The verse we're looking at is Numbers 3:42: “Moses counted, as the Lord commanded him, all firstborn among the children of Israel.” Simple enough, right? But the Rabbis never let anything sit at face value. They always dig deeper. In this case, they noticed something intriguing about the census of the Levi’im (Levites). When counting the Levites, the Torah specifically states that Moses counted them “at the directive of the Lord” (Numbers 3:16). It's as if God Himself was intimately involved in the process.

The Midrash asks: why the difference? Why this special mention for the Levites, but not for the firstborn? The text implies that God was literally telling Moses, "There are this many Levite babies in this house."

The explanation offered is beautiful. The Levites, the Midrash tells us, were brought close to God's service. Because of their dedication, the Divine Presence, the Shechinah, took a direct hand in their census.

But with the firstborn, it was different. They were being removed from divine service, not brought closer. And here’s the kicker: because of this shift, "the Holy One blessed be He does not associate Himself with their census." God, in a sense, distanced Himself.

And that’s not all. There's another layer to this. The Midrash goes on to connect this to the infamous episode of the Golden Calf. Remember that? The Levites, standing firm in their faith, rallied to Moses' call: “He said: Whoever is for the Lord, come to me, and all the sons of Levi gathered to him” (Exodus 32:26).

Because they chose God, God chose them. As the Midrash states, "They associated themselves with Me; I, too, will associate Myself to count them Myself and in My own glory.” Conversely, the firstborn, some of whom participated in the idolatry, distanced themselves from God. And so, God distanced Himself from their census.

This isn't just about counting people. It's about relationship. It’s about choices. It's about how our actions can either draw us closer to the Divine or push us away. The Zohar, the central text of Kabbalah, often speaks of God's presence being revealed or concealed based on our actions. This Midrash seems to echo that sentiment.

So, what does this mean for us? Perhaps it’s a reminder that the tasks we undertake with dedication and a pure heart, those done in service of something greater than ourselves, are the ones where we might just feel that Divine guidance, that sense of being counted, seen, and supported by something beyond our understanding. And conversely, those actions that stray from that path... well, maybe those are the ones where we feel a little more alone. Food for thought, isn't it?