“And God spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai in the Tent of Appointed Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year from their departure from the land of Egypt, saying, Raise [count] the heads of all the congregation of the children of Israel.” (Bamidbar, 1:1–2)“Raise” signifies importance. By means of counting the numbers of each tribes, every individual will know his special importance. This is as it is written (Hoshea, 2:1), “And the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted.” This verse seems to contradict itself (v. Gemara Yoma, 22b), for at the beginning it says, “and the number,” implying that they can be counted, and at the end it says, “which cannot be measured.” But in truth, the community of Israel as a whole is without number, and what was said, “and the number,” was said concerning the specific souls of Israel, that each one should have a number.This is said in the sense that something that is counted will be important in the eyes of God, as it is written (Tehilim, 87:6–5, Tr. of Hirsch), “God will count when he registers the peoples.” “But of Zion it is said, every man that was born there, the Most High maintains her thus.” “God will count when He registers the peoples” meaning that the Providence of the Holy One, blessed be He, also extends to the nations of the world. Not in an individual way, but in a general way for the maintenance of the species. “But of Zion it is said, every man that was born there, the Most High maintains her thus” means that the Providence of the Holy One, blessed be He, is over each individual soul.This is the meaning of “and the number of the children of Israel,” that each and every one will be absolutely necessary. The greatness of God is seen in the entire community of Israel as a whole, and if just one member of that community is missing then the mixture will be deficient. It is as if the image of the king were made up of a mosaic of many small parts, and if just one of the parts were missing, then the picture of the king would be lacking. So at the time when each member of Israel is counted, then He is the greatness in all of Israel, for each one of Israel is a portion of God. This is as it is written (Devarim, 32:9), “for His nation is a portion of God.” Each individual possesses one of the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, and at the time when that individual is counted, then God himself is present in that attribute which he possesses, and clearly whatever is being counted is at that time the greatest of all. This is how each member of Israel has a special state of elevation.

“And God spoke to Moshe and Aharon saying, each man shall camp according to his banner, with the sign of his father’s house, the children of Israel shall camp encompassing the tent of appointed meeting.” (Bamidbar, 2:1)On the verse in Shir HaShirim, “What will we see in the Shulamite, as the dance of Machanayim,” the Midrash (Tanchuma, on Bamidbar, 11) tells us that this verse refers to the camping of the tribes. It tells us that the Nations say “return—we will make you leaders and noblemen,” and Israel responds, “you could not come close to giving us the greatness that Hashem gave us in telling us how to camp in the desert.” When we camped according to the banners, each one was standing on his rightful place at his root, and he knew his place. In the same way the names of the princes of each tribe teaches of the preciousness included in every member of that tribe.“[The prince] of Yehuda was Nachson ben Aminadav.” Nachson teaches of anger as it is related to the word for snake, “nachash.” It appeared as if the tribe of Yehuda was angry. Therefore God testified that Yehuda’s anger was actually filled with the spirit of generousity. The last three letters in Aminadav, are the root of the word for generosity, nedivut. Ben, “son of,” shares two letters with havanna, or understanding. He was called Ben Ami Nadav, which could be interpreted to mean, “one who understands from My generous people.” At the depths he was filled with the generosity. This is akin to what we find in the holy Zohar (in Vayikra, 40b) about King David, from the tribe of Yehuda. The holy Zohar says, “[The king establishes the land by justice,] but he who demands gifts overthrows it (Mishlei, 29:4). ‘He who demands gifts’ is Eisav. But did not David also demand gifts? With David it is different, for of him it is written, ‘with beautiful eyes.’ [Shmuel 1, 16:12].” Because the Torah describes David’s red hair, he appeared angry. This is as we find in the Midrash (Bereshit Rabba, 63:11), “when Shmuel saw the redness of David, he feared that he was one who would spill blood like Eisav, so the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘look at his beautiful eyes.’ This one [Eisav] takes it upon himself to kill. Yet David doesn’t, but rather follows the judgment of the Sanhedrin.”“Of Yissachar was Netanel ben Tsooar.” “Netanel” which literally means “given from God,” means that God gives Chochma (wisdom) in his heart. “Tsu’ar” is related to the word tsa’ir “young.” He saw himself as small and young, and as such knew that he had no power from his own side. Thus he was a vessel ready to receive all of God’s effusion. “Tsu’ar,” in the sense of young, also shows that he knew his place, and knew who he was smaller than in comparison. God effused understanding unto him, and the Midrash tells us that he was the first one to give the advice to offer sacrifices at the inauguration of the Tabernacle (Bamidbar Rabba, 12:19). This advice was effused unto him directly from God, so therefore his very name means “given from God,” as God gave him Chochma. Notwithstanding his divinely bestowed wisdom and understanding, he still knew his place, knowing who he was younger and smaller than. In this he knew that Yehuda was sovereign over his brothers and should offer the first sacrifice.“And for Zevulun, Eliav ben Cheilon.” There is great strength in this tribe. The name “Eliav ben Cheilon” teaches of this. Cheil, (as in eshet chayil) means soldiers, valor, strength. All their strength was only from the forms of Chochma that God effused unto them. Thus even when they were occupied with worldly matters God effused strength and vigor unto them in order to succeed. This is Eliav ben Cheilon, for Av, meaning “father,” represents wisdom, and, Cheilan represents strength, as mentioned above.“For Reuven, Elitsoor ben Shdeioor.” Elitsoor means strength, from the word for rock, Tsoor. Shdeioor teaches that all his strength comes from the great light that God illuminates (Shadday is God the Almighty, and or is light). This is precisely true for the tribe of Reuven, as Reuven signifies sight (Reu means see, hence light). Thus he sees in every situation how he is standing in the presence of God. In this he is aroused to great simcha (joy), as it is written (Mishlei, 15:30), “Joy comes to the heart from the light of the eyes.”“For Shimon, Shlumiel ben TsooriShaddai.” Shloomiel means that his heart is faithful to God (Shloom—Shalem, or faithfulness. E-l—God). Ben TsooriShaddai and because his heart is faithful God will save him. (Again, Tsoori, “my Rock” and Shaddai as the Almighty God who brings salvation.)“For Gad, Elyasaf ben Deu’el.” In other words, even though God gives him the power to gather (assaf) all the good in the world, still, he recognizes that the Creator is in control (Deu’el means “knows God”), and will not cease from upholding the Torah even when wealthy. At times when he is in the attribute of love he is called Reu’el, from the word for beloved friend, Reiah. Then at the time when he is in the attribute of the fear he is called Deu’el, the fear that brings about the knowledge of God. Owing to this, in the section of the offerings of the princes, he gave the sin offerings, meaning that each one understood where he was lacking and there precisely was the principal state of completeness, for real completeness is when one recognizes his deficiency. This is as it is written (Kohellet, 10:1), “more precious than wisdom or honor is a little foolishness.” This is why he is called Deu’el when he is offering the sacrifices, for when a man comes to the state of completeness he needs fear.“For the tribe of Yosef, Efriam Elishama ben Amihud.” This concerns the place when one is overpowered by the lust for any good, for the name, Elishama is related to (Mishlei, 15:30), “a good report [Shmua] fattens the bones.” All kinds of good come forth from the place where man is overpowered by lust, and this is “ben Amihud,” “Imo Hod,” the majesty is with him. Hod, or majesty (also splendor) is a place where a man yearns, and then is wholly subdued before the object of his yearning, dwelling beneath it. In a place of evil God commanded, “you shall not bow yourself down,” meaning not to be subdued beneath it. So was it with Yosef, even though he did not listen to his master’s wife, as it is said in the Midrash (Tanchuma, Nasso, 28), “He listened to God [similar in meaning to “Elishama,” “Hear, God”], and did not listen to his master’s wife. And still, he married her daughter.” This is hinted at in “ben Amihud,” (meaning “the Majesty of God is with him”) for he yearns for the good according to God’s will.“For Menashe, Gamliel ben P’dahtsoor.” The name Gamliel is connected to the letter gimel, where the foot at the bottom left, “stepping outside,” as is said in the Gemara and the holy Zohar (Bereshit, 244b), “The gimel brings.” “ben P’dahtsoor,” even in a place where he goes outside, God, the Rock, will redeem him (P’dah—redeem; Tsoor—rock).“For Binyamin, Avidan ben Gidoni.” Since Binyamin would stand on the border of Eretz Yisrael and gather in all kinds of goodness from among the nations, bringing them into Israel, he was therefore called “ben Gidoni,” as he knew which kind of “goodness” was not proper, hewing it down (gadar) and not gathering it.“And for Dan, Achiezer ben Amishaddai.” “Achiezer,” (meaning “helper of my brother”) as he knew how to save himself and where to limit himself, so his encampment to the north which teaches of limitation. “Ben Amishaddai (‘son of the people of Sha”ddai,’ ‘God who limits’),” for God would also help him.“For Asher, Pagiel ben Achran.” He would do away with good that had become turbid with uncertainty (Achoor, turbid) with uncertainty. (“Do away with,” literally, “spoil.”) If he was not certain that it was God’s will, he would do away with it.“For Naftali, Achira ben Einan.” One who is immersed in lust (or alternatively, the love of any one thing) does not know what his portion is. “Achira,” or “too late,” even though lust prevented him and he was too late to receive the good, still he keeps himself together and is not immersed in the lust. “Ben Einan,” (like Ayin, eye) means that he has the beautiful eyes that see his rightful portion. God allotted a portion to each tribe and effuses the light of life to each one unto itself, with no one tribe’s portion similar to another’s.