“אלה מסעי בני ישראל אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים לצבאתם ביד משה ואהרן” Bamidbar 33:1
“These are the journeys of the B’nei Yisroel, who went forth from the land of Mitzrayim according to their legions, through Moshe and Aharon.” Klal Yisroel were enroute to the Land of Eretz Yisroel, their Land. Had they not sinned with the Eigel, there would not have been a need for the מסעות, for the long journey that they travelled with forty-two stops.
However, because they sinned, they were no longer ready to receive the Land of Eretz Yisroel. They needed to journey through all of those places as a preparation to receive the Land. Had they not sinned with the Eigel, then they would have received the Land completely. However, since they sinned with the Eigel, even after their journey through the Midbar for forty years as a preparation, it was still not enough for them to receive the Land with completeness. This meant that although they would receive it, it would not be eternal. It would be taken away from them. When Mashiach will come, we will IY”H be Zoche to receive it with completeness, eternally.
We know that during Klal Yisroel’s travels through the Midbar, Hakodosh Baruch Hu took good care of them. They had food, clothing, protection – everything they could need. Their traveling alone through the Midbar was enough for them to receive the Land of Eretz Yisroel. As Klal Yisroel has endured the long and arduous Golus, and has not had the great miracles and protection that Klal Yisroel had in the Midbar, that is the preparation for us to receive the Land of Eretz Yisroel eternally.
In order to achieve Olam Haba, one needs to undergo Yissurin. Olam Haba is hidden from us, and thus the suffering we endure to achieve Olam Haba is also hidden. The suffering needed is to starve the soul from thoughts which take a person away from his Ruchniyos. One needs to work on his thoughts, that they should be focused on Ruchniyos, and not Gashmiyos. This will enable one to achieve Olam Haba. (שם משמואל)
Shabbos Kodesh is a מעין עולם הבא, a semblance of Olam Haba. One is only Zoche to it through Yissurin, just like Olam Haba. During the six days of the week, one gets swept up in the daily grind, and does not focus properly on his Torah and Tefillah. When Shabbos Kodesh comes, one needs to starve all of those thoughts of the weekdays. He needs to remove them from his mind, and focus on his Torah and Tefillah.
The more he does that, the more he will be Zoche to the Kedushah of Shabbos Kodesh. All the traveling that Klal Yisroel did through the Midbar was meant to give us Chizuk, for us to know that there is a purpose in all of our suffering. It is a means to an end, a wonderful end, where we will be Zoche to everything good.
Rabbi Yakov Yosef Schechter
