אֵ֜לֶּה מַסְעֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצְא֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לְצִבְאֹתָ֑ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃
These were the marches of the Israelites who started out from the land of Egypt, troop by troop, in the charge of Moses and Aaron.
וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־מוֹצָאֵיהֶ֛ם לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֵ֥לֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶֽם׃
Moses recorded the starting points of their various marches as directed by the LORD. Their marches, by starting points, were as follows:
(נ) וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ת מוֹאָ֑ב עַל־יַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵח֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (נא) דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כִּ֥י אַתֶּ֛ם עֹבְרִ֥ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃ (נב) וְה֨וֹרַשְׁתֶּ֜ם אֶת־כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֨בַּדְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֖ת כׇּל־מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־צַלְמֵ֤י מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙ תְּאַבֵּ֔דוּ וְאֵ֥ת כׇּל־בָּמוֹתָ֖ם תַּשְׁמִֽידוּ׃ (נג) וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּ֥ם אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וִֽישַׁבְתֶּם־בָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י לָכֶ֛ם נָתַ֥תִּי אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָרֶ֥שֶׁת אֹתָֽהּ׃ (נד) וְהִתְנַחַלְתֶּם֩ אֶת־הָאָ֨רֶץ בְּגוֹרָ֜ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹֽתֵיכֶ֗ם לָרַ֞ב תַּרְבּ֤וּ אֶת־נַחֲלָתוֹ֙ וְלַמְעַט֙ תַּמְעִ֣יט אֶת־נַחֲלָת֔וֹ אֶל֩ אֲשֶׁר־יֵ֨צֵא ל֥וֹ שָׁ֛מָּה הַגּוֹרָ֖ל ל֣וֹ יִהְיֶ֑ה לְמַטּ֥וֹת אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם תִּתְנֶחָֽלוּ׃ (נה) וְאִם־לֹ֨א תוֹרִ֜ישׁוּ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֘רֶץ֮ מִפְּנֵיכֶם֒ וְהָיָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תּוֹתִ֣ירוּ מֵהֶ֔ם לְשִׂכִּים֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וְלִצְנִינִ֖ם בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑ם וְצָרְר֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם יֹשְׁבִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃ (נו) וְהָיָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּמִּ֛יתִי לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָהֶ֖ם אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה לָכֶֽם׃ {פ}
(50) In the steppes of Moab, at the Jordan near Jericho, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: (51) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, (52) you shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land; you shall destroy all their figured objects; you shall destroy all their molten images, and you shall demolish all their cult places. (53) And you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have assigned the land to you to possess. (54) You shall apportion the land among yourselves by lot, clan by clan: with larger groups increase the share, with smaller groups reduce the share. Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his. You shall have your portions according to your ancestral tribes. (55) But if you do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land, those whom you allow to remain shall be stings in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land in which you live; (56) so that I will do to you what I planned to do to them.
מתה עלי רחל בדרך ואקברה שם בדרך כלומר בדרך אשר יעברו בה בניה מתה ושם קברתיה לטובתם כי היא לא מתה בדרך רק ברמה שהיא עיר בארץ בנימין ושם נקברה אבל בדרך של עתיד מתה והכתוב לא יפרש בעתידות רק ירמוז בהם ועל דרך הפשט גם כן אמר לו כן כמתנצל שלא יחר ליוסף בראות חפצו בקבורת המערה על שלא קבר אמו שם וכאשר קבר שם את לאה ולכך אמר לו כי מתה בארץ כנען ולא נקברה בחוצה לארץ כאשר תהיה קבורת מצרים ליעקב ומתה בדרך בפתע פתאום ולא יכול לקברה שם כי איך יעזוב את בניו ואת מקנהו בדרך וילך מהרה עמה למערת המכפלה ואיה הרופאים והרפואות לחנט אותה וזה טעם "עלי" ואף על פי שמערת המכפלה אינה רחוקה משם רק כחצי יום היה יעקב כבד מאד במקנה הגדול ובני בית ולא יגיעו שם רק בימים רבים וכן עשה בדרך ההוא ימים רבים עד בואו אל אביו ושנו חכמים (מו"ק כז) ולא של נשים לעולם מפני הכבוד ואני סבור שהיו אלו דברי התנצלות וגם יוסף יודע שמתה בדרך ונקברה בארץ וכבוד עשה לה במותה אבל הכוונה ליעקב שלא הוליך אותה למערה כדי שלא יקבור שם שתי אחיות כי יבוש מאבותיו ולאה היא הנשאת לו ראשונה בהיתר ורחל באהבתו אותה בנדר אשר נדר לה לקחה:
AND I BURIED HER THERE. “Now I know that there is some resentment in your heart against me [for not having brought her into the city]. But you should know that I buried her there by the word of G-d, that she might help her children when Nebuzaradan would exile them,” for when they passed along that road, Rachel came forth from her grave and stood by her tomb beseeching mercy for them, as it is said, A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, and the Holy One, blessed by He, answered her, Thy work shall be rewarded … and the children shall return to their own border. This is the language of Rashi.
Now in any case there should be some allusion in Scripture to this interpretation which is stated in this Agadah. Perhaps this is alluded to in the expression of the verse, She died by me … in the way … And I buried her in the way, that is to say, “She died on the road which her children would pass, and I buried her there for her advantage.” She did not die on the road, but in Ramah, a city in the land of Benjamin, and there she was buried. [Thus, according to the Midrash, Scripture is implying that] she died on the road which her children were destined to pass in the future, as Scripture does not fully explain future events but only alludes to them in a general manner.
In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, it is likewise understood that Jacob spoke to Joseph in an apologetic vein so that when he discerned his father’s wish to be buried in the cave of Machpelah, Joseph should not be angered about his failure to bury his mother there just as he buried Leah there. It was for this reason that Jacob told him that she died in the land of Canaan, and she was not buried outside of the Land in the manner in which an Egyptian burial would befall Jacob. Furthermore, she died on the road suddenly, and he could not bury her in the cave of Machpelah for how could he leave his children and his flocks on the road and hurry with her body to the cave of Machpelah? And where could he find doctors and medicines to embalm her? This is the meaning of the word alai (by me) [in the verse, Rachel died by me]. Even though the cave of Machpelah is but a half-day’s distance from the place of her death, Jacob was heavily laden with much cattle and family, and he would not arrive there for many days. Thus he did indeed spend many days on that road until he came to his father. Our Sages have further taught: “The bier of a woman may never be set down, out of respect.”
Now it is my opinion that these are but words of apology as Joseph already knew that Rachel died on the road and was buried in the Land, and that honor was paid to her when she died. But the reason Jacob did not transport Rachel to the cave of Machpelah was so that he should not bury two sisters there, for he would be embarassed before his ancestors. Now Leah was the one he married first, and thus her marriage was permissible, while he married Rachel out of his love for her and because of the vow he made to her.
Now in any case there should be some allusion in Scripture to this interpretation which is stated in this Agadah. Perhaps this is alluded to in the expression of the verse, She died by me … in the way … And I buried her in the way, that is to say, “She died on the road which her children would pass, and I buried her there for her advantage.” She did not die on the road, but in Ramah, a city in the land of Benjamin, and there she was buried. [Thus, according to the Midrash, Scripture is implying that] she died on the road which her children were destined to pass in the future, as Scripture does not fully explain future events but only alludes to them in a general manner.
In line with the plain meaning of Scripture, it is likewise understood that Jacob spoke to Joseph in an apologetic vein so that when he discerned his father’s wish to be buried in the cave of Machpelah, Joseph should not be angered about his failure to bury his mother there just as he buried Leah there. It was for this reason that Jacob told him that she died in the land of Canaan, and she was not buried outside of the Land in the manner in which an Egyptian burial would befall Jacob. Furthermore, she died on the road suddenly, and he could not bury her in the cave of Machpelah for how could he leave his children and his flocks on the road and hurry with her body to the cave of Machpelah? And where could he find doctors and medicines to embalm her? This is the meaning of the word alai (by me) [in the verse, Rachel died by me]. Even though the cave of Machpelah is but a half-day’s distance from the place of her death, Jacob was heavily laden with much cattle and family, and he would not arrive there for many days. Thus he did indeed spend many days on that road until he came to his father. Our Sages have further taught: “The bier of a woman may never be set down, out of respect.”
Now it is my opinion that these are but words of apology as Joseph already knew that Rachel died on the road and was buried in the Land, and that honor was paid to her when she died. But the reason Jacob did not transport Rachel to the cave of Machpelah was so that he should not bury two sisters there, for he would be embarassed before his ancestors. Now Leah was the one he married first, and thus her marriage was permissible, while he married Rachel out of his love for her and because of the vow he made to her.
Normally, we think of Galut as a phenomenon of Jewish history. It is, however, vital that we understand what Galut has meant in the foundation and formation of Judaism. Galut did not start with the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish people to the four corners of the world. It stands at the very beginning of the road. Even before there was a Jewish people there was already Jewish exile. It all started with the call to Abraham: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee.” This is how the path of the first Jew began—exile and promise. When the father of the nation-to-be was still childless, it was already decreed and revealed to him: “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and afterwards shall they come out with great substance.” (Genesis, 15,13) Once again, even before there was a Jewish people there was already Exile and the promise of Redemption. Not only did this exile not destroy the sovereignty of the Jewish people but, on the contrary, it was through Exile that Abraham became the father of Israel and it was in Exile that the children of Jacob became the people of Israel, the children of Israel of history. It happened in Egypt that they were for the first time referred to as a people, when Pharaoh said of them: “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.” In our Egyptian exile we became a nation. What is the significance of all this?
The Jews’ relationship to exile is based not only on its being the more frequent situation in which they have found themselves. Exile is also a key element in the very foundation of the Jewish people. The Torah makes a point of telling us that Avraham was not born or raised in Israel (Bereshit 11:26–31).89 Just as he was born outside his homeland, the Jewish nation too would have to be “born” outside their homeland (i.e., in Egypt). This means that the Jew’s relationship to his land is not the same as that of other nations. He belongs in it but he also belongs out of it.90
And whether it was God’s original intention or not, the so-called “wandering Jew” is an almost ubiquitous feature of our world. The Jews are a nation that maintains its own identity in exile even as it assumes much of the cultural trappings of its hosts. Indeed, Jews don’t only resemble their gentile neighbors, they often take a leading role in their societies. A Jew is both a Jew and a universal man. This unique situation is perhaps the result of being the spokesperson for a document that is meant as much for universal consumption as it is for Jewish consumption.
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz - http://popchassid.com/jews-in-the-diaspora-steinsaltz/
Jews in the Diaspora have two choices. They can give up, close up shop, and admit defeat, or they can create something new. Forgive my chutzpah, but I think there is a possibility, and even a need, to emulate the ancient Jews of Galut Bavel, to build a second center of Jewish life, a vibrant and creative community outside the State of Israel.
Such an effort will require massive changes: different plans and different ways of planning. It will require changes not only in institutions, but in individuals. It will require a deeper involvement by a much broader base of people, committed to personal growth and eager for challenge. That is what continuity – meaningful continuity – means.
Jews in the Diaspora have two choices. They can give up, close up shop, and admit defeat, or they can create something new. Forgive my chutzpah, but I think there is a possibility, and even a need, to emulate the ancient Jews of Galut Bavel, to build a second center of Jewish life, a vibrant and creative community outside the State of Israel.
Such an effort will require massive changes: different plans and different ways of planning. It will require changes not only in institutions, but in individuals. It will require a deeper involvement by a much broader base of people, committed to personal growth and eager for challenge. That is what continuity – meaningful continuity – means.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
It is possible to survive in exile with your identity intact, your appetite for life undiminished, while contributing to the wider society and praying to God on its behalf, Jeremiah was introducing into history a highly consequential idea: the idea of a creative minority. Just as Jeremiah sought the peace and prosperity of his city despite its culture, we, too, can offer love and creative service to those who do not fully understand our motivations or goals. Even when surrounded by antagonists, we can sow seeds of life and destiny across our cultural spheres. You can be a minority, living in a country whose religion, culture, and legal system are not your own, and yet sustain your identity, live your faith, and contribute to the common good, exactly as Jeremiah said. It isn’t easy. It demands a complex finessing of identities. It involves a willingness to live in a state of cognitive dissonance. It isn’t for the fainthearted. But it is creative.
It is possible to survive in exile with your identity intact, your appetite for life undiminished, while contributing to the wider society and praying to God on its behalf, Jeremiah was introducing into history a highly consequential idea: the idea of a creative minority. Just as Jeremiah sought the peace and prosperity of his city despite its culture, we, too, can offer love and creative service to those who do not fully understand our motivations or goals. Even when surrounded by antagonists, we can sow seeds of life and destiny across our cultural spheres. You can be a minority, living in a country whose religion, culture, and legal system are not your own, and yet sustain your identity, live your faith, and contribute to the common good, exactly as Jeremiah said. It isn’t easy. It demands a complex finessing of identities. It involves a willingness to live in a state of cognitive dissonance. It isn’t for the fainthearted. But it is creative.
הרדיפה וההגבלה בדרך החיים אינן בעצם תנאי הגלות, ונהפוך הוא, חוב מוטל עלינו לפי היכולת, להאחז במדינה אשר תקבל אותנו לגור בה; להשתדל להוציא לפועל את מטרת המדינה ותועלתה, ובדרשנו את טובת עצמנו, עלינו לדרוש גם את שלומה וטובתה.
To be pushed back and limited upon the path of life is, therefore, not an essential condition of the Galuth, Israel's exile state among the nations, but, on the contrary, it is our duty to join ourselves as closely as possible to the state which receives us into its midst, to promote its welfare and not to consider our well-being as in any way separate from that of the state to which we belong.
צפית ישועה היא כח המעמיד של היהדות הגלותית, והיהדות של ארץ ישראל היא הישועה עצמה.
Anticipating of redemption is the force which maintains Jewry in exile, and the Judaism of the Land of Israel is the redemption itself…
The historical loneliness of the Jew percolates from a feeling of compulsive fate. He is as alone in his life on earth as in his death. The concept of kever yisrael emphasizes the Jew’s strange detachment from the world. Sociologists and psychologists may say what they wish about the inexplicable isolation of the Jew. Their explanations are nothing more than barren speculation, incapable of rationally describing the phenomenon. Jewish separateness belongs to the framework of the Covenant of Fate that was concluded in Egypt. In truth, Judaism and withdrawal from the world are synonymous. Even before the exile in Egypt, separateness descended upon our world with the appearance of the first Jew, our father Abraham. Abraham the Hebrew (ivri) lived apart. “The whole world was on one side (ever), and he on the other side” (Bereshit Rabbah 42:8). Balaam, when he gazed upon the Israelite camp, understood the wonder of the experience of Jewish separateness and proclaimed with amazement: “They are a nation dwelling alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Numbers 23:9). Even if a Jew reaches the pinnacle of social and political accomplishment, he will not be able to free himself from the chains of isolation. Paradoxical fate watches over the isolation and uniqueness of the Jew, despite his apparent integration into his non-Jewish environment. Even people of power and authority, such as Joseph, the regent of Egypt, was separated from Egyptian society and remained alone in his tent. “And they served him [Joseph] by himself … and for the Egyptians … by themselves.” (Genesis 43:32). (Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, because it was a taboo for them). Before his death Joseph pleaded with his brothers, “When God will surely remember you and bring you out of this land, you shall carry up my bones from here” (Genesis 50:25). For despite my greatness and glory I am tied to you and your existence both in life and in death. This singular, inexplicable phenomenon of the individual clinging to the community and feeling alienated from the outside world was forged and formed in Egypt. There Israel was elevated to the status of a nation in the sense of a unity10 from which arises uniqueness as well .The awareness of the Fate Covenant in all of its manifestations is an integral part of our historical-metaphysical essence.