Parshat Bamidbar: Joining the 30/30 club

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By Rabbi Avi Billet

Issue of May 22, 2009 / 28 Iyar 5769

The book of Numbers (Bamidbar) begins with a series of countings of various segments of the population. Most of the tribes had their males counted based on military age, 20 years and older. Levites and firstborns (the latter, from every tribe) were counted in separate censuses from the age of 30 days (3:16). Why the difference?

The Shakh points out that in comparison to the next smallest tribe, Menashe –– population 32,200 –– the Levites were a tiny tribe. Were they to be counted from the regular age of 20, their numbers would be dwarfed by everyone else, making their tribe look miniscule, perhaps to the point of ridicule.

Many will suggest the Levites, about whom our tradition suggests they were not subjected to Egyptian slavery, did not multiply in abundance as a countermeasure to servitude.  (See Shmot 1:12 – The multiple births described in “As they were oppressed so did they multiply” would not have applied to the tribe of Levi.)

In this respect they are counted from a younger age in order to seemingly inflate their numbers on the census chart.

But there are other reasons why they are to be counted from the age of 30 days.

Rashi explans that a 30-day old child is considered viable, and the question of its mortality is no longer of greater concern than that of any other human being. This thought is echoed by other commentaries, a number of whom point out a seeming contradiction based on another traditional teaching.

It is believed that Levi’s daughter Yocheved, the mother of Moshe, was born when Yaakov and family first descended into Egypt, at the time they entered the foreign country. As the number of people listed in his family are 69, and the Torah states there were 70 people, it would seem Yocheved is included in that count, counted a. at birth, and b. as a female.

Her being counted despite her feminine attribute (which is not usually included in a Torah census) is a subject for a different discussion, but her being counted at birth suggests Levites should be counted that young.

Nevertheless, Rashi’s explanation seems to be the classic one, that we count a child based on when it is no longer in danger of dying from a pre-birth condition.

Rashbam says the Levites were meant to replace the firstborns in the service of the mishkan, so they were counted from the same age that firstborns are counted. In addition to being an ode to Rashi’s comment, this thought also accounts for why firstborns are counted from that age, and why a “pidyon haben” takes place when the child reaches 30 days of age.

In addition to the human perception concerns the Shakh raised above, he also mentions a real concern of “ayin hora” (the evil eye) impacting their future growth, if the actual numbers based on the same criteria of military age were used for the census of the Levites to ultimately be compared to the final numbers of the other tribes.

Another reason they were not counted from age 20 in general, says the Shakh, is because G-d knew there would soon be a decree (on account of the spies) that anyone who was 20 and up would not make it through the desert. G-d did not want the Levites to be subject to this decree, so He did not have them counted from that age bracket.

Interestingly, the Levites are counted again at the end of chapter 4, for the purpose of servicing the mishkan, but from age 30 years to age 50. The number of males in this age bracket is 8,580. Clearly they were not privy to the same kind of growth as other tribes.

There are a few messages we can take away from this.

Firstly, it is never a good idea to compare sizes of groups or families when it comes to the numbers of children that people have. It is only a source for “ayin hora” and it is only counterproductive as far as how we view and perceive others.

Secondly, there are different stages we reach in life. Some marked by maturity, and some marked by age milestones. Maturity might be achieved before age, and age might be achieved before maturity. Each person should be given credit for the stages they achieve, no matter which we may prefer to honor.

Finally, for the Levites, there is what to be said about their 30/30 club. That they are counted at age 30 days and later at age 30 years is not a coincidence. We challenge our readers to find the significance of this unique club.