Bnai Noah Weekly Torah Class: Parasha Masei

Bnai Noah have a history of Torah study that dates back to Noah's son Shem, and Shem's great grandson, Ever, who together founded the first yeshiva, (school for Torah studies.) Jacob was a student of Shem and Ever.

Though bnai Noah don't have the extensive list of obligations that bind Jews, the study of Torah is a long standing, if unspoken obligation.

Oral tradition teaches that even Adam and Eve knew the laws of Torah. Otherwise they would not have been ashamed of their nakedness. Cain would not have been aware of the wickedness of murdering his brother Abel.

Jewish people around the world study the entire Torah every year. These studies are broken down into weekly segments called the parasha, which is a small section of the five books of Moses. The parasha is also broken down further into daily readings.

While there is no mandated method of learning for bnai Noah, studying the weekly parasha is a time tested, manageable system of study for everyone. My thanks again to Rabbi Kurinsky for allowing me to include you in his weekly Torah class.

This week's parasha is called Masei which covers Numbers 33:1-36:13

"These are the journeys of the Children of Israel, who went forth from the land of Egypt according to their legions, under the hand of Moses and Aaron. Moses wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem, and these were their journeys according to their goings forth..." Numbers 33:1-2

The parasha proceeds to document the journeys in order to demonstrate Hashem's kindness. While they were called "journeys" they were actually stops along the way out of Egypt to the promised land.

When Moses sent a team to spy out the land of Israel, most of the spies came back with a negative report. As punishment for impugning Hashem's gift, the Jewish people were made to "wander" for forty years in the desert. It was during this time that the Jewish people were completely dependent on the kindness of Hashem, and never lacked for food, water or clothing.

The importance of recording these journeys was to record the miracles that took place daily, and miracles that were specific to each of the journeys in particular. These eye witness accounts and personal experiences are crucial to the credibility of the testimony of the Jewish people. There are no other explanations for our survival in the wilderness, no nearby cities with sources of water and indigenous, edible plant life. And so the Torah faithfully records that this miracle happened here and that miracle happened there, just as today we might record memorable events in a travel journal.

The Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, teaches that the 42 travels are compared to the spiritual journeys incumbent upon us today. Our birth is compared to leaving Egypt, and is just the first of our journeys on this earth. The rest of our journeys include the necessary steps to free ourselves from the inclinations and challenges that separate us from Hashem, and enable us to bring g-dliness into the world. Rabbi Simon Jacobson enumerates these journeys on http://www.meaningfullife.com/.

So when our journeys feel like punishment, we can know that Hashem is always close by and that there is a purpose for every challenge. Study, prayer and miztvos (obeying Hashem's directives) are what will keep us connected to Hashem and will ultimately bring about the coming of Moschiach.

Again, Rabbi Kurinsky invites you to send him an email with any questions about this week's Torah class at nochum@bellsouth.net.