Bamidbar – Page 5 – Peninim on the Torah

איש אל דגלו באתות לבית אבותם יחנו בני ישראל

Bnei Yisrael shall encamp, each man by his banner, according to the insignias of their fathers’ household. (2:2)

Klal Yisrael was to travel as a collective group in formation, three tribes, each with a distinctively colored banner/flag representative of its individual characteristic. Each triumvirate group was led by a designated tribe. Each tribal banner was the same color as its corresponding stone on the Breastplate, Choshen, of the Kohen Gadol. Their positions around the Mishkan were to be the same as those designated by Yaakov Avinu for his sons when they were to escort his coffin for burial. This is what is meant by ossos l’bais avosam, “According to the insignias of their fathers’ household.” This idea is…

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איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבותם יחנו בני ישראל מנגד סביב לאהל מועד יחנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Bamidbar

Each man by his banner, according to the insignias of their fathers’ household. (2:2)

Each tribe received a designated spot around the Mishkan. At first, Moshe Rabbeinu was concerned that a dispute might arise between the tribes. Quite possibly, each individual tribe had its own idea concerning its placement. Hashem told Moshe that he need not worry. The tribes knew their place, understanding that the configuration determined by their Patriarch, Yaakov Avinu, would apply now as well. The tribes accepted their grandfather’s decision; what he had decided hundreds of years earlier was still applicable today. How are we to understand this? The tribe that might question Moshe’s decision could just as well question Yaakov’s…

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איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבותם יחנו בני ישראל מנגד סביב לאהל מועד יחנו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Bamidbar

Bnei Yisrael shall encamp, each man by his banner, according to the insignias of their fathers’ household, at a distance surrounding the Ohel Moed shall they encamp. (2:2)

The words mineged, which is usually defined as “opposite,” and saviv, which means “surrounding,” contrast one another. Were the Jews opposite the Ohel Moed, or were they camped surrounding it? Veritably, these terms complement one another, as explained by Horav Chaim Toyto, Shlita, with the following story. An observant physician from Germany decided that he wanted to visit the blossoming Torah world of Lithuanian Jewry. After all, he was a frum, observant, doctor who meticulously adhered to all the mitzvos. He wanted to see what about Lithuanian yeshivah life differed from his lifestyle. One can imagine the culture shock when…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Bamidbar

“Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their fathers’ household.” (1:2)

Rashi explains that as a result of Klal Yisrael’s dearness to Hashem, He counts them all of the time. The Mishkan, the site of the Revelation of the Divine Presence, was erected on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. On the following month, Rosh Chodesh Iyar, Hashem counted them. The commentators struggle with the thirty-day lapse between the time the Mishkan was erected and the time Hashem counted Klal Yisrael. One would think that because of Hashem’s great love for Klal Yisrael, He would count them on the most auspicious day, the day the Mishkan was erected. A number of reasons are given…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Bamidbar

“The Bnei Yisrael shall camp, each man by his banner according to the insignias of their fathers’ household.” (2:2)

The tribes camped around the Mishkan in a manner designated by Hashem. They were organized into formations of three tribes each. Their place around the Mishkan corresponded to the places which Yaakov Avinu designated to his sons when he instructed them on how to escort his bier to its final resting place. The Moinistritcher Rebbe notes that Parashas Bamidbar, which includes the chapter detailing the order of the degalim, banners, is always read on the Shabbos immediately prior to Shavuos. He posits that this is appropriate, especially given the fact that one of the forty-eight qualities by which Torah is…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Bamidbar

“Count the sons of Levi…every male from one month of age and up…” (3:15)

Rashi explains that the little infants of Bnei Levi were counted from the tender age of one month and up. Already at this young age, they were called by the title of honor and distinction that they would achieve as adults. Why grant such an esteemed title to a baby? Are we so sure they will live up to the title? Apparently, Shevet Levi had this “track record.” Those thirty-day-old infants were sure to grow up to become Shomrei Mishmeres HaKodesh, Guardians of the Holy Watch. Yet, how could we be so certain of their outcome? We see regrettably, how…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Bamidbar

And you shall appoint the Leviim over the Mishkan of the Testimony. (1:50)

The Baal HaTurim notes an intriguing Mesorah concerning the word hafkeid, appoint. There is one other hafkeid in Tanach: Hafkeid alav rasha, “Appoint a wicked man over him” (Tehillim 109:6). What relationship is there between the two hafkeids? Appointing the Leviim to a position of distinction, and signifying one as wicked, are hardly parallel. The explanation of the Baal HaTurim seems to intensify the ambiguity concerning the correlation of the two pesukim. He says that this supports a statement made by Chazal, “One does not become a pakid (hafkeid), overseer – rise to a position of importance and responsibility below…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Bamidbar

And you shall appoint the Leviim over the Mishkan of the Testimony. (1:50)

Upon perusal of the pesukim, it is evident that the Torah instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to appoint the Leviim for their mission concerning the Mishkan of Testimony even before he was told to count them. Whereas the rest of the nation was immediately totaled into the census, Shevet Levi was first presented with their unique function and then counted. The Shach explains this from a practical standpoint. Shevet Levi’s census was quite small in contrast to the other Shevatim, Tribes. Initially, this might have caused them chalishas ha’daas, a somewhat downcast feeling. After all, why should Shevet Levi be the smallest in…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Bamidbar

And they established their genealogy, according to their families, according to their fathers’ household. (1:18)

The census was executed according to tribe, thereby requiring each individual to establish his genealogical descent from a given tribe. This was done either by document, witnesses, or by the word of the individual. Chazal relate that when Hashem gave the Torah to Klal Yisrael, the nations of the world suddenly disputed His decision. Why were the Jews receiving the Torah and not they? Hashem replied, “Bring Me your Sefer Yuchsin, book of family pedigree, to determine from which nations you descend, so that it can be determined if you are worthy of receiving the Torah. The Jewish People have…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Bamidbar

There are the offspring of Aharon and Moshe. (3:1)

The Torah is about to detail the offspring of both Aharon and Moshe – yet, it enumerates only those of Aharon. Rashi quotes Chazal in the Talmud Sanhedrin 19b who teach that “whoever teaches his friend’s son Torah, it is considered as if he gave birth to him.” The Shlah Ha’kadosh adds that one should not take the word k’ilu, “as if,” verbatim, for it is more than “as if.” One who teaches Torah to his friend’s son has actually given birth to him. Father and mother provide a child’s body; the rebbe, Torah teacher, sustains his neshamah, soul. Thus,…

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איש אל דגלו באתות לבית אבותם יחנו בני ישראל

Bnei Yisrael shall encamp, each man by his banner, according to the insignias of their fathers’ household. (2:2)

איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבותם יחנו בני ישראל מנגד סביב לאהל מועד יחנו

Each man by his banner, according to the insignias of their fathers’ household. (2:2)

איש על דגלו באתת לבית אבותם יחנו בני ישראל מנגד סביב לאהל מועד יחנו

Bnei Yisrael shall encamp, each man by his banner, according to the insignias of their fathers’ household, at a distance surrounding the Ohel Moed shall they encamp. (2:2)

“Take a census of the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael according to their families, according to their fathers’ household.” (1:2)

“The Bnei Yisrael shall camp, each man by his banner according to the insignias of their fathers’ household.” (2:2)

“Count the sons of Levi…every male from one month of age and up…” (3:15)

And you shall appoint the Leviim over the Mishkan of the Testimony. (1:50)

And you shall appoint the Leviim over the Mishkan of the Testimony. (1:50)

And they established their genealogy, according to their families, according to their fathers’ household. (1:18)

There are the offspring of Aharon and Moshe. (3:1)

YEARS

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