Not too long ago I was showing my children some old photos. You know, the physical ones we used to print from 35mm film. It was nice to revisit journeys from my adolescence.
As I explained to them about my travels and experiences – whether in Africa, Israel or Cincinnati – I felt myself transported back to those times. I wondered about the impact of certain events. At the time, I could never imagine the influence a particular occasion would have. In fact, in real-time, I imagined its purpose to be totally different. But now, many years later, I realize the true value was nothing I could have imagined at the time.
The lesson I learned is that I should never assume to truly appreciate life’s occurrences strictly in linear time. There are layers upon layers.
In fact, even our mistakes – when revisited – can have profound influence and benefits in our lives.
And this, I believe is the hidden lesson in this week’s Torah portion, Matot-Mas’ei.
The Torah summarizes the 42 places the Jews encamped in their 40-year journey to the Holy Land. The Midrash explains the need for this summary:
This is analogous to a king whose son was ill, so he took him to a faraway place to heal him. As they returned home, the father recounted all the stages of their journey, saying to him, ‘This is where we slept, here we were cold, here your head ached.’ Similarly, G-d said to Moshe: Recount for them all the places where they angered Me.
Why would G-d want to ‘rub it in’? Does the Midrash interpret this entire recounting as simply a rebuke from G-d? That’s not really the way it is portrayed in the text.
The key in understanding the parable is that the king is recounting the steps in the journey on the way home, meaning after it is already “Mission Accomplished.” IF they would have traveled and unsuccessfully returned home, the trials along the way would remain just that – failures. But, once healed, the bumps in the road have been transformed into critical steps toward success.
By looking back at our own journeys in life – even our less-than-proud moments – we can redefine them as stepping stones to a brighter, more holy future.