Eleven Day Journey Deuteronomy, where Moses retells the history of the forty-year journey in the desert, begins with verses that describe the place and time of Moses' speech. Verse one describes the site, "across the Jordan in the desert, in the plain opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel and Lavan and Hazeroth and Di Zahav.", and verse three describes the time, "It came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month". Between the description of the place and time, verse two offers information that seems out of place. The verse tells us: "It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea." Why is this information pertinent as an introduction to the book? Based on the teachings of the Arizal, Chassidic philosophy explains that this verse includes the purpose and mission of the journey through the desert. The desert is not merely a geographical obstacle that the Jewish people had to cross in order to reach the promised land. The desert represents the terrain of the world that is not hospitable to holiness. By journeying through the desert, the Jewish people brought holiness into the spiritual wilderness, empowering all future generations to do the same, until ultimately, the entire world will be transformed into a place of goodness, kindness, and holiness. And this is the significance of the eleven-day journey. While the number ten represents the complete number within the realm of holiness (there are ten divine attributes, ten utterances through which G-d created the world, ten commandments that are the foundation of the Torah), the number eleven represents the forces and energy of unholiness. Why is unholiness represented by a higher number than holiness? Every creation, even one which is destructive and unholy, has a divine spark that brings it into existence. The definition of holiness is that the divine spark is integrated within the creation because the created entity allows the divine spark to shine through it. The definition of unholiness is that it conceals and obstructs the divine spark of goodness within it; the spark, therefore, is counted as a distinct entity. The number eleven, therefore, represents unholiness which contains ten attributes as well as the divine spark, which, while animating the unholy creation, remains distinct and apart. The incense offered in the temple had eleven ingredients. The incense represented the service of refining the unholy forces. Therefore, it had eleven species, symbolizing how a negative experience can be transformed to positivity, creating a pleasant aroma within the temple. The journey through the desert is described as "by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea", "Kadesh" is the Hebrew word for holiness, and "Barnea" is comprised of two words: to refine Adapted from the teachings of the Rebbe, Devarim 5742