As the fourth book of the Torah opens, God orders Moses and Aaron to take a census of the people, specifically those males who are of the age of conscription.  The Israelites still have many challenges to face, as they continue their journey from Mount Sinai through the wilderness to the Promised Land.  The Israelites must have a cohort of men upon whom they can count in order to complete their journey.

The Hebrew idiom used in this week’s Torah portion, Bemidbar, commonly translated as “take a census” literally means “lift the head.”  It has appeared several times in the Torah already.  In his commentary on the opening verse of this week’s parashah, the Ramban, Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi (Nachmanides), one of the important Sephardic commentators on Torah, quotes a midrash to teach an interesting and contemporary message.

Rav Pinhas said [in the name of] Rav Idi, “What is the meaning of what is written at the beginning of the Book [of Numbers], ‘Lift the head.”  It doesn’t say, “Raise the head, or “Make great the head.”  Rather it says, “Lift the head.”  This is like the case of a man who says to the executioner, “Lift the head of a certain person.”  Here [God] gave a hint to Moses, “Lift the head,” that if they merit it, they will be elevated to greatness as it is written, “Pharaoh will lift your head and return you to your position.”  (Genesis 40:13)  

However, if they do not merit it, they will all die as it is written, “Pharaoh will lift your head from upon you and hang you on a tree.”  (Genesis 40:19)  See that the language is according to the intention.  For the good people, it is to be interpreted as good.

What does this say to a contemporary person?  Rav Idi is reminding us that one’s fate is entirely in one’s own hand.  There is no outside force or agency which determines whether one attains greatness or is consigned to pettiness and self-destruction.  No maleficent force or person can affect one’s status.  Ideally, heads are lifted in pride through accomplishment, through good deeds, through living a godly life.  Each person can raise his/her own head, either for good or for ill.  

The Ramban is reminding us that we need to aim high, to lift our heads in pride because of our accomplishments, because of the things which we have done to make the world a better place in which all people can live, because of the manner in which we set an example of a people who study Torah as a means of lifting ourselves and everyone to a higher, more divine plane.  He is reminding us through the mundane action of counting the people, that ultimately it is not that people should be counted, rather they should be able to counted upon for  greatness. 

Shabbat Shalom!