Debunking the “Wandering in the Desert” Myth
You may have heard that the Jewish people wandered in the desert for forty years. In fact, according to Al, “The phrase has become so ingrained that simply using 'wandered in the desert for forty years' (or a slight variation) immediately triggers the association with the Jewish people and their biblical journey.”
This popular phrase, however, misrepresents the true nature of their forty-year trek. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines 'wander' as 'characterized by aimless, slow, or pointless movement.' Yet, the Jewish people's journey was anything but aimless."
In the opening statement of the final portion of the book of Numbers, the Torah lists the forty-two places where the Jewish people camped over the forty-year period in the desert. The Torah states:
These are the journeys of the children of Israel who left the land of Egypt in their legions, under the charge of Moses and Aaron.
The Torah uses the word “journeys” because each step of the way, including the apparent setbacks and distractions, was, in fact, part of the journey toward the promised land. Every experience, both positive and negative, helped the Jewish people develop to the point that they were able to reach the promised land, not only geographically, but also psychologically and spiritually.
The second verse of the final portion seems repetitive:
Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of the Lord, and these were their journeys with their starting points.
Seemingly, both clauses of the verse, “Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys” and “these were their journeys with their starting points” are saying the same thing. Yet in truth, they are telling the story from two distinct perspectives.
The second clause, “these were their journeys with their starting points”, refers to the perspective of the Jewish people, who see some of the events as aimless wandering, moving them further away from their goal and destination. On some occasions, the Jewish people see regression, breakdown, and failure. The first clause, by contrast, reflects the deeper, Divine perspective. “Moses recorded… their journeys according to the word of the Lord”. Moses senses that each step of the way is "according to the word of the Lord”, part of the Divine mission we need to work through and overcome. Moses teaches us that struggle and failure, when seen from the Divine lens, are an opportunity for deeper growth, commitment, and connection.
Reading these verses reminds us that the same is true in our lives. On occasion, we may think we wandered into a specific circumstance or location. We look around, wondering why we are here. The Torah reminds us that we are on a journey. It is up to us to discover how this seemingly “wandering in the wilderness” is indeed a step in the journey to the promised land.