"Bigdei Kahuna" Parsha page by Rabbi Yehuda Katz

MASAI

" These are the journeys of the Children of Israel................. ...................................................." (33:1)

There were 42 stations at which the Jews sojourned and camped. A question can be asked, why is it so important for the Torah to record all of the Journeys of The Israelites? It must be that the Torah is teaching us a lesson about ourselves and what our purpose in this world is. Perhaps ,Bezrat Hashem , I would like to propose the following answer. A Jew, like the Israelites, encounters many journeys and encampments in ones life time. A person is constantly on the move..........................However, what do we do at each stop..................Do we sactify the location with holiness ,or not? This is a very fundamental question..... For instance, when we find ourselves at a spot and the opportunity to speak Loshon hara occurs, do we sanctify the place by holding our tongue and prevent a sin from occuring? Or when we are at a location and have a few minutes to study Torah, do we grab the opportunity? In other words, we have tremendous opportunities to sactify each and every place we may find ourselves, the choice is ours.....By sactifying each place we bring "Holiness" to that place and the world.Just like the Israelites had 42 encampments and journies, each place presenting a different challenge for spiritual growth, we to are presented with opportunities to bring spirituality and holiness to that location...................Let us all plant seeds of "Holiness" where ever we ourselves may journey..........................The Kabbalists say that where ever a Mitzvah is done it causes a vibration of Holiness emanating from that place that eventually engulfs the entire world with holiness.In fact this very location becomes a source for Holiness................................... There is always a Mitzvah that can be performed where ever we may find ourselves...............................have a Good Shabbos