Bamidbar

Parshat Bamidbar – Elaine Robinson 

Elaine Robinson is the head of the Jewish Social Responsibility Department at the United Jewish Israel Appeal in England. She coordinates UJIA myfund and the Yoni Jesner award, both of which encourage young people to make a positive difference in the world. Elaine has taught Jewish studies at Immanuel College, the JCC, Hong Kong, LSJS and is a trustee of Tzedek. 

‘God spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai in the Tent of meeting.' 1:1

This week's parsha, parshat Bamidbar, opens up the fourth book of the Torah with the same name: "In the desert". The book follows the journey of the Jewish people through the desert on their way to the Promised Land.

It opens with God telling Moshe to carry out a census of B'nei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) to count every one, to make sure all are accounted for. It is followed by the instructions of the role of each of the tribes in the building of the Mishkan - the temporary dwelling place of God - each tribe is given a role to build the society.   

It appears that the time in the desert is of absolute importance for the development of what was a slave nation into an independent people. It was an opportunity for the people to cleanse themselves of the slave mentality, perhaps time for self-reflection and self development, as well as learning the skills that would enable them to live in community. 

Bamidbar is different from the previous three books of the Chumash. It is not a historical survey, nor is it replete with laws or commandments, but rather a mix of the two. It spans 38 years of travelling, and the Jewish People are given laws not for each generation, but rather for their time in the desert.  

The psychologist and philosopher Erich Fromm saw the forty years of desert wanderings as the period of time during which the slaves of yesterday become aware of their freedom.

"The desert is not a home. There are no cities. There is no property. It is the place of nomads who have that which they need, and all that they need is life's essentials, not belongings... life in the desert as preparation for a life of freedom." (Erich Fromm, Ownership or Self-Realization, p. 59)

The Jewish People know what it is like to flee from slavery - we had God on our side for protection, but we still had to rid ourselves of the mentality of slavery.

Imagine being out in the desert for 40 years. For many of us that might be a terrifying idea, for many an extremely exciting one. Imagine the landscape, imagine the emptiness and the stark foreboding, the lack of structure, but also the open canvas on which to create something out of nothing.

Being out in the desert gives a unique opportunity to reflect on one's life without the interruptions and distractions of everyday life. This is what the Jewish people were experiencing with a little direction from God.

Imagine, on the other hand, not having had that time to reflect arriving in a new country, looking for safety and protection and being sent away or being abused by those around you or being treated like a pariah.

Many people today do not have that luxury of a 40-year "decompression stop".  Thousands of asylum-seekers and refugees have had to flee their country of origin, often a war-torn situation, in an attempt to re-build their lives in a free society. Many of those most recently from Darfur arrive traumatised and unable to understand the community where they have arrived. Many are sent back to certain death.

We are commanded 36 (some say 46 - Talmud Baba Metsia 59b) times in the Torah not to wrong the stranger for we were strangers in Egypt. Rather we are told to treat those around us with love and compassion, for we know what it was like to be a slave. 

The book of Bamidbar teaches us an essential lesson about social justice.  We had 40 years to reflect, to heal, to rid ourselves of the slave mentality, with the love and protection of God. Many people do not have that opportunity.    

The challenge that we have is how can we use our Bamidbar experience to help those around us to integrate and heal. As individuals and as a community we have an obligation to rise to the challenge. What will you do?