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This week, synagogues begin reading the book of Numbers. The book of Numbers is known as Sefer Bamidbar -- "The book in the Wilderness." After receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, the nation of Israel learns to adapt to a life of Torah, segregated from the world.

"And God spoke to Moses in the Wilderness (Desert) of Sinai..." (Numbers 1:1). The Torah almost never mentions where God spoke to Moses. Why in the beginning of the "The book in the Wilderness"? To teach us that only a person who makes himself "desolate as the wilderness" will have the ability to fully understand and comprehend Torah principles (Medrash Rabba, Bamidbar Rabba 1:7; 30-200 CE).

Commenting on the Medrash, the Mahrzu (Rabbi Ze'ev Volf Einhorn; Vilna 19th century) explains that for a person to become "desolate as the wilderness" he must completely remove himself from all of the world's opinions on all subject matters.

All people have predispositions based upon upbringing, experiences, and learning over time. Naturally, each person views the world through his own "rose-colored glasses." We view events and ideas differently, and what is popular often becomes the opinion of most.

However, when studying Torah, to understand what the Torah is saying -- not what we think it's saying, not what we'd like it to say -- we have to expunge from ourselves all preconceived notions.

People are often drawn to the latest sociological, psychological, political, religious, economic, and scientific theories. Public opinion can be powerfully persuasive simply because it is public opinion. The outlooks of family, friends, and peers have tremendous influence. Yet, we cannot allow any of these persuasions to distort our Torah learning.

Circumstances change, and how we apply the Torah's teachings may be affected by those circumstances. However, the Torah is constant, unchanging, and unaffected by the world.

If a person truly wishes to learn Torah, he must open the mind to be able to receive knowledge as a vessel "desolate as the wilderness."

Rabbi Chaim Lobel is the spiritual leader of Young Israel of Aberdeen
www.yiaberdeen.com.