July 15, 2023 / 25 Tammuz 5783
Joseph Ibn Hayyim marks the beginning of Torah Portion Masei (מַסְעֵי) with a creature with golden wings.
MS Kennicott 1; ‘The Kennicott Bible’; 1476 CE; La Coruña, Spain; ff.95r & 97r
R Shalom Noah Berezovsky, the 20th century Slonimer Rebbe, serves up a stunning teaching on the opening verse of Parashat Masei (Numbers 33:1) –
Beyond all of the normative things that apply to Jews is their obligation always to travel through the forty-two stations that make up a life’s journey. We are to move along, proceeding higher and higher, degree after degree, journey after journey. This is implied in God’s word: “YHVH said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your native land, from your birthplace and from your father’s house’” (Gen. 12:1), echoed in the gloss of the Zohar on the verse “Then Abram journeyed, moving and journeying toward the Negeb” (ibid. vs. 9): Abraham always moved on, journeying degree after degree. It is our purpose and role to move constantly forward, adding steps, increasing in light, and the worst would be for us to be satisfied and settle for our current state. [Netivot Shalom, Masei]
We are here to keep growing, to keep journeying, to keep moving forward! And the worst possibility? “…for us to be satisfied and settle for our current state.” Earlier this week, a Bob Dylan line came up in conversation: “Him not busy being born is busy dying.” The Netivot Shalom, with the Torah behind him, challenges us to busy ourselves, each day, with being born. Sure beats the alternative!
Shabbat Shalom.
