AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES SAYING: WHEN THOU TAKEST THE SUM OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AFTER THEIR NUMBER, THEN SHALL THEY GIVE EVERY MAN AN EXPIATION FOR HIS SOUL UNTO THE LORD.
It has been laid down that no blessing from above can rest on anything that is counted. Why, then, it may be asked, were the Israelites counted, as we read in this verse? The truth is that an expiation, a ransom, was obtained from them, and the counting did not begin until the whole of that ransom was collected and reckoned up. Moreover, first the Israelites were blessed, then counted, and then again blessed. On account of this double blessing “there was no plague among them” when they were numbered.
And why should a plague come when the people are numbered? Because blessing does indeed not rest on what is numbered, and as soon as the power of the blessing has departed the “other side” takes possession and is able to do mischief. Therefore a ransom was taken in order that the counting should be applied to that and not to the people itself
(שמות ל׳:י״א-י״ב) וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר. כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְקוּדֵיהֶם וְגוֹ', רִבִּי אַבָּא וְרִבִּי אָחָא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי מִטְּבֶרְיָה לְצִפֹּרִי. עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי, חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְרַ' אֶלְעָזָר דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי, וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא עִמֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, וַדַּאי נִשְׁתַּתֵּף בַּהֲדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא. אוֹרִיכוּ לְהוּ, עַד דְּמָטוּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ. כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוּ גַּבַּיְיהוּ, אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וַדַּאי כְּתִיב, (תהלים לה) עֵינֵי יְיָ' אֶל צַדִּיקִים וְאָזְנָיו אֶל שַׁוְעָתָם. הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא וְכוּ'. (זה המאמר תמצאנו בפרשת פקודי דף רכ"ה ע"ש, שם מקומו)
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES SAYING: WHEN THOU TAKEST THE SUM OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AFTER THEIR NUMBER, THEN SHALL THEY GIVE EVERY MAN AN EXPIATION FOR HIS SOUL UNTO THE LORD.
תָּא חֲזֵי, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, לֵית בִּרְכָתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא שַׁרְיָיא עַל מִלָּה דְּאִתְמְנֵי. וְאִי תֵּימָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵיךְ אִתְמְנוּן. אֶלָּא כּוּפְרָא נָטִיל מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְחוּשְׁבָּנָא לָא הֲוִי עַד דְּאִתְכְּנִישׁ כָּל הַהוּא כּוּפְרָא, וְסָלִיק לְחוּשְׁבָּנָא. וּבְקַדְמֵיתָא מְבָרְכִין לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְבָתַר מָנִין הַהוּא כּוּפְרָא, וּלְבָתַר אָהַדְרָן וּמְבָרְכִין לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְבָּרְכָאן בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּבְסוֹפָא, וְלָא סָלִיק בְּהוֹן מוֹתָנָא.
It has been laid down that no blessing from above can rest on anything that is counted. Why, then, it may be asked, were the Israelites counted, as we read in this verse? The truth is that an expiation, a ransom, was obtained from them, and the counting did not begin until the whole of that ransom was collected and reckoned up. Moreover, first the Israelites were blessed, then counted, and then again blessed. On account of this double blessing “there was no plague among them” when they were numbered.
מוֹתָנָא אֲמַאי סָלִיק בְּמִנְיָינָא. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּבִרְכָתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא בְּמִנְיָינָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתָּלַּק בִּרְכָתָא, סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ, וְיָכִיל לְאַנְזְקָא, בְּגִין כַּךְ נַטְלִין כּוּפְרָא וּפִדְיוֹנָא לְסַלְּקָא (ס"א מעלייהו) עָלֵיהּ מִנְיָינָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְאִתְּמַר.
And why should a plague come when the people are numbered? Because blessing does indeed not rest on what is numbered, and as soon as the power of the blessing has departed the “other side” takes possession and is able to do mischief. Therefore a ransom was taken in order that the counting should be applied to that and not to the people itself