- there are 70 faces to 
Post by alon on Mar 24, 2023 16:08:54 GMT -8
This Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Exodus 30:11-38
Haftara- 2Kings 12:1-16
D’rash: God orders a census taken. But this one is counted differently than most censuses. A census of Jews must be by people contributing items, which are then then counted:
Exodus 30:11-12 The Lord said to Moses, “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.
A ‘ransom’ is a payment in order to escape punishment or death:
Proverbs 6:34-35 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.
v.12 כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַיהוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃
v. 12 starts כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ ‘ki tisa at’rosh,’ when you elevate:
כִּי kı̂y- when, whether, while, now, surely, though, even …
תִשָּׂ֞א tisa- sum, census
רֹאשׁ rô’sh- head, top, elevate
And goes on to use the terms:
כֹּפֶר kôpher- ransom, price for a life
נֶ֖גֶף negep- to take a blow, plague
The fact this is a ransom from God’s judgement would encourage everyone to contribute.
Melech Dovid took a direct count census of the people and angered the Lord:
2 Samuel 24:2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.” … So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.
No names or data are to be collected, just numbers represented (in this case) by a half shekel:
Exodus 30:13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord.
Exodus 30:14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering.
A census is usually taken for military or other public service:
Numbers 1:2-3 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.
2 Samuel 24:9 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.
There were exceptions to the ‘no names’ and other data commands made on smaller scale than the entire nation when listing people for a particular type of service:
Numbers 4:2-3 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers' houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
1 Chronicles 23:24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses, the heads of fathers' houses as they were listed according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upward who were to do the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
But this census was primarily for military purposes, as evidenced by the requirement to count those 20 years or older. 20 was the minimum age for military service, and the Hebrews were organized and moved as an army:
Exodus 30:14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering.
It is interesting to mote that these would represent the generation which would die in the desert due to their refusal to obey God and enter and take ha’eretz because of the report of 10 of the spies (Num 13:25-29).
Exodus 30:15-16 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your lives. You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”
The small amount of the contribution made it possible for everyone to take part in the census. This meant no one could claim precedence or preferential treatment because he gave more. The Mishkan was equally for the worship and service of all Hebrews, regardless of wealth, social status, or generosity.
The half coin relates to the concept no Jew is whole unless joined with others. In the words of Rav S “Judaism is not a solo activity.” Alone one may only reach half his potential.
The silver collected here is for the construction of the Mishkan. Donations serve as expiation, or atonement for sins. This associates vss 10 and 16 where purification expressed by a different form of the same root word ‘kaper.’
Exodus 30:10,16 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.” … You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”
Shemot 30:10,16 (Orthodox Jewish Bible) And Aharon shall make kapporah upon the karenot of it once in a year with the dahm of the chattat hakippurim; once in the year shall he make kapporah upon it throughout your dorot; it is kodesh kodashim unto Hashem … And thou shalt take the kesef hakippurim of the Bnei Yisroel, and shalt appoint it for the Avodat Ohel Mo’ed (Work, Service of the Tent of Appointed Meeting); that it may be a zikaron unto the Bnei Yisroel before Hashem, to make kapporah for your nefashot
That this census donation is juxtaposed onto the incense altar may be indicative of its function in warding off the wrath of God. The donation wards off a plague, and the incense altar represents the prayers of the people ascending to the heavenlies.
Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
Mekorot: All scripture from the ESV unless otherwise specified; Jps Studu TNK; Stones TNK; D Prager; my father and others
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Ex 31:1-32:14
Haftara- Ezek 20:1–20
* Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
Parashah- Exodus 30:11-38
Haftara- 2Kings 12:1-16
D’rash: God orders a census taken. But this one is counted differently than most censuses. A census of Jews must be by people contributing items, which are then then counted:
Exodus 30:11-12 The Lord said to Moses, “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.
A ‘ransom’ is a payment in order to escape punishment or death:
Proverbs 6:34-35 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.
v.12 כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַיהוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃
v. 12 starts כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ ‘ki tisa at’rosh,’ when you elevate:
כִּי kı̂y- when, whether, while, now, surely, though, even …
תִשָּׂ֞א tisa- sum, census
רֹאשׁ rô’sh- head, top, elevate
And goes on to use the terms:
כֹּפֶר kôpher- ransom, price for a life
נֶ֖גֶף negep- to take a blow, plague
The fact this is a ransom from God’s judgement would encourage everyone to contribute.
Melech Dovid took a direct count census of the people and angered the Lord:
2 Samuel 24:2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.” … So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.
No names or data are to be collected, just numbers represented (in this case) by a half shekel:
Exodus 30:13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord.
Exodus 30:14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering.
A census is usually taken for military or other public service:
Numbers 1:2-3 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.
2 Samuel 24:9 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.
There were exceptions to the ‘no names’ and other data commands made on smaller scale than the entire nation when listing people for a particular type of service:
Numbers 4:2-3 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers' houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
1 Chronicles 23:24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses, the heads of fathers' houses as they were listed according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upward who were to do the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
But this census was primarily for military purposes, as evidenced by the requirement to count those 20 years or older. 20 was the minimum age for military service, and the Hebrews were organized and moved as an army:
Exodus 30:14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering.
It is interesting to mote that these would represent the generation which would die in the desert due to their refusal to obey God and enter and take ha’eretz because of the report of 10 of the spies (Num 13:25-29).
Exodus 30:15-16 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your lives. You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”
The small amount of the contribution made it possible for everyone to take part in the census. This meant no one could claim precedence or preferential treatment because he gave more. The Mishkan was equally for the worship and service of all Hebrews, regardless of wealth, social status, or generosity.
The half coin relates to the concept no Jew is whole unless joined with others. In the words of Rav S “Judaism is not a solo activity.” Alone one may only reach half his potential.
The silver collected here is for the construction of the Mishkan. Donations serve as expiation, or atonement for sins. This associates vss 10 and 16 where purification expressed by a different form of the same root word ‘kaper.’
Exodus 30:10,16 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.” … You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”
Shemot 30:10,16 (Orthodox Jewish Bible) And Aharon shall make kapporah upon the karenot of it once in a year with the dahm of the chattat hakippurim; once in the year shall he make kapporah upon it throughout your dorot; it is kodesh kodashim unto Hashem … And thou shalt take the kesef hakippurim of the Bnei Yisroel, and shalt appoint it for the Avodat Ohel Mo’ed (Work, Service of the Tent of Appointed Meeting); that it may be a zikaron unto the Bnei Yisroel before Hashem, to make kapporah for your nefashot
That this census donation is juxtaposed onto the incense altar may be indicative of its function in warding off the wrath of God. The donation wards off a plague, and the incense altar represents the prayers of the people ascending to the heavenlies.
Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
Mekorot: All scripture from the ESV unless otherwise specified; Jps Studu TNK; Stones TNK; D Prager; my father and others
Next Week’s Readings:
Parashah- Ex 31:1-32:14
Haftara- Ezek 20:1–20
* Apostolic references will be given in the darashot
