The passuk סביב לאהל מועד יחנו is explained by the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 2 9, cited there in Rashi) that the camp of Am Yisrael was not more than 2,000 amah from the Mishkan, so that Bnei Yisrael could come to it on Shabbos and daven in front of the aron. Likewise, when Yehoshua went to capture Yericho, he said to Bnei Yisrael (Yehoshua 3 4): “ach rachok yihiyeh beineichem ubeino k’alpayim amah” – that they should not be more distant from the Mishkan than 2000 amah, so that they could come and daven in front of the aron on Shabbos.
Why were Moshe and Yehoshua strict that Bnei Yisrael should come specifically on Shabbos to daven in front of the aron? The Minchas Elazar explained: Because Shabbos is a time that is designated for tefillah, and it is a day when tefillah is better accepted, as alluded in the acronym of its name ,שגורה תפילתי בפי, therefore, both Moshe before the capture of the Land and Yehohsua before the capture of Yericho, urged Am Yisrael to take care to gather especially on Shabbos in this holy place to daven for their success.
The Minchas Elazar adds that the concept of the virtue of tefillah on Shabbos was written specifically in this parashah, because most years it is read on the Shabbos prior to Shavuos (see Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 428 4 and Biur Halachah ibid), and thus the passuk mentions to a person to come early and pray there so that he should receive his share in the Torah on the upcoming Yom Tov. As we ask in the tefillos of Shabbos “vesein chelkeinu beTorasecha.”
This is because aside for the especial virtue of tefillah said on Shabbos, which is more accepted, all the hashpa’os that will be coming during the week depend on the Shabbos prior to it, and in order to merit them we have to precede by praying on Shabbos.
The Margalios Hayam explained that Moshe and Yehoshua were strict that Am Yisrael should come and daven in front of the aron on Shabbos, like the other days of the week, because standing in prayer before Hashem is the fundamental basis of the mitzvah of tefillah. We learn this from the Rambam on the mitzvah of tefillah (Sefer Hamitzvos Aseh 5) citing the drashah of Chazal (Midrash Hagadol Re’eh) from the words of the passuk (Devarim 6:13): “V’oso ta’avod” – “serve Him in His Mikdash,” and he explained: “In other words, to go there and pray in it and in front of it.” His words prove that this halachah is an integral part of the mitzvah of tefillah.
And because me’ikar hadin it is fitting that Am Yisrael should daven specifically in front of the aron Hashem, therefore Moshe and Yehoshua instructed that they remain close to it on Shabbos.
Chamishah Ma’amaros; Nefesh Chayah [Rav R. Margulios] Orach Chaim 490 3
