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we would believe that between verses 12 and 13, the last of the generation<br />
that left Egypt perished. There is not so much of a hint towards this seemingly<br />
monumental moment in the text. The subject does not change, the journey goes<br />
on. There is no mention of a grand statement, no “as God had commanded<br />
concerning that generation for what they had done when…” The text merely<br />
continues.<br />
This may be intentional. There is never a concrete point when one generation<br />
ends and the next generation begins. The idea that the second generation was<br />
separate, different, from the first is blatantly false. Their actions mirror each<br />
other. The punishment of the first generation, their death in the wilderness,<br />
was no different from the mortality of all humans, our foretold ending since<br />
the Garden of Eden. We die. Rather, the blessing for the first generation is that<br />
their people continue. Their children and their descendants will enter the land.<br />
The promise that God made to their ancestors will be fulfilled for generations<br />
to come.<br />
The continuity of the Israelite people and the irrelevance of the passing of the<br />
generations is thrown into stark contrast with the other nations in Numbers 21.<br />
We read all that is left of the civilization of Moab in the Song of Heshbon, “Woe<br />
to you, Moab, You are lost, O people of Chemosh,” the remnant of an entire<br />
nation remain as just a footnote, an echo of an ancient song, recorded in our<br />
living text. We need not mention the moment of the passing of a generation of<br />
Israelites because there will never be a point at which we disappear, remaining<br />
only in song.<br />
Join Rabbi Chorny<br />
✺<br />
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and IN Person<br />
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Weekdays<br />
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Or call his cell (239) 537-5257<br />
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239 434-1818<br />
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