Parshat Masei - Journeys

Parashat Mas’ei opens with a rhythmic recounting of the 42 journeys of Israel. We are often taught that the Torah is careful with words. Why do we need this long list about the desert stops? Elsewhere in the Torah, we see that time is marked through lists (such as the genealogical lists in Bereisheet), and that this list form can be a form of literary style.

We examine three radically different approaches to Bnei Yisrael’s journeys in the wilderness. Rashi presents two different approaches: Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan emphasizes God’s kindness throughout the punishment of the long desert journeys, and the Tanhuma brings an analogy of a transformative healing experience. Seforno looks at Masei as emphasizing how good Bnei Yisrael were to follow God in the desert.

Masei is a fitting way to end Sefer BeMidbar, which often reads as a series of Bnei Yisrael’s failures. But the journey is one of growth, and there is a happy ending: they are now ready to enter the Land of Israel, Bnei Yisrael’s ultimate destination.