Working in a healthcare environment, the recent swine flu outbreak has been a popular topic of conversation. For the most part, the doctors and fellow nurses I work with generally agree that the media has over-emphasized the seriousness of the situation. However, this overemphasis and “hype” is understood to be a good thing as the sense of concern that it creates among the general population will inevitably lead to education and compliance regarding necessary hygiene to alleviate the spread of this flu.
In the midst of this general understanding there are a couple of co-workers who tend to display an impatient attitude toward the general public regarding this issue. One particular nurse was quite vocal about her opinions last Wednesday during work, openly calling people “stupid” for getting “so wrapped up” in all of this. In her opinion “flu is flu” and although the swine flu is a more virulent strain it is in essence nothing more than another “type” of flu . . so why all the fuss?
In the afternoon of that same Wednesday a memo was posted at the nurses’ station. All employees of the hospital involved in direct patient care were to be fitted with specialized masks in anticipation of a possible epidemic of swine flu. A couple hours later I found myself in a conference room waiting in line to be fitted for my “respirator” mask.
The process was more complicated than I anticipated. Instead of merely trying on masks to determine which one fit best, a specialized hood was placed over my head and a non-toxic aerosol was sprayed into the hood. Once I could taste the bitterness of the aerosol the first part of the fitting was concluded. Next, I tried on various size respirators until one that seemed to have a good fit was chosen. With the respirator mask on my face the hood was reapplied and the spray test was repeated. If the bitter taste of the aerosol could be detected with the mask on, then the fit was insufficient. If the aerosol taste could not be detected the seal and fit of the mask was adequate.
After completing the test I met up with my vocal co-worker who also had just finished her fitting as well. As we looked around the room at others in the process of being fitted, with oversized bright yellow hoods upon their heads, the scene in front of us looked like something from a hazmat documentary. My coworker turned to me with a worried look on her face; “Paula, I don’t like this” she said “this is serious and it’s scary”.
Trying to remain positive I pointed out how fortunate we were to work for a healthcare system that would expend the effort and cost of fitting us with respirators although the current outbreak of flu was far from being an epidemic. Our employer obviously did not take the safety of its employees lightly in this regard, which in essence, should be considered a blessing. Although my co-worker agreed with what I said, as we walked back to the unit she added; “it might be a blessing, but it’s a blessing I’m not comfortable with”.
In considering the first chapter of Deuteronomy this past week, I again found myself faced with an unusual blessing. Moses begins the first of three discourses to the Children of Israel who are poised to enter the Land by recalling various journeys over the past forty years in which they were tempted to sin against HaShem. He then reminds the people of the burden of being their leader, and that he could not “carry them alone” (v. 9). Following this statement Moses goes on to say;
HaShem, your G-d, has multiplied you and behold! You are like the stars of heaven in abundance. May HaShem, the G-d of your forefathers, add to you a thousand times yourselves, and bless you as He has spoken of you. (Deuteronomy 1:10-11 Stone Chumash).
After this blessing Moses describes the people as contentious, burdensome and quarrelsome and therefore in need of distinguished and wise men to be appointed as leaders over them (vv. 12-13). Because the book of Deuteronomy is understood by the sages to be Mishneh Torah (repetition or review of the Torah), in the most general sense Moses blessing here can be understood as a simple reminder and encouragement to Israel that G-d’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 22:17, that his seed would be abundant as the stars of heaven, would come to pass despite their downfalls and weaknesses.
Yet, the Midrash points out a discrepancy here. For G-d’s promise to Abraham was to multiply his seed like the stars, the sand and the dust of the earth in a way that was limitless and infinite, a way that involved no mathematical calculations or quantitative considerations. Therefore, Moses in pronouncing his blessing seems to be placing a limit on Israel of one thousand-fold, or one thousand times the current population.
The census taken in the book of Numbers calculated the number of men of fighting age to be 600,000. Adding in the women, children and men/boys of unsuitable age for the army, estimates range from 2 million to 6 million as the total population of Israel in the wilderness. Taking a conservative estimate of 3 million people times 1,000 would calculate to 3 billion, roughly half the population of the entire earth at the present time. Although this number is enormous, it yet is a number of quantitative value. In this way the Midrash relates that the Israelites objected to Moses blessing as something that detracted from G-d’s promises given to them through Abraham, an uncomfortable blessing that was not well received. [1]
The logical question here is; what did the Jews gain through Moses blessing if they already possessed a greater blessing and promise from HaShem? Why was it necessary for Moses to speak this blessing if G-d had already given an infinite blessing to Abraham?
A consideration of the actual Hebrew words for “a thousand times” (elef pe’amim) in v. 11 is very revealing for pe’amim is used in the plural instead of the singular form (pa’am) here. If Moses had said elef (a thousand) pa’am (times) then the mathematics involved would have been strictly one thousand times the current population. In saying elef pe’amim Moses instead alludes to the doubling of the current population one thousand times. [2]
For example; 3,000,000 x 2 = 6,000,000 would be the first doubling of the population. 6,000,000 x 2 = 12,000,000 would be the second doubling. Continue this for 998 additional “doublings” and the population quickly reaches an astronomical figure that is too large to count and cannot be described in mathematical or merely quantitative terms. In this way, Moses choice of words in blessing the people does not diminish the infinite nature of the original blessing given to Abraham.
Yet, another interesting aspect of Moses blessing is that he does not refer to the people as the sand of the seashore (cf. Genesis 22:17, 26:4) or the dust of the earth (cf. Genesis 13:16, 28:14), but focuses on them specifically as “the stars of heaven in abundance”. The sand of the seashore and the dust of the earth have similar qualities in that each individual grain or particle work together and are identified together as a beach or a plot of land. Grains of sand and particles of dirt have a tendency to “stick together” and are not naturally considered on an individual basis. In the same way, describing Abraham’s seed as the sand of the seashore and the dust of the earth, symbolizes the inevitable and crucial unity of the Children of Israel as they work together in cooperation. [3]
In a kabbalistic sense, dust symbolizes potential for dust can either transform the sun, rain or wind into food or it can lie fallow. Dust can receive and integrate many elements and give forth something completely new or it can be nothing more than dirt on the ground and completely unproductive. In creating Adam from the dust of the earth, HaShem gave man the potential to receive and use the various elements of creation in order to achieve and produce. The Torah also speaks of man’s death as “returning to dust” for in death man enters a state in which he is completely unable to receive or give back and therefore occupies the role of dust which lies fallow. [4] Therefore, the Children of Israel when working in harmony and unity occupy a role of unlimited potential, just as the dust of the earth or sand of the seashore.
Unlike dust and sand, the stars do not work in unity. They are individual orbs separated by great distances. A grain of sand or a particle of dust lack individuality and essentially look identical to other grains and particles, whereas each star is placed in a differing position in the sky with variable colors and intensity of light. Some stars are bright and large, some are dim and small. In this way the stars symbolize the individuality of each Jew and allude to variability in spiritual understanding and “brightness” among the Children of Abraham. Such individuality inevitably results in fragmentation and friction within the greater community itself. [5]
This motif regarding the stars is seen throughout Scripture. In Genesis 37:9-10 Joseph has a dream in which his father is likened to the sun, his mother likened to the moon and his eleven brothers are seen as “eleven stars” bowing down to him. The sun and moon are celestial bodies that are consistent in appearance, and which symbolize the natural relationship between a husband who gives (radiates) to his wife and the wife who receives from her husband in order to give back (reflect). The stars however represent the variable and individual nature and characteristics of each of the eleven brothers which is highlighted by Jacob in his deathbed blessing of Genesis 49. In 1 Corinthians 15:41 Paul also speaks of the heavenly bodies of the stars as “differing in glory”.
Therefore, in focusing upon the Israelites as the stars in abundance, Moses highlights their individuality. This variability in character and knowledge ultimately was the reason Moses could not “carry” or “lead them” by himself and needed the assistance of wise and understanding leaders to help deal with the “contentiousness”, “burdens” and “quarrels” that such subjectivity naturally produces. Yet, despite the challenges of leading roughly three million people who are like the stars of the heavens in their individuality and various levels of maturity and growth, Moses yet prays that they will increase. That the “stars” would multiply to an infinite number! Instead of wishing that there were less of such subjective and contentious individuals Moses prays that there would be more just like them . . .that they would be multiplied “a thousand times yourselves”.
What possible advantage could there be in having an infinite number of individualistic and quarrelsome people within the nation of Israel? Why didn’t Moses pray for their multiplication as “sand” or “dust”, for a multiplication of unity and cooperation which would lead to limitless productivity on a united front? How uncomfortable and odd it seems that Moses would speak such a “blessing”.
Without individuality and the potential for contentiousness and strife, Moses would not have been burdened; he could have lead Israel by himself without the need for leaders among the tribes and roughly 393,000 men would never have aspired to distinction or wisdom, never having the opportunity to lead and direct G-d’s people. For if the population is estimated at 3 million and Moses instructed that there must be a leader over “thousands, “hundreds”, “fifties” and “tens” (v. 15), then mathematically this would necessitate 3,000 leaders of thousands, 30,000 leaders of hundreds, 60,000 leaders of fifties and 300,000 leaders of tens, for a total of 393,000 leaders.
By praying for HaShem to infinitely multiple the Israelites in their individuality as “stars of the heavens” Moses in essence is praying for the uncomfortable blessing of increased challenges and strife. The discomfort of subjectivity and friction, which is the perfect environment in which leaders are raised up and men of excellence aspire to wisdom and distinction.
. . . . . . .
The front page of the morning newspaper over the past couple of days has been noticeably void of the images that occupied it for the last several weeks. Gone are the pictures of people in various life situations wearing familiar blue surgical masks over their mouths and noses. The swine flu outbreak has made its way from the bold screaming headlines of the front page to an unassuming article on page 3 of this morning’s paper.
The overwhelming majority of new cases have been mild and haven’t required hospitalization. Only one death, of a Mexican toddler, has occurred on U.S. soil. Although 143 infections have been confirmed in 23 states, this pails in comparison to the annual death toll of 36,000 Americans due to the seasonal flu. In reading these statistics I thought of my vocal co-worker and her annoyance regarding all the fuss surrounding the swine flu outbreak. I thought about the scenario I witnessed in being fitted for a respirator mask and assumed that my PPD (personal protection device) would likely never be needed in caring for patients. Yet, I am still thankful for the uncomfortable blessing of precautionary measures taken by my employer to insure my safety.
In a conversation with someone recently it was commented that; “the two great disadvantages of Evangelicalism are the norms of spontaneity and the culture of individualism”. I found these words to be well spoken and told the person so. This comment was made in relation to the widely variable and somewhat chaotic forms of worship and practice among many Messianics today which are often lacking in uniformity, clarity and reverence, a natural outgrowth of the mindset of Evangelicalism within the movement itself.
Yet in considering Moses uncomfortable blessing to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 1, perhaps it is not best to consider such individualism and spontaneity as a disadvantage or harm but rather as a challenge and opportunity. For this current environment of fragmentation, friction and confusion demands and cries out for wisdom and distinction and is the perfect “breeding ground” from which leaders of excellence and insight can arise.
Abraham’s seed was not merely blessed with infinite multiplication as dust and sand, but also as stars. Uniformity, cohesiveness and ritual alone certainly results in unity and productivity which by itself is bland and impersonal, like the dust under one’s feet or the sand between one’s toes. Individualism and subjectivity in itself is as awe inspiring as the Milky Way on a moonless night, yet as variable and uncertain as attempting to count or calculate every one of the stars in the heavens. G-d’s ultimate blessing is seen in the multiplication of both unity and individualism, community objectivity and personal subjectivity, side by side, in a delicate tension of balance with each other.
[1] Rabbi Moshe Weissman, The Midrash Says (Devarim), p. 13
[2] Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky, Vedibarta Bam Volume 5 (Devarim), available at: http://www.sichosinenglish.com/books/vedibarta-bam/044.htm
[3] Ibid.
[4] Rabbi Aryeh Kaplin, Inner Space, p. 148.
[5] Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky, op.cit.
