G‑d spoke to Moses and Aaron saying: The children of Israel shall encamp each man by his division with the flag staffs of their fathers' house; some distance from the Tent of Meeting they shall encamp. (Numbers 2:1-2)
Parshat Bamidbar is always read just before Shavuot—the holiday which celebrates the giving of the Torah. The midrash describes how when the Torah was revealed at Mount Sinai, the people had a vision of the Throne of Glory, surrounded by a host of angels arrayed under banners. The people were seized by a desire to also be arrayed by banners and their request was granted.
In Parshat Bamidbar, the Israelites are counted first in relation to family and tribe, and then in regard to their travel and encampment formations around the Holy Ark. The encampments were in accordance with how the tribes were grouped, each tribe distinguished by its banner.
In the order of encampments, the first one mentioned is Judah, the tribe of Kingship, represented by a blue flag. In the painting, blue flags blow in the wind as the sun begins to set
How goodly are your tents… your dwelling places, O Israel! They extend like streams.
The tents are open and transparent as they flow into each other. There a feeling of unity and connectedness, while the shades of pink and blue enhance the feeling of harmony in the encampment.
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