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The counting of the people at this point in the desert is puzzling for the meforshim on this week's parsha. What triggers the need for this census?

The Ramban suggests several possibilities. His last suggestion is important for a debate that is engaging the orthodox world today, hundreds of years after his words were written. According to the Ramban, the need for a census of the people stems from the nations preparations to enter the Holy land. They have received the Torah, have set up the mishkan, have learned its laws, and now the journey to the Holy land begins! The feeling of being just a few days away from the Jordan River crossing is echoed in Moshe's words to Yitro after matan Torah – "Nosim anachnu". "We are on our way" to Eretz Yisrael. One central element of that preparation is the military one. The people are going to have to fight. They need to form an army, they need a chain of command, so they need to know how many soldiers they have! How many from each tribe? What military goals are realistic etc. This of course explains why only those aged 20 and above were counted, as they are described as "yotzei tzava" "participants in the army"!

And at this point the Ramban pauses and says, wait a minute, don't we have a promise? Didn't G-d say that if we walk in his path and learn his Torah, that "Five of you will pursue a hundred" (Parshat Bechukotai). If G-d will provide a miracle, why prepare for war? Why count the people in order to form an army? All this is unnecessary! Answers the Ramban with a major principle: "Hatorha lo tismoch devareha al hanes" "The Torah does not rely on miracles". G-d on His end promises miracles, but we need to prepare ourselves for a natural victory. Once we do our share, G-d will do his. So even though a nation of torah learners is promised great help from above, they musn't rely on that help, rather the holy nation of Isreal, as holy and worthy they may be, needs to prepare a path for G-d to come to their salvation in natural means.

What that means for today, I'll leave up to you.