Talking in the Desert

Hashem came to us in the Sinai Desert (Midbar Sinai) in this week's parsha, Bamidbar, and told Moshe to "count us"- We were counted individually and counted according to our families.

In the desert there is nothing. No city. No big markets or stores. No buildings. It's desolate, apparently bare.

And in that is where Hashem counted us.

It was before entering into the Land of Israel, before Zebulun became a great tribe of merchants or before Asher produced rich oil. This was before Gad, Dan-were mighty warriors. Before we conquered the land. No one was yet a scholar or a great agricultural producer. And there in the desert, without working or settling, there Hashem counted us.

There He told us, "You are dear to me, I love you. YOU count, just for being you. Just for the fact that are part of this nation, part of a family. Just for you, not what you do.

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Desert- Midbar, it's the place where at last we can "medaber מדבר" talk.

The desert, where there are no distractions, extras or thrills, where there is nothing nor no one to compare him to, her to, you to. Where you find satiety in water and have the opportunity to see beauty-raw, pure beauty that exists in nature untouched by man. The desert, where there is nothing except for a massive space, a huge possibility to fill yourself up with the beauty of silence. Where you have the space and the quiet to listen to the words of Hashem, the words of your heart, the words of a loved one. It's the place where one is and not what one does.

Desert. Midbar. Medaber. Talk

Take one minute of your day and put yourself in the "desert". Close your eyes and block everything else out.

Talk.

Talk to yourself, to your neshama.

Talk to Hashem.

Talk to someone you love after you turned everything else off.

May you always remember how much Hashem loves you and to be able to use those moments of silence, the moments of the desert-when you feel isolated or alone-to talk, to connect!

Shabbat shalom! Chodesh tov!

With bracha,

Elana