Alone
There are two portions of the Torah that we, in the diaspora, will read this Shabbat.
After the crisis initiated by the reports of the twelve scouts who were sent into Israel to prepare for invasion, there was an often-overlooked incident that took place. The report of the ten was discouraging (only Yehoshua and Kalev were optimistic). As a result, there was panic, a loss of confidence and a call to return to Egypt. The punishment was that they would have to wait 40 years, till that insecure generation had given way to one with more confidence. After the decree, a small group of Israelites decided that perhaps they were wrong and tried to go it alone up the mountain to attack the Canaanites despite the fact that Moshe had warned them not to. They were defeated and driven back to a place called Chorma (Bamidbar 14:45).
The Torah then jumps forward 40 years, to Moshe’s preparation for invading the land of Canaan and the Canaanites (and some say the Amalekites too) attacked the Israelites. Only this time the Israelites fought back and defeated them at the very same place Chorma (Bamidbar 21:3) as they had been defeated earlier. From there, they went on to defeat Sichon of the Emorites, and Og of Bashan on their way towards the promised land.
Was the location of both events a coincidence? I think there’s a clear message. WE may endure setbacks in life and history. Yet if we stand firm and follow through, even though it might take time, we may succeed. As they say “if at first you don’t succeed try and try again.” We should take a longer view and persevere.
In the second parsha, Balak, a crucial word is BaDaD. As in “Am LeBaDaD yishkon” (Bamidbar 23:9), a nation that dwells alone. The Hebrew root BDD means alone. The first example is when someone sick is sent into quarantine and said to dwell outside of the camp alone, until cured (Vayikra 13:46).
Here the pagan magician or prophet Bilam, in praising the Israelites instead of cursing them, describes them as “Am leBaDaD yishkkon.” A people that dwells alone. And continues, “and not counted, (or numbered or recognized) by other nations.” Later on, as we get to the end of the last book of the Torah, Israel is described twice as Am Badad. First, as a “people led, alone, by God”, and later as “a people dwelling securely and alone” BaDaD (Devarim 32:12 and 33:28).
This is not a coincidence. It must be understood to mean that we are not only alone but unique, but very different in character to the nations of the world. This doesn’t mean we are inherently better or that we shouldn’t coexist with them in a state of equality and peace. Or indeed not value them for so many contributions that they have made to the world. But it does mean that we have a unique mission, not of converting everyone else, but remaining true to ourselves.
In recent years it has been fashionable in certain quarters to understand these words differently. To emphasise the meaning of uniqueness and to replace the idea of being alone. I think this is just apologetics. In the world in which we live at this moment, it is beyond any doubt that we are lonely, alone. But this is something we must embrace rather than minimise or deflect.
When Bilam says that we are Am lavadad Yishkon a nation that dwells (and will dwell) alone, he clearly means that there is something that differentiates and isolates us. Towards the end of the Torah, in the last speeches and poem of Moshe, he comes back to this expression Badad alone, and it’s used twice, once to say that we exist alone, and the other is that we are led alone by God to be a special people.
But of course, this is predicated on the fact that we will be acting and living according to the Torah in an ethical and humanitarian way. But the implication is that if we fail in that mission, we, as a people, will suffer the consequences. As I look around us at this moment, I see both the great good and see the bad amongst us. So that the eternal battle that we have been involved with, throughout our history continues.
A personal PS. My father wrote an anthem both in English and Hebrew for Carmel College, the school that he founded. It includes the Hebrew words “Bechol Deracheycha Daeyhu the school motto, which also is BaDaD. These words “Know Him (meaning God) in all your ways” appear both in the Bible (Proverbs 3:6) and the Talmud (Brachot 63a). The Hebrew version of the song includes the line “da BaDaD tamid yanchecha.” Let BaDaD always guide you.
I bet most of those who sang it over the years had no idea that the word BaDaD referred to this idea of being alone and guided by the good in whatever we do.
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen lives in New York. He was born in Manchester. His writings are concerned with religion, culture, history and current affairs – anything he finds interesting or relevant. They are designed to entertain and to stimulate. Disagreement is always welcome.