Behaalotecha: Talking Ourselves Out of the Promised Land

Profound thought provoking presentation! Reply

Hello, Baila

Your presentation was flawless, and brought back memories of me requesting a military assignment only to be disappointed when I arrived. I petitioned to return to a previous assignment that I loved, but it was rejected and I was told that I was needed where I was stationed, and that things would workout fine with hard work. It was difficult, and I feared that I wouldn't succeed, but with GD's help I was very successful. I went back to visit my old friends at the previous assignment, but I found that things weren't quite the same. I had outgrew them. GD knew what was best for me, closed the door to what I had passed, and kept me growing, and moving forward. What I thought was a mistake, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Baila, I was too tired to complain, but I prayed fervently. :D Thank you.

Warm regards, Reply

this is a great parshah to understand the basics of this mentality that benei Yisrael struggled with

we must understand that benei Yisrael were oppressed and abused for many years and generations. They were institutionalised - this was their view of things - their environment perception - its all they could see and perceive. Most if not all healing begins with assessing the environment.

As Baila rightly states they were afraid - and this is similar to when prisoners are released from jail where they would of been for 2 yrs or more. These people when released are afraid - they are if the sentence had a genuine affect on them. Many when released re-offend just to go back, is this not the behaviour also of those jews -

it takes a while to free up from such abuse and i know that benei Yisrael were afraid. When we are confronted with abnormal situations we behave abnormally in most circumstances - this is sadly normal and the consequence of abuse.

Shalom Reply

Excellent presentation. Reply

Thank you Baila, what a profound teaching you gave us! A real eye opener and something we human beings are all too familiar with! But for me, I am going to pay close attention of whatever comes out of my mouth. Although I am not a complainer type but honestly there is always something, rain, wind or cold … to name a few … Reply