“Remember the long way that you were made to travel by Adonai your God—these 40 years in the wilderness—for the sake of discerning, through hardship, what is in your heart; whether you would keep the commandments or not.”
—Deuteronomy 8:2
This verse has a significant amount to unpack. We have, from Exodus through Deuteronomy, several explanations for the wandering generation’s fate that include an absence of trust in God and human error. But this particular explanation is unique in that Moses gives God credit for the journey and, in a way, reframes the hardship as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery—to find out what you are really made of.
There is also something about the conclusion of the verse that speaks deeply to the priorities and values of the Reform movement. We may experience Judaism and the experiences and challenges of life differently, but it is ultimately up to us to make an informed choice as to how we might proceed. To me, Reform Judaism provides the educational framework to make the decisions in our lives—spiritually and otherwise—that will give our lives meaning, direction, and the tools to navigate uncertainty.
Life can be challenging, and meaning-making is one of the ways to cope with or move forward from trauma. This verse urges us to remember the journey as the path that has shaped us as individuals and as a community. The verse urges us to look back reflectively, to see how far we’ve come, and to allow who we have been to inform and guide who we might become.
Rabbi Brett Weisman