Bamidbar


Life is a journey that starts at conception and ends when our soul is returned to its Maker.  Yet in between those two poles are numerous journeys that we undertake during our lifetimes.  
Bamidbar, the name of the Torah parasha this week, is about one such journey.  In fact, the name Bamidbar, means “in the desert.”  This forth book of the Torah is all about the journey that the Jewish people undertook as they traveled through the wasteland of Sinai in search of their ultimate freedom in the Land of Israel.
At the outset the Jewish nation is numbered: they are counted by each contributing one shekel, a small amount of money.  In all there were 603,550 people.  That is the same number of letters in the Torah.
What this means is that every Jew is represented by a letter in the holy scroll.  All are needed.  All are necessary.  All are vital.  If a letter of the Torah is missing it is considered pasul, and cannot be used.  It is the same with our people.  We are all necessary and must look out for one another to be whole.

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