Parshas Bemidbar is devoted to the array of the Israelites' encampment. The reading begins with the census of the tribes, followed by the organization of the tribes in the camp. Lastly comes the census of the tribe of Levi and the division of tasks among the Levites, in the center of the encampment.
The arrangement of the encampment is based on twelve tribes (excluding the tribe of Levi, but including Ephraim and Manasseh) who were divided into four groups of three tribes. However, the arrangement did not preserve the order of Yaacov's sons according to their mothers.
In the center of the encampment was the Mishkan and its furnishings, surrounded by Moshe and Aharon and the sons of Levi--Gershon, Kehas and Merari--each of them responsible for taking care of one part of the Tabernacle and its implements. Around them were twelve tribes, arranged in four groups:
- Yehudah, Issachar and Zebulun;
- Reuven, Simeon and Gad;
- Ephraim, Manasseh and Benyamin;
- Dan, Asher and Naphtali.
That Gad is included in Reuven's group is not the only striking feature of this arrangement. It is also noteworthy that Yehudah and the tribes with him are mentioned at the head of all the tribes, with Moshe, Aharon, and the rest of the priests across from them in the inner Levite encampment.
The centrality of the tribe of Yehudah is gradually brought out, starting with the list of chieftains, proceeding through the names of the tribes, and finally with the description of their encampment. It should be stressed that Yehudah was mentioned first not only in connection with the order in which the tribes camped, but also with regard to the order in which they marched, the tribe of Yehudah being in the lead as they proceeded through the wilderness (cf. Bemidbar 10:12-28).
Abarbanel concludes his analysis as follows:
The matter of the camps was not a separate issue from that of proper and decent political leadership, although here too we find a model of the world in general... Just as everywhere in the world in general we find different ranks with barriers between them, so too, in the encampment in the desert. Thus, along the preferred side, namely to the east, where the sun rises and where one enters the Tabernacle, were Moshe and Aharon and his sons... So, too, the standards surrounding the camps were according to rank, for the standard of Yehudah was to the east, near the sons of Kehas, because Yehudah merited kingship. Reuven and Simeon were not beneath him, being his older brothers; for how could they be subordinate to him in their standards? But Issachar and Zebulun were under him, being his younger brothers... This is the divine order, each person in the place befitting him.
According to Abarbanel, Yehudah was placed in the lead of the camp not only because of size, but also because it was the tribe destined for the monarchy. He continues to explain the place of each tribe, both in terms of its relationship to the other two tribes on the same side, and in terms of its general location in the camp and its proximity to one of the sons of the tribe of Levi surrounding the Tabernacle.
Possible set up #1: Standard without particular dimensions
(Figure taken from Encyclopedia of the Biblical World, Numbers, Prof. Moshe Weinfeld, ed., Jerusalem 1986, p. 23)
The order of encampment of the tribes is reflected in various ways in Jewish history and culture.
A) Land Apportionment
Apparently even the land of Israel was apportioned to the tribes largely according to their order of encampment in the desert, as has been pointed out by several biblical commentators. Except for the royal tribe of Yehudah, located in the "center" of the country around Jerusalem and not near the tribes of Issachar and Zevulun that encamped with Yehudah in the desert, the rest of the tribes remained close to the allotments of their brethren for long periods of time, just as they marched with them in the desert according to the array set out in this week's reading.
B) Good Neighbors
The Sages' sayings that a good neighbor is one of the foundations of social existence (Avos 2.13), and "woe to the wicked man and woe to his neighbor; fortunate is the righteous and fortunate is his neighbor" (Sukkah 56b) are illustrated by the array of the tribes in the desert. Certain tribes appear to have banded together, for better or for worse, as they proceeded jointly through the desert. Issachar and Zebulun set up a multi-faceted partnership, whereas Korah and Kehas and members of the tribe of Reuven (Dasan, Aviram and On son of Peleth) conspired together to revolt against Moshe, since they felt disadvantaged in terms of their family and status. Similarly, Reuven, Gad and part of the tribe of Manasseh, also neighbors in the tribal encampment, planned together to remain east of the Jordan.
C) Star of David Formation
Jewish folklore describes the encampment of the tribes in the desert as forming a Star of David, twelve focal points being connected one to another, and all of these arranged around a central, thirteenth, focus--the Tabernacle and the tribe of Levi ministering the sacred service. [T. Nussblat, Der Mogen Dovid Ufstamm, Yalkut ha-Moadim - Unsere Yomim Tovim (ed., Z. Y. Rabinowitz), Buenos Aires, 1942, 1131-1140.]
Possible arrangement #2: Star of David arrangement
According to this picture, the Star of David is the symbol of tribal unity in Israel, a single formation protecting the Sanctuary shared by all.
Alternative Orders of the Camp (with the assistance of Medrashim)
"V'hachonim" (2,3) Targum Yonoson ben Uziel says that the dimensions of the entire camp were 12 "mil" by 12 "mil." (A mil is measure of distance .914 to 1.16 km) As well, each group of three tribes occupied an area that was 4 "mil" by 4 "mil." Since there were four such groups, this seems problematic since 4x4 four times = 64 square "mil"; yet 12x12 "mil" = 144 square "mil" for total area, or two and a quarter times the area occupied by the tribes.
Perhaps the intention of the Targum Yonoson is as follows: Picture a grid that has nine squares laid out as a 3 by 3, similar to a blank tic-tac-toe board. The central cell is the area of machaneh L'viah and machaneh Sh'chinah. The four groups of encamped tribes abutted this square to the right, left, above, and below. The tribes did not occupy the diagonal corner squares. Thus, we have the areas for the tribes as four 4x4 squares, and the outer dimensions are 12x12 "mil." A strong indication to this is in the Yalkut Shimoni parshas P'kudei, remez #426-427, states that the cattle occupied the four diagonal corner areas of the encampment.
Possible arrangement #3: 12 Tribes all on the outer rim
12 X 12 mil = 144 sq. mil
Each square 2.4 x 2.4 = 5.76 square mil
Animals Tribe #10
Tribe #11
Dan
Tribe #12 Animals
Tribe #9
Levi #3
Merari
Tribe #1
Tribe #8
Efraim
Levi #2
Gershon
Mishkan Kohanim
Tribe #2
Yehudah
Tribe #7
Levi #1
Kehas
Tribe #3
Animals Tribe #6
Tribe #5
Reuven
Tribe #4 Animals
12 tribes = 69.12 sq. mil Animals = 23.04 sq. mil EAST →
Inner area (Machanei Levi and Kohen) = 7.2 X 7.2 = 51.84 sq mil.
Possible arrangement #4: Tribes in stacks of three
4 MIL → “BOX” WHEN ENCAMPED EAST →
4 MIL
NAFTOLI
ASHER
DAN
BINYOMIN
MENASHE
EFRAIM
1 MIL→ 2 MIL→ 1 MIL→
YEHUDAH
YISSACHAR
ZEVULUN
MERARI
GERSHON
MISHKAN
AHARON
AND SONS
KEHAS
REUVEN
SHIMEON
GAD
QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF THE ORDERS OF THE ENCAMPMENT:
- Where were the animals & wagons of the Levim?
- Where was the well of Miriam? Did it flow throughout the encampment along the borders between the tribe to allow ample access to all? Did the Army Corp of Engineers design portable pontoons to allow travel over the water to get to the Mishkan? Did the waters act like the Mahn, that it was delivered close for Tzadikim, medium for Beinonim, etc.
- How big were the pathways for the people to walk to the Mishkan?
- At Har Sinai, what was the arrangement of the encampment. Did the mountain occupy the center and the tribes on all sides? Where were the Leviim? Would the base of the mountain fit into the center square? Or was the entire encampment to one side of the mountain? Then, who was close and who was far from the mountain?
