CLD #879

In this week’s Parasha, Parashat BaMidbar, not only do we start a new book of the Five Books ofTorah but we also go in depth into the organization of how the tribes traveled throughout the desert during the 40 year journey. The Hida ZY'A in his book Nahal Kedumim picks up on a beautiful part of this explanation of their journey.

If someone analyzes the Parasha and its description of the Shevatim (tribes) and how they managed around the Mishkan (Tabernacle), you can see a similarity. How did they camp? There were four groups of three tribes meaning for each direction (N,E,S,W) there would be three tribes together. The first group on the east consisted of Yehuda, Yisachar and Zevulun. The southern part of the camp at large included Reuven, Shimon and Gad. On the western side Efrayim, Menashe and Binyamin camped together. Finally the northern section included Dan, Asher and Naftali.

 

The Hida ZY’A notices a similarity that is remarkable. We know from the beginning of the Parasha that Hashem explains in the Torah that each Shevet (tribe) had a leader to it. When looking at the arrangement, one can see that the leaders of the middle tribe in each direction around the Mishkan had a similarity.

East Side Middle Tribe = Yisachar (Leader: Netanel ben Tzuar)

South Side Middle Tribe = Shimon (Leader: Shelumiel ben Tzurishadai)

West Side Middle Tribe = Menashe (Leader: Gamliel ben Pedatzur)

North Side Middle Tribe= Asher (Leader: Pagiel ben Ochran)

The Hida ZY’A says that each first name of the Middle Tribe Leader in each section around the Mishkan ended with one of Hashem’s names: El (which symbolizes strength). This is a hidden message in the Torah to state that Hashem’s Divine Presence is present in ALL of Am Yisrael, there is no such thing as one group having no spirituality or G-dly existence! The second hiddush (Torah teaching) that the Hida ZY’A explains is that the order of these tribes’s sacrifice giving (each one on a different day) makes up Hashem’s name. Yisachar gave on the 2^nd day, Shimon on the 5^th, Menashe on the 8^th and Asher on the 11^th. If you add 2+5+8+11, this equals 26 which is Hashem’s name in Gematriya.

What an uplifting way to end off Rosh Hodesh and enter Shabbat Kodesh tonight by thinking about Hashem’s presence and protection in our lives when singing Lecha Dodi!

Shabbat Shalom and Hodesh Tov!

Judaism=Think.

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