This week’ Torah portion is a double portion. We read the portions of Matot (meaning tribes) and Maasei (journeys). And it is with these two portions that we conclude the Book of Numbers (known in Hebrew as “Bamidbar” -in the desert) and move onto the fifth book of the Torah: Deuteronomy.
In these two portions we encounter the Israelites near the end of their 40-year journey as they cross the desert and come closer to the Promised Land. It is the ultimate immigrants’ story: leaving one home and searching for another. And along the way facing hardship, hunger, battles emotional and physical, and the victories encountered along the way.
The Israelite journey took place thousands of years go—but our own immigrant story- our personal journeys or the journeys of our grandparents’ or great grandparents took place much more recently. Just as the Torah recounts our people’s history and we are compelled to remember our collective history—it is important for us to recall our individual stories.
Most of us are immigrants: we came from someplace else and ended up where we are currently. My own family traveled from Russia to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. Their story is one of hardship and poverty, anti-semitism, and hope.
Your personal journey may also be a journey towards faith and belief. Perhaps you were not born Jewish, but have now chosen to embrace the traditions, laws, customs, prayers, and holidays of being Jewish. Perhaps you were born Jewish, but your current journey has led you on a path to better understanding of traditions and customs, philosophy, and theology.
Whatever your journey has been and whatever path you are currently on needs to be celebrated. To embark on any journey is to take a step of faith into the unknown. Tell the story of our own journey and discover the journey of those who came before you for all these narratives are a part of who you are. These stories become our own personal Torah and if we are fortunate and blessed the stories will be recounted by generations to come.
When we reach the end of parasha Maasei we have reached the end of the Book of Numbers and after the last reading is completed, the congregation chants: Chazak, chazak v’nitchazeik…Be strong, be strong and we will be strengthened.
May we all be blessed and strengthened on our incredible, wonderful journeys.
Shabbat shalom.
Cantor Kent