במדבר, פרק י״ב, פסוק ט״ז

The journey of the Israelites resumes after a significant delay, bringing the people closer to the border of the Promised Land. This movement marks the end of a specific sequence of events in the desert and serves as the geographic and spiritual launching point for sending the spies. The travel begins immediately after Miriam heals from her skin disease and returns to the camp [שטיינזלץ, חזקוני]. Taking place on the twenty-ninth of Sivan, this departure fits into a precise timeline of the nation's movements since leaving Mount Sinai [חזקוני].

A geographic question arises regarding the location of their new camp in the wilderness of Paran, as the Israelites had already entered this wilderness during their previous travels. The primary approach among commentators is that their prior stop, Hazeroth, was actually located within the wilderness of Paran itself. Therefore, the people do not cross from one desert into another. Instead, they simply travel from Hazeroth and establish a new camp at a different location within that same region [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר, רש״ר הירש, שטיינזלץ].

Regarding the exact identity of this new campsite, there are two complementary approaches. The main view identifies the location as Kadesh Barnea, the very station from which the spies are later sent [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, חזקוני]. The area is identified specifically as the wilderness of Paran to clarify that this is indeed Kadesh Barnea, distinguishing it from another location called Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, where the incident of striking the rock occurs in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, ביאור יש״ר]. Kadesh Barnea is not explicitly named at this point likely because there may have been minor intermediate stops along the way that do not require detailing at this moment [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. A second approach refines this by suggesting the people do not camp inside Kadesh Barnea itself, as it is the first city on the border of the land of Israel. Rather, they camp in an unnamed adjacent area to organize themselves before entering the land. This specific campsite is known elsewhere in the Torah as Rithmah [ספורנו, ביאור יש״ר].

Throughout this journey, God's cloud guides the nation and rests in the wilderness of Paran, though commentators debate whether the descriptions of the cloud lifting from the tent during travel should be understood completely literally [אבן עזרא]. Looking at the broader picture, the departure from Hazeroth concludes a chain of events that highlights various levels of spiritual and prophetic understanding within the nation. This progression spans from Moses and the elders, to Eldad and Medad, and finally to Aaron and Miriam. Ultimately, this spiritual development is deeply connected to the symbol of the Menorah, which represents the spiritual light of Israel [רש״ר הירש].