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Four times throughout the Torah, the Jewish People are counted. But the method used, described in Parshat Ki Tissah, is highly unusual for a census. The logical method would be to ask each household head how many are in the family, and add the sums. But the Torah’s method is different. Each person takes a coin – a half Shekel coin – and passes in front of Moshe and Aaron, and deposits the coin into a box. Then, all the coins are counted.

It seems unwieldy and inefficient. But Ramban explains this method expresses a majestic concept. He says that when each person passed before Moshe and Aaron, there was a moment of contact with these two great men, and each person was known by name to them. And this momentary contact was a merit. Thus, this was a way of counting that bestowed honor and greatness on each individual. This method demonstrated that each individual “counts” and has value in God’s eye.

The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, had an unusual practice every Sunday morning – for many years. He would stand while large numbers of people would wait in line. They would pass before him and he would give each one a dollar. His intention was that each one would take the dollar and give it to Tzedakah (though most people kept the “Rebbe Dollar” and gave other funds to Tzedakah).

A woman once asked Rabbi Schneerson why he devoted so much of his precious time to such an unusual task and how could he stand for so many hours giving out dollars. He replied, “I love to count diamonds.”