Bamidbar: What it takes to Receive Torah

On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, יהוה spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying: Take a census of the whole Israelite company [of fighters] by the clans of its ancestral houses, listing the names, every male, head by head.

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” – this is what the verse said: “He did not do so for every nation” (Psalms 147:20), and likewise: “He raised a horn for His people” (Psalms 148:14). This is analogous to a king who took a first wife and did not write her a marriage contract, divorced her, and did not write her a bill of divorce, and so to the second and to the third; he did not write them a marriage contract and not a bill of divorce. What, then, did he do? He saw a young orphan girl, well born, and he sought to take her as a wife. He said to his groomsman: ‘Do not act with her like with the first ones; she is well born, modest, and upright. Write her a marriage contract, [specifying] in which seven-year period, in which year, in which month, in which district,’ just as it is written regarding Esther: “Esther was taken to King Aḥashverosh, to his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign” (Esther 2:16). So, the Holy One blessed be He created the generation of the Flood, but He did not write when He created them. He eliminated them from the world, and did not write when He eliminated them, but only, “On that day all the wellsprings of the great depth were breached” (Genesis 7:11). Likewise, regarding the generation of the Dispersion and likewise regarding Egypt, He did not write when they were created and when they died. But when Israel stood, the Holy One blessed be He said: I will not act with these like those first ones. These are the descendants of the patriarchs, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Go, write for them which month, how many days in the month, which year, which district, and in which city I raised their horn. “In the Tent of Meeting" – that is the district; “in the second year” – that is the year; “of the second month” – that is the month; “on the first of the month” – that is how many days into the month. The era was also written. Why “take a census of the entire congregation of the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:2)? To realize what is stated: “He did not do so for every nation.” What did He do? “He raised a horn for His people” (Psalms 148:14).

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” – why in the wilderness of Sinai? From here the Sages taught that the Torah was given with three elements: With fire, with water, and in the wilderness. With fire, from where is it derived? “Mount Sinai was all smoke, [because the Lord had descended upon it in fire]” (Exodus 19:18). In water, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Indeed, the heavens dripped, indeed, the clouds dripped water” (Judges 5:4). In the wilderness, from where is it derived? “The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai.” Why was it given with these three elements? It is, that just as these are free for all mankind, so, matters of Torah are free, as it is stated: “Ho, everyone who is thirsty go to water” (Isaiah 55:1). Another matter: “The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” – it is, that anyone who does not render himself like a wilderness, accessible to all, is unable to acquire wisdom and the Torah. That is why it is stated: “In the wilderness of Sinai.”

When the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to give the Torah to Israel, He asked: “Will ye accept My Torah?” “Indeed,” they replied. “Then give me a surety that you will fulfill it,” He said. “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be our surety,” they answered. Whereupon He responded: “Your patriarchs required guarantors for themselves, since Abraham said: Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? (Gen. 15:8); while Isaac loved the one I hated, as it is written: But Esau, I hate (Mal. 1:3); and Jacob declared: My way is hid from the Lord (Isa. 40:27).” “Then our children shall be our guarantors,” they exclaimed. The Holy One, blessed be He, immediately accepted them as sureties and gave the Torah to Israel, as it is said: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou found strength (Ps. 8:3). Therefore, whenever Israel neglects the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the sureties, as is said: Thou hast forgotten the law; I will also forget thy children (Hos. 4:6).