Bamidbar

Bamidbar - Parsha

This is the first parsha is the fourth book of the Torah. This week’s parsha is called Bamidbar. Bamidbar means in the wilderness or in the desert. In English this book is called Numbers,
because Hashem instructs Moshe to count the number of Jewish people.

 

Hashem instructs Moshe and Aharon to arrange the 12 tribes of Yisrael (Israel) around the Mishkan. The tribe of Levi was to be the group to carry the Mishkan and all the things contained inside it. No one else was allowed to put up, or take down, or carry the Mishkan. At night, each tribe was given a place to set up camp around the Mishkan to protect it. And during the day, they walked in the same formation. Moshe thought the people would argue about who would go first, but each tribe had their own special place, and their own special jobs. They all worked together to protect the Mishkan. The order around the Mishkan went like this:

 

 

(Bring a banner for each tribe with it’s symbol (see multimedia ideas)) on it when you read this parsha. Divide the children into 12 groups, each holding a tribe’s flag. If you’ve made a Mishkan to use in previous Parshiot, use it now and place it in the center of the 12 groups. As you sing the song below; march in this formation around the Mishkan.) 

 

Each tribe was also assigned a leader and a special symbol for their flag. Asher’s symbol was an olive tree. Benjamin’s symbol was a wolf. Dan’s was a snake. Gad’s was an army camp because Yaakov blessed him to win all his battles. Manasseh’s was an aurochs which was a large bull with very big horns. Ephraim’s was an ox. Simeon’s was the gates to the city of Shechem. Zebulun’s was a ship. Judah’s was a lion. Issachar’s was the sun and moon. Naphtali’s was a female deer running. Reuben’s was a plant with yellow flowers once believed to be magical called a mandrake. Levi wasn’t counted as a tribe, but his symbol was the breastplate that the Kohein Gadol wore. (see Parsha Tetzaveh)

 

The Mishkan was placed in the center of the tribes. It was protected on all sides. The Ark was in the center of the Mishkan and was protected on all sides. Some people say that our heart is like the Torah. Our heart is in the center of our body; it’s what keeps us alive. Hashem placed the Torah in the center of the Mishkan, He placed the Mishkan in the center of the 12 tribes and placed our heart in the center of our body so that the Torah would always be the center of our life, and would also help keep us alive.