In parshas Bamidbar the
Israelite camp is described. The Mishkan is in the center. It is surrounded by
the three clans of the tribe of Levy, one per side, and on the east by the
Cohanim. This in turn is surrounded by four sub groups, also called camps, of
three tribes each. Every tribe has a flag with its symbol on it.
These are the standards of the
leaders of the four camps. The flag of the tribe of Reuven had a man on it, alluding
to the dodaim (flowers) he gave to his mother, Leah, as a sign of her hope to
bear more children. The flag of Yehuda had a lion on it recalling Ya’akov
avinu’s blessing comparing him to a lion’s cub. The flag of Ephraim had a bull
on it recalling Ya’akov avinu’s blessing comparing him to a bull. The flag of
Dan had an eagle on it so that the camp flags would be like the angels seen by
the prophet Yechezkiel.
The angels seen by Yechezkiel
were the same as those seen by the children of Israel during the revelation on
Mount Sinai. The Rabenu Bechai comments that the word for sign is אות, however it also means passion, and the
flag indicated what the passion of the tribe waving it was.
During the giving of the Ten
Commandments the nation noted that four camps of angels surrounded the Shechina
in the four directions. The people wished to emulate the heavenly host
therefore arranged their camp in a similar fashion and imitated their flags as
well.
Yehuda and his camp were in
the east. He had a flag whose background resembled the heavens, probably blue,
with a lion on it. The lion symbolized leadership and courage. Yissachar flag
was blue with the sun and moon on it, because they were experts on the
constellations and their movements. Zevulon’s flag had a silvery white
background with a ship on it reflecting success in commerce. All of the tribes
in this camp were Torah scholars. Their angels were respectively Gavriel (גבריאל) i.e. the language of strength, Ezriel (עזריאל) i.e. the language of help, and Sh’mial (שמעיאל) i.e. the language of hearing.
Reuven and his camp were in
the south. His flag was red, the color of the dodaim, hinting at physical
desire. Shimon’s flag was green with an image of the city of Shchem, suggesting
conquest of Canaan. The flag of Gad was black and white with a regiment on it,
reflecting a general military theme. The paradigm is Reuven, who is
characterized by repentance, kindness, and rescue because he attempted to
rescue Yosef from the pit. Their angels were Michael (מיכאל)
literally “who is like the Almighty”, Cochaviel (כוכביאל)
which is the language of stars, and Padiel (פדיאל)
the language of redemption.
Ephraim and his camp were in
the west. His flag had a bull on it. Menasha’s flag pictured an antelope.
Benyamin’s flag pictured a wolf on a backdrop with all of the tribal colors,
suggesting the unity brought by the Temple. This camp was talented in supporting
Torah, tshuvah and helping one over power his evil inclination. Their angels
were angels were Raphael (רפאל)
the language of healing, Zevadial (זבדיאל)
the language of endowment, and Achaziel (אחזיאל) the language of grasping the Almighty.
Dan and his camp were in the
north. The tail of the eagle on his flag was a snake. Asher’s flag was an olive
tree on a field like the color of olive oil light. The flag of Naphtali was
like clear wine with a picture of a deer. The Rabenu Bechai explains that the
place of the camp of Dan was in the north which is a place of darkness.
Therefore the mission of the camp was to illuminate the darkness. There angels
were Oriel (אוריאל) the language of
light, Daniel (דניאל) the language of
justice, and Ramel (רמאל) literally the height
of the Almighty.
The Rabenu Bechai notes that
in the description of the Israelite camp the chief of the tribe of Gad is
called Elysaf ben Ruel (Numbers 2:14) spelled with the letter resh.
When the chiefs are first enumerated the father’s name is Duel with a dalet.
He then explains that it makes no difference because they convey the same idea.
The idea is that they wanted the Almighty and He knew it. רעות is the language of
companionship; and דעת
is the language of knowing.
In discussing the letters of
the aleph-beis the Sefer Yetzira says that G-d engraved them, quarried them,
combined them, and manipulated them. Concerning the ten sefiros, he teaches
that they should be understood according to the way they were created and that
a creation should be considered according to its purpose (see 1:4 and 2:2). The
hint is that G-d created twelve tribes with different abilities and purposes.
However all of them surrounded the temple. From this we can see that different
people have different abilities and missions. If a person uses his abilities
according to what they were intended for, he will find his way to the Shechina.
לע"נ, הדוד ,לייב הערש בן אהרון ז"ל
נלב"ע י"ז תמוז תשל"ב
Acknowledgements
to websites: תורת אמת, וויקיטקסט, http://dictionary.reference.com/,
http://hebrewbooks.org/,
וגם בדואר אלקטרוני ניתן באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
