Bamidbar בְּמִדְבַּר - In the Wilderness
Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20
Numbers 3:40–51
3:40 Hashem said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. 41 You shall take the Levites for me—I am Hashem—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”
42 Moses counted, as Hashem commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 43 All the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and upward, of those who were counted of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.
44 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am Hashem. 46 For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs; 48 and you shall give the money, with which their remainder is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.”
49 Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites; 50 from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; 51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to Hashem’s word, as Hashem commanded Moses.
Today’s Meditation:
Hashem is extraordinarily detail-oriented. Today, he is commanding a redemption for the firstborn that exceeds the number of Levites. Why? I can only imagine because He wants everything to be fair and equal. And He is taking care of the Levites, His very special people. He wants equality down to the littlest detail. It makes me think that He cares about even the small details of our lives, too. I just told a friend that I didn’t want to bother Hashem with the small needs of my life, and she said I should ask Him to show me that He cares, even about the little things. Like a parent wants to please, even with the small things their children ask for. That makes sense.
Today’s Challenge:
When you are praying today and asking Hashem to do the big things (protect Israel, your family, stop sickness and hunger, etc), you might take a moment to ask Him for something small that you need or want. Try to do it with praise, and of course, with any repentance you may need to make. He does care about everything in our lives. I can give witness to that. After He honors your prayer, be sure to give Him all the glory and honor. I see Hashem moving in every part of my life, and I pray you do too.
