Bamidbar
Parashat Bamidbar 5783
Reading the lengthy descriptions of the encampments of the Bnei Yisrael in the midbar in the opening sections of Sefer Bamidbar evoke several difficulties. Why does the Torah pay so much attention to the manner in which the Bnei Yisrael encamped, and their flags? Surely, the Torah usually emphasises internality not externality, so why do we find הקב"ה designating specific encampment layouts as if detailing an army parade? In other words, what is the significance of the mitzvah of encampments and the various flags of each tribe? The Ramban quotes the well-known Ibn Ezra that on the flag of each tribe was a sign characterising that tribe. For example, on the flag of Reuven was a man with flowers (which Reuven brought for his mother); on Yehuda’s was a lion to which Ya’akov compared him to , on Ephraim was an ox, and so on. Seemingly, the picture and colour of the flag signified the spiritual personality of each tribe. The Midrash (Shir Hashirim 2,4) describes that during the Divine revelation on Har Sinai, multitudes of angels descended bearing flags. The Bnei Yisrael, upon seeing the flags, desired that they too should be adorned with flags like them , so הקב"ה, upon hearing their request, promised that they too will have flags, and immediately proceeded to inform Moshe of the mitzvah of the flags. What can we understand from the fact that the angels carried flags? We find in many places the concept that an angel cannot perform two missions at once, for example, when three angels came to Avraham to perform three different tasks. The flag of the angel signifies the present task which that angel has been obligated to perform. It was this individuality that the Bnei Yisrael desired at Har Sinai; that they too should each be charged with their own personal mission in Avodat Hashem. They knew that each of the 600,000 adult male souls at Har Sinai represented another letter of the Torah, as we are taught that the word ישראל itself is an acronym for “יש שישים ריבוא אותיות בתורה”, and they each desired to know their individual purpose and service of Hashem. No two people are the same, both externally and internally. Some are quick to anger, others slow; some are natural leaders, others are led; some have pleasant voices, others are hoarse, and so forth. Every soul represents a different letter of the Torah, because every person can only use his individual strengths and weaknesses to serve Hashem, and so-to-speak fulfil his letter of the Torah. When the Bnei Yisrael expressed this desire for individuality in the midbar, הקב"ה described flags for each shevet, for, as we mentioned previously, the flag, through its colour and picture, signified the spiritual root of each shevet. Similarly, each shevet was designated a specific place of encampment, to demonstrate what that shevet’s service of Hashem was supposed to be. In fact, the Midrash Tanchuma (12,80,7) relates that Ya’akov Avinu had already taught the shevatim their place of encampment when he instructed them how they should carry his coffin. He too understood the need to teach them how they must utilise their individual strengths in serving Hashem. We can add that it was specifically during matan Torah that they had this desire, for it was then that they realised the task that was asked of every person, and they desired to be guided more so that each person could fulfil his unique purpose.
May we each merit to understand and utilise our own individual potential to the fullest!
שבת שלום,
Rabbi Gad Bouskila
