LET’S STUDY ONKELOS

A Guide for Rabbis, Teachers and Torah Students to Study and Teach the Parashat
Hashavua through the Eyes of its Most Important Translator

By Stanley M. Wagner and Israel Drazin

Based on the five volume, Onkelos on the Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy), Understanding the
Bible Text, by Israel Drazin and Stanley M. Wagner, published by Gefen Publishing House,
Jerusalem/New York, 2006–2010.

STUDY GUIDE

BEMIDBAR (CHAPTER 1:1–4:20)

SUMMARY OF THE TORAH PORTION

God commands Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the tribes to conduct a census of all
males twenty years of age and older, tribe by tribe, with the exception of the tribe of Levi;
the Levites are charged with assembling and dismantling the Tabernacle during the
journey in the wilderness; the formation of the tribes around the Tabernacle is prescribed,
as well as the order in which they should march; the responsibilities of the Levites in
serving God through their ministrations in the Tabernacle are outlined; a census is taken of
the Levites; the Levites replace the Israelite firstborns, one for one, to serve in the
Tabernacle; the firstborns who exceed the number of Levites are redeemed; the specific
and most important duties of the Kohathites, the family of Aaron, are described.

REFLECTIONS ON THE CENSUS

The Torah portion opens with an announcement that a census “of the entire
community” would be taken (1:2), and it is introduced with a biblical metaphor, se’u et
rosh, literally, “lift the head.” Our commentary (page 3, followed by page 2)1 explains:
TAKE. Scripture’s frequently used poetic and picturesque “lift” is explained by all three
complete Targums by the prosaic and precise “take” in verses 2 and 49, and in 4:2,
22; 26:2; and 31:26 and 49. The Midrash Numbers Rabbah ignores the fact that “lift”

1
All page numbers refer to the Drazin-Wagner Onkelos on the Torah volumes.

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 is a metaphor, interprets it literally, and suggests that it is an expression of praise and
elevation, the meaning that it has in Genesis 40:13, 19; Deuteronomy 28:1; Psalms
148:14; and II Kings 25:27.
CENSUS. The Bible’s “heads” is also a metaphor, specifically a synecdoche, where a
part of something is mentioned to signify the entire object, such as “nesiat kapayim,”
“raising the palms” of the priest for his benediction, which really means “raising the
hands.” Onkelos and Pseudo-Jonathan clarify that “heads” denotes “number,” and by
extension “census.” Neophyti is literal. See also commentary on Leviticus 5:24.
Saadiah translates “heads” as “amount.” Rashi, Sforno, ibn Ezra (on verse 1), and
Nachmanides (on verse 45) explain the reason for the census. Rashi focuses on the
fact that this was the third census (the first was following their departure from Egypt;
the second after they improperly worshipped the golden calf; and the third now,
when the Tent of Meeting was erected), and anthropopathically maintains that it was
because God loved the Israelites so much that he wanted them to be counted
frequently. Nachmanides admits that he does not know why God had to count the
Israelites, but suggests that he may have ordered the calculation to show the
Israelites how He had treated them with mercy; they entered Egypt as a group of only
seventy people and now they were numerous. It is also possible that God required the
census to inform Moses how many troops were available to conduct the wars he
would be required to wage. Ibn Ezra suggests that the counting gave information
that made it possible to organize the wilderness march and how the Israelites were to
encamp. Sforno proposes that the census was necessary to organize the people
because they thought they were about to enter Canaan.
BY THEIR HEAD COUNT. Bible: “l’gulgelotam,” literally, “by their skulls.” The count,
according to Rashi, was taken by means of a half-shekel donation per person. The
funds collected were used to purchase communal sacrifices (see Exodus 30:12–13 and
commentary).

Our appendix (pages 359 and 360) contains an interesting overview on the subject of
“Was the Torah against counting people?” While it sheds no light on the targumist’s view,
since such a discussion would be beyond the purview of his translation, it is eminently
worth reading, and we commend it to your attention:
People were generally counted to determine availability for war (Numbers 1:3, I
Samuel 1:8, 15:4, II Kings 3:26) and for division of land (Numbers 26:1–65), to find out
how many soldiers were killed in battle, and for tax roles. Noncombatants, such as
the young and old and the Levites who functioned in the Tabernacle and Temples,
were not part of the military counts in Numbers. Exodus 30:11–16 and 28:25–26
require that the count be made by having the Israelites donate a half shekel, and it is
the coins that are numbered. These coins were then used solely for sacred purposes,
specifically for the upkeep of the Tabernacle and later Temples. These coins were
“l’khapeir al nafshoteikhem,” “as an expiation for your persons.” The verb “l’khapeir”
is also translated “atonement” and “reparation.” In any event, what does it mean?

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The ancient Israelites were not the only society who feared counting people. The
ancient people of Mari located by the Euphrates in the eighteenth century BCE used a
counting procedure like that of the Israelites, including the Israelite “atonement”
practice. The people of Mari were afraid that either the gods would get a hold of the
list of names and use it to determine who should live and who should die, or wicked
magicians would grab the list and use it to bring black magic against the people
named in the list. The Romans also had a sacred procedure connected to the counting
of people. They sacrificed an animal to their god Mars at the conclusion of the
counting because they feared the onslaught of a plague if they failed to do so. The
Romans also performed “atonement” by contributions of money on some of the
bacchanalian feasts.
Thus counting was permitted among the Israelites if the “atonement” money was
offered to the Sanctuary. Why didn’t this work in the days of King David when he
counted the people and a plague followed the count (II Samuel 24:9–25)? There is no
indication in Samuel that David undertook the “atonement” procedure (ibn Ezra).
What is it about counting that causes the people to think that it will produce a
plague? Is this belief pure superstition? A.B. Ehrlich (Mikra Ki-Pheschuto to Exodus
30:12) felt that it is an ancient and modern superstition that counting people causes
the eruption of the evil eye, which in turn causes a plague. Even today, he adds, many
people spit after counting because they believe that spit can save them from the evil
eye.
What are the views of the more traditional Bible commentators? They are mixed.
Some see the fear as superstition and others as a fact of nature.
Rashi, who apparently believed in such things as demons and the evil eye, stated in
his commentary to Exodus 30:12 that “counting causes the evil eye to gain power and
brings a plague, as occurred with David.” Rashbam (Rashi’s grandson) quotes his
father Meir (Rashi’s son-in-law) in his commentary to Numbers 31:50, where the
phrase also appears (it is in Leviticus 17:11 as well), that the “atonement” was
needed to prevent the outbreak of a plague as a result of the counting. The
Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia 42a, is one of several sources that speak about
avoiding the evil eye, but it does not address the issue of counting. Other Talmudic
sources do not accept this superstitious notion.
Saadiah Gaon and Rashbam state that the “atonement” money was not given to stop
a plague, but was an annual tax upon the Israelites whether or not a census was
conducted. Chazkunee explains that the “atonement” was not because of the
counting or to avert a plague, but reflects the use of the money (as stated by Saadiah
and Rashbam): the money would be used to purchase animals for sacrifices in the
tabernacle and these animals would be sacrificed for the atonement of Israelite
misdeeds (not related to the counting). Abraham ibn Ezra states that this warning—
that if the “atonement” is not given at the time of the census to prepare for war a
“plague” would occur—means that the Israelites would suffer a military defeat by
their enemy.

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 In short, some rabbis believed in the evil eye and were certain that counting people
produced the bad effects of the evil eye. Other rabbis were equally certain that the
notion of an evil eye is superstition and saw nothing wrong in counting people.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS

ON ONKELOS

The question as to why the Torah preferred to use a metaphor to express God’s
command to “take a census” rather than record the clear meaning of the phrase, as did the
Targum, may justifiably be asked. Those who suggest, or even insist, that the Torah means
to convey something—an ideal, a value, an inspiring message—through the use of a
metaphor may be correct. But since the Torah was not so specific, the meaning of the
metaphor, as we have seen, was subject to speculative interpretation. The targumist, while
not disallowing or disagreeing with such imaginative forays, felt that, first and foremost,
readers must understand the literal meaning of the metaphor. This should be the primary
objective of those who wish to understand the biblical text. Discuss the use of biblical
metaphors and how to treat them.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

The discussion above on “counting people” raises some questions about beliefs that
may not be altogether authentic, even though they have filtered through our religious
system and have been embraced by some outstanding sages and by large segments of the
Jewish population. These beliefs are recorded in our talmudic and midrashic literature and,
despite their rejection by other sages, and the more fine-tuned theological affirmations
currently embraced, they persist as realities in the hearts and minds of many. We refer to
superstitions and folklore that have become so entrenched among the people as to defy
challenges to their authenticity. The fear, or at least reluctance, to count people is among
them.
But the belief in the existence of an “evil eye,” is even more widely held, and has no
standing whatsoever in the most normative contemporary theological systems. Even the
acceptance of the (medieval) astrological assertion that planets influence human behavior,
a view held by tens of millions of people today, Jews and non Jews alike, and many leading
sages among them, has no philosophical or theological foundation in Jewish thought, and
even challenges in many ways a fundamental principle of Judaism, that human beings
possess “free will” and the capacity for self determination.
Discuss these and other superstitions that seem to take on an aura of religious
authenticity. Why are people drawn to superstitions? How can you distinguish between

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superstitions, folklore, and articles of faith? How do you react to the statement, “I am really
not superstitious, but I don’t want to take any chances?”

FOR FURTHER STUDY

1. See 1:53 and commentary, “WRATH” (page 11). Why the targumist does not often
replace anthropopathisms (ascribing emotions to God).

2. See 3:3 and commentary, “OFFERED SACRIFICES” (page 19, continuing on page 18). The
targumist clarifies the unusual metaphor, “fill hands.”

3. See 3:39 and commentary, “AND AARON” (page 25, continuing on page 24). Targum
Onkelos accepts literally Torah words that Masorites later mark for special meaning.