Traffic on the Path to Truth

Truth has a magnetic pull. It draws seekers from different paths toward the same destination—a phenomenon beautifully illustrated in Parshas Nasso through the identical offerings of the twelve tribal princes.

Why does the Torah, known for its linguistic economy where even decorative crowns on letters contain volumes of meaning, suddenly devote extensive text to repeat the same offering twelve times? The Ramban reveals something profound: each tribal leader independently calculated what would constitute the perfect offering. Through deep contemplation and sincere devotion, they all arrived at precisely the same korban. This wasn't redundancy—it was divine confirmation.

This principle extends powerfully into our lives. When climbing a mountain, finding yourself on a crowded path suggests you're heading the right way. If you're alone, you've likely strayed from the correct route. Similarly, in Torah study, that moment when you discover your "original" question was previously asked by Rabbi Akiva Eger shouldn't bring disappointment but profound joy! You've independently reached the same understanding as these giants of wisdom.

Even mundane frustrations transform through this lens. Those traffic jams on the way to yeshiva? They're evidence you're heading somewhere truly valuable that many others recognize as worthwhile. The crowded road becomes a testament to shared purpose rather than an obstacle.

Next time you find yourself arriving at the same conclusion as others, celebrate! You haven't failed to be original—you've succeeded in discovering truth. Join the spiritual gold rush where the true measure of success isn't finding something nobody else has, but uncovering the enduring wisdom that resonates across generations of seekers.

Chapters

• 0:00 The Repetitive Offerings of the Nesim
• 0:46 Ramban's Explanation of Identical Karbans
• 1:29 Walking the Right Path Together
• 2:17 Finding Joy in Traffic Jams
• 3:28 The Crowded Road to Truth

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

All of the Nesim brought the same Karban. And if you're reading Parshas Nassau, it just keeps going. The Torah tells us every single detail of the Karban. That was the same Karban that all of the princes of the twelve tribes all brought forward by the consecration and the dedication of the Mishkan. It keeps going and you have to ask yourself in Parshas Nassau, why does the Torah speak at such great length about the Karbanos of the Nesim If don't you know that the Torah does not mince words from the mere jot and tittle in the crowns on letters. It would be Akiva Darshind, bushels, barrels, cadres of Halachos. And now the Torah decides to give paragraphs towards the reiteration of the same Karban. The Ramban explains, amongst his three Mahalchim that he gives for the sugya. He explains to us because each person came forward with his own understanding of it. He came out with the emes of Mahalich. He came out with, according to his concentration and what God would want as a sacrifice to connect all of these different things into one karbon. And then he was came out, this one Nachshon ben Amin Adav, with a beautiful, truthful, authentic and perfect karbon. The next person came forward and made the same calculations and came to the perfect understanding and the presentation of the offering of a karbon and they were the exactly the same and so on and so forth. But, says Rabbiiruchan explaining the Ramban, because when you get to the right path, it's crowded there. When you're traveling up a mountain and you're on the path and you're not trailblazing through the side long path, you're going up the regular path that's already paved. That's when you're walking with people and you know that you're on the right track. If you're alone on the walk up the mountain, you probably have gone off course. The Nisim all got and hit that same Nekudas Ha'emes, that same nugget of truth. They all hit the gold mine and when they all did the same thing, it's even more praise. It's like what Bahram needs to remind themselves. Anyone who learns Torah needs to remind himself that they ask a question, a great question, but then they open up a sefer and Rabbi Akiva Eger already asked that question. The rajba already asked that question. Somebody beat them to the spot and now they feel like they didn't ask something new. But it's the opposite. This bacher should be jumping with joy because he has hit the truth. He has been a part of the gold rush of 2025 to go and mine the gold and he struck it rich because he's thought clearly and he's thought the same way that the Rajba or Rabbi Akiva Eger did. He's hit the same Nakudas HaTruth, the Nesim all hit the same Nakudas HaTruth and therefore it's all listed and, it's incredible, it is to their legacy, it's an accolade, a notch in their belt.

Speaker 1: 2:48

I think about this when I'm going to Yeshiva and there's endless traffic on the 9. Lakewood. You can't drive anywhere without hours of traffic. You drive a mile, it's a half hour per mile. But this makes me feel better about it because if I'm stuck in traffic, that means that maybe I'm going to the place that everyone wants to go, because maybe I'm onto something here, maybe going to BMG, going to Rav Nelson Stein or maybe anyone who's going to a place that's a nice open office where you can learn and daven and have time to do your business in a proper menschlich way. You're going somewhere that everyone else is going, because this is a part of Judaism that's truthful. And bring on the traffic, because I'm clearly going up the mountain not alone, but with the people that are all looking for the pinnacle, for the truth that's at the top, powerful, understanding that to be with other God-seeking Jews. Sometimes, when you all hit the same Nakuda, the same goldmine of truth, it's a very crowded area and that should give you excitement next time you get stuck in traffic.