By Rabbi Moshe Pogrow
The Jewish people camped in the desert in four groups, as directed in the pasuk: in the front to the east, under the flag of Yehuda, are the tribes of Yehuda, Yissachar and Zevulun. To the right in the south, under the flag of Reuven, are the tribes of Reuven, Shimon and Gad. To the left in the north, under the flag of Dan, are Dan, Asher and Naftali; in the rear, opposite Yehuda, under the flag of Efraim, are Efraim, Menashe and Binyamin.
Each of the three tribes in Yehuda's camp played two roles. Yaakov Avinu described Yehuda as the leader holding a shevet and mechokek—a ruler’s scepter and a lawmaker’s stylus. Yissachar was the tribe of agriculture, with sufficient leisure to engage in learning. Zevulun was the tribe of commerce; at the same time, according to shiras Devorah, his sons produced literature. Thus, machane Yehuda, traveling in the lead, united all the basic elements of a nation's material and spiritual welfare: scepter and law, agriculture and scholarship, commerce and literature.
These two factors, the spiritual and the material, united in the leading camp, are divided into two subordinate camps, which follow the leading camp on either side.
Reuven, Shimon and Gad are at Yehuda’s right hand, so to speak. Reuven has intellectual gifts and a keen sense of justice, but his soft character makes him unfit to lead. Flanking him are Shimon, the impetuous avenger of honor, and Gad, the avenger of unprovoked attacks. These are the middos represented by the tribes on Yehuda’s right: the courage to fend off insults and attacks, but with gentle mercy.
Marching at Yehuda’s left are Dan, adroitly cunning; Asher, representing refinement of taste; and Naftali, the tribe of eloquence. Thus, on the left side, under the flag of Dan, there was richness in spiritual creativity, just as under Reuven was development in strength and force.
Efraim, Menashe and Benyamin are to the west, under Efraim's flag opposite Yehuda in the east. Their national significance is not as clear as the other tribes'. Efraim and Menashe represent Yosef, but Yaakov's bracha to Yosef refers more to Yosef himself. Of Efraim, Yaakov said that he would become great and his descendants would be melo hagoyim, which can be taken to mean as the armor reinforcing the defenses of the other tribes. Thus, in the camp of Efraim, we should see strength and courage. For the nation's sake, these were positioned directly facing Yehuda.
Later in history, instead of complementing Yehuda, the House of Yosef came into conflict with it, usurping the crown of leadership. This spelled disaster and brought about the nation’s downfall. Estranged from the eidus, the House of Yosef perished, dragging the ten tribes of Yisrael down with it.
Based on the commentary of Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch zt”l on Chumash, with permission from the publisher.
