Maybe it's your stamp collection, each one unique. Or the number of books you've amassed over the years. We count them separately, admiring each one, and then we count them all together, reveling in the substantial number. It’s a feeling of joy, right? Well, it seems we're not alone in that sentiment.
In Bamidbar Rabbah 6, a Midrash, or interpretation, of the Book of Numbers, we find a fascinating parallel. It’s all about the counting of the Levites. Specifically, Numbers 4:48 tells us, “Their counted were eight thousand and five hundred and eighty.” But what’s so special about this census?
The Midrash points out that the Levites weren't just counted, they were counted separately and together. Why this double effort? The text explains it’s "like a person who has objects that are fine, excellent, and especially dear to him; he counts them separately and then counts them together, because he rejoices in their substantial number."
Think about that for a moment. The Holy One, blessed be He, wanted the Levites' numbers recorded in detail because they were incredibly precious. They were members of His household, upright and dear. They weren't just numbers on a page; they were individuals vital to the service of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle.
The verse continues in Numbers 4:49, “According to the directive of the Lord he counted them, at the hand of Moses, each man to his service, and to his burden, and his count was as the Lord commanded Moses.” The Midrash delves into how this divine directive was carried out, focusing on the different families within the Levites: the sons of Kehat, the sons of Gershon, and the sons of Merari.
For the sons of Kehat, who had the immense responsibility of bearing the Ark and the altar, Aaron himself took charge. He meticulously assigned each man to his specific task. "So-and-so and so-and-so will bear the Ark, and so-and-so and so-and-so will bear the altar," ensuring everything was done according to God's command transmitted through Moses. The Midrash emphasizes that Aaron performed this task "at the hand of Moses," highlighting the chain of command and the divine origin of these instructions. The verse "Each man to his service, and to his burden" is particularly relevant to the sons of Kehat, as we find in Numbers 4:19: “Aaron and his sons shall come, and assign them, each man to his service and to his burden.”
But what about the other Levite families? The sons of Gershon and Merari had different roles, involving the fabrics, frames, and structures of the Tabernacle. For them, Moses himself was directly involved. "You shall assign them all their burden as a commission," Numbers 4:27 tells us regarding the sons of Gershon. Moses was right there with them. And regarding the sons of Merari, Numbers 4:32 states, "And by names you shall appoint the instruments of the commission of their burden," explicitly including Moses in the process.
The Midrash underlines that "his count was as the Lord commanded Moses." Moses meticulously assigned the burdens of the sons of Gershon "by number," detailing who would carry which woven strips and parts of the Tent of Meeting. He did the same for the sons of Merari, assigning the beams and bars, ensuring that each person knew their precise responsibility. God commanded Moses to instruct them on how to bear and guard what was in their care.
So, what does this all mean? It's more than just a detailed accounting of ancient roles. It's about recognizing the value and importance of each individual within a community. Each Levite, each task, each burden, was considered precious and essential to the service of God. It reminds us that even in large numbers, each person has unique value and a specific role to play. Just like those precious objects we count and recount, savoring their individual beauty and rejoicing in their collective worth. And that's a lesson that resonates just as powerfully today.