CBI Blogs

In this week's parashah, just after Moses’ visit with his father-in-law Jethro, the Israelites make their way toward Mount Sinai, where they will receive the commandments. The verse says:

They journeyed from Rephidim, and entered the wilderness of Sinai and encamped in the wilderness. Israel encamped there in front of the mountain….(Exodus 19:2)

At first read this feels like an interlude kind of sentence. Just getting the Israelites from Rephidim to Sinai. No big deal. But if we look at the Hebrew there is a grammar game the verse plays that might be pointing to something larger. “They journeyed from Rephidim, and entered the wilderness of Sinai… וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר  they encamped in the wilderness… וַיִּֽחַן־שָׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נֶ֥גֶד הָהָֽר  Israel encamped there in front of the mountain…”

The Israelites “encamp” twice in one sentence. In English there is no difference between the two words, but in Hebrew the first time they encamp it is vayachanu, in plural form, and the second time it is vayichan, singular. So why does the word get conjugated as if they are a collection of individuals when they encamp in the wilderness, and like a unit when encamped at Mount Sinai?

Because this is the moment they come together as one. In the desert wilderness they are concerned with doing their own thing. Each person is cooking, cleaning, making fires, collecting wood for the fires, pitching tents, collecting manna, etc. Even though each person’s role is important to the community, they work independently without much need for the help of others. More importantly, each person’s intent is inward, thinking primarily of themselves and doing their own part to make sure they get what they need.  It’s not that they don’t care about each other, it’s just that when they are encamping as vayachanu, they are more concerned with their own needs while they are doing the activity of encamping.

At Mount Sinai, they encamp using the word vayichan.  Now their activity is as one unit, described with the verb in singular form, and they are described using a name, Yisrael.  They are encamped as one, or as Rashi says, “as one person, with one heart, whereas all other encampments were with complaints and arguing.”  When they move up to Mount Sinai, they are thought of as one, not because of their location, but because of their intent.  They are encamped at Mount Sinai to receive the one thing which brings them and us all together as Jews—The Torah.  They are gathered, as we gather every week, as one people.  They are of one will, of one intent, and of one spirit.

May we all follow the example of the Israelites at Mount Sinai. When we camp in our holy spaces—whether for a few hours or forever—may our encampments keep our community at the forefront of our mind. May we be concerned with the needs of the other over our own needs so that wherever we camp we are always Israel.