42 Journeys

The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the forty-two journeys in the wilderness – from Egypt to Israel – reflect the forty-two journeys or phases that each person experiences throughout life. “These are the journeys of the Israelites, who had left Egypt” on the way to the Promised Land: All the 42 journeys are about freeing ourselves and transcending the constraints and limitations (Mitzrayim) of our material existence which conceals the Divine, subduing and sublimating the harsh “wilderness” of selfish existence, and discovering the “Promised Land” – a life of harmony between body and soul.

These 42 journeys allow us to align our lives to the compass of a higher rhythm, as defined by the 42 journeys in the Torah, and actually create a strategy that rides and taps into these rhythms.

We bring you a new series from Rabbi Jacobson, that outlines the psycho-spiritual 42 journeys that each of us go through in our own lives.

42 Journeys Part 1

In the second year [of the Exodus], on the 20th of the second month, the cloud rose from the Tabernacle of Testimony. The Israelites thus began their travels, [moving on] from the Sinai Desert [until] the cloud came to rest in the Paran Desert. This was the first journey at G-d’s word through Moses (this week’s Torah portion – 10:11-14)

Thus began the 13th of the 42 journeys through the wilderness. After the Jewish people camped at Sinai on the first of Sivan 2448, they remained there for close to a year (exactly 10 days less than 12 months), until the 20th of Iyar 2449, when the cloud rose, signifying the time to move on.

After the Torah elaborates on the events that transpired from the time the Jews arrived at Sinai on the first of Sivan 2448 (in the chapter Yisro in the book of Exodus), through the building and erection of the Temple on the first of Nissan 2449 (the latter chapters of Exodus), through the entire book of Leviticus and the first two and a half chapters of Numbers, the Torah resumes the story and begins to relate the series of journeys traveled by the Jewish people in the wilderness. The rising of the cloud in this week’s portion is essentially continuing the story where it was left off at the end of Exodus, when the cloud first descended on the Tabernacle.

As we now begin to read the story of the long and tedious journey, we bring you the first installment of a new series from Rabbi Jacobson, that outlines the psycho-spiritual 42 journeys that each of us go through in our own lives.

The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the forty-two journeys in the wilderness – from Egypt to Israel – reflect the forty-two journeys or phases that each person experiences throughout life. “These are the journeys of the Israelites, who had left Egypt” on the way to the Promised Land: All the 42 journeys are about freeing ourselves and transcending the constraints and limitations (Mitzrayim) of our material existence which conceals the Divine, subduing and sublimating the harsh “wilderness” of selfish existence, and discovering the “Promised Land” – a life of harmony between body and soul.

Just as the first journey was the exodus out of Egypt (Mitzrayim), each of us begins our life journey with birth – the liberation of the fetus from the confines of the womb, where it can develop and become an independent force that has the power to transform the world. The final journey brings us to the threshold of the total transformation of the universe into a holy and “Promised Land.”

Some of these journeys are pleasant, others very demanding. Some carry us others challenge us. Many of our journeys may even have been setbacks, we may have made mistakes and wrong choices – just as the Jewish people did in some of their 42 journeys – but they too are part of our life’s odyssey, and they too can be redeemed.

“Moses recorded their stops along the way at G-d’s command” to help us identify these junctures in our own lives. By understanding the meaning of these 42 journeys we can learn to demystify many of our unresolved or strange experiences (why did I have to go through so and so?) and discover the deeper patterns of our own lives. We can actually identify these 42 stages in our life’s voyage – 42 rites of passage – that encompass all the legs, the ups and downs, twists and turns, dips and curves of our life.

Above all, these 42 journeys allow us to align our lives to the compass a higher rhythm, as defined by the 42 journeys in the Torah, and actually create a strategy that rides and taps into these rhythms.

Thus, whether it was for two days, a month, or a full year, no matter how long the cloud remained at rest over the Tabernacle the Israelites would remain in one place and not move on. Then, when the cloud rose, they would continue on their travels. They thus camped at G-d’s word and moved on at God’s word, keeping their trust in G-d. [It was all done] according to G-d’s word through Moses – this week’s Torah portion (9:22-23)

The secret of knowing when to travel and when to rest, when to make a move, when to stay put, is related in this Torah portion: The journeys through the wilderness were aligned with the Divine will – whether it was for a few hours or for many years – the Jewish people would only move when the Divine cloud would lift from the Sanctuary Tabernacle.

We too can learn to synchronize our life journeys to the Divine coordinates that “lead the footsteps of man.” Imagine having an inner compass that senses life’s internal tempo, being able to pace your outer movements by your inner rhythms.

chanoch adds: Or perceiving and confirming your inner rhythms by your outer movements.

This series will map out each of the 42 journeys, in terms that hopefully can help each of us apply and customize their relevance to our personal lives. (This is but one of many different possible applications of the 42 journeys).

Journey 1: Thought of leaving Ramses and Egypt Egypt

The first leg of our life journey is our birth, and it spells out the purpose of the entire voyage: Freeing ourselves of the constraints of the womb and of all our material boundaries which metaphorically is Mitzrayim = Egypt.

chanoch adds: The shoresh for Mitzrayim is Metzar = narrow or limitations. Physicality is limiting. When someone chooses physical pleasures over spiritual pleasures they are choosing to limit themselves. This is one of the conflicts between good and evil. Between HaShem

At birth we come also armed with the strength and tools to overcome all our future challenges (we emerge triumphant “before the eyes of mitzrayim”), but we will need to be trained and educated to realize our potential.

Birth is thus a joyous occasion, coupled with the anticipation how we will do on our long journey ahead. This is also alluded to in the word “Ramses,” which was the “best of the land” Genesis 47:11.

Kabbalistic comments on the Hebrew spelling

רעמסס = Ramses

רע = evil

סס = moth = metaphor for seeker of Light

מ when a leading letter = “from”

ע = metaphor for sight – vision – wisdom

רם = evil from levated

Ramses can be translated as elevate sight of a moth

Also “seek light from evil”

The gematria od Ramses is 430. Another Hebrew word with this gematria is Nephesh = animal soul. This teaches that the birth brings a body along with the animal soul.

There are many other possible meanings related to the above information.

Journey 2: Ramses to Sukkot

Sukkot means shelters, referring to the “clouds of glory” that sheltered and protected the people as they began their journey. On a personal level it refers to the shelters that (healthy) parents provide children in early age. Thus from Ramses (birth) we enter into the shelters of our nurturing homes and secure environments.

Surrounded within the “clouds” of a comfortable home cultivates a child’s self-confidence and helps him/her develop self-esteem to take on the challenges of the life journeys ahead outside the “clouds”.

Kabbalistic comments on the Hebrew spelling

סוכות = Sukkot = Booths or Tabernacles. In singular is Sukkah = סוכה

Gematria of Sukkah is 91 which represents the unity of the spiritual world with the physical world.

Gematria of Succot is 492. Hebrew words that have a gematria of 492 translate as “daughters” - “and our Nephesh” - “fearing” - “in your time” - “my serving”

There is one verse with a gematria of 492 – Deuteronomy 5:19 – translates as “You shall not Steal”.

chanoch adds: This second stage is the beginning of developing multiple corrections of the animal soul. This is especially true in not stealing many different things as well as elements of time.

Journey 3: Sukkot to Etham at the edge of the desert

Etham, in ancient Egyptian, means “seashore.” Some identify Etham with the Egyptian Chetem, which denotes a fortress. After early childhood, when we are completely dependent on parents for sustenance and protection, we begin to emerge from the “fortress” as we start to develop a sense of independence. This stage is comparable to a “seashore,” a boundary between exploring the new world around us and scurrying back for approval and guidance from our parents. At this phase in our lives we are not yet quite thrown into the desert, yet we are its edge, as we become acquainted with an alien and insensitive world.

chanoch adds: My view of the seashore is one approaches the water which is Torah and scurries back to the fortress of our parents protection. This is choosing the physical over the spiritual. Yet as we mature we realize this return to the protection of the comfort zone is not a good choice all the time.

Kabbalistic comments on the Hebrew spelling

אתם = Etham

When the letters are permuted the word becomes Emet = truth. Does that allow for different understandings? One change as a toddler is one learns to lie out of fear. Look above to see where fear is first introduced in the experience of a child. In another permutation it can translate as “From the Shechinah.” Also Etham can be translated as “Shechinah is water”.