It turns out, quite a few times. And each counting, each census, seems to carry its own weight, its own story.

Our springboard is the verse in Numbers, 2:32: "These are those who were counted of the children of Israel by their patrilineal house; all those counted of the camps according to their hosts were six hundred and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty." A seemingly simple statement, but according to Bamidbar Rabbah – a treasure trove of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Numbers – this verse opens a door to understanding the many times we, as a people, have been counted.

The Midrash identifies ten distinct countings of Israel throughout our history. Ten! Let's walk through them, shall we?

First, there was the count upon our descent into Egypt. As Deuteronomy 10:22 reminds us, "With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt…" From a small family to a burgeoning nation.

Then, upon our ascent out of Egypt, we were counted again. Exodus 12:37 tells us, "The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Sukot, some six hundred thousand men on foot." What a transformation!

A third counting occurred after the sin of the Golden Calf. Remember that episode? Exodus 30:12 says, "When you take a census of the children of Israel…" A moment of atonement, perhaps, marked by a new accounting.

The Midrash points out that in the Book of Numbers itself, we are counted twice. Once with the banners, as we are preparing to journey through the wilderness, and again later, in preparation for the division of the land of Israel. Structure and order being brought to the Israelite nation.

Then come the days of Saul. Here, things get interesting. Bamidbar Rabbah references two verses: I Samuel 15:4, "He counted them in Tela’im," and I Samuel 11:8, "He counted them in Bazek." But the Midrash doesn't take these verses at face value. The word tela’im is also the Hebrew word for lambs. The Midrash suggests that when the people were wealthy, they were counted with lambs. And bazek? Well, that’s related to the Hebrew word for pebbles. So, when times were tough, they were counted with pebbles. A poignant reminder that even in counting, our circumstances matter.

Next, we arrive at the time of David. II Samuel 24:9 states, "Yoav gave the sum of the number [mispar] of the census [mifkad] of the people [to the king]." Now, the Midrash asks a clever question: if it says mispar, why does it also say mifkad? Mispar and mifkad are similar in meaning. The Midrash answers that Yoav, wise in his own way, actually prepared two notes: a large sum and a small sum. He showed the small one to David, but kept the large one hidden. The idea being that David and the people were punished for conducting the census, and Yoav thought he could lessen the blow by hiding the true number.

After that, the Midrash cites the counting in the days of Ezra, as recorded in Ezra 2:64: "The entire congregation together was forty[-two] thousand [three hundred and sixty]." A return from exile, a new beginning, marked by a careful count.

And finally, the Midrash looks to the future, quoting Jeremiah 33:13: "The flock will pass again under the hands of one who counts." A promise of a future reckoning, a final accounting.

So, there you have it: ten times Israel was counted. But more than just a historical record, these countings speak to something deeper. They reflect our journey as a people, through times of prosperity and hardship, from slavery to freedom, from exile to return. And perhaps, they remind us that we are always being counted, always being seen, always a part of something larger than ourselves.