Excuse Me, Do You Have a Second?

It takes just one moment or movement—the Hebrew word for moment can also be translated as movement—to turn the whole world around and bring salvation and assistance to the entire world. BAMIDBAR BAMIDBAR

Substitutes

In this week’s parsha, the Torah speaks of how G-d selected the Levites as substitutes for the first-born, who were initially selected to be the priests because they were spared at the plagues of the first born. Because G-d spared them they became G-d’s special “possessions” as it were. However, when they participated in the creation of the “golden calf” they were stripped of their priestly distinction. In their place G-d chose the Levites who were the only tribe whose members did not participate in that horrible crime of idolatry and were therefore the natural replacements for the first born.

In truth, they were not just replacements, but their selection in place of the first-born served as the atonement for the first-born.

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Hence the Torah uses the expression of pidyon-redemption to describe the substitution of the first born with the unblemished Levites.

And behold, the number of Levites were almost the same as the number of first-born Israelites except for two hundred and seventy three additional first born.

Now, if each Levite was to take the place of a first-born and serve as his “redemption,” how did the 273 additional first-born find their redemption when there was no Levite to take their place?

The answer is provided in this week’s parsha. The additional 273 first-born were to give a five-shekel coin as their form of redemption.

273 Extras?

Every detail of the Torah is precise and there are no coincidences or arbitrary facts in the Torah. The fact that there were 273 “extra” first-born that had to be redeemed separately must have some significance.

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Moreover, as some commentators have pointed out, the verse that describes the 273 first-born stands by itself:

And as for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, that are over and above the number of the Levites.

It does not mention that they were to redeem themselves with five shekel until the next verse. It seems therefore that the Torah wishes to tell us that the fact that there were 273 additional first-born that had to be redeemed is in of itself an important piece of information.

What is the significance of the number 273?

An Instant is Not to be Trifled with

One explanation of this matter based on the exposition given in the Chassidic work entitled Arugas Habosem is that the number 273 is the numerical value of the word rega, which means moment or instant.

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And here comes the dual lesson:

First, by stating that the 273 first-born Israelites required redemption, we learn that even an instant wasted or abused necessitates redemption. There is no truth to the assumption that seconds can be trifled with. Every second is precious and must be filled with meaning and purpose.

Second, even one instant that is utilized properly can be sufficient to turn one’s life around. In Chassidic literature there is an expression that is used repeatedly: “in one moment; in one instant.” This echoes the Talmudic statement that “one could acquire their world in one instant.” Just one significant change of heart can turn a person’s life around and bring salvation to himself or herself.

Moreover, it takes just one movement—the Hebrew word for moment can also be translated as movement—to turn the whole world around and bring salvation and assistance to the entire world.

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One Instant can Save the World

When the Jewish nation was asked whether they wanted to receive the Torah, the people’s response consisted of just two words in Hebrew—na’aseh v’nishma (We will do and we will listen.”) These few words that did not take more than a moment or two to utter saved the entire world. For, as our Sages tell us, if the Jewish people had not accepted the Torah, there would have been no purpose in the creation of the world. Indeed, the Talmud relates that G-d created the world tentatively. If the Torah will be accepted then the world would endure, otherwise, G-d forbid, it would revert to nothingness.

Just those few moments made a world of difference.

Similarly, now; with just one moment’s movement in the right direction, one person can literally save the world and usher in the Messianic Age of Redemption and peace. It could very well be that the entire world and all of the generations before us are waiting BAMIDBAR with bated breath for us to make a difference in just one moment.

Reversing Evil’s Split Second

Even in the realm of evil, we are told that Bilam, the heathen prophet, had the power to curse because he knew the precise split second G-d’s anger could be ignited. In just that one second, the Talmudic commentaries say, Bilam could have said the three letter word “kalem,” which means destroy them.

Now, Bilam was obsessed with the future of the Jewish people. From his blessings we know what his real intentions were. One of his blessings concerned Moshiach. We therefore realize that he was terrified at the prospects of Moshiach leading the world because that would portend the end of Bilam’s influence.

If we take the world Kalem and reverse it it spells Melech-king. This implies that Bilam’s intended curse was to reverse the propsects of Jewish sovereignty, which will reach its peak in the days of Moshiach.

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Bilam, thus tried to prevent the ultimate human king, Moshiach from coming to bring G-d’s sovereignty to the world. If that would happen the Bilam’s would be out of business forever.

So let us reflect: If in instant of reciting Kalem could have brought destruction to the Jewish people and ultimately to the entire world, then when we invoke the memory of Moshiach by declaring Yechi Hamelech-May the king live, or perhaps just the word and thought of melech we can help to reveal Moshiach and empower him to bring the world t its state of peace and perfection.

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From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Bamidbar by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.