Torah Portion for 08/19/2023

Yahweh commanded Moses to take a census of the Israelites, counting all the men twenty years old and above who were able to go to war. Each tribe had a leader and they were all registered. The total number of men counted was 603,550. The Levites were not included in the census, as they were appointed to take care of the tabernacle. The Israelites camped according to their tribes, with the Levites camping around the tabernacle. The tribes were organized into divisions and each had their own banner. The camp of Judah was the largest, with 186,400 registered men. The camp of Reuben was on the south side, with 46,500 registered men. Numbers, chapter 1, verse 1 through chapter 2, verse 13. And Yahweh spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of appointment, on the first day, to the second new moon, in the second year, after they had come out of the land of Mitzrayim, saying, Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Yisrael, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army in Yisrael. Number them by their divisions, you and Aaron. And a man from every tribe should be with you, each one the head of his father's house. And these are the names of the men who stand with you. From Reuben, Elitzur, son of Shediur. From Shimon, Shelumiel, son of Tzurishadai. From Yehuda, Nashon, son of Aminadab. From Yitzchakar, Nethanel, son of Zuar. From Zebulun, Eliab, son of Helan. From the sons of Yosef, from Ephraim, Elishamah, son of Amehud. From Menasheh, Gamliel, son of Pethetzor. From Binyamin, Abidan, son of Gidoni. From Dan, Ahizer, son of Amishadai. From Asher, Pegiel, son of Okron. From Gad, Eliaseth, son of Deuel. From Naphtali, Ahira, son of Enan. These are the ones called from the congregation, leaders of their fathers' tribes, heads of the thousands of Yisrael. And Moshe and Aaron took these men who were called by name, and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second new moon. And they declared their ancestry by clans, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one head by head, as Yahweh had commanded Moshe, so He registered them in the wilderness of Sinai. And the children of Reuben, Yisrael's firstborn, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, every male head by head, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500. From the children of Shimon, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, of those who were registered, according to the number of names, every male head by head, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Shimon were 59,300. From the children of Gad, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Gad were 45,650. From the children of Yehudah, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Yehudah were 74,600. From the children of Yeshachar, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Yeshachar were 54,400. From the children of Zebulun, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400. From the sons of Yosef, the children of Ephraim, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500. From the children of Manasseh, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200. From the children of Binyamin, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Binyamin were 35,400. From the children of Dan, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Dan were 62,700. From the children of Asher, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Asher were 41,500. From the children of Naphtali, their genealogies by their clans, by their fathers' house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army. Those who were registered of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400. These were those registered whom Moshe and Aaron registered with the leaders of Yisra'el, twelve men, each one for his father's house. And all those that were registered of the children of Yisra'el by their fathers' houses, From twenty years old and above, every one going out to the army in Yisra'el, all those that were registered were 603,550. But the Levites were not registered among them by their father's tribe, because Yahweh had spoken to Moshe, saying, Only the tribe of Levi you do not register, nor take a census of them among the children of Yisra'el. Instead, appoint the Levites over the dwelling place of the witness over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They bear the dwelling place and all its furnishings, and they attend to it, and camp around the dwelling place. And when the dwelling place is to go forward, the Levites take it down. And when the dwelling place is to be set up, the Levites set it up. And the stranger who comes near is put to death. And the children of Yisra'el shall pitch their tents, every one by his own camp, every one by his own banner, according to their divisions. But let the Levites camp around the dwelling place of the witness, so that there be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Yisra'el. And the Levites shall guard the duty of the dwelling place of the witness. And the children of Yisra'el did according to all that Yahweh commanded Moshe, so they did. And Yahweh spoke to Moshe and to Aaron, saying, The children of Yisra'el are to camp, each one by his own banner, beside the sign of his father's house. Let them camp around the tent of appointment at a distance. And on the east side, toward sunrise, those of the banner of the camp of Yehudah camp according to their divisions. And the leader of the children of Yehudah, Nashon son of Aminadab, and his army with their registered ones, seventy-four thousand six hundred. And those camping next to him is the tribe of Yasaskar, and the leader of the children of Yasaskar, Nethanel son of Zuar, and his army with its registered ones, fifty-four thousand four hundred. Then the tribe of Zebulun, and the leader of the children of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helan, and his army with its registered ones, fifty-seven thousand four hundred. All the registered ones of the camp of Yehudah, according to their divisions, one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. These depart first. On the south side, the banner of the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, and the leader of the children of Reuben, Elitzur son of Zedior, and his army with its registered ones, forty-six thousand five hundred. And those who camp next to him, the tribe of Shimon, and the leader of the children of Shimon, Chelumiel son of Zerushitai, and his army with their registered ones, fifty-nine thousand three hundred.