Bamidbar 5784 (Num. 1:1 – 4:20)
In the Wilderness
by Jen Smith, Guest Torah Blogger
This week’s Torah portion, Bamidbar, is the first portion of 4th book of the Torah. In English, this book is referred to as the Book of Numbers; in Hebrew, this book is called Bamidbar, meaning “in the wilderness.” In our modern imaginations, this word often evokes the image of a dense forest, something our ancestors of the biblical age would not encounter in their 400 years in Egypt; thus the Israelites probably couldn’t even imagine such a thing. In this case, let’s imagine that “wilderness” is the term used to describe the desolate and unforgivingly harsh environment of the Sinai desert.
The Talmud teaches that the best way to receive the Torah is to make of ourselves a wilderness (or desert.) Our Sages argued that we’re only fully open to Torah when we have sufficiently suppressed our egos, thereby entering a state of total humility. (Eiruvin 54a)
As Jews, we wrestle with this concept in the days and weeks leading up to Shavuot. After all, we are desert dwellers, both literally and figuratively and literally. Mythologically and biblically, the desert has served as the ideal metaphorical backdrop for spiritual journeys and miraculous encounters with the Divine. The void created by the absence of material and cultural distractions provides just the right space to focus on listening for the Divine. When we transform ourselves into a wilderness, devoid of material and cultural distraction, it forces us to reexamine our lives, purpose, and faith. In the darkness of the wilderness, it becomes easier to connect with our unique Divine spark, using God’s light to propel us forward in the face of uncertainty.
Bamidbar explains with this opening line: “And God spoke to Moses in the wilderness.” The words midbar (wilderness) and dibur (speech) share the same root word connection, illustrating the inextricable link between the Wilderness and Divine speech. From the very beginning (Genesis 1:3), the Torah teaches us that speech is a powerful component of creation. As we grow, we come to learn (some of us the hard way) that our speech is only effective when we are equally committed to listening; a practice requiring patience, focus, empathy, and humility.
We also read in Bamidbar that God commands Moses to take another census – but this one is different. In the first census, the Israelites were counted by skill, ability, wealth, or status. This time, they are counted as unique individuals, reminding us of our fundamental belief that human beings are made in God’s image – B’Tselem Elohim. No two people’s contribution to the world is the same – each of us was created for our own purpose.
But wait a minute.
On the one hand, we are to be elevated, each of us created in God’s image with holy intention. And yet, on the other hand, we’re told to humble ourselves, prostrate ourselves until we are as lowly a barren wilderness, indistinguishable and seemingly insignificant as a grain of desert sand. Which one is correct? Are we supposed to live our lives elevated and aware of our Chosen status? Or are we to live each day like complacent pawns in a Divine chess match? Of course, the answer is both – both are correct.
Ultimately, the Torah teaches us that we must embrace both challenges if we are to understand either. We must be simultaneously driven to connect deeply to our unique identities, while remaining committed to contributing to achieving our community’s collective potential. The Israelites became the Jewish People the moment they transitioned from a group of slaves awaiting Moses at Mt. Sinai, to one collective voice promising Na’aseh V’nishma – that we will do, and we will hear. Ultimately, the tension that exists between mastering our unique identities while also leveraging our gifts to build and sustain the Divine light of our community lies at the very heart of what it means to be a Jew.
Sigh…becoming “a light unto the nations” and repairing the world isn’t a job for the faint of heart!
May Shavuot 5784 help each of us reconnect with the Divine, bringing us ever closer to reaching our potential and leveraging our unique gifts for a blessing to heal, uplift, and protect our sacred TBA community.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Shavuot Sameach!