"Bnei Yisroel shall camp with each person near the banner
having his paternal family's insignia. They shall camp at a
specified distance around the Mishkon." (Bamidbor
2:2)
Extending for eight miles, the encampment of Bnei
Yisroel in the desert was certainly a breathtaking sight.
Millions of Jews living in magnificent order; and in the
center was the Mishkon.
Surrounding and protecting the Mishkon was the camp of
the Leviim. Around the Leviim were the Twelve Tribes,
arranged in four groupings. Each grouping had its own banner;
each person knew his place. Their forefathers had used the
same formation when they brought Yaakov Ovinu to burial.
What is the significance of this encampment? HaRav Yitzchok
Isaac Sher, disciple of the Alter from Slobodke, opens this
subject (Leket Sichos Mussar): " . . . At matan
Torah, Klal Yisroel saw the angels encamped according to
banners -- and desired it for themselves. Hashem granted them
this gift. Who can understand this mystery? . . .
"However, we have already learned that the Torah is an
`expert educator' (Bereishis Rabba 1:1). This means
that the Torah is able to instruct each pupil according to
his level of understanding . . . "
Chazal describe the encampment in the midbor in
phenomenal terms: " . . . Bnei Yisroel were great and
holy on account of their banners. All the nations observed
them and were astonished. They said, `Who is that,
beautiful like the dawn?' (Shir HaShirim 7:1) The
nations further said to them, `Return, return, perfect
one (ad loc.). Join with us! Come to us, and we
will make you rulers. Return, return that we may gaze at
you . . . ' (ad loc.).
"Klal Yisroel replied to them . . . `What greatness can you
offer us? . . . Can you match the greatness Hashem gave us
in the desert? [We have] the banner of the camp of Yehuda,
the banner of the camp of Reuven . . . '
"Even Bilaam gazed on them, and his eye popped out because he
could not harm them. Thus it is written, `Bilaam lifted up
his eyes, and saw Bnei Yisroel dwelling according to their
tribes . . . ' (Bamidbor 24:2). This refers to the
banners. [Bilaam] began to say, `Who can harm these people?
They know their fathers and their families; as it says,
dwelling according to their tribes!'
"We see from this that the banners gave greatness
(gedula) and boundaries (geder) to Klal
Yisroel. Thus it is written, `Each person near the banner
having his paternal family's insignia . . . '"
(Bamidbor Rabba 2:3).
HaRav Yitzchok Isaac Sher explains this midrash. "We
learn from the midrash that the banners possessed two
characteristics: greatness and boundaries. The mystery of
`greatness' is beyond us; but we can comprehend the
`boundaries' -- or designated areas -- which the banners
marked out.
"It is written, ` . . . They camped under their banners .
. . and so did they travel: each person with his family,
according to his father's household' (Bamidbor
2:34). Bilaam also noted when he viewed the banners that they
demarcate the people's fathers and families.
"An important rule of life arises from this: `Each person
with his family, according to his father's household.'
"Because of the long golus, we are far from this way
of life. But we must know that it is the Will of Hashem to
live this way, as our forefathers did.
"While they were still in Egypt, Bnei Yisroel were
commanded to eat the Korbon Pesach in family units.
They also left Egypt in amazing order. The sea split for them
into twelve paths. Each tribe passed through in its own
`lane.'
"Later, when Miriam Hanevi'a took a drum in her hand and all
the women followed her with drums and dances, there must have
been a tremendous tumult. In a nation of over three million,
how did each woman find her way home? Certainly, each knew
her place and the location of her tribe and family. They must
have had markings leading from tribe to tribe and from house
to house.
"Chazal say that channels of water would lead from the Well
in the midbor to each banner; and from the banners
there were channels to each tribe, and from there to each
family -- with astounding order.
"Here we discover a new mitzvah, which our forefathers kept:
`And Bnei Yisroel did all that Hashem commanded Moshe . .
. each person with his family, according to his father's
household' (Bamidbor 2:34). For our forefathers in
the desert, their orderly formation was not a mere matter of
expedience or habit. It was service of Hashem, the
fulfillment of a mitzvah.
"Why were they thus commanded? In order to instruct us in the
ways of avodas Hashem. We are meant to join and bond
together, each with his family and his father's household. It
is the family's honor that the head of the family be its
king, with all the family's members called after him and
following his wisdom and Torah-teachings.
"The father should know that he is king of his home, the
family's patriarch, that he is king over his family, and the
leader of the family clan that he rules over his clan. This
should be accompanied by the proper dignity, each one higher
and more regal than the next.
"In this way, all of Klal Yisroel is unified in
kedusha and malchus. The children follow their
fathers, and the fathers educate their children. Together
they all obey their leaders and elders. This is the
discipline that Hashem desires from His People."
Home and family, so sorely lacking in today's world,
constitute a superior way of life; as every Jew knows. But it
is more than that: It is the Will of G-d. A mitzvah.
The mitzvah of `each person with his family, according to
his father's household,' although great in itself, leads
to something even more exalted. It provides a sure link with
the Borei Olom. It not only connects people to each
other; it also connects them to their source.
HaRav Sher explains: "The people camped according to their
banners on four sides, and in the middle of them was the
Mishkon. Everyone witnessed that Hashem dwelled among
Bnei Yisroel. He was the center from which everything
originated; and everyone surrounded Him.
"From Him was everything; and everything was directed to Him.
This is the only way to live a Torah life, according to
Retzon Hashem: to live as a family; that the family
should have a head; that he should obey the leaders -- and
that all should be subservient to the Mishkon of
Hashem."
Giving kovod where due is important;
no one can deny this. We honor parents, talmidei
chachomim, HaKodosh Boruch Hu . . . But do we
know what is true kovod? Can we explain the difference
between real kovod and lip service?
HaRav Shlomo Wolbe uncovers the profound roots of
kovod (Alei Shur I, ch.24): " . . . The
neshomoh is called kovod, as in; `lema'an
yezamercho kovod -- kovod will sing praises to
You' (Tehillim 30). We see from here that the very nature
of the neshomoh is kovod . . . .
"Kovod is not a matter of politeness and manners. It
is recognizing the value of something, and showing it. When I
honor a person, I am showing to all his value and importance.
When I honor a talmid chochom, I am recognizing and
showing the kedusha of the Torah. When I honor
Hashem Yisborach, I am recognizing and showing His
Divinity. I am demonstrating that `Ein od milvado',
there is nothing other than Him . . . .
"What gives us the ability to honor? It is only the
neshomoh -- whose very essence is kovod. This
is the primary function of the neshomoh: to honor and
demonstrate the greatness of the Creator, the greatness of
man, and the greatness of the Torah and talmidei
chachomim . . . .
"In fact, here lies the malady of our times: true
kovod is disappearing, and its enemies are multiplying
. . . . Whoever is more disrespectful is applauded, and the
most sublime matters are scorned. Torah Jews in this
generation are called upon to keep the middo of
zilzul (disrespect) out of their midst . . . .
"This is what it means to work on kovod: to recognize
and appreciate the true value of everything. One who does
this will find a new world surrounding him; a world in which
smallness and lowliness do not exist. For even the least of
Hashem's creations contains wonders.
"`Uveheicholo kulo omer kovod -- In His Palace,
everything says kovod!'"
