Timeless Torah

In recounting the travels of the Jewish people across the Sinai desert, the Torah clearly states that, "They went by day and by night.” However, according to the Midrash, their travels could be more accurately characterized as being "Borne on the wings of eagles.” In fact, some of our Sages have no problem asserting that their journey was indeed nothing short of miraculous, in that they covered a distance of 120 mil in the brief span of one hour. Which of course leaves us with the question, what need was there then for nocturnal travel?

The trek across the hot sands was more than a geographical excursion. It was the physical manifestation of a spiritual journey. Each day elevated the Jews from one spiritual level to the next. Theirs was a constant climb, one that could not allow for any interruption in its search for the Divine. Night, as a period of time, is distinct from day and had it been dedicated to rest, the steady ascension to Sinai and the Torah would have lost its continuity. And continuity is probably the ingredient most necessary to ensure success in spiritual growth.

There is however, something more involved. As history will bear out, not only did the traveling take place at night, it was often initiated at night. Night then must be considered for its deeper implications, beyond that of being the period when daylight is absent. Day is indicative of that state of mind when choices are clear, and good and evil stand out in stark contrast to one another. This clarity makes climbing from one spiritual station to the next a clearly defined task. Furthermore, in the light of the "morning" one can easily discern the Hand of G-d and use those heavenly signs as inspiration for personal growth.

Night refers to the muddled and unclear. It is a time when even the right choices appear fraught with hazards, and when what is wrong may seem unusually attractive. The wilderness journey to the mountain of destiny meant following G-d, "Through the desert in a land not sown with seed," (Jeremiah 2:2), with no visible source of food or protection from the harsh realities needed for survival. It was a journey traveled in the night of insecurity and blind faith.

Every single human being is involved in some sort of movement. There are those individuals moving up, and those spiraling out of control. Others spend their lives sleep walking to nowhere, and some are on a pilgrimage to holiness. And then there are those, like the Jewish people, armed with marching orders from Above. We know where we must go - we are on an odyssey to Sinai.

Still, how does one reach one's destination? We don't retreat when night falls or cower in the darkness. We advance continuously, "By day and by night."