Num. 1:1 - 4:20
Précis: B’midbar is an amalgamation of the narrative of wilderness wanderings, sacrificial requirements, the establishment of Israel’s moving camp, and census data. As B’midbar ("in the wilderness”) begins, Moses is directed to take a census (“take the number”) from which the English name (Numbers) of the Book derives.
Num. 1:1 - 2 “And Adonai spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai… saying, ‘Take the number of the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their father’s houses, according to the number of names, every male, by their polls.’”
Richard Elliott Friedman’s introduction to this Book is insightful (Commentary on the Torah, 2001) noting that “wilderness emerges through the narrative not only as a setting but also as a theme of considerable significance.” Wilderness, he contends, is a far better name for the Book than the Greek-derived “Numbers” because it captures the pervasive feeling of the Book. He contrasts the wilderness experience at the outset as “a kind of ideal.” Everything is orderly, protected, and close to God. All is provided: food, water, and direction. As he notes, “the miraculous is the norm.”
At the same time, the wilderness becomes the setting for rebellion, infighting, and hostility from others as well. There are power struggles which could have been averted. Perhaps most importantly, the Book reflects what we initially saw in Leviticus: being close to the Divine is both glorious and dangerous. But contrary to Leviticus, God is often pictured as speaking and acting in reaction to the Israelites, rather than dictating law or action. Leviticus is about God giving the rules, and Numbers is about how the People first experience living under the rules.
Numbers is the story of a people coming to terms with its constitution. As such, it is particularly important to think about its relevance to the challenges facing all of us today.
