* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
We have begun to read the book of Bamidbar (Numbers) which describes the arrangement of the twelve tribes around the Mishkan before setting out on the long trek to the holy land. Here we learn an important principle: We have a tendency to postpone and procrastinate, saying we will do something “after the holidays,” “after graduation,” and so on. The nation of Israel could have also said “after the desert” or after we reach the land of Israel, then we will focus on holiness.
But in this and the following Torah portions, we read how, time after time, whenever the nation arrives at a new stopover along the way, they immediately erect the Mishkan, their spiritual center and beating heart. Sometimes they camp in a particular place for a short time and sometimes their stay lasts for several years. But when they are ready to move on, they disassemble the Mishnah and immediately prepare to put it up again at their next stop.
The lesson to be learned from this is never to stop living a life full of meaning while waiting to reach some future goal. Even while moving forward, there are ups an downs and uncertainty, and yet it’s always essential to exploit every moment to its fullest, to remember to do what’s most important, to build our “Mishkan” — through learning Torah, volunteering, spending time with our family and contributing to our community. Despite the storm of surrounding circumstances, we must focus on our foundational values for the sake of stability and living a holy life.
The book of Numbers reminds us not to think we have any time to delay, and not to think about what might happen next. Instead, that which is important and holy must be done at once as we put our values at the center of our lives.
May we all enjoy success in this endeavor.
