(B'midbar 33:1- 36:13)
The stages or journey of the Israelites in the desert are enumerated
in the first chapter of the portion. The literal translation for
masei yicm is
'sorties' meaning 'goings out' from one place to another. During
their first year they made 14 journeys, from Ram'ses to Ritmah;
Ritmah being the location from which the spies were sent out; it
is recorded "…the
people left Chatzerot"Num 12:16, and in other parts that …"they
left Chatzerot and camped in Ritmah", (33:18) which
is the same as the Paran desert where the spies were dispatched.
It was named Ritmah on account of the slanderous report…from
the word retamin (broom) Ps.120: 3, 4. Then in the fortieth year,
after the death of Moses and Aaron they made eight journeys from
Mount Hor to the west plains of Moab. During the first and last
year, they made a total of twenty- two journeys, leaving only twenty
journeys for the balance of the other thirty eight years in the
desert. During those years they lived mostly in tranquility, having
remained nineteen years in Kadesh Barnea (Deut 1:46).
Each
place at which they stopped was given a name to remind them of
something either good or bad that taken place there; for example,
at Marah, they complained because the waters were bitter and at
Rephidim because they had no water to drink. In both places Moses
intervened and G-d produced a miracle to provide for the people.
Every name served as an important reminder to the Israelites that
G-d was always and would always be faithful to them at each stage
along their journey.
Like
the journeys of the Israelites during their 40 years in the desert,
we too as believers pass through various stages in our lives. As
we travel from one stage to another at times we doubt, we have
a weak faith, at times a very strong faith, we turn away and then
turn back to G-d. G-d is always faithful to protect His people.
We
also read in this portion about the cities designated for the Leviim
for their services to G-d since they would not inherit the land.
This is important for anyone who dedicates his life to serve the
G-d of Israel since he does not need to worry about his pay since
it is G-d who will always take care of him. In the same manner we
see that the cities of refuge ulqmh
yri 'Ari Miqlat are places that G-d provided so that He could
protect His people. They would seek refuge there if they unintentionally
killed someone, thus protecting them from family vengeance. In the
same manner we are protected by G-d, being under his care even though
we are sinners.
Another important lesson from this portion takes place at the end
of the Numbers 33:55-56. Here G-d tells the Israelites to drive
out all the inhabitants of the land which He will give to them and
to destroy all their idols and high places; otherwise they will
become …"thorns
in your eyes and thistles in your sides and will harass you in the
country where you are living and I shall treat you as I intended
to treat them." Due to our disobedience so many
centuries ago, we are still suffering the consequences today.
The
Rabbis say that they needed to conquer the land, to obey G-d and
do what He told them to do or suffer the consequences. In the Messianic
writings, another teacher, Ya'akov or James the brother of Yeshua
said something very similar… if you know what is the right
thing to do and you do not do it, this is sin. (Yaakov 4:17)
There
is an important sod (mystical interpretation) that we can draw
from the portion of Moses sending out the 12 spies to reconnoiter
the land. Ten of the men brought back a negative report causing
all those older than 20 years to die in desert. The only exceptions
were Caleb, the son of Jephuneh the Kenezite and Joshua Ben Nun,
the Ephramite, who would enter the Promised Land. G-d was showing
us through this that He was doing something new…he was universalizing
the message for both Jew and Gentile who would enter the land together.
G-d was giving Israel as a trust for all the nations yet the Jewish
community insists that the Torah is not for the goyim, nations.
In this area the Christian community agrees with them insisting
that they are no longer "under the Law". Both are incorrect
from a Biblical perspective. The Word of G-d is universal. There
is only one G-d, one Messiah, one method of Salvation given by
G-d to whomever He chooses from either Jew or non-Jew.
Even
in the worst circumstances G-d has always kept the ger (the foreigner
among us) as an integral part of us. Israel was warned over and
over again not to make a difference in how we treat them (Numbers
15:14-16). They were to be completely and totally integrated into
Israel. We need to read the Word for what it says and not what
we want it to say!
As
is our tradition when we come to the end of a book of Torah, we
remember to say:
Chazak! Chazak! V'Nitchazek !qzxtnv
!qzx !qzx
Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!
Rabbi
Percy Johnson
Netanel
ben Yochanan
[nxy
[b lantn
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2008 Use by Permission
Kehilat
She’ar Yashuv
