Parshas Bamidbar for Kids

פרשת במדבר

Bnei Yisrael are counted and camp shevet by shevet around the Mishkan, each with its own flag - a whole nation arranged in the midbar with the Mishkan at the centre.

In a Torah Tale book, your own child is the hero of this story - drawn from their photo, on every page, in their own name. Written under rabbinical guidance with strict tznius, printed and shipped to your door in English, Hebrew or Yiddish.

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What happens in Parshas Bamidbar

In the midbar of Sinai, Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen to count Bnei Yisrael, family by family and shevet by shevet. Rashi explains that Hashem counts us again and again because we are precious to Him, the way a person keeps counting something he treasures.

Then the camp is arranged. The Mishkan stands in the middle, the Leviim camp closest around it, and the twelve shevatim set up in four groups of three, one group on each side, each under its own flag. Chazal tell us the colors of each flag matched that shevet's stone on the Kohen Gadol's breastplate. The family of Kehas is given the job of carrying the holiest vessels of the Mishkan, wrapped and covered with great care whenever the camp travels. A whole nation, every person in his place, with Hashem's home at the center.

Lessons and middos for children

  • Every person counts

    Hashem counted each person one by one. Every child in the family matters, and no one is ever just one of the crowd.

  • Finding my place

    Each shevet had its own flag and its own spot. A child can be proud of who they are and happy in the place Hashem gave them.

  • Keeping Hashem in the middle

    The Mishkan stood at the center of the camp. We can put Torah and mitzvos at the center of our home and our day.

Questions for the Shabbos table

  1. Why do you think Hashem wanted to count Bnei Yisrael so many times?
  2. If our family had its own flag, what would be on it?
  3. Where did the Mishkan stand in the camp, and why do you think it was there?
  4. What is something special that only you can do in our family?

How your child steps into the story

Your child stands in the great camp as the flags go up, helping a family find its shevet's place and watching the Leviim carefully carry the Mishkan's vessels. The book ends with the camp ready to move on toward Parshas Naso and the gifts of the Nesiim.