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Why does the Torah (תורה) count only men over 20 eligible for military service when defining the Jewish people? A community's strength comes from those willing to sacrifice for its survival, not its total population. The galbanum in the incense teaches that true commitment includes even community members who don't contribute their fair share.
Rabbi Zweig addresses the puzzling aspects of the Jewish census described in Parshas Ki Sisa, where the Torah (תורה) counts only men aged 20 and above who are eligible for military service. He questions why this military perspective seems to define the Jewish people, noting that even in the Exodus narrative, the Torah describes the Jews as "six hundred thousand infantry" rather than focusing on the total population including women and children. The Rabbi resolves this apparent contradiction by explaining that the Torah is not promoting a militaristic worldview, but rather defining what constitutes a true community. A community's strength is not measured by its total population, but by how many people are willing to put their lives on the line for its survival. The census counts those committed to the community's perpetuation, not merely its beneficiaries.
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Parshas Ki Tisa 30:11-16
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