42 Journeys
The people of Israel endured 42 stops along the path from Egypt to Israel. What if these were strategic destinations, ordained by the Creator for an unseen purpose? What can we learn from such a perspective that applies to our lives today?
If you have ever been to a house where marital strife, like a terrible divorce, occurred or a historic battlefield, you have probably felt the negative energetic residue of those events. Some might say they give off a "bad vibe."
The same applies to places that radiate positivity - like holy and religious sites or your favorite vacation spot. Upon a recent trip to Jerusalem, someone on our tour group shared, "It was electric!" shortly after putting their hands on the Western wall.
Based on the Quantum Field Theory¹, it is suggested that unseen energetic imprints are connected to the physical nature of reality. In this idea, particles and their interactions create a field of energy that permeates all matter, influencing human thoughts and emotions and even shaping current events.
Simply walking into these fields can be traumatic for highly empathetic people, causing strong physical reactions like anxiety, increased heart rate, and nausea. Many might feel a strange fluctuation of emotion but are unaware of the cause.
A few years ago, before selling our house and moving south, a prospective buyer remarked about how great the energy was in our house. Though we had many offers, we immediately knew this was our buyer. They understood the value of what we had cultivated.
Every day, we come into contact with these energy fields, whether we perceive them or not. But what if these occurrences are not happen-stance but strategically and Divinely coordinated for a purpose?
A Transition Period
In the book of Numbers, we learn that the people of Israel followed a meandering path through various regions on their way to the land of Israel. A trip that might normally take days was extended to 40 years!
Short of a few tragic learning moments, the Torah is relatively silent for the better part of 38 years of those 40 years. This indicates that there was very little to report. The text tells us that G_D took care of His people, and they followed the Torah to the best of their ability during that time.
Many are familiar with the idea that this 'wandering' was a period of punishment, that G_D simply waited them out, leading them along a long and winding path as they endlessly marched to the end of their lives. This seems to be a grim, cruel, and even unproductive outlook.
No, every stop on the way served to nudge them closer to their spiritual goal. Remember, this generation was undergoing an important transition. Leaving the harshness of slavery behind, they were entering near-total freedom - a significant psychological and spiritual shift.
Tradition indicates that something else was occurring during this time.
42 Journeys
The Sages point out that the people of Israel made 42 journeys throughout this 40-year period². Many reasons for this course are discussed, but one of interest is that the Creator led them on a path of Tikkun (repair).
Throughout that time, the nation would spend a certain period in one place before packing up and moving forward. Their day-to-day activities remained the same no matter how long they stayed in any given location. They would simply live their lives.
Raising the Sparks of Holiness
From waking up in the morning, praying, going about their work, raising kids, or caring for livestock, they did so in a manner that sought to obey and seek the Creator.
While this might seem somewhat mundane or even ordinary, from a higher perspective, this way of life positively impacted the world around them, spiritually and physically.
Borrowing from the model discussed above, they created a wide field of energetic coherence³ - leaving in its wake peace and healing. This is precisely what the Creator needed of them.
In other words, every stop was part of a strategic process intended to prepare them and redeem the world along the way.
This aligns with the idea in the Zohar that the quality of our lives greatly impacts the world in seen and unseen ways⁴. Our habits, conversations, and thought processes amount to something that is often outside of our perception.
If trending toward holiness, we can bring repair. If we lean into impurities like arrogance, selfishness, or anger - we contribute to impairment and incoherence.
This is why we should strive to remove impurities from our lives, swap out bad habits, and seek to always refine ourselves above the place we were the day before.
Forty-Two
I find it interesting that the number 42 has a life of its own in the mathematic and scientific domains⁵. From ancient Egyptian rituals to its appearance in modern novels, the number 42 has caught the attention of many for quite some time.
The occurrence of the number 42 itself is significant in the Biblical text, often pointing to the creative faculties of G_D. The incredibly deep tradition of the 42-Letter Name of G_D is captured in the prayer we meditate upon at the beginning of Shabbat, known as the Ana'BeKoach⁶. Thus, 42 signifies a new creation and wholeness.
A lesson remains for all of us; Our lifestyle is the means by which we become co-creators with the Creator Himself. Setting aside time for activities of service, charity, or trips to third-world countries can be of some good - but it is the quality of our minute-to-minute lives that matter the most.
Our most significant contribution is what we radiate into the world and how we affect change in the small and ordinary things. It is through this we become a new creation, renewing the world around us.
Like the nation of Israel, no matter how winding and confusing the route, the Creator guides and directs us precisely through critical locations and experiences for our development, allowing us to take part in their elevation.
A closing thought from Rabbi Aryeh ben David⁷:
"The Zohar understands the recounting of these 42 stations on a mystical level. According to the Kabbalah, G_D brought the world into being by virtue of the first 42 letters of the Torah, the 42 building blocks or stages of creation.
The 42 stations of travel in Numbers echo the genesis of the world and reflect a second process of creation, one that lasted 40 years.
In recounting the 42 journeys, Moses now tells the children of Israel that in fact, a new creation has occurred. The creation of the nation has paralleled the world."
Notes:
² Rashi on Numbers 33:1
³ https://www.thehiddenorchard.com/resonance-vibration-and-health/
⁴ Zohar 3:122a
⁵ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/for-math-fans-a-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-number-42/
⁶ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ana-bkoach-a-portal-to-creation/
⁷ "Around the Shabbat Table: A Guide to Fulfilling and Meaningful Shabbat Table Conversations." Rabbi Aryeh Ben David
