When G-d commanded to count the children of Israel, He established that the counting should be based on two criteria: first, from the age of twenty and above, and second, all those who are fit to serve in the army of Israel.
The second condition requires explanation. At that time, the children of Israel did not need “those who serve in the army.” They were surrounded by the Clouds of Glory, which protected them from any enemy and even prepared the roads, destroying harmful creatures. So why was there a need for "those who serve in the army"?
Healing of All
The commentators explain that "those who serve in the army" means those who are fit to serve in the army—that is, those without physical defects. Therefore, in this census, there was a wondrous thing: the number of those aged twenty and above was equal to the number of those "fit to serve." How could it be that among six hundred thousand people, there were no one with defects, unfit for military service?
This came about because, at the time of the Giving of the Torah, all the sick and those with physical defects were healed. The revelation at Mount Sinai brought the people of Israel to spiritual perfection, and since spirituality and physicality are interconnected, this spiritual perfection also brought about physical perfection.
This perfection was maintained for a whole year after the revelation at Mount Sinai, as the census described in our portion demonstrates.
Complete Alignment
Our Sages teach that the 248 physical limbs correspond to the 248 positive commandments, and the 365 tendons correspond to the 365 prohibitive commandments. From this, we understand the connection between spirituality and physicality. When a person is spiritually whole, it also brings completeness to his physical limbs.
However, there are times of concealment, when there may be a mismatch between the spiritual and the physical states. In such times, it is possible for a person to be spiritually whole but not physically, or conversely, for a person to be physically complete even if his spiritual state is not in order.
This situation arises from the world's descent through sin, and it is not the correct state according to the Divine order of creation.
Preventing War
The state of perfection of the children of Israel, which was expressed in the census held in the desert, is what brought about the protection of the Clouds of Glory. Since the children of Israel were "those fit to serve," expressing their spiritual perfection, the Clouds of Glory surrounded them and protected them from any harm.
This is the true role of "those fit to serve" in Israel—to prevent any attempt to harm the people of Israel in the first place, as the Holy One, blessed be He, promised: "Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you upon the nations that are under the entire heaven..." (Deuteronomy 2:25).
Indeed, this was the case in the days of Moses—"...Arise, Hashem, may Your enemies be scattered..." (Numbers 10:35). The enemies scattered on their own, in the face of the spiritual power and holiness of the people of Israel.
This is the special power of the Jewish people: when they engage in Torah and stand in a state of spiritual perfection, they instill awe and fear in the nations of the world, who, from the outset, would not dare to challenge the people of Israel.
(Adapted from the teachings of the Rebbe, Torat Menachem, Vol. 11, p. 279)
