Malchut b'Gevurah

So today's blogpost is also camping inspired since I'm currently camping. The idea of malchut b'gevurah is very interesting as I ponder it in nature. For anyone to survive in the wilderness it takes a great deal of discipline and restraint. The discipline of completing all the necessary tasks to last in the wilderness, the restraint to ration your food and water. Sovereignty and leadership are also something that are extremely relevant to nature and Judaism. Often in our current culture we will send people on camping trips, either with some form of scouts or other outdoor education community program, to instill these skills of leadership and independence.

We see this in our tradition as well. Many of our great leaders go into the wilderness to find meaning or enlightenment. I think back to the different trips to Israel that I have been on or lead. The Hebrew word for desert is מדבר, midbar, very similar to the word for to speak, medaber, מדבר. This isn't a coincidence, nothing in Judaism works that clearly. In order to experience malchut b'gevurah you need to experience the voice of the desert; in order to find that idea of self, your connection to peoplehood and community.