This week's parashah discusses the degalim, the four flags whose banners waved over the camps of Bnei Yisrael (דגל ,יהודה מחנה דגל דן מחנה דגל ,אפרים מחנה דגל ,ראובן מחנה – Bamidbar 2:2-10).
The Midrash (Tanchuma 14) states, "When Hashem came to Har Sinai, He came with 22,000 malachim, and the malachim were divided into groups, and each group had their individual flag. When the Jewish nation saw that, they said, 'I wish we could also have flags like them... I wish Hashem would show His love to us [and give us flags].' ... It states (Tehillim 20), נדגול אלקינו ובשם בישועתיך נרננה, 'Let us sing praises for Your salvation, and in the name of Hashem, let us raise our flags.' Hakadosh Baruch Hu replies, כל 'ה ימלא משאלותיך, 'Hashem grants all your desires. You desired flags; I swear I will do your will.' Hashem immediately demonstrated His love for Bnei Yisrael and said to Moshe, 'Make flags for them because they are yearning for them... In the future, I will redeem them in the merit of the flags.'"
This Midrash clearly shows that the flags had profound meaning and importance. But what is their significance?
Tzaddikim explain that the flags remind us of everyone’s differences and how each individual serves Hashem in his unique way. The malachim are divided into four groups, and they have four flags. This indicates that each camp of malachim serves Hashem differently. Malach Michoel's camp serves Hashem with love, Malach Gavriel's camp serves Hashem with fear, and so on. The Jewish nation, too, was divided into four camps and had four flags to imply that each division served Hashem in its unique way.
In addition to the four primary groups, each Yid serves Hashem in his own unique manner and has a divine mission that only he can accomplish. The flags reveal that we shouldn't despair or feel unimportant when we see others serving Hashem more than us. Every person has his portion in avodas Hashem, and in his area, he excels more than everyone else.
This week's parashah also discusses the counting of the Jewish nation. Rashi writes, שעה כל אותם מונה לפניו חיבתן מתוך, "Because Hashem loves the Jewish nation, He counts them all the time." The message is the same as the flags. Counting them demonstrates to them that no Yid is superfluous. Each Yid is counted and needed. Everyone has something new to add to Hashem's service that no one else can do. Furthermore, each Yid understands Torah in a slightly different way. And therefore, matan Torah is for everyone. No one can complete your portion in Torah and avodas Hashem.
3. The Chidushei HaRim zt'l said that counting the Jewish nation turned them into a שבמנין דבר, a counted item, which cannot be batel (annulled). This reveals the greatness of each Yid, whose importance isn't batel.
4. There's a halachic discussion about whether the brachah of Elokai neshamah should be recited before or after birchas haTorah. The Chidushei HaRim zt'l recommends saying it after birchas haTorah because Elokai neshamah is to thank Hashem for life, and without Torah study, life has no purpose. Reb Yechezkel Abramsky zt'l was sent to a Siberian prison, and one morning, he couldn't bring himself to say Modeh Ani in the morning. He asked himself, "I can't study Torah or perform mitzvos here. So why should I praise Hashem for returning my neshamah?" He felt that life didn’t have a purpose if he couldn’t study Torah and perform mitzvos. Then, he told himself that he could serve Hashem by believing in Hashem. This was a great avodah because it meant not asking questions about Hashem’s ways and why he must suffer so much. When he realized he could serve Hashem in this manner, he immediately said Modeh Ani with joy and thanked Hashem for another day of life, another day to serve Hashem with the only thing he had left: his emunah. Reb Yechezkel Abramsky related this episode to the Rayatz of Lubavitz zt'l, who replied, "The entire Siberia was worthwhile so that you should say those words."
Expounding on the words ראש את שאו, Reb Moshe Feinstein zt'l explains that there are people who feel they aren't worthy to receive the Torah. They think that they aren't important. When the Jewish nation was counted, the greatest tzaddik was counted as "1," and the simplest Yid was counted as "1". ראש את שאו, this elevated the heads and the spirit of the Jewish nation to know that no matter who they are, they are unique to Hashem.
The Torah tells us the count of Levi's family. There were 2630 men (between the ages of thirty and fifty) in Gershon's family, 3200 men in Merari's family, and 2750 in Kehos's family. Then the Torah tells us the subtotal: (Bamidbar 4:48), ושמנים מאות וחמש אלפים שמנת פקדיהם ויהיו, "Their tally: eight thousand, five hundred and eighty." The Midrash (Naso 6:10) states, "After Kehos was counted separately, and Gershon was counted separately, and Merari was counted separately, the Torah combines them. This is so we shall know that Hashem loves them all the same."
The Bnei Yissaschar (Igra d’Pirka 96) explains, "Kehos's service was more exalted than Gershon's and Merari's (because Kehos carried the aron and the other utensils of the Mishkan). Gershon's service (to carry the sheets of the Mishkan) was more exalted than Merari's (who carried the wooden walls of the Mishkan). Nevertheless, when Merari's family did the service incumbent upon them, it was as special before Hakadosh Baruch Hu as Kehos's service..." The Torah counts them all together to tell us that they were all equal in importance before Hashem. The Bnei Yissaschar concludes, "Don't be jealous of your fellow man, not even in avodas Hashem. Be happy with the mission Hashem gave you..." Why should you be jealous? Your mission and service are as valuable as theirs.
The Bnei Yissaschar proves this from the malachim who are השרפים לעומת מתנשאים, which means the malachim (הקודש וחיות האופנים) feel equal to the malachim of higher levels (השרפים) because they know they are doing the service that is incumbent on them.
Chazal say, בחלקו השמח עשיר איזהו, "Who is wealthy? It is someone happy with his portion." The Tiferes Shlomo zt'l and the Sfas Emes zt'l both explain that this also means to be satisfied with one's spiritual portion. Even if it isn't the portion you would ideally choose for yourself, if this is the portion Hashem prepared for you, be happy with it. This is the way Hashem wants you to serve Him.
This story is an example of recognizing the greatness of our avodas Hashem when we carry out our mission, even when it isn't the avodas Hashem that we had envisioned.
