It all starts with a simple verse: "These are those who were counted of the children of Israel…" And from there, it launches into a deep dive about blessings, promises, and the enduring nature of God's word.
The text reminds us of the verse, "The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea…" (Hosea 2:1). But where does that promise come from? Well, it all goes back to Abraham. God promised him, way back when he was told to leave his father's home, "Go from your land…I will render you a great nation…" (Genesis 12:1–2).
But Abraham, bless his heart, wasn't so sure. He pointed out to God, "Master of the universe, everything that you promised me, what benefit do I have from it, as I have no children?" (Genesis 15:2). According to the stars, Abraham wasn't destined to have kids! Can you imagine the despair?
So what did God do? This is where it gets really cool. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon, quoting Rabbi Ḥanin in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan, tells us that God actually elevated Abraham above the dome of the heavens! God said, in essence, "Abe, forget what the stars say. I'm in charge here." As it says, "He took him outside, and said: Look [habet] now toward the heavens… So shall be your descendants" (Genesis 15:5). Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak notes that the word habet – “look” – is used when someone is situated above.
But what does "So shall be your descendants" really mean? Rabbi Levi, quoting Rabbi Yoḥanan, tells a beautiful parable. Imagine a traveler, lost and weary, wandering for days without finding anything – no city, no inn, not even water. Then, in the distance, they see a tree. Hope flickers! Reaching it, they find it's beside a spring, its fruits are delicious, its shade is cool. The traveler rests, is restored, and feels immense gratitude.
What can they say to the tree? "May your tree be fine?" It already is. "May your shade be fine?" Already there. "May a spring emerge from beneath your roots?" Already happening. The only blessing left is: "May all the saplings that are produced from you be like you."
Similarly, the text explains, before Abraham, twenty generations lived and "were of no use," meaning they didn't produce anyone particularly righteous. Then came Abraham, standing strong in the land of Babylon. He was tested in the fiery furnace, and he passed! So God drew him near, and Abraham built an "inn," welcoming people, bringing them closer to God, and publicizing God’s glory. Abraham even attached his name to God's name, like the angels do! As the text notes, there is a reference to God's name within Abraham's name (Maharzu).
So, what blessing could God give Abraham? Not just personal righteousness – he already had that! Instead, God blessed him that all his descendants would be like him. "So shall be your descendants."
Now, here’s where it gets even more interesting. The text goes on to say that Abraham was blessed with stars, as we saw in Genesis 15:5. Isaac was blessed with sand, as it says, "For I will bless you and multiply your descendants…as the sand that is upon the seashore" (Genesis 22:17). And Jacob? He was blessed with the dust of the earth: "Your descendants will be as the dust of the earth…" (Genesis 28:14).
But these blessings don't manifest all at once. The blessing of Abraham, the stars, came to fruition in the days of Moses, when the Israelites were as numerous as the stars. The blessing of Jacob, the dust, showed up in the days of Balaam, when he couldn't even count the dust of Jacob. And the blessing of Isaac, the sand? That one arrived with Hosea, who spoke of the Israelites being like the uncountable sand of the sea.
Wait a minute, though. If the blessing of the sand is associated with Isaac, why does Hosea refer to "the children of Israel" and not "the children of Isaac?" The text offers a fascinating explanation: when Jacob went to Padan Aram, his father Isaac passed the blessing of sand to him. Isaac said, "May He grant you the blessing of [et birkat] Abraham" (Genesis 28:4). What is this "et"? Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina explains it meant: "The blessing with which both I and Abraham were blessed." A blessing for the father and a blessing for the son, passed down through generations.
And so, we circle back to the beginning: "The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea." Because, ultimately, "forever, Lord, does Your word stand in the heavens" (Psalms 119:89).
What a thought, right? That a promise made to one person, thousands of years ago, can still be unfolding in the world today. That a blessing, once given, can ripple through generations, shaping the destiny of an entire people. Makes you wonder what promises are still waiting to bloom in your life.