פרשת במדבר
In this week’s parsha the Jewish people are counted, each according to his tribe. The Torah describes the formation in which the tribes camped and tells us that each tribe was commanded to have a flag to demarcate its location. The Midrash in Bamidbar Rabba 2:5 expounds upon the importance of these flags and praises the flags as a testament to the greatness of the Jewish people. The Midrash joyfully proclaims that G-d only gave these flags to the Jewish People and no other nation on earth merited such a gift. What is the significance of these flags? What makes them such an object of love and greatness in the eyes of Chazal?
Rav Simcha Mandelbaum explains that in general, flags are designed to draw attention to something, or to symbolize an entity. The main purpose of a flag is to demonstrate that there is a presence that should not go unnoticed and that there are certain ideals that must be taken into account. Countries that are very proud of their national heritage display their flags everywhere, and less proud countries at least place flags in front of their government buildings to indicate the significance of the location. Interestingly enough, this was the purpose of the Jewish People’s flags as well. Each tribe excelled in a different aspect of avodas Hashem and each tribe had its own specific way of increasing Hashem’s glory in the world. Every flag was an indicator of this mission and served as a statement to the entire world that Hashem is our G-d and we are His servants. The purpose of the flags was to proclaim to the entire universe that our mission is purely to increase Hashem’s glory. This is the greatest aspiration a Jew can have. This is what made the flags so special, and we must perpetuate this message in our lives as well.
The Cli Yakar points out that the formation of Clall Yisrael’s camp alludes to a similar idea. In the midbar, the aron was positioned in the middle and the Levi’im were situated around it. The Yisraelite camp encircled the Levite camp, completely encompassing the aron in its midst as well. The Cli Yakar says that this configuration showed that Hashem is the center of everything, for every Jewish person. Just as the aron was the heart of the Jewish camp, so too is it really the center of every Jewish heart. Only by making Hashem the center of our lives can we fulfill our purpose of increasing Hashem’s glory in the world. When a person exerts himself in Torah, chases after mitzvos, and dedicates time and effort to perfecting his midos, he is not only doing himself a favor. He is showing the entire world how important avodas Hashem is by dedicating his entire being to it. What a kiddush Hashem! Such an individual is increasing Hashem’s honor in the world tremendously. However, if a person is careless in the performance of mitzvos and dedicates his life to things besides Torah, chasing after fleeting pleasures and whims, he is demonstrating to others that we are not here to increase Hashem’s glory but rather we can find meaning in other things. It can even be said that such an individual is actually making a silent declaration to the world that Hashem doesn’t exist, has v’shalom. If one really believed and took to heart that there is a G-d and He created us just to serve Him, how could one engage in pursuits that have nothing to do with this lofty goal? Everyone, according to his level, is obligated to consider whether or not he is living a life that is increasing Hashem’s honor in the world, and most importantly, one must determine if he is truly placing the service of G-d at the center of his existence.
The Midrash in Bamidbar Rabba 2:4 recounts that the nations of the world were astounded to see the Jewish people grouped according to their flags. They were so impressed with the grandeur of Clall Yisrael that they asked them to be leaders and officials in their governments. The magnificence of the Jewish people exists until this day, and the story hasn’t changed. Even in our times, non-Jews want Jews involved in their projects, and there is a steady barrage against Torah study, encouraging Jews to forsake the Torah and assimilate into general society. Sadly, in our times, many Jews have fallen for the illusory attractions of secular culture, and even religious Jews sometimes lose track of their priorities and replace the Torah with other interests. Many have chosen to fill their lives with empty things like movies, sports, and vacations. Others have become nationalists, work addicts, or supporters of miscellaneous causes. That a flag could be an instrument for bringing about the greater honor of G-d is a foreign concept these days. The flags of the Jewish camp in the desert have long been forgotten, as well as the message that they stood for. So now that we no longer have our flags to increase Hashem’s glory, what can we do nowadays? I believe the answer is simple. If we bnei Torah who still understand the importance of serving G-d can overcome the enticements and intimidation of the world and cling to the Torah as best we can, this itself will be making the greatest kiddush Hashem that we can possibly make. When we show everyone how much Torah matters to us and how we are willing to give up all the pleasures of the world in order to continue learning, those who pay attention will understand that there is indeed Something greater than ourselves. May we all continue to find the strength and resolve to make this kiddush Hashem!
Rav Yechezkel Abramsky encouraged his talmidim never to give into world pressure. Rav Yechezkel lived in a time before there were many yeshivas in Eretz Yisrael, and at that time, a yeshiva bucher didn’t have the most celebrated status in the country. However, Rav Yechezkel spoke strongly to his talmidim, saying, “We’re bnei Torah! We must know that our only occupation is Torah. It is our Torah that allows the world to exist and it is only in the merit of our studies that the Jewish people merit Hashem’s protection. It is we, who just learn Torah and dedicate our entire lives purely to the fulfillment of mitzvos, who are the most vital members of Clall Yisrael. If a ben Torah doesn’t get satisfaction from his lot and instead feels as though he needs to engage in other activities in order to find meaning, he is not appreciating the loftiness of what he has! He is the pinnacle of creation and the greatest emissary that Hashem has in this world! Why should he have a need for anything else?”
May we all be zoche to increase Hashem’s glory in the world!!!