Parshat Bamidbar Rabbi Chaim Brovender

Let us learn a posuk with Rashi

The Torah describes how the tribes camped in the desert around the ohel moed (tent, Tabernacle). Moshe and his family, we are told, dwelled near Tabernacle:

"Those who camped before the Tabernacle to the front, before the ohel moed to the east, were Moshe and Aharon and his sons…(3: 38)."

Rashi points out who their neighbors were: "Next to them was the camp of Yehuda and those who were with him, Yissachar and Zevulon."

Rashi explains that this piece of information, derived from the order of the camp, is of great important: "When there is good for the righteous, there is also good for his neighbor. As Moshe was involved in the study of the Torah, they [the neighboring tribes] also became great students of the Torah." Various pesukim are cited to prove this claim: "Yehuda my lawmaker" (Tehilim 60:9). About Yissachar the verse says, "And the sons of Yissachar, there were those who have understanding, etc..." (Divrei Hayamim 1, 12:33). About Zevulun the verse says "those who write with the pen of a scribe..." (Shoftim 5:14).

For Rashi, Yehuda Zevulun and Yissachar were distinguished in Torah learning. It is this special quality that is indicated by each of the verses quoted.

However, Rashi makes a further point. We know that Moshe was the teacher of all the tribes. It is hard to understand why living next door to him, so to speak, would play such a strong role in developing a real love for Torah study; but this, Rashi teaches, was the case with the Tribe of Yehuda and those who camped near the tabernacle.

Love for the Torah is not based on intellectual appreciation alone. While it is probably true that the shiurim Moshe gave were the best of all time, not everyone reacted to them equally. Some decided to dedicate themselves to Torah, and others saw Torah as part of their greater enterprise. However, those who knew Moshe personally. Those who lived close by and were able to discern how he led his life and were captivated by the Torah enterprise. They were the ones who decided as a community to attach themselves to the study of Torah.

It remains important for us not simply to learn with great teachers, but to find ways to attach ourselves to those teachers and create communities where all aspects of our common life and private behavior are determined in harmony with Torah perspectives.

Chaim Brovender

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