The passuk tells us that the Jewish people were divided by their tribes and flags, and this is how they traveled and camped. The passuk adds that they did as Hashem commanded Moshe. Why are these words added? It’s obvious that they were following Moshe’s dictates. Rav Twersky z”l explains that there is a profound lesson in these words.
When the Jewish people were divided into camps, it could have created great jealously, especially when they were encamped around the Mishkan, and some tribes, like the tribe of Levi, were close to it. You can see today how much jealously can take place in a shul based on where people are seated. The only way to deal with this challenge is to know that whatever seat or place was given to one is the best for their avodas Hashem. When a person has emunah and bitachon that Hashem really loves them and is looking out for them, there is no reason for jealousy.
I was recently speaking to someone about jealousy, and we discussed how important it is to study books like Bais Halevi on bitachon or other books on emunah, otherwise, one can't survive. Moreover, it's not shayach without davening to Hashem, especially reciting some Tehillim every day, which is soaked with the tears, emotions, and challenges that Dovid Hamelech had to go through to become the king of Israel and ancestor of Mashiach.
There is a great story about Nathan Sharansky, who was a refusenik in Russia and was put in jail a week after he got married. His wife gave him a sefer of Tehillim, and this ended up being his savior. Initially, the KGB took away the Tehillim, but Nathan went on a hunger strike, so they gave it back to him, and he survived the many years in jail.
Many years later, Nathan was walking into a store, and a teacher in a yeshiva recognized him and thanked him for the story of the Tehillim. Nathan pulled out the Tehillim from his pocket. The teacher was pleasantly surprised and asked, “Do you always carry the Tehillim with you?” Nathan responded, “I don't carry the Tehillim; rather, the Tehillim carries me.” This is how he survived and still survives with the faith and bitachon that he receives through the words of Tehillim.
May we be filled with emunah and accept the Torah individually and collectively with much joy.
Good Yom Tov!
RABBI DANIEL COREN
