Alshich's Thoughts on BaMidbar Perek Hei

A lot happens in BaMidbar Perek Hei between Sotah and the procedure for a Korban Chatat, but Alshich actually has only one comment on the entire Perek, on Pasukim Bet and Gimmel. Hashem tells Moshe:

        

ב) צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וִישַׁלְּחוּ מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה כָּל צָרוּעַ וְכָל זָב וְכֹל טָמֵא לָנָפֶשׁ

ג) מִזָּכָר עַד נְקֵבָה תְּשַׁלֵּחוּ אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה תְּשַׁלְּחוּם וְלֹא יְטַמְּאוּ אֶת מַחֲנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי שֹׁכֵן בְּתוֹכָם

In Perek Daled of BaMidbar, we hear all about how Shevet Levi is separate from the rest of the nation, with the three different families, Kehat, Gershom, and Merrari, all receiving special responsibilities relating to the Mishkan. Then we go straight to these Pasukim (after a vintage וַיְדַבֵּר יקוק אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר). What's the Smichut Parshiot? 

According to Alshich, the connection is that after reading Perek Daled, it seems like the Leviim are on a much higher level of Kedushah that the rest of the nation because of all the additional opportunities they have to serve Hashem through the Mishkan, and going back to Perek Bet, because they're closer to the Mishkan than anyone else in the alignment of the camp. In these Pasukim, though, Hashem makes clear that just because the Leviim have these responsibilities, they are not holier than the rest of the nation. All these people, the person afflicted with צרעת, the person who is a זב, and the person who is טמא למת, have to go not just outside the לויה where the Leviim are encamped but the entire camp because Hashem says אֲנִי שֹׁכֵן בְּתוֹכָם- I am rested my presence there. Just because the presence of Hashem is most evident by the Mishkan where actions are actively carried out in front of G-d does not mean that Hashem's presence isn't everywhere in the camp. In fact, Bnei Yisrael have an opportunity to praise Hashem more than the Leviim every day because the camp isn't fortified. With the Shvatim on the outside, they're the first ones who would be threatened should Bnei Yisrael be attacked, and attack seems like a likely circumstance when you're traveling in the middle of a desert. But Bnei Yisrael see firsthand that they are not attacked and the reason is that Hashem is protecting them. The entire camp of Bnei Yisrael was imbued with Hashem's presence. In the center at the Mishkan, Bnei Yisrael served Hashem directly while in the outer part where the Shvatim resided, Bnei Yisrael had the opportunity to believe wholeheartedly in Hashem that He would be with them and watch every day as Hashem performed an astounding miracle in protecting them from attack. 
That is the case as well in the world today- we may not have the Beit HaMikdash, but we have the opportunity every day to see the miracles of Hashem that He continue to keep us alive even as we live a treacherous existence in Galut. May we continue to believe in Hashem's limitless ability to shield us from harm and merit to experience a more direct interaction with Hashem in the time of Mashiach, Bimheirah Biyameinu. Amein.

צו את בני ישראל וישלחו מן המחנה כל צרוע וכל זב וכל טמא לנפש. מזכר עד נקבה תשלחו אל מחוץלמחנה תשלחום ולא יטמאו את מחניהם אשר אני שכן בתוכם (ב - ג):

 

(ב) ראה הוא יתברך, והנה יאמר נא ישראל, אין שכינה שורה רק במשכן וסביביו במחנה לויה. כי על כן עשה עיקר מנשיאת ראש בנילוי ומחניתם סביב למשכן, ככל הכתוב במקראות. על כן למען ידעו בני ישראל, כי גם במחניהם שכינה שוכנת אתם, על כן צוה למו (ג)וישלחו מן המחנה כל צרוע וכל זב כו'. והטעם הוא אשר אני שוכן בתוכם:

 

 

ויעשו כן בני ישראל וישלחו אותם אל מחוץ למחנה כאשר דבר יי אל משה כן עשו בני ישראל. (ד):

 

ויעשו כן וכו' חזר ואמר כאשר דבר ה' אל משה כן עשו בני ישראל. יתכן, כי כאשר דבר ה' אל משה טרם יספיק לאומרו להם.עשו כן בני ישראל מסברא, באומרם, כי לא על חנם עשאם דגלים ממין מחנות מלאכי מרכבתו, אם לא לשכון בתוכם. עם שלא יבצר,היות יותר קדושה במחנה שכינה ומחנה לויה כנודע. כי מה שבישראל, הוא התפשטות שכינה, כמדובר למעלה בסמוך. כי על כן בישראל נאמר, כל יוצא צבא ובלויים כל הבא לצבא