Many places can be defined as a desolate desert from a Jewish perspective. These are places that lack proper Torah institutions, where kosher food is sometimes difficult to obtain, where the prevailing winds are not those of Torah and holiness. From a material standpoint, they may be flourishing paradises, but in terms of Jewish spirituality, they are desolate deserts. A Jew who, due to some circumstance, arrives in a place like this might think that under these conditions, he has no possibility of maintaining a true Torah-based Jewish lifestyle. He may initially make concessions on things that seem to him to be extravagant spiritual luxuries, and little by little, he may even resign himself to essential matters without which a Jew cannot survive as one. His perception is: "It's different here! In this place, one cannot behave as in a genuine Torah environment.".
IN THE HEART OF DESOLATION
However, when we study the weekly Torah portion, Numbers (Bamidbar), we clearly understand how misguided this approach is. The portion recounts how the service of transporting the portable Sanctuary—the Mishkan—and its contents was divided among the families of the Levites. The Torah describes how Israel's journeys in the desert were conducted and how the Mishkan was erected at each location where the Jews camped. When we reflect on this, a profound sense of wonder arises.
Did all this not take place in a desert, in the heart of desolation!
How is it possible that in a desolate desert, in a place where there is no life, and not to mention any memory of Judaism and holiness, the Jews can carry the Sanctuary with them on all their journeys, and immediately upon arriving at any place, erect the Mishkan there, and immediately transform it into a holy place suitable for serving Hashem?!
HOLINESS IS NOT LIMITED
The Torah teaches us here that the Most High does not limit the power of holiness to these or any other conditions. Wherever a Jew goes, even if it is a desolate desert, whether physical or spiritual, he possesses all the power to build a Sanctuary for God, to sanctify the place, and to spread the light of the Torah and its commandments throughout the region.
All you have to do is allow the light of your inner holiness, that of your Divine soul, to guide and illuminate the path, and you will immediately see how obstacles and disturbances disappear, until you reach the Land of Israel - the space of holiness.
THE STRENGTH OF WOMEN
This concept we are learning—the establishment of a Sanctuary in the middle of the desert—while applicable to all sectors of the Jewish people, has a special connection to women. For the construction of this Sanctuary, women were summoned, and they came first, before the men, to participate in its building. This shows us the special role of Jewish women in raising the Sanctuary for Hashem.
Jewish women, entrusted with the responsibility of raising future generations, are responsible for the character and style of the Jewish home and are the heart of the household (the woman is called "akeret habait," from the term ikar, meaning the principal one of the house). Their fundamental duty is to establish Jewish values wherever the family settles. Women were given special strength to confront negative environmental influences by establishing the home according to the principles of the Torah and raising their children based on the traditions of Israel, which extend back to God's commandment at Mount Sinai.
(Likutei Sichot, Volume 2, Page 296)