‘Each man will camp by his banner, according to the signs of the house of their fathers, the Sons of Yisrael; they will camp in front the Tent of Meeting all around.’
– Bamidbar (Numbers) 2:2

1. Rashi [Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki] explains, ”According to the signs’—each banner will have a distinguishing sign, a colored cloth hanging on it, the color of one not like the color of another; the color of each one corresponding to the color of his stone fixed in the Choshen [Breastplate], and through this each one would recognize his own banner.’

And the Ramban [Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman] brings the words of Rashi, and adds that Yehudah’s [Judah’s] banner was placed in the east because he travelled first, since he was the leader. And Reuven [Reuben] was in the south in honor of the birthright. Behold, the two adjacent banners were for Leah with the firstborn of her maidservant, born upon her knees. One banner was for the sons of Rachel in the west, and one banner for the sons of the maidservants in the north, last.

2. And behold, in the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 2:3), the reason is explained why HaKadosh Baruch Hu [The Holy One, Blessed be He] commanded Moshe [Moses] regarding the banners. They said, ‘At the time that HaKadosh Baruch Hu revealed Himself on Har Sinai [Mount Sinai], twenty-two myriads of malachim [angels] descended, etc., and they were all formed up with banners upon banners, as it is said, “Dagul MeRevavah” [Distinguished From Myriads].

When Yisrael [Israel] saw that they were formed up with banners upon banners, they began to desire banners. They said, ‘Would that we too could be made up with banners like them,’ etc. HaKadosh Baruch Hu said to them, ‘What you have desired, to make banners, by your lives, I will fulfill your wish immediately.’ HaKadosh Baruch Hu informed Yisrael and said to Moshe, ‘Go and make them banners, just as they desired.’

And behold, in the banner there are two meanings:

The first, the distinction of one from another; each banner defines who belongs to it. The second, the banner indicates the importance of its bearers. In every banner there is its own uniqueness.

And behold, among the malachim, there is no hatred, no jealousy, and no competition; they are united to exalt the Name of Hashem [G-d], as we say in Tefillah [Prayer], ‘And all of them accept upon themselves the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven from one another, and give permission one to another,’ and they are all united in the same goal—to praise Hashem. Therefore, the goal of the banners among them is to assign importance to each one.

And when Yisrael saw the quality of this unity, they too immediately desired banners—to be like the Malachei HaShareis [Ministering Angels]. And indeed Moshe Rabbeinu [Our teacher Moses] feared this, as the Midrash (ibid. 2:7) says, ‘When HaKadosh Baruch Hu said, ‘Make them banners, as they have desired,’ he began to worry. He said, ‘Now, surely disagreement will arise among the tribes.’ But nonetheless, HaKadosh Baruch Hu said to him, ‘Make them banners as they desired,’ meaning, as they desired to be like the Malachei HaShareis, to serve Hashem in unity.

And their level at that time was great, for there was no division of hearts at all among them. Their goal was to elevate whoever among them possessed greater merit. Reuven saw that Yehudah was at the head, but he was not jealous of him—and so it was among them all.

3. But it must be understood: if they are united, and there is no jealousy, nor hatred, nor competition among them, why then did they desire banners? And the explanation is this: Because even so, each individual excels in his own traits—this one in his Torah, this one in his Yirah [Fear/Awe], and this one in his attribute of Chessed [Kindness].

And the foundation for spiritual elevation in the Avodas Hashem [Service of G-d] is that there be order, and each one recognizes his place. As was stated in the Gemara (Arachin 11b), ‘A choir singer who sang out of order is liable to death.’

And we learn from here that the function of the banners in the Midbar [Desert] was not only for others, but also for themselves—so that each one would focus on his Avodas Hashem, and the banner shows him to whom he belongs. And with all the banners together, they showed that they all belong to Hashem, and that their purpose is united—to serve Hashem.

And indeed, this matter had already been transmitted to the Shevatim [Tribes] by Ya’akov [Jacob] our forefather, that when the tribes carried his aron [coffin] to burial, they stood in a specific order.

4. And behold, if in the path of Avodas Hashem a person must be orderly and know where he belongs, then surely, kal vachomer [how much more so], a person must separate himself from those who do not belong among the dwellers of the Beis Midrash [House of Study], and he should not excuse himself by saying that the main thing is the inner quality, and the externality neither elevates nor lowers, for this is not correct. This is because the nature of a person is to be drawn in his opinions and actions after his peers and friends, and he behaves according to the customs of the people of his region (Rambam [Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon], Hilchos Deos, Chapter 6, Halachah 1).

Therefore, a person must distinguish himself outwardly from that which is not his path, for two reasons: First, so that he will be protected and distanced from people of the street, and not bond with them. And second, so that people of the street will know to distance themselves from him. And of course, all this must be done pleasantly, just like with the banners that Yisrael requested, without jealousy, hatred, or competition. But certainly, each person must recognize his place.

And in our times, clothing serves as the banners; for a Ben Torah wears a hat and jacket, and one who is not a Ben Torah dresses differently. And a Ben Torah should be careful to affiliate with his own banner, and this will help him guard himself and fulfill within himself the verse, “Va’ani b’rov chasdecha avo veisecha, eshtachaveh el heichal kodshecha b’yirasecha” [But as for me, in the abundance of Your Kindness I will enter Your House; I will bow toward Your Holy Sanctuary in awe of You].