Following the Ark
On the 20th of Ilyar, 2449, Hashem (God) gave a sign, and the Jewish people departed from Mount Sinai. In addition to the golden ark that held the second set of stone tablets and was transported with the entire Tabernacle, Moses had built a second ark to house the first set of broken stone tablets. This ark (containing the broken stone tablets) was carried ahead of the Jewish people, directly behind the cloud of God that led the way (Numbers 10:13). In all their desert journeys, the Jewish people were preceded by this ark and by the cloud of God that led the way, clearing the path of wild animals and potentially dangerous obstacles. Similarly, throughout the history of the Jewish people, throughout their journeys, each time they followed the ark, the “Light of the Torah,” they found spiritual and physical serenity. They were protected from the emotional and physical dangers of the world, allowing us to find true meaning in their existence. The same is true for the Noahide.