Why God Records the Date Israel Was Counted in Sinai

Another interpretation: "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains" (literally: the mountains of God) (Psalm 36:7). The righteousness that the Holy One, blessed be He, brings into the world is made public upon these mountains. "Your judgments are a great deep" (ibid.) — a judgment that You execute for the world is a great deep. Just as the deep is hidden, so too Your judgments are hidden. How so? When Jerusalem was destroyed, it was destroyed on the ninth of Av; but when it was shown to Ezekiel, it was shown on the tenth. Why? So as not to publicize it. But when He comes to magnify Israel, He makes it public: [on which day], in which place, in which month, in which year (in the second year), in which era (boundary). [On which day? On the first of the month. In which place? In the Sinai Desert. In which month? In the second month. In which year? In the second year. In which era?] After their going out from the land of Egypt, "saying" (Numbers 1:1). What did He say to them? "Take a census" (literally: lift up the head) (Numbers 1:2).