Parshat Matot-Masei

‘‘These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel), who went out from the land of Egypt according to grouping, by the hand of Moshe (Moses) and Aharon (Aaron).’ (Bemidbar 33:1)

The majority of chapter 33 is a list of all of the 42 destinations that Bnei Yisrael travelled to in the midbar (desert). Why does the Torah list them and why at this stage? We will look at some of the answers that the mefarashim (commentators) suggest.

Rash’i (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki,1040-1105) writes that the journeys are detailed to show that although the people had to wait a total of 40 years in the midbar before entering Israel, G-d did not keep moving continually from place to place. They were able to live a stable life. Rashi explains which journeys took place before the decree to wonder in the midbar and which took place just prior to entering Israel, meaning that in the other 38 years, the people only moved 20 times. 

This shows that the people did not move very often during their sojourn in the desert. Rashi offers a second explanation that listing all of the destinations reminds the people what happened at each one, perhaps similar to a method of teaching history by maps or geographical locations.

Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270), pursues a different theme. He quotes at length the words of Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, 1135-1204) in Rambam’s Moreh Nevuchim (‘Guide for the Perplexed’). Rambam explains that it is very important to list these destinations. Miracles and wondrous events are believed by those who have witnessed them but later generations may cast doubt on whether these events happened. Today, for example, there are still people who cast aspersions on many parts of the Jewish experience, be it the Torah or even modern Jewish history.

People may question whether the Jews really were in the desert and how they were able to live in such a hostile environment. The desert does not have plentiful food resources and the tents of Bnei Yisrael would not leave much archaeological evidence, as was discussed last week during the British Museum tour. Therefore, the Torah states where Bnei Yisrael travelled so that subsequent generations will recall the miracles that G-d performed for the people in the desert, such as the well of Miriam which provided water and not cast doubts.

This listing is also appropriate just prior to Moses’ valedictory speech which makes up much of Sefer Devarim (the book of Deuteronomy) which we start to read this Shabbat afternoon.