שְׂא֗וּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֔וֹת כָּל־זָכָ֖ר לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃
“Hitunglah jumlah seluruh jemaah orang Israel menurut kaum-kaum mereka, menurut kaum keluarga leluhur mereka, berdasarkan jumlah nama-nama, setiap laki-laki, seorang demi seorang.
Akeidat Yitzchak
Some problems in the text of the Parshah. 1) What need is there for the introduction "take the sum of the entire congregation etc." (Numbers 1,2), if the objective is merely to count them and mention the flags of the encampment? 2) Why was the camp of Ephrayim, a son (grandson) of one of Jacob's major wives assigned the Western position to move third in order, whereas the camp of Dan in a Northern position moves last, an apparently superior position? 3) Why does the Torah describe the significance of the birthright as dating from the day G'd smote the firstborn in Egypt? Had such birthright not been significant already at the time Jacob bought it from Esau? 4) Why were some of the sacred vessels carried by the family of Kehat, wrapped in blue woollen covers, whereas others had to be wrapped in red covers? 5) Why are all the details about Israel's wanderings reported? It would have sufficed to state "they camped at the behest of G'd, and they travelled at G'ds command!"