The Torah of Rochelle Zell it was long?” And Rabbi Yehoshua smiled and replied, “How fortunate are you, O Israel, that all of your people, from old to young, are so wise!” (Eruvin 53b). How often do we choose one path assuming it is a shortcut, only to realize that we didn’t gain what we needed from that particular journey, or that the arrival wasn’t really all we thought it would be. How often do we jump headfirst into something assuming we can just figure it out as we go, only to be forced to backtrack later to regroup or start anew. Our preparations and intentions matter! And the skills we learn along the way equip us for anything we may encounter in the future. As the people of Israel finally leave Egypt with the Egyptians on their tails, we read in Parashat Beshalach: “Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Phillistines, although it was nearer; for God said, “The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds. Now the Israelites went up armed out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:17-18). In leaving Egypt, we learn
that God took the people of Israel on the long-short road! Perhaps heading through the land of the Philistines would ולא–נחם אלקים דרך ארץ פלשתיםhave been quicker, but the כי קרוב הוא כי אמר אלקיםpeople of Israel needed time פן–ינחם העם בראתם מלחמהto understand who they were and who they wanted : ושבו מצרימהto become.
ויסב אלקים את העם דרך המדבר ים–סוף :וחמשים עלו בני–ישראל מארץ מצרים
Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Phillistines, although it was nearer; for God said, ‘The people may have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds. Now the Israelites went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
-Exodus 13:17-18
On this journey that we’ve been on this year, one we thought would be short but turned out to be very long, we have lost too many along the way, and it is perhaps clear that we should have chosen the long but short journey instead. But now that we are here, what have we gained from the journey? What have we learned about ourselves? What have we learned about our families and our communities? What have we learned about determination and resilience? As we enter the holiday of Passover and this new season of Spring and regrowth, may we internalize these lessons, hold each other close, and together envision what the future will hold.
They needed time in the desert to learn what it meant to be a free nation. As a result, it says the people of Israel were “Chamushim,” “armed.” What were they armed with? They were equipped with their experiences, stories, memories, and a renewed sense of self, to carry them through towards their destination. On this journey that we’ve been on this year, one we thought would be short but turned out to be very long, we have lost too many along the way, and it is perhaps clear that we should have chosen the long but short journey instead. But now that we are here, what have we gained from the journey? What have we learned about ourselves? What have we learned about our families and our communities? What have we learned about determination and resilience? As we enter the holiday of Passover and this new season of Spring and regrowth, may we internalize these lessons, hold each other close, and together envision what the future will hold. 11
