Rabbi Judah on in the Name of Rabbi Samuel the Son of Nahman This May

"When you take the count of the children of Israel." Rabbi Yehudah in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahman said: A parable of a king who had many purple robes, and he would command one and say to him: This purple robe, which is dearer to me than all the purple robes in the world, give your attention to it, for I wore it on the day I entered into kingship, and it clings to my loins, and I take pride in it. So too here the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, give your attention to Israel, for they cling to Me at My loins, as it is said: "For as the girdle clings to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cling to Me the whole house of Israel" (Jeremiah 13:11). And they crowned Me king in the world and said, "The LORD shall reign forever and ever" (Exodus 15:18). And out of My great love for them I came down from the upper realms to the lower realms and dwelt within curtains of goats' hair. Moses said: My Master, out of seventy nations You command me concerning none of them except Israel: "When you take the count of the children of Israel" (Exodus 30:12); "And to the children of Israel you shall say" (Exodus 30:31); "And to the children of Israel you shall speak" (Exodus 30:31); "Command the children of Israel"; "Speak to the children of Israel" (Leviticus 20:2); "And you shall command the children of Israel" (Leviticus 27:20). Everything that You command me is concerning the children of Israel. He said to him: Because they are dearer to Me than all the nations, and they are My treasured possession, and I have desired them and chosen them, as it is said: "And the LORD your God has chosen you to be His own treasured people" (Deuteronomy 14:2). Come and see how He cherished them, for He called them five times in a single verse: "And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons," and so forth (Numbers 8:19). Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai said: A parable of a king who handed his son over to his tutor, and he would ask about him at every hour and say to him: Has my son eaten? Has my son gone to the schoolhouse? Has my son returned from the schoolhouse? So too the Holy One, blessed be He, longs to mention Israel at every hour. Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon said: A parable of one who was making a crown. Someone passed by and saw it. He said to him: All that you are able to adorn it with precious stones and pearls, adorn it and set it in order, for it is destined to be placed on the head of a king. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: All that you are able to praise Israel before Me and to glorify them, do so, for through them I am glorified, as it is said: "And He said to me, You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified" (Isaiah 49:3).