While the Israelites traveled through the wilderness, seven clouds of glory surrounded them on every side. One cloud went in front, one behind, two flanked them on each side, and one hovered above to shield them from the sun and the cold. According to the Chronicles of Jerahmeel, a 12th-century Hebrew chronicle compiled by Jerahmeel ben Solomon and translated by Moses Gaster in 1899, a seventh cloud went ahead of the people, leveling the high places and raising the low ground so that no one would stumble.
The most extraordinary detail involved the four tribal banners and the letters engraved on each arm of that seventh cloud. The banner of Judah stood in the east, shaped like a lion, with golden hooks ending in a sword-like pike. On its arm of the cloud, three Hebrew letters were engraved: Alef for Abraham, Yod for Isaac, and Yod for Jacob. These letters blazed with the light of the Shechinah, the Divine Presence itself.
In the south stood the banner of Reuben, shaped like a man holding mandrakes. The north held the banner of Dan, in the form of a serpent. The west belonged to Ephraim, whose banner took the shape of a fish. Each banner carried its own set of three ancestral letters, drawn from the Hebrew names of the three patriarchs, and each set shone with the Shechinah's radiance.
One letter remained unaccounted for: the He that God had added to Abram's name when He renamed him Abraham. That extra letter was reserved for God's own name. The cloud above Israel carried all twelve tribal letters simultaneously, illuminating the wilderness camp with a light that came from the patriarchs themselves. The Shechinah did not merely protect Israel. It turned the banners of twelve scattered tribes into a single glowing sanctuary in the desert.
LIII. (1) The sages say that while the Israelites were
travelling in the wilderness they were surrounded by seven
clouds of glory, one in front of them, one behind them, two
on each side, and one above them to protect them from the
150 [Liii. 1
sun and the cold. Another cloud went before them, which
levelled the high places and raised the lower places that
they might not stumble, as it is said, ' And Thy cloud stood
above them, and in a pillar of cloud Thou wentest before
them.' This was the one in front of them, and the seventh
was that which was placed at the head of the standards,
and the light of the Divine Presence was refulgent in it.
But how did it shine there? (2) The Rabbis say that there
were four standards, of which the standard of Judah was in
the east, and similar in shape to a lion, as it is said, ' Judah
is a lion's whelp.' On the top of the banner was the form
of a lion, out of which hooks of gold protruded, which
ended in a sword-like pike, and on this there rested one
arm of the seventh cloud, on which the three letters repre-
senting the three forefathers were engraved, viz., Alef, Yod,
Yod. ' Alef ' for Abraham, ' Yod ' for Isaac, and ' Yod '
for Jacob (^\s being the mnemonic sign). These letters
were illuminated by the Shechinah. (3) In the south the
banner of Eeuben was placed. It had the appearance of a
man similar to mandrakes, on account of the passage, * And
he found mandrakes.' On the top of the banner hooks of
gold, which ended in a sword-like pike, and upon them
rested one arm of the cloud, on which the three letters
representing the three ancestors were engraved — 'Beth'
for Abraham, * Sade ' for Isaac, and ' 'Ayin ' for Jacob
iv)i2 being the mnemonic sign). These letters also shone
from the splendour of the Shechinah.
(4) In the west the banner of Ephraim was encamped,
being in appearance like a fish, on account of the expres-
sion, ' And they shall increase like the fish abundantly.'
On the top of the banner were placed hooks of gold ending
in a sword-like pike, on which rested one arm of the cloud,
with the three letters representing the three forefathers
engraved upon it, viz., ' Eesh ' for Abraham, ' Heth ' for
Isaac, and ' Qof ' for Jacob (the mnemonic sign being phi)-
Likewise these letters shone through the splendour of the
Shechinah. (5) Lastly, in the north was encamped the
banner of Dan, in the form of a serpent, on account of the
expression, ' Dan shall be like a serpent by the way.' On
the top of the banner were placed hooks of gold ending in a
sword-like pike, above which one arm of the cloud rested,
with three letters representing the three ancestors engraved
thereon, viz., ' Mem ' for Abraham, ' Qof ' for Isaac, and
* Beth' for Jacob (the mnemonic letters being ipt), which
shone through the splendour of the Shechinah.
(6) Now, there was one letter remaining, viz., the He of
Abraham, which God added to Abram from His own name,
which is spelt Yod He (^'). With this God created the
world, as it is said, ' For with " Yah " the Lord created the
worlds.' God placed the pillar of cloud above the ark, which
was surrounded by all the banners, as it is said, ' They
encamped round about the tent of the congregation.' On
this cloud now those sacred letters Yad, He, were fixed, and
during the seven days of each week it went the round of all
the camps of Israel, giving light as the sun by day and as
the moon by night. They were thus able to distinguish
between day and night. (7) When God wished them to
remove their camps, the cloud on which the letters Yod, He
were engraved moved upwards from the ark of the
covenant. The four clouds on which were respectively
engraved the letters ^^^? h'-iv, pni and 2pb followed after
them, and as soon as the priests noticed these clouds
following in the wake of the pillar of cloud, with the letters
n^ on it, they blew their trumpets, and the four winds of the
earth blew myrrh and frankincense, as it is said, ' Who is
this coming up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense ?'
(8) These trumpets were used first for assembling the
people together, then as the signal to continue their journey-
ing for war, and also for the Sabbaths and festivals. Every
trumpet was hollow and emitted a loud sound. It was one
cubit in length and broad at the mouth, and a thin reed
was placed in its mouth to receive the breath, and thus to
discourse music in the hearing of the people. When they
were used to assemble the people, and to bring the princes
together, the sons of Aaron blew on one trumpet one long
152 [LIII. 8
even sound (teqi'ah nr^n), and not a tremolo (nrnn). A
Teqi'ah, or one long even sound, on two trumpets meant
the assembling of the whole congregation, but the same on
only one trumpet was the signal for the assembling of the
princes. If a tribe required its prince, they blew a Teqi'ah
on one trumpet, but not a Teru'ah or tremolo. In the
same manner the assembling of all the congregation was
sounded.
(9) As a signal for continuing their journey they used
two trumpets and sounded the Teru'ah. At the first sound
the three camps eastward, under the banner of Judah, moved
onwards; at the second the three camps in the south, under
the banner of Eeuben; at the third, the three camps in the
west, under the banner of Ephraim; and at the fourth sound
of the Teru'ah, the three camps in the north, under the
banner of Dan, started on their journey. For all these the
Teru'ah sound was blown. In war, however, and on a day of
rejoicing, or a festival, or a new moon, the sons of Aaron
blew the two sounds Teqi'ah and Teru ah. (10) These four
banners correspond with the four elements of which the
world is composed, and the twelve tribes correspond with the
twelve stones of the ephod, as it is said, ' And the stones
shall be called after the names of the children of Israel.'
The banner of Judah in the east corresponds to one of the
four elements, viz., fire, and of the constellations, to Aries,
Leo and Sagittarius, which consist of fire, and to the first
row of the stones of the ephod, viz., the sardius, topaz and
carbuncle.
(11) The standard of Eeuben in the south corresponded
to earth, the second of the four elements; to Taurus, Virgo
and Capricornus of the constellations which are of the dust;
and to the second row of the stones of the ephod, viz., the
emerald, sapphire, and diamond. The banner of Ephraim
in the west corresponded to water, the third of the four
elements; to Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius of the constella-
tions, which consist of water; and to the third row of
the stones of the ephod, viz., the jacinth, agate, and
amethyst.
LIIL 15] 153
(12) The standard of Dan in the north corresponded to
ah% the fourth of the four elements; to Cancer, Scorpio, and
Pisces of the constellations, which were created of air; and
to the fourth row of the stones of the ephod, viz., the
beryl, onyx, and the jasper. (13) Judah's constellation is
Leo and his stone the sardius; Isaachar's is Aries and his
stone the topaz; Zebulun's Sagittarius and his stone the
carbuncle, i.e., altogether nine corresponding to fire.*
Keuben's constellation is Taurus, and his stone the
emerald; Simeon's Virgo and his stone the sapphire; Gad's
Capricornus and his stone the diamond, i.e., altogether nine*
corresponding to dust. Ephraim's constellation is Gemini
and his stone the jacinth; Menasseh's Libra and his stone
the agate; Benjamin's Aquarius and his stone the ame-
thyst, which are together nine corresponding to air.*
Dan's constellation is Cancer and his stone the beryl;
Asher's Scorpio and his stone the onyx; Naphtali's Pisces
and his stone the jasper, which are altogether nine corre-
sponding to water.*
(14) Each man stood by his standard, together with
the ensign of his father's house, thus: Eeuben, mandrakes;
Simeon, the city of Shechem; Judah, the lion's whelp;
Issachar, a strong ass; Zebulun, a ship; Ephraim, an ox;
Menasseh, a buffalo (or Eeem); Benjamin, a wolf; Dan,
a serpent; Naphtali, a hind; Gad,' a troop (according to
the passage, ' a troop will overtake him '); Asher, an olive,
on account of the passage, ' He dipped his foot in oil.'
Thus, a sign was given to every banner, according to the
deeds and according to the name of the tribe.
(15) And these are the four camps of the standards.
' Every man by his standard, according to the house of their
fathers, shall encamp round about the tent of the congrega-
tion.' Between the tabernacle and the camps of the
standards there was a very wide space. Three tribes
formed under one banner, that is, in three separate camps
according to their order, and each camp was like a large
city. The camps of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were
* I. e., if we include the names of the tribes.
154 [LIII. 15
placed in the east; Keuben, Simeon and Gad in the south;
Ephraim, Benjamin and Menasseh in the west; and Dan,
Asher and Naphtah in the north. The Levites encamped
between the tabernacle and the camps, on the four sides of
the tabernacle, at a distance from the camps, but near the
tabernacle, and kept guard in the tabernacle of the Lord.
Moses and Aaron and his sons encamped in the east of the
tabernacle, opposite Judah's standard. The sons of
Kehath encamped in the south, opposite Eeuben's banner;
the children of Gershon in the west, opposite Ephraim's
banner, and the children of Merari in the north, opposite
Dan's banner. The tent of the congregation stood in the
<3entre, surrounded on all sides by the Levites, while the
four standards of the Israelites surrounded the Levites, and
the clouds of glory surrounded the Israelites. That is the
meaning of the verse, ' The angel of the Lord encamps
round about those who fear Him.' The four standards,
Moses, Aaron and the tabernacle, which are altogether
seven, correspond to the seven planets, viz., Sun, Venus,
Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, and the twelve
tribes to the twelve constellations.
(16) K. Ele azar asked E. Simeon, ' When the Israelites
went out of Egypt, did they take weavers with them ?'
■* No,' replied E. Simeon. ' How, then, did they clothe
themselves during the whole of the forty years ?' ' The
ministering angels clothed them, as it is said, *' And I shall
clothe thee in fine network." *But did not the children
grow to men ?' said he. * Learn the reply from the purple
snail whose shell grows simultaneously with it.' Thus the
Israelites fared, nor did they become dirty, for the clouds
were cleansing them. Further, they did not emit a
malodorous smell from the perspiration of their bodies,
-although they did not change their clothes.
(17) The well caused to grow various kinds of spices and
sweet-smelling herbs, upon which they lay, as it is said, ' He
will cause me to lie down in the well-watered pastures,' the
perfume of which travelled from one end of the world to the
other. The well of Miriam was placed at the entrance of
the court near Moses' tent, and indicated to all (the camps)
where they were to encamp. It indicated it in this
manner: When the curtains of the court were set up,
the twelve pillars by the well sang the ' Shirah,' as it is
said, * They dug the well with songs.' And the waters of the
well swelled into rivers, one of which surrounded the camp of
the Shechinah. From that river there issued four other
rivers into the four corners of the court, each one of which
flowed through the four corners, such as south-east, etc., to
the camp of the Israelites. After passing the camp of the
Levites, these rivers flowed together into one channel,
encompassing first the whole camp of the Levites; and
flowing between each family, and surrounding the camp
of the Shechinah, there were seen many small channels.
Then this great river encompassed the whole camp of the
Israelites from without, forming into smaller rivers running
between each tribe. These rivers marked the boundary of
each camp, so that one did not encroach upon his neighbour.
But do not think that they obtained nothing from the
waters, because they produced all kinds of dainties similar
to those of the world to come, as it is written, ' Thou art a
fountain of gardens.' And all kinds of spices grew for
them, as it is said, ' Thy shoots are a garden of pome-
granates.... with spikenard and saffron,' etc.
(18) At the end of each camp on the east, west, north
and south, there stretched an area of 4,000 cubits. Moses
and Aaron and his sons were encamped in the east; the
children of Kehath in the south; the children of Gershon
in the west; and the children of Merari in the north.
Each one of them occupied 100 cubits within the 4,000.
In addition to this there were those 4,000 cubits on each
side. Thus the Levites occupied one-eighth of the whole
area of the tribes. But where did the animals pasture?
The whole encampment extended over an area of 12
square miles, comprising the camp of the Shechinah, that
of the Levites, and that of the camp of the Israelites.
In the corners on each side their cattle pastured, i.e.,
opposite (or facing) their own encampment. The rivers
156 [LIII. 18
surrounded them from within and without, forming channels
for them all round, so that the people had permission to
w^alk on the Sabbath from one camp to the other. The
cloud being spread over them, divided them from their
cattle, as it is said, * And the cloud of the Lord rested
over them by day.' From the splendour of the blue used
in the tabernacle the rivers appeared blue as the blue of the
morning and the light of the moon and the sun was
reflected in them. When the nations beheld them from
afar praising God, they said, ' Who are these people look-
ing at us from the wilderness?' and fear and dread fell
upon them all, as it is said, ' Fear and dread shall fall
upon them.'
The Smiting of the Firstborn.
