May 16,2026 – Bamidbar (“In the Wilderness”) – Parshat 34 

Shabbat Machar Chodesh

• Torah: Numbers 1:1-4:20
• Haftara: 1 Samuel 20:18-42
• Brit Chadasha: Matthew 24:29-36

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֛ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינַ֖י בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד בְּאֶחָד֩ לַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֜י בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֗ית לְצֵאתָ֛ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לֵאמֹֽר׃

Vayedaber Adonay el-Moshe bemidbar Sinay be’Ohel Mo’ed be’echad lachodesh hasheni bashanah hashenit letsetam me’erets Mitsrayim lemor.

On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying:

Numbers 1:2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one;”

Adonai commanded three census be taken of all Israel, the first when they had come out of Mitsrayim in Shemote (Exodus 30:12). The offerings used to make the attaching parts and connectors for Ha-mishchan (the Tabernacle). The second time here in Bamidbar Numbers 1:1-46, and the Third at the end of Bamidbar (Numbers 26:1-65) of the generation who would enter into the Land of milk and honey as promised by Adonai.

The sages explain that the children of Israel were counted many times because the father loves his children so much, and they are indeed precious to him. Just as a man counts his treasure so the LORD counts his own special treasure. “They even enumerate nine separate accounting’s in the Tanack, and point to a tenth that will take place in the days of Mashiach, citing Yermiyahu (Jeremiah 33:13-15) as proof. “(First Fruits of Zion-Shadows of the Messiah-book 4-Bamidbar 725)

Jeremiah 33:13-15 “In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks again pass under the hands of him who numbers them, says the LORD. 14 Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will perform that good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and concerning the house of Judah. 15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up to David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

Jeremiah refers to the shepherd as the moneh מֹונֶה “the one who numbers”. The Midrash Rabbah applies that title to Messiah, the Good Shepherd of Israel, just as Moses, the first redeemer of Israel, conducted a census of Israel, so too, the ultimate redeemer. Targum Yonatan interprets the “flocks” to refer to the people of Israel and envisions Messiah like a good shepherd counting His sheep: (First Fruits of Zion-Shadows of the Messiah-book 4-Bamidbar 725)

“In the area around Jerusalem and in the cities of the house of Judah, the people will pass for reckoning under the hands of the Messiah,” says the LORD. (Jeremiah 33:13, Targum Yonatan)

The final redemption will be like the redemption from Egypt, as it says in Micah 7:15, “As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show you miracles” The Messiah will number the host of Israel to prepare them for the revelation of the Messianic Era.

Even so Adonai – The Ruach and the Kalah say bo’ and may it be in our day and in our times.

Shalom Mish’pachah from Beth Hallel Lodi