Dear Friends,
The Jewish People’s journey from Egypt to Israel was anything but efficient. It featured 42 different journeys spanning 40 years. There were numerous setbacks and obstacles.
Now, at the cusp of entering the Holy Land, Moses recounts all of these journeys in the opening of this week’s Torah Portion.
But why bother giving this long account? Many of these trips involved unpleasant incidents – was there really a reason to bring them up again?
Many of the trips appeared negative as they first unfolded. But now, after these 40 years of growth, the Jewish People were able to go back and reframe each of those journeys and see a deeper good within them. All 42 journeys, even those that represented tremendous failure (golden calf, spies, etc) were part of the nation's healing process and springboards to their growth as a people.
The Baal Shem Tov shared an incredible mystical teaching about this Torah section. He explains that these “42 stops” are not just the history of our people but the story of each of our lives today.
In his words: “The forty-two ‘stations’ from Egypt to the Promised Land are replayed in the life of every individual Jew, as the soul journeys from its descent to earth at birth to its return to its Source.”
Spend a moment meditating on that teaching. Imagine your life as one long book containing 42 chapters. See yourself as a character in a cosmic play. Envision the great author, G-d, directing all events that transpire, yet, at the same time, giving you freedom of choice in your moral decisions.
And for many of us, some chapters in our life seem overly challenging. Perhaps senseless. And then there were times we really blew it as a result of our own poor choices.
We can discover how difficult moments lead to our greatest growth. They form our identity. They make our personal story the uplifting drama that it is --- one that changes the world, and ourselves, for the better.
Wishing you a great week ahead,
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos