The Book of Bamidbar begins with a count of the Jewish nation that stretches into Parshat Nasso. Rabbi Dunner poses two questions on the whole idea of counting, one based on a tradition that considers a population census as negative, and another that focuses on the word “nasso” that is used to describe the count itself.

Basing himself on a beautiful essay written by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Rabbi Dunner suggests one answer for both questions, using the historical basis of strength in numbers as the platform to differentiate between a standard census, and one that is ordered by God.