Fortified and Motile - The Wandering Jew (End of the Book of Numbers)

At the end of the book of Numbers, the Torah describes the war of the Jewish people with the Midianites and then also lists all the journeys of the Children of Israel in the desert. These journeys represent a complete cycle - the summary and closure of 40 years of wandering to become a mature people ready to enter the Promised Land. The entry into the Land also involves much journeying, and it also involves conquest and fighting.

Here, however, it's important for the Torah to emphasize to us that these two activities - conquest, leading to military security, and journeying, or constant growth and development, are intrinsically related in their spiritual roots. Historically, fortifying one's position and motion or growth represented polar opposites. Warriors either engaged in constant motion, or guerilla type warfare, or fortifying their position limiting their presence to a particular geographical locale.

However, in one's spiritual life, the same limitations do not hold true. The source of fortitude in one's spiritual life relates to the level of the soul called the "Eitan", or the Impregnable. This level of the soul reveals itself only in situations where absolute commitment is necessary to achieve the desired result. It is the revelation of ones eternal connection to the One Above, a point that can never swerve from its constant faith with the Infinite.When one acts with perseverance and fortitude in bringing about a certain goal, this is a revelation of the soul-level of Impregnable.

The revelation of this level of soul is also the reason that the soul journeys from its heavenly abode to become garmented in a physical body, where its faith in G-d is constantly tested. These trials bring about the revelation of the Impregnable level of the soul, and transform it from a Stationary being, an unchanging entity, to a Journeying being, one who is always growing and transforming in their journey to self-perfection. And this is the promise (Zech. 3:7):"I will give you strides [or ones who are able to stride] among those who stand here [the angels who always remain stationary, on one spiritual level]."

Most of the tests we experience throughout our lives involve being strong and impregnable. Preserving the values with which we were raised, often means taking time out from the rush of events to reaffirm our faith in our principles and our Creator. This is why it is so essential to set aside times for the learning of the practical laws and details of the Biblical commandments. This is the foundation of our faith and fortification towards being a Journeying being.

Based on the Talks of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Vol. 18