This week's parsha, Bamidbar, describes at length the numbers and encampment of the Jewish People as they travelled in the desert. The Sages say that the order was a marvelous site to see how each tribe had its place and each group of tribes was set in a specific order. Although the Torah gives us a count of the individuals the entire encamped was one harmonious system in which the Nation travelled. This system was patterned on the spiritual root of each and every tribe and only through the union of all the tribes was the system complete. There was no fighting who should be in front or who should be in back. Who should be on the side or who should be in the middle. Each person and tribe knew their respective place and didn't encroach on the space of someone else. It is this awareness that is needed between the Jewish People in order for there to be true unity.

We are told by our Sages that when the Jewish People encamped to receive the Torah they were "like one man with one heart", they were united and unified with one cause. It is only through unity within our ranks that we can truly reach our full spiritual potential. Unfortunately we see many times that our Nation goes through periods of unity and periods of dysfunction. The events of the past year seemed to have driven a major wedge between different groups within our Nation. Of course there is room for disagreement and dissent between different groups and in many cases even an obligation to dissent and protest the actions of other people among our nation when they are acting against the Will of G-d, but we can't forget that we are one Nation. At our deepest spiritual root we are all one, different parts of the same body. This is something that is expressed in the core of our existence and when that existence itself is threatened we once again begin to identify as one and come together. The current situation in Israel is more than the "normal" rocket attacks from Gaza that we have all unfortunately become accustomed to every few years. I believe the most worrying trend is what is erupting on the streets. There are gangs of Arabs roaming the streets and attacking jews with utter impunity, they are shooting, stabbing and stoning people. They have burned down numerous shuls, firebombed apartments and torched cars across the country. People are taking refuge from rockets in bomb shelters and locking their doors in fear of the Arab mobs. There are rioters trying to breach the Jordanian and Lebanese borders and a growing chorus of voices in the international scene that want to see Israel destroyed and Jews killed in the name of social justice. Thousands of young men have left their families and are stationed at the border with Gaza waiting for the signal for a ground invasion as the only means to stop the incessant barrage of rockets on Israeli civilians. These are young men who we may have never met, nor will ever meet, they may be religious or totally secular waiting to risk their lives to help save their fellow Jews. There are shuls all over the world who are praying and studying for the success and security of these brave men and for everyone in danger. It is because now we are reminded of our spiritual root that we are all one Nation, that we are all related in our most basic essence. 

We should take the feelings of unity and continue with this awareness at all times not only when we are threatened. 

May G-d Bless all of the Jews in Israel and worldwide with safety and security.

Shabat Shalom and Chag Sameach,

Heath