This week’s Torah portion Bamidbar, begins with the words: “God spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai.” Isn’t this obvious? We have been in the Sinai wilderness since we left Egypt in Exodus 15, over a book and a half ago. So, why mention it here?
According to the medieval commentator Nachmanides or the Ramban, the verse is meant to specify that not only are we in the wilderness, but we are right outside of the Tent of Meeting ready to be counted by God before proceeding ahead to the Promised Land. He is referring to the census that is taken in its first few chapters of the Book of Numbers.
But I understand Nachmanides to mean something different. The wilderness is not just one undefined region, but a place with many, many stops along the way. Think of the Covid 19 pandemic with its constant stopping and starting. Each time we believe we have escaped it the virus has another trick up its sleeve. Or take the topic of school shootings that began with the horrific attack at Columbine High School in April 1999 and has continued with 14 subsequent mass shootings at public schools with 169 total deaths. Each time we hope this one will be the last.
By acknowledging the wilderness at this point in the Torah, our ancestors are reminding us that we are still stuck in the mire, hoping, praying, the Promised Land is only a short way off in the distance. For all the intractable problems we currently face, may it be so.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex
p.s. – Mazel Tov to this year’s Adult B’nai Mitzvah class and Happy Shavuot to all of us!
Last Updated on 06/02/2022 by wpadm