Page 61 - HaMizrachi #15 2019 Chanuka USA

RECOMMENDED READING

WHEN SEVENTY ISN’T SEVENTY:
The Secret of NUMBERS IN THE TORAH

Raising Good Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman, Bar-Ilan University

Jewish Children t times, the Torah’s use of summary tally figures for each of are seven (46:25). Those of Rachel

numbers seems puzzling to
Aour modern sensitivities, and the four matriarchs – a clear pattern total 14 (46:22). Those of Leah (30;
emerges: the number of descendants
46:15) and of Zilpah (16; 46:18) total
perhaps nowhere more than when of Rachel (14; Gen. 46:20–21) is double 49. The message that emerges is that
the Torah states that 70 descendants the number of descendants of her the “whole” of Israel represented a
of Jacob went down to Egypt and lists handmaid, Bilhah (seven; 46:23–24). “significant” contingent – it “counts”
the names of each (Gen. 46:8–27). The Similarly, the number of Leah’s 70 individuals. Moreover, it is
number of names listed and the final descendants (32; 46:9–14) is likewise significant because its subdivisions
tally cross-validate each other giving are multiples of seven as well.
the impression that this is a full and Factually, there were far more than
realistic census. However, a closer look 70 members of Jacob’s family who
at the name list and the summary fig- descended to Egypt, as claimed by
ures it offers for each of the matriarchs the Netziv. But the point of the list
reveals puzzling data. Only two of the in the first place was never to offer a
named individuals are women. It is roll call. We call the list a census, but
inconceivable that the ratio of Jacob’s that label represents little more than
male to female descendants was 34:1. our construction of what we think it
Had the census listed male members is telling us. It is, in fact, an encoded
only, one might have concluded that way of demonstrating G-d’s blessing
the Torah was counting men alone. to Jacob and his family as they
But by listing two women, it implies descend to Egypt. This is one of the
that women are also considered in many ways seemingly ‘embarrassing’
this count. Moreover, the Torah discrepancies in the Torah are
emphasizes that Jacob went down to understood in a new light when we
Egypt with all his daughters-in-law
(Gen. 46:5, 15) and all his daughters double of that of her handmaid, read the Torah not according to our
own conventions, but in accordance
and granddaughters (Gen. 46:7). For Zilpah’s (16; 46:16–17). However, with the writing conventions of
all these reasons Rabbi Naftali Zvi this is only achieved by applying
Yehuda Berlin, the Netziv, concludes different ‘rules’ to the question of who ancient times..
that, in fact, many more than 70 per- is counted as a descendant of each Adapted from Rabbi Dr. Berman’s forthcoming
sons descended to Egypt (HaEmek of the wives. Rachel’s descendants, book, Ani Maamin: Biblical Criticism, Historical
Davar, Gen. 46:7). for example, include grandsons – Truth and the Thirteen Principles of Faith,
published by Maggid Books, a division of Koren
Menashe and Ephraim – whereas no Publishers Jerusalem.
Throughout the writings of the other grandsons are included in this
ancient Near East, numbers seemingly census, even though the Torah states
used in a statistical sense are used, in that grandchildren were among those
fact, in creative ways to impart ideas, who descended to Egypt with Jacob SPECIAL FOR MIZRACHI READERS:
and that is the case here. Numbers (Gen. 46:7).
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