A Thought On Parshas BaMidbar
A Thought on Parshas BaMidbar
"...v'ha'chonim lifnei ha'mishkan kedma..."
"...and those camping before the shrine to the east..." (3:38)
We have finally arrived in the midbar for some prolonged wilderness camping. The Torah carefully defines the organization of the tribes and their positions relative to the Sacred Shrine where our service to HaShem took place. Each tribe had its flag and banner, and each kept to its location both in the traveling formation and the camping order.
Our verse refers to "those camping eastward before the mishkan." It was Moshe and Aharon, and the kohanim who were stationed nearest that spot, and the tribes of Yehuda, Yisachar and Zevulun were adjacent to that side of the camp.
The Rambam (Hilchos Tefila 11:2) derives a halachic procedure from our verse: when we build a shul we are careful to place its doorway or entrance on the eastern side. This way, upon entering, we will be facing west, which is where the Torah is positioned and which is the direction we face upon praying. Our verse clarifies that the kohanim were just east of the mishkan, and would enter from that direction into the place of avoda. We replicate that sensitivity through entering from the east when we prepare for our own avoda.
The commentaries hasten to add that this regulation dates back to those regions which were to the east of Israel. People in those areas did, in fact, daven towards the west in order to be facing Jerusalem and the holy Bais HaMikdash. In our times, however, with most of world Jewry living to the west of Israel, we face eastward. Our shul entrances should open, then, from the west so that we are facing properly.
* * * * *
The Rosh finds a different message within the camp formation. As we noted, the direction which housed Moshe and the kohanim was adjacent to the position of the tribes of Yehuda, Yisachar and Zevulun. From here we can appreciate the Talmudic adage, "fortunate is the pious one and fortunate is his neighbor!" Those who camped that close to the pious ones, the kohanim, became great and learned Torah scholars.
Yehuda was blessed with Torah leadership (Bereishis 49:10). Yisachar was known as the tribe of Torah authority (Divrei HaYamim 1 12:33). Zevulun merited a legacy of greatness in Torah (Shoftim 5:14). The environment which we seek should be one which supports our truest values. The company which we keep will also influence the direction which we take.
According to the Rambam, the verse teaches us to enter our holy places poised for avoda. We structure our environment to demonstrate the values which we cherish. According to the Rosh, the verse teaches us to situate ourselves near role models whom we can emulate. Both the physical and social environments can be key in defining what we value, and in shaping the direction which we and our descendants will travel.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...v'ha'chonim lifnei ha'mishkan kedma..."
"...and those camping before the shrine to the east..." (3:38)
We have finally arrived in the midbar for some prolonged wilderness camping. The Torah carefully defines the organization of the tribes and their positions relative to the Sacred Shrine where our service to HaShem took place. Each tribe had its flag and banner, and each kept to its location both in the traveling formation and the camping order.
Our verse refers to "those camping eastward before the mishkan." It was Moshe and Aharon, and the kohanim who were stationed nearest that spot, and the tribes of Yehuda, Yisachar and Zevulun were adjacent to that side of the camp.
The Rambam (Hilchos Tefila 11:2) derives a halachic procedure from our verse: when we build a shul we are careful to place its doorway or entrance on the eastern side. This way, upon entering, we will be facing west, which is where the Torah is positioned and which is the direction we face upon praying. Our verse clarifies that the kohanim were just east of the mishkan, and would enter from that direction into the place of avoda. We replicate that sensitivity through entering from the east when we prepare for our own avoda.
The commentaries hasten to add that this regulation dates back to those regions which were to the east of Israel. People in those areas did, in fact, daven towards the west in order to be facing Jerusalem and the holy Bais HaMikdash. In our times, however, with most of world Jewry living to the west of Israel, we face eastward. Our shul entrances should open, then, from the west so that we are facing properly.
* * * * *
The Rosh finds a different message within the camp formation. As we noted, the direction which housed Moshe and the kohanim was adjacent to the position of the tribes of Yehuda, Yisachar and Zevulun. From here we can appreciate the Talmudic adage, "fortunate is the pious one and fortunate is his neighbor!" Those who camped that close to the pious ones, the kohanim, became great and learned Torah scholars.
Yehuda was blessed with Torah leadership (Bereishis 49:10). Yisachar was known as the tribe of Torah authority (Divrei HaYamim 1 12:33). Zevulun merited a legacy of greatness in Torah (Shoftim 5:14). The environment which we seek should be one which supports our truest values. The company which we keep will also influence the direction which we take.
According to the Rambam, the verse teaches us to enter our holy places poised for avoda. We structure our environment to demonstrate the values which we cherish. According to the Rosh, the verse teaches us to situate ourselves near role models whom we can emulate. Both the physical and social environments can be key in defining what we value, and in shaping the direction which we and our descendants will travel.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 7:12 PM
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