Parshas Matos and Masei 2015
Avigdor Laib (Maverick) Peters
Hashem takes care of us.
Throughout history, our people have been saved time and time again from
all sorts of gruesome trials and tribulations. Hashem has foiled the plans of
every one of our enemies and will continue to do so. He is always working “behind
the scenes” as there are always people who are plotting to destroy us. While,
we are often oblivious to it, Hashem intervenes and protects His people.
When any painful or unpleasant experiences arise, be it on a personal
level or for the entire nation, Hashem still blankets us with His protection.
From time to time, (sometimes even quite often) Hashem needs to
present us with uncomfortable and challenging situations. We should not look at
these situations in the negative and become angry and frustrated and give up
hope as though all is lost. We must understand that these “problems” help us
grow and are orchestrated by the Mastermind Himself.
Parshas Masei, the final parsha in the fourth book of the Torah, lists
all of the places that the nation traveled through when they were in the desert.
It is easy to walk away from these experiences with a bad taste in our mouths and
a negative attitude toward the difficult living conditions during “wandering”
in the desert. While many view this as a gloomy time in our history, we should
focus on how Hashem sustained us and provided us with sufficient living
conditions so generously. Additionally, we were blessed to witness all of the
incredible array of miracles that He did for us.
The Torah, as we know, never contains something that is superfluous in
any form. Not a single letter or accent marking on top of a letter is extra. As
such, why did Hashem feel it necessary to restate all of our travels through
the desert?
Rashi says, the parsha list the forty two places we journeyed through.
These were stressed to show that over the forty years we only pitched tent and
actually moved forty two times –a significantly small number. The first
fourteen were during the first year on their way out of Mitzrayim (Egypt). While
the last eight only started after the death of Ahron Hakohein.
This comes to show that although we may not see it at first glance, Hashem
runs the show perfectly. He had all of his cheshbonos (exact calculations) and
reasons for the forty years. He protected us from our enemies and took care of
us. We only moved forty two times during the forty years in the desert.
We should all take away from the very fact that our parsha recounts
the journeys of our people in the desert just to teach us the mere fact that
Hashem is with us and will always be with us. Even when our personal and
national situations may seem rough and bumpy at times, He is in charge and is presenting
us with the perfect challenges for us to grow to our potential.
HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS
AND WEEKEND!
Stay tuned for next
week as we begin the fifth book in the Torah, called Sefer Devarim,
Beginning with its
title track!
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