I got ideas from a bunch of people this week to help come up with the menu for parsha-inspired menus. In part, it's because I was behind my normal timeline of looking at the parsha for inspiration (it's been BUSY at camp!), but also in part because I was around so many people who were interested and knowledge.
The first thing that caught my attention was what felt a bit like complaining from Moshe when he says what a burden it is to be in charge of everyone. However, I am all for division of labor and
sharing responsibility so I like the system of finding others to help out. The description of who should be those in leadership caught my eye because of the difference in translations. The line is:
הָב֣וּ לָ֠כֶ֠ם אֲנָשִׁ֨ים חֲכָמִ֧ים וּנְבֹנִ֛ים וִידֻעִ֖ים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשִׂימֵ֖ם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶֽם׃
The 2006 JPS Translation says "Pick from each of your tribes candidates who are wise, discerning, and experienced, and I will appoint them as your heads.”
However, The Schocken Bible, Everett Fox, 1995 translation says "Provide yourselves men, wise, understanding and knowledgeable, for your tribes, and I will set them as heads-over-you.
And finally, the Koren Jerusalem Bible translation says "Take wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you."
The shoresh (root) of this word, וִידֻעִ֖ים, is ידע, which means to know. So it is reasonable to translate it as experienced or knowledgage, those that know things. But it is equally reasonable to see this word as referencing the ones that are known. To be known could mean to be trusted, well-regarded, someone you can rely upon. The menu item this made me think of was to make something that is one of your go-to foods. Something that you can rely on to be good, that you trust to serve to company, or when you just want something delicious. That means it will be something different for each of us. I might make chicken soup, or brownies, or onion chicken (all winners in my house), but I wonder what you will make.
The second idea is so apt for the language of camp, though the idea comes from my husband who isn't at camp right now. He noted that Moshe is beginning his re-telling of the experiences in the
desert. As a reminder on Caleb and Joshua are still from the generation of adults that left Eygpt, everyone else was a child or born later and Moshe understands the importance of making sure they have all the information and history of what occurred so they can learn from it and know what to do when they enter the land of Israel. In modern parlance, you could say that Moshe was "spilling the tea." Of course, I am not encouraging gossiping. But it's interesting to consider what the generation that died in the desert shared and what needed to be shared to have success in the future. In honor of spilling the tea, I recommend these Earl Grey Tea Cookies (sub plant butter for butter.)
Shabbat Shalom & B'Tayavon!
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