The Sfas Emes (5634) writes that Rivkah told Yaakov (27:43) לך ברח קום, "Arise and flee", as well in the haftarah it states יעקב ויברח, and Yaakov fled from Eisav. Nevertheless, the Torah uses passive expressions (28:10) יעקב ויצא חרנה וילך שבע מבאר, "And Yaakov left Beer Sheva, and he went to Charan." It doesn't state וירץ ...ויברח, that he escaped and ran. The Torah's expressions make it sound like he left without hurry, without panic. This tells us that even when escaping to save his life, he didn't lose his yishuv hadaas. He went calmly and with bitachon. He wasn't afraid but trusted in Hashem. He knew that no one could harm him if it wasn't decreed above. So why should he escape with worry and confusion?
The Sfas Emes writes that this is the intention of the following Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 68:1): It states in Mishlei (3:23-34), דרכך לבטח תלך אז, "Then you shall go with bitachon on your way." The Midrash says that this refers to Yaakov, as it states יעקב ויצא, "And Yaakov went out..." תפחד לא תשכב אם, "If you lie down, you shall not fear." The Midrash says this means he wasn't afraid of Eisav or Lavan. שנתך וערבה ושכבת, "When you lie down, your sleep shall be sweet." The Midrash says that this is as it states (Bereishis 28:11) במקום וישכב ההוא, 'He lay down at that place." He wasn't afraid, because he trusted in Hashem. It also states (Tehillim 34:1) טעמו את בשנותו לדוד וילך ויגרשהו אבימלך לפני, "Of David... he banished him and he walked." Avimelech banished Dovid, but Dovid didn't run. He walked. He went calmly, without distress, without confusion.
- The city of Warsaw sustained heavy air attacks and artillery shelling, from the Nazis, ym's, in the year of ש"ת. The residents didn't know what to do to protect themselves. Some ran to bomb shelters, but that was also dangerous because when buildings collapsed, the debris might block the exits, trapping everyone inside. During this time, the Brisker Rav zt'l lived in Warsaw, and he carefully considered his options. He decided that since both options were risky, he and his family should remain at home. During those days, the Brisker Rav was completely calm and slept well and peacefully. When he was asked how he managed to remain calm when every moment could be the final moment, he replied, "Dovid HaMelech was in danger of his life from Avshalom, his son, and he sang in Tehillim (3) מפני בברחו לדוד מזמור יסמכני 'ה כי הקיצותי ואישנה שכבתי אני ...בנו אבשלום,"A song of Dovid when he fled from Avshalom, his son... I lay down and slept; I awoke, for Hashem will support me.' He fell asleep right after lying down because he trusted in Hashem and had no fear." Someone pressed the Brisker Rav, "But generally, you have a tendency to be very cautious and afraid. How are you so calm now?" He replied, "My usual caution stems from Hashem's command that we guard our lives. It isn't my well-being that I am concerned about; rather, I fear that maybe I haven’t fulfilled my obligation to guard my health. Perhaps there is more that I can do. But this time, I know I did whatever I could. I completed my obligation to Hashem, so I can be calm." (HaRav m'Brisk vol.1 p.391).
- The Gemara (Bava Basra 28.) states, אושא מהולכי שמעתי, "I heard from those who went to Usha...". This is a reference to the Sanhedrin, which went to galus. The Gemara calls them אושא הולכי, not לאושא הבורחים, those who escaped to Usha. Because even when they had to escape, they went calmly, without worry or confusion.
- The Imrei Emes of Gur zt'l was a big masmid and very careful not to waste time. When he had to travel somewhere, he told his gabbai that he should remind him just moments before they needed to leave the house to catch the train. The Imrei Emes would prepare himself quickly, and they would go. Once, the gabbai was helping the Imrei Emes prepare to leave the house because it was late. Due to the rushing, some items fell out of the gabbai's hands. The Imrei Emes asked him, "Why are you rushing so much?" The gabbai motioned as if to say, "I am rushing because the rebbe is rushing." The Imrei Emes replied, שנעל מאך איך ,נישט זיך יאג יאך, "I do not rush; I am quick." Even when he did things quickly, he did them calmly, without losing his peace of mind.
Another indication of this concept is (Tehillim 119:60) מצותיך לשמור התמהמהתי ולא חשתי, "I hastened and did not delay to keep your mitzvos." The words התמהמהתי ולא חשתי, "I hastened and did not delay" seem to be repetitive because when one rushes, obviously he isn't delaying! The answer is that Dovid was saying that he rushes by not delaying. It isn't rushing in the literal sense; instead, he rushes simply by not procrastinating. The Baal Shem Tov zt'l taught מהרה ואבדתם, that we should abolish the attitude of rushing.
The Moshe Kobriner zt'l once visited the daughter of Rebbe Boruch'l of Mezhibuz, zt'l. Before departing, he asked her to repeat something from her father. She said that her father would often say, "A Yid may not rush!" Reb Moshe Kobriner immediately instructed his chasidim, who were with him, not to rush. They would leave when they were ready. When they finally left, they were informed that thieves had been waiting for them in ambush. When they saw that Reb Moshe and his entourage weren't coming out of the house, they left. So, by not rushing, they were saved.
