, through the giving of the Torah, which is like a wedding ring, as it is written For your Maker is your husband (Isaiah 54:5). And indeed we find that our Sages (Tanchuma Ki Tisa 16) compared the union of Israel with the Holy One, blessed be He, to the union of a bride with a groom at two times. The first is at the time of the Giving of the Torah, as it is said And He gave to Moses, when He had finished [k’chaloto] speaking with him (Exodus 31:18), written without the letter vav, implying that the Torah was given over like an adorned bride [kallah] with 24 books. The second is on the day of the dedication of the Tabernacle, as it is said And it came to pass on the day that Moses finished [kalot] setting up (Numbers 7:1). Rashi explained that on the day the Tabernacle was set up, Israel was delivered to the Holy One, blessed be He, like a bride to a groom. This teaches that the Giving of the Torah was the time of betrothal, and the day the Tabernacle was set up was the time of marriage, as the beauty of a man to dwell in a house (Isaiah 44:13), as understood from the language of “delivered,” meaning to a shared dwelling place. And in between was about 10 months, as it is said Let the maiden remain with us for days or 10 (Genesis 24:55), which means 10 months that are given to a virgin as time between betrothal and marriage to adorn herself with the 24 types of adornments mentioned in Isaiah (3:18-24).

And in order to make the union between Israel and the Holy One, Blessed be He, resemble in every way an ordinary union, the Holy One, Blessed be He, also set a time limit for Israel of 10 months, from the first of Sivan, when they became betrothed through the Torah “which Moses commanded us,” until the first of Nisan, when the Tabernacle was erected and the union was completely fulfilled. During this time, Israel would adorn themselves with the 24 books [of the Hebrew Bible] and through this, they would be worthy to dwell in the Tent of Meeting, one dwelling for the two of them. And since the time of marriage is 30 days (see Ketubot 8), therefore the time extended until the first day of the second month in the second year. And if you wish to count from the verse and He gave to Moses when He finished [speaking with him] which was said in the month of Tammuz, after the 40 days when he brought down the tablets, then the count of 10 months would correspond exactly to the second month of the second year, for then the marriage was completed, and God wrote a ketubah [marriage contract] for her to know from what time it could be abrogated [by other] claimants. For the lands of the seven nations were pledged to them in the ketubah, so that if through [the Jews’] sins they would be exiled from the land, [the other claimants] could return and reclaim it from them, saying “our document’s date precedes [yours].” Therefore it says here in the Tent of Meeting for it was the time of the marriage, to dwell in a house. And so our Sages mentioned in Tractate Taanit (26b) these two times, and they expounded on the day of his wedding — this refers to the giving of the Torah, and on the day of the gladness of his heart — this refers to the building of the Temple. For in these two times the union was completed. And it mentions on the first day of the month for the reason that was explained. And in order that the union would be between similar partners, it says take a census [literally, lift the head] of the Israelites, in accordance with the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 1:9) which says that just as it is said about the Holy One, Blessed be He, and exalts Himself as head above all (1 Chronicles 29:11), so “I have given you a lifting of the head,” etc. And what is the connection to here? It is only so that the union should be between similar partners, as it were.

“Lift up the head etc.” Although Rashi explained this as a term for “taking an accounting” (Exodus 30:12), nevertheless it used the language of lift up [se’u], when you lift up [ki tissa], lift up [nassa], because through the act of counting, God elevates and lifts them with greater elevation above all nations who do not have an individual count, like the straw that the owner of the threshing floor does not count. Similarly, the nations do not have individual Providence, only general providence for the preservation of the species, like other animals and beasts of the field. But each individual from Israel is watched over specifically, and even one of them is considered as important as an entire nation, as it says, and many of them will fall (Exodus 19:21) — even if only one of them falls, it is considered as if many have fallen. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them a count like the stars, about which it is said, He brings out their host by number, He calls them all by name (Isaiah 40:26). So too it is said hereby the number of names to indicate that those who lead the many to righteousness are like stars forever (Daniel 12:3), and each one has individual Providence. And regarding the contradiction raised in Yoma 22b between verses — it is written, the number of the children of Israel (Hosea 2:1), which implies they have a number, and then it says, like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor counted — according to the simple meaning, this is not a contradiction, because with the Holy One, blessed be He, they certainly have a number like the stars that He brings out and brings in by number. Thus they have a number to indicate that the Holy One, blessed be He, watches over each one individually. And what is written which cannot be measured nor counted refers to human beings, who certainly cannot count them due to their great multitude.

“Every male by their head-count.” Rashi explains this refers to [counting] by shekels. Many commentators disagree with him, saying that this census was conducted without shekels, and the language of the verse proves this by saying by their head-count. They attempted to explain why specifically the first census was done using shekels, suggesting it was because they needed them for the work of the Tabernacle. But this explanation is forced. It seems to me that certainly the purpose of the shekels was to protect from the evil eye, which affects things that are counted, but specifically in a census that reveals something new. For example, when one sees 100 gold coins with a poor man who is presumed to have no more, the evil eye has more effect on him than when one sees 1,000 gold coins with a wealthy man who is already established as affluent. Similarly, when Israel left Egypt, they were presumed to be few in number, for 70 souls went down to Egypt and they were further diminished there through oppression, affliction, and the casting of male children into the Nile. Then suddenly, in the first census, they were found to number 600,000 men, not including women and children. Certainly at that time there was reason to be concerned about the evil eye. This was not the case in other censuses, since they were already established as a numerous and mighty people. This is why King David counted them without half-shekels, for he certainly did not transgress the Torah’s commandment, as Scripture states that he sinned only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (First Kings 15:5). Rather, the commandment of shekels applied only to the first census, because in that case there was more concern that they might be harmed by the evil eye — both through natural means, as mentioned, and as a punishment, since that census occurred close to the sin of the Golden Calf. Justice would have demanded that many of them fall as punishment for that deed, and when it became known through the census that 600,000 remained, this would be surprising and invite the evil eye, as the sin contributed to this vulnerability. Therefore, they needed atonement for their souls and protection from the evil eye at that time, unlike in all other censuses.

From twenty years old and upward, etc. If this census was for the purpose of the Divine Presence resting [among them], why does it say all who go forth to the army? What does the matter of go forth to the army have to do with the Divine Presence resting [among them]? According to what I explained above, that the need for this census was to know if there were 22,000 for each camp of the Divine Presence of the 28 camps, so that they would be similar to the heavenly hosts, it is appropriate to say all who go forth to the army [tzava], referring to those who are worthy to be as one of the heavenly host [tzava]. As stated in the Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 15:6), that Israel is called hosts as it says All the hosts of the Lord went out (Exodus 12:41), just as the angels are called hosts, as it says O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, who dwells between the cherubim (Isaiah 37:16).

The simple explanation is that “one who goes to the army” means for war. For if they had not sinned with the spies, they would have entered the land immediately. And even though sometimes there are valiant soldiers less than twenty years old, nevertheless, The Lord does not delight in the strength of man, but rather the matter depends on merit. And every person who is twenty years old, by virtue of being liable to punishment in the heavenly court, is more careful with his actions, and presumably has more merits to protect him in war. For the priest announces, “Who is the man who is afraid because of the transgressions in his hand? Let him go and return to his house.” And anyone less than twenty years old presumably is not as careful with his actions and does not have as many merits to outweigh his sins.

“And with you there shall be a man from each tribe, a man who is the head of his father’s house.” Since it already said a man from each tribe, why did it repeat a man who is the head of his father’s house? It is reasonable to say that this is similar to what the commentators wrote on the verse Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:16). This means that he [Dan] did not favor his own tribe, which was called his people, but rather he judged them as one of the tribes of Israel, treating them the same as any other tribe. Similarly, these tribal leaders were virtuous, and each one was a man for his tribe. Each leader acted with strength toward his entire tribe, exercising his leadership role with authority. And not only did he do this for those members of the tribe who were somewhat distant from him, but he was even the head of his father’s house — to those closest to him — he also served as their leader, exercising his authority over them.

And as for why the princes were not mentioned in the first counting, it is because now they were being divided into four flags, and each prince needed to know who and who were walking and camping under his flag. And Aaron was not mentioned in the first counting because it was to know those remaining after the downfall due to the incident of the Golden Calf, which Aaron was the cause of. Therefore, he was not there, but only here with the dwelling of the Divine Presence, which Aaron was a cause for through the sacrifices.

“But you shall not number the tribe of Levi, etc.” If He will not number them, it is obvious that He will not receive the total of their count. What does Scripture teach by saying nor take their census among the children of Israel? And what would the verse have lacked if it had simply said, “But you shall not number the tribe of Levi among the children of Israel”? According to Rashi’s explanation nearby, that the counting was by God’s command, as the Divine Presence preceded him and a heavenly voice emerged from the tent saying, “There are so many children in this tent,” we can say that among the children of Israel mentioned here refers only to nor take their census. As if it said, “But you shall not number the tribe of Levi at all, even when not among the children of Israel.” Every instance of the word “ach” [but] comes to exclude something, so here it comes to exclude and say specifically: You shall not count them alone, but with the participation of the Divine Presence and the heavenly voice You shall count them. Therefore it says, Number the children of Levi — that is, through the Divine Presence, but You alone shall not count them. And since this is followed by the command And you shall appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of Testimony, it appears that wherever the words “lift up,” “carry,” or “when you take” are mentioned, they all express elevation and the lifting up of the head, which is apparent in those who are counted, distinguishing them from others, since everything important and treasured has a number.

And with this, I have seen [fit] to resolve many differences, because regarding Israel, two phrases are mentioned: take a census [lit. “lift the head”] and afterward it says count them by their legions, but with the Levites, it only mentions the language of counting [without the phrase “lift the head”], count the sons of Levi. And with the firstborns, it goes back to mentioning both: count all the firstborn, etc. and lift up the number of their names. And regarding the sons of Kohath and Gershon, it mentions the language of “lifting” but not regarding Merari. This is because “counting” refers to the number, while “lifting” is an expression of elevating status, which Israel needed to demonstrate their preciousness compared to all the nations who are likened to chaff that has no number. But the Levites have no need to demonstrate their elevation through counting, since regardless, they already have an elevated status in that the Holy One, blessed be He, made them custodians over His holy house. Therefore, after saying but their head you shall not count, etc., it says, And you shall appoint the Levites, telling you that by virtue of being appointed custodians, they already have elevation apart from being counted among the children of Israel, for they are the king’s legion, and all who see them will recognize that they are the seed blessed by God. But the firstborns, who were disqualified from the service because of the incident of the Golden Calf, needed elevation through counting, therefore both phrases are specified for them. And regarding the use of the term lift for the sons of Kohath and the sons of Gershon, this was to give them elevated status compared to the sons of Merari, because the service of both [Kohath and Gershon] is more sacred than the carrying of the sons of Merari. Therefore, the term “lift” is not mentioned regarding the sons of Merari.