Sinai Wilderness
At the end of January, our Torah readings emigrate from the setting in Egypt to the crossing of the Red Sea and into the Sinai Wilderness. There, isolated from the rest of the world culture and society, the Descendants of Israel have a chance to become a principled tribal nation, away from the distracting influence of those “corrupted” by amorality, materialism, selfishness, greed, status, etc. By sharing in a wilderness survival experience and its attendant challenge, individuals got to bond, share, learn to be a self-reliant community, understand themselves and their values, rely on each other for defense, and rely on their God for support and guidance.
Even before Sinai, our ancestors travelled through wilderness to find spouses, to find …show more content…
Sure, you plan the trip carefully to ensure you have food, clothing, shelter, hiking poles, shovel, etc. … but once you get past that and onto the trail, your mind clears and you have the time to ignore all the amenities that we have created and appreciate camaraderie, your own thoughts, and your place in the natural world. Bernstein captures this well, extending the experience to one that is “spiritual.” The view from the top looking down and “360-degrees” all around is far different from the view from below looking up. The sky is unaffected by city lights. The sunrises and sunsets are unencumbered. Time can be an imprecise estimation observed more from the sun than your wrist or iPhone. The temperature, precipitation, and wind are unadulterated. The air, sounds, and the smells are …show more content…
She notes the contrasts between the planning we do today and the absence of planning of our ancestors. Still, for both eras, the wilderness takes anxiety to a basic level, altering (at least for a time) our values and perceptions. It brings us back to the ethic in Pirkei Avot, that “He is happy who is satisfied with his lot in life.” Or as Bernstein puts it: “We find out who we are and where we belong, and we learn to live in community with other people.” Our ancestors had “pilgrimage festivals” three times a year, when they might walk 100 miles or more to offer sacrifices to God. Bernstein’s point is that the pilgrimage might have been as important as the holiday itself, and we are missing out on that experience
Even before Sinai, our ancestors travelled through wilderness to find spouses, to find …show more content…
Sure, you plan the trip carefully to ensure you have food, clothing, shelter, hiking poles, shovel, etc. … but once you get past that and onto the trail, your mind clears and you have the time to ignore all the amenities that we have created and appreciate camaraderie, your own thoughts, and your place in the natural world. Bernstein captures this well, extending the experience to one that is “spiritual.” The view from the top looking down and “360-degrees” all around is far different from the view from below looking up. The sky is unaffected by city lights. The sunrises and sunsets are unencumbered. Time can be an imprecise estimation observed more from the sun than your wrist or iPhone. The temperature, precipitation, and wind are unadulterated. The air, sounds, and the smells are …show more content…
She notes the contrasts between the planning we do today and the absence of planning of our ancestors. Still, for both eras, the wilderness takes anxiety to a basic level, altering (at least for a time) our values and perceptions. It brings us back to the ethic in Pirkei Avot, that “He is happy who is satisfied with his lot in life.” Or as Bernstein puts it: “We find out who we are and where we belong, and we learn to live in community with other people.” Our ancestors had “pilgrimage festivals” three times a year, when they might walk 100 miles or more to offer sacrifices to God. Bernstein’s point is that the pilgrimage might have been as important as the holiday itself, and we are missing out on that experience