Behalotechah - Overcoming Challenges

So it was, whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, Arise, O L-rd,  may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You.

וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה קוּמָה ה' וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ

Bamidbar 10:35

We have an interesting teaching in Mesechet Shabbat. There we learn an opinion that the Torah is actually composed of 7 books, where Bamidbar consists of 3 books. The first book is from the beginning of Bamidbar to the verse "So it was, whenever the ark set out,...", then the second book is just the verse "So it was, whenever the ark set out,..." and the third book is the rest of Bamidbar.

Our Rabbis taught: 'And it came to pass when the ark set forward that Moses said, [etc.]': for this section the Holy One, blessed be He, provided signs above and below,  to teach that this is not its place. Rabbi said: It is not on that account,1  but because it ranks as a separate Book. With whom does the following dictum of R. Samuel b. Nahmani in R. Jonathan's name agree: She [Wisdom] hath hewn out her seven pillars:  this refers to the seven Books of the Law? ( Since that section is a separate Book, the portions of Numbers preceding and following it are also separate Books; hence there are seven in all)

Shabbat 115B-116A

The Slonimer Rebbe asks in The Netivot Shalom, we know that the essential fabric of the books of the Torah are characterized by mitzvot, but this book composed entirely of the verse "So it was, whenever the ark set out,..." does not contain a single mitzvah, so how can it be declared a book in and unto itself?


Challenges in Life
The path to growing and becoming closer to Hashem rests on confronting and overcoming challenges that tempt our most elemental and weakest desires. We grow and climb higher as we take on these challenges. These are so-called divine challenges, for Hashem gains much pleasure in seeing our dedication in the face of adversity.

Risk of Challenge
Yet in life, challenge comes with risk. As we confront, straight on difficult challenges we run the risk of being overwhelmed, and losing, sometimes succumbing to our desires and weaker state. Self-doubt and hesitations provide the Yetzer Harah an opening to come in and undermine our resolve in facing these challenges.

Confronting Challenge
The verse can be conveyed to mean:
"So it was, whenever the ark set out," - in the travels through our life journey we encounter many challenges.
"Moshe would say," - that Moshe should pray on our behalf.
 "Arise, O L-rd," - that we should overcome the challenges and rise higher, closer to Hashem.
"may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You."  - who are our enemies on this life journey? The Yetzer Harah, that evil inclination which sees an opportunity to strike as we strive to grow and encounter difficult life situations.

A Book Unto Itself
So says The Netivot Shalom, despite not having mitzvot, this book composed of the just the verse "So it was, whenever the ark set out" is all the more so deserving of being a deemed book unto itself. For a book that consists of and captures the true essence of the Torah and the lifestyle it prescribes, that in and of itself sets it apart, making a worthy book.