HOW TO VIEW THE LOWLY JEW
Bamidbar - Shavuos
Sefer Bamidbar is also called Chumash Hapekudim, because it begins with the count of Bnei Yisroel by Moshe and Aharon.
שְׂא֗וּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ כׇּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֔וֹת כׇּל־זָכָ֖ר לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃ ... וְאִתְּכֶ֣ם יִהְי֔וּ אִ֥ישׁ אִ֖ישׁ לַמַּטֶּ֑ה אִ֛ישׁ רֹ֥אשׁ לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖יו הֽוּא׃
"Count the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael by their families, to its ancestral houses, listing the names, every male, head by head… Together with you shall be a participant from each tribe, each one the head of his ancestral house".
There are many explicit words in Lashon Hakodesh for counting that the Torah could have employed. So why does the verse employ the cryptic phraseology שאו את ראש בני ישראל, which literally translates as “lift up the heads of the Jewish people”?
Further, every detail in Torah is of eternal relevance and is a lesson for all times. What is the relevance or lesson to us from this command to Moshe and Aharon to count Bnei Yisrael? Seemingly it was a one-off command that applied only at that time?
The Chassidic masters teach that these words allude to a deeper meaning and directive, beyond just a command to perform a head count. Hashem’s directive to Moshe and Aharon, is a perpetual command to the leaders and Tzaddikim of Klal Yisroel, to lift up the Jewish people and elevate them. This is why the counting is described as “lift up the heads”.
Based on this understanding, the Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk explains the inner meaning of the Posuk; ואתכם יהיו איש איש למטה איש ראש לבית אבתיו הוא - “with you shall be a man from each tribe, each one the head of his ancestral house.”
Literally the verse means that when Moshe and Aharon went to count the Jewish people, they had to be accompanied by a representative member from each tribe. The names of these individuals are enumerated in the following verses.
ואתכם יהיו can be read as saying “they shall be with you”. Since Tzaddikim have the power and responsibility to spiritually uplift the Jewish people, Hashem tells them that Bnei Yisrael shall be with you - that you must reach out to all of the Jewish people and draw them close.
איש איש למטה, which literally means :a man from each tribe”, can be read as “every man who is lowly” (למטה). Hashem is telling the Tzaddikim that even if they see a Jew who appears to be on the lowest of spiritual levels and may think of giving up on them, they are obligated to reach out and draw them closer as well.
Why is this?
Because איש ראש לבית אבותיו הוא - “each one the head of his ancestral house”. These words could also be read as saying that each man is a “head” and belongs to “their fathers’ house”. Every Neshama, even those which appear so lowly and fallen, are really a “head” - originating from the most lofty levels, rooted in the very essence of Hashem Himself. And every Jew is a descendant belonging to the “house of the Avos” Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
The lesson of the Tiferes Shlomo is not limited to Tzaddikim. We all have a responsibility to have Ahavas Yisrael to every Jew and to reach out and draw them close to us. We may feel that someone is too lowly and undeserving of our attention, our Kiruv and our concern. The Torah is telling us to look beyond the external expression and the lifestyle that they are projecting and to see their inner essence - a pure and holy soul, a fellow descendant of our Patriarchs, which also makes them our brother.
On Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the Jewish people stood at Har Sinai in complete unity - כאיש אחד בלב אחד. This was the ultimate preparation for Matan Torah. This message, from the Parsha that we will read on Erev Rosh Chodesh, is a powerful application of the unity and love that is demanded of us.
Based on the Writings of the Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk
שְׂא֗וּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ כׇּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֔וֹת כׇּל־זָכָ֖ר לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃ ... וְאִתְּכֶ֣ם יִהְי֔וּ אִ֥ישׁ אִ֖ישׁ לַמַּטֶּ֑ה אִ֛ישׁ רֹ֥אשׁ לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖יו הֽוּא׃
"Count the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael by their families, to its ancestral houses, listing the names, every male, head by head… Together with you shall be a participant from each tribe, each one the head of his ancestral house".
There are many explicit words in Lashon Hakodesh for counting that the Torah could have employed. So why does the verse employ the cryptic phraseology שאו את ראש בני ישראל, which literally translates as “lift up the heads of the Jewish people”?
Further, every detail in Torah is of eternal relevance and is a lesson for all times. What is the relevance or lesson to us from this command to Moshe and Aharon to count Bnei Yisrael? Seemingly it was a one-off command that applied only at that time?
The Chassidic masters teach that these words allude to a deeper meaning and directive, beyond just a command to perform a head count. Hashem’s directive to Moshe and Aharon, is a perpetual command to the leaders and Tzaddikim of Klal Yisroel, to lift up the Jewish people and elevate them. This is why the counting is described as “lift up the heads”.
Based on this understanding, the Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk explains the inner meaning of the Posuk; ואתכם יהיו איש איש למטה איש ראש לבית אבתיו הוא - “with you shall be a man from each tribe, each one the head of his ancestral house.”
Literally the verse means that when Moshe and Aharon went to count the Jewish people, they had to be accompanied by a representative member from each tribe. The names of these individuals are enumerated in the following verses.
ואתכם יהיו can be read as saying “they shall be with you”. Since Tzaddikim have the power and responsibility to spiritually uplift the Jewish people, Hashem tells them that Bnei Yisrael shall be with you - that you must reach out to all of the Jewish people and draw them close.
איש איש למטה, which literally means :a man from each tribe”, can be read as “every man who is lowly” (למטה). Hashem is telling the Tzaddikim that even if they see a Jew who appears to be on the lowest of spiritual levels and may think of giving up on them, they are obligated to reach out and draw them closer as well.
Why is this?
Because איש ראש לבית אבותיו הוא - “each one the head of his ancestral house”. These words could also be read as saying that each man is a “head” and belongs to “their fathers’ house”. Every Neshama, even those which appear so lowly and fallen, are really a “head” - originating from the most lofty levels, rooted in the very essence of Hashem Himself. And every Jew is a descendant belonging to the “house of the Avos” Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
The lesson of the Tiferes Shlomo is not limited to Tzaddikim. We all have a responsibility to have Ahavas Yisrael to every Jew and to reach out and draw them close to us. We may feel that someone is too lowly and undeserving of our attention, our Kiruv and our concern. The Torah is telling us to look beyond the external expression and the lifestyle that they are projecting and to see their inner essence - a pure and holy soul, a fellow descendant of our Patriarchs, which also makes them our brother.
On Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the Jewish people stood at Har Sinai in complete unity - כאיש אחד בלב אחד. This was the ultimate preparation for Matan Torah. This message, from the Parsha that we will read on Erev Rosh Chodesh, is a powerful application of the unity and love that is demanded of us.
Based on the Writings of the Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk