We conclude the Book of Shemos this Shabbos. It began describing the arrival of the Children of Israel to Egypt, going on to chronicle the story of our people. From slavery to freedom; from emancipation from human bondage to accepting the dominion of Heaven at Mount Sinai; from the joy of our betrothal to G-d to our betrayal at the Sin of the Golden Calf; from the despondence of failure to delight in the power of repentance and G-d's promise to reinstate His presence.
The last large segment is devoted to the restoration of that bond through our arduous efforts in constructing the Mishkan — an abode for the Divine Presence to dwell in our midst.
The details of our donations that were transformed into the exquisite vessels that are to serve in this residence, and the clothing of the devotees that would serve, are enumerated in deliberate detail.
The Torah concludes this massive project reporting how Moshe 'erected the Courtyard all around the Tabernacle and the Altar, and he emplaced the curtain of the gate of Courtyard', completing all the work. Finally, 'the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of G-d filled the Mishkan.'
This would seem the perfect ending to this inspiring story. But the Torah adds a postscript.
Moshe could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan. When the cloud rose up from over the Mishkan, the children of Israel set out in all their journeys. But if the cloud did not rise up, they did not set out until the day that it rose. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Mishkan by day, and there was fire within it at night before the eyes of the entire house of Israel in all their מסעיהם — journeys.
This aspect of their encamping when the cloud rested upon the Mishkan, and when it rose it signaled their need to travel, is described in the Book of Bamidbar which records the various journeys they set out on during their forty year sojourn.
Why is this information provided here totally out of context, and distilling the 'grand finale' climactic description of the Divine Presence's return?
Rashi points out an inconsistency in the sentence.
When depicting the cloud that was upon the Mishkan by day and the fire upon it at night — while they encamped and were not traveling — it states how the eyes of the entire nation beheld it — in all their 'journeys'. Wasn't it only upon it when they rested, but not when they traveled? Why are those periods of time when they were stationary called 'journeys'?
Rashi answers that this is so 'since from the place of their encampment they resumed their journeys, they are called מסעות — journeys.'
This week someone sent me one of the numerous videos that are emanating from the holy, heroic, and inspired chayalim risking their lives daily for our brothers and sisters in Israel. This one filmed several soldiers from the armored division — who man the tanks — displaying with uncanny good humor how they improvise in the tightest of spaces within the tank to create a non-contorted position to enable some sleep.
Evidently, they sleep in the tank lest they need to engage quickly in battle against the terrorists.
This noteworthy fortitude reminded me of a remarkable idea attributed to the Holy Reb Meir of Parmeshlan.
The very first law recorded in Shulchan Aruch charges us with following words:
One should strengthen himself like a lion to get up in the morning to serve his Creator, so that it is he who awakens the dawn.
The Rama adds: And when he lies on his bed he should know before Whom he lies, and as soon as he wakes up from sleep he should rise eagerly to the service of his Creator, May He Be Blessed and Exalted.
Why does the Rama go off topic and discuss how one goes to sleep, which is discussed over two hundred chapters later, and choose to address it here?
The great Rebbe famously responded, "Have you ever seen a man go to sleep like a horse and wake up like a mighty lion? Obviously not, because if you go to bed like a horse you'll awaken like a horse, but if you lay down like a lion you are guaranteed to wake up and spring mightily out of your bed, ready to conquer the day!"
During our journey toward the end of days, we must never see ourselves as done and accomplished. Our achievements may be notable, but they are merely steppingstones towards even greater accomplishments, and we must never be complacent.
Even as we encamp, we are still traveling. We rest as a lion, eager and ready to awaken with greater purpose and more enthused service, conquering new territories of perfected character, discovering new vistas of inspiration.
באהבה
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
