As Heard From Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

“And Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their places of journeying by the mouth of Hashem.” (33:2)

Moshe wrote at Hashem’s command. “Said the Holy One blessed is He to Moshe: Write the journeys that Israel journeyed in the Wilderness in order that they know the miracles that I performed for them.” (Bamidbar Rabbah 23:1) Even though here nothing more than the mere journeys are mentioned, without relating the miracles. Yet this alone was a major miracle, that they journeyed to this place and then to another place and thus they continued without starvation and mishap. And each place provided them opportunities to be patient and to gain perfection by proper self control and patience.

Rabbenu Yonah (Shaare Teshuba 3:17) wrote of “the importance of remembering Hashem’s kindnesses and meditating on them, as was said “You shall remember all the journey.” (Debarim 8:2) Thus by reading the narration of the journeys in the Wilderness we perform an important commandment to remember Hashem’s kindliness.

Rabbenu Yonah teaches that this commandment requires us to look back and examine our life’s journeys to recognize Hashem’s kindliness to each of us individually. In one’s journey through life, many perils and illnesses and misfortunes and evil influences hovered nearby, even though he was totally unaware of them.

And Hashem continued to protect him as he journeyed from childhood to adolescence and on to adult maturity. He must be Grateful also for the continued well-being of his wife and children, and he must always be aware of the tragedies that others had suffered, but from which he had been protected by Hashem.

This is the method of utilizing commandments to the nation in general as admonitions for the individual. And like our Nation today, we too shall look back and understand that it was all done “to do good for you in your end.” (Debarim 8:16)

Quoted from “Journey Into Greatness” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

“Remembering Hashem’s Kindnesses in Your life”

Some benefits are:

• Fulfilling a Positive Torah Mitzvah
• Increased Awareness of the Divine guiding Hand
• Increased Emunah and Bitachon/Trust in Hashem
• Appreciation and Gratitude for what we received.

Shabbat Shalom

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