Parashat Bamidbar

(In the Desert)

Numbers 1:1 - 4:20

Hosea 2:1 - 2:22

In this Torah portion, God tells Moses to conduct a census of all the Israelite men over the age of 20. Moses takes up a second census to count all of the Levite men. God gives specific instructions to the Levites about their roles in the Tent of Meeting.

FULL SUMMARY
HAFTARAH SUMMARY

Parashat Bamidbar: When Women Are Invisible

How do we make sense of the census commanded in this Torah portion, which specifies only men be counted?

More on this Torah Portion

Be The Wilderness

With uncertainty comes unparalleled potential for expanding our horizons.

Making Our Communities Inclusive

Everyone counts in a Jewish community.

What Is Parenting?

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

Spiritual Lessons of the Desert

The open spaces of the wilderness can help us access inspiration.

On Child Soldiering

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

Making Sense Of The Census

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

Naming Names

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

Standing Guard

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.

Through The Wilderness

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

A Map Of Pluralism

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

A Wandering People

Today's global migrants, like our peripatetic forebears, are suspended in the precarious place between a difficult past and a hopeful future.

Two Halves of a Whole

There is more than one meaning behind the counting in Bamidbar.

Self-Accounting in the Wilderness

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

Questioning Chronology

The lack of chronological order in Bamidbar allows expressions of God's love for Israel to precede the trials and tribulations of desert wandering.

Parashat Bamidar: The Loss of a Generation

The Book of Numbers is a gentle reminder to listen to the elders still among us.

Order Versus Disorder

When we build order into our lives, we begin to manage the seemingly overwhelming tasks.

Kids and Boredom

Bamidbar: A resource for families.

Haftarah for Bamidbar

Though betrayed by Israel's unfaithfulness, God will reconcile with the people like a husband who cannot stop loving his wife.

Parashat Bamidbar Quiz

Learn more about the weekly Torah portion.

Parashat Bamidbar: Summary

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