Parshat Masei (of double parsha Matot-Masei) begins by summarizing Bnei Yisrael’s travels throughout their forty years in the desert as they approach the land of Israel. Many commentaries question why the Torah repeats this list of “masaot” (journeys), when they have already been described earlier in the Torah. Their answers contain wisdom and hope for the current “journey” of the Jewish nation.

The midrash Tanhuma likens this to a parent who takes his/her sick child to various places in search of healing. Afterwards, the parent recounts the experiences they had through each location. So too, God wants Bnei Yisrael to draw strength from hearing about overcoming hardship in their past and be reminded that they can do it again in the future. Rambam, in Guide to the Perplexed, teaches that re-telling the places Israel traveled highlights the miracles God provided for the Jewish people’s survival in the desert. Through preserving the memory of these miracles, future generations will find inspiration and faith. Sforno sees this re-telling as highlighting the goodness of Bnei Yisrael in the desert. He explains that the journeys are repeated “in order to compliment the Jewish people,” who followed God through a vast and dangerous desert. 

We may have arrived at our promised land in 1948, but the Jewish people, in Israel and the diaspora, are still on a journey filled with achievements, loss, miracles, challenges and victories. The biblical repetition of the masaot provides a template for successfully navigating the current journey of the Jewish people: First, we can draw strength from our history, from overcoming past challenges. Second, we should be mindful of small miracles which we may experience over time. Third, we can look back and focus on the positive – we can appreciate our own perseverance and continue to draw strength and faith for the future. Chazak chazak ve’nitchazek. Shabbat shalom -Karen Miller Jackson