Parashat Bamidbar- Every Jew is a Letter
The Book of Bamidbar begins with a record of the census that God ordered Moshe to take after the Mishkan’s construction. The census found that there were just over 600,000 males aged twenty and over among Beneh Yisrael. The Sages comment that the 600,000 people in Beneh Yisrael correspond to the 600,000 letters in the Torah.
Anyone who counts the letters in the Torah will find that there are much fewer than 600,000 letters. What the Sages meant by their statement is that each Jewish soul has an inherent connection to the Torah; it originates from the same spiritual source as the Torah. Each letter of the Torah is sacred, filled with meaning and significance. The Rabbis of the Talmud were known as "Soferim," which literally means "counters." They had achieved the level of scholarship where they could "count" – reveal the full meaning of – each and every letter in the Torah. In fact, it is told that Rabbi Akiva was capable of determining Halachot based on the decorative crowns affixed to the letters of the Torah. Underlying each letter – and even the shape of each letter – is a vast treasure of information and profundity.
Jewish tradition views each Jew as a letter of the Torah. Each and every Jew, regardless of his background and current standing, has a sacred, precious soul.
This is why, as the Torah tells in Parashat Bamidbar, God instructed Moshe himself to personally count the nation. This "counting" involved more than determining a number. It entailed identifying the spiritual source of every Jew, finding to which "letter," or aspect, of Torah each Jewish soul corresponded. This undertaking required the involvement of a prophet of Moshe Rabenu’s stature, who was capable of identifying the special, sacred quality of every member of Beneh Yisrael.
The notion of each Jewish soul corresponding to a "letter" of the Torah conveys a number of important practical lessons. First, it teaches about the respect we must show toward our fellow Jews. If the soul of every Jew is sacred like a Sefer Torah, then we must treat all Jews with the respect and reverence we afford a Sefer Torah. In our dealings with any Jew, on any level, we must bear in mind the inestimable spiritual value of that person’s soul.
Additionally, this concept must affect the way we view and conduct ourselves. We must carry ourselves with the self-respect and dignity that is appropriate for an object of sanctity. Before performing any action or going to any location, we must honestly ask ourselves, is this appropriate for a Sefer Torah? Is this place somewhere that I would feel comfortable bringing a Torah scroll? If not, then how can a person bring himself, his sacred soul, to that place?
In particular, the Jew’s stature as a letter of the Sefer Torah must impact upon the way he or she dresses. The sacred status of a Torah scroll requires that it remain closed and concealed at all times, except when it is read. It is deemed disrespectful to leave a Torah exposed and open for all to see at all times. We must look at ourselves the same. Failing to cover ourselves properly infringes upon the holiness and sanctity of the soul within us. It reflects a lack of appreciation for who we really are, for the spiritual quality that we each possess. We must recognize the sacred soul within us and treat it with the utmost dignity, reverence and respect. Even – and perhaps especially – during the summer months, we may not compromise our dignity and violating the sanctity of our souls through inappropriate dress and conduct.
