Parshas Beshalach: Extra Effort = Extra Desire

ימי מוהרנ"ת ב, לא


ויסב אל-הים את העם דרך המדבר - Hashem took the people around through the desert (שמות יג:יח) - For a number of months before Reb Nosson finally decided to make his journey to Eretz Yisrael he deliberated about the trip for quite some time. In 5582 (1822) during the week of Parshas BeShalach Reb Nosson thought about his own circuitous journey, and felt that it was quite akin to the necessary journey of Bnei Yisrael in the desert prior to their arrival and conquest of Eretz Yisrael.



Odessa is close to Breslov, and everyday there is traffic  - most of Breslov's trade is with Odessa.  But, instead of going straight there I had to travel to Kaminka, Tcherin, Cherkassy, and Kremenchug until I could even get to Odessa! The Torah applies to everyone at every single moment!  The reason a person has to travel a roundabout way is to increase his desire and longing.  When a person wants something and it is withheld from him, he desires it even more so.  The extra travel and effort increase one's desire for whatever it is one wants.


Hashem could have taken Israel straight to the land through the land of the Plishtim at the top of the Sinai peninsula.  Such a route may have taken only a few weeks.  But, in addition to all of the miracles, death of a generation, the reception of the Torah, and the building of the mishkan, the 40 year trip served to increase the Yidden's thirst to be in Eretz Yisrael. 

And, maybe this is why our current geula is taking so long.  Hashem wants us TO CRAVE the geula and LONG to go back to Eretz Yisraelin shlaymus, may it be His will soon.



Parshas BeShalach - Shabbos Shirah

ליקוטי הלכות: הלכות בציעת הפת, הלכה א:יח

ויבאו מרתה - And they came to Marah (שמות טז:כג): One must know and believe that Hashem yisborach sends bitterness in mercy and throws all of a person's sins to His back.  He doesn't send the sinner bitterness in accordance with what he might deserve, but only what he can handle.  And, this is what happened after the splitting of the Sea of Reeds as it's written, "And they came to Marah, and they couldn't drink the water because it was bitter."  At this place Hashem made a judgement on Israel, and then tested her.  This was such because the whole point of a test given to a person who has started to come close to Hashem - he must first suffer bitterness that is due to him... And therefore, Hashem certainly will not send bitterness in accordance with one's deeds, because He is an aspect of "All the plague that I made in Egypt."  He is only here to heal us with mercy with a little bit of bitterness according to what we can handle, "Because I am Hashem your Healer," and He will certainly heal you appropriately.


It is truly amazing how much Hashem loves us.  Even after we sin He doesn't even consider it completely, and only punishes us a little bit.  This is because of what the tzaddikim do for us as Hashem's consultants (look at LM 22).  It may even be that the punishment is in itself healing.  The ikar is to know that the 'bitterness' isn't really so bitter.  Everything is from Hashem for our benefit, and what at first appears to be bitter should be turned into simcha because of our awareness that Hashem is doing us a kindness through the little bit of suffering. Boruch Hashem.