Today, we're diving deep into a fascinating passage from Bamidbar Rabbah, a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) (interpretive) compilation on the Book of Numbers, to explore just that. This particular section wrestles with a seemingly simple verse: "Every male…from one month old and above you shall count them" (Numbers 3:15). But why only males? And why from one month old?
The text immediately asks: why specify "every male" and not mention females? Well, according to the passage, "the glory of the Holy One blessed be He is exalted by the males." It even brings a verse from Psalms (127:3) as proof: "Behold, sons are a portion of the Lord; a reward, the fruit of one's womb." Now, before we get caught up in potential interpretations, let's remember the context. This isn't about diminishing the value of women; it's about understanding the specific roles and responsibilities assigned within the community at that time. The text even acknowledges that daughters are also a reward!
But the questions keep coming. Why count these males "from one month old and above?" I mean, are infants even capable of guarding the Ohel Mo'ed (Tent of Meeting)? Obviously not! So, what's the deal?
Rabbi Huna HaKohen (a priest), quoting Rabbi Shmuel bar Ze’eira, offers a beautiful explanation: it’s "in order to double their reward." The Levites, the tribe specifically tasked with serving in the Temple, didn't begin their service until they were thirty years old. So, why count them from one month? To ensure they receive reward even from that tender age. It's as if God is saying, "I see you, even in your infancy, and I value your future service."
This idea is illustrated with a story about the prophet Samuel. We read that "Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life" (1 (Samuel 7:1)5). But when you actually calculate the years, factoring in his nursing period and the time Eli was judging, it doesn't add up. He only actively judged for about ten years! So, did the Bible get it wrong? Absolutely not! The text argues that God credits Samuel with judging Israel "all the days of his life" so "that he will receive reward for all the days that he existed in the world." It's about recognizing potential, about acknowledging the inherent worth of a person even before they actively fulfill their role.
The same principle applies to the tribe of Levi. God tells Moses to count them from one month old, so "that their reward would be calculated for them from one month old." It's a powerful message about divine grace and the importance of recognizing potential.
Now, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom offers another perspective: God is "accustomed to be counting this tribe everywhere from when they are still young." To illustrate, the midrash turns to the story of Jacob’s descent into Egypt. (Genesis 46:26) states, “All the people were sixty-six.” Add Joseph and his two sons, and you get sixty-nine. But then (Genesis 46:27) says, “All the people of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.” Where did that extra person come from?
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman suggests that God is accustomed to counting this tribe even while they are still in their mother's womb! Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen bar Rabbi uses a vivid analogy: “This resin does not begin to emerge before one absorbs it…Similarly as soon as the Levite appears, he is counted." Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish adds that Yokheved, Moses' mother, was conceived just as the family entered Egypt, so she was counted as the missing person. This emphasizes how beloved the tribe of Levi is to God, even before they are born!
The midrash goes on to say that of all the tribes, only Levi was chosen to be priests. As we find in (1 (Samuel 2:2)8), God "chose it from all the tribes of Israel to be priests for Me." Rabbi Levi beautifully illustrates this concept with a series of examples. God created seven days and chose Shabbat (the Sabbath). He created years and chose the Shmita (Sabbatical year). He created lands and chose the Land of Israel. He created nations and chose Israel. And finally, He created tribes and chose the tribe of Levi. That’s why God told Moses to count them from one month old – because He is "exceedingly fond of them."
Of course, this raises another question: if God loves them so much, why not count them from one day old? The Rabbis answer that a one-day-old infant isn't considered viable, whereas a one-month-old is. There's also a practical reason: the Levites were counted to redeem the firstborn of Israel. Since firstborns are redeemed from one month old, the Levites were counted from the same age.
So, what does all this mean for us? It's a reminder that God sees value and potential in each of us, even before we fully realize it ourselves. It’s about recognizing the inherent worth of every individual, regardless of age, gender, or background. It also speaks to the idea of divine favor and the special relationship between God and those who dedicate themselves to service. It invites us to consider: Who are the people in our lives whose potential we should be nurturing? Whose contributions, however small, deserve to be recognized and celebrated? Perhaps, by seeing the world through this lens, we too can participate in the ongoing act of counting what truly matters.
“Every male” – why “every male,” and it does not mention every female? It is because the glory of the Holy One blessed be He is exalted by the males. David said: “Behold, sons are a portion of the Lord; a reward, the fruit of one’s womb.” (Psalms 127:3). “Behold, sons are a portion of the Lord” – these are the males, but if the females came, they too are a reward. “From one month old and above you shall count them” – why “from one month old and above”? Are they able to guard the Tent of Meeting from one month old? He Himself requests those who should guard it; why does He count “from one month old”? Rabbi Huna HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Ze’eira: It is in order to double their reward. Why? You find that they approach to serve only from thirty years old. Why then does He count them from one month old? It is so they will receive reward while they are still one month old. Rabbi Huna HaKohen said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Ze’eira: You find written in Samuel’s regard: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (I Samuel 7:15). Did Samuel judge Israel “all the days of his life”? But all the days of his life were only fifty-two years, and you find two during which he was nursing, forty years during which Eli was alive and judging, in which Samuel was unable to judge before his teacher, and two years that Saul ruled; that is forty-two. Ten years remained there; that is, he bore the burden of Israel for only ten years, but it is written: “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.” Rather, the Holy One blessed be He said: I am writing in his regard “all the days of his life” so that he will receive reward for all the days that he existed in the world. Regarding the tribe of Levi, too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses that he should count them from one month old and above, so that their reward would be calculated for them from one month old. That is, “from one month old and above you shall count them.” Another matter: “From one month old” – Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi bar Rabbi Shalom said: The Holy One blessed be He is accustomed to be counting this tribe everywhere from when they are still young. From where is it derived? When the Holy One blessed be He said to Jacob to descend to Egypt, at that moment he counted his offspring; they all totaled sixty-six, as it is stated: “All the people were sixty-six” (Genesis 46:26). The two sons of Joseph and Joseph, that is sixty-nine. But it says: “All the people of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy” (Genesis 46:27). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The Holy One blessed be He is accustomed to count this tribe while they are still in their mother’s womb. Rabbi Berekhya HaKohen bar Rabbi said: This resin does not begin to emerge before one absorbs it;24As soon as it appears it is taken. Similarly as soon as the Levite appears, he is counted. so, Yokheved, her mother was pregnant with her at that moment, and she was in her mother’s womb and she was counted. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Before her mother entered into the threshold of Egypt, she gave birth to her. That is why it is stated in her regard: “With seventy people your ancestors descended to Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:22). Regarding the children of her children as well: “Every male from one month old and above, you shall count them.” Why is it so? It is because this tribe is always beloved before the Holy One blessed be He. Of all the tribes, it is only this tribe alone that was chosen, as it is stated: “And chose it from all the tribes of Israel to be priests for Me” (I Samuel 2:28). Rabbi Levi said: You find that there are many items that the Holy One blessed be He created in the world and he selected one of them for Himself. He created seven days, and the Holy One blessed be He chose Shabbat, as it is stated: “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:3). He created years, and selected one for Himself, as it is stated: “The land shall observe a Shabbat for the Lord; [.…the seventh year shall be a Shabbat of solemn rest for the land]” (Leviticus 25:2–4). He created seven-year cycles and selected one for Himself, as it is stated: “You shall sanctify the fiftieth year” (Leviticus 25:10). He created lands, and selected one of them for Himself, the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it” (Deuteronomy 11:12). Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He characterizes it as His land: “They divided My land” (Joel 4:2). He created heavens, and selected one of them for Himself; this is the highest heaven, as it is stated: “Praise Him who rides in the highest heavens” (Psalms 68:5). He created nations, and selected one of them for Himself; this is Israel, as it is stated: “And the Lord has chosen you to be a treasured people for Him” (Deuteronomy 14:2). He created tribes, and selected one of them for Himself; this is the tribe of Levi, as it is stated: “And chose it from all the tribes of Israel” (I Samuel 2:28). That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to count them from one month old, because He is exceedingly fond of them. They raised an objection: According to these reasons, He should have counted them from one day old. Our Rabbis of blessed memory said: Why was it necessary to count them from one month old? It is because a one-day-old is not viable, but it is known that a one-month-old is viable; therefore, “from one month old and above you shall count them.” Alternatively, why were they counted from one month old? It is because the Levites were counted in this census only in order to redeem the firstborn of Israel. Just as the firstborn are redeemed from one month old, so the Levites were counted from one month old.
