The Levite Watches, the Order of March, and the Guiding Cloud

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 427:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

How did the Levites keep watch at the Tabernacle? The sons of Kohath kept watch on the south, as it is said, "The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp" (Numbers 3:29), and they were appointed over the ark, as it is said, "And their charge: the ark and the table" (Numbers 3:31); outside them three tribes, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. The sons of Gershon kept watch on the west, "The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the Tabernacle westward," and they were appointed over the tent, "And they shall carry the curtains of the Tabernacle" (Numbers 4:25); outside them three tribes, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. The sons of Merari kept watch on the north, and they were appointed over the boards and the bars; outside them three tribes, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. On the east, Moses and Aaron and his sons, and outside them three tribes, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The camp of Israel was twelve mil by twelve mil. When Israel set out, the pillar of cloud would fold and stretch over the sons of Judah like a beam. They blew a long blast, a tremolo, and a long blast, and the standard of Judah journeyed. At once Aaron and his sons entered and took down the curtain and covered the ark of the testimony. They blew again, and the standard of Reuben journeyed; the sons of Gershon and Merari entered, took down the Tabernacle, loaded it on wagons, and held it until the sons of Kohath came. They blew, and the standard of Ephraim journeyed; the sons of Kohath entered, took down the holy things, and carried them on the shoulder. They blew, and the standard of Dan journeyed, so that two standards were before and two behind, with the camp of the Levites and the camp of the Divine Presence in the middle, as it is said, "And the Tent of Meeting set out, the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps." As they encamped, so they journeyed, "As they encamp, so shall they set out." By three things Israel journeyed: by the word of the Holy One, by the word of Moses, and by the word of the trumpets. By the word of the Holy One, as it is said, "By the mouth of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed" (Numbers 9:18). By the word of Moses, who told them the evening before, "In the morning you set out," and at once they readied their beasts and gear. By the word of the trumpets, blowing a long blast, a tremolo, and a long blast over each standard. When Israel encamped, the pillar of cloud rose like a booth and covered the tent within and filled the Tabernacle without, as it is said, "And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting." This was one of the clouds of glory that served Israel forty years in the wilderness: one at their right, one at their left, one before them, one behind, one above, and the cloud of the Divine Presence among them. And the pillar of cloud journeyed before them, leveling the high and raising the low, killing snakes and scorpions, burning thorns and briers, and guiding them on a straight path. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: in all the forty years, none of them needed the light of the sun by day or the moon by night; rather, when it reddened they knew the sun had set, when it whitened they knew the sun had risen; a man could look into a barrel and know what was in it, because of the cloud of the Divine Presence among them. And so too in the time to come, as it is said, "Arise, shine, for your light has come" (Isaiah 60:1). From where did the Divine Presence speak with Moses? Rabbi Natan says: from the altar of incense. Shimon ben Azzai says: from beside the altar of incense. The disciples of Rabbi Yishmael say: from beside the altar of burnt offering, as it is said, "a continual burnt offering throughout your generations" (Exodus 29:42).

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MiraclesTribesMoses

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