Shabbat Bamidbar, 2025

“As it turns out, there is a special blessing to say upon seeing over 600,000 Israelites to get all standing together. The blessing is, and…it’s not one that you might have heard before. I mean, also, we’re not usually standing with 600,000 other people all in one place. But the blessing is Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’Olam, chacham ha’razot – Blessed are you Adonai our God, who is the knower of secrets. Blessed are you Adonai our God who is the knower of secrets.
So, why? Why is this the blessing upon seeing a critical mass? Because the Talmud teaches that seeing so many people together helps you see that each one is actually different from the other. They each look different. They each act different. They think differently. And the blessing is that it is God who knows what is in each and everyone’s hearts. It is God who understands our deepest humanity that we are not all alike one another, precisely when it could be that we are all interchangeable from one another, we have a blessing to remind us of our individuality, a blessing against viewing ourselves and others simply as machines that crank out the same thoughts and feelings at any given time. We each have a piece of godliness in each of us, and perhaps it is that that we are blessing.’” 

Rabbi Yael Werber gave this drashah on Friday, May 30, 2025 / 4 Sivan 5785. Watch her full talk above. 

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