How Israel Camped by Tribe and Flag Around the Tabernacle

How were they situated? The Levites encamped around the Tabernacle of the Testimony. Moses and Aaron and his sons were on the east, as it is said (Numbers 3:38): "And those who encamped before the Tabernacle eastward, before the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons." And adjacent to them were Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. From here they said: Happy is the righteous one and happy are his neighbors. These three tribes that were adjacent to Moses and Aaron became great in Torah, as it is said (Genesis 49:10): "The scepter shall not depart from Judah." [Of Issachar it is written] (1 Chronicles 12:33): "And of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel should do; their heads were two hundred" — these are the two hundred heads of Sanhedrins who came from Issachar; ["and all their brethren were at their command" — for they would agree upon the law at their word. Of Zebulun it is written] (Judges 5:14): "And out of Zebulun those who handle the scribal pen." Because they were neighbors of the Torah, they all became people of Torah. And on the south were the sons of Kohath, and adjacent to them were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. From here they said: Woe to the wicked one and woe to his neighbor. These three tribes that were neighbors to Korah and his company on the south perished with him in his dispute (Numbers 16:32): "And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households." On the west were the sons of Gershom, and adjacent to them were Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. And on the north were the sons of Merari, and adjacent to them were Dan, Naphtali, and Asher. And [seven clouds of glory surrounded them, and thus was their journeying. There was a sign for Moses in the cloud as to when it would depart. As soon as it departed, he would say (Numbers 10:35): "Arise, O LORD, and let Your enemies be scattered," and the cloud would depart. Once the cloud departed, they would all prepare to travel and pack their vessels — whoever had a beast of burden; and if he did not, the cloud would carry the remainder. Once they were settled, they sounded the trumpets, and Judah and its standard journeyed first, its prince and his tribe after him. And there were ensigns for each and every prince — a flag. [And from them the kingdoms learned to make themselves a flag.] And the color upon each and every flag was like the color of the precious stones that were upon Aaron's heart; each and every tribe had its flag dyed like the color of its stone, and clouds were above them. And a kind of beam came out from the cloud, so that they knew in which direction they were to travel; thus was the journey of each and every standard. When they finished traveling to where He desired them to encamp, that cloud which appeared like a beam would, as it were, journey by itself, and they knew that in that place they would encamp. The clouds of glory came to a stop for them, and they began to settle in their tents wherever they would rest. And the cloud that was over the Tabernacle would travel over the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; it would stand first. Once it stood still, the sons of Kohath and the sons of Levi would set up the Tabernacle before all the camps, before they arrived, as it is said (Numbers 10:21): "And they set up the Tabernacle before they came." And once they set up the Tabernacle, they set up each and every one in his place, and the clouds of glory stood above them. This was a greatness in the hand of Moses, that the cloud of the glory of the Divine Presence would not descend to the Tabernacle until Moses said (Numbers 10:36): "Return, O LORD, unto the myriads of the thousands of Israel," and the clouds of glory surrounded them. And the Holy Spirit says through Solomon (Song of Songs 6:4): "You are beautiful, My love, as Tirzah." What is "as Tirzah"? That I am reconciled (mitratzeh) with you.]