The Journey
How do we progress toward our goals? Individually and societally, how do we know when to move forward, and which direction to go?
At first glance, the description of the Israelites鈥 journey from Sinai to the Promised Land seems to offer a model of clarity and ease:
Whenever the cloud lifted from the Tent, the Israelites would set out accordingly; and at the place where the cloud settled, there the Israelites would encamp. At the word of Adonai the Israelites journeyed, and at the word of Adonai they encamped (注址诇志驻执旨讬 讛鈥 讬执住职注讜旨 讘职旨谞值讬 讬执砖职讉专指讗值诇 讜职注址诇志驻执旨讬 讛鈥 讬址讞植谞讜旨): they remained encamped as long as the cloud rested on the Mishkan. When the cloud lingered on the Mishkan many days, the Israelites observed Adonai鈥檚 mandate and did not journey on. There were times when the cloud was over the Mishkan for a few days鈥at the word of Adonai they encamped and at the word of Adonai they journeyed (注址诇志驻执旨讬 讛鈥 讬址讞植谞讜旨 讜职注址诇志驻执旨讬 讛鈥 讬执住指旨注讜旨). There were times when the cloud was there from evening until morning and would lift in the morning鈥攖hey would journey. Whether day or night, when the cloud lifted they would journey. Whether two days or a month or a year鈥攈owever long the cloud lingered on the Mishkan鈥攖he Israelites remained encamped and did not journey; only when it lifted did they break camp. By the word of Adonai they encamped and by the word of Adonai they journeyed (注址诇志驻执旨讬 讛鈥 讬址讞植谞讜旨 讜职注址诇志驻执旨讬 讛鈥 讬执住指旨注讜旨); they observed Adonai鈥檚 mandate by the word of Adonai through Moses. ()
It鈥檚 a comforting solution鈥just follow the word of God! 鈥攂ut unfortunately, not especially helpful. If the Torah鈥檚 message is eternal, what does this model offer those of us (i.e., all of us) to whom God doesn鈥檛 鈥渟peak鈥 quite so distinctly?
Fortunately, it鈥檚 not the only answer the Torah provides. Intermingled with this description of a straightforward, unwavering journey at the clear command of God, the Torah offers also a counternarrative.
Looking more closely, we come to suspect that God鈥檚 directions were anything but clear. Within this passage itself, God鈥檚 鈥済uidance鈥 is expressed not in distinct speech, but through a cloud鈥攁 metaphor suggesting obfuscation, not clarity鈥攁nd needs to be mediated or interpreted 鈥渢hrough Moses.鈥 And immediately afterwards, we discover that additional navigational 鈥渢echnologies鈥 are necessary:
- journeying instructions were given via trumpets specially crafted by Moses and blown by thekohanim. (10:1鈥8);
- the Ark of the Covenant traveled on ahead of them 鈥渢o seek out a resting place for them鈥 (10:33);
and most tellingly,
- Moses pleaded with his father-in-law Hovav to be their human guide (鈥淸Moses] said, 鈥楶lease do not abandon us, inasmuch as you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will be like eyes for us鈥.鈥) (10:31).
In other words, the path forward is never clear, and God isn鈥檛 a divine GPS. Revelation and faith shape our vision of where we want to go; they offer a compass pointing to true north, orienting us in the general direction of that vision. But to get there, we need maps, road signs, traffic signals, and human guides with a variety of expertise鈥攔eligious and secular.
Similarly, although on the surface God 鈥渋ntended鈥 and Israel expected that they would proceed directly and quickly to the Promised Land (per Rashi on 10:29, 10:33, within three days), the counter-narrative suggests that was never a realistic vision. The commentators sensitively pick up on the challenges inherent even in what was supposed to be a short journey鈥攎ost especially, the standing still and waiting, for an unknown time.
For example, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (on 9:16鈥23) writes: 鈥渋t is not so much the strain of lengthy wanderings as the patient endurance of the lengthy stops which seem to be stressed as the real task of the tests.鈥 Similarly, Ramban, Bahya, and Seforno highlight the uncertainty and unpredictability of the encampments as especially difficult to bear. The result was on the one hand impatient, self-reinforcing complaining about the current situation (11:1 ff), and on the other hand disastrous spying ahead into the future, sapping the community of courage and keeping them from moving forward (12:1 ff). Combined, they turned a short trek into a forty-year, roundabout journey.
Here again, the contrast between the idealized 鈥渋ntent鈥 and the reality on the ground speaks directly to the human condition. A journey worth taking is never linear, never easy, and we never handle it perfectly. While it鈥檚 natural to fantasize about quick fixes, lasting transformation鈥攖rue progress鈥攖akes time, and inevitably meanders through error, regression, and backlash. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, it is rarely as simple as 鈥渁t the word of Adonai we journey, and at the word of Adonai we encamp.鈥 Rather, our fears keep us stuck when we鈥檙e called to advance, and our impatience and inability to bear uncertainty push us ahead when we鈥檙e called to stand still.
Thankfully, Judaism offers a wide complement of navigational tools to hone our powers of discernment, make us more sensitive readers of the terrain we traverse, and keep us on the path. Torah study with a partner, prayer and meditation, halakhic observance, deeds of lovingkindness, the practice of mussar (character development), participation in Jewish community (live or virtual)鈥攁ll function as the maps, signposts, and traffic signals we need. And they nourish our resilience when the road ahead looks frightening, or the waiting and uncertainty seem almost too much to bear.
And ideally, our errors become teachers and guides too. Of the many navigational technologies that the Israelites utilized in the wilderness, perhaps the oddest was the ark: 鈥淭he Ark of the Covenant of Adonai traveled in front of them a three days鈥 distance, to seek out a resting place for them鈥 (10:33). This presents a difficulty. Elsewhere () we learn that 鈥渢he ark of the covenant of Moses and the Lord did not move from the midst of the camp.鈥 How can the ark be in the middle of the camp, and also somehow travelling by itself three days ahead? In solving the problem, the Midrash (Sifrei Bemidbar 82) offers a profound lesson in how we progress toward our goals. There were two arks: One (with the tablets) stayed in the middle of the camp. A second ark proceeded ahead to seek out the encampments. And what was in that second ark? The broken tablets, destroyed by Moses on seeing the Golden Calf ().
The path to the future moves through the past. We look ahead in our travels only to discover that our mistakes and sins, our brokenness, are 鈥渢hree days鈥 journey ahead鈥濃攁llowing us the benefit of critical distance, but waiting for us nevertheless. The ark with our brokenness tells us where we need to stop and wait鈥攖o explore the issues and places that need attention, rectification, and healing, in order to move forward again in the right direction. It takes courage, patience, and resilience. Perhaps this is why 鈥渢he place where they rested is also called a journey鈥 (诪职拽讜止诐 讞植谞执讬指旨转指谉 讗址祝 讛讜旨讗 拽指专讜旨讬 诪址住指旨注) ().
The publication and distribution of the 91快播 Commentary are made possible by a generous grant from Rita Dee (锄鈥漧) and Harold Hassenfeld (锄鈥漧).
