Two Minute Torah Podcast

Mattot-Masei 5769 by Eytan Hammerman

This Shabbat, July 18th, Jews all over the world will read a “double” Torah portion, Mattot and Masei. Masei is also the final parashah in the book of Bamidbar, the 4th book of the Torah. You may know that the 5th book, Devarim/Deuteronomy – is often seen as a summary book, repeating highlights of the first books of the Torah. The Masei portion, therefore, coming at the end of Bamidbar, can be seen as if it were one of the very last portions of the Torah.

The Children of Israel have spent forty years wandering in the desert. Our Torah portion lists all of the places that they have visited in their wanderings. At first glance, it seems like a dry topic – perhaps even a bit silly to read about all of the stops they made on their journey. However, the importance of a journey – in their time and in our time – is reiterated through this listing of their stops on the way.

At the beginning of the march, with Egypt just behind them, the Promised Land might have been just a short distance away physically – but it was a great distance away spiritually. Those who had left Egypt were not ready to assume the responsibility of building a land and becoming a real people. After four hundred years and generations of slavery, these newly-liberated people still had the mentality of servitude. However, by the end of our Masei Torah portion, most or all of that generation is gone. Having left Egypt as tribes, their journey through the wilderness unified them into a people – they have become Am Yisrael, the People of Israel – not just Bnei Yisrael – the Children of Israel = the Children of Jacob, the patriarch. True, many people died in Bamidbar – but one people, one nation, was born.

Throughout our college years, many of us focus on the end result – completing the classes, fulfilling the credit requirements, wearing our caps and gowns as we get our diplomas on Graduation Day. However, the journey that is college is essential in-itself. This “expedition” is full of stops and starts, semesters beginning and ending, summers away from campus and jobs and leadership positions coming and going. This patchwork of experiences is what transforms us from being solely the children of our parents to becoming our own person. During college, most of us living independently for the first time, we choose the direction our journey will take. Is post-college life the “Promised Land”? Perhaps yes, perhaps no. What I am certain about, though, is that the many turns we take during our college years, years of exploration and experimentation, years where we can take risks and try new things – including, of course, new Jewish experiences – are crucial building blocks in making us full, adult members of Am Yisrael, the People of Israel.

Shabbat Shalom.