B'midbar

בְּמִדבַּר
In the Wilderness

Numbers 1:1−4:20

When Is B'midbar Read?

/ 2 Sivan 5784
/ 4 Sivan 5785
/ 29 Iyar 5786

Summary

  • God commands Moses to take a census of all the Israelite males over the age of twenty. (1:1-46)
  • The duties of the Levites, who are not included in the census, are detailed. (1:47-51)
  • Each tribe is assigned specific places in the camp around the Tabernacle. (1:52-2:34)
  • The sons of Levi are counted and their responsibilities are set forth. (3:1-3:39)
  • A census of the firstborn males is taken and a special redemption tax is levied on them. (3:40-51)
  • God instructs Moses and Aaron regarding the responsibilities of Aaron and his sons, and the duties assigned to the Kohathites. (4:1-20)

Ten Minutes of Torah: B'midbar Commentary

an image of a young woman looking at her reflection in a mirror

Seeing Ourselves in the Sacred Story

By: Rabbi Leah R. Berkowitz

If I asked you to imagine yourself as a character in the Torah, who would you want to be? I like to ask this question when I teach midrash—creative interpretation of the biblical narrative—so that students can try on different personas and begin to see themselves in our sacred story.

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Video: Learn More About Parashat B'midbar

Learn More About Parashat B'midbar with Bim Bam

Reporter Helen Chernikoff digs into the statistics of the Israelite census and tells us some interesting stories about the people who were wandering in the desert - much more than just their ages and occupations. Take a look B'midbar - in a desert - and see what you can learn about people. Enjoy this video and other with Bim Bam.

Listen to Podcasts About B'midbar

Listen to Rabbi Rick Jacobs discuss Parashat B'midbar in these episodes of his podcast, On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah.

Our Multiracial Jewish Community

Do Numbers Matter?

Uniting as One, Despite Our Differences

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Rabbi Rick Jacobs