Parashat Mas'ei, the end of the book of Numbers, opens with an enumeration of the "goings-out for the travels" of the Israelite "troops" from Egypt to the edge of the Land of Israel. Forty-one times the community set out. The forty-second time will be the last, from east of the Jordan across into the land.
What is the significance of the number 42? The Slonimer Rebbe observes: seven times six. Seven represents completion and perfection -- Shabbat. Six are the days of the work week, the absence of perfection.
Every person, the Slonimer teaches, passes through forty-two journeys in life in order to purify the mixture of seven and six that represents the mixture of good and bad in all of our actions. Our spiritual work is to help the "seven" overpower the "six." We explore our own choices and habits, to find the motivation of good that is in them. That is the "going-out" that the Torah links to each travel. Each discovery liberates a spark of goodness that finds the other sparks and strengthens them into "troops."
Our week is a collection of actions, good and not-as-good. It's hard to avoid slipping into selfishness at times. We don't always go the extra mile in a small moment of frustration to see the other person's view. But even an argument can be proof that two people, or some group, cared enough to argue. Or at least that you did.
The Slonimer notes that right before we welcome Shabbat with L'cha Dodi, there is a poem some communities sing. It is made up of seven lines of six words each. It is called Ana B'cho-ach -- "Please, with the strength of Your great right hand….purify us." Shabbat is a time when we're shown "troops" of goodness. We look around the congregation and see the motive of good that has brought each person to be together. We can imagine more than a few sparks purified by our week, collectively. We sing and ask God for the strength to see that even the small part of the journey, a single week, has purified us and unveiled even more good within.
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