Raising the Heads of the Congregation of Israel

Take the sum total (s’oo et rosh) of all the congregation of the Children of Israel. (Do it) by families following the paternal line, according to the names of each male.                                                                Numbers 1:2

God’s instruction “s’oo et rosh” literally means “raise up the head,” teaching that it is through the unity of “all the congregation” that the Children of Israel will be able to raise their heads.

“According to the names” teaches that each individual is exceedingly important, and the census must not erase the individuality.