At the beginning of the book of Devarim, Moses reviews the history of the Israelites’ experience in the wilderness, starting with the appointment of leaders throughout the people, heads of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
Every Jew is like the tree of the field. He is rooted in the solid ground of his ancestors’
legacy, roots of soul and tradition, and turns his head upwards yearning higher and
yet higher heavenward. Ancestors’ legacy and love of G-od are those that guarantee
the life of man – the tree – within the people of Israel