B'midbar Commentary

We can transform the institution of Pidyon Haben to include all those who have had their childhood stolen.

For the Rabbis, the wilderness is actually a desirable place to be.

Numbers 1:1-4:20

The prohibition against the direct counting of the Israelites cautions us to remember the human faces behind abstract statistics.

Conducting the census by naming each Israelite teaches us the importance of recognizing the uniqueness of every individual.

Moses conducts a census of the Israelites; God describes the unique duties of the Kohath family of priests.

The details of how the tribes camped around the Tabernacle teach us lessons about giving respect and honor to the people and causes we care about.

The stage of journeying through the wilderness is an essential part of the transformation from slavery to freedom.

Transmitting Jewish culture by embodying Jewish practice is part of the responsibilities of Jewish parenting.

The arrangement of the Israelites around the Tabernacle, as individuals and as a community, provides us with a model for pluralism.