Midrash sa Mga Bilang 2:2: Sifra, Bamidbar Rabbah & Shir HaShirim Rabbah

1) (Vayikra 24:10) ("And the son of an Israelite woman went out; and he was the son of an Egyptian man in the midst of the children of Israel. And they strove within the camp, the son of the Israelite woman and the Israelite man.") "And the son of an Israelite woman went out": Whence did he go out From the beth-din of Moses. For he came to pitch his tent in the midst of the camp of Dan — whereupon they said to him: "Who are you that you would pitch your tent in the midst of the camp of Dan?" He: "My mother was of the tribe of Dan." They: "Scripture states (Bamidbar 2:2) 'The Israelites shall encamp; each with his standard by signs according to their fathers' house shall the children of Israel encamp'" — at which he entered the beth-din of Moses, emerged unvindicated, arose, and blasphemed. "and he was the son of an Egyptian man": Even though there were not mamzerim ("bastards") at that time, he was regarded as a mamzer. "in the midst of the children of Israel": We are hereby taught that he became a proselyte. "And they strove within the camp": over the affair of the encampment. "the son of the Israelite woman and the Israelite man": his antagonist. (Vayikra 24:11) ("And the son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and he cursed. And they brought him to Moses. And the name of his mother was Shlomith the daughter of Divri of the tribe of Dan.")

“Each at his banner, with the insignias of their patrilineal houses, the children of Israel shall encamp; at a distance, around the Tent of Meeting, they shall encamp” (Numbers 2:2).
“Each at his banner…,” that is what is written: “We will sing with joy at your salvation and raise banners in the name of our God…” (Psalms 20:6). Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘We are singing with joy at Your salvation, what You have done on our behalf in Your name’ – “we will sing with joy at Your salvation.” “The Lord saved [vayosha] Israel on that day” (Exodus 14:30). Vayivasha is written,¹The letters of vayosha (saved somebody else) are the same as the letters of vayivasha (was himself saved). as it were, Israel is saved and it is as though He was saved. “And raise banners in the name of our God,” as the Holy One blessed be He affixed His name to ours and arranged us according to banners, as it is stated: “Each at his banner.”

The Holy One blessed be He loved them with a great love, as he arranged them according to banners like the ministering angels, so that they would be distinguishable. From where is it derived that it was love for Israel? It is as Solomon says: “He brought me to the banquet house, and his banner of love is upon me” (Song of Songs 2:4). Rabbi Abahu said: Why does the verse state: “He brought me to the banquet house…”? To what is the matter comparable? It is to a wealthy man who had a storehouse full of wine. He entered to check it and discovered that it was all vinegar. He came to leave the storehouse and discovered one barrel of fine wine. He said: ‘For me, this wine is as dear as a full storehouse.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He created seventy nations, and of all of them, He derived pleasure only from Israel, as it is stated. “He brought me to the banquet house.” From where is it derived that wine [yayin] equals seventy? Yod – ten, Yod – ten, and nun – fifty; that is seventy. Of all of them: “His banner of love is upon me.”
Rabbi Yehuda says: “He brought me to the banquet house,” to the great wine cellar, this is Sinai, and Moses taught me Torah that is expounded in forty-nine aspects; “and his banner [vediglo]²Vav – 6, dalet – 4, gimel – 3, lamed – 30, vav – 6 = 49. of love is upon me.”
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Initially, anyone who would point to the image of a king with his finger would be killed, but the children go to the study hall and point to the mentions of God’s name with their finger. God said: “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me” – his finger [vegudalo]³These are the same Hebrew letters which appear in the word vediglo. is beloved by Me. Rabbi Yisakhar says: “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me” – even a person who sits and engages in Torah study and skips [umdaleg] from halakha to halakha and from verse to verse, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘It is dear to Me,’ – “His banner [vediglo] of love is upon me,” – his skipping [dilugo] is beloved by Me.⁴Even though he does not study in a methodical manner, his studying is beloved.
Another matter, “and his banner of love is upon me.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The nations of the world have banners, but only the banner of Jacob is dear to Me.’ That is what is written: “And his banner of love is upon me.”
Another matter, “he brought me to the banquet house,” when the Holy One blessed be He appeared upon Mount Sinai, twenty-two myriads of angels descended with him, as it is stated: “The chariots of God are myriad, thousands upon thousands of companies” (Psalms 68:18), and they were all arranged according to banners, as it is stated: “Preeminent [dagul] among a myriad” (Song of Songs 5:10). When Israel saw that they were all arranged according to banners, they began desiring banners. If only we could be arranged according to banners like them. Therefore, it is stated: “He brought me to the banquet house, [and his banner of love is upon me],” this is Sinai, at which the Torah, which is likened to wine, was given. “And drink of the wine which I have mixed” (Proverbs 9:5); that is “to the banquet house,” this is Sinai. “And his banner [vediglo] of love is upon me,” they said ‘if only He would show great love to me.’ Likewise it says: “We will sing with joy at your salvation [and raise banners in the name of our God]” (Psalms 20:6). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘How you have desired to be arranged according to banners, by your life, I will fulfill your wish’ – “May the Lord fulfill all your wishes” (Psalms 20:6). Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He informed Israel and said to Moses: ‘Go and arrange them according to banners, as they desired.’