Neciv Bemidbar

This Book [Bemidbar] is called Sefer HaPekudim (The Book of Numbers) by the Mishna in the seventh chapter of tractate Yoma and in other places, by R’ Chanina ben Gamliel in tractate Sotah 36b, as well as by the BaHag. The theme of the two enumerations [stated] in this Book made a greater imprint on our Sages than any other of the many matters unique to this Book, e.g. the spies or the blessing of Balaam. For [these enumerations] express the main theme of this Book, the transition and transformation in the worldly affairs of God’s Nation from their living in the wilderness to when they entered the Land of Israel.

In the Sinai Desert: ... Since only those that go out in the army were counted - meaning those fitting to be counted in the force of the King for war with the Canaanites. And the earlier count was 605,550 and the [requirement for] the dwelling of the Divine Presence was fixed at that amount, and it was known that it was necessary for there to be this amount in the desert. And from then on, even if there were many that turned twenty, they did not enter the army to fill this amount with [these] others who turned twenty. And since they stood in one place [since that count], the Holy One, blessed be He, did not concern Himself to command that they fill the army [for those that had died in between], until the twentieth day of the second month approached. As they were then prepared to leave on the journey with God at their head, like a king at the head of his armies. Hence the command came to count again and to fill this amount... [just like] every king knows how many are going out in the army in his force and how many units, and the amount in each unit...

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As for the Table, its length is ten handbreadths and its width is five handbreadths, as the Torah states that the Table is two cubits long and one cubit wide (see Exodus 25:23), and Rabbi Yehuda holds that the cubit used as the unit of measurement for the construction of the Temple vessels was equal to five handbreadths. With regard to the shewbread, its length is ten handbreadths and its width is five handbreadths. The priest places the length of the two shewbread arrangements across the width of the Table, which leaves five handbreadths of each loaf protruding from the Table. And he folds the protruding two and a half handbreadths upward on this side of the Table, and the protruding two and a half handbreadths upward on that side of the Table. One finds, therefore, that the length of the shewbread covers the width of the Table. Similarly, since the width of each loaf is five handbreadths, the width of the two loaves filled the entire length of the Table. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Meir says: With regard to the Table, its length is twelve handbreadths and its width is six handbreadths, as the measure of a cubit used in the construction of the Temple vessels was equal to six handbreadths. Concerning the shewbread, its length is ten handbreadths and its width is five handbreadths. Rabbi Meir continues: The priest places the length of the shewbread across the width of the Table, which leaves four handbreadths of each loaf protruding from the Table. He folds the protruding two handbreadths upward on this side of the Table, and the protruding two handbreadths upward on that side of the Table. The width of the two arrangements of shewbread occupies only ten of the twelve handbreadths of the length of the Table, and this leaves a space of two handbreadths in the middle, between the two arrangements, so that the wind will blow between them and prevent the loaves from becoming moldy. Abba Shaul says: There, in the space between the two arrangements, the priests would place the two bowls of frankincense that accompany the shewbread. The Sages said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “And you shall place pure frankincense upon [al] each arrangement, that it may be for the bread as a memorial part, an offering made by fire to the Lord” (Leviticus 24:7)? The verse indicates that the frankincense is placed upon the shewbread and not next to it. Abba Shaul said to the Sages in response: Isn’t it already stated: “And next to him [alav] shall be the tribe of Manasseh” (Numbers 2:20)? Just as the preposition “alav” in this verse means that the tribe of Manasseh pitched camp next to the tribe of Ephraim and not upon it, so too, the preposition “al” means that the frankincense was placed next to the arrangements of the shewbread.

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He guided his hands for Menashe was the firstborn. It is extra for we known from the parsha that Menashe was the firstborn. But this has depth and intension for truthfully, Yaakov shouldn't have guided (crossed) his hands, rather switched the positions of the boys. But since Menashe was the firstborn, he intended that Menashe should stand by Yaakov's right leg and Efrayim by his left leg. Only his hands did he guide that they should be crossed. The reason is that even though Yaakov put Efrayim before Menashe and therefore in the wilderness he was the head of his flag group (which Menashe was also a part of) still, in the counting of Parshas Pinchas, it was the opposite. Not only that, but even in the counting of Parshas Bamidbar it is written by all the (other) flags "and those that camp upon him" as opposed to with Menashe it is written, "and upon him the tribe of Menashe." All this comes to teach us that Efrayim only came before Menashe in matters of spirituality, that which is higher than the natural happenings of the world. In matters of the world, however, Menashe came before Efrayim. Therefore in the first counting at Mt. Chorev, where the Divine precence was upon their heads and the conduct was beyond nature, Efrayim came first. But in the counting in the Plains of Moav, when they were entering the Land, which was basically in a natural way (as is explained later in Bamidbar and Devarim) therefore Menashe came first. (And check out what I write in Bamidbar regarding the change of "and upon him the tribe of Menashe." The occurred because with regards to natural occurrences, the advantage of the firstborn is very impactful as I wrote earlier (27:19). Now, the hand services the head and the mind and the foot services the goings of the body according to its nature. That's why the Sages said in their way: The son is the foot of the father. Meaning: the natural mannerisms of the father that goes on its own without thought and wisdom. Therefore, Jacob desired that Menashe stand by his right leg and guided his hands so that Efrayim would be on his right hand. See more in Verse 20. That is why the verse specified "because Menashe was the firstborn."