Being that we have finally arrived at the long-awaited period of bein hazmanim and people are travelling up and down the country, I feel that this week is the perfect week to discuss the topic of Tefillas HaDerech.
Before we start the halachic discussion, I would like to bring down something R’ Ben Tzion Felman zt”l in his sefer Shlomim MeTzion (Parshas Devorim) writes:
In Tefillas HaDerech we say, She’Tolicheinu l’shalom, that You should emplace/position our steps in peace – as opposed to She’eilech l’shalom, that I will go to peace. Apparently, the text of the tefillah underscores that each and every step that we take is Divinely-guided. How often do we leave for a trip with a geographic destination in mind, thinking that we are in control and we decide where and when we stop? Thus, Chazal chose to remind us that Hashem is our navigator, and He determines where and when we stop and go. We daven that He grant us siyata d’Shmaya, Divine assistance, to reach our destination safely and successfully.
In his Sichos [ethical discourses], the Chafetz Chaim observes that man is like an infant in his crib. He thinks that he is in charge, that he can do whatever he wants, when, in fact, it is his mother who does it all. She picks him up, moves him around, turns him over, etc.
There is a well known story with R’ Yonason Eibshitz zt”l, one time he was traveling to a certain city, and he crossed paths with the king and the king asked him where he was going. R’ Yonasan Eibshitz answered, “I don’t know”. Immediately the king got very angry, and said, if he doesn’t know where he is going he is going straight to prison. R’ Eibshitz was locked away in prison. A while later the king calmed down and asked him again where he was going. R’ Eibshitz then answered, “If you would have asked me where I want to go, I would have answered that I want to go to the Beis HaMedrash. However, you never asked me this, you asked, where am I going, and I can’t answer this as only Hashem knows where I am going. Just look at what just happened now, I planned on going to the Beis HaMedrash and I ended up in prison.”
This is not just another story, we need to learn from here, how the reality is, one doesn’t know where he is going, and in the end of the day Hashem is in charge.
One caveat that should not be ignored: B’derech she’adam rotzeh leilech molichin oso; “The path that a person chooses to follow, they bring him” (Makkos 10b). This applies even if the path a person chooses for himself is counter-intuitive to his spiritual growth. If this is what he wants, so be it. Hashem will see to it that he is able to follow the path of his choice. Some people are so deeply committed to maintaining an elevated level of spiritual sanctity that Hashem protects them from any form of digression, because He is assisting them in adhering to the path that they chose. The following vignette concerning the Chafetz Chaim underscores this idea (related by HoRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, zt”l).
The bridges that traversed the roadways in Poland had a large cross prominently attached to them. Out of a sense of homage and gratitude, gentiles would bow their heads when they passed these symbols. The Jews, of course, remained ramrod straight, not in any way suggesting their deference to another religion. The Chafetz Chaim once traveled from Radin by wagon. In the course of the journey, he began to doze off. Every few moments, his head would bend over, and he immediately raised it – as is common when a person is dozing off. The Chafetz Chaim was not the only passenger on the wagon. Another Jew, who was traveling in the same direction, shared the seat with the sage. As they were about to come up to a cross, the man was in a quandary. The Chafetz Chaim’s head was bent over to the point that anyone peering into the wagon could presume that the Chafetz Chaim was bowing to the cross. He felt that waking the sage was disrespectful, but, if people saw what appeared to him paying allegiance to the symbol of Christianity, it would cause greater disrespect. Suddenly, as they approached the cross, the Chafetz Chaim’s head became erect. When they passed the cross, his head returned to its bowed position. All this took place while he continued to sleep – and it went on for the duration of the trip. This was a clear indication that knowing which path the Chafetz Chaim chose to follow, Hashem protected him from digressing even unintentionally.
This is just something to think about next time you recite Tefillas HaDerech. I would like to add, if when the Chofetz Chaim was sleeping he was protected, at least when we are awake we should try and stay protected. Perhaps next time we should think about this tefillah a bit more deeply, and hopefully if we realize Hashem is the one that directs our every move, next time, we will have more concentration and Hashem will help protect us, so that when we look out the windows of our cars, buses, etc. we will only see good things. However, Hashem doesn’t grant us so things so easily and we must put in effort first. If one works hard, and tries to control his eyes, and he shows that he cares what he looks at, then just like Hashem saved the Chofetz Chaim from bowing to avodah zorah when he was asleep, there is no doubt that he can save us from seeing bad things as well.
Insights Into Halachah
Tefillas HaDerech Nowadays
Even nowadays, when dangerous wild animals are not common, one must include the words “חיות רעות” so as not to change the text that Chazal established. One time, Rav Matisyahu Salomon zt”l, who was the mashgiach in BMG in Lakewood, was in a car and his driver asked him why we say “חיות רעות” if they are extremely rare. Later on that very same drive, a bee flew into the car and pestered the driver until he nearly got into an accident. The mashgiach remarked that “חיות רעות” are indeed present today. The Gaavad of Yerushalayim zt”l drily remarked that there is no lack of two-legged “dangerous wild animals on the road” [drivers].” (Quote from Chukei Chaim)
