IN THE SEDRA WE LEARN ABOUT THE DIVISION OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL AMONG THE DIFFERENT TRIBES. A key aspect was the drawing of lots, meaning that the division took place purely as guided by Heaven: such and such a Tribe would receive such and such a portion of land. But Rashi explains that in addition, the Land was divided by a process involving Ruach Hakodesh, the holy spirit. Further, the Torah text itself states that the Land should be divided on a rational basis: the more numerous tribe should receive a larger portion, and the less numerous should receive a smaller portion.
The idea of dividing the Land according to drawing lots is explained by the Tzemach Tzedek (based on a discourse by Rabbi Shneur Zalman) in terms of a story in the Talmud. The great Sage and righteous man Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai was about to pass away. He said ‘I do not know which way they will lead me…’, meaning to Heaven, or the opposite. How could Rabbi Johanan, who was so learned and righteous, have any doubt about this? Rabbi Shneur Zalman answers that he was concerned about ‘the essence of his soul’. This means although the outer aspects of his being were indeed righteous and dedicated to G-d, what about the essence of his soul? Where is that focused? It is this aspect of the soul which relates to the idea of the ‘Lot’.
The discourse explains that studying Torah and keeping its laws can be seen as acting within the realm of rationality. [The rational mind thinks of course, it is right to keep the wise laws of the Torah.] But service of the nature of drawing lots – that is on a higher level, beyond Reason.
The Rebbe points out that this means that although the service beyond Reason is very exalted, it must be in some way within the power of a person to activate it. Otherwise, how could Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai think he will be blamed for not achieving it in the proper way?
We can now understand that the three ways of dividing the Land of Israel among the Tribes also apply in the person’s own service of the Divine. There is the basic rational aspect, studying Torah and keeping its Mitzvot. There is the level beyond, rationality, which is the aspect of ‘drawing a Lot’ as regards the service of a person to Hashem. How he or she activates the essence of their soul. This might be by raising the level of their observance of Torah to mesirat nefesh, self-sacrifice, beyond the rational demands of the Torah.
The discourse employs imagery relating to water for the soul, such as the Well of Miriam. This well emerged at the beginning of the forty years in the desert, and in last week’s Sedra, Chukat, we learn that at the end of the forty years of wandering the Jewish people sang a song about the well. This is like the passage of the soul in the world, facing many challenges in the course of life. This also with the theme of ‘travel’ – the Jewish people travelling though the desert, and indeed their travels throughout their long Exile.
It is this travelling, the journey through Exile, which brings about the revelation of Redemption, like the Song of the Well after the long journey through the desert, in order to reach the Land of Canaan, and to transform it into the holy Land of Israel, and then to divide it up among the Tribes of Israel and make it ours.
As described earlier there are three aspects in the division of the land. The rational giving the larger portion of land to the larger Tribe, which in personal service means the straightforward observance of Torah and Mitzvot; the drawing of Lots, which is a higher form of service, like self-sacrifice; and finally Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit.
The discourse explains that in our journey we utilize the spiritual dimension within us, the exalted attribute Wisdom, and the final attribute Kingship, and all the spiritual levels in between, the Sefirot. Perhaps one can explain that it is this spiritual dimension which illuminates our rational pathway, in observance of the Torah, and especially in Prayer. But highest of all is the drawing of Lots, the step beyond all Reason, and even all spiritual experience.
The Lot reveals the Essence of the Soul of the Jew, which has the power to say ‘this is what I am deciding, this Jewish step – and nothing will deter me!’. Through that power of the Lot, each of us will be drawn out of Exile, one by one, with great love from Hashem, bringing us at last to our Land with the coming of Moshiach, very soon.
