Our Parshah is full of numbers, which also give their name to the whole book. This counting of people, the whole nation, the nation in standards, the Levites, the firstborn and the working Levites, may seem repetitive and boring. Indeed, it does not make for the most exciting reading. Yet underneath all these figures often lies an important message. We notice that everyone is counted and everyone is given a place. People are part of the nation as a whole and of their particular tribe and standard. The Levites are numbered according to their families and jobs. No one is left out and no one is invisible. Even the firstborn who are replaced by the Levites are not excluded, having a value place on their service. This is a model of a society where everyone is included and no-one left out. No one is allowed to fall below the radar screen. This is of course, a vision of society, that we should wish to emulate. Indeed it is one which most democratic societies consciously seek to emulate. Yet, in one important respect, our society has conspicuously failed. We have proved relatively good at including and integrating ethnic minorities. They are certainly visible, vocal and heard. We have laws protecting them from discrimination and in some cases, more controversially, promoting their interests. Yet one group has been often excluded and, indeed, is often largely invisible. These are the poor disadvantaged whites. Often living in a cycle of poverty and despair on rundown council estates they largely escape our notice. If your white and poor, you are almost invisible. No Board of Deputies, Muslim Council or CEMVO, voices your concern. If you are a target of police brutality, Race Relations won’t come to your aid. These are the invisible underclass and they are angry; especially young white males. These are the people who vote for the BNP, not because they are racist, but because no one else seems to care. And that anger and despair is a danger to our society; far more than Muslim extremism. Angry young white males form the backbone of support for neo-Nazis movements throughout Europe. We should not forget that the apartheid government in South Africa and the white segregationists in the southern United States, were elected and sustained in office precisely by this white underclass. We can no longer afford to ignore their root problems and the despair and anger it engenders. Unless our inclusive society also includes them, we will again reap the whirlwind.
ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS
Rishon |
The command to number the Children of Israel |
Sheni |
The census. |
|
Shelishi |
The division of the people into four standards. |
|
Revi’i |
The Levites and their duties. |
|
Chamishi |
The census of the Levites |
|
Shishi |
The exchanging of the Firstborn for the Levites. |
|
Shevi’i |
The duties of the Kohathites. |
|
Haftorah |
I Samuel: 20;18-42: The story of David and Jonathon. |
Sidra Statistics
Parshat Bamidbar
· has 119 verses;
· is the 1st in Numbers, 34th in the Torah
· 5th longest in Numbers, 19th longest in the Torah
· has no mitzvot.
