Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 14 Sivan, 5784
Parsha Be-Ha’alotekha – “When You Fire Up”: (Numbers 8:1 – 12:16)
Fifth Portion: Numbers 10:11 – 10:34

Good morning! Today is the Solstice! The day of the year with the most light. As we are in the month of direction, the most clarity, the most light may be approaching us today! We need to get ready to MOVE! And – unique this year? We are approaching the full moon – when the darkness and shadow of space has light reflecting BACK to us in the darkness! This is a special time for us.  As we reflect on the encampment of the Children of Israel, and today’s portion tells us it is time to MOVE!!!

For the past two years, the quote from the 10% Happier App has been resonating as we read this portion:

“Having a spirit of experimentation is the antidote to the sense of failure, regret and shame.”

When we feel stuck in our sense of failure, regret, and shame? Experimentation, curiosity, and trying new things is the antidote.  Where can you (we) experiment today?  Let’s dig in!

11On the twentieth of the second month in the second year, the cloud rose up from over the Tabernacle of the Testimony.

12The children of Israel traveled on their journeys from the Sinai desert, and the cloud settled in the desert of Paran.

13This was the first journey at God’s bidding through Moses.

So. Let’s break this down. This was the second year. We know the second Passover started on the 14^th day of the second month. Six days later? Hashem had them move. And here’s how they moved:

14The banner of the camp of Judah’s children traveled first according to their legions. Heading the legion was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

15Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.

16Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

The first encampment set out.

I had to go back to the beginning of Numbers. Chapter 2. The camps were laid out a certain way:

• East (the Front) – Harmony
  • Judah
  • Issachar
  • Zebulun
• South – Kindness
  • Reuben
  • Simeon
  • Gad
• Tent of Meeting:
• West – Sensitivity
  • Ephraim
  • Manasseh
  • Benjamin
• North – Negativity and Severity
  • Dan
  • Asher
  • Naphtali

So far, so good. Let’s keep going.

17The Tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon set out, [together] with the sons of Merari who carried the Tabernacle.

So this is interesting, isn’t it? The Tabernacle was supposed to go AFTER the next legion.  And yet they went between Harmony and Kindness. Except Kohath.  Kohath represented the sacred/spiritual.

18Then the banner of the camp of Reuben set out according to their legions. Heading its legion was Elitzur the son of Shdeur.

19Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

20Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

Ok – so we have something fascinating. The East went first, the “structure” the tabernacle (the physical and the emotional) went next, then the South.

21The Kohathithes, who carried the holy [equipment] set out, and they had erected the Tabernacle before they had arrived.

Now we get the root of the Tabernacle. The Kohathites left with the holy equipment. The would have been where the ark was carried.

22Then the banner of the camp of Ephraim set out, according to its legions. Heading its legion was Elishama the son of Amihud.

23Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Menasseh was Gamliel the son of Pedahzur.

24Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gidoni.

Then the western camp set out.

25Then the banner of the camp of Dan set out, the collector for all the other camps, according to its legions. Heading its legion was Achiezer the son of Amishaddai.

26Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.

27Heading the legion of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enon.

Then the north.

So this was the first journey. It is interesting how the tabernacle was deconstructed. What remained was the essence of the tabernacle.

28These are the travels of the children of Israel according to their legions, and then they traveled.

Interesting, right? And. We aren’t finished:

29Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’s father-in-law, We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will be good to you, for the Lord has spoken of good fortune for Israel.

30He said to him, I won’t go, for I will go to my land and my birthplace.

31He said, Please don’t leave us, for because you are familiar with our encampments in the desert and you will be our guide.

32And if you go with us, then we will bestow on you the good which God grants us.

Moses ASKS (begs?) the Midianites to come with them.  They didn’t want to go, but Moses made sure they were included in the journey.  They would have access to all the same good that Hashem bestowed on the Children of Israel.

I have written at length about this. Many non-Jews feel separated from Judaism. Like they cannot be a part of it.  Some of this is real lived experiences from Jews who have rejected non-Jews and created a sense of exclusion.  The Torah? We now have a double example of Hashem’s grace and inclusion – ALL OF THIS took place during the second passover. 6 days after.  And. “Outsiders” were invited INTO the community. It’s a beautiful reminder – all of us belong. All of us have a place.

33They traveled a distance of three days from the mountain of the Lord, and the Ark of the Lord’s covenant traveled three days ahead of them to seek for them a place to settle.

34The cloud of the Lord was above them by day, when they traveled from the camp.

 So even though the Ark went in the middle, it led the troop.  It went three days ahead. That is interesting, right?  We are literally seeing the Torah discuss this idea of experimentation.  A plan was given, and there was STILL creativity within the structure. It’s beautiful!

These are my thoughts. What are yours?

Here are my thoughts from the past two years:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 19 Sivan, 5783

Good morning! I hope your week has gone well and you are getting ready for the Sabbath and the rest!

Yesterday’s portion was all about the signs for us to move.  To not remain stuck.  When to break camp and when to set up camp.

Today we discover HOW we are to break camp.  HOW we are to move.  Once we know it is time to take action in our lives and avoid being stuck, we are called to “deconstruct” our current moment and pack it all up to move to the “next segment” of our life’s journey – fulfilling our purpose in each moment.

Meditation has been an important part of my practice. It is interesting to see where I was at a year ago –

This morning, in my meditation app, 10% happier (thanks Michael Takahara) we are doing the ”healthy habits challenge” and I heard this quote; “having a spirit of experimentation is the antidote to the sense of failure, regret and shame.”

Experimentation. Curiosity. When we are feeling regret and shame – failure, experimenting and curiosity is where we can go to move forward.  That is what today’s portion speaks to me.

When Hashem told them to move, they had to deconstruct the tabernacle. Take it all apart.  Start over in a sense.

Are we being asked to move? Are we being asked to “take it all apart?”  That feels scary.  Being stuck in my regret, shame, and failure? That feels safe (for some reason).

THIS MORNING in my meditation, we went on a journey of the mind.  Instead of anchoring my breath or something else, the guided meditation encouraged us to just let the mind go – and see where it took us.   And to just pay attention.  It was a fascinating journey for me this morning -and set some ideas up for direction.

Where are you going? Or are you being asked to “slow down” and set up camp? How would you know? These are the curious questions that come with today’s Torah portion (for me).

I’d love your thoughts!

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 17 Sivan, 5782

Good morning!

So. Up until now, the Torah portions have all be theoretical. In our journey from slavery to freedom that we began on Passover, it has brought us into the desert. We have been given the instructions (Shavuot) of the Torah. We have built the tent of meeting and the Tabernacle. Today, however, this portion is going to tell us about setting out for the first time.

Before I go further, I’m reflective of where we’ve been. Hopefully you’ve been considering your own journey – where you’ve been enslaved to ways of thinking that have blocked you from your goals and desires. As you recognize the need for freedom (not many do) and cry out to God for help, and he leads you supernaturally through the parting of the sea, we are not finished. There is still a lot of work to be done.

We have wandered as we recognize the need to leave what has enslaved us. But we stumble – the golden calf. The spies. All of it. And yet we continue on. We may get stuck- camping in the wilderness for a while. And then we are given the instructions to build a tabernacle in our hearts. We construct it Inside of us. Our physical needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs.

Now it’s time to take it all apart and set out on the first leg of our journey. Or second. Or third.

This morning, in my meditation app, 10% happier (thanks Michael Takahara) we are doing the ”healthy habits challenge” and I heard this quote; “having a spirit of experimentation is the antidote to the sense of failure, regret and shame.”

The idea of deconstructing the tabernacle within and setting out on a journey feels like experimentation. What are we doing to deconstruct our sense of normalcy and reality to move out of a “sense of failure, regret, and shame?”

It is with this attitude we dig into today’s portion:

On the 20th day of the second month in the second year, the cloud rose up from over the tabernacle of testimony.

Passover was in Nisan. The first month after Passover is Iyar, when the second Passover took place. The second month would have been Sivan. I don’t believe the Torah is referring to Iyar, because of the second Passover. Given the laws of the second Passover, leaving in the middle of that Holy Day (14 of Iyar-21 of Iyar) it makes sense they were leaving in Sivan. On the 20th.

For those keeping track at home, that’s Saturday night into Sunday. It’s time to prepare ourselves to get up and go! To move! To deconstruct and then experiment.

Just my opinion.

Ok. Let’s keep going.

They set out from the camp in the Sinai desert and traveled until the cloud settled in the desert of Paran.

The camp of Judah went first. Then the tabernacle was dismantled. Then Gershon and Merari’s descendants who carried the tabernacle followed. Then the camp of Reuben. Then the descendants of Kohath who carried the holy vessels traveled.

Interesting note. The Torah tells us this was because when they arrived, Gershon and Merari’s descendants would be able to construct the tabernacle so it was ready by the time Kohath arrived.

Then the camp of Ephraim set out. Then the camp of Dan set out. This was the order of the journey.

But the Torah gives us something more. After the Israelites left; Moses’ cousin-in-law (the son of Jethro his father in law) said “good luck on your journey, we are going home” (paraphrase). Moses told them to come with the Israelites.

Here is the exact quote from Moses; “please don’t leave us! For you know all of the miracles associated with our encampments in the desert to which you have been an eyewitness. If you go with us, then we will grant you use of part of the good land which God is granting us.”

Full. Stop.

One of the hard things about being Jewish is the sense of entitlement. Growing up it is hard not to get sucked into “we’re God’s chosen people! We are special!” But the Torah. The part of the Bible many believe is exclusive is LITERALLY inviting everyone who bears witness to join us on our journey.

If you’ve been reading these Torah thoughts as a non-Jew, I know sometimes it’s a struggle to wonder whether this is for you, or whether you are just visiting this space. But Moses literally invited those who bear witness to the greatness of God to join us on our journey. You are welcome here. It’s in the Torah.

The Torah says the journey took three days. Many scholars believe God wanted to bring them to the new place immediately – so he supernaturally got them there in one day.

A “day” could be a month, an hour, a year. Because time is a human construct and measures change (thanks Meir Rubashkin for teaching me that). We don’t need to get locked into dates and times. But we should be preparing ourselves to deconstruct the tabernacle in our hearts and journey to a new place. All the time.

Those are my thoughts – what about you? What do you think?