PARASHAT MATOT MASEI

Parshat Matot Masei 2024 - Life, the Universe and Everything

By Dan Cohen

We previously discussed author Douglas Adams and his book series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. For this week's McGuffin, we return to his text.

Adams wrote a crucial joke in the plot of his books. He wrote about a giant computer called Deep Thought, which reveals that the answer to the meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything is "Forty-two." 

This joke has become a universal symbol - like if you know, you know. People still reference it in various ways, like noting "42" in different contexts or naming office complexes like those at Google's HQ and CERN. Even Finding Nemo uses the address 42 Wallaby Way.

Likely, Douglas Adams did not study Tanach, yet there are many connections to understand how 42 might be the answer to everything.   

First, earlier in the book of Leviticus, we read about the High Priest's service on Yom Kippur. On the holiest day of the year, in the most sacred location on earth, in the holiest of holies, the High Priest utters Hashem's 42-letter name. This 42-letter name honors Gd’s divine power and essence. Gd instructed us to make it a significant part of the Yom Kippur service. The name was rarely uttered and only done by the one man designated. 

We read, “For on this day he (the High Priest) will provide atonement for you to purify you.” (Leviticus Chapter 16, Verse 30)

We learn that when the people outside the Temple heard the High Priest utter the holy name of G‑d, etc., they would prostrate themselves and proclaim G‑d's majesty. They would say the words we use daily after the first line of the Shema Prayer, i.e., "Blessed be the name of His glorious Majesty forever and ever." (Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuto L’olam Va-ed). Millennia later, we still bow down, a unique occurrence, during the Yom Kippur service and prostrate ourselves to honor this occurrence and connection with Hashem.

The very use of the 42-letter name and the thoughts of reverence filling the people's minds at that moment were holy and elevating. Having Hashem in mind at that particular moment lifted the nation.

Second, in our Parsha, Chapter 33 in the Book of Bamidbar opens with verses 1 and 2: “These are the journeys of the children of Israel who left the land of Egypt in their legions, under the charge of Moses and Aaron. Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of the Lord, and these were their journeys with their starting points.”

The parsha then describes the 42 journeys and stops the Jewish nation made across the 40 years in the desert between leaving Egypt and arriving in Israel. 

The Baal Shem Tov, a prominent figure in Chassism, proclaimed, “The forty-two ‘stations’ from Egypt to the Promised Land are re-enacted in the life of every individual Jew, as his soul embarks on its journey from birth to its return to its Source.” This profound insight underscores the spiritual growth and personal development that the 42 stops symbolize, inspiring us to embrace our life's journey at every stop with courage and determination.

The 42 stops are also referred to as journeys, symbolizing the continuous process of growth and learning. Each stop represents a phase in our lives, and each journey between stops presents an opportunity to learn, fail, and grow. Even when we feel stuck, we are still on a trip, with opportunities to learn and grow. These lessons will inform the rest of our journeys.  

Third, as you see in verse 2, the Torah elaborates on the journeys in two ways. “Moses recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of the Lord, and these were their journeys with their starting points.”  Why repeat it?

Rav Hirsch teaches that the first phrase, where the phrase “starting points” leads into “journeys,” urges us to focus on the future and where we are headed. We journey to grow closer to Hashem and gain greater knowledge of ourselves through trials and adversity. Gd, he says, wants us to understand that whether we like it or not, each stop and journey was part of his plan for us as individuals and as a nation.   

On the other hand, Hirsch's interpretation of how the phrase “journeys” precedes “starting points” serves as a reminder to remain present in each of these stops. While these are all part of a larger plan, self-awareness is available if we just hunker down and experience the moment in its fullness. Hirsch’s charge is the essence of mindfulness, which we’ve discussed many times: Be. Here. Now. This mindfulness tool can enlighten us and make us more reflective about our life's journey.

These three ideas may not yield the secret to Life, the Universe, and Everything as I had hoped, but they give us a running start.  From the Kohen Gadol and his utterance of the 42-letter name of Gd, we learn the value of keeping Hashem at the forefront of our minds. From the Baal Shem Tov, we understand that the 42 journeys give us meaning and growth opportunities. From Rav Hirsh, we see that our travels and 42 stops present opportunities for Emunah during our journeys and awareness of the power of the present moment during our stops. 

Our friends at Aish put it best: From these journeys, remember that each situation today is tailor-made for you to help you fulfill your highest potential. Now, look at your day, circumstances, and journeys through that lens and see if it unlocks the secrets of your personal and spiritual universe. It might just be…42