A Thought on Parshas Bamidbar

"...ach es Mateh Levi lo tifkod v'es rosham lo tisa..." "...but, you shall not count the Tribe of Levi and do not do a head count..." (1:49) The Torah describes the means by which a census was taken of our tribes in the desert. The above verse forbade us from applying that form of census to the Levites. The verse begins by warning us not to count them, then continues with the second clause which seems to further prohibit counting them. This would appear to us as a redundancy: if there is no counting, then there is no census. Be that as it may, the verses continue with the sacred duties of the Tribe of Levi, who were assigned special tasks regarding the Mishkan. The Panae'ach Raza stops to ponder our verse. He too seems intrigued by its apparent "doubled message." He offers, however, an alternative reading of our second clause which removes that concern, and sheds light on the "reason" that the first clause, not taking a census, is important here. The Panae'ach Raza offers that the words "rosham lo tisa" also means "do not let them walk with lofty heads." What is that about? He suggests that since they are assigned the avoda of dealing with the Mishkan, and they access, disassemble, then travel with the very elements which form an enclosure known as "Macheneh Shechina" - the Encampment of the Divine Presence - there is a risk of such familiarity with the Kodesh "going to their heads." This would be a grave error (for our Sages warn us in Arachin 15b that arrogance repels the Divine Presence from one's midst) and would be antithetical to their remaining involved with their avoda. He even suggests that the opening word of the verse, ach, which means something like "however" or "but" is part of this same message. Our Sages tell us that whenever we find the word "ach" in the Torah, it comes to limit or exclude something. In context, suggests that Panae'ach Raza, that word alludes to the life-limiting calculated risk of serving as a Levi and dealing with those sacred structures. Working in close contact with the sacred and the holy can lead to one's developing a sense of rote familiarity, which would lead one to overlook and discount the very nature and essence of his work's importance and sanctity. Therefore, the Torah is quick to alert the Levi by saying "maintain your individual sense of subjective humility as you deal with the sacred. Do not look at yourself as a collective group by taking a global census. Stay unique! Do not exult in your work and do not let it lead to raising your head in arrogance! Go in and come out with modest posture and humbled bearing. Keep perspective when you are assigned a holy task." This is a message for all of us, for all time. Wishing you a great and holy Shabbos. D Fox