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Counting by Name
The Torah portion Shmos begins by
saying:1 “And these are the
names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt….” Rashi comments:2 “Although He
counted them by name while they were alive, He counted them again after
their passing in order to make known (and demonstrate) his love for
them; for they are likened to the stars, which He takes out and brings
in by their numbers and names….
If Rashi
simply desired to prove that something loved is counted by number as
well as by name, he would have simply stated that they are “like the
stars which He takes out and brings in by number and name.” Rashi’s statement,
“for they are likened
to the stars,” serves to imply that because the children of Israel
possess the same quality as the stars, they are therefore counted in a
like manner.
What is this “star” quality?
Although love of something is evinced
through counting as well as through naming, counting and calling by
name emphasize two different aspects of that which is being counted or
called:
Counting emphasizes the commonalty of
things — wholly disparate entities cannot be included in the same
count. A name, on the other hand, emphasizes the individuality of each
thing.
Rashi indicates this
when he states “for they are likened
to the stars,” for stars possess both these aspects. On the one hand,
they all share the fact of star-hood, and are counted precisely because
each star is important. On the other hand, each star possesses unique
qualities, for which reason each has it own name.
Each Jew, who is “likened to the stars,”
shares the essential quality of Jewishness, and is “truly part of G-d
above.”9 In addition, each possesses qualities
unique to the individual.
G-d’s love for the Jewish people thus
finds expression in two ways: By counting them He manifests His love
for their essential Jewishness, and by calling each by name He
demonstrates His love for the unique qualities of each and every one.
However, when G-d desired to show love
for individual Jews, He could have done so in any number of ways. Why
did He specifically choose to count them by name?
G-d’s intrinsic love for the Jewish
people serves as the template for all parental love.3 With human parents
also, we find that mentioning a child’s name arouses a degree of love
that cannot be elicited by other means, such as by giving the child a
gift, showering him with words of love, or even hugging and kissing
him.
Giving a child a gift or loving words
depends on the child’s age: If a parent gives his grown son or daughter
a gift fit for a very young child, then rather than it being seen as an
expression of love it may be taken in the opposite way. Words of love,
too, must be geared to the individual child’s level.
Since gifts and loving talk must be
tailored to the age and comprehension of each child, it is clear that
love manifested through these vehicles is limited. It thus cannot be an
elemental love for the essence of the child, since elemental love is
not limited by the child’s intellect, maturity, etc.
Even hugs and kisses, which can be given
to both younger and older children, are limited, for they can only be
bestowed when the recipient is close at hand. Essential love is not
limited by time or space.
The only evocation of love that is truly
unlimited is the mentioning of a child’s name: it matters not whether
the child is young or old, near or far, bright or dim, etc.
Thus, when G-d desired to show His
essential love for the Jewish people, He “counted them by name. ”
Compiled from Likkutei Sichos , Vol. VI, pp. 1-10.
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