Thursday, May 21, 2015

Do You Count?

In this week's Torah portion, Bamidbar, the Jewish people are counted and organized. Every one was counted, every one had their place under the banner of their tribe, surrounding the Mishkan,  the Tabernacle.

These countings are so significant, that our sages named this book Chumash Hapekudim, the Book of Numbers.

Parshas Bamidbar is always read right before Shavuoth, the day Hashem gave us the Torah at Mount Sinai.

What is the significance of this counting? What is the connection between this counting and Shavuoth?

In the innermost chamber of the Mishkan stood the Aron, the Ark. In the Aron were the tablets of the Ten Commandments which we received from Hashem on Shavuoth.

Around the Mishkan camped the tribe of  Levi and around them, all twelve tribes.

Being counted and organized around the Mishkan, teaches us that each of us have a specific part, a unique mission, that we are being counted on to do in the service of Hashem, symbolized by the Mishkan.

Being counted also unites us as one, with one grand purpose.

For this reason too, every one of us had to be at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. You each are absolutely necessary, you each have a unique part of the Torah that was given specifically to you and to you alone.  When you do your mitzvah, all of us are effected by it, as being counted makes the sum whole. When we camped at Mount Sinai we were as one man with one heart, united as a people, united in purpose.

When a soldier does his mission, he positively effects his army and his country.

I love having visitors and Baruch Hashem I'm blessed with many. Bikur Cholim, visiting the sick, is a great mitzvah.

This week I was visited by a couple, long time friends of mine. After being with them for a few minutes, I could sense that there was a quality to their visit that was special. You could tell that this is their special mitzvah. Perhaps when their Neshamas stood at Mount Sinai, this was given to them as one of their unique missions.

By each of us championing our unique missions, we will surely merit to stand once again together, like one man with one heart this Shavuoth, with the coming of Moshiach.

2 comments:

  1. And now Hashem must champion on one of his own missions, as we say three times each day (and for the coming three days in a row, four times each day): Rofei Cholim Umatir Asurim Umekayem Emunato (Hashem heals the sick and unties the tied and fulfills what He is faithful for).
    Every limb counts and every second counts and every detail counts. May Hashem heal you now and untie you now and show us His faith now!

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  2. From a visitors perspective:
    You give us so much more then we could ever give you, your energy and joy is contagious, Leaves us feeling uplifted and inspired. Thank you for giving us the opportunity, it's a privilege and honor.

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