A midrash states that at Har Sinai Bnei Yisrael saw hosts of angels organized in ranks with banners. The midrash goes on to say that Bnei Yisrael longed to be similarly organized and to have similar banners. This desire was given fulfillment at the outset of Parshat Bamidbar. This seems a very superficial wish. What was its underlying motivation?
I find another question at the end of the parsha. Although there exists three Levite families—Kehat, Gershon and Merari—at the end of Parshat Bamidbar we only have a count of the Kehat family and the enumeration of its duties. The same for the remaining two families is not done until the next parsha. Why mention Kehat now?
Between these two questions another arises. The parsha gives a detailed description of how various elements of the Mishakan were to be wrapped and prepared for transportation.
With regard to the Aron HaKodesh, the kohanim would first cover it with the curtain that separated the Kodesh HaKodashim from the rest of the Mishkan. Then the tachash covering was added and finally a blue covering placed upon it.
There are multiple opinions as to what the tachash was. Some say it was multicolored. Some believe it was the skin of a now-extinct animal. Some say it was a unicorn-like animal, some say a giraffe, some say seal skin, some say it was made of a narwhal. In any event it was durable.
The Menorah was covered in a blue cloth and then the protective tachash covering was added. The Shulchan, the Table for the Show Breads, was first covered in a blue cloth. Thereafter, the Table’s implements were placed upon it. A red cloth was then placed over it, and finally the tachash covering was added.
The golden incense altar was to be covered in a blue cloth and then covered by the tachash.
The copper altar is covered in a purple cloth, its implements were then placed upon it and finally the tachash covering added.
Why coverings of different colors and why the seeming lack of uniformity in the order of their placement?
The Aron contained the two tablets given after the most explicit manifestation of Hashem, the revelation at Har Sinai. That level of revelation is represented by the ornate curtain that separates the Kodesh HaKodashim from the rest of the Mishkan. Yet, the level of revelation encountered at Har Sinai cannot continuously exist in the world. It is necessary that the divine be somewhat concealed in the world. Access to the Kodesh HaKodashim is thus limited. Hence the curtain that covers the Aron is covered by the tachash covering. The tachash covering is itself covered by a blue cloth. We learned in connection with tzizit that techelet, the color blue, serves ultimately to remind us of Hashem. The blue covers represent the limited divine manifestation in this world.
The golden incense altar, which can be considered the purest and most spiritual service of Hashem, and the Menorah, representative of Torah, also have blue coverings. In the case of the incense altar and the Menorah, the blue covering is itself covered by the tachash covering. This serves as a message to us that the acquisition of Torah knowledge and the attainment of spiritual advancement requires effort. Just as we must remove the tachash covering to get to the blue covering representing the divine manifestation, so also must we make an effort at acquiring Torah knowledge and spiritual advancement.
The Aron, the Menorah, the incense altar all have blue coverings that represent spirituality. The Shulchan represents material prosperity and sustenance. The Shulchan had a blue covering placed upon it. Upon this blue covering was placed the Shulchan’s implements, over which a red covering was placed and then the tachash covering. Sustenance ultimately derives from Hashem, hence the blue covering. As a result of sinning with the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, mankind, Adam, must nonetheless make an effort to obtain sustenance. Hence the red, adom, covering. This reality, that man must strive but is ultimately dependent upon Hashem, is often overlooked due to our hubris, hence the tachash covering.
The copper altar is unique. It is covered in purple and then covered by the tachash. The color purple can be obtained by mixing colors blue and red. The copper altar is a hybrid. It has a physical aspect and it has a spiritual aspect. It helps us to reconcile with Hashem and through the toda offerings. Those offerings, of necessity, must be shared with others. This brings us closer to our fellow man. This reality, that closeness to Hashem is bound up with becoming closer to our fellow human beings, is also a concept that often gets obscured in the course of our daily lives. The copper altar is also unique. Of all the implements discussed, only the copper altar stands in the outer courtyard and is visible to Israelites. The other items exist within the interior of the Mishkan, and later the Beit HaMikdash, and seen only by the descendants of Levi.
Upon noticing the holiest of objects are out of view of the majority of people, and that the Levites are being counted separately, some might think, as was the case in Egyptian society, that the divine was the purview of only a privileged few. To counteract this view, this parsha included the Kehat family census and their duties along with the census of the entire nation. The multi-colored coverings for the implements of the Mishakan are bound up with the multicolored banners of the tribes of Israel. The holiness of the sanctuary and the holiness of the nation are inextricably intertwined. Both are recounted in this parsha to remind us of that fact.
When the midrash states that Bnei Yisrael yearned to have banners similar to the angelic hosts seen at Har Sinai, it reflects the nation’s desire to not simply be imbued with holiness but to display and transmit that holiness to the world.
William S.J. Fraenkel received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and a law degree from NYU, and served as a board member and officer of several Orthodox shuls. The opinions expressed in this dvar Torah are solely his own.
