Our Bobbas and Zaidas warned us well against the calamities that would befall us and our friends if we counted them directly! This practice, though, is more fundamental than just a custom - it is found in our Parsha this week. Rashi explains that we are counted through the giving of the ‘Half-Shekel’ in order to avoid the ‘Ayin Hara’ - ‘Evil Eye’. When an individual is singled out, the ‘Ayin Hara’ brings attention to the inevitable flaws and failings of the individual and harsh judgement can follow. However, as a Nation, we are judged based on our common and ‘unique’ strength as a Jewish People - defined by our indomitable core.
Why count at all then? Hashem is all-knowing and certainly knows how many Jewish People there are at any given time and why risk a plague? Why the manual census? It’s clearly not for Him - and very much so for us! We need to know that, even though we are part of a nation, as individuals - we do, very much, count!
This is clear in the language used in the opening words of the Parsha - “Ki Tissa” - translated as ‘When you count…” but literally means, “When you raise up”. Hashem wants us to know that we do count - and the Nation’s strength is based on actualised and driven individuals who are aware of their purpose and potential. Perhaps that is why we are counted through giving. While society will have us believe that we feel better when we get, experientially, we know how much better we feel and how much our self-worth rises when we give! We are uplifted when we uplift and give to something greater than ourselves.
Can you think of how you felt the last time you gave to someone or some cause outside of yourself? On paper, you are now ‘lacking’. In practice, you are now flying high - feeling ‘like a million bucks!’
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