About this episode
This episode discusses Parashat B’midbar, focusing on the census of the Israelites and the redemption of the first-born.
Parashat B’midbar [Numbers 1:1-4:20] is the first parashah in Sefer B’midbar [Book of Numbers]. There are a lot of names and numbers, the opening chapters detailing the census of the Israelites in the second month of the second year of their journey in the wilderness. There are numbers provided for each of the tribes, for each camp [3 tribes for each direction (east, south, west, and north)], and the beginning of the levitical census. As Jacob Milgrom makes clear in his JPS Commentary on the Book of Numbers, much can be learned from these names and number. Our focus was on the redemption of the 273 first-born who had to be redeemed because they did not have a corresponding Levite. While originally the first-born became the priest, the new law provided for the tribe of Levites to be designated as priests, necessitating that the first-born now be redeemed for 5 shekels so they could be desanctified as it were. Shabbat Shalom!
Topics covered
- Parashat B’midbar
- census of the Israelites
- redemption of first-born
- tribes of Israel
- levitical census
- Jewish law
- spiritual insights
Keywords
- B’midbar
- census
- first-born
- Levites
- Jewish law
- spirituality
- Numbers
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: JPS Commentary on the Book of Numbers
Places: Israelites, wilderness, Sefer B’midbar, Book of Numbers
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