Bamidbar: In the Desert

This week's portion is dedicated in honor of Chana bat Israel Moshe, who's yahrzeit is today,  and in honor of the upcoming wedding of Miriam Mattout and Joseph Goldglantz. Today is also Yom Yerushalayim and the Yahrzeit of Samuel the Prophet.

As soon as one begins reading the Book of Bamidbar (also the name of this week's portion), one is immediately struck by its title. Throughout this book, the Jewish people are faced with the stark reality of having to walk through the desert, a place mostly devoid of life, water, or any other physical protection that civilization brings us. Furthermore, in the desert it was easy for the Jews to lose their way, if not in a physical way, at least spiritually. The Book of Bamidbar contains in it many of the more challenging dilemmas and slip-ups we endured as a people prior to entering the Land of Israel. 

We often find ourselves in "deserts," some of them of our own making. As Matisyahu's lyrics go, we're often "lost in the desert trying to find [our] way." We get lost, confused and frustrated. We often ask ourselves: "How can this be? Yesterday, everything was so clear." After all, it was only last week that we were on the top of the mountain, reading "Behar" Sinai (on the Mountain of Sinai), how could we so quickly find ourselves back in the desert, "Bamidbar Sinai?"

In this exact question, lies the solution. We have to remain connected to our experience at Mount Sinai, no matter what. We have to remain connected to God. We have to stay true to our morals and ethics, our purpose and mission in life. Yes, there might be challenges on the way, but I'm going to keep working on myself, day after day, so that I can perfect my relationship with Hashem, receive the Torah properly, and make it to Israel. No questions asked.

It therefore comes as no coincidence then that we always start the Book of Bamidbar prior to receiving the Torah anew on Shavuot. The basic teaching of the connection between Bamidbar and Shavuot is that the Torah had to be given to us in the desert, so that no one could lay claim to the Torah. Perhaps another understanding is that the Torah was given in the desert so that we may realize that, specially when we are in our own personal deserts, we must make sure to stay connected to the Source of water. "Ein Mayim Elah" - in the Torah, water is always used as a metaphor for the Torah itself.

We find a similar idea in the writings of Reb Nosson, the main disciple of Rebbe Nachman, which is also connected to Yom Yerushalayim (Chayyei Moharan 15 -loose translation):

Rabbi Nachman once said that for someone who wants to be a “Yehudi” (a Jew), meaning to walk from level to level, it is only possible to do so through the Land of Israel. And when one "wins the war" then one is called a “man of war.” Because prior to winning the war, then it’s like one who is praising himself for having used his sword, when his sword is still unsheathed. Only when one wins the war is he a “man of war.”

Afterwards, Reb Nosson asked Rebbe Nachman what was his intention when he said that the Land of Israel is so great, that it is the essence of winning the war. Rebbe Nachman reprimanded him and said, “My intention is this Land of Israel with its houses and apartments. One should travel there, even if there are many obstacles, because that is the essence of victory, that we merit to come to the Land of Israel." Reb Nosson said that this is what lighted up his heart and gave him strength to overcome all of his personal difficulties.