Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְאֹתֹת לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
Everyone in Benei Yisrael will camp by their flags according to the signs of their families.
Based on this pasuk, a midrash (Bemidbar Rabbah 2:7) suggests that each שֵׁבֶט (shevet, tribe) had a flag that was decorated with a picture or symbol that connected in a very specific way to that shevet. Many of them come from Yaakov’s blessings to the shevatim in Parashat Vayehi. Others come from special moments in the lives or stories of those shevatim.
Here are the flags, according to this midrash:
Reuven רְאוּבֵן
When Reuven gave the דּוּדָאִים (duda’im) plant to his mother, Leah, in Bereishit 30:14, it lead to the birth of Yissakhar.
Shimon שִׁמְעוֹן
Shimon battled the town of Shekhem to save Dinah in Bereishit 34.
Levi לֵוִי
The אוּרִים וְתוּמִים (Urim ve-Tummim) were worn by כֹּהֲנִים (kohanim, priests) from Shevet Levi (Shemot 28:30).
Yehudah יְהוּדָה
גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה
“Yehudah is a young lion”
(Yaakov’s blessing in Bereishit 49:9)
Yissakhar יִשָֹּׂשכָר
וּמִבְּנֵ֣י יִשָּׂשכָ֗ר יוֹדְעֵ֤י בִינָה֙ לַֽעִתִּ֔ים
“The children of Yissakhar know the signs of the time”
Zevulun זְבוּלוּן
זְבוּלֻ֕ן לְח֥וֹף יַמִּ֖ים יִשְׁכֹּ֑ן
“Zevulun shall dwell by the seashore”
(Yaakov’s blessing in Bereishit 49:13)
Dan דָּן
יְהִי־דָן֙ נָחָ֣שׁ
“Dan shall be a serpent by the road”
(Yaakov’s blessing in Bereishit 49:17)
Gad גָּד
גָּ֖ד גְּד֣וּד יְגוּדֶ֑נּוּ
“Gad will exist in a גְּדוּד (gedud, troop)”
(Yaakov’s blessing in Bereishit 49:19)
Naftali נַפְתָּלִי
נַפְתָּלִ֖י אַיָּלָ֣ה שְׁלֻחָ֑ה
“Naftali is a doe let loose”
(Yaakov’s blessing in Bereishit 49:21)
Asher אָשֵׁר
מֵאָשֵׁ֖ר שְׁמֵנָ֣ה לַחְמ֑וֹ
“Asher’s bread shall be oily”
(Yaakov’s blessing in Bereishit 49:20)
Yosef יוֹסֵף
Yosef’s two children were born in מִצְרַיִם (Mitzrayim, Egypt). The names he gave them—Menasheh and Efrayim—connect to that experience (Bereishit 41:51-52.)
Efrayim אֶפְרַיִם
בְּכ֨וֹר שׁוֹר֜וֹ
“A firstborn bull”
(Moshe’s blessing for Yosef—Efrayim’s father—in Devarim 33:17)
Menasheh מְנַשֶּׁה
וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו
“He has horns like a wild ox”
(Moshe’s blessing for Yosef—Menasheh’s father—in Devarim 33:17)
Binyamin בִּנְיָמִין
בִּנְיָמִין֙ זְאֵ֣ב יִטְרָ֔ף
“Binyamin is a devouring wolf”
(Yaakov’s blessing in Bereishit 49:27)
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