Difference between revisions of "David's Counting of the Nation/2"

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<category>Counted Heads
 
<category>Counted Heads
 
<p>David sinned in directly counting the nation rather than using a redemptive object.</p>
 
<p>David sinned in directly counting the nation rather than using a redemptive object.</p>
<mekorot><multilink><a href="JosephusAntiquitiesoftheJews7-13" data-aht="source">Josephus</a><a href="JosephusAntiquitiesoftheJews7-13" data-aht="source">Antiquities of the Jews 7:13</a><a href="Josephus" data-aht="parshan">About Josephus</a></multilink>,<multilink><a href="BavliBerakhot62b" data-aht="source"> Bavli Berakhot</a><a href="BavliBerakhot62b" data-aht="source">Berakhot 62b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:16</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16:21</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>,<fn>This is Ramban's opinion as expressed in his comments to Shemot 32.&#160; See below that he raises an alternative understanding of the event in his comments to Bemidbar 1.</fn> <multilink><a href="RalbagShemuelII24-1" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagShemuelII24-1" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 24:1</a><a href="RalbagShemotBeurHaMilot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot Beur HaMilot 30:12</a><a href="RalbagShemotToalot30-1-2" data-aht="source">Shemot Toalot 30:1-2</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink>,<fn>Ralbag combines this with the next approach suggesting that David both did not count via a ransom and that the census itself betrayed a lack of trust in Hashem.</fn> Gr"a,</mekorot>
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<mekorot><multilink><a href="JosephusAntiquitiesoftheJews7-13" data-aht="source">Josephus</a><a href="JosephusAntiquitiesoftheJews7-13" data-aht="source">Antiquities of the Jews 7:13</a><a href="Josephus" data-aht="parshan">About Josephus</a></multilink>,<multilink><a href="BavliBerakhot62b" data-aht="source"> Bavli Berakhot</a><a href="BavliBerakhot62b" data-aht="source">Berakhot 62b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:16</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16:21</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>,<fn>This is Ramban's opinion as expressed in his comments to Shemot 32.&#160; See below that he raises an alternative understanding of the event in his comments to Bemidbar 1.</fn> <multilink><a href="RalbagShemuelII24-1" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagShemuelII24-1" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 24:1</a><a href="RalbagShemotBeurHaMilot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot Beur HaMilot 30:12</a><a href="RalbagShemotToalot30-1-2" data-aht="source">Shemot Toalot 30:1-2</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink>,<fn>Ralbag combines this with the next approach suggesting that David both did not count via a ransom and that the census itself betrayed a lack of trust in Hashem.</fn> <multilink><a href="VilnaGaonAderetEliyahuShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Gr"a</a><a href="VilnaGaonAderetEliyahuShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Aderet Eliyahu, Shemot 30:12</a><a href="R. Eliyahu of Vilna (Vilna Gaon – GR" a)"="" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliyahu of Vilna</a></multilink>,</mekorot>
 
<point><b>"כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל... וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ"</b> – According to all these sources, a direct headcount is prohibited by the Torah.&#160; The directive to count via a redemptive object (כופר נפש) is an ongoing one, relevant for all generations and not just during the first census in the Wilderness.<fn>They do not, however, all agree that one need donate a half shekel specifically.&#160; For elaboration on the various opinions, see <a href="Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle" data-aht="page">Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle?</a></fn>&#160; David's direct count therefore constituted a sin and led to plague.</point>
 
<point><b>"כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל... וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ"</b> – According to all these sources, a direct headcount is prohibited by the Torah.&#160; The directive to count via a redemptive object (כופר נפש) is an ongoing one, relevant for all generations and not just during the first census in the Wilderness.<fn>They do not, however, all agree that one need donate a half shekel specifically.&#160; For elaboration on the various opinions, see <a href="Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle" data-aht="page">Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle?</a></fn>&#160; David's direct count therefore constituted a sin and led to plague.</point>
 
<point><b>How could David err?</b><ul>
 
<point><b>How could David err?</b><ul>

Version as of 01:35, 4 April 2017

Fatal 41: Specification mandates value for attribute a
11: <mekorot><multilink><a href="JosephusAntiquitiesoftheJews7-13" data-aht="source">Josephus</a><a href="JosephusAntiquitiesoftheJews7-13" data-aht="source">Antiquities of the Jews 7:13</a><a href="Josephus" data-aht="parshan">About Josephus</a></multilink>,<multilink><a href="BavliBerakhot62b" data-aht="source"> Bavli Berakhot</a><a href="BavliBerakhot62b" data-aht="source">Berakhot 62b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Chizkuni</a><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="ChizkuniShemot30-16" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:16</a><a href="R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach (Chizkuni)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:12</a><a href="RambanBemidbar16-21" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 16:21</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>,<fn>This is Ramban's opinion as expressed in his comments to Shemot 32.&#160; See below that he raises an alternative understanding of the event in his comments to Bemidbar 1.</fn> <multilink><a href="RalbagShemuelII24-1" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagShemuelII24-1" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 24:1</a><a href="RalbagShemotBeurHaMilot30-12" data-aht="source">Shemot Beur HaMilot 30:12</a><a href="RalbagShemotToalot30-1-2" data-aht="source">Shemot Toalot 30:1-2</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink>,<fn>Ralbag combines this with the next approach suggesting that David both did not count via a ransom and that the census itself betrayed a lack of trust in Hashem.</fn> <multilink><a href="VilnaGaonAderetEliyahuShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Gr"a</a><a href="VilnaGaonAderetEliyahuShemot30-12" data-aht="source">Aderet Eliyahu, Shemot 30:12</a><a href="R. Eliyahu of Vilna (Vilna Gaon – GR" a)"="" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliyahu of Vilna</a></multilink>,</mekorot>