Of Context in Isolation; Monday Morning Portion Quarterback

why are events blown out of proportion? context matters.

in the shlach torah portion, the unthinkable happens- an “unnamed” individual is stoned to death for picking up wood on the sabbath. wild?

nothing could be more “out of control” than the events happening in the portion shlach. the children of israel drama included (1) the failed spy mission to the promised land, (2) the entire community’s rebellion against leadership which included the threat of stoning both moses and aaron, (3) the divine intervention to quell the dissent, (4) the almighty’s decision to wipe out the children of israel which was averted by moses, (4) the almighty’s decision to not allow this generation of the children of israel to enter the promised land, (5) the defiance of a portion of the children of israel who, against the lord’s advice, fought the amalekites and the canaanites and were subsequently slaughtered, (6) the announcement that there would only be one law and ordinance for both the native born and the proselyte, and (7) the sin offering in which the entire congregation and the proselyte were to be forgiven.

after this never ending insanity, an unnamed man went out and broke one of the ten commandments by gathering wood on the sabbath. [impliedly, he was of current events as the “entire” congregation was reportedly involved.]

the sabbath violation’s seriousness required that the executioners of justice was the collective; as such, the “entire” congregation stoned the man. numbers 15:36.

in sum, the unknown man’s act, in context, was far greater than merely picking up a branches on the wrong day. he was, in that moment, giving the “middle finger” towards the master of the universe. this was the ultimate act of defiance. he did this immediately after the children of israel were given forgiveness.

arguably, this “human” sacrifice marked the community’s commitment moving forward. did this event solidify the notion that community members were to be guardians of the commandments? did this moment put the community on notice they bared the responsibility of policing religious practice? perhaps, the answer to this question came be based upon the fact that the commandment to wear the tallit was instituted shortly after this incident.

be well!!

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