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Standards of Celestial Conduct
Translated by Rabbi Dr. Charles Chavel in Commentary of the Ramban on the Torah
Every man shall encamp by his own standard, with the sign of
their fathers house.
(Num. 2:2)
Each standard was to have a colored cloth hanging in it, the
color of one being unlike the color of another. The color of each standard
corresponded to that of the stone fixed in the breastplate [of the High Priest,
on which the name of that scribe was engraved], and by this method everyone
would recognize his standard. [ Rashi]  | | " On Reuben's standard there was a figure of a man decorated with mandrakes...." | | |
But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented: "There were signs on
each of the [four main] standards. Thus the ancients sages said that on Reuben's
standard there was a figure of a man decorated with mandrakes, and on Judah's
standard there was the form of a lion, to which Jacob had compared him, and on
Ephraim's standard was the figure of an ox, based upon [the expression that
Moses used in speaking of that tribe], "the firstborn of his ox", and on Dan's
standard was the figure of an eagle. Thus [the four signs on the four main
standards] were similar to the four figures that the prophet Ezekiel saw [in the
Divine Charriot]."
The Tent of Meeting was in the exact center, with the camps
of the Levites surrounding it in the midst of the camps [of the other tribes],
as is mentioned in Sefer Yetzira: "And the Holy Temple is placed exactly
in the middle."
I have furthermore seen in the Midrash [the following text]:
"And just as the Holy One, blessed be He, created four directions in the
universe, so He surrounded His Throne with four "living creatures", and high
above them all is the Throne of Glory. The Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses
to arrange the standards in a manner corresponding to these directions.
There [in Bamidbar Rabba] the Rabbis also interpret [the
division of the tribes of Israel] according to four standards as] corresponding
to the four groups of angels [surrounding the celestial Throne]. The Midrash
also explains there that [the division of the tribes was not arbitrary but] it
was all in wisdom, [showing] honor and greatness to Israel, and that therefore
Scripture mentions everything in detail.
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