30:11- כִּ֣י תִשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֥אשׁ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם֒ וְנָ֨תְנ֜וּ אִ֣ישׁ כֹּ֧פֶר נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לַיהוָ֖ה בִּפְקֹ֣ד אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בָהֶ֛ם נֶ֖גֶף בִּפְקֹ֥דאֹתָֽם׃
What are other meanings of Ki Tisa and what other ways do Mepharshim say we can count people?
Rashi says that when you count people, you should not take polls but you should have everyone give half a shekel and you will count the amount of shekels.
Rashbam says that the words Ki Tisa refer to Moshe assembling the Jews to count them and collect donations for the mishkan. He also states that it is written later that 100 pieces of silver were used in the building of the mishkan. This is interesting because Rashbam gives an answer that seems so obvious to us when other commentaries read into the words Ki Tisa and think that is hinting much more than it is.
ReplyDeleteSforno explains that counting was done to determine the change in the nation in both positive and negative ways- espically changes caused by sin. That is why they give money to do tsheva. I like this answer because it’s not about the quantity but it’s about the quality of each person. - Nealy Saks
ReplyDeleteJen Felder
ReplyDeleteOr HaChaim says the Torah used the word תשא to describe counting instead of the words תקפד and why the Pasuk so specific to say ראש. Our sages comment that a sinner causes his head to look downward at the ground as a result of his sins. Where as קדושה, raises results in raising one’s head. We see why the word כי תשא “when you will raise” is appropriate for this Pasuk. We also encounter a similar use of the word תשא when the Torah refers to Pharoah “raising” the head of the chief of the butlers who would be reinstated into his position. In our case, בני ישראל would be enabled to hold their heads high again after the חטא העגל.
I feel that this is a powerful message that although בני ישראל had done something terrible that Hashem always finds a way to input positivity and his love for us. Even though we sinned כי תשא we should raise our heads and see Hashem is there for us.
Rabbi Bachya ben Asher explains that we don't count separate individuals, since we do not want to single them out and bring judgment upon them because that individual may not have enough merit to pass that judgment. However, when counting as a community, even if judgment is brought upon us, there are sure to be enough good deeds in the community to ensure that they pass the judgment and are found worthy of G‑d’s mercy. This explains why Bnei Yisroel is counted indirectly as a group, whether through half a shekel in this parsha or through a baby goat with King Shlomo and his soldiers. I like this answer because it shows how Bnei Yisroel is better together and can help each other out by helping a friend pass judgement.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAccording to Chana.org Since we are not able to acctually count Jews, other alternatives include “not one, not two”. I personally do not like this approach to counting because it seems like a loop hole and you are clearly still counting just saying it a little different. It’s like going around the law then going along with it.
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/896203/jewish/Laws-of-Counting-Jews.htm
Kayla T
Zohar says that the literal translation of ki tisa is “to raise”. Counting limits people, but we want to focus on growth and effort rather than limiting them by how much they can afford. I think this is a beautiful idea.
ReplyDelete-hannah M
Meira Cohen:
ReplyDeleteMeira Cohen
The Zohar says that Ki Tisa means “when you raise”, not “to count”. He explains that when we count things we limit. meaning that whenever we count we limit the Light of life. Focusing on counting our blessings takes the enjoyment out of it. Hence, we need to be busy with how can we add virtues and good deeds into our lives and not to dwell on those we already have. When we are focused too much on what we have achieved in the past we are in danger of limiting more growth, creativity and success. Whenever we try to figure out what our rewards are for our good deeds, it actually wastes the whole purpose of the deed. According to the Zohar, we need to focus on the efforts and on our goals and leave the accountings to The Creator.
This can teach us a lot when we think about why we do Mitzvot, are we doing them to serve Hashem and thank Him, or are we doing them to get reward. Even in everyday life, are we doing the right thing for the right reasons....? We can all learn from this that in the end, we benefit more from not thinking about how our good actions affect us, but more how they affect others.
Rabbi Sacks says that the passuk really means to "raise your head" and not "count." The reason it is bad to count Jews is because we are such a small nation. In many cases throughout History, other nations have tried to defeat us and they say strength comes in numbers. We know that's not true because we have survived through all the times everyone tried to destroy us.
ReplyDeleteI like this idea because it shows how the Torah is still relevant today because even though, unfortunately, in the times of the Torah nations tried to destroy us, even now nations try to destroy us and we still survive.
Kayla Markovitz
Lauren Becker:
ReplyDeleteIt can be dangerous to count Jews because they are a small people but together they are vast. Normally the bigger
the number, the stronger the people but for Bnei Yisroel we count by contributions because that is how we count the Jews because it shows how strong we are. (Not in numbers but in contributions) I think this is such a nice idea of what it means to “count” because it shows that we really care about unity and feelings.