The Jewish people traveled forty-two times in the desert and each time they were "leaving Mitzrayim". How was every individual travel connected to Mitzrayim if they only left once? A special lesson in our service of Hashem.
פרשת מטות ומסעי
Classic Concepts מטות–מסעי
This week’s Parsha begins with the אלה מסעי בני ישראל אשר יצאו ממצרים. It is well known that the whole experience of leaving Mitzrayim is not just a one-time event, but a continuous process in our spiritual lives. Every journey the Jewish people made in the desert was considered another step away from Mitzrayim, representing the ongoing effort to leave behind limitations and boundaries.
When it comes to a person leaving his own personal Mitzrayim, it is not enough to have left once. Each day, and with every new challenge, a person must strive to go further, to work more, and to reach new heights in his service of Hashem. The ultimate תכלית (purpose) is to achieve everlasting greatness and perfection, which is only possible through constant growth and movement.
The limitations of holiness, the restrictions and boundaries, are not meant to hold us back, but to be overcome. We must understand that even after leaving one level of Mitzrayim, there are always higher levels to reach, and more to be accomplished. This is the lesson of the forty-two journeys: that our service of Hashem is an endless journey, always moving forward, always striving for more.
