Matot - Chamishi

This aliyah concludes the tally of the spoils from the Midianite campaign. Then, the leaders of the army approached Moshe with astounding news: they took a head count of their troops and apparently they suffered not a single casualty! They wanted to donate the jewelry they found as thanks to G-d.

Moshe and Elazar accepted the gift and added it to the tally. It came to 16,750 shekels of gold - and that was only from the officers! (The enlisted men were not part of the contingent offering the gift.)

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz