(Photo: The Israelites despoiling the Egyptians. Image from f. 13 of the 'Golden Haggadah.” 1325 – 1349)
-By Alex Hamilton, Yeshiva Outdoors Contributor
One of the things I gave up in order to prepare for my Bar Mitzvah was the Boy Scouts. And though I did not rise beyond the humble rank of Tenderfoot, I learned one lesson that continues to act as a major guiding principle in my life; the motto: be prepared. I also learned about myself through working at Jewish summer camp Ramah in the Rockies. I worked in “Pack-out” and we took care of and provided the campers with group gear like camping stoves and tents; as well as exact amounts of food calibrated with extreme precision for minimal weight, and maximum calories. My biggest fear during those summers was that we failed to properly outfit a trip.
My biggest fear during those summers was that we failed to properly outfit a trip.
We read last week of how the Israelites were told to prepare for their trip as they leave Egypt. To me, the Israelites are seemingly unprepared. They fail to bring food or water, for both themselves and their livestock. However they do bring gold, jewels and fine clothing. It makes no sense to me. It’s one thing to be weighed down with food and water, it’s another entirely to be burdened with heavy metals that serve no functional purpose in the wilderness. As any tripper would tell you: if you don’t bring food and you don’t bring water, you should expect those following you to complain. That’s literally the first thing that happened after the Israelites crossed the sea and celebrated. They wanted a drink. So they complained and according to Midrash, were gifted the supernatural Well of Miriam, which would follow them from place to place and give them food and drink.
The Well of Miriam provided them with miraculous drink and more. But before long it wasn’t enough. The Israelites needed food as well. So God gave Manna, which fell from heaven. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai believed it served a purpose beyond mere sustenance.
We learn in the Talmud Bavli, Yoma 76a:
”The students of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai asked him: Why didn’t the manna fall for the Jewish people just once a year to take care of all their needs, instead of coming down every day? He said to them: I will give you a parable: To what does this matter compare? To a king of flesh and blood who has only one son. He granted him an allowance for food once a year and the son greeted his father only once a year, when it was time for him to receive his allowance. So he arose and granted him his food every day, and his son visited him every day.”
As an outfitter, the Exodus was a woefully unprepared trip. But, perhaps that was the point. With highly detailed preparation you feel a sense of control. However, this control is nothing more than an illusion. The cause of almost every tragedy in the backcountry comes from not having the proper respect and fear of nature. By stripping away the trappings of survival in the Wilderness, we were left exposed; to both nature and to God. We were forced to depend on God for food and water. Just because we were reliant on God, doesn’t mean that we should only rely on God because the Rabbis teach us that “we should not depend on a miracle”.
Today, we can go to the grocery store and buy food by the palate and water by the barrel. We should accept these modern commodities and appreciate them. It is everything we need to survive, but not to live.
One of the things I love about being in the backcountry is that I am forced to acknowledge my own vulnerability despite meticulous preparation.
In order to live we need a sense of awe and appreciation. We can do this by acknowledging that no matter how well prepared we are, whatever our material comfort is. We still need to be spiritually prepared for being surrounded by nature and God. One of the things I love about being in the backcountry is that I am forced to acknowledge my own vulnerability despite meticulous preparation. My blessing for all of you is that in each day we can find time to spiritually expose ourselves and allow a deeper connection to God to fill our lives.