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Why does the Torah (תורה) census count from age 20, not from bar mitzvah (מצוה) at 13? A three-phase development framework emerges: childhood (0-13), adolescent identity formation (13-20), and communal responsibility (20+). At 20, having established their essential self, individuals can look beyond personal growth to serve the broader community.
This shiur examines a fundamental question about the Jewish census in Sefer Bamidbar: why does the Torah (תורה) count Jews from age 20 rather than from age 13 when they become bar mitzvah (מצוה)? Rabbi Zweig develops a comprehensive framework for understanding human development through three distinct phases. The first phase, from birth to age 13, represents childhood when a person lacks legal responsibility. The second phase, ages 13-20, corresponds to adolescence - a period of self-discovery and identity formation. During this crucial developmental stage, a person is legally responsible for mitzvos but still developing their essential self (atzmut). The Gemara (גמרא)'s statement that one should marry by age 20 or his 'bones will burst' reflects this reality: before 20, two developing identities can merge into one unified marriage, but after 20, established personalities must be 'broken' to truly unite.
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Sefer Bamidbar - Jewish Census
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