When you read the opening parasha of BaMidbar, you realise why the book is called “Numbers”. The entire parasha is taken up with a count of the fighting age men, followed by a similar count of the Levites.

We are often concerned, in reading this parasha, about the dehumanising effect of numbering people - when people become numbers instead of names. And yet numbering can also have the opposite effect: there may be two, or even many, Sarahs or Daniels but there is only one number 17. Each person is unique. Numbering can also serve to stress the equality of all people. The Torah does not tell us who was number one, or which tribe was last in the count. This concept of equality in uniqueness is expressed by the Sfat Emet, who noted that the count is lagulgolet - by head. “In the count, each was given the understanding and mind belonging to each” - each person has a unique understanding of G-d’s world. Without the singular insights, the unique value of each individual, our number is incomplete.

Please take this as a personal call to be counted with us, not just as a number, but as a valued individual. We need your insights, your understandings. We need your head!

Recent Articles by Rabbi Ma?ayan Turner

• Rabbi Maayan Turner accepts the 2006 Niwano Peace Prize on behalf of RHR - May 15th, 2006
• Pride and Humility: Decry the abuses of power and the injustices of our country - May 12th, 2006
• Rabbi Maayan Turner - May 12th, 2006
• BeMidbar: Be counted as a valued individual - June 2nd, 2005

Categories: Bemidbar / Numbers, Bemidmar
Tags: Bo, ease, human rights, palestinians, settlers