Tribal theory
Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald – The Parasha in our everyday life - Bamidbar - Shavuot - 5781
The disaster that occurred in Meron on Lag Ba'Omer, and the solidarity that arose in Israeli society as a whole in the face of disaster, brought back the dialogue about unity in Israeli society, in face of disaster and during routine. This refined discourse following four consecutive election campaigns in two years in which tension and polarization between the sectors of Israeli society increased.
About six years ago, during President Reuven Rivlin’s first term’s anniversary, he gave a speech in Herzliya that was later called the 'Speech of the Tribes'. In this speech, he emphasized the need to recognize the changes that have taken place in the composition of Israeli society. On the one hand, the prominent marking of the 'tribes' and the sectors that divide it, and on the other hand, the existential need for the unity of Israeli society and the cooperation between its parts. There has been a long-standing debate over the need for a President. In an age of conflicting and dividing politics it is necessary to have one for the unification of the people.
Since the rise of the people of Israel on to the stage of history, there has been a built-in and complementary tension between being a nation composed of tribes and its need for unity.
Parashat Bamidbar, and the census at the beginning in 'Midbar Sinai'- Sinai Desert as a continuation of the sequence of events that lasted from Mount Sinai:
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֛ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינַ֖י בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד בְּאֶחָד֩ לַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֜י בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֗ית לְצֵאתָ֛ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לֵאמֹֽר׃ שְׂא֗וּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֔וֹת כָּל־זָכָ֖ר לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃
"On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying: Take a census of the whole Israelite community by the clans of its ancestral houses, listing the names, every male, head by head.” (Bamidbar 1:1-2)
"זכר כאן הכתוב שהיה זה ב'מדבר סיני' וכו'. להגיד שעמדו בהר סיני מן החדש השלישי אשר יצאו ממצרים עד רוב השנה השנית. כי הנה כל ענין העגל ומעשה המשכן ומספר מפקד העם שנמנה בשנה השנית בחדש השני וסדר הדגלים הכל היה במדבר סיני וכו'. כי עדיין היו באותו מדבר שקבלו בו את התורה" (אברבנאל שם).
"The scripture reminds us that it was in the 'Sinai Desert', etc. To say that they stood on Mount Sinai from the third month following the exodus from the land of Egypt until most of the second year. For here is the whole incident with the calf, and the Tabernacle, and the number of the people in the census in the second year in the second month, and the order of the flags, was all in the Sinai desert, etc. because they were still in the same desert where they received the Torah". (Abarbanel ibid). The people of Israel were commanded to conduct a census by tribes, each tribe by itself ‘by the clans of its ancestral houses’.
It is later told about the structure of the camp of Israel, which was spread out according to the tribes:
וְחָנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִ֧ישׁ עַֽל־מַחֲנֵ֛הוּ וְאִ֥ישׁ עַל־דִּגְל֖וֹ לְצִבְאֹתָֽם׃
“The Israelites shall encamp troop by troop, each man with his division and each under his standard.” (Bamidbar 1:52)
The connection between the census in the Sinai desert, and the sequence of events from the giving of the Torah, is related to the connection this week between Shabbat Bamidbar and the holiday of Shavuot, Chag Matan Torah, the holiday of receiving the Torah. The giving of the Torah was a moment of transcendence over the controversy - the Torah for all the tribes alike:
וַיִּסְע֣וּ מֵרְפִידִ֗ים וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר סִינַ֔י וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיִּֽחַן־שָׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נֶ֥גֶד הָהָֽר׃
“Having journeyed from Rephidim, they entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the wilderness. Israel encamped there in front of the mountain” (Shmot 19:2)
כל מקום שהוא אומר ויסעו ויחנו, נוסעים במחלוקת וחונים במחלוקת, אבל כאן השוו כולם לב אחד, לכך נאמ' ויחן שם ישראל נגד ההר.
“Elsewhere it is written "and they journeyed," "and they encamped" — they journeyed in quarrel and encamped in quarrel. Here, they were of one heart — wherefore it is written "and (it) encamped." "and Israel encamped there". (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:2:10). ויחן שם ישראל And there Israel encamped- as one man and with one mind. (Rashi Shmot 19:2)
'Tribal theory' is the built-in tension between tribalism and unity. On the one hand, ‘tribalism’ expresses the necessary variety for building the diverse nation of Israel. And on the other hand, this same variance creates tensions and struggles.
And especially with Israel where unity is not only an existential social value but also a spiritual value. As the people of G-d who is 'one', the essence of this monotheistic conception is:
שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ה' אֱלֹק֖ינוּ ה' אֶחָֽד׃
“Hear, O Israel! Hashem is our G-d, Hashem alone”.
As we say in our prayers on Shabbat afternoon:
אַתָּה אֶחָד וְשִׁמְךָ אֶחָד. וּמִי כְּעַמְּ֒ךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָֽרֶץ.
“You are One and Your Name is One, and who is like Your people Israel a unique nation on earth”.
The exile has somewhat blurred the tribalism.
"שִׁכְחַת הַשְּׁבָטִים לְיִחוּסָם הִיא הֲכָנָה לְאַחְדוּת הָאֻמָּה"
“The tribes forgetting their descent is a preparation for the unity of the nation" (Orot Israel Utchiayato-27)
Nevertheless, unity is not necessarily 'uniformity' and with the blurring of 'tribalism' there is a loss of spiritual shades for which each tribe is unique:
אָמְנָם עַל-יְדֵי הַשִּׁכְחָה הַזּאת שֶׁל הַהִתְפָּרְטוּת נִתְרַבָּה הַבִּלְבּוּל וְהָעִרְבּוּב, לֹא רַק הַתְּפִלּוֹת הַמְיֻחָדוֹת וּרְאוּיוֹת לְכָל שֵׁבֶט שֵׁבֶט בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ בְּתִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם נִתְבַּלְבְּלוּ, כִּי אִם כָּל עֶרְכֵי הַחַיִּים, הַפְּנִימִיִּים וְהַחִיצוֹנִים, כָּל צִבְיוֹנֵיהֶם שֶׁל הַהַרְגָּשׁוֹת, הַלִּמּוּדִים, הַמִּנְהָגִים וְהַהַדְרָכוֹת, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם בִּמְקוֹמוֹ הוּא מוֹסִיף תִּקּוּן אוֹר וְחַיִּים מַתְאִים עִם הֲלָךְ הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַשִּׁבְטִית וּבוֹנֶה אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ"
“Indeed, by this oblivion of the separation, the mix up and confusion multiplied, not only the special and worthy prayers for each tribe and tribe within itself in the Tikkun Olam* were confused, but all the values of life, the interior and the exterior, all the characteristics of feelings, learning, customs and manners, that each one of them in its place had, whether it adds a correction of light and life that corresponds with the walk of the tribal soul and builds its world". (Ibid)
In his vision, the late Rabbi Kook sees how unity will be achieved despite the lack of uniformity:
"וּמִזְבַּח ד' הֶהָרוּס יִבָּנֶה עוֹד הַפַּעַם עַל-יְדֵי שְׁנֵים- עָשָׂר אֲבָנִים, 'כִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי בְנֵי יַעֲקב אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר ה' אֵלָיו לֵאמר יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה שְׁמֶךָ
“And the ruined altar will be built again by twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the sons of Yaacov—to whom the word of Hashem had come: “Israel shall be your name”. (Ibid - from Kings I 18:31)
People are talking about establishing a unity government. And we hope that this comes from a real place of longing for unity and not as a political exercise and as a media spin. In about a month, the President will end his term.
Bring us a President to unite the people without sacrificing their lack of uniformity.
*Tikkun Olam = world repair, it has become synonymous with the notion of social action and the pursuit of social justice.