Why did the Lord speak to Moses within the desert?

Jewish academic and Hebrew scholar Irene Lancaster shares some insights into the Jewish background of the book of Numbers.

‘In the desert’ (BaMidbar) is the name given to the 4th Book of the Bible, often called ‘Numbers’.

Numbers 1:1 goes: ‘And the Lord spoke to Moses within the Sinai desert.’ 

But why is the desert one of the best place to receive this teaching? According to Jewish teaching that is one of the best place since the desert is ownerless and devoid of possessions.  Like the desert, the Torah is open to all and is due to this fact ownerless and doesn’t encourage possessiveness.

Another reason that the Torah is given within the desert is that, since it is unencumbered by material possessions, so an individual is less prone to be distracted and may due to this fact fully direct their time and energy to the words of Torah.

In addition, often this Book is read just before the festival of Shavuot (Pentecost), which deals with the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, situated on this very desert. 

An extra reason is that at Shavuot we also read the Book of Ruth, coping with famine and destitution, leading to good deeds, ultimately bringing redemption and the eventual birth of the Messiah.

As the prophet Jeremiah declaims of true repentance: ‘I remember the loving kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, your following after me within the desert, in an land unsown (Jeremiah 2:2).’

Interestingly, there are two possible Haftorah readings to accompany the start of this 4th Biblical Book. Often the reading comes from the prophet Hosea (2: 1-22).

In contrast to the arid desert, Hosea tells the those who: ‘The variety of the youngsters of Israel shall be because the sand of the seashore, which could be neither measured nor counted.’

Like the prophet Jeremiah, Hosea starts by chiding the people, but then states: ‘I’ll betroth you to Me perpetually and I’ll betroth you to Me with righteousness and with justice and with loving kindness and with much mercy.’

However, when Shabbat falls on the day before the New Moon, a special Haftorah is read as an alternative (1 Samuel 20: 18-42). This Haftorah deals with the deep friendship forged between between Jonathan (son of King Saul) and David. This is the case this yr, when the portion is read on May 16, ushering within the New Month of Sivan. 

Jonathan tells David: ‘The Lord shall be between me and thee and between my seed and thy seed perpetually.’

This closest of ideal friendships is a human parallel to the bond forged between G-d and His people.

There are all the time ups and downs in relationships and even G-d can feel scorned. However, repentance and the willingness to make amends is a really positive trait and one which is warmly encouraged in Judaism. 

Just as G-d made a covenant with us, which He constantly restores even after we go astray, so it’s incumbent on us to deal in similar fashion with our fellow human beings.

Coming as much as the festival of Shavuot, 49 days after Pesach, once we were liberated from our slave-like environment, we do not forget that the actual goal of liberation was the desert experience.

We endured this time of trial for 40 years, leading as much as the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai on the sixth day of Sivan, ushering within the festival of Shavuot.

We due to this fact endeavor to recollect our ongoing condition of potential slavery, followed by our miraculous redemption from Egypt. Jews are taught never to forget our journeys within the desert and eventual gift of the Torah whose teachings we attempt to live out in a day by day basis, as best as we will.