Commentaire sur Les Nombres 2:3

קדמה means IN FRONT, which is expressed by קדם; and which side is it? The east side (מזרחה), and accordingly the west is termed אחור, the back side of the world (cf. Rashi on Exodus 27:13 and Note thereon).

והחנים קדמה מזרחה, "And the ones encamped in the east toward the sunrising, etc." The reason this verse commences with the conjunctive letter ו is that it follows the command to establish the camp around the Tabernacle and only proceeds to give additional details.

This is the eastern side. One might ask: From where does Rashi know this? One may explain that since west is called the rear one may infer that the front is the east. An alternative explanation: A hei at the end of a word is in place of a lamed at the beginning. Thus, since קדם means פנים (front — lit. face) it is clear that קדמה would mean לפנים (towards the front) while the word מזרחה would also mean towards the east. (Gur Aryeh) One might ask: Why does the Torah write the repetitive phrase קדמה מזרחה (in the forefront to the eastern side)? It appears that it wishes to teach us that because Yehudah held the kingship he was to be given the side that was most important. Therefore the east was referred to in terms of being “first” and “in the forefront.” If the Torah had written מזרחה or קדמה alone we would not have learned this point.

V. 3. קדמה: die Vorderseite des jüdischen Gesamtlagers, und so auch der Eingang des אהל מועד war מזרחה ostwärts. Dort, im Osten, hatte das Lager Juda mit den ihm zugeteilten Stämmen seine Stelle, und dies brach auch zuerst bei Weiterzügen auf und ging voran.

Those whose camp is in the forefront on the eastern side. The order of the four banners represents four levels that include all the perfection of human character: First acquiring wisdom, then character traits, then might, and finally wealth. The Rambam puts them in this descending order, and the Sages said (Nedarim 38a): The Divine Presence dwells only with a man who is wise, wealthy, mighty, and humble, for humility is the head of all the character traits. The banners come to bring the Divine Presence among them; therefore, Hashem arranged them in such as order as to illustrate each tribe’s virtue, as if to say, “These are worthy that My Presence shall dwell upon them, for all these virtues are found among them.”

והחונים קדמה מזרחה, “the ones who were encamped on the east side facing the sun;” they were facing the entrance of the Tabernacle as described at the end of Parshat T’rumah. (Exodus 27,13)

Yehudah, Yissachar, and Zevulun traveled first, because the Torah goes forth from them. The Torah ascribes Yehudah as “the law-enforcer” (Bereishis 49:10) and the Gemara explains (Sanhedrin 5a), “These are the Exilars and the Princes of Israel.” Yissachar is connected to Torah, as it says (Divrei HaYamim I 12:32): “And of the sons of Yissachar, those who had an understanding of the times, to know what Israel should do.” Similarly, Zevulun was Torah, as it says (Shoftim 5:14), “And out of Zevulun they that handle the pen of the scribe,” and because they supported Yissachar. They traveled first, because they should be the first in war, for the wars of Israel are not fought with the sword and spear. Rather, they are armed with the merit of the Torah.

דגל מחנה יהודה, “the flag of the camp of Yehudah;” he is mentioned first as he was the most numerous tribe, and honoured by all the other tribes for his leadership qualities. He was therefore accorded to honour of encamping near the gate of “The King.” We find something similar concerning Moses and Aaron in 3,38.

The banner of Reuven, Shimon, and Gad follows. It represents humility, the head of all character traits, because Reuven was not ashamed to confess regarding the incident with Bilhah, and an arrogant person would be ashamed to confess. From Shimon came forth poverty stricken teachers and scribes, who are more likely to be humble, and Gad went at the head of the battle in humility, as it says (Bereishis 49:19): “And it will troop back in its tracks (עקב),” which represents humility as it says (Mishlei 22:4): “In the wake (עקב) of humility comes fear of Hashem.”

The third banner was Ephraim, Menashe, and Binyamin, for the virtue of might is third, and it says regarding them (Tehillim 80:3): “Before Ephraim, Binyamin, and Menashe arouse Your might.” This virtue is third in value, for a man’s strength is always declining and the day of death is approaching from the moment he is born. This banner was in the west, because in that direction the sun wanes.

The banner of Dan, Asher, and Naftali was in the north, as it says (Iyov 37:22): “Gold comes from the north”.