What Not To Do On The Way
Parsha Pages | December 17, 2023
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What Not To Do On The Way

Parsha Pages | December 31, 2025

(בראשית מה, כד) וישלח את אחיו וילכו ויאמר אלהם אל תרגזו בדרך
He (Yosef) escorted his brothers and as they left he said to them, “Don’t argue on the way.”

How do we understand the words אל תרגזו בדרך? Why didn’t Yaacov give them a similar warning?

  1. The Baal HaTurim says that this means "Do not aggravate anyone on your ascent to Eretz Yisrael by taking a short-cut through his field and assuming that you will not get into trouble since I am the viceroy of this country." Obviously Yaacov could not say the same for their trip down to Egypt.
  2. The Ramban and Rashbam translate "al tir'g'zu" as "Do not fear." Yosef advised them that although he is sending them to Canaan with a large amount of food during a time of dire famine, nonetheless, he has let out the word that if anyone attempts to steal from them, the viceroy of the land will personally take up the cause of punishing the perpetrators. Once again, this was not relevant to Yaacov.
  3. Rashi's second explanation is actually two explanations which are both mentioned in Taanis 10b and M.R. 94:2. One is that they should not travel in a hurried manner by taking very broad strides. Taking broad strides diminishes one's eyesight (Berachos 43b, Shabbos 113b, Taanis 10b).
  4. The next explanation is that they should make sure to enter a city well before the sun sets and not take a chance by traveling further, hoping to find a city in which to lodge at sunset, for fear that they might not reach it in time and run the risk of travelling at night which is fraught with much danger (Pesachim 2a, Taanis 10b, Bava Kama 60b).
  5. Either of these two explanations would not apply to their descent to Egypt, as on the way up to Eretz Yisrael they were very eager to get to their destination as soon as possible to give Yaacov the wonderful news about his son Yosef. Yosef therefore advised them to not do anything rash to speed up the trip. One could argue that on the way down they were also propelled by their eagerness to procure food. However, their fear of meeting with the unpredictable viceroy likely slowed down their steps. On the first trip down they were not propelled because they actually had sufficient food at that time and only went to put on a show for their surrounding neighbors that they were also in need of food (See Rashi on 42:1 d.h. "Lamah tisro'u")
  6. Rashi's third (fourth) explanation is that they should not get into an argument on their way back as to who was responsible for the wrongdoing to Yosef. Again, this is not applicable to Yaacov.

However, as explained in Taanis 10b that this means "Do not discuss in depth matters of halacha during your travels." Thus, the question remains why didn’t Yaacov provide a similar warning?

  1. Yaacov did not have to tell them to avoid immersing themselves into discussions of halacha which obviously brings with it the possibility of getting lost on the way or not noticing the approach of highway robbers etc. Since Yaacov was convinced that Yosef met an untimely death while en route, he assumed that the brothers would have this permanently etched into their minds and always be careful to pay rapt attention to all happenings during their travels. Yosef's brothers however, knew that he was alive and well and might not be careful during their travels, so Yosef warned them.
  2. It was obvious to Yaacov that his sons realized that immersing themselves into halacha while travelling would at the least slow them down. His commanded that they purchase and return with food to stave off the hunger of the household was sufficient reason for them to not delay in any manner, to properly fulfill the mitzvah of honoring one's father. Upon their discovering the identity of the viceroy of Egypt and realizing that their father and his lost son Yosef would now reunite after 22 years of separation would obviously lead them to the conclusion that learning Torah is greater than honoring one's parents. Since Yaacov was actually separated from his father an additional 14 years while attending the Yeshiva of Eiver and he would not suffer in kind to be separated from Yosef for 36 years, they would conclude that the learning of Torah is greater than honoring one's parents. They might therefore allow themselves to tarry on the way by immersing themselves in halacha. Therefore, Yosef had to now warn them to not do so, but rather reach their father without delay. (Eimek Halacha)

Halachik Corner:

Travelers should not study in depth, as this might cause them to lose their way; but they should study Torah in a manner that doesn't involve great concentration. This is because it is a mitzvah to study Torah at all times, per Devarim 6,7, "You should speak in them...when you walk on the way." In addition, travelers need extra protection, due to the dangers that traveling involves—and Torah study provides that protection. (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 110:8).

Chassidic Insights:

Rabbi Yechezkel from Kozamir: When a person serves his Creator in a certain method and sees another using another method one should not argue on the method אל תרגזו בדרך of the other. Many different methods are available to serve the Creator. Yosef had seen the disagreements between the brothers regarding the proper method to serve HaShem until the point was reached that Yosef was sold. According the true understanding of Chassidus, Yosef explained to the brothers to accept that many methods were equally accessible to serve HaShem.

The Holy Admor of Kotzk: Yosef's brothers, in their tremendous concern for their father, wanted to immediately rush post-haste back to their father and deliver the good tidings, thus alleviating him from his anguish of thinking that Yosef was not alive. Yosef told them to not rush, but rather, to proceed at a normal pace, since HaShem had proclaimed that Yaakov would miss Yosef for 22 years, the same amount of time that he was responsible for being away from his parents. This would be fulfilled to the second and no amount of rushing would hurry the process.

A story about the Kotzker Rebbe demonstrates this point. During the time which the Rebbe locked himself in his room to get closer to HaShem (which lasted for many years) one time he came out and quickly said “Berel requires mercy” (meaning the supporter named Berel was in poor health and needed spiritual intervention from a Tzadik). Upon hearing the Rebbe, some of his Chassidim understood they had to go to the Gerer Rebbe. They rented a wagon and took off. However, first the axle of the wagon broke. After they fixed the wagon, then a horse died. Later one of the Chassidim became sick with a high fever. Finally, they arrived in Ger and prompted the Rebbe to pray on behalf of Berel. Thus, even though the Kotzker Rebbe revealed one of the secrets of Heaven, yet the solution still only happened in the proper time.

Lubavitcher Rebbe: The connected halacha is that a person should not leave another except with a word of halacha. אל ייפטר אדם מחברו אלא מתוך דבר הלכה Hidden in this halacha is a very basic concept. A Jew cannot really separate from other Jews since we all have one Father. However, when one separates physically, we need to reinforce the strong connection which results from halacha parameters of life.

Taanis 10b:

Question: Surely R. Ela'i said that two Talmidei Chachamim who do not converse in Torah during their journey deserve to be burned. (How could they learn while on their journey?)
Source Text: (Melachim II 2,11) “They were walking and conversing, and behold, a chariot of fire and horses appeared and separated them and Eliyahu ascended to the Heaven in whirlwind.” (Since Eliyahu and Elisha were conversing in Torah, they were not burned up).
Answer: Thus, those on their journey must review their studies, but they must not become engrossed in analyzing them.
Eliyahu and Elisha were conversing about Torah as alluded by the connection with the words והלכת בדרך indicating learning Torah while going. What were they discussing?

  • Krias Shema – recitation of Shema
  • Maaseh Bereshis – secrets of the Creation
  • Maaseh Merkavah – narrative of the Heavenly Chariot

(Tosefos brings a Medrash that says they were discussing non-holy matters, but most dispute this interpretation)

(בראשית מה, כד) וישלח את אחיו וילכו ויאמר אלהם אל תרגזו בדרך
He (Yosef) escorted his brothers and as they left he said to them, “Don’t argue on the way.”

How do we understand the words אל תרגזו בדרך? Why didn’t Yaacov give them a similar warning?

  1. The Baal HaTurim says that this means "Do not aggravate anyone on your ascent to Eretz Yisrael by taking a short-cut through his field and assuming that you will not get into trouble since I am the viceroy of this country." Obviously Yaacov could not say the same for their trip down to Egypt.
  2. The Ramban and Rashbam translate "al tir'g'zu" as "Do not fear." Yosef advised them that although he is sending them to Canaan with a large amount of food during a time of dire famine, nonetheless, he has let out the word that if anyone attempts to steal from them, the viceroy of the land will personally take up the cause of punishing the perpetrators. Once again, this was not relevant to Yaacov.
  3. Rashi's second explanation is actually two explanations which are both mentioned in Taanis 10b and M.R. 94:2. One is that they should not travel in a hurried manner by taking very broad strides. Taking broad strides diminishes one's eyesight (Berachos 43b, Shabbos 113b, Taanis 10b).
  4. The next explanation is that they should make sure to enter a city well before the sun sets and not take a chance by traveling further, hoping to find a city in which to lodge at sunset, for fear that they might not reach it in time and run the risk of travelling at night which is fraught with much danger (Pesachim 2a, Taanis 10b, Bava Kama 60b).
  5. Either of these two explanations would not apply to their descent to Egypt, as on the way up to Eretz Yisrael they were very eager to get to their destination as soon as possible to give Yaacov the wonderful news about his son Yosef. Yosef therefore advised them to not do anything rash to speed up the trip. One could argue that on the way down they were also propelled by their eagerness to procure food. However, their fear of meeting with the unpredictable viceroy likely slowed down their steps. On the first trip down they were not propelled because they actually had sufficient food at that time and only went to put on a show for their surrounding neighbors that they were also in need of food (See Rashi on 42:1 d.h. "Lamah tisro'u")
  6. Rashi's third (fourth) explanation is that they should not get into an argument on their way back as to who was responsible for the wrongdoing to Yosef. Again, this is not applicable to Yaacov.

However, as explained in Taanis 10b that this means "Do not discuss in depth matters of halacha during your travels." Thus, the question remains why didn’t Yaacov provide a similar warning?

  1. Yaacov did not have to tell them to avoid immersing themselves into discussions of halacha which obviously brings with it the possibility of getting lost on the way or not noticing the approach of highway robbers etc. Since Yaacov was convinced that Yosef met an untimely death while en route, he assumed that the brothers would have this permanently etched into their minds and always be careful to pay rapt attention to all happenings during their travels. Yosef's brothers however, knew that he was alive and well and might not be careful during their travels, so Yosef warned them.
  2. It was obvious to Yaacov that his sons realized that immersing themselves into halacha while travelling would at the least slow them down. His commanded that they purchase and return with food to stave off the hunger of the household was sufficient reason for them to not delay in any manner, to properly fulfill the mitzvah of honoring one's father. Upon their discovering the identity of the viceroy of Egypt and realizing that their father and his lost son Yosef would now reunite after 22 years of separation would obviously lead them to the conclusion that learning Torah is greater than honoring one's parents. Since Yaacov was actually separated from his father an additional 14 years while attending the Yeshiva of Eiver and he would not suffer in kind to be separated from Yosef for 36 years, they would conclude that the learning of Torah is greater than honoring one's parents. They might therefore allow themselves to tarry on the way by immersing themselves in halacha. Therefore, Yosef had to now warn them to not do so, but rather reach their father without delay. (Eimek Halacha)

Halachik Corner:

Travelers should not study in depth, as this might cause them to lose their way; but they should study Torah in a manner that doesn't involve great concentration. This is because it is a mitzvah to study Torah at all times, per Devarim 6,7, "You should speak in them...when you walk on the way." In addition, travelers need extra protection, due to the dangers that traveling involves—and Torah study provides that protection. (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 110:8).

Chassidic Insights:

Rabbi Yechezkel from Kozamir: When a person serves his Creator in a certain method and sees another using another method one should not argue on the method אל תרגזו בדרך of the other. Many different methods are available to serve the Creator. Yosef had seen the disagreements between the brothers regarding the proper method to serve HaShem until the point was reached that Yosef was sold. According the true understanding of Chassidus, Yosef explained to the brothers to accept that many methods were equally accessible to serve HaShem.

The Holy Admor of Kotzk: Yosef's brothers, in their tremendous concern for their father, wanted to immediately rush post-haste back to their father and deliver the good tidings, thus alleviating him from his anguish of thinking that Yosef was not alive. Yosef told them to not rush, but rather, to proceed at a normal pace, since HaShem had proclaimed that Yaakov would miss Yosef for 22 years, the same amount of time that he was responsible for being away from his parents. This would be fulfilled to the second and no amount of rushing would hurry the process.

A story about the Kotzker Rebbe demonstrates this point. During the time which the Rebbe locked himself in his room to get closer to HaShem (which lasted for many years) one time he came out and quickly said “Berel requires mercy” (meaning the supporter named Berel was in poor health and needed spiritual intervention from a Tzadik). Upon hearing the Rebbe, some of his Chassidim understood they had to go to the Gerer Rebbe. They rented a wagon and took off. However, first the axle of the wagon broke. After they fixed the wagon, then a horse died. Later one of the Chassidim became sick with a high fever. Finally, they arrived in Ger and prompted the Rebbe to pray on behalf of Berel. Thus, even though the Kotzker Rebbe revealed one of the secrets of Heaven, yet the solution still only happened in the proper time.

Lubavitcher Rebbe: The connected halacha is that a person should not leave another except with a word of halacha. אל ייפטר אדם מחברו אלא מתוך דבר הלכה Hidden in this halacha is a very basic concept. A Jew cannot really separate from other Jews since we all have one Father. However, when one separates physically, we need to reinforce the strong connection which results from halacha parameters of life.

Taanis 10b:

Question: Surely R. Ela'i said that two Talmidei Chachamim who do not converse in Torah during their journey deserve to be burned. (How could they learn while on their journey?)
Source Text: (Melachim II 2,11) “They were walking and conversing, and behold, a chariot of fire and horses appeared and separated them and Eliyahu ascended to the Heaven in whirlwind.” (Since Eliyahu and Elisha were conversing in Torah, they were not burned up).
Answer: Thus, those on their journey must review their studies, but they must not become engrossed in analyzing them.
Eliyahu and Elisha were conversing about Torah as alluded by the connection with the words והלכת בדרך indicating learning Torah while going. What were they discussing?

  • Krias Shema – recitation of Shema
  • Maaseh Bereshis – secrets of the Creation
  • Maaseh Merkavah – narrative of the Heavenly Chariot

(Tosefos brings a Medrash that says they were discussing non-holy matters, but most dispute this interpretation)

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Parsha Pages | December 17, 2023