These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly portion: #1382 The Halachic Issues with Milchig Bread. Good Shabbos.

Klal Yisrael is a Role-Oriented Religion and a Role-Oriented Nation

The pasuk in Parshas Bamidbar says, “The Children of Israel shall encamp, every man at his camp and every man at his division…” (Bamidbar 1:2). During their journey in the midbar (wilderness), there was a specific order in which they traveled. Each of their camps had their own “degalim” (flags). This is how they camped around the Mishkan and this is how they traveled. Rashi quotes (in one of his interpretations) that the signs with which the shevatim (tribes) camped were “the signs given over to them by Yaakov their father.” In other words, the arrangement of four units, with three shevatim per unit, was all specified by Yaakov as the configuration in which they were to carry his body up from Mitzrayim (Egypt) (to the Mearas Hamachpelah in Eretz Canaan for burial).

Rashi brings the same idea in Parshas Vayechi, where the Torah describes the actual transport of Yaakov’s body from Mitzrayim to the Mearas Hamachpelah: He specified positions for them; three to the east, three to the south, three to the west, and three to the north. Rashi there mentions that their eventual travel in the midbar after Yetzias Mitzrayim was established back then. For example, Levi was instructed not to carry Yaakov’s coffin, just as his shevet would not take part in the travel configuration in the midbar (because Shevet Levi had the separate job of carrying the Aron). Likewise, in the transport of Yaakov’s body back to Canaan, Yosef did not participate in the carrying because he was a king (i.e. – Egyptian royalty), so his sons Menashe and Ephraim took his place.

The Medrash (Medrash Rabbah Bamidbar Parsha 2 Os 7) explains that this is the meaning of the phrase in the pasuk “ish al diglo b’osos” – using the “osos” (signs) that their father (Yaakov) gave them for carrying his coffin, they gathered under their respective “degalim.”

At first glance, it seems rather strange that there is such serious concern as to how they travelled in the midbar. We must remember that the transport of Yaakov’s body to Canaan happened hundreds of years earlier! Why was there such hakpada about the order of the shevatim’s travel upon leaving Mitzrayim?

I saw in a sefer that this was much more fundamental than just the idea of positioning. When Yaakov Avinu gave his deathbed instructions to his sons regarding how to travel when they transport him from Mitzrayim, he was also conveying to them something far more basic. When the shevatim gathered around Yaakov’s deathbed, he told each of them their strengths and their weaknesses, and he also assigned to them their future roles in Klal Yisrael. Shevet Levi would have the kehuna. Yehuda would be the melech. Shevet Yissocher would devote themselves to learning and Zevulun would support them, etc. etc. In other words, Yaakov was not just assigning east-west north-south positions. He was defining their roles in Klal Yisrael.

Judaism is a role-oriented religion and Klal Yisrael is a role-oriented nation. The only way to have a successful nation is if everyone’s roles are defined. “Vayehi b’Yeshurun melech, b’hisasef roshei am yachad shivtei Yisrael.” Achdus (unity) is necessary. In order to have achdus, it is necessary to establish “mi b’rosh?” (who will lead?). Someone needs to be the chief, and the others need to be the Indians. When all the Indians want to be the chief, there will be trouble!

So, when Yaakov Avinu assigned the positions in which they would travel, included in that assignment was their roles and their hierarchy. That is why when they finally became a nation and began travelling in the midbar, it became incumbent to establish the roles of each shevet.

This is not unlike the armed services of the United States. The Navy needs to take care of the ocean. The Air Force needs to take care of the sky. The Army needs to take care of the ground. Each of these roles are defined. When one service wants to usurp and take over the “territory” of another branch of service, it causes division and arguments.

Therefore, the importance of how they travelled was not merely about travelling. This is what Chazal wished to emphasize: They had this configuration from the Zeida Yaakov, who had the vision of what Klal Yisrael would look like. He recognized that in Klal Yisrael, not everyone could be the king, not everyone could be the learner, and not everyone could be in charge of the avoda in the Beis Hamikdash (Temple Service). Everything had to be defined. That definition was established by Yaakov Avinu, and that is why it was so important to maintain that same configuration while they travelled in the midbar.

Klal Yisrael is a Role-Oriented Religion and a Role-Oriented Nation

I would like to point out another insight on this very pasuk, but with a totally different emphasis:

“Every man at his camp and every man at his division…” (Bamidbar 1:52)

Another very interesting Medrash (Medrash Rabbah Bamidbar Parsha 2 Os 2) seems to be saying disparate things that may actually by related.

By making every shevet have degalim, Hashem expressed his love for the Jewish people. The Medrash cites the pasuk “He has brought me into the wine cellar and diglo (his flag) is upon me as a demonstration of His love” (Shir HaShirim 2:4). The Medrash quotes various interpretations of the pasuk:

One interpretation of this Medrash is: Even if a person is sitting and learning and skips around (m’daleg) from place to place, from pasuk to pasuk, and from halacha to halacha, the Ribono shel Olam‘s reaction is ‘This person is dear to Me, v’dilugo Alai ahava (his skipping is upon Me for love). The Tanna makes a very interesting play on words, switching from v’diglo (and his flag) to v’dilugo (and his skipping). “I like the fact that he skips!”

Another interpretation of the Medrash is: At Kabalas Hatorah (Revelation), thousands upon thousands of malachim (angels) descended with the Ribono shel Olam. The pasuk indicates that the malachim were each carrying degalim, as it is written, dagul m’revava. When the Jews saw that the malachim were each carrying degalim, they began to strongly desire their own degalim. They said, halevai that we too should have degalim like the malachim do. Therefore, the pasuk states: He has brought me into the wine cellar and diglo (his flag) is upon me, as a demonstration of His love.

The Sefas Emes points out that there is a common denominator to the theme of these interpretations: Normally Yiddishkeit is a religion of hadraga (taking things in steps). A person cannot suddenly jump from the lower to the higher rungs of spirituality. A person must go step by step over a long period of time. This is the normal way of doing things. Usually, if someone goes overnight from eating neveilos and treifos to wearing rabbinic garb, such growth does not last. But this Medrash is saying, according to the Sefas Emes, that sometimes the Ribono shel Olam lets you skip. When the Ribono shel Olam sees your passion to grow and become greater and sees that you have a burning desire to improve, then the Ribono shel Olam says “Yes. I can accept that and I will let you skip and I will even help you skip.”

That is the meaning of skipping pesukim and perakim. Here is a person who says “I want to learn. I want to know. But it is just too hard for me so I skip it!” The Ribono shel Olam sees his desire and passion. He says “That is what I like. I like the passion.” Therefore, even though you may be skipping this and skipping that, your feelings are in the right place and I appreciate that. “V’dilugo Alai ahava” – His skipping is dear to Me (because his skipping comes from a place where he really wants to learn, but it is just too hard for him).

This, says the Sefas Emes, is the same message as that of the malachim. Klal Yisrael sees thousands and thousands of malachim descending and they all carry degalim. They have a passion to become like malachim. Wait a minute! You can’t be a malach, you are a human being! Why do you have a passion for that? It is beyond your scope. The Ribono shel Olam says, “Yes, I see it is beyond your scope but I see your passion. I see your desire. That is what I like.”

Therefore, the two interpretations of “dilugo Alai ahava” are intertwined. There is a common denominator between the person that skips and Klal Yisrael that had a passion for the degalim. There is an element there that the Ribono shel Olam appreciates and loves, and in fact, He will sometimes let a person skip a couple of steps along the way, in order to fulfill that strong desire.

This is the meaning of the pasuk “He has brought me to the wine cellar and diglo (his flag) is upon me with love.” Sometimes it is dilugo (allowing you to skip) which demonstrates His love because He sees your passion to grow and become a better Jew.

Transcribed by David Twersky; Jerusalem [email protected]

Edited by Dovid Hoffman; Baltimore, MD [email protected]

This week’s write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissochar Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly Torah portion. A listing of the halachic portions for Parshas Bamidbar is provided below:

• 013 Yerushalayim in Halacha
• 058 Going Up To Yerushalayim for Yom Tov: Does it Apply Today?
• 101 Teaching Torah to Women
• 147 Sefiras HaOmer, Shavuos & the International Dateline
• 194 Can One Charge for Teaching Torah?
• 240 An Early Start for Shavuos?
• 284 Birchas HaTorahem
• 330 Sefer Rus and Its Halachic Implications
• 374 Bathing On Shabbos and Yom Tov
• 418 Shavuos Issues–Late Maariv–Learning All Night
• 462 May A Child Carry A Sefer On Shabbos
• 506 Shavuos: Two Days, She’cheyanu & Other Issues
• 550 Opening Cans on Shabbos & Yom Tov
• 594 Omer Davar B’Sheim Omro – Giving Proper Credit
• 638 Eruv and the Big City
• 682 Carrying on Yom Tov
• 726 Returning Pidyon Haben Money
• 770 Let Them Eat Cheesecake
• 814 Oy, The Eruv is Down, Now What?
• 858 Ms. Cohen for A Pidyon Habein?
• 902 Dancing on Yom Tov
• 946 The Beautiful Poem of Akdomus
• 989 The Mitzva of Talmud Torah – How Much – How Little?
• 1033 Conning Someone Out of A Mitzva
• 1077 Can A Father Give Son His Position (Rabbi/Chazan) While Still Alive?
• 1120 The Zohar vs Talmud Bavli: Whom Do We Pasken Like?
• 1162 Yahrtzeit/Yizkor Candles on Yom Tov – Is There A Problem?
• 1206 What Bracha on Cheesecake? Is It BH or BSD? And other Shavuos Issues
• 1250 Erev Shavuos on Shabbos
• 1294 When Should Women Light Candles for Shavuos?
• 1338 Can You Make The Second Day of Shavuos Early? Can American Mohel in Israel Perform A Bris on the Second Day of Shavuos.
• 1382 The Halachic Issues with Milchig Bread
• 1426 Shavuos – A potpourri of Dinim and Minhagim – Adding Water to Flowers and more
• 1470 How is Adopted Child Called to Torah? Named in Kesuba? And other fascinating Shailos.
• 1514 Shavuos – Women and Candle Lighting for Yom Tov
• 1556 Shavuos -Yom Tov Candles: Bracha and Then Light or Vis Versa? Parmesan Cheese and Then Fleishig? Is There a Problem?
• 1598 Shas and Poskim vs The Zohar – Whom Do We Follow?

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