Bemidbar

Rebbe Michil of Zlotshuv once said about himself to the Maggid of Kuznitz, that every thought that came into his mind about serving G-d, he completed it. How often in a day do we think about really changing some negative trait; how wonderful it would be to get a good class going on some Torah topic; or how an important cause could use some monetary help or voluntary work. But then in the next thought we think about how we must wash the car, or about an urgent need to call the dentist, or even how great it would be if we could buy a new home, and the first thought we had, about our spiritual life, is whisked away, completely forgotten-or if we are lucky, remembered sometime later but unfortunately only marginally as important to us as it was when it came up the first time. Is it actually possible in our world of conflicts to fulfill every reasonable spiritual thought?

The Maggid of Kuznitz thought so, and based his proof on a verse from this week's Torah portion. In Bamidbar 2:2 it speaks about the arrangement of the tribes around the Tabernacle. It says, "Every man on his flag, with the signs of his father's house". He uses an analogy that when a craftsman or artist thinks about his creation, most certainly he decides to finish it in the most beautiful way. Nevertheless, since he is flesh and blood, when it actually comes to completion, it is rarely possible to bring out his full dream into reality, that the final action will be exactly what he first had in mind. But our Creator does not have this same limitation. In fact, it is one of the most subtle and beautiful truths about G-d, that the final creation which is our reality is what G-d first had in mind.

The verse is telling us that each person, as a descendent of the original tribes of Israel, has the power to bring to fruition our positive aspirations. This ability is part of the commandment to be like G-d. Just as G-d completes each of His thoughts in its entirety, so each of us-at least in those thoughts connected to serving G-d-can also achieve this. "Every man on his flag" refers to completing some intended action, the flag signifying completion. "With the signs of his father's house" is a hint that it was completed according to a person's initial thoughts. 'Father' in Kabbala is a reference to a person's preliminary thought, since a father is the source from where the first seed comes in creating offspring. 'Father' serves as an analogy for a person's thought process and how it is later 'born' into action. This teaches us that just as the first thought of serving G-d rose up in a person's mind, so he or she will come to complete it. May the Almighty give all of us the strength and determination to bring our aspirations into reality. 

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