English translation — מסעי א

A.

On that which the verse says "These are the journeys of the children of Israel" and then details all the places — one asks¹

Since one counts the <b>places</b> where one <b>stopped</b> during the long journey,

one is certainly not to mention the parts of the <b>journey</b> between the encampments,

but the places where one encamped,

<b>stopped</b> the journey;

should have indeed stood here

(not "These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael",

"These are the encampments of Bnei Yisrael" — these are the places where Jews stopped and rested&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;?

Even more: the majority and main part of the time of the forty years that Jews were in the desert,

they were

(not in traveling from place to place,

but)

but)

in a state of encampment in the places of encampment&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;

— should the verse have indeed emphasized

(when telling how Jews went through the desert)

the &lt;b&gt;encampments&lt;/b&gt;.

At first glance it is answered according to a

Rashi &lt;b&gt;earlier&lt;/b&gt;: on "in all their journeys"

(at the end of P' Pekudei)

Rashi explains "the place of their encampment is also called a journey and so ...

&lt;b&gt;These are the journeys &lt;/b&gt;..

because from the place of encampment they returned and traveled, therefore all of them are called journeys".

That is,

that "journeys" includes both — both the "they traveled" and the "they encamped".

But this itself needs an explanation: "place of their encampment" is called "journey ..

because from the place of the encampment they returned and traveled” — at first glance,

on the contrary: the "and they encamped" is after all the purpose,

completion and conclusion of the

(previous)

"and they traveled",

(the intention and purpose of the journey is to arrive at "the place of the encampment")

— must the "and they traveled" be included in the "and they encamped" — and not the opposite?

Also: even if "journey" in itself includes also the encampments between journey and journey — it is however not smooth in our case: since here the main emphasis is on the &lt;b&gt;encampments&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;,

as above,

one should not use the word "journeys" which means &lt;b&gt;primarily&lt;/b&gt; the "and they traveled"

(it is only that "the place of their encampment &lt;b&gt;also&lt;/b&gt; is called journey").

2.

One can answer:

The intention of "they journeyed etc. and they encamped etc." was to enter the Land of Israel.

The purpose was not the encampments,

but rather the subsequent journey that draws closer to Eretz Yisrael.

And for this reason also the encampments are called "journeys",

because the encampments were not an end in themselves&lt;sup&gt;4&lt;/sup&gt;,

but

only a stop and interruption in order to be able to go &lt;b&gt;further &lt;/b&gt;— "from the place of the encampment &lt;b&gt;they traveled again&lt;/b&gt;" — in the direction of the Land of Israel&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;.

It is but not smooth: from that which he says "These are the journeys" — plural language — it is understood,

that the verse means

that they all are

(a part and place together)

&lt;b&gt;one &lt;/b&gt;"journey" from the land of Egypt to the land of Israel — but rather]

The unique aspect of each journey individually,

that which <b>distinguishes</b> each journey from the others, and as Rashi explains⁶

"Here they encamped, here they were honored, etc."

(They are journeys,

plural of "journey")

— and since the difference between the journeys is on account of the <b>places of encampment</b>

(the

(going —)

journey is indeed the same for all),

why does the verse say "These are the <b>journeys</b>" and not "These are the encampments"?

3.

It is known the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov⁷

on "These are the journeys of the children of Israel,"

that all these forty-two journeys exist for every Jew,

throughout all the years of his life⁸

: "which they went out from the land of Egypt" — the birth of a person,

afterwards throughout the days of his life — the rest of the journeys,

until he comes to the border of the supernal land of life.

And the Baal Shem Tov explains,

that Kivros Hataavah is the aspect of chochmah, because there they buried the people who lusted, meaning one who came

to the attribute of chochmah, then all lusts are nullified from him due to his great attachment to Him, blessed be He.

And it is explained⁹

that all the journeys are "aspects holy and pure."

Also the journeys during which Jews conducted themselves contrary to the supernal will,

are nevertheless the journeys, in themselves, "aspects holy and lofty levels."

Like the example of "Kivros Hataavah" that — "<b>nullified</b>¹⁰

from him all lusts due to his great attachment": It is not only that there is no lust <b>in actuality</b>,

but "<b>they buried</b> etc. the lustful ones",

it is not in the category that lust should be applicable.

Based on this, the aforementioned question becomes even stronger — why does the verse say "These are the journeys"? — according to the above, surely the emphasis should have been on the encampments,

which allude to the various levels in the service of G‑d,

each higher than the previous,

which a Jew must attain

(in his progression from strength to strength)

during the course of his life.

4.

And one can explain the interpretation of this:

The desired order of man's life is,

that by him should always be — "Masei",

he should be a <b>traveler</b>.

As Chassidus¹¹

explains the difference between "standing" and "walking" in the service of God:

"Standing" means that one stands in the same place.

Even when one ascends to a higher level,

this is only an ascent in value — the higher level has a value relative to

(and consequently a connection and consequently a kind of)

the previous level,

And consequently he is not "away"

(in truth)

from his previous level.

"Movement"

(in truth)

means: a movement and ascent that is beyond measure,

that one goes <b>entirely </b>away from the lower level,

the higher level is incomparably higher than the level in which he previously stood.

And it can be said: several examples: many levels among students, this above

(but approximately)

that; incomparably — when he becomes a

(ordained)

rabbi and judge,

and also in this there are many levels.

Ten holinesses there are¹²

each higher

(but approximately)

than the previous one.

Incomparably — ascent to Gan Eden,

and also in Gan Eden there are "several¹³

levels and degrees of Gan Eden, one above the other, up to the highest level."

And therefore the verse says "These <b>journeys</b>",

to hint and emphasize,

that a Jew should not stop and remain

(encampment)

at the same <b>type</b> of ascent from level to level,

rather his ascents must be in a manner that the second ascent

("journey")

is separate,

incomparably higher than the first,

a progression from strength to strength.

5.

A deeper matter in this:

In the matter of going from strength to strength — an incomparable ascent — there are two details: <b>going away</b> from the previous level,

and <b>arriving</b> at the higher level.

And this is the difference between the two expressions "walking" and "traveling": walking emphasizes

(mainly)

the <b>going</b> further

(to arrive higher)

: traveling

emphasizes

(not only the going further,

but)

also the <b>departing</b> from a place — "and they journeyed from ..

" — as it says "let us journey and let us go"¹⁴,

"they journeyed from here ..

let us go to Dothan"¹⁵,

"and Moses caused Israel to journey from the Sea of Reeds"¹⁶.

And therefore one finds in several verses&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

that the term "nasa" contains within itself the meaning of "uprooted"; and on this the Yerushalmi uses

(in place of the phrase "he diverted his mind")

the expression "he diverted his mind"&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

: his mind being diverted means that the thought and mind of the person has become uprooted from the previous matter,

regarding tefillin,

that "it is not called diversion of the mind unless when one stands in frivolity or lightheadedness etc. but when one stands in awe and occupies himself with his needs ...

and his mind is not actually on the tefillin, this is not called diversion of the mind":

As long as he is still "standing in awe"

(even though "his mind is not on the tefillin themselves"),

he is still not &lt;b&gt;severed &lt;/b&gt;from the content of the matter of tefillin&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

(which the intention of their placement

is indeed — the subjugation of the mind and heart&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;)

; specifically "when he is in a state of jest or lightheadedness",

which is the &lt;b&gt;opposite &lt;/b&gt;of the matter of tefillin,

he is &lt;b&gt;severed &lt;/b&gt;from the matter of tefillin&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

and it is a &lt;b&gt;distraction &lt;/b&gt;of the mind],

And as mentioned, the Yerushalmi calls it "he removed his mind",

because this is the content of the matter of travel — going away and tearing oneself away from a place²².

6.

This is also the explanation in the verse "These are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael who went out from the land of Egypt" — journeys in the plural — the Alter Rebbe asks²³

: With the first journey from Raamses to Sukkos, Jews had already gone out from the land of Egypt,

so how can one say that through "journeys"

(plural)

they "went out from the land of Egypt"?

And he answers,

that "Egypt" is from the term strait and boundary; and as long as they had not come to

(the level of)

Yarden Yericho,

they were still all in "Egypt" — straits and boundaries, and consequently still not torn away from the land of Egypt,

but together with this, in each journey there was "Yetzias Mitzrayim" — there was an exodus from the strait and boundary of the previous encampment.

And this says the verse "These are the journeys of the children of Israel who went out from the land of Egypt":

The "encampments" — the attained levels in the service of G‑d — are still not the completions and the conclusion of the exodus from Egypt; there must be the — going out from Egypt and the boundaries of every encampment,

from — remaining in its limitation and strait,

even of holiness.

One does not stop at a level,

The encampments are

(mainly)

for the sake of "they traveled again" — "the journeys of the children of Israel who went out from the land of Egypt".

7.

Another matter in this:

It is known²⁴

that the 42 journeys in the desert are a hint to the time of the exile,

when Jews find themselves in the "desert of the nations"²⁵.

It comes out,

that the "encampments" in the desert have in themselves a matter of descent and exile,

that which <b>one delays </b>in the "desert of the nations"

— and certainly the stops in the "places where &lt;b&gt;they provoked Me&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;,

are surely a matter of descent —

and nevertheless also these &lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;stops are called "Masei",

which indicates a matter of journey and ascent.

And the explanation in this²⁷

: the intention and purpose of the descent into exile is the redemption that follows

(a descent for the sake of an ascent).

And specifically through the descent is brought about an ascent — even higher than before the descent,

as the advantage of light from darkness.

Based on this it is understood that the descent into exile is a part of the overall ascent to arrive at "Yarden Yericho" — the aspect of smell,

the revelation of Moshiach that he will be

(and they try him out through)

"smells and judges"²⁸.

And even when a Jew falls, G-d forbid, into a matter that is not the will of the Above,

he must not fall into despair, heaven forbid,

rather he must bring about the advantage of light from the darkness

(from the failure)

— it should become a matter of "journey" and ascent,

the advantage of the service of teshuvah.

And therefore it is already called in Torah "Masei"²⁹,

because in inwardness and concealment this is

(the beginning of)

a matter of ascent.

Ch.

With this is also understood the connection of Parshas Masei to the time when the parshah is read³⁰

— in the Three Weeks,

and in proximity to Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av³¹

— this encourages Jews:

Entering into the days of Bein HaMetzarim,

and in particular the nine days

(which begin on Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av),

which remind a Jew of the greatness of the descent of this last exile — he should not be affected to despair, G‑d forbid, from the bitterness of the state of the exile,

rather he should know that all this is in order that he should transform and overturn it

(Ithafcha — which brings about the “And I will turn”³²

through G‑d)

into a matter of “Masei” and ascents,

And therefore he must in these days especially increase in vitality and enthusiasm and light,

with more liveliness and more brightness

(And there is no³³

light except Torah³⁴),

What this illuminates the between the straits and reveals the journeys

(in them)

and ascents,

until the main journey that these days will become "for joy and for gladness and for good festivals"³⁵,

speedily in our days, literally.

5721)