In last week's Parsha, the Tribes of Reuven and Gad asked Moshe for the land of Transjordan. Moshe received this request with displeasure. Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler zt"l points out that Moshe was not upset by the request to live outside of Eretz Yisroel. Rather, Moshe was concerned that it seemed that they also wanted to refrain from participating in the battle for Eretz Yisroel, which might affect the morale of the other Tribes. Why wasn't the fact that they wanted to live outside the land a reason for concern?

                         Rabbi Dessler answers that the Tribes of Reuven and Gad were on a truly elevated level, and as was common at that time due to the heightened level of prophesy, they understood very clearly their goal in life. They knew that their large amount of livestock and holdings were given to them for a higher purpose. The Tribes and Moshe both knew that they belonged just outside the borders of Eretz Yisroel. Their goal was to turn the area, and all that they owned, into vehicles for sanctification of Hashem in this world. But there was one slight problem, their request.

                     Their request was predicated on the fact that they needed a place for their animals and possessions, not a place to settle their families. Thus, although they had the right motives, they confused what was primary and what was secondary. That is why Moshe was disappointed.

                       We can now understand the juxtaposition of the episode of the Tribes of Reuven and Gad at the end of last week's Parsha with the log of the travels of the Jewish people at the beginning this week's. It is to advise us on the path we should take to fulfill our mission in life. Parshas Masei describes the forty two places the Jewish people traveled to in their journey to Eretz Yisroel. The Nesivos Shalom describes at length the specific reason for each stop and the length of time spent in each place, which was dependant on how much needed to be accomplished there. That is the analogy of our lives. To survive intact throughout this journey we need to remain focused on our long-term goals. All our materialistic possessions and jobs were given to us to serve as vehicles for sanctification of Hashem's name in this world, which is our true goal in life. Let us learn from the mistake of the Tribes of Gad and Reuven, and never forget what is primary in life and what is secondary.

The question to be asked now is -how? The Kuzari teaches that it is not only our social environment that affects our thought processes, it is even the physical environment, the land we live in that can change the way we think. This too, we can propose, is the symbolic lesson of the forty two different places where the Jewish nation camped. How are we to maintain clarity when we are so vulnerable?

The Nesivos Shalom answers that the solution lies in the seemingly superfluous words found in the first verse of this week's Parsha. The verse states, "These are the journeys of the Bnei Yisrael... under the hand of Moshe and Aaron." Why is there a need for the verse to point out that the traveling was done under the auspices of Moshe and Aaron? Isn't that obvious? The Nesivos Shalom explains that the verse teaches us a valuable lesson. If one wants to grow through the travails of life. once must constantly consult the Torah leaders of his generation. May we always view with respect the Torah leaders of our generation and seek their advice in all life matters, and thus provide us with the clarity we need to keep our priorities straight and sanctify Hashem's name in this world.

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