Even though the fourth book of the Torah is most commonly known as Sefer Bamidbar, the Rabbis actually refer to it as Chumash Ha-Pekudim, the “Book of Numbers” (see, for example, Yoma 68b). This name, of course, derives from the two censuses which were taken while the Jews were in the desert; the first in this week’s Torah portion, Parshas Bamidbar, and the second in Parshas Pinchas.

Nevertheless, despite the importance of taking a census, it is somewhat surprising that counting the people is given such prominence. After all, other significant events occur in Sefer Bamidbar – the episode of the meraglim, Korach’s rebellion and miraculous destruction, the drama with Bilaam, etc. – so why do Chazal view the census, of all things, as the defining motif of the entire sefer?

The Netziv, in the introduction to his commentary on Sefer Bamidbar (Ha’amek Davar), explains that more than just counting the people, the two censuses serve as “bookends” which demarcate a fundamental transition in the way that Hashem interacts with the Jewish people.

The first census, taken towards the start of their sojourn in the desert, occurred when the people still led a miraculous existence. Everything they needed – food, clothing, shelter – was provided directly by Hashem. The census reflected this supernatural reality, as the order that the tribes were counted in was deliberately patterned after the order that they were encamped around the Mishkan, the embodiment and central location of Hashem’s presence in the world.       

The second census, however, took place in their final year in the desert, when, according to the Netziv, the supernatural influence had already begun to wane. This transition to a more “natural” existence was intended as a preparation for the people’s entrance into the Land of Israel when they would become responsible for their own safety and sustenance. Reflecting this new reality the census in Parshas Pinchas was structured in a way that deemphasized the miraculous and wasn’t focused on the Mishkan.

This, then, is the real theme of Sefer Bamidbar: not the censuses per se, but the transition from a supernatural to natural existence. While in the desert the people were guided – and dependant – on the “bright light” of Hashem’s manifest presence. But once they entered the Land of Israel that light “dimmed” and although Hashem remained ultimately in control of all events, they were forced to take a more active responsibility for their fate (see Bereishis Rabbah #2).

When discussing the purpose of the census taken in our parsha, the Seforno also points to the supernatural reality of the time, but he then suggests that this reality should have carried into Israel as well. In fact, he explains that the census was meant to prepare the people to enter Eretz Yisroel right away at which time they would have conquered the land miraculously and without any need for war. This intended divine plan was, alas, squandered by the people’s insistence on sending spies and the punishment that resulted from the meraglim’s negative report. The fallout of this catastrophic mistake was therefore twofold: entry into Eretz Yisroel was delayed and settlement would not be miraculous but rather the result of successful wars fought against the inhabitants of the land.

Ultimately the Jewish people spent 40 years in the desert and, as a result, also took part in another census which, by that time, was intended to mark their transition towards a more “natural” existence and prepare them for the challenges of life in Eretz Yisroel.

This is a particularly appropriate message to consider a few days before we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim. After all, it was during the Six Day War that, perhaps more than any other time in the last 2,000 years, Hashem’s miraculous hand was evident as the Israeli army – defying any purely military explanation – not only beat back mortal enemies but reacquired large swaths of our ancestral homeland. It was as if for six short days we were transported back in time and Hashem’s original plan of a supernatural conquering of Eretz Yisroel actually took place. When celebrating Yom Yerushalayim, therefore, we should not only be thankful for the blessings we have merited but also appreciative of the miraculous nature of these events.