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 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.'"
From this Midrash we see 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 have four flags, which 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 groups of klal Yisrael, each individual Yid serves Hashem in his own unique manner. He has his mission, which only he can accomplish. The first Rashi of the parashah states, מתוך שעה כל אותם מונה לפניו חיבתן, "Because Hashem loves the Jewish nation, He counts them all the time." The counting demonstrates 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.
It states (1:2) ראש את שאו, "Raise the sum..." Or, as translated literally, "Raise the heads." Reb Moshe Feinstein zt'l explains that some people 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 Count of Levi's Family
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 gives us the subtotal: (Bamidbar 4:48), ושמנים מאות וחמש אלפים שמנת פקדיהם ויהיו, "Their tally was: 8580."
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..."
The Bnei Yissaschar proves this from the words we say in Shacharis, ׁהַק ֹּדֶש וְח ַיּוֹת הָאוֹפַנִּים שְּׂרָפ ִים לְעֻמ ַּת מִת ְנַשְּׂא ִים גָּדוֹל ׁבְּרַעַש, "The Ofanim and the holy Chayos rise up toward the Seraphim..." Ofanim and Chayos Hakadosh are types of malachim, and an even higher level of malachim are the Seraphim. We say מתנשאים שרפים לעומת, which means the malachim (האופנים הקודש וחיות) 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. This is the portion Hashem prepared for you, so be happy with it. This is the way Hashem wants you to serve Him.
It is important to know that everyone has his part and portion in the Torah, his specialty, where he is better than all others.
Discovering One's Own Treasure
Once, the guards heard that there were cards in prison, so they came to the barracks and searched all over for the cards but found nothing. This is what happened: One of the prisoners was an expert at pickpocketing. He knew how to take a wallet out of another person’s pocket without the person feeling anything. This time, instead of picking a pocket, he used his talents to place the deck of cards into the pocket of the guard searching the barracks. The guard looked for the cards under the beds, inside the drawers, and in everyone's pockets, failing to realize it was in his own pocket. On his way out, the pickpocketer slid the cards back out of the guard’s pocket.
The nimshal is that people think their fortunes are elsewhere. They want to copy others because they believe others know how to serve Hashem better. But this isn't necessarily true. Each person has his own treasure in his pocket. All he must do is discover it and master it.
Excelling in One's Unique Mitzvah
The Gemara (Shabbos 118:) states, שבת סעודת 'ג דקיימת לי תיתי, "I deserve reward because I keep the three meals of Shabbos." Reb Yehudah said, "I deserve reward because I daven with kavanah." Rav Hunah (son of Rav Yehoshua) said, "I deserve reward because I never walk four amos without a head-covering." Rav Sheshes said, "I deserve reward because I keep the mitzvah of tefillin" (he wouldn't walk four amos without tefillin – Rashi). Reb Nachman said, "I deserve reward because I keep the mitzvah of tzitzis" (he wouldn't walk four amos without tzitzis – Rashi). Rav Yosef said to Rav Yosef (son of Rabba), "What was your father most cautious with?" "It was tzitzis. Once, he was climbing a ladder, and a string of his tzitzis ripped off. He wouldn't come down until it was fixed." Abaya said, "I deserve reward because whenever I see a talmid chacham finish a masechta, I make a yom tov for the chachamim." Rava said, "I deserve reward because when a Torah scholar comes before me in a din Torah, I won’t lie my head down until I find a merit for him."
The Netziv explains that each of these scholars chose a particular mitzvah to excel in; the mitzvah that tugged at their hearts. They understood that Hashem gave them this unique yearning and ability because that would help them excel in their service and fulfill their mission.
It states in the Aseres HaDibros (Shemos 20:6), שמו ישא אשר את 'ה ינקה לא כי לשוא אלקיך 'ה שם תשא לא לשוא, "Don’t carry Hashem's name in vain because Hashem will not forgive those who carry His name in vain." The Netziv zt’l explains that this pasuk refers to the unique talents that Hashem grants each individual. Some sing well, some excel in teaching Torah, and others are talented in other ways. The talent is 'ה שם, Hashem's name. The Torah says that one mustn't carry his talent לשוא, for no purpose. לשוא שמו ישא אשר את 'ה ינקה לא כי, Hashem won't forgive him for doing so.
The Netziv (Haamek Davar 15:39) writes, "If someone will ask you: Which approach of Torah study should I follow, and which mitzvos should I focus on the most? Reply (Koheles 11:9), לבך בדרך והלך, 'Follow your heart.' The place where your heart pulls you is a sign that your mazal understands this is a good path for your soul."
This rule also applies to approaches in Torah study. There are many approaches to Torah study, and the heart's pull to a particular section of Torah is a sign that Hashem wants him to excel in that area.
Shevet Mussar (1:13) teaches, "I will now tell you an idea that you should always pursue. It is life for your soul, make it a necklace around your neck: Your primary study in Torah should always be what your heart desires. If it is Gemara, let it be Gemara. If it is drush, let it be drush. If it is the path of remez or kabbalah, follow your desire. As it states (Tehillim 1:2), חפצו 'ה בתורת אם כי. This hints that Torah study is dependent on חפצו, what the individual wants to study. As the Arizal (Shaar HaGilgulim 3) teaches, 'There are people who desire the realm of pshat in Torah. Some prefer drush or remez. Some like to study gematriyos or kabbalah. [These desires are] dependent on why he came to the world this time as a gilgul. In his previous lives, he completed his soul with the other parts of Torah. It isn't necessary to study all parts of Torah in every gilgul.'"
The Shevet Mussar concludes, "Don’t pay attention to those who will oppose you when they see your desire to study pshat, or drash, etc., and they will ask you, 'Why are you spending all your days in this section of Torah? Why don't you study other sections?' Because you came to the world to focus on the parts of Torah you enjoy studying."
