Bamidbar: The Desert of Mindfulness

by Rav Moshe Leib HaCohen Halbershtadt, Founder and Director of YORU Jewish Leadership, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.

The first verse in this week's Torah reading, which opens the Book of Bamidbar (Numbers), states that G-d spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert. The Sages derive from the emphasis on the location – a desert – that "whoever does not make himself into a desert [i.e., ownerless], cannot acquire Torah knowledge."

Maimonides greatly expounds on this point in his epic work Yad HaChazakah [based on the translation of Eliyahu Touger, Chabad.org]:

"It is natural for a man’s character and actions to be influenced by his friends and associates and for him to follow the local norms of behavior. He should therefore associate with the righteous and be constantly in the company of the wise, so as to learn from their deeds. He should also keep away from the wicked who walk in darkness, so as not to learn from their deeds… One who lives in a place where the norms of behavior are evil and the inhabitants do not follow the straight path, should move to a place where the people are righteous and follow the ways of goodness.

"If all the places with which he is familiar and of which he hears reports follow improper paths, as in our times [emphasis added], or if he is unable to move to a place where the patterns of behavior are proper… he should remain alone in seclusion… If they are wicked and sinful and do not allow him to reside there unless he mingle with them and follow their evil behavior, he should go out to caves, thickets, and deserts rather than follow the paths of sinners, as is written: 'Who will give me a lodging place for wayfarers, in the desert' (Jeremiah 9:1).”

To learn Torah wisdom, one can do anywhere – but to truly acquire it and to make it a part of one's personality can only be done if one renders himself like a desert, ownerless, detached from regular daily life and from the yoke of day-to-day matters that people are generally involved with. As the Rambam states in the Laws of Shemittah, he should be "totally focused on Torah study and the building of his spiritual world" – and thus he will merit to be like "Moshe Rabbeinu who was righteous and led the public to be righteous" (Tr. Avot 5,18); he will have positive influence over others, and both study and teach as he fulfills the commandments.[1]

The verse with which we opened, and which opens the portion of Bamidbar, also states that G-d spoke to Moshe "in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month in the second year after their Exodus from Egypt." The Torah thus tells us many details about this command: It was issued in the desert, and in the Tent of Meeting, and on the first day of Iyar. From the words of Rashi on this verse we can understand the reason for the last two. He says that G-d's love for Israel is what brought Him to count us at this time: "When they left Egypt, He counted them; when they sinned with the golden calf, He counted them again to see how many were left; and when He brought His Divine Presence to dwell upon them [in the Tabernacle] He counted them – that is, the Tabernacle was erected on the first day of Nissan, and on the first day of the very next month He counted them."

And so we now understand why the Torah tells us that the command to count Israel was issued in the Tent of Meeting – for this is where G-d brings His Presence, which was the very reason for the counting at this very time, right after its construction. And the emphasis on the desert, in addition to the lesson we learned above, tells us

yet another reason for the counting – as the desert itself is a reason for G-d's love of Israel! As the Prophet Jeremiah states (2,2): "So said the Lord: "I remember for you the lovingkindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials, how you followed Me in the desert, in a land not sown."

Hashem remembers the kindness of our youth when we followed Him in a desolate desert – and for this, as well, He loves us and wishes to count us again and again. We followed G-d under difficult conditions, without calculations of comforts or other considerations, out of our "nuptial love" for Him – and He continually counts us and shows us love in kind.

The Flags

In Chapters 1 and 2, the Torah goes into the details of the counting of each tribe and each of the four tribal camps. The Torah also tells us that each tribe was to encamp and travel in the desert under its specific flag: "The Israelites shall each camp by his flag, with the ensigns of his father's house" (2,2). What is the connection between the flags of Israel and the census?

The answer is, again: G-d's love for Israel. We read in the Medrash (Bamidbar Rabba 2,3):

"G-d showed them great love when He made banners for them as the Ministering Angels [the Medrash later explains allegorically that 22 myriad angels accompanied G-d on Mt. Sinai, based on Psalms 68,18, and all of them were beautifully comprised of banners]… From where do we know that this is a sign of love? From King Shlomo who wrote (Shir HaShirim 2,4): 'He brought me to the wine house [of banquets], and his banner over me was love.'"

The Medrash continues in the name of R. Avahu:

"What is the significance of the wine-house? It can be likened to a wealthy man who owned a large wine cellar. He went in to check it, and found that all the wine had gone bad. On his way out, he found one barrel of good wine, and he said: 'This barrel is my favorite, as good as the entire storehouse.'

Similarly, G-d created 70 nations, but He had no enjoyment from any of them except for Israel [which was the only one to accept the Torah], as is written, 'He brought me to the wine-house.' And how do we know that wine is equivalent to the 70 nations? Because the gematriya value of the Hebrew word for wine is 70: yod (10), yod (10), nun (50) – and from all 70, only for Israel 'his banner over [him] was love.'"

The flags, therefore – like the counting – were a symbol of G-d's great love for Israel.

In sum: This portion of Bamidbar comes to teach and emphasize to us how strong is G-d's affection for Israel. As we read in the end of the haftarah for this portion: "I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me with righteousness, with justice, with loving-kindness, and with mercy. And I will betroth you to Me with faith, and you shall know the Lord." (Hoshea 2,21-22)

[1] This lesson can be applied to the ease with which Torah knowledge can seemingly be acquired in our day, with the help of various AI and other tools. To truly acquire and imbue oneself with Torah knowledge, it must be studied with great investment, effort and love – not externally by simply pressing buttons. [translator's note]