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A family affair
The Minkin family reaffirms their belief in Jewish education by contributing a faculty lounge to “The
Hebrew Academy of Tomorrow.” David Minkin (left) is vice president of the Academy and general
chairman of the Capital Funds Campaign currently under way to finance the new Hebrew Academy
building. With him are Shana, class of’85; Sarah Anne, a fifth grade student; Samara, class of’86, and
Glenda Minkin, who has also been very active in Hebrew Academy activities.
Toroh fhouQhts
So long in the desert
Rabbi Schneerson
Adapted Irom the works of Rabbi Menachem M
Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe. by Rabbi
Vossi New. Chabad of Georgia
Why did Israel have to wander
so long in the desert? True, G-d did
not lead them in a straight path to
Canaan through the land of the
Phillistines because “...the people
might change their mind when they
saw war.” But why 1 feel years? It
does not take that long even by
their circuitous route through the
wilderness; in fact Israel encamped
at Kadesh for a period of 19 years.
Obviously it was not a question of
a certain route.
Forty years’ wandering was Is
rael’s punishment, “measure for
measure,” for the 40 days’journey
of the spies in the Holy Land, after
which they brought back an evil
report. But the punishment was
mainly that they should not enter
the Holy Land for another 40
years—which they could have spent
in an inhabited place; why the
desert? But the entire purpose of
Israel’s wandering in the desert was
to transform it, to turn the desolate
wilderness into a human habitation.
What does “human habitation"
mean? It can be a village of two
families, or a town of millions.
From the Torah’s perspective the
highest, most perfect level of human
habitation is achieved when a com
munity of 600,000 Jews gathers in
one place. This is a mystic number.
It is the number of the “general
souls” of the Jewish nation. It is the
“core-number” of those who left
Egypt (i.e., the army of the child
ren of Israel, adult males over the
age of 20). It is the highest level of
community, representing the
greatest variety of Jews of different
backgrounds, social levels, etc.
When 600,000 of Israel gather, a
special bracha is recited. Less than
600,000 is not the perfect commu
nity; more than that number adds
nothing.
The 600,000 Israelites, just by
virtue of their inhabiting the wil
derness, transformed the desola
tion into a human habitation—a
Jewish community—of the highest
order; and the transformation ex
tended even to the physical aspects
of the desert. The snakes and scor
pions were miraculously destroyed
by the clouds of glory; the water
from Miriam’s well (which miracu
lously rolled along with them) gave
rise to fruits and vegetation—the
antithesis of wilderness.
In a spiritual sense, wilderness is
“where man does not dwell.” On
the highest level this refers to
supernal Man—G-d. One who finds
himself in such a state must trans
form the desert into a place where
supernal Man—G-d—dwells. For
example, an engaged couple are
about to go out into the “desolate
wilderness” of the world. In this
spiritual desert they must establish
a Jewish home, a human habita
tion of the highest order, an “Israe
lite encampment” that will eventu
ally transform the surrounding
desert into a habitation for G-d-
liness.
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The Jewish National Fund, Southern Region
proudly announces its first annual
FABULOUS LABOR DAY WEEK END
For Singles and Couples /August 29-September 1 at
CAMP BLUE STAR
(Hendersonville, North Carolina)
Your cost for a “wonderful return to the past” or a fabulous new
experience at the South's premiere private camp is: $300 per
person ($200 is tax deductible) or $500 per couple ($300 is tax
deductible). A rare opportunity for both singles and couples to
meet people from all over the Southeast. Saturday night social
highlights a Fabulous Fifties Band. “All you can eat” Jewish
cuisine (strictly Kosher) features a delectible Sunday brunch.
Complete water, tennis, and land sports facilities, plus optional
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PAGE 11 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE August 1, 1986