B'midbar asks us to think about what we place at the center of our society

The first Torah reading from the Book of Numbers in light of the recent Jerusalem Flag Parade

Earlier today, the Torah portion called B’midbar (“In the Wilderness") was chanted aloud and discussed in synagogues around the world. , B’midbar kicks off the fourth of the Five Books of Moses, the Book of Numbers. It deals extensively with a census that Moses is instructed to take of the Israelites some 13 months after their escape from slavery in Egypt. This census data will be used for some important areas of governing, such as determining what kind of military force the 12 tribes will be able to muster now that they're on their perilous journey through the wilderness in hope of ultimately reaching the Promised Land.

B’midbar also describes the positioning of the 12 Israelite tribes, relative to each other, when they encamp. It also says how they will decamp and then continue moving through the wilderness.

Below is an 1817 drawing of the tribes in their resting configuration. Even if you can’t read the Hebrew, you can see that in the center is the sacred sanctuary (the Mishkan). Wi…