Selections from Rabbi Baruch Epstein - BeMidbar

TORAH TEMIMAH
PATERNAL FAMILY HERITAGE
במדבר פרק א ב שְׂאוּ אֶת-רֹאשׁ כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם
מסכת בבא בתרא דף קט/ב משפחת אב קרויה משפחה משפחת אם אינה קרויה משפחה
Simply the males build the material aspects of civilization, and are thus called “builders” (בנים). As stated in Bereshis 5, 28, “a son was born to him that built the world”. And as the Ralbag explains a still-born baby is not called בן, since the baby did not have a chance to build the world.
Many practical differences deriving in one’s family heritage being from the father and not the mother. Maternal-only brothers and sisters do not inherit one another. Only paternal family members are responsible to redeem someone that was sold into slavery.
This concept can also assist in understanding the principle עמוני ולא עמונית מואבי ולא מואבית (this seasonal time of reading the book of Rus). The exclusion exists only for the males, since they are the main component of that civilization (that was banned from converting to the Jewish nation).
Also, the law recognizes greater responsibility to paternal family members in matters of charity and chalitzah. Alternatively, the Gemara (Kidushin 68b) states that maternal-only brothers have greater love for one another than paternal brothers.
EVEN DOVID HAMELECH CAN NOT DO THE JOB OF THE LEVIIM
במדבר פרק א נא
וּבִנְסֹעַ הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹרִידוּ אֹתוֹ הַלְוִיִּם וּבַחֲנֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָקִימוּ אֹתוֹ הַלְוִיִּם וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת
מסכת שבת דף לא/א
אמר ליה ההוא עובד כוכבים להלל מקרא זה על מי נאמר א"ל אפי' על דוד מלך ישראל
This Gemara is in the middle of the story of the non-Jew that came to Hillel and asked to be converted on the condition that he could become a Cohen Gadol. Hillel told him to study the entire Torah first. And when the non-Jew started to learn this verse, he approached Hillel and asked him to whom does this verse reference. And now Hillel told him even to Dovid HaMelch could not do the service of the Leviim (let alone the Cohanim). The non-Jew understood and then converted without the condition.
Why did Hillel mention the King? Reference is to another Gemara (K’risus 6b) regarding the prohibition to benefit from anointing oil used for the Cohanim. In that Gemara a King is not included in the prohibition, since a King is not included in the category of an unauthorized person (זר). A King is also considered an anointed person. Nevertheless, in the matter of an unauthorized person for the service of the Leviim, a King is included in the prohibition.
Why did Hillel specify Dovid HaMelech? This alludes to the concept that even though converts are beloved to HaShem, and Dovid is descendent from Rus (probably the most famous convert), and Dovid was a King, nevertheless, this verse even applies to him. Further in Divrei HaYamim, one sees that Dovid desired to carry the Aron, he was specifically told that he could not since this was a job for the Leviim. Thus, how much more so, the prohibition to be a Cohen Gadol would apply to Dovid and thus, also, this potential convert.

TOSEFES BERACHA
במדבר פרק א מב
בְּנֵי נַפְתָּלִי תּוֹלְדֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה כֹּל יֹצֵא צָבָא
For all other tribes, the verse uses the language of לבני with a Lamed in front, but not for the tribe of Naftoli. It is possible to say that until this counting in the Desert, the tribes did not encamp by an ordered structure. Rather the tribes pitched their tents in no order but were all mixed together.
Thus, when they now were commanded to count per tribe, it was necessary to announce first that the members of the tribe to be counted needed to separate from all the other population to the place of the tribe being counted. For example, first to be counted was Reuven. Thus, the announcement went out that all members of the tribe of Reuven should move themselves to a designated area and be counted. And, so the announcement was made 11 times as each tribe was counted.
And the tribe of Naftoli was the last to be counted. Thus, all the other tribes had already “moved” out, and only the members of the tribe of Naftoli were left, and no need existed to make an announcement. Thus, the Lamed indicated the announcement for the other tribes and was not needed by Naftoli.
Why was the tribe of Naftoli counted last? The counting was according to the order of the “flags”, the designated groupings of three tribes, as mentioned in Chapter 2. Naftoli was the last of the fourth set.
Why was the arrangement that Naftoli would be the last of the fourth set (and thus, the last of the tribes)? It is possible due to the fact that the tribe of Naftoli was known to be light on their feet (fast), and the animal allusion from Yaacov was a fleet deer. Thus, their position in the back of the moving nation, allowed that in the event of a need for the nation to stand still or move faster, they could run quickly to all the other tribes, and have the pace of the march changed.
במדבר פרק א מו
וַיִּהְיוּ כָּל-הַפְּקֻדִים שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים:
This is curious that by all the other tribes the number of the population concludes with a complete number in the hundreds, with no tens or single units. The exception is the tribe (Gad verse 25) which ends in a number of 50 (and thus the total of all the tribes also has a full number plus 50). The same pattern exists in the counting of the tribes in Parshas Pinchas, where all end in complete hundred units, with one exception (Reuven) which has a count ending with 30.
It is well known that in many places the numbers are rounded off (39 to 40, 49 to 50, 69 to 70, etc.). Thus, numbers are rounded off (up or down) to make even hundreds. The only exception would be when the number is exactly 50, and then, the number would not be rounded either way, which is the case in this Parsha.
The difficulty remains for Parshas Pinchas, where the number count is 30, which per the previous explanation should be rounded off to the nearest hundred. Perhaps, one can learn from Parshas Beshalach (Shmos 14, 7) that Paroh sets up his army to pursue the Jews, the verse states ושלשים על כולו (establishing groups of 30). Thus, by an army, a group of 30 is an important number unit. And, thus, in Parshas Pinchas which has a greater connection to a count for military purposes, then a number of exactly thirty would not be rounded to the nearest hundred.
The importance of the number 30 is found in Tanach (Shoftim 10,4, Shmuel I 9,22, Shmuel II 23, 13) and in Gemara (Berachos 32b, Chulin 92a)