PITCHED IN REPHIDIM, AND THERE WAS NO WATER FOR THE PEOPLE TO DRINK. Scripture [here] does not mention the miracle [that occurred] with the water in Marah, nor the [daily] wonder of manna [which took place] in the wilderness of Sin. But [it mentioned the giving of water at Rephidim] because this episode at Rephidim was an important event, since they tried G-d [there], and that place was therefore called Massah (Trying) and Meribah (Strife), wherein He was sanctified in their presence by bringing forth water for them out of the rock, and it was there that they were attacked by the Amalekites. Therefore He [only] described it here in brief, [saying], and there was no water for the people to drink, since it was the place which was recognized and known by this [fact].
(3) We also need to explore why the Torah chose to emphasise the "journeys," i.e. the Israelites breaking camp, rather than to emphasise that they made camp. i.e. that they arrived at a destination. This question is especially relevant in view of Tanchuma on our verse which describes the situation in terms of a parable. "A king had a son who was sick, so he took him to one health spa after another. When the son had finally been cured and the father took him back home, the father would reminisce with him about all the various places they had been together prior to the last one where the son had been cured." If the Midrash correctly summarizes the reason why the Torah lists all these journeys, it surely would have been more appropriate to list the places where stey stopped over, i.e. the "arrivals." We also have yet another Tanchuma which claims that the reason the Torah lists all these journeys is so that the desert which hosted the Jewish people during this period would receive its appropriate reward in the future as alluded to by Isaiah 35,1 : "the arid desert shall be glad, the wilderness shall rejoice etc." This Midrash too would make much better sense if the Torah had concentrated on describing the times spent by the Jewish people camping in the desert rather than the occasions when they broke camp.
(א) אָנָּא בְּכחַ גְּדֻלַּת יְמִינְךָ. תַּתִּיר צְרוּרָה:
קַבֵּל רִנַּת עַמְּךָ. שגְּבֵנוּ טַהֲרֵנוּ נורָא:
נָא גִבּור. דּורְשי יִחוּדְךָ. כְּבָבַת שמְרֵם:
בָּרְכֵם טַהֲרֵם. רַחֲמֵי צִדְקָתְךָ. תָּמִיד גָּמְלֵם:
חֲסִין קָדוש. בְּרוב טוּבְךָ. נַהֵל עֲדָתֶךָ:
יָחִיד גֵּאֶה. לְעַמְּךָ פְּנֵה. זוכְרֵי קְדֻשּתֶךָ:
שוְעָתֵנוּ קַבֵּל. וּשמַע צַעֲקָתֵנוּ. יודֵעַ תַּעֲלֻמות:
בָּרוּךְ שם כְּבוד מַלְכוּתו לְעולָם וָעֶד:
Ana B'Koach by R. Nechunya be Hakanah, 2nd century; Translation by R. Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z"l;
Each word begins with a letter from the sacred 42 letter name of G!d.
Source of Mercy! With loving strength, unti our tangles.
Your chanting folk raise high, make pure, accept our song.
Like Your own eye, Adonai, keep us safe, Who union seek with You
Cleanse and bless us, infuse us ever with loving care.
Gracious Source, oh Holy Power! Do guide Your folk.
Sublime and Holy One, do turn to us, of holy chant.
Receive our prayer, do hear our cry, who secrets knows.
Through time and space, Your glory shines, Majestic One.
http://dannymaseng.com/soulnarr.html
Keep Change In Your Pockets by Danny Maseng (c) 2000
So listen, so listen - keep change in your pockets at all times!
Keep change for the beggar, the bus, for the train
Keep a spot, keep a room, keep a window wide open
Keep a cool change of clothes for the moment of moments!
Keep the fire in your soul
Keep remembering
Keep reminding yourself - Keep a stone for the journey
Keep the face you've been longing for etched in your heart
Keep the gleam in your eyes
Keep the pillar of fire to guide you by night
Keep the pillar of vapor to cool you by day
Keep on looking for signs, for a path, for an opening
Keep your hopes, keep collecting your dreams
Keep the palms of your hands outstretched like a beggar
Keep the sound of the whispered small daughter of voice
Keep the glow of her face
Keep on following towards
Keep the passion unbroken
Keep the yearning unending
Keep it deep in your bones
Bear the pain, be a fool
Keep believing
Keep on marching ahead to that place where you learn what simplicity is
What commitment is for
Why the eyes were created
Why the soul is transparent
Why there's no greater gift
In this wondrous world
Than to suffer a heart filled with love for no reason
Why there's nothing as lonely
Why there's no greater journey
There is no greater joy
Keep some change in your pocket
Some change for that moment
Just enough for that moment of moments
When we're all in the moment
When we're finally all in the place at the time in the grace
Face to face with the one
And you wouldn't be wanting to find yourself
Stuck, by the side of the road with no change
With your pockets embarrassed and empty
And your heart so hollow so close to the end
Having traveled so far
So listen -
Keep change in your pockets at all times!